i3D is now available in the App Store! But what is it? It’s a simple app that takes advantage of the Head-Coupled Perspective, or HCP, to track the face of a user in real time. The app makes your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch’s front-facing camera lock into your face and updates the perspective of a 3D scene accordingly. The app relies solely on head-tracking; the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope are not utilized. The developers note that HCP “does not create a stereoscopic display. It provides a kind of monocular 3D display: the same picture is seen by both eyes. In the future, it might be combined with a stereoscopic display for a better 3D effect.” The app comes preloaded with several 3D scenes for you to experiment with. It’s free, so there’s no reason not to try it out. Sure, i3D is a glorified demo of sorts but hopefully such experimentation will one day lead to full-fledged games that take advantage of the 3D illusion.
Category Archives: Video
Trailer: The Adventures of Tintin
Director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson present The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn in eye-popping 3D and on the edge of uncanny valley. The duo is taking advantage of Jackson’s Weta Digital company for the Polar Express-esque visual effects. Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) is a credited writer, and the cast of voices include Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost. The trailer is certainly adventurous but until I see the animated characters speak it’s hard to grade the level of pure realism instilled here. The Secret of the Unicorn, the first of three proposed movies to make a Tintin franchise, hits theatres December 23, 2011.
Michael Bay & James Cameron talk 3D
Michael Bay & James Cameron Talk 3D from Michael Bay Dot Com on Vimeo.
So who do you think has more expertise working with 3D technologies, Cameron (Avatar) or Bay (Transformers)? Spoiler alert: It’s the guy who dreamed up Pandora.
In related Transformers news, Paramount has shifted the premiere of the third installment from Friday, July 1 to Wednesday, June 29. Catch the latest trailer after the break. Continue reading Michael Bay & James Cameron talk 3D
Upfronts: CBS 2011-2012 Schedule
Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the Eye’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.
CBS’s 2011-12 schedule includes 6 new series. New comedies include 2 Broke Girls and How To Be a Gentleman. New dramas include Unforgettable, Person of Interest, A Gifted Man, and The 2-2.
When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Monday night is brimming with half-hour comedies; How I Met Your Mother, newbie 2 Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men (with Ashton Kutcher taking over for Charlie Sheen), and Mike & Molly will run between 8PM and 10PM. The final hour of the night is home to the fantastic Hawaii Five-O remake. NCIS and the spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles will lead into the new drama Unforgettable on Tuesdays. Reality show Survivor: Pacific Island kicks off Wednesday nights, followed by Criminal Minds (its spinoff Suspect Behavior has been canned) and CSI. This is the first time the original CSI has been moved from its Thursday 9PM slot in ten years. So what will CBS place in that coveted timeslot? The new drama from J.J. Abrams and Jonah Nolan, that’s what! Person of Interest, starring Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson (Lost), will occupy the Thursday 9PM position, wedged between comedies The Big Bang Theory, How To Be A Gentleman, and drama The Mentalist. Friday night opens with new drama A Gifted Man, followed by CSI: NY and Blue Bloods. CBS is experimenting by placing network vet Rules of Engagement at 8PM on Saturdays, and this scripted comedy will be followed by other Saturday programming including 48 Hours Mystery. Notably, The Good Wife has moved to Sundays at 9PM, and it will be preceded by 60 Minutes and The Amazing Race; CSI: Miami closes out the night at 10PM.
A couple of CBS shows are being held for mid-season premieres. The third season of the reality series Undercover Boss as well as freshman drama The 2-2 from executive producer Robert De Niro will air later next year.
And if you’re keeping track, the following CBS shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: $#*! My Dad Says, Mad Love, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, and The Defenders.
Upfronts: ABC 2011-2012 Schedule
Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the alphabet network’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.
ABC’s 2011-12 schedule includes 13 new series. New comedies include Last Man Standing, Man Up, Suburgatory, Apartment 23, and Work It. New dramas include Revenge, Charlie’s Angels, Once Upon a Time, Pan Am, Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.
When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Nothing new on Mondays; there you’ll hit Dancing with the Stars (two hour performance show) and Castle. Tuesday packs two new comedies, more reality TV, and a returning drama; Tim Allen makes his return to primetime in Last Man Standing at 8PM, followed by Man Up, Dancing with the Stars (one hour results show), and Body of Proof. Wednesday night is still comedy night for ABC; new comedy Suburgatory is sandwiched between The Middle and Modern Family at the 8:30PM slot and the buzzy newcomer Happy Endings will return for a second season in the comfy post-Modern Family slot. New drama Revenge closes out the night at 10PM. Thursday is still home to Grey’s Anatomy and spin-off Private Practice, but now the night is anchored by the Charlie’s Angels remake. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has moved to Friday at 8PM to join Shark Tank and 20/20. Saturday has Saturday Night College Football. And Sunday is stuffed with three scripted dramas; new dramas Once Upon a Time and Pan Am surround ABC vet Desperate Housewives. America’s Funniest Home Videos will air that night in the early 7:30PM slot.
A number of ABC shows are being held for mid-season premieres. Cougar Town will return for a third season in the spring, as will The Bachelor, Secret Millionaire, What Would You Do?, and Wipeout; and the following new series will enter the fray around this time as well: comedies Apartment 23, Work It and dramas Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.
And if you’re keeping track, the following ABC shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: No Ordinary Family, V, Brothers & Sisters, Detroit 1-8-7, Off the Map, The Whole Truth, Mr. Sunshine, Better With You, and My Generation.
*In case you’re wondering, ABC opted not to bring to series the Terry O’Quinn (Lost) starrer Hallelujah from Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives).
Upfronts: FOX 2011-2012 Schedule
Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse FOX’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.
FOX’s 2011-12 schedule includes 12 new series. New comedies include New Girl, I Hate My New Daughter, Allen Gregory, and Napoleon Dynamite (the latter two are animated cartoons). New dramas include Terra Nova, Alcatraz, and The Finder. The X-Factor is the sole reality show addition for next season.
When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Monday night packs two dramas; FOX staple House (which will be entering its eighth and likely final season, without Lisa Edelstein, see below) is being pushed to the 9PM slot to cushion Steven Spielberg’s highly buzzed about dino-epic Terra Nova. Tuesday night remains comedy night with the Zooey Deschanel-starrer New Girl cushioned between Glee and Raising Hope at the 9PM slot. Simon Cowell’s next big competition reality series The X Factor will air its one-and-a-half-hour performance show Wednesday nights and the one-hour results show the following night. I Hate My Teenage Daughter, a half-hour comedy starring Jaime Pressly, airs after the performance show on Wednesdays; FOX veteran Bones airs after the results show on Thursdays. Friday nights will be familiar to all: Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares and the best sci-fi show on TV Fringe will occupy the 8PM and 9PM slots respectively. Saturdays are home to back-to-back episodes of Cops, followed by America’s Most Wanted. FOX has all but cancelled their longest running series; AMW is being limited to four quarterly two-hour specials. And lastly Sunday night is Animation Domination, per usual. Following the NFL-post game The OT, the following animated ‘toons will air between 7:30PM and 10PM: The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Allen Gregory (new), Family Guy, and American Dad.
A number of FOX shows are being held for mid-season premieres. American Idol returns January 22 and will take over The X Factor‘s positions on Wednesday and Thursday nights. House will be bumped back to the 8PM slot to make way for the new mysterious series from J.J. Abrams called Alcatraz on Monday. Following the Idol results show on Thursday will be the Bones spinoff The Finder. And the spring Animation Domination Sunday looks like this: ‘toon encores will air in the early 7:30PM slot, Napoleon Dynamite get sandwiched between The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, and Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers will occupy American Dad‘s 9:30PM slot. When Glee goes on a short hiatus between March and April, FOX plans to expand the Tuesday night comedy block with single-camera comedy Family Album (starring Glee‘s Mike O’Malley) and Little in Common (starring Rob Corddry and Kevin Hart); one or both may make the cut. Lastly, Tim Kring’s Touch starring Kiefer Sutherland is also being saved for a mid-season launch.
And if you’re keeping track, FOX went mad and cancelled the following shows; these will not be returning next season: Human Target, Lie To Me, The Chicago Code, Breaking In, Traffic Light, Running Wilde, and The Good Guys.
*Dr. Cuddy is checking out of House early. This unfortunate news comes after many of the other stars re-upped their contracts for the upcoming season. Lisa Edelstein’s original contract expires at the end of this current season, and she decided to not follow her castmates into what’s likely to be the show’s final season. The show is undergoing some budgetary cuts, and so her decision not to come back is likely due to a pay cut. Bummer. This is what Edelstein had to say on the matter: “After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead.”
*FOX has decided not to pick up the anticipated spooky sci-fi series Locke and Key from Josh Friedman, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, and some guy named Steven Spielberg. The show, based on the Joe Hill comic book of the same name, is currently being shopped around network and cable station. Sources say studio 20th Century Fox TV is pitching it to The CW and Syfy, so let’s hope the adaptation can find a home elsewhere before it turns to dust.
*The network has locked a deal with Warner Bros. to bring back The Flintstones to broadcast TV! Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has been tapped to helm the venture. And for him this is a life-long dream come true. In fact, MacFarlane claims that Fred Flintstone was the first cartoon character he ever drew at age 2. The Flintstones will return to animated form in 2013 with production beginning this fall. MacFarlane commented on the exciting news: “So it’s appropriate that events have come full circle, allowing me to produce the newest incarnation of this great franchise. Plus, I think America is finally ready for an animated sitcom about a fat stupid guy with a wife who’s too good for him.” He added that while the characters will remain the same, new technology will enter the land. He questioned, “What is the animal version of an iPad?” FOX president Kevin Reilly said, “The Flintstones are among the funniest and most beloved characters in television history, and we can’t wait to introduce them to a whole new generation on Fox. FOX has long been home to iconic families like the Simpsons and the Griffins, so I have no doubt that the Flintstones and the Rubbles are going to fit right in on our air.”
Upfronts: NBC 2011-2012 Schedule
Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the Peacock’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.
NBC’s 2011-12 schedule includes 12 new series. New comedies include All Night, Free Agents, Whitney, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, Bent and BFF. New dramas include The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, Grimm, The Firm, Smash, and Awake.
When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! On Monday and Tuesday, NBC is pairing new and returning dramas (respectively) with returning reality shows. On Monday The Sing-Off airs from 8-10PM and is followed by The Playboy Club. On Tuesday, The Biggest Loser airs from 8-10PM and is followed by Parenthood. Wednesday serves as a hybrid comedy/drama block for the network. New half-hour comedies Up All Night and Free Agents are followed by returning series Harry’s Law and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Thursday is packed with four half-hour comedies–Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office, and freshman Whitney and closes the night with the new drama Prime Suspect. The confirmed final season of Chuck (which will consist of 13 episodes) moves to Friday and is followed by new genre drama Grimm and Dateline NBC. Saturday is home to encore programming, and Sunday has NFL-related programs Football Night in America and NBC Sunday Night Football.
A number of NBC shows are being held for mid-season premieres. 30 Rock will return to Thursday at an unspecified time-slot; the post-football Sunday lineup will consist of Dateline NBC, The Celebrity Apprentice (Trump announced he is not running for president so he will return as the boss), and new drama The Firm; on Mondays The Sing-Off and The Playboy Club will make way for the second season of The Voice (in a two-hour format) and new musical drama Smash; and the following new series will enter the fray around this time as well: comedies Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, BFF, Bent, and drama Awake.
And if you’re keeping track, the following NBC shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: The Cape, The Event, Chase, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Outsourced, and Perfect Couples.
*As specified above The Event will not be returning to NBC next season, however it may not be 100% dead yet. Executive producer Steve Stark is apparently not giving up on the show so fast. According to various sources he is shopping the underwhelming sci-fi drama to various cable and digital entities including Netflix. Universal Media Studio is providing “full support” for a potential move. Says Stark, “NBC has been an amazing partner, it launched the show beautifully.” Added creator Nick Wauters, “We have a dedicated fan base, and we promised them we will deliver one way or another and will continue to tell our stories.” If The Event does get picked up for a second chance at life, you’ll find out as soon as I get wind of it.
Google I/O 2011: Music Beta, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Android@Home, Chrome OS, Chrome Web Store
Yesterday and today Google hosted its renowned developer’s conference dubbed Google I/O 2011. Literally thousands of developers flocked to San Fransisco’s Moscone Center to find out what Google’s been cooking up on their end. This year’s event proved to be leaps and bounds more exciting than last year’s conference. Google introduced their new cloud-based music service called Music Beta; they unveiled Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android that promises to bridge the gap between Gingerbread and Honeycomb; Android is going into the home automation business with Google’s impressive initiative Android@Home; Chrome OS is finally ready for the big leagues–Samsung and Acer are prepping Chromebooks for mass consumption; and Angry Birds has landed in the browser!
So much to discuss–it’s all a hop, skip and a jump after the break. Continue reading Google I/O 2011: Music Beta, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Android@Home, Chrome OS, Chrome Web Store
The Lonely Island’s ‘Turtleneck & Chain’ now available for hearing
The Dudes are back. In anticipation of their second studio album (the followup to the incredible Incredibad), the Dudes of the Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer) released wickedly hilarious SNL Digital Shorts like “Motherlover,” “Threw It On the Ground,” “I Just Had Sex,” “Shy Ronnie 2,” “The Creep,” “We’re Back,” and their most recent creation “Jack Sparrow.” You’ll find all of these tracks and more on Turtleneck and Chain, available in stores now. The guest list is insane: Justin Timberlake, Akon, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Michael Bolton, Beck, Snoop Dogg, and Santigold all make memorable appearances.
Two versions of the album exist. The standard version (iTunes) contains 19 tracks. The deluxe version (Amazon/iTunes) packs the 19 songs, adds the bonus track “Reba (Two Worlds Collide) featuring Kenan Thompson,” and nine videos. All but one of the included videos are Digital Short fare, a never-before-seen video for “We’ll Kill U.”
Oh, and there’s one more thing. Should you opt to purchase the album at a local Best Buy make sure you bring this coupon with you. With it for $15.99 you’ll get the CD/DVD package and a super cool and exclusive Lonely Island-branded t-shirt. Or you can use it to get the album itself for a low $7.99.
Now check out a bunch of the album photos in the gallery below, then jump after the break to sing about the adventures of Jack Sparrow with Michael Bolton! It doesn’t get any better than this.
Continue reading The Lonely Island’s ‘Turtleneck & Chain’ now available for hearing
Music video: Death Cab for Cutie – “Home is a Fire”
The next single off Death Cab’s upcoming seventh studio album Codes and Keys is “Home is a Fire.” And with the release of it comes this voyeuristic music video directed by Shepard Fairey, the street artist most famous for these works of art. The video takes you on a journey through Los Angeles, and band bassist Nick Harmer–who helped conceptualize it–explains what it’s all about. “For me, ‘Home Is A Fire’ is about redefining familiar space,” Harmer said. “The narrator in the song seems unsettled, searching and yearning, scanning the environment for something comforting in an uncomfortable place. I knew that if the band would give me a chance to make a visual accompaniment to this song that those would be the themes and mood that I would most want to highlight and accentuate.”
Codes and Keys drops May 31.
First kiss caught on camera…priceless
Meet little Elliott and Bowie. Innocent, young love captured on camera, by accident no less.
At one point Elliot exclaims, “Me and her kissed on the lips!” And then he gives this head nod of satisfaction and manhood that is truly priceless. Catch it at :52.
Journey inside Microsoft’s Home of the future
Located on the Redmond campus, the Microsoft Home was first opened in 1994 and since then it has given private parties a glimpse into the future. Three to fifteen years into the future, to be somewhat more precise. Though the Home is closed to the public, Channel 9’s Steve Clayton was recently invited inside with a camera crew and his all-too-brief tour is available for everyone to watch in the video embedded above. Microsoft’s Flora Goldthwaite is the tour leader and she admits that the technology inside the house is at the prototype stage; though Microsoft envisions these technologies to be possible in the near future, perhaps they won’t be used the way in which the Home demonstrates them. Anyhow, all of the quick demos are intriguing to say the least. From conductive charging plates that display UIs to next-gen media centers and kid’s rooms that project incoming text messages and Twitter updates, Microsoft’s home of the future certainly tickles the imagination.
[Via Channel9]