iPad finds a home in Macintosh Classic & clamshell iBook

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Let’s travel back in time, shall we?  The year is 1984 and the Macintosh Classic is all the rage.  9” (512×342) display, 8 MHz Motorola 68000 processor, 1MB of memory, no HDD, $999.  Flash forward to 2010 and you’ve got the $499 iPad.  Leave it to a mac enthusiast and do-it-yourself guru to gut the Mac Classic and shove an iPad inside it.  Which happens to fit almost perfectly where the original display would sit.

And let’s do it one last time.  The year is 1999 and the iBook classic reinvents the laptop scene with a clamshell design.  12” (800×600) display, 300 MHz PowerPC G3 processor, 32 MB of memory, 3.2GB HDD, $1599.  Now it’s 2010, so why not remove the display and place a brand new iPad inside.  And while you’re at it, take out the janky old keyboard and install a current Apple keyboard in its place.

Ah, the awesome-ness that results when retro and modern unite.  Hit up the source links for more images and peek after the break for a video tour of the Mac Classic + iPad.

[Via Hirac; AppleNoir] Continue reading iPad finds a home in Macintosh Classic & clamshell iBook →

The Cleveland Show gets picked up for a third season

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Well would you look at that?  Following in Glee‘s footsteps, FOX has decided to green light a third season for its hit animated program The Cleveland Show.  Yes, there’s a solid reason why the Family Guy spin-off got renewed for a third season so early in the game: it was the highest rated new scripted half-hour program among the 18-34 demographic.  Voice of Cleveland Brown/co-creator/executive producer Mike Henry on the early pickup: “Thanks to FOX for their continued support.  I’m thrilled to keep my multiracial existence going for another season.”  Renewal news comes as a big relief for Henry and co. since the turnaround time for animation creation is very time intensive.  Henry: “It’s about a ten month process from start to finish.  But we don’t really try to be too topical and…I think it works to our advantage because hopefully in five years the episodes will still be as funny as they are now.”

Season 3 is so far out.  Want some details about what’s planned for season 2?  Will.I.Am, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West (to reprise “Kenny West”), Tony Hawk, Carl Reiner, and the cast members of Glee are planned to lend their voices to the series; a Family Guy crossover episode is planned that’ll land Peter, Joe and Quagmire in LOCALE; and in the finale episode the Browns will journey to Comic Con.  Says Henry: “[In the finale] the whole family goes to Comic-Con for summer vacation.  Co-creator Rich Appel: “I think it’s safe to say that the nerds on our staff will not disappoint the nerds in our viewing public.”  The Cleveland Show is here to stay, folks.

[Via IGN, here & here]

Rock Band 3 keyboard revealed, plus new game mode and partial tracklist

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USA Today got the scoop on the latest peripheral to join the Rock Band party.  In addition to guitar, bass, drums, and mic, Rock Band 3 will support “a 25-key, fully functioning MIDI keyboard.”  RB3 project director Daniel Sussman on the keyboard: “We’re actually utilizing the full two-octave range that the keyboard controller has.  Everything that you are playing, whether you are playing on easy or expert, is accurate musical information.  The track looks like a real keyboard track, and you are playing notes on the keyboard that if you were to step away from the game and were to play on a real piano, they would be the right notes.”  For those of you wondering about the keytar rumors from a while back, it’s been confirmed that the keyboard is designed to use on a lap or strapped over a shoulder.  Watch the video embedded above to learn more about how the keyboard will work in-game.

Also announced was a new Pro Mode which makes the guitar, drums, and keyboard experiences more realistic.  For example, “More realistic music notations replace the standard color-coded notes during gameplay. For guitar, numbers flow down the screen along six guitar strings, telling you where to place your hands on the neck and when to strum.”  In fact, two new guitars are currently being developed that include actual strings where you need to strum.  Game developer Harmonix is working on a six-string Fender Squier Stratocaster and third party peripheral maker Mad Catz is making a Fender Mustang Pro.  Harmonix’s John Drake on the more realistic guitar: “It can tell where your fingers are based on technology in the neck and the bridge of the guitar.  No buttons.  While you’re playing it, it feels exactly like playing a real guitar.”  The drums will get three new cymbals and gameplay forces you to play the correct cymbal at the right time.  Says Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos: “If you are someone who is looking for a deeper challenge either because you are an expert player looking for the next level of challenge or because you actually have musical aspirations, there is the Pro game play (mode), which is really going to start to close the gap between simulated music and real musicmaking.”

Rock Band 3 will release for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii this holiday season.  Look after the break for a partial tracklist organized by decade (the disc will contain 83 new songs in total).

[Via USA Today, here & here] Continue reading Rock Band 3 keyboard revealed, plus new game mode and partial tracklist →

Google makes homepage customizable with background images

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You may have noticed the addition of a new link in the bottom left-hand corner of Google’s homepage.  Last week Google introduced the ability to customize the background of its homepage, “making your search experience more relevant, useful and fun through personalization.”  Put another way, they must have picked up on the success of competitor Bing’s background offerings and decided to give its users a similar option.  You can set your background image from your computer, your own Picasa Web Album, or a public gallery hosted by Picasa after logging into your Google account.  Now that the feature has rolled out internationally, Google feels the need to “inspire” its users to personalize by featuring a selection of well-known artists, sculptors and photographers on all Google homepages for the next 24 hours.  The collection includes works from Dale Chihuly, Jeff Koons, Tom Otterness, Polly Apfelbaum, Kengo Kuma (隈研吾), Kwon, Ki-soo (권기수) and Tord Boontje, and photos from Yann Arthus-Bertrand and National Geographic.  Inspired yet?

Update: Google took down the featured images earlier than expected.  Hello good ol’ minimalism.

[Via GoogleBlog, here & here]

Short film: Mortal Kombat (A MUST WATCH)

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On Tuesday this viral video hit the ‘Net and quickly garnered critical acclaim.  After watching this extremely well produced short film based on the classic video game Mortal Kombat people everywhere began to speculate.  Was this a teaser trailer for a reboot of 1995’s Mortal Kombat film or was it just a fan-made work of art?  Shortly after its arrival it was discovered that the seven-and-a-half minute short was directed by Kevin Tancharoen (director of 2009’s Fame) and it was produced in an attempt to pitch Tancharoen’s vision for a reimagined Mortal Kombat movie to Warner Brothers (as confirmed by actress Jeri Ryan’s Twitter feed).  Mortal Kombat: Rebirth was Tancharoen’s way of saying, “Hey WB, check out this video, see what I can do, and let’s talk about making a new Mortal Kombat flick.”

This mini-movie is nothing short of fantastic.  Though it takes place in the MK universe, the characters’ origins are based in reality.  Instead of attributing their abilities to the supernatural, each villain transforms into their malaligned selves due to psychotic breaks or hereditary disease.  These characters have mental and physical “issues” and they know martial arts.  That’s Tancharoen’s spin on the MK universe.  And obviously he retains the overall plot which revolves around the tournament.  From the intense fight sequence to the stunning camera shots and visuals, Tancharoen’s short deserves WB approval.  As Jackson Briggs was trying to convince Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion to enter the tournament to kill Baraka, Reptile, and the other villains I was instantly imagining and anticipating how the story would continue.  And then I remembered I was only watching a short clip on YouTube.  I have no doubt this masterpiece of a short will lead to a feature-length MK movie sometime in the near future.

MK: Rebirth stars Michael Jai White as Jackson Briggs, Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage, Ian Anthony Dale as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion, Richard Dorton as Reptile, Lateef Crowder as Alan Zane/Baraka, and Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade.  The fight sequence was choreographed by Larnell Stovall. Continue reading Short film: Mortal Kombat (A MUST WATCH) →

Console Font forms alphabet & number set out of video game lore

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Designer Varun Vachhar has created Console Font, a new font style that derives its shape from video game systems.  You’ll quickly notice that his alphabet/number set is inspired by classic oldies like the Atari 2600 controller, failed machines like the Nokia N-Gage, and modern systems like the Wii and the forthcoming Playstation Move.  He promises to make the font a free download at some point.  Look in the gallery below and see if you can decipher some words.

[Via Engadget; ConsoleFont]

PS3 goes 3D today

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It’s been a long time coming but it’s finally here: 3D gaming on Playstation 3.  Four games will get the stereoscopic 3D treatment and they are WipEout HD, SuperStardust HD, PAIN, and a demo of MotorStorm: Pacific Rift.  Not to far in the distance is The Fight: Lights Out, another 3D-supported game that will take advantage of Playstation Move motion controls.  Thanks to a firmware update in April, your PS3 should be ready to play these 3D offerings.  Besides installing the lastest update, all that’s required to run these games is a 3D TV.  And wouldn’t you know, Sony just announced a slew of 3D-capable BRAVIA sets that come packaged with a Playstation Network voucher to download these four games at no additional cost.

[Via PlaystationBlog]

DJ Hero 2 adds a second turnable and mic to the mix

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DJ Hero is getting significantly upgraded in its second installment.  DJ Hero 2 will feature over 70 never before heard mixes with artists ranging from Dr. Dre, The Chemical Brothers, Kanye West, Metallica, and Rihanna.  Only three mixes have been revealed: Lady Gaga “Just Dance” Mixed With Deadmau5 “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff”, Pussycat Dolls “Don’t Cha” Mixed With Pitbull “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)”, and MSTRKRFT “Bounce” Beat Juggle.  Deadmau5 will also be featured as an in-game playable character.  This game will include something the original did not–a story mode.  In Empire Mode,  “players start out as an up-and-coming DJ on the road to becoming the head of a major entertainment empire, all of which is founded solely on their success as a DJ.”  There will also be a couple new multiplayer modes.  DJ Battles will “pit DJ against DJ in mixes produced specifically for battle gameplay.”  This mode differs from the multiplayer experience in the first game.  Previously both players played the same notes and battled for the high score.  This new mode has players take turns with the notes, making it feel more like a genuine head-to-head DJ battle.  Gameplay is separated into checkpoints, and the objective is to collect the most checkpoints.

With the original DJ Hero, players were given the option to connect their own mic into the deck’s USB port to freestyle vocals over mixes.  DJ Hero 2 integrates the mic as a standard intrument in gameplay.  If you choose to play along with/as a vocalist, on-screen lyrics will appear at the top of the screen and you’ll be scored on pitch and accuracy.

DJ Hero 2 will arrive this fall on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii.  The “Party Bundle” includes the game, two turntables, and a microphone (if you opt for this bundle, you can select a white deck).  The “Turntable Bundle” includes the game and one turntable.  They will go for $149.99 & $99.99, respectively.  Also the game will sell standalone at $59.99.  Pre-order here.  More details will spill next week at E3, so stay tuned.  For now, check out the awesome trailer above!

[Via Engadget; IGN; Activision]

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock gets detailed

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This week Activision spilled the beans on details surrounding the next iteration of its coveted Guitar Hero franchise.  Number 6 is called Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and it will pack  90 “guitar-shredding tracks” and come bundled with a brand new guitar.  The story is dubbed Quest Mode and it will be narrated by Gene Simmons of KISS.  In this story-driven mode, “players will embark on a larger-than-life, epic rock journey from the stage of CBGBs, the infamous punk-rock club in New York City, to the molten lava fields of rock treachery as eight Guitar Hero characters transform into rock warriors that must join together to use their unique, game-changing powers to help the Demi-God of Rock take down “The Beast” and save rock n’ roll.”  A new mode called Quickplay+ will introduce 13 challenges for every track in the game (and for all downloadable content tracks released since Guitar Hero World Tour).  In it, “gamers will complete challenges such as Band Streak, High Score and Power Challenge, which allows players to choose any two warrior powers they have unlocked to try and earn ridiculously high scores, to rank up and unlock more rewards and content than ever before.”  A partial tracklist has been revealed and is sitting after the break.  Avenged Sevenfold, Black Sabbath, Children of Bodom, DragonForce, Foreigner, KISS, Megadeth, and ZZ Top made the cut.  Oh and there’s this: Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Muse’s “Uprising” are featured as well!

The guitar features a bold new design.  Since all of the internal circuitry is now located in the neck of the guitar, players can remove the interchangable “wings” and replace them with other custom designs if they so choose.  Noticably absent is the touch-enabled slider bar.  Now located at the bottom of the neck is a battery compartment (or where you’ll store the Wiimote if you’re a Wii user).  Also, the star power button has been slightly raised so reaching it with your palm is an easier task for you non-tilters.  Two guitars will be made available for WoR, the standard controller (above, left) and the GameStop exclusive “axe” controller (above, right).  Look after the break for a closer look at ’em.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock will release for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii this September.  Pre-order your flavor here.  With E3 looming around the corner, more details surrounding gameplay, release date, and pricing will surely be announced soon.

[Via Joystiq, here & here; Activision] Continue reading Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock gets detailed →

Music video: Lady Gaga – “Alejandro”

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Gaga’s latest music video (or should I say short film) comes in at just under nine minutes.  It features a number of men with bowl-cuts and a half naked Lady Gaga for nearly the entire video.  Though there’s some story being told here, I really have no clue as to what’s going on.  At one point Gaga goes Madonna donning black slacks and a machine-gun bra.  I find this single to be one of her weaker hits to make it mainstream, and yet I still have the song stuck in my head after watching this.  So, uh, go on and watch it for yourself and see if you can make sense of it all.  Good luck.  Look after the break for a bonus video! Continue reading Music video: Lady Gaga — “Alejandro” →