Joaquin Phoenix’s crazy tale set to hit theatres September 10 [Update: trailer posted]

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Im Still Here Poster Joaquin Phoenix

Remember when Joaquin Phoenix grew a filthy beard, stopped going to the barber, and decided to quit acting to become a rapper and act like a total idiot (much to our amusement) on Letterman?  Well all of that insanity will culminate in the upcoming (mock?)-umentary film titled I’m Still Here.  Magnolia Pictures recently outed the official poster for the Casey Affleck-directed movie (see above) and it’s been confirmed that it will release wide on September 10.  The press release describes the movie as “sometimes funny, sometimes shocking and always riveting, the film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads.  Defying expectations, it deftly explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.”  Are you willing to pay money to find out what exactly happened to Phoenix during his tumultuous days as an actor-turned-hip-hop artist?  Was he for real or was it all just a hoax for a social experiment?

Update: Theatrical trailer posted after the break.

[Via Moviefone; EW-HollywoodInsider] Continue reading Joaquin Phoenix’s crazy tale set to hit theatres September 10 [Update: trailer posted] →

Google Wave standalone dies, its innovative parts live on

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Due to a low adoption rate, Google has decided to pull the switch on their “community collaboration” tool called Google Wave.  Wave entered the scene with great intentions.  It boasted such advanced features that a standard web browser had never housed before.  They include character-by-character live typing, the ability to drag-and-drop files from the desktop, sharing images and other media in real time; improving spell-checking by understanding not just an individual word, but also the context of each word, and so on.  Though Wave promised so much, it fell flat in executing all of these things because none of it made sense to an everyday user.  Wave tried to pack too much into a jumbled user interface that was difficult to comprehend from the get-go.  Here were all these new and exciting features, but one could not understand how they all meshed together and why it was so important to learn all of them.  There’s Gmail, Google Calendar, Contacts, etc.  My question is, why did Wave exist at all?  The most appropriate step forward would have been to incorporate Wave’s features into Google’s other respective (and already wildly popular) services.  With news of Wave’s anticipated death, it’s as if my prayers have been answered.  Says Urs Hölzle, Google Senior Vice President:

Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked. We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects. The central parts of the code, as well as the protocols that have driven many of Wave’s innovations, like drag-and-drop and character-by-character live typing, are already available as open source, so customers and partners can continue the innovation we began. In addition, we will work on tools so that users can easily “liberate” their content from Wave.

Wave has taught us a lot, and we are proud of the team for the ways in which they have pushed the boundaries of computer science. We are excited about what they will develop next as we continue to create innovations with the potential to advance technology and the wider web.

Google Wave, though your icky UI won’t be missed, the innovations you introduced and cultivated are welcome with open arms into the products we have come to know and use with ease.

[Via GoogleBlog]

Android continues to grow, takes top spot away from RIM in US smartphone market

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According to The NPD Group, a market research company, Google’s Android smartphone OS has climbed to the #1 spot for most purchased smartphone OS in the U.S.  In doing so it pushes past RIM’s Blackberry OS and Apple’s iOS 4.  Here’s the official standings for Q2 2010: #1- Android (33%), #2- RIM (28 %), #3- iOS4 (23%).  RIM dropped 9 points since the previous quarter and has not been positioned in second place since 2007.  And if you’re wondering, Android gained 5 points and Apple picked up a single point over the course of the quarter.  The top 5 best-selling Android devices in the second quarter of year are Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Incredible, HTC EVO 4G, HTC Hero, and HTC Droid Eris.  Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD, says that though the recently announced Blackberry 6 will “offer features that have been popular in recently launched Android handsets,” the first crop of supported devices, namely the Blackberry Torch on AT&T, “lacks the large screen allure that has characterized the best selling Android devices at its price point.”  In other words, he is blaming Android’s wild successs on the myriad of Motorola and HTC handsets that feature large screens (ie. Droid & EVO 4G).  And if RIM doesn’t start to change their ways with new innovations (Blackberry 6 fails to impress at first glance), it might be a while until they reclaim their old title as the most selling OS in the hotly competitive smartphone market.  And how ’bout dem U.S. carriers?  #1- Verizon Wireless (33%), #2- AT&T (25%), Sprint (12%), T-Mobile (11%).  Full PR is after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Android continues to grow, takes top spot away from RIM in US smartphone market →

RIM formally details new BlackBerry 6 OS

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When Research In Motion (RIM), the makers of BlackBerry smartphones, officially unveiled the latest BlackBerry operating system in late April at WES they failed to properly go into much detail about it.  We were teased with a brief (music) video demonstration and that was about it.  On Tuesday the company finally revealed in full detail the next iteration of its OS dubbed BlackBerry 6.  I’ll run down the most prominent new features.  A newly designed home screen allows for customization and arrangement of icons, contacts, and web page shortcuts; context-sensitive Action Menus allows “users [to] bring the most common actions or tasks of an application to the surface”; a Universal Search tool allows you to search keywords that will ping all the phone’s content, the web, and the new BlackBerry App World; an all-new Webkit browser features tabbed browsing, auto-wrap text zoom, pinch-to-zoom, and supports HTML5 content; Social Feeds integrate access to BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, AOL Instant Messenger, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger applications, allowing you to view all your friends’ actitivies in one space; it also allows you to “post updates across multiple networks simultaneously”.

The new multimedia experience in BB6 packs a really exciting new feature–the ability to sync your music collection over WiFi.  Using BlackBerry Desktop Software 6, you can enable Wi-Fi Music Sync “that allows users to view their entire iTunes or Windows Media Player music libraries from their BlackBerry smartphone, create and edit playlists, as well as select music for download.”  As long as you’re in range of your WiFi signal, playlist edits and song information are automatically synced to the phone.

The OS also includes new camera modes and a Podcasts application that allows you to manage audio and video podcasts.  A dedicated YouTube app is included, too.  All of these new and updated features comprise BlackBerry 6.  Consumers will have the chance to get their hands on it August 26 with the launch of BlackBerry Torch, the first BB to come loaded with the new OS.  According to RIM, BB6 will be ported to the BlackBerry Bold 9700, BlackBerry Bold 9650, and BlackBerry Pearl 3G “subject to carrier certifications in the months ahead.”

Overall BlackBerry 6 is a welcome and much needed refresh to the aging BlackBerry UI.  The most exciting update is the system-wide multi-touch experience.  The Storm and Storm 2 smartphones did pack capacitive touchscreens, but BB6-supported phones will be designed around the multi-touch experience consumers are used to finding in devices like Apple’s iPhone and Motorola’s Droid.  A new Webkit browser will definitely wow users with its speed and future-proof support for HTML5.  The new social networking features also look promising.  As exciting as all of these new additions to the BlackBerry platform may sound, almost all of them have already been implemented in other smartphones for years.  With BB6 RIM is essentially playing catch up with the big players (ie. Apple, Google).  RIM has failed to incorporate that extra pinch of bam that separates itself from the competition.  While BB6 definitely pushes BlackBerry devices closer to the competition in terms of features and aesthetics, it does not give cell phone buyers a definitive reason to choose this OS over another one.  BBM’s sheen can only last so long.

Look after the break for the full PR plus a “sneak peak” video.

[Via Engadget; Gizmodo] Continue reading RIM formally details new BlackBerry 6 OS →

BlackBerry Torch slider QWERTY smartphone runs BlackBerry 6, hits AT&T August 12 for $199.99

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On Tuesday RIM and AT&T formally announced the latest BlackBerry handset and it’s called the BlackBerry Torch.  It’s BB’s first slider smartphone, and it comes with a full QWERTY keyboard BB users are accustomed to.  Let’s run through the specs, shall we?  The Torch packs a 3.2″ (360 x 480) capacitive touch screen display,  5.0MP camera with flash, auto focus, image stabilization and geo-tagging, built-in GPS and 802.11n WiFi, quadband 3G radio, and 512MB of Flash memory with 4GB on-board and a microSD/SDHC memory card slot for additional storage (up to 32GB supported).  It measures 4.4″ x 2.4″ x 0.57″ when closed and 5.8″ x 2.4″ x 0.57″ when the slider keyboard is out.  Face buttons include start/end calls, main menu, back, and an optical trackpad.  The Torch will be the very first BB to run the just detailed BlackBerry 6 operating system.  This means it will include the fast Webkit browser (for which it was named after–RIM recently bought a company named Torch Mobile), integrated social feeds, a new multimedia experience, and universal search.  The phone will be made available to purchase on August 12 for $199.99 on a new two-year contract with AT&T at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, RadioShack, and AT&T stores.

The brand new form factor is extremely compelling.  It’s the new OS, which seems to be following the pack and not making its own strides, that I am worried about.  Look in the gallery below for press shots and after the break for the PR and two “launch videos”.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading BlackBerry Torch slider QWERTY smartphone runs BlackBerry 6, hits AT&T August 12 for $199.99 →

Twitter rolls out “Suggestions for You”

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So you have a Twitter account and you follow your friends and a handful of celebrities.  What if I told you there was a way to follow even more people (and potentially gain more followers) who share similar interests as you?  A new feature called “Suggestions for You” now located in the Find People section does just that!  The Twitter relevance team has discovered a way to harness an algorithm that can “suggest people you don’t currently follow that you may find interesting.”  Factors including people you follow and the people they follow are taken into considertation when you use the new tool.  Login to your Twitter account and see what’s suggested to you.  If you happen to find someone you’re interested in following, click “Follow”; if the results include people you’re not interested in following, click hide and the tool will remember not to suggest those persons again.

[Via TwitterBlog]

MTV VMA nominees announced, Lady Gaga nabs record-breaking 13 nods

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The MTV Video Music Awards is just a month away, so it’s time to peruse the nominees list.  Lady Gaga swept the boards with a record-breaking 13 nominations, two of which include Best Pop Video and Best Female Video.  Not only does she now hold the record for most VMA nods in a single show, but she is also the first female artist to be nominated for two different videos in the Video of the Year category (“Bad Romance” and “Telephone”).  Eminem’s hit single “Not Afraid” helped him received 8 nods.  First-time nominees include Ke$ha, Drake, Justin Bieber, and Florence + The Machine.  B.o.B’s “Airplanes”, Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”, Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope”, 30 Seconds To Mars’ “King & Queens”, and Dan Black’s “Symphonies” also made the cut.  Check out the full breakdown of nominees organized by category after the break.  The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12 at 9PM on MTV.  According to recent whispers Kanye West will be in the building to perform a song off his upcoming album, so you don’t want to miss a potential “Imma let you finish but…” moment!

[Via EW-MusicMix] Continue reading MTV VMA nominees announced, Lady Gaga nabs record-breaking 13 nods →

Television Critics Association awards: Glee, Lost, Modern Family among winners

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Last weekend the Television Critics Association awards were handed out to much deserved recepients.  The TCA “represents more than 200 journalists writing about television for print and online outlets in the United States and Canada.”  Members annually vote for the favorite TV shows, actors, and actresses.  This year the 26th annual TCA awards took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and was hosted by Dax Shephard (Parenthood).  Glee stole the show with three major wins in the following categories: Program of the Year, Outstanding New Program, and Individual Achievement In Comedy (this one went specifically to Jane Lynch).  In a rare instance, there was a tie for Outstanding Achievement In Drama; it went to Lost and Breaking Bad.  Other notable winners include Modern Family (Outstanding Achievement In Comedy), Julianna Margulies (Individual Achievement In Drama), and The Pacific (Outstanding Achievement In Movies, Miniseries & Specials).  Look after the break for the full list of winners.

[Via EW; TCA] Continue reading Television Critics Association awards: Glee, Lost, Modern Family among winners →

FOX’s ‘Terra Nova’ pushed to fall 2011

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Wahhhh!  That’s the sound I made when I read this breaking news.  The time-travelling, prehistoric journey to save mankind is being pushed back an entire year.   Terra Nova, from the minds of Steven Speilberg, Brannon Braga (24, FlashForward) and David Fury (Lost), simply isn’t ready for its big debut so FOX made a swift decision to remove it from its fall 2010 premiere slot.  Essentially the highly anticipated show is going to pull a Glee.  Remember how FOX delicately handled the rollout of arguably network TV’s most successful new hit?  Instead of premiering Glee in fall 2008, FOX aired a “preview” episode (the pilot) in May after American Idol.  This allowed the show to generate tons of buzz during the summer and resulted in a huge audience wanting to see more by the time fall 2009 rolled around.  FOX thinks they can do it again with Terra Nova; they plan to preview the pilot this May, generate buzz with an intense marketing campaign over the summer, and officially premiere the show in fall 2011.  Read what FOX President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly has to say about the situation:

“Terra Nova will be one of the most visually stimulating and dramatically grand series to air on network television.  It deserves to have an equally unique launch to distinguish that the show is unlike any other, and the spring promotional platform will give us the perfect opportunity to introduce this bold show to audiences.  ..  We went into it knowing it was going to be ambitious.  It really became apparent that we had to do this show right.  We’ll have an enormous jump on the pilot, and on the marketing side, we’ll let people understand the show.”

It will take time than anticipated for the showrunners, writers, and special FX leads to come up with “ground breaking effects” and an “entire world and mythology.”  And you know what?  I’m not so disappointed about all this.  If the creative teams needs an additional few months to make this show the best it can be, I am certainly willing to wait the extra while until things are properly locked and loaded.  This show promises to be explosive both in storytelling and visuals–I’m already hooked!  I have no doubt that the May preview pilot will wow audiences and everyone will be counting the days until its proper fall 2011 launch.

[Via IGN; EW-HollywoodInsider]

What is ‘The Event’?

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I have no idea!  Sorry for the misleading post title there, but I couldn’t help myself.  No one knows what the actual “event” from NBC’s new fall program The Event is, but I’m sitting here at the edge of my seat waiting to find out.  Briefly introduce yourself to the upcoming conspiracy thriller with a quick synopsis and cloaked-in-mystery trailer.  Then check out the brand-spankin’ new character stills in the gallery below.  You will be aquainted with them on Monday, September 20 at 9PM on NBC.

Cast members include Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Blair Underwood, Laura Innes, Željko Ivanek, Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson, Clifton Collins Jr., Bill Smitrovich, Lisa Vidal, Taylor Cole, and Wes Ramsey.

[Via IGN]

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The Simpsons season 22 guest voices: House, Gleeks, Potter, Rudd, Hamm, FOTC & more

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Can you believe that Matt Groening’s 1987 creation is coming into its twenty-second season this fall?  What’s even more crazy is the awesome list of guest voices The Simpsons team plans to use this season.  In the season premiere “Elementary School Musical” Lisa goes to a performance arts camp.  There she will be greeted by artsy counselors Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame and a bunch of excited campers voiced by Glee‘s Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, and Amber Riley.  House‘s Hugh Laurie and Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) will lend their voices to October’s “Treehouse of Horror” episode.  Later in the season Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, baseball’s Mike Scioscia, and sports writer Bill James will appear in an episode titled “MoneyBart.”  This year’s holiday special “The Fight Before Christmas” will get a kick with Martha Stewart.  Other guest voices that will pop up throughout the season: Halle Berry, Ricky Gervais, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live), Rachel Weisz (The Mummy), Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother), Cheech & Chong, Danica Patrick, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; also Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) will reprise his role as Fat Tony.  Excited?  The Simpsons 22 premieres Sunday, September 26 on FOX.

[Via IGN]