Lost single: Kid Cudi – “Bigger Than You” (produced by Emile)

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Here’s a nice treat for all you Cudder fans. Today Complex released a mastered version of the very first track Kid Cudi and longtime producer/collaborator Emile ever made together. The song is called “Bigger Than You” and it was meant to serve as the lead single off Cudi’s debut album Man on the Moon: End of Day. Since it was created so early on in 2007 (and the fact that it leaked under the false title “Do It Alone”), Cudi and Emile ultimately decided to scrap it and not include it on the album. The Dot Da Genius produced track “Day N’ Nite,” as we all know, would go on to become Cudi’s first hit record. In a 2009 interview with Complex, Emile shed some light on the making of the lost single today reborn:

He had in his head what he wanted to start the album with. Like way back it was a song called “Bigger Than You,” which some people might of heard because it leaked. It was a really dope record. “Bigger Than You” was actually the first record me and Cudi ever did together. It was on the first day that we met, we cut that song. Once we cut it, he was like, “That’s the intro to my album.” It stayed that way for a while, but that record was cut a long time before the album was ever done, so eventually it kinda faded out.

Listen to it below; a download link is provided. Two words: classic Cudi.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Bigger Than You” (produced by Emile)

[audio: Bigger Than You.mp3]

[Via DatNewCudi; Complex]

Music video: Coldplay – “Paradise”

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Today Coldplay released a new music video for the track “Paradise,” the second single off their upcoming fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto. The sweeping anthem plays in the background as we watch a costumed man in an elephant suit journey around the world to find his bandmates. His method of transportation is a unicycle. I don’t want to give anything away, but Coldplay frontman Chris Martin makes unicycling look easy! Whoops. The vibrant clip was directed by Mat Whitecross, the same guy who helmed the music video for the previous single “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall.”  Mylo Xyloto releases October 24.

Music video: Rihanna – “We Found Love”

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Rihanna’s catchy dance track “We Found Love” now has a music video to go along with it. The Calvin Harris-produced lead single off RiRi’s upcoming sixth studio album Talk That Talk hit the radio earlier this month and quickly became a chart-topping hit. The clip embedded above features trippy visuals and contains too many jump cuts if you ask me. The Barbadian sex symbol doesn’t take much time to strip in front of her boy toy in this one. Pump up the volume and mash play to watch Rihanna let loose. Talk That Talk is due out next month.

Google & Samsung reveal Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”

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There was the Nexus One and Nexus S. Today in a joint event based in Hong Kong Google and Samsung announced the next Android flagship device: the Galaxy Nexus. Both the hardware and software that make up this smartphone will bring you to your knees. First, check out these hardware specifications. The Galaxy Nexus sports a giant 4.65″ (1280X720) HD Super AMOLED display and is powered by a 1.2GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM. There’s a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, zero shutter lag, and 1080p HD video recording at 30fps around back and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front for video calls. Built-in sensors include an accelerometer, compass, gyro, light, proximity, and a freakin’ barometer. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0 technologies are onboard, as is NFC. The sleek devices measures at 135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94mm and weighs 135g. A Li-on 1,750 mAh battery comes attached. Ports include USB 2.0 and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Customers will have the option of 16GB and 32GB storage capacities. will HSPA+ and 4G LTE models will be produced with all signs pointing to AT&T and Verizon Wireless as official carriers, though this information along with pricing has yet to be announced.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the next Nexus phone will come loaded with the next generation Android OS dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich. Previously introduced and detailed at Google I/O earlier this year, ICS (now labeled Android 4.0) will merge Android’s smartphone OS Gingerbread (v2.3) and tablet OS Honeycomb (v3.0) to form “one OS everywhere” and bring the best of both worlds to smartphone devices. At the Hong Kong event Google further detailed ICS and shed light on some super cool functionality that’s baked into it. With Android 4.0, Google says “the lock screen, home screen, phone app, and everything in between has been rethought and redesigned to make Android simple, beautiful, and useful.” The revamped OS brings with it many enhancements and new features, but there are four major ones that were discussed at today’s event. (1) Face Unlock uses facial recognition to unlock your phone. In Settings, Android will snap a picture of your face and remember it each time you go to unlock your phone. If lighting is poor, you can unlock your phone with a conventional swipe. (2) Android Beam uses NFC technology to wirelessly share content between two devices. Users can physically touch two phones together and tap a “beam” button to share web pages, apps, maps, YouTube videos, and more. Does this remind you of WebOS’ “tap-to-share” functionality? It should. (3) The enhanced Camera app brings with it a panorama mode, 1080p video capture, zero-shutter lag, and fun effects like silly faces and background replacement. Photos can be edited right on the device. (4) A new People app helps users organize their contacts with social network integration (Google+, “other social networks”) including the ability to view status updates and high-res photos. Other software updates coming with ICS include virtual on-screen buttons that take the place of physical capacitive ones, a new modern “Roboto” font, a customizable launcher, offline search in Gmail, accessing apps from the lock screen, enhanced voice recognition, tabbed browsing, and the ability to exit apps running in the background. If you want to learn more about what’s packed inside Ice Cream Sandwich, head over to the Android Developers website.

The Galaxy Nexus will be the very first device to run Android 4.0. Google says that “theoretically [Ice Cream Sandwich] should work for any [Android] 2.3 device.” Though there are no plans to rollout ICS to legacy Android devices just yet, you can expect Google and hardware manufacturers like Samsung and HTC to speak up about software updates for specific devices in the near future. The Galaxy Nexus with ICS goes on sale in the U.S., Europe, and Asia this November. Again, pricing and carriers are TBD. Check out the super sleek phone and OS in the gallery below, then find official PR after the break.


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[Via GoogleBlog; AndroidDevelopers; GoogleNexus Engadget 1, 2] Continue reading Google & Samsung reveal Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” →

Motorola intros RAZR thin Droid, fitness enhanced Motoactv MP3 player

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Today Motorola introduced the newest member of the Droid smartphone family, and this one’s special because it bears the name of one of the most (if not the most) popular flip phones from the early 00’s. The Droid RAZR by Motorola measures at 7.1 mm thin making it the world’s thinnest smartphone, according to Motorola. The iPhone 4S, by comparison, is a beefier 9.3mm thin. In addition to being so slim, the Droid RAZR is extremely durable; the large 4.3-inch (960×540) qHD Super AMOLED display is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance and the device is wrapped in Kevlar fiber for strength. Inside it’s powered by a speedy dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM and runs Android Gingerbread (version 2.3.5). The 4G LTE handset also packs an 8 megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology, a front-facing HD camera for video chat, 32GB of memory (16GB on board storage and a 16GB microSD card pre-installed), mobile hotspot capability, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI and Micro USB ports, and a 1780 mAh battery. On the software side, the Droid RAZR comes loaded with MotoCast and Smart Actions applications. The first serves as a cloud app allowing users to wirelessly stream content (music, photos, etc.) from PCs to the phone, and the second allows users to automate tasks and optimize battery efficiency. Additionally, this device will be the first smartphone capable of streaming Netflix content in HD. When the Droid RAZR goes on sale next month, many accessories will ship alongside it and they include updated versions of Motorola’s Lapdock, charging cradles for desks and cars, a wireless keyboard, a portable power pack, and Bluetooth headsets.

The Droid RAZR goes on sale in “early November” for $299.99 with a new two-year contract with Verizon Wireless. Will this Droid live up to the iconic status that lives inside the RAZR brand? Only time, my friends, can tell. Get a closer look at the device in the gallery below and peek after the break for the full PR.

In addition to announcing a new Droid, Motorola also intro’d Motoactv, “the ultimate fusion of music and fitness.” The diminutive MP3 player looks like the iPod nano and aims to be a Nike+ killer. The hardware piece comes built into a lightweight, wearable band that can be worn around your wrist or arm and it can also be clipped to your shirt or a bike. The device itself sports a 1.6″ full-color touch-screen display that is sweat-proof, rain-resistant and scratch-resistant that auto-adjusts for indoor or outdoor lighting, it supports Bluetooth 4.0 and ANT+ wireless connectivity, packs a 600MHz processor, and it runs a customized version of Android. Though Motoactv is an MP3 player at its core, Motorola is billing it as a device aimed toward those wanting to keep in shape. The devices uses Moto’s own “AccuSense technology” and GPS to accurately measure time, distance, speed, heart rate, and calories burned during a workout session. You can then upload your workout to Motoactv.com to analyze the performance data tracked by the device to see how you’re doing. The built-in music player is “smart” in that it will “learn what tracks motivate you most by measuring your performance against your music and then uses those songs to create your personal high-performance playlist.” Pretty slick, huh? FM radio is on board, too. Motorola also aims to replace chest straps with advanced headphones that come preinstalled with heart rate monitors. The headphone will come in wireless and wired versions and it’ll provide real-time audible readouts of your heart rate during workout sessions. Additionally, the headphones will stay connected to your Android-powered smartphone via Bluetooth allowing you to make and receive calls on the run if so you choose.

Motoactv is now available for preorder and it goes on sale November 6. The 8GB model will go for $249 and $299 will get you 16GB. The Motorola SF700 (wireless) and Motorola SF500 (wired) sports headphones will be sold separately for $149 and $99, respectively. Again, pictures below and PR after the break.


[Via Engadget 1, 2] Continue reading Motorola intros RAZR thin Droid, fitness enhanced Motoactv MP3 player →

PlayStation Vita comes to US shores February 22

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President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America Jack Tretton announced that the PSP successor, the PlayStation Vita, will launch in the United States on February 22, 2012. This will follow the initial release in Japan on December 17. The PS Vita, with its 5-inch OLED screen, dual analog sticks, dual cameras, and front and rear touch panel and social networking applications like Facebook, foursquare, Skype, and Twitter, will sell in two SKUs: the 3G model (with AT&T support) will cost $299, while the WiFi-only version will go for $249. Now peep the packaging above and start saving!

[Via PlayStationBlog]

 

Nintendo refreshes the Wii’s look, drops GameCube compatibility, keeps $150 price tag

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The house that built Mario has gone ahead and slightly tweaked the exterior design of their family friendly console the Wii. The hardware refresh introduces a more streamlined look and is meant to sit horizontally rather than stand vertically. At the same time, Nintendo decided to drop GameCube compatibility meaning that the redesigned console will not be able to play GameCube games. The new bundle, which packs the newly configured Wii in black, New Super Mario Bros., a Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack CD, a black Wii Remote Plus controller, and a black Nunchuk will hit stores October 23. Now get this: there is no price drop and the Wii will continue to sell for $149.99. In a press release Ninty went on to state that the current Wii bundle (which includes Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers, Mario Kart Wii, the Wii Wheel accessory, and GameCube backwards compatibility) will continue to sell at the $150 price point. So when you’re shopping this holiday season, make sure you get the right bundle! In this case, functionality trumps aesthetics especially if you have a solid library of GameCube games.

[Via Nintendo]

Google kills Buzz

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Like Google Wave before it, Google Buzz failed to attract a large following within the Internet’s social space. Google’s answer to Twitter was integrated into Gmail and shortly after Buzz launched it was quickly ignored. In what they’re calling a “fall sweep,” Google is eliminating a number of services from its arsenal, one of which is Buzz (along with the Buzz API). The company says it learned a lot from building and launching Buzz and that it will now focus all of its energy on Google’s latest attempt at social Google+. Sadly, Buzz, you will not be missed. In fact, I already forgot you ever existed. See what else Google dropped during their fall sweep at the source link provided below.

[Via GoogleBlog]

Apple reports 2011 Q4 earnings: $6.62b profit, $28.27b revenue, Macs up 26%, iPhones up 21%, iPads up 166%, iPods down 27%

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Apple’s 2011 fourth quarter financial results have been posted, and for the first time in a long time they have not met Wall Street expectations. Apple posted a $6.62 billion profit on $28.27 billion in revenue.  Compare this to one year ago, that’s up from a profit of $4.31 billion on $20.34 billion in revenue.

Here’s the break down by product category.  Apple sold 4.89 million Macs during the quarter (representing a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter); 17.07 million iPhones (representing a 21 percent unit growth); 11.12 million iPads (representing a 166 percent unit growth); and 6.62 million iPods (representing an 27 percent unit decline).

Why the low figures, especially in the iPhone department? Analysts are blaming the late introduction of the next iPhone (the iPhone 4S) and the fact that it wasn’t a totally redesigned iPhone 5. Though the numbers didn’t reach expectations, newly appointed CEO Tim Cook exuded optimism in a press release. “We are thrilled with the very strong finish of an outstanding fiscal 2011, growing annual revenue to $108 billion and growing earnings to $26 billion. Customer response to iPhone 4S has been fantastic, we have strong momentum going into the holiday season, and we remain really enthusiastic about our product pipeline.” Apple did sell over four million iPhone 4S devices in just three days, so to say the product launch hurt the company would be downright false. Following the earnings announcement, Apple stock (which hit an all-time high of 422.24 today) fell 28.19 (-6.68%) after hours.

Looking ahead to the first quarter in 2012, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer expects revenue of about $37 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $9.30. Let’s see if they can get things back on track next time.

[Via Apple]

TV reminder: ‘The Walking Dead’ returns tonight at 9PM on AMC [Update: The ratings are in…]

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Rick Grimes and company return tonight in the season 2 premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead. There’s a new showrunner in town (season 1 producer Glenn Mazzara has replaced Frank Darabont at the top), but you can expect the epic storytelling and zombie-infested thrills to absolutely remain in tact. If the season 2 trailer that debuted at Comic Con has anything to say, it’s that this time around every aspect of this amazing show is only going to get better. The creative team led by Darabont and comic book originator Robert Kirkman quickly found their footing in the premiere season, introducing the wide range of characters with precision, emotional impact, and top notch storytelling. This time around AMC is allotting the show 13 episodes; if you were wowed by all that went down in season 1 (which contained a 6-episode story arc), we can only imagine what they are going to do with over double the amount of time. After eyeballing the season 2 poster (which rivals the season 1 poster in how awesome it is), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the survivors will reach Hershel’s farm, an important stop on their journey to salvation as the readers of the comics already know. As a personal aside, I really hope that Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) returns as The Governor!

The Walking Dead returns tonight at 9PM on AMC in an expanded 90-minute episode. FYI, the season will be split in two. Seven episodes will air consecutively this fall and then the show will go on an extended hiatus starting November 4. The remaining six episodes will air beginning February 12 in the new year. Lastly, don’t forget to watch Talking Dead, a live half-hour after-show hosted by Chris Hardwick that will air immediately follow each episode and recap and discuss it. Sunday night is about to become the best time of the week.

Gallery 1 contains shiny character profiles; in the one below that you’ll find stills from the premiere ep “What Lies Ahead.”

Update: The Walking Dead season 2 premiere scared up quite the audience. Check out these record-breaking numbers for a cable program: the premiere at 9PM drew 7.3 million total viewers and 4.8 million viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Compared to last year’s pilot, that’s up 38 percent in total viewers (last year: 5.3 million), 36 percent in 18-49 (3.6 million), and 35 percent in 25-54 (3.1 million). And if you factor in the two encore presentations that followed at 10:30PM and 12:30AM, a grand total of 11 million tuned into the season 2 opener. This marks a series high for AMC’s gory staple.

AMC president Charlie Collier shared his excitement over the big ratings. “The Walking Dead is one of those rare television programs that reaches both a core genre fan as well as broad audiences simply looking for a great, character-based story. That The Walking Dead is now the most watched drama in the history of basic cable is staggering, just like our zombies.”

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[Images via IGN; Deadline]

Movie poster: ‘The Three Stooges’

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Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), Chris Diamantopoulos (24), and Will Sasso (MADtv) are Larry, Moe, and Curly in The Three Stooges reboot helmed by the Farrelly Brothers (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary). The feature will apparently play out in three half-hour shorts and will follow the three knuckleheads as they grow out of an orphanage and journey into adulthood. The latest sources say the dim-witted trio will find themselves in the middle of a murder plot and then starring in a reality show. Jane Lynch (Glee) and Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) have been cast as Mother Superior and Sister Mary-Mengele, respectively, and will fill the screen during the Stoooges’ time at the orphanage. Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Jennifer Hudson, and Stephen Collins round out the impressive supporting cast. A trailer should release soon, but for now we’ll have to deal with this teaser poster featuring silhouettes of Curly and Moe Howard and Larry Fine. According to Deadline, the 20th Century Fox logo is intentionally cropped out; ha! The Three Stooges releases April 4, 2012.

[Via ComingSoon.net; Deadline]

Red band teaser: ‘American Reunion’

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It was reported back in April of 2010 that the entire cast of the original American Pie trilogy would return in a new movie. I am happy to report that it has all panned out: the gang is back for “one more slice,” that is, according to the official movie website. Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Chris Klein, Shannon Elizabeth, Tara Reid, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy, Natasha Lyonne, Mena Suvari, Jennifer Coolidge, Thomas Ian Nichols, and Chris Owen are all expected to return. In the fourth installment, Jim is still married to Michelle and now they have a kid! I’ll leave the rest to the released synopsis:

In the comedy American Reunion, all the American Pie characters we met a little more than a decade ago return to East Great Falls for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will discover what has changed, who hasn’t and that time and distance can’t break the bonds of friendship. It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim and Michelle married while Kevin and Vicky said goodbye. Oz and Heather grew apart, but Finch still longs for Stifler’s mom. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about—and get inspired by—the hormonal teens who launched a comedy legend.

Watch the red band teaser trailer above. American Reunion hits theatres April 6, 2012.