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Lenovo and Ashton Kutcher team up on special edition phones, due out this year
If at first you don't succeed... iterate, iterate, iterate on Android? After signing on Ashton Kutcher as a product engineer -- and then going on to release a pair of poorly received tablets -- Lenovo is dusting itself off. A marketing executive told Recode that the company is once again teaming up with Mr. Kutcher, this time on a line of special edition smartphones. Unfortunately, details about the devices are scarce for now -- all we know is that they're due out later this year, and that contrary to what you might expect, Kutcher will in fact have a say in the product design. "I know on one level, it sounds corny, but it is real," chief marketing officer David Roman told Recode. Because these are limited edition phones, we're going to assume they'll be sold under the Lenovo brand -- not Motorola's. Still, we've asked a Lenovo rep for comment and will let you know if we learn more.
Ashton Kutcher: Lenovo's new product engineer
Following an illustrious tradition of celebrity technology hires, which have included Lady GaGa and Alicia Keys, Ashton Kutcher is apparently now a product engineer for Lenovo, which times in well with the company's new tablet. Kutcher has shown a fair bit of interest in tech over the years, and has invested in some companies you might have heard of. He's also got over 15 million Twitter followers, which is bound to help the PC and smart device maker's social media marketing -- not forgetting that he's been more than vaguely linked to another tablet producer in the recent past. This time around, both parties seem to be in on the joke ("low-power processor architecture, of course!"). We've added the video below: Ashton's intro starts at 1:19 and you'll find the very necessary press release there too. We're presuming Kobe was otherwise engaged.
'Jobs' movie disappoints with $6.7 million opening weekend
The Ashton Kutcher-led Steve Jobs biopic Jobs had a disappointing opening weekend, earning just US$6.7 million at the US box office. That puts Jobs in seventh place for the week. As we've written about before, Jobs has received a number of critical remarks from former Apple employees saying the movie is inaccurate, as well as generally bad reviews. Still, with an opening at more than 2,300 theaters and a production budget of just over $12 million, a $6.7 million take on opening weekend is bad. As BoxOfficeMojo reports: Jobs had plenty of issues, including awful reviews and a comedy star playing dramatic (almost never a good idea). Most important, though, was the movie's apparent tonal issues: while plenty of people enjoy their Apple products, the deification of Steve Jobs is a bit of a turn off. Jobs received a weak "B-" CinemaScore, and all indications are that it will disappear from theaters quickly. See it while you can, folks (or, if the reviews are any indication, don't).
Nice featurette shows Kutcher as Steve Jobs
The Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher, aptly titled Jobs, is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on August 16th. With the release date steadily approaching, a publicity push for the film is in full force. Just last week we reported on how Jobs star Ashton Kutcher appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he discussed, among other things, what motivated him to take on the role of Jobs. Keeping the publicity train moving, yesterday saw the release of a three-minute featurette showcasing some new clips from the movie along with commentary from Kutcher and others involved in the production. While I admittedly wasn't terribly excited or interested in the Jobs film, Kutcher really seems to have done a great job nailing down Jobs' mannerisms.
Ashton Kutcher discusses playing Steve Jobs with Jay Leno
Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to promote his upcoming film JOBS, Ashton Kutcher talked about what prompted him to take on the role of Steve Jobs while also expressing regret for not meeting the Apple co-founder when he had a chance. A transcript of the video is below. Incidentally, the few clips I've seen of Kutcher as Jobs are rather impressive. I had an opportunity to meet him about 6 months before he passed away. I was working that day and couldn't go. In hindsight, I had the opportunity to meet the Leonardo da Vinci of our generation and I missed it. That really affected my decision to take on the role. It was actually the day that he died... for me, I hear people talk about they knew where they were the day Kennedy died. And for me, I'll never forget the moment I heard that he died. And I pulled my car to the side of the road, and kind of took a moment. I got home and I realized, I sat down on my computer and started doing some work and I realized all the relationships I have in my life are held together by glue that he laid down. And all the work that I do, in whatever capacity that I do it, and all the entertainment I consume.. here I have my Apple computer and my iPhone... all these things, and I realized that I had taken him for granted, and taken for granted the contributions he actually gave to society. And I actually had a real emotional moment that day. I actually reached out to a couple of my friends. I do a lot of work in the tech venture space, and they had the same response. So when I got offered the role, I wanted to ensure that his legacy was told from someone who admired him. JOBS will hit nationwide theaters on August 16th.
Here is your official Jobs movie poster
The Steve Jobs biopic (the Kutcher one, at least) isn't due out until August 16th, but helping the hype train build up some steam is the release of the official movie poster. Featuring star Ashton Kutcher in all his bearded glory, the colorful one sheet features the tagline "Some see what's possible, others change what's possible." Jobs is still more than a month away from release, so for now you'll just have to sate your hunger with pre-release trailers and this flashy poster.
Full trailer for Jobs biopic now available
The full trailer has been released for Jobs, the upcoming biopic about the life of Apple founder Steve Jobs. Directed by Swing Vote's Joshua Michael Stern and staring Ashton Kutcher in the title role, the film hits theaters on August 16, but you can check out the impressive-looking trailer now below. The movie was pushed back from its original April release date to August to give the producers more time to promote the film. Jobs is the second Steve Jobs film to be released this year. Funny or Die debuted their satirical take on the life of the tech pioneer, entitled iJobs, earlier this year.
Daily Update for June 12, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher delays release
Ermagerd! It's a catastrophe of Hollywood proportions! Jobs, the somewhat biographical movie starring Ashton Kutcher that chronicles the rise of late Apple founder Steve Jobs from stinky college dropout to highly-successful CEO, has been given a delayed release date so that Open Road Films can have more time to market the film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jobs was initially scheduled for an April 19, 2013 release to coincide with the 37th anniversary of the company's founding. As with most "facts" that come out of Hollywood, that date is wrong -- Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, not April 19. Jobs received mixed reviews from several tech sites that had the opportunity to see the film at the Sundance Film Festival premiere, so it may be that Open Road Films wishes to do a big marketing push to capture as much of an opening weekend audience as possible. No date has been announced for the film's eventual release.
Macworld 2013: Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad talk about playing Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
Actors Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad, who are playing Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in the upcoming movie jOBS, helped kick off Macworld | iWorld 2013 today, in a panel moderated by expo general manager Paul Kent. The two chatted with Kent about how they approached their roles in the film, what it was like visiting and recreating all of the locations and events from Apple's history, and how telling the story of the two Steves affected the actors. Gad and Kutcher first walked through their past experiences with Apple before the film. Gad said he was a Mac newbie until recently: His wife first brought an Apple computer home and he says it "completely changed my entire view of what technology could mean." Gad mostly experienced Apple, however, through post-Mac products like the iPod and the iMac, and says he was fascinated with learning the story of how that company came about as the movie went along. His entire knowledge of Wozniak, he said, "was Dancing with the Stars" before he jumped in and really researched what Woz was all about. Kutcher knew much more about Steve Jobs: He said he started out as a child with an Apple IIgs, went to school to study biochemical engineering with a Mac, and later in life has worked as an angel investor with technology companies. Kutcher said that Jobs is an "iconic hero" for him, and that when he first heard about the movie's screenplay and decided he wanted to get involved, he concluded that "if this story's going to get told, I want it to get told in a way that honors my hero." Gad said Kutcher's familiarity with Apple and technology was readily apparent during shooting: At one point, while the pair were filming in the actual garage where the Apple I was built, Kutcher saw a prop in the background dressing, and told the crew to remove it from the shot. "This wouldn't have been built for another year," Gad remembered Kutcher saying. "Get rid of that." Kent showed a short clip of the movie that had previously been seen online, and asked the actors how they approached accuracy in the film. Wozniak, in particular, has seen the clip and called out the film for some "totally wrong" storytelling. But Gad and Kutcher admitted that while the clothing or the dialogue may not have been exactly right, what they tried to do was recapture the feel of what was happening back then. "It's not a documentary," said Gad. "It's an interpretation of events." Kutcher said he talked to many people he'd met through his investing who lived and worked alongside Jobs, and that he tried, as best he could, to capture the feel of what Steve Jobs' early Apple days were like. "You have to ride the arc of the entertainment of the film," said Kutcher, as Gad added that "we went to great lengths to capture of the essence of his journey." Finally, Kent asked the duo what they'd gained from exploring and playing these two real-life characters. Gad said he found a lot of interest in Woz' playful side, and remembered a story from Woz' biography that talked about him working hard and then being distracted by whales outside his window. "It can't all about about work," Gad said he learned. "You can't lose the passion in the work." Kutcher talked emotionally about the three things he'd learned from portraying Steve Jobs. Focus was one: Kutcher said that he'd heard Jobs say that "there's no virtue in saying no to things that are easy to say 'No' to," and that statement has resonated with him a lot in his own daily life. He said he also was inspired by Jobs's "compassion for the consumer." Jobs, Kutcher said, realized that rather than tempting or ripping off customers, "care is the thing that will produce the profit margins and the successful company." Lastly, Kutcher teared up a bit as he said that "Steve believed it was possible to do something impossible." He said that studying Jobs and his life told him that we didn't have to just "settle for what life gives you. Make life better," entreated Kutcher, channeling what he'd learned from Steve Jobs. Gad joked that his whale answer wasn't quite as brilliant in comparison to Kutcher's impassioned speech. But Kent got the last laugh: He asked Kutcher, as an investor, if he were confronted by a younger Steve Jobs, "barefoot and maybe not smelling so great," if he would have invested in Jobs' ideas. That question threw Kutcher for a loop, as he shrugged noncommittally, and the audience gave a knowing laugh. But Kutcher said that in his investing, he's always looking for ideas that solve problems, and that he hoped "I'd be wise enough" to support Jobs' vision back in the day. Follow all our Macworld | iWorld coverage here.
Ashton Kutcher's portrayal of Steve Jobs landed him in the hospital
Ashton Kutcher immersed himself in his role as Steve Jobs, mimicking the appearance, the speech patterns and even the fruitarian diet of the late Apple co-founder. It was this last method acting choice that landed the actor in the hospital for a few days before he began shooting the film, according to a report in USA Today. Speaking with the US newspaper, Kutcher says "First of all, the fruitarian diet can lead to, like, severe issues. I went to the hospital, like, two days before we started shooting the movie. I was, like, doubled over in pain." "My pancreas levels were completely out of whack," he added. "It was really terrifying ... considering everything." jOBS is expected to land in theaters starting April 19 and premiered at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Early reviews from the Film Festival and from tech reviewers were mixed. [Photo via Ashton Kutcher]
jOBS film reviews start rolling in
Ashton Kutcher's jOBS movie will land in theaters on April 19th, and a few technology sites have gotten a sneak peek at the film. Reviews are mixed with The Next Web generally enjoying the film, and CNET saying the effort "falls flat." The Verge hits the middle ground with both praise for the way Ashton Kutcher captured Jobs' mannerisms and criticism of the film's oversimplification of supporting characters. "But, overall, jOBS works. The lead actors are likable and appear to have put serious effort into getting the spirit of the characters right. The film looks (mostly) good aside from some of what could likely be ascribed to budgetary constraints. And though the director is a tad indulgent here and there, it doesn't take away from the overall feeling of 'decent' that I came away with." -The Next Web "It's not quite the Academy Award-winning epic fans might be hoping for, but it's far from a disaster." -The Verge "Others will write of the things jOBS omits, gets wrong or simply avoids. My primary disappointment was in how shallow the film felt, given the extensive historical record." -CNET You can read the full reviews on CNET, The Verge and The Next Web.
jOBS movie in theaters on April 19th
The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Ashton Kutcher's jOBS movie will land in theaters on April 19th. According to HR: The biopic, directed by Joshua Michael Stern and written by Matthew Whitely, chronicles Jobs' ascension from college dropout to one of the most revered entrepreneurs of the 20th century. Part of the film was shot in the historic garage where Jobs first set up shop at his family's home in Palo Alto, Calif. Those that just can't wait to see the film can also try to fly to the Sundance Film Festival on January 25th and score some tickets to its world permiere. Or, if you're at Macworld/iWorld next week you can see Ashton Kutcher and his "Woz" costar Josh Gad headline the opening session on January 31st.
jOBS actor Ashton Kutcher to headline Macworld/iWorld next week
Ashton Kutcher is portraying Steve Jobs in the indie -- and worst inter-capped name ever -- film jOBS later this year. Now Macworld has announced the Hollywood star and his costar Josh Gad, who is playing Steve Wozniak, will headline a session at Macworld|iWorld next week. The duo will talk about portraying Apple's iconic co-founders. The session, titled "Playing Steve & Woz," will take place on the main stage, room 2005 on Thursday, January 31 at 9:00 AM local time. And just as important as the two Hollywood stars, many of us from TUAW will also be at the event (perhaps doing our best Steve and Woz impressions), so be sure to stop by and say "Hi!" Macworld|iWorld 2013 runs from January 31 to February 2 at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco, Calif.
Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs flick gets an April release date
The new film that starts Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs (which is still unfortunately titled jOBS, apparently), has gotten an April release date, according to the Wall Street Journal. The film, directed by Joshua Michael Stern, will premiere at the very end of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah later on this month, but will eventually open for a wider release sometime in April. This is the first of two Steve Jobs movies we're scheduled to see come together in 2013, with the other one currently being written by none other than Aaron Sorkin. That one's a little further behind, so it hasn't even started shooting yet, and we're not even close to a release date for that one. But if the picture of Kutcher as Jobs intrigues you above, you won't have long to wait -- the movie is just a few months away from finding its way to a theater near you.
Matthew Modine, Josh Gad join Ashton Kutcher in Steve Jobs movie
In case you haven't had your fill of entertainment news this morning, here's some more. We all know that Ashton Kutcher is playing the part of Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic (the one that's not inspired by the Walter Isaacson biography of Jobs). Today we have news of other members of the ensemble. Matthew Modine (at right) is now slated to play the part of John Sculley, the former Pepsi CEO who took Jobs' place as CEO of Apple and who was the helm when Jobs was forced out of the company. This is a great casting pick -- Modine looks remarkably like Sculley, even more than Kutcher looks like a younger Jobs. They'll be joined by Josh Gad, who is set to play Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. The movie is expected to hit theaters this fall.
Daily Update for April 4, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Ashton Kutcher prepares to play Steve Jobs
Ashton Kutcher photo from Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com iPad publication The Daily reports that Ashton Kutcher is whole-heartedly preparing to play former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Producer Mark Hulme of Five Star Feature Films: "He is already meeting with folks that knew Steve Jobs. He's working with professionals to get inside the voice. He's letting his hair grow out. I understand he's canceled all meetings and actually canceled all other projects." News of Kutcher's new gig was first announced by Variety on April 1st, prompting many to question if the notorious prankster had pulled a fast one. But it is a real project. The Daily reports that the indie film, which is not based on Isaacson's bio, will simply be called "Jobs."
Celebrity Nerds: Ashton Kutcher jailbreaks his iPhone, fends off paps
Celebrity Nerds confirms what you always knew, deep in your heart of hearts: that stars are nerds like us. Send in your own confirmations of this fact right here. Ashton's just this guy, you know? He and his salt-of-the-earth wife Demi like to dodge the paparazzi at the airport, and on occasion he'll take that painstakingly jailbroken iPhone 3G of his and turn the tables on their stalkers -- he even upped the video to Qik, just in case you were wondering what other people just like you get up to in their free time. Read - TMZ's flattering coverage of Ashton and fam Read - Ashton's Qik video of the incident
