Episode 13 – Hacking the Marvel Universe
(music one)
Welcome to another episode of Geek Bytes Podcast. The podcast that brings you all this week’s tech and geek news.
I’m Ramon Mejia…….I’m Edgar Acosta
This Week in Geek News we talk about the Supreme Court’s decision on Facebook threats, the US government being hacked, PayPal’s robo calls, Augmented hearing, the first bio-limb, Steam News, Heroes of the Storm, the Lego MMO, a new Star Wars game, the Fallout 4 trailer, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and more
In Discussions we’ll talk about some of the upcoming changes to the Marvel Universe
We Begin our show with Geek News
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Geek News
Supreme Court decides Facebook threats OK?
· The Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of a Pennsylvania man who posted several violent messages on Facebook and was convicted under a federal threat statute
o The first time the Supreme Court has ruled in a social media free speech case
o The Court said that it wasn't enough to convict the man based solely on the idea that a reasonable person would regard his communications as a threat.
o Defendant claimed his threats were a part of his rap lyrics and also therapy
o Some of the posts about his estranged wife and child
§ "There¹s one way to love you but a thousand ways to kill you," he wrote in one post.
§ "Enough elementary schools in a ten mile radius to initiate the most heinous school shooting ever imagined," he wrote in another.
o http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/01/politics/supreme-court-elonis-facebook-ruling/
US government hacked- 4 Million federal employees information stolen
· China-based hackers are suspected of breaking into the computer networks of the U.S. government personnel office and stealing identifying information of at least 4 million federal workers
· Collins, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said the breach was "yet another indication of a foreign power probing successfully and focusing on what appears to be data that would identify people with security clearances."
Government passes bill that limits NSA surveillance
· The USA Freedom Act say the bill ends the bulk collection of telephone call records by the National Security Agency
· In related news-New leaked documents reveal that the NSA has increased their surveillance of internet traffic in an attempt to look for suspected foreign and domestic hackers without any type of warrant.
· http://rt.com/usa/264417-senate-vote-freedom-act/
PayPal signs up customers for Robot Marketing calls
· Now PayPal is up to more shenanigans. In its recently updated terms of service PayPal has added a section that automatically opts you in to receive phone calls including those from advertisers and automated calls. Here’s the big kicker, YOU CAN’T OPT OUT.
· PayPal recently had to pay $25 million dollars in fines to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for bad acts like signing customers up for credit accounts without their knowledge.
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/4/paypal-signs-you-up-for-marketing-calls
Khan Academy launches free SAT prep
· Khan Academy provides educational videos, practice questions, and free projects on a variety of academic subjects that let students learn at their own pace.
· In coordination with the College Board, who writes and administers the SATs, have added SAT prep to the long list of subjects they teach
· Khan Academy now provides detailed individual assessments, comprehensive tutorials, help even the playing field between high and low income communities when it comes to the SATs
· http://www.wired.com/2015/06/khan-academy-sat-prep/?mbid=social_fb
Showtime launches steaming service
· Cost $10.99/month
· Only on IOS devices at first
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/3/showtime-announces-streaming-service
Here, Active Listening wants to give you augmented hearing
· Designed and produced by Doppler Labs.
· It uses two wireless buds and a smartphone app to control what you hear and how you hear it.
· Control Bass, Treble, reduce or eliminate particular noises, add sound effects, control volume of the world
· What’s great about this product is that it works in real time with zero latency.
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/4/augmented-hearing-with-here
· https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dopplerlabs/here-active-listening-change-the-way-you-hear-the
Pinterest Unveils Buyable Pins, A Way To Purchase Things Directly Within Pinterest
· Rich Pins — pins which have much more information than a normal link, such as the ingredients for a recipe — will get a new button that allows users to purchase things directly from partners that it’s working for.
· Users will see prices, be able to select specific types of a product (like the color), and then they can tap the button to buy the product.
· Buyable Pins will launch later this month.
The Worlds 1st Bio-limb was grown in a lab
· Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston grew a rat forelimb
· Took donor cadaver limb, stripped the soft tissue, to use as a scaffolding
· Applied the transplant cells and placed in a bioreactor, enabling new tissue to grow and colonize the scaffold.
· There is no foreign tissue so the limb won’t be recognized as a foreign object and won’t be rejected by the body.
· The growth of a rat forelimb grown in the lab offers hope that one day amputees may receive fully functional, biological replacement limbs
Steam now offers Refunds with “no questions asked”
· Steam, the online game downloading service, now offers refunds
· Two stipulations: 1) Must have purchased the game in the last year, 2) Must not have played the game for more than 2 hours.
· Some indie developers concerned their games, often shorter than 2 hours, will be bought and then returned when nothing is wrong with the game.
The first official Steam Machines on store shelves Nov. 10
· The Alienware Steam Machine will be available in four specifications, with prices ranging from $449 to $749
· All Steam Machines will run SteamOS, a Linux variant with Steam's big picture mode of interface.
· The systems will be able to play any game purchased on Steam by streaming it from another local Windows or Mac computer.
· All parts on the Steam Machines will be upgradable
· https://www.polygon.com/2015/6/4/8727269/steam-machine-launch-date
FCC filings show Sony plans to release a 1TB PS4
· No date when new hardware released
· Speculation: Possibly tied into the release of the Sony Morpheus
· https://www.polygon.com/2015/6/2/8704417/ps4-1-tb-fcc
Heroes of the Storm went live this week
· MOBA (mobile online battle arena) from Blizzard
· Pick heroes from all of the Blizzard franchises
· Destroy the enemy base and win
· One on One battle, team battles
· Until June 9th get bonus XP, used to upgrade characters
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/3/honest-trailer-for-heroes-of-the-storm
Lego launches online game to compete with Minecraft
· Lego Worlds is currently on steam early access
o Buy the game early and help the developers test the game before it’s finished.
o https://youtu.be/IMcVAXjBimg
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/1/lego-just-launched-there-own-minecraft
Star Wars will launch new mobile game, Star Wars: Uprising
· Trailer shows the 2nd Deathstar blowing up and a variety of factions arming to fight for the new territory available
o https://youtu.be/DOe48qJzMXs
· Diablo style game play
· Set between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens
· Will be released this fall
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/4/itfqrj3k0jefmo86oevmqt1pr5yb72
Fallout 4 trailer came out
· Bethesda Game Studios has officially announced Fallout 4, the heavily anticipated next chapter in the Fallout series
· The new game is set in Boston and according to the trailer you get a dog to help you adjust to your time outside the ark.
· No release date has been announced but we’ll get more info during E3.
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/3/fallout-4-trailer-watch-it-here
Mighty No. 9 gets new trailer
· Highlights some of the benefits of pre-ordering, and buying a physical copy of the game or collectors addition
· Physical Copy-Special Ray DLC, with new playable character and poster
· Pre-Order bonus-Special 8-Bit outfit for main character, Beck
· Collector Edition-Special limited edition numbered figurine
· The game will be released digitally on PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS. The game will see a retail package release on PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), PS4, Xbox One and Wii U.
· Digital versions of the game will retail at $19.99 USD, package versions (including the Ray DLC) will retail at $29.99 USD, and Collector’s Edition is $59.99
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/3/mighty-no-9-looks-amazing-in-this-trailer
Two New Batman: Arkham Knight trailers promote pre-order bonuses
· If you pre-order the game you’ll get additional DLC that will allow you to play storylines for 1) the Arkham Knight, 2) Harley Quinn
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/2/trailer-play-as-harley-quinn-in-batman-arkham-knight
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/1/arkham-knight-tv-spot-highlights-preorder-exclusives
The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter To Open At Universal Studios Hollywood In Spring 2016
· The park will include the franchise's popular gift shops and restaurants like The Three Broomsticks, the Hog's Head pub, Honeyduke's, and of course the always popular wand shop, Ollivander's.
· Also, the fan-favorite family coaster, “Flight of the Hippogriff” will debut as Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor coaster.
· https://youtu.be/-QXCLAHro1o
· http://comicbook.com/2015/06/02/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-to-open-at-universal-studios/
Rumor has it that Jason Statham may play bullseye in the 2nd season of Daredevil
· http://comicbook.com/2015/06/05/rumor-jason-statham-to-play-bullseye-in-daredevil-season-two/
Trailer for Alternate Universe Justice League: Gods and Monsters
· To premiere online at Machinima in episodes June 8th – 12th
· Series Synopsis: In an alternative history Zod is Superman's father, Batman is a vampiric Man-Bat, and Wonder Woman is the child of Ares, God of War. When these dark heroes form an alliance, the question everyone asks is will they save the world, or rule it?
· https://youtu.be/hNP88Go8C9w
Disney announced animated Tangled series
· Premiere on Disney channel in 2017
· Set between movie Tangled and animated short Tangled Ever After, when they get married
· Original voices of the characters (Mandy Moore and Zachery Levi) will reprise their roles
· http://nerdist.com/mandy-moore-and-zachary-levi-to-reprise-roles-in-tangled-animated-series/
James Wan to direct Aquaman and Robtech movies
· Directed: Saw, Fast and Furious 7, Insidious, The Conjuring
· http://www.thewrap.com/james-wan-to-direct-aquaman-confirms-warner-bros/
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to Star in ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ Remake
· Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in negotiations to star in and produce a remake of John Carpenter‘s cult classic “Big Trouble in Little China”
For a review of the topics we covered and any of the links in show notes for this episode visit our site geekbytespodcast.com
If you have any comments or suggestions for us, please e-mail us at feedback@geekbytespodcast.com
Onto our Discussion section
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Discussion
After the Secret Wars storyline Marvel plans to reboot their Universe
· After killing 33 comics to end the universe, Marvel will launch between 55 and 60 new comics starting from issue #1 this fall, according to interviews from Marvel executives
· The new titles will be released over 3-4 months.
· Some characters you’ll see in the same Universe now:
o Spider-Gwen - No surprise to see her here; one of the most popular new characters Marvel has had in years, and with a title that launched so soon before Secret Wars that it almost seemed like an odd choice.
· What's interesting, of course, is that after all the multiversal upheaval, this looks like Spider-Gwen will be in the main Marvel Universe rather than returning home!
o Agent Phil Coulson - TV's S.H.I.E.L.D. Director appears here, flanked by characters with S.H.I.E.L.D. and U.S. government ties (and also Illuminati member Black Panther).
o Spider-Woman - Another recently-launched Spider-hero gets some facetime here, although for reasons that aren't entirely clear (maybe to line her up with S.H.I.E.L.D.?) isn't lined up at top like the other "Spiders."
o Black Panther - T'Challa gets face time here, suggesting that he'll play a major role in the comics just as he will in Captain America: Civil War shortly after the launch of the All-New, All-Different Marvel.
o Spider-Man - Peter Parker is here, which is probably mostly to make sure fans don't freak out about the presence of somebody else we'll see later on...
o Captain America - It appears as though Falcon will continue to be Captain America -- marking one of a number of recently-christened "substitute" heroes who are represented on this image, suggesting that they won't be replaced post-Secret Wars as many fans expected.
o Steve Rogers, Super-Soldier - And here's the man who helped train Captain America to be ready to take over the mantle -- the original Captain America, back in the "Super Soldier" costume he wore following his return from the dead.
o Iron Man - Another new #1, another new suit of armor for (we're guessing) Tony Stark. He's not so Apple Store-inspired anymore!
o Ant-Man - Once again somebody who will be featured on the silver screen soon, it's no surprise that Ant-Man is being positioned as a character to watch coming out of the big event.
o Jane Foster Thor - This one is a little bit more surprising, if only because she kind of fits into the Falcon/Cap mold: a lot of fans expected that Jane Foster's time with the powers of a thunder god would be pretty limited, especailly now that the mystery of her true nature has been revealed.
o The Vision - The Vision was the standout of Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron and is one of a number of characters planned to appear in Captain America: The Winter Soldier who is reported to be getting a big push post-Secret Wars.
o Ms. Marvel - Like Spider-Gwen, no surprise to see Kamala Khan here. She's a huge hit right now.
o Miles Morales - Yeah, we know that Peter is still alive, so we'll have TWO guys by the name of Spider-Man in the Marvel Universe. But what will their relationship be like? With all the time and multiverse travel, will they remember Spider-Men?
o New Wolverine female Wolverine- Wolverine was recently killed off and now there are plans to pass the title of the Wolverine to his daughter/female clone X-23
o New Hulk
http://comicbook.com/2015/06/04/marvel-teases-the-post-secret-wars-all-new-all-different-marvel-/
Recommendations
Rick and Morty – animated sc-fi adult swim comedy
Very NSFW
http://www.hulu.com/rick-and-morty
That will be it for us this week.
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Thanks for listening folks. Now Go Geek out about something.
(Music 4)
Music Credits
"Happy Bee", "Movement Proposition", "Theme for Harold (var.3) ", "Take the Lead"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/