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All the weird things you missed at E3
E3 2017 will go down in history as the first year the show was open to the public, which means the crushing crowds filling the Los Angeles Convention Center were even more extreme. The rest of the show, however, was just as amped up: eSports tournaments took over downtown, Mario and the Rabbids formed a strange yet intriguing relationship, Bethesda held a carnival and band geeks commiserated with sports bros. Get a first-hand look at all of the madness in the carefully curated, painstakingly compiled "Weirdness of E3 2017" gallery below.
The creepiest app on the App Store is now free
You might think you've seen the strangest of the App Store, but unless you've downloaded Watching Cute Girl, I promise you that you haven't. Watching Cute Girl is an app that was originally released way back in 2012, but despite being one of the strangest concepts ever, it never really got much attention. It was a hefty US$3.99 for a long time, which might have been the reason for most ignoring it, but now it's free, so you have no excuse not to experience the curious app. Watching Cute Girl is exactly what the name implies: It's a girl -- who I would say is cute -- staring at you. She moves, looks around, but mostly just stares at you and occasionally speaks. The app is designed to be a companion when you're lonely and just want to see another human face. The app description suggests taking her to dinner with you, working with her on your desk, or simply staring at her when you "want to feel eyes from someone." The girl is made up of over 180 video clips, and she can even respond to your voice. Despite being available worldwide, and having its menus translated for the english release, the girl speaks only in Japanese. I think this is probably for the best, since I'm not sure I actually want to understand what she's repeatedly saying to me. Sometimes she doesn't even speak words, she just lets out a little chirp and smile, which ramps up the creepy level a great deal. Poking her or shaking your phone causes her to get upset, which I imagine would also be the case if you were to poke or shake an actual girl, so I guess that makes sense. You can download Creepy Strange Lady, er, I mean Watching Cute Girl for your iPhone right now, but apparently an iPad version is still on the way, just in case you wanted a life-sized virtual face for a dinner date.
WoW Archivist: WoW's 18 weirdest quest items
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? Adventuring in Azeroth has never been what some would call "conventional." The weird happens everyday for the heroes of the Alliance and the Horde. After all, we inhabit a world of talking walruses, and recreational marmot punting. But some quest items go above and beyond into the realm of the truly bizarre. In no particular order, here are my top 18. 1. Valoren's Shrinkage Totem In a questionable mashup of Free Willy, Seinfeld, and a certain infamous subgenre of Japanese hentai, Wavespeaker Valoren asks you to use his "shrinkage totem" on the tentacle horrors imprisoning Wil'hai the whale shark. Why does Valoren carry such a thing around with him? It's better not to ask such questions. As if we needed another reason to avoid questing in Vashj'ir, Blizzard went out of their way to remind us how all that cold water affects male genitalia. The totem works as advertised, and I can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for those tentacles when they shrivel up.
Nikon announces that it has announced nothing
Actual report: "Nikon understands that some article appeared in the media regarding Nikon's imaging product. Please note that Nikon has made no announcement in this regards." Translation: "We don't always reject rumors. But when we do, we reject ones you've never heard of." The exhaustive press release can be found in its entirety after the break. [Thanks, PJ]
Blu e-Cigs finally launches new 'Smart Pack' for social smoking, tweakable nicotine intake
blu Cig's electric cigarettes are already designed to offer users a "healthier" way to get their daily dose of nicotine without resorting to the classic cancer stick. Now, they've launched the long-awaited Smart Pack that alerts you of other users within 50 feet, perhaps for some enlightening small talk without the wrinkle-inducing ash. It also improves battery life and features a "convenient cartomizer" that lets you tweak the level of nicotine and flavor based on how hard you're fiending. Don't worry about running out, as the "Smart Pack" will even automatically reorder your smokes when supply dips -- how kind. In the future, the company hopes to integrate social networking features so like-minded e-smokers can build relationships out of their habits. But honestly, what's more addictive -- nicotine or Facebook? Check out the PR after the break.
Google bids pi for Nortel's wireless patent stash, brings comedy to places you never thought possible
Enabling surfers to play Pac-Man instead of actually initiating the search they showed up to complete? Taking a stroll through an episode of Burn Notice? Throwing internet on a magical Indian bus? All relatively normal things from one Google, Inc., but it seems that Larry Page's deadpan demeanor is actually covering up quite the character. During the outfit's recent attempt to outbid the likes of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony for a sliver of Nortel's coveted wireless patent portfolio, Reuters is reporting that Google's plays were... less than conventional. Reportedly, the company bid $1,902,160,540 and $2,614,972,128, better known by mathematicians as Brun's constant and Meissel-Mertens constant, respectively. Funnier still, Google decided to offer $3.14159 billion (you know, pi) when the bidding reached $3 billion. One of the unnamed sources summed up the bizarreness quite well: "Google was bidding with numbers that were not even numbers. It became clear that they were bidding with the distance between the earth and the sun. One was the sum of a famous mathematical constant, and then when it got to $3 billion, they bid pi. Either they were supremely confident or they were bored." Or, perhaps they're just supremely awesome?
Rotobot mice: the best use of typewriter keys since the typewriter
These fully-functional wireless Rotobot mice from designer Aaron Ristau will make you look seriously cultivated when people drop by your apartment. In our eyes, that means they officially join the esteemed ranks of typewriter-themed Works of Art, but unfortunately it also means they cost $180 -- which might be hard to stomach when you realize that each one is just a non-ergonomically modded $25 Logitech M305. Hey-ho, everybody needs at least one peripheral to be their geeky equivalent to good cutlery. And no, that CSR Elite in the cupboard doesn't count.
Blu e-cigarettes help you make friends, light up when you're near another Blu smoker
Oh, that old adage: smoke, be cool, make friends. Die. Well, e-cigarette manufacturer Blu is now trying to resurrect that image, albeit perhaps without so much of the death bit, by making its packaging more sociable. It's new "smart packs" are equipped with radio sensors that detect when a fellow Blu smoker comes within 50 feet, causing your box to light up and vibrate. This is meant to encourage you to go over and make conversation, like "Hi, so, er... you also spent $80 on a pack of battery-powered smokes. Is that fur real?"
Lost Pages of Taborea: What just happened?
There are always plenty of memories to make and share with others, as MMOs tend to be never-ending playgrounds for us to romp around in. And after recalling major events for Runes of Magic's second birthday, I've been stuck in fond-memory mode. Two years of playing RoM is a lot of time to build up memories, too. I've gone through many a server, guild and character since I started, and I've both made memories with friends and remembered events the game itself created. Sometimes a developer forgets to turn off a light switch, a new bug appears, or a new patch brings unintended changes. I remember a handful of times some pretty interesting things have happened. Mysterious statues popping up, bosses appearing in houses, and other anomalies await after the break.
I Can't Believe It's An HTC Tattoo In My Butter!
So the story goes that some store-bought Norwegian butter was eaten away to reveal a very special Android-powered surprise at the bottom. It looks to us like the butter could have possibly been packed back in after the fact to create the effect, but even so: if you're willing to sacrifice a Tattoo in such spectacular fashion, you deserve a little recognition. [Thanks, Arif]
Cabasse's high-fashion L'Ocean speakers rock the catwalk, your wallet
Those operating sans a keen sense of style would probably take half a glance at Cabasse's L'Océan speakers (shown here on the right) and assume that they're one in the same with the company's La Sphére. Sure enough, the former also falls into the outfit's Artis line of speakers, but there's a slightly different combination of angles going on beneath the orb. The boutique audio firm has just revealed these three-way coaxial drive units, and they're purportedly capable of hitting 117dB without a hint of distortion. Of course, they weigh 176 pounds and stand just under four feet high, and considering the 2,250 total watts of digital amplification, we'd say they're probably built for a TMZ-certified house party. The company's gearing up to launch these in Q2 2011, but with a €80,000 ($105,900) list price, we're assuming it'll take a little more than seven month to save up for a set.
OTECH F1 handset holds four SIM cards, enables you to live a quadruple life
So look, you feel pretty special toting around that dual-SIM phone, right? Being able to switch numbers and carriers as you hop back and forth between Germany and Amsterdam is fairly nifty, but you've been considering a daily route around the Benelux. Of course, tri-SIM phones aren't impossible to find either, but should you ever wander into France, Switzerland or any other nation, you'll be forced to pop one of those out and insert another the old fashioned way. Well, unless you can score an OTECH F1. This here handset -- which can only be found in the wilds of Asia right now -- actually has room for four SIM cards, and it's also packing a full QWERTY keyboard, 2.4-inch touchscreen, support for mobile TV, an FM radio tuner, Bluetooth module and what appears to be a 12.1 megapixel camera. Unsurprisingly, a price on this bad boy is eluding us, but if you're an industrious jetsetter, we're confident you won't have any issues running one down. Whether or not you want to, however, is another matter entirely...
U-2 spy plane lens used on homegrown camera, and other DIY monstrosities
DIY photography isn't a new school art, but one Chris McCaw has been credited with pushing the boundaries of it more so than just about anyone else in the business. This bloke is responsible for using bits and pieces of gear in order to concoct monstrous cameras that are then used to photograph long exposures of the sun, eventually leading to beautifully artistic shots known best as sunburns. During a recent interview with photo-eye, Chris detailed one of his latest inventions: a wheelchair camera that looks suspiciously like Mike Wazowski. The camera is so huge that it requires a jack just to raise and lower the lens (goodbye, lens shake!) and a handicap ramp is necessary to load and unload it from a van. The unit itself relies on a lens that was purportedly taken from a Lockheed U-2 spy plane, and if you're unfamiliar, that flavor of surveillance craft is largely credited with obliterating relations between America and the Soviet Union in 1960. Hit the links below for more -- it's definitely fascinating stuff.
Typewriter parts used to construct model deer, give small children nightmares
It's a deer. Made out of typewriter parts. And for whatever reason, it's downright terrifying. Jeremy Mayer's creation (yeah, that Jeremy Mayer) was recently shown at the Device Gallery in San Diego, measuring an intimidating 20- x 36- x 38-inches. It's apparently dubbed the Deer III, which means that at least two others could be roaming an unlit street near you. Something tells us your insurance company will never believe the story should you be unlucky enough to collide with one.
Keepin' it real fake: N-KIA E68 shows what an innovative Nokia handset might look like (video)
Yo Nokia, you can keep your E5 and its HD Voice fanciness, we want ourselves an N-KIA E68. Why, we hear the enraged Nokia acolyte ask, why would we defile Nokia's good name in such a manner? Mostly because this phone has one of the most fun and ingenious slider mechanisms we've seen yet. So what if we've got no idea what wannabe OS it's running and so what if it'll most likely fall apart on us a month into owning it? We still want one, dammit! Video after the break.[Thanks, Derrty]
Takara Tomy Neckphones: wraparound pillow speaker, coming soon to a Skymall near you
It may not have the same charm as the Flying Pasties, but Takara Tomy's Neckphones definitely have the "it" factor. Perfect for lounging in a nearby water hole (or watering hole, we suppose), this blow-up neck pillow has a pair of stereo speakers strategically placed near your ear canals, and there's even a pouch that we'd never, ever trust to keep your PMP safe from the liquids below. We suppose you could also take this on a plane, but don't bring your grumbles over here when the gals in 16A and 18B take issue with you blasting Now That's What I Call Music! Volume 11 for the entire coach cabin to hear. We're guessing you'd need to contact an importer to pick one of these up outside of Japan, but you'll have to let go of at least ¥1,800 ($21). We're surmising the hit in respect will be far more detrimental than the MSRP, though.
Watermelon cooler push cart: perfect for those sultry North Carolina summers
Crazily enough, the device you're staring at above -- jaw solidly on the floor, we're sure -- is real. As in, you can purchase one for you and yours. So far as we can tell, this here watermelon cart (priced at ¥19,950, or a whopping $231) serves to keep your voluptuous fruit cool when being transported from market to mouth, but everything beyond that is lost in translation. What's curious, however, is that this seems like a device created and sold exclusively in Japan. If we had to bet, though, we'd say it was originally dreamed up by a farmer in eastern North Carolina -- you know, the home of watermelon Cook-Out milkshakes, an official watermelon license plate and roads where chop-top school buses are frequently used as watermelon hauling machines.
Breakfast Topic: Strange habits
As I write this, I am dreading the week to come. After many months of going back and forth on the matter, I have decided to leave my guild for greener pastures. I'm reluctant to leave, though, since I do like my current guild; the people are nice, the raids are fun and we have a raiding philosophy of "work with what you've got" that I have always enjoyed. Still, for everything that I love, there are shortcomings and I am willing to risk losing what I have to see if my perfect guild exists somewhere out there. So off I go to a new guild and server where I know no one. I'm scared -- scared I won't be good enough, scared they won't like me even if I am and scared I might be making a huge mistake in leaving my friends. You just have to swallow those kinds of thoughts, though. As a raider, I'm no stranger to moving around, and I've come up with many ways to deal with it. One thing I do to cope is heading up to the spot you see in the picture before I transfer. This is my favorite hiding spot in the game, only accessible by players meticulous enough to complete the Higher Learning achievement. Up here, I will sit and eat some cake, then after I've had my fill, set out my little green rag doll on the bed and /sleep. The reason for this is so that when I log back in after my transfer has gone through, I know exactly where I'll be and I can pretend I'm waking up from a dream (or nightmare) to a new, promising day. I'm not sure why I do this; maybe the familiarity? It's really all quite silly, but I've been doing it for well over a year now and it seems natural. Do you have any strange habits or rituals you do in game?
iPhone battery dead? In a squeeze you can charge it with Jaffa oranges
This may be strange -- in fact very strange -- but Imperial Leisure, a marketing and social media firm, has created an advertisement using an iPhone, to promote the sale of Jaffa oranges. They found that with a lot of rods and cable you can use orange power, or rather the power of 2380 Jaffa oranges, to power an iPhone. Talk about thinking outside of the box, or in this case, the crate. [via Engadget and Macenstein] Click on the Read More link to view the ad.
Are you sitting down? 'Asteroids' movie has a plot
You know that epic three-hundred page screenplay you've been polishing over the last decade for a film adaptation of Asteroids? Throw it away, because Universal has it nailed down. Speaking to IGN, producer Lornezo di Bonaventura said the upcoming film will focus on two brothers who must have "a seminal experience" to figure out their relationship against a backdrop of rocks in space. Riveting.Bonaventura -- who will soon help ruin your childhood with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra -- added that his attraction to the Asteroids license was because it promises an action-packed affair with "some guys in spaceships blowing stuff up." Also, he thinks it tells moviegoers "that there's going to be this big thing in space." So, we can only assume that Universal Studios buys movie licenses by scanning a dictionary.[Via Shacknews]
