Apple CEO Tim Cook wrapped up his company’s latest press conference with a 3-song set by the Foo Fighters. The event showcased the brand new iPhone 5 plus updates to the iPod lineup and accessories. I know there are many other websites that will offer much more depth on details, so instead I want to give my overall opinions on today’s announcements.
Ever sit down to play Assassin’s Creed and wonder how it would look if Altaïr or Ezio were brought to modern times? Wonder no more. Parkour athlete Ronnie Shalvis dons the iconic outfit and roams around Salt Lake City, and finds that dumpsters work just as well as hay stacks.
Watch the epic video along with behind-the-scenes footage after the break.
Alright Star Trek fans, it’s game time. A group of fans are working to restore the Enterprise-D bridge that was used in the Star Trek: The Experience Las Vegas attraction. While Paramount Pictures worked closely with series producers Herman Zimmerman and Michael Okuda to make this model as accurate as possible, it was basically thrown away once the attraction closed rather than preserving it. (Many trekkies will know that the actual bridge was destroyed for the film Star Trek: Generations.)
The restoration crew plans to not only restore the bridge, but also updating it with actual touch screen to emulate the LCARS control surface used during production. Obviously a task like this requires a fair bit of cash, so they’ve launched an indiegogo campaign to raise $240,000. Like such campaigns, there are perks for larger donations, and these ones are pretty unique. Some of the offered perks include a working LCARS terminal, a replica of Captain Kirk’s original chair, or even…..a romantic evening on the bridge with “complete privacy until the next morning.” That’s right. Happy nerd couples can get it on, captain-style, right on the bridge of the Enterprise-D…for a price.
All in all, this is a major project, but one that fans can reap the benefits from for years to come (once completed, the bridge will be open to the public). If you’re interested in chipping in a few dollars, or just want to spread the word, check out the campaign page for more information.
Click past the break for the campaign’s promo video.
Ever find yourself online late at night, browsing your favorite sites, and find yourself watching a string of videos of a certain person or group? That was me, re-watching some great performances by the Japan Comedy Duo, Gamarjobat. These guys perform a mix of slapstick, miming, and cheesy acts, all with seeming boundless energy. The fact that they only communicate with the audience and with each other via grunts means their comedy can be enjoyed world-wide without language barriers.
Do you have a relative who likes to perform old magic tricks that are easy to figure out? These guys takes those tricks and performs them with such comedic timing, that it’s an absolute blast to watch.
Ketch! (red mohawk) and HIRO-PON (yellow mohawk) found success in several countries, including England. In 2009, they even starred in a British TV pilot, called Ketch & HIRO-PON Get It On.
I believe the duo is still performing to this day. I hope they will make it back to the states eventually. For now though, you can enjoy their performance on ”Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks”…
Alan Rickman can seem to do no wrong. He is the embodiment of so many memorable characters (Hans Gruber in Die Hard, the Sheriff Of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, and of course, Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series). The man could literally read out of a phone book and millions would watch it. Admit it, you would.
The music is from the Inception soundtrack, specifically the track titled Mind Heist.
This is part of a series of videos from Portraits in Dramatic Time by David Michalek.
So it’s the middle of the night. I’m relaxing while watching two live-streams (Fred Gallagher from Megatokyo working on the next comic, and Zac from ANN playing through FFVII, complete with color commentary). I’m getting a bit thirsty, so it seems like a good time to try out this new energy drink called West Coast Chill.
Yes, it’s another energy drink. There’s hundreds of ‘em lining shelves in stores across the country. So what makes this one stand out? It’s claim to fame is it being the “world’s first self-chilling energy drink”. The “ChillCan,” as its creators (The Joseph Company) calls it, utilizes “MicroCool” technology to drop the temperature of the drink about 30 degrees in 3 minutes.
A can that goes from room-temp to cold in 3 min without popping it in an ice-chest or freezer? Count me in…
Around the world, everyone loves LEGOs. To celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary of offering the plastic building blocks in Japan, LEGO sponsored a project called “Build Up Japan”. Over the course of two months and at six different workshops across the country, 5,000 kids used over 1.8 million blocks to build a map of their vision of Japan’s future.
This thing is impressive, and at 82ft long, it is a beast of a map. After initially being assembled in Tokyo, it then became part of the Piece of Peace exhibition that showcases LEGO models of World Heritage Sites.
Check out the gallery past the break for the giant LEGO map’s construction.
There are a multitude of streaming websites out there, each offering people the ability to share their thoughts or talents with the world. Musicians have really embraced live-streaming as an easy way to reach a wide audience, instead of relying on more traditional outlets. However, many of the streaming options have a limited audio bitrate, which makes music sound like it’s coming through a badly damaged speaker phone. (If you have ever listened to hold music, you know what I’m talking about)
Google+ is aiming to change that, with the launch of “Studio Mode”. This new audio feature drastically improves the sound quality of Google+ Hangouts. Previously, the audio quality was comparable to a standard YouTube video, and was optimized for voice. When Studio Mode is engaged, the sound is near-CD quality; bass sounds powerful, vocals retain emotion, instruments come through clean, and the mid & high frequencies are well-defined.
Sadly, Studio Mode is currently only available in Hangouts On Air, an extension of Google’s video chat service that allowed users to stream to an unlimited audience instead of just 10 people. Google has been pushing for Hangouts on Air to become an online gathering places for artists, established or up-and-coming (the feature was launched last September with a concert by Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am). I can only guess to the reasons why this option was not included in standard Hangouts (possible bandwidth concerns, staggered release, etc…).
While Google is aiming this new feature squarely at musicians, I can think of other professions that could benefit from this. Recording studios could potentially finally move away from ISDN when sending audio to other locations. Webcasters would benefit from the audio boost by not sounding like they’re on an AM radio station. In general, live streaming will become more enjoyable.
Once this feature is implemented in standard Google+ Hangouts, I may use it for all my videoconferencing and (possible) webcasting needs.
Your move Skype/Citrix.
Check out the difference in the video after the break, featuring the band Suite 709
Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy may have come to an end, but that hasn’t stopped fans from delving deeper into Gotham City. Batman: Puppet Master features puzzle-master Edward Nigma and the wooden gangster Scarface.
Set immediately after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman is holding off on retiring to handle a rise in crime. FBI agent Edward Nigma has come to town to deal with the crime-rate, but has seemingly struck an alliance with Gotham’s favorite non-existent mobster. Nigma is also focused on unraveling the truth behind Harvey Dent and his passing.
The story is written by Chris Wilz, directed by Bryan Nest, and features some excellent casting, especially for the Ventriloquist. I never thought I’d see a live-action Scarface, complete with Tommy gun, but now that I have, I want more!
See it for yourself after the break.
Monday June 11th, 2012. I got to go to the preview for Cars Land, the new land they just completed at Disney California Adventure that opens this Friday June 15th, 2012. This is the latest of a great many updates Disney has done to revitalize and expand the DCA park. My one sentence review would be simply this. Mission Accomplished!
But that would be a totally boring review. 
I do need to warn you. This is a rather long one and may contain spoilers, such as they are. However, at the end of the day, I would rather give you guys as much detail as I can than not enough. So here we go.
I have to say I was very heavily impressed at the level of detail they achieved. It is literally like you walked into the town of Radiator Springs. They apparently brought in Imagineers from all around the world, from all the parks to work on this one. They have pulled off nothing short of a masterpiece with this one. It is nice to see that even decades after Walt’s passing, the Imagineers still care and that the company Walt Disney built is still committed to bringing their “A Game”. Despite some stumbles along the way.
They have outdone themselves with this new land. As you go through the stone arch and into the valley of Radiator Springs you are greeted by the lofty spires of Cadillac Ridge. Ok , this is where I have to admit to my periodic denseness. At first I didn’t get it. I thought “Cadillac Ridge” ok its Cars Land, of course they would name it that. Then one of the people we were there with pointed out the shapes of the formations jutting out of the tops of the ridge. Doh! Ok I get it now. It just adds still more to the level or creativity of this new land.