Category Archives: News

Analyst fondles new Apple tablet

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Today Barrons is reporting that one lucky analyst has actually seen and handled the hyped and rumored forthcoming Apple tablet device.  From the article…

One veteran analyst who has seen first-hand a prototype slate-style computer from Apple  says the device could be announced in September for release in November.

Whatever the exact dates, the computer industry is so anxious to see what Apple introduces that it has held off on competing designs until Apple CEO Steve Jobs gives the device his final blessing. “It’s close enough now to a final design that in Asia, there’s no other product in the waiting room or in the bullpen,” said the analyst. “There are dozens of ODMs [original device makers] making products for Lenovo and other PC makers that are all waiting to see what the Apple product is.”

The new device, which may retail for $699 to $799, could fulfill a variety of multimedia functions currently taken up by a gaggle of individual consumer electronics devices. It could be a home media center, somewhat like the current Apple TV, and it could be a gaming machine, opines Jon Peddie, head of Jon Peddie Research in Tiburon, Calif. “Gaming will be a big part of what this is about,” he adds.

The machine impresses with its display of hi-def video content, says the veteran analyst, who asked not to be identified. “It’s better than the average movie experience, when you hold this thing in your hands.”

…

A second source confirmed to me that news of the new device “is all over the supply chain in Asia.” The biggest question at this point, and the least understood by anyone outside Apple, is whether the company’s App Store will be the exclusive distribution point for software for this device.

As Steve Jobs says, it’s the software that defines these things.

So, what do we gather from this?  A September announcement, a November release, a $699-$799 price point, media center and gaming capabilities, and computer manufacturers have put production on hold until official specs and other information is released.  More rumors added to the spinning, gigantic rumor mill.  What do you have up your sleeve, Mr. Jobs?  September cannot come any sooner.

[Via 9to5Mac; Barrons]

Radio Shack to become “The Shack?”

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Today Engadget reported that all signs point to a Radio Shack re-branding on the horizon.  They recovered an image that came from an in-store terminal, and a tipster informed them “that in-store signs will reflect the change this week, and storefront signage will begin to be reworked as “The Shack” sometime later this year.”  Additional information was uncovered about this at the Radio Shack Wiki page: the switch will take place “in San Francisco and New York featuring ’14 foot tall laptops’ streaming the images from their webcams from one city to the other, live music in both locations, as well as television coverage of the event.”  Concrete evidence can be found at this new Radio Shack webpagethat sports the new name.  Hmm, Radio Shack to The Shack.  I guess it makes sense they are changing the name; radios are definitely not the hot tech item of the day anymore.  Still, I don’t know if I’d like to refer to a storefront as ‘The Shack;’ It just doesn’t sound right.

[Via Engadget]

Leica S2: A $26,000 DLSR

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This is one expensive camera.  Some specs include: 37.5 megapixels and 30 x 45 mm sensor built into a 35mm-sized body.  At $26,000, this camera sits at the top of the digital camera food chain.  That price only covers the body of the camera, mind you; a lens costs extra!  And believe it or not, this is the “low-end” version of the camera.  There will be another edition that includes a sapphire-glass LCD screen and “Platinum Service.”  These upgrades add another $5,100 to the total price.  What does a spare battery charger cost, you ask?  You guessed it, $425!  All you fervent digital camera aficionados, start salivating.  The Leica S2 releases this October.  Check out additional images of the S2 below.

[Via Gizmodo; Wired; DPReview]

Star Trek 2 & 3 already being formulated?

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At Comic Con, website io9 sat down with screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek, Transformers) and asked them about the future of the rejuvenated J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek film series.

Q: I know there was a meeting about Star Trek a little while a go, have there been any more additional meetings at all? Any little update you can give us about the next film?

A: Roberto Orci: “Nothing was decided [at the last meeting]. It was really about, hmmm. You know what, I’ll give you a tidbit. [They said to us] ‘We thought maybe you could do that as like 2 and 3.”

Hmm, this is interesting.  Something can be taken from this rather vague answer.  Will the sequel to the new Star Trek end on a major cliffhanger that will bleed into the third Trek film?  If so, will the third Trek be released soon after the sequel in order to keep the plot alive and relevant?  While Orci’s response raises only more questions and no concrete answers, it is more fuel being added to the fire that is the new Star Trek film series!  Abrams, Orci, Kurtzman, bring it on.

[Via io9; IGN]

DJ Hero, ‘Awesome’ Edition [Updated]

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Today Activision announced a special version of its new DJ Hero video game.  Dubbed DJ Hero Renegade Edition, the bundle will include a deluxe turntable peripheral with premium metal controls and finish, a hardshell carrying case that transforms into a stand, and 2 CDs that contain some unreleased Eminem and Jay-Z tracks.  With the standard edition of DJ Hero priced at $120, expect to pay a premium on this upgraded version of the turntable and included extras.  Check out the gallery of images below.  DJ Hero is due out in late October.

Update: DJ Hero Renegade Edition will cost $199.99.  This is an $80 premuium over the standard edtion.  Make your choice when it ships on October 27.

[Via Engadget; Joystiq]

Acer & ASUS call for netbook production freeze

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The chip that powers almost all netbooks today is called the Intel Atom N270 (1.6GHz).  And boy is it getting boooo-ring.  This chip is tired and used.  Consumers demand an upgrade!  A new, more powerful and efficient Atom chip is on the way say Intel, and its code-named “Pine-Trail M.”  It will be released in the first quarter of 2010.  Ever since netbooks became oh-so popular not too long ago, companies like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and creator of the original Eee PC Asustek have been pumping out new netbook devices like it’s their job (wait, it istheir job!).  Anyway, the market has quickly become saturated with way too many clone netbooks (both in exterior looks and interior parts; re: the Atom N270).  As of late, it has been confusing to distinguish different netbooks from each other, especially when their names are differentiated only by a single letter or number.  According to industry sources, in a surprise statement Acer and ASUS have called for a freeze on netbook production for 2009; they plan on launching new netbooks in early 2010 when the Intel Pine-Trail chips are ready for use.  In the meantime, the companies will instead focus on their thin-and-light (or ultra-thin) laptops that run on Intel’s CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) processors for the remainder of this year.  I am very much looking forward to future netbooks that contain Intel’s smaller batttery saving processor (Pine-Trail) and nVidia’s ION platform which allows for better graphics and 1080p HD support.

[Via Digitimes; Engadget]

Microsoft Store coming to a mall near you

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If you are not aware, Microsoft is planning to open its own retail stores, just like Apple has with their “Apple Store” nationwide.  Gizmodo recently picked up on leaked MS retail store plans that were included in what seems to be a legit powerpoint presentation by Lippicott, a “design and brand strategy” consultant firm.  From the looks of the images and details, a ‘Microsoft Store’ may give Apple a run for its money.  Back on July 15, this quote was picked up by Giz; Microsoft’s COO Kevin Turner: “And stay tuned, because we’re going to have some retail stores opened up that are opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall. Stay tuned, just stay tuned.”  Late last week, Giz found further information about MS’s plans about a retail chain.  “Essentially, Microsoft is taking the best elements from the Apple Store, Sony Style and other “flagship” stores. The main focuses are going to be Windows 7, Xbox, PCTV (Windows Media Center) Surface and Windows Mobile, revolving around this concept customer they call “Emily…”  One Frank Shaw left a comment on MS’s behalf, firmly stating that these plans are only concepts, and nothing more: “As a part of our process in briefing creative agencies, we shared some early prototypes and concepts of our retail store plans. No final decisions have been made. As we previously announced, we are on track to open retail stores this Fall.”  According to CNET, the first two locations of these stores will be in Scottsdale, Arizona and Mission Viejo, California.  Microsoft spokeswoman Kim Stocks: “Over a billion people use our products every day yet we don’t always have a way to directly connect with them.  We see the physical stores, as well as a consistent online experience, helping that.”  With the goal of “going global” MS will directly compete with Apple Retail stores in the near future.  There’s even a rumored “answers bar” in the works to go head-to-head with Apple’s Genius Bar.  Look after the break for Giz’s summary of the leaked powerpoint presentation and see the gallery below for the leaked in-store plans.

[Via Gizmodo here & here; CNET]

 

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Kid Cudi featured in DJ Hero

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You may have noticed the DJ Hero turntable peripheral in the Kid Cudi “Make Her Say” music video.  This promotional tie-in was no coincidence.  It has been made official that a remix of Kid Cudi’s “Day n’ Nite” will be featured in the upcoming video game this October.  His single will be mixed with the Black Eyed Peas hit “Boom Boom Pow.”  Check out the video above for a sneak peak.

[Via DatNewCudi]

Apple tablet rumors, and “Project Cocktail” (music-related)

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The Financial Times has joined the gang of rumors pointing to an Apple tablet device coming out in the near future.  The FT is adding credibility to these rumors with the following information: the screen size  “may be up to 10 inches diagonally;” it will run the iPhone OS; it will connect to the Interner via WiFi; it will have a book marketplace (think Amazon’s Kindle service).  Here are some direct quotes taken from the article: “[The] tablet-sized computer [will ship] in time for the Christmas shopping season, in what the entertainment industry hopes will be a new revolution.”  “[The] touch-sensitive device… will have a screen that may be up to ten inches diagonally,” and while it will “connect to the internet like the iPod touch, it’ll probably [do so] without phone capabilities.”  Apple is known is release updated iPods and Mac desktop/laptop revisions in September, after the back-to-school season.  This tablet device could very well slip into the launch window between this time and the holiday season.  According to the FT, Apple is apparently rushing to complete this device and have it on store shelves by Christmas.

In other Apple-related news, Apple has decided to join forces with major music label companies (namely EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group) to come up with a plan to make consumers want to buy entire albums rather than single tracks when shopping at the iTunes Music Store.  In order to stimulate consumers to go beyond the single track and dive into the entire album of a particular artist, Apple and said music labels will soon include “interactive booklets, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads.”  Up to this point, users have only received PDF files with their album downloads that includes only album liner notes.  According to an insider, “…it’s not just a bunch of PDFs; there’s real engagement with the ancillary stuff.”  Executives commented on this new initiative code-named “Project Cocktail:” Apple wants to make bigger purchases more compelling by creating a new type of interactive album material, including photos, lyric sheets and liner notes that allow users to click through to items that they find most interesting. Consumers would be able to play songs directly from the interactive book without clicking back into Apple’s iTunes software.  Would you be enticed to pay for entire albums instead of single tracks if these kinds of additions were tagged with your purchase of the album?  Both the Apple tablet device and Project Cocktail are rumored to be released side-by-side as soon as this September.  Let’s cross our fingers and hope these rumors come to fruition; sounds like really cool stuff is on the way.

[Via Mashable; Gizmodo; Engadget; mock-up by Edwin Tofslie]

Halo Legends and Halo Waypoint coming soon

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The Halo universe is about to be expaned in two major ways, first by way of Halo Legends.  Microsoft has teamed up with a bunch of renowned anime studios to create a collection of original short films that will bring the exciting story of Master Chief and the discovery of the mysterious Halo rings to life on the small screen.  The short anime-style films will be produced by Microsoft’s 343 Industries and creative direction will come from anime pioneer Shinji Aramaki.  Aramaki: “Halo and its characters are a very natural fit for anime.”  If you are at all interested in the back story of the world of Halo and its characters, this will be a must see.  All seven short films will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2010.  However, a preview of select episodes debut on Xbox Live this fall.

Also announced is Halo Waypoint, a one-stop destination for all things Halo on Xbox Live.  According to Microsoft, “It will inform fans of the latest Halo news and activities, and grant access to content ranging from podcasts, trailers and screenshots, to exclusive video footage you won’t find anywhere else. It also will provide a new challenge for Halo gamers with a career system and player rankings tied to both in-game and out-of-game accomplishments related to Halo.”  Look out for this new portal on Xbox Live this fall.  Halo fans, rejoice!

[Via IGN; Animation Magazine; Examiner; Xbox.com]

COMIC CON 2009: Wrap-Up

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Comic Con 2009 in San Diego has come and gone very quickly.  Although much went on at the show over the four day span, I will summarize the panels I saw and the time I spent on the convention show floor.

The first movie panel I saw was Disney: 3D Panel.  At the panel three upcoming Disney movies were shown off: “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Tron: Legacy.”  In sum, each movie is being made to be seen enhanced in 3D, and this will provide for stunning visuals and a great experience at the theatre.  All three films will likely become very popular over the next few months as the hype for them beings to gain momentum post-Comic Con.  Personally, I am most looking forward to “Alice in Wonderland.”  I am a big fan on Tim Burton, and collaboration between him and Johnny Depp often leads to great filmmaking and exciting adventures.  The first official trailer (exclusive to Comic Con) looks amazing; the colors are vibrant, the soundtrack is perfect, and the acting looks to be supurb.  Disney has some great movies up their sleeves; I look forward with much anticipation to the upcoming 3D releases of these movies.

The second movie panel I attended was Sony Pictures Animation’s “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.”  Directors Chirs Miller and Phil Lord are young, hip guys who had tons of fun making this classic children’s book story come to life on the big screen.  With voices coming from the hilarious Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Anna Farris, “Cloudy” looks like a very fun film for young and old alike.  The animation has a cartoonish visual style to it with a mix of realism.  This imaginative tale of raining hamburgers and pancakes is something I am very much looking forward to seeing soon.

I attended one web series panel and one celebration of a past web series.  I sat on The GuildPanel which featured creator Felicia Day.  Season 3 of “The Guild” looks to be as funny, if not funnier, than the previous two seasons.  Felicia is leading the way in the evolution of how people watch original programming.  As TV shows make the move from the TV to the computer, things start to get tricky concerning money transactions and commercials.  Felicia keeps things simple by being sponsored by companies (Microsoft and Sprint), which allows her to reach different audiences on various mediums (Xbox Live, the Internet (MSN, YouTube) and share her creations for free.  “The Guild” is a very well written and hilarious web series, and I look forward to watching Season 3 and where “The Guild” will go from there in the future.

During late night at Comic Con, I sat in a room filled with tons of “Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog” fans and watched the entire screening of all three Acts and the DVD special, “Commentary! The Musical.”  “Dr. Horrible” is a web series created by the brilliant Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Dollhouse”).  It gained much fanfare when it was originally released on its website, available free to stream online.  The talented cast includes Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, and “The Guild’s” Felicia Day.  It is very, very well written and laugh out loud hilarious.  Watching the three Acts with many fans joining me in singing the songs and speaking the dialogue verbatim was very special.  Joss Whedon, and other “Dr. Horrible” contributors, revealed that they hold this series very close to their hearts and that they would be remiss not to continue it with a sequel sometime soon.

Then began the numerous TV panels.  I attended two new TV show panels and and five other show panels.  First up was “FlashForward.”  I cannot reiterate this enough: FlashForward is going to be the next big network TV show.  It pulls off all the stops: a great plot-line, a talented main cast, renowned writers and producers, and a well-developed hype train with tons of followers already.  With Lost off the air (gasp!) after this season, ABC found its next “shrowded-in-mystery” show with FlashForward.  Next was the new Fox show called “Glee.”  Glee is a very special show in that it is very difficult to compare it to anything else on air.  It incorporate various methods of storytelling including music and dance, involves many genres like drama and comedy, and it moves at an unconventional pace.  If something is expected to happen plot-wise, it is going to happen much sooner rather than later; this keeps things exciting and allows for new ideas and plotlines to form on a weekly basis.  After having watched the preview and premiere (Comic Con exclusive) episodes of Glee, I can assure you that this is a show you do not want to miss.  You have your CSIs, your reality shows…and now you will have Glee–a show that may very well invent its own type of genre and change the way stories are told.

I also attended TV panels for 24, The Big Bang Theory, Dollhouse, Lost, and Fringe.  24 Season 8 looks great.  Jack Bauer is back and there is a new threat, this time sprouting from the idea of possible world peace.  The second season of The Big Bang Theory will find Leonard, Sheldon, and crew funnier than ever and placed in more awkward situations that will lead to new directions  in the overall plot and relationships between the characters.  Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse Season 2 will likely land Dollhouse much better ratings this time around as Joss has now had the time to introduce the main story arc.  Layers of the dollhouse will be revealed and images of a post-apocalyptic future will change the direction of the show (but will keep the original storyline intact).  Lost begins its final season this winter and the show’s producers and cast members are excited for the big reveals ahead.  Everything will come full circle as Season 6 will harken back to concepts originally portrayed in Season 1, and we will see old characters revisit us in some form or other.  And then there is Fringe.  Fringe Season 2 will continue where Season 1 left off.  We will learn more secrets about the world of the alternate universe, and some characters will come to learn the truths about themselves as an oncoming war starts to brew.

On the convention show floor I visited many booths.  Some of them include video game booths like Microsoft, Sony, and EA; TV networks like G4, Fox, and WB; collectibles and figurines.  What I found most interesting on the show floor was the enormous showing of all the aforementioned booths and the lack of stations for what the convention was named after: comics!  There was a section towards the front of the show floor that contained many comic book booths and stations set up.  Also, many of the booths throughout the entire floor were showing off things inspired from comic books.  When you look at the big picture, though, what you come to find is that Comic Con has been taken over by TV networks, film studios, and other things that simply are not comics.  Granted, many of the movies and TV shows on the show floor and panels relate to sci-fi and other comic book-type genres.  No matter how you look at it, Comic Con has changed greatly from its original form.  For some, this change has had a negative effect on them.  They go to Comic Con for the comics and comic book-related material from DC, Marvel, and more.  For others (like me, in particular), I am highly enjoying the growth of Comic Con from a comics-only convention to a much larger venue that brings together fans of all mediums of entertainment that go beyond the comic book that include television, movies, and video games.  Comic Con has become a celebration of art in entertainment, and I am proud to be apart of it.