Episode 22 – Windows 10 Premiere
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Welcome to another episode of Geek Bytes Podcast.
We bring you the week’s Geek and Tech news and then discuss anything we’re interesting in that week.
Don’t forget to subscribe to us on Itunes, Stitcher or any podcatching app, and please leave a good review if you like the podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia…….I’m Edgar Acosta
In Geek News this week, we’ll talk about Windows 10, A new type of Computer Memory, Amazon's Dash Buttons, China ending their ban on console gaming, Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman movie, A possible Married With Children Spin-off, ‘Supergirl’ signing up Reactron, the Killing Joke, Trailers of the Week, and more
In our Discussions section we’ll talk about The end of Battle Bots, our review of Armada, and what’s happening with us this week
Now let’s Begin our show with Geek News
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Geek News
Windows 10 launched this week
· Most reviews of Windows 10 are positive. The most common comment being that it keeps all the great parts of Windows 7 and 8.
· What’s New
o Cortana, the virtual assistant
o Microsoft's new Edge browser ,
§ The replacement for Internet Explorer. It’s supposed to be sleeker, faster, and use less memory
o If you have an Xbox One, Windows 10 offers the ability to stream games from your console to any PC.
· Should you upgrade?
· Yes, if your computer meets the system requirements.
o A 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM (2GB for the 64-bit version) and around 20GB of free hard drive space.
· We recommend you Upgrade, but not right away
o With any new operating system there are going to be hick ups and issues that need to be patched right after the new system goes live.
§ For example Windows 10 currently has an issue where it gives away your Wi-Fi password
o If you don’t need to upgrade right away, wait a few months for potential computer breaking issues to be ironed out.
· Remember, it's completely free for existing Windows 7 and 8 users to upgrade to Windows 10 for the first year. Yes, you'll still be able to keep using the OS for free afterward.
· Starting next year, Windows 10 will cost $120 for the Home version and $200 for the Pro version.
If you need a new computer aware of a few things to look out for
o Most new computers will not have Windows 10 installed already. You’ll likely have to get one with Windows 8 and upgrade it yourself, still for free.
o If you're interested in Windows Hello, Microsoft's fast biometric login feature, make sure to get a computer with either a fingerprint sensor, or infrared camera (for facial recognition).
o http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/27/windows-10-upgrade-faq/
New Type of Computer Memory created, 1000 times faster
Intel and Micron unveiled a novel new kind of non-volatile data storage device during a press conference on Tuesday. The chips, dubbed "3D XPoint" (pronounced "cross-point"), are being touted as the first new class of "mainstream memory" to hit the market since 1989. These new chips could soon speed up everything from cell phones and SSD laptops to genomic sequencers and supercomputers.
The material that makes up each Xpoint memory cell changes its physical properties to either have a high or low electrical resistance, which represents 1's and 0's respectively. What's more, the multiple layers of these cells are stacked in a 3D crosshatch pattern that allows each cell to be addressed and rewritten individually. By shifting single electrons to either side of a "floating gate" to change from a 1 to a 0 and back again. By addressing each cell individually, Intel reports that the new chip can perform 1000 times faster than conventional NAND and last hundreds of times longer before breaking down. The crosshatch design also allows Intel to stack the layers 10 times more densely than regular hard drives.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/28/intel-3d-memory-1000-times-faster/
Amazon's Dash Buttons bring one-push ordering to all Prime members
Amazon has officially made available, for Prime customers, their one button ordering gadget, the Dash Button, for $4.99 each. Right now, there are 18 total Dash buttons to choose from that will handle orders of items like laundry detergent, paper towels, food and more with ease.
With an adhesive backing, the idea is to place the Dash Button close to where you're likely to run out of an item for easy access. In the case of the Tide button above, you'd stick it on your washing machine. The diminutive devices connect to your home WiFi network through the Amazon mobile app where you can select the size/quantity info. You'll also receive an order alert on your phone, so you can cancel the order if needed. You know, in case someone happens to press it one too many times.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/29/amazon-dash-buttons-prime/?sr_share=facebook
Pandora Launches Sponsored Ads
There are a lot of new players in the music streaming including the new giant on the block Apple. In an attempt to keep both ad producers and listeners happy Pandora is trying out a new ad technique.
Tech Crunch reports that Pandora is launching “Sponsored Listening”. In exchange for listening to a 30 sec-2.5 minute ad at the beginning of your time on Pandora, you get a full hour of uninterrupted music. Pandora is not the only media company to use this idea. Hulu has also experimented with this type of sponsored ad.
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/28/pandora-launches-sponsored-ads
China ends ban on console gaming
According to The Wall Street Journal , China’s Ministry of Culture has issued a statement completely lifting the ban on video game consoles.
This means that China may soon get legal copies of the PS4, Xbox One, and WiiU soon.
Approximately 15 years ago, China banned the sale of video game consoles, citing a negative affect on children who played video games.
Chinese fans of PC video games were not affected by the ban.
Rumblings of China's intentions to lift the ban began as early as 2013, and in January 2014, the ban was temporarily lifted allowing consoles manufacturers the opportunity to sell consoles, but only with government approval in the Shanghai free trade zone.
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/07/26/china-lifts-video-game-console-ban.aspx
Gaming Mouse and Keyboard for the PS4
Hori's Tactical Assault Commander 4 is a keyboard and mouse setup for PS4 that attempts to mimic a PC control system. The means the DualShock 4's left analog is mapped to a WASD-style configuration, while the right analog is controlled by a mouse. The rest of the DualShock's buttons and triggers are mapped to the appropriate spots, and there are a couple of additional functions like programmable buttons, a "snipe mode" that changes mouse sensitivity and a walk button for, we assume, walking rather than running.
It'll launch this October, just before FPS season starts in earnest. British and Japanese retailers are listing it for pre-order at around $120-$130 converted, so we'd expect it to cost something similar when it's released in the US.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/27/hori-tactical-assault-commander-4/
Chris Pine signs on to play Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman movie
According to The Wrap, Chris Pine has officially signed on to play Steve Trevor in director Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman alongside Gal Gadot. Chris Pines is most famously known for playing Captain Kirk in the rebooted Star Trek films.
Trevor is the romantic interest of Wonder Woman and debuted alongside the Amazonian Princess in 1942's All Star Comics #8. He was originally a US Soldier whose plane crash-lands on Paradise Island during a mission. There's no information on what his background will be in the DC cinematic universe, but the report says "there will be plenty of action to keep him busy."
http://www.thewrap.com/chris-pine-closes-deal-to-star-opposite-gal-gadot-in-wonder-woman-exclusive/
A Married With Children Spin-off Is in the Works
David Faustino, who played Bud on the sitcom, told E! that he's developing a "spin-off" of the Married with Children series. "Sony has it. They're excited about it," he said at the premiere of his TV co-star Christina Applegate's movie Vacation. "They're working on some legal issues that we hope they work out.
"The whole cast, including Christina, is down to do little bits in it," Faustino continued. The idea would be a pilot for a spin-off series, he says, which would require some interesting scheduling with his former co-stars. His TV parents Ed O'Neill and Katey Sagal are both a bit busy with their own current series, Modern Family and The Bastard Executioner, respectively.
http://www.thewrap.com/chris-pine-closes-deal-to-star-opposite-gal-gadot-in-wonder-woman-exclusive/
‘Supergirl’ Lands ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Star as Villain Reactron
Entertainment Weekly reveals that Chris Browning (the Sons of Anarchy star) has landed the role of Reactron.
In the comics, Ben Krull, a.k.a. Reactron, was primarily known as a Superman villain from Metropolis, who wears a suit of armor powered by nuclear energy. Since Reactron has never been able to defeat the Man of Steel, he journeys to National City to get his revenge by trying to kill Supergirl (played by Melissa Benoist). The character is slated to appear in the show's third episode, with the potential to return as a recurring character throughout Season 1.
http://movieweb.com/supergirl-tv-show-cast-chris-browning-reactron/
Brittany Snow closes deal for Pitch Perfect 3
Brittany Snow is closing her deal to reprise her role of Chloe in Universal and Gold Circle’s “Pitch Perfect 3.”
Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson have already closed deals to return, with Kay Canon on board to pen the script. Elizabeth Banks helmed “Pitch Perfect 2,” but as of now no director is attached to this installment.
The 2012 original grossed $113 million worldwide, while “Pitch Perfect 2″ has more than doubled that, grossing $282 million worldwide to date on a $29 million budget. Universal has already dated the third installment for July 21, 2017.
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/brittany-snow-pitch-perfect-3-1201549922/
Mark Hamill to voice Joker in The Killing Joke
Last week we learned that Mark Hamill wanted to come back and voice the Joker in Warner Bros. Animation's film adaptation of The Killing Joke, scheduled for release in 2016.
Collider has confirmed through inside sources that Hamill will indeed come back to bring the Joker back to life in one of his most sinister stories ever.
Kevin Conroy is also looking to join the film as the voice of Batman
http://geektyrant.com/news/mark-hamill-will-voice-the-joker-in-the-killing-joke-animated-film
Trailers of the Week
The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet
The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet seems to have popped out of nowhere and is landing in US theaters today, which doesn't suggest there's much studio confidence behind it. But hey, it's the second English-language film from Amélie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and it's a children's story with all of the whimsical attitude you'd expect from him.
The 33
In 2010, the eyes of the world turned to Chile, where 33 miners had been buried alive by the catastrophic explosion and collapse of a 100-year-old gold and copper mine. Over the next 69 days, an international team worked night and day in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped men as their families and friends, as well as millions of people globally, waited and watched anxiously for any sign of hope. But 200 stories beneath the surface, in the suffocating heat and with tensions rising, provisions—and time—were quickly running out.
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/30/watch-the-trailer-for-the-chilean-miner-movie-the-33
Room
The trailer for Room does a great job of conveying the creepy reality of a kidnapped woman trying to raise her child in a locked room.
Based on the best-selling novel by Emma Donoghue. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, and starring Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, William H. Macy. Room tells the story of Jack and his Ma. Jack lives with his Ma in Room, a secured single-room outbuilding containing a small kitchen, a bathtub, a wardrobe, a bed, and a TV set. Since it is all he has ever known, Jack believes that only Room and the things it contains (including himself and Ma) are "real." Ma, unwilling to disappoint Jack with a life she cannot give him, allows Jack to believe that the rest of the world exists only on television.
Room is slated for a limited release on Oct. 16th, and a national release Nov. 6th
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/30/watch-the-creepy-creepy-trailer-for-room
One & Two
The trailer for the IFC’s super power movie One & Two has a bit of that sixth sense magic. Not that they’re the same type of move but you get the sense that more is happening under the surface but you can’t put your finger on exactly what.
There are a lot of super power movies coming out right now and it’s good to see that someone can still tell an original story.
Opening in theaters, digital and VOD August 14th.
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/26/watch-the-subtle-super-power-movie-trailer-one-two
The Night Before- RED BAND TRAILER
Ethan (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (played by Seth Rogen) and Chris (played by Anthony Mackie) have been friends since childhood, and for a decade, their yearly Christmas Eve reunion has been an annual night of debauchery and hilarity. Now that they’re entering adulthood, the tradition is coming to an end, and to make it as memorable as possible, they set out to find the Nutcracka Ball – the Holy Grail of Christmas parties
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/28/watch-the-trailer-for-the-night-before
SICARIO
In Mexico, SICARIO means hitman.
In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent [Emily Blunt] is enlisted by an elite government task force official [Josh Brolin] to aid in the escalating war against drugs.
Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past [Benicio Del Toro], the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.
In Theaters Sept 18th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gqDBqiNLBE
Black Mass
In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (played by Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.
The movie stars: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Bacon, and more
Black Mass opens in theaters on September 18th.
Spotlight
Spotlight dramatizing The Boston Globe's Pulizter-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church and how there are some huge stars behind it, including Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Mark Ruffalo.
Ferrell Takes the Field
HBO seems to really be digging the fake sports documentary. Ferrell Takes the Field is its second this summer, and it appears to be about Will Ferrell having a bizarre career in baseball. It'll be on HBO starting September 12th.
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine
Here's a first look at the documentary that has Apple pretty upset. Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine focuses at Jobs' role as a hero figure and how he was often anything but. It's supposed to be a powerful look at the man behind Apple, and that's no surprise given that this documentary comes from the director of Going Clear, the documentary that shook Scientology earlier this year. The Man in the Machine comes out September 4th.
Henry- The first Virtual Reality Movie from Oculus
Henry follows the tale of a hedgehog, starting out with an interior view of his house that you’re obviously immersed within. It’s Henry’s birthday, but he’s lonely, so he wishes for friends, which kicks off the plot of the picture.
Elijah Wood voices the main character Henry. Oculus plans to release this VR film and others with the consumer version of its virtual reality display in the beginning of 2016.
http://www.geekbytespodcast.com/news/2015/7/29/oculus-premieres-vr-movie-henry-watch-the-trailer
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 news suggestions for us, please e-mail us at feedback@geekbytespodcast.com
Onto our Discussion section
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Discussion-
What’s happening with us?
· Edgar- What have you been up to this week? And Plans for the weekend
Battle Bots finishes up their relaunched 1st season- watch it on HULU
Armada Review- The novel revolves around the premise: What if all the movies and games ever produced were secretly a worldwide governmental conspiracy to prepare humanity for an inevitable alien invasion. It gets a little weirder from there. All the alien fighting video games are actually recruitment tools for a secret alien fighting team.
That will be it for us this week.
Thanks for listening folks. Now Go Geek out about something.
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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/