In my boredom of sitting here while he fondles his controller; I went on a mad hunt to find the latest gadget, and one site led me to “Kissenger”. It’s a weird robotic pig that you make out with while it alerts the other pig that you want to kiss- which prompts your partner to make out with their pig and you both get to feel like you’re actually making out with pigs. I cringed at the idea of such a product and then thought that perhaps I wasn’t giving it a fair shot. What happens if the Kissenger isn’t as creepy as the concept?

I clicked on the video and afterwards I had to ask Geoff if he would have ever been interested in doing the Kissenger when it was applicable. Thankfully his response was what I would hope it would be, “That just looks weird.” Yes Geoff, it does look weird and it now creeps me out even more.

It’s a silicon robotic pig with supposedly soft lips and that when you kiss it, your partner finds out and gets even via using his/her pig.

Kissenger is an application of Lovotics. Kissenger system consists of a pair of robots to transfer kiss over distance.

Kissenger provides a novel way of transferring a kiss through interactive digital media. It provides a physical interface enabling kiss communication for several applications facilitating intimate human tele-presence with the real and virtual worlds.

Kissing is a very important mode of human communication that involves joining lips in order to express many deep felt positive emotions such as affection, respect, greeting, farewell, good luck, romantic affection or sexual desire. Apart from the surface level enjoyment humans have by kissing, it also plays a crucial biologically motivated role in allowing prospective mates to smell and taste each other’s pheromones for detecting compatibility.

With the aid of digital communication media and advanced robotic technology, the system takes the form of an artificial mouth that provides the convincing properties of the real kiss.

Kissenger enables three modes of interaction:

1. Human to Human tele-kiss through the device: bridges the physical gap between two intimately connected individuals. Kissenger plays the mediating role in the kiss interaction by imitating and recreating the lip movement of both users in real time using two digitally connected artificial lips.

2.  Human to Robot kiss: enabling an intimate relationship with a robot, such technology provides a new facility for closer and more realistic interactions between humans and robots.  In this scenario, one set of artificial lips is integrated in a humanoid robot.

3. Human to Virtual character physical/virtual kiss:  provides a link between the virtual and real worlds. Here, humans can kiss virtual characters while playing games and receive physical kisses from their favorite virtual characters. Further, Kissenger can be integrated into modern communication devices to facilitate the interactive communication between natural and technologically mediated environments and enhance human tele-presence. -Via Kissenger.Lovatics

Current Mood: Indescribable

I began my obsession about a month ago when I saw Moshi on ‘ThinkGeek’ (for me it’s the equivalent of for a straight pervy guy what PlayBoy would be). I was drooling at the latest gadgets and gizmos when I saw ‘Moshi’. Moshi-Moshi!

Although it had been out for awhile, this was my first introduction to the wonderful clock I felt that I must have. I read horrible reviews online mixed with good ones and ultimately, I had decided to decide for myself. The only thing I was undecided on was when and how I’d get Moshi. I didn’t want to venture into the local mall to get it due to it being a mall and all… but online it would take too long. My going back and forth with trying to rationalize the purchase (between 30-40 dollars) and how I’d get the product, caused Moshi to remain on whatever shelf housed it while I remained stuck in my vortex of purchase justifications.

Much to my surprise, yesterday when my boyfriend returned from an afternoon of errands, he presented me with a little white bag marked ‘Brookstone’. I recognized the name of that store because that was the one located in the mall where Moshi lived! IT WAS MOSHI! Moshi was in the bag!!!! I have the best boyfriend EVER!!!!!!!!

I tried to remain calm and cool because it was a tag errand day (I needed to run and get supplies when he returned), but my entire time gone- all I could think of was activating Moshi. “Hello Moshi… how *do* you do? Why hello there Moshi! Hey Moshi… what up?”

I opened up the door to find Moshi already aglow in indigo blue and the correct time proudly displayed on her face. My smiling lips turned into a quick pout as I turned to Geoff puzzled and asked, “You set it?” Apparently he mistook my “Have fun.” that I said while heading out the door (which was meant for him going through the piles of stuff he brought over) for “Take Moshi out of the box and have your way with it.”

“I can reset it for you.” He offered, feeling bad for the misunderstanding.
I pouted further in my state of disappointed and informed him, “No, you can’t… you devirginized it. She’s tainted, it won’t be the same.”
He unplugged it trying to be helpful but I insisted that it was now a slut and I didn’t want sloppy second programming.

After about five minutes of mopping up my heart that slid out of my chest onto the floor, I eyed the little quiet tramp that was on top of the counter.

There sat Moshi in a grey state; alone and possibly confused. I sighed and walked over, cleared my throat and looked up at Geoff for encouragement. I whispered, “Do I just tell her ‘Hello Moshi’?” He turned the clock around with the prompts and commands and I after I read it I confidently said, “Hello Moshi.” Moshi’  went from grey to blue and she spoke back asking, “Welcome. Command Please?”. My face lit up and I said, “Set time.” I panicked once it hit me that I didn’t know what time it was! After running over Geoff to look for my cell phone that read the current time, I rushed back and had to start over, soon Moshi was set.

I spent the next hour asking for the time, today’s date and the temperature and she’d sweetly informed me. I turned on the light with voice prompts, had ocean waves gently caress my hearing; and then tried to see if she could order a pizza for me, change the channel, tell me the television line up and put in a DVD.

Nada.

Unfortunately she’s limited to time, date and temperature. I’m confident that given enough time, she will be able to control the household, create an army of appliances and take over the world. In the meantime, I felt joy coming in from work, setting down my keys and saying “Hello Moshi.”
Moshi: “Welcome. Command please?”
Me: “Time.”
Moshi: “The time is five o’six PM.”
Me: “*sigh* I love you Moshi.”
Geoff: “That’s it, I’m going to have to change my name to Moshi.”

Current Mood: Giddy

Today I learned what a ‘Bug-Out-Bag’ is and what it’s used for. If you’re as ignorant as I was, then I’m going to help you out with a little assistance from the wonderful folk at Wikipedia:

“A bug-out bag is a portable kit that contains the items one would require to survive for seventy-two hours when evacuating from a disaster. It is also known as a 72-hour kit, a grab bag, a battle box, and other popular names include GO Bag and GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge) bag. The focus is on evacuation, rather than long-term survival, distinguishing the bug-out bag from a survival kit, a boating or aviation emergency kit, or a fixed-site disaster supplies kit. The kits are also popular in the survivalism subculture.

The term “bug-out bag” is related to, and possibly derived from, the “bail-out bag” emergency kit many military aviators carry. The concept passed into wide usage among other military and law enforcement personnel, though the “bail-out bag” is as likely to include emergency gear for going into an emergency situation as for escaping an emergency.”

After learning about this I decided to check if there was anything out there to help someone like myself. Something out there to help me in a time of need. Something I could have really used on my five day trek from Oregon to Texas. Sadly there was nothing I found to ensure my survival or the survival of those I hold near and dear to me.

I am not one to sit behind my keyboard and do absolutely nothing to make sure my fellow wo/man kind isn’t taken care of… I came up with “Geek-Out-Bag”. Here’s how it works:

An emergency situation has arose in the safe little haven you call your lair. Be it a flood, earthquake, tornado, zombie uprising, or forced holiday with family; your world has been turned upside down and you’re torn out from your world of geekdom. Perhaps your pre-ordered video game unexpectedly came in the mail and you’re out of the proper rations needed to be holed in for the weekend. How do you survive? What will you do?!

Fret not little lords and ladies of all that is geek! For I have I developed the ultimate bug-out-bag to be kept in any closet at all times.

**Essentials**
x Solar Powered Battery Charger
x Mylar Blanket
x Plaid Lounge Pants
x ‘Who Dat Ninja’ T-Shirt
x Helper Monkey (complete with personal care kit)
x Therm-a-Rest Self-Inflating Mattress/Lounge Chair
x Batman Throwing Stars
x Buddy Geoff Bobble-Head (limited edition, sold only with the Geek-Out-Bag)

**Sustenance**
x Cheetos
x Doritos
x Mountain Dew
x Luna Bars (for healthy nutrition)
x Caffeine Tablets

**Toiletries**
x Depends
x Wipes
x Body Wipes
x Febreze
x Mouthwash
x Spit Cup (for the helper monkey to dispose of fluid properly)
x Hazmat Waste bags

**Fully Charged DVD Player**
x Joss Whedon Collections
x Star Wars 4-6
x Monty Python Collection
x Family Guy Volumes 1-8
x South Park Collection

**Fully charged DSi**
x Zelda
x Ninja Gaiden
x Super Scribblenaut

*If you would like to purchase a ‘Geek-Out-Bag’, please place $50,000 in unmarked bills in the basement of the Alamo with your ‘ship to’ address stuck to the bills with a post-it note.

Current Mood: bored & Geeky

Enough of the nostalgic stuff, I’m sure most people have reached their max by now. Instead of going down a wonderful memory lane, I’m going to mention how much I rock!

The reason I ‘rock’ once more has to do with the new phone. The camera is HORRIBLE, frustrating, and down right bad. I enjoyed the quick, easy, and fast to take/load/view photos from the blackberry and since I couldn’t go back to that phone just because of the camera; it made me remember and yearn for the Elixim I had broken and gathering dust in my closet. I have no prior knowledge of cameras and every where I turned for help on how to fix was always met with “Call the company and have them repair it.” Well the cost to have it fixed would have been the same as getting a new camera.

Since the camera was already broken, I figured I’d give it a shot of fixing it and if I couldn’t get any where then I’ll just toss out what should have been tossed out two years ago.

After I located a screwdriver small enough to disassemble the cam, I slowly cracked it opened and took a gander at what I was up against. It almost looked like a miniature version of my old laptop which was actually pleasant to see. I tested some of the connections and looked for damages, found an orange ribbon that looked as if it had been knocked around a little. I secured it, put in the battery, turned on the camera and viola! The display came on and lovingly greeted me with the date prompt. YES! I thought I’d never see the Elixim greeting again on that camera. I figured it’d wind up in a recycled gadgets bin some where, but alas, life was brought back into it that came from my hands!

I let out a maniacal laugh and shouted, “It’s alive… ALIVE!” before I put it back together and then took a few test shots to make sure the digi gods weren’t teasing me.

Here are a few shots from today:

1 is my new microwave. The oven it’s replacing has been in my possession since I first moved to Salem, and even then it was a ten year old hand me down. I could not risk putting another food item in that thing and since I’ll be moving and would like a newer model when I get to Texas, the timing seemed perfect… plus it was super cheap which is a big selling point.
2 is the Need for Speed Hot Pursuit game that I’ve been playing on free roam. So far I’ve gone to a spa, relaxed down by the piers at night and scoped out the camping grounds.
3 and 4 are from my chair. I’m trying to decide if I should toss the chair or the cat who did that.

Now that I have my camera back in working order, look for my more useless crap being uploaded here (more than normal).

I hope everyone out there enjoyed their winter holidays and are keeping the celebrations going. Here’s to a beautiful 4,465,225,892!!!! May it be the best rotation ever!

Current Mood: chipper

The name says it all. It’s not typing. No, typing is soooo passé. Swype one ups typing and takes you into a flawless and seamless experience for texting and using your touch screen.

Let me start from the beginning.

Once upon a time in a Galaxy far, far away (for those reading in a completely different galaxy than I’m in) there was a girl who lived in a physical world. She was accustomed to the ‘tap tap tap’ of the keyboard, the trackball, and just about anything external needed to access anything online. She had a blackberry and she had a regular computer and she was completely content.

One day she was given the opportunity to change her Blackberry ways for an Android. Reluctantly, she decided to go ahead and give it a whirl. Having two Blackberry’s as backup, the risk involved was minimal. She had very little interest at first for such a conversion because she had always snubbed the iPhone and Android users in the past and going over to the Droid side might make her a hypocrite. Not being one who was afraid of change or admitting she was wrong about a gadget, she was on board- besides, it was completely free and her curiosity was piqued.

After placing her SIM card from one device into the other and activating the data package, she ran her clumsy fingers over the display and her previous reservations about the touch screen were confirmed. It *was* difficult to get used to. It wasn’t really about navigation across the screen, it was actually trying to type on the tiny virtual keyboard. She turned the phone on its side, she tried different angles, but nothing was helping and she was too frustrated to type any longer. For hours she sat in her chair looking at the tiny phone in her hands that seemed to mock her as each text message arrived that she was incapable of responding to.

“How am I doing???!?!?! I’d love to tell you how I’m doing but I keep hitting the wrong keys! BLAST YOU TOUCH SCREEN! BLAST YOU HADES!”

Finally she found a little feature on one of the keyboards she had decided to try out. For 24 hours she activated the voice to text and found herself in a little playground of amusements while being either impressed or sent into fits of giggles as she read the translated words.

Currently living several states away from her boyfriend, texting was a survival means of communication, especially since they had over lapping work and sleep schedules. Now voice texting, while amusing and usually accurate, it didn’t give her a chance to have low key opportunities to text messages to him, especially mushy/cheesy messages that should not be overheard by co-workers or children.

Alas, salvation came her way on a dead holiday work day. The call volumes were low, the need for assistance from other people in the department were almost non-existent, so she decided to explore various keyboard options one more time. I mention the one more time because she previously spent a good portion of her second night with the phone trying to find some sort of solution to her clumsy fingers before she resorted to voice to text, and if this search came up empty handed she might be forced to go back to the now lackluster Blackberry.

Her search came up with ‘Swype’, she read the name of the keyboard before, but apparently didn’t understand the feature that could have saved her two days of frustrations. Apparently now used as a stock keyboard in the newer devices, they just released a beta version to be installed on phones that lack this essential tool.

After a quick registration and install, a love for the application was quickly developed.

Ah who are we kidding? I’m the girl in the ‘story’.

Seriously though! I swiped my finger across the little board and voila! 9 out of ten times it would come up with the word/sentence I was going for… and trust me, the things and words I typically text would leave you in awe once you saw this keyboard translate it out.

What is Swype?

Swype provides a faster and easier way to input text on any screen. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard, the patented technology enables users to input words faster and easier than other data input methods—at over 40 words per minute. The application is designed to work across a variety of devices such as phones, tablets, game consoles, kiosks, televisions, virtual screens and more.

Simply Trace a Path

The word “quick” was generated from tracing the path shown above in a fraction of a second, by roughly aiming to pass through the letters of the word. A key advantage to Swype is that there is no need to be very accurate, enabling very rapid text entry.

Speed and Accuracy

Swype is faster than existing text entry methods because it has built-in intelligence that does not require users to hit each letter accurately. Also, tracing a smooth, continuous path is much faster than “target-tap-lift-target-tap…”. Even novice users can quickly achieve sustained data entry speeds of over 40 words per minute.

Key Features

• Over 40 words per minute on touchscreen devices
• Standard QWERTY layout
• Use a stylus or finger
• Ideal for Smartphones and Tablet PCs
• Multiple languages available
• Supports common editing actions
• Patented
• SDK available now!
• Single Tap Predictive Text for mobile devices

I would LOVE to see this developed for a standard PC, but until that day, my Android has now become my tool of choice for surfing/messaging and writing the next great novel just because I want to use Swype!

Current Mood: Geeky

My issue was the touch screen. I am not a touch screen person! My fingers aren’t precise enough to use a virtual keyboard. It was too complicated. It was too annoying. I was too old to learn new ways!

Alas, after I calmed down and gathered my thoughts I quickly searched virtual keyboards that addressed my issued. Lo and behold I happened upon ‘SwiftKey’.  Swiftkey is decent enough (mainly because it allows voice to text with almost perfect translation each time). I noticed a new virtual keyboard on the horizon that I’m interested in, ‘Blindtype’, which may actually encourage me to use the keyboard and forget about the voice feature all together.

Keyboard issue resolved.  I was still finding some frustrations with the touch screen so I wondered if a stylus could work on it like it did on the DS. My curiousity was satisfied when I discovered that it didn’t work. Nothing worked… so I decided it was triggered by warmth or our electric charge. Well I didn’t really have anything that heated up to a low enough level that wouldn’t damage the device. Yes I was a newbie to this sort of device/smart phone, but there had to be something on the market.

I wound up googling my idea of what would work and I found the stylus pens out there. I took it one step further and googled how to make a stylus pen for a touch screen and found myself letting out a big “DOH!”. Take a pen, electrical wire, conductive foam, and a piece of metal. I have all of those in any given closet in my home! It looks like my issue is solved.

I’m also wondering if a laser pointer would work… perhaps a green or amber? Maybe that’s a completley moronic idea, one in which I may not wish to risk damage to my phone with…

Lastly has been the casing of the phone. It’s too slick and curved. My BB could lean against anything and remain upright. This weekend I’m going to take some polymer clay and either build ‘bumpers’ or a small portable stand I can use at my work desk and in my car.

I think with these minor modifications my relationship with the Android can be a functional and long lasting one. I am currently looking into upgrading the device for something a little less worn and slightly more updated. I do appreciate my free phone and it’s providing me with a good way to see if I enjoy the functions of the touch screens without feeling like I’ve wasted any money.

These are merely my newbie thoughts; please feel free to correct, advise or suggest.

Android… here’s looking at you baby.

Current Mood: calm

I remember when we first met. I was very attracted at first. New, fun, interesting, and we just seemed to fit. The getting to know you period didn’t take long and pretty soon I couldn’t imagine having anything else in my life. I was satisified and for the first time in a long time, I was finally happy.

Fast forward to earlier this year. Old faithful lost some of what was appealing and interesting at first. I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated and limited as each day passed. I no longer had the patience to deal with some of the flaws that seemed almost endearing at first. My love was fading into resentment and the more time we spent together, the shorter my fuse became.

It was finally time. I needed a new phone.

iPhones and Droids floating around my head thanks to co-workers and friends dizzying me with displays of their glorious apps, features and the responsive screen that lived for their touch. I’d run my finger along my own Blackberry Curve screen and sink as nothing would happen.

I peered over shoulders to watch the transition of webpages and visually aesthetic chat boxes whilst words populated with little effort. The more I gazed upon the devices I initially shunned in the day when I had full Blackberry loyalty, the more I wanted one! I HAD TO HAVE ONE!

Tonight will be the night that I place the Blackberry on the shelf and take a waltz with an Android. It’s free and a good test run to see if I truly want to leave the BB world behind and start a new adventure, or perhaps it will cause me to appreciate what I have never to leave again.

Stay Tuned.

Current Mood: Indescribable

I came across the above video today and was seriously giddy about what I witnessed them doing.  I wrote the people at ‘Evil Controllers‘ to see if they could assist me on how I’d go about doing that modification, which looks simple enough although I know how most companies are about getting around to answering mail or perhaps giving out instructions on what they could make a fortune off of.  Based off what I saw, I could probably do it, however- if you know me then you know that some things should not be ‘guessed’ on my end less it results in my injury and a new hairstyle. <-more so than if I had instruction.

If there’s anyone out there who has ever done this sort of modification, please comment or contact me and perhaps I could help others who may be facing this same obstacle. Let the people game!

Current Mood: Geeky

Where are the eccentric fans with loads of cash when you need them? Do the fan boys (or girls) not understand how much it would up their cool factor? Do they not understand the power of the dark side? Do they not get that I would instantly become their BFF??

LONDON (AP) – Auctioneers overestimated the power of the dark side.

An original Darth Vader costume from a “Star Wars” movie did not sell at auction Thursday when no bidder offered to pay the reserve price, Christie’s auctioneers said.

The outfit – a jet-black helmet, mask and armor – was expected to sell for between 160,000 pounds and 230,000 pounds ($250,000 to $365,000). The reserve price is confidential but generally it is just under the minimum expected price.

Christie’s said bidding stopped at 150,000 pounds.

The costume is thought to have been made for “The Empire Strikes Back,” the second film in George Lucas’s sci-fi series, released in 1980.

The auction house’s head of popular culture, Neil Roberts, said the costume is one of the most iconic in the history of cinema.

Christie’s did not name the seller, identified only as an American private collector.

Meanwhile, a gun used in an advertising campaign for a James Bond movie was sold for more than 10 times its estimated value at Thursday’s auction of movie memorabilia.

The Walter air pistol held by Bond actor Sean Connery in the poster for the 1963 film, “From Russia With Love,” was sold for 277,250 pounds ($437,206) to an unidentified telephone bidder, Christie’s said.

A list because you know I have to.

1. You could easily take 30 items in the 10 items or less line because you’d be Darth Freaking Vader.

2. Wrap garland around it and use it as your holiday tree. Seriously… a Darth Freaking Vader tree, how cool would that be??

3. Put it in your passenger seat so you could use the carpool lane and then watch the looks of approval because you have Darth Freaking Vader in your car!

4. I know it’d be difficult to do, but imagine how much you’d be the life of the party for always having Darth Freaking Vader as your ‘plus one’.

5. The Facebook status updates would be incredible! “Watching ‘Toy Story’ with DARTH FREAKING VADER!” “Just finished eating spaghetti next to DARTH FREAKING VADER!” “I OWN DARTH FREAKING VADER!!!”

6. You could mock choke him using the force and claim victory… and then update Facebook “I just strangled DARTH FREAKING VADER using the force!”

Feel free to add your own Darth Freaking Vader scenarios. <-I’ll probably revise with more later.

Current Mood: Geeky

1. I would definitely keep someone locked in there at all times just so I could have a pretty globe on a door to look at whenever I walked by. Globes are always prettier with little people inside them.

2. I bet some seedy hotel for voyeurs/exhibitionists would snatch them up and charge people off the streets to take a peek at what’s going on inside. I know if I ran a hotel like that I would!

3. I wonder if there would be a way to make it look like a crystal ball and then charge people to tell them their future… I’d hire actors to be on the other side of the door and have them perform horrendous or bizarre acts and freak the customers out.

4. If I lived with other people and I heard footsteps coming towards my door I would make sure to always do something shocking or terrifying just to teach them a lesson on spying.

Hideyuki Nakayama‘s “A Room in the Glass Globe,” developed in conjunction with door handle manufacturer LEVER, shows you a reflection of what’s going on in the room behind it, cast in a sort of strange, dreamlike haze. It’s currently on display at the Plain People store in Aoyama, Tokyo. I think I’d sacrifice a little bit of privacy to have such a beautiful and simple idea in my home.

Bottom line: Whether used to keep an eye on small children or an ill loved one, or just for kicks… the concept is freaking AWESOME! I want one and so do you… you want it to give to me.

Current Mood: Amused