Steve Jobs : 1955 - 2011

// from here

This is very sad for me. I sit on my macbook and I read that Steve Jobs has died. I dont think I can sum up in a post how much he has impacted me, not only through the years of being a mac user, but also a designer, and ultimately - a huge nerd.

I remember the first pixels in my possession. a mac.

I can't tell you the model number because I couldn't read - but I could interact, and click, and play. and thats pretty phenominal isnt it? Thats what technology is about - subconscious understanding.
Every time I see a mother hand her toddler an iphone, i think about my first mac. And hopefully thats enough to keep his passion and energy for innovation alive.

Its unfortunate we lost such an entrepreneur and inspiration - But I will always appreciate what he did for artists, designers, computer graphics & the field industrial design. I will always appreciate the impact his ideas had on my personal life.

I know apple will continue to be great, but I also know it just won't be the same without him.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts." - Apple

pick cam

loving the simplicity (and mild sneakiness) of this tiny lo-fi "Pick" camera. Super cute and easy to use, it even takes mini movies! pulg it right into your computer for 2.0 megapixels of fun. $65.

nerd alert : sins of the fathers

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fatherswas the initial installment of the three part Gabriel Knight series by (my all time favorite) Jane Jensen.

01/ st. louis cathedral $15.00  //  02/ picayune $227.40/year  //  03/ new orleans cemetery $28.00  //  04/ snake ring $591.00  //  05/ dagger $110.00  //  06/ mardi gras beads $1.50  //  07/ crocodile mask $24.95  //  08/ coffee print $35.00  //  09/ clock box $180.00  //  10/ hair gel $2.90

Gabriel is a loner of sorts, a writer who idolizes beautiful women, owns a book store, and is haunted by terrifying nightmares.

Strange murders in New Orleans are scaring off tourists and making the locals quiet. Seeing the VooDoo inspired murders as a great plot line for his novel-in-progress, Gabriel takes advantage of his friend Detective Mosley to get some dirt on whats been going on. Little does he know the case will not only change his future, but also give him great insight into his past.

// from here

Set in new orleans, this 1993 title is high on both pixels and charm. you wont be dissappointed (if you cant get this to run, its also available in novel form)

6/6 polly toes

nerd alert : the 7th guest

You may not have been aware that Friday July 8th was Video Games Day... now you know.

In honor of the great holiday I decided to pay a visit to my overflowing (vintage?) game collection... where i found the 1992 classic The 7th Guest...

the 7th Guest was one of the first CD-ROM games ever released (floopys were on their way out) - even Bill Gates told everyone how cool it was... and let me take a moment to tell you about how hard i tried, over and over, to get this game to run on newer windows platforms. it never happened. i literally cried about it... not only because i was like 9 years old, but also because that's how cool this game was..

Nostalgia kicked in and i went to the internet to look up some info on the game, maybe read old reviews and look over the walkthrough ans screenshots to get some old memories going....

but what I found was better than I could've imagined - The 7th Guest has been made into an iPhone/iPad App.. to say the least I was thrilled, and immediately downloaded it.

01/ porcelain doll arms $12.00  //  02/ doll house $1,056.59  //  03/ brass telescope $865.80  //  04/ playing card decanter set $32.00  //  05/ skull cameos $3.25  //  06/ microscope set $40.00  //  07/ skeleton shoes $60.00  //  08/ chess vinyl decals $28.00

You find yourself in a mansion, with no recollection of how you got there... but you aren't alone... 6 (or 7?) other guests seem to be haunting the house, giving you clues and leading you to puzzles. The (rather annoying) owner of the house promises them their wildest dreams if they stay the night and solve the puzzles. but they don't know the truth about their host or what he's after (and neither do you - yet)

i will warn that this game is very frustrating. i know the last time i played it i was barely 10, but the puzzles are still hard. so hard there is also a free walkthrough app to help you out... there's no shame in getting a little help. but he (or she) who tames this title without the walkthrough will earn my eternal respect.

It took me the weekend to get through the puzzles, it was slightly difficult to get through the puzzles with my clunky fingertips on my tiny iphone screen, but I muddled through.

If you App people out there keep releasing titles as close to my heart as this, I may have to shell out some cash and get an iPad sooner than later.

5.5/6 polly toes - she says its the best $2.99 shes spent all year!

nerd alert : tron

i know its not oscar worthy, but Tron: Legacytotally rocked my world.
also I have a super huge crush on Jeff Bridges...(and his kick ass in-game living quarters)

01/Atari Classics$29.95  //  02/ pac man journal $8.00  //  03/ pong doormat $40.00  //  04/ ghost chair $410.00  //  05/ pixel couch $n/a  //  06/ all your base stamp $12.99  //  07/HappyLite$31.99  //  08/ my brothers frame $250.00  //  09/ motorcycle screen $52.00  //  10/ q bert pillow $45.00  //  11/Identity Disc$24.27  //  12/Arcade Game$3,699.99  //  13/ tokens $3.50

from the to-die-for Daft Punk Soundtrackto the totally awesome bike design - i was hooked from start to finish... and who loves the blue orange color combo that dominated the screen? um, this girl.

so though I havent played this video game - i know i wont regret this upcoming purchase.

no toes yet! I'll be sure to let you now how it goes.

the colour clock

lovely clock that represents time as color - also available as a screensaver for you mac

my iphone is stalking me

by now i am sure everyone's heard the latest scandal - iphone's tracking you everywhere you go!
honestly though ... this really doesn't bother me.

its a lot like how facebook and googlemail know where you were last time you signed in..
in fact, a lot of people like the security these things offer (well - they like to know if people in california are illegally logging into their accounts)

but isn't this all technically the same thing? sorry people - but if you log into an account - any account - from any computer in the world - your location has been linked to your identity. and you are fooling yourself if you think they aren't storing this information.

since this information isn't available in real time (unless you download this app to stalk people on your phone) i personally don't view it as that much of a safety issue.

so i guess i am wondering how much this bothers you? enough to turn in your iphone and turn off your facebook? stop using email?

animal speakers

these animal speakers from poketo are adorable!!

nerd alert: gray matter {revisited}

// from here

This weeks game : Gray Matter
You can read my original post about gray matter here - but to sum it up you control 2 characters - the first is Sam Everett, a magician looking to find her way into an exclusive magic club - and the second is Dr. David styles, a neurobiologist with a troubled past.

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01/ x-ray photo $29.99  //  02/ master of illusion game $26.98  //  03/ costume mask $2.70  //  04/ ghost candelabra $65.00  
05/ rainy day bank $27.00  //  06/ magic wand remote $89.95  //  07/ magic bunny toothpick holder $30.00  //  08/ heart knife block $90.00  
09/ bicycle deck $1.25  //  10/ lab beaker $176.26  //  11/ phrenology poster $19.99

full of puzzles, magic and trickery of the mind, this was a great game with awesome graphics and a pretty good soundtrack too. 

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics

The game play graphics were great, and the scenes were stunning. The cut scenes were more or less static illustration with minimal animation, which i didn't mind because they were mostly used to illustrate dream-like moments and they were done very well.

1 // Storyline and Characters

The characters were great. During game play you control Samantha and David, so the different perspectives of the storyline added to the depth of what you could explore in the game. The members of the 'Lambs Club' were also all unique and well portrayed. I still feel the ending was a bit thrown together, but more in a "I want more!" way than anything else.

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

Most of the game featured the musical talents of the Scarlet Furies, which i especially enjoyed since most game soundtracks rarely feature lyrics. The music did turn a little gabriel-knight-esgue towards the end, but i don't mind nostalgia much.

1 // Length of Game and Price

This game takes a solid couple evening to complete, on my last run through it was 3 nights of play, so I will estimate 8-10+ hours of play. which is very decent. I also digitally downloaded this game (no shipping!) for $29.99 - which i was happy to pay for the much anticipated Jane Jensen Release.

1 // Replay Value

Not only have I replayed this game 3 times since i purchased it in February, I actually recommend a replay since I felt lke I missed a lot of the story the first time around.

1 // Puzzle Difficulty 

The puzzles were more task based, and the ability to turn off/on hotspots made it a lot easier to complete objectives. The map was also color coded so you knew where there were still things to complete (Which was great for my lack of patience, but not so great for the puzzle difficulty). 

nerd alert: the lost crown

i play lots of video games... and  i've decided to embrace this part of my personal life and add it to what i post here on harve & polly... it wont be overbearing - just sprinkled in here & there.. now & then.

Actually, more like every wednesday. you've officially been warned - here we go!
 

I don't know why - but lately I have been in the mood for something spooky.... and though i've discussed my gaming inclinations previously, they weren't of this ilk. I play some scary games from time to time (psychologically scary - not shoot 'em up zombies scary) - and The Lost Crown is one of my favorites.

Its got it all - ghosts, the sea, cemeteries, a small fishing town full of lore & interesting characters. it even has kitties! (but i will warn you that subplot does not end happily)

this isn't the scariest game i've ever played but its up there.
I have to play it during the day with all of the lights on.. I'll keep the scariest one for another day..
Lost Crown: A Ghost Hunting Adventure gets the Harve & Polly rating of 6/6 polly toes

and in keeping with harve & polly standards here are some items inspired by the game.
 

01/ lighthouse print $12.00  //  02/ leather notebook $30.00  //  03/ cemetery stone note card $3.00
04/ antique map of Britain $24.95  //  05/ toy sailboat $35.00  //  06/ black crow $40.00  //  07/ industrial salvage pulley $38.00
08/ spyglass $29.00  //  09/ butterfly specimen $14.95

nerd alert: gray matter

so i am on the fence about todays post.... mainly beacuse of how nerdy it makes me out to be...

but gray matter, the newest title from Jane Jensen (video game designer extraordinaire), came out last week and i am so excited i finally got to play it yesterday.

So far, after years of hype, its holding up quite well. the graphics are awesome, it runs like butter
on the windows 7 side of my partitioned mac (see, i told you the nerdy side was coming out) and its
so reminiscent of the classic point and click genre from my childhood, i had to call my mom and
gush about it.

if you aren't afraid to be the last picked for kickball, or the one staying in with your computer on a Friday night - I highly recommend you try it out. I'll let you know what the final verdict is when i beat it - hopefully by the end of this week, time permitting. the concept art isn't too shabby either

UPDATE : after beating the game i give it a score of 4.5/5 stars - i only give it 4.5 & not 5 because of a sloppily thrown together love plot near the end

// from here