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I am single and bitter, so I'm not exactly in the mood for Valentine's Day Saturday.
I did, however, get to thinking about some of the gifts I could get from my imaginary girlfriend that would make the day suck even more. Which one on my list would ruin your day of hearts and flowers most? Or are there others that would be even worse?
From my black, un-beating heart to yours.
Love, Matt Hickey
What used to be romantic tends to be seen as just plain creepy these days. And quite possibly somewhat stalker-ish too. So of course, we do what we always do when it comes to gadgets and accessories that have the potential of abuse...we mock them endlessly.
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EPISODE 124 |
Wii Fit for Valentine’s Day: It’s ok. Really.
10 Valentine’s Day gifts to get you dumped
Valentine’s Day gifts for the geeky girl
USB Plasma Heart spectacularly displays your love
Nokia Cupid - the anonymous way to say “I want you”
Blow a Valentine’s kiss with your iPhone
... Read more
Sure, Valentine's Day is a time for long-stem roses and "I Love You!" teddy bears. Yet as this annual day of compulsory romance approaches, some people find themselves reflecting not only on the current object of their shmoopiness, but on their past heartbreaks.
It's not just sweethearts who stomp on our dreams, though--technology can, too. So put down that Hallmark card and those pink balloons and scroll through the gallery below to see which gadgets have broken Crave contributors' hearts--or at least made us question our undying love. (Naturally, gadgets besides the ones mentioned in this collection have hurt us, as well. But sometimes the wounds are just too fresh to talk about.)
And now that we've shared our stories of personal heartache, be sure to tell us in the TalkBack section which gadgets have left you bitter.
(Credit:
Walmart, Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)
If you're a guy in the mood for Valentine's Day who doesn't know what to do, well, I don't have any dating or relationship advice.
I do have something you might want to try, however. It lets you literally blow kisses to that very special person, or persons, regardless of the distance. All you need is an iPhone (or iPod Touch) and, of course, the ability to blow a kiss properly.
The application is aptly called "Blow a Kiss" and can be downloaded for free at Apple's App Store. I tried it on my iPhone 3G and it worked wonders: once launched, you are required to type in your name, plus the recipient's name and e-mail address and a short message. Then you just blow into the phone's screen (I tried some audible smooching and that worked, too).
The app then detects the kissing sound and automatically sends an e-mail to the recipient. The e-mail is adorned with hearts and displays the message in an eye-dazzling pink theme. I believe most ladies would like this very, very much.
Also, the e-mail is sent from the embracethesavings.com domain, which is not exactly romantic but means you can blow kisses anonymously .
I am not into pink, neither are most of the ladies I know. However, I think it's really cool how the application works. And by works, I mean strictly in technical terms. The app doesn't guarantee you'll get a kiss back, via e-mail or not.
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Holographic candlelit dinner makes for geeky Valentine's
(Credit:
ThinkGeek)
This being a month of love and sweet nothings, you can't help but love ThinkGeek, which has your back with some of the most hilarious and kitschy gimmicks this planet has ever seen. The Holographic Candlelit Dinner Kit comes right in time for Valentine's, from a date who can only be labeled "cheap," "unimaginative," and a "total geek"--the last being a compliment for some, we're sure.
(Credit:
ThinkGeek)
What we're not so sure about is whether the nausea and headache induced from staring into each other's diffracted bug eyes through 3D wraparounds would eventually lead to that desired romantic interlude at the end of dinner.
The $5.99 kit comes with a candle and two thin-film glasses etched with a pattern designed to diffuse the light from the candle into heart-shaped rainbows. Batteries, er, matches not included.
(Via Crave Asia)
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It may not beat the frozen Skate steaks we got a couple of weeks ago, but today's daily dose of video game swag comes courtesy of Personal Trainer: Cooking, an upcoming title for the handheld Nintendo DS game console.
The game seems to be more of an interactive cookbook, leading you through 245 recipes with an onscreen guide, and using the DS' built-in mic for navigation if your hands are tied up with, you know, cooking stuff.
Packaged in a clearly Valentine-themed red cardboard box, we found a press release and a heart-shaped box--the kind typically used to hold V-Day chocolates. Inside, surprisingly, were chocolates in the shape of common kitchen utensils (or so we're told), including a spatula and a muffin tin.
Seeking love and affection this Valentine's Day, but don't have the guts to tell your sweetheart? Using anonymous greeting cards because you're too socially inept to communicate face to face? If so, it's probably time to try a new tactic: stalking innocent commuters while they're stuck in traffic.
The newly launched MYPL8 service--also known as PL8M8--allows love-starved U.K. drivers to communicate via text. Once you spot someone you fancy, note their car's registration number and, when it's convenient, text their registration number and a brief message to the MYPL8 text number. Provided the intended recipient has previously registered with the service, they'll get your message and the opportunity to reply as they see fit.
Fellow MYPL8 members should be fairly easy to recognize. Members are offered a car sticker to display on their car windows, while others have taken to printing their registration numbers on T-shirts to get dates while away from the car. For shy daters, MYPL8 also offers a more clandestine means of identifying yourself as a member, but they're not saying what that is--you'll have to join to find out for yourself.
What do you think--is it a good idea or a waste of 35p (about 51 cents) plus your standard network text rate? Personally, Crave prefers the old-fashioned method of staring at someone until they make eye contact, pushing a naked boob up against the window, then chasing them for as long as it takes for them to run out of gas. Yes, we're old romantics.
(Via Crave UK)
(Credit:
1UP)
Ah, February 14, love is in the air...well, maybe not for everyone, but it's Valentine's Day nonetheless: the day loved ones do things together, or at least should, like download the Little Big Planet Valentine's Day pack from the PlayStation Network.
Media Molecule has put together a Valentine's Day theme pack. In addition to their McLovin SackBoy costume, the theme pack comes equipped with a full array of stickers and decorations that will surely inspire some wild and crazy creations. So go on, create that ultimate Valentine's Day level or object for your chosen SackBoy or SackGirl, and be sure to also show it off on the LittleBigWorkshop.
Also available for download is the Groundhog Day costume from the PS Store. but hurry as this may be your only chance before it's gone forever.
Good news, everyone. And by everyone, I mean those who are trendy and single. Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and we're here to help you speed up that dating process.
You'll need to be an owner of either an iPhone or an iPod Touch, though. Thus, the aforementioned "trendy" notion.
This is my friend. Come get him, ladies!
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CBS Interactive)Online speed dating service SpeedDate announced on Monday the availability of its free iPhone application. No more excuses. You can now find a match anywhere. Sort of.
The app allows access to SpeedDate members' profiles, which you can connect to by sending a "wink" or a quick "flirt." It also allows for creating a new profile if you are not already a member. You won't be able do much else, however, such as sending an e-mail to a member.
I tried the app on my iPhone 3G and got my profile up and running within a minute. After that, the application asked for my location and went straight to the "SpeedDate" tab, where it showed me a list in slide-show style of singles in my area between the ages of 18 to 99.
After narrowing the age range, I was surprised by the number of singles available in my vicinity. Unfortunately, the application doesn't allow for filtering by any other criteria, such as height, body type, or hair color. I couldn't put any of the matches into a "favorite" list either. And if I turned the application off, I needed to go through the same process again when I turned it back on. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to find the same person again.
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Dear Shmoopy, hope you like pink!
(Credit: MSI)To celebrate that upcoming day of Hallmark love, MSI will give away 15 limited-edition Wind U100 models featuring a rosy, heartsy design. Depending on your significant other's tolerance for pink, he or she will either want to smother you in kisses or possibly break up with you should you manage to snag one.
The Netbooks feature an Intel Atom N270 1.6G processor, Windows Home XP Home Edition, a 6-cell battery, and the same lightweight ultramobile design as the other U100 models. If you don't win, but still want one of these lovey dovey models, you can purchase one at MSI's Web site for $429.99. MSI says it will offer free shipping on all Valentine-edition Winds.
To enter the contest, you just need to provide contact information and upload a picture of you and your Valentine between now and February 14. MSI will randomly choose 15 winners and announce them on the same site on February 17. MSI will also give his and her "My Valentine" 2GB USB flash drives to the first 100 participants.
But if you have an inkling your significant other would be less embarassed to ride the train clutching a teddy bear than to use a gadget like the one pictured above, you might want to consider something more along these lines.
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