Another day, another round of comics! Today we discuss
JLA: Cry for Justice Issue #1
Blackest Knight Prologue
Resurrection #2
The Sword #18
Dark X-Men #1
We also have a round table discussion about Death and Dying in the Comic Book Industry and what it means to today’s comic book reader. Paul makes a jerk of himself by answering a phone call while recording as well.
We get together for our tech/movie/gadgets segment where we discuss the Transformers film, the iPhone as a sound recording device and a host of other things that we can’t quite remember. But it’s still fun, promise.
Another week another comic book edition. We apologize for the crap sound quality on this episode. We’ve finally beaten Paul into submission and made him use a different microphone instead of his craptastic lav mic. He’ll start using that mic in next week’s show. You also here some echo in Shawn because he sits across from Paul, so Paul’s mic picks up Shawn a second time. A pain in the arse.
We get together for the first time in a long time. Lots of scheduling conflicts along the way but we’re finally back! We just kind of shoot the breeze about some of the tech/dork stories we missed while we were gone.
TECH
Blue Ray in every home? Severe price drop this holiday
Blu-ray in every home? Backers aim for $99 players - Ars Technica
More brands and no name manufacturers will be hitting the Blue Ray hardware market, hoping to expand the market penetration and increase Blue Ray disc sales over the holidays. Experts say cheap hardware will not have the same impact cheap dvd players had in supplanting VHS players, because of increasing competition from digital downloads, digital streaming and upscaled DVDs.
TECH
Time Warner Cable backs down on data caps; bandwidth costs scrutinized
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/the-price-gouging-premiums-of-time-warner-cables-data-caps.ars
Time Warner Cable, stung by online criticism of its paltry traffic caps (in tests, these have ranged form 5GB/month to 40GB/month) and ludicrous pricing schemes, has taken to the ‘Net to defend its sullied honor.
Time Warner Cable COO Landel Hobbs wrote earlier this week of the need for people to pay for the bandwidth they consume. “When you go to lunch with a friend, do you split the bill in half if he gets the steak and you have a salad?”
TWC’s steak/salad analogy breaks down when it’s crafted more accurately. The real question is whether you would even have lunch with a friend at a restaurant that charged $45 for a salad and $200 for a steak. Certainly, in a free market, most people would go elsewhere. That base rate works out to a truly jaw-dropping $6 per GB per month, and it’s so far out of line with competitors’ plans as to shock even the most cynical heart. AT&T DSL comes to 9 cents per GB per month, Verizon’s FIOS 11 to 36 cents per month (10Mbps - 50Mbps respectively). Comcast is 17 cents to 56 cents per GB (6MBps - 50MBps).
The issue is blocking competitive video and charging 1,000 percent and higher markups on bandwidth. ISPs just want a huge cut of the video download market.
TECH
Apple to get 15” OLED screens from LG this summer?
Apple and LG have a new contract (a 5 year deal) to purchase screens and Apple has paid $500 Million up front…very uncharacteristic and unusual practice…and unnecessary since Apple already gets 70% of their screens from them.
TECH
Chicago gets First Solar Powered EV Charging Station; Suck it San Francisco!
http://gas2.org/2009/04/09/chicago-gets-first-solar-powered-ev-charging-station/
The Windy City just unveiled the first solar-powered electric vehicle charging station during the IOC tour.
TV
GI JOE: Resolute……not your father’s GI JOE, but he’d like it now!
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=GI+Joe+Resolute&aq=f
Aimed for adults, Written by Warren Ellis, Animation based on Dave Johnson’s art from the comic book 100 Bullets
MOVIES
BIG MAN JAPAN, a Japanese Superhero/Monster movie coming to the US
http://io9.com/5221979/the-weirdest-monster-from-japans-new-giant+superhero-movie
A middle-aged slacker living in a rundown, graffiti-ridden slum, Daisato’s job involves being shocked by bolts of electricity that transform him into a stocky, stick-wielding giant several stories high who is entrusted with defending Japan from a host of bizarre monsters. But while his predecessors were national heroes, he is a pariah among the citizens he protects, who bitterly complain about the noise and destruction of property he causes. And Daisato has his own problems –an agent insistent on branding him with sponsor advertisements, an Alzheimer-afflicted grandfather who transforms into a giant in dirty underwear, and a family who is embarrassed by his often cowardly exploits. A wickedly deadpan spin on the giant Japanese superhero, BIG MAN JAPAN is an outrageous portrait of a pathetic but truly unique hero
TV
Caprica, BDG prequel, released on DVD, iTunes, Apple TV and XBox 360 this week
Takes place 58 years before the destruction of life on Caprica, during the decadent peak of their society and monotheistic terrorism. Tells the story of 2 men whose common pain and loss of loved ones combined with unique resources they bring to the table the seeds of mankind’s near extinction.
GAMES
http://kotaku.com/5220616/left-4-dead-survival-pack-april-21
Valve breathes new life into Left 4 Dead with Left 4 Dead Survival Pack April 21.
AppleInsider — Price Hike Hits the iTunes Store
New Study says Personal Internet use in workplace is positive
The AP’s Desperate Attemt to Outlaw Search Engine Links And the more accurate link at the Huffington Post
Star Trek Sneak Explodes in Giant Trekgasm
We also had a brief discussion about Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse. If you’re not watching either show ask yourself “Why not?” Seriously, BSG is over and you need new Science Fiction.
Zeebo launches 3G wireless game console | Gaming and Culture - CNET News
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-10202898-235.html?tag=mncol;posts
Tough task: Designing a game about your ‘first time’ | Gaming and Culture - CNET News
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-10204720-235.html
GDC 2009: Game Design Challenge tackles My First Time - News at GameSpot
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6206790.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;5
Seven Clips From CAPRICA!! — Ain’t It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/40532
Apple Unveils iPhone 3.0 New Features for end users & developers
http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/17/live-from-apples-iphone-os-3-0-preview-event/
Hey everyone, sorry this is late again. We’ll try to get back to a regular schedule really really soon. Thanks for listening.
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