Disney Interactive has released the winners of the Disney Infinity “Pirates Adventure” Toy Box challenge. Players were tasked with creating ARGH-mazing Toy Boxes utilizing many of the Pirates of the Caribbean items that are available. Check out the latest episode of the new web series featuring the top global Toy Box of the week, “EpicPirateCombat,” where players will need to get to the “Dragon’s Den” to save the trapped Princess.
Winning “Pirates Adventure” submissions include:
EpicPirateCombat – Reach the “Dragon’s Den” to free the trapped Princess! Rules: no flying, gliding or hovering.
Man the Cannons! – Avast matey! Board ye ship and destroy the pirate fort. Send those 3 ships down to the locker while ye at it!
Blast and Seek – Choose your side in a two-player pirate ship battle and take a walk in the village.
TreasureHuntRace – Race round the Pirate Island Racetrack and then help Jack Sparrow find the X and get the buried treasure!
Blackbeard’s Map – Use the map to find the 10 hidden chests – all leading to the greatest treasure of all… The Fountain of Youth!
How to download new Toy Boxes:
Select “Toy Box” from the Disney Infinity Main Menu
Select “Toy Box Share” and “Disney’s Toy Boxes.”
There will be a list of all the featured Toy Boxes for players to download.
When you’re ready to submit your Toy Box for consideration, follow these directions:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Online/Multiplayer.”
Then select “Toy Box Share” > “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured.
iPad
Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Toy Box Share.”
Then select “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured
Now through March, 31, 2014, save up to 30% on select Walt Disney World Resort Hotel rooms. This offer applies to stays most nights from March 14, 2014-April 12, 2014 and April 20, 2014-June 15, 2014. Add more Character to your vacation by upgrading to a room and ticket package with a minimum 4-Day Magic Your Way Base ticket and get one more ticket day FREE.
This offer excludes Campsites at Fort Wilderness, 3-Bedroom Villas, Little Mermaid Standard Rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
The Spring is a great time to visit Walt Disney World with the upcoming grand opening of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom and the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
Actor Chris Hemsworth and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the nominations for the 86th Academy Awards® today (January 16).
Hemsworth and Boone Isaacs announced the nominees at a 5:38 a.m. PT live news conference attended by more than 400 international media representatives. For a complete list of nominees, visit the official Academy Awards website, www.oscar.com.
Academy members from each of the branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.
Official screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for members on Saturday, January 25, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Screenings also will be held at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all categories. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
(Here is a partial list):
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Christian Bale in “American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska” (Paramount)
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (Paramount)
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight)
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club” (Focus Features)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Barkhad Abdi in “Captain Phillips” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Bradley Cooper in “American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight)
Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (Paramount)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Amy Adams in “American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Sandra Bullock in “Gravity” (Warner Bros.)
Judi Dench in “Philomena” (The Weinstein Company)
Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County” (The Weinstein Company)
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight)
Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County” (The Weinstein Company)
June Squibb in “Nebraska” (Paramount)
Best animated feature film of the year
“The Croods” (20th Century Fox)
“Despicable Me 2” (Universal)
“Ernest & Celestine” (GKIDS)
“Frozen” (Walt Disney)
“The Wind Rises” (Walt Disney)
Achievement in cinematography
“The Grandmaster” (The Weinstein Company)
“Gravity” (Warner Bros.)
“Inside Llewyn Davis” (CBS Films)
“Nebraska” (Paramount)
“Prisoners” (Warner Bros.)
Achievement in costume design
“American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
“The Grandmaster” (The Weinstein Company)
“The Great Gatsby” (Warner Bros.)
“The Invisible Woman” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight)
Achievement in directing
“American Hustle” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
“Gravity” (Warner Bros.)
“Nebraska” (Paramount)
“12 Years a Slave” (Fox Searchlight)
“The Wolf of Wall Street” (Paramount)
Check out Oscars.com for a full list of the Nominations!
The classic Disney animated film turned Broadway sensation has returned to Segerstrom Center for the Arts! DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a tale we all know, a tale as old time, and a story we have all fallen in love with. The essence is still there with the outlandish characters, sets and music mostly returning. Your favorite musical numbers and incredible effects remain along with the whimsy you have come to expect. Grab the kids and the young at heart quick to see this memorable tale before it’s too late. DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is only playing till Sunday, January 19th!
Have you seen this show before? Well, if it was prior to 2010 you may notice quite a few changes. This production is put on by NETworks who has been producing popular musicals since 1995. They know what they are doing, but this production of DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is scaled down just a tad from the original Off-Broadway production that ran for many years.
The songs we all know remain and you will not be disappointed by the vocal performances of most. Belle is played by the charming Hilary Maiberger from Yucaipa, CA. Her credits are vast, but probably most notably for this performance is Aladdin: The Musical Spectacular from Disney California Adventure where she played Jasmine. The vocals here are quite similar to the music from Aladdin and in fact the song “Home” from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has very similar crescendos and theme to “To Be Free” from Aladdin. It’s still beautiful and Maiberger does very well with it, but it’s definitely worth mentioning to get an idea of her performance. They are both after all written by legendary Disney composer Alan Menken.
There are some highlights in the music that makes this musical not only unique from the film, but keeps it a fun and upbeat show the audience is probably looking for. “Be Our Guest” is epic and creative starting with a different comical representation to the beginning from Lumiere. The Beasts main song “I Can’t Love Her” finishes the first act nicely as Darick Pead leads it on the balcony, even though set design here is scaled back from previous versions.
Apparently, gone are two musical numbers that were created for the Broadway show as well as some of the elaborate sets. Thankfully the fun and large number “Human Again” returns that you may have seen on later editions of the film. It has been quite a few years since I saw the previous production, but I do remember some intricate backgrounds that were more realistic than sparse and abstract. There were some very memorable moments from previous years that won’t exist due to artistic representations of what the scene is, more or less conveying the feeling of the setting rather than actually immersing the audience in that world.
Don’t let this scare you away, however, as all the scenes are still incredibly beautiful and lavish. As the musical continues into the tavern for Gaston’s big number, you may miss the larger ensemble and larger interior of the cartoonish pub, but they still hit their mark on comedy and fun. “Gaston” keeps its exciting mug number that will surly delight everyone.
The show has a lot of comedic elements to it, but trying to possibly over compensate for not actually being animated, many of these moments seem over-the-top and childish. In this case I feel that less could have been more. Not less comedy, but less outlandish characterization. Gaston played by Tim Rogan has some of the best laughs except at moments I felt he based his character after Jim Carey’s The Mask or Ace Ventura. His silly sidekick Lefou, Jordan Aragon, is clearly a master at slapstick but the production had too many knockdowns and falls that became tired. He is still short, but skinny opposed to the character in the film. It doesn’t take anything away from the character though. His timing was impeccable and he did everything I think he could have done with the direction he was given.
There are others that just seemed to miss the mark for me or appeared to be trying too hard. Madame de la Grande Bouche the “wardrobe” played by Roxy York, a Boston native, definitely had her moments but clearly was trying to take the show away, but sadly failed. There are few of these moments where they took one joke and ran with it too far. I am not quite sure if it was truly because of the actor or because of the material given.
This brings me to Lumiere played by Hassan Nazari-Robati who put forth the effort, but lost me when his French accent was more dark and raspy than suave and sexy. There is still a great dynamic with Clogsworth, Lumiere, and quite risqué Babette at least. Mrs. Potts, Kristin Stewart, luckily captured the motherly charm of the character in the film and really added to this production whereas Belle’s father seemed like a completely different character to me except for the fact he was an odd inventor.
Thankfully the songs should still be enjoyed, the Beasts transformation is still magical, and the story still follows the progression you would expect. Each act plays well and there are laughs for everyone. The children in the audience all appeared to be sitting up straight and completely engaged. If you are already a fan of the show, you are still going to get the essence of you want from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. If you have not seen the original production, then even better!
This a light-hearted, silly and fun show that still plays well with today’s audience. Belle sung beautifully and Beast was witty and silly, but perhaps just a little too much. Gaston and Lefou play well to the audience and the enchanted inanimate objects are all there. You’ll surely fall in love with the sights and sounds, but you can expect a little different characterization that may get a little carried away. DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a show created to bring entertainment, joy, and laughter to children and adults. NETworks production still delivers that show!
NETworks Presents DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall
January 14th – 19th, 2014 Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, January 18th will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.
The Hollywood Pantages, a Nederlander Theatre, reveals its lineup for then2014-2015 SEASON, featuring six blockbuster productions currently playing to sold-out houses on Broadway and a new production of a beloved title.
Hollywood Pantages General Manager Martin Wiviott states, “We’ve received hundreds of emails, Facebook posts and Tweets from our fans letting us know the Broadway shows they want to see on our stage. Their voices have been heard.”
Broadway’s biggest blockbuster WICKED will return during the 2014 holiday season. Rounding out the season will be the Los Angeles premieres of the 2013 Tony® winner for Best Musical KINKY BOOTS, the 2013 Tony® winner for Best Revival of a Musical PIPPIN, the incredible true story MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, the previously-announced Disney musical NEWSIES and Cameron Mackintosh’s Spectacular New Production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The new season will also feature the L.A. return of JERSEY BOYS, which will make its Hollywood Pantages Premiere.
These shows boast a sizable collection of awards and distinctions, including two GRAMMY® Awards for Best Musical Show Album and 19 Tony Awards® including three for Best Musical or Revival.
Season Ticket Packages go on sale to the general public on Monday, February 3rd at 10:00 AM at www.HollywoodPantages.com or by phone at 866-755-BWAY(2929). Current season ticket holders can renew their tickets beginning today. Classic 7-Show Packages start at $224 per person, and are available in five price levels, all of which are located on the Orchestra Level. Patrons can save $14 per package by ordering online.
Season Ticket Holders lock in the best seats at the best prices, and enjoy benefits such as complimentary ticket exchanges at the box office, lost ticket insurance and 24/7 account access. Season ticket holders are also guaranteed first access to added events and may pre-order season parking passes.
The Hollywood Pantages is proud to offer its ultimate theatrical package: the Hollywood Pantages Presidents Club®. Star members enjoy seats in the first 12 rows of the center orchestra, pre-show and intermission access to the private VIP Lounge with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, and dedicated restrooms. Director and Producer members enjoy additional exclusive privileges. For more information, please visit www.HollywoodPantages.com/PresidentsClub or call 323-468-1731.
Season Production #1
Hollywood Pantages Premiere Engagement
JERSEY BOYS
Hollywood Pantages
October 1 – 19, 2014
The Tony®, GRAMMY® and Olivier Award® winning best musical JERSEY BOYS will return to L.A. for its Hollywood Pantages Premiere with a three week engagement October 1 – 19, 2014.
JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sound and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty. Hit songs featured in JERSEY BOYS include “Sherry,” “Oh, What a Night,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” & “Who Loves You.”
Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff, JERSEY BOYS is written by Academy Award winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo. JERSEY BOYS worldwide has been seen by over 18 million people (as of September, 2013).
Season Production #2
L.A. Premiere Engagement
PIPPIN
Hollywood Pantages
October 21 – November 9, 2014
Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan are pleased to announce the L.A. Premiere of PIPPIN. The 2013 Tony Award® winner for Best Musical Revival will play a three week engagement at the
Hollywood Pantages October 21 – November 9, 2014.
Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz’s coming-of-age musical comedy PIPPIN is directed by Diane Paulus featuring choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). PIPPIN features music supervision and arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo, orchestrations by Tony Award winner Larry Hochman, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner, sound design by Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm.
Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his “corner of the sky.” The original production of PIPPIN, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. This production of PIPPIN made its debut at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus serves as Artistic Director; December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including “Corner of the Sky,” “Magic To Do,” “Glory,” “No Time at All,” “Morning Glow,” and “Love Song.”
Season Production #3
L.A. Premiere Engagement
KINKY BOOTS
Hollywood Pantages
November 11 – 30, 2014
Producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig are pleased to announce the L.A. premiere of KINKY BOOTS, the six-time Tony® Award-winning Best Musical that brings together four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Book) and GRAMMY® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper (Tony Award winner for Best Score for Kinky Boots).
KINKY BOOTS will celebrate its L.A. Premiere at Hollywood Pantages for a three week engagement November 11 – 30, 2014. KINKY BOOTS is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell. Cyndi Lauper’s Tony win has the distinction of marking the first time in Broadway history that a solo woman received the Tony Award for Best Score.
Inspired by a true story, KINKY BOOTS tells the story of Charlie Price, a man who has reluctantly inherited his father’s nearly bankrupt shoe factory. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. Together they discover that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.
The creative team for Kinky Boots also includes Tony Award nominee David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design), Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), Tony Award winner John Shivers (Sound Design), Josh Marquette (Hair Design), Randy Houston Mercer (Make-up Design), Telsey + Company (Casting), with Musical Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award winner Stephen Oremus.
Season Production #4
L.A. Return Engagement
WICKED
Hollywood Pantages
December 10, 2014 – February 1, 2015
By popular demand, WICKED, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to the Hollywood Pantages for an eight week holiday engagement December 10, 2014 – February 1, 2015.
Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED is the winner of over 50 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards. The blockbuster musical recently celebrated its 10th anniversary on Broadway, a milestone achieved by only ten other Broadway productions in history.
WICKED has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly. There are currently nine productions of the musical worldwide: New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), an Australian/Asian tour (Manila), Latin America (Mexico City), a U.K./Ireland Tour (Dublin), and two concurrent North American National Tours.
Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One – born with emerald-green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
Season Production #5
L.A. Premiere Engagement
NEWSIES
Hollywood Pantages
March 24 – April 19, 2015
NEWSIES, the direct from Broadway, crowd-pleasing new musical from Disney, will celebrate its L.A. Premiere with a four week engagement at Hollywood Pantages March 24 – April 19, 2015. Winner of the 2012 Tony Awards® for Best Score and Best Choreography, NEWSIES has audiences and critics alike calling it “A MUSICAL WORTH SINGING ABOUT!” (The New York Times).
NEWSIES features a Tony Award-winning score with music by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, with a book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, NEWSIES is directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, who won a 2012 Tony Award for his work.
Based on true events, NEWSIES tells the captivating story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York. It’s a rousing tale about fighting for what’s right…and staying true to who you are.
Season Production #6
L.A. Premiere Engagement
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL
Hollywood Pantages
April 28 – June 7, 2015
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy will celebrate its L.A. Premiere with a six week engagement at the Hollywood Pantages April 28 – June 7, 2015.
The hit Broadway musical follows Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more.
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL has been called “More than a Broadway show. A celebration of music that transformed America!” by CBS Sunday Morning News.
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, with a book by Berry Gordy and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL includes some of Gordy’s most legendary hits including “I Want You Back”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “I’ll Be There”, “My Girl”, “Please, Mr. Postman” & “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”.
MOTOWN’s creative team features choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Blues in the Night) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Bring It On: The Musical, Annie), costume design by Tony Award® nominee ESosa (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, “Project Runway”), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Once, Sister Act), sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, The Scottsboro Boys), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Jekyll and Hyde), hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe (Memphis) and casting by Telsey + Company.
Season Production #7
L.A. Premiere Engagement
Cameron Mackintosh’s Spectacular New Production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Hollywood Pantages
June 10 – July 26, 2015
Cameron Mackintosh’s Spectacular New Production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will celebrate its L.A. Premiere with a seven week engagement at the Hollywood Pantages June 10 – July 26, 2015.
With reinvented staging and scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the longest running show in Broadway history, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “It’s wonderful to have a new production of PHANTOM touring America now that the show has celebrated over 25 years on Broadway. Director Laurence Connor has done an amazing job and this production has received huge critical acclaim in the UK.”
Cameron Mackintosh said, ”After a glorious celebration of 25 phenomenal years on Broadway with no end in sight, I’m delighted to be able to bring this dazzling new production of PHANTOM — which has been phenomenally well-received by both audiences and critics in the UK this past year — to North America. With an exciting new design and staging, retaining Maria Björnson’s amazing costumes, I am confident North American audiences will fall in love with the PHANTOM in his new guise — for the first time or all over again.”
This production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is directed by Laurence Connor (the 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables – coming to Broadway March 2014, Jesus Christ Superstar) with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award winner Paule Constable, sound design by Mick Potter and musical supervision by John Rigby. The production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
Disney Interactive nnounced the new Nintendo 3DS game Disney Magical World will hit the Nintendo eShop and retail stores in North America in Spring 2014.
In Disney Magical World, players pick from a selection of characters and can customize with Disney-themed outfits and accessories. The personalized character explores the world by managing a café, planting crops, and collecting Disney character cards in a new magical world. Favorite Disney characters also join in the fun to find missing items and solve problems.
If there is one thing for sure about Audi, it’s that they know how to put on a show.
The event started off with a short cinematic film before Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), stepped out on stage as host to their Press Event with the charm and charisma to be expected from a veteran actor.
Kunal references Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Knight Rider, Herby Fully Loaded as well as I,Robot for movies that depict automated vehicles with driving assistance. It was clear where this presentation was going from here but we wont spoil that just yet.
An Audi from the 1930s pulls up on stage with CEO and President of Consumer Electronic Division, Gary Shapiro and Chairman of the Board of Management, Rupert Adler sitting in back. They step out front and center and speak of what we will refer to as an Era of Four.
First, man created the machine and we began to push it’s limits. Helmets, glasses and as much power we could put inside it.
Second was taming the machine. Making it work for the modern man. Turning what was once a novelty into an every day life tool.
Third, the era of today. Safety, technology, luxury, and convenience stand out as the priorities in design.
And lastly but not least of all, the 4th era. Refining the automobile is to redefining what we know as mobility. The future of automotive capability and design as man knows.
Adler went on discussion how people wish to be connected in that mobility used to only be about connecting people to their lives in a very broad way. But it is now about so much more. Connecting the driver to their vehicle, their surroundings, the traffic, and the infrastructure are all key components to the driving experience.
And with that, comes closing the gap between science fiction and the reality that are our roads.
Ulrich Hackenberg, VW lead design and Audi board member appeared on a back display speaking of driver assistance, piloted driving, and the new era this can take mankind into. This is not cruise control, mind you. But rather, the ability that a car can drive itself completely through location-based GPS technology and sensors to keep the driver safe. What if your car had a scanner that browsed hundreds of feet in every direction scanning MPH signs, broken and solid lines in the road and other cars? Well…
Just then a door opens up, a car without any seeable driver navigates itself to center stage. Along the side is a decal that says Audi Connect Piloted Driving – The New Dimension of Driving Pleasure.
This car just drove itself. Yes, really.
A small logic board (mother board, the brain inside any and all computers) the size of “an iPad”, known as the ZFas, contains 2.5 billion inputs per second to make decisions and control its actions so that it can take over for you as the driver in traffic, while driving, and while parking.
This is not a surprise as Audi last year at CES 2013 debuted parking assistance that in reality was knocking at the front door of this current idea on stage in front of idea. The ability to step out from your automobile and go about your business while it looked for an available open parking spot was enough to knock the socks off any and all who witnessed the presentation.
A second car, the Audi S3 Sedan then takes the stage, of course also driving on its own. This time with two different passengers, the President and CEO of NVIDIA, Jen Hsun Huang, and Ralph DE La Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility.
They reveal that this new era of automobile being pushed forward by Audi will be powered by AT&T’s own 4G LTE (the powerful and fast connection inside your smartphone) and NVIDIA’s Tegra K1, a 192 Core Super Chip, a piece of hardware revealed by NVIDIA the day before. These two pieces of tech will be put together to run the Automated Piloted Assistance in Audi’s vehicles.
Now 4G LTE is no stranger to Audi cars, having been introduced over Summer 2013, Audi became the first automotive company to incorporate this technology in their vehicles.
It was shortly after this that the entire stage faded to black along with the rest of the room. Lasers began shining about from the center of the stage before a group of breakdancers popped out covered in LEDs and entertaining the attendees with pop-lock moves to electronica. The audience was unaware of just how many were on screen at any time as they kept on disappearing and reappearing all over the stage sporadically only showing 3-5 in view at any given moment. It was not until the end that we saw a total of ten on stage for their final dance. If you are pondering the relevance of such a show, just know that we were too. That was until Audi revealed their new concept car.
700 horsepower, 90 miles per gallon, and Matrix LEDs (which explains the laser show beforehand) which extend beyond the length of five football fields.
This is Audi’s vision for the future of mobility. Just what will that ecosystem look like? Will future generations even drive? These are the questions that surround our future of driving, made clear by the mobility and connectivity of Audi’s commitment to redefine mobility as a whole.
Home entertainment is nothing new and television is the center of home entertainment. However, HD TVs and smart televisions have been sort of lack luster. SHARP is trying to change that by bringing 4 new series of large LED televisions for 2014. Starting off the most affordable large screen is the AQUOS HD 1080p. Don’t let the affordability fool you though. The images coming from these base line models were outstanding and come in 5 large sizes which bring the cinema experience home and an affordable price (even though prices were not announced). Next they introduced their AQUOS (Q)uattron which allows for higher resolution and contrast standard HD. The blacks are much deeper and the color appear more vibrant and pop off the screen and they come in 3 different sizes. SHARP also announced their AQUOS (Q)uattron + which has the technology from the Quattron television but also adds a billion more shades of color, 16 million sub pixels, more depth, and built-in up scaling and comes in 4 different sizes. Furthermore, SHARP says it’s the only HD television that is able to play 4K content which is amazing since consumers don’t have to pay a premium for a 4K television. SHARP also brought their 3 flagship 4K televisions which were absolutely amazing since they allow for 4x the resolution of standard HD. No pun intended but these televisions were sharp and the detail was out of this world. One reoccurring theme that has been seen throughout out CES these past years has been smart TVs and SHARP is no different. They have also added their SmartCental to these new lines of TVs. It’s a very clean interface and allows the users to search content easily and provides the user with different options of how, when, and where they can obtain and view the content instead of the user having to search through different sources. Is very intuitive and appears to be fairly snappy. Users can also connect their iOS and Android devices to these televisions with a free app. It allows the user to have further interaction with their music, movies, and pictures without the need to connect a peripheral to the television. Be sure to visit SHARP at SharpUSA.com to see what’s new for 2014!
Wearable technology is becoming more popular and Smart Watch company Pebble announced a new watch in their lineup. The new Pebble which is known as Pebble Steel is the premium to their previous generation watch with Corning Gorilla Glass and machined metal. Although Pebble was not present at CES, they held a live broadcast on their website. Pebble is still sticking to their e-paper display. They did add a LED notification to the display for charging although more notifications may be added later. Pebble also announced their own app store and have partnered with heavy hitters such as Pandora, Yelp, Mercedes, etc. to create some life changing applications for the Pebble and Pebble Steel. You can start ordering your Pebble Steel today although they will not be shipped until late January. Also expect to see the launch of the Pebble app store around the same time.
As to be expected from Samsung, the South Korean tech giant unveiled a slew of products at CES 2014. Among them were curved UHD displays reaching 105”, Galaxy Tab Pro and Galaxy Note Pros ranging from 8” to 12” sporting the latest version of Android and a variety of new features. Among these features included performance enhancements and a hefty battery life increase. Then came home appliances like laundry washers and dryers, and a very capable dish washer, all of which will be available later this year.
Perhaps the most interesting points in Samsung’s presentation were an embarrassing cameo from producer and director Michael Bay, which we will touch on later, and the introduction of the Samsung Smart Home.
Samsung Smart Home takes the concept of Disney Smart House (1999), and brings it to life with home automation. While you are in your kitchen making food, you can alert your Samsung refrigerator to play the movie your Samsung television is playing in the living room.
Voice commands control your every step, by connecting your devices, you can shout commands the home responds to. For example, by verbally expressing “theater mode”, your homes lights dim, 7.1 speakers adjust themselves for a movie-theater-like sound status, and you are ready to enjoy Bad Boys II for that late night romantic evening your significant other has been asking for.
Speaking of Bad Boys II…
Michael Bay (Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Bad Boys II) had a rather unusual presence at CES this afternoon. The director took the stage to support Samsung’s unveiling of a curved UHD display before storming off the stage in a rather embarrassing fashion.
Bay, whose stage presence lasted what seemed like barely a minute, stepped front and center after a rather explosive build-up of clips from his films like Armageddon, Bad Boys II, The Island, etc., and proceeded to read a single sentence from the Samsung teleprompter. In a rather humorous, albeit embarrassing turn of events, the teleprompter began having technical difficulties immediately after which caused Bay to stumble and flounder about while Joe Stinziano (we can’t pronounce it either), the Executive VP of Samsung Electronics America attempted to save Bay by pitching him questions to keep the conversation going. However the director, producer was overwhelmed and stormed off stage after being unable to improvise on the spot. Stinziano then followed it up with “That’s Vegas for you” and claimed Bay was a very busy man before continuing like nothing happened.
Huawei, the largest telecommunications maker in the world, had a few surprises of their own at CES. Having released their Ascend Mate, the largest display on a mobile phone at just over 6”, just last year, announced their Ascend Mate 2. The handset comes in at 9.5mm thin with its sleek new curved glass design, upgraded processor, 13MP rear-facing camera and 5MP front camera (selfies galore!), and improved battery life, was an impressive feat to behold.
CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, Richard Yu, took the stage to celebrate and showcase their new phone, sharing all of the devices great new features, while coincidentally pointing out the flaws of Google’s Android OS (a system that actually runs on the AM2), and expressed the difficulty in understanding how the system operates. Of course the light at the end of this tunnel was the Huawei spin on the system for the AM2 that promised what Yu referred to as “Super Simple Mode”, a clean tiled version of Android that boasted innovation, intuitiveness and ease of use, while also having a strong resemblance to Microsoft’s own Windows Mobile OS.
What’s more, is that throughout the entire presentation, Apple’s iPhone’s and screenshots of Apple’s native web browser Safari made considerable appearances behind Richard Yu while he spoke of the “power of mate” and its “best handling design”.
Anything far from a boring presentation, the CEO seemed to be a huge fan of taking selfies, as he highlighted the auto-enhancement features of the phone’s camera, as well as it’s front-facing 5 megapixels promising a younger look and better angles for selfies, and even a panoramic selfie mode for just the perfect selfie. We just said selfie nearly half of a dozen times. Still nowhere near as much as Richard Yu did.
The AM2 promises support on all carriers (likely all GSM) such as AT&T and T-Mobile. Look for this device later in 2014.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line of tablets, setting a new standard of mobile excellence, equipped with innovative and meaningful technology. Sporting four powerful devices in the lineup – the Galaxy NotePRO (12.2-inch), TabPRO (12.2, 10.1, 8.4-inch), Samsung’s Galaxy tablet portfolio redefines what a tablet can do.
“We created the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series to kick-off a year in which Samsung truly establishes its leadership in the tablet market,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “This new line offers the best-in-class content consumption and productivity, combining a stunning viewing experience with Samsung’s design legacy. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO truly demonstrate our commitment to providing our customers with extraordinarily versatile product offerings, tailored to tablet users of every description.”
Providing users with an extraordinary display and a matching feature set, the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series bring premium style and powerful performance in a single device. Created to satisfy every possible type of user case scenario, the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO combine a crystal-clear, WQXGA display for a world-class viewing experience, powerful productivity tools, and unique features with preloaded and free downloadable content, producing a superior mobile solution.
Introducing Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) – the Definitive Tablet Viewing Experience The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO present the world’s first 12.2-inch WQXGA Widescreen (16:10) display, offering crystal clear resolution (2560×1600) with more than 4 million pixels, making it an ideal platform for every type of content creation and consumption. With a larger viewing area, the defined screen allows users to enjoy stunning Full HD video play and view even more information at a glance. In addition to the industry-leading display, the devices have been designed with a sleek, light, slim frame that is both premium and highly portable.
A personalized Magazine UX, specifically optimized for a large screen, allows users to further tailor their Galaxy tablet experience for their own needs. The UX enables them to organize their favorite content in an easy-to-use dashboard with automatic feed or news updates and then quickly access the most frequently used apps for a more comfortable reading experience. By utilizing a screen size that is more comparable to traditional magazine-sized material, content is easier to view in its original format when reading digital magazines or e-books.
Powerful Partner for Productivity The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) come equipped with a variety of productivity tools to help users to manage both their personal and professional lives.
Multi Window enables users to split the screen up into four different windows and an innovative, Virtual Keyboard provides them with enough space to type comfortably, leveraging haptic feedback to produce a more realistic typing experience.
The Samsung S Pen included with the Galaxy NotePRO delivers a more responsive, productive and overall efficient tablet experience with access to features such as Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and S Finder. In addition, Pen Window enables users to simply draw a window of any size on the screen, and instantly access unique in-application features such as YouTube or a calculator.
Users can easily access and control their home or office PC directly through their Galaxy NotePRO or TabPRO with Remote PC in order to seamlessly edit and save files remotely.
The Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO also come pre-loaded with Cisco WebEx Meetings platform, the industry’s leading web conferencing solution that provides users with an easy way to meet with anyone, anywhere. And now for the first time on Android tablets, users can share anything on their screen as well as starting a WebEx meeting from contact list. Samsung e-Meeting provides collaboration capabilities by giving users the ability to share content during a meeting without having to access a central server or network.
Ultimate User Content Gift Package* For additional value and productivity right out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) will feature up to approximately $700 worth of the premium pre-paid, long-term subscription offers from best-selling news, social media and cloud storage providers, including: Bitcasa, Bloomberg Businessweek+, Blurb, Cisco WebEx Meetings, Dropbox, Easilydo Pro for Tablet, Evernote, Hancom Office for Android, LinkedIn, LIVESPORT.TV, NY Times, Oxford Advanced Learner’s A-Z, and Sketchbook Pro (content packages may vary by region).
The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line will come in various connectivity options: WiFi Only, WiFi and 3G, or WiFi and LTE. Users can choose between the 12.2-inch Galaxy NotePRO that comes with an included S Pen, and the 12.2-inch Galaxy TabPRO, Galaxy TabPRO 10.1-inch and 8.4-inch without the S Pen.
Designed to extend productivity even further, the following optional accessories are also available for purchase with the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO: Various Book Covers, USB LAN HUB, Universal BT Keyboard and S Action Mouse (accessories may vary by product model).
The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablet line will be offered globally and will be available starting from Q1, 2014.
VOXX Electronics Corp (VEC), a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of VOXX International Corp. (NASDAQ: VOXX), and EyeLock Inc., a market leader of iris-based identity authentication solutions, today announced a strategic partnership to deliver myris™, a USB-enabled iris identity authenticator that offers the most convenient and secure way to authenticate your digital identity.
Iris authentication has been available to corporations and enterprises for years, but no platform has been simple enough for consumers to use in everyday situations. myris changes all that with its patented iris authentication technology from Eyelock. myris works by converting an individual’s iris patterns to a code unique only to that person, then matches that code to your eyes to grant access to the devices and digital platforms.
“Fraud and identity theft cost businesses and consumers millions every year. Companies large and small have struggled to provide a level of security that protects against this,” said Tom Malone, President of VOXX Electronics Corp. “With myris, any business regardless of size can protect itself from fraud and any consumer can protect the thing that is most important, their personal information and their identity.”
myris uses EyeLock’s proven video based iris authentication technology, providing an unprecedented level of security. It’s simple to use—myris simply plugs into any USB compatible device and provides security for up to five users in mere seconds. myris is compatible with Windows 7 and 8, Mac OS and Chrome OS. Whether in the workplace, at home or on the road, users will have peace of mind knowing access to their digital worlds is secure.
“Eyelock is the only iris authentication technology to employ fast motion video and dual eye authentication, allowing us to provide a more seamless, simple and user-friendly experience, with unparalleled levels of security,” said Jim Demitrieus, Chief Executive Officer, EyeLock “Partnering with VOXX Electronics guarantees our technology will reach the broadest possible audience and propel digital security into the next era.”
Malone continued, “We have one of the finest distribution networks in the world that includes specialists, mass merchants and power retailers in every consumer electronics market and our intention is to market this product throughout the network.” Malone concluded. “We will also be focusing our efforts on the enterprise markets where we believe there is enormous potential in business, banking and the medical fields.”
TERK, a brand of VOXX International Corp. (NASDAQ: VOXX), announced today the launch of MyWayTV with Roku® streaming, the first product to give consumers HD over-the-air and streaming programming in an all-in-one package. It’s the most affordable way to enjoy TV.
“The value proposition for MyWayTV is simple: there’s a world of free and à la carte TV entertainment content out there. We have the one product that can get it all for you,” said David Geise, President of VOXX Accessories Corporation. “With its unsurpassed, patented over-the-air reception technology and breakthrough single-component design, MyWayTV will revolutionize home entertainment. Consumers will have access to the Roku platform and can choose from thousands of channels, and control everything from a single remote. With MyWayTV, the consumer has the freedom to choose.”
MyWayTV features best-in-class omni-directional digital reception technology from TERK and streaming entertainment provided by Roku. With more than 1,000 channels of entertainment to choose from, MyWayTV offers variety and quality of programming that traditional TV can’t match, all for less than the cost of two months of a cable or satellite subscription.
Geise concluded, “The universe of over-the-top and over-the-air programming options is expanding faster than any other part of the market. Millions of consumers are waking up to these new entertainment possibilities every year. MyWayTV is the easiest, most affordable option, offering one payment and one product to connect.”
The MyWayTV entertainment system includes the set-top box, all necessary connection cables, a system remote and the Roku Streaming Stick™. MyWayTV will be available online and in stores this spring at a MSRP of $169.99.
Disney Legend, author and Cal State Fullerton alumna Martha Blanding will speak at a CSUF commencement ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social...
