‘FRINGE’ TV trailer: “answers are coming” tonight

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Tonight Fringe airs one last episode before its winter break. Showrunner and executive producer Jeff Pinkner, like the trailer above, promises that the episode titled “The End of All Things” will provide answers for fans of the sci-fi cult series. “It’s definitely, as they say, a game-changer in that our characters learn a lot more and the audience is going to learn a lot more about the über-plot of the season’s bad guy, David Robert Jones,” says Pinkner. Also, The Observer will “peel back some layers about what his agenda has been and use that as an opportunity to revisit the things  on the show we’ve seen before.” Pinkner concludes, “It’s the 14th out of 22 episodes and it’s very much an episode that’s going to launch us into the back half of the episodes.”

When Fringe returns from its month-long hiatus, an episode called “A Short Story About Love” will bring viewers back into the fold. Co-showrunner and exec producer J.H. Wyman will be making his directorial debut with this special episode and he teases it like this:  “It’s an episode that’s really close to me. It’s about love and all the great things that we talk about on Fringe. To us, it’s the perfect version of what a Fringe [episode] is because it has a great, terrifying element to it that is very Fringe-y. At the same time it has this incredible love story aspect with things that people are going to be very excited for, we believe, as far as the relationships on the show.”

The showrunners also discussed with the press a possible return of Charlie Francis and the unfortunately always looming, impending cancellation of the show. Concerning the former situation, the duo hinted at discussions being had between the show and Charlie’s portrayer Kirk Acevedo about a comeback. And as for the show’s survival odds? “We will find out like everybody else,” said Wyman. “We don’t fret about it because it’s really out of our control. We can only step back and do our work and therein lies the path to serenity. We’re hoping for the best.” So are we, Mr. Wyman. So are we.

Now watch that trailer and get amped for tonight’s pivotal installment of Fringe. It airs at 9PM on FOX.

[Via EW]

NBC announces ‘Community’ comeback: March 15 is the big day

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Long overdue, the Peacock finally blinked its eyes and realized it had a decision to make. Fellow Human Beings, listen up: Community will return to NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup on March 15 at 8PM! The benched cult show from Dan Harmon ready to make its hotly anticipated comeback. The remaining twelve episodes from season three begin airing just three weeks from today! Now here’s what happens to the Thursday lineup with Community in the mix. It will return to its 8PM timeslot, bumping 30 Rock to 8:30PM, The Office to 9PM, and Up All Night to 9:30PM, taking Parks and Rec out of the equation for the time being. Parks will rest on the bench until April 19, the week after Up All Night ends its 24-episode first season run.

In addition to announcing the return of the wildly entertaining, ferociously smart and witty Community, NBC also let slip the premiere dates of three upcoming comedies Bent, Best Friends Forever and the unscripted program Betty White’s Off Their Rockers. Bent, starring Amanda Peet, David Walton, and Jeffrey Tambor, premieres Wednesday March 21 at 9PM. The network will air back-to-back episodes over the course of three weeks. When Whitney and Are You There, Chelsea wrap their seasons, BFF and Betty White’s reality series will start Wednesday April 4 and they will be paired at 8PM and 9PM, respectively.

NBC prez Bob Greenblatt on all this: “We are happy to have an unprecedented amount of original content on NBC this spring. Bent, Best Friends Forever and Betty White’s Off Their Rockers are welcome additions to the Wednesday schedule, and we know that the loyal fans of Community will be pleased with its return to its home on Thursdays at 8PM.”

[Via Deadline]

Conan to remain on TBS through 2014

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Another win for #TeamCoco! Today TBS announced that Conan will remain at his relatively new late-night talk show through 2014. Here’s a quote from Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies: “We are proud to be in business with Conan O’Brien for the long run. Night after night, Conan and his team have put together terrific shows that draw a young and fiercely loyal audience. As if that weren’t enough, they have also built a dynamic online presence that keeps fans engaged like no other show in late night.” Here’s a more entertaining one from Mr. O’Brien himself: “I am excited to continue my run with TBS because they have been fantastic partners. This means I’ll be taping episodes of Conan well into the Ron Paul presidency.”

Beard or no beard, Conan is here to stay.

[Via EW]

Trailer round-up: ‘Brave’, ‘American Reunion’, ‘Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope’

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Check out this brand spankin’ new “trailer” for Pixar’s latest Brave. I put trailer in quotations because this really isn’t a trailer even though it has that label stuck on it; it’s really a two-and-a-half minute scene from the animated flick, and it’s quite good. Brave hits theatres June 22.

Jump after the break to watch the second trailer for American Reunion and one for Morgan Spurlock’s Comic Con documentary. Continue reading Trailer round-up: ‘Brave’, ‘American Reunion’, ‘Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope’ →

Director Sam Mendes talks in Bond ‘Skyfall’ video blog

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This will likely be the first of many video blogs from the set of the 23rd James Bond film Skyfall. In this one director Sam Mendes talks about shooting for the first time in England, and we even get a couple of glimpses of Daniel Craig as Bond in action. What’s the location, exactly? That’s still being kept under wraps, but if you have a keen eye and a solid memory this image should spark a fuse in your noggin.

Sure this one-and-a-half minute vlog is no Peter Jackson presenting The Hobbit masterpiece, but at least it introduces us to the next movie in the Bond franchise and teases a broader look behind the scenes in the future. Skyfall releases November 9, and in related news, it will be the first Bond film to hit IMAX theatres. According to a press release, “the IMAX release of Skyfall will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology.” So in other words Mendes will not shoot scenes made for IMAX (like Chris Nolan has done in his Batman movies), but nevertheless this is an exciting treat for fans of the long-running franchise. Bond will certainly took good on the giant screen.

PS Vita is out now!

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PS Vita, the most powerful handheld video game console ever, is out now. Have launch day nerves? Here’s what you need to know. Sony is selling two different SKUs: the $249 PS Vita with WiFi and the $299 model that also packs in 3G from AT&T. (Also available are the $299 Launch Bundle and the $349 First Edition Bundle, but these are being sold in limited quantities.) If you opt for the 3G model, AT&T is offering up tiered data plans that go like this:  250MB ($14.99), 3GB ($30), and 5GB ($50). There are 25 PS Vita-specific titles from first and third party developers, and the standout must-buy game is Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: Golden Abyss. In addition to fantastic graphics, Uncharted takes advantage of many of the Vita’s innovative input functions including the dual analog sticks, the six-axis motion sensor, and the touch-sensitive back; and so the game will help acclimate you to the new handheld. What else? The PlayStation Store has been updated with Vita-specific apps including Facebook, Netflix, LiveTweet, and Flickr; these freebies are necessities for early adopters, no doubt.

Gamers, it’s time to getcha game on and discover what the new PlayStation Portable is all about. Links to snag one for yourself rest in the paragraph above.

The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model is…

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American Kate Upton, age 19, is the second youngest model to cover the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2011 she was named SI‘s Rookie of the Year, and this year the teenage blonde bombshell was upgraded to cover model status. Guys, I know, too many words. Inch your eyes below and open the gallery to view more pics from the photoshoot, then dash after the break to watch video.

How does Upton compare to the previous Swimsuit Issue cover girls Brooklyn Decker and Irina Shayk? Sound off in the comment section below, that is, if you ever figure out how Upton managed to keep her breasts inside that top made for a toddler.

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Continue reading The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model is… →

Unreleased track: Kid Cudi – “Dose of Dopeness” (Produced by Dot Da Genius)

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Kid Cudi fans, here it is, at long last, the mastered version of “Dose of Dopeness.” Fans of Cudder have been waiting four years for this track to release, ever since he performed it at an intimate session that got posted to YouTube way back in 2008. The Dot Da Genius-produced banger carries a vibe similar to J-Kwon’s “Tipsy”, but obviously it does enough to distance itself from anything you’ve heard before. This is classic Cudder; in fact it was originally invented in ’08 when Cudi was about to blow up with another Genius-produced song “Day ‘N’ Night.” The beat is fire and the raps have an introductory swagger. In “Dopeness” Cudi talks, “Some people call me Cudi, some people call me Scott; it don’t matter what you want to call me as long as you call me something.” And at the very end he even teases the name of his debut album: “Where are we going? The moon.” Listen to and download the stellar track below. Cop the official album artwork (designed by Dat New Cudi’s DP) above.

You can expect to hear a whole lot more from Kid Cudi and Dot Da Genius soon. Their collab album WZRD drops February 28.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Dose of Dopeness” (Produced by Dot Da Genius)

[audio: Kid Cudi – Dose of Dopeness.mp3]

[Via DatNewCudi]

Apple reveals OS X Mountain Lion: “inspired by iPad, reimagined for Mac.”

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And so it seems like newly appointed Apple CEO Tim Cook is not following in the footsteps of the late Apple founder Steve Jobs when it comes to announcing the latest iteration of the Mac’s OS. Instead of gathering the press and making a grand presentation of it all, with OS X Mountain Lion (v10.8) Apple simply added a new “sneak peek” portal to their website that outlines many of the OS’ new features.

When OS X Lion was announced, Apple made it clear that their intention to bring the magic of the iPad to the desktop was very real. The most obvious port was Mission Control, a way for Mac users to organize and flip through their apps on the desktop just as they would on a mobile iOS device. This time around Apple is infusing so much more from iOS into OS X with new features like Messages with iMessage support, Notification Center, and even wide scale Twitter integration. Take a look below and follow after the break to read all about the new Lion in town.

Messages

RIP iChat. That’s right–Apple is replacing their in-house instant messenger with a new app called Messages. In addition to supporting instant messaging services like AIM, Jabber, Google Talk, and Yahoo! Messenger like its predecessor, Messages also supports iMessage. This means “you send unlimited messages to anyone on a Mac [using Messages] or an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 5.” In essence, this is iChat with a revamped UI and iMessage compatibility, oh and built-in FaceTime. Messages functions exactly like iMessage does on iOS devices; in addition to sending text you can share photos, videos, documents, and contacts and also initiate group messaging. Additionally you can see when your message has been delivered, when someone’s typing a reply, and you can allow the recipient to see when you’ve read their incoming messages. Click a button to immediately initiate a FaceTime video chat. And since Messages has iMessage support baked in, “you can start a conversation on your Mac and pick it up on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.” Simple, the Apple way. Download Messages today in beta form.

Notification Center

In iOS it’s a swipe from the top to pull down the unified Notification Center and view your alerts; in OS X it will be a swipe from the right. When you receive a notification on your Mac, a notification banner will appear in the upper-right hand corner of the desktop. When you receive an email, a calendar alert, an instant message, or whatever it might be the banner will pop up and preview the notification and then it will fade away so as not to interrupt your activity. When the banners disappear they relocate to the Notification Center which, as described above, can be reached at any time with a swipe to the left. To access it you can either perform a two finger swipe to the left on a trackpad, or you can click a new bulls-eye icon that sits up top where the Spotlight magnifying glass has been located for years (that is now shifted slightly to the left to make room). When the bulls-eye center is blue that indicates you have one or more notifications waiting for you. To exit Notification Center, simply click anywhere else on your screen and it will slide away. And just like in iOS, you can customize Notification Center by arranging app-specific alerts to your liking, enabling banners or more obtrusive alerts, sounds, and you’re also given the option to disable Notification Center if you don’t feel like dealing with it at all. It has been confirmed that Apple will be making available an API so that developers can take advantage of Notification Center with their own apps.

Share Sheets

Apple is baking in the share button iOS users should be accustomed to by now. It’s that button with a square and an arrow popping out of it that allows you to quickly share–say, a photo–with others by providing a drop-down list of places to send the information to. In iOS, for example, in the Photos app you can select an image, click the share button, and tap Email and the photo will instantly drop into a new email as an attachment ready to be sent off. In OS X, Apple plans to plant these “Share Sheets” into many apps including (but not limited to) Safari, Messages, Photo Booth, Quicktime, Preview, and iPhoto. Want to tweet a link you’re viewing in Safari? With Share Sheets there’s no need to login to Twitter and copy and paste the link; simply click the share button and click Twitter and the app will automatically open with the link ready to be sent off into the Twittersphere. Other sharing options include Vimeo and Flickr.

Continue reading Apple reveals OS X Mountain Lion: “inspired by iPad, reimagined for Mac.” →

‘Glee’ concert not happening this year

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It has been confirmed that Ryan Murphy and company will not be putting on a Glee concert this year. After spending the past two summers entertaining Gleeks around the nation in the Glee Live! In Concert! tour, the McKinley High students are taking a well deserved break (a two-and-a-half-month hiatus, to be exact) between season 3 and (the still not yet announced) season 4 of the hit FOX musical dramedy. But fear not die-hard Gleeks; Glee producers are planning a one-off benefit concert to take place this fall at the Hollywood Bowl to raise money for the arts education charity Glee Give a Note. Though ratings have been on a decline this year, Glee co-creator Murphy has made it apparent that he has exciting plans for the future of the show. Expect FOX to make an announcement concerning Glee‘s fate this spring.

[Via THR]

Jason Mraz confirms ‘Love Is A Four Letter Word’ April 17 release date, tracklist & album cover, drops “I Won’t Give Up” music video

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Fans of everything Jason Mraz, your time is near. The singer songwriter recently took to his blog to confirm that his fourth studio album will release earlier than previously reported on April 17–that’s less than two months away! Love Is A Four Letter Word contains a total of 12 tracks (just like his previous albums), including the popular single “I Won’t Give Up” and other songs he introduced to fans while he toured around the world. In addition to the album, Mraz will release a live digital EP appropriately titled Live Is A Four Letter Word that contains four tracks recorded from his performance at Spreckels Theater in San Diego, two of which are live versions of songs featured on the in-studio counterpart. The EP drops even sooner on February 28. Jump after the break to view the full tracklisting for both the album and the EP; below that watch the beautifully directed music video for “I Won’t Give Up.” And as a bonus, you’ll also find new live performances from the Today show and the Late Show with David Letterman. Continue reading Jason Mraz confirms ‘Love Is A Four Letter Word’ April 17 release date, tracklist & album cover, drops “I Won’t Give Up” music video →