14 million for an aibo?

Aibo is the name of the robotic pets brand that Sony was producing until very recently. Now discontinued, I understand that the prices for second hand units may rise… but I have just found this aibo selling for 7.917.029,53 EUR, which sounds a little too expensive. However, to my surprise there´s this other aibo selling for 14.639.379,30 EUR!! I wonder if there´s something fishy going on: take a look at the bidding history, you may be surprised… The aibos are announced as “complete & immaculate”.

ps. But if you really want them, they´re still on sale… 😉

Update A few hours later, one of the aibos has been retired and the other one has had its price reduced, the high bids canceled.

Zinc Mecha

http://www.zincpanic.com/

Japanese toy design is one of the last bastions of optimism in our increasingly luddite world-view. (…) we endeavor to be the most complete, thorough and accurate resource regarding anything related to Japanese toys

If you like japanese robots, you MUST visit Zinc Panic. This site features a huge collection of articles on japanese robot characters and toys of every kind you could think about. You say Mazinger? they have it. Evangelion? sure! Gundam? of course! You´ll probably have to fight the cool-looking, pixel-artsy, kinda-esotheric interface, but getting lost in the site is actually part of the experience, as the designers explain in the… er, helpful help section:

there is no end point, no goal to reach, within Zinc Panic.

All said and done: After quite some time exploring the site at my leisure, I recognize the great double effort made to build up a comprehensive database and a website with personality. I assure you, browsing through Zinc Panic will be a unique and rewarding experience!

Reading between the lines

Subliminal messages allow us to communicate something without being direct, and are usually quite effective in reaching the target. Let’s practise!

Imagine you want to leave your girlfriend/boyfriend because you have discovered something you don’t agree with. Now imagine you have to take her/him home in your car. How can you tell her/him your feelings without saying anything, but only playing five songs? Continue reading Reading between the lines

Game developers spotted!

http://www.gamedevmap.com/index.php

Publishers, development studios with a staff of five or more, studios with previously published games, and studios under contract with a publisher are listed.


Gamedevmap is a growing database of video game companies. For the sake of general curiosity, you can spot at a glance the most prominent areas for video game developing -this is a little tricky though, since the spots don’t give visual information on the number of companies on each one of them-. However, I believe that this link will be most valuable for those interested in entering the business, since it saves countless headaches searching for the companies’ locations and sites. Beware that not every company is covered: the webmasters rely on the readers’ help to complete the list, so this could be your opportunity to add a spot! 🙂

Risky Business

We all know that the producers’ aim is to make a profit. And it’s logical: like any company, they are moved by obvious interests:

  • Position in the Industry (I mean, having a predominance in a market segment against other companies)
  • …which allows them to be able to have at their disposal better human and material resources;
  • …which means they are able to tackle the biggest projects;
  • …which (they believe) will yield larger profits and cost-effectiveness.
  • Then, it’s sensible to think that every film will be considered a product to exploit economically. There’s nothing wrong with it.

    Simplifying a lot, let’s Continue reading Risky Business

    A secret vault for the informed superhero

    http://www.hiddenpassageway.com/

    Twist a candlestick and your fireplace rotates, granting access to a hidden room(…)

    Being a superhero is exciting but also has its drawbacks. It is a demanding occupation that tends to interfere with your personal life, hence the need to keep your public identity safe. Even if you live alone you will surely receive visits every now and then; I bet you can remember at least one or two times when you had to Continue reading A secret vault for the informed superhero