Teaser trailer: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

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Transformers 3 (now titled “Dark of the Moon”, and I don’t like the way it rolls off the tongue because I want to say dark side of the moon) has a teaser trailer!  In a surprise move, director Michael Bay decided not to include any of the stars in the teaser; don’t expect to see Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky or his new love interest Carly played by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley make any appearances here.  Most of the trailer features scenes from the famed 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission, and it’s not that long until we discover the astronauts found more than just moon craters.  Robots on the moon?  Really?  As long as Huntington-Whiteley makes a good replacement for Megan Fox (and I have no doubt she will) and there are some epic fight scenes, I’ll pay the price of admission to see it in IMAX 3D when it hits theatres July 1, 2011.  Here’s a small synopsis of the upcoming robot-bashing flick:

In this new movie, the Autobots and Decepticons become involved in a perilous space race between the U.S. and Russia, and once again human Sam Witwicky has to come to the aid of his robot friends. There’s new characters too, including a new villain in the form of Shockwave, a longtime “Transformers” character who rules Cybertron while the Autobots and Decepticons battle it out on Earth.

‘Entourage’ movie is on track to happen, according to producer Mark Wahlberg

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We’ve heard through HBO programming president Michael Lombardo that Entourage creator Doug Ellin “wants to write a film, but wants to do it when the story will make sense.”  This week more Entourage movie talk added more flames to fan speculation about the possibility of a movie featuring Ari Gold and gang, and this time it comes from executive producer Mark Wahlberg.  “We have one last season left on TV and then it would probably take place after the finale,” said Wahlberg.  “There are places to go. I’m still here all these years later, aren’t I? My story didn’t end in my 20s.” (If you didn’t know, the show is loosely based on the life of actor Wahlberg.)  He says, “We want it to happen…[but] we won’t make it if we don’t have a good script,” echoing what Lombardo said about Ellin’s vision for a movie.

Well Entourage fans, it’s really starting to look like a movie is in the works.  The eighth and final season of the show will air next summer on HBO, and following that six-episode arc we should have a better idea about where the creator and producers might want to head for a movie adaptation.

[Via EW]

Spider-Man reboot is getting the RED EPIC 3D treatment

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Spider-Man reboot cinematographer Jason Schwartzman beat Peter Jackson to the punch!  Just about one week after Jackson announced his crew would be using 30 RED EPIC cameras to shoot The Hobbit in 3D, Schwartzman started production on Spider-Man using 3 EPIC cameras mounted on 2 3ality rigs.  This makes the Spidey reboot the very first major studio motion picture to be shot using the highly lauded RED EPIC configuration.  Schwartzman shared his initial thoughts after the first day of shooting.  “I can say for certainty the camera does exist and boy is it ready for primetime, as a matter of fact it’s a true game changer.  We shot in 3D…including running high speed and the images look stunning!”  Watching a movie in 3D is hotly debatable topic, but there’s no arguing against the 5K super hi-def resolution that EPIC camera make possible.  The Hobbit and Spider-Man are going to look good.

In related Spidey news, actress Emma Stone returned to her blonde roots for her Gwen Stacey role.  Let’s just say it’s a natural fit.

[Via Engadget; RedUserForums]

iTunes looks back at this year’s music sales, Train & Eminem top the charts

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At the end of the year, Apple likes to tally up all the singles and albums purchased by iTunes Store customers.; they call it iTunes Rewind.  The 2010 Rewind best-sellers are Train and Eminem for single of the year (“Hey, Soul Sister”) and album of the year (“Recovery”), respectively.  In addition to Train, the top ten best-selling singles include tracks from Katy Perry, Eminem (2), B.o.B, Taio Cruz (2), Usher, Ke$ha, and Lady Antebellum.  The top ten best-selling albums include records from artists Ke$ha, Ladies Gaga and Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Drake, Mumford & Sons, The Black Eyed Peas, Jack Johnson, and Sade.  Before you jump after the break to look at the top ten lists, make some predictions to test your wits; it shouldn’t be that hard to guess what two single Taio Cruz made uber-popular this year.

iTunes Rewind covers more than the music category.  Apple also tallies up the best-selling TV shows, movies, podcasts, audiobooks, and apps.  And yes, it is safe to assume that the app featuring unwieldy birds and idle, snorting green pigs took home the top prize of best-selling paid app.  Click here to browse all the Rewind charts.

[Via iTunes] Continue reading iTunes looks back at this year’s music sales, Train & Eminem top the charts →

Preview Kanye West’s “Monster” music video

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Looks like Kanye West is readying his next music video.  The followup to the “Power” painting will be a haunting tribute to the “Monster” track on West’s incredible My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  This 40 second preview of the video was originally obtained by Hip Hop Connection but was recently taken down from the site.  I managed to find another copy hanging out in YouTube, so make sure you check it out before it gets squashed again.  In it you’ll see West interacting with dead girls, Jay-Z rapping amidst dead girls hanging from the ceiling like chandeliers, and Nicki Minaj spitting her sick verse erotically crawling on the floor.  Rick Ross also plays a part in the video, and you can click here to see a brief behind-the-scenes glimpse into his on-screen duties.  With all of this leaking at once, I’d like to think the final, official version is ready for a release soon.

Music video: Dr. Dre – “Kush” (Featuring Snoop Dogg & Akon)

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With the release of a brand new music video, Dr. Dre’s Detox release is becoming that much more of an imminent reality.  The music video for the lead single “Kush” features Dre, Snoop, and Akon partying it up but all the guests are frozen in time.  These neat special FX mixed with the thumping bass of this catchy track make for an enjoyable video.

More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS

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If you couldn’t figure it out by reading the post title, Google’s web browser that could is being upgraded across the board.  And when I say across the board, I really mean across platforms.  In addition to bringing a slew of updates to the standard Chrome browser in version 8, Google also spilled more details about the Chrome Web Store and its forthcoming operating system based on the browser itself.  All of the juicy details were shared at a Chrome-themed press event on Tuesday, just one day after Google dropped the Android 2.3 with Nexus S bomb.  To say the G-Men dominated this week in tech would be a nasty understatement.  Ready, set, dive…

Chrome 8: Earlier this week Google pushed out the latest update for its desktop browser.  Chrome 8 includes many welcome additions such as a speedy built-in PDF reader and automatic updates.  At the press event, Google previewed some upcoming features that will become fully integrated into the browser in the near future.  First up  is an update to the URL bar, or what the company likes to call the “Omnibox.”  Following in the footsteps of the Google search bar, the Omnibox will handle Google Instant searches.  Chrome will show search results and loading web pages as you type in the box; this saves you the step of pointing the browser to Google.com and then making a search.  Search and Instant Search have become one in the Omnibox.  On top of this, the browser will pick up on your most frequently visited sites and will direct you instantly to them as you type.  For example, if you visit ESPN.com often, when you type the letter “e” in the Omnibox ESPN will start to load up; pretty neat, eh?  Google also boasted browser speed and performance improvements.  Chrome now runs complex JavaScript programs up to twice as fast as before (they say an impending speed enhancement called “Crankshaft” will make the browser 100x faster than what IE’s speed was two years ago, and that’s mighty impressive) and there’s full WebGL support.  If you have a copy of Chrome installed on your computer, an automatic update to version 8 should happen the next time you open it.  And again, expect the Instant Omnibox and crazy speed enhancement to hit the browser soon.

Chrome Web Store: Everyone knows about Apple’s App Store, and it’s about time word of Google’s Chrome Web Store got around.  The concept is simple.  The Web Store houses Chrome Extensions, Themes, and most importantly web apps.  What are web apps and how do they differ from plain ‘ol apps?  Google describes them as “advanced interactive websites”, but essentially they are apps built specifically for use inside a browser.  And that comes with perks–the best one being that you never have to worry about updating them.  Since they live on the web in your browser, updates can be automatically pushed out from the developer at any time without you ever having to think about it.  All web app purchases are tied to your Google Account.  Perk alert!  Since that’s the case, all your purchases app live in the cloud and not on your computer, meaning they can be accessed from any Internet-connected device with a browser (i.e. another computer, a smartphone, etc.).  Google is also making it so that apps can work offline, leaving it up to the developer’s discretion.  Many developers are already jumping on board to make web apps.  At the press event Amazon showcased Kindle for the Web, an app that allows ebook readers to read their purchased titles inside a browser.  And no surprise here; your reading library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights will be saved and seamlessly transported to any device you have the Kindle app installed on (said devices include the iOS lineup, Android phones, and obviously a Kindle reader).  The Store also hosts some games, but don’t expect to find anything mindblowing in that genre just yet.  It’s up and running today, so head over to the Chrome Web Store and check it out.  The layout will be familiar to you; app categories on the left, top paid and free on the right, featured apps in the middle.  Go wild. Continue reading More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS →

Google news: Nexus S, Android 2.3, Maps for Mobile, eBooks

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Today turned out to be an announcement-filled day for the hardworking team at Google.  The next true “Google phone” was formally unveiled, the next version of Android dubbed Gingerbread was detailed, Google Maps Navigation received a major upgrade, and now the search giant is the latest company to offer a vast eBooks store and ecosystem.  Let’s jump right to the facts, shall we?

Nexus S: The Nexus S, a collaborative effort between Google and hardware manufacturer Samsung, is the follow-up device to the Nexus One.  In similar fashion to its predecessor, the Nexus S promotes a “pure Google” experience, meaning that it runs the pure vanilla version of Android; you wouldn’t dare find an inkling of customized UI overlays like HTC’s Sense, Motorola’s Motoblur, or even Samsung’s own TouchWiz.  Unfortunately the specifications do not push conventional boundaries, although there are some new welcome additions that complement the new Android platform: 4-inch WVGA (480×800) Super AMOLED display (Samsung is touting the new “Contour Display” that’s “designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and along the side of your face”), 1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus, flash, and HD 720p video recording, front-facing VGA camera (640×480), Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, Near Field Communication (NFC), accelerometer, proximity sensor, three-axis gyroscope.  Ports-wise there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB 2.0 port.  The 1500 mAH Lithum Ion battery boasts the following life support: Talk time up to 6.7 hours on 3G (14 hours on 2G), Standby time up to 17.8 days on 3G (29.7 days on 2G).  Interestingly the phone only supports tri-band HSPA, so there’s no 4G support here.  Of all the tech specs listed, you may be pondering about NFC.  Essentially NFC works like QR codes but better; companies can place NFC chips into objects like movie posters and the user can hold up their phone to the tagged object to extract information from it (there’s no need to open an app or bring up the camera).

So the spec sheet isn’t all that impressive, but there are two things that save this phone from being just another Android device: it’s sexy Galaxy S looks (good job Samsung) and it’s the very first device to run Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread (more on that in a bit).  Let’s talk release date and pricing.  The Nexus S ships December 17 for $199 with a new 2-year contract with T-Mobile (or $529 unlocked) and it’ll be available for purchase online and in-store from all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores in the U.S.  It lands in the UK on December 20 at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy retailers.

Continue reading Google news: Nexus S, Android 2.3, Maps for Mobile, eBooks →

Your Facebook profile page is about to receive yet another facelift

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Another day, another Facebook revamp–am I right?  Though most people love to share their gripes about Facebook’s incessant need to change the way it looks, this particular change to our profile pages is actually (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) a good one.  Read on to find out why.

When you receive the profile page update and head over to your page, the first change you’ll notice is up top where your name is located.  Tabs are gone (they’ve been moved to the left-side pane, but more on that later) and under your name now you’ll find “a quick summary of who you are”, as Facebook so eloquently describes it.  What looks like a jumble of words at first is actually a list of key information pertaining to you.  For example, if you provide info. like your relationship status, where you go to school and what you’re studying, where you live, where you’re originally from, where you work, what languages you speak, and your birthday–all of this will be listed under your name and viewable by friends.  Directly beneath this “about me” section is a collection of recently tagged photos featuring you.  Keep in mind these highlighted photos are static; you cannot change the order of them.  All you can do is tap a small “x” to hide a particular recent photo and it will be replace by the next most recent tagged photo. Pretty cool way to “show what you’ve been up to lately”, I guess. Continue reading Your Facebook profile page is about to receive yet another facelift →

OnLive introduces $10/month flat-rate plan for gamers

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OnLive, the gaming on-demand cloud-based service, scrapped the idea of implementing a required monthly fee back in October, but now they’re bringing it back and this time it’s optional.  OnLive gamers will have three options to play games. (1) Purchase a game in full to keep.  (2) With PlayPass gamers can buy a 3-day or 5-day rental pass to stream a full game.  (3) With PlayPack (and here’s the new addition) gamers can pay $9.99/month to gain access to an entire catalog of games.  Think of it as Netflix but for games; you pay one flat-rate per month and gain access to a bunch of full streaming games.  Nice deal, huh?

The company says the new flat-rate plan will comprise more than 40 “high-quality” games when it officially launches January 15, 2011.  Some of these games include Prince of Persia, Unreal Tournament 3, and LEGO Batman. They promise this small batch of initial games will “expand up to and beyond” the launch date.  Now check this: if you purchase the OnLive Game System (which is a $99 controller and MicroConsole bundle) you will receive free access to the PlayPack library of games until the January launch.  After this “introductory beta period” is over, you’ll have to pay the monthly subscription price if you don’t want to part with it.

Happy (video games) streaming.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading OnLive introduces $10/month flat-rate plan for gamers →

This short film will inspire you to clean up your room, get your groove on

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Filmmaker and dancer Daniel Cloud Campos choreographed, shot, and directed this fantastic video all by himself.  I don’t want to give away too much since that would diminish the effect of the video.  Let’s just say this is how I wish cleaning would get done at my apartment.

[Via @kevinpereira; steveyeuntumblr]

Music video: Coldplay – “Christmas Lights”

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I’ve been jonesing for some new Coldplay content for some time now, and when I heard the band released a new tune just in time for the holidays I was ecstatic!  The song called “Christmas Lights” is great, but the music video for it is even better.  Watch the four piece alt rock band led by talented vocalist Chris Martin deck the halls in this wintry wonderscape video.  Download the track at iTunes.