by Joe Gillis, Aug 10 2011 // 10:00 AM
With all the ways available to be entertained and pass the time, people still like to read. In fact Amazon is betting you’ll want at least one more way to read eBooks you’ve purchased from them and have today debuted a brand new way to do it: the web-based Kindle Cloud Reader.
This new service provides users with access to their entire Kindle library using Chrome or Safari on Mac, PC, Linux and the Chromebook. Kindle Cloud Reader is also optimized for the iPad and offers a caching feature for offline reading, which is nice.
To get started, go to http://read.amazon.com and, when prompted, install the required plug-in. That’s pretty much it. I gave the service a try late last night and liked it. It’s another great way to read your Kindle content if you don’t have your ipad or Kindle handy.
Although, I still prefer the Kindle for reading or, in a pinch, the iPad Kindle App. Still, it’s nice to see Amazon continuing to innovate in this area and also potentially find ways to get around Apple’s sometimes difficult iTunes Store rules. Can’t blame them for that.
For more details, click through for the full press release.
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Posted in: Books · News · Tech
Tagged: Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader, Apple, Books, eBooks, iPad, Kindle, Kindle App, Reading
by Matt Raub, Aug 10 2011 // 9:00 AM
Who doesn’t love taking down your friends or those punk teens in an online game of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3? The worst part has to be when your cheap headset craps out right before you’re able to give your victory chant and put that n00b in their place. Turtle Beach is helping you out with a brand new line of limited edition headsets.
Starting this week, the leading video game accessories company will announce several brand new headsets, each with their own special personality and uniqueness that is a must for any real gamer. Yesterday, the Ear Force FOXTROT hit the web, while the CHARLIE hits today, followed by BRAVO tomorrow and DELTA on Friday.
Here’s the official release, and be sure to check out the full-sized images after the jump.
The Ear Force DELTA headset ships with custom voice prompts by Lt. Col. Hank Keirsey (ret.). Army Ranger, master parachutist and decorated combat veteran, Keirsey served 24 years with the US Army and now serves as the principal military advisor for Call of Duty®. It’s his voice that will lead you into battle, and inform you on your preset choices in the field.
The Ear Force DELTA and Ear Force BRAVO wireless models feature Turtle Beach’s proprietary DSP headset technology that elevates these headsets beyond mere accessories with the inclusion of custom-designed presets. These settings are specific to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 and come stored in the headsets right out of the box.
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Posted in: Announcements · Fandom · Games · Gear · Geek · Hardware · News · Video Games
Tagged: Accessories, Call of Duty, Headphones, Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 3, Turtle Beach, Video Games, Wireless
by Matt Raub, Aug 10 2011 // 8:00 AM
While Tropic Thunder may have been one of the best satires of the Hollywood system and funniest comedies of the past few years, one thing that every person who saw the film couldn’t help but love was the collection of fake movie trailers preempting the film.
Ben Stiller, director of Thunder and the brains behind most of the trailers as well as the classic Heat Vision & Jack pilot, has decided that there’s more than enough interest from fans to support doing more parody trailers that will stand on their own. Here’s the full deal from Deadline.
The new project, essentially a series of at least 12 short trailer parodies, will be distributed online via a partner to be named shortly. The plan is to bring together top actors and filmmakers across all genres to take part. I’m now told that they’ll come one per week, starting in the late fall or winter.
Stiller will produce with Stuart Cornfeld and Mike Rosenstein through Red Hour Digital, with longtime Red Hour collaborator Robert Cohen exec producing and directing some of the shorts. Among the actors and directors who’ll contribute content are Stiller’s Tropic Thunder co-writer Justin Theroux, Night at the Museum scribes Tom Lennon & Ben Garant, and Clueless helmer Amy Heckerling.
Expect to see more directors show interest in this project, as Robert Rodriguez and his band of genre and horror friends have been attempting the same thing after Grindhouse was such a cult success.
Posted in: Announcements · Comedy · Fandom · Movies · New Media · News · Trailers · Web
Tagged: Amy Heckerling, Ben Garant, Ben Stiller, Clueless, Justin Theroux, Mike Rosenstein, Red Hour Digital, Stuart Cornfield, The Fake Trailer Project, Tom Lennon, Tropic Thunder
by Sebastian Suchecki, Aug 10 2011 // 7:00 AM
Things have been to fast with Disney’s non-animated studio, Buena Vista. With films like Tron: Legacy, Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides, and a few other gigantic pictures getting released in the past year, why not release a small feel good tale about two parents having a magical kid?
With a story by Ahmet Zappa (yes, THAT Ahmet Zappa), the film is definitely a bit saccharin and sappy for an audience who has been fed Nazis, Apes, and Aliens all summer. Here’s the premise:
An inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim—and their small town of Stanleyville—learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.
The film definitely has the feel of a Phenonenon or Powder from the mid-90s. Let’s just hope this film doesn’t end on the same sad note. Check out the trailer after the jump and catch the film in theaters next Fall.
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Posted in: Disney · Drama · Fantasy · Kids · Movies · News · Trailers · Video
Tagged: Ahmet Zappa, Buena Vista, CJ Adams, Disney, Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, The Odd Life of Timothy Green
by Chris Ullrich, Aug 9 2011 // 3:30 PM
Let’s just say we like the Call of Duty franchise and leave it at that. With each successive version, the game gets better and better and features a more diverse set of challenges and ways to, well, blow stuff up.
The action looks to continue with the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. But today, we’re talking about a special piece of that new game: The “Spec Ops” mode. This mode will feature a new progressive ranking system, online matchmaking system and leaderboards.
Just another way the Call of Duty franchise plans on engaging and challenging players for years to come. To help you fully comprehend the awesomeness of the “Spec Ops” mode, we’ve got a trailer for it to share with you today.
Check it out in its full glory after the break. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will release worldwide on November 8, 2011.
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Posted in: Games · News · Trailers · Video Games
Tagged: Activision, Call of Duty, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, CODWM3, First Person Shooter, FPS, Games, Gaming, Modern Warfare, Spec Ops Mode, Treyarch
by Joe Gillis, Aug 9 2011 // 2:00 PM
I don’t know about you out there at other companies but we here at The Flickcast are a diverse group located in several different locations across the U.S., Canada and more. One of the ways we keep in touch and get things done is with the great innovation called Skype.
We’ve been using it for quite some time and are pleased to report that it has been updated to version 5.3 for Mac OS X. The update adds support for Apple’s latest OS X Lion operating system as well as HD video chat. Users will now be able to send and receive HD-quality video using their built-in Mac webcams or other HD-capable cameras external cameras. Nice.
According to Skype, HD will work best for those with internet connections that can maintain at least 1.5Mbps upload/download throughput. So those of you on dialup are out of luck. And really, why are you still on dialup anyway? Time to move on. The software is compatible with with OS X Leopard and later versions of Apple’s OS.
Posted in: Apple · News · Software · Tech
Tagged: Lion, Mac OS X, Mac OS X Lion, Skype, Skype 5.3, Skype HD, Software, Software Updates, Video Chat, VOIP
by The Flickcast, Aug 9 2011 // 11:00 AM
Now that San Diego Comic-Con 2011 is far enough in the rear view mirror for us to safely say we had a good time and forget all the long days and blackout nights that took place, we are pretty happy with how this year turned out.
Between amazing interviews we had with stars like Felicia Day, Katee Sackhoff, Paul Scheer, the cast of Black Dynamite, Mark Hamill, John Barrowman, Eliza Dushku and many more, and the extensive coverage we got of the events going on at the show, we consider this year’s Comic-Con a big success.
As we’ve done in years past, we put together this highlight reel showcasing some of the great stuff we had at the show this year.
Big thanks to our newest team member Eric Medina who helped us out at the show and put together the reel below. Check it out and keep an eye out for more exclusive interviews and in-depth reviews coming straight to you!
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Posted in: Action · Comedy · Comic-Con · Events · Exclusive · Fandom · Movies · News · SDCC 11 · TV · Video
Tagged: Black Dynamite, Eliza Dushku, Fandom, Felicia Day, John Barrowman, Katee Sackhoff, Mark Hammill, Paul Scheer, SDCC, SDCC11
by Joe Gillis, Aug 9 2011 // 10:00 AM
It’s another great day for those of you currently using Googles new Google+ service and also Apple’s iPad or iPod Touch. Why? Because it’s the day Google has finally released an update for the app for iOS and made it work with not only the iPhone but the iPad and iPod Touch too.
The new version of the app not only works with all iOS devices it also adds Huddle settings and aggregated circle add notifications, a nice couple of improvements. If you recall, Google first launched Google+ on Android and then a few weeks later for the iPhone. At that point, iPad and iPod Touch users were left wanting. No more.
If you haven’t had a chance to try Google+ yet, see if you can convince one of your friends already using it to send you an invite. Or, if you really want one, drop us a note in the comments and we’ll see what we can do.
If you’re already rocking Google+ and want to get the new, updated app, head on over to the iTunes Store. Oh, as a special bonus, we can also confirm that this version of the Google+ app now works with a certain Beta version of iOS that’s coming soon. But please, don’t tell Apple we said so.
Posted in: Google · Mobile · Mobile Apps · News · Tech
Tagged: Apple, Facebook, Google, Google Plus, iOS, iOS 4, iOS 5, iPad, iPad 2, iPhone, iPhone 4, iPod Touch, Mobile, Social Networking, Tech
by Matt Raub, Aug 9 2011 // 9:00 AM
Marvel and Disney have been on a roll this year with their films Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. Both films have pulled in three quarters of a billion dollars in the worldwide box office, and that number is still growing. So what’s the plan now?
Joss Whedon’s Avengers is already half in the can, and films like Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 are already in the works for a 2012/2013 release, but Disney has just inked a deal for two Marvel films to get 2014 releases on May 16 and June 27. What could those films be?
Popular opinion states that the June 27th release will likely be a sequel to Captain America, which makes the most amount of sense, as it’s a good amount of time after the first round of sequels hits. Another thought is a possible Hulk sequel/reboot as Mark Ruffalo is progressing the character’s story in next year’s Avengers.
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Posted in: Action · Announcements · Comics · Disney · Fantasy · Marvel · Marvel Studios · Movies · News · Sci-Fi
Tagged: Ant-Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, D23, Disney, Doctor Strange, Edgar Wright, Hulk, Joe Cornish, Joss Whedon, Marvel, Marvel Studios, Runaways, SHIELD, The Avengers, Thor
by John Carle, Aug 9 2011 // 8:00 AM

When DC Universe Online launched earlier this year, it was possible to recreate almost any character, classic or modern, that fans of comics have loved for decades. There was one group of heroes and villains though that was noticeably left out in terms of power sets though. The Lanterns. Green, Red, Yellow, Blue and all the others had no presence in DC Universe Online from the player community. Sure they could fight alongside Hal Jordan but without a power ring of their own where is the fun in that?
Coming at the end of summer, the Fight for the Light expansion comes to DC Universe Online allowing ring based power sets to create a new array of combat options. Boxing gloves, freight trains, fighter jets, machine guns and more all produced by little green rings will up the ante in DCUO.
At Comic-Con, Mark Anderson from Sony Online Entertainment spoke with The Flickcast about what we would see in this expansion. In addition to seeing sights like Coast City or the Science Cells on Oa, the expansion will also help wrap up the story with Brainiac and the anomalies of the power rings. Players will be given the role as Corps Reserve members to help explain why so many lanterns are running around in a single sector.
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Posted in: Comic-Con · Comics · DC · DC Entertainment · Exclusive · Games · Interviews · PC Games · Playstation 3 · PlayStationNetwork · SDCC 11 · Video Games
Tagged: Batman, DC, dc comics, DC Entertainment, DC Universe Online, Expansion, Fight for the Light, Green Lantern, MMO, MMOs, PC, PC Games, Playstation 3, PS3, SOE, Sony, Sony Online Entertainment, Superman, Video Games
by Sebastian Suchecki, Aug 9 2011 // 7:00 AM
Just when you thought FX’s hit comedy about a group of guys and their fantasy football league couldn’t get any more uproarious and funny, they’re adding one of the bigger names in comedy today to the mix for the season 3 premiere, as Seth Rogen gets cast as the infamous Dirty Randy.
The character is pretty famous to those who watch the show, and we’re finally getting a face to the name this season. TV Guide has the full scoop.
Creators and executive producers Jackie and Jeff Schaffer promised fans last year that they would reveal the oft-mentioned, but never-seen friend of Rafic(Jason Mantzoukas)if the comedy was picked up for a third season.
“As the legend of Dirty Randy grew among our fans — is that Dirty Randy? Is that a shot of Dirty Randy? — we realized we really have to step up here,” Jeff Schaffer told TVGuide.com Saturday. “We started talking about who the funniest people we know who aren’t on the show already, and [Rogen] was at the top of the list.”
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Posted in: Announcements · Casting · Celebrities · Comedy · Fall Previews · FX · News · TV
Tagged: Dirty Randy, FX, Jeff Schaffer, Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, Seth Rogen, The League
by Douglas Barnett, Aug 8 2011 // 12:00 PM
This week’s pick is Hiroshima (1995), which was a made for T.V. mini series on Showtime Network, and was directed by both Koreyoshi Kurahara and Roger Spottiswoode . The film is about the events that led up to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan during the tail end of World War II. The film is told through the eyes of both American and Japanese militarists, and civilians who were responsible, and were greatly affected by the decision to use the bombs.
The film stars Kenneth Welsh (president Harry S. Truman), Ken Jenkins (Secretary of State James F. Byrnes), Wesley Addy (Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson), Richard Masur (Maj. General Leslie Groves), Colin Fox (Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal), George R. Robertson (Admiral William D. Leahy), Saul Rubinek (Professor Leo Szilard), Cedric Smith (Gen. Curtis Lemay), Bernard Behrens (Asst. Secretary of War John J. McCloy), Jeffrey DeMunn (J. Robert Oppenheimer), Tim West (Prime Minister Winston Churchill), Naohiko Umewaka (Emperor Hirohito), Kazuo Kato (Prince Fumimaro Konoe), Ken Maeda (Minister of War Korechika Anami), and Hisashi Igawa (Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo).
Hiroshima sets the tone of the film almost immediately with the death of president Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. His reluctant successor Harry S. Truman assumes the presidency and quickly learns of the secret government project that has devised a “gadget” which will help end the war first in Europe. Welsh, who is the spitting image of Truman, plays him to perfection. Other actors play the their historical counterparts the same.
Other notable standouts are Masur as General Groves who was the military mind behind the Manhattan Project that created both bombs at the Los Alamos, New Mexico laboratories. One of my favorite characters in the film is played by Wesley Addy who plays Henry L. Stimson, the Secretary of War. Stimson pleaded with Truman that the use of such a weapon could create a new arms race for atomic weapons in the near future. One scene in the film that has been debated by historians for decades is the meeting between Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard (Rubinek) and James Byrnes (Jenkins) at Byrne’s home in South Carolina.
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Posted in: Drama · DVD · Netflix · Reviews · Showtime · War · War Movie Mondays
Tagged: Bernard Behrens, Cedric Smith, Colin Fox, George R. Robertson, Hisashi Igawa, Jeffery DeMunn, Kazuo Kato, Ken Jenkins, Ken Maeda, Kenneth Welsh, Koreyoshi Kurahara, Naohiko Umewaka, Richard Masur, Roger Spottiswoode, Saul Rubinek, Tim West, Wesley Addy