Tuesday 29 November 2011

Stand Up To Cancer this holiday season!



Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and Lucasfilm will continue their collaboration this holiday season when they release never-before-seen outtakes from the highly popular star-studded video clip that urges fans to Use the Force for Good. The campaign continues to raise funds for groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. Just in time for holiday shopping and due to popular demand, SU2C and Lucasfilm have added a fourth design incorporating the iconic image of Darth Vader to their line of co-branded tees, which feature Star Wars™ artwork alongside SU2C’s signature upward arrows and slogans such as “Blast Cancer” and “Use the Force for Good.” This new exclusive Darth Vader t-shirt bears the slogan “Do Not Underestimate the Power of SU2C,” and will be available for purchase in late November. The full line of tees is available for purchase at store.standup2cancer.org/shop with proceeds benefiting SU2C.

In addition, a new behind-the-scenes look at the Star Wars video tribute featuring celebrity Star Wars enthusiasts and SU2C Ambassadors— Aziz Ansari, Zach Galifianakis, Bill Hader, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, Jaime King, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg and Emma Stone—who were joined by Star Wars alum Samuel L. Jackson, can currently be viewed on the Star Wars YouTube channel, youtube.com/starwars, alongside the original video tribute. This new behind-the-scenes video not only captures funny outtakes from the all-star cast, but also highlights candid moments where the cast members express why they participated in the original Star Wars video tribute. With approximately 800,000 hits on YouTube so far, the original Star Wars video tribute encourages fans to Use the Force for Good and join Lucasfilm in donating to Stand Up To Cancer.

“To build a grassroots movement of people determined to end this disease, cancer and references to it have to become part of the pop culture zeitgeist,” said Sue Schwartz, SU2C co-founder and partner at Robertson Schwartz Agency. “Lucasfilm’s willingness to highlight the fight against cancer with an icon like Star Wars is a huge boon to our efforts. Everyone at Stand Up To Cancer is eternally grateful to Lucasfilm and our celebrity ambassadors for ‘Using the Force for Good.’ We look forward to continuing this campaign through the end of the year to raise funds for life-saving cancer research.”

Thursday 17 November 2011

A Charlie Brown Christmas on the App Store



"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!"

Help Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang as they struggle to find the true meaning of Christmas. Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown, narrates the rebirth of the 1965 animated classic as an interactive storybook complete with original scenes and dialog and digitally remastered illustrations, animation, and music optimized for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Play Schroeder's piano, finger paint with the gang, go carolling with the Peanuts choir, and participate in the Spectacular Super-Colossal Neighborhood Christmas Lights and Display Contest to unlock decorations for your very own Charlie Brown Christmas Tree! With something to discover on every page, this is one interactive Peanuts adventure you won't want to miss this holiday season!!

Features:
* Original dialogue from the 1965 animated classic
* Captivating narration by Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown
* Charming soundtrack featuring music and sound effects from the original show
* Decorate your own Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
* Participate in the Lights and Display Contest to unlock rewards
* Educational features such as word and note highlighting to help improve reading and musical skills
* Hear individual words spoken with the tap of a finger
* Touch and drag objects to make them “spring” to life or tilt to watch them slide and move
* Objects that literally pop out of the page to delight you and your family!

A Charlie Brown Christmas (iTunes)

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Spielberg: The Man, The Movies



He's the most famous director in movie history, whose creations have poured out of the cinemas into popular culture. But what goes on inside his head? What drives him? What is the key to Steven Spielberg? Covering his career, his movies, his relationships, and his extraordinary gift, Empire Magazine celebrates - with dazzling photographic evidence - Hollywood's most beloved director in this unique special edition.

Updated for 2012, this new iPad edition of Empire’s Spielberg celebration features:

– Original trailers from every single title in the director’s filmography.
– In-depth critical appraisals of all of his films, from 1971’s Duel, right up to the present day.
– Detailed features covering topics from Spielberg’s early Super 8 movies to his experiences in TV, making the Indiana Jones saga and more.
– Behind-the-scenes ‘making of’ features on some of the director’s biggest films.
– Interviews with key Spielberg collaborators.
– A special Q&A session with the director himself answering questions from some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
– Exclusive video interview with Spielberg and director JJ Abrams.
– Selected clips from classic Spielberg movies.
– Exclusive photography

Monday 14 November 2011

Sony set to battle Apple in your living room



Apple TV is seen, by some, as a trojan horse and there's every possibility that it could challenge Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony in the home video game console space! Why? Add a faster processor, the App Store echo system and tether Apple TV to an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and boom! However, imagine an Apple television that acts as a point of convergence with voice control (Siri) and we're in the Star Trek universe as envisaged by conceptual designer Michael Okuda.

Longtime followers of Apple wouldn't have been surprised by the news that Steve Jobs had told Walter Isaacson, his official biographer, that he'd "cracked it".

“'I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,’ he told me. ‘It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.’ No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. ‘It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.'”

Sony has entered the fray and promises to deliver a next generation TV experience to rival Apple. Presumably BRAVIA Internet Video will underpin this and the XMB (ported from its PlayStation brand) is a compelling alternative to Apple's iOS. However, Sony has lost significance in the past decade and Apple is more than capable of delivering Steve Jobs' vision into the living room.

"Siri, Star Trek: The Next Generation series 3. On screen."

Friday 11 November 2011

Store Wars: Apple vs Android



This made me smile. Apple and Android locked in a deadly lightsabre duel for dominance of the mobile space. Darth Mac! Surely a mistake?

Hat tip @HokusBloke.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Star Wars Days at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre



The force is back in the attraction again for another weekend of Star Wars fun where family and LEGO fans who have always dreamed of having their picture taken with a stormtrooper!

All guests are encouraged to come dressed in costume – guests won’t be alone as there will be experts on hand to show how it’s really done. Other activities will include treasure hunts to spot the Star Wars characters hidden in MINILAND, along with free tickets on offer for the best costume of the day!

Visitors can also take home a limited edition brick – perfect for those with a budding collection.

LEGO Star Wars Days 12 - 13 November. Further information here.