Typhoon Hits the Philippines: Donations Needed!

Last Saturday, September 26, 2009, a fierce storm hit the Philippines. The typhoon, known locally as Ondoy and internationally as Ketsana, brought strong wind and heavy rainfall that eventually caused major damage to the country, particularly to Manila, the capital city.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a state of calamity for almost the entire region. Several areas were affected by heavy flooding, with surges as high as 6 metres sweeping up everything in their path. 240 deaths were reported as of September 28, 2009, and countless people are still missing. News reports for the past days have shown people clambering to the roofs of their homes in a desperate attempt to escape the floods, the clothes on their backs the only things they were able to salvage. To say that this has caused major damage to person and property would be an understatement, given the major losses the country has suffered.

While there have been rescue missions and outreach programs to help the victims, most victims of this storm are still in need of aid. Here is where you can help. Listed below is web link to World Vision that delivers badly needed aid to the victims of typhoon Ketsana. Even the smallest contribution will help to provide relief to the needy, so please consider giving.

Thank you.

World Vision – Emergency Relief

http://www.worldvision.org.hk/eng/form/donation.html

Technorati Tags: typhoon Ondoy, typhoon Ketsana

Blog of the Week!

Meet Maggie, this week’s featured blogger! Her blog, “♪Magg!E ღ“is a cool mix of stuff: it’s a personal blog + art blog + music blog all rolled into one! Her artwork includes self-made photos, videos, and drawings, all of which are really cool.

Check out her blog by visiting http://blog.sanriotown.com/rawrmtoxic:hellokitty.com/.

Three Apples: Hello Kitty Art Exhibit

A Sanrio-held art show featuring our favorite white feline will be held from October 23 to November 15, 2009 in the Los Angeles area in California. The exhibit will feature avant-garde pieces featuring Hello Kitty, from the cute to the quirky to the peculiar.

If you live in the area, be sure to check it out!

HKO Open Beta!

Good news to our Hello Kitty Online Philippines and European fans!

Hello Kitty Online has now been released on Open Beta for both countries! You may use your SanrioTown accounts to register or sign-up now for free!

For more information, you may visi HKO PH for the Philippine Launch and HKO EU for the European Launch.

See you all in HKO!

Ahiru no Pekkle Blog Theme

Hey guys! We hope you’re enjoying SanrioTown’s services! We’re continually making new themes for your blogs, and this time, we have Ahiru no Pekkle!

Do you guys remember him? He’s the little duck from Australia! If this is the first time you’ve heard about him, be sure to check out his profile here!

We hope everyone likes the new theme! If you want, you can leave us comments here for suggestions. We look forward to hearing from everyone soon!

All About: Teruteruporon

Year Created: 1995

Teruteruporon is a rain doll who is very emotional - he cries very easily but he picks himself up quickly. His hobbies include searching for four-leaf clovers and writing poetry.

Video of the Week!

Here’s another Cinnamoroll love story video for you! This time, it features Mocha, the fashionista in Cinnamoroll’s group of friends.

“A Cinnamoroll Love Story“, by pauline_2008, has all the elements of a love story: there’s romance, there’s conflict, and there’s resolution. The best part is, all the slides of the video are drawn by the video maker!

Check out her video at http://video.sanriotown.com/video/f2e9f46272268779.

September Downloads

Hi everyone! Before the month ends, be sure to check out the “Enjoy Downloads” section of SanrioTown. There’s a bunch of new stuff there, like wallpapers and calendars, for you to download for free and set up on your computer, print and decorate your stuff, or just about anything you want to do with it!

All you have to do is sign in to your SanrioTown account to access the Downloads section. If you don’t have one yet, click here to register and get your free account now.

Blog of the Week!

The cute, the fun, the quirky - and it’s all in one blog! Check out “Bean’s Fun Blog~” and see all the great stuff the blogger has in store for you!

The cool thing about this blog is that it is essentially a collection of novelty items: stuff ranging from the cute to the curious to the absurd can be found in the blogger’s entries, making for one fun blog.

Check out Bean’s blog by going to http://blog.sanriotown.com/kawaiijellybean:hellokitty.com.

Video of the Week!

It’s only September, but one of our SanrioTown members is already prepared for Halloween, and she expressed it through her video!

“Halloween Pumpkins 2009“, by pink_ice, features all sorts of Jack-o-lanterns: some cute, a few funny, and others creepy. It’s fun and just right - especially if your favorite day of the year is Halloween!

Check out the video by going to http://video.sanriotown.com/video/fb795e254ead56aa.

Blog of the Week!

Here’s another Sanrio character roleplay blog for you to enjoy reading!

Meet Spottie Dottie through her fashionable blog, as she joins the ranks of KeroKeroKeroppi, Mimmy White, Pink Bear,Lily Cat, and a bunch of other characters (Sanrio or otherwise) as they roleplay their way through the SanrioTown blogs. The great thing about these kinds of blogs is the interaction that the “characters” have with each other: it’s fun to see how they create a different world that they all could understand and have fun in.

Check out Spottie Dottie’s blog by visiting http://blog.sanriotown.com/spottie-dottie:hellokitty.com.

Iriver’s Hello Kitty MP3 Player

Check out this latest, and definitely cute, Hello Kitty MP3 player from Japan!

Made by IRiver, the player has 2GB internal memory, and is 45.2×17x35.5 mm in size and 16 g in weight. Silicon skins serve to protect Hello Kitty’s head and gives a dash of color to it.

It comes in two designs: Pink Teddy Bear and Black Devil.

For more information, click here.

Examiner Gives Hello Kitty Online an 8/10!

Hello Kitty Online receives another positive review, this time from Examiner! Tucson Video Game Examiner Tara Foulkrod took a peek at the North American closed beta of Hello Kitty Online and she liked what she saw.

According to her review:

“The graphics are smooth, and what you would expect from the Hello Kitty world. Very detailed and very much from a fantasy world. The controls are easy to master, and the quests are relatively easy to finish. Very child friendly, and very friendly in general. I’m going to give this game an 8.0/10…”

The article covers quite a bit of info about the game and it’s a good read for anyone who wants to check out the game. Click here to read the rest of the review at the Examiner website.

The closed beta tests of the North American release of Hello Kitty Online is currently underway. Visit the Area Games website for more information.

Hello Kitty Online at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX)

For those who wanted to attend the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) but weren’t able to, here are some pictures showing the official launching of Hello Kitty Online (HKO) for North America.The event was held from 4-6 September. Press representatives and PAX attendees were able to get firsthand experience of playing HKO at the Aeria Games booth.

HKO NA is available for download at hko.aeriagames.com.

HKO DVD Cover

For those who weren’t able to attend the North America launch of Hello Kitty Online (HKO) at the 2009 Penny Arcade Expo last 4-6 September, here’s a little something for you:

It’s the DVD cover of the game!

HKO NA is available for download at hko.aeriagames.com.

“Garden Mania” Flash Game is Now Up

The second Hello Kitty Online (HKO)-themed minigame is now available for you to play!

“Garden Mania” is a game that will test your speed and quick thinking. You’ll be playing the part of the farmer. In three steps, plant and then harvest crops that you’ve planted. Sounds simple? Not if there’s a risk of your plants wilting and the threat of moles out to steal your crops!

Check it out now! Log in to your SanrioTown account and head off to the Game Center to try your luck and wits in this game! Don’t have a SanrioTown account yet? Click here to register and receive your free account.

All About: Tonarino Kappasanchi

Year Created: 1999

Meet the friendly Kappa family. While Mama Kappa might be strict, her children know that she’s always there for me, so they never feel lonely even if Papa’s not with them. She was once a diva but gave it up now, with no regrets. She lives a modest life with her sons: the nearly grown up oldest son, the kindhearted second son, and the cute but somewhat spoiled youngest son.

SanrioTown Minigames on Facebook

Just because the Minigames Contest is now over doesn’t mean the fun has to end!

Facebook members can now play two of the Flash games that could be found in SanrioTown’s Game Center: the Rolling CoroCoroKuririn game and Sanrio Bubbles.

SanrioTown on Facebook is consistently updated, so if you want to get the latest news about the site, subscribe to it now!

Connect with SanrioTown by going to http://www.facebook.com/sanriotown.

Video of the Week!

Charmmy Kitty fans, you’re in for a treat, because this week’s featured video is all about your favorite character!

“charmmy kitty cuteness - everytime we touch“, by mimikitty12, is filled with Charmmy Kitty goodness. Cute images featuring Hello Kitty’s pet are showcased there, accompanied by her friends.

You can check out the video by going to http://video.sanriotown.com/video/2962fa727b1cdf0c.

Blog of the Week!

Serious Hello Kitty item collectors and self-proclaimed foodistas, you might just find yourselves facing serious competition with this week’s featured blogger!

“*~PrinCess MiHaRu~*“, authored by the blogger who has the same monicker as her blog title, is an absolute haven for Hello Kitty collectors and for those who love going on food trips, so much so that practically all her entries have one or the other. Add that to the fact that the blogger’s fun personality shines through her posts and we definitely have a winner in her blog.

Get to know princessmiharu by visiting http://blog.sanriotown.com/princessmiharu:hellokitty.com.

Displaying Graphics on SanrioTown E-Mails

Hi everyone!

Just in case you’re having problems with viewing graphics on your e-mails, you can try doing the following:

Scroll down to the bottom of that e-mail. There, you should see “Edit Preferences”. Make sure that the “Do not download HTML graphics in e-mail content” is not checked.

SanrioTown Minigames Contest Winners

Thank you to all those who participated in the SanrioTown Minigames Contest! We’re overwhelmed by the response that you gave to this, and we’d like to commend all those who went all out and did their best in the Super Engineer and Bubble Catcher games. We’re honestly amazed at how well you guys performed in it - the scores are unbelievable! Good job!

Without further ado, here’s the list of the Top Three players for both flash games, with their corresponding prizes. Congratulations!

Bubble Catcher
1. mastergc@hellokitty.com : 202540 - Hello Kitty Plush Doll
2. fku62@hellokitty.com : 183630 - Hello Kitty 1 GB Memory Stick
3. gcguru @hellokitty.com : 181980 - Hello Kitty Shampoo/Lip Gloss

Super Engineer
1. mastergc@hellokitty.com : 5278160 - Hello Kitty Plush Doll
2. joycess@hellokitty.com : 3998200 - Hello Kitty 1 GB Memory Stick
3. kittylab_0.0@hellokitty.com : 3988780 - Hello Kitty Shampoo/Lip Gloss

Once again, congratulations to the winners! You will be contacted via e-mail regarding the prizes.

Top 10 Players of the Minigames Contest, 4 September 2009, HKT

Hi everyone! Here are the updated lists of the Top 10 players of SanrioTown’s Super Engineer and Bubble Catcher games who qualify for the minigames contest.

Bubble Catcher

1. galee@hellokitty.com : 171320
2. nanababy-.-@hellokitty.com : 169890
3. wongsword@hellokitty.com : 168730
4. meilingz@hellokitty.com : 163230
5. dennisc@hellokitty.com : 162620
6. littleyen@hellokitty.com : 159150
7. lylithe@hellokitty.com : 158630
8. glorialu@hellokitty.com : 158280
9. jiming926@hellokitty.com : 155730
10. lucianauzum@hellokitty.com : 154810

Super Engineer
1. mastergc@hellokitty.com : 2988320
2. joycess@hellokitty.com : 2974300
3. cinnamon.sugar@hellokitty.com : 2853100
4. chaichaidog@hellokitty.com : 2642950
5. kittylab_0.0@hellokitty.com : 2423870
6. susukie@hellokitty.com : 2319470
7. kikihui509@hellokitty.com : 1856290
8. dorisho@mymelody.com : 410270
9. chloe_1_2009@hellokitty.com : 298900
10. doris_hui@hellokitty.com : 237390

The contest’s almost over! If you want to participate, you still have a few days left! Sign in to your SanrioTown account and do as well as you can on the two aforementioned games to get the chance to win awesome Sanrio prizes. Good luck!

Aeria Games and Sanrio Digital to Launch Hello Kitty® Online Beta for North America at Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle

Seattle, Wash. (Sept. 3, 2009)—Hello Kitty® Online (HKO) will make its first public debut in North America at the 2009 Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 4 – 6. Hello Kitty Online brings the world of Hello Kitty and Sanrio friends to life in the first free-to-play Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) based on the global pop-culture icon. Members of the press and PAX attendees are invited to experience a demo of Hello Kitty Online at the Aeria Games booth (# 22). Hello Kitty Online is currently in closed beta and will transition to open beta later in September. Hello Kitty Online will be available for free download in North America at hko.aeriagames.com.

“Hello Kitty gaming fans have long been looking for the ideal level of online community and engagement, and Hello Kitty Online delivers that in a format that will thrive as the fan base continues to grow,” said Grant Wei, executive producer, Aeria Games. “We are proud to have the opportunity to bring one of the world’s greatest characters into the free-to-play PC online gaming space via Aeria Game’s high-quality publishing platforms.”

Developed by Sanrio Digital and published in North America by Aeria Games, Hello Kitty Online invites players to create a fully customizable character and engage with other online players in a world rich in adventure and inhabited by more than one hundred original Sanrio characters and other newly-designed creations. Thanks to the innovative social media features of Hello Kitty Online, players are able to share videos, screenshots, blogs and email messages with other players without leaving the game world.

“Hello Kitty Online was designed to be a fun and interactive social gaming experience that brings Hello Kitty and Sanrio friends together in an engaging MMO setting,” said Robert Ferrari, vice president of publishing and business development, Sanrio Digital. “We look forward to bringing Hello Kitty Online and the integrated SanrioTown social networking site to Hello Kitty fans across North America.”

About Aeria Games
Aeria Games is one of the fastest growing publishers of free-to-play online games providing an unrivaled MMO gaming experience to a growing community of more than seven million members. With a diversified portfolio of titles, including the renowned Shaiya, Shin Megami Tensei, and Hello Kitty Online, Aeria Games is committed to delivering a dynamic gaming experience with high-quality, innovative content combined with unprecedented customer service. Based in Silicon Valley, California, Aeria Games & Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 2006 and has offices in the United States and Germany. More information about Aeria Games & Entertainment can be found at www.aeriagames.com.

About Sanrio Digital
Sanrio Digital is a joint venture between Typhoon Games (HK) Ltd. and Sanrio Wave Hong Kong Co. Ltd. Sanrio Digital is responsible for the expansion of Sanrio intellectual property assets into various digital and online media, leveraging an extensive library of original material that includes world-famous brands such as Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, My Melody and others. For more information, please visit http://www.sanriodigital.com and http://www.sanriotown.com.

All About: Tabitha Dean

Year Created: 1988

Birthday: October 24

Tabitha Dean is stylish and precocious. In fact, her dream is to be a fashion designer! She lives in a futuristic metropolis called Children Town. She collects hats and loves ice cream.

Video of the Week!

Feline lovers will definitely love this week’s featured Dream Studio, because it showcases their favorite animal.

“Some Cats!“, by pink-n-blue-gems, features images of kittens and kitties. While they may be of different breeds, sizes, shapes, and colors, they are all adorable, so much so that even non-cat lovers would find hard to deny that they’re cute.

You can check out the video by going to http://video.sanriotown.com/video/33260166736ef2ea.

Blog of the Week!

Food, toys, and overall cuteness - and all of these can be found in one package!

Check out neohin’s “Somewhere far and beyond” blog, an online journal that has all of these. Fans of old-school toys and cartoons can also get a kick out of the stuff the blogger has featured here, because they’re things from the not-so-recent past.

You can check out the blog at http://blog.sanriotown.com/neohin:mymelody.com/.

Top 10 Players of the Minigames Contest, 1 September 2009, HKT

Hi everyone! Here are the updated lists of the Top 10 players of SanrioTown’s Super Engineer and Bubble Catcher games who qualify for the minigames contest. Bubble Catcher

1. nanababy-.-@hellokitty.com : 169890
2. wongsword@hellokitty.com : 168730
3. meilingz@hellokitty.com : 163230
4. dennisc@hellokitty.com : 162620
5. littleyen@hellokitty.com : 159150
6. glorialu@hellokitty.com : 158280
7. lucianauzum@hellokitty.com : 154810
8. zoietsz@hellokitty.com : 153390
9. vvviolet@mymelody.com : 153000
10. cinnamon.sugar@hellokitty.com : 151930

Super Engineer
1. susukie@hellokitty.com : 2319470
2. cinnamon.sugar@hellokitty.com : 1935010
3. joycess@hellokitty.com : 1917510
4. kittylab_0.0@hellokitty.com : 1888550
5. chaichaidog@hellokitty.com : 1869090
6. kikihui509@hellokitty.com : 1856290
7. dorisho@mymelody.com : 410270
8. chloe_1_2009@hellokitty.com : 298900
9. doris_hui@hellokitty.com : 237390
10. amy_leung@hellokitty.com : 150000

The contest’s almost over! If you want to participate, you still have a few days left! Sign in to your SanrioTown account and do as well as you can on the two aforementioned games to get the chance to win awesome Sanrio prizes. Good luck!