You’re gonna be hearing them on the radio before you know it, so you might as well get to know Karmin ahead of time. You should already know who they are; vocalist Amy and keyboardist Nick–collectively Karmin–are the ones who made it big through YouTube by posting infectious cover tracks including a selection from Chris Brown’s catalog. After going viral they signed with Epic Records and in October they released their first single off their debut album. “Crash Your Party” is on its way to one million hits. Next week, they will be performing on SNL and to prepare for it they’ve release another new single to get the people buzzing. It’s called “Brokenhearted” and it sounds like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj had a baby…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Regardless of how you might think something like this will resonate with you, take a listen above and prepare for Karmin to dominate the radio waves in the coming months. Their debut album is set to release later this year.
Category Archives: News
Singles: WZRD – “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” & “Brake”
As promised, Kid Cudi and Dot Da Genius released final versions of “Teleport 2 Me” and “Brake” on iTunes on Cudi’s birthday January 30. In it’s final, full release, “Teleport 2 Me” has been renamed to include Cudder’s girlfriend’s name Jamie and “Brake” remains pretty much unaltered. Here are handy links that’ll direct you to iTunes: “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie (Featuring Desire)” / “Brake” (The songs will go international (UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand) on February 13.)
After the break you’ll find larger, individual album art squares that correspond to each song. According to Mr. Mescudi, the collabo album WZRD drops February 28. And don’t forget “Dose of Dopeness” is on its way.
[Via DatNewCudi] Continue reading Singles: WZRD — “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” & “Brake”
‘The Office’ spin-off starring Dwight Schrute in the works at NBC?
Yes, a spin-off series to The Office is in development at NBC. According to Deadline, Office showrunner Paul Lieberstein (who also executive produces and plays Toby) and star Rainn Wilson are imagining a new show with Dwight Schrute at the center of it. The spin-off would take place at Dwight’s beet farm, which also serves as a bed & breakfast. “Paul and Rainn have been joking for years about Dwight’s life on the farm, his family and how ill-suited he is to run a B&B,” spills a source to Deadline. “A while ago, it started to feel like a show to them. NBC agreed, it’s been further developed to include multiple generations, many cousins and neighbors. At its base it will be about a family farm struggling to survive and a family trying to stay together.” If this all comes together, Lieberstein and Wilson will executive produce along with Office producers Ben Silverman and Howard Klein; Office creator Ricky Gervais and developer Greg Daniels will not be involved with the project.
Once NBC gives the green light, viewers will soon become aware of Dwight’s departure from the Dunder Mifflin Sabre office. Per Deadline an episode will air later this season set at Schrute Farms that will introduce the spin-off. Dwight will be featured in season nine (if The Office is renewed for another season, of course), and he will make his grand exit just in time for a 2013 midseason spin-off premiere. Wilson recently told critics that “We’re talking about a Dwight spinoff that could be really cool.” He added, “It would have a crazy menagerie of characters. It would be even more far out and weird than The Office.” Mose better be one of those characters.
The Office has been admittedly lackluster since Steve Carrel left the show last year. With a major character such as Dwight potentially leaving next year, does this spell the beginning of the end for the long-running series? Office fans, sound off in the comments below.
According to Google, “one hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second”
Did you read the mind-boggling factoid? One hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second. Or, 60 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. No matter how you spell it out, this really is remarkable stuff. Furthermore, this amount of uploaded content is an increase of more than 30 percent in the last eight months! In other fascinating news, the video sharing service has exceeded four billion video views globally every day–up 25 percent in the last eight months and “the equivalent of more than half the world’s population watching a video every day.”
Are you finding it hard to wrap your head around all this? YouTube has put together a neat visualization at www.onehourpersecond.com that helps interpret the facts. Preview it in the video embedded above, and consciously know that you are contributing to the site’s daily viewership that now exceeds four billion!
[Via YouTube]
Apple reports 2012 Q1 earnings: $13.06b profit, $46.33b revenue, Macs up 26%, iPhones up 128%, iPads up 111%, iPods down 21%
Apple’s 2012 first quarter financial results are in and it’s reporting record breaking numbers here including highest quarterly revenue and earnings ever and all-time record sales for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Apple posted a $13.06 billion profit on $46.33 billion in revenue. Compare this to one year ago, that’s up from a profit of $6 billion on $26.74 billion in revenue. Says CEO Tim Cook: “We’re thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs. Apple’s momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline.”
Now let’s break it down by product category. Apple sold 5.2 million Macs during the quarter (representing a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter); an impressive 37.04 million iPhones (representing a 128 percent unit growth); 15.43 million iPads (representing a 111 percent unit growth); and 15.4 million iPods (representing an 21 percent unit decline).
Other interesting facts to come out of the earnings call… Apple sold 1.4 million units of Apple TV, its designated “hobby” in the TV space; the company’s latest effort to revolutionize the education market has started off strong seeing over 600,000 downloads of iBooks Author from the Mac App Store; there are currently over 85 million people using Apple’s iCloud services; and CEO Tim Cook admitted this: “There is cannibalization of the Mac by the iPad, but we think there’s more cannibalization of Windows PCs by the iPad – we love that trend.” Oh snap, indeed.
Looking ahead to the second quarter, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer expects revenue of about $32.5 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $8.50.
Nintendo reveals plans for Wii U, 3DS online communities & downloadable content with Nintendo Network
On Friday Nintendo president Satoru Iwata presented his company’s lackluster third quarter financial results but also managed to lift spirits by dropping some interesting hints about the Wii’s successor, the Wii U. Over the years Microsoft and Sony have been generating a community of online video game players with Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, respectively, while Nintendo really dropped the ball and failed to ever capitalize on online gaming. This is about to change with the introduction of “Nintendo Network,” a network platform which will cover both Wii U and 3DS gamers. The Nintendo Network will allow for “competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content.” The company is also toying with “the future possibility of digital distribution of packaged software.” Wii U users will be able to setup personal accounts under the Nintendo Network, so that multiple household members will be able to login and use the console under their own usernames. Over time the 3DS will be the first hardware to see the upgrades that the Nintendo Network promises to offer; it is likely that the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection brand will fade away but this has not been confirmed yet. Mario Kart 7 is the first 3DS title to take advantage of the Nintendo Network, generating “Community” matches between online players. The upcoming title Theatrythm Final Fantasy will be the first to sell downloadable add-on content.
Additionally, Iwata revealed that the Wii U’s tablet-like controller will pack NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality. “By installing this functionality, it will become possible to create cards and figurines that can electronically read and write data via noncontact NFC and to expand the new play format in the video game world,” says Iwata. “Adoption of this functionality will enable various other possibilities such as using it as a means of making micropayments.” Intriguing, to say the least.
Nintendo plans to showcase the final Wii U hardware at this year’s E3 in June. It is also expected that they will expand upon the aforementioned Nintendo Network service. The new home console will release “between the E3 show and the end of this calendar year.” Holiday 2012 wouldn’t be a surprise. And as for the launch of Nintendo Network? “This concept was built into the design of the Nintendo 3DS, and we already have the necessary infrastructure,” reveals Iwata. “We will prepare the same infrastructure for the Wii U. However, we have not decided the concrete timing of when we will start it.”
[Via Nintendo]
Sony details new PS Vita launch day bundle
As we get closer and closer to the launch of the PS Vita, Sony is making it harder to resist the temptation to purchase the powerful mobile gaming platform. On Friday the company added a new bundle to the mix. At $299 the “special launch day” bundle will get you the PS Vita (3G + WiFi) hardware, an 8GB memory card, an AT&T DataConnect Session Pass that’s good for 250MB of data, and a free PlayStation Network game. Sony is also adding to the previously announced “first edition bundle.” In addition to the the PS Vita (3G + WiFi) hardware, a 4GB memory card, a copy of the Little Deviants game, and a limited edition case, early adopters will also receive an AT&T DataConnect Session Pass (250MB) and a free PSN game upon activating 3G on the device. This bundle will run you $349 and is now available for preorder. Order it today and receive the Vita a week before its official US release that is February 22. As for the newly announced “special launch day” bundle? That’ll release on the 22nd and will remain on shelves for a limited time “in the few days that follow.”
[Via PlayStationBlog]
Motorola’s Droid RAZR MAXX is out now on Verizon for $299.99
Earlier this month at CES Motorola announced the successor to the RAZR-thin Droid dubbed the RAZR MAXX. What makes the MAXX better than its predecessor is its superb battery life (it can last up to 21 hours on a single charge) and beefier interal storage (32GB). As of January 26 the slightly thicker RAZR (at 8.99 mm) is available at Verizon Wireless for $299.99 with a new two-year contract. Pick up the latest 4G LTE Droid today. But don’t forget–if you’re in the market for a smartphone packing a physical QWERTY keyboard, Moto also has the Droid 4 coming out of the pipeline soon. Continue reading Motorola’s Droid RAZR MAXX is out now on Verizon for $299.99
2012 Oscar nods are in!
A few days back the Golden Globes celebrated the best in the TV and film, bestowing the highest of honors to movies like The Descendants, The Artist, and Hugo. Following the Globes is the Academy Awards and just last week the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees. Martin Scorsese’ss Hugo is the most celebrated film going into the Oscars leading the pack with 11 nods. The family friendly 3D flick is up for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Film Editing, Music, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Special Effects. A mouthful, I know. The Artist is close behind with 10 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius), Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), and Best Supporting Actress (Bérénice Bejo). The remaining Best Picture contenders are The Descendants, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Help, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, and War Horse. Dujardin is pitted against Demián Bichir (A Better Life), George Clooney (The Descendants), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), and Brad Pitt (Moneyball) for Best Actor. And the following ladies are duking it out for Best Actress: Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), Viola Davis (The Help), Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), and Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn). Major snubs include Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part II for Best Picture (it only landed the usual technical nods for Art Direction, Makeup, and Special Effects); Leonardo DiCaprio (J Edgar) and Michael Fassbender (Shame) for Best Actor; Andy Serkis (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) for Best Supporting Actor; The Adventures Of Tintin for Best Animated Film; and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’ major contribution to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo with their Original Score.
Hop after the break to see all the nominations. The 84th Annual Academy Awards, hosted by Billy Crystal, airs live Sunday, February 26 at 7PM on ABC. Continue reading 2012 Oscar nods are in!
TV reminder: ‘Touch’ preview event airs tonight on FOX [Update: solid ratings]
Tonight FOX is airing the pilot episode of Tim Kring’s new drama Touch ahead of the show’s official March 19 premiere. Kiefer Sutherland (24) stars as Martin Bohm, a man who is estranged from his autistic son. In Touch, the Heroes creator tells an emotionally and spiritually uplifting story about a mute child who communicates with numbers and discovers patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events around the world. Though the show will take place in a myriad of locales and touch the lives of strangers, at the heart of this series is the relationship between Sutherland’s character and his gifted son. Watch the extended trailer once and you should immediately start anticipating tonight’s one-hour preview event. And then the wait until March will become all the more unbearable.
Touch airs tonight at 9PM on FOX.
Update: The ratings are in and it turns out many people were touched by Sutherland’s new show last night. The Touch pilot attracted 11.9 million viewers and scored a 3.9/10 among adults 18-49. This makes it the second highest rated new drama series this TV season. (ABC’s Once Upon a Time premiere still remains the highest rated drama series this season so far: 12.8 million viewers, 4.0 demo rating among the 18-49 crowd.) This bodes extremely well for Kring’s latest. People are positively buzzing about the show, and anticipation is high for the spring premiere. Did Touch grip you last night? Spill your thoughts in the comments section below.
‘The Walking Dead’ returns February 12, sneak a peek at the midseason premiere inside (VIDEO)
The first half of the second season of The Walking Dead ended with a literal BANG when (spoiler) Rick Grimes was forced to shoot and kill a character that we all thought had gone missing but instead was turned into a deadly zombie. Life is about to dramatically shift on Hershel’s farm when the show returns from its winter hiatus next month. Gander at the official midseason premiere poster hanging above; it shows Rick pointing his revolver squarely at a target, little Sophia perhaps? Next, jump after the break to watch two scenes from the upcoming episode titled “Nebraska.” In the first, two strangers stumble upon Rick and Hershel; in the other Rick and Shane are shown in confrontation not for the first time.
The Walking Dead returns February 12 at 9PM on AMC.
[Via AMCTV] Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ returns February 12, sneak a peek at the midseason premiere inside (VIDEO)
‘Sherlock’ will return for a third series
There’s still four months before the second series of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ adaptation of Sherlock Holmes airs in the US, but the co-creators of the critically acclaimed show just couldn’t keep their traps shut. “Yes of course there’s going to be a third series — it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha!” tweeted Moffat. This news became widespread shortly after the second series finished airing its three-episode arc in the UK on BBC. The one question that now remains, of course, is if Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Watson) will return to reprise their roles. Both are blowing up in the biz. Cumberbatch recently starred in War Horse and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and soon he’ll be in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (alongside Freeman) and J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek sequel. But don’t be alarmed. A UK rep told Deadline and reassures fans, “I’m sure he [Cumberbatch] would love to do a third series. It’s very unlikely they would have Sherlock without Sherlock.”
Sherlock fans, rejoice! Series 2 premieres in the US on PBS on May 6.
[Via Deadline]