Using camera techniques like time lapse and shooting at 2000 FPS, a documentary film crew captured all kinds of animals and plants in ways you’ve likely never seen before. In fact, they managed to shoot the growth of plants and actions of animals for the very first time on camera. Embedded above is a two minute preview. Life is an 11-part series that premiere on Discovery March 21 at 8PM.
[Via Gizmodo]
Rhys Darby of Flight of the Conchords fame (he played Bret & Jemaine’s boss Murray) stars in HP’s latest ad campaign. The $40 million “Let’s Do Amazing” ad campaign includes a series of commercials that appear to reintroduce the HP brand to consumers in a new, different, and quite humorous way. Dr. Dre lends a helping hand, making sure to promote his Dre Beats line of headphones and HP laptops. Look after the break for a second commercial.
UPDATED: You’ll find all the current HP “Let’s Do Amazing” commercials featuring Rhys Darby, plus an interview with the FOTC alum and the “Internal Launch” video, after the break!
[Via Engadget]
Continue reading Rhys Darby shines in new HP ‘Let’s Do Amazing’ ad campaign
“You don’t need a power to be a superhero.” Opens April 16.
OK people. This is the strangest, most bizarre music video Lady Gaga has made, ever. She’s very close to being nude throughout almost the entire video, and somehow she was able to transform Beyonce into one of her ‘monster’ followers. The song is catchy, sure…but this level of ‘unique’ is too far out there for me. From the live cigarrette sunglasses to the Coke can hair rollers, this Thelma & Louise-ian ride in the PussyWagon is all a bit too much and over-the-top. Go ahead and watch all 9-plus minutes of the video and form your own opinions.
Check out this live performance of Rihanna’s “Disturbia.” It was recorded for AOL Sessions. It’s worth a listen because Rihanna puts a different spin on the song; it’s slower and softer than the original rendition. And I like it.
[Via AOL Music]
In the same way Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie made “We Are the World 25 for Haiti,” hip-hop star K’NAAN brought together a bunch of artists to raise awareness and money for the strife in Haiti. He took the song “Wavin’ Flag” off his latest album Troubadour and remixed it for this gathering of artists. The group includes Canadians like Avril Lavigne, Drake, and Emily Haines. Download the song here; all proceeds go to Free The Children, War Child Canada, and World Vision. (Side note: Friggin Justin Beiber. I’ll never understand why Jones and Riche decided to have him open “We Are the World” and now why K’NAAN had him close out his song.)
[Via VancouverSun; thanks Corey Z.]
Yesterday at the Game Developer’s Conference Sony finally made official the PlayStation Motion Controller as PlayStation Move. Dubbed the “next generation of motion gaming,” PS Move will take on Nintendo’s Wii-mote directly with a wireless Move controller and sub-controller (don’t call it a nunchuck). Paired with the PlayStation Eye (Sony’s webcam device for the PS3) the PS Move will become an “extension of your body” with near 1:1 motion precision and accuracy. Sony says the Move’s latency is about the same to that of its DualShock 3 controller (about a 1fps delay). The Move contains “advanced motion sensors, including a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, and a terrestrial magnetic field sensor, as well as a color-changing sphere that is tracked by PlayStation Eye camera.”
So what differentiates the Move controller from the Wii-mote? The answer lies in the Z-plane. The PS Eye tracks the colored sphere at the front of the controller and can sense when you are moving closer to or farther away from the on-screen action. The Eye+Motion setup will be able to detect motion in 3D space (the Z-plane) far more effectively than the Wii-mote+Wii sensor bar configuration (especially if you don’t have the WiiMotionPlus add-on). Other differences from the Wii-mote: the controller and sub-controller wirelessly pair to the PS3 via Bluetooth, they are USB-powered (no batteries), and the sub-controller does not have a motion sensor (the Wii nunchuck does). Also, since the PS Eye can capture images and voice, augmented reality experiences can incorporated into games.
Sony’s plan is to market the PS Move not just to casual games but also to the rabid hardcore, FPS-lovin’ group of gamers. They’ve come out and said that 36 third party developers and publishers are on board to make games supporting the new motion controller, promising that over 20 games “that are either dedicated to or supported with the PlayStation Move platform” will release this year. At the GDC press conference Sony announced the following Motion-supported games, many with tentative titles: Move Party (collection of mini-games with augmented reality features); Sports Champions (think Wii Sports on the PS3; demos included table tennis, sword fighting, and archery); SOCOM 4; TV Superstars; Slider; The Shoot; Motion Fighter; Eye-Pet; and Brunswick Pro Bowling. Click here to see Joystiq’s hands on coverage of the games.
PlayStation Move will be made available for purchase in three ways come Holiday 2010: a starter kit includes the PS Move controller, PS Eye, and a game and will sell for under $100; you can buy the Move controller standalone; or you can get a PS3 console bundled with the Move controller. An exact launch date and definitive pricing details will surface as we get closer to the holiday season.
A motion controller for the PS3 is coming soon. Question is, how will it fare in competition with the Nintendo Wii and the forthcoming Microsoft Project Natal? Wii-like motion controls being implemented into both casual and hardcore games in high definition sounds tempting, but it all comes down to execution. If Sony lives up to its promise and makes sure to release a decent variety of motion-supported games inside the launch window the new controller will likely be embraced by many PS3 users. PlayStation Move will find a niche in the gaming community, especially with a sub-$100 price tag. Motion-detection offers a new way to experience video games; in particular it invites users to become more immersed in the games they play (like what 3D did with Avatar). With Wii living in the stone ages (graphics/lack of hardcore third party games support) and hype for Project Natal growing louder every day, the ball is in Sony’s court and it’s up to them to get this right.
Look after the break for the Sony press release and the Move introduction video. The gallery below contains the first official press shots of the controller and sub-controller.
[Via Engadget, here, here & here; Gizmodo; Kotaku]
Continue reading PlayStation Move motion controller: Holiday 2010, under $100
The Internet is a big place, full of billions of people. The number of Internet users increased from 45.1 million people in 1995 to 1.73 billion users in 2009. That’s just one stat of many you will learn from this short but highly informative video about the current state of the Internet.
[Via TheDailyWhat; Gizmodo]
Google is such a massive company that is all of sudden starting to sink its sharp teeth into so many of our services (search, cell phones, computers, maps, video, and so on). And as a result, privacy concerns have become a serious issue. This short animated video breifly delves into the world of all things Google and shows us that Google controls a lot more than we may think.
[Via Gizmodo]
The Mattel Mindflex is a device that can sense your level of calmness. Once you start thinking too hard and elevate your sense of awareness it sends an electric shock through your body.
[Via Harcos Laboratories; Engadget]
It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: this video contains many explicatives. NSFW FTW.
I’m sure you’ve seen the Old Spice commercial featuring “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” more than once on television. Check out this video that captures the essense of the commercial in song. Older couple Emily and Matt, you rule!