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March 27, 2006
Lego Katamari
Awesome idea and awesome music, just like the original Katamari Damacy. However, I do feel bad for the poor frog at the end. He was just minding his own business. Check it out!
UPDATE: I got so many emails about the song used in the video. It's called "Too Much Love" from the album "LCD Soundsystem" by LCD Soundsystem. An amazing band that fuses retro with electronica. Think Daft Punk.
Posted by tranism at 1:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Mew, Is That You???
I used to be a Pokemon fan, (actually I still am), but this is the most bizarre peripheral I have ever seen for the Nintendo DS. It's a Mew Pokemon with a stylus protruding from his stomach. It also looks curiously like something else many of us love to death, but I won't say what.
NOTE: I also want to point out the tip of the stylus looks like clear liquid oozing from a . . . OKAY enough with this post!
via Wired blogs
Posted by tranism at 1:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
My Ideal
I search for one with immense intelligence, artistic creativity, sheer geekness, a fashionista, a scientific mind, possesses an exploratory mentality, and raw energy.
I think I found him. . .
This is Andrew "Android" Jones, better known as the concept artist behind Nintendo's Metroid series. As you can see here, he's demonstrating his other talent - master of air hockey at this years Gamer's Developer Conference (GDC).
more pictures after the jump
Any man that fashions some sort of wrist contraption to hold writing instruments is a man for me. God sometimes I wish I majored in game design instead. :)
Posted by tranism at 1:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 26, 2006
Dashboard Decorations
Here is a view of my dashboard. My friend Brian makes fun of me all the time because I have a pretty big Doreamon sitting on my dash with what he calls the "clueless" expression. He seriously believes other drivers will dismiss me as one of the weaker slower drivers because of my dashboard decoration. To which I replied, "isn't it better to drive defensively?"
Meanwhile Brian with his head out of the window, yelling at a man that just cut us off.
Posted by tranism at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 25, 2006
Was Apple Right All Along?
During the late 80's when Apple's future seemed dire and its attempt at becoming a more diversified company failed, many people claimed it was proof that the Microsoft way was right all along. Apple's vertical integration seemed to limit the company in what it could do. On the other hand, Microsoft was everywhere and wanted to make it easy for it to work on everything. Fast forward nearly 20 years later and the tables are turning; the resounding sound of what could be beginning decline of Microsoft was the recently announced of yet ANOTHER delay in Microsoft's long awaited Vista Operating System.
Vista was supposed to launch this 4th quarter, right in time for the holidays. All those brand new shiny PC's would have had Vista on them instead of XP. Microsoft's promises of usability, stability, and deep integration with entertainment and every extension of it, have now all been dashed. Instead people will get XP with service pack 2 pre-installed.
This gives Apple an opportunity it hasn't had in years if ever. This holiday season Apple will have a slurry of new products, (with more we've yet heard of), all running under OS X, all working together to create a seamless application of live, work, and play. It would seem Apple's vertical approach to the market was correct all along. The future is not about a PC and its operating system. True penetration means to make headway into the living room, into the workplace - unifying it all with those on the go. The experience is clean, simple, and fully integrated. Apple has slowly been doing this since the first OS X five years ago. Meanwhile, Microsoft has yet to release a full barrage of products that work as well together - software and hardware. The company is so large and its products are so scaled apart that it's clear; Microsoft is fragmented. The products they release are no longer innovative. In fact, it didn't surprise me at all to hear that many developers working with beta versions of Vista have all said, "it kinda looks like OS X." Again rumors fly Microsoft is just copying Apple.
They need help and fast. Window's Vista needs to go back to the drawing board, build from the ground up and address all the issues they have; place a legacy capability layer on top like Apple did during its transition from Classic to OS X. What's really sad is by the time Window's ships Vista (sometime next year), Apple's OS X 10.5 will be out. Will Microsoft again further delay Vista to play catch up? If so, it seems to me they will forever chase wild cats - namely the Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, and Leopard.
Posted by tranism at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 19, 2006
Never Eat Spoiled Food Again
Milk and orange juice. Those are the two items that ALWAYS go to waste in my fridge. I need my milk for cereal, and I need my juice for, well, juice! Worst is when I forget to check the label, prepare my meal, sit down ready to chow only to be greeted by the most disgusting soured taste. I check expiry date and get upset at myself.
A test product exists called Smart Labels (color changing) that inform the consumer of food quality by using special ink that disappears thru oxidation. Why this isn't on food products already is a mystery to me. It's a conspiracy, must be.
via Yanko Design
Posted by tranism at 4:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Apple Can Charge A Lot
Because they are damn near untouchable when it comes to industrial design, packaging, and marketing.
I wanted to get some juice. In passing I noticed my local Apple store's window fronts were cracked and shattered. Immediately I thought some fool(s) tried to break in and make haste with some Apple gear. My thirsty mouth took a back seat to my curiosity and I headed towards the store. As I got within 10 feet, I laughed. The glass wasn't shattered at all. It was just some realistic treatment, probably one of the best window displays I've seen from any retail chain in a long time. It was to showcase the new Apple iPod Hi-Fi stereo. A device that's a bit exorbitant but the display gets the point across. I looked into the store; 2 people standing in line with Hi-Fi's ready to be paid for. I guess the window display works.
Posted by tranism at 4:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 16, 2006
Steeplechase
An art installation titled, "Steeplechase". I'm not sure what to make of it. All I know is I giggled like a silly school girl when plankton showed me it.
Posted by tranism at 3:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
March 12, 2006
Nyokki Pets
Similar to the Egglings that proved so popular but OH so hard to keep alive (trust me, I bought one for plankton and that thing was the neediest plant EVER), Nyokki offers something easier to grow in cuter packaging.
The word Nyokki in Japanese means "to grow" and thats exactly what the rye grass does. In about two weeks, you're Nyokki pet will have a full head of grass; cut it and style it any way you want and watch it grow back.
Nyokki comes in sets of two so choose from a monkey, chicken, frog, panda, and a pig. So cute, so cute.
Buy us one please.
Posted by tranism at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Waste Not, Want Not
Probably the largest recycling operation going on in the world is in Bangledesh. All along the coast of Chittagong rests old supertankers that provide the country 80% of its steel. The beach has been a international haven for companies to abandon their ships. As a result, a huge chunk of the country's economy and the population's employment revolve around the dismantling, salvaging, melting, and recycling of the massive supertankers into other materials.
It's hard to describe without seeing so here are some beautiful pictures taken by Brendan Corr from his photo essay titled, "End of The Line".
Posted by tranism at 1:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
March 11, 2006
Learn How To Riot!
umm I mean, learn how to peacefully congregate. Yes there's a video game now that teaches you how to force change by means of nonviolent conflict. There are no guns, bombs, swords, of weapons of any kind - well at least not any you can wield. On the other hand, the cops in the game have it all at their disposal and it's your job to make your point without resorting to violence.
A dozen scenarios inspired by recent history include conflicts against dictators, occupiers, colonizers, corrupt governments, racial, human and civil rights, and ethnic issues.
The game is called A Force More Powerful and claims to be the first and only game to teach the waging of conflict using nonviolent methods. The developers hope the game will educate the public and media and serve as a simulation tool for academic studies and nonviolent resistance.
I have no comments about this story. I merely wanted to bring it to your attention. I am now going to retreat to the land of 1up mushrooms, flying princesses, ridable dinos that lay eggs - all bathed in glorious rich and saturated colors.
Posted by tranism at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
March 10, 2006
Housing Project - Mitaka, Tokyo Japan
This 9 unit apartment building is the work of New York based designer Arakawa. When looking for a new home, most people look for comfort in a symetric and logical layout. Arakawa strongly disagrees as he believes people, particularly older people shouldn't just sit back and relax offering no stimulation to their bodies and minds. He insists they should be in a environment that stimulates their senses and invigorates their lives.
Some of features include: bright colors, concave floors, patio doors that require you to crawl (resembles indoor playgrounds), electric switches in unexpected places that force you to feel around for the right one.
"You'll learn to figure it out" Arakawa says when asked how to live in his apartments. Ten minutes of stumbling around is enough to send even the healthiest young person over the edge. He says that's precisely the point. The apartment will make you alert and awaken instincts, so you'll live better, longer and even forever," says Arakawa.
Just as much as I'm opposed to sticking old people into these "fast-food-counter-looking" plastic barracks. I'm amazed by the absurd idea and I can't help thinking about having my grandparents move in a for few months and study their behavior.
Posted by diverseawareness at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
March 3, 2006
Microsoft's Style Guide
Hilarious because it's true.
Posted by tranism at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)