Here’s Em’s latest music video off his hit album Recovery. It’s “No Love” featuring Weezy. As Eminem lays down his rhymes in the recording studio, a young boy gets harrassed by bullies at school. Hang tight ’till the end when revenge gets served in the cafeteria.
[Via EW-MusicMix]
Thanks to a gang of hackers and bloggers Kanye West has decided not to release a new G.O.O.D. Friday track this week. On Wednesday an unfinished track off Ye’s upcoming album called “Lost in the World” leaked onto the Internet. Shortly after it made waves ’round the ‘Net Kanye shared the news via his Twitter account. “Due to blogs leaking unfinished songs from my actual album I’ve decided to pass of Good Fridays this week”, he tweeted. “It’s messed up that one hacker can mess everything up for everyone… I love to take a year to finish my songs and deliver them … to you guys in there most completed form… It would have seemed like since I give free music every week even the lowest form of human being would respect that enough not to leak unfinished songs from my real album…” I gotta side with Yeezy here. He’s been gracious enough to spend extra hours in the studio to deliver weekly hits for us; the least we can do is not leak songs that haven’t be certified as completed.
But there may still be hope! Late last night (10/1) Kanye tweeted, “For the real hip hop fans… even though I had to shift all my energy to mixing my album do to leaks. I’m trying to still deliver a new Good Friday song 2nt… Let’s pray!!!” Friday has come and gone and there’s no new G.O.O.D. Friday song to be found. Let’s keep on praying, huh?
Update: Around 4am Saturday morning Kanye posted single art for a new track called “Christian Dior Denim Flow”. It features Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, and Ryan Leslie. He tweeted, “Christian Dior Denim Flow GOOD FRIDAY… fuuuuck I need some sleep.” So is this the G.O.O.D. Friday song of the week? It appears to be that way, but there’s no download link…yet. Single art is pasted above.
Update 2: Kanye delivers! “Christian Dior Denim Flow” is here. Preview and download below.
[audio: Kanye West – Christian Dior Denim Flow.mp3][Via @kanyewest; KWBlog]
Bookmark http://goo.gl/. It’s going to come in handy, trust me.
I’m sure you’ve heard of TinyURL and Bit.ly–these are popular URL shortener websites. You can copy and paste a long URL into them and they spit out a shorter URL for you to use. They are especially helpful if you’re an avid user of Twitter, a social platform that restricts you to 140 characters per tweet. Though it’s been available since last December living in the Google Toolbar, Google’s URL shortener is now available for the general public through its very own website appropriately named goo.gl. “We don’t intend to overload goo.gl with features, but we do want it to be the stablest, most secure, and fastest URL shortener on the web,” says Google. “With goo.gl, every time you shorten a URL, you know it will work, it will work fast, and it will keep working. You also know that when you click a goo.gl shortened URL, you’re protected against malware, phishing and spam using the same industry-leading technology we use in search and other products.” And here’s the best part. If you sign in with your Google Account, you can keep track of all the URLs you shorten; “public, real-time analytics data, complete with traffic over time, top referrers, and visitor profiles” are at your disposal to view. Oh, and one more thing.. You can add .qr to the end of any shortened URL to transform the link into a QR code (which can be read by many smartphones and other devices). How neat is that?
[Via GoogleSocialWebBlog; TechCrunch]
Early this week it was reported that George Lucas is very much interested in rereleasing all six Star Wars films in 3D. For years Lucas publically denounced 3D technology in film. According to various sources it was James Cameron’s Avatar that brough him over to the stereoscopic side. Here’s the plan. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will undergo the 3D conversion process first, which takes at least one year to complete, with a planned release date in early 2012. The remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years. Why the long wait? Purportedly Lucas has been waiting for the 3D front to explode, both in cinema and at home. Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic special FX company will oversee the 3D conversion, and 20th Century Fox is backing the rereleases.
Though 3D converted films have been panned in the past (I’m thinking about you, Clash of the Titans), as compared to movies shot in 3D (like Avatar), the Lucas and the conversion house promise to deliver a worthy 3D experience come 2012. “Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right,” says John Knoll, ILM visual effects supervisor. “It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful. It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results. For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience.” We shall see. Are you an impacient Star Wars fanboy/girl? Don’t forget that the franchise is coming to Blu-ray next year. Or you can get yourself a Star Wars branded Droid R2-D2 smartphone. Go nuts!
The Beats by Dr. Dre product line was co-founded by rapper/produced Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovin back in 2008 to “reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios.” The brand has branched in two directions: headphones and HP laptops (Envy models). The original crop of headphones included the over-the-ear Studio Beats ($349) and Solo Beats ($199) and the in-ear Tour Beats ($189). In time two new versions of the Solo Beats hit the market–Solo HD ($229) and Solo HD Product RED special edition ($229). Also, a new category called Artist Series Headphones introduced two new in-ear ‘phones–Heartbeats (Lady Gaga, $149) and Diddy Beats (Diddy, $179).
On Friday Dr. Dre & Monster unveiled five new Beats branded products, four headphones and a portable iPod dock. The Beatbox ($399) is a digital sound system built to dock iPods and iPhones and features “proprietary dual 5.25-inch long throw bass drivers for superior bass reproduction and two optimized 2-inch concave high frequency drivers for precise soundstaging.” Beats Pro ($449) relinquishes the Studio Beats as the top-of-the-line Beats headphones. These over-the-ear cans feature an all-metal body construction and are “ideal for in-studio production and ultimate quality music listening.” iBeats ($119) “feature a new sealed in-ear design that literally reduces external noise for a better music experience” and three custom-fit eartip sizes. They are “ideal for exercising and active lifestyles.” The latest edition to the Artist Series Headphones collection is the Power Beats (LeBron James, $179). The new in-ear “performance sports headphone” features a new dual driver design with a built-in subwoofer and midrange tweeter, an adjustable/bendable ear hook with a flexible arm, and a non-noise occluding headphone eartip which allows external noise to be audible during music playback. There are black, red, and white color options for these. And finally there’s the JustBeats, Justin Bieber branded headphones. They will come in two varients, over-the-ear ($199) and in-ear ($119). They are “specifically aimed at “opening the ears” of young music listeners.” The “eye-catching matte purple finish” happens to be Bieber’s favorite color, as you all should well know.
According to the press release, all the new Beats by Dre products (excluding the JustBeats) will be made available in the US, UK, France and Germany in the “coming weeks.” The purple Bieber cans will sell exclusively at Best Buy this holiday season. Look in the gallery below to see what they all look like. Dre says, “What you’re seeing today is what me and Jimmy set out to do with Beats. It’s not just about headphones it’s about changing the whole game in terms of the listening experience. And it’s still just the beginning…” The new ‘phones are simplistically elegant and I’m sure they produce sound nothing short of crystal-clear magnificence. Here’s what I’m worried about, though. Dre, you brand the Beats product line with the tag “people aren’t hearing all the music.” You’re going to have a hard time selling your passion for pristine sound reproduction to all the people at these exuberant price points.
[Via Engadget; BeatsbyDre]
Continue reading Dr. Dre & Monster collab to push out new lineup of Beats headphones
Earlier this week at a company event in Japan, Nintendo revealed the release date and price of the Nintendo 3DS. It will sell for ¥25,000 (about $299 USD) when it hits the Japanese market on February 26, 2011. Not from Japan, huh? Ninty only hinted at a US and Europe release date: March 2011; they did not disclose US pricing details, but several industry analysts are pegging a $249-$299 price point. When it ships in Japan, the 3DS will be available in two color variants, aqua blue and cosmo black. The portable game console will come bundled with a charging dock and a 2GB SD card.
At the company event Nintendo detailed a number of software enhancements. The Mii Studio app magically transforms a still image of yourself (taken with one of the 3DS’ cameras) into a customizable Mii avatar. The Mii Plaza app takes advantage of the 3DS’ ability to recognize other 3DS handhelds in close proximity. Whether you’re actively playing a game or walking the streets with your 3DS in standby mode tucked away in a bag, the system will recognize and pull information from nearby 3DS users. At any time you can hop into Mii Plaza to discover a growing community of Miis from all the 3DS owners you pass by throughout the day. Similarly, a new wireless “tag mode” featured in the upcoming Super Streetfighter IV game will quietly seek out other 3DS owners to battle against. A minigame will pit one of your in-game collectable action figures against a nearby opponent when your 3DS is in standyby mode; and standard wireless 3DS to 3DS battle royales with in-game characters is supported, too. Other 3DS apps include a web browser, an ebook reader, notes, and support for augmented reality gaming.
Remaining loose ends.. The final 3DS hardware is very similar to what we saw at E3; the only noticable exterior change is that the analog nub no longer matches the handheld’s color scheme–it remains gray in each color variant. The 3DS software lineup was shared in a brief video preview. Upcoming titles include Animal Crossing 3DS, Mario Kart 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS, Paper Mario 3DS, Dead or Alive Dimensions, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Resident Evil: Revelations, and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries. It’s also been reported that Game Boy & Game Boy Color games are coming to the 3DS’ virtual console store. Look after the break to see the software lineup video in addition to demonstrations of Mii Studio, wireless “tag mode”, and a 3DS introductory video–all in Japanese, of course!
On a separate topic, Nintendo also used the company event to formally announce the Wii Remote Plus. It had been rumored for some time, but now it’s official: the Wii MotionPlus accessory (that grants greater 1:1 motion capability) will soon come permanently built into a Wiimote. Nintendo showed off the newly redesigned controller in four colors, white, black, light blue, and pink. Launch date and price have not been disclosed for any country. Check ’em out in the gallery below.
[Via Engadget, here, here & here; Joystiq]
Continue reading Nintendo 3DS to ship March 2011 in US, Wiimote with built-in MotionPlus coming soon
On Monday Research In Motion (RIM) CEO Mike Lazaridis unveiled a BlackBerry tablet device called the BlackBerry PlayBook at the 2010 BlackBerry Developer Conference. So what exactly is the PlayBook, you ask? Let’s start with the hardware specifications. The 7-inch LCD display (1024 x 600, WSVGA) dominates the device in a form factor we’ve all come to know and love in the Apple iPad. It’s a capacitive touch screen with full multitouch and gesture support. For a modern tablet, this thing is a beast. It packs a Cortex A9-based 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. Ports around the edges include microHDMI, microUSB, and charging contacts. 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support is there as well. Various video (1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV) and audio (MP3, AAC, WMA) playback formats are supported, as is HDMI video output. There are two HD webcams, a 3MP cam on the front and a 5MP cam at the rear; the back-facing cam supports 1080p HD video recording. The PlayBook measures at 5.1″x7.6″x0.4″ and weighs less than one pound, making it smaller and lighter than the iPad. 3G & 4G models will be issued, and although capacity was not formally announced, 16GB & 32GB units were on display.
Next let’s talk software. No, the PlayBook does not run the recently announced BlackBerry 6 operating system. Instead it runs BlackBerry Tablet OS, an operating system built with a touch-based interface in mind. It’s built upon the QNX Neutrino microkernel architecture. QNX is a software company RIM bought earlier this year, and they are respected in the industry for their reliable, secure, and robust operating system architectures known for powering planes, trains, automobiles, medical equipment, and large core Internet routers. In other words, RIM is messing around with Tablet OS. So what’s RIM pushing with their new OS? The combination of the 1GHz dual-core processor software-based symmetric multiprocessing promises “true multitasking” and a highly responsive, fluid user experience. You can look forward to “uncompromised web browsing” thanks to support from Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, and HTML5 in the mobile WebKit browser. The PlayBook also touts BlackBerry integration and enterprise-ready support. This is where RIM is really looking to stand out in the competition. If you have a BlackBerry smartphone you can pair it to your PlayBook over a Bluetooth connection to view “email, BBM, calendar, tasks, documents and other content” on the larger tablet display, no syncing required. The PlayBook comes BlackBerry Enterprise Server-ready and compatible out-of-the-box, so this’ll surely make the suits a happy bunch.
Lastly it’s time to bring up developer and app support. The PlayBook will have access to the BlackBerry App World. RIM claims that the Tablet OS is “built for developers” and wants the app-makers to start pumping out consumer and business-friendly apps ASAP. Apple has one leg up on the competition due to the uber-success of the App Store and all its contents and RIM is ready and willing to heat up the competition. “The [Tablet] OS is fully POSIX compliant enabling easy portability of C-based code, supports Open GL for 2D and 3D graphics intensive applications like gaming, and will run applications built in Adobe Mobile AIR as well as the new BlackBerry WebWorks app platform.” In addition to announced the PlayBook, RIM pleased developers in attendance with the announced of the WebWorks platform and other dev tools. In short, WebWorks will allow devs to quickly and efficiently write code for a BlackBerry app that’s tightly integrated with BB 6 and Tablet OS functionality. A new Advertising Service allows “simple” and “rich media” ads to be easily transposed into an app. The Payment Service SDK will allow for in-app purchases for third-party devs over over credit card, PayPal, and carrier billing. Last, RIM is finally opening up BMM to the devs with the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform. App devs will have the ability to use BBM to relay messages, files, user profiles, and invitations to end users.
Besides letting loose details about the hardware specifications, glossing over the software capabilities, and getting developers excited to produce content for a new platform, RIM unfortunately did not give an in-depth preview of the the Tablet OS, so it’s hard to say how simple or intuitive the device actually runs. Definitely peek after the break to watch a preview video that hints at a CoverFlow/WebOS hybrid UI. It’s interesting to look at how RIM wants to market the PlayBook. They are calling it a “professional-grade” tablet that is “perfect for either large organizations or an “army of one.”” They are certainly distancing themselves from King iPad by touting the Flash/ HTML5 Webkit browser and true multitasking from the start. I get it–business suits love their BlackBerrys for the phenomenal enterprise support and the PlayBook would make a sensible companion. Thing is, I’m not so sure if BlackBerry can bank on the “professional” demographic to gain much market (and more importantly) mind share with the PlayBook. (What? Is Apple’s approach too fun and playful for serious buyers? I think not.) Two things need to happen for the PlayBook to become a breakout hit. The device needs to be competitively priced (pricing has yet to be disclosed) and the App World needs a big backing from developers. The latter requirement is essential; super resourceful apps make all devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) enticing for consumers and business professionals alike. RIM has to prove the worthiness of the PlayBook, devs need to jump onboard the platform, and consumers will respond when it comes time to buy. The PlayBook has tons of potential and people are excited; Twitter was beeming with positive feedback after the announcement was made. If RIM can properly execute on this, a worthy competitor to the iPad might finally arrive. The PlayBook is expected to release in “early 2011” in the US; international rollouts will begin in Q2 2011.
Continue reading RIM unveils a tablet of its own, the BlackBerry PlayBook
We knew it was coming, so now it’s time to makes things official. The limited edition Star Wars branded Droid 2, dubbed Droid R2-D2 by Motorola, goes on sale this Thursday, September 30 for $249 after a $100 mail-in rebate and a new two-year contract on Verizon Wireless. Besides the new exterior aesthetics, the device has the same features as the standard Droid 2. Its got the 3.7-inch multitouch display, slideout QWERTY keyboard, 5 megapixel camera, and it runs Android 2.2. So why the $50 price hike? The phone comes preinstalled with the following exclusive content: · R2-D2 notification sounds and ringtones; four live wallpapers; R2-D2 clock widget; “The Best of R2-D2” video with the original Cantina music; and an exclusive binoculars app. The phone is bundled with a Star Wars media dock and wired stereo headset inside custom packaging “resembling carbonite.” Look in the gallery below for a closer look at the phone and media dock. Full PR after the break.
In related news, VZW also announced a new Star Wars app for all Android 2.1 or higher phones. The VZW exclusive Empire Strikes Back app includes a sound and photo gallery, live wallpapers, a trivia challenge game, and widgets all related to Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back in celebration of the film’s 30 year anniversary. The app will be made available in the Android Marketplace for a cool $2.99.
Journey to a distant future with me, will you? This is the Mozilla Seabird imagined by concept designer Billy May. The smartphone’s specifications will make your eyes pop out. Dual pico projectors can project images on virtually any surface. When laid down on a flat surface or placed in a dock, the projectors can illuminate a QWERTY keyboard to provide content and interface simultaneously. The embedded Bluetooth dongle doubles as a Bluetooth earpiece and IR pointer (with 1:1 IR tracking and haptic clicking) for manipulation of on-screen items in 3D space. And isn’t the curved, ergonomic design to die for?
Now don’t get too excited there, partner. Mozilla (yes, the company behind Firefox) has no plans to develop the Seabird, or any smartphone for that matter. Billy May conceptualized the Seabird in this 3D rendering to support the Mozilla Labs Concept Series, a Mozilla-backed project that fosters the brainstorming of new ideas that “push the boundaries of the Web and the browser.” The Seabird is May’s second attempt at an “open web concept phone.” Since early 2009 he’s been listening to community feedback, and what you see in the 3D rendering above is the final result. Salivating yet?
[Via MozillaLabs; Engadget]
YouTuber x313xkillax somehow managed to get his hands on a protoype model of the HP Slate. As you can see in the video embedded above the Slate has a myriad of ports and switches around the edges (including one that reveals an on-screen keyboard) and it boots fairly quickly into a full-fledged copy of Windows 7. IE8 seems to run Flash content without hiccup (advantage HP, iPad). Since Windows 7 isn’t all that optimized for touchscreen implementation I am anticipating a future HP tablet running multitouch-friendly WebOS. HP bought Palm so they can do that, you know.
Want more deets on the Slate? A second video surfaced that previews the tablet in greater detail. The back of the product box lists the following specs: 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 with GMA500 and Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video accelerator, 8.9-inch WSVGA screen, 2GB DDR2 RAM, about 60GB storage capacity, Windows 7 Home Premium, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, SD card reader, 2-Cell 30WHr Lithium-ion Polymer battery. There are also back and front-facing cameras. Apparently the Slate will ship with a dock that comes complete with a kickstand, two USB ports, HDMI out, and a headphone jack.
Update: Both videos have been “removed by the user” due to obvious reasons. However I was able to find another copy of the original preview video and it’s embedded above; the more extensive preview is nowhere to be found, unfortunately.
At NVIDIA’s GPU Technology Conference, Adobe detailed a direction in photography. With a plenoptic lens and advanced rendering software, a future you will have the ability to take a picture with a digital camera and change the precise area of focus after the image is taken. As the post title exlaims, out-of-focus imagery be gone!
But how does it all work? A plenoptic lens is made of hundreds of very tiny lenses placed together; it gets fitted between a camera’s standard lens and image sensor. When you snap a picture with a plenoptic-aided camera, the captured photons are recorded from multiple perspectives, allowing for an “infinite” depth of field. Transfer the data-filled image to your computer and a simple slider can be used to determine an exact area of focus within the image.
Watch Adobe’s presentation in the video above to see a demonstration of this future technology.
[Via LaptopMag]
Late last week the inevitable finally happened: Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The movie and game rental company has initiated “pre-arranged” chapter 11 proceedings, meaning the magnitude of this unfortunate news did not suddenly creep upon them. A plan for a comeback is in the works. According to the press release (in full after the break), “the recapitalization plan would substantially reduce the Company’s indebtedness — from nearly $1 billion currently to an estimated $100 million or less when implemented.” But how will Blockbuster “recapitalize its balance sheet and put the Company in a stronger financial position as it continues to pursue its strategic plan and transform its business model”? First by filing for bankruptcy; next by evaluating all its stores. Though Blockbuster promises that all 3,000 stores will continue to operate normally during this transition period, don’t act surprised if handfuls of them are asked to close their doors. It’s happened before; around 1,000 stores closed up shop within the last year. With Netflix and other companies like it riding the coattails of the digital revolution, it’s really only a matter of time before Blockbuster and its brick and mortar initiative is dead and gone. Sadface?
[Via Bloomberg; Engadget] Continue reading Blockbuster’s gone bankrupt; it took this long?