The Morning After: Tuesday December 13, 2016
"Akira" on Game Boy, Adidas 3D Runner and iOS 10.2
Good morning, how was your Monday?
In news you might've missed: Netflix and Amazon snagged 17 Golden Globe nominations, "Pokémon Go is growing," and a 3D-printed shoe from Adidas.
How NASA is working with Stephen Hawking and Starshot
Stephen Hawking and Yuri Milner's $100 million Breakthrough Starshot program is trying to reach Alpha Centauri within a generation. Beyond shooting a "Starchip" probe at 1/5th the speed of light, their plan needs to make sure it's capable of surviving the intense radiation it will encounter along the way. That's where NASA comes in, along with scientists from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). They're working on "self-healing" transistors that could be capable of surviving a 20-year deep space mission.
Netflix and Amazon combine for 17 Golden Globe nominations
Award season is upon us, and some of your favorite series are in the running. Amazon's "Manchester by the Sea," "The Salesman," "Transparent" and "Mozart in the Jungle" all garnered nominations, while Netflix notables included "Stranger Things," "The Crown" and "Divines."
Review: HP Spectre x360 (2016)
This year's Spectre x360 is thinner, smaller and lighter than its predecessor. Unfortunately, that compact design led to fewer ports (no HDMI or SD reader) and a smaller keyboard that Dana Wollman said "feels more cramped than it used to." If you can live with a few compromises, it also promises better battery life and a faster SSD, with a starting price of $1,150.
Gamer finds prototype copies of "Akira" for Game Boy
The popular "Akira" anime and manga haven't been properly captured by a video game yet, but someone was trying to make one for Nintendo's Game Boy. Retro game hunter Patrick Scott Patterson found four prototype copies and played through their unfinished levels. They're severely broken, but a glimpse of those motorcycle and platforming sections is all we need.
Amazon's second season of "The Man in the High Castle" premieres Friday morning. If you prefer Netflix, it surprised us by announcing a creepy miniseries called "The OA" that's on its way the same day. "Star Trek" fans can enter the Roddenberry Vault on a new Blu-ray set; "Suicide Squad" is here in 4K; and "Forza Horizon 3" adds new Blizzard Mountain DLC.
"Pokémon Go" adds new Gen 2 pokémon
Niantic Labs mobile pokémon game is finally adding some new monsters, with Pichu, Togepi and more joining the roster. If players need another reason to stick with the game as temperatures drop, there are limited edition Pikachu spawning worldwide until December 29th.
Adidas 3D Runner is here, but it's hard to get
We've seen a number of limited-release efforts using 3D-printing tech to make footwear, but this 3D Runner has an Olympic pedigree. Medal-winning Adidas athletes got a similar shoe, and now you can grab one if you're in one of three cities and have $333 to spend. If you're interested and live in NYC, register for a chance to pre-order with the Adidas Confirmed app.
