hugs

Facebook-connected vest hugs you when you get a 'Like'

What if every time a Facebook friend liked one of your Facebook posts, that friend appeared out of nowhere, wrapped her arms around you, and gave you a big hug of appreciation? That would be pretty sweet.

Since that's not likely to happen in reality, you'll have to settle for the Like-A-Hug vest from Melissa Chow, Andy Payne, and Phil Seaton at the MIT Media Lab.

When a friend likes your photo, video, or status update, the vest inflates. Send a hug back to your buddy by squeezing and deflating the vest.… Read more

Hug Me Coat wraps its sad, warm arms around you

We've seen some unusual fashion statements around here before. There's a Wampa-skin dress and a jacket that collects rain, for example, but neither is quite as unusual or strangely unsettling as the Hug Me Coat.

The Hug Me Coat comes from Si Leong Chan, a London College of Fashion student. It's a bright green puffer coat with a row of hands with intertwined fingers running down the front. It gives the illusion of many martian arms grasping the model's torso.… Read more

Crave 48: The hug that hugs you back (podcast)

Everybody needs a hug sometimes, even if it's from a computer. This week, Eric and Donald ruminate on the future of self-hugging, the dangers of hacking your hand, sweet retirement rides, Wookiee-worthy beanbags, and cubed food.

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Even cell phones need a hug sometimes

As a general rule, I am morally opposed to pink gadgets, but I might have to make an exception for the Big Hug Adhesive Cell Phone Holder.

This little dose of silliness cradles the phone in its giant pink/purple rubber palms and could prove quite handy (pun apologetically intended) for those of us who fritter away too much time hunting down our misplaced phones. The plastic holder has an adhesive backing that can stick to any surface (windshield, dashboard, desk, wall, back, forehead), and it promises to protect your phone from scratches while it's keeping it in your … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 667: Take-Two gets a bear hug

EPISODE 667

Tech companies beware, a bear may be outside your door

Has your tech company played coy with a potential suitor lately? You may want to rethink your reaction.

In the past four months, Oracle, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts have all launched high-profile, unsolicited buyout bids for reluctant targets. Such efforts are otherwise known as bear hugs.

Oracle put the squeeze on middleware competitor BEA Systems in October; Microsoft did likewise with Yahoo at the start of this month; and on Sunday, EA made a play for rival game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software.

Did someone forget to put the lid back on the honey jar?

In the case of Oracle, it … Read more