Harry Potter
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Say 'Hallow' to the new Harry Potter PS3 bundle
The "wizards" of Harry Potter would rather speak to one another by turning themselves into fireplace embers than using a phone, and they invented newspapers with moving pictures in them instead of learning how a TV works. We're pretty sure that Voldemort would run shrieking from a PlayStation 3. But you know how to wield a PS3's magic, so you can take advantage of this powerful Muggle artifact. Starting this week, you'll be able to buy a special PS3 bundle containing a 160GB PS3, a Blu-Ray of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in both 2D and 3D, and download vouchers for the first two Harry Potter movies. You'll also get 30 days of PlayStation Plus, meaning that some of the items in the PlayStation Store will suddenly be cheaper for you, as if by magic.
Must See HDTV (November 7th - 13th)
It'll be hard to find a sports matchup that equals last weekend's 'Bama/LSU showdown, but Fox will try as it dives into the octagon with some MMA this weekend. There's also a few family-friendly Blu-ray 3D titles on deck, and the final edition of some series called Harry Potter hitting stores on Friday (pick up Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim while you're there, you'll thank us later). 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. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 The king is back. The Modern Warfare series has reigned over the console shooter pile for the last few years and it's no secret why. A combination of fast-paced action and precise controls make it the online game of choice for many (some prefer the Battlefield games, it's a matter of taste). This year's edition once again hails from the offices of Infinity Ward, birthplace of the best this series has to offer so this one is a must-buy. The only thing giving us pause? A new "Elite" feature, which adds online stat tracking and more for hardcore players, but comes at a hefty price of $49 a year. (Update: A peek at the official list reveals most of the features, including stat-tracking are free, and that $50 does buy all the DLC for a year so it may come in handy, check out more info from our friends at Joystiq here. Thanks @ejalcantera!) (November 8th, $56.99 on Amazon) UFC on Fox CBS tried bringing MMA fighting to network TV a couple of years ago but hasn't had any bouts in a while, opening the door for this weekend's heavyweight match on Fox. Cain Velasquez is one of the scariest human beings alive, but he appears to have a worthy competitor coming for his title in Junior Dos Santos. We've been fans of UFC for a little while, if expensive PPV matches and reality TV-styled The Ultimate Fighter have been the only thing keeping you on the outside, this could be the one that makes you a fan -- or disgusts you beyond words. Check out a trailer embedded after the break. (November 12th, Fox, 9PM) Death Valley Looking for a a zombie alternative to The Walking Dead (which actually improved this weekend -- apparently someone finally told the writers that less is more)? You've found it. MTV's Cops-style mockumentary follows officers around an alternate reality Los Angeles populated by werewolves, vampires and more otherworldly creatures with a campy sense of humor throughout. Beware however, here anyone can become a meal for the people they're pursuing, including members of the camera crew. (November 7th, MTV, 11PM)
Invisibility cloak made of carbon nanotubes uses 'mirage effect' to disappear
If the phrase "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" means anything to you, you'll be happy to know that scientists have come one step closer to a Potter-style "invisibility cloak" so you can use your Marauder's Map to the fullest. With the help of carbon nanotubes, researchers have been able to make objects seem to magically vanish by using the same principle that causes mirages. As anyone who's been especially parched along Route 66 knows, optical illusions occur when heat changes the air's temperature and density, something that forces light to "bend," making us see all sorts of crazy things. Apply the same theory under water using nanotubes -- one molecule carbon coils with super high heat conductivity -- and scientists can make a sheet of the stuff "disappear." Remember, it only works underwater, so get your gillyweed ready and check out the video after the break.
Apple is worth more than all of these things
With Apple (AAPL) having a market cap of roughly US$387 billion, it becomes the most valuable company in the US. Matter of fact, it currently has a $30 billion lead over the next most valuable company, Exxon Mobil (XOM). However, market caps are boring. What's fun is to look at how much Apple is worth compared to other things. Like drugs, the Star Wars franchise and Denmark. That's exactly what the Things Apple is Worth More Than tumblr does. It turns out that at a market cap of $380 billion+, Apple is worth more than: All the illegal drugs in the world ($321 billion) The Star Wars, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Steven King, and Twilight franchises combined ($49 billion) The GDP of Denmark ($337 billion) and my personal favorite, the American obesity epidemic ($300 billion) The tumblr blog has more gems Apple is worth so be sure to check it out. It's an interesting list that really puts it in perspective just how much the Mac, iPhone and iPad maker is worth.
Du.static dust-busting concept clears the air, won't vanquish Voldemort
Avada Keduster! That's right Potter fans, magic may not be real (sorry), but if Du.static ever makes it to market, get set to eliminate household dust with the flourish of a wand. Designed by Hongik University's Won Suk Lee, this 2011 Spring Spark Concept Design winner combines the functionality of a feather duster and air purifier, into a two-in-one, Hershey-kissed silhouette. The standalone unit's base-mounted induction fan sucks your room's filth into a fine particle filter, releasing fresh air out its other end, while an LED light keeps track of environmental detritus -- signaling red for "polluted" and blue as "pure enough." Impressive powers of purification aside, we have a feeling its removable electrostatic stick cleaner is going to get more cosplay (and cleaning) mileage. Head to the source now for extra shots of the device in action and while you're at, petition Dyson for its real-world equivalent.
J.K. Rowling, Google to bring Pottermania to your e-reader
Having a hard time parting ways with a certain plucky, lightning-scarred orphan? J.K. Rowling feels your pain (as she counts her money) and has teamed up with Google to help you fall in love with the world of Hogwarts all over again -- e-book style. The voluminous tomes will be making their exclusive electronic debut through Google's eBooks platform as part of the Sony-backed Pottermore site launching this October. El Goog's open format plays nicely with "more than 80 ereaders" -- we're looking at you iRiver Story HD -- and can also be downloaded in app form for iOS and Android smartphones. But the integration doesn't end there -- under terms of the agreement, Google Checkout "will be the preferred third party payment platform" for all the site's Harry Potter knick knacks your credit limit will allow. It's ok, you don't have to let go of the dream just yet. There's still a little wizard inside us all.
The Road to Mordor: A talk with the crew of The Fellows Hip: Rise of the Gamers
Buzz has been increasing about an intriguing independent film that looks to blend Tolkien love, geek pride, and Lord of the Rings Online fandom into one epic adventure. Called The Fellows Hip: Rise of the Gamers, this movie is about a group of friends who undertake a journey to a convention in order to participate in a LotRO gaming competition (and stick it to some bullies while they're at it). Many blogs, such as LOTRO Reporter and A Casual Stroll to Mordor, have promoted this up-and-coming film, and after seeing the trailer, we too became fascinated with what could be a fun movie that puts MMO gaming front and center. One may not simply walk into Mordor, but with the right connections, one could phone the folks up there. We got on the line with three crew members for The Fellows Hip -- Ron Newcomb (producer, director and writer), Scott Mathais (producer and writer), and Shane McClung (producer) -- to see just what type of lovable insanity would cause a group of people to throw together such a movie.
What Harry Potter e-books mean for Apple
Unless you were somehow locked into a Petrificus Totalus for most of the previous day, you've probably heard of J.K. Rowling's Pottermore, an online extension of the Harry Potter universe that will feature games, information about the series not previously released in the books, and more. Of course, the headliner for the October launch of Pottermore is the planned release of all seven Potter novels (finally!) as e-books. Pottermore also deals a major blow to Apple, which will lose the right to sell the Harry Potter audiobooks when Pottermore launches, the Financial Times reports. Apple landed the exclusive deal with Rowling in 2005 to release the audiobooks on iTunes. Apple did not release a statement in response to the Pottermore announcement, the Wall Street Journal stated. While the books will be available for the iPhone and iPad, they won't be purchased through iBooks. Rowling said in her announcement that she did not want to be locked into a single digital format for her books. As such, the book will be DRM-free, an announcement that has a good many fans cheering, but is a kick in the teeth to companies such as Apple, Amazon and UK's Waterstone, which expressed its "disappointment" at not landing the books. Despite the lost sales to Apple and other e-book storefronts, Pottermore will deliver the interactive experience that iPad-formatted books can (and do) achieve. Users can navigate through the story of the first Harry Potter book while discovering extra material from Rowling that never made it into the books. Want to know the back history of Professor Minerva McGonagall? Pottermore's where you'll find it. When you get sorted into a house, you'll go to your own common room and learn information that's specific to the story role you've assumed. Want a different part of the story? Take on a different role. It's the marriage of text and interactivity that would be perfect for iBooks. If Apple had been able to woo Rowling to iBooks, it would have been the literary equivalent of landing the Beatles. Rowling is pointedly eschewing all major e-book sellers while boosting the e-book market at the same time. Apple won't get its 30 percent cut of the millions of Harry Potter e-books that are guaranteed to sell. At the same time, neither will Amazon, Waterstone or anyone else beyond Rowling's print publishers Bloomsbury and Scholastic, which will get a share of the revenue, and Sony, which is a partner in the endeavor. Furthermore, Rowling's smart business move to hold onto her digital-publishing rights could spread to other top-selling authors that are already mainstays in iBooks. While not all authors have the financial might that Rowling does, it could tempt other authors, such as Nora Roberts, Suzanne Collins, James Patterson and the estate of Stieg Larsson, to reconsider their digital-publishing options. All of these authors are members of Amazon's so-called Kindle Million Club, those who have sold a million or more e-books for the Kindle, and they bring in a hefty chunk of change for Apple as well. If I could see anyone taking the Pottermore route next, it would be Nora Roberts. She's written more than 200 novels (including those published under the pseudonym J.D. Robb). She and her husband own Turn the Page, an independent bookstore in Boonsboro, Md., with two rooms filled with her books and merchandise based on her works. I can easily see her brokering some deal that keeps her print publishers, which include The Penguin Group, satisfied while retaining more control over her work and not forking over money to companies, such as Apple and Amazon, just for the privilege to sell through their online stores. Roberts, like most other bestselling authors, has her books released under the agency model where the publisher establishes the price and was largely adopted thanks to the iPad. The agency model caused bestselling e-books to rise to between $13-15 rather than the $9.99 many e-book users have come to expect. The cost of an e-book version of a mass-market paperback novel is roughly the same as the print edition, which makes e-book fans fume. Harry Potter e-book prices haven't been revealed, but it'll be interesting to see what Rowling charges. If she can undercut the agency model while retaining a larger share of the profits, it'll make the temptation to go it alone even bigger to bestselling authors. Or, even if she retains standard e-book pricing, the draw of having a DRM-free library accessible to any e-book reader is still attractive, as well as finally having a legal set of Harry Potter e-books. We're going to have to wait and see what Pottermore does before we can see any lasting impact on Apple. Of course, the loss of the audiobooks is a substantial blow; they are still making the bestselling audiobook charts on iTunes with "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" ("Sorcerer's Stone" for us Yanks) coming in at #10 in the UK store and #18 in the US store. There's no question that Pottermore will succeed. Avid Potter fans, myself included, won't care where the books are purchased from -- as long as they're finally available legally, in a format that's going to work for the growing plethora of e-book readers.
Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it?
Attention mudbloods, muggles, and wizards alike! We reported yesterday on the cryptic Harry Potter-related Pottermore, which -- according to a leaked memo -- was rumored to be an online game. Not but a short while ago, the big reveal took place via an announcement video from J.K. Rowling on YouTube. Is Pottermore really the big Harry Potter MMO that fans have been clamoring for? Well... maybe. Information is still scarce, with the unveiling of Pottermore's true purpose remaining just as cryptic as it has been since the discovery of the website. The new addition to the immensely popular Harry Potter franchise, according to the announcement video, is "the same story with a few crucial additions," the most important of which is you, the reader. Early reports claim that members of the site, which officially launches in October, will be able to join one of the four houses of Hogwarts and become wizards in their own right. Part social networking site, part online game, and all incredibly mysterious, Pottermore is certain to be a monumental addition to the world of Harry Potter. What exactly the experience will entail, however, remains to be seen. Keep a (mad-)eye here for more news as it develops, and apparate past the cut for the official announcement.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 preview: COGwarts
Last November, our review called the first Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows game a "failure on many, many levels." It ran down the various ways that the game didn't deliver: as a representation of the franchise, as a game, as a demonstration of Kinect and, finally, as an overall product. EA's proprietary engine, used to build DH Part 2, has been beefed up a bit, giving Harry and co. a bit more sheen than before, and the spell-switching has been streamlined to rely on face buttons to swap spells. Otherwise, it's still a pedestrian third-person shooter with a Harry Potter wrapper, with few meaningful ties to J.K. Rowling's series. (And the Kinect part is just gone).%Gallery-126846%
Leaked memo says Pottermore is an online game
We've been on mystical pins and needles for the past week as the countdown continues to tomorrow's full reveal of Pottermore, a mysterious website bearing J.K. Rowling's name. The Atlantic reports that a leaked memo making the rounds spells out the truth: Pottermore will be an online game of sorts. The memo "suggests that [Pottermore.com] is a sophisticated online game that contains clues to prizes that are hidden in the real world. These are an unstated number of magic wands secreted in Britain and America, and possibly other countries." This sounds more like an ARG -- alternate reality game -- than an MMO, although we're not prepared to rule out the possibility until all is said and revealed. The article mentions that this could be a marketing tool tied into Pottermore instead of Pottermore proper. Fans who'd love to see a Harry Potter MMO still have hope that this could be the real deal, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow's announcement.
Rumor: Turbine working on console MMO?
Internet scuttlebutt has it that Turbine is cooking up a console MMO codenamed Project Hendrix. A posting at GameSpot cites a Turbine job listing that seeks an engineer for an "unannounced online console project." The article also mentions the resume of one Josh Phelan, a Turbine employee who apparently mentioned the Hendrix title in his online resume (which has since gone dark). Turbine's console aspirations are nothing new, as studio VP Craig Alexander hinted at such desires as early as 2009. Commenter speculation links the job listing to the mysterious Pottermore title, and given Turbine's acquisition by Warner Brothers (which also owns the Pottermore trademark), it's not unreasonable to suspect that the sorting hat could be getting ready to assign a Potter MMO to House Turbine. Check out the details on GameSpot and let us know what you think in the comments.
Rumor: Is Pottermore the upcoming Harry Potter MMO?
The Harry Potter fan base was abuzz yesterday as a mysterious new website was launched. The site itself is rather bare, merely sporting the words "Pottermore: Coming Soon" and J.K. Rowling's signature underneath, but there's reason to believe that this may be connected to an online game. It gets interesting when you look at Pottermore's trademark page, which lists the trademark as being owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and describes the product as follows: Providing multiple-user access to a global computer information network; providing on-line chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among users in the field of general interest; providing on-line communications links which transfer the web site user to other local and global web pages; providing on-line facilities for real-time interaction with other computer users concerning topics of general interest. The Guardian notes that Pottermore could stand for "Potter Multiplayer Online Role-playing Experience," among other things. An editor at HPANA was one of the few to get a glimpse of the full site, commenting, "It is breathtaking in scope, detail and sheer beauty." Meanwhile, on YouTube's JKRowlingAnnounces channel, a timer is counting down to an announcement as to why "the owls are gathering" sometime on the 23rd. Of course, a Harry Potter MMO has been heavily rumored for some time now, perhaps in association with Turbine (which is owned by WB). It's a tenuous connection but a possibility as well, so we'll be keeping our eyes on the site to see what transpires! [Thanks to reader Alen for the tip!]
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 aiming for all consoles this holiday
If you're as obsessed with the boy who lived as we are, this summer's final chapter in the Harry Potter film series is unlikely to sate your desire for British wizardry. Thankfully, Warner Bros. has announced that the next entry in the Lego Harry Potter series will arrive on pretty much anything that plays video games, sometime "this holiday." Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 follows Harry and co. through the treacherous final years at Hogwarts, leading up to the seventh book's catastrophic conclusions. Interestingly, the game is one of a handful of announced games for Sony's forthcoming system, the NGP (in addition to the PSP -- they're going to live alongside each other, remember?) If Lego HP lives up to its promise of launching on all those consoles this holiday, it looks like North America is still set to be one of the first territories getting Sony's new handheld before year's end. Reps from WBIE hadn't gotten back to us as of publishing. [Pictured: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4]
The Perfect Ten: Why a Harry Potter MMO makes sense
The idea of a Harry Potter MMO is hardly a new one at this point -- we've even speculated on it around Massively for years now. Rumors and wishful thinking have brought up this hypothetical MMO time and again, and for good reason: It simply makes sense. In fact, the more you think about it, the more surprising it is that we haven't heard official word of a Harry Potter MMO by now. After doing some poking around, the most likely suspects to take on this project would either be Warner Bros. (which owns the rights to the franchise) or Electronic Arts (which purchased a license from WB to make the movie video games). Both companies have MMO studios at their command -- Turbine, BioWare, Mythic -- and both have the resources to make it happen. So why does Harry Potter make perfect sense for MMO-adaptation? Hit the jump and I'll run you down the top 10 reasons! And if you post a positive comment after this column, I'll add five points to the house of your choice (go Hufflepuff!).
LEGO Universe on sale for $9.99
Have you seen the prices for LEGO brick,s these days? Some parents have had to choose between purchasing their child a Harry Potter Hogwarts set or paying the mortgage that month -- and Harry Potter usually wins. Fortunately, you can get your virtual LEGOs on for cheap: LEGO Universe is on sale for $9.99 in the official LEGO store. You'll want to note that this is a physical copy of the game, not a digital download. The purchase also includes the first month of play, which certainly lowers the barrier of entry. This promotion is a limited time offer, although the company didn't put an exact end date on it. This follows LEGO Universe's transition from Gazillion to the LEGO Group. Newcomers to the game will certainly want to check out the cooperative community events that highlight this MMO's unique strengths.
Harvard physicist puts fires out with electrified wand, hopes to share on HarvardConnection
Okay, so maybe Ludovico Cademartiri will be forced to share the good news on Facebook (or ConnectU, if he's into playing the role of rebel), but at least he's bound to see over a couple of hundred hits. According to The Harvard Crimson, the aforesaid physicist and a smattering of other researchers have stumbled upon a novel way to extinguish flames: electricity. The idea is eventually enable firefighters to squash fires without having to douse a home or object with water and foam -- if hit with a beam of juice, there's at least a sliver of a chance that something can be salvaged. While the specifics of the project are obviously far above our heads, the gist of it is fairly simple -- flames contain soot particles, which become "electrically charged during combustion." Given that those very particles react to electrical fields, a strong enough beam can twist things until it's extinguished completely. Quite honestly, it's a hands-on experience we're desperately trying to arrange, but till then, it looks like another round of Harry Potter will have to do.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 'Dementors' and 'Golfing with Ron' Blu-ray extras
If you can't wait until April 15th, check out these two clips Warner has posted on YouTube from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Blu-ray. The first is a Maximum Movie Mode picture-in-picture breakdown of the Dementors and how they've changed in the movies embedded above, while after the break actor Rupert Grint a.k.a Ron Weasley as he takes in a round of golf and reflects on the movie franchise coming to an end later this year.
Warner Bros. expands movie rentals via Facebook with five more high profile titles
After dipping a toe in the waters with The Dark Knight, starting tonight Warner is offering five more movies for streaming on Facebook including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Inception, Life as We Know It and Yogi Bear. The deal remains the same, with United States viewers able to pay for a 48-hour viewing window instantly in Facebook credits then enjoy the flick with full functionality on the page, and pause/resume tied to their login on the site. Even with an increasing number of movie titles including recent ones like Yogi Bear that just debuted last week, it's hard to see any VOD service seriously challenging the current video rental incumbents like iTunes and Netflix, especially one that offers only SD rentals viewable on the PC. What it does offer however is a quick way for Warner to monetize the significant Facebook communities around popular movies, which may be enough to keep this program growing for the foreseeable future. Either way, the pages should be live starting at 1 a.m., check the press release after the break if you need more details.
Warner schedules Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 Blu-ray release for April 15th
The next to last Harry Potter flick is coming to Blu-ray April 15th, and Warner's blowing it out with a slew of special features including a sneak preview of the opening of the next film. Beyond that there's a promised two and a half hours of special features including Maximum Movie Mode, a behind the scenes look with Daniel Radcliffe and more. Of course the first seven movies are already will also be available in a $134.99 MSRP boxed set in case you somehow missed them until now, but there's plenty of time to watch swap out your HD DVDs before The Deathly Hallows Part 1 arrives with its $35.99 MSRP.
