Category Archives: News

Music video: Kid Cudi – “Mr. Rager” (Featuring Surface to Air leather jacket)

Design, Music, News, Video, , , , , , , , ,

Cudder continues to support his now nine-month old sophomore release Man on the Moon II with the music video for his anthem “Mr. Rager.” The clip is directed by Jérémie Rozan, founder of the high-end fashion brand Surface to Air. Cudi collaborated with Rozan to design an exclusive limited line of leather jackets. The jackets (which are featured in the video) are now on sale at the flagship Surface to Air retail shop that just opened in NYC’s trendy section Soho. To celebrate Fashion’s Night Out, Razon (and perhaps Cudi) will be on hand at the grand opening of the store tonight where the music video will be screened for those in attendance.

DatNewCudi has the scoop: “The limited edition “thriller” style jackets retail for $1,200 and feature red quilted shoulder pads, internal red pockets, quilted lining, Surface to Air logo on buttons, zips, hot stamped logo on the leather and Red quilted shoulder pads and of course is 100% leather.” Two different vairents called “Fire Jacket” and “Champ Jacket” are part of the initial release. See pics below. And don’t pass over the violent music video above; in it Cudi takes on a fashionable gang. There’s a twist ending and a super cool blink-and-you-miss-it cameo to boot!

Update: Turns out Cudi did show up at Surface to Air last night! Hear him talk about the importance of visuals attached to his music after the break.

[Via DatNewCudi 1, 2, 3] Continue reading Music video: Kid Cudi — “Mr. Rager” (Featuring Surface to Air leather jacket) →

Great Scott! Nike hints at Air Mag ‘Back to the Future’ sneaker release! [Update: Launch info]

Design, News, Video, , , , , , , , ,

Back to the Future fans and sneakerheads, listen here. Nike is about to drop some major news: the Air Mag sneaker, as featured and worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, is set to slip into reality. The glowing, auto-lacing sneaker from the future will hit the market today (well maybe not precisely today, but you know what I mean).

So here’s the relatively short story. Ever since these shoes made an appearance in the movie, BBTF buffs and sneaker collectors alike have been praying for this very day to come. In May 2009 Nike filed a patent describing “an article of footwear with an automatic lacing system.” Late last night Nike sent out urgent invitations inviting guests to attend a product unveiling. The invitation was in the form of a black box and enclosed was an iPod shuffle and a written invitation. The audible notice was a personal message from Dr. Emmett Brown stating, “Welcome to Los Angeles. If my calculations are correct, over the next 24 hours you are about to see some SERIOUS SH*T!” The card said, “IT’S ABOUT TIME. Tinker Hatfield, VP of Design and Innovation at Nike, cordially invites you to an unveiling that could change the course of time.” Other BTTF related goodies came inside, including a sleek pair of metal shield glasses.

And that brings us to right now. Moments ago a teaser video was uploaded to YouTube by one DocEmmettBrown88 glimpsing us inside “McFly’s Closet.” This sneaker is real people, and it’s coming soon. Park here, and as soon as official word comes from Nike following the announcement event I’ll update this post and splay all the release and pricing details for you. While you’re waiting, drool in anticipation by replaying the teaser above  (now after the break) and then jump after the break to watch the Air Mag in action, circa 2015.

Update: Here’s the official launch info straight from Nike: “1500 pairs of the 2011 NIKE MAG will be auctioned on eBay with all net proceeds going directly to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Each day for the duration of the ten-day auction, one hundred and fifty pairs of the 2011 NIKE MAG shoes will be made available via eBay’s Fashion Vault. The auction starts September 8, 8:30PM PST, and will end September 18. Thanks to a previous 50 million dollar match given to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, all donations will be matched, effectively doubling the contributions from the auction.”

Nike goes on to describe the shoe’s aesthetic: “The first rechargeable footwear from Nike, the 2011 NIKE MAG shoes were designed to be precise replicas of the originals from Back to the Future II. The aesthetic is an exact match, down to the contours of the upper, the glowing LED panel and the electroluminescent NIKE in the strap. The only deviation from the original is additional foam support in the ankle and toe box for increased comfort. The 2011 NIKE MAG illuminates with the pinch of the “ear” of the high top, glowing for five hours per charge.” Not a single word about the auto-lacing feature. Bummer!

Nike CEO Mark Parker said this at the launch event: “We wanted to translate the excitement people have for the ‘greatest shoe never made’ and for the Back to the Future into positive action. But the long term objective is to raise awareness so the Foundation can achieve their goal of eradicating Parkinson’s disease.” Fox, the actor who played Marty McFly back in 1989, added: “This project is exciting to me because it brings together three very passionate audiences: the Parkinson’s community, the sneakerheads and Back to the Future fans. With their support we can accelerate our objective of finding a cure for Parkinson’s.” He is the featured guest on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight on CBS; he’s expected to detail the Air Mag during his interview.

An astute Nice Kicks commenter posted, “Shitttt. You cant camp outside of eBay!” That’s right–this item is certainly going to be a hot commodity when it hits the auction site and it’ll be extremely hard to get if you’re not extremely rich. At least all the money is going to a great cause. Ah well, a boy can still dream of a future where everyone sports super cool auto-lacing sneaks. Perhaps that day will come when it’s supposed to–in 2015. Get a closer look at the shoe in the gallery below, and after the break you’ll a find a third related video.

[Via NiceKicks 1, 2, 3; Nike] Continue reading Great Scott! Nike hints at Air Mag ‘Back to the Future’ sneaker release! [Update: Launch info] →

TeenNick adds ‘Hey Arnold!’ and ‘Rocko’s Modern Life’ to ’90s programming block

News, Television, , , , , ,

Out with the old, and in with the…still old. TeenNick is about to swap out two classic Nickelodeon shows for a couple of similarly retro programs. After polling fans online, the kids network has decided to add Hey Arnold! and Rocko’s Modern Life to the mix. These shows will replace Clarissa Explains It All and Doug and join All That and Kenan and Kel in the late-night two-hour block. Hope you’re ready for some football-head and wallaby fronted adventures; I know I am! Arnold and Rocko enter the fray September 5 (translation: tomorrow night!).

The 90s Are All That airs midnight to 2AM on weeknights, and the block immediately repeats from 2AM to 4AM on TeenNick.

[Via EW-InsideTV]

First batch of free Virtual Console games available now for Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors

News, Technology, , , , , , , , , , ,

If you followed Nintendo’s simple instructions to become a Nintendo 3DS Ambassador like a good fanboy and fangirl, ten Virtual Console games are now waiting to be downloaded on your portable gaming machine, free of charge! The first batch of games come from the NES collection and they are Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, Metroid,Yoshi’s Egg, Mario Open Golf, Wrecking Crew, Balloon Fight, and Ice Climber. Access the eShop to download the games; for step-by-step instructions click here. And if this wasn’t enough to satisfy your appetite for classic gaming on the go, you can expect Ninty to offer another 10 retro games from the Game Boy Advance catalog later this year.

[Via Joystiq]

‘The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword’ releases November 20, limited-edition gold controller bundle in tow

Image cache, News, Technology, , , , , , , , , , , ,

What may be considered the final great game for Nintendo’s Wii console finally has a release date. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword drops November 20, 2011. As detailed at Ninty’s E3 press event, Skyward Sword will ship standalone at the regular $49.99 price point and a limited-edition gold controller bundle will be offered at a reasonable $69.99. If you have your sights locked on the shiny, golden Wii Remote Plus bear in mind that it will not be sold separately from the bundle. To further celebrate Zelda’s 25th anniversary, Nintendo is also bundling in a music CD featuring select orchestral arrangements of iconic music spanning the history of the franchise which will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert. For more information regarding the concert–which is coming to Los Angeles and London in October–click here. The CD will be included in every game box (whether sold by itself or as a part of the bundle) during the initial retail run. Eye the packaging above, and read the PR after the break.

[Via Joystiq] Continue reading ‘The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword’ releases November 20, limited-edition gold controller bundle in tow →

ESPN on Xbox LIVE gets a makeover

Images, News, Technology, Video, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ESPN app on Xbox Live is getting its first major update since it launched last summer. The dashboard can be customized to feature your favorite sports teams so fans can see a daily feed of news and highlights from those specific teams; the addition of the ESPN BottomLine keeps fans in the know with breaking news and score updates; a Mini Guide can be called up from the bottom of the screen to give fans a preview and quick access to personalized sports content; and Reminders and Live Alerts can be set. Two new features that stand out are Split Screen and Voice Control with Kinect. Fans can watch two events at once (i.e. watch ESPN3.com live events on both screens or a live event on one while catching up on ESPN.com news and highlights on the other) and they can navigate through the Content Guide, skip to the next highlight, or play, pause, and rewind plays through voice control.

Remember that access to ESPN3.com live events is only available to customers of an affiliated service provider; if you’ve got that and you’re an Xbox LIVE Gold Member you’re set! Screenshots below, demo videos and full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget; ESPN]

Continue reading ESPN on Xbox LIVE gets a makeover →

Razer Blade vies to be “the world’s first true gaming laptop”

Images, News, Technology, Video, , , , , , , , , , ,

Razer, the maker of high performance gaming products, has announced the Razer Blade–what they’re calling “the world’s first true gaming laptop.” So what makes this laptop stand out and above all of the other gamer-centric portable PCs? The fact that it is designed from the ground up for performance and portability without making any compromises. That’s what. Check out these specs. Inside a full aluminum chassis breathes a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 2640M processor, a NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with Optimus Technology, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM, 320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD, built-in HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, integrated 60Wh battery, and a 17.3″  1920×1080 LED backlit display. All of this is packed inside a managable 0.88 inch thin design that weighs only 6.97lbs. What a magnificent feat! And that’s not all. Razer has also imagined the Switchblade User Interface, a technology built specifically for gamers that is comprised of 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys and an LCD screen. The separate mini-display (480×800) located to the right of the keyboard has two modes: (1) it displays in-game information when a mouse is in use; and (2) it functions as an ultra-sensitive, multi-touch panel designed for gaming on the go. The Switchblade tech was actually born out of the “Razer Switchblade” concept that was previewed earlier this year.

With the Razer Blade the company hopes to reinvigorate the laptop market and set a new standard for portable gaming machines. And by the looks of it, that’s exactly what they’ve done here. When it releases in Q4 2011 it’ll run for an understandably pricey $2,799.99. If you’re a dedicated gamer and need something portable and powerful enough to maintain a desktop experience on-the-go, the Razer Blade is a clear choice. Now look in the gallery below for some press shots and after the break you’ll find Razer “Chief Gamer and CEO” Min-Liang Tan talking up his latest creation.

[Via Engadget]

1 2

Continue reading Razer Blade vies to be “the world’s first true gaming laptop” →

Apple takes away TV rental option in iTunes

News, Technology, , , ,

Last week Apple removed the ability to rent TV shows in iTunes. Customers are now left with two options: buy an episode or subscribe to a Season Pass. Why the abrupt change, especially after Apple fought with the networks to drop renting prices to a low 99 cents almost one year ago? According to Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr, “iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows. iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download and watch their past TV purchases from their iOS devices, Apple TV, Mac or PC allowing them to enjoy their programming whenever and however they choose.” This sudden change in philosophy may be part of an even grander scheme; according to the WSJ the company may be “working on new technology to deliver video to televisions, and has been discussing whether to try to launch a subscription TV service.” Whatever’s going on, newly appointed CEO Tim Cook will eventually have to lay out the future of iTunes and when that happens everything will be made clear. For now, though, I’m finding it hard to take in this news; when I happened to miss an episode of a show, turning on my Apple TV and renting it for cheap was always my favorite way of catching up. There was never a need to purchase a show (for $2.99) and keep it; why bother? But now that’s the only way to do it.

[Via Engadget; AllThingsD; WSJ]

2011 MTV VMAs: Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adele big winners

Music, News, Television, , , , , , , , , , ,

Last night the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards was underwhelming without a host, and yet it seemed to get the job done anyhow. Lady Gaga opened the show as her male alter ego Jo Calderone. After a dizzying monologue she finally showed off her mega-pipes and belted out a memorable rendition of “You and I” on the piano with assistance from Queen’s Brian May. Kudos must be handed out to Gaga for managing to keep herself in one dress (and personality) for the entire duration of the show. She totally stole the spotlight away from Britney Spears when the pop queen was presented the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. Other highlights from the night include… Kanye West and Jay-Z performed a low-key version of their Watch The Throne single “Otis” in front of a cheering crowd; Russell Brand’s tribute to Amy Winehouse was heartfelt in all the right ways, Tony Bennett’s prerecorded duet with the late jazz singer was uplifting, and Bruno Mars’ “Valerie” was full of retro flair and fitting to close out the tribute; Adele’s “Someone Like You” performance was only rivaled by Beyonce’s “Love On Top.” During the pre-show Beyonce announced that she is pregnant with first child; rap king Jay-Z is the baby daddy. Immediately following the entrancing performance (you can’t help but get lost in Beyonce’s glowing face and rockin’ bod), she dropped the mic, unbuttoned her shirt and showed off her slight baby bump. Now that’s a way to walk off the stage. Speaking of walking off the stage, that’s exactly what Lil Wayne should have done before opening his mouth to rap (if you even want to call it that). Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Weezy’s music, but man was that a lousy way to close the VMAs. Over the top auto-tune doesn’t work live, especially if you can’t sing and it hurts when your song contains so many expletives that viewers only hear half the lyrics. Chris Brown’s medley didn’t do it for me either; the crooner can move (hell, he can even fly), but I was expecting him to sing a bit and wearing that headset was just redundant.

But I don’t want to wrap things up on such a sour note. Overall, yes, the show was underwhelming (there was no hostful opening monologue, acceptance speeches were kept to a minimum, the telecast was controversy-free), but it worked because for the most part the performances were solid (I’m thinking about Gaga, The Throne, Adele, Bruno Mars, Beyonce) and the show never felt like it was dragging along (expect maybe the part when Jonah Hill proved that he’s not funny when he’s skinny). Kevin Hart could have made a great host; his mini-monologue and commercial break segments were enjoyable. Maybe next year.

And now let’s turn to the night’s big winners. A geometry-influenced Katy Perry took home the coveted Video of the Year award for “Firework.” (I still can’t believe that beat out the Beastie Boys’ “Make Some Noise”; oh well.) She also scooped up Best Collaboration and Best Visual Effects for “E.T.” Kanye West was on hand and kept cool to accept the award with Perry. Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” won two awards for Best Female Video and Best Video with a Message. Adele won the most awards (4), but they are all in the technical categories so unfortunately she never made it on stage to make an acceptance speech. Other notable winners include: Tyler, The Creator is Best New Artist, Justin Bieber’s “U Smile” somehow nabbed Best Male Video, Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” was Best Hip-Hop Video, Foo Fighters won Best Rock Video with “Walk”, and “Till the World Ends” gave Britney Spears the award for Best Pop Video. Jump after the break for the full list of winners.

Update: The numbers are in. This year’s Video Music Awards drew 12.4 million total viewers, making it MTV’s most-watched telecast ever. That’s up 8% from last year’s show which attracted 11.4 viewers. See what happens when MTV airs music-related content? Craziness!

Continue reading 2011 MTV VMAs: Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adele big winners →

FOX grants ‘Breaking In’ 13-episode second season

News, Television, , ,

Fantastic news, comedy junkies! FOX has resurrected the Christian Slater workplace comedy Breaking In. After cancelling the show after its brief midseason run in May, FOX didn’t pull the cord out completely. They extended the cast options so that Slater and company would remain attached to the program just in case they figured out a way to bring back it back the following year. What was once a contender for the network’s two-hour midseason comedy block is now a sure thing. In a statement released today FOX prez Kevin Reilly said, “Breaking In is a creatively vibrant and wildly adventurous comedy. We are looking forward to bringing it back for a second season and continuing our relationship with this incredibly talented cast and these fantastic creators – Adam Goldberg and Seth Gordon. We can’t wait to see where they take these characters next year.” Bringing back Breaking In is part of an overall deal between the network, co-creator Adam F. Goldberg, and studio Sony Pictures TV. FOX is now committed to a comedy pitch from Goldberg that’s described as “an autobiographical show about growing up in the 1980s with a highly screwed up but loving family.”

Also confirmed is the return of star Odette Annable. Contra Security’s top lock picker and safe cracker will be working double duty in Breaking In and as House‘s newest diagnostician; her contract allows for it.

Breaking In begins its new 13-episode run midseason 2012.

[Via TVLine; Deadline]

‘Locke & Key’ pilot trailer is (probably) all we’ll ever see

News, Television, Video, , , , , , ,

It’s a real shame that FOX passed over Locke & Key, the Joe Hill/Gabriel Rodriguez comic book adaptation from creator Josh Friedman and executive producers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Steven Spielberg. 20th Century Fox TV screened the pilot directed by Mark Romanek at Comic Con, but the cheers simply didn’t prove loud enough for the studio to pass it along to another network. Due to rising production costs and lack of network/cable interest, Locke & Key has been shelved indefinitely and will likely never see the light of day again.

And so I share with you this sneak peek at the pilot that leaked onto the Internet not too long ago. On Twitter Friedman posted a link to the video saying that it “was made by FOX for advertisers months ago (obviously before they decided not to pick us up).” Mirando Otto, Jesse McCartney, Sarah Bolger, Skylar Gaertner, and Nick Stahl star in the haunting promo that successfully hypes the mystical world set forth by Hill and Rodriguez and imagined for TV by Friedman. Though it’s hard to watch because you know the story will never be told on screen, it’s certainly worth viewing so you can at least experience a glimpse of what might have been.

In June Hill had this to say about the premiere episode: “Mark Romanek and Josh Friedman turned in a hell of a good pilot (says a dude who is, of course, completely unbiased). The finished episode is scary, and lean, and emotionally authentic, and has a similar feel to Super 8; it very much has a kind of early 80s scary-Spielberg vibe. It’s also very faithful to the source material. I’m so, so proud of everyone who worked on it and of what was accomplished.”

[Via TVLine]

TV Reminder: ‘Party Down’ cast reunites tonight on ‘Childrens Hospital’ [Update: clip inside]

Hilarity, News, Television, Video, , , , , ,

So get this. Tonight on Adult Swim’s Childrens Hospital the Party Down catering service will reunite! Just because the insanely underrated, ill-fated Starz comedy Party Down was cancelled after a two-season run in 2010, that doesn’t mean the gang can’t get back together again. If you watch the irreverent comedy from Rob Corddry then you should know that the show stars two Party Down members–Ken Marino and Megan Mullally. In tonight’s episode Ron Donald and Lydia Dunfree will be joined by fellow caterers Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, and Ryan Hansen. Unfortunately, pending any surprises, Adam Scott and Jane Lynch will not be on hand for the scene. Dr. Glenn Richie (Marino) is celebrating his Bar Mizvah and the Party Down crew show up to cater it.

In an interview with EW, Marino shared his initial excitement on shooting day. “I couldn’t believe all the Party Down actors showed up!” he said. “I love the guy who plays Ron. He came in. He was kind of a d—, actually, in real life.” Funny man! He continued, “We had so much fun doing that little scene. And then we were like, goddammit, why is this show not happening anymore?” He went on to describe his hair dilemma. “We had to try to fake my Ron Donald haircut because I had my Glenn Richie haircut,” he said. “It was too long and looked a little ridiculous.”

Childrens Hospital airs Thursday nights at midnight on Adult Swim.

Update: In case you missed it or want to watch it again, jump after the break for the 35-second Party Down cameo. They ended up sticking it all the way at the end between the credits. But boy was it sweet. Continue reading TV Reminder: ‘Party Down’ cast reunites tonight on ‘Childrens Hospital’ [Update: clip inside] →