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A new research has been made on the hydrothermal formation of Clay-Carbonate rocks in the Nili Fossae region of Mars, as presented in a new article in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters. These discoveries might establish a link to evidence that on Mars were living organisms 4 billion years ago, during the Noachian period.<... (read more)

As it often happens, one of Lenovo's product lines was announced some months ago but did not exactly get around to selling, at least not until now. The PC supplier finally managed to finish work on one of its latest lines of all-in-one systems and is eager to have them bought off by as many consumers as possible. The PCs in question are part of... (read more)

Neurologists recorded an observer's brain's response while looking at someone playing a game. Responses depended upon the observers' implications in the game, whether they were neutral, wanted the player to win or wished for him to fail. The study is published in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience.Professor Dr Thomas Münte collaborated o... (read more)

Over top 18 videos recreating Hollywood's magic one minifig at a time

People with spare time on their hands are very clever, especially when it comes to creating tributes to their favourite movies with Lego?minifig characters but what?are the top Lego movies on the web today?
In steps a merry bunch of fans on YouTube and Viemo who've created thousands of clips recreating their favourite parts, the trailer from the movie, or at times even the entire film. So grab some popcorn and get ready for a night at the movies Lego style.
Which Lego movie will be your favourite?
?

The A-Team
Yep it's the opening sequence to the TV show rather than the movie that is about to hit the cinemas this summer. Still complete with flipping cars and Hannibal and the Team, surely someone has a job for the Lego A-Team.

The Matrix - Trinty Help
Matrix, plus Lego, plus a lot of time, allowed this scene to be recreated in glorious detail. It's so good that you'll believe for a split second you are watching the original movie with Keanu and co.

Lego Chainsaw Massacre
Yep the video is old, like early days of YouTube old, but to us that just makes it feel like you are watching a dodgy copy of the horror movie. Who thought that Lego could be so scary?

Lego Hellraiser
You've just got to love the use of mince beef in this Lego remake of the Clive Barker's Hellraiser horror. And yes, before you ask, Pinhead will scare you even when just a Lego character.

The Usual Lego Suspects
"Hand me the keys you f*cking c&cksucker". Yep, it's that classic scene from Usual Suspects in Lego for you to enjoy as if you were waiting to hear from?Keyser S?ze himself.

Lego Ironman Trailer
Ironman is your regular gadget action packed movie. What's that, you didn't know Lego made an Iron man minifig? Neither did we, but like the movie, this is one made by the artist of this movie so we can enjoy it Lego style.

Legomovie Dawn of the dead Lego (pt.1)
This is the opening gabit to the remake of the original horror movie, and apart from a poor soundtrack it's still pretty good. We just love those Lego zombies at the end.

The Fastest and Funniest LEGO Star Wars story ever told
We know you don't have time to watch three movies, clocking in at over 6 hours of time in front of the TV, just so you can remember your favourite bits of the original trilogy. But it's okay, in steps this Lego Star Wars remake that is 2 minutes 13 seconds long to save you the bother. Told as if a 12-year-old was telling you a story, it's pretty impressive how it ticks all the key story points, without actually having to bore you with quotes from the films.

Reservoir Dogs lego trailer
Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut in Lego for us all to laugh or cry at including that famous "ear" scene. Very clever.

Inglorious Basterds lego trailer
Bet you never thought you would see a Lego Brad Pitt minifig, but thanks to this Lego remake not only do you get to see that, but you also get to see World War II in Lego in all its glory as well.?

Jaws
One big plastic fish, no really, a Lego boat, some water, and one scary soundtrack make for an excellent remake of this Spielberg classic.

Blade Runner - Tears in Rain (in LEGO) from Zach Macias on Vimeo.
Blade Runner - Tears in Rain
It's one of those top movie moments of all time, and probably the reason?Rutger Hauer didn't really go on to do that much afterwards - that was as good. While it's not as action packed at some of the videos here, it's still great fun to watch and enjoy.

Spiderman Lego Movie
Spidey goes Lego in this remake of a meeting between our webbed friend and?Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius. Can he save the day?

The Lego Ultimatum
If you like your Lego tough this is the one for you. Lego does Bourne Ultimatum. Just amazing. And yes you will want to watch the movies again once you've seen this.

Avatar
Yep, even James Cameron's biggest blockbuster of all time doesn't escape the Lego remake, and even though you can't get blue Lego minifigs that hasn't stopped this film maker making the unobtainable, obtainable.

Crocodile Dundee - That's A Knife
"That's not a knife, this is a knife." Who knew Mick Dundee would years later get a remake in Lego.

Shaun of the Dead lego trailer
We've already watched a Lego remake of Dawn of the Dead (see above) and here you can watch a remake of a remake with a comic spin out of Lego. Simon Pegg would be proud.

The Watchman
It's the ultimate comic book movie (well debatable), and here you can see it remade in Lego as the perfect homage. ?

You
Have you seen a brilliant, whitty, classic scene remade in Lego and then thrust on the Internet for all to enjoy? Tap us up in the comments and will try and add the best ones above.?

Tags:
Home Cinema Video Lego Movies

The best Lego movie remakes on the web originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:23:00 +0100

Fancy leading a team of celebs into battle?

Halo: Reach, one of the most anticipated games of 2010, goes live on 14 September and to celebrate its impending arrival Microsoft has launched a competition where you could win the chance to captain a team of celebrities in a Halo: Reach battle.?
If you don't actually win the Looking for a Leader contest you could still win a place in the six-strong team that takes on the Elite Spartan Squad in a battle that will take place at the Halo: Reach launch party.
The squad is made up of England football captain Rio Ferdinand (providing he doesn't get injured on the eve of the tournament, or forgets to be where he is supposed to be for the mandatory drug-testing), the Gadget Show's uber-geek, and passionate gamer, Jason Bradbury, England Rugby world-champion Ben Cohen and T4 presenter Jameela Jamil.
There is one more celeb yet to be confirmed - we'd quite like to see Bruce Forsyth given a shot.
The competition was announced at an event at the Churchill War Rooms in London, and Ferdinand and Bradbury were there to talk up the Elite Spartan Squad's chances of victory. Or maybe that should be talk them down.
Ferdinand said: "When we're changing nappies and putting our kids to sleep they're gaming. They're ahead of us. They've got more hours in the game.?
"We're playing catch-up all the time. But the talent we possess, we're not far behind."
Sounds like the sort a rally-cry Ferdinand was throwing out before the World Cup - and look how well that went.
The tournament kicks off on 4 August, you'll need to sign up over at a dedicated Looking for a Leader site. The basis of the contest will be a series of on-line Halo 3 tournaments.
If you're a serious Halo fan then get yourself involved. And do let us know how you get on. It would be cool if a Pocket-lint reader made the grade.
Also, check out the latest Halo: Reach trailer below. The gaming launch of 2010? Let us know what you think.

?

Tags:
Gaming Halo Reach Halo Xbox 360 Rio Ferdinand Jason Bradbury

 
 
 
 


Halo Reach(es) out for gamers to merk Rio Ferdinand originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:23:18 +0100

Until some months back, there wasn't much opportunity for variety, in terms of processing, when it came to netbooks based on the Intel Pine Trail platform. Then, the Santa Clara, California-based outfit released the Atom CPUs that support high-speed DDR3 memory. Needless to say, OEMs were quite eager to take advantage of the new functionality, and t... (read more)

At this point, we're starting to think that Motorola is intentionally (and cruelly) teasing us with its Droid successor. Today we can add to the parade of leaks preceding the Droid 2's debut in the form of the above hard case, which has just landed in Best Buy's storerooms. Before you go off on some conspiracy theory comparing this to the iPhone's Bumper and questioning whether this Droid might need a jacket, you should be aware that Rocketfish does similar paraphernalia for the Droid Incredible, marking this out as an entirely unremarkable run-of-the-mill accessory. Which might be the best news of all, we figure -- if the unexciting peripherals are already being shipped, the handset itself shouldn't be too far behind.

[Thanks, Justin]Continue reading Droid 2 cases arrive at Best Buy, Droid 2s soon to follow?Droid 2 cases arrive at Best Buy, Droid 2s soon to follow? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

It looks like Microsoft is done with Platform Preview releases of the next major iteration of Internet Explorer. There’s now approximately a month until the first Beta development milestone of Internet Explorer 9 will be made available for download to the public. Microsoft has confirmed this officially, during the keynote at the annual ... (read more)

We first caught wind of the SCH-R900 after MetroPCS announced that it would be first to carry the Samsung handset when its fledgling LTE network lights up in select markets sometime after the summer. Now the FCC has been kind enough to bless a preproduction R900 with its approval. Not much is known about the dual-mode CDMA / LTE device other than what we can glean off the broad-shouldered image above and certifications for Bluetooth, 802.11b/g WiFi, dual-band 1700 / 1900 LTE and EvDO data. The future: it's what's for breakfast.Samsung SCH-R900 approved by FCC: first US LTE phone is go originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

You might remember that an LTE modem for Verizon passed FCC muster not long ago -- now, it seems we're getting our first glimpse of it. As is usually the case with these early devices on next-gen networks, this USB stick doesn't look quite as svelte as we'd probably like it to be, but we have little doubt that they'll get progressively thinner and sexier over the course of a year or three. And hey, in the meantime, far be it from us to steer clear of faster download speeds just because the modem's a little chubby, you know?LG VL600 LTE / CDMA modem for Verizon in the wild? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Announced back in April, LG has now launched its so-called Optimus Z Android handset on a pair of South Korea carriers -- SK Telecom and KT -- bearing model numbers SU950 and KU9500, respectively. You've got the usual range of features like a 3.5-inch WVGA display, 5 megapixel cam, DivX compatibility, and support for LG's neat Air Sync service, but what really sets these bad boys apart is something LG is aptly calling "On Screen Phone": using Bluetooth, you'll be able to see and interact with the Optimus Z's screen from your PC, which is awesome when you're too lazy to extract the thing from your pocket. It also offers something called "Drag & Shake," which will let you transfer files between devices with a mere shake of the phone -- something that conjures visions of Seoul residents meeting on the street and executing a series of odd gestures to exchange information. Paired with the announcement (which you can read after the break) is an affirmation of LG's plans to launch an Android tablet as part of the Optimus series in the fourth quarter, which should be an interesting foil for the so-called Galaxy Tab. We'll happily take one of each, of course.Continue reading LG Optimus Z now available in South KoreaLG Optimus Z now available in South Korea originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Microsoft should be making its own handsets, says Peter Bright of Ars Technica. Licensing an operating system in the smartphone space doesn’t earn much money, so I understand Bright’s point. But the window of opportunity for Microsoft to build its own phone closed down the minute it said it would license Windows Phone 7 to hardware partners. The time to make the break from licensing a mobile OS and start making hardware has passed Microsoft by – at least until the next time the company decides to reinvent its place in the smartphone market, and even then it would bring challenges.

Bright’s description of the financial aspect of this situation I do agree with:

There just isn’t a whole lot of money in licensing a phone operating system like this. We don’t know, because the information isn’t public, just how much a Windows Phone 7 license will cost an OEM, but it’s generally assumed to be a few tens of dollars. Even assuming $30 per unit (which from what I can tell is on the high side), Microsoft’s partners would have to ship a whopping 30 million handsets to make this a billion-dollar business.

The first question that comes to mind then is: why is it a good idea for Google to give away Android and a bad idea for Microsoft to charge a license fee? The difference is in the business model. Google wants to keep its core, lucrative business in front of every eyeball it can with search and advertising. By being the dominant search engine, Google gains key information on search preferences or how consumers think when they use the web to find information. And of course, those preferences are paired with contextually relevant advertisements, where Google earns the bulk of its revenue, which it then shares with handset makers who use Android. Simply put: Google doesn’t need to charge for Android and if it did charge, that would add a barrier to adoption by hardware partners.

On the other hand, Microsoft does have to charge for its platform because it only has a small segment of the mobile search market and therefore earns far less money overall on mobile advertising. And by “small segment,” I’m probably understating the difference in both search and mobile search between Microsoft and Google. TechCrunch points out a Pingdom chart comprised of data from StatCounter, showing that Google owns more than 98 percent of the mobile search market. Microsoft’s Bing is a blip on the mobile map, not even registering a half a percent.

So based on the business model and consumer usage, Microsoft isn’t well placed to generate the kind of mobile search revenues of Google. The company has to charge a Windows Phone 7 licensing fee in order to get any real return from the platform. Other revenue opportunities are tied to Microsoft services – which will be heavily integrated into the new handsets — but income from those are variable. The only fixed income from Windows Phone 7 is an up-front fee.

The alternative is what Bright suggests: Microsoft goes it alone and builds handsets of its own and thus controls the entire experience of hardware and software, just as Apple does. Although Microsoft is a software company, it has broken out of the mold with the Zune and Xbox line of hardware. But at this point, it’s just too late for mobile. With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft has lined up hardware partners such as Dell, Asus, LG, HTC, and Samsung. There’s no way Microsoft can cut these companies off at the knees now and go it alone by building a Microsoft handset.

Perhaps another opportunity will appear when Microsoft can create its own phone, but even then, the company is at risk. Four of the five handset partners are also companies that build Microsoft Windows computers. If Microsoft cuts them out of the loop in mobiles, it won’t sit well with them from a notebook and desktop standpoint. Granted, I doubt that any of these partners would completely jump ship to Ubuntu, but such a situation would raise tensions between Microsoft and its partners.

And taking the theoretical one step further by assuming that Microsoft ever does build its own phone, how would such a beast compete in the market? From a perception standpoint, I’m not sold that consumers would embrace the Microsoft brand on a handset. Microsoft’s Zune hasn’t staged much competition against the iPod juggernaut even though Zune is a compelling device, as is the Zune Pass subscription service. Microsoft’s recent Kin debacle may be more attributable to internal politics and lengthy delays, but even had the device arrived on time, it wasn’t groundbreaking from a hardware perspective. Perhaps Microsoft should just ride the mobile platform licensing train down the tracks and leave it at that.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d):

To Win In the Mobile Market, Focus On Consumers