Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Nearly 15 months have passed since a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami resulted in the triple meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and with the prospects of a resolution of radiation-spewing disaster yet decades away, Softbank announced today that its soon to released Pantone 5 107SH smartphone will be the first in the world with a built-in geiger counter. Since the Fukushima disaster, we’ve seen companies release mobile radiation detectors like Scosche’s iPhone-compatible RDTX, an accessory that plugs into an iPhone to give users a reading of nearby radiation levels. The Pantone 5, however, eliminates the need for dongles and attachments. The front of the phone features a button, just beneath the screen, that provides access to a radiation sensor. Once you press the button, the phone launches an app that reads the number of microsieverts, the unit in which radiation is measured, in the surrounding air. [WIRED ~ Gadget Lab]
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TONGUE AND GROOVE AUTHOR READINGS FRIDAY, MAY 25, 8PM In celebration of National Asian American/Pacific Islanders Heritage month, Conrad Romo’s Tongue and Groove Series will make an appearance at Giant Robot 2 featuring Frannie Choi, Chiwan Choi, Ed Lin, Traci Kato Kiriyama and others bios Chiwan Choi is a writer, editor, teacher, and publisher Abductions is his second book of poetry. Ed Lin is the author of Waylaid,This Is a Bust and Snakes Can’t Run. Lin, who is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent, is the first author to win three Asian American Literary Awards. The native New Yorker’s latest book is One Red Bastard, by Minotaur. He’ll be available to sign copies. Traci Akemi Kato-Kiriyama is the creator/ producer of Tuesday Night Café in Japan Town. She is a writer, performing artist, educator and grassroots organizer. Franny Choi was a finalist at two of the three most prestigious poetry slams in the country: the National Poetry Slam and the Women of the World Poetry Slam. She was awarded Best Female Poet and Most Innovative at the 2011 Wade-Lewis Poetry Slam Invitational, and her team was specially recognized for Pushing the Art Forward at the 2011 College Union Poetry Slam Invitational. She was also the top-ranking female poet at the 2011 Southern Fried Poetry Slam and the champion of 2010 Seoul Poetry Slam. GAME OVER VIDEO GAME CULTURE ART EXHIBITION JUNE 2 – JUNE 27, 2012 RECEPTION: SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 6:30-10PM Artists include: Aaron Brown, Albert Reyes, Alex Chiu, Ana Serrano, Andrice Arp, Aska Iida, Bradford Lynn, Brian Luong, Bryan Wong, Bubi Au Yeung, Cam Floyd, Carlos Donjuan, Christopher Chan, Cory Schmitz, David Horvath, Devin McGrath, Elizabeth Ito, Elliot Brown, Eric Broers, Erin Althea, Gabe Gonzales, Gary Musgrave, Grant Reynolds, Heidi Woan, James Chong, James Kochalka, Jarrett Quon, Jay Horinouchi, Jeni Yang, Jeremiah La Torre, Jeremy Tinder, Jeremyville, Jeromy Velasco, Jesse Balmer, Jesse Fillingham, Jesse LeDoux, Jesse Moynihan, Jesse Reklaw, Jesse Tise, Jiyoung Moon, John Lau, Kerry Horvath, Kevin Luong, Kio Griffith, Kwanchai Moriya, Lawrence Yang, Linda Kim, Louise Chen, Luke Chueh, Luke Rook, Maiko Kanno, Mare Odomo, Mari Inukai, Mark Ingram, Martin Hsu, Matt Furie, Meatbun, Miso, Nick Arciaga, Patrick Kyle, Peter Kato, Philip Koscak, Renee French, Sana Park, Sara Saedi, Sarah Lee, Sean Chao, Shawn Cheng, Shiho Nakaza, Shihori Nakayama, Sidney Pink, Silvio Porretta, Stasia Burrington, Stephanie Kubo, Theo Ellsworth, Tru Nguyen, Yejin Oh, Yoskay Yamamoto, Yumi Sakugawa and more. Also there will be playable indie games including the works of programmers Beau Blythe and Shelby Cinca who are creating a game with Sean Chao and Jeni Yang. It’ll be a welcome back to ArtxGames series. ED LIN – ONE RED BASTARD * SIGNED COPY * Fresh from the writing workshop at GR2. Signed by Ed Lin himself! GAMA-GO BITE ME BOTTLE OPENER This stainless steel vampire teeth bottle opener is sure to allow you to quench your insatiable thirst. GAMA-GO PEACOCK TREE T-SHIRT This peacock has many friends because his feathers are...
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LA Weekly write up on David Horvath Sun-min Kim and Uglydoll. It’s still an amazing ride that they’re taking. From a walk in at the shop to still going strong. They’re solid Angelinos. I’m glad to be part of the history and it’s amazing that people walk in to the store and mention the story back. It matters to many, and that’s why we keep stocking Uglydoll at GR – and it’s why we often get olds and ends that the other shops don’t. It’s only fair. The story is now 11 years old and continues on, since it happened. Here’s an except as written by Gendy Alimurung “Kim sewed that drawing into a doll made of soft felt and mailed it to Horvath. It had a simple, funny charm. When he received it he was so excited, he wanted to call her. But it was nighttime in Korea. Instead he ran over to visit his friend Eric Nakamura, who had just opened the store Giant Robot on Sawtelle in West L.A. “OK,” said Nakamura, examining the doll, “I’ll take 20.” “He thought I was pitching a product,” Horvath recalls. Kim sewed the dolls. Those initial 20 sold out in one day. “I was horrified,” Horvath says. “We were going to send people there to look at them. It didn’t make sense.” But Nakamura ordered 20 more. Then 40 more.”
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FREE SHIPPING SPEND $50 OR MORE CHECKOUT CODE: GRFREE50 Domestic USA only. Art excluded. TOTORO PLUSH PHONE STAND This Totoro phone stand will be the cutest addition to your desk. Keep your phone in arms reach and bringing a smile to your face. This is an official Studio Ghibli product! ERASER PACK ANIMALS IN FOREST These forest animals makes correcting your mistakes melt your heart. Pack includes a monkey, koala bear, hamster, hedgehog, two bears a bunny and a tree stump! ERASER PACK ZOO ANIMALS Cutest erasers around! These zoo animals makes correcting your mistakes melt your heart. Pack includes a pig, cow, horse, giraffe, panda bear, elephant and wood bench! GUMDROP SERIES 1 FIGURE Check out these cute Gumdrop dog figures. Each color has two face variations! Collect all 12! Measures about 2″ tall. NINJATOWN ZIPPER CHARM Your favorite ninja related hand-held video game Ninjatown now has its own zipper charm. Collect all 16. NIKKI MCCLURE – WONDER MINI ECO-JOURNAL SET Includes four mini journals, two ruled and two blank. Printed on 100% FSC-certified paper, soy-based inks. MOLESKINE LEGO RULED NOTEBOOK A special limited edition collaboration between Lego and Moleskine. SAN-X PLASTIC FOLDER SLEEVE A semi-translucent file folder that features Relax Bear, picking flowers with friends!! MEET AUTHOR ED LIN WRITING WORKSHOP + AUTHOR SIGNING WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 7-9PM Author Ed Lin just released his latest novel, One Red Bastard and is conducting a writing workshop. He says to bring your iPad, iPhone or Paper. The workshop is scheduled for an hour 7-8pm. Afterwards from 8pm-9pm, Ed Lin will sign his new book – One Red Bastard. We’ll have copies on hand. TONGUE AND GROOVE AUTHOR READINGS FRIDAY, MAY 25, 8PM In celebration of National Asian American/Pacific Islanders Heritage month, Conrad Romo’s Tongue and Groove Series will make an appearance at Giant Robot 2 featuring Frannie Choi, Chiwan Choi, Ed Lin, Traci Kato Kiriyama and others bios Chiwan Choi is a writer, editor, teacher, and publisher Abductions is his second book of poetry. Ed Lin is the author of Waylaid,This Is a Bust and Snakes Can’t Run. Lin, who is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent, is the first author to win three Asian American Literary Awards. The native New Yorker’s latest book is One Red Bastard, by Minotaur. He’ll be available to sign copies. Traci Akemi Kato-Kiriyama is the creator/ producer of Tuesday Night Café in Japan Town. She is a writer, performing artist, educator and grassroots organizer. Franny Choi was a finalist at two of the three most prestigious poetry slams in the country: the National Poetry Slam and the Women of the World Poetry Slam. She was awarded Best Female Poet and Most Innovative at the 2011 Wade-Lewis Poetry Slam Invitational, and her team was specially recognized for Pushing the Art Forward at the 2011 College Union Poetry Slam Invitational. She was also the top-ranking female poet at the 2011 Southern Fried Poetry Slam and the champion of 2010 Seoul...
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Taiwan-based EVA Air and toymaker Sanrio have joined paws and sent an adorable fleet of three Hello Kitty-themed Airbus 330-300s to do battle against their many competitors in the short-route airline wars in East Asia, flying routes between cities such as Taipei, Fukuoka, Tokyo (Narita), Sapporo, Incheon, Hong Kong and Guam. EVA spokespersons were quick, however, to quell rumors that pilots of these aircraft would be dressed as Pikachu. (BuzzFeed ~ Thank You for Choosing Hello Kitty Airlines)
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