First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Handhelds, Video Games, Videos,

Nintendo just unveiled its first commercial for the Nintendo 3DS, set to debut in the U.S. on March 27.

The 30-second spot (above) shows various gamers using the device, the 3D functionality drawing them into the game. "3D games, photos, entertainment, and more. No glasses required. Nintendo 3DS. Take a look inside," a voice says at the end of the commercial.

In New York, Nintendo will host an event on the eve of the 3DS launch, from 9pm on Saturday until 2am on March 27. Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime will be at the Union Square Best Buy around 9:45pm to greet fans before being lifted onto a hydraulic stage at 11pm to address the crowd and begin a countdown clock to midnight. Fifteen minutes before Best Buy opens its doors, Nintendo said people will throw old-school 3D glasses into the air to "unshackle themselves" from the need for 3D glasses; the Nintendo 3DS displays 3D images without glasses.

Best Buy will then be open until 2am for those who want to get their hands on the 3DS. The first 300 people in line will receive Nintendo 3DS carrying cases, among other giveaways, Nintendo said.

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Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark Makes Changes

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics,

When a comic book title starts to suffer a long decline of sales, the publisher tries to turn things around by bringing in a new creative team.

And apparently when a Broadway musical based on a comic book gets horrible reviews, repeatedly injures its cast, repeatedly delays its official opening night and looks to be a huge embarrassment, they also make some changes.

The producers of the troubled Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark musical have done just that. They’ve kicked the original director Julie Taymor to the curb and brought in a new director - Philip William McKinley - and at least one person who is actually familiar with Spider-Man: writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

They’ll be making some changes to the extravaganza and one of our Broadway spies was able to slip me an internal memo of the reworking that's going on prior to the show’s latest official opening date sometime in the summer of possibly this year.

Here then are the Top 10 Changes The New Creative Team Is Making To Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark:

Click to continue reading Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark Makes Changes

Comic Book Jobs: Cartoons!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,

Do you know what would be a good job if you had the right skills?

Sales account executive for the growing Cartoon Brew empire, that's what!

Cartoon Brew is the animation entertainment site – packed with news, commentary, reviews, and one of the most active comments section on the internet.

There's lots of good stuff over there for anyone who's a fan of cartoons and animation – features and shorts, tv animation, student films, etc.

It's run by animation historians Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi and they keep it going daily and keep it interesting.

Now they're looking for someone to help generate some ad revenue, so if you have experience generating that cash, and you love cartoons, you should get over there right away and see what it's all about.

That's all, folks!

[Artwork: Porky Pig, © Warner Bros.]

Read More | Cartoon Brew

The Spider #1: Martin Powell & Pablo Marcos

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Independent,

Before The Punisher, before Batman, even before Superman, there was The Spider, Master of Men. The classic pulp hero was created in 1933 by Harry Steeger (co-founder of Popular Publications) to compete with the other pulp crime-fighter, Street & Smith’s The Shadow.

Now, here it is 70 + years later and The Spider is back, now as a comic book character in his first ongoing series, courtesy of award-winning writer Martin Powell and artist Pablo Marcos. The cover is by Dan Brereton (The Nocturnals), and the interior coloring is by Jay Piscopo.

The Spider #1 debuts this week from Moonstone Books as part of their ““Return of the Originals” publishing program.

Here’s the Moonstone pitch: “There was no escape for Nita Van Sloan, abducted by a horde of inhuman monstrosities, doomed to become the victim of a diabolical experiment. The Spider, Master of Men, strikes back with a vengeance, fighting alone against the brutally brilliant creator of the Frankenstein Legion, in a desperate race against time to save the only woman who shares his darkest secrets!”

Click to continue reading The Spider #1: Martin Powell & Pablo Marcos

Apple iPad 2 review: Second Thoughts

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Product Reviews, Software,

Ever since I picked up an Apple iPad 2, I've spent more time with it than my original iPad. At 1.3 pounds, the 33 percent thinner iPad 2 is unquestionably more comfortable to hold and offers the promise of greater speed and utility. In some cases, doing what was once impossible with an iPad 1 is obvious. I could never, for instance, shoot or edit video with my old device. The remaining iPad 2 differences, however, are harder to spot; so I spent some time this weekend in search of them.

The iPad 2 has always had an accelerometer, which basically tells the device if it's in motion. It's great for, say, driving games, so you can steer with the whole device. I use this when playing Real Racing HD. Now the iPad 2 has a three-axis gyroscope, which not only recognizes motion, but the speed and angle of it. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's still hard to find any apps (from Apple or anyone else) that use it.

Apple reports at least two games that take advantage of the new gyroscope: "Dead Space" from EA and "N.O.V.A 2 Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD." According to the "Dead Space" page in the App Store, version 1.0.2, which was released on the same day the iPad 2 arrived in stores, now has "more intuitive controls of your movement". This is made possible through "Y-Axis Inversion". No mention of gyroscope axis, but I'm guessing that's probably what EA is talking about. I downloaded the game to try it out.

Click to continue reading Apple iPad 2 review: Second Thoughts

Cocaine found at NASA Kennedy Space Center

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Science,

NASA has launched an investigation after cocaine was discovered at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, according to reports.

A NASA spokesman told reporters on Tuesday that 4.2 grams of "a white powdery substance" was found last Monday at the NASA facility and tested positive for cocaine.

"Law enforcement personnel field tested the substance, which indicated a positive test for cocaine," Renee Juhans, an executive officer with the office, told CNN. "The substance is now at an accredited crime lab for further testing." She wouldn't comment on where in the facility the drug was found.

Click to continue reading Cocaine found at NASA Kennedy Space Center

Bon Jovi says Steve Jobs personally responsible for killing music industry

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Music,

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is to blame for "killing" the music industry, rocker Jon Bon Jovi recently told the U.K.'s Sunday Times Magazine.

"Kids today have missed the whole experience of putting the headphones on, turning it up to 10, holding the jacket, closing their eyes and getting lost in an album; and the beauty of taking your allowance money and making a decision based on the jacket, not knowing what the record sounded like, and looking at a couple of pictures and still imagining it," he said.

Bon Jovi's music can be found on iTunes, but apparently, he's none too thrilled about it.

"God, it was a magical, magical time," the "Livin' on a Prayer" singer continued. "I hate to sound like an old man now, but I am, and you mark my words, in a generation from now people are going to say: 'What happened?' Steve Jobs is personally responsible for killing the music business."

Click to continue reading Bon Jovi says Steve Jobs personally responsible for killing music industry

Filmaster for iPhone to be the Foursquare of film

Posted by Reza Malayeri Categories: Entertainment, New Apps, Free Apps,

Filmaster is a brand new application that was released at SXSW this year. The app is developed by a Polish development team, and their aim is to position Filmaster as the "Foursquare of film". Filmaster is a free application in the app store, and it offers lots of features for movie goers around the globe. The main idea of the app is to recommend films based on users likes and preferences, and allow them to interact with their friends and fellow movie goers. Some of the Filmaster features listed on the App Store include:

• Personalized movie recommendations in your area
• Check into screenings, and see who's sitting next to you
• Find film buffs with similar tastes where you live
• Manage your personal film collection, and your wish list

There are many more features of Filmaster on the app store for you to explore, so head on over and check out this awesome new app. Filmaster promises to bring Foursquare integration, TV showtimes, and live-walls for events really soon. What do you think of apps like Filmaster and GetGlue? Do you check into TV shows with IntoNow? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Read More | Filmaster

Apple delays iPad 2 launch in Japan

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Given the destruction caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis, Apple announced today that it will delay the release of the iPad 2 in the country.

"We are delaying the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovering from the recent disaster," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris confirmed.

The iPad 2 went on sale in the U.S. on March 11 and was scheduled to launch in more than two dozen additional countries, including Japan, on March 25. An 8.9-magnitude earthquake, however, hit northeast Japan on March 11, prompting devastating tsunamis that have wiped away entire towns and killed thousands.

Click to continue reading Apple delays iPad 2 launch in Japan

Kevin Rose applauds Apple’s Japan response

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News,

Hours after a massive earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale struck Japan, an Apple store in Tokyo kept its doors open to hundreds of nearby victims, and instructed stranded employees and their families to stay overnight at the five-story flagship store.

A moved Kevin Rose, founder of Digg, posted two anonymous letters from "an admitted [Apple] fanboy" and Apple store employee in Japan, who wrote at length about Apple's calm, humanitarian response to the quake.

"[With] the phone and train lines down, taxis stopped, and millions of people stuck in the Tokyo shopping district scared, with no access to television, hundreds of people were swarming into Apple stores to watch the news on USTREAM and contact their families via Twitter, Facebook, and email," the letter read. "The young did it on their mobile devices, while the old clustered around the Macs. There were even some Android users there. (There are almost no free wifi spots in Japan besides Apple stores, so even Android users often come to the stores.)"

"Staff brought out surge protectors and extension cords with 10s of iOS device adapters so people could charge their phones & pads and contact their loved ones. Even after we finally had to close 10pm, crowds of people huddled in front of our stores to use the wifi into the night, as it was still the only way to get access to the outside world."

Click to continue reading Kevin Rose applauds Apple’s Japan response