Monthly Archives: January 2010

Online adventure games old skool

by Darice de Cuba
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Online adventure games old skool

Since I was introduced to computers and internet, both which happened in 1997 I was hooked on two things. ICQ and point-and-click game you got on CD-ROMs. I wasn’t aware back then of what was all possible online except for Napster and ICQ, so the games I played where on CD-ROMs. I never remember the names, except it was a mystery game which a guy waking up in a bathroom with no memory of what happened. And the other one was a game set in the Amazon jungle where you travel in a canoe and collect food and items. Hey I was in highschool back then! I’m not a gamer Read more »

Real World Fallout 3 Photo Shoot in Iraq

by Jayvee Fernandez
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Real World Fallout 3 Photo Shoot in Iraq

There’s a story here. For lack of real world post-apocalyptic propaganda posters from Bethesda, this war journalist in Iraq put two and two together. With so much Fallout 3 influence before and during his tour to Iraq he was able to snag the special edition box of Fallout 3 from Bethesda which came with the lunch box and bobble head. In turn, he came up with the following photos together with a friend. This is a short photo series done in Iraq with some filters on, highlighting parts of the game where you discover bobble heads and put them into your backpack lunchbox. I mean, wow what a badass journalist. Read more »

Tabletop Pong: turning a classic video game into reality

by andy
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Tabletop Pong: turning a classic video game into reality

What happens when you try to turn the classic arcade game PONG into a real life tabletop game? Evil Mad Scientist has done just that and come up with Tabletop Pong. It’s a definite work in progress, but you can read the fascinating journey including photos and descriptions of the construction process. Check out the video of it in action: Obviously, some real world elements have crept in to the design — because the table isn’t quite level gravity takes its toll on the ball. Perhaps this makes the game even more playable (or fun, at least)? In order to keep the ball moving (or to encourage it along) the Read more »

Ford "gets" the issue of tangled iPhone headphone cables, advertises Bluetooth

by andy
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Ford "gets" the issue of tangled iPhone headphone cables, advertises Bluetooth

Some ads drive me completely nuts, but I think this one for Ford is quite clever. It displays 15 common knots, but instead of using rope it uses various bits of iPhone cabling, including the headphones, dock and USB connectors. Are you a lucky person who has never had a pair of headphones tie themselves up in knots? It tends not to happen with more expensive headphones with slightly thicker wires, but smaller earbuds and thinner wires always seem to get caught up in themselves, no matter how carefully they’re put away. Ford’s point is that Bluetooth comes with every new Ford car. While this isn’t Ford’s only ad, it’s Read more »

Vodafone UK launches Sure Signal to boost indoor 3G coverage

by andy
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Vodafone UK launches Sure Signal to boost indoor 3G coverage

Those of us for who the mobile phone is the most important communication tool will know the problem of trying to use it in a home or office that cuts out signal quality and makes it difficult or impossible to use. A recent survey by Vodafone found that one in five Brits have missed an important event or occasion because of a lack of signal, while one in fifty would even consider moving house to get a better cellphone signal indoors. Many people now rely on their mobile phone, with some no longer having a fixed line phone. For anyone who craves a better indoor signal, Vodafone has launched its Read more »

This Turntable Can Rip Your Vinyl Records

by J. Angelo Racoma
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This Turntable Can Rip Your Vinyl Records

If you grew up in the 60′s and 70′s (and even before), you probably have a handful of vinyl records lying around in your attic or garage. Many of these are probably classics by now–some songs obsolete, but some perhaps brought back to fame due to recent events. For instance, there was a clamor for Michael Jackson’s music after his death. I should know; I know some relatives who tried to scour their attics for their much-loved, but long-forgotten MJ records from old. While newer technologies are constantly surpassing older ones in terms of quality and features, vinyl records do have some novelty in them. There’s this certain sense of Read more »

Microsoft's internal ego trip with URL "shortener" binged.it

by andy
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Microsoft's internal ego trip with URL "shortener" binged.it

There have been a few pairs of rolled eyes online today as people discuss Microsoft’s (currently internal only) URL shortening service. It’s not surprising, following Google’s use of the goo.gl domain name, that Microsoft might use something based on its Bing search engine, but while Google keeps it nice, short and from Greenland, Microsoft has gone for the more popular Italian .it TLD and then stuck a longer name on the front. Binged.it Presumably as in “I just Binged it”. The thing is, although Microsoft has partnered with bit.ly (six characters), it has chosen to use a nine character name. Bitly and Google both use six, Facebook’s version fb.me is Read more »

WoW Epic Cooking Apron: WoW Widow's Secret Weapon

by Lia
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WoW Epic Cooking Apron: WoW Widow's Secret Weapon

For the wives and girlfriends who have “lost” their significant others to World of Warcraft, here’s a little something to get them back, even for just a few hours or so. I guarantee you that this WoW Epic Cooking Apron will catch his attention, even for a tiny bit. Trust me, any WoW player will want to check out epic gear that comes their way. (Ooooh, PURPLEZZZ, LEET!!!) And when you’ve gotten his attention and successfully lured him away from the computer, that’s when you attack! Stun him and tie him to the bed, hehe! If all else fails, you can always try wearing this apron… NAKED. Hehehe! You know Read more »

We Didn't Playtest This At All: Perfect card game for a night of drunken debauchery

by Jayvee Fernandez
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We Didn't Playtest This At All: Perfect card game for a night of drunken debauchery

It’s for 2 to 6 players. But this is the only card game I’ve played where there’s a big chance that the game will end in the first round of play. It’s easy to learn but hard to win, and for first timers, you won’t believe that a game like this really exists. The name is apt. It makes it seem like the creators just built a bunch of random rules and slapped in cards that barely made any sense. The end result is a night of chaos and debauchery usually laden with alcohol. This is the perfect game to break the ice, and for what, a measly USD $8.00. Read more »

Robotic Mousetrap: Humans and pets beware!

by andy
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The business of rodent control has moved on a fair bit, but here’s a take on the classic spring-loaded mousetrap that uses technology to help catch the mouse. Watch the video to see the fluffy toy mouse crushed as it attempts to take the cheese being guarded by an ultrasonic sensor and laser beam. As the high-speed pneumatic cylinder crushes anything its way, you may start to think the system is complete overkill. Jake Easton is the designer, and he admits that the “wow factor” was built in on purpose. “It would be difficult to beat the simplicity that James Atkinson designed into his mousetrap more than 100 years ago,” Read more »