Korean start-up company Xtive has developed an inaudible sound sequence which is said to ward off online game addiction. The details raise our creepiness flags though. The sounds are based on subliminal effects. The sounds repeatedly sequence to tell the player to stop playing, repeating about 10,000 to 20,000 times a second. Xtive says that the sounds go unnoticed by gamers, but are heard by a higher consciousness which is likely to lead to taking a break from playing. The plan seems to allow companies to use this after young users have been monitored for playing over an alotted amount of time. So, instead of having their mommies scream at them, the voices in their head lead the way.

This scares us for a few reasons. Number one, didn’t a few kids kill themselves because of weird subliminal messages in Ozzy Osbourne songs? Ok, the subliminal message might have been slightly different, such as “KILL YOURSELF!”, but aren’t subliminal fundamentally the same? Number two, how long will it take before advertising companies take it upon themselves to profit from this type of brainwashing? — Andrew Dobrow

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Legendary child brainwashing machine, Pokemon, has a new way of constantly keeping Poke on fans minds. The Pokemon Watch displays a child like interface for those young at heart, while maintaining that Japanese made cheap look. What Pokeball master would be complete without an accurate Pokemon timepiece?

Made with the finest of Japanese plastic and color coordinated in hopes of healing Stevie Wonder’s sight from the clashing of primary’s, the Pokemon Watch from Takara Tomy is a must-have addition to any true collectors stronghold. And if you aren’t convinced from this, then we’re sure that the next epilepsy inducing episode will “convince” you to pick one up. Available for 3,129 Yen ($26). — Andrew Dobrow

Product Page [TakaraTomy, via Plastic Bamboo]

And we thought roadside advertising was already obtrusive into our lives! Cisco Systems plans to have a multi-billion dollar business running through digital billboards by 2010. Google and Coca-Cola, among others, have already shown their interest in extending their advertising wings to these massive animated billboards.

Interestingly, these billboards are already technologically advanced enough to actually interact with the people and environment they are in. Talk about distractions. These goliaths will play film clips and animations to distract your eyes from the road. We wonder how this will effect traffic accidents on their initial popularity.

LiveScience references an old SciFi story by J.G. Ballard called The Subliminal Man. The story talks about gigantic posters that proclaim you to BUY NOW. Do you think these digital billboards will be used for brainwashing? Seems far fetched, but who knows what these bastards will do for a cent. Good thing most of us are already brainwashed! — Andrew Dobrow

The Next Really Big Thing: Digital Billboards [LiveScience, via Coolest Gadgets]