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Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 2, 2015 in Science 
Electric cars are pretty cool, even if they aren’t quite mainstream yet. Real-life Tony Stark fellow Elon Musk has been doing some impressive work at Tesla over the past few years, trying to make the perfect electric car. He recently tweeted out another one of his ideas that they’ve been working on: an automatic charging cable that’ll come “out from the wall & connects like a solid metal snake. For realz.” Holy crap, that sounds terrifying and awesome at the same time. I imagine it’s based off of those cool robotic snakes. Automation taking care of everything is a little frightening, but pretty impressive, too! Read more…
Tags: Elon Musk, Telsa
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 1, 2015 in Anime, Videogames 
FUNimation already has the rights to Sengoku Basara, an adaptation of a Dynasty Warriors-style game about feudal Japan. So I suppose it just makes sense for them to lock down the rights to a similar anime. Samurai Warriors (Sengoku Musou in Japan) is an adaptation of a Dynasty Warriors spin-off game about feudal Japan. It sounds like a rip-off, but considering that not only Samurai Warriors, but also Dynasty Warriors came before Sengoku Basara, it’s safe from such accusations. The anime starts on January 11, 2015, on the FUNimation Streaming Service. You have to pay a cheap subscription rate, but you can also use a 14-day free trial, even at the end of the series, so you can binge it all in one go. Read more…
Tags: Capcom, FUNImation, samurai
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 1, 2015 in Cinema 
If you’re reading this post as it goes live at midnight in New York, Happy New Year! There are surely fireworks going off all over the place, but if you need more, Screen Junkies have pieced together this supercut of explosions in movies. Naturally, this is more celebratory instead of exhaustive, but that’s beside the point. Watch things blow up and see how many explosions you recognize! Yes, you could just read the summary on the video’s YouTube page, but where’s the fun in that? Read more…
Tags: Retro Movies
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 31, 2014 in Cinema, Horror 
Ghostbusters may have horror elements, but I think the humor is where it shines. But in Paul Feig’s all-female reboot, the director is aiming to make his version scarier. Though the film will stay in PG-13 territory (unlike Feig’s R-rated comedies), the new film will definitely be aiming to be a scary comedy. I always thought the original Ghostbusters had its scary moments, especially that librarian ghost, but I suppose it’s not actually that scary. But as long as the horror doesn’t interfere with the comedy (or the team’s chemistry), I could see it working. Then again, I don’t see why we need a new Ghostbusters movie anyway. Nothing against the concept of a lady Ghostbusters team, but the achievements of the original actors is going to hang heavy over production.
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Tags: Ghostbusters
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 31, 2014 in Tech 
Who do you know that still uses Internet Explorer, other than your old relatives that force you to fix their computers? That’s right, pretty much no one, because anyone in the know uses Chrome, Firefox, hell, pretty much anything else. And so Microsoft is killing what was once the most-used browser in the world. When Windows 10 releases in 2015, it will come with a new browser codenamed Spartan. (The name is likely a reference to Halo, as they did the same thing with their Cortana software.) This new browser will behave much more like Chrome and Firefox, running in a more lightweight form and including options like extensions. I didn’t even know that IE lacked extensions! Welcome to the 2000s, Microsoft. Read more…
Tags: Microsoft, The Internet
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 30, 2014 in Science 
Having to carry a ton of heavy fuel is one of the big problems with developing faster spacecraft. But what if that number could be made trivial? NASA has tested the “Cannae Drive,” an engine that doesn’t use propellant, based on the EMDrive, a drive which works by bouncing microwaves in an enclosed container to create thrust. The drive has little critical attention, which many pointing out how such an engine would violate the laws of physics, specifically conservation of motion. So far, China has tested their version of the EMDrive, but it was not well-reported due to skeptics. But now the US has succeeded as well.
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Tags: NASA, spaceships
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 30, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Vin Diesel’s latest Facebook post has rumors surfacing that Diesel may be appearing in Marvel’s fall 2018 movie Inhumans. See, Diesel posts these kinda strange self-affirmations, featuring himself, to his Facebook page. His new cover image shows him wearing a shirt with the comic book logo for Inhumans, with “Are You Inhuman?” behind him. (The phrase and font had previously been used in ads for “Inhumanity,” a 2013 event.) “But wait!” you say, “Vin Diesel is already playing a part in Marvel movies! He voices Groot!” Yes, but he doesn’t perform motion capture for Groot, and there’s a perfect part set up for him in Inhumans. Read more…
Tags: Inhumans, Marvel, Vin Diesel
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 29, 2014 in Star Wars, Videogames 
As with everything on the internet, if there’s something big, there’ll be parodies of it. This Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer parody places Nintendo characters into a “Smash Wars” video, in which “The Triforce Awakens.” It’s short, it’s sweet, and it does a good job fitting Nintendo characters into the spaces where each Star Wars character would fit. The animation isn’t too shabby either! Their substitute for the new lightsaber design is also very cute. Also: props to the musician who made the background music, as it successfully straddles the line between Nintendo and Star Wars music at the end. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 29, 2014 in Comic Books, Star Wars 
So, a little thing happened a while back: this little-known company called Disney bought another unknown property called Star Wars. You may have seen it as a child. All joking aside, this deal also dubbed Marvel the new publisher of Star Wars comic books (surprise surprise). Dark Horse’s license officially runs out on the last day of the year, so if you’ve ever wanted to own any of their Star Wars comics digitally, now’s the time to buy them. Everything is 50% off, and you can buy the entirety of the their collection for a flat $300. You’ll be able to read all these comics digitally after the license expires, so no worries there, but this is your last chance to buy them before they’re gone forever! Read more…
Tags: Dark Horse
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 28, 2014 in Star Trek 
You may have heard that Roberto Orci is no longer directing Star Trek 3. That’s good news (for me, because I dislike his works)! But he was still a producer and writer on the project until now: he’s now just a producer. Instead, Justin Lin of Fast and Furious will be directing the film instead. Curious indeed! Rumors are that Paramount didn’t like Orci’s approach (deep space adventures) and instead want the series to angle more towards a Guardians of the Galaxy-style story… which sounds like a recipe for disaster. No, Paramount, you don’t need cute talking animals in Star Trek. I can’t believe I’m defending Orci’s ideas, but here we are! Deep space is definitely the way to go here. Read more…
Tags: Justin Lin, Roberto Orci
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 28, 2014 in Fandom, Videogames 
Basketball trick shot videos and, well, trick shot videos in general have been incredibly popular — because hey — it’s fun to see people do crazy things dramatically. But suffice to say, they’ve kind of gotten a little long in the tooth, so what if someone gave it a twist? And by a “twist” I mean putting a Portal gun in it. Corridor Digital have created a silly video featuring two scientists dunking with the aid of a Portal gun, bro-ing it up with high-fives and screaming at the camera, just like you’d expect. Check out the video below, then imagine using a Portal gun for your own “sick dunks.” Read more…
Tags: Portal, Portal 2
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 27, 2014 in Videogames 
Star Citizen continues to lumber along with it’s ridiculous amount of crowdfunded money and collection of alpha and beta modules. Who knows if it will ever be the game it promises to be, but it’s been a fascinating journey so far. I sure hope it all works out. The latest two videos from Roberts Space Industries are a dubstep-infused trailer and another fake advertisement for a new ship, the Consolidated Outland Mustang. Or, you know, the Mustang, as everyone will probably call it. It’s more of a single-pilot craft, armed to the teeth and very stylish with lots of hard angles. Check out both videos below for lots of accents and “epic” scenes. Read more…
Tags: Star Citizen
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 27, 2014 in Hobbies and Collections 
One of the first looks at the Jurassic World dinosaurs was from leaked Lego moulds, and now we’re getting an even better view of the sets. The sets feature dinosaurs (obviously) but we can also catch a glimpse of Lego Chris Pratt and a Lego scientist holding an adorable mosquito in amber. From what I understand, the last dinosaur line from Lego sold very well, so combined with the Jurassic Park name it should do even better. Also in leaked Lego news, an image has surfaced of Ultron and Tony Stark minifigures for Avengers 2. Suffice to say: Lego Ultron looks terrifying. Image below! Read more…
Tags: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 26, 2014 in Hobbies and Collections, Star Wars 
Well, I think it was inevitable that Hot Toys would make a Boba Fett figure, but 1/4 scale? Now that’s impressive… Most impressive. He’ll feature tons of accessories (as usual) along with 30 points of articulation, four sets of hands, a cloth cape, two rifles, and an assortment of knives and blades. Plus, as usual with Hot Toys, at 18 inches tall he’ll be incredibly detailed — you can probably tell from the images. He’ll be out late 2015 or early 2016 (figures like this often get delayed). As for cost? Nothing is confirmed yet, but he’ll probably be over $300, so start saving your pennies now. Check out more images below! Read more…
Tags: Boba Fett, Hot Toys
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 26, 2014 in Videogames 
Every year, Valve puts out a holiday update for Team Fortress 2, usually with a bunch of goodies and sometimes new gameplay additions. This year, they’re keeping in that trend and releasing three new weapons (two for Demoman and one multi-class item for Heavy, Solider, Pyro, and Engie), along with something really neat: a beta game mode. This new mode is called Mannpower, a CTF variant that features power-ups and grappling hooks. Yes, you read that right: every player has a grappling hook that will be able to help them traverse the map. It’s suitably silly and fun, and you can play it right away in game without any beta-participation shenanigans. Check out the full update details here. Read more…
Tags: Team Fortress
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 25, 2014 in Tech, Television, Videogames 
Sony and Samsung may be rivals in the TV business, but apparently that won’t stop them from trying to make more profit together. PlayStation Now is coming to Samsung Smart TVs in the US and Canada. The service, which allows streaming rentals of PS3 games (and hopefully PS1 and PS2 games down the line), will be made available in the first half of 2015. Samsung TVs don’t have the horsepower to render PS3 games, but that doesn’t matter, because all the processing is done on Sony’s side and streamed to the TV. All Samsung owners need to buy is a DualShock 4 controller (since, you know, TVs don’t normally come with controllers). Now if only Sony would adjust PlayStation Now prices to be more attractive, because I’d rather buy the game for cheap than bother with the overpriced rentals. Read more…
Tags: PlayStation 3, Samsung, Sony
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 25, 2014 in Anime, Videogames 
So far, all the games that use Amiibo, the Skylanders-like toys that unlock in-game bonuses, are published by Nintendo. But the upcoming One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X for 3DS will be the first third-party game to include Amiibo support. The toys will unlock costumes for the various fighters that transform them into the same Nintendo characters. So tapping the Mario Amiibo will give main character Luffy a Mario outfit. These aren’t simple reskins, but fully-designed costumes that look more creative than I’d expect. The trailer below shows off the Smash Bros.-like fighting action, with the Amiibo details showing up near the end. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Amiibo, New 3DS, One Piece
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 24, 2014 in Videogames 
For a small company, Atlus is usually pretty good at rewarding fans who buy their games at launch. Like many previous games, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, a 3DS update to the original DS game, will include a bonus. All pre-order and first-run copies will come bundled with a soundtrack CD; it’s not clear if the disc is a full soundtrack or just a music sampler, but either way, it’s a nice freebie for fans. And considering Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker comes with pretty much double the content of the original release, anyone buying this is getting a great deal.
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Tags: 3DS, Atlus, shin megami tensei
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 24, 2014 in Videogames 
Yakuza feels like Sega’s obligation in the West. The games don’t sell that hot, they’re certainly niche, but damn if they are not interesting games with a dedicated fanbase. But it seems like fans have to fight tooth and nail for every release to get translated. (Case in point: 2012’s Yakuza 5 is just getting a translation in Q3 2015.) Most spin-offs or merchandise are destined to remain in Japan. So forgive me for talking about these awesome limited edition Yakuza Zero PS4s when we likely won’t ever see them in the US or Europe. They come in glacier white or jet black, with the choice of a tattoo design from protagonists Kazuma Kiryu (above) or Mashima Goro. PS4s are region-free, so if you feel like importing one, be prepared to part with ¥41,980 on March 12. Read more…
Tags: PS4, Sega, Yakuza
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 23, 2014 in Comic Books, Television 
While fans may have been asking for Isaiah Mustafa or Terry Crews — both coincidentally Old Spice spokesmen — to play Luke Cage in Marvel’s multiple upcoming Netflix series, Marvel had someone else in mind. Mike Colter (Halo: Nightfall) had chemistry with Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter, so he will co-star as Luke Cage in her series. In the comics, the two characters eventually marry. After that series ends, Cage will later show up in his own self-titled Netflix series, before teaming up with Jones, Daredevil (Charlie Cox), and an uncast Iron Fist for a Defenders mini-series about street-level vigilantes. Naturally, this is all set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it’s always possible some of these characters could appear somehow in the movies, which is certainly what many fans would love to see. Read more…
Tags: Luke Cage, Marvel
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 23, 2014 in Videogames 
Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been plagued by bugs since launch, mostly affecting players’ ability to play online matches. To be fair, the multiplayer, which mixes in modes from different Halo games, is ambitious; but at the end of the day, the game should be working. As an apology to fans, 343 Industries is giving out several freebies for anyone who has played online between launch and December 19. While one free month of Xbox Live Gold, an exclusive in-game nameplate, and an exclusive avatar are small gifts, the other gifts will take more time. Based on fan requests, 343 plans to remaster Halo 3: ODST‘s campaign (despite Master Chief not appearing in it) and give it to the players for free. Read more…
Tags: Halo, Microsoft, Xbox One
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 22, 2014 in Science 
Last time we posted about robotic limbs, we saw an awesome prosthetic leg and a slick robotic hand and wrist combo. This latest project from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory features a full harness over a man named Les Baugh, replacing both of his full arms (which he lost in an electrical accident). This essentially gives him back both of his arms. This is a huge step and the fact that he’s controlling them simply by thinking is amazing. Just imagine how much more advanced these will be in just five years from now! What an incredible boon this’ll be for folks who have lost limbs. Video embedded below! Read more…
Tags: technology
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 22, 2014 in Cinema 
Robert Rodriguez is going to be creating a live-action adaptation of Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta’s Fire & Ice. This isn’t a huge surprise, as he originally said he’d be making this a few years ago, and, well… now he is! Bold Films has been financing the film’s pre-production and now they’re logging in with Sony. Of course, Sony wants this to be a multi-film saga and possibly establish a world for many future sequels and spin-offs. Obviously. Still, the visual style will probably be the big draw here, especially given that Rodriguez has proven himself dedicated to that angle before. I’m excited to see how a live-action version will look! Read more…
Tags: Robert Rodriguez
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 21, 2014 in Star Wars 
JJ Abrams recently released a video sending his thanks out to all the fans who donated to UNICEF as part of the Force for Change event, which would give fans a chance to be in the movie. The last two videos gave brief looks at alien puppets and the X-wing design in the film, and this time around we’re seeing Chewbacca and R2-D2 show up! As you might expect, R2 looks like R2. Chewie doesn’t have a single grey hair! I know Wookies live a long time, though, so who knows when those start coming in. Make Wookie noises below the jump. Read more…
Tags: Chewbacca, Episode VII, The Force Awakens
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