Archive for November 2011

Let’s say you’re throwing a party. While you could be serving up your own iTunes library, don’t you think it would be nice to let your guests throw in some of their favorites? Sure, you can let them use the DJ feature on their iOS devices, but that only lets them pick from your music collection.

The collector’s edition of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came with a making-of DVD, a huge art book and a statue of a dragon. You know what was missing that could have justified the $150 price tag?

Like many ubiquitous tools and appliances, it’s kind of hard to think of ways to improve the microwave oven. But Brazilian cooking appliance manufacturer BGH has done just that by adding one simple feature: audio playback.

Did you ever think that people would make a robot inspired by an ostrich? Well DARPA has those kinds of people and they think that their ‘bot will beat all others in terms of speed and stability, thanks to some high-tech wizardry.

Swiss artist Tom Samui has been creating junkyard wonders for the last decade or so. He works with a team of 15 people creating these amazing sculptures made out of recycled automobile parts, like this intricate elf: Tom has created hundreds of these sculptures, entirely made out of scrap car and motorcycle parts.

Most people string Christmas lights around their trees or by the window, but who says you can’t get creative with lights this holiday season?

Why can’t they create original games like Super Mario Bros. today that have enduring and adorable characters? I’m starting to think we may never get such games again. But hey, at least we still have the classic games and tons of cool merchandise to go along with them.

There have been numerous handhelds out there which can play games from the old 8-bit and 16-bit era consoles. Personally, I have the Dingoo A-320, which handles the job nicely. But there’s a new player in town which looks like it could be good, and it’s also cheap.

How do you get more customers into your bar? Create some new fancy drinks? Maybe have a game night? Well, The Exhibit Bar in London went the video game route, by installing some new gaming urinals in the men’s bathroom.

Animator/Father of the year/Aperture Science interior designer James Farr not only hooked up his son Vector Farr with the best name in the world, he also gave the kid a Portal-themed bedroom. It’s filled with Companion Cubes of different sizes, ensuring that Vector will have ample shields from turret fire and still have some left to solve puzzles.

Fiona Banner is an English artist, and her most spectacular pieces of art have to be these two jets she had installed in the Tate Britain modern art museum.

Software developer/video game blogger/Dovahkiin bookworm Capaneus took the scrolls out of The Elder Scrolls V and converted them into E-books.  I have yet to play The Sims: Dragonborn Edition, so I’m not as enthusiastic about this as I perhaps should be, but if this isn’t proof of the wealth of content inside Bethesda’s game then I don’t know what is.

The Eclipse DECT Wireless Home Phone definitely looks cool, kind of like those Bang & Olufsen phones, but do people still use landlines enough to justify the cost of a designer-looking phone? In an age where people are canceling their landlines in order to exclusively use their cell phones, it makes you wonder why anyone would buy one.

The fact is that we’re all going to die someday. Some pass on sooner, while others live to a ripe old age (sometimes wishing they were dead instead what with all the complications of old age.)

There’s something that’s always fascinated me about matroyshka, those Russian nesting dolls. I think it’s that they sort of remind me of Inception – in doll form. You know, a doll within a doll within a doll.

I’ve always loved pinball machines. Sure, video games have completely replaced them as my primary form of gaming entertainment, but I still always love the tactile feel of the flippers and bumpers as they clack against the steel ball.