CannibalisticApple's recent activity
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Comment on "twitter.com" is now officially dead in ~tech
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Comment on France declares state of emergency in New Caledonia after deadly riots in ~news
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAfter looking into the referendums myself, I think just saying "there were three referendums" is a massive disservice. The three referendums were in 2018, 2020, and 2021, with 2021 being the final...After looking into the referendums myself, I think just saying "there were three referendums" is a massive disservice.
The three referendums were in 2018, 2020, and 2021, with 2021 being the final one. In the 2018 and 2020 referendums, the votes rejecting it were 57% and 53% respectively, likely due to younger people (who seem to be the main proponents for independence based on the article) reaching voting age.
Then in 2021? It skyrocketed to 96%.
Some MAJOR important context from Wikipedia:
As a result of the referendum taking place amid a boycott from the independence parties, the results were extremely lopsided in favor of status quo: voters overwhelmingly rejected independence, with 96% voting against independence and 4% in favour.[1] The referendum took place amid a boycott from the indigenous Kanak population, whose leaders had called for the vote to be postponed following a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak beginning in September 2021 which caused a total of 280 deaths, and highlighted that Kanak mourning rituals lasted up to a year.[2][3]
For further context, the 2020 referendum had 154,918 votes, out of 180,799 registered voters, an 85% turnout. 2021, meanwhile, had 80,881 voters out of 184,364 registered voters. That's only 43.87% of the voters. Even 2018 had an 81% voter turnout.
Looking at those numbers, I think the third referendum should have been postponed or rescheduled. More than half the voting population did not participate in the final referendum. Even with the mindset of "well they shouldn't have boycotted the vote if they wanted their opinions to matter", the difference in those numbers combined with the history of violent protests that led to this accord in the first place should have been viewed as a strong sign of potential unrest and violence in the future.
They should have rescheduled the vote afterwards to make sure no one could argue against the results being unfair. As it stands, it feels pretty opportunist on France's part to me as an outsider, because the downward trend of the first two votes suggests the third could have dipped below 50%. I imagine that many people within New Caledonia feel similarly, and much more strongly than I do.
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Comment on Cyberattack forces major US health care network to divert ambulances from hospitals in ~health
CannibalisticApple LinkWorth noting this article is from last week, not today. My mother took a friend to the hospital for a pre-surgery appointment last Wednesday and said it was pretty hectic since they couldn't...Worth noting this article is from last week, not today. My mother took a friend to the hospital for a pre-surgery appointment last Wednesday and said it was pretty hectic since they couldn't access the electronic files. When the doctor sent her to get a scan, the technicians had to ask for her name, which type of scan she was there for, etc. because they couldn't check her file. I assume they typically ask that stuff anyway, but more to check details on the file are correct, rather than just point-blank not knowing anything.
Things at least seemed to have settled a bit by her surgery on Tuesday, but restoration seems to still be an ongoing process. You can check this page on Ascension's website to see regional updates. Most of them are fully operational but can't fill prescriptions at Ascension retail pharmacies, and warn about potential delays due to the transition to manual records.
Echoing everyone else here: hospitals really, really, REALLY need to put more effort into cyber security. It's one of the most genuinely critical pieces of infrastructure, and needs to be treated as such. This NEEDS to be priority number one right now for all hospitals. I wish that the corporate types who run hospital systems understood that investing in robust cyber security will save them money in the long run, but alas, they just don't get it until they're hit with ransomware attacks like this one.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
CannibalisticApple LinkMode: Standard Bingo! Finished 3/25 Set underwater ✔ The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith Has a weather system Focuses on relationships Has a robot antagonist Is mostly text-based ✔ Coromon Has a...Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 3/25 Set underwater You started it but never completed it
✔ The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer SmithHas a weather system Focuses on relationships Has a robot antagonist Is mostly text-based Recommended by someone on Tildes
✔ CoromonHas a lives system From a studio you haven't heard of before Great reviews, but not your usual type Has a branching storyline From a different country than you ★ Wildcard Came out more than 7 years ago From a genre you don’t normally play Has time manipulation Focuses on exploration “When the hell did I buy this?” Features a mystery An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game Uses a unique control scheme Considered a cult classic
✔ Hotel Dusk: Room 215Light and dark play a role From a different culture or country You got it for free Player some more Coromon, and just started One Lonely Outpost, a space-themed farming sim. Hoping to use it to mark off the "exploration" if it has enough exploration involved! It's early access, and so far that apparently might mean I can't choose a name besides Riley? Like Coromon, I'll check it out for a couple hours before ticking it off.
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Comment on For proponents of "vote for the lesser of two evils", what is your endgame? in ~talk
CannibalisticApple Link ParentYep. I think "vote for the lesser evil" has always been the general mindset for voting. Right now though, it's being hammered into people's heads more than ever because there are people refusing...Yep. I think "vote for the lesser evil" has always been the general mindset for voting. Right now though, it's being hammered into people's heads more than ever because there are people refusing to vote for Biden solely because of his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Ignoring the fact that there's no reason to believe Trump would have a different stance once he's in office, just this one issue.
If Republicans win the presidency this year, it really can mean the end of democracy in the United States. I haven't looked into Project 2025 myself because just the bare details I've heard, and my four years of increasing stress under the Trump administration, are chilling. Trump did enough damage to the country in four years when there wasn't an organized plan and coordination among the Republican Party. I don't WANT to look at it when it's an active possibility.
The future is more uncertain than ever before, and unfortunately, the state of America has a major impact on the rest of the world.
So right now, most people are focused on getting through this election and the chaos that will follow, because democracy itself is at stake. Hopefully we'll then be able to properly try Donald Trump in court without the looming election creating a deadline, so we remove the risk of him taking office ever again. And from there, hopefully the current Republican Party will fragment more without their main figurehead. With luck, at least two of the current Supreme Court Justices might also retire in the next four years so Biden or Harris can appoint replacements and help fix the currently imbalanced court.
Just... We CAN'T think of a super long-term plan right now, because we have to get through this election cycle first.
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Comment on What is a value or belief you have that is extremely outside the norm? in ~talk
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI remember years ago on a Pokémon forum of all places, someone posted a thread titled along the lines of "What's so wrong about cannibalism?" It wasn't a troll thread or someone trying to justify...I remember years ago on a Pokémon forum of all places, someone posted a thread titled along the lines of "What's so wrong about cannibalism?" It wasn't a troll thread or someone trying to justify their desire to partake. It was posed as a serious philosophical question about what, exactly, makes eating human meat so taboo. Not even for survival purposes, like that plane crash with the soccer team or shipwrecks where survivors were on lifeboats with no land in sight, but just the act of eating human meat itself.
It was a pretty fascinating discussion and it recently popped into my head for some reason. My conclusion at the time: there really isn't any ethical argument against it. Even now probably fifteen-plus years later I still can't think of one.
The idea of eating human meat still deeply unsettles and repulses me, but so long as it's not from a murder or any sort of cruelty... Or creepy soliciting online for someone willing to die to engage in a cannibalism fantsy like that infamous Japanese man in France... I can't really call cannibalism itself immoral.
Of course, as an apple who happily eats fellow apples, I might be a bit biased. -
Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 2 Discussion in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI started Coromon for the Recommended by Tildes! I only started a little bit ago, but I already love it. Such strong Pokémon vibes, while also feeling so fresh and new~ I'm checking this one off...I started Coromon for the Recommended by Tildes! I only started a little bit ago, but I already love it. Such strong Pokémon vibes, while also feeling so fresh and new~
I'm checking this one off the list. This game has a lot of grinding, so I can play it while watching TV and such. Which is great, because I'd been looking for a game I could play while watching video essays!
Next on my list: maybe One Lonely Outpost?
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Comment on Many widely used reproductive health apps fail to protect highly sensitive data, study finds in ~health
CannibalisticApple LinkCan someone explain why these apps would need to receive any data in the first place? What do the companies do with it that requires the specific data? I feel like this sort of app should be able...Can someone explain why these apps would need to receive any data in the first place? What do the companies do with it that requires the specific data? I feel like this sort of app should be able to work fine totally offline.
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Comment on Those who read a lot of fiction shown to have improved cognitive abilities in ~science
CannibalisticApple LinkThis is something I've long believed about the power of fiction, and have previously spoken up about. I think it's easier for people to identify with a fictional character than direct accounts of...In particular, the people in that cohort who read more fiction seemed to better empathize with others and understand the way they thought, PsyPost explains.
This is something I've long believed about the power of fiction, and have previously spoken up about. I think it's easier for people to identify with a fictional character than direct accounts of actual events. When it comes to real people, there's just a sort of mental barrier: they're a stranger we will likely never meet, and their experiences aren't our own. That alone places a step of "distance" between us. It can also be much harder to read certain accounts because they're real, causing people to stop reading or just skim because it's too awful for us to really think about for too long. We want to put it out of our heads as quickly as possible. At the end of the day, those people tend to become just another statistic.
With a fictional character though, readers are basically placing ourselves in their shoes. The fact that we know it's fictional and thus no one got hurt makes certain topics easier to stomach, such as abuse and horrific tragedy like war. Even with historical fiction about real events, we're still reading about the people involved as characters rather than people. Again, that makes it easier to digest everything without getting stuck on the horrors of it all.
Written works also tend to show insight into a character's mind that you just don't get in other mediums. Even third-person perspectives tend to be written from a specific character's point of view, and show a glimpse at their thoughts even if it's just noting their surprise or how a particular scene is described. With that intimate glimpse we start to feel like we know them like a friend or real person, and they become more than just characters on a page.
And because of that, fiction sticks with us. We get attached to fictional characters and mourn their suffering and despair, and can feel genuine elation on their behalf when things go right. I still feel sad over the deaths of some fictional characters, and found myself fearing for the lives of others in ongoing series. I felt relief when things finally go right, because I'm just as invested in their journey as they are.
So to summarize: it makes perfect sense to me that reading fiction increases people's ability to empathize with others. Makes me even sadder about the decline in media literacy. Perhaps the world wouldn't be quite as hostile if more people read rather than just watched TV...
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 2 Discussion in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI beat Hotel Dusk! I beat it yesterday technically (at like 5 am before going to sleep), but our wifi had been acting up so only reporting on it now. Pretty good game, I'd rate it an 8/10 I think....I beat Hotel Dusk! I beat it yesterday technically (at like 5 am before going to sleep), but our wifi had been acting up so only reporting on it now. Pretty good game, I'd rate it an 8/10 I think.
My overall thoughts (and tagging @Mendanbar since you said you were interested to hear my thoughts on it):
Overall Thoughts on Hotel Dusk (Spoilers Included!)
The game was pretty well-done overall! I gave some observations on the mechanics above, so I won't expand on it too much. I'm impressed at how they incorporated the unique features of the DS, particularly the ability to touch multiple parts of the screen at once, and closing the lid. I was thrown off by the scene with mouth-to-mouth requiring to close the DS instead of using the microphone though.I was impressed at how so much of the story tied together, it's a bit wild how many people at the hotel were tied to Nile in some way. Though I'm a bit disappointed at the ending leaving some loose threads. That's natural, but I had expected to see something from Iris in the epilogue. We didn't get much closure on that tape she had, like confirmation whether it was Dunning or someone else who listened to it, or what Dunning was supposed to do with that tape. At least she talked to Kevin, though I missed seeing her on the roof.
I'm also just a bit disappointed that we never saw Bradley. I expected him to show up at the climax, not get a letter and a second-hand story about his motives and reasoning. The ending we got is probably the more realistic, but it's still just a tad disappointing. I feel bad for him with how his life got so horribly derailed by the case, and that he didn't even get a chance to talk to his friend and just got shot, never getting in-person closure. Seems like he got revenge at least.
I think the biggest open ending for me though was the storyline with Summer and Helen about Alan Parker. Their whole storyline seemed disconnected from the rest of the game, which makes it stand out. It makes the lack of closure about Alan a bit disappointing. Makes me wonder if it was planned to be revisited in a later game before the studio shut down...
Aside from all that, I still have some other questions: why was Mila in a coma for 10 years? Why didn't her father ever tell Dunning about her being in a coma? What was up with her father being listed as missing for 7 years by the LAPD, while still visiting her every month? Why did she only wake up after he died, and after Bradley visited? Was her father artificially inducing the coma somehow with poison or something?? Did Bradley somehow manage to "cure" her with an antidote?? (Also, Mila is mentally 9. I can't get over that.)
And a final note, where was Jenny this whole time?? Why did she only return NOW? What happened during those ten years she was kidnapped?
Overall, pretty good game. I'll have to play the sequel sometime in the future for sure, and I also have plans to play Another Code: Recollection eventually. Just a shame that the studio shut down. From what I can tell, there was likely supposed to be at least one more game to wrap up Kyle's story.
Anyways, I guess I'll keep up column. Next up I think I'll try Coromon, which was recommended by someone on Tildes.
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Comment on EA is looking at putting in-game ads in AAA games — 'We'll be very thoughtful as we move into that,' says CEO in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAdd a weird NPC who talks about dreams of a strange world and describes various real-world products in weird ways. "I saw people holding small metal canisters, red and silver in color. They held...Add a weird NPC who talks about dreams of a strange world and describes various real-world products in weird ways. "I saw people holding small metal canisters, red and silver in color. They held some sort of strange brown liquid that smelled rather sweet, and they were talking which was better while smiling and laughing. I woke up wanting to taste this strange 'Coca Cola' drink, but my attempts to mix a similar concoction ended with just rather filthy water..."
...I joke, but that would actually probably be a brilliant way to add real-world advertising compared to the usual ads. It isn't intrusive, and people would probably seek out the NPC just to hear the weird and funny descriptions of modern-day conveniences from an outsider perspective.
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Comment on Duck Game rights are returned to developer in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentThing is, I think most of the Adult Swim games weren't in active development or live service. As far as I know most of them were "done" and didn't need active maintenance. And even then, I think...Thing is, I think most of the Adult Swim games weren't in active development or live service. As far as I know most of them were "done" and didn't need active maintenance. And even then, I think it would fall onto the developers rather than WB.
It's why the decision to delist the games has been so baffling to everyone. As far as I can tell, it was basically free money.
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Comment on Sony backed down from the PSN requirement to play Helldivers 2. How will this change how the community reacts to game changes? in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentHe got told the basic details of the situation, and likely got dressed down for that. While encouraging the review bomb probably played a big role in his getting fired, he showed a serious lack of...He got told the basic details of the situation, and likely got dressed down for that. While encouraging the review bomb probably played a big role in his getting fired, he showed a serious lack of professional behavior. A community manager is one of the faces of a company, so the fact he didn't even bother to look at the actual complaints before insulting players for being lazy...
It's just not a good image. Really can't get over that he didn't even look into the complaints. It feels like he just saw the headlines "Helldivers 2 players angry over needing PSN accounts" on his feed and stopped there without even opening any articles or discussions. That's like the most basic part of the job.
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Comment on Sony backed down from the PSN requirement to play Helldivers 2. How will this change how the community reacts to game changes? in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentFrom what I've heard, Spitz was already on shaky ground and wasn't too well liked due to being unprofessional. When this first went down, he initially responded... Pretty badly, as shown in this...From what I've heard, Spitz was already on shaky ground and wasn't too well liked due to being unprofessional. When this first went down, he initially responded... Pretty badly, as shown in this screenshot on reddit.
Text for those who don't want to open reddit:
It's not like this is the first or even the fourteenth mainstream game to require a third-party account that takes a couple minutes to create, but if it's a dealbreaker to have to take 120 seconds out of your day to enter an email and password and then forget about it, change your Steam review and make your displeasure known on a platform where it matters
Yeah. Implying that most of the complaints are just due to people being lazy is pretty unprofessional on its own. Then there's the fact that he clearly made that statement without knowing anything about the situation, which is even worse. He backtracked pretty fast of course, but the fact he thought that was appropriate to say at all was pretty bad and unprofessional.
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Comment on Reddit shares soar 14% after company reports revenue pop in debut earnings report in ~tech
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI honestly wonder a bit too. I don't mind the reposts TOO much, since often it will be photos, facts or memes I haven't seen. However, some of the reposts involve past news events and can incite...I honestly wonder a bit too. I don't mind the reposts TOO much, since often it will be photos, facts or memes I haven't seen. However, some of the reposts involve past news events and can incite new anger/frustration over years-old events that have already resolved by omitting dates. When it comes to sensitive topics like politics, I can see that being used to sway people's stances if they only see the image/screenshot and don't look for further context.
Besides that, it's also just annoying to see a pic saying "this just happened to me" and find out no, it was a bot reposting a highly rated pic. So if you want context on the aftermath or details on how it happened, you won't get any on the new post.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 2 Discussion in ~games
CannibalisticApple (edited )LinkMode: Standard Bingo! Finished 3/25 Set underwater ✔ The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith Has a weather system Focuses on relationships Has a robot antagonist Is mostly text-based ✔ Coromon Has a...Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 3/25 Set underwater You started it but never completed it
✔ The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer SmithHas a weather system Focuses on relationships Has a robot antagonist Is mostly text-based Recommended by someone on Tildes
✔ CoromonHas a lives system From a studio you haven't heard of before Great reviews, but not your usual type Has a branching storyline From a different country than you ★ Wildcard Came out more than 7 years ago From a genre you don’t normally play Has time manipulation Focuses on exploration “When the hell did I buy this?” Features a mystery An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game Uses a unique control scheme Considered a cult classic
✔ Hotel Dusk: Room 215Light and dark play a role From a different culture or country You got it for free Week 2, and I'm currently playing Hotel Dusk! I'm going to mark that one under "Cult Classic". I won't check it off until it's done, though I won't go for "must complete it" for all of them. This one has a finite story though, so I want to finish it first.
Putting my thoughts in a spoiler so people don't have to scroll past it constantly. No actual spoilers besides minor references to puzzle mechanics.
Thoughts on Hotel Dusk
Currently on Chapter 7, and it's been really interesting so far. It's been a long time since I played a DS game that relied so heavily on the touch screen, I only realized I could use the D-pad to move instead of the touch screen last night. The puzzles also really make use of the DS, one has you close and open the DS and another has you tap two spots at once. That second one really blew me away, I'm used to touch screens only registering one place.I've never played a game where I hold it vertically before. I'm already used to it, I keep opening my DS vertically even when I was doing a shiny hunt in Pokémon last night while watching a show with my mom xD
I do have a spoiler-free guide open, which is a bit shameful, but I have needed it for some parts. There's a couple details I would have certainly missed, or taken a VERY long time to notice or figure out. I just realized I can't get the "best" ending because I've gotten some game overs though, but that's okay. Maybe someday in the far future I can replay it... Or just look up the best ending on YouTube xD
One final thought before I return to playing: Louie looks like Danny from Game Grumps and I can't stop thinking that every time we talk.
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Comment on Reddit shares soar 14% after company reports revenue pop in debut earnings report in ~tech
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI still browse reddit a bit, mainly sticking to BestofRedditorUpdates or searching for updates in general. The only other thing I do is check r/all for any big headlines or news. Based on my brief...I still browse reddit a bit, mainly sticking to BestofRedditorUpdates or searching for updates in general. The only other thing I do is check r/all for any big headlines or news. Based on my brief skimming of comments, I've noticed a general anti-Israel sentiment on most subs, but I'm pretty surface-level and don't engage too often.
It definitely seems more meme-y than before though. One notable change is the number of bots. They've always been around, but they're really everywhere now. It's normal to open any post on all and see comments saying either the poster is a bot, or calling out specific comments as copied from another comment on either that post or an older one. Yesterday one of the posts to reach the front page of all was a post to r/OneOrangeBraincell titled "Puddy has a message for the mods" with a photo of a cat and sign saying "this sub has a bot problem". Based on the comments, moderators of multiple subs are having trouble dealing with the heavy influx of bots since even karma requirements don't do much anymore.
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Comment on Sony backed down from the PSN requirement to play Helldivers 2. How will this change how the community reacts to game changes? in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentBecause people might buy the game in the meantime, and then Valve has to process even more refunds. I think Valve delisted it to put more pressure on Sony to change track due to the ongoing mass...Because people might buy the game in the meantime, and then Valve has to process even more refunds. I think Valve delisted it to put more pressure on Sony to change track due to the ongoing mass refunds. There's a chance Valve also could have been subjected to lawsuits for allowing the game to be sold in countries it couldn't be played in, which would be an unnecessary hassle no matter how such a case could have turned out.
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Comment on Nintendo pre-announces a Switch 2 announcement is coming… eventually in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentYep, that was my biggest takeaway. I've gotten quite annoyed with the influx of news and speculation. I've even seen people talk about "this month's Direct will totally announce the Switch 2" when...Yep, that was my biggest takeaway. I've gotten quite annoyed with the influx of news and speculation. I've even seen people talk about "this month's Direct will totally announce the Switch 2" when there isn't even a Direct announced for that month. It's easy to ignore, but still pretty tedious to constantly see "BIG NEWS ABOUT SWITCH 2" show up on my feed when there's no actual substance. At least this way, articles can focus on whatever games are announced at the next Direct instead of the lack of news.
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Comment on Nintendo pre-announces a Switch 2 announcement is coming… eventually in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI doubt it would be summer since it would be pretty soon, or at least this summer. So it'd have to be summer 2025. I still doubt it though because Nintendo has a history of releasing new consoles...I doubt it would be summer since it would be pretty soon, or at least this summer. So it'd have to be summer 2025. I still doubt it though because Nintendo has a history of releasing new consoles in either spring (Nintendo 3DS and Switch) or autumn/winter (usually September, November or December). Looking at the release dates, the last consoles with a summer release was the Gameboy Advance with June 2001 release dates for America, Australia and Europe (but March in Japan). The DS Lite had summer releases, and the 3DS XL had July and August releases, but those are both just new versions of their base consoles so I wouldn't count them as new consoles.
I personally predict a spring 2025 release to capitalize on console sales before summer vacation. Kids will have more free time in summer, so a February or March release provides time for them to get the console and start saving for individual games over summer. Then by the time Christmas rolls around there's a decent library of games already released, meaning even more potential sales.
Side-note I found interesting, the Nintendo DS had one of the more staggered release dates of the consoles. Released first in America on November 21, 2004, Japan on December 2, Australia on February 24, 2005, and Europe on March 11, 2005. The New Nintendo 3DS also had a pretty staggered release starting with Japan getting it in October 2014 and South Korea being the last region to get it in May 2015. Then in September both South Korea and NA got the standard-size release since they originally had the XL, so Nintendo still skipped a summer release for that. Not sure I'd count the New 3DS as a fully new console like the DS since it had very few exclusives, but still interesting to see the trends!
I'm admittedly a bit biased on the apple example, but I have to disagree with them changing the meaning of the word. A lot of brands use common words. There are Dove soaps and Dove chocolates. I don't confuse Subway sandwiches with subway stations. Staples stores can be a bit confusing when trying to find actual staples inside one though.
The word and fruit "apple" is so incredibly common, that I don't think Apple the tech company diluted its meaning. I'd argue that Twitter and Amazon did worse in that regard since those words are much more rarely used and only in specific contexts. Young kids have likely never heard of the Amazon rainforest, but know about Amazon the shopping website. They would definitely know about apples the fruit though.