I shall apologize now for bringing you yet another crowd-funded gadget today, but this is something special. I won’t dilly-dally here: It’s a frikkin’ Star Trek button for talking to Siri.
EA’s Origin platform has today made its public debut on the Mac, proving gamers with a Steam alternative that currently boasts 48 downloadable titles from EA and third-party developers like Sega and Warner Brothers. Its initial catalog includes Batman: Arkham City, Star Wars, The Sims 3, LEGO Harry Potter, Dragon Age 2 and many more — plus any expansion packs.
Rovio’s latest “Escape from Hoth” update to Angry Birds Star Wars is out today, adding 20 new levels, mynock pigs, and an epic boss battle. It’s available to download now on Android and iOS, and it’s completely free to those why already own the game.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy was created. (OK, so it wasn’t that far away, but Wisconsin, apparently home at the time of developer Raven Software, is an alien world.) But now this classic first-person shooter is available at the Mac App Store — so you can experience how much fun your PC friends were having a decade ago.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2013 – I have an unhealthy love affair with LEGOs. They’re beautiful and fun, but also expensive. Have you seen how much it costs to build a replicate R2D2 and B-Wing fighter to put in your bedroom.
Smallworks isn’t helping me any either. They’re making iPhone cases that let you play with LEGOs right on your iPhone and morph it into any creation you can dream up.
Rovio is gearing up to release its first new episode for their most recent hit, Angry Birds Star Wars. This new episode includes our favorite snowy planet Hoth, chock full of pig driven AT-AT walkers. The update is set to go live sometime tomorrow and should keep you Rebel Alliance Angry Birds lovers busy for a bit.
When I first heard that Angry Birds Star Wars was on its way, all I could think was: I have a bad feeling about this.
The cynic in me felt disgruntled about the repetitive nature of the Angry Birds brand, but the realist in me told the cynic to shut up, chill out, and enjoy the game.
The wait is finally over. Your favorite game and your favorite movie have joined forces to become one in what looks like the most exciting addition to the series yet. I’m talking, of course, about Rovio’s Angry Birds Star Wars, which is now available to download on your Android and iOS devices.
This week at Apple, two important executives just got picked off the tree, and on our newest CultCast, we’ll tell you what the departure of long time exec Scott Forstall and the just-hired John Browett means for iOS, OS X, Apple Stores, and all the great Apple products you adore. Plus, Jony Ive’s about to get even more design control over all the Macs you love to own, but the question is, is that a good thing?
Then, get out your lightsabers and prepare the X-Wings, we’re diving deep into the Disney acquisition of LucasFilm and what that means for everyone’s favorite space movies.
If this doesn’t end in another Spaceballs movie, we’re gonna be upset.
Subscribe to The CultCast now on iTunes, or easily stream new and previous episodes via Apple’s free Podcasts App. And please note, if episode 40 isn’t yet showing up for you, subscribing will fix that problem right quick.
Read on for the show notes!
Anrgy Birds In Space didn’t do much to get me excited enough to fling birds around on my iPad, but Angry Birds Star Wars has rekindled my love for the cute slingshot loving birdies and their pig nemeses. Rovio just released gameplay footage of Angry Birds Star Wars (you can watch it in the video above), and yes, you will get to wield a lightsaber and shoot your blaster at AT-ATs once the game is released on November 8th.
Source: YouTube
It’s been nearly three years since Rovio’s first Angry Birds game made its debut on iOS devices, and you might have thought that interest in the series may have died down a little in that time. But you’d be very wrong indeed. According to the Finnish firm, Angry Birds games still see more than 200 million active users every single month.
Well that didn’t take long. It’s only been three days since Rovio teased us with the possibility of an Angry Birds Star Wars game, and today, it’s official. Rovio has announced that they will be launching Angry Birds Star Wars worldwide on Novemeber 8th and a barrage of merchandise starting October 28th (in time to get your kids into Angry Birds Star Wars costumes).
How does an Angry Bird hold a lightsaber if they don’t have any hands? Maybe they’re able to use The Force and to help the weld a lightsaber and slice through mean little piggies. I don’t know. But we might find out real soon. On Twitter this morning Angry Birds posted a linkto their Tumblr where readers can find a GIF of an Angry Bird wearing a jedi cloak with a lightsaber.
The only info we’re given is, “Times Square, New York, October 8th, 10am EST. HINT: Head to Toys R Us at 8am EST!” Is Rovio launching a new Star Wars Angry Birds game, or will it just be Angry Birds Star Wars toys? Your guess is as good as ours.
Source: Tumblr
These official Star Wars iPhone cases just announced by PowerA are just super cute. At $40, they’re pretty pricy, but LucasArts licensing ain’t cheap. Each case distills the iconic style of Star Wars‘s core characters — C-3PO, Darth Vader, R2-D2 and Chewbacca — into an attractive, quasi-abstract pattern. I particularly like the fur matting on the Chewbacca one.
Hey, who says a fanboy can’t look smart? These cases should be out later in the year.
Source: PowerA
Thankfully for tech bloggers the Anglo Saxon world over, this year April Fools Day aka All Fools Day fell on a Sunday. That didn’t stop PR folk waking from a fitful, hungover sleep, dragging their laptops into bed and sending out a “funny” press release, which is why you should probably still watch out today.
But above the dross stands — as it does every year — ThinkGeek. In the past, we have seen such April Fool wonders as the Taun Taun sleeping bag for kids, the iCade iPad arcade cabinet and the 8-bit tie. This year, ThinkGeek went to town with a whole range of fake gear. Here we take a look at the best.
The coolest thing about the Microsoft Kinect is that it makes your feel like a freaking Jedi. Controlling a device by moving your hands or feet is ridiculously awesome when the technology works. Apple has been slow to jump on the motion control bandwagon, but that’s not stopping some clever developers from taking advantage of Apple’s built-in webcams and implementing their own crazy motion control technology. Enter Flutter – the new OS X app that lets you control all of your music without having to ever click a mouse.
Some people will use any excuse to go green, just like some nerds will use any excuse to wear a Darth Vader mask. So umm, why not just satisfy both parties at the same time and make a breath-powered iPhone charger that looks like it should be worn by Lord Vader or Bane? The AIRE mask is a silly looking contraption designed by Joao Paulo Lammoglia to recharge iPhones using the power of your lungs. Utilizing tiny wind turbines the AIRE mask converts your deep sighs and frenetic breaths into usable electricity to power your iDevice.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – As a kid who grew up in the ’80s, I feel robbed by the tech industry. Robbed, spit upon, and laughed at by a bunch of bald guys in suits who have deprived the ghost of my youth by failing to give me the technology they flaunted when I was a kid. I was promised holograms, damn it, so where the hell are they? Compared to holograms, touchscreens just seem like caveman technology.
Wading through the heaping mess of CES rubbish, I got lost in a time vortex. When I popped out the other side, I stumbled upon this little beauty. Behold! The holographic iPad!
Once you’re done stuffing your face full of turkey and gravy and recovered from your food coma, you’re going to need some entertainment for the rest of the weekend. How about some new games? Aspyr is currently having an awesome 50% off deal on some of their games biggest games. We’re not talking crappy boring titles either, we’re talking legit amazing games for 50% off. Call of Duty 4, Civilization V, Duke Nukem Forever, Star Wars The Force Unleashed, and many more titles are available between now and Monday, November 28th for download.
If you’re looking for something to do during your long weekend, you should probably head over to their site and get a few games for your Mac.
Reader Adam Moffat sent us this awesome mash-up of Lion’s cool new galaxy wallpaper and the famous opening shot of Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer chasing Princess Leia in the first few minutes of Star Wars.
We love it. Here’s the inspiration. If you think it’d make a fine desktop for your geeky Mac, you can download a high resolution copy from us here. Thanks for sharing your work with us, Adam!
Well that was quick: last week we posted about the Steve Jobs in Carbonite case for the iPhone, and quipped that Apple’s Cease & Desist letter was likely on its way. And in fact, indeed it was. Greg Koenig, the case designer, wrote on his Studio Burb page on April 27:
Well it was fun while it lasted. Yesterday, Society6 was issued a cease and desist from Apple’s lawyers. So I’m sorry to say that the cases and skins are no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.
As would be expected, the case has already hit eBay. Originally $35, current auction prices are averaging about $50 with a couple hitting $150 already. That’s a decent chunk of change for a small piece of plastic, but looks like it’s now a genuine collector’s item. One with a clever photo skin.
It’s been a good week for Apple-Star Wars Geekdom. News today of a Death Star desktop screenshot, circa Mac System 6 era. TK-421 is not at his post (again), Darth is urgently looking for two lost droids, and spam exists on Vadernet even Far, Far Away.
Kudos to designer Matt Chase for this awesome vintage mockup of a black & white Safari, Mail and the right-click menu option to Move to Trash Compactor. Complete image (1920×1200) available here.
I suspect Darth has a Steve Jobs in Carbonite case on his iPhone, too. Or would that be Han Solo?
Now this is cute – and it likely won’t last. Society6 studio Burb is offering a Steve Jobs in Carbonite case for the iPhone. Very touching. Keep your iDevice clean and snug with the essence of Apple retained.
Available for iPhone 4 and 3G/3Gs, $35. Act fast, Apple’s next Cease & Desist is likely on the way…
[via TUAW]
