lalawag » video http://lalawag.com Tech News, Events, People, and Gossip From Los Angeles, California Thu, 17 May 2012 22:07:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Hacking The Kinect To Become Self-Aware [video] http://lalawag.com/2011/03/18/hacking-the-kinect-to-become-self-aware-video/ http://lalawag.com/2011/03/18/hacking-the-kinect-to-become-self-aware-video/#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:00:34 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=16523 Ever since Microsoft released its motion sensing Kinect Xbox 360 peripheral, enterprising people all over the world have been “hacking” it to do all sorts of cool things. None of those hacks are as cool as Mr. James Tiller’s, though, who has somehow managed to give his Kinect the gift of sentience in this College Humor video.

Unfortunately, if you’ve seen The Terminator movies, you know how this story ends…

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=16523 0 Celluon evoMouse Projects A Touchpad Mousing Surface Anywhere http://lalawag.com/2011/03/17/celluon-evomouse-projects-a-touchpad-mousing-surface-anywhere/ http://lalawag.com/2011/03/17/celluon-evomouse-projects-a-touchpad-mousing-surface-anywhere/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:10:38 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=16514 In one of the more unique mousing device designs ever released, Korean company Celluon has come up with a contraption they call “evoMouse.” Basically, it’s a small dog-shaped device that projects a multi-touch capable touchpad onto any flat surface.

Here, the best way of explaining it is to give you this short video to watch:

It’s a pretty novel idea, but I can’t imagine getting much practical use out of it if I already had a multi-touch capable laptop. For example, all recent Macbook laptops released in the past few years can do all the things that this thing does already. It seems to me like it’s a bit redundant to carry around an extra touchpad when there’s a perfectly usable one built into the notebook computer already. However, if you have a desktop or a PC laptop that doesn’t support multitouch gestures, then the evoMouse may be more compelling to you. Being able to use the projected surface as a makeshift drawing tablet for handwriting seems like it would be pretty cool.

According to Mashable, the evoMouse will be available in the UK in late March/early April for $99. It’s a bit pricey, but if you’re the type that likes to “wow” your friends, it may be a small price to pay for keeping your cool gadget guy cred.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=16514 2 Conan O’Brien Figures Out How To Make Apple Commercials [video] http://lalawag.com/2011/03/04/conan-obrien-figures-out-how-to-make-apple-commercials/ http://lalawag.com/2011/03/04/conan-obrien-figures-out-how-to-make-apple-commercials/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:13:45 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=16218 Ok, so maybe you’re a bit sick of all the Apple hype talk that’s been going on the last couple of days since the iPad 2 was announced on Wednesday. Or maybe you’re reveling in it because you can’t wait to get your grubby paws on the new thing. Either way, you’ll have to agree that Conan O’Brien and his writers have really gotten the elements of an Apple-produced promotional video down. If you don’t pay attention you could totally mistake one of the dudes’ voices for Jonny Ive.

Watch:

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=16218 1 Get The Lowdown On LA’s Startup Scene [video] http://lalawag.com/2011/02/25/get-the-lowdown-on-las-startup-scene-video/ http://lalawag.com/2011/02/25/get-the-lowdown-on-las-startup-scene-video/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:17:41 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=16062 Not familiar with the LA startup scene and want a crash course on it from people in it? Our friends at Media Temple just put their finishing touches on a video piece from Twiistup 8 a couple weeks ago interviewing five of LA’s most influential entrepreneurs. They’ll go over items such as which LA startups to watch out for, how to find talent, figuring out an exit strategy, and they also give some ideas on how to evolve the local startup scene further.

Even if you think you’re hip to the scene, the video is still a must watch as these are some very smart people with great insights.

Here’s a list of the luminaries featured in the video:

Los Angeles Startup Culture – from Twiistup 8 from (mt) Media Temple on Vimeo.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=16062 1 Watch Kobe Bryant Face Off Against Bruce Willis And Kanye West http://lalawag.com/2011/02/23/watch-kobe-bryant-face-off-against-bruce-willis-and-kanye-west/ http://lalawag.com/2011/02/23/watch-kobe-bryant-face-off-against-bruce-willis-and-kanye-west/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:48:11 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=16008 Everyone knows Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world. Anyone who still had doubts on that fact can just look to the events hosted in LA this month – music’s Grammy Awards two weeks ago, the NBA All-Star game this past weekend, and the upcoming Academy Awards this Sunday.

What could be a better way of celebrating this than by watching a Robert Rodriguez-directed Nike commercial/movie about Kobe Bryant defending his shoes from Danny Trejo, Bruce Willis, and Kanye West with his army of zombie basketball players?

I won’t spoil the “film” too much, but lets just say its the most awesome encapsulation of entertainment done in commercial form. Kanye embraces the villain role like he was born for it. He delivers one-liners and maniacal laugh with the best of them. Kobe gets his chance to defend his shoes (and by proxy, the city of Los Angeles) and look like a hero while doing it.

Everyone wins. Except you, if you don’t watch this video:

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=16008 1 Mark Zuckerberg Makes An SNL Appearance With Jesse Eisenberg [video] http://lalawag.com/2011/01/31/mark-zuckerberg-makes-an-snl-appearance-with-jesse-eisenbergvideo/ http://lalawag.com/2011/01/31/mark-zuckerberg-makes-an-snl-appearance-with-jesse-eisenbergvideo/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:00:46 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=15405 If you weren’t around a TV Saturday night you may have missed Mark Zuckerberg making a significant cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live. Why was it so significant? Well, it just so happened that Jesse Eisenberg, the actor that portrayed him on “The Social Network,” was hosting that evening. Zuckerberg has had a tumultuous history with the film; first refusing to see it, then taking the entire Facebook company to view the film opening night. It appears he’s finally come full circle now by becoming on screen buddies with his doppelganger, Eisenberg, and admitting the movie was “interesting.”

Now, the haters are going to say that Zuckerberg came off as awkward and robotic, but you know what? It’s live sketch comedy television! You or I would probably end up blubbering like Bertie from “The King’s Speech” if we were in that situation. At least the Zuck’s got some public speaking reps from doing those Facebook press events.

Either way, it was a brilliant PR move on everyone’s part. Zuckerberg gets some good press for having a sense of humor, NBC gets their second-highest rated episode of SNL this season, and “The Social Network” gets more eyeballs on Jesse Eisenberg as they make their Academy Awards push.

Watch Mark Zuckerberg crash Jesse Eisenberg’s SNL Monologue:

(courtesy of NBC.com)

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=15405 0 USC Institute For Creative Technologies Controls Second Life Avatar With Kinect http://lalawag.com/2011/01/21/usc-institute-for-creative-technologies-controls-second-life-avatar-with-kinect/ http://lalawag.com/2011/01/21/usc-institute-for-creative-technologies-controls-second-life-avatar-with-kinect/#comments Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:00:21 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=15160 Our friends over at the USC Institute For Creative Technologies are at it again with their Microsoft Kinect hacking hijinks. When we last checked in with them, they had devised a way to play World of Warcraft with the Kinect. This time, they’ve written software using the OpenNI toolkit to let users control their Second Life avatars with motion controls.

Now, we know what you’re thinking: “People still play Second Life?”

We have to admit being surprised that the marketing-vehicle-disguised-as-game service was still around too, but if it’ll help developers get closer towards that ultimate goal of recreating the world of Tron, we’re all for it.

From the USC ICT:

We are developing methods of recognizing social gestures in order to explore the transference of emotion and gesture between a virtual world and the real world. Thai Phan, an engineer at the MxR Lab, has developed new software, using the OpenNI toolkit as a foundation, which utilizes Kinect to read gestures and triggers corresponding server-side scripts within Second Life. These methods may allow the user to feel a deeper emotional connection to the social gesture performed by their virtual avatar, regardless of the bond which already exists between the user and his recipient. Instead of having to think about pressing the right sequence of keys to make a ‘wave’ gesture, the user can simply raise their hand and wave.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=15160 3 CES: This Is Android 3.0 For Tablets http://lalawag.com/2011/01/05/ces-this-is-android-3-0-for-tablets/ http://lalawag.com/2011/01/05/ces-this-is-android-3-0-for-tablets/#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:34:10 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=14858

Feast your eyes on this trailer for Google’s new tablet OS, Android 3.0.

Google’s got a short preview up on their Mobile Site:

Honeycomb is the next version of the Android platform, designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, particularly tablets. We’ve spent a lot of time refining the user experience in Honeycomb, and we’ve developed a brand new, truly virtual and holographic user interface. Many of Android’s existing features will really shine on Honeycomb: refined multi-tasking, elegant notifications, access to over 100,000 apps on Android Market, home screen customization with a new 3D experience and redesigned widgets that are richer and more interactive. We’ve also made some powerful upgrades to the web browser, including tabbed browsing, form auto-fill, syncing with your Google Chrome bookmarks, and incognito mode for private browsing.

Honeycomb also features the latest Google Mobile innovations including Google Maps 5 with 3D interactions and offline reliability, access to over 3 million Google eBooks, and Google Talk, which now allows you to video and voice chat with any other Google Talk enabled device (PC, tablet, etc).

Update: New video embed from YouTube.

(video courtesy of Engadget who managed to somehow save it before it went private on YouTube)

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=14858 0 Mobile Year in Review [Video] http://lalawag.com/2010/12/16/mobile-year-in-review-video/ http://lalawag.com/2010/12/16/mobile-year-in-review-video/#comments Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:43:41 +0000 Jonathan Polenz http://lalawag.com/?p=14296 There is no doubt that 2010 was the year of the App.  Mobile phones are transforming the way people work and play around the world, and Mobile Future, an organization dedicated to advocating wireless technology, just released a video that recaps the biggest mobile trends of 2010.  The stats for the mobile market are impressive, and the recent growth is astounding.  Here are some highlights:

1. Massive increase in apps downloaded: FIVE BILLION apps downloaded – up from 300 million in 2009

2.  Whopping expansion of location-based services: FIVE MILLION Foursquare users — up from 200,000 users in 2009

3. Surge in mobile social media platforms

  • 347 PERCENT growth in Twitter mobile usage
  • 200 MILLION mobile Facebook Users
  • 100 MILLION YouTube videos played on mobile devices everyday

Check out the video below for the full Year in Review.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=14296 0 Netflix and Hulu Plus Prepare To Duke It Out For Your Moneys http://lalawag.com/2010/11/23/netflix-and-hulu-plus-prepare-to-duke-it-out-for-your-moneys/ http://lalawag.com/2010/11/23/netflix-and-hulu-plus-prepare-to-duke-it-out-for-your-moneys/#comments Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:57:34 +0000 Andy Yen http://lalawag.com/?p=13667 Earlier this week, Netflix unveiled its new streaming-only plan for users. Finally, those of us who use the 1 disc plan as a glorified coffee table coaster in order to get access to instant watch can save a couple of bucks a month.

Here’s the new Netflix pricing schedule:

According to the latest Netflix earnings call, it disclosed that over 66% of its users utilize streaming content and that by the next quarter, the majority of users will be consuming more content via streaming than on DVD. We’re headed for a future of instant gratification video content and I’ll be damned if that doesn’t send some tingles to my nether regions.

It’s funny that just a couple years ago there would have been massive public outcry if Netflix had attempted to implement this pricing change. But today? Today it sounds like a pretty good deal, huh?

Now, it’s absolutely no coincidence that Netflix picked $7.99/month as its price point for streaming-only access. Last week, Hollywood-based Hulu announced that very price point for their premium subscription service, Hulu Plus. The service had originally gone public earlier in November at a $9.99 monthly rate and we can only assume that a lukewarm reception prompted Hulu to shave a couple of dollars off.

Even with the reduced price, I’m not so sure that Hulu Plus is compelling enough to warrant paying for over Netflix. For starters, even if you’re a paying subscriber, Hulu will still display advertisements throughout all its videos. What’s up with that? If I’m paying 8 bucks a month, I don’t want to see  no stinkin’ ads during my enjoyment of Glee!

With Netflix you not only get television series on DVD, you also get to choose from a fairly sizable chunk of feature films too. The flipside to that is that Hulu will give you access to more recent television episodes. There’s not a more disappointing feeling when plowing through an awesome series to find out that the latest season isn’t on DVD yet.

Tech-wise, Netflix works with more devices than Hulu Plus does currently. You can get Netflix on all three game consoles (Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360) and on more brands of TVs and Blu-Ray players. Hulu Plus is confined to just the Playstation 3 and the latest Sony and Samsung model televisions. The silver lining is that both services are available on all iOS devices and the Roku media player.

Whichever service ends up being right for you, it’s clear that an all-you-can watch streaming buffet business model is the future of entertainment consumption. Oh and whatever you do, try not to talk yourself into a late night Human Centipede viewing. Just beacuse it’s available on instant watch doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=13667 6 netflix pricegrid Geek Rap: Killa Appz http://lalawag.com/2010/08/11/geek-rap-killa-appz/ http://lalawag.com/2010/08/11/geek-rap-killa-appz/#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:54:38 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=13065 It’s hard to find a good developer, especially here in Los Angeles. Turns out I’ve been looking in the wrong places all this time. You know places like job boards and behind the local CVS pharmacy. Yes it appears that YouTube is actually a better place to find a great dev as proven here by MC Dave Berzack.

If you want to hire this guy check out his portfolio.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=13065 1 Bill Maher: Apple Should Take Over Government http://lalawag.com/2010/05/15/bill-maher-apple-should-take-over-the-government/ http://lalawag.com/2010/05/15/bill-maher-apple-should-take-over-the-government/#comments Sun, 16 May 2010 01:36:03 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=12373 Guess what, the world sucks and the only good thing we have going for us is the iPad.

I mean I can’t be the only one feeling Obama is not the tech savvy President his teams of social media consultants mislead us to believe. After his recent comments at Hampton University one might be even more concerned. “I don’t get technology!” “I’m like old(!)” “Look at me, now look there, I’m on a horse!”.

Where did we go wrong? Maybe it’s already time for some more change. Maybe it’s time to think different. Maybe it’s time we had less slogans of revolution.

Tell us what to do Bill:

/via Mediaite

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=12373 2 California on Social Media Video http://lalawag.com/2010/03/21/california-on-social-media/ http://lalawag.com/2010/03/21/california-on-social-media/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:16:18 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=11367 Local Comedian Kassem G tackles social media in his ongoing series of man on the street interviews. This time around he visits the Venice Beach boardwalk to ask our local underage girls questions about social media.

Here is what they had to say:

/via Mashable

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=11367 1 Google Super Bowl Commercial http://lalawag.com/2010/02/07/google-super-bowl-commercial/ http://lalawag.com/2010/02/07/google-super-bowl-commercial/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:22:22 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=10667 After reinventing advertising (and just about everything else), Google is trying something new, traditional advertising. The below clip aired during the Super Bowl and tells a cute story of romance and distance.

Two things apparently even Google has an answer for…


2010 Super Bowl Commercials | Google: Search On

More Commercials:

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=10667 0 A Few Words with @Jonathan360 http://lalawag.com/2009/11/30/a-few-words-with-jonathan360/ http://lalawag.com/2009/11/30/a-few-words-with-jonathan360/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:00:55 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=9101 We recently caught up with social media guy Jonathan Nafarrete, here is what he had to say.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=9101 0 Avatar Dating in Azeroth http://lalawag.com/2009/08/18/avatar-dating-in-azeroth/ http://lalawag.com/2009/08/18/avatar-dating-in-azeroth/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:15 +0000 Sean Percival http://lalawag.com/?p=6461 In the latest video from The Guild, the inappropriately hot Felica Day asks “Do You Want to Date My Avatar?” Referring of course to her World of Warcraft avatar for which the indie web show centers around. I’m not exactly sure how you conjure a spell in WoW, but for me this online crush just gained 5 experience points.

Yes I’m happy to say, this is one YouTube music video that is not completely horrible. In fact it’s quite enjoyable.

Being the author of the The Second Life Travel Guide (I’m not making this up) I am well versed in the ways of avatar dating rituals. In the song Felica highlights some of the benefits of virtual dating. Things like making yourself hotter than reality, role play and of course being able to log them off.

Check out the video below and once the song gets stuck in your head, go download the MP3 on Amazon.

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=6461 0 #badassBBQ The Video http://lalawag.com/2009/05/25/badassbbq-the-video/ http://lalawag.com/2009/05/25/badassbbq-the-video/#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 23:18:46 +0000 Sean Percival http://www.lalawag.com/?p=4101 Video by Social Catalyst Kurty D.

(Photo © Jonathan Dingman)

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]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/lalawag.com/p=4101 0