Several TUAW readers have reported after seeing midnight showings of Disney-Pixar's new and highly-rated movie WALL•E that when the robot boots up, he makes the standard Mac startup sound. That's not the only Apple connection with the movie.Of course, Steve Jobs is the largest single shareholder of Disney after Pixar was purchased by the entertainment giant for $7.4 billion in 2006. He still serves on a steering committee for Pixar that oversees the Disney-Pixar animation businesses, and he's on the Disney Board of Directors. I'm not sure, but he may be tapped to be the first CEO of BuyNLarge...
WALL•E's job is to wander around an abandoned Earth, pick up trash, and compact it into small blocks. However, when he finds something nostalgic that he likes, such as an iPod or Rubik's cube, he keeps it.
The object of WALL•E's desire, EVE, was actually designed with the assistance of Apple Senior VP of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive, who apparently spent a day with the Pixar team in 2005 consulting on the ultra-sleek floating robot.
Thanks to Matt for the heads-up and inspiration for this post!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-27-2008 @ 2:48PM
Shannin said...
is that buy n large a serious website?
i cant figure it out.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 2:59PM
teh_dahl said...
...
no it's not.
It's part of what you call "viral marketing".
6-27-2008 @ 3:01PM
Andy said...
wow.
That website is a part of something we like to call "viral marketing".
6-27-2008 @ 4:28PM
Steven Sande said...
BuyNLarge is the corporation in Wall-E (Fred Willard is the CEO) that owns everything in the universe. That viral site is a work of art!
TUAW Steve
6-27-2008 @ 5:47PM
Dale said...
Steve Jobs is an example of what we call a "virile manthing".
6-27-2008 @ 2:54PM
Galley said...
I go to one movie a year. This may be my one for 2008.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 7:29PM
Mikey said...
I'm sorry.
6-27-2008 @ 3:10PM
Michael Nerad said...
The credits for WALL•E describes the character, Auto, as being voiced by Macintalk.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 5:42PM
SIP said...
The movie even has what looks suspiciously like the Leopard desktop picture...
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 6:11PM
Mb1000 said...
And Apple is helping to promote the soundtrack and game...
See here: http://pixarblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/apple-promotes-wall-e.html
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 6:12PM
Michael Baran said...
Anyone else make the reference to HAL 9000? (An easy one, but no one mentions it.) So iPod, Mac Chime and HAL, from what I noticed.
Reply
6-28-2008 @ 12:51PM
Andrew said...
No coincidence that the Leopard purple/blue space desktop theme, time machine background and retail box art looks a lot like space in Wall•E. The same space desktop shows up as a reflection in Wall•Es eyes.
6-27-2008 @ 6:17PM
Seijornec said...
Just got back from Wall E and I'm happy to say it's a wonderful movie. I recognized the Mac chime right away as did my 11 and 8 year old daughters. They thought it was very cool.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 7:02PM
Jesse said...
Wall•e also makes the 'ping' sound effect after he and Eve do that little spark thing (a kiss?).
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 7:44PM
(01) said...
I'm going to see it tomorrow; I'll keep my ears open :-)
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 10:27PM
Kevin said...
It's not when he boots up, it's when his Solar Cells reach a full charge.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 11:15PM
Drew said...
So, how do you get the dot between the L and the E?
Reply
6-28-2008 @ 9:07AM
Cameron Talley said...
You can get the Dot with "Option+8."
•••••
I saw the film tonight and it's great.
Spoilers: Anyone else note that WALL•E's "logic board" is blue?
6-28-2008 @ 1:59AM
Meatleg said...
WALL•E
Push alt+8
••••••••••
but my favorite mac key command is still alt+shift+k
:)
6-28-2008 @ 2:41AM
Owen Bronson Marmorek said...
option-8, like this: •