I've always been a fan of the 'Call of duty' series, and I have spent many hours (and hard earned cash) playing these.  It's safe to say that I love them...... And I know that the game play doesn't change much from release to release, but it just speaks to me. So I have to say that I'm excited about the new 'Call of Duty: Black Ops II'.

It looks like they're moving the series to the future, and getting out of the '60s. I can not wait to see the weapons that you can use.

It's open season on noobs!!!

Imagine If 'Star Wars Episode I' Was A Good Movie.... NSFW

With the re-release of 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' in 3D, I get a chance to share and relive the Star Wars expirence with my son. But one thing that it has done is make me take another look at the prequels, and wish that those movies could have been better. If you've seen some of my previous posts about the subject of George Lucas and how he desperately NEEDS help with script writing, then you know how I already feel about this.

But clearly I'm not the only one who feels this way.

The folks at Belated Media has asked the same questions, and came up with a more streamlined plot that Lucas should have gone with. Like NOT killing off Darth Maul in the very first movie (such a waist of a good bad guy), and actually making Obi-Wan the focus point of the series. It is very intriging look at the 'Phantom Menace' and makes you wish that George had taken a more simple approach to the prequel's.

The video is a little NSFW because it has some language (F-Bombs) so be careful with the volume. But if you're a Star Wars fan, it is certainly worth a look.

[io9]

Caption this!

Here's mine:

Should've kept that targeting computer on, numb nuts.

http://thegreatgeekmanual.com/

George Lucas Says He Will Never Make Another Star Wars Movie

I think this is some of the best news that has come out of the mouth of George Lucas in some time. Apparently George has decided not to make any more Star Wars movies because of YOU! In an interview with the New York Times, Lucas states that all the criticism about the changes he has made to the original films has hurt his feelings. Instead of listening to his fans he has lashed out at them. Check the quote:

"On the internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie. I'm saying: 'Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it."

With that said, George states that the new movie "Red Tails" will be his last "Blockbuster" movie. I'm a huge Star Wars fan but considering what he's done to the resent movies, I can't say that this is a bad thing. I'm a reader of many of the new Star Wars books that has expanded the series well beyond the known movies, and I have to say many of those books are superior to what Lucas has come up with. In fact I have seen episodes of the TV series 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' that were better than some of what Lucas has come up with. Lets face it, arguably the best Star Wars installment was 'The Empire Strikes Back', which happen to be the one movie that he had the least involvement with. He didn't direct it (Irvin Kershner), and although he wrote the story, it still needed to be tweaked by screenplay writers (Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan) for public consumption. Watching George's "unfiltered" work is brutal at best. But craving new Star Wars movies and a major money maker, 20th Century Fox felt compelled to allow Lucas the freedom that he had always wanted...... hence, the prequels.

And we all know how those turned out.... Major money maker, but not the soul that the originals had.

And although I am grateful to George for coming up with the Star Wars universe, my hope is that he turns over the licensing to his kids one day. Allowing them to bring in better writers that are more talented than Lucas ever was.

Sorry George..... Can't say that my feelings are hurt with that statement.

[io9]

Goodbye Steve.....

I just didn't know what to say......

That was my first thought when I got the news (on my iPhone) of Steve Jobs passing. The people who know me also know how I've come to respect over recent years Steve, and all of his products that Apple produced. I'm a Senior Windows Systems Engineer, and my world was built around Microsoft. I remember countless debates over the years with other Macheads about who had the better product, or who has the larger impact to the world. I was convinced that the only people who bought Apple products were elitist jerks who thought that they were somehow better because they spent more money on a computer or MP3 player.

Until my now wife bought me an iPod.

I couldn't believe how elegant it looked, how much music it could hold, and how fast it was. It was simple, and it just worked. I was sure that this would be the only Apple product that I would succumb to, and that Apple really had nothing more to offer me than this. But Steve Jobs changed my thinking, he changed my life and how I do things, he simply changed the world. I realized that Steve Jobs drive to make our lives better was the very reason that changed my mind. It wasn't about a quick turn of profits or to push Apple's stock to its highest. It was simply to change the world and how we do things. I realized that if he built a better computer, a better phone, a better tablet, that other companies would have to play catch up and it would push technology. It would make the world better!

Now the owner of several Apple products..... I get it now.

Thank you Steve Jobs!

I will miss you....

29 Year Old Woman Hears Her Voice For The First Time

Sometimes you think the iPad, Android, or iPhone is the coolest tech out there. This young lady proves that those are a far cry from the coolest.

It's stuff like this is why I dig technology!!!

Check the quote:

"I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I received a hearing implant. This is the video of them turning it on and me hearing myself for the first time :)".

So cool!!

[i09]

Tim Cook Is The New Sheriff In Town, As Steve Jobs Rides Off Into The Sunset

So after having a moment to digest the Steve Jobs resignation, I've come to some conclusions about the future of Apple. The first is plain and simple...... Apple is not going anywhere. Regardless of what the naysayers think, the future of Apple is very bright. Steve Jobs laid the foundation with products that have, and will continue to change the way we interact with technology. As long as new CEO Tim Cook surrounds himself with smart innovative people who share the same drive of perfection as Jobs did, there's no reason to believe the gravy train will stop.

The trick here is not to compromise.....

That is what made Jobs better than everyone else. He wasn't just happy with competing with other tech companies. He wanted to completely change the way things were done, and he was brilliant at it. No mobile phone company executive thought the masses were interested in a phone that could bring you more than calls and email. Jobs had the foresight to understand how a phone could change the way we do things in our everyday life. The iPod changed the way we listened to music, and how we looked at physical media in general. And the iPad is set to change the landscape of mobile computers.

Steve Jobs has the knack to understand what people want is to simplify their life using technology, and bringing that to them automagicly. And this is the middle ground that Tim Cook finds himself in. Tim Cook needs to figure out how to do this, all the while keeping the "Apple Experience" with any new product that is produced under his watch. Living up to Jobs ability to be half leader and half fortune teller is a daunting task for anyone to live up to. And I certainly don't envy the job ahead of him.

But one thing is certain........ If Steve Jobs picked him as his successor, then that's good enough for me.

"The Amazing Spiderman" Trailer Hits The Net

I don't think that this franchise needed a reboot, as the Sam Rami Spiderman isn't that old. I know that it's all the rage to make changes to a well known story (i.e. Star Trek), however when a story was just used in a movie less than ten years ago, I think it's a mistake. Take a look at the first trailer for "The Amazing Spiderman" and let me know if you think this has the same soul as the Sam Rami versions.

[aintitcool.com]

New Zelda commercial with Robin Williams

This is actually a pretty good commercial.  Reminds me of the World of Warcraft commercials with Mr. T and others.  I hope more celebrities with geek cred will be chosen for future commercials.

"Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic" Trailer Brings Light Sabers To Another Level

Never really got into the "Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic" series but wow, I might have to reconsider that thought process. I have to say that this was one of the most impressive light saber duels I've ever seen (movie or otherwise).

[Crunchgear]