Is it worth investing a few weeks of your life in Battlestar Galactica? What about Game of Thrones? Or Deadwood? Here’s a graphical tool that maps all the Internet Movie Database’s ratings for every episode of every TV series—a scientific method to pick the next show that is going to make you lose countless hours of sleep.
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A few more of these, and it won’t even be news. Netflix is going hard into the original content business, and judging by the outstanding results with House of Cards, we’re guessing that it’ll be aiming for similar results with a different demographic here. Derek, described as something of a comedy / drama mishmash, is fronted by the affable Ricky Gervais. The show actually aired as Dramedy over on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, so while it’s not exactly a Netflix original, it’s getting “original treatment.” Per usual, the entire season will be available to stream at once on September 12th (overwhelming, we know), and if you’re looking to decide just how much time you should set aside, the trailer is embedded after the break.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Via: Variety
Source: Netflix (YouTube)
The Xbox One is a big deal for consoles, but Microsoft just made a massive content announcement at today’s reveal event — a live-action Halo TV series. As if the existence of such a television show weren’t enough, it turns out that 343 Industries is teaming up with renowned moviemaker Steven Spielberg to bring the world of Master Chief to life in serial form. Spielberg will be the executive producer and the show will provide “exclusive interactive Xbox One content,” whatever that means. Unfortunately, neither Microsoft nor Mr. Spielberg are telling when the show will actually be available for your eyeballs to view, but it is, most assuredly an actual thing. And just knowing that the follow-up to Halo: Forward Unto Dawn is coming is enough, right?
Despite having recently introduced the likes of Hemlock Grove and House of Cards, Netflix isn’t standing still: it’s boosting its original content with yet another production, Orange is the New Black. The new comedic drama series, created by Weeds‘ own Jenji Kohan, is set to start streaming to Netflix subscribers worldwide beginning July 11th. Similar to Netflix’s House of Cards, Orange is the New Black consists of 13 episodes running at around 60 minutes — however, the main story here won’t be based on drama coming out of D.C., but rather a “world populated with unforgettable characters and no-holds-barred humor set against the backdrop of a women’s prison.” Be sure to peruse the PR after the break, where you’ll find more particulars about the plot, as well as the full cast list.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Netflix
Programs have a certain magic power over littluns, sending them into a trance-like state and then having them beg for merchandise afterwards. The perpetual tinkerers over at Adafruit don’t expect you to catch ’em all, though, and have debuted their own show called Circuit Playground — an educational YouTube series teaching kids about electronics. In the first episode, we learn all about Amperes and are introduced to our hosts: a free-willed human and ADABOT, a charming puppet presenter (just don’t tell them that). Following the letters of the alphabet, expect 25 more installments and, if the intro sequence is any indication, a bunch of component-based characters to keep the sprogs interested. If you need 3 minutes and 50 seconds of peace and quiet, or just want to brush up on the basics yourself, head past the break for the first episode. Next time on Circuit Playground: “B is for Battery.”
Source: Adafruit
Not to be left out from the copycat networks making shows about Silicon Valley, Amazon Studios is producing a half-hour comedy series called Betas. It’s centered around four nerds ” and their quest for nerd fame as they attempt to crack the ultimate code.” One of these shows has to be good, right? More »
Is the next Mos Def or Azealia Banks languishing in a region where there’s no way to get his or her talent across? The producer who’s laid down beats for those stars, ‘Apple Juice Kid’ (aka Stephen Levitin) along with fellow UNC prof Pierce Freelon aim to find out with a new PBS series called Beat Making Lab. In it, the pair take their talent, teaching skills and crates of audio gear to underserved communities in nations like Panama, Senegal and Fiji. The first episode (below the break) takes place in the Congo, where they’re shown setting up a permanent recording studio at the Yole!Africa non-profit community center, then giving a crash course in beat-making tech to six highly motivated students. The Congalese artists use that know-how to lay down tracks that reflect their unique personalities and culture, which are showcased at the culmination of the episode. The series covets more than just a nice performance, though, as one student put it: “When the instructors return to the US, it won’t be the end, but a beginning for us — because we’ll be able to teach others how to create their own beats.”
Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment, HD, Alt
Adafruit already welcomes newcomers to do-it-yourself device culture, but it still assumes a certain amount of comfort with coding and soldering. The shop now wants to accommodate the most basic of beginners by starting a children’s web series that teaches electronics. Circuit Playground will provide activities, songs and stories that put a friendly face on engineering, in some ways very directly: many of the shows will involve big-eyed characters (and, naturally, corresponding toys) like Cappy the Capacitor. Although the series doesn’t start until March, it could be vital to a generation of kids growing up immersed in technology — and ultimately create a larger customer base for Adafruit in the process.
Via: The Verge
Source: Wired
Remember that touchscreen Series 5 Ultrabook that Samsung showed off at Computex last June? Well, it’s definitely coming to the US and will be available October 26th, the same day Windows 8 formally launches. As we noted in our hands-on, this is basically the same Series 5 we reviewed earlier this year, except the touchscreen adds some heft (it now weighs 3.83 pounds, versus 3.24 for the non-touch version). As for specs, you’re looking at just two configurations, both of which have 4GB of RAM, a 13-inch (1,366 x 768) display and a 500GB hard drive with 24GB of ExpressCache. The only difference is that the entry-level $799 model has a Core i3 processor, while the $899 version steps up to i5.
If that all sounds rather humdrum, Samsung is attempting to spice up Windows 8 by bundling custom apps, some of which you might remember from its various Android products. Sammy’s various “Hubs” (Music, Video, Media and Social) are all present and accounted for, as is the AllShare app, which uses DLNA to share content across different devices. Additionally, Samsung is including a handful of desktop applications designed to soften the learning curve for people new to Windows 8. For instance, S-Launcher is a desktop widget that replicates the now-extinct Start Menu, live search and all. eSettings, meanwhile, is a centralized options menu for folks who might not know where to find power management or display settings in Win 8. If you follow on below, you’ll find a short video walk-through of some of these apps (Sammy didn’t demo AllShare or the Hubs for us, sadly), and we’ve also got fresh hands-on shots to complement the ones we took back in June.
Continue reading Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch Ultrabook arrives October 26th, starting at $799
Filed under: Laptops
Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch Ultrabook arrives October 26th, starting at $799 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Twitter has been making a giant push for expanded tweets from content providers. It’s only a short logical leap from that to Twitter providing the content itself, and that’s exactly what AdWeek claims may well happen. Its unconfirmed tipsters have the microblog taking a page from YouTube by pitching Hollywood movie and TV studios on “several” original shows that would live in followers’ feeds, including the seemingly inescapable reality show. While Twitter wouldn’t have someone in the director’s chair, it might still play a role by letting viewers affect the show as it’s happening — and of course, running ads. Silence is the only official response to the rumor from Twitter so far; don’t plan your viewing schedule just yet, but do brace yourself in case Twitter breaks out a Horse ebooks cameo to boost ratings in mid-season.
Filed under: Internet
Twitter rumored to be pitching in-feed video shows to studios originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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