StarTrek
Latest
AIA crowdfunds a space program ad that would run in front of Star Trek (video)
As a federal agency, NASA can't run commercials -- a problem both for rallying broader public support and fostering the next generation of astronauts. The Aerospace Industries Association has both cultural and very practical reasons for improving that public awareness, so it's taking the unusual step of crowdfunding an ad purchase to get the American space program in front of as many eyes as possible. The project would cut a 30-second version of NASA's We Are the Explorers promo (after the break), minus the administration's official endorsement, and run it in at least 50 major movie theaters for eight weeks following the launch of Star Trek Into Darkness on May 17th. The crowdfunding is ostensibly to demonstrate our collective love of space, and would directly translate any money raised beyond the $33,000 goal into ads for more theaters. A cynical industry move? Maybe -- but we won't build starships without a public that's interested in seeing them beyond movie screens, which makes the ad a noble enough cause in our minds.
Quadrocopter fleet stuns Londoners with giant hovering Star Trek logo (video)
Before quadrocopters become Skynet's roaming recon fleet, they'll begrudgingly entertain us, and in a recent promotional enterprise, a swarm braved the London "spring" to remind us of the imminent launch of Star Trek: Into Darkness. Over the weekend, drone masters Ars Electronica Futurelab sent a party of 30 LED-tagged AscTec Hummingbirds halfway to Hoth, and used the relative darkness of Earth Hour to set an approximately 300-foot high Star Trek logo twinkling over Tower Bridge. A video of the event can be found below, complete with epic music and movie cut-scenes sure to send even the most Vulcan of trekkers to sickbay with hysteria. If anyone behind the promotion is reading -- please, whatever you do, just don't give them phasers.
Stop doing everything else, start watching free Star Trek all the time on Hulu
That's essentially the message Hulu's sending in making the entirety of the Star Trek series free for everyone, starting today through the end of March. That's not just Shatner-era Star Trek, but literally all of it: the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. Normally this bountiful selection of space operatics would only be available for Hulu Plus paid subscribers, but Hulu's going crazy in celebration of Shatner's 82nd birthday. With all those hours of medium-octane space drama ahead of you, you could just go crazy and marathon until the offer expires come April! We wouldn't suggest that, though.
Apple introduces vanity URLs for App Store apps
Apple didn't air a Super Bowl commercial, but it still managed to generate some buzz thanks to Paramount Pictures. According to a CNET report, the movie maker aired a commercial for its upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness film and flashed a custom URL (AppStore.com/StarTrekApp) for the movie's iOS app. This URL caught people's attention as it directed users to the iOS app using Apple's AppStore.com domain. Shortly after the commercial aired, Apple updated its developer documentation and included instructions on how developers can setup custom AppStore.com URLs for their individual apps and for their company name. Apple obtained the AppStore.com domain and the App Store trademark from Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce. Benioff gifted the pair to Apple after the Cupertino company announced it was opening an App Store for its mobile devices. Benioff told Bloomberg in a 2011 interview that he donated the domain and trademark as a thank-you gift to Steve Jobs, who advised him in the early days of Salesforce.
Why I play: Lord of the Rings Online
A year ago I came to Massively as an odd-man-out of sorts. I had very little experience with MMOs, but for the previous two years I had podcasted and blogged about Star Trek Online. That being my only experience with the genre, I had very little interest in (read: I was fearful of) trying any other game. Trying another game meant that I was leaving my comfort zone and also, maybe, risking the perception that I was being disloyal to the game that gave me so much enjoyment. However, a new friend and co-worker, Justin Olivetti, changed my mind. Because of him and his great The Road to Mordor columns here at Massively I decided to take the plunge and give Lord of the Rings Online a try. So in June of last year I took the plunge and I have found myself smitten by yet another MMO based on a powerhouse franchise that I adore.
Star Trek: TNG Season 3 Blu-ray trailer appears, PADD iOS app gets an update
If you're a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan who bypassed seasons one and two waiting for the pivotal third season to arrive on Blu-ray, you can finally get a taste of the experience in high definition. While you're enjoying memories of the Borg, season-ending cliffhangers and all the other highlights of season three with this new trailer, you can also check out an updated version of the PADD app that's out on iPhone and iPad. Originally launched in 2011 to bring home a database of Star Trek info in true TNG form, version 2.0 brings an additional 170 entries, Siri-powered voice search, messages from Starfleet, a smaller size and the ability to live update content in the future. Check after the break for the trailer and beyond the source link for the apps (still $4.99 on iPad / $1.99 on iPhone.)
Star Trek: Enterprise Blu-ray release next year tipped as fans pick box art
As Star Trek franchises go Enterprise may not be TOS or TNG, but it was the first one to be broadcast in HD way back in 2003. The Digital Bits points out that StarTrek.com is letting fans pick box art for Season One and Two sets that will see a release next year, and notes rumors all four seasons could ship before 2014. Since HDTV broadcasts didn't start until the third season this should be an extra treat for devoted followers, however the juiciest rumor listed is the possibility of an X-Files Blu-ray set next year from Fox -- stay tuned.
Star Trek: TNG S2 Blu-ray detailed ahead of December 4th release
The step-by-step restoration and high-def re-release of Star Trek: The Next Generation continues, and next month Season Two will arrive on Blu-ray. We already got a peek at its trailer during Comic-Con and heard about some of the special features that were on the way but now we have the full list. If you're not waiting 'til Season 3 hits the streets, you can enjoy more than two hours of new special features including a documentary on the making of season two. There's also a couple different cuts of The Measure of a Man episode, including HD extras you haven't seen before, and a 1988 Reading Rainbow segment featuring our good friend Levar Burton. Check the press release and the trailer after the break for all the details, you can snag the season two set on Amazon for $115 or so.
Project Holodeck gets help from Razer, swaps Kinect for Move tracking
The group of folks bent on crafting a real-life version of Star Trek's "Holodeck" -- a virtual playground, essentially -- are getting official support from gaming hardware company Razer. That support means not only access to Razer's hardware but also the company's staff of trained professionals. The Project Holodeck team have already implemented Razer's "Hydra" -- a PC-based motion controller that originally shipped with Portal 2 -- into their work on Holodeck showcase game, "Wild Skies." But that's not the only big news for Project Holodeck, as the team recently swapped Microsoft's Kinect motion tech for Sony's PlayStation Move motion tech. Project lead James Iliff told RoadtoVR.com, "The Kinect hardware is extremely lacking in fidelity. Every point the Kinect tracks is filled with unmanageable jitter, rendering the data useless for anything other than the most simple of interactions. We tried very hard to get around this with several software algorithms we wrote, to get multiple Kinects to communicate with each other, however this did not really make anything more accurate unfortunately." In place of Kinect, the team strapped a PlayStation Move setup to a Pro-Tec skateboard helmet, and combined that tracking with the Hydra's motion control and Oculus Rift's head-mounted display. The result is ... well, it's a person standing in a room with a whole bunch of electronics attached to their person. But also, it allows players to interact in a 3D environment -- from perception to engagement. The team's still got plenty of work ahead of them, as evidenced by their latest video (below), but it sounds like things are coming together more cohesively than before.
Enterprise-D restoration fundraiser goes live: your chance to revive a slice of Star Trek is here
For sci-fi lovers, it's on. A fan-devised project to restore the Enterprise-D bridge from Star Trek: The Experience is now actively raising cash on Indiegogo with a newly estimated $240,000 target needed to make the dream real. Crowdfunding brings the obligatory perks for larger donations, although they take on a progressively nerdy bent once you get past the t-shirts. It peaks at getting replicas of Captain Kirk's original chair or an LCARS terminal, and you can even get a romantic evening on the deck with "complete privacy until the next morning" -- wink, wink. Outlandish? Maybe, but the project is getting official sponsors and has a shorter-term plan to get Captain Picard's chair ready for display by October. The whole bridge should be ready by late 2013. If you'd wished Paramount had preserved this piece of The Next Generation history for the ages, you now have your solution.
Google pays tribute to Star Trek with latest doodle, red shirts still can't catch a break
Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor not a Google logo.
Star Trek fans rescue Enterprise-D bridge, plan to restore it to former glory
A trio of Star Trek: The Next Generation fans have rescued the junked remains of the Enterprise-D bridge from Paramount Pictures, with an eye to restoring it to its former glory. The fibre glass set was built for Star Trek: The Experience, after the original (wooden) set was unsurprisingly destroyed filming Star Trek: Generations. When the group knows how much the project will cost, they'll go to Kickstarter to raise funds, with the hope of exhibiting the set to the public. If you feel you might well-up at the sight of your childhood heroes' home lying in pieces in a parking lot, we advise you not to click on the gallery below, and instead kick in a couple of bucks when their appeal goes live. %Gallery-163436%
Star Trek: TNG S1 Blu-ray set has an audio flaw, free replacements are available
Soon after the Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One Blu-ray set launched last week reports came in that there was an audio problem with the surround sound, and now CBS and Paramount have responded. According to a statement (included after the break) the problem is isolated to the English 7.1 DTS Master Audio track on some episodes where the front channels are mapped incorrectly. If you own the set, you can email (phe.stng@bydeluxe.com) or call (877-335-8936 between 8AM and 6PM PT) for replacements of Discs 1, 3 and 4, simply have your set nearby and ready to read the code located on the inner ring. You won't need to send in your discs, and the replacements are expected to ship after August 10th and take up to five days to arrive.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Comic-Con trailer tries to make season one (and two) look exciting (video)
Undecided about buying the first season (or two) of the remastered Star Trek: The Next Generation? We understand, but perhaps this pair of trailers will change your mind. The increase in quality is obvious to see, with the recomposed special effects and 7.1 DTS HD even offsetting the pain of re-watching episodes like Shades of Gray and Haven. The second set also includes a reunion talk, interesting just to see how much the stars of the show have changed in the intervening two-and-a-half-decades. You can watch both after the break, but if you decide to hold off until season three, we won't tell anyone.
iPhone video lands actor on Star Trek
cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com The iPhone is sometimes compared to a Star Trek communicator, so it's pretty cool that an actor from Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, used it to get a part on the upcoming J.J. Abrams Trek sequel. When Cumberbatch couldn't make it to the audition, he used his iPhone to record a reading and sent it along, according to the New York Times (subscription required). Macworld Australia speculates he'll play Khan, but so far all we know is Abrams was blown away by the iPhone-recorded audition, calling it "...one of the most compelling audition readings I'd ever seen."
Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One Blu-ray beams down July 24th
After a teaser release of three episodes earlier this year, CBS Home Entertainment has set a date for the complete first season Star Trek: The Next Generation to arrive on Blu-ray, just in time for its 25th anniversary. July 24th the six-disc set hits shelves featuring all of the first season episodes remastered in high definition complete with recomposited special effects and 7.1 DTS-HD surround soundtracks, as well as a slew of special features including new behind the scenes interviews and featurettes on the HD upgrade process. Check after the break for the press release with a list of episodes and features, plus a video preview of what the new effects look like from The Next Level teaser in January. Check Entertainment Weekly for another preview of the upgraded footage, while TheHDRoom has a few still captures from the Blu-ray versions.
Tricorder designs go open source: can detect magnetic fields, reveal Trekkies (video)
We're still working on our own plans to grab that $10 million Tricorder X-Prize from Qualcomm and our progress has just been given a shot in the arm from Dr. Peter Jansen, who's released the designs for his tricorders. Making all the specifics open source, his Mark 2 model runs on Linux, while the hardware includes an ARM Atmel microcontroller squeezed into a clam-shell with two OLED touchscreens. Schematics, board layouts, and the firmware is all available at the source below and also includes the initial proof-of-concept device. The tricorders need six AAA to run and include sensors for temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, ambient light, distance and even magnetic fields. Dr. Jansen's hope is to make scientists out of everyone -- including your kids. That is, right after they ask you what Star Trek is.
Captain's Log: Operation Gamma
Like previous columns about The 2800, this is an overview and will contain spoilers. If you have not yet played this mission or do not want to know about what happens, stop right here! Episode three of Star Trek Online's featured episode series, The 2800, was released over the weekend, and developers at Cryptic Studios were able to give the players who enjoy flying small vessels their first new mission since The Vault in the Cloaked Intentions series. So jump into your shuttle (or fighter or captain's yacht) and join me as we head toward the Gamma Quadrant.
Microsoft Office for iOS gets blurrycam treatment in weird party-room
What you see before you is a single image purporting to be Microsoft's new Office app for iOS. We can certainly believe such an app exists, and according to The Daily, the UI is similar to OneNote with an added dash of Metro. You'll be able to produce and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files locally and online, but the app is still to run the Cupertino's approval gauntlet. The report also claims an Android version is isn't in the works and but that a Metro-styled refresh of OneNote is due in "the coming weeks." That said, we're not sure what sort of place doesn't take the plastic off its carpets, leaves big "product of Spain" crates lying around with leopard-print plushies and USS Enterprise logos hanging on the wall -- but perhaps we've underestimated Redmond's capacity for a good party. Update: We incorrectly reported that an Android version was forthcoming, we've edited to correct our mistake -- please accept our sincere apologies.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: 'Plantscraper' vertical farm, new wave energy and a battery-powered iPhone case
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Groundbreaking green architecture burst into life in Sweden this week as Inhabitat reported that Plantagon began construction on the world's first 'Plantscraper' vertical farm. We also marveled at artist Yayoi Kusama's dazzling Infinity Mirror Room, which shines with the reflections of thousands of LEDs, and we shared the bubbly modular AMPS living wall system. Meanwhile, the MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program announced that HWKN's bright blue spiky sea-urchin shaped pavilion will be popping up this summer, PinkCloud.DK unveiled plans to transform oil refineries into giant energy positive communities and the UK granted planning commission for its first amphibious house.We also showcased several amazing applications for LEGO bricks this week: a NYC apartment renovated with 20,000 plastic bricks, a gigantic LEGO-inspired church in the Netherlands and a remarkable fully articulated prosthetic LEGO arm. Speaking of next-gen prosthetics, this week Israeli scientists demoed a real-life "Star Trek" VISOR that enables the blind to see, and Nike took the wraps off a prosthetic running sole for amputee triathlete Sarah Reinertsen.This also marked a heated week for energy news as solar power heavyweight Sunpower sued Solarcity over stolen data, and Aquamarine Power geared up to connect its new wave energy generator to the UK's national grid. We also got ready for rough days ahead with the waterproof, armageddon-ready, solar-charged, battery-powered iPhone case, and we got things cooking with Biolite's brilliant new camping stove, which converts waste heat into electricity for USB gadgets. Last but not least, we were wowed by several amazing new applications for discarded tech: Sean Avery's astounding animal sculptures made from shattered CDs and Paola Mirai's elegant jewelry fashioned out of discarded computer circuits.
