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The CGI ghost of James Dean will star in a Vietnam War movie
More than 60 years after his last film, James Dean will return to the screen in Finding Jack. In an exclusive, The Hollywood Reporter shares that the iconic actor, who passed away in 1955, has been posthumously cast in a major supporting role. Production house Magic City Films plans to use photos and videos to recreate Dean in CGI.
Star Trek Online explains the Voyager MSD redesign
If you're even passingly familiar with the various Star Trek shows, you'll recognize the MSD. It shows up on the bridge of every single Federation ship, offering a detailed breakdown of what is where for eagle-eyed viewers. Star Trek Online's next expansion is bringing the game into the Delta Quadrant, the stomping grounds of the eponymous USS Voyager, so it was only fair that the Intrepid-class MSD could get a nice new redesign to reflect the years of upgrades that the ship has received. The new MSD represents a much clearer picture of the ship from the series, with several elements improved to more accurately reflect in-show layouts and incorporating modifications made after Voyager's maiden flight such as the airponics bay. Take a look at the full development blog for a closer look at how much work has gone into what seems like a little detail but still forms a vital part of the aesthetics.
ZTE Iconic Phablet: a ridiculous name for large-screen fans on a budget (hands-on)
Regardless of what feelings you may have towards the term "phablet," as soon as it officially becomes part of the name of a device, you know that word isn't going away any time soon. It's just double the trouble when the phone in question is actually called the Iconic Phablet. As the name implies, the Phablet is a large smartphone with a 5.7-inch 720p display, but it doesn't seem that much different from the Grand S II, which is just two tenths of an inch bigger. It actually feels pretty comfortable to hold, despite the fact that it's slightly larger, taller and thicker, but the lackluster display is a bit of a disappointment unless it's marketed at a low price point. The feature we found most interesting on the phone was ZTE's version of Multi-Window, which the company threw into its half-stock, half-skinned version of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. We've seen this feature in the Galaxy Note series for a long time now, but ZTE's option doesn't require a developer kit, which means any third-party or native app will work just fine no matter what. The Phablet has a three-segmented back, with a standard grey plastic matte build on top and bottom and solid sheet of plastic sandwiched in between. You'll get an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1MP camera on the front, as well as a 3,200mAh battery, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, 1GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.0+LE and a groan-worthy 8GB internal storage. Finally, the back features a trio of wireless charging pins that will work as long as you get the supported case that clips onto the phone (sold separately, of course). Curiously, ZTE tells us that the Iconic Phablet will offer a radio with LTE, CDMA and EVDO support, while GSM/EDGE and HSPA+ are nowhere to be found. We're told that there's a very good chance that this device will eventually be sold in the US, which means that it'll land on a CDMA carrier -- that is, unless ZTE comes out with a special version that makes it compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. As with the company's other CES products, availability and pricing aren't known just set. We got a few minutes with the device and have uploaded it into our image gallery, and we hope to have a video of the device up soon.
"Iconic" coffee table book is a shrine to Apple
A recently self-published book captures most of Apple's products in one eye-catching place. This photography book is lean on text, but large on photographs of everything you've ever loved from the company that was forecast to fail. The aptly named, Iconic: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation, is the brainstorm of Australian native Jonathan Zufi, who collected 500-plus Apple products over the last four years. He captured more than 150,000 product shots in his photographic studio in Atlanta, Ga., to complete this "photographic shrine," as described by Betsy McKay at the Wall Street Journal. The simple silver-gray cover with black writing and a power button inserted in the letter "o" presents a subtle visage, just like the first 20 years of Apple's advertising. The book includes beautifully captured products of almost every device ever produced by Apple in stunning color photography. The 326-page coffee table book includes six chapters: Desktops, Portables, Peripherals, iDevices, Prototypes and Packaging. Each chapter includes an introduction from a different luminary, commentator or influencer in the Apple community, such as Daniel Kottke (Apple employee #12, whose signature graces the original Macintosh interior case); Chet Pipkin, CEO of Belkin International; architect Neal Pann (who was once kind enough to lend me a Powerbook G4 at Macworld Expo when mine suddenly died); ZDNet columnist and system administrator Kenneth Hess; and a number of other well-known and not so well-known Apple fans. The book includes a forward written by Steve Wozniak. You may not recognize Zufi's name, but if you're an Apple fan, you've surely seen his Shrine of Apple site, which houses about 3,500 photos he's taken of Apple products. A note to Apple retail stores in New England: you can see Apple's QuickTake camera on the site. (Sorry, I had to include that note after going to three Apple stores in the past two years, in which employees maintained that Apple never made a camera.) Zufi chose to self-publish his work of art and created Ridgewood Publishing to do just that. This book is not your average title, mass-produced on recycled paper and destined to yellow, oh no. According to the author, "the 12 x 9.625-inch book is printed on 105 lb. GoldEast matte paper. The dust jacket [is] printed on 105 lb. art gloss [with] film lamination and the endpapers [are] printed on 95 lb. white woodfree, plain white paper. Iconic is Smyth sewn-bound, cased-in, with a square back and head/tail bands. The case materials used [are] Slate Blue binding cloth (Classic Edition) and General Roll Leaf Lustrofoil 'Silver S5' (Special Edition)." That's a pretty amazing product spec sheet for a published book today. Part of Zufi's impetus to create this photographic masterpiece is quoted in The Wall Street Journal article: I wanted to create a repository where people who also love the company and its products could go and reminisce ... I want people who are a bit younger who think Apple just makes things that start with "i" to know this company used to make clunky printers. The special edition includes an external "custom form-fit book case with a design to celebrate the vintage computing retro form factor of the late '70s and early '80s," which is pictured on the Iconic site. You can order Iconic: The Classic Edition for US$75.00 from the site and pre-order Iconic: The Special Edition for $300.00, which will ship in mid-October.
Felicia Day unboxes Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition
Want to play Guild Wars 2? Too bad! You've got another 17 days until the headstart. Want to at least look at the box? We can help with that. Felicia Day, who voices the iconic Asura Zojja in Guild Wars 2, received an extra early copy of the collector's edition box and put up a video of its unboxing for all the internet to enjoy. Jelly? We are too! The collector's edition includes a physical copy of the game, a 10-inch figurine of Rytlock Brimstone, a making-of book, an art frame with five prints to put in it, and a soundtrack. Additionally, owners of both the collector's and digital deluxe editions will receive in-game perks: a miniature Rytlock, a golem banker, a chalice of glory, a tome of influence, and a unique elite skill to summon a Mistfire Wolf. Skip below the jump to watch Felicia unveil the CE box and contents.
Koss revamps Porta Pro headphones with iPhone remote, intros 'interlocking' earbuds
We're baffled that we missed this gem of news during the bustle of CES, but it turns out that Koss has recently announced a new version of its iconic Porta Pro headphones. The Porta Pro KTC (Koss Touch Control), as it's dubbed, is essentially the same piece of retro kit that's been delighting ears and keeping wallets chubby for nearly three decades. The KTC bit in its name refers to the inclusion of an iDevice-certified inline remote / mic, aimed at keeping on-the-go users in sync with their playlists and phone calls. If you prefer earbuds, but hate tangled cords, then the company's interlocking intra-aurals might be to your liking. This lineup features in-ears which snap into each other for easier storage. You'll have a choice between the IL-100 and 200, the latter of which distinguishes itself with the mere addition of an inline remote for iPhones. While there's no word on pricing just yet for any of the aforementioned units, Koss aims to begin shipping the new audio-wares once spring is in full bloom. For now, you'll find the press releases and a render of the 'buds after the break.
Kogeto's iCONIC for Android brings panoramic video to the masses
The last time we saw a Kogeto panoramic camera attachment, it was but a Kickstarter project looking for funding. Since then, the Kogeto Dot for iPhone has become such a success that it now graces Apple store shelves nationwide. Not content with only an iOS slice of the mobile pie, the company has, naturally, created an Android version to be officially unveiled at CES next week. Dubbed iCONIC for Android -- after the iCONIC lens technology that makes taking 360-degree videos possible -- the attachment will initially be made for the Galaxy Nexus, with more phones to follow. However, the device will only be made for phones that can record in 1080p, so the iPhone 4 will be the final handset capturing panoramic movies in 720p. Of course, the company has also ported the free companion Looker app to Android to dewarp the raw images into viewable video. Pre-orders for iCONIC for Android start in late January on the company website, and you can grab one for $79. We got to speak with Kogeto CEO Jeff Glasse about iCONIC for Android, and he indicated that the company's plans for it (like the attachment itself) differ from the Kogeto Dot. While Kogeto is currently making one version of the device, Glasse told us the company doesn't plan to build an attachment for every eligible Android phone. Instead, the idea is to license the technology to OEMs and let them manufacture iCONIC for the myriad handsets. This is all very good news for moviemaking Android users, but fear not, Kogeto hasn't forgotten you Apple folks. Glasse informed us that a new version of the iOS app is coming soon that'll let users start and stop recording with the volume buttons on their iPhones. We're hoping to give you all a glimpse of iCONIC for Android next week at CES, so stay tuned.
The Soapbox: Why MMO combat sucks, and how BioWare could've made it suck less
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. I hate MMORPG combat. It's not because I'm a carebear. It's not because I'm bad at it. It's not because I dislike parsing, being a min/maxer, or solving equations and comparing spreadsheets when I'm supposed to be having fun. OK, maybe it is because of those last four things. Mainly, though, it's because MMORPG combat completely and unequivocally sucks. MMORPG combat is not combat. It's high school math. And it's the same in every damn MMORPG. Twenty years into the genre here, guys, aren't we ready to grow up even a little bit?
Caption Contest: Samsung hires David Beckham as a global brand ambassador
David Beckham is a man that needs no introduction. Indeed, Samsung hopes he'll be the one making the introductions, as it's just signed up the English footballer to act as its global brand ambassador. Mr. Becks will be responsible for disseminating the news that Samsung is one of the major sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics, and we can see he's already received the first tranche of his remuneration in the form of a Galaxy S II. Lucky him. Thomas: "I'm sorry, I got the Spanish version, this one says 'Sii' on it." Vlad: "At 8.49mm, this phone's almost as thin as my wife!" Tim: "I don't know who you are or what this is, but I'm sure Victoria will love it." Amar: "Finally, a Galaxy that won't bench me!" Darren: "Man, this thing crushes my Aura." Richard Lai: "As part of the deal, Samsung will also be announcing the Galaxy S Beckham. OK, it's just a golden dual-core." Myriam: "So you want me to drop-kick this in front of the cameras, right?" Zach Honig: "Maybe in this Galaxy I can win a World Cup."
Volkswagen's London Taxi Concept: smaller, prettier, more electric than the real thing
London would do well to dispense with the Concept label right now and just turn these into its next fleet of people carriers. Volkswagen has unveiled the latest in a series of World Taxis it's doing, prettying up London's admittedly iconic black cabs with a sheen of new paint, an all-electric drive, and an infusion of tablet-based infotainment. Based on the Up! city car, the London Taxi Concept has an estimated range of 186 miles and takes an hour to go from zero to an 80 percent charge. It also has a grayscale version of the Union Jack emblazoned on its roof, guess that's just how VW rolls. Sadly, we doubt anyone will be in a hurry to heed our sage advice and start using this concept any time soon, particularly since it doesn't pass London's taxi regulations at present, but it's a harbinger of a future we'd like to see become real.
Motorola Droid Pro tipped for November 9 pre-sales through Verizon, November 18 launch
What would we ever do without informative tipsters, eh? Android Central has received an internal Verizon document identifying Motorola's Droid Pro as an iconic device and setting out details for its upcoming launch. November 9 is the date pinpointed for the commencement of pre-sales, which seem to be different from pre-orders insofar as they'll actually ship out to buyers starting November 10, meaning quite a few will have their portrait QWERTY handset in their pocket before the proper November 18 release date. Bear in mind that this is still unofficial information for now, though given that Moto itself promised the Droid Pro for the first week of November, it'd be weird if this wasn't the schedule for the handset's release. Speaking of weird... "iconic device," seriously Verizon?
Iconic's Wake Up Call wants to help you stay awake, alone
We'll be straight with you: trusting something like this to keep you awake in serious situations seems like a bad idea. Iconic's "Wake Up" is apparently a plastic "thingie" that you wear behind your ear somewhat in the style of a hearing aid, which then vibrates if you slouch over -- the assumption being that you've passed out in the midst of doing something important. We're pretty sure that a lot of people can totally fall asleep anytime, anywhere, without even closing their eyes, let alone slumping over dramatically enough for this iPosture clone to catch wind of it. Regardless, we doubt the "Wake Up" functions as advertised, but it's worth a shot if Krueger's breathing down your neck, and probably worth the $17.65 asking price.
Spacetime Studios reveals character development for Blackstar
Blackstar is a science fiction-themed MMO currently in development by Spacetime Studios, and it looks fantastic. The latest missive from their blog gives a look into their character development process -- in this case, a look at creating an identifiable, iconic aesthetic for each character class.According to the blogpost, by locking down the character type visually, it allows for easier apprehension of the elements of that type by both the development team and publishing partners. This, in turn, solidifies its inclusion into the rest of the game earlier on, which makes further progress that much more effective.Plus, y'know ... it's prettier. We love concept art at Massively, and a look behind the scenes is always welcome. Check out the rest of the article!
