William Petersen remains one of the more sought-after actors to headline a TV show but the former star of CSI isn’t ready to come back to broadcast TV … yet. Instead, he’s set to appear Friday opposite Julia Stiles in Blue, a web series in its second season from Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs, In Treatment) about a single mom who’s trying to protect her son from the consequences of her secret career as an upscale escort. Petersen, who splits his time between Los Angeles and Chicago, plays Blue’s (Stiles) father, who has been in jail for the majority of her life and is serving a life sentence.
The non-working — but inarguably awesome — replica features a variety of bones and skulls that the artist himself found, including rabbit, ferret, sheep, hawk, pheasant, wallaby, snake, seal, cat and possum. Mahalski says that one of the skulls once belonged to the now-extinct moa.
Remember last weekend, when the world was treated to a leak of an early Windows Blue build? Well, that certainly helped the masses get a better idea on what kind of direction does Microsoft want to take their desktop operating system too, and it certainly also lays down the other plans that the software giant has lined up for their default browser, Internet Explorer 11 . Among those features include tab syncing and a downloads list feature for the Modern version among others.
Not only that, it does seem as though there will be WebGL support in IE11 as well, where web developer Francois Remy wrote in his blog, “I didn’t get webgl working, even by trying using iesl, hlsl and other combinations. So, it seems like WebGL interfaces are defined but not functional at this time.” Well, it seems that the Microsoft IE team did insert some programming that will support WebGL, although full compatibility has yet to be implemented. Do you think that IE11 will be able to help Microsoft win back some of their browser market share?
Though it’s not entirely difficult to go ahead and download the software for yourself from your friendly internet browser window, gaming environment Steam will be coming to the Razer Edge gaming tablet built-in, right out of the box. This is a significant move by both the folks at Razer and the members of Valve that’ve agreed to push their Steam app to the hardware right out of the box as it’s the first time said software will have done such a thing.
While the trend amongst those purists in the hardcore gaming community would otherwise have a fit over a so-called Gaming PC coming packed with “bloat ware”, it seems that Valve’s contribution won’t be so ill-fitting.
“The Razer Edge has more than enough power to play the latest and greatest Steam titles and it is completely built with PC gamers in mind. The tablet is a great way to experience everything Steam has to offer, including Big Picture mode.” – Greg Coomer, product designer at Valve
Big Picture mode is a full-screen user interface built in to Steam, available to all desktop app users right this minute – check it out if you haven’t already!
The Razer Edge and the Razer Edge Pro are both gaming tablets working with 10.1-inch displays and Windows 8 inside. You’ll be working with detachable gaming controllers as well as optional keyboard docks and will find yourself paying well over a thousand bucks to gain said privilege. Have a peek at our guide “Razer Edge gaming tablet: What the heck is it?” and see if it’ll be worth dropping either $1,300 or $1,450 USD depending on the options you’d like – go big!
There’s something to be said about watches that cost more than cars. Needless to say that this analog wonder of a watch will cost you a pretty penny, but it will probably last you a lifetime. But how about watches that cost as much as your house? Or two?
The MB&F HM4 Final Edition Watch isn’t just any old watch, it’s a “horological machine” which has 311 components. It’s coated in plack PVD titanium and its design was inspired by the F-117 Nighthawk. The turbine-like pods for time and power reserve indicators are connected to the power reserve using unique vertical gear trains.
This watch looks simply amazing, but get ready to mortgage everything you own, because they sell for $230,000(USD) apiece and they’ll only be making eight of these.
The smartphone has all but killed the standalone tuner, but while most apps just emulate their old-fashioned counterparts, Tunable brings something new—and pretty—to the table. More »
The opportunity to design a new, next-generation Corvette doesn’t come along too often, particularly when it’s the iconic Stingray, and so GM has wasted no chances in putting together a car that demands performance benefits from every aesthetic decision. SlashGear caught up with GM at the New York International Auto Show to take a look at the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible and talk authentic design – inside and out – with the execs responsible for guiding the changes in the new model.
From the outside it’s clearly a Corvette at first glance, but take a longer look and the evolution of the design becomes clear. The 2014 car is 4mm lower than before, as well as being wider and 15mm longer; the wheelbase has increased by an inch, pushing the front wheels forward and giving the car a better footprint and handling, in addition to making it look more composed and aggressive. New lights front and rear, as well as a new collection of vents, perforate the bodywork, which has a new blend of creases and sweep-lines.
Importantly, the design elements aren’t done solely for the sake of appearance, but also invariably serve a performance element too. “You want a compelling design, you want a strong aesthetic” GM’s Kirk Bennion, Exterior Design Manager for Corvette, told us. “We try to do things where, okay, this gives us a new look that we like, we think it’s attractive, but if we can also benefit with some functionality then it’s a double win. We like to do that with Corvette especially.”
So, the front grill and the hood vents aren’t just for show, but sit at either end of a new, ducted extractor that feeds cool air across the radiator. That itself has taken on a whole new angle: where Corvette radiators of old went from upright to leaning back, Bennion explained, the 2014 model actually tips its radiator forward, into the flow of air. Each of the grill blades in the hood sits at its own, specific angle for the best flow.
That’s not the only trick ducting. The 2014 Stingray sees the return of intakes on top of the rear arches, sitting on the long swathe line that runs from the back of the car, down the shoulder-line, and blends in interesting angles with the hood and arch creases. They’re not for cooling the brakes, but instead are the rear trans and diff coolers, which are just visible through the upright outlet vents at the back of the car. They also saw GM’s engineers take on the challenge of delivering a huge eight cubic meters of air per minute through each intake, while simultaneously avoiding debris. Side vents – finished in carbon-fiber – are also fully-functional, delivering a reduction in drag as well as cooling benefits.
Like many other recent cars, the 2014 Corvette Stingray makes ample use of LED lighting; however, GM has taken a few new approaches in how it implements those lamps. Up front, there’s a new single, bi-functional headlamp with daytime running lights replacing separate fog lamps. That’s something we’ve seen on models from Audi and others, but GM has played with the positioning and angles of the LEDs to make the lighting more consistent.
“We wanted to avoid ‘carnival light’ spacing” Bannion told us, referring to the tendency for LED lamps to look like a string of individual bulbs rather than a solid bar of light. “We really worked hard to keep the LEDs close together, to diffuse the light.” To do that, the LEDs are actually downward-firing, into a diffuser lens that smooths out the individual brightness of each into a consistent whole. They’re set next to a stack of amber LEDs for the turn signals, which also blend together into a solid lozenge of light, and everything is embedded into a black stainless steel assembly which creates interesting reflections depending on the angle from which you’re looking at the car.
That same attention to detail is continued at the rear of the car. GM has stuck with the dual-element tail lamps that have been a feature of Corvettes since 1961, but it has used the same downward-firing LED technology as on the headlamps for some extra visual flourish. “The technology here again is indirect LEDs, so the LEDs are horizontal, they’re throwing the light down into the cavity, for even-lit appearance. They kinda avoid having the spottiness” Bannion explained. “Also, with the lamps being three-dimensional, is very new for the car as well.”
The result is a car that treads the line between classic and contemporary, just as GM expects a Corvette Stingray buyer to demand. “They’re still dual-almond shape, but we really felt we needed to break tradition, have a car that’s more distinctive, more unique at night” Bannion pointed out. “There’s a lot going on with lighting technology right now, and you can see manufacturers are doing more and more to have their cars be seen, or be seen as exclusive with the night-time signature.”
It’s when you’re inside that the changes are most obvious, however, particularly if you’ve ever found yourself behind the wheel of a previous-gen Corvette. The dashboard and seats are less of an afterthought compared to the exterior, Helen Emsley, Interior Design Director for Performance Cars at GM, told us. So, the 2014 dash is more like a jet-fighter cockpit, surrounding the driver in an arc of controls and gages. Those gages have been redesigned for the new Corvette Stingray, with a choice of digital and analog views in the 8-inch instrument binnacle, and variations according to which of the three driving modes – touring, sport, and track – the car is currently set to.
Just as the exterior design has sought to make aesthetic details serve a functional purpose, so part of Emsley’s focus with the new Corvette has been to make the interior more authentic. “This is a Corvette. If it’s metal, if it’s aluminum, it should be real – it is real aluminum. If it’s carbon fiber, it’s real carbon fiber,” she explained to us. “It was very important to us that we show real, authentic materials.”
That approach has continued over to the passenger seat, with Emsley saying that GM wanted to make the 2014 Corvette Stingray just as much of an experience for the person not driving. So, the “co-driver” gets a separate interior, in Emsley’s words, a second cockpit arch with their own speed gage and heating controls. Materials all round have taken a step up in quality, with hard surfaces replaced by soft-finish plastics and contrast-stitched leather. In fact, GM has even cooked up two new, exclusive leather colors for the Corvette: black may well be the most popular, Emsley concedes, but the new beige and new red finishes are expected to draw some buyer attention, along with the existing black & grey and black & dark brown options.
Everywhere you look there are thoughtful design decisions, showing just how much consideration the GM team has put into the interior of the new car. Recognizing that many Corvette buyers want to replace the standard seats with more sports-focused alternatives, Emsley points out, GM will offer a choice of two styles with the 2014 model: either the normal touring seats, or special sports seats as a cost-option. More mundane – but no less important – considerations like storage have been addressed in clever ways, too, like a sizeable storage cubby hidden behind an 8-inch motorized drop-down infotainment display.
The Stingray convertible – which made its North American debut at the New York show – is certainly beautiful, but those who opt for the coupe also get a choice of roofs. Three targa tops are on offer: the standard, carbon-fiber roof which is painted to match the body; a premium version which is left in exposed carbon; and a polycarbonate version which is translucent, allowing more light into the cockpit. There’ll also be various body/performance packages, such as the Z51 with its tall rear spoiler – helping reduce lift – and larger wheels.
All in, it’s a suitably considered approach to what’s undoubtedly a muscle-car icon. “When you think of the opportunity, every time you get to do a new next-generation Corvette, you realize that there has to be certain calculated moves in order for it to be seen as the next-generation, and that’s why we felt we needed to make some of these changes” exterior design chief Bannion told us. Throw in a new LT1 6.2L V8 engine capable of 450 HP and 450 kb-ft of torque, and you’ve got performance that matches the great looks, too. The new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will go on sale this fall, in both coupe and convertible versions.
Hot on the heels of AT&T announcing their pre-orders for the Samsung GALAXY S 4, US Cellular is announcing that they’ll be opening up pre-orders for the new device on the same day of April 16. However, the carrier didn’t say much else. No price is listed on their website yet, but we’re guessing it’ll be right on track with AT&T’s price tag — hopefully a bit cheaper, though.
So far, AT&T and US Cellular are the only two major US carriers who have announced pre-order details, but T-Mobile is actually the only US carrier who has announced availability of the new phone, which is set for around May 1. T-Mobile announced availability of the GALAXY S 4 earlier this week during an event.
Pre-orders for the GALAXY S 4 are actually already live over in the UK, with an availability date of April 26 for UK residents. A handful of carriers will have the phone available, as well as a few retailers, such as Carphone Warehouse and Amazon, where you can grab the new device for £630 without a contract.
The GALAXY S 4 comes with a 5-inch 1080p display and a 13MP camera. The US version of the phone will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.9GHz with 2GB of RAM, while the UK version will sport Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa chip. The phone also has a huge 2500 mAh battery. We’ve already gotten our hands on the new toy, but we’ll have a full review coming up soon.
Dog lovers can go a little bit crazy when it comes to their canine family members. That is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to making sure that they get the best care. Now you can make your own dog treats quickly and easily right at home with Bake-a-Bone. It is a small appliance kind of like a waffle iron, but for making dog biscuits.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
Remember last weekend, when the world was treated to a leak of an early 
