Avengers Vs. X-Men is giving fans what they have long come to expect from Marvel Comics: epic slugfests and earth-shattering perils rendered vividly on the page by prominent writers and artists. But this time around, the publisher has added something new: its first Infinite Comic, a digital-only prelude to “Avengers vs. X-Men” that was released with issue No. 1 of the print series last month. It represents another step by the comic book industry toward embracing the digital format, and one that holds the potential to push traditional comic book storytelling to a new level.
The Infinite Comic, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, chronicles the journey of the hero Nova from outer space to Earth to warn the Avengers of an impending threat, setting up the print narrative.
When reading a traditional comic, the eye cannot help taking in the whole page at once. The digital format and the pace of the Infinite Comic can lead to more surprises. As each successive panel appears on the screen, each tap or click can reveal a new caption, subtly change an illustration or replace it entirely. Focusing and blurring effects can heighten the reading experience or simply allow one to appreciate the artwork, which is richer and more vibrantly colored than the printed page.
DC Comics has also been offering new weekly digital comics before they are available in print, many of them aimed at nontraditional readers. “We have different content each day geared toward a slightly different consumer,” said Jim Lee, the co-publisher of DC Comics who oversees digital efforts.(From the NY Times)
A team at MIT’s Varanasi Research Group has created LiquiGlide – an FDA approved surface coating that liberates all of the ketchup, mayonnaise or other condiments from a glass or plastic bottle.
The research came in second in MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Challenge.
Traditionally, there’s still a bunch of food left in the bottle when you throw it out. By MIT’s calculations, about 1 million pounds of food gets thrown out each year worldwide. Also, those squeeze bottles need a big cap. By eliminating the need for such a big cap, we would save 25,000 tons of petroleum-based plastics each year.
The coating could be on the market within two to three years and beyond condiments, it could prove useful in containers for shampoos and lotions.
Amazon said Thursday it has signed a deal for the electronic books rights to all seven Harry Potter titles in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish for its Kindle lending library.
The deal allows subscribers of the Amazon Prime service, which requires an annual subscription, to borrow the electronic versions of best-selling JK Rowling books. The ebooks will be available on June 19th.
Amazon said it inked the exclusive license with J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore website to make the titles available to its customers via the Kindle e-reader.
But the deal only allows for borrowing of the ebooks, with Pottermore remaining the only place to buy the electronic versions.
Over a year, borrowing the Harry Potter books, plus a handful of additional titles, can alone be worth more than the $79 cost of Prime or a Kindle. The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library also has an innovative feature that’s of great benefit for popular titles like Harry Potter — unlimited supply of each title — you never get put on a waiting list.”
The Amazon lending library has now grown to over 145,000 books that can be borrowed for free as frequently as once a month, with no due dates.
Books are borrowed to read on a Kindle device, and customers can have one book out at a time. When customers want to borrow a new book, any borrowed book can be returned from their device.
Starting May 18, 2012, visitors to the Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (located at Walt Disney World) can step into the “Carbon Freezing Chamber” and have an 8-inch figurine created of themselves “frozen in carbonite.”
The figurine is comprised of a 3D scan of the visitor’s face and the body of Han Solo. The Carbon Freeze Me experience allows guests to the theme park to “relive the famous carbon freezing scene from The Empire Strikes Back.” The 2012 Star Wars Weekends are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 18 to June 10, 2012.
Using state-of-the-art imaging technology, this experience casts your likeness as a three-dimensional, eight-inch figurine. At the “Carbon Freezing Chamber” (located adjacent to The American Idol Experience), several cameras will capture multiple angles of your face. The images are then reconstructed in a computer for processing, and, in approximately four weeks, the completed figurine is shipped directly to your house.
The replica figurine can be hung on a wall and guests also receive a light-up wristband.
Reservations are required and can be made starting Monday, May 7 by calling 407-WDW-TECH (407-939-8324).
Walmart is giving physical DVD/Blu-ray collections across the country a second life by turning them into digital movies. The nation’s largest home entertainment retailer is the first to announce an exclusive in-store disc-to-digital service which gives movie lovers the freedom to watch their DVD/Blu-ray collections from Internet-connected devices, including televisions, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and more. The service is powered by VUDU, the industry-leading video streaming service.
Walmart, in partnership with the major Hollywood studios: Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Dreamworks Animation, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, is increasing the value of movie ownership for its customers. Starting April 16th, 2012 in more than 3,500 stores, Walmart customers will be able to bring their DVD and Blu-ray collections to Walmart and receive digital access to their favorite titles from the partnering studios. An equal conversion for standard DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be $2. Standard DVDs can be upgraded to High-Def (HD) for $5.
The process to convert previously-purchased DVD/Blu-ray movies to digital copies is quick and simple:
- Bring your movie collections from the participating studio partners – Paramount, Sony, Fox, Dreamworks Animation, Universal and Warner Bros. – to your local Walmart Photo Center.
- A Walmart associate will help you create a free VUDU account.
- Tell the associate how you’d like your movies converted:
- Convert a standard DVD or Blu-ray movie for $2; or,
- Upgrade a standard DVD to an HD digital copy for $5.
Walmart will authorize the digital copies and place them in your VUDU account. No upload is necessary, and you get to keep your physical discs.
Log onto VUDU.com from more than 300 Internet-connected devices to view movies any time, any place.
Red Tomato Pizza Restaurant in Dubai has created the VIP Fridge Magnet, a one-touch pizza-ordering magnet. The VIP (Very Important Pizza-lover) fridge magnet uses bluetooth technology to order pizza with a push of a button. A text message is immediately sent to your phone to confirm the order.
PayPal today announced PayPal Here, the world’s first global mobile payments solution that allows small businesses to accept almost any form of payment. The new service includes a free app and fully encrypted thumb-sized card reader, which turns any iPhone, and soon Android smartphone, into a mobile payment solution. With PayPal Here, small businesses, service providers and casual sellers can send invoices or accept debit and credit cards, checks and PayPal using one simple product.
Merchants can accept payments by swiping cards in the card reader, scanning cards and checks using their phone cameras, or manually entering card information into the app.
PayPal Here offers a competitive fee structure with no monthly account or set-up fees. Merchants pay a simple flat rate of 2.7 percent for card swipes and PayPal payments. In addition, every PayPal Here merchant will receive a business debit card for quick access to cash and 1 percent cash-back on eligible purchases. If merchants use the debit card for purchases, their fees effectively come down to 1.7 percent
The PayPal Here card reader and merchant app for iPhone are both available today exclusively to select merchants in the United States, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. U.S. businesses can join the wait list to get a free PayPal Here card reader at www.paypal.com/here. International merchants can register their interest at their local PayPal site. The updated PayPal app for iPhone is available in the iOS App Store globally starting today.
The Marvel ReEvolution is here—and comics will never be the same! The future of comic book publishing was unveiled to the raucous crowd at SXSW Interactive’s ScreenBurn Arcade courtesy of industry superstars Axel Alonso (Editor in Chief, Marvel Comics), Peter Phillips (SVP/GM, Marvel Digital Media) and Jeph Loeb (Head of Marvel Television) during the historic Marvel: House of Ideas panel.
Marvel Infinite Comics
An industry first, the Marvel ReEvolution seamlessly brings the worlds of print and digital media together for a comics experience like no other. The first two elements of this exciting new initiative were revealed as Marvel Infinite Comics, a new comic book format, and Marvel AR, the first major augmented reality app from a comics company. And fans will not have to wait long to get in on the action as they will both be released with the hotly-anticipated Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 on April 4, when the two biggest super hero teams in the world go to war!
“Marvel’s always led graphic fiction industry in digital media innovation and the Marvel ReEvolution is a quantum leap into the future of publishing,” said Dan Buckley. Publisher & President of the Print, Animation & Digital Divisions, Marvel Worldwide, Inc. “We see print and digital product as complementary, not competitive—so we’ve made sure that not only do we have new digital content but also digital products that enhance the printed page. The release of Avengers Vs. X-Men #1, the biggest story we’ve ever told, is the activation point for the re-evolution of comics as a whole.”
Marvel Infinite Comics represent a new form of comic book storytelling, using tablets and smartphones as a new canvas for storytelling, taking advantage of modern technology while staying true to medium’s greatest strengths. The first comic released in this format will be Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 Iinfinate, from acclaimed creators Mark Waid and Stuart Immonen and available on April 4 for purchase on the Marvel Comics app, free with the redemption of the code found in print copies of Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 or included with the purchase of the digital version.
Marvel AR
“We call these Marvel Infinite Comics because the storytelling possibilities are, frankly, infinite. Writers and artists now have a whole host of new tools at their disposal to redefine the comic book medium,” said Alonso. “Current tablets and smartphones, along with comiXology’s Guided View technology, allow us to develop new, full length stories for a different medium that are very much truly comics—but experienced by readers in a way no other major company has ever executed.”
The Marvel AR app, powered by Aurasma, will be released in April for iOS and Android devices. By opening this app and scanning select Marvel products featuring the Marvel AR logo, you’ll unlock exclusive content starring the world’s most popular super heroes, including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk and many others! Go behind the scenes of your favorite comics, see new footage, hear from creators, catch yourself up on past events and more!
“Marvel AR is a perfect example of how digital innovation not only gives added value to print comics, but also brings a delivers an entirely new reading experience,” explained Phillips. “Now fans will have access to more behind-the-scenes material from their favorite Marvel products than ever before—and it’s all absolutely free.”
When Mercedes wanted to promote its new fuel cell vehicle, instead of placing it squarely in front of everyone in the world, the company decided to make the car invisible.
Mercedes created a special vehicle covered with a grid of LEDs and cameras, rendering it nearly invisible as it drives down the road.
Hasbro just announced that its 2012 Nerf Lazer Tag blasters can be combined with an iPhone or iPod touch to provide a heads-up display, an increased firing distance of 250 feet, and augmented reality for a “single player” experience.
The guns themselves now include a slot for you to drop your iOS device in, and once you’ve downloaded the free app, you can use it to keep track of your gear, power levels, and use it to start and host multiplayer games with up to 23 other players.
The app also includes a leaderboard, keeps track of your user profile and stats, and features unlockable rewards like a more powerful virtual blaster.
Nerf’s new Lazer Tag blasters will be available on August 1st, and sell for $40 individually, or $70 for a set of two.
John Townsend of California-based company Jatech has engineered an amazing retractable car door modification called the Disappearing Car Doorin which the door retracts into a clean dry pocket underneath the vehicle which allows standard car ground clearance at all times.
According to the designers, rotary doors have several benefits:
- Cannot be parked in.
- Side mirrors remain in place when door is opened enabling continued observation of traffic from behind.
- Drop door does not swing out endangering other road users or pedestrians.
- No door dings.
- Less parking or garage space required.
- Drop door need not be stressed for multiple slams during its life cycle.
The Unity Home Theater platform ($999, due mid-2012) simplifies installation and operation, reduces the equipment footprint and does so in an aesthetically appealing and affordable design. It solves current integration issues that consumers typically encounter with home theaters such as confusing cable nests, scattered components, complex installation requirements and multiple remotes.
Todd Beauchamp, president of parent company In2Technologies started the company after heading one of Apple’s Audio Labs where he worked on iPhone development and other devices.
The all-in-one home theater system combines a left, right, and center speaker sound bar with an elegant pedestal designed for monitors up to 60 inches, dual subwoofers, a DVD/Blu-ray player, and iPad/iPhone dock into one cohesive unit, which then connects to a flatscreen TV using a single HDMI 1.4 cable. Wireless rears are also included for a fully immersive 5.1 surround sound experience.
Liquipel is a revolutionary process that applies a waterproof coating to your electronic device to protect them in the event of accidental exposure to liquids.
It is not visible to the human eye, virtually undetectable and Liquipel will not compromise the look, feel, and performance of your electronics.
Liquipel penetrates the entire device as a whole, including all of the vital components inside and out to provide optimal protection against accidental contact with liquids.
Send them your device and for $59 they’ll apply a nano-coating that will provide protection and peace of mind.
In collaboration with Disney Parks, Disney has created a state-of-the-art augmented reality experience in New York City where you can capture an image of yourself making Magical moments with one of your favorite Disney characters.
How does augmented reality work? First, you stand in the center of Times Square and look at Disney Store’s 2000 square foot digital sign high above. Soon you will see Mickey or another favorite Disney character walk onto the screen and appear as though they are standing right beside you. Mickey will then be able to interact with you on screen, although you’ll still be standing alone on the sidewalk. Now smile, and see a photo of yourself with the character on the screen! Then the photo will be sent to you to share with family and friends.
If you enter into Disney Store Times Square, with a simple download of the Smartphone application you can create a personal, virtual Disney character photo opportunity in a select area of the store. See yourself posing with your favorite character as though they’re right next to you. This augmented reality experience will continue inside Disney Store throughout 2012.
The Lytro pocket-sized camera offers a powerful 8x optical zoom and f/2 lens in an iconic design, creates interactive ―living pictures that can be endlessly refocused. The camera is available in two models and three colors, starting at $399.
The Lytro is the only consumer camera that lets people instantly capture a scene just as they see it by recording a fundamentally richer set of data than ever before. Lytro cameras feature a light field sensor that collects the color, intensity, and the direction of every light ray flowing into the camera, capturing a scene in four dimensions. To process this additional information, Lytro cameras contain a light field engine that allows camera owners to refocus pictures directly on the camera. When the Lytro’s living pictures are shared online, the light field engine travels with each picture so anyone can interact with them on nearly any device, including web browsers, mobile phones, and tablets—without having to download special software.
The Lytro’s sleek design was created with simplicity in mind. With no unnecessary modes or dials, the camera features just two buttons—power and shutter—and has an intuitive glass touchscreen that lets pictures be viewed and refocused directly on the camera. While the Lytro camera houses complex technology, it is fundamentally easy to use, opening new creative opportunities for anyone interested in sharing their favorite memories with friends and family.
Steve Jobs, the Apple Inc. chairman and co-founder who pioneered the personal computer industry and changed the way people think about technology, died Wednesday October 5, 2011.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple said in a statement. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
During his more than three decade-long career, Mr. Jobs transformed Silicon Valley as he helped turn the once sleepy expanse of fruit orchards into the technology industry’s innovation center. In addition to laying the groundwork for the modern high-tech industry alongside other pioneers like Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison, Mr. Jobs proved the appeal of well-designed intuitive products over the sheer power of technology itself and shifted the way consumers interact with technology in an increasingly digital world.
Unlike those men, however, the most productive chapter in Mr. Jobs’ career occurred near the end of his life, when a nearly unbroken string of innovative and wildly successful products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad fundamentally changed the PC, electronics and digital media industries.
The way he marketed and sold those products through savvy advertising campaigns and its retail stores, in the meanwhile, helped turn the company into a pop culture icon.
At the beginning of that phase, Mr. Jobs once described his philosophy as trying to make products that were at “the intersection of art and technology.” In doing so, he turned Apple into the world’s most valuable company.
Mr. Jobs was 56 years old. After exhibiting significant weight loss in mid-2008, he took a nearly six month medical leave of absence in 2009, during which he received a liver transplant. He took another medical leave of absence in mid-January without explanation before stepping down as chief executive in August. Mr. Jobs is survived by his wife, Laurene, and four children.
Although his achievements in technology alone were immense, Mr. Jobs played an equally groundbreaking role in entertainment. He turned Apple into the largest retailer of music and helped popularize computer-animated films as the financier and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, which he later sold to Walt Disney Co. He was a key figure in changing the way people used the Internet and how they consumed music, TV shows, movies, books, disrupting industries in the process.
Mr. Jobs also pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in modern business history, returning to Apple after an 11-year absence during which he was largely written off as a has-been and then reviving the then-struggling company by introducing products such as the iMac all-in-one computer, iPod music player and iTunes digital music store.
The company produces $65.2 billion a year in revenue compared with $7.1 billion in its business year ending September 1997. Apple has become one of the world’s premier designers of consumer-electronics devices, dropping the “computer” in its name in January 2007 to underscore its expansion beyond PCs.
Mr. Jobs officially handed over the reins of the company to long-time deputy Tim Cook in August 2011.
Steve, you will be missed and the world is immeasurably better because of you. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com.
Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks — including death itself — at the university’s 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.
The 313 Apple patents that list Steven P. Jobs among the group of inventors offer a glimpse at his company’s visionary products — from the company’s iconic computer cases to the glass staircases that are featured in many Apple stores. Read more HERE.
The British comedian and a few of his hilarious friends such as Louis CK, Chris Rock, Karl Pilkington, John Stewart, Larry David would offer their own alternative commentary.
I would definitely turn the volume down on the typically bland awards ceremony and listen to the podcast instead! I will post more should Gervais decide to move forward with his brilliant idea.
Jawbone, a leading innovator of products and services for the mobile lifestyle, today unveiled its vision to inspire people to live healthier with UP by Jawbone– a new product the company plans to launch later this year.
Lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer cause more deaths than communicable diseases, according to the CDC. Research shows eating healthier, getting quality sleep, and moving more can prevent most of these lifestyle diseases.
UP leverages Jawbone’s expertise and partner ecosystem integrating robust computing and sophisticated sensor technology in the form of functional jewelry. UP by Jawbone is a new system that tracks your movement, sleep patterns, and nutrition so you can live a healthier life. This new end-to-end system consists of a small wristband that monitors your activity 24/7, a mobile app that analyzes the activity, and an open platform that motivates you with personal and social recommendations and challenges tailored to your goals.
UP by Jawbone will be available later this year. To be alerted to the release of UP, sign up for email updates at http://up.jawbone.com/.
Taco Bell Corp. and Indoor Direct, Inc., owner of The Restaurant Entertainment Network, have reached a long-term agreement to be the first to install in-store television network and free Wi-Fi solutions in all 5,600 Taco Bell locations throughout the United States. After the 5,600 locations are installed by 2015, The Restaurant Entertainment Network will reach approximately 48 million Taco Bell customers each month. Each location will have The Restaurant Entertainment Network installed, which consists of a point of sale and dining room network plus installation of free Wi-Fi for guests.
To expand their online sales, South Korean supermarket chain Home Plus launched an ingenious ad campaign of virtual stores installed on subway platforms. The campaign consisted of 2D displays laid out exactly like actual store shelves. Commuters browsed the virtual shelves and ordered products with their smartphones by capturing the QR codes next to each item. The products were then delivered to the customers’ homes after the evening commute. The ad campaign was created by the Cheil Worldwide which earned the ad agency a 2011 Cannes Lions award.
