ValentinesDay
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After Math: Love is in the AR
While most of us are still recovering from the frenzied orgy of capitalist affection that is Valentine's Day, companies from all over the industry continue to fly forth like arrows fired from Cupid's bow. Google announced it will be spreading some of its "computer love" to nearly half the US by year's end, while Activision isn't showing its now ex-employees any. Oh yeah, and Benedict Cumberbatch is Satan.
Netflix reality series 'Dating Around' debuts on Valentine's Day
Dating sucks. Watching other people date, though -- that's entertainment. Netflix realized that and is releasing its first-ever reality dating show. The series, called Dating Around, will premiere on the streaming video platform on Valentine's Day, February 14th so you can watch it with your significant other to remind you how glad you are to no longer be in the dating pool.
You can now give your Valentine a virtual blowjob
Valentine's Day is less than 24 hours away, and if you're still scrambling for a gift for your special guy, porn website CamSoda has an idea -- send him a virtual blowjob. Yes, that's a thing now.
Pink creatures will invade 'Pokémon Go' this Valentine season
Pokémon Go will look a lot rosier than you're used to these next few days. For V-day 2017, pink Pokémon like Chansey, Porygon and (the evolved form of Clefairy) Clefable will spawn a lot more often than usual. But if you want some cute pink baby Pokémon instead, then start incubating some eggs, because they're more likely to hatch into Cleffa, Igglybuff and Smoochum, as well.
Why did 'Layers of Fear' launch in the month of love?
The universe of human emotion is complex and dense, filled with wildly firing synapses and warring wavelengths. Some people embrace all-consuming feelings like love but shy away from adrenaline-pumping activities like skydiving or visiting a haunted house. Others love to be scared yet are terrified of love. Few understand these emotional inconsistencies better than Bloober Team. The studio released the heart-pounding horror game Layers of Fear on Feb. 16th, just two days after Valentine's Day -- and about three months after Halloween. "Paradoxically, we like to be scared," says Rafal Basaj, a spokesperson for the company. "Although we cannot say that we live in times devoid of problems and fears, but most of us rarely feel terrified and our bodies just need to remember how to react to fear. The horror genre gives us a way of filling that gap in a safe environment."
Facebook Messenger lets you send a heart-wrapped Valentine
To add to today's Valentine's Day celebrations, you can now send a fun little Valentine-themed missive to your friends via Facebook Messenger. For today only, you can choose to wrap up your message -- be it text, sticker or GIF -- in a little present simply by selecting the heart with the arrow next to the compose field. When your loved one sees it, they can tap the heart-wrapped box and it'll burst into a flurry of hearts as the message is revealed (You'll see we chose an adorable otter sticker here). It's pretty cute, though it probably won't be enough to salvage you if you still haven't booked your dinner reservations.
The After Math: Love is in the air
Scientists just confirmed the existence of gravitational waves -- actual ripples in the fabric of spacetime -- but who cares about unravelling the secrets of the universe, Valentine's Day is coming up. To pay respects to the most high holy of made-up bullshit holidays, here are seven of the most heart-string-tugging posts from the last week.
Engadget editors on the highs and lows of online dating
Years ago, getting involved in a relationship with someone you met online was a bit of a taboo. Not only was it supposedly for weirdos, but it was also seen as a bit dangerous, since you couldn't tell who was on the other end. These days, however, online dating is not just mainstream; it's almost expected. Young professionals are often too busy to go to singles clubs and bars (not to mention these venues aren't for everyone) and it's just easier to use an app like Tinder than whip up pickup lines. It turns out that many of the staff at Engadget have quite a bit of experience in the online dating world. From those who met their significant other on the internet well over a decade ago to those who are still exploring this brave new world of digital courtship, we've selected a few stories to share with you. Check out our video above and read on below for more.
I broke my DS, and it broke my heart
I never loved my first Nintendo DS. It was gray, plastic and chunky, thanks to its weird angular shape. It didn't have a lot of interesting games at launch. That first DS (aka the "DS phat") was a corporate gift from my bosses at The Pokémon Company, and that initial transaction always tainted my interactions with the thing, because it wasn't something I'd have bought for myself. It never felt like it was mine.
Chromecast's Fireplace Visualizer hopes to set hearts aflame on Valentine's Day
Hey, loverboy/gal, Don Juan called to let you know that listening to Sinatra during a steak dinner isn't enough to set the mood for Valentine's Day. You need a roaring fire to induce some serious cuddling time, and that's where Chromecast's seasonal fireplace mode (that's just been redesigned for V-day) comes in. Thanks to the media player, you don't need to chop firewood to woo the person of your dreams: simply enable Fireplace Visualizer on the Google Play Music page and watch the faux flames flicker on your TV while music plays in the background. Sure, you can't roast marshmallows in it, but it still might heat up your lovelife -- assuming your date doesn't find fake fireplaces as tacky as gas station greeting cards, that is. PS: It's not just the Chromecast team that's going all out for V-day at Google's HQ. Google+ is also celebrating the event by taking user images with people kissing in them and turning them into (shudder-inducing) GIFs replete with animated hearts.
Engadget giveaway: win an iPad Air courtesy of YesVideo!
Sometimes memory lane is paved in VHS and Beta bricks, other times it's wound around a film reel. Either way, you should really flip those classic video moments up to the cloud already -- it's 2014. With Valentine's Day rolling through, YesVideo -- purveyors of digitized nostalgia -- have taken it upon themselves to offer one Engadget reader the tools to do it. It's ponied up a new iPad Air so you can watch those classic wedding, honeymoon or prom vids in Retina clarity on a slate that weighs little more than a pile of sweet nothings. YesVideo is also giving the winner a $100 gift certificate for its video digitizing and cloud storage services to help them expunge those old formats and make room for that ridiculous darling pink Valentine's bear. You've got to be in it to win it, so head down to the Rafflecopter widget and take a chance. It might just be your lucky day. Winner - congratulations to: Michael D., Huntington, NY
Five apps for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is only a few days away, so now is the time to grab a box of chocolates and secure a bouquet of roses for your loved ones. For a special twist on this holiday, check out our list of Valentine's Day apps that'll help you share your love both today and each day going forward. Lovendar [iPhone, US$1.99] Lovendar is a private list-sharing app that lets you share your thoughts, date ideas, gift list and more with only your significant other. Use it to be as routine or as racy as you want. M.A.S.H. Valentine [iOS Universal, Free] The classic MASH (mansion, apartment, shack, house) game is now on your iOS device with this special Valentine's Day edition. See who you will date on Valentine's Day, where you will go and how the night will turn out. You can also check out the original version that predicts who you will marry, where you will live and how many kids you will have. Twist [iPhone, Free] Twist tracks your location and lets your family and friends know when you will arrive at your destination. Don't leave your loved one alone at a restaurant, waiting and wondering where you are -- use Twist to let your date know that you will be a few minutes late. Minus [iPhone, Free] Minus is a new social networking app that lets you meet, greet and share photos with other people near you. It includes unlimited photo sharing, texting and messaging. To deter stalking, Minus only grabs your location data when you open the app and doesn't share your exact location. Rebtel Re:Beat [iPhone, Free] Why give chocolate hearts when you can give someone a personalized recording of your own heartbeat? Rebtel Re:Beat lets you record your heartbeat as a message that you can share on Twiter, Facebook or via email. It is definitely for the person looking to give something out of the ordinary.
AppleScripting Dates > Elapsed Time Calculator
Since Valentine's Day is this week, I thought I would take this opportunity to share an AppleScript I wrote to calculate how long my wife and I have been married. With this baby, I'll never be accused of forgetting how long it's been when our anniversary rolls around. The script determines the elapsed time between now (the current date and time), and a prior date and time (such as our anniversary). It then displays the result in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. Note: If you're into the whole "traditional anniversary gift" thing (I'm not), you can find a list of gift categories on Wikipedia. Creating the Script Note: If you have any trouble following along, you can download the complete script here. 1. Launch AppleScript Editor in /Applications/Utilities and create a new script document. 2. Insert the following code: Some notes about this script... * I used some of the number calculation handlers in the Essential Subroutines section of macosxautomation.com, although, I made some slight modifications to them for the script. If you're interested in learning more about AppleScript, there are some other useful handlers there, as well, and I encourage you to check them out. * The final display dialog sets as its icon the FavoriteItemsIcon icon file, which is embedded in the CoreTypes bundle in /System/Library/CoreServices. It is, coincidentally enough, a heart. Using the Script To use, just run the script within AppleScript Editor, or save it as an application to be launched and run whenever you wish. First, the script asks you to enter a date and, optionally, a time. Next, the script does its calculations and displays the result. Just take a screenshot of the dialog and send it along to your significant other. Until next time, Happy Scripting and Happy Valentine's Day Week!
Talkcast tonight, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT: Pre-Valentine's potpourri edition
The annual flurry of chocolate, flowers and crowded restaurants is only a few days away! Valentine's Day is this coming Thursday, so tonight we'll talk Apple-themed romance. How can you charm and celebrate the beloved geek in your life? Then again, if you are the Mac geek in your relationship, how can you amp up the love factor this week? Bring your ideas, destinations, apps and gifts to the show tonight. We'll also preview a bit of our Toy Fair coverage, rolling out the rest of this week. And, as usual, we'll review the news of the day and take your questions as we go. To participate live during the show, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, the best way to have your voice heard is to call in. (We're holding off on rolling in the Google+ Hangout experiment until we file off a few of the rough edges.) For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
X-Doria makes a case for your Valentine
With Valentine's Day just around the corner (next Thursday, to be exact) you might want to get thinking about that special someone with an iPhone or iPad mini. X-Doria has a selection of cases that are perfect for Valentine's Day, that day when pink and red seems to be everywhere. The X-Doria Valentine's Collection highlights four designs in the company's Dash Icon line for iPhone 5 and SmartStyle cases for iPad mini. There are two styles for the iPhone 5 -- Fluttering Hearts and Rising Hearts (both US$29.99) -- and two for the iPad mini -- Love's Armor and XO (both $39.99). The Dash Icon cases for the iPhone 5 soften a tough polycarbonate shell with heart-covered 3D textured fabric on the back. Let's face it, your sweetie is gonna melt when you encase her/his iPhone 5 in this season-appropriate protective statement of love. As for the two SmartStyle iPad mini cases, they're puff-printed with either a "love 'n kisses" XO pattern or a bright red pattern with little white hearts. The cases are easy to grip and are quite protective, gripping the mini in a shell in a complimentary color. We have two of the Dash Icon cases and two of the SmartStyle cases to give away. In order to get these to you before Valentine's Day, we'll pick the winners on Monday and ship the cases overnight. You, however, are responsible for picking up dinner, chocolates, flowers, and other items for your sweetheart. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before February 9, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected and will receive either an X-Doria Dash Icon case for iPhone 5 valued at $29.99 or an X-Doria SmartStyle case for iPad mini valued at $39.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Daily Update for February 5, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple shares Valentine's Day gift guide
Perhaps you haven't glanced at your calendar lately, but it's February 5 -- and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Apple has created a Valentine's Day Gift Guide in the iTunes App Store to help you find the perfect gift for that certain someone in your life. The gift guide is full of categories to make searching easy. Is your honey a photographer? There's a special category for that. Have a hankering for a certain hardcore gamer? No problem; there's a huge section for that, too. The App Store curators also provide a quick tip at the top of the guide on how to send an app as a gift, so if you really want to make that someone special happy, you'll start gifting them with apps today... Just don't forget the chocolate. Apps are no substitute for chocolate.
Amazon discounts 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD models as part of Valentine's Day promo
Amazon clearly doesn't have a problem with slashing the prices of its 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD from time to time. As such, don't color us surprised after the mega online retailer announced that it's kicking off Valentine's Day festivities by offering up to a $50 discount on the 8.9-inch Fire HDs. For starters, the WiFi-only slate is set to be up for grabs starting at a decent $269 for the 16GB model, while the higher-end, LTE-equipped Kindle will be tagged at a pricier $449 (with 32GB of built-in storage), which isn't too bad an offer when compared to the usual entry prices of $299 and $499, respectively. The Amazon deals run from today through February 8th, so there's still a little time to find out if your significant other would enjoy one of these -- or, if all else fails, perhaps you could just add some Fire to your personal gadget collection.
Apple offers free iPad, iPod engraving for Valentine's Day
Apple has announced a promo on its online store for free engraving and gift-wrapping on iPads and iPods bought as Valentine's Day gifts. The company is also offering free shipping on orders over $50. To make sure you get your gifts in time for Valentine's Day Apple has also created a special page that lists the last day you need to order your device in order to receive it by V-Day. Besides the free engraving, gift-wrapping and free shipping for orders over $50, there's no other deals to be had. I hope that doesn't leave you broken-hearted.
Pink Droid RAZR M, red Lumia 822 hit Verizon stores in time for Valentine's Day
Nothing says "I love you" like a red Lumia 822. Except, perhaps, a pink Droid RAZR M. We may have expected the crimson Nokia handset to make its debut in November, but V-Day seems to be an even more appropriate mark. Beginning tomorrow, you'll be able to pick up a red Nokia Lumia 822 at Verizon retail stores and on the carrier's website -- presumably at the same $50 two-year contract price. Similarly, a pink Motorola Droid RAZR M variant will be available through the same venues on Thursday -- it's currently listed at $100, with an obligatory two-year contract. So, go ahead and cancel those dinner reservations now, and grab your date a smartphone and a 24-month marriage with Verizon, instead.
