Break-stuff Bane

The new movie poster for next summer's Dark Knight Rises is out. See Bane? Those familiar with the comic book story line (and Superman's!) may see a bit more woven in the poster than the average fan, but still, pretty dark, right? And so, the legend ends, they say. Well, I suppose all great, awesome, amazing things must come to a conclusion eventually. Though director and writer Christopher Nolan (seriously, standing ovation) apparently is finishing up his own personal Batman trilogy, it is likely that hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office will equal future Bruce Wayne stories coming to the screen from separate sources. (Do I make a New 52 reference here?)

Anyway, in other news, should you be heading out to see the new Mission Impossible entry MI: Ghost Protocol, consider heading to one of the IMAX theaters slated to be showing an exclusive 6-minute preview of Dark Knight Rises on Dec. 16.

Who else is getting excited?

Enter the Batman

Some of the scenes for the new Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, that is slated to come out next summer are being filmed in Newark, N.J. Production was scheduled for Thursday and Friday in the city.

As a mega Batman fan and lover of pretty much all things DC Comics, how awesome would it be to take part in that — even to just catch a few glimpses of the cast? Hopefully, Newark Mayor Cory Booker (follow him on Twitter) gets to enjoy some of that; I hear he's a comic book geek, too!

Sigh. Where does he get those wonderful toys? Where, indeed. 

Full story: Batman movie to film in Newark

P.S. I need Batman: Arkham City to happen to me. Birthday presents?

Apple calls it 'magical'

Apple CEO Steve Jobs shows off the new iPad
during an event Wednesday. By the way,
am I the only one who thinks he looks
like he's going to kiss it? (Paul Sakuma/AP)

The iPad, Apple's new entry in the tablet category, is finally here, ladies and gentlemen.

General reception, besides some snickering at the name (come on, I heard you laughing, too), seems fairly positive. But, what does it offer besides a pretty display? Will it have the easy elegance and power that the iPhone offers?

The basics:
• The iPad has a 9.7-inch touch screen, is a half-inch thick, weighs 1.5 pounds
• It comes with 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes of flash memory storage
• The basic models will cost $499, $599 and $699, depending on the storage size
• All models have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity built in; a version with pay-as-you-go 3G data plans from AT&T will be available in the U.S., but those models will cost more depending on memory
• The Wi-Fi only version will be available worldwide in March, and the 3G version in April.

Anyway, as much as I whined and pouted, I wasn't able to manage a hands-on with the device, so I'm still formulating my final opinion on it. But other bloggers have plenty of thoughts to offer:

• Engadget gets to play with the iPad and compares 3G costs on the iPhone vs. iPad.
• Pulptone: How the iPad could affect the comic book industry
• New York Times: With Apple Tablet, Print Media Hope for a Payday
• MSNBC: iPad reactions: Nothing could have met hype

So, who wants one? I know I do :)

Wish I were there

For the curious (aka everyone on the planet):
Engadget and MacLife (among many, many others) are live-blogging the Apple news conference event. Join in!

P.S. Apple is calling their lovely new creation an iPad. We'll discuss later. :)

Think different(ly), squared

So, a very important leader to millions across the United States of America will take to the podium tomorrow. His carefully crafted speech likely will deliver great news, news so many have been waiting with bated breath to hear. News that could shape a generation. News that will make techies either groan or squeal with unequaled, unabashed joy.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is seen
during an Apple event in September
in San Francisco
(File Photo / AP)

Yup, you got it: I'm not talking about President Obama and his State of the Union address — I'm talking about Steve Jobs and the Apple announcement slated for 10 a.m. (PST) Wednesday.


"Come see our latest creation," Apple beckons. Such mystery. Rumors everywhere suggest that the focus of the news conference will be the ever elusive tablet. But the tiniest of supposed intel leaks to (by?) the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere (Read iJournalism: Why Even Steve Jobs Can't Keep Secrets Anymore) has produced more questions than placated any suppositions. What will it do? What will it look like? What will they call it? What in the world were they thinking?

But seriously, what if the new Apple product being announced tomorrow is NOT a tablet? Will a plague befall mankind? What if, all along, Apple intended to introduce something else, and we all ruined it. I imagine the product marketing meeting could have gone something like this:

Jobs: "So, we all ready with the iPhone 3D with helicopter capabilities?"
Designer: "Yes, Mr. Jobs, we even added in a button that turns your phone into a voice-controlled car, but listen! Everyone thinks we're making a tablet."
Jobs: "But we did make a tablet... in, like, 1994. They didn't like it."
Board member: "No, she means the public thinks we're making a new one that will be far more awesome than that. Like an iPhone, but bigger."
Jobs: "Nothing's more awesome than an iPhone."
Designer: "Yeah, I know, right, but we designers were bored the other day and totally already made a new tablet if you want to go ahead and debut that instead!"
Jobs: "Fine, I guess so. If that's what the people want, but..."
Board member: "Do it. Otherwise Google, our evil frenemy, will beat us to it, and then I — and my money — will be sad."
Jobs: "Tablet it is."

For serious, though, tablet or no, what will Apple and its new product be bringing to 2010? Will it revolutionize? Add a new challenger to the e-book battle? Ultimately disappoint? I can't wait to find out :)

Lo, hark, the video game gods sing

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" for PS3.
The game also is available for XBox 360 and PC.

That sound you hear is fanboys everywhere shrieking and ripping the shrink wrapping from their finally obtained copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

While the game was highly anticipated for quite some time — it's expected to top half a billion dollars in sales! — remember this, Game Boys and Girls: Wednesday is Veterans Day.

Between multiplaying and high-fiving and cooing over the animation action, take a moment to reflect on all the men and women who served for this country in real warfare.

All right. At ease, soldier.

Save the princess, save some dough

God of War 2 for PS2: A fairly
solid game... if a bit too short
and simple

My absolutely adorable handsome younger brother (who, sadly, at 12, is already taller than me) spends a large chunk of his free time not already claimed by homework, reading and various sports practices playing video games on nearly every console system imaginable. To him (and my cousins and his friends), one of my awe-worthy accomplishments is that I've beaten him (and my cousins and my other brother) in nearly every one of those games. Yup, I might be bragging just a little.


Anyway, yes I'm a big gamer, but — like many shoppers, I assume — I'm slow to purchase consoles. I find it hard to justify giving in to those increasingly higher and higher prices for the system and the games. Wow, I haven't gotten a new console since I was given a Playstation 2 by my older brother so many moons ago. So, while little bro can jump easily between Nintendo Wii and Microsoft XBox controllers, I stick to the Nintendo DS Lite and PSP handhelds and replays of PS2's God of War 2 as I wait patiently for prices to drop.

Nintendo Wii

But good news in tech blog land! It's been rumored that Nintendo will be dropping the price of the Wii $50 to a sweeter-sounding $200. Maybe not a lot, but remember: that's the price of a game or two!

The price drop might not change your mind about purchasing a Wii if you were unsure before, but if you've been hovering near a Toys R Us ever since the gaming console's 2006 release (and bemoaned its subsequent forever sold-out status due to its blow-your-mind popularity), this is just the news you've been waiting for. Read the story

Sony Playstation 3, which
also is now available in a
"slim" model, launched Sept. 1

In other gaming news, in addition to Sony dropping the price of it's 80-gig PS3 (to $299), it also is planning to launch a new motion controller this spring (Read the story).

Question is, despite all the pretty graphics, solid game library and Blu-ray bells and whistles, can the struggling game system catch up to the Wii with a controller? Time will tell if it's as fun and functional as what Nintendo has going.

Anyway, rumor has it the Nintendo Wii price drop will take effect beginning this Sunday. Just in time for some early holiday shopping, perhaps? Sounds good to me :)