Episode 17 – International Mech Battle
(music one)
Welcome to another episode of Geek Bytes Podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia…….I’m Edgar Acosta
Each podcast we review and discuss all the geek and tech news we found interesting that week.
Remember to follow us on Twitter @geekbytespod and Like us on Facebook
We want to announce that we’re running a contest giving away a box full of geek loot once we get 100 likes on Facebook
This Week in Geek News we’ll talk about the Indiegogo for Greece’s debt, Uber CEOs being arrested, Apple’s $450 million settlement, Apple Music, the new study that says Google is acting shady, the challenge for an international Mech battle, Donald Trump being dropped from NBC, Marvel’s “new and different” comic line, and Trailers of the Week
In our Discussions section we’ll talk about Finally pulling that next gen console trigger
We Begin our show with Geek News
(music two)
Crowdfunding Greece’s National Debt
· Greece is not doing well financially at the moment, to put it mildly. The country is broke and can’t repay their European Union loan. So some folks are trying to help bail the country out in the way that the internet loves best: A silly crowdfunding campaign!
· The Indiegogo campaign was started by a British man who is trying to raise €1.6 billion, or about $1.8 billion. What do you get for tossing Greece a few euros?
· From Indiegogo:
o Pledge €3 and get a postcard sent from Greece of Alex Tsipras, the Greek Prime Minister. We’ll get them made and posted in Greece and give a boost to some local printers and post offices.
o Pledge €6 and get a greek Feta and Olive salad
o Pledge €10 and get a small bottle of Ouzo sent to you
o Pledge €25 and get a bottle of Greek wine
· How much have they raised so far? €1,248,358.
· On Tuesday the story got so popular that it crashed the Indiegogo site.
· http://gizmodo.com/someone-is-trying-to-crowdfund-a-greek-bailout-because-1714684321
· https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/greek-bailout-fund#/story
Uber France Leaders Arrested For Running Illegal Taxi Company
· Uber France CEO Thibaud Simphal and Uber Europe GM Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty were both taken into custody Monday in Paris.. The police started investigating Uber in November 2014 and raided its office in Paris in March 2015.
· The two executives were charged with two different allegations.
o First, according to them, Uber is running an illegal taxi operations.
o Second, the police said that Uber France is concealing digital documents related to their investigation.
o Their trail is set for Sept. 30th
· http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/uber-france-leaders-arrested-for-running-illegal-taxi-company/
Apple to pay $450 million in e-book price-fixing suit
· Apple conspired with publishers to artificially raise the price of e-books, the Second US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled today, upholding a verdict from 2013.
· Now that the company has lost its appeal, Apple is expected to pay $450 million, most of it to e-book customers. Apple agreed to a $450 million settlement in 2014 as part of the appeals process:
· http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/30/apple-loses-appeal-450-million/
Apple Music Hits The Right Note On International Availability And Pricing
· Jon Russell (@jonrussell) at TechCrunch had an interesting take on the global availability of Apple Music.
· Apple Music has gone global from day one. Beats 1 is available in 100 countries
o In contrast to Apple’s iTunes Radio service, which rolled out very slowly to North America, parts of Europe and Oceania but no further.
· It isn’t just about global availability though, Apple has done right on price, too.
· Apple Music costs from $10 for a single account in the U.S., but the company has priced its service competitively across the world.
· In Thailand, where Jon Russell lives, it is $5 per month, as is the case in Indonesia and elsewhere, but it is even lower in other parts of the world.
o The service costs around $3 in the Philippines and Russia,
o In India it is available for just 120 INR (less than $2) per month.
· Of course, it’s worth pointing out that catalogue availability will vary from country to country, which is another factor for prices.
New Study suggests Google skews search results in its favor
· The new study was written by Harvard Business School professor Michael Luca, Columbia Law School Professor Tim Wu, and Yelp’s data science team.
· In it, the researchers claim that Google is skewing its local search results in favor of Google-created content.
· The researchers created two versions of search results imitating Googles searches
o The first version showed results that included Google’s so-called Local OneBox, which shows a select list of businesses at the top of the search page generated from Google+.
o The second version of the same search results—only this time without OneBox.
· The results showed that users were 45% more likely to click on the organic results in the second version
· Remember that Google’s search rankings were the subject of a Federal Trade Commission investigation, as well as an ongoing antitrust investigation by European Union regulators.
· http://www.wired.com/2015/06/google-wu-study/?mbid=social_fb
U.S. challenges Japan to a Mech battle
· Mega Bots Inc. have built a 12,000 pound mech called MegaBot Mk. II.
· The same company has issued a battle challenge to the Japanese company Suidobashy Heavy Industies who built the 9,000-pound mech Kuratas.
· http://geektyrant.com/news/usa-challenges-japan-to-a-real-life-giant-robot-duel
Donald Trump dropped from NBC line up
· Recently Donald Trump announced his Presidential Candidacy and made some remarks regarding illegal Mexican immigration
o In a televised political speech Trump stated “When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best...They're sending people who have lots of problems. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people."
· NBC decided to drop Trump’s shows, including the Miss America Pageant, after receiving pressure from Hispanic advocacy organizations.
· NBC follows Univision, the world’s largest Spanish speaking television network, who also dropped the Miss America Pageant after Trumps comments.
o Trump responded to Univision’s decision by filling a $500 million lawsuit
· Oh, Macy’s also dropped the Trumps clothing line too
· http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/29/media/donald-trump-nbc-ends-relationship/
Warner Brothers to show at Comic-Con
· Warner Bros. and DC. WB has announced a partial roster of its film properties that will be showcased in the studio's panel, and the films include Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Pan, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
· So expect to see Zack Snyder, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Gal Gadot, Hugh Jackman, Garret Hedlund, and Levi Miller.
Marvel’s New 45
· Marvel is launching 45 new comics after their secret wars story arc
· Some of the issues we’re excited to see
o The Totally Awesome Hulk #1- Explores who Hulk is now
o Gaurdians of the Galaxy #1- The team consists of Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax, Venom, The Thing, and a woman in Star-Lord’s costume, most likely Kitty Pryde.
o Amazing Spider-Man #1- Peter Parker in a new suit with glowing emblems
§ http://comicbook.com/2015/06/30/spider-man-gets-a-new-costume-in-all-new-all-different-marvel/
o Spider-Woman #1- Jessica Drew-, Spider Woman, will relaunch mysteriously pregnant and the catch line “Parent by day. Hero by night.”
§ http://comicbook.com/2015/06/30/spider-woman-is-pregnant-in-all-new-all-different-marvel/
o Old Man Logan #1- “Older, Wiser, Sharper”
o All-New Wolverine #1- “Best there is at what she does”
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/30/marvel-announces-45-new-titles
Trailers of the Week
Steve Jobs
· This trailer is already better than the similarly themed movie with Ashton Kutcher. Plus you get Seth Rogen playing Steve Wozniak. The movie is in theaters October 9th, 2015.
Secrets in their Eyes
· This may be Julia Robert’s best role yet. When her daughter is found murdered Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor must startle the line between justice and revenge. The trailer shows one of heck of a suspenseful movie.
Creed
· Adonis Johnson (Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa.
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/30/watch-the-trailer-for-creed-a-rocky-ish-movie
Transporter: Refueled
· No more Jason Statham in the Transporter series. Welcome Ed Skrein to the franchise.
· The movie is out September 4th, 2015.
Dragonball Z and Super
· Dragon Ball Z Resurrection F- Limited American release August 4-12.
· Dragon Ball Super- comes out this month in Japan
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/1/here-are-some-dragon-ball-trailers-for-you
Wet Hot American Summer: First days of Camp
· So many comedy stars: Elizabeth Banks, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite Moreau, Zak Orth, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, and Michael Showalter join together with new characters played by Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, John Slattery, and more.
Masterminds
· A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.
· In Theaters: August 19th, 2015
· Starring: Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Zach Galifianakis
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/28/watch-the-trailer-for-the-comedy-masterminds-1
Sleeping with Other People
· Opening in theaters September 11th.
· Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Adam Scott, Amanda Peet & Natasha Lyonne
· Official Synopsis:
· Can two serial cheaters get a second chance at love? After a one-night stand in college, New Yorkers Lainey (Alison Brie) and Jake (Jason Sudeikis) meet by chance twelve years later and discover they each have the same problem: because of their monogamy-challenged ways, neither can maintain a relationship. Determined to stay friends despite their mutual attraction, they make a pact to keep it platonic, a deal that proves easier said than done. Fresh, funny, and full of witty insights about modern love, this hilariously heartfelt film "is the rare rom-com that reminds us why we love them so much in the first place" (Time Out New York). Amanda Peet, Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne, and Jason Mantzoukas co-star.
· http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/6/28/watch-the-trailer-for-sleeping-with-other-people
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
(Music 3)
Discussion- Finally pulling that next gen console trigger
Ant-Man expo at Disneyland
Recommendadtions
BattleBots- ABC show, you can also catch the episodes online
· https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRRCB3jKyvhoDscWknafPng
How to train your Dragon- Netflix series
That will be it for us this week.
If enjoy this podcast and want to support us you can go to www.geekbytespodcast.com/support
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/