Pug gets gig in next Halo game
THE snorts and grunting on the upcoming Halo game might seem extraterrestrial, but they’re really just the sounds of a very happy pup.
Gyoza the pug has been hard at work at the 343 Industries studio, where voice actors and audio experts are gathering to record the words and sound effects for Halo Infinite, the sixth instalment in the first-person shooter video game series.
This pint-size pup, “best friend” to 343 Industries’ technical art director, is lending his unique talent for weird noises to the soundtrack.
“Meet our favourite pug, Gyoza,” a post from the Halo Instagram account reads. “His grunts, breaths, and excitement are sure to make for some … interesting sounds in #HaloInfinite.”
Fans of the game took to the comment section to discuss where Gyoza’s gurgles and snorts would be used in the upcoming game, suggesting various alien species known to populate the series.
Most, however, were more preoccupied with the pug’s cute factor.
“Quite possibly the best thing in the world today,” wrote one dog-loving gamer.
Another responded: “If good pug boys are in the new Halo, I’m buying an Xbox.”
Designers also took to the comment section to praise the game-makers’ ingenuity, one calling this example “some next-level sound design”.
The game does not have a scheduled release date, though industry insiders expect it to be some time next year.
Hannah Sparks, New York Post
APPLE’S AirPods have become a favourite among scurrilous counterfeiters producing low-quality knock-offs, but a new twist on the design sounds like it could be the worst yet.
Fast-fashion e-tailer ASOS has started selling fake wireless headphones that don’t connect via Bluetooth, interact with Siri or – crucially – play any sound.
The product’s care instructions recommend not getting the equipment wet, which is probably the one specification they actually share with the AirPods.
The $12 “faux headphone earpiece in silver tone” is really just a piece of jewellery that retains none of the technology of the design it imitates, and it REAL DEAL: AirPods have become a fashion statement. doesn’t even do all that great a job there either.
The all-zinc earpiece bears only a passing resemblance, although that could very well be all you need.
Since their launch in 2016, AirPods have become a huge hit for Apple, forming a vital part of its wearables business.
The business, which includes AirPods and the Apple Watch, among other products, has recently become a key contributor to Apple earnings.
Earlier this year, Apple chief executive Tim Cook told investors the wearables business on its own was bigger than more than half the companies on the Fortune 500.
But despite the AirPods success, they weren’t initially popular.
Many thought the design was weird and wouldn’t catch on, and that those who did buy them would quickly lose them. Jack Gramenz