BladeRunner
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The first trailer for 'Blade Runner 2049' is here
Finally, we get our first look at that Blade Runner sequel. Thirty years after the events of the first film, Ryan Gosling plays a new blade runner that's discovered a secret that could cause a whole lot of trouble. Entertainment Weekly reports that his job will involve tracking down Rick Deckard, who's apparently gone missing between the original and this movie. (Harrison Ford returns to play an older Deckard.) Blade Runner 2049 is being directed by Denis Villeneuve (who was behind Arrival) with the original's director, Ridley Scott, on board as executive producer. Rest assured, it looks like there's plenty of intrigue, broken society vignettes, and gun-pointing. It's a start. The film is still set to premier October 6, 2017.
Belated sequel 'Blade Runner 2049' debuts next October
Reports have been circulating about Ridley Scott and Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner sequel for a long time now and today the official title of the follow-up was announced. Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the 1982 sci-fi film that will star Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling. Other than the October 6, 2017 premiere date, little else is known about the movie at this point. Of course, the title itself suggests that the film takes place in 2049, 30 years after the storyline of the original. And thanks to Oculus, we know that the movie will be available in VR.
'Blade Runner 2049' and Disney will come to VR via Oculus
Oculus is working on a handful of new VR content projects, but the biggest names dropped at its Oculus Connect 3 conference this afternoon were Blade Runner and Disney. The coming film Blade Runner 2049 and a series of experiences about classic Disney characters are heading to Oculus platforms. Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to 1982's cult sci-fi hit and it was just announced today; it's due in theaters on October 6th, 2017. Oculus didn't delve into details about either project.
Pop culture's many takes on artificial intelligence
Over the years, artists, writers, filmmakers and game studios have all tackled the concept of artificial intelligence. Often their vision is of machines that are brutally hostile to humans. Philip K. Dick envisioned androids that murder their owners. The iconic HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey ... also murders his human companions. Of course, there's Skynet, which launches an all-out war on mankind. We could go on like this for a long time. But there are also those, like Spike Jonze, who envision us having a more complex relationship with computer-based personalities; one in which they could even be love interests. And in Star Trek: The Next Generation Data is not only a "good" android, but he's often the hero of the show. We've pulled together 13 of our favorite portrayals of AI over the years and put them in the gallery below. It is by no means comprehensive. So please, let us know what we missed in the comments or tweet at us (@engadget) to let us know your favorite AI character from the film, TV or books using the hashtag #EngadgetAIWeek.
It's 'Blade Runner' android Roy Batty's birthday
Back to the Future isn't the only big sci-fi movie whose memorable dates are cropping up in real life -- January 8th, 2016 marks the "birthday" of Roy Batty, the leader of the rogue Replicants in Blade Runner. He wouldn't have much to celebrate if he were real (an artificially short life of servitude is nothing to crow about), but it's big for us humans who still want to know what it was like to see attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. Moreover, it's notable that a few elements of Ridley Scott's classic (and by extension, Philip K. Dick's original story) are already surfacing in reality -- although it's very much the product of its time, it's not as outlandish a vision as you might think.
'Blade Runner' tech gives 'Borderlands' its signature sound
"The Commodore 64 is like my Bible; that's when [game] music began because that's when they put an analog chip into a computer," composer Jesper Kyd says of the nearly 33-year-old home computer. "Before that it was PC or Atari and everything was like 'beep, beep, beep, beep-beep beep' and who the fuck wants to listen to that?"
Harrison Ford will return in 'Blade Runner' sequel
Need more good news after today's net neutrality ruling? Deadline and Variety report it has been confirmed that Harrison Ford will return to the role of Rick Deckard in the Blade Runner sequel that's currently in the works. Ridley Scott is producing the film, Hampton Fancher (co-writer of the original movie) and Michael Green are writing, and Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) is in negotiations to direct.The movie is supposed to start shooting next summer, with a script that already garnered high praise from Ford and is said to take place several decades after the original. As an added bonus, that gives him plenty of time to recover from any Star Wars-related injuries and us an opportunity to check out Amazon's upcoming (and also based on a Philip K. Dick story) The Man in the High Castle series. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Watch the magical future of E Ink color displays in action
We just got a chance to see exactly what E Ink's new Prism tech looks like in person. And? It's pretty neat! As you might be able to tell from the admittedly sped-up GIF above, it's a bit mesmerizing, but still manages to be subtle. The outfit's Joseph Fillion describes it as "more than static, but not quite digital." What he means by that is it isn't the type of thing you'd likely see used on billboards or other advertisements, but more along the lines of navigational opportunities and branding. For example, you could carry an RFID chip in your pocket at a hotel and it'd change the color of the walls letting you know you were actually headed in your room's direction, possibly with the place's logo appearing once you've reached your destination. Or imagine your living room's walls changing color in accordance to your thermostat's temperature reading. It seems futuristic as hell, but it's much more Her than Blade Runner.
The ambient sounds of sci-fi will make you ditch that white noise machine
Sometimes you just need to clear your mind from all distractions and tune out the rest of the world. Sure, you could rely on a playlist or a regular ol' white noise machine, but that doesn't do much to boost your geek cred. Thanks to YouTuber crysknife007, you can now zone out with ambient sounds from Blade Runner, Battlestar Galactica and more. Whether its the hum of the engines from the Millennium Falcon or Nostromo, there are plenty of options to choose from with all of them providing a 12-hour loop that's sure to last a workday. Of course, you turn off all the lights and pretend your soaring through space, too. [Photo credit: Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty Images]
LaCie Blade Runner drive now available, offers stand-out storage for $300
LaCie teased us at CES with the prospect of a rare high-concept hard drive design in the Blade Runner, but it left out the rather important matter of when we could buy the Philippe Starck-designed storage. As we've discovered, we didn't have to wait long -- the Blade Runner has just become available. Plunk down $300 and you'll get a 4TB, USB 3.0-based external drive that melds a blob-like disk shell with aluminum blades that both cool the main body and create a (minor) conversation piece. Just be sure to hurry if you're looking for a dash of art with your extra drive space, as it's doubtful that the Blade Runner's 9,999-unit production run will last.
LaCie teams up with Philippe Starck on the Blade Runner limited edition hard drive
Philippe Starck, the design mind behind various Parrot wares, has teamed up with LaCie once more for a quite dapper external storage device. The duo has just announced the Blade Runner here at CES: a 4TB USB 3.0 hard drive wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum and sporting a LED power button in the shape of Mr. Starck's logo. That's not all. Only 9,999 of these bad boys will be produced so you'll need to have your affairs in order ahead of time if the gadget strikes your design sensibilities. The drive will also include 10GB of Wuala secure cloud storage to lend a hand with the archival process. No word on when the Blade Runner will arrive, but when it does, you can expect to nab it online from LaCie and other retailers after parting with the requisite $299. For a closer look at the goods, hit the galleries below to take a gander at the press shots and our brief hands-on. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Must See HDTV (October 22nd - 28th)
While baseball's postseason moves on to its final round, football is just hitting its stride and NBA preseason action is just beginning to get interesting. This week Blade Runner gets yet another HD home release, there's one more presidential debate, and on Friday the maker of Pushing Daisies returns for a one-off / backdoor pilot attempt called Mockingbird Lane -- check out a teaser after the break. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. I, Robot (3D) A 3D Blu-ray release isn't uncommon these days, however I, Robot has a fresh twist: it wasn't in 3D in theaters, ever. Fox has made the interesting decision of converting the flick in post and releasing a 3D version exclusively for the home. Fans of the 2004 Will Smith flick can snag a $24.99 Blu-ray 3D set, but if you pre-ordered at Comic-Con, it comes with a bust of the robot character, Sonny. We'll have to wait and see if this trend takes off (Fox says it has more titles in the pipeline), or if people prefer the standard original releases. ($24.99 on Amazon) Forza Horizon The Forza series has brought its brand of sim racing to Xbox consoles for several generations, but this latest version takes all of its underlying technology on a trip to the arcade side of town. You won't be doing so much tweaking under the hood this time, but there's still a healthy selection of cars plus options for night and off road racing to keep you interested. Joystiq was impressed enough by its "massive toy chest of hyper-accurate Hot Wheels" to give it four out of five stars, racing fans can check out a demo on Xbox Live now. ($59.99 on Amazon) World Series Baseball fans, it all comes down to this. For the championship in 2012 the Detroit Tigers will face TBD in an epic battle that kicks off Wednesday night. Either St. Louis or San Francisco will be representing the National League in the World Series, but we'll have to wait until tonight's game to know which one. The days for the games are already locked in however, so clear your schedule as needed.
Google patent delivers close-up photos when your phone can't, Blade Runners would approve
It's been 30 years since we saw Deckard track down replicants by having a machine "enhance" pictures, and yet we're still stuck with distant-looking photos when we want more detail than our smartphone cameras can manage. While we'd argue that a few phones already live in that Blade Runner future, Google has just obtained a patent that could give the rest of us a helping hand. If the zoom isn't up to snuff, the proposed software could gauge a mobile device's position and orientation to offer a closer, already-taken photo from a server as a substitute, whether it's a Street View shot or a more traditional image. The geocoded system could even cue photos based on the time of day and year to provide that extra dash of authenticity. We already get a trace of the concept through photo overlays within Street View itself, although there's no indication as to whether or not Google will link our camera apps directly to a cloud of substitute photos -- suffice it to say that the industry has changed a lot since Google was using the iPhone 3G to illustrate its photography concepts.
Sony patents method of turning TV ads into interactive mini-games
Sony holds the patent for turning television commercials into interactive video games, taking humanity one step closer a future resembling Wall-E, while the likelihood of Blade Runner fades to a distant, neon second. The patent describes one method of gaming as advertisement as a "commercial overlaid on frames of the television program allowing the user to play the game while the television program is displayed."Sony's patent provides visuals of various implementation processes, some of which include using the PlayStation console itself, along with the PS Eye, the Move or DualShock controllers, or a microphone. The controllers would allow viewers to play mini-games designed to sell products while they entertain, and they would enable people to purchase items directly from the ad. One drawing shows someone ordering a pizza by using the Move to select a large "Buy" button, and another has someone voting for a character with the X, O, square and triangle buttons.The patent also shows a microphone hooked up to the PlayStation console, enabling viewers to vocalize whether they want an action or romantic commercial. Another voice-input idea makes viewers yell out brand names to continue their shows, pictured above.The patent appears to work with internet TVs or screens attached to network-enabled devices, such as the PlayStation. If you've yet to disable your cable and hook up your PC to an HD flatscreen, now may be the time – or maybe consider that Steam Big Picture box when it launches. They can take our TVs, but they'll never take our PCs.Please scream "Joystiq!" to continue.
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: fun stuff!
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. For some, it's easy to forget about having fun -- fretting over buying the "right" tablet, e-reader or DSLR can strip the joy of unbridled silliness that Christmas allows you. This is your handy guide to stuff you can kick back and enjoy some crazy fun with. There's no ecosystem wars here, no desire to have the loudest or fastest plug-in gadget; just things you'd prefer to give and receive instead of a Sharper Image motorized tie rack... or back-hair shaver. So join us past the break, if you will, for a look at this year's collection of fun stuff!
Eye-tracking lie detectors inch a little closer to reality
If lie detection is your thing, choices aren't exactly scarce: you can go with Lego for the kids, Skype-centric for remote fibber identification, or even use a headband if you can corral your suspect long enough. Hoping to add to that list is the University of Utah, whose eye-tracking lie detector has been licensed to a local company in order to explore its viability as a commercial product. As with Blade Runnner's Voight-Kampff empathy test, Utah's methodology revolves around monitoring things like eye movement, pupil dilation and response time -- with the major difference being that you're trying to identify truth evaders rather than skinjobs. John Kircher, one of the lead researchers, claims results so far have been as good as or better than those obtained with polygraph testing, though he admits the project is still in its early stages. No worries, though, we're sure they'll perfect the technique in time for our post-apocalyptic, Vangelis-scored future.
The Daily Grind: What's your dream MMO?
Everybody dreams of an MMO that does everything perfectly, at least for them. Ours would be some kind of deep, communal sandbox cyberpunk affair. Something like "Bladerunner the MMO", with lots of emphasis on character customization ala All Points Bulletin and plenty of motivation for socialization. Combat would be of the third-person shooter variant, although with RPG systems coming into play via skill progression. Visually, it should focus on a style that's immediately noticeable -- not necessarily "cartoony" but definitely stylized. The overall palette would be something familiar yet grungy, as if it were right out of a William Gibson or Neal Stephenson book. Of course, this is about your dream MMO and not ours. Something tells us ours probably isn't very high on the popularity scale, anyhow. The dream often demands more than reality can deliver, but assuming your dream title could somehow manifest... what would it be?
Nissan's Leaf EV will sound like a Blade Runner spinner, get better mileage
One of the major disadvantages of electric vehicles, for petrolheads at least, is the lack of engine noise. How can you be proud of your beastly motor if it doesn't roar? There are mundane considerations like pedestrian safety too, but that's beside the point. Nissan seems to have uncovered an old copy of Blade Runner in its toolshed and decided that, yes, it might be a good idea for the Leaf EV to emit a whooshing sound inspired by the Philip K. Dick adaptation. If implemented, this will raise the car's price somewhat, but wouldn't you pay a premium to have your auto sound like a jet taking off? The Leaf is expected to arrive in the US in 2010, replete with its reputed 367 miles per gallon efficiency. [Via Autoblog Green]
UK film critic doesn't understand using HDTV to watch old movies, why kids are on his lawn
Another day, another ignorant article about high definition. This time it's Peter Bradshaw, film critic for Guardian.co.uk, claiming Humphrey Bogart would have any cameraman approximating a "high definition" effect thrown off the set. Blatantly ignoring the fact that movies of that era were made on 35mm film with more resolution than even 1080p Blu-ray can display, Bradshaw claims that instead of a HDTV, viewers would be better off with a standard definition projector and DVDs. This is all in response to a recent Sky ad campaign (check out the video with Sir Anthony Hopkins dropping in Rutger Hauer's Blade Runner monologue after the break, plus the original) promoting the broadcaster's new HD transfers, allowing home viewing of many older films in quality that would be impossible unless you'd seen it the first week in theaters, and with sound that likely surpasses anything available at the time. What someone should explain to Mr. Bradshaw and so many others with this misconception is that HDTV allows us to see the movie closer to the way it was meant to be seen when it was originally mastered, with all the detail that was present. Provided a high quality transfer, there's plenty of reasons to catch old flicks in a new format, so spread the word.
Famous movie scenes recreated using game development tools
The Game Artist forums recently held a competition to determine who could best recreate a scene from a movie in a real-time game environment. The winners were a trio of forum users, going by the names of shadows, in3d, and Alina, who appropriately called themselves "The Replicants." They recreated the the classic Blade Runner scene you see above, and we're sure we don't have to tell you why it's the best of the bunch. Rounding out the rest of the winners were scenes from Hook (Ruffio! Ruffio! Ruf-ee-oh!), X2: X-Men United, I am Legend, and Aliens. You can blast your eyeballs with those entries by clicking here.[Via Fidgit]
