Today Google announced a new, innovative, groundbreaking feature for Search.  Google Instant is predictive search; in other words, when you start typing a query into the Google Search bar, you will immediately be provided with results for the most likely search given what you have already typed.  This is extremely smart and intuitive.  Here’s an example.  If you type the letter “w”, Search will instantly predict the rest of the query–in this case, “eather” appears in gray letters because Search guesses you are going to type the word ”weather”.  And since Search now has a predicted word to work with, results for “weather” will appear below the Search bar.  Results include websites, images, and local weather reports–the standard fare when searching such a query.  By typing a single letter, you can glance and scroll through search results, pretty extrodinary.  There’s no need to hit enter or select the Google search button.  Google calls it “search-before-you-type.”  In addition to the predictions, Google is also touting dynamic results and scroll to search.  The former feature is one you’re used to already;  as you type a query Search displays relevant results in a drop down menu directly below the Search bar.  As you move up and down this list highlighting various queries, Search will now provide you with results pertaining to the highlighted query in real time.

Google shares some interesting facts pertaining to the amount of time that is spend using search and how Google Instant will change all that.

• Before Google Instant, the typical searcher took more than 9 seconds to enter a search term, and we saw many examples of searches that took 30-90 seconds to type.
• Using Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.
• If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That’s 11 hours saved every second.

Google Instant is currently being rolled out to Google domains in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia.  It is compatable with the following browsers:  Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer 8.  “Over the coming weeks and months” Instant will become “the core search experience” to users worldwide.  If you live in the US and have a Google account, sign in and you will be granted access to Instant.  Or click the try it now button here to go for a test run.  Once Instant becomes the standard and you’re not feeling it, you can disable it in Preferences.  Instant will make its way to mobile and the Chrome URL/Google search bar in the near future.  Look after the break for a Google Instant Q&A plus some introductory videos.

[Via GoogleBlog; Google Instant] (Click here for more…)

iPhone, Android, BlackBerry–watch out.  WP7 is almost here.

[Via Engadget]

Simple yet effective.  One of those videos that gets funnier with repeat viewings.

[Via @kpereira]

Brought to you by the How It Should Have Ended crew.  Who also toyed with the ending of Lost.  The Juno reference is killer!  And did you catch Felicia Day all dolled up as her avatar?

The Key of Awesome, the comedy group behind the amazing Ke$ha “Tik Tok” parody, takes on the hit single from Eminem’s Recovery.  Lil’ Megan Fox and Tiny Dominic Monaghan do a great job at spinning the domestic-violence theme of the original music video into a cute story between two school children in an ongoing argument.  And credit must be given to the actors for hilarious impersonations of Eminem and Rihanna.  “Did you just call me a doo-doo pie?  Well that’s alright, I know you are but what am I?”  Good stuff.

[Via EW-MusicMix]

From the initial close up to the slow darting pans across a Sistine Chapel-influenced environment in the clouds, this parody of Kanye West’s “Power” music video painting is frame-by-frame spot on.  It’s college in Ye’s world!

Watch DJ Greyboy’s french bulldog scratch a record with spot on precision, accuracy, and timing.  The mutt’s even got his own title–DJ MAMA.

OK this is really creeping me out.  Remember at the end of Back to the Future III when Doc Brown introduces his children to Marty and Jennifer.  During this scene little Verne does something a bit odd.  At first you think he’s hinting to Jennifer to climb on board the train.  But if you look closely… WTF?

*It’s been confirmed that this actually happens in the movie.  The scene has not been altered for YouTube.  How could I miss this the first and even second time around?

[Via @michaelgs; FuriousFanboys]

Which one is your favorite?  Mine begins at 1:05.  Engage!

Aardman Studios, the animation studio behind Wallace & Gromit, have harnessed their impressive stop-motion skills to create a battle to the death between a walkman and hoover.  Watch the fun little animated video above to see who wins.

[Via @kpereira]

A group of Swedes known as The Astonishing Tribe (or TAT) like to show of their future innovations time to time.  Their latest challenge was to imagine what the future of screens will be like.

Screen technology is now taking the next leap and the coming years imagination is the only thing stopping us. We will soon have dual screens, malleable screens, screens built into wifi connected mirrors, desks or backside of gadgets clothed with e-ink screens, tactile feedback, color screens with great contrast in sunlight, holographics/stereoscopic screens, color e-ink touch screens, or screens actually knowing where they are in relation to other screens thanks to ultrasonic emitters and microphones.

As you can see in the video above many of the screen technologies they’ve imagined are already being implemented today but in more rudamentary (and certainly less flashy) ways.  Sharing information across devices using Bluetooth and WiFi is already here (I’m thinking of Bump, the iPhone app that allows you to share contact information over Bluetooth by tapping two phones together).  Checking local news and weather on your mirror while brushing your teeth?  Yeah, that’s in the works (I hope!).

[Via TAT; Gizmodo]

Freddie Wong is back with another out-of-this-world video.  This time a futuristic version of Rock Band takes centerstage.  Augmented reality meets rhythm gaming!  Me likey a lot.

[Via Gizmodo]

YouTuber BlobVanDam used 3DS Max and Adobe After Effects to recreate the Mushroom Hill Zone level from the classic Sega Genesis game Sonic & Knuckles.  Unfortunately for us this is simply a pre-rendered video; it is not a playable game.  Still, doesn’t it look fantastic?!  Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1,  a 2D side-scroller using pre-rendered 3D character models, is currently being developed by Sonic Team and is the closest we are going to get to something like BlobVanDam’s creation for now.  The game is expected to hit all major consoles later this year.

[Via Joystiq]

The warring atmosphere between Apple (backer of HTML5) and Adobe (Flash) over the Internet video standard is about to heat up once again.  Developer Skyfire submitted to the App Store the first mobile browser capable of running Flash content on Apple mobile devices.  The Skyfire browser for Apple devices embeds the Safari browser, meaning that the browser will look and run similarly to the built-in mobile Sarari browser and it will incorporate new features from Skyfire.  One major new feature is the ability to run Flash-based content within in the brower.  Skyfire has done their homework:

Skyfire for iPhone was built in tight accordance to Apple guidelines, including the use of a WebKit browser core shared with Safari, and h.264 adaptive streaming.  Skyfire’s famed cloud-computing technology translates Flash video on the fly from millions of web sites into HTML5 formats, and supports iOS devices via Apple’s HTTP live streaming standard.  Skyfire also avoids the concerns raised in Steve Jobs’ recent essay regarding Flash on mobile devices.  By optimizing Flash for iPhones and network conditions in the Cloud, Skyfire improves performance and maximizes battery life while playing video.  The browser also avoids alternate runtime environments and other security vulnerabilities.

In other words, the Skyfire browser technically does not run Flash content; it “translates” the content in the cloud (it talks to Skyfire’s servers) from Flash to HTML5.  And thanks to H.264 adaptive streaming, the browser will compress video data by an average of 75% so as not to create network congestion.  Adaptive streaming also promises a reduction in buffer time and enhanced battery life.  So cross your fingers and let’s hope Apple doesn’t destroy our dreams of watching more delicious content on our iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches.  Check out the video sitting after the break to see an iPhone play an episode of The Daily Show (Flash video) without hiccup.  Official PR is there, too.

[Via Engadget] (Click here for more…)

Cee-Lo’s uber-catchy single “F–K You” has finally landed.  Watch it above and don’t forget to sing-along.  The lyric video introduced us to the track, but the music video brings things to a whole new level–it features slick animations, children cursing, and backup dancers!  Don’t forget, the song is filled with NSFW language (if you couldn’t guess from the title).  Lady Killers, Cee-Lo’s third studio album, drops December 7.

I don’t want to start counting how many times Kid Cudi’s forthcoming second studio album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, has been delayed.  OK, I think it’s been three times.  And you know what?  For all we know these changes haven’t been delays, per se; everything is labeled rumor until the record label makes the official call.  Although the label didn’t make the call this time around, it is the first time Cudder acknowledged a release date.  He sounded pretty confident about a November 9 release date when he announced it during a performance at the University of Buffalo.  He explained the push to November saying that he’s being working so hard on the songs that he forgot to put much effort into the “other [important] sh-t”, like the album artwork.  He wants to “bring art on all levels…musically and visually with the packaging.”  He promises that another movie poster and DVD footage will be included with the album.  Regular and deluxe versions will be available to purchase.

Cudi continued the conversation with his fans by revealing that another album is in the works.  He will be collaborating with longtime partner Dot Da Genius (Day N Nite) and he plans on releasing it alongside MOTM2 so that we will have “a sh-t ton of Kid Cudi music to listen to” for the foreseeable future.  Right on!  Lastly he says he’s working on mastering “Dose of Dopeness“, a track that he performed for an audience back in 2008.

Look after the break to hear all this news straight outta Kid Cudi’s mouth.

[Via DatNewCudi] (Click here for more…)

Today Conan O’Brien announced the name of his new TBS show.  He pointed his followers on Twitter to his TeamCoCo website where a video (embedded above) greets his fans and reveals the “simple, pure” name of the show.  “Spoiler alert: The words “Tonight” and “Show” aren’t in it”, Conan tweeted.  On the site he says, “I was really pushing for “360 with Anderson Cooper featuring Conan O’Brien”, but no one had my back.”  I won’t spoil the announcement for you, so click play!  I cannot wait for the return of Conan.  He comes back to the air November 8 on TBS.  Look after the break for the official image of the show name.

[Via TeamCoco; Twitter] (Click here for more…)

Today Xbox’s Major Nelson showed off a newly designed Xbox 360 wireless controller.  Right off the bat you will notice the new color scheme.  The controller is now colored matte silver and the ABXY buttons have lost their vibrant colors (green, red, blue, yellow) to match the controller body.  The two analog sticks are slightly more concave now, too.  What you might not notice instantly in the pictures but you certainly will when the controller is in your hands is the brand new D-pad.  For years Xbox gamers have complained about the lack of a raised D-pad, but now this issue can be put to rest.  Microsoft has patented a “transforming D-pad”.  In the standard configuration the D-pad is a disc (that’s what we’re sued to).  With the new controller you can now twist the D-pad to raise the plus sign about a quarter-inch making it a whole lot more usable (especially for gamers who play boxing games where D-pad use is of the utmost importance).

—–>

The new controller will be available November 9 and will only be found inside the $64.99 Play & Charge Kit.  Microsoft has not stated if/when the new controller will replace the old model outside of the P&C Kit and whether or not it will ever be bundled in the new 250GB Xbox 360 package.  Look after the break to watch Major Nelson hold up the controller in all its gray glory.

[Via MajorNelson; Engadget]

(Click here for more…)

Arcade Fire, the indie rock band from Canada, just pushed out their latest music video for the song “We Used to Wait” off their recently debuted third studio album The Suburbs.  I’m gonna tell you right now, this music video is unlike anything you’ve seen before.  The band and director Chris Milk collaborated with Google to design a “Chrome Experiment” that showcases the power of HTML5 inside a browser.  Before the music video begins, you are prompted to enter the address of the home where you grew up.  After submitting that information multiple browser windows open up and the music begins.  These windows open and close at different intervals along with the music and at certain parts your childhood home and surrounding neighborhood become an integral part of the music video (thanks to the power of Google Maps and HTML5 rendering).  There is more to the interactive experience, but I don’t want to spoil it for you.  Head over to www.thewildernessdowntown.com (preferably within the Google Chrome browser) and check it out!

[Via EW-MusicMix]

Look what we’ve got here.  Two new tracks from UK phenom Mr Hudson.  If you haven’t listened to his debut solo album go ahead and download Straight No Chaser right now.  Got it?  Good.  Moving on… Not too long ago Hudson was approached by Caspa, a well known Dubstep producer from London, who asked Hudson to invent lyrics for his electronic dance track “Back For The First Time”.  After listening to the instrumental beat Hudson immediately agreed to make a hook for the track and, well, take a listen to it in the video above.  After listening to both versions, Hudson’s easily takes the cake; his words perfectly match up with Caspa’s building tempo and make for a great song that can now receive ample radio time.  And apparently “the track has been lighting up dancefloors & airwaves globally”.  The music video was directed by Mo Ali; make sure to peek after the break to watch a making-of video that accompanies the music video.  You can download the track at iTunes; it’s available on a 5-track EP.

Next up is a brand spankin’ new track from Mr Hudson.  “Angel Eyes” carries a unique, dark, gritty sound that we are not used to hearing from Hudson’s repitoire.  The slow vocals and flow are very laid back and Hudson manages to maintain his edge quite effortlessly.  It really sounds like a song fellow G.O.O.D. Music artist Kid Cudi would come up with (it’s not as dark as “Solo Dolo” but that strange, eerie vibe remains).  There’s no word on whether or not this track comes from his next yet-to-be-titled album.  Preview and download it below.

Download: Mr Hudson – “Angel Eyes”

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[Via KanyeBlog, here & here] (Click here for more…)

I have not anticipated the premiere of a new fall TV series like this in quite some time.  The Walking Dead, the famed comic book series from Robert Kirkman that follows a band of survivors in a zombie-infested world, is being adapted to the small screen with executive producer/director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) at the helm.  I have attempted to hook you in from the start–reporting cast additions, production stills, and behind-the-scenes looks from the set.  Today the four-and-a-half minute trailer, originally screened at Comic Con in July, has hit the ‘Net and boy does it impress.  If nothing caught your attention in the past surrounding the development of the AMC series, this will.  In it you will meet Rick Grimes, a man who gets shots and wakes up after a prolonged period of time in a hospital to find his home infiltrated by a hoard of flesh-hungry zombies.  Said zombies look horrifyingly spectacular thanks to makeup/special FX extraordinaire Greg Nicotero.  I implore you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the first in-depth peek at The Walking Dead.

We’ve been told that The Walking Dead would premiere in October sometime during AMC’s Fearfest schedule, which will include 14 consecutive days of horror-themed programming.  Today THR reports that the zombie series will premiere on Halloween night, Sunday October 31 at 10:00PM ET.  If you’re planning on spending the night trick-or-treating, don’t forget to set your DVR!  The pilot episode, written and directed by Darabont, will run 90 minutes long.

[Via THR]

From August 21-22 the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California was transformed into a Lost fan’s wet dream.  Not only did it house Lost memorabilia for the show’s most diehard fans and collectors to bid on, but it also contained key set pieces from the show (ie. the Oceanic 815 plane, the hatch, pieces of The Black Rock and The Temple) and actors (Sterling Beaumon (Young Ben Linus), Andrea Gabriel (Nadia), and Daniel Roebuck (Dr. Arzt)) for fans to see and take pictures with.  The auction was a smashing success; people in-person, over the telephone, and online paid a pretty penny to call themselves owners of some of Lost‘s most recognizable items.  The first day of bidding netted around $900,000, and early estimates speculated that the second day would exceed sales of $1 million.  Though it has not been disclosed where all the money will go, it has been made public that an undetermined portion of the proceeds will land in the hands of Hawaii-based charities.

So how much did some of the most exciting items go for?  The Dharma Van proved to be the most valuable item at the auction; it sold for $47,500!  Not even Hurley’s hot Camaro, which sold for $20,000, could top the vehicle that turned Hurley’s luck around.  Somewhat fitting, isn’t it?  Other top prizes include: Jacob’s dial mechanism and mirror array from “The Lighthouse” ($27,500); the frozen donkey wheel ($22,500);  Faraday’s journal ($20,000); the Dharma Swan station computer ($16,000); the pilot script signed by J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof ($15,000); 12 cans of Dharma beer ($5,000); Locke’s wheelchair ($3,250); and Sawyer’s paperback copy of Watership Down ($2,750).

Look after the break for a slightly more extensive list of the top-selling items from the auction.  Also after the break is a 12-minute video that will take you on a brief tour around the hangar.

[Via EW-PopWatch; TheWashingtonPost] (Click here for more…)

Watch what happens when this particular biker (who is riding his bike in the wrong direction) accidently runs into a man attempting to jaywalk across a busy NYC street.  Do you agree that the two mistakes cancel each other out, rending the whole situation lawfully null and void?

[Via Deadspin]

Cee-Lo Green is a hip-hop/funk/soul artist whose been around since 1992; he is best known for his work with the Goodie Mob, but you will likely recognize his voice from his recent collab with Gnarls Barkley on the smash single “Crazy” off 2006′s St. Elsewhere.  Cee-Lo has a new album to promote, so he let loose this extremely catchy and profane single titled, um, “F–k You”.  In the song Cee-Lo curses out a girl who left him for a richer man.  There is a high level of profanity used in the track, but that is balanced out with really creative and witty lines like, “I’m sorry I can’t afford a Ferrari/I guess she’s an Xbox and I’m more Atari.”  This single could be an instant radio hit, but I don’t know how it would fare with the incessant bleeps.

Embedded above is the lyric video for the track (again, it’s filled with NSFW language).  A standard music video for the track is expected to drop sometime this week.  Cee-Lo’s third solo album Lady Killer hits stores October 4 December 7.

Update: 50 Cent has gone ahead and added a single new verse to the track.  In the freestyle he assumes the role of the rich man who stole away Cee-Lo’s lady.  Listen to 50′s addition after the break.

Update 2: In an interview with EW, Cee-Lo said that Lady Killer will drop later than expected on December 7.  He also revealed that a profanity-free radio edit is in the works.  “It’s called “Forget You,”" he says.  “It’s pretty close to the original, but not as effective.  But it’s politically correct.”  So I guess that catchy tune (minus its naughty bits) will make its way to the radio at some point.

[Via WSJ; EW-MusicMix] (Click here for more…)