I never tire of seeing stop-motion LEGO animation. This one is done particularly well. LEGOs perform Metallica’s Whiplash. [via Jeremy]

Speaking of the iPod touch, if you are looking for a portable video and audio player that is not an iPod, Creative has one to consider — the Zen X-Fi. Some features of the Creative Zen X-Fi include:

• Weight: 2.4 ounces
• LCD: 2.5-inch TFT 16.7 million color LCD; 320 x 240 resolution
• Storage Capacity: 16 GB (4,000 songs or 60 hours of video) or 32 GB (8,000 songs or 120 hours of video)
• Battery Life: Up to 30 hours of continuous audio playback; up to 13 hours of continuous audio playback with speaker; up to 20 hours of continuous FM radio playback; up to 5 hours of continuous video playback; up to 4 hours of continuous video playback with speaker
• Video Playback Formats: MPEG, WMV, and MPEG-4, including properly encoded DivX and XviD; included software can transcode from other formats providing appropriate codecs are installed
• Audio Playback Formats: MP3, WMA, AAC5, WAV (ADPCM), Audible 2,3,4
• Photo Formats Supported: JPEG; included software can transcode BMP, GIF, PNG, and TIFF
• Wireless LAN Supported: IEEE 802.11 b/g with WEP, WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK security
• Battery: Built-in Lithium-Ion battery
• FM Radio: 32 preset stations
• Equalizer Settings: 8 presets and 5 band custom EQ
• Organizer: Calendar, Contacts, Task List
• Album Art: Yes
• Voice Recording: Yes
• Connectivity: USB 2.0

Buy from Amazon.com:
Creative Zen X-Fi 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)
Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)

Buy from Amazon.co.uk:
Creative Zen X-Fi 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)
Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)

Buy from Buy.com:
Creative Zen X-Fi 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)
Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)

Buy from Newegg:
Creative Zen X-Fi 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)
Creative Zen X-Fi 32 GB Video MP3 Player with Wireless LAN and Built-In Speaker (Black)

Here is the “trailer” for Rain of Madness that is promoting the upcoming movie Tropic Thunder.

Starring:
Ben Stiller
Jack Black
Robert Downey Jr.

Warning: this trailer contains material which may be considered “mature content”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Alesis has announced a new device called the ProTrack for recording stereo audio directly to an iPod. Alesis has dubbed their upcoming ProTrack as “the world’s first professional handheld digital stereo recorder for iPod”. While Belkin has their TuneStudio, it is not quite small enough to be considered a handheld device.

Key features of ProTrack include:

• Integrated iPod design
• Records to iPod (Classic or 5th Generation), or iPod nano (2nd or 3rd Generation)
• Professional connectors: two combination XLR - 1/4-inch inputs, 1/8-inch stereo output
• Supplies 48V phantom power to inputs when wall-powered
• Records 16-Bit, 44.1kHz or 22kHz stereo
• Two built-in condenser microphones for detailed recording
• Built-in microphones in XY configuration for optimum stereo image
• Switchable limiter ensures overload-free recordings even in unpredictable aural situations
• AC power adapter included
• Four AAA batteries provide up to five hours of operation
• Tripod stand mount for placing into ideal recording conditions

The Alesis ProTrack will be available in Q3-2008.

Alesis ProTrack press release

The Russian director of Night Watch, Timur Bekmambetov, brings us his first English-language film — Wanted. Wesley Gibson is a nobody who becomes a somebody when he is approached by a group known as The Fraternity of Assassins. Now Wesley tries to take control of his own destiny.

Starring:
Angelina Jolie
James McAvoy
Morgan Freeman

Rating: R
Release date: June 27, 2008

Guitarist Bo Diddley passed away today at age 79 of heart failure.

The world-renowned guitarist’s signature beat — usually played on an equally distinctive rectangular-bodied guitar — laid the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll, and became so identified with him that it became known as the “Bo Diddley” beat. It was unlike anything else heard in pop music.

This distinctive, African-based 5/4 rhythm pattern (which goes bomp-bomp-bomp bomp-bomp) was picked up by other artists and has been a distinctive and recurring element in rock ‘n’ roll through the decades,” according to the Rock ‘n’ Roll

[via CNN]

Bo Diddley with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Bo Diddley music at Amazon.com

Very cool song and cool video. Internet aficionados will especially appreciate the video.

The song is available from:

Did you know that Scarlett Johansson was a singer? I only just now found that out.

Buy Anywhere I Lay My Head by Scarlett Johansson from iTunes or Amazon.

Here’s a very cool music video that involves Macintosh applications. [via Ninja vs. Penguin]

Before Apple introduced the iPod Hi-Fi, Bentley had their own portable music player with speaker dock. Notice the high-end industrial design set to form in space-age black plastic and chrome trim. Two 6-inch woofers flank the dock opening that snugly encases the Super Deluxe AM/FM Stereo™. On the top of the portable Super Deluxe is a convenient cogged wheel that enables the user to surf from one end of the AM band to the other and back again on the FM side all with just a flick of the thumb. The Bentley Home Entertainment System also came with nylon shoulder strap so that the user could walk around with it hanging from their shoulder and draw stares of envy from friends and strangers alike.

I wouldn’t doubt that Bentley enjoyed as much success from their innovative device as Apple enjoyed from their iPod Hi-Fi. ;)