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Joystiq Photo Album
Like all good photo albums, our look back at ten years of Joystiq is a hot mess of nostalgia, out-of-focus shots, and GIFs (you've been warned). Now, gather round and mind the edges. >>Joystiq Photo Album<<
Dear Aunt TUAW: Why don't my searches work in Safari anymore?
Dear Aunt TUAW, Safari search is broken as anything. I use Safari, what, once a month, and it can't even work right? I have a page that has at least 20 times my search phrase. And it can't find it. I do CMD + F and then I type my term and then return. It's all keyboard. Help. Your nephew, M. Dear M, Take a close look at the Safari search field. Do you see the little drop-down triangle to the right of the magnifying glass. Try clicking that and changing your search from "Starts With" to "Contains". Hugs and snuggles, Auntie T.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Buy an iPad mini now or wait?
Dear Aunt TUAW, Would you suggest this generation of the iPad mini is worth getting, or waiting for the next-generation, which may have Retina display is a better option? Your loving niece, Stephanie S Dear Stephanie, The best time to buy hardware is when you need it. If you can use the mini now, and feel it's a good value, then go ahead and pick it up. The secret is to make a buy/don't buy decision on the current offerings, not necessarily the iPad minis that may or may not be announced in the future. In the past few years, Apple has refreshed its iPad line around March/April. Auntie has no indication that they'll do so again this year -- especially after adding new hardware this Autumn -- or that they will not. It's likely that Retina displays will continue to appear across Apple's line, but the current budget-priced iPad mini has not received one. That the iPad 2 continues as a strong seller in the tablet arena shows that people want an iPad more than they want a Retina display. Several of Auntie's friends here at the Weblog own minis, and love the portable form factor combined with the iPad experience. Auntie is waiting for the first set of refurbished iPad minis, which she expects to see somewhere around April. Far from purchasing at the peak, Auntie often waits for better deals on slightly outdated hardware for the best buying value. If you want Retina, you can always consider purchasing a refurb third-generation full-sized iPad, starting at about $380. You will, however, sacrifice the mini's portability. Got advice for Stephanie? Add your thoughts to the comments. Hugs, Auntie T.
The Soapbox: Remembering that games are games
I think it's safe to assume that we all love games. If we didn't, I wouldn't be in this crowded, noisy coffee shop writing this and you wouldn't be blowing off some sort of important responsibility reading it. We're all here together, engaged in this somewhat-anonymous internet back-and-forth, because games have touched our lives. It sounds corny, but it's true. For many of us, games have a deeply personal and specific meaning. We like the games we like not so much for their craftsmanship or content but for the way they engage our minds and spirits. Games create incredible, irreplaceable moments infused with emotional resonance, and it's only natural we would feel some sort of personal connection when a piece of digital entertainment syncs just right. It is precisely this personal connection that leads many of us to act like total morons.
Dear Aunt TUAW: I made the switch. What do I do with my old system?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I did it. I made the switch. Mountain Lion and those hot Retina display MacBook Pros finally brought me to the Mac Side. So, what do I do with my old Windows system? It runs Win 7, is reasonably functional, and in need of a task. What do you suggest? Your loving (new) nephew, Colin Dear Colin, Auntie is sure there are many fine uses for your old system. There are always flowers to press, doors to hold open...but she thinks media servers and public web installations are two of the best. Whether you're running XBMC in the living room (plays back nearly everything you throw at it, letting you watch a wide range of video files) or Firefox in the Kitchen (great for news, weather, and recipes), old computers provide the perfect solution for always-on items that need to perform with minimal intervention. There's also the SETI project, which uses distributed computing to help analyze radio telescope data. Or you could go wild and install Linux, to see how the other other half lives. Your system is emotionally end-of-lifed anyway, now that you own your new MacBook. By trying out these projects, you ensure that when the PC does conk out and you're tired of performing fixes, you'll feel more as if you got your full worth out of it. If you're not in the mood for an in-home install, you could just sell your system on Ebay. Make sure to wipe your drive, and ship any OEM Windows disks that came with your computer. Auntie is, admittedly, not a Windows expert, so she's going to turn the question over to her nieces and nephews. What solutions can you recommend for Colin's old PC? Hugs, Auntie T.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me customize notifications
Dear Aunt TUAW, I have several Mail accounts. One for work, one personal, and one that gets a lot of junk. I like all of them to come into my Mail app, but I don't need a notification in Mountain Lion every time a piece of junk mail comes through. Is there a way to only enable notifications for certain accounts? Your loving nephew, Billy Dear Billy, Sadly, there isn't a way Auntie knows of to do this with OS X Mountain Lion tools, but why not consider using Growl instead? Growl is the spiritual grandfather to Notification Center. Auntie pinged Uncle Chris from the Growl Project to see what he recommended for you. He pointed Auntie this page, which offers a handy walk through plus an AppleScript that you can customize to your needs. Auntie asked him about Notification Center integration. He replied that the upcoming Growl 2 will be able to forward custom updates to Notification Center instead of using Growl's display. Thanks, Uncle Chris! Auntie brainstormed up with a new motto for the Growl project in appreciation: "Growl: Drinking Notification Center's milkshake since OS X 10.8." Hugs! Auntie T.
PAX East: Ken Levine and the Hug That Taught the World to Love
No matter what anyone will tell you, this months-in-the-making hug between Joystiq's Justin McElroy and Irrational Games' Ken Levine was the most important thing that happened at PAX. Fair warning, Ken drops the F-bomb in the process of admitting the harsh truth that he listens to the Joystiq Podcast. It's pretty much the best thing ever.
The terrifying Probo in pictures and video
Have you ever dreamed that you stared into the ineffable face of the abyss... and the abyss stared back? Well dream no more, friends, and witness the gallery of photos and video below of Probo, the Belgian, Bill Gates-backed, huggable, robotic Alf wannabe. We saw a bit of the little guy earlier today, but now we've found a treasure-trove of media and wanted to share. One thing that's been bugging us: he's supposed to help kids who've been through traumatic experiences, and, you know... cheer people up -- but doesn't this bot look profoundly unhappy? Take a peek and judge for yourself.
Probo the huggable Belgian bot goes hands-on with kids
Oh Probo, you've come so far. Just a few years back you were an cute little green fuzzy thing trying to make a name for yourself by partying the night away with geek celebrities. Now you're out in the wild, looking tired, sporting a wrinkled flannel covering, proboscis hanging dangerously low, and a pair of eyes that truly tell the tale of all you've been through. Those eyes and that schnoz are fully movable and programmable, and that touchscreen on the belly can be made to show children's tales of all sorts, but sadly Probo still can't give the one thing he was made for: hugs. Maybe in his quest for fame he lost a little bit of his purpose along the way -- maybe it's for the best.
Kuromi vs. My Melody - Is Sanrio dedicated to real PvP?
As Sanrio continues to build Hello Kitty Online into the amazing MMO we all know it can be, I sincerely hope they don't forget one of the most important aspects of any MMO: PvP. While it's true that purely PvP focused games such as Fury and Shadowbane often end up struggling, the fact remains that the segment of the MMO playing market that insists on being able to match their skills against their fellow players is too big to ignore. But how do you properly implement PvP into the world of HKO without betraying the rich tapestry of lore and creating compelling reasons to PvP? Let's look at the latest PvP rumors after the break.
Hershey's and LG baking up more Chocolate goodies
So you just purchased LG's newest Chocolate incarnation and you're looking for the latest accessories? The more gimmicky, the better, yeah? Look no further than you local Verizon Wireless store, my friend, as they can satisfy your craving. LG has made a deal with Hershey's Chocolate to manufacture accessories for the phone including a leather carrying pouch adorned with little Hershey Hugs. What's the next in for LG and Hershey? Maybe little Hershey Kisses look-a-like stereo ear buds?
