Kickstarted drone Zano (and its parent company) has just dropped out of the sky
We saw them late last year and were quite excited about the device but it seems that the successfully-Kickstarted Zano drone wasn’t successful in other areas. Namely, making and shipping the drone to backers. UK-based Torquing Group managed to ship about 600 drones – they were supposed to ship 15,000 – and they’ve just announced that the company has entered voluntary liquidation. Long story short: Kickstarter backers probably won’t be getting their drones. Or their money back. Caveat emptor, as they say.
Source: via Ars Technica
For your viewing pleasure, the (likely) new world slackline record – Don’t look down
[vimeo id=”146064760″]
This isn’t normally our thing, even if it’s an impressive physical feat. Slackliner Théo Sanson has traversed 500 metres between two rocky outcrops in the Utah desert using a rope. And a smaller rope, tied to that first rope. That’s it. And the footage of the crossing had to have been shot with a drone because using a chopper would have blasted Sanson off his tenuous bridge. And on that slim technological connection, here’s Théo Sanson’s walk in the sky. Crazy bugger…
Source: Camp 4 Collective
Durex wants you! To convince the emoji folks to make a condom icon for general use
Emoji for everyone! Hey, if it’s good enough to be word of the year… Anyway, condom company Durex has an interesting plan afoot, hoping to convince the public at large to lobby for a condom emoji. Because while there are little icons for just about everything, safe sex just isn’t one of them. Plus it’d be quite the marketing coup for Durex. We believe they’re trying to make this ‘go viral’. Perhaps they think of it as ‘disruptive’. Whatever their reasoning, the concept is sound. There are no safe sex emoji and it might be time to have some – if we’ve got turds and politicians and every fruit under the sun, a condom’s not a bad idea. Check out the vid above for their hashtag campaign idea.
Source: Durex
Hasbro’s Companion Pets are tailor-made for the internet’s love
This… is quite sad, actually. Toy company Hasbro has introduced a line of virtual cats, called the Joy for All Companion Pets, which are being targeted at older people who might want companionship but who also might not be able to care for a real animal. The animatronic kitties meow, purr, respond to touch and motion and offer a convincing take on the real thing but we’re torn by it. If you have older people in your life, you shouldn’t be fobbing them off on a virtual cat – spend some actual time with them, maybe? That said, we also don’t think that Hasbro’s marketing department has taken into account just how popular cats are on the internet.
Source: Hasbro
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided delayed to August 2016
Upcoming Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution, has been delayed. Originally slated for a 23 February 2016 release, developer Eidos-Montreal has announced that the game will only be launching on 23 August 2016. Well, crap. The reason for the delay is that some more “time in post production” is needed. Personally, we think that they might be taking the time to tweak a few scenes in the game as well but that’s just pure speculation based on the series’ presentation of terrorist threats and recent events in Europe. We’re going to put away the crystal ball and sit patiently waiting for our game now.
Source: Polygon