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Apple's worst logo ever?
I'm eager to test out Apple's upcoming MobileMe service, the .Mac replacement scheduled to launch in a few weeks. Unfortunately for many, my enthusiasm is matched by disdain for the MobileMe logo.Gawker says "...it should be on a package of Japanese soap." Paul Thurrott notices a similarity between MobileMe and Microsoft WindowsME and Manhattan Offender asks flat-out: "Is 'MobileMe' the worst logo in the history of Mac?"First of all, Manhattan Offender, Apple is the company that produced MobileMe and its graphic representation, not "Mac." Remember, Apple is pushing this (get it?) as "Exchange for the rest of us." It's not a corporate product, but a consumer service with corporate-like features. We think the logo is airy and fun.What's your take? Decent enough or utter garbage?[Via Geek & Mild]
Undodgeable SDB screens from U.S., Korean releases
North American publisher Aksys has accompanied Super Dodgeball Brawlers' stateside release this week with an image bonanza of (Japanese) screenshots, character art, and other promotional assets, all of which we've conveniently collected for you in the gallery below.Apparently, lots of people are having trouble finding the game in stores, so here's an opportunity for you to flip past the screenshots quickly to approximate an animated match, imagining that you're really playing the game. We had no problem finding Super Dodgeball Brawlers ourselves, as most of the GameStops around our area kept two copies on their shelves.In related news, Fujitsu also plans to ship Super Dodgeball Brawlers to stores in Korea next week and has released a huge, 80-image-strong batch of Korean-translated screens, which, for some reason, includes shots from the staff credits and celebration scene that appears after a completed tournament. Perhaps they were accidentally released in Fujitsu's rush to get the word out -- the word(s) being "Kunio in Korea!"%Gallery-14440%
Discovery Channel HD's new logo
A reader passed along this image from Wikipedia of the new logo from Discovery Channel HD's first revamp. Of course shiny new graphics won't make us love your channel (Deadliest Catch is all over that) but compared to the old style, we must say it's an improvement. [Thanks, Dayton Guy]
Logo to simulcast Scissor Sisters: Live at the O2 Arena on MHD
Fans of Scissor Sisters and HD music alike will be able to enjoy a concert scheduled to air on Logo next week as it teams up with sister (ahem) channel MHD. Reportedly, the simulcast will mark the "first high-definition broadcast from a gay television network" (that'd be Logo, for those unaware), and the concert in question will be Scissor Sisters: Live at the O2 Arena. The event will be an hour-long special of the band performing in London, and for those who won't be sitting around the tube next Thursday, you can view it online as it happens via steaming video on the network's website. Sound good? Set your HD DVRs for 8:00PM ET / PT on April 24th, or better yet, kick back and enjoy it as it unfolds. Full release after the jump.
NTT DoCoMo revamps logo, our entire belief system crumbles
Our mommies always used to tell us that in life, there are only three sure things: death, taxes, and NTT DoCoMo's stylish logo. Well, how very, very wrong our mommies were! Japan's megacarrier officially unveiled its new look today, which will go into use beginning July 1 alongside its catchy new slogan, "Unlimited Potential, in Your Hand." We're told that the red in the logo signifies the company's "energy and dynamism" -- which we're pretty sure is their way of saying "our phones still make yours look like neanderthalic tools hewn from rock." So, thoughts on the makeover, everyone?
Starz drops $25 million on new logo, marketing initiative
They never said change was easy -- nor inexpensive, apparently. Announced today, Starz has decided to undertake its "largest long-term brand investment since 2002," freeing itself of $25 million in order to spark up a new brand and marketing initiative. Users will start seeing an all new logo, fresh on-air look and an "integrated advertising campaign on-air and online." As expected, the new identity -- part of the "Are You Ready?" initiative -- will be ran across the company's six SD and four HD channels, and Starz is slated to run TV spots with the new logo starting on April 7th (while the online portion launches on April 14th). Hope it's worth it.
New Nebraska Network jacks N64 logo for their own use
Oh, New Nebraska Network. Did nobody inform you about copyright infringement? Of course not. Otherwise, you wouldn't have co-opted the N64 logo into your own. Naughty naughty!And what is the NNN about? Well, they've been around since March of 2005 and "has been the state's premiere source of progressive online political commentary and community-building." Being gamers, we're a bit wary of political stuff, because politicians often take up the cause that video games are a bad influence. Looks like they may have their first proof of that.[Thanks, Michael!]
Blue Mars developer too good at replicating reality
See if you can follow our reasoning on this one. Avatar Reality, the creators of the Blue Mars project, which is aimed at delivering a next-gen graphical Second Life-like MMO, are outsourcing the actual content of the game, while they work on the engine. Given the screenshots, and what we've been told by the studio, there will likely be many replicas of real-life objects -- golf equipment, for example, for the golf game that's said to be in development. However, one of Blue Mars' third-party developers, Virtual Space Entertainment, sports a company logo that's eerily similar to that of mountain bike-makers Specialized. Is VSE so into their role as replicators of real things that the mandate has seeped into every aspect of the company? Someone's in trouble here, and it's not Specialized.[Thanks, Peter!]
Xerox retires 40 year old logo
Today Xerox retired its red, capital X logo so prominent in our copy centers (and more recently on printers) for the past 40 years. The new logo represents "the connection to customers, partners, industry and innovation." More than likely, Xerox just dropped tens of thousands of dollars for the new identity which, let's face it, is just like everyone else's. Right, Sony Ericsson?
WoW logo gets completely frozen
If you haven't visited the forums or the official site in a while, you'll probably not have noticed that the ice we'd seen before on the logo has now overtaken it. Not too surprising-- the background on the forums and the homepage has changed as well, and considering that Winter's Veil is here, odds are that Blizzard is just getting a little seasonal with their graphics.Or are they? The original ice showed up more than a month ago-- way back, according to our readers, when Wrath of the Lich King was announced in August. And so, despite the candy canes, it's hard not to wonder if this signals a turning point in the WoW universe. We've still got the Sunwell coming before the expansion, but is there a chance that this icy winter could be here to stay? Northrend ahoy?Thanks, Joene!
Building a LEGO Universe logo
If you are like me, then you have fond memories of building tall towers made of brightly colored plastic blocks to protect your knight in shining armor as he battles a vividly green, if slightly angular, dragon. Now that NetDevil's LEGO Universe is starting its development cycle, those of us who built worlds with our hands will get a chance to build an entire universe online. Like much about this project, the development team is opening up the design of the game's logo for fan input. They are asking the question what would make a good LEGO Universe logo, and even accepting concepts from young and old alike. A logo is a tough project to undertake, especially for an MMO, because it must convey the spirit of the project at first glance. When asked about the type of logo they are looking to create, Phillip Atencio of NetDevil mentioned that it must be something that conveys the creativity and energy of LEGO Universe, Fiorella Lee of LEGO.com brought up the phrase "global identity," and Matthew, and 10-year-old focus group participant talked about "lots of colors that shows what is going to happen in the game." So color, energy, and global identity. Well, that should be simple enough. Just draw a LEGO planet orbited by a LEGO cheetah, and throw in my LEGO dragon for good measure. I expect my check in the mail.
Blizzard ices up the WoW homepage logo
It's begun. The cold is coming. Be warned. The land itself will rise up against you. Long-forgotten terrors will smother your courage. In the end, all that awaits you... is death.So come then, you heroes! Come in all your power and glory! For in the final hour, all must serve... the one, true king.[ Thanks, Lenny! ]
The iComet
Phil Plait over at Bad Astronomy (who I remember from the hilarious and sadly ended Penn Jillette podcast) has posted a picture of Comet 17/P Holmes which I admit, as you can see above, looks strangely like a certain computer company's logo. I don't know if I would have pulled the Apple logo out of there myself, but now that I look at it more and more, I can definitely see it.Phil jokes that this means Apple is spending way more than we thought on advertising, but let's be serious here-- the Universe is just reforming itself in the most beautiful, usable form possible. This comet designed by Apple in California.Thanks, Dave!
David Jaffe's Eat Sleep Play logo revealed
David Jaffe's new game development company, Eat Sleep Play, has had its logo revealed on the Level-Up blog. While we were in two minds about the company name (Jaffe Cakes is still up for grabs!), we're even less sure about this logo. Jaffe explains it to the Level-Up crew, drawing parallels between the games he plans on making and ... soda. This is where the confusion begins. This logo makes us think of beer more than soda. Also, where's the drink? Having Eat Sleep Play on the bottle cap of a drink doesn't make much sense to us. But what do we know? We're no sales gurus. It looks pretty though, right?
Ugly new Playstation logo discovered
German gaming news site GameFront has uncovered a Japanese trademark filed by Sony, which features the familiar four Playstation shape buttons mapped around the surface of a sphere. It's doubtful that this could be the logo for the inevitable Playstation 4 (after all, where's the Spiderman font?). More likely is that the logo is an icon to be displayed in-game or on game boxes -- perhaps advertising a worldwide connectivity feature. Equally likely is that the symbol could ultimately become nothing, and be one more paranoid trademark made during a creative meeting.We're hoping for the latter, as the logo looks like a early-90s design reject, on par with that awful Sega Channel logo. Any other ideas?[Via PS3 Fanboy]
AT&T logo going orange
Sheesh, as if the whole Cingular / AT&T / BellSouth / etc. mishmash hasn't been confusing enough for the general populace, here comes yet another change sure to make folks scratch their noggins a bit more. As AT&T looks to launch a new ad campaign that gloats about "Your Seamless World," the carrier will reportedly paint the blue and white globe orange as a "respectful nod to Cingular." Meanwhile, sign changers are thrilled about all the business pouring in from AT&T recently...[Via PhoneScoop]
TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway Day Eight: Baseball Cap
Another weekday, another prize. Today's giveaway is a baseball cap with the Apple logo on it (and an Ambrosia pack). A black cap, the flex-fit variety, suitable for wearing on one's head. Seeing as how quite a few college students like to wear these things, we hope today's prize will find a good home.To enter, leave a comment on this post between 5AM and 11:59PM EST on August 22. Validate the comment for it to qualify, and only one per person please. Full rules on our TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway page. Good luck and thanks for reading!
TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway Day Seven: White Apple Pen
Before you fill out that employment application you're going to need a pen. This might not be the iPen, but it is a white Apple logo pen from the Cupertino store. There's really not much more to say, is there? It's a pen. It's white. It has an Apple logo. Thus, we shall give one away. Oh, and another Ambrosia pack and a coupon for a free shirt from Insanely Great Tees.To enter today's drawing, leave a comment on this post (be sure to validate it) between 5AM and 11:59PM (Eastern) on August 21. Full rules on our TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway page. While you're checking out pages, be sure to peep our iPhone page as well. Do not use this pen as a stylus on your iPhone, however-- double foul.
Federal court sez NASCAR can prevent AT&T from branding Burton's ride
Oh, the drama. Just when you thought AT&T may be in the clear to re-brand Jeff Burton's ride, NASCAR throws a $100 million lawsuit in the carrier's direction, and now, a federal appeals court has reportedly "cleared the way" for NASCAR to claim victory. Purportedly, the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals "said Monday in its order that AT&T lacks standing to challenge NASCAR's decision," and subsequently tossed out a lower court's ruling that prevented NASCAR from halting AT&T's plans. Sheesh, all this over a paint job.
Apple flag for sale on eBay
After we posted that neon Apple sign a little while back, reader Franco thought we'd get a kick out of this Apple flag for sale on eBay, and he was right. The best news is that right now, it's sitting pretty at only $10 (reserve not yet met, though) flying upwards-- what are you TUAW readers, rich?-- so you could own a little piece of Apple history for cheap.As for dating it, the page says the 80s. No mention of Macintosh might put it before 1984, but that's just a guess-- Apple IIs were known as the first "personal computers" and those were made all the way up until the early 1990s. I really love those fonts, though, and of course the rainbow logo is a classic.
