Category Archives: News

OnLive monthly fees go bye-bye

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OnLive, the gaming on-demand cloud-based service, is no longer requiring a monthy fee to access its features.  This is really great news, so great in fact I’ll allow Founder & CEO Steve Perlman to explain the sudden change in philosophy.

Of course, we’ve had a promotion waiving the monthly fee for the first year, so this announcement is confirming what we had hoped—that we can continue without a monthly fee beyond the first year. Although we wish we could have confirmed no monthly fee from the get-go, pioneering a major new video game paradigm is hard: we had to first grow to a large base of regular users before we could understand usage patterns and operating costs. Now that we’ve reached that stage, we can confidently say a monthly fee is not needed, which deserves a double WOOT! WOOT!

Woot woot, indeed.  The original plan was to waive the monthy fee for the first year, as Perlman explained, and then charge $4.95/month for the second year.  All that’s been scrapped.  Instant-play demos, massive spectating, brag clip videos, messaging, and friending are all absolutely free to access now.  The only time you’ll need to whip out a credit card is if you decide to buy a 3-day or 5-day PlayPass to stream a full game.  You may also decide to purchase a game for keeps.  All in all this is an exciting move forward for OnLive.  And coming this holiday season are the MicroConsole TV Adapters and OnLive Game Pad Controllers that promise to bring the games from the PC to the TV hassle-free.  So watcha waiting for?  Get your streamin’ on.

[Via Engadget; OnLive]

Emma Stone nabs female lead in Spider-Man reboot

Movies, News, , , ,

After days of speculation, Sony Pictures has confirmed that Emma Stone will in fact play the lead female role in Marc Webb’s Spider-Man reboot.  It’s just not the role you think.  Stone (Superbad, Zombieland, Easy A) is set to play Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker’s first love–not Mary Jane Watson.  That character has yet to be cast.  Director Webb shared his thoughts on the casting: “The chemistry between Andrew and Emma was stunning and made Emma the clear choice. At the heart of the story of Peter Parker is not only the amazing Spider-Man, but also an ordinary teenager who is wondering what he has to do to get the girl. Andrew and Emma will bring everything audiences expect to these roles, but also make them their own. Much to my surprise, it was fun to find out that our choice for Gwen (Emma) is also a natural blonde.”  Spider-Man begins production this December and it’s slated to release in 3D on July 3, 2012.

[Via Deadline]

Avatar “Extended Collector’s Edition” out on Blu-ray & DVD November 16, bonus features and all

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On November 16 fans of the highest grossing movie ever will be treated to special editions of Avatar on Blu-ray and DVD.  You might be scratching your head thinking don’t I already own Avatar on Blu-ray (or DVD) already?  Let’s remove that confusion.  Avatar did release on both formats back in April; these versions, however, only included the original theatrical release.  No bonus footage, no nothing.  This second release, on the other hand, packs tons of bonus content and more.  The three-disc Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and Theatrical Special Edition Re-Release DVD (yeah, those are their official titles) will include the original theatrical version, the special edition re-release, and the collector’s extended cut that includes sixteen more minutes and an exclusive alternate opening Earth scene.  They will also include 45 minutes of new never-before-seen deleted scenes.  Says director James Cameron: “I told our team — let’s do the ultimate box set of Avatar, with everything in it the fans could possibly want. There’s an extended length cut that’s sixteen minutes longer, plus documentaries, behind the scenes featurettes, artwork and over 45 minutes of deleted scenes. Everything worth putting into a special edition is in this set.”  Peek after the break for the official PR and to browse the bonus content in more detail.  And as for the 3D Blu-ray version?  That’s expected to release next year.

[Via Deadline]

Kanye West selects an album title

Music, News, ,

Using his favorite method of communication these days, Kanye West hopped on Twitter to announce the title of his upcoming fifth studio album.  “The official album title is and always was,” he tweeted, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  It had been rumored for months that Dark Twisted Fantasy was to be the album title, but all it took was the addition of a personal pronoun and an adjective to make things official.  After revealing the album title, Kanye spilled some deets about what tracks we can expect to hear on the album.  He confirmed that the first track is called “Dark Fantasy” (produced by Kanye, RZA, and No I.D.) and that “some” of the G.O.O.D. Friday songs will in fact be on the album.  And though this next track was leaked a few weeks back, Kanye is excited for everyone to hear the mastered version of “All of the Lights”, the confirmed third single (following “Power” and “Runaway“) off My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  The album drops November 22.  The anticipation is killing me slowly.

[Via @kanyewest]

Zack Snyder checks in to direct ‘Superman’

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Zack Snyder, helmer of 300, Watchmen, and the upcoming Sucker Punch, has signed on to direct the Superman franchise reboot.  He joins a stellar creative team in the Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures backed project.  Christopher Nolan, the man famous breathing life into the Batman franchise, is producing alongside wife Emma Thomas, Charles Roven (The Dark Knight), and Zack’s wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder.  The Superman story has already been imagined by Nolan and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight); Goyer is currently penning the script.

Deadline recently spoke with Snyder about the news.  “I’ve been a big fan of the character for a long time, he’s definitely the king of all superheroes, he’s the one.  It’s early yet, but I can tell you that what David and Chris have done with the story so far definitely has given me a great insight into a way to make him feel modern.  I’ve always felt he was kind of awesome.”  Snyder promises to get started on Superman as soon as production wraps on Sucker Punch.  Warner Bros. and DC Comics are aiming for a 2012 holiday release.

[Via Deadline]

Google invests $1.05 million in Shweeb, the pedal-powered monorail

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Remember the Shweeb?  I’ll refresh your memory, then.  Shweeb is an alternative form of transportation, one that is controlled by you and your legs and feet.  It’s the world’s first human-powered monorail racetrack.  Users are secured inside transparent pods and can travel at speeds of up to 45km/hr.  As crazy as it looks and sounds, Google clearly imagines a future with Shweeb in it.  This week the search engine (among many other things) invested $1.05 million into the “adrenalin-fueled” adventure.  The only Shweeb transportation in existance resides in at an amusement park in New Zealand and it’s been a hit with tourists since its launch in 2007.  Google managed to stumble upon the Shweeb thanks to the big G’s Project 10 to the 100, an initiative “to change the world, in the hope of helping as many people as possible.”  The initiative received over over 150,000 applicants from 170 countries, and Shweeb landed in the top five after a public voting of the most promising ideas for the future.  It was named the #1 in the Drive innovation in public transport category.  So what does Shweeb plan on doing with the money?  “The northern hemisphere became the natural choicefor us due to the sheer number of people that require transport and also the opportunity to achieve a higher global profile for the future growth of the company,” says managing director Peter Cossey.  I just think Google wants a new attraction at their unconventional Googleplex HQ.

[Via Inhabitat]

Bryan Fuller is bringing back The Munsters!

News, Television, , , , ,

Bryan Fuller, the brilliant mind behind Pushing Daisies, is creating a “modern-day reboot” of the classic 1960s sitcom The Munsters.  According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, NBC has ordered a pilot and the reboot is being described as “Modern Family meets True Blood.”  And there’s this: Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pans Labyrinth) is rumored to have a behind-the-scenes role in the show.  Uhhh…count me in!  I wonder what The Munsters will look like in beautiful HD technicolor, don’t you?

[Via EW-AusielloFiles]

Childrens Hospital renewed for third season

News, Television, , , ,

Actress Malin Akerman hinted at it a while back and now it’s official.  Cartoon Network has ordered a third season of Rob Corddry’s web series-turned-TV show Childrens Hospital.  The hilarious ensemble cast, including Malin Akerman, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Ken Marino, Megan Mullally and Henry Winkler, are expected to return when the third season picks up sometime next year.  Childrens Hospital airs Sunday nights at midnight on Adult Swim.  The season 2 finale is slated to air this November.

[Via IGN; TVGuide]

Daft Punk infused Tron soundtrack drops November 22 [Update: delayed until December 7]

Movies, Music, News, , , , ,

The post title says it all, really.  On November 22, the Tron: Legacy motion picture soundtrack will release in physical and digital formats.  The physical in-store copy will come bundled with a Tron poster, so you’re going to want to opt for that one.  Nab the soundtrack in November and keep it POUNDING on repeat until the film’s debut on December 17.

Update: What the post title says.

[Via Gizmodo; TronSoundtrack]

No G.O.O.D. Friday this week? [Update: “Christian Dior Denim Flow” is here]

Audio, Download link, Music, News, , , , , , , , , , ,

Thanks to a gang of hackers and bloggers Kanye West has decided not to release a new G.O.O.D. Friday track this week.  On Wednesday an unfinished track off Ye’s upcoming album called “Lost in the World” leaked onto the Internet.  Shortly after it made waves ’round the ‘Net Kanye shared the news via his Twitter account.  “Due to blogs leaking unfinished songs from my actual album I’ve decided to pass of Good Fridays this week”, he tweeted.  “It’s messed up that one hacker can mess everything up for everyone… I love to take a year to finish my songs and deliver them … to you guys in there most completed form… It would have seemed like since I give free music every week even the lowest form of human being would respect that enough not to leak unfinished songs from my real album…”  I gotta side with Yeezy here.  He’s been gracious enough to spend extra hours in the studio to deliver weekly hits for us; the least we can do is not leak songs that haven’t be certified as completed.

But there may still be hope!  Late last night (10/1) Kanye tweeted, “For the real hip hop fans… even though I had to shift all my energy to mixing my album do to leaks. I’m trying to still deliver a new Good Friday song 2nt… Let’s pray!!!”  Friday has come and gone and there’s no new G.O.O.D. Friday song to be found.  Let’s keep on praying, huh?

Update: Around 4am Saturday morning Kanye posted single art for a new track called “Christian Dior Denim Flow”.  It features Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, and Ryan Leslie.  He tweeted, “Christian Dior Denim Flow GOOD FRIDAY… fuuuuck I need some sleep.”  So is this the  G.O.O.D. Friday song of the week?  It appears to be that way, but there’s no download link…yet.  Single art is pasted above.

Update 2: Kanye delivers! “Christian Dior Denim Flow” is here.  Preview and download below.

Download: Kanye West – “Christian Dior Denim Flow” (Featuring Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks & Ryan Leslie)

[audio: Kanye West – Christian Dior Denim Flow.mp3]

[Via @kanyewest; KWBlog]

Google URL shortener is your friend

News, Technology, ,

Bookmark http://goo.gl/. It’s going to come in handy, trust me.

I’m sure you’ve heard of TinyURL and Bit.ly–these are popular URL shortener websites.  You can copy and paste a long URL into them and they spit out a shorter URL for you to use.  They are especially helpful if you’re an avid user of Twitter, a social platform that restricts you to 140 characters per tweet.  Though it’s been available since last December living in the Google Toolbar, Google’s URL shortener is now available for the general public through its very own website appropriately named goo.gl.  “We don’t intend to overload goo.gl with features, but we do want it to be the stablest, most secure, and fastest URL shortener on the web,” says Google.  “With goo.gl, every time you shorten a URL, you know it will work, it will work fast, and it will keep working. You also know that when you click a goo.gl shortened URL, you’re protected against malware, phishing and spam using the same industry-leading technology we use in search and other products.”  And here’s the best part.  If you sign in with your Google Account, you can keep track of all the URLs you shorten; “public, real-time analytics data, complete with traffic over time, top referrers, and visitor profiles” are at your disposal to view.  Oh, and one more thing.. You can add .qr to the end of any shortened URL to transform the link into a QR code (which can be read by many smartphones and other devices).  How neat is that?

[Via GoogleSocialWebBlog; TechCrunch]

Star Wars franchise is going 3D in 2012

Movies, News, , ,

Early this week it was reported that George Lucas is very much interested in rereleasing all six Star Wars films in 3D.  For years Lucas publically denounced 3D technology in film.  According to various sources it was James Cameron’s Avatar that brough him over to the stereoscopic side.  Here’s the plan.  Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will undergo the 3D conversion process first, which takes at least one year to complete, with a planned release date in early 2012.  The remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years.  Why the long wait?  Purportedly Lucas has been waiting for the 3D front to explode, both in cinema and at home.  Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic special FX company will oversee the 3D conversion, and 20th Century Fox is backing the rereleases.

Though 3D converted films have been panned in the past (I’m thinking about you, Clash of the Titans), as compared to movies shot in 3D (like Avatar), the Lucas and the conversion house promise to deliver a worthy 3D experience come 2012.  “Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right,” says John Knoll, ILM visual effects supervisor.  “It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful.  It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results.  For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience.”  We shall see.  Are you an impacient Star Wars fanboy/girl?  Don’t forget that the franchise is coming to Blu-ray next year.  Or you can get yourself a Star Wars branded Droid R2-D2 smartphone.  Go nuts!

[Via THR; LATimes]