cats

Cat Piano Free offers a few good laughs

We'll cut right to the chase: Cat Piano Free, as its name implies, lets you press piano keys on your iPhone that each have a different kitten meow. We're not really sure what the point of the app is, other than to freak out your cat if you have one.

Cat Piano Free starts off with a pop-up ad for other games, but tapping the X in the right-hand corner gets rid of it. Beyond that, it's just a section of piano keys. We have to admit that the cat sounds are pretty realistic; we pressed a … Read more

DIY Ewok cat hat: May the feline be with you

Ewoks aren't real. This is unfortunate. Sometimes we just have to make do with what we can find laying around the house. For Instructables user carlsonbryant, that happened to be a cat and some scrap leather.

Carlsonbryant lays out the steps for turning your regular domestic feline into a denizen of Endor. The ingredients are basic. You need a piece of leather or leather-like material about a foot square, a leather punch, scissors, and some type of twine or string to hold it all together.

I took on the mission of building my own Ewok cat hat using the instructions. It took about 20 minutes of drawing on a old piece of chamois, cutting out the pattern, punching holes, and tying it all together. The cats hovered around me as I worked, batting at the leather and strings.… Read more

Cat tries to smuggle cell phone into prison

I've always found cats to be remarkably selfish beings.

They lick you when they want something. When they get it, they're off, without so much as a goodbye nuzzle.

Yet I would like to bring you the story of perhaps the most altruistic cat in the world.

This cat was prepared to risk all four limbs and nine lives in order to get someone out of jail. The question now is: who?

For prison guards in Arapiraca, Brazil, were immediately suspicious when they saw the cat sauntering along, minding its own business and crossing the prison gate.

Kitty … Read more

Geek pasties turn 'Star Trek,' Grumpy Cat into bosom buddies

The words "geeky" and "sexy" haven't always seemed like they should go together, but a line of geek pasties from Etsy is looking to change that perception.

Pasties, for those unfamiliar with the term, are patches that cover part of the bosom for modesty or decorative purposes. In my mind, the highlight of MontabahnPasties' offerings is the "Star Trek" pasties. The famous logo/uniform insignia is available in either silver or pink versions with coordinating tassels. Though these look like the insignia from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," they're not likely to trigger your communicator when tapped. … Read more

'Gangnam Style,' Grumpy Cat top 2012 meme list

Whether you love them or hate them, memes -- culturally relevant multimedia often enhanced with a witty caption -- are here to stay.

In an attempt to crown the king of all that is viral, the meme maniacs at the site Know Your Meme analyzed internal page views, search interest on Google Trends, covers, and even parodies to suss out the top memes of 2012. … Read more

Talking cat tries hard to make you laugh in Talking Tom Cat for iPad

Talking Tom Cat for iPad is a variation on the popular Talking Tom Cat app for iPhone. The basic app is available for free from iTunes, there are a number of add-ons and upgrades that cost between $0.99 and $24.99 each. Talking Tom Cat for iPad installs easily on the iPad.

Talking Tom Cat for iPad uses the same model as the other apps in the series. An animated tomcat appears on the screen. You say something and Tom repeats it with changes in voice and expressions. You can interact with the cat, such as patting his belly … Read more

Play with your very own interactive pet with Talking Tom Cat 2

With a few changes and some additional functions, Talking Tom Cat 2, an interactive voice-recognition app, brings more cuteness to your Android device.

The opening screen of Talking Tom Cat 2 has many of the same elements as the original, but now Tom is set up in his own apartment with a new nemesis, Ben. The graphics are just as good in the second version and the onscreen movements are very fluid. The talk function is there again and Tom can repeat anything you say in his distinctive voice. He'll also reflexively react when you poke or swipe certain … Read more

Add the cute factor to your smartphone with Talking Tom Cat

How would you like a cute cat to repeat everything that you have just said, in an equally cute voice? That's what Talking Tom Cat is all about. You don't need any particular skills and there's no real learning curve involved with this simple but engaging Android app.

As soon as you open Talking Tom Cat, you are immediately greeted by the title character, Tom, and a set of commands and buttons at the sides. Controls are simple and intuitive. The basic functionality is the voice recognition system, which lets Tom repeat anything you say in a … Read more

It's Oatmeal vs. Oatmeal in a new trademark suit

Internet comic The Oatmeal is back in the legal spotlight after a Massachusetts greetings card company began litigation against the comic for allegedly infringing its trademark.

According to Ars Technica, who first reported the story, the popular Web comic's creator Matthew Inman is being sued by Oatmeal Studios, after Inman joined forces with Recycled Greetings to offer greetings cards based on The Oatmeal's comics.

This caught the eye of Oatmeal Studios, which then filed a suit against Inman in a Boston, Mass. courtroom, claiming a trademark on the term "Oatmeal Studios." 

The … Read more

Smartphone-triggered pet feeder connects to social media

Every morning and every night I wade through a gauntlet of screaming kitties, demanding their meals. This is the dark side of living with LOLcats. It would be nice sometimes to kick back in a coffee shop somewhere, tap on my smartphone, and let a machine do all the work.

The Pintofeed is an intelligent, Wi-Fi-connected pet feeder that's dialed in to smartphones and social media. It serves up food in half-cup portion increments and is controlled by Android or iOS devices. The standard capacity is 5 pounds of food, but an optional 10-pound holder is available.

There are plenty of safeguards built into the machine to insure it keeps working while you're away. It has a battery backup in case the AC power goes out. There are two motors so the secondary motor will kick in if the first one goes out. The owner receives an alert if something goes wrong.… Read more