Category Archives: Images

Comic Con 2011: ‘SpongeBob Squarepants’

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I admit, I am still a SpongeBob fan. After all these years, there’s nothing like tuning into Nick and watching the flamboyant yellow sponge do his thing. And so I sat through the SpongeBob Squarepants panel at Comic Con (which took place immediately before the panel for The River in the same room) with a wide-eyed smile from ear to ear. Highlights comin’ right atcha:

  • On the panel were creative director Vincent Waller (he comes from Ren & Stimpy) and writers Paul Tibbett and Mr. Lawrence (he gives Plankton a voice).
  • During the panel they previewed upcoming SpongeBob episodes and specials using clips and rough storyboard images.
  • In “Mermaid Man Begins” we will learn the origin story of the underwater superhero and his sidekick Barnacle Boy; In “Bubble Buddy Returns” SpongeBob’s Leif Erikson Day friend comes back to Bikini Bottom and Sponge offers to babysit his kids; Plankton and Man Ray will join forces (and Man Ray will get fat from eating too many Krabby Patties); Plankton will steal SB’s DNA so that he grows a second eye; in “InSpongeiac” Mr. Crabs has a nightmare and turns into a mustard dispenser; SB and Patrick will house sit for Sandy; in “Ghoul Fools” the Flying Dutchman returns and funnyman Chris Elliot will voice the First Mate ghoul; the “Runaway Roadtrip” special is an anthology episode airing this fall that will follow each of the main characters going on vacation; in the clip titled “Patrick’s Staycation” SpongeBob encourages his best friend to stay home for vacation and he caters to his every whim.
  • In the Christmas 2012 special “Tis the Season to be Jerky” the Bikini Bottom gang are reimagined as puppets. They played a clip from the special and the live action puppets matched with the animation works really well. The puppets were sculpted and painted specifically for this episode.
  • When a fan asked how the creative team manages to cater to the younger demographic and yet still keep hold of an older audience the scribes said that “[they] don’t write [the show] for any one demo, [they] write for everyone.” They admit, like I did, that they are simply “grown up kids.”
  • And here’s a neat little fun fact: when he was creating the character SpongeBob SquarePants, Stephen Hillenburg turned to Jerry Lewis and Pee-wee Herman for inspiration!

TV posters: Meet the cast of ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time’

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Here are a bunch of super cool posters highlighting the cast of characters from the upcoming ABC fairy tale series Once Upon a Time. Lost scribes Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis have dreamed up modern day versions of the Evil Queen (played by Lana Parilla), Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Gazing at you above is House vet Jennifer Morrison; she plays lead Emma Swan, the one who holds the key to saving all the fairy tale characters from their amnesic lives. Refresh your memory concerning the show’s plot by reading the full synopsis and watching the first look trailer right here.

[Via TVLine]

OK Go teams with dance troupe & Google to get interactive in latest music video

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Viral video masters of alt-rock band OK Go have gone the distance (yet again) to create a masterful music video. And this time it’s interactive! OK Go has partnered with dance troupe Pilobolus and Google to form a music video for “All Is Not Lost,” a cut off their 2010 studio album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. The four-piece band and the dance troupe have created a visually memorizing clip in which they dance around in synchronized fashion atop a glass, see-through surface. If you watch the regular music video in YouTube, you’ll see the bodies contort into all kinds of shapes and letters. If you’ve got Google Chrome installed, however, you’ll want to watch the interactive version of the video from within that browser. Thanks to the power of HTML5, viewers can type in a message prior to watching the video and during it you’ll see the contortionists perform the message! Additionally, the video will play in a myriad of open browser windows and they will move around and open and close at will; the experience is not unlike Arcade Fire’s experimental video “The Wilderness Downtown.”

Click here to initiate the interactive version of “All Is Not Lost.” Browse the gallery below to check out some behind-the-scenes pictures from the set.

[Images via NYT]

Microsoft outs new Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle, wireless headset, media remote & Avatar Kinect

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Let’s start with the coolest bit of news straight from Redmond. Microsoft is pushing out a Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle to celebrate to release of Star Wars Kinect. The Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars bundle includes an R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 console with custom sounds, a C-3PO-themed golden wireless controller, a white Kinect sensor, a 320GB HDD, a wired headset, and copies of Star Wars Kinect and Kinect Adventures. The bundle’s price: $449.99. It’s available for preorder today, comes out this fall.

Next up is the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth. The sleek new headset connects to the Xbox through the console’s standard radio frequencies, and since it packs Bluetooth functionality it can double as a regular old BT headset and pair with your mobile phone and computer. The communication device goes on sale early November 2011 and will cost $59.99. Jump after the break to watch Major Nelson give a quick tour of the packaging.

Also announced was the Xbox 360 Media Remote. Media playback controls include play/pause, skip forward, fast forward, skip back, fast back, and display to control DVD, CD, or streamed media. The TV controls include power on/off, volume up/down, mute and TV input. The Xbox 360 Media Remote’s menu navigation controls include A, B, X, Y buttons, D-pad navigation, back and select. Live TV, if provided on the Xbox 360 by your TV service provider, can also be controlled with the remote. It’ll cost $19.99 when it comes out alongside the wireless headset this November.

And last, but certainly not least, is Avatar Kinect. Explains Microsoft: “Avatar Kinect is a new social entertainment experience that brings your avatar to life. Avatar Kinect captures your facial expressions and voice so when you smile, nod or speak, your avatar does the same. Invite up to seven friends to join you in 24 imaginative virtual stages – discuss the latest celebrity gossip or news on the Talk Show Stage, try out your hysterical comedy routine on the Performance Stage, or wager who will win the big game in the Sports Party Stage.” The experience gets even more social as the Kinect sensor can record your sessions and you can upload them to KinectShare.com, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. After the break you’ll find a short video demonstrating the software’s abilities.

Also out is Kinect Sparkler, a fun Kinectified app that “transforms simple finger painting into an aerial light show” using advanced finger tracking. Kinect Avatar and Kinect Sparkler  are out now; the former is free to all Xbox LIVE Gold members (it is unlocked for all Xbox LIVE members (Free or Gold) to enjoy from 7/25 to 9/8) and the latter costs 240 Microsoft Points. Both can be found in Kinect Fun Labs section in Xbox LIVE.

[Via Engadget 1, 2, 3] Continue reading Microsoft outs new Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle, wireless headset, media remote & Avatar Kinect →

Apple refreshes MacBook Air, Mac mini & 27-inch display

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A couple months after updating the MacBook Pros, Apple has gone ahead and reinvigorated their MacBook Air and Mac mini products. The thin-and-light ultraportable notebook now boasts faster Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, the high-speed Thunderbolt I/O port, and a backlit keyboard. The 11-inch model is available in two customizable SKUs. The base $999 model packs a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 2GB of memory, 64GB of flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $1,199 model upgrades the memory to 4GB and the flash storage to 128GB. Moving along to the 13-inch model, two additional SKUs are offered. The $1,299 model features a 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB memory,128GB flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $1,599 model upgrades the flash storage to 256GB. Certain models can be customized to feature Intel Core i7 processors (up to 1.8GHz) and upgraded flash memory (up to 256GB). The new incredibly thin MacBook Air measures 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest. Apple claims it is is up to twice as fast as the previous generation thanks to the upgraded Intel processors. The 11-inch model (at 2.38 pounds) provides up to 5 hours of battery life, while the 13-inch model  (2.96 pounds) offers up to 7 hours of battery life. It comes with a full size backlit keyboard and an improved glass Multi-Touch trackpad. Ports include MagSafe for power, 2 USB 2.0, headphone jack, Thunderbolt, and an SD Card slot (on the 11-inch model only). WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 are included; the USB Ethernet Adapter ($29) can be purchased separately. Note that the $999 MacBook Air is the base laptop Apple offers today; the white plastic MacBook has been discontinued.

Like the newly enhanced MacBook Air, the Mac mini is speedier and packs Intel Core i5 and  i7 processors and the Thunderbolt port. Additionally, graphics can be upgraded to AMD Radeon HD. Three SKUs are offered. The base $599 model comes with 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 2GB memory, 500GB hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $799 model upgrades the processor to 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, the memory to 4GB, and the graphics to AMD Radeon HD 6630M. These two SKUs can be customized to feature upgraded memory (up to 8GB) and hard drive space (up to 750GB); the pricier SKU can be configured with a 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7. The third and final SKU is the Mac mini with Lion Server and its specs include: 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 4GB memory, Dual 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives, and Intel HD Graphics 3000 for $999; memory and hard drive capacities can be upgraded. Ports include Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire 800, HDMI, Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, SDXC card slot, and audio in/out. WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 included. Notice that I haven’t mentioned anything about the Superdrive; that’s because Apple’s decided not to include a CD/DVD drive in the new Mac mini. A bold move if you ask me. BYO keyboard, mouse, and display.

Speaking of displays, in addition to updating their computers Apple has also given their Cinema Display a minor refresh. The newly branded 27-inch Thunderbolt Display features the 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, a 2560 x 1440 resolution with IPS technology (that is, an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle), and it’s the world’s first display to include the Thunderbolt I/O port. The display also includes includes a built-in FaceTime HD video camera for video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one Gigabit Ethernet port. The cost is $999.

All three products–the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and Thunderbolt Display–are all available today. The new computers come preinstalled with Apple’s latest and greatest operating system Mac OS X Lion. Get a closer look at everything in the galleries below. Official PR sits after the break.



[Via Apple] Continue reading Apple refreshes MacBook Air, Mac mini & 27-inch display →

Stills from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’

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Entertainment Weekly’s got their hands on a batch of amazing stills from the set of Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man reboot. Peep the gallery below to see images featuring Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), a blonde and beautiful Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey), Martin Sheen (Parker’s uncle Ben), Sally Field (Spidey’s aunt May), and Rhys Ifans (antagonist Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard).

The Amazing Spider-Man releases in 3D on July 3, 2012.

[Via EW]

Watch the Throne tracklist & behind-the-scenes photos

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The Kanye West/Jay-Z collab album is almost upon us, or so we think. Although an official release date has yet to be announced, the rap protege and his apprentice have leaked out the official deluxe tracklist and super-duper behind-the-scenes photos from the making of the album. The album includes 12 tracks and 4 bonus tracks, two of which are the previously outed single “H*A*M” and G.O.O.D. Friday freebie “The Joy”. ‘Ye and Z brought along Frank Ocean for two tracks, and Beyonce, Otis Redding, and fellow G.O.O.D. Music artist Mr Hudson are also featured on the album. Eye the tracklist below:

1. No Church in The Wild (Feat. Frank Ocean)
2. Lift Off (Feat. Beyoncé)
3. Niggas in Paris
4. Otis (Feat. Otis Redding)
5. Gotta Have It
6. New Day
7. Prime Time
8. Who Gon Stop Me
9. Murder to Excellence
10. Welcome to The Jungle
11. Sweet Baby Jesus (Feat. Frank Ocean)
12. Why I Love You (Feat. Mr Hudson)

Bonus
13. Illest Motherfucker Alive
14. H*A*M
15. That’s My Bitch
16. The Joy (Feat. Curtis Mayfield)

Check out the aforementioned photos in the gallery below. Preorder the album here; the rumored drop date remains August 2.

Update: DDotOmen.com has managed to get their hands on full list of production credits for the album. Click here to sneak a peek.

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[Via Life+Times]

Verizon debuts Droid 3 by Motorola, tiered data plans

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This summer Verizon and Motorola decided to put another notch in Droid’s ever-expanding belt by introducing the latest and greatest Droid 3. The specifications go like this: dual-core 1GHz processor, 4-inch qHD display, 8 megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture, front-facing cam for still shots and video chat, 5-row QWERTY keyboard, 3G Mobile Hotspot capabilities (can connect up to five WiFi-enabled devices), HDMI output (mirror mode beams photos, videos, and movies onto an HDTV), global ready, runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. If you’re hunting for a new smartphone that sports a roomy physical keyboard, the Droid 3 is arguably VZW’s best smartphone choice at the moment. The Droid 3 is worth $199.99 and a new 2-year contract. Images below, full PR after the break.

If you’re a new Verizon Wireless customer itching to get your paws on the Droid 3 or any VZW smartphone for that matter, know that the company’s data plans have become tiered. This means, simply, that you must pay for every byte you use whilst scouring the Internet on your device. Gone is the worry-free $30 unlimited data plan, in are the following: $30 for 2GB of data per month, $50 for 5GB, and $80 for 10GB. Big Red will charge $10 per GB of data if you exceed the monthly allotment you choose. The new plans went into effect July 7. A few stipulations: if you were already a VZW customers before the 7th and had the unlimited data plan you have been grandfathered and remain safe; but be warned–if you ever decide to change to a new data plan you will lose the unlimited offer and never get it back. Sad times, indeed.

[Via Engadget; BGR] Continue reading Verizon debuts Droid 3 by Motorola, tiered data plans →

Pusha T & Cyhi Da Prynce headline Heineken Red Star Access concert (images + video)

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On Tuesday June 28 the newest members of Kanye West’s music label G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) headlined the Heineken Red Star Access concert in New York City. The private concert was invite-only and it was located at Santos Party House. Hot 97’s DJ Camilo spinned the beats before the main guests arrived. Adrienne Bailon of 3LW fame introduced Cyhi Da Prynce who performed eight songs from his Royal Flush mixtapes. After his too-brief stint on stage, main attraction Pusha T was showered with cheers as he performed a bunch of songs ranging from classic Clipse tracks to more recent tracks off Ye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and the Fear of God mixtape. P confirmed that his next mixtape Fear of God 2 is complete and it will be released later this summer in August. Also, fans can anticipate his first studio album to hit stores on Black Friday (that is late November).

The concert was a raging good time. Thanks to Heineken’s sponsorship free beer was flowing all night, and the speaker setup inside the venue was phenomenal. Standing literally inches from Cyhi and Pusha T made the experience all the more engaging, though I could have done without the onslaught spit and sweat that came my way. Check out pictures from the concert below (please excuse the poor quality, only had iPhone in hand) and jump after the break to find a collection of the night’s performances in video form.

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Continue reading Pusha T & Cyhi Da Prynce headline Heineken Red Star Access concert (images + video) →

First look: Martin Freeman is Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Hobbit’

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Look it! It’s Bilbo Baggins in the flesh! Actor Martin Freeman has donned the elfish ears, shaggy hair and clothes to fully transform into The Hobbit’s protagonist. Says director Peter Jackson of his Bilbo: “He fits the ears, and he’s got some very nice feet. I think he’s got the biggest hobbit feet we’ve had so far. They’re a little bit hard to walk in, but he’s managed to figure out the perfect hobbit gait.”

EW also managed to scoop up two additional images that I’ve pasted after the break. The second is of veteran actor Ian McKellan as Gandolf the Grey. Jackson again: “He’s in fantastic form. ‘In a way, his role in The Hobbit has more technical difficulties than Lord of the Rings did, because he has scenes with 14 smaller characters — obviously the dwarves and the hobbit are shorter… I remember saying to him [laughs], ”Look, this isn’t Waiting for Godot or King Lear. This is The Hobbit. This is the real thing.”

The third and final image is a rather candid photo of Jackson directing Freeman inside the hobbit’s small hut. Jackson once more: “There’s no way you can pace yourself for shoots like these. When we were going through the schedule for The Hobbit, I felt a terrible drop in my stomach when I saw that we’d be shooting for 254 days. We’re only 12 days short of The Lord of the Rings even though we’re only doing two movies. When I saw that, I had to sort of pick myself up off the floor and carry on.”

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey releases December 14, 2012 and this will be followed by part two subtitled There and Back Again exactly one year later. The Hobbit follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

[Via EW] Continue reading First look: Martin Freeman is Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Hobbit’ →

‘Terra Nova’ posters surface, Jurassic Park vibe in tact

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Today FOX released a trio of promotional posters for the upcoming sci-fi drama Terra Nova. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist for one to suspect that Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer on the dino-inhabited show. The posters scream “Warning”, “Do Not Feed”, and “Be Aware” and they pertain to the wild, carnivorous creatures that the time-traveling humans will run into. Now don’t expect to only see the typical T-Rex kind of dinos on this show. Says producer Brannon Braga, “We have dinosaurs we know existed from the fossil record, but what’s fun is that you get to make up your own dinosaurs.”

Terra Nova follows Jim Shannon (Jason O’Mara), a man who is sent back in time 85 million years to prehistoric Earth with his family in an attempt to save the human race. The show’s garnered a ton of buzz. Those who have seen the pilot say its going to sit well with audiences. And that select group of people is about to grow; FOX has announced that they will screen the pilot and hold a panel consisting of the creative team behind the show and the main cast at Comic Con next month in San Diego. I’ll be there and let you know if all the hype is worth generating.

Jump after the break to see the other posters.

[Via EW-InsideTV] Continue reading ‘Terra Nova’ posters surface, Jurassic Park vibe in tact →

Games Hub gets spruced up in Windows Phone Mango

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The next release of Windows Phone is coming this fall. Windows Phone Mango includes deeper social network integration, Internet Explorer 9, and the ability to multitask. Among the 500 new features coming to the mobile OS is also an updated Xbox portal. Here’s a quick rundown of the new Games Hub:

  • A cleaner and lighter design that emphasizes your game collection and Xbox LIVE info
  • Improved overall performance and speed
  • An improved Collection view will organize and list all the games you download from the Marketplace
  • Interactive, 3D avatars
  • Improved Xbox LIVE messaging: read and reply to Xbox LIVE messages sent from another Windows Phone, a PC, or an Xbox console
  • Xbox LIVE friends are more accessible: You can search, browse, initiate, and respond to friend requests right from your Windows Phone.
  • Integrated achievements and new comparison views: See the recent games your friends have been playing, and compare gamerscores and achievements for all Xbox LIVE games played on the phone, console, or PC.
  • You can edit your Xbox LIVE profile on the go
  • Improved Spotlight content will now be complemented with rich and vibrant images
  • Improved game request notifications: You’ll receive notifications for multiplayer game or turn requests and can track them in the Requests section of the Games Hub.

In sum with Mango the Xbox on-the-go experience is going to be a helleva lot more streamlined and easier to use. Look in the gallery below to tour the updated UI.

[Via WindowsPhoneBlog]