I'm not talking about obvious screwups like Microsoft whitewashing their Polish advertising campaign (which they apologized for), or Intel's obviously unfortunate—but probably accidental—Core 2 Duo campaign. I'm talking about ads that never got pulled, never prompted an apology, and that, to most people, probably seem harmless. Who, dear readers, will be the 1949 GE of 2060? And for what? Racism? Sexism? Some as-of-yet-unnoticed *ism? Am I oversimplifying what constitutes progress? Difficult questions!

More to the point, will my kids watch these PSP ads in history class, come home, and ask me why I was such a terrible human, back in 2009?


Yep, probably. Post your best guesses in the comments, about, you know, the future. [CopyRanter]

Utku, a Product Manager at web design agency Mint Digital, managed to get a Nokia N900, copy of Modern Warfare 2 on the PS3, and a few other presents out of the box by following the commands at hackerbox.co.uk, which was printed on a card on the box, dropped off at his office this morning.

They plugged it into a MacBook via USB, but couldn't get any joy. After connecting it to a Windows machine, they followed the commands, and judging by the photos, the sentence "connecting people" worked like magic, and the box opened with a cloud of smoke.

Corny, yes. Promotional propaganda, true. But it sure does makes me smile. [Nokia Hackerbox via Utku via SlashGear]

Re-enactment of the box hacking, below:

For reference, here's some Peek PR from 2008, right after their first product launched:

Peek, the first elegantly simple, email-only device, launched today. Created for people who don't need or want an expensive smartphone full of functions and software, the Peek device delivers unlimited email to and from existing accounts, anywhere in the U.S. Extraordinarily simple to set up and use, Peek has eliminated multi-year contracts, bewildering rate plans and hidden fees. The mobile device is super-thin, stylish and easy to use. There are no scary buttons; no confusing bells and whistles.

So they've basically gone from "hey, check out our new product! It's not quite as capable as a smartphone, but we're happy to make a reasoned case that the tradeoffs are worth it!" all the way to "Ha! Look! One of many overlapping BlackBerry features went down for a few hours, so fuck them! And fuck you! Buy a Peek or you'll eat dinner alone forever, like a loser."

You feeling ok, Peek?

It's a simple text link that leads to Google's mobile partners page which then has a link to the actual Verizon Wireless site. But despite that extra click, it's still incredibly rare to see any sort of ad on the otherwise clean homepage. Especially when it kinda conflicts with Google's attempts to make the things even more minimalist lately. [TechCrunch]

Mike was previously on the Newton team before he left to work on stuff like Nike's Techlab, which produced products like the Nike+ iPod system that I actually used three hours ago.

Will Michael be back to head up the marketing efforts for the Apple Tablet? Or maybe some sort of exercise device similar to the Nike+? Is it annoying when I write sentences in the form of a question? [NYTimes]

The rumor is that it'll be a headset that automatically starts the music when you put it on. Interesting, I guess, but not mindblowing. I'll reserve judgement until the official announcement on the 21st, but it seems like SE should cut down on the hyperbole a little bit. [Eldar Murtazin via DailyMobile]

Software sold under the Sentry and FamilySafe brands can read private chats conducted through Yahoo, MSN, AOL and other services, and send back data on what kids are saying about such things as movies, music or video games. The information is then offered to businesses seeking ways to tailor their marketing messages to kids.

"This scares me more than anything I have seen using monitoring technology," said Parry Aftab, a child-safety advocate. "You don't put children's personal information at risk..."

EchoMetrix, formerly known as SearchHelp, said companies that have tested the chat data using Pulse include News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting and Dreamworks SKG Inc. Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures recently signed on.

Well, that's about as scummy as you can possibly get. Selling IM transcripts of children? This feels like it's got to be illegal, doesn't it? In any case, it's another reason to personally monitor your kid's internet usage rather than leaving it in the hands of some questionable software. [AP via Boing Boing]

Maybe this might finally shake my nightmares of that freaky Sony devil baby.

Sony's corp-speak for its campaign is "It Does Everything". Yeah, it's got Blu-ray and Wi-Fi—but as Adam noted yesterday—it all depends on your setup. And anyway, the games are what's important. See: PS3 Slim Vs. Xbox 360 Elite Hardware: Pretty Cut and Dry. [Sony]

Basically, word on the street and on Wikipedia (it must be true!) is that "The Shack" signage and other marketing could be gracing storefronts later this year.

Thoughts? I'm weird, so the first thing I thought of was a clam shack. I'm also hungry. [Engadget, Wikipedia]

First, we had design. No, not an obsession with thinness and flatness, but actual, romantic, aspirational design, which at least appealed to big ideas, even if the results didn't always match the ambitions. From Sony:

Nicknamed the "CITATION" after a type of jet, it was inspired by imaging a monitor one might find in a jet cockpit. It was also the heyday of woodgrain finishes, which made the CITATION's plastic-coated case (reassuringly solid from metal underneath) a bold, powerful design.

Yes, this works on me. But I want more! What other features might I find wrapped in the sultry prose of my glossy Sears Roebuck catalog?

In addition to its unique and innovative design, this TV incorporated the Jet Sensor, whereby the user selected channels by gently pressing the control panel buttons. Incorporating newly developed NBM phosphor, which greatly increased the luminous sensitivity of cathode-ray tubes, this TV offered unparalleled picture clarity.

Yes. Awesomely named "Jet Sensor"buttons? Mysterious NBM phospor technology? Increased luminous sensitivity? Unparalelled picture, expressed in vague terms of "clarity?" I'll take this over refresh rates, response times and screen resolutions any day. [Sony, Sony]

Gizmodo '79 is a week-long celebration of gadgets and geekdom 30 years ago, as the analog age gave way to the digital, and most of our favorite toys were just being born.

Regardless of my lame attempt at snark however, it's nice to know those energy-wasting flatscreen kiosks currently pumping out campy advertising at my local mega mall are dead gadgets walking (these screens work inside and out).

While the ads will remain, obviously, we can take solace in the fact that Mother Earth is going to be violated and pillaged by one less thing. [E-Ink Info]

Judging from the concept, the future works surprisingly well, so long as your desktop is populated with nothing but Asus products, computers, mugs and coffee products. [YouTube via Engadget]

When connected, users can manipulate the content on the screen with their phone. Pinching, swiping and poking until we are fully satisfied (and are no doubt drawn to owning the upcoming lumberjack lineup of Chuck Taylor shoes). Sigh, and I'll probably do it too because I just can't turn down a good gimmick. [Campaign]

That expanded color space is core to their pitch, and more accurate color reproduction is obviously a good thing, especially when editing photos; what isn't clear, though, is why "imaging professionals" would want to use a 1080p 42-inch HDTV as their primary display, rather than a desk-appropriate monitor with a higher resolution? (Note: Some readers—"digital imaging professionals," even—have explained how such a display could be useful for displaying images to customers, or as a secondary review display. Fair!)

In any case, it's available now for $2,400. Full release below. [JVC]

JVC LAUNCHES NEW FULL HD LCD MONITOR THAT TARGETS DIGITAL SLR USERS

With wider color space, 42-inch class super slim, lightweight Full HD monitor faithfully reproduces the colors, detail and texture of high resolution still photos made by digital SLR cameras.

WAYNE, NJ, May 26, 2009 – Establishing a new category in flat panel TV design, JVC today announced the availability of a super slim LCD TV monitor that features a color space that is wider than a typical HDTV's.

The new JVC Xiview LT-42WX70 is a 42-inch class (42.02 inches diagonal) 120Hz 1080p LCD TV monitor that targets digital imaging professionals and enthusiasts using high-end digital SLR cameras, allowing them for the first time to see the subtle colors, details and textures of their images faithfully reproduced.

The monitor features expanded color space capacity encompassing 100 percent of HDTV broadcasting's (sRGB.904) color space and a coverage rate of 96 percent for Adobe RGB - a color space for still photographs taken on high-definition digital SLR cameras - to provide accurate reproduction of both video and still photographs. The LT-42WX70 also features 52 picture-quality adjustment properties for tweaking both still and video images source-by-source to the exact colors and tones the user prefers. In addition, JVC's GENESSA Picture Engine produces video images without blur, color bleed or noise for clear images with smooth movement.

In addition to its advanced display technology, the LT-42WX70 offers JVC's groundbreaking design. The super slim monitor measures just 1-5/8 inches deep and is supported by an elegant, curved pedestal-style stand and the rear of the monitor is finished in metallic silver without any visible vents or assembly screws, making it ideal for settings where the rear of the set is visible.

Flexible High Technology from JVC
Depending on the source signal – video or stills – the user selects a color mode from among Wide (the TV's color space), Normal (ITU-R BT.709; HDTV standards), x.v.Color (xvYCC extended gamut), sRGB (same primaries as HDTV) and Adobe RGB. sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces are exclusive for viewing digital still images. Digital photos taken using the Adobe RGB colors space and displayed on the LT-42WX70 in the Adobe RGB mode will be reproduced with colors faithful to the original.

The monitor encompasses 100 percent of the sRGB (which is equivalent to HDTV for video signals) color space and a coverage rate of 96 percent for Adobe RGB, allowing the LT-42WX70 to fully reproduce the deeper reds and bluish greens that are a characteristic of Adobe RGB color.

To fine-tune the color for different sources, the LT-42WX70 features 52 on-screen image-quality adjustment properties that allow fine-tuning of colors, tint, gamma, and more, which can be memorized per source for future use. For example, individual color management settings of red, yellow, green, cyan tints and colors, as well as skin tone tint can be adjusted on-screen using the supplied remote controller.

JVC's Individual Gamma Adjust System calibrates each panel's grayscale tones to gamma 2.2 to ensure displaying consistent and faithful colors regardless of the set or manufactured lot. This extra effort is put in because color consistency between the source and display are essential when reproducing photos that are taken on digital SLR cameras or video from different sources.

Breaking new ground in performance for both moving as well as still images
To further ensure the best possible video quality, the set uses JVC's new high-quality GENESSA Picture Engine with 12-bit (x RGB = 36-bit) for truly accurate and natural colors. The Real Bit Driver processes in 12-bit, and so up-converts 8-bit HD broadcasting and DVD signals or 10-bit Blu-ray signals into 12-bit Deep Color signals, regardless of the quality of the source signal, to achieve videos with smoother gradation.

To compensate for color bleed and color drift caused by the gap in the source color format and the LCD's color space, the Chromaticity Point Conversion Circuit in the engine matches the colors so they are deep, natural and accurate.

120HzClear Motion Drive III (100Hz for PAL video signals) in the engine reduces blurring on LCD TV, helping to make images with rapid movement clearer and smoother using a high-precision interpolation algorithm. The 3D real time, motion-estimated Hadamard noise reduction is applied to eliminate noise while suppressing blur. Picture signal frequencies are also divided into 16 sections and noise reduction performed per section to produce images without noise while maintaining the realism and sharpness of the original picture.

Slim and lightweight at just 1-5/8 inches deep, the LT-42WX70 features a stylish black leather-like texture on its slim bezel that also helps to reduce glare. The flat rear panel is completely finished in metallic silver without any visible assembly screws or vents, providing a clean, attractive design and allowing for greater placement flexibility. To support the monitor, the supplied stand has a center pillar that curves toward the front of the panel. The stand features a three-step height adjustment to further broaden installation possibilities and the TV can be easily removed from the stand for hanging from a ceiling or wall. In addition, the monitor comes equipped with a slim detachable stereo speaker module that runs along the bottom of the panel. If an external sound source is to be used, the speaker module can be removed, giving the monitor an even sleeker, cleaner appearance.

An intuitive graphical on-screen display is easy to use via the included remote, and touch-panel operation makes essential operations available at the front panel. The remote can control other devices connected to the display via HDMI CEC.

The ENERGY STAR 3.0 compliant LT-42WX70 features an array of connectors for video and still image viewing, including three HDMI CEC terminals, D-Sub 15pin with component video, and an audio input jack. This allows the user to easily perform various operations such as checking images by connecting directly to an SLR camera compatible with HDMI or component connector, editing stills on the large 42-inch screen by connecting it to a PC via a D-sub 15-pin, or even do a round of on-screen checks in accurate colors prior to outputting images to a high-resolution digital photo printer and thus save on expenses.

The monitor measures 39 x 28-1/4 x 1-5/8 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 26.4 pounds. Mounted on its stand, the total weight is 41.8 pounds and depth is 6-3/4 inches.

The JVC LT-42WX70 is available now and is priced at $2,399.95.

Jean Snow says the stylized QR code works like the standard, barcode-like graphics, while Dvice adds that its the first time Murakami's work has been interactive. Created by Japanese ad firm SET, the project is mostly just to promote other work the two companies have done together. But the creativity factor can't be denied. It's pretty neat. [Jean Snow via Dvice]

In this, the most directly anti-Apple ad of Microsoft's 'I'm a PC' campaign, Microsoft sets up an experiment: a focus group of prospective computer shoppers is given a set amount of money—in this case $999—to buy a computer. Any remaining cash the members have they can keep.

Predictably, our perky protagonist, desiring a 17-inch screen, went with a $700 PC from Best Buy. And why not? The 'equivalent' (read: 17-inch) Apple product could have cost her twice as much, and $999 would have left her stuck with a last-gen product anyway. Likewise, if she had listed in her requirements 4GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive, a built-in card reader, or anything at all that doesn't come stock in a 13-inch white MacBook, she would have had to buy a PC.

Microsoft told the WSJ that not a single focus group member chose a Mac, but even the most devout Apple fanboy could have predicted this outcome; the arbitrary terms of the ad had Apple competing in a market they don't even have a product for. The 'experiment', as it were, doesn't actually prove anything, nor does it need to; this, like any good ad campaign, is about crafting an image for you or your competitors—something it manages deftly in a time when money is on everyone's mind. [BoingBoing Gadgets]

Said a Nintendo rep:

The "i" is symbolic of the subject "I" and its personal aspect.

Plus, the addition of two cameras gives the system its own "eye" on things. (*groan* - J.L.)

"Nintendo hope that the Nintendo DSi becomes more than a game system and more of a personal tool to enrich our daily lives," the Nintendo rep added.

Hey, kind of like an iPod touch! Except without the accelerometer, slick commercials or VIP preferred seating at Starbucks.

Consider me slightly underwhelmed, but we'll see. The download store and SD card slot—which may actually introduce a motion control component, if they can translate what Oberthur have done with SIMSense into an SD card—have promise. [TechRadar via Kotaku]

Nope, probably not. [Topless Robot via The Daily What]

Upon further inspection, it turned out it was just a box of six chocolates filled with nuts and caramel. When I called Target to check on the status of the chocolates, they informed me that all of their iPod chocolate boxes had sold out! Ohhh, you clever marketing monkeys, you!

Happy Valentine's Day!