Category Archives: News

Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe to depart ‘Parks And Rec’ this season

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This is literally the worst news for fans of NBC’s sitcom Parks And Rec: Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe are leaving the series this upcoming season. According to the show’s executive producer Mike Schur, their exit stems from no controversy; this is purely a creative decision to let them go. He released this statement to BuzzFeed explaining the situation head-on:

The news about Rob and Rashida is true — they will be leaving the show after the 13th episode of the upcoming season six. We’ve been working on their storyline (on and off) for four seasons now, and heading into this year, with the two of them contemplating parenthood, it felt like a natural time to move them into the next phase. 

We absolutely love both Rashida and Rob, and will be sad to see them go. Rashida was one of the very first people we knew we wanted in the cast, and as important as Ann is to Leslie (and vice-versa), she’ll certainly never be far from Pawnee. Rob we initially thought we could only have for six or eight episodes, and we couldn’t be happier that he will have stuck around for 75. 

They are wonderful, funny, committed actors, they’ve been a huge part of the Parks and Rec family, and we think we have a great Pawnee send-off in the works for them.

Schur shared additional details with EW: “The decision that they make that will see them transition off the show is made very early, so it’s a long fun kind of celebratory send-off. And it happens in the first episode after the premiere — the seeds start being planted. So it’s going to be a long crescendo and Leslie will go through a series of complicated highs and lows about what’s happening. For obvious reasons, it’s the main arc that plays out in the first half of the year…. They’re moving into a new phase of their lives and they have a lot of things to consider and they’re going to consider them, and then make a decision that leads to their [exit].”

So there you have it. The absolutely positive and lovable Chris Traeger and Leslie’s most ardent supporter and best friend Ann Perkins are departing Pawnee at the half-way point in season 5. The show with one of the greatest ensemble casts will carry on without them, of course, but that doesn’t mean they will be greatly missed. Try to imagine the scene where Leslie has to say goodbye to Ann, a character who’s been with the show since the shaky beginning; a tear-jerker is most definitely in the works.

Screenwriters sign on for James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ sequels

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If you have been anticipating the Avatar sequels made official in October 2010, boy do I have some good news for you. On August 1, director James Cameron in collaboration with 20th Century Fox announced that not two but three sequels are in the works and four writers have already been selected to get the process going. Cameron handpicked screenwriters Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planets of the Apes), Shane Salerno (Savages, Salinger), and Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) to collaborate with him on the screenplays for the three upcoming Avatar films. Much like Peter Jackson did with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Cameron plans to shoot all three sequels simultaneously beginning next year. Avatar 2 will release in December 2016, Avatar 3 in December 2017, and Avatar 4 a year after that. They will be produced by Cameron and Jon Landau through their Lightstorm Entertainment banner. Again, WETA Digital will contribute top-class special effects.

Cameron commented on the exciting news. “Building upon the world we created with AVATAR has been a rare and incredibly rewarding experience. In writing the new films, I’ve come to realize that AVATAR’s world, story and characters have become even richer than I anticipated, and it became apparent that two films would not be enough to capture everything I wanted to put on screen. And to help me continue to expand this universe, I’m pleased to bring aboard Amanda, Rick, Shane and Josh — all writers I’ve long admired -­ to join me in completing the films screenplays.”

Plot details remain under wraps, but all signs point to at least one of the many sequels taking place underwater as Cameron likely captured some breathtaking shots when he travelled to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench.

[Via Deadline]

Meet Moto X, the smartphone designed by you and assembled in the USA

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On top of the three new Droids detailed last week, Motorola–a Google company!–dropped another new smartphone into consumers’ laps. While the 2013 Droids are Verizon Wireless exclusives, the newly announced Moto X is coming to all major U.S. carriers. What also sets the Moto X apart from its cousins is that it’s highly customizable in the looks department. Motorola is developing a website called Moto Maker that will allow customers to personalize their handsets before ordering them. Specifically, prospective buyers will be able to select from a wide range of colors to paint the back plate and accents of the phone; Moto claims over 2,000 combinations are possible. The front plate, meanwhile, can be made black or white. Additionally you can add a signature to the back of the device. Internally, you can customize the memory (16GB or 32GB) and even set a personal wake-up message and wallpaper before it ships to your door. Before checkout, you can also choose a case, matching headphones by Sol Republic, and a wall charger featuring two USB ports to boot.

Sadly, yes, there is one catch. All of this exciting customization (as well as the option to upgrade memory to 32GB) through Moto Maker is exclusive to AT&T customers. Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular customers will have to choose from a stock black or white handset. Lame! Since Moto X’s specs and Android functionalities are so similar to that of the 2013 Droids’, the Moto Maker personalization is this device’s major selling point. The fact that it won’t be available to all carriers is downright disappointing.

The Moto X sports a 4.7 inch AMOLED 720p (316 ppi) display and is powered by Android 4.2.2 running on Motorola’s X8 mobile computing system. There’s a 10MP shooter on the rear and a 2MP front-facing one and they both support 1080p video capture. A 2200mAh battery promises “mixed usage” up to 24 hours. The most fascinating bit about the Moto X’s design is that it’s the first smartphone to be wholly manufactured in the United States. After you customize your phone through Moto Maker, it will be shipped to you within four days direct from an assembly line in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Software-wise, the latest version of Android Jelly Bean brings the following to Moto X: Touchless Control (say “Ok Google Now…” to wake up the device and perform a function), Active Display (the device will intermittently reveal important information (i.e. the time, new notifications) without you having to press to the wake up button), and Quick Capture (with two twists of your wrist you can access the camera to shoot stills or video).

Moto X is coming to the US, Canada, and Latin America in late August/early September at $199. AT&T subscribers can upgrade to a 32GB model for an extra $50. Click after the break to watch the Moto Maker experience and see the Moto X in action. Continue reading Meet Moto X, the smartphone designed by you and assembled in the USA →

Netflix introduces personal profiles for all subscribers

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It’s been a long time coming and now the Netflix feature you’ve been waiting for (whether you realized it or not) is finally here: personal profiles.

So you’re a Netflix subscriber and you share your account with family and friends. Say you’re into action films like Thor and your little brother is high on animated comedies like Phineas and Ferb. Netflix will recommend both action movies and animated series aimed at children to you. Sure, it’s not the end of the world, but wouldn’t it be better and more efficient if the streaming service was able to compartmentalize the shows you watch and are into versus the other type of programming your younger sibling might be addicted to?

Now, Netflix subscribers can create his or her own profile (no extra fees required) to enable “a uniquely personalized experience based upon their individual watching habits, their personal favorite shows, and favorite genres, all driven by Netflix recommendation technology.” Up to five profiles can be created per account. When you log into your Netflix account, you can select which profile you’d like to jump into and you’ll be presented with recommendations based solely on the content you watch. Brilliant! Netflix posits that you can also set up profiles headlining various genres like “Date night” or “Hanging with the bros.” You even have the option to personalize your profile further with a fun profile picture; and if you choose to link your Facebook account to your Netflix profile your picture will automatically show up as your Facebook profile picture.

Netflix started rolling out this new feature on August 1 and the company says profiles will be accessible globally for all subscribers by August 15. New members will be notified about creating profiles during the sign up process; existing members can add profiles on Netflix.com and on the PS3 Netflix app. According to the company, “profiles can be accessed on most devices that support Netflix, including the Netflix website, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV and other iOS devices, and most smart TVs. Additional devices will be added over the coming months.” So if you don’t see it yet on your device, patience.

After the break, a video demonstration. Continue reading Netflix introduces personal profiles for all subscribers →

Google’s Chromecast makes streaming affordable, portable (also, Nexus 7 tablet refresh)

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On Wednesday Google made a couple product announcements and what we’re doing now, we’re diving right in.

First up is Chromecast, a new way to wirelessly stream content from your personal devices to your big screen TV. The hardware itself resembles a small USB stick, except inside of plugging into a USB port it goes into an HDMI port located on your HDTV. After being plugged in, Chromecast requires two things to function: it needs power (using included cables you can either plug it into a standard wall socket or a USB port on your TV) and WiFi. Land on the correct TV input and blam, you’re connected and ready to go.

Chromecast doesn’t actually boast a user interface. Everything is streamed and controlled by your personal device. For example, if you want to stream an episode of Arrested Development from Netflix, you’d open the Netflix app on your computer, smartphone, or tablet and click the “cast” button to wirelessly stream the video content to your TV. Once the content is projected to the TV, the device you’re streaming it from becomes the remote control allowing you to play, pause, and scrub through whatever you’re watching.

In addition to Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, and Chrome are currently compatible with Chromecast. In addition to streaming video and music with those apps, the inclusion of Chrome allows you to stream Tabs so you can browse the Internet on your TV. Google is letting developers get their hands on a Google Cast SDK preview so that more apps can become compatible with Chromecast. In the pipeline already is a new version of Pandora that will work with Chromecast with more promised on the way. And Chromecast works across a variety of devices; in addition to Android phones and tablets it also functions with Apple products like the iPhone and iPad, as well as Macs and PCs.

So why buy Chromecast, especially if you already own an Apple TV or Roku or the like? I can think of two reasons right off the bat: one, it costs $35. Yeah, that’s it. You’ll want to own this thing just because you can. And then there’s ease of portability. Sure, you can unplug your Roku and bring it around the house, TV to TV, whenever you like. But can’t you imagine how simpler it’d be to transport something as small as a USB stick to get the job done? The only issue here, of course, is that Chromecast doesn’t support Hulu and Amazon Instant Video and all the other video streaming services out there. Yet. But once it does, Chromecast has the potential to shake things up in the entertainment space. For now, though, see it as an extremely portable and affordable way to bring Netflix, YouTube, and other Google services with you provided an HDMI slot is available to play.

Chromecast is sold at Google Play, Amazon, and BestBuy.com.

Hop after the break to learn about Google’s other product announcement, if you dare. Continue reading Google’s Chromecast makes streaming affordable, portable (also, Nexus 7 tablet refresh) →

Verizon intros three new Droids into the fold

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Meet the Droid Mini, Droid Ultra, and Droid Maxx.

The Mini, as its name makes obvious, is the smallest of the bunch sporting an edge-to-edge 4.3-inch TFT display with an HD resolution of 1280 x 720. Inside there’s a Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System (that is a 1.7GHz dual-core processor with a 400MHz quad-core GPU, natural language processor, and contextual computing processor), 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, a 10-megapixel camera with 1080p video capture, and a 2000mAh Li–Ion battery for up to 28 hours of usage or up to 14 days of standby time.

Verizon is calling the Ultra “thinnest 4G LTE smartphone available” measuring 7.18mm thin. It rocks a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with an HD rez of 1280 x 720. It packs a Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System inside (that is a 1.7GHz dual-core processor with a 400MHz quad-core GPU, natural language processor, and contextual computing processor). 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard memory is standard here, too, as is a 10MP shooter with HD video capture and the 2130mAh battery (up to 28 hours usage or up to 13 days standby time).

And then there’s the Maxx. Its specs are nearly identical to the Ultra’s expect for its heftier size thanks to an extremely large battery. The non-removable 3500mAh battery promises up to 48 hours of usage (that’s two days!) or 25 days standby. Also, the Maxx has double the internal memory at 32GB. The Maxx also touts built-in wireless charging compatible with a charging pad sold separately.

All the new Droids are made with DuPont Kevlar fiber unibody design and Corning Gorilla Glass. The 4G LTE enabled phones run the latest version of Android, that is 4.2 Jelly Bean, featuring new software enhancements including Droid Command Center (an exclusive homescreen widget for users to easily access notifications for text messages, missed calls, battery level and weather), Droid Zap (a new way to share pictures with nearby Droid users), hands-free voice activation (Droid users can wake up their phones by saying “OK Google Now” and telling it what to do next), and Wireless Display (users can mirror what’s on the screen onto a Miracast-enabled HDTV).

The three Droids by Motorola are up for preorder today. After signing a two-year contract with Verizon Wireless, the Droid Mini can be yours for $99.99, available August 29. The Droid Ultra (made in black and red) and Droid Maxx both go on sale August 20 at $199.99 and $299.99, respectively. Pix in the gallery below. PR after the break.

Continue reading Verizon intros three new Droids into the fold →

Apple reports 2013 Q3 earnings: $6.9b profit on $35.3b revenue

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On July 23 Apple reported its third quarter financial results. Apple posted a $6.9 billion profit on $35.3 billion in revenue. Compare this to one year ago, that’s down from a profit of $8.8 billion and slightly up on $38 billion in revenue. Says CEO Tim Cook: “We are especially proud of our record June quarter iPhone sales of over 31 million and the strong growth in revenue from iTunes, Software and Services. We are really excited about the upcoming releases of iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks, and we are laser-focused and working hard on some amazing new products that we will introduce in the fall and across 2014.”

Now let’s break it down by product category. Apple sold 31.2 million iPhones in the quarter (compared to 26 million in the year-ago quarter); 14.6 million iPads (compared to 17 million); 3.8 million Macs (compared to 4 million); and iPod sales dropped 32 percent year-over-year.

Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2013, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer expects revenue between $34 billion and $37 billion.

[Via Apple]

Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ sets the tone in 4 minute season 4 trailer

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The Walking Dead premiered a four-and-a-half minute trailer for its coming fourth season. Did you get that? Sitting right there above these words is a video that contains over four minutes of brand spankin’ new footage. Go on, mash play! I’ll be here when you’re finished.

Freakin’ awesome, huh? With more hands to help fresh off the bus from Woodbury, the prison is as fortified as ever and yet the zombies break in still. Looks like we have a mole, somebody who doesn’t want our heroes to survive. “We might be safer outside those walls,” says a suspicious Hershel. What’s really great about this extended trailer is that it manages to set the tone of the new season without spoiling the goods. So if that’s what you’re worried about, don’t be; this is a safe watch that successfully hypes what’s to come in terms of mood, not so much plot. I’m getting a watch-your-back, paranoia-type vibe here; what about you?

Now what was learned at the panel? First, The Walking Dead returns to AMC on Sunday, October 13 at 9PM followed by Talking Dead with host Chris Hardwick. Just like last season, this one will be split in two; eight episodes will air in the fall and after a hiatus AMC will air another eight starting in February 2014–16 eps in all.

Andrew Lincoln shared a change in his character that fans will notice in season 4. “The relationship with Carl is integral to the beginning of this season,” he said. “Carl turning into a sociopath at the end of last season definitely woke [Rick] up.” Rick will no longer serve as the leader of the group and we’ll find him “in a completely new place; he’s renounced a lot of his responsibilities for the sake of his children.”

And what of The Governor, who mysteriously does not appear in the trailer. “At the end of last season, he was in a very dark place—but he feels like they betrayed them and that’s just not going to go down with the Governor,” his portrayer David Morrissey said. “There was a switch in him, and now we see him dealing with what that switch is; what is it that makes that switch go down?”

Check out the Comic Con exclusive Walking Dead poster featuring Rick, Daryl, Tyrese, and Michonne after the jump. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ sets the tone in 4 minute season 4 trailer →

Comic Con: Showrunner Eric Kripke opens up about a “better” ‘Revolution’ in season 2

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Are you a fan of spoilers? Well you found yourself in the right place if you took a seat at this year’s Revolution panel at Comic Con. Unlike most showrunners at the Con, Revolution‘s Eric Kripke did not hold back when it came to promoting season 2 of the NBC post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama. The panel started with this three minute preview of the new season which includes a boatload of new footage including a first-look at Stephen Collins (No Ordinary Family) as Rachel’s dad, Monroe’s fight club, Neville’s bad-ass beard, and–YIKES!–the death of Aaron Pittman?!

Kripke expanded on some of the screened footage. First of all, our heroes failed to stop the detonation of the nukes; Philly and Atlanta have been decimated. “We’re trying to be the first network show in history that loses two American cities in the first 15 seconds [of a season],” Kripke said. “We’re back to a very intense set of basics, [a world] that’s even more dangerous than in season one.” Furthermore, when Revolution returns the lights will be off again (apparently the consequence of flipping the switch only lasts so long) and a new foe will emerge. The “Patriots” that Randall was referring to before he shot himself in the finale and the “President” who is hiding out in Cuba–these are not good guys according to Kripke. “The idea was to create a villain this year that’s so bad and so insidious and whose tentacles go so far, that even our heroes and our villains ultimately have to band together to fight this threat. They’re using the iconography of stars and stripes and patroism, but they’re using it as a mask. If you were to look behind closed doors…you’ll see that they are really, really bad dudes up to some nefarious stuff.”

So Miles and Monroe and Neville and the rest of our main cast of heroes and villains will team up to fight the Patriots. And no longer will the series be about claiming power and the pendants and the tower; driving the story now will be digging into the characters more and unfolding the mystery behind the Patriots and their endgame.

“It’s always been a show about family and hope and love, and now they can all move towards each other and not just make it so obsessed about the power. I think you’ll see much more intimate digging into character,” said Kripke. “Let’s stop talking about the power and lets start talking about the world.” Later he summed up, “As good as [the show] was, it needs to be better…It was a lot of story about a light switch,” he admitted to some laughs. “I think we have, no question, a better Season 2 than Season 1.”

Comic Con: Beloved Disney characters join ‘Once Upon A Time’ this season

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A princess, a pirate, a wizard, a queen, a knight, and a savior join forces in search of Neverland. That’s what this season 3 teaser masked as a season 2 recapper hypes as near the fall return of ABC’s Once Upon A Time.

The Once team did a good job at not revealing much, but they did say Neverland will play a big part in season 3. And who will we meet there? Well, Peter Pan of course. “Peter Pan has a complicated motivation,” said series co-showrunner Adam Horowitz. “It’s a little different than you’ve seen before.” Added showrunner Eddy Kitsis, “He might be frightening. To some people.” Also on the horizon is the formal introduction of Tinker Bell who has “a surprising connection” to somebody we already know and Ariel aka The Little Mermaid.

After the break you can watch two clips that were screened first at Comic Con. The first teases The Little Mermaids arrival, and the second is an extended look at a funny bit made for the season 2 DVD called “Good Morning Storybrooke” featuring some of the cast.

Elsewhere, it was announced that another Lost alum will be joining the Once family. Naveen Andrews (who played castaway Sayid Jarrah) will embody the villainous Jafar in the Once spinoff Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. Andrews will appear in the first episode as the season’s “very, very, very evil villain” and Kitsis promises his portrayal of the Aladdin character will be “very frightening.” Continue reading Comic Con: Beloved Disney characters join ‘Once Upon A Time’ this season →

Comic Con: ‘Person of Interest’ hits close to home with Machine/Prism comparisons

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This year’s Person of Interest panel at Comic Con wasn’t as revealing as the last one, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t just as fun. The panel kicked off with a video that proves how on the nose this crime procedural/serial hybrid truly is. The Machine from POI is juxtaposed with the real-life government surveillance system known as Prism. It’s actually scary how close to home this series hits. In addition to Prism comparisons, the clip contains a couple never-before-scenes; one featuring a young Finch (so that is his real name?) speaking with his father played by Bruce Greenwood and the other starring Root in the mental institution where we left her.

Speaking of Root, her portrayer Amy Acker is sticking around for season 3 as she’s been promoted to series regular along with Sarah Shahi who plays Agent Shaw.

After watching the video, jump after the break to view a new POI poster made exclusively for the Con. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘Person of Interest’ hits close to home with Machine/Prism comparisons →

Comic Con: Upcoming seasons of ‘Family Guy’ & ‘American Dad’ previewed at the Con

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It’s full steam ahead for FOX’s Family Guy which returns this fall for its 12th season. Here’s a five minute preview of the upcoming season.

At Family Guy‘s Comic Con panel it was revealed that one member of the Griffin family will be killed off and replaced with a new character this season. “It could be anyone, any one of our six main cast,” said showrunner Steve Callaghan. I was sitting in the Ballroom 20 crowd and like everyone else around me I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not but in retrospect I don’t think he was. What else? Season 12 guest stars include Adam Levine, Bryan Cranston, Tony Sirico, Jeff Daniels, Liam Neeson, Conan O’Brien, and Ashton Kutcher. As The Cleveland Show is MIA this season, Cleveland is moving back to Spooner Street and he’s bringing his new family with him! The Family Guy / Simpsons crossover episode will likely be a one-hour event and may feature a five-minute chicken fight between Peter and Homer, but don’t expect it to air until season 13. And yes, a Family Guy movie is in the works but a timeline has yet to be discussed.

After the break watch a nearly six minute preview of the 10th season of Seth MacFarlane’s other animated comedy American Dad. This marks the final season on FOX as AD will continue to air new episodes on TBS when season 11 premieres in fall 2014. “It’s going to be the same American Dad, just in a different place,” promised co-creator Mike Barker. What else? Upcoming guest stars include Zooey Deschanel, Alison Brie, Ellie Kemper, Stanley Tucci, Mae Whitman, Mariah Carey, T.J. Miller, and Olivia Wilde. There’s also an American Dad movie idea where fans will finally travel to Roger’s home planet. Continue reading Comic Con: Upcoming seasons of ‘Family Guy’ & ‘American Dad’ previewed at the Con →