Terminator Genisys Trailer #1

Here is the new trailer for Terminator Genisys that will be out summer of 2015. The overall story takes a page from Star Trek and X-Men were the previous movies still are technically part of continuity but also reboots that continuity. In this case the idea is the movie takes place in the future we expect - John Connor leads the remains of humanity against Skynet. Only something changes. From Connor's perspective he needs to send his friend Kyle Reese back into the past to find and save his mother (aka the events of the first movie in 1984) only something has clearly changed as Kyle finds himself in a different timeline than one he (and the audience) expects.

Marvel Announces Phase 3 Movie Slate and Avengers 2 Clip

In advance of the teaser scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron (clip below), Marvel announced their phase 3 slate of 9 movies. To no surprise it remains ambitious and tied together by Avengers 3 and 4 but includes a bunch of characters that the average non-comic book fan may not have heard of. The movies are:

2016
Captain America: Civil War (5/6)
Doctor Strange (11/4)

2017

Avengers: Age of Ultron Teaser Trailer

In what was intended to be a boost to the ratings of Agents of SHIELD was foiled when Hydra leaked an early crappy copy of the teaser Wednesday night. Said video spread across the internet like wild fire forcing Marvel to release the below HD version that does a good job of revealing nothing while looking exciting.

Apple Updates iPad Line-Up

As expected Apple has announced its updated line of iPads with the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3. Like the iPhone, they are really just a marginal update for those that have the previous generation of each device. The Air 2 just have a slightly faster chip and Touch ID while the iPad Mini 3 is really the Mini 2 with Touch ID added (for $100 more). In addition they officially released the next OS X update called Yosemite, announced that Apple Pay begins next Monday, the iOS 8.1 update features and showed up their refreshed Mac Mini and iMac. For anyone rocking an iPad that can already handle iOS8, the news is meaningless. Unless you are a hard core gamer, the slight boost in chip power is irrelevant. You are not going to notice the different in speed. Its the equivalent of buying a porsche to sit in traffic all day while living in a city full of speed traps. Technically the car can go fast but when will you actually use all that expensive power?

Ironically, the real tech news comes from Apple's decision to start moving away from the SIM card with their reprogrammable SIM card called "Apple SIM" that can be used from carrier to carrier simply by using software instead of swapping SIM cards. Basically it would give consumers greater latitude to go "month-to-month" with which ever carrier they choose for that month. The carriers still hold a lot of the power so classic SIM card tray still exists but this is the first of probably a bunch of smaller moves to hopefully eventually retire this tired 20 year old "technology" that really exists to give carriers the power as it acts as a form of DRM protection on their mobile hardware while providing no real benefit to consumers. Now to the announcement highlights.

Sound Advice on Ebola in US from Fox News!?!

Unless you have lived in a cave (driven there by the news on Ebola) then you are away that the United States is currently host to all of two people that have contracted the virus from a third person that came into the States with it (and sadly since died). If you watch the news though, they seem to have one goal - to terrify you into thinking at any moment you or a loved one will die from Ebola. Cause 3 total equates to all 300 million being in danger. Even though we are going on a month now and that total is still just 3. Cause that is how fast moving, dangerous to all, OMG we could die any moment, epidemics work. So here is what I recommend - listen to the clip below from Fox News. Yeah I can't believe it either.

Shepard Smith must be getting torn a new one by upper management (or they ordered it now that their stock portfolios are getting hit) for saying out loud what the press already knows but doesn't want the public to figure out - that there is no danger from Ebola. As he points out, you have a better chance of dieing from the flu then from Ebola. Currently you have a better chance of winning the lottery then you have of getting Ebola. There is nothing to be afraid of.

Anyone currently trying to scare you is the enemy of truth and good. Trying to score points, be it ratings, attention or votes, by scaring people needlessly is just a form of evil. And when its a politician, who has easy access to experts and they in turn also try to magnify that fear, well if there isn't a special place in hell for them then there ought to be. There is nothing to be afraid of. If going be in fear of something, at least next time be informed enough to know if its justified. Also remember, the news no longer exists to inform you. That is counter to their money making through entertainment mandate. You have the internet, start using it to gain knowledge instead of using the lazy route of listening to people who benefit more from scaring you than informing you.

Apple Introduces the iPhone 6 and Watch

Today Apple held a press conference to show off the iPhone 6 which will go on sale at the end of next week in two screen sizes. In addition they showed off the Apple Watch which is essentially the same take on the Android watches that have been on sale for over a year now only their version will not be available until Spring 2015. Overall much like in the last two or so years, the new Apple products are really about the companies attempts to catch up to Android which continues to dominate the mobile market and with features that Apple tends to introduces years later. The advantage to Apple being last (instead of leading the charge like they use too) with new features is they get to see the mistakes everyone else is making and correct for them resulting in a final polish and approach that maintains their sterling reputation for quality products.

As for the release of iOS 8, it will be out on September 17. If you were hoping for iPad details nothing was mentioned but Apple will probably do another press conference in October. A final note is the iPod Classic has officially been discontinued by Apple. If you are a fan of it, keep on eye out for clearance deals but once the remaining stock is sold, that's it except for getting it used. On to the new product details and analysis.

Robin Williams Dead at 63

Damn. One of my favorite actors of all time is dead at the age of 63 after committing suicide this morning in his home. The actor, who has spent decades battling depression and his various drug and alcohol addictions is suspected of dying from asphyxiation. One of my favorite movies of his was Dead Poets Society. I still remember seeing it a theater with my family. I also watch most of his Mork and Mindy episodes as a child. Really I consumed most of his work, be it comedy, drama, TV, movies, it didn't matter. Robin Williams was always entertaining and the best at what he did. I think his demons are really the only reason he isn't one of awarded actors in history as the skills were there and when allowed to be on display he simply had no equal. He was a four time Oscar nominee with nominations for Good Morning, Vietnam, The Fisher King and Dead Poets Society before finally winning Best Supporting Oscar for Good Will Hunting. He also one four Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards. The actor is survived by his three children Zachary, Zelda and Cody along with current wife Susan Schneider and previous wives Valerie Velardi and Marsha Garces. His humor and gravitas will be missed and a true loss to entertainment.

Supreme Court: Corporate Religious Rights Trump All

It continues to amaze me that in this day and age that birth control remains an issue. Not abortion (that will never go away), but the use of various medical means to avoid even needing to have an abortion. You would think encouraging people to not get pregnant and therefore not potentially want an abortion would be a good thing. So while abortion is bad, so is preventing the means that might lead to that decision. A contradiction and yet one that the Republican party is happy to live with. Why? Because the religious right thinks any form of birth control is bad. Not because of the bible (because that isn't in there) but because of religious tradition.

A tradition founded at a time when populations could easily be decimated by war and disease. Usually war. So it was to the best advantage of those in charge to encourage as much baby making as possible to not only keep the religious ranks (and thus Church coffers) full but also allow those in charge to go off and conquer as needed. Wars are expensive and costly in manpower and the only way to keep numbers up was more children. This constant need to have replenished populace was why the average age of marriage was 10 to 12, the average age of birth was around 13 to 14 and the average age of death was late 20s. This "tradition" is what is fueling the religious arguments of today.

The Legend of Korra Book 3 Trailer

Below is the first official trailer for The Legend of Korra Book 3. In what is likely the final season of the show, the focus seems to be on how the world has changed now that the spirit world and human world are now merged. There is no voice overs or the like, just a whole lot of gorgeous images and scenes. While I hope this show gets more seasons, it doe seem the second golden age of cartoons will be concluded with the show's end as all the cartoon channels are once again drifting to childlike, simplified story telling that marked most of the late nineties and early oughts.

E3 2014

E3 was held this week in LA and once again it was gamer heaven as all the major players in the industry laid out their plans for the next year or so of games. As usually Sony dominated with announcement of Playstation TV (sling games to another TV and play Vita games), a white PS4 combo pack, Playstation Now (rent games) and usual slew of games. Microsoft played it safe by announcing only a bunch of games including a Halo collection. Nintendo, still trying to recover from very poor Wii U sales, also essentially played it safe that once again teased a bunch of potential great games but other than Super Smash Brothers doesn't have anything much left in the tank for this year. Below are links to a detailed summation with trailers for the major press conferences while what follows is really just my overview on things.

Sony | Microsoft | Nintendo | EA | Ubisoft

Apple Announces iOS8 and OS X Yosemite

Monday Apple started their week long 2014 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). For the last few years the conference has not been used to announce new hardware but to announce new features, updates, and changes that will be made to the software that will be running on future hardware. Pundits will complain about the lack of hardware announcements...but the pundits are either morons or liars cause they knew there wasn't going to be any hardware announcements. So on the software front, the iPad and iPhone (aka iDevices) will get the iOS8 update in the fall, likely to come with the now traditional hardware refresh of the i-line sometime in October or so in time for Christmas. For their laptops, the next iteration of operating system will be OS X Yosemite. Both will bring a bunch of new features that have, to be blunt, been legally stolen from Android and other apps. They have the usual slight alteration in implementation to avoid law suits but almost none of it is original. Except maybe their new Apple only programming language to replace Objective C called Swift. Still if use Apple products (like me), the changes will be welcome. Highlights below or can watch the keynote here.

Honest Trailer for The X-Men Trilogy

In time for X-Men: Days of Future Past, here is the Honest Trailer for The X-Men Trilogy.

R.I.P. Bob Hoskins

Fantastic character actor Bob Hoskins died today at 71 due to pneumonia that was possibly related this is multi-year fight with Parkinson. The actor retired after learning of the diagnosis after completing his last major role in Snow White and the Huntsman. For most though he is most known for his role of Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Some of his other famous roles include The Long Good Friday, Mermaids, Hook, and Super Mario Bros. Not mentioned by many but one I really enjoyed was his portrayal of Winston Churchill in "When Lions Roared" (I still have the VCR recording of the mini-series). I always thought he was an amazing actor that could play whatever role was thrown at him. If anything, it is a shame that Hollywood didn't pay more attention and use him more. Condolences to his family.

New Amazon Fire TV Announced with Demo Video

Yesterday Amazon has announced their next attempt to get into the daily use of homes with the Amazon Fire TV. The tiny quad-core powered smart TV box is their answer to the Roku, Chromecast and Apple TV. Available now, the $99 box comes with a bluetooth remote, wireless connectivity, voice commands and the ability to play Android games (modified for Fire TV) with either the remote or a separate game controller that costs $40.

Hit the links below for hands-on descriptions and videos. There is also an unboxing and detailed demo video below. Overall the first impressions of the device have been excellent, citing an easy to use controller that does not rely on line of sight, a very fast response time to loading videos and a lot of potential. The game controller turns it into an inexpensive video game console, useful for those that already enjoy many Android based games. Already there is a long list of games and channels that are available right from the start but its not clear if some of those channels require a corresponding cable subscription like they do on other devices (but I assume they do).

Hands-on: Gizmodo | The Verge | Engadget

Reviews: The Verge | Gizmodo

So just based on the descriptions, is it worth buying? If you already own some smart TV solution from the last year or two, I see little additional benefit from buying a second box unless just really love video games. However, if you are new to looking for one of these devices or just wanting to replace a current one, then it does seem superior to current offerings. The AppleTV could have been great but really if you don't live in the Apple ecosystem you are paying a whole lot of money to enjoy only 10% of what it can do. The $99 Roku is an alway recommend but this new box blows it out of the water in speed and potential, along with a user interface that doesn't appear out of date and clunky. Even though it is compared to the Chromecast, that is its own separate thing that is (to me) really designed to share and view tablet content on a TV and more in addition to a smart TV box solution rather than instead of one. As for Amazon Prime subscribers, its an easy choice. There is no reason to get any other box but this one.

Based on descriptions, initial hands-on write-ups and the potential that Amazon's market share brings to bear, if you are in the market to spend around $100 for a smart TV solution, then the Amazon Fire TV may quickly become the leader in the market, especially if Apple continues to limit the capabilities of their own hardware. If you are interested in getting one, the Amazon Fire TV is available now, the game controller accessory will be out on April 24th.

X-Men: Days of Future Past Trailer #2

Today the second trailer was released for X-Men: Days of Future Past that unites the cast from the original X-Men trilogy with the cast of the relaunch that was set in 60s. The movie jumps to the 80s as Xavier is at his most depressed. Meanwhile, in the future the X-Men are fighting a losing battle against extinction and in a desperate gamble sends old Wolverine into the body of young Wolverine (in the 70s) to try and prevent that future from occurring. The movie is based on the early 1980s story of the same name that is considered one of the best X-Men stories ever written and has been frequently emulated in some form or fashion in comics, books and movies ever sense. Based on what is seen hear, this could be an amazing movie.

Comcast Doesn't Give a F**k

This video from Funny or Die pretty much summarizes why the merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable is a very bad idea. So of course once money and future job promises are completed, the FCC will happily approve it. The last major merger from Comcast was for NBC and its networks. Shortly after the approval one of the people that vote for and pushed for it left the FCC to work for the company. Considering how well that plan worked last time, I expected a repeat performance. I also think at least one of those that have a vote use to work as a high level executive for the company. The Justice Department also have to approve the merger so that might be a roadblock but only if Comcast does something foolish in the next six months or so (like try to block Google Fiber expansion).

NBC Olympics Opening Intro and Closing Ceremony Montages from Years Past

I love watching the Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Games were no different. Sure the drama and individual stories are often exaggerated but really for me it really isn't about team and country. It is about the excitement, the drama, its pure unpredictableness. There are favorites to win but more often than not, the favorites seem to fall short for the simple fact it is the Olympics and nothing less than perfection is required on the day and no human is capable of being perfect on demand regardless of the training involved.

But what I really enjoy is the joy. Regardless of who wins or the country involved, for at least two weeks it doesn't matter. Instead we get to see that pure joy from an athlete achieving a dream, family and friends enjoying the success and fans around the world reveling in the moment. Joy in its purist form that has nothing to with lines on a map or political differences. It doesn't last long but its wonderful to see, if only because if you think about it, how often do you get to see real joy in your daily life? Not much, but for two weeks you get to see it over and over and over.