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Dice Holdings buys Slashdot, Freecode and SourceForge for $20 million
Dice Holdings, the unimaginatively named owner of technology jobs site Dice.com has purchased Geeknet's media business for a cool $20 million. The deal hands over control of the world-famous Slashdot, Freecode and SourceForge to the careers company, commencing the careers site's push into tech content. It leaves Geeknet with one remaining property, ThinkGeek, which will now be getting all of that company's attention -- hopefully to produce products that are even more lust inducing than Cave Johnson's portrait.
ThinkGeek offers retro Padintosh Case for iPad
Have an iPad 2 or third-generation iPad? Do you love retro Macs? If so, then you need to order the cool Padintosh Case for iPad (US$24.99). While it's the front of an original 1984 Mac pictured on the case, the Padintosh actually protects the back of your iPad. You can use a standard Apple Smart Cover to protect the screen on your iPad. The Padintosh is just too cool, and the use of MacPaint to make the screen of the "Mac" even more authentic is perfect. I couldn't help myself -- I just ordered one.
ThinkGeek selling SNES-style Wii Classic Controller
The Super Famicom Classic Controller for Wii remains out of reach for everyone but Japanese Club Nintendo members (and eBay users, of course), but ThinkGeek is stocking a very close facsimile for $20.In fact, the Classic Super Famicom Controller for Wii is functionally identical to the Club Nintendo version. It plugs into your Wii Remote and lets you play Virtual Console games (or anything else that supports Classic Controller use and doesn't require analog sticks) with a controller designed to replicate the SNES pad. It even has the colorful face buttons of the Japanese controller.Right now seems like a questionable time to buy a Wii accessory, but you'd already be using it to play old games. The impending obsolescence of the Wii isn't necessarily a deal breaker. Besides, the Wii U uses Wii Remotes; a Classic Controller might come in handy with that as well.
Can ThinkGeek's April product introductions get any geekier?
Where do they get those wonderful toys? Yes, the mad geniuses at ThinkGeek once again are offering a slate of new products scheduled to go on sale today. If you're an iPad owner, there are some great choices here; the Hungry Hungry Hippos iPad game shown above looks fun, and the Barbie digital fashion styling iPad/head set is very innovative. It's not clear when some of these products will ship, so would-be buyers should be patient (although the Inflatable Captain's Chair seems to be ready to go right now). Back in 2009, the Tauntaun Sleeping Bag was one of the site's most popular 4/1 product introductions; it took months to actually start shipping to customers.
ThinkGeek announces 8-bitty wireless controller for iPad, iPhone
It looks like ThinkGeek and Ion Audio were holding out on us when we visited the companies' booth at CES earlier this year. (See update below) In addition to the three new devices already announced for the iCade lineup by Ion (that allows you to use various controls for iOS games across Bluetooth), there's now another one from ThinkGeek only, strangely called the 8-bitty. The 8-bitty is an NES-style (though four buttons, instead of only two) block controller that's completely wireless: Just pair it up with your iOS device and have at it. It's hardly ergonomical, but that's not really the point with this, obviously. There are also two buttons at the top to use as triggers, so this is really an old school controller designed for new-school use. And just like all of Ion and ThinkGeek's other iCade stuff, this will be compatible with any games designed to use it -- all it does is acts as a Bluetooth keyboard, so any games designed to use certain keys to do certain things will be able to use this. Seems like a good idea, and given iCade's success in the past, this one will probably sell just as well. It's supposed to be available "later on this year," and ThinkGeek has listed the 8-bitty at $24.99, so we'll keep a look out and let you know when you can grab one. Update: ThinkGeek's reps email to say that while the other iCade devices are being manufactured in conjunction with Ion Audio, the 8-bitty is not. It's still using the iCade name, but this product is all ThinkGeek. Good to know. [via Engadget]
iCade 8-bitty is your iOS device's new wireless NES controller
iCade is expanding its lineup of weird iOS device controllers once again, with the "8-bitty," a wireless, NES-style controller that connects wirelessly to iPad or iPhone. The device, shipping "later this year" exclusively from ThinkGeek for $25, is compatible with the same lineup of games the as the iCade cabinet, and includes a d-pad, start, select, and (an anachronism we'll learn to deal with) four buttons. It's also got handsome faux woodgrain accents.As with the bigger iCade, there's an open-source SDK, so any app developers out there can add support to their apps and make this thing all the more appealing.
iCade 8-Bitty hands-on (video)
It's still about two months out, but when the 8-bitty hits shelves it might just become our favorite member of the iCade family. At the moment the Bluetooth gamepad is little more than a hand-made prototype with some AA batteries taped to the underside and a sticker printed on the office InkJet slapped on the front. As a production quality controller, though, it should be the perfect handheld button mashers for those of you with a taste for the retro. The boxy, rectangular 8-bitty may be wireless and the final version will likely sport six buttons -- still, you can't help but be whisked back to your days spent blowing into dusty Contra cartridges and tapping out the Konami code. We gave the early prototype a quick try and the D-pad and red buttons feel just like their '80s inspiration. Unfortunately they're not quite as responsive yet, but we're figuring there's still some kinks to be worked out before it ships this Spring. The 8-bitty should be launching exclusively with ThinkGeek for between $25 and $30. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
CPU Wars and c-Jump: the nerdiest card and board games ever
Board games and card games are kind of dorky to begin with. And there are plenty of titles out there that hold a special place in the heart of the nerd (just ask one about Settlers of Catan). But, there is a line, a line which even the nerdiest amongst us might not care to cross. For example, c-Jump -- a board game that teaches the basics of programming. Some of the spaces you'll land on in the course of your journey down the mountain include "goto jump;" and "switch (x) {". Then there's CPU Wars, for the three people out there that think Magic: The Gathering is too mainstream. In this card battle game you pit CPUs from throughout history against each other and attempt to collect all your adversary's processors. You can order c-Jump through ThinkGeek for $25 and pledge cash to CPU Wars over at Kickstarter. You'll find a video of the card game after the break.
ThinkGeek and Aperture Science do what they must, intro more Portal-themed goods because they can
Been yearning for more Portal 2-inspired goods from ThinkGeek? Fret not, dear test subject, the company's got some products ways that should satiate your desire for Cave Johnson-approved chachkas. Newly up for grabs are a $15 Aperture Science shower curtain, a $35 motion-sensing plush turret and a $40 Cave Johnson talking portrait -- think Billy Bass, but with a Portal twist. ThinkGeek's also announced a $30 Companion Cube cookie jar (the perfect companion for its Portal cookie cutters) and a $30 PotatOS Science Kit, complete with an insult-spewing "talking GLaDOS module." Sadly, the latter duo don't have an official release date just yet, and are merely listed as "coming soon." Of course, like the cake, they could just be lie. For the sake of science, portal past the break to find a press release with more details.
ThinkGeek's iCade on sale for $59.99 today
I just touted the ThinkGeek/Ion iCade arcade unit for iPad in my recent accessories roundup for the holidays, and if you were on the fence about buying one for yourself or as a gift, that decision might be a little easier. The geeky gift site is putting the unit on sale for US$59.99 during Black Friday, down about $40 from its usual price. That's a nice discount, and it might seal the deal if you haven't picked one up yet. Touch Arcade has a really great page about the iCade, with lots of specs and information, and a pretty exhaustive list of games compatible with the device. It's made to work with Atari's Greatest Hits app, which is free on the App Store and offers up a bunch of Atari classics that already work with a joystick and buttons. But other developers and apps have also jumped on the iCade train, so the unit will work with all kinds of titles. For anyone who enjoys playing retro games on an iPad, this would make for an excellent gift under the tree later on this year.
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: fun stuff!
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. For some, it's easy to forget about having fun -- fretting over buying the "right" tablet, e-reader or DSLR can strip the joy of unbridled silliness that Christmas allows you. This is your handy guide to stuff you can kick back and enjoy some crazy fun with. There's no ecosystem wars here, no desire to have the loudest or fastest plug-in gadget; just things you'd prefer to give and receive instead of a Sharper Image motorized tie rack... or back-hair shaver. So join us past the break, if you will, for a look at this year's collection of fun stuff!
iCade-compatible games listed
Touch Arcade has a list of the games on the App Store currently compatible with ThinkGeek's iCade arcade stand for the iPad. It's certainly more than just the one official Atari app that it was compatible with at release, but the list is still pretty short, with only 16 titles included: No Gravity Warblade HD Sideways Racing Silverfish MAX Match Panic Mos Speedrun Velocispider Super Mega Worm Super Mega Worm Vs. Santa Compression HD IronStar Arena Emerald Mine Space Inversion Space Inversion 2 Space Inversion Puzzle Freeesh The good news is that with titles like Super Mega Worm and Velocispider in there, these are definitely some quality titles, not just filler-ware. The list is still pretty small when you think about the App Store in terms of total number of games. Hopefully spotlighting titles like these will encourage developers to step up and support the iCade, especially when a game like theirs makes sense for a real-life arcade stick and buttons. True, the audience of people that actually owns the device is smaller than the iPad audience in general, but the iCade is a pretty cool and unique setup, and it would be nice to see it supported a little more widely.
Think Geek's Electric Guitar Bag holds your laptop, lets you 'rock' the commute
ThinkGeek's really letting the jams out this time. The company is no stranger to shirts emblazoned with playable instruments -- but a messenger bag? Its new Electric Rock Guitar Bag features 14 buttons for a fretboard so you can strum any songs in a Major key, and a detachable amp that cranks all the way up to an obligatory 11. You'll also have room for a 17-inch laptop, while its eight pockets can hold your Green Day and Blink-182 chord-charts. Come August 28th, 50 bucks is all it'll cost ya to rock while you're rolling during the commute, but in the meantime, we know the perfect synth player for when you wanna get that office band started.
8-bit glasses lower the resolution of your bank balance
Haven't you heard? 8-bit is the new black. A trend that started with ThinkGeek's April-Fool's-turned-real-product neckties quickly spawned other accessories like watches and hair bows. Now, people with more money than sense can hop on the chiptune style-train as well, thanks to SAMAL Design's new line of pixelated glasses. The specs are available in two styles: "5dpi," which are based on hipster-friendly plastic 1980s Ray-Bans, and "6dpi," which are based on hipster-friendly 1980s dad-glasses. One pair will set you back 280-ish bucks, and will be precisely in style if American Apparel ever manages to produce an 8-bit v-neck.
Ion iCade Arcade Cabinet review
The iCade Arcade Cabinet began as an April Fool's joke in 2010, but this golden unicorn of iPad accessories has actually made it to production, showing up at our door last week. iCade creator ThinkGeek partnered with Ion to make this former imaginary gadget a reality, and so far it appears to be a hit, backordered for weeks soon after hitting the online store in April. The $100 cabinet pairs with your iPad or iPad 2 over bluetooth, bringing familiar hardware arcade controls to the Atari's Greatest Hits app, which includes classics like Missile Command (free), and Pong, which you can download from within the free Atari app for $1. The iCade is an awesome addition to your gaming collection, but it won't replace the hours of coin-dropping at your local arcade. Read on to find out why this accessory may become a permanent fixture on our desk. %Gallery-124649%
Thumbs-on review of ThinkGeek's JOYSTICK-IT for iPad
A while ago we were sent a couple of Joystick-IT "thumb sticks" from ThinkGeek (note: ThinkGeek uses all caps for the product name -- I respectfully decline to shout at readers throughout this post, and I consider this an increasingly annoying practice by marketers). Designed to give an old analog joystick feel to your iPad, the Joystick-IT sticks are little metal joysticks with conductive pads on the bottom coupled with a suction cup so that they can stick to your iPad, provide some "bounce" (with the conductive sponge) and control a game by using your fingers or thumbs. Read on for a quick review of how these work in real life and whether they are worth the US$24.99 price ($39.99 if you buy two at once). Design Well, I have to say these are cleverly designed. As you can see in the gallery, they provide a bit of spring from the spongy parts, and under the spongy parts is a conductive mesh to relay your controls to the screen. The metal on the sticks (necessary for these to work) feels solid and sturdy, not like a cheap plastic toy. The suction cup is necessary for sticking the thing onto the screen of your iPad, and comes off easily but not so easily it'll pop off during gameplay. Still, the suction cups look like they'll eventually snap off as they are connected by a very small diameter of rubber to the stick itself. By "snap off" I mean they look like they'll break. They definitely popped off the screen without too much pressure. Plus, while the metal is necessary, I am a little concerned about damaging my screen should I push down too hard. %Gallery-123403%
iCade arcade cabinet for iPad starts selling at $100, already on backorder
Humans, they just love mixing the old with the new. To wit, the iCade gaming cabinet for the iPad, an April Fools' joke that was just a fun idea this time last year, has gone and turned very real, replete with FCC certification and now a pre-order page. The Bluetooth-communicating iPad enclosure seems to have originally been on sale for immediate delivery, but ThinkGeek has burned through its first shipment of units faster than you can say "Atari's Greatest Hits." The second batch of $100 iCades is expected by May 20th at the very latest, although orders are being taken only from the US for now. The rest of the world needn't despair, however -- we hear building one of your own is a pleasurable and rewarding experience.
iCade iPad arcade cabinet one step closer to late May release
It's almost here! Sources report that Ion Audio's iCade arcade cabinet for the iPad has passed FCC approval, just in time for the planned release on May 31. The cabinet was originally seen as an April Fool's Day joke on ThinkGeek, but in the past few years, it's steadily moved towards reality and will soon be available for US$100 from that site, along with partners Ion Audio and Atari, who've already released over 100 retro games that are ready to be played on it. One interesting note: the cabinet will apparently be powered not just by the dock connector on the iPad, but with two AA batteries as well. That's only a minor inconvenience (and a small price to pay for having a fully-working set of arcade buttons and a joystiq to play iPad games with), so it shouldn't stop retro-loving iPad gamers from grabbing this one when it finally becomes real at the end of May. [via TiPB]
iCade hits FCC, gets torn asunder
The Ion iCade, our favorite April Fools' joke turned actual product, has just passed through the FCC and moved one step closer to retail reality. The arcade cabinet for your iPad had all its Bluetoothy bits laid bare and even brought along its user manual, in case you're the type who bothers to read those sordid things. There aren't too many surprises here except, perhaps, the inclusion of an Ikea-esque hex key -- some assembly required. With the green light from the feds, though, that means the iCade is right on schedule for its May 31st release. If you want to ensure you nab one of the first batch, you can pre-order it now for $99 from either GameStop or ThinkGeek. And, while you wait for the blissful marriage of Atari's Greatest Hits and Bluetooth joystick, you can peep the pics in the gallery after the break.
PLAYMOBIL™ Apple Store Play Set: Ignite Apple fandom in your kids
Hey, your kids are probably going to spend a lot of time in Apple Stores in the future, so why not get them started early with the new PLAYMOBIL™ Apple Store Play Set? ThinkGeek (purveyor of fine April 1 products such as Lightsaber Popsicles and Angry Birds Pork Rinds) is proud to bring you this fantastical set. According to ThinkGeek, the set "introduces children to the magic of Apple technology." There's an entire two-level Apple Store staffed by PLAYMOBIL™ associates, with tiny demo tables filled with minuscule Apple gear, software shelves, and even the kid's corner on the ground floor. Upstairs, there's a Genius Bar and a Keynote Theater staffed by a mini Steve Jobs figure. The Store is designed so that you can use your own iPhone 4 as Steve's screen in the theater, and there are simulated Keynote presentations available for download on the PLAYMOBIL™ website. The officially-licensed store comes with over 60 accessories, and measures 28.3" x 14.2" x 15.7" (72 cm x 36 cm x 40 cm). As if the coolness of the little PLAYMOBIL™ staffers isn't enough, there's even an optional Line Pack you can buy to stage your own Apple device launch parties. (See if you can spot Mini-Woz on his Segway!) No word on availability. In the meantime, whet your appetite for playtime with a gander at our gallery! %Gallery-120190%