Sega Pluto prototype console surfaces: the Saturn / NetLink mishmash that never was

So, first things first. Sega actually shipped some pretty insane gear. A handheld console that used full-size Genesis cartridges? Check. A sophisticated Tamagotchi that our own editor-in-chief developed games for? Yessir. Something called a "32X" that stacked on top of an already sizable home console? Sure, why not? Given the outfit's history, the item you're peering at above doesn't feel all that outlandish. According to one Super Magnetic -- a self-proclaimed ex-employee of Sega -- this is Pluto.

As the story goes, Sega was pondering the release of a Saturn variant that included an embedded NetLink device. At the time, online console gaming was in its earliest stages, and someone likely assumed that they could kickstart things by including an Ethernet jack from the get-go. Of course, Pluto never saw the light of day in the consumer world -- thankfully, you can partake in a few more shots of what could've been at the source link below.

Via: Joystiq

Source: Assembler Games

More Coverage: Amazon Discussions

Source

By: Unknown On 12:58 PM

Continue Reading

LG issued patent for the 2010-era tri-screen smartphone that never was

How do you boost screen real estate on a smartphone without increasing the device's footprint significantly? You could add a pair of slide-out panels mounted behind the main display. But you wouldn't. We'd hope. Such a concept made its way out of LG HQ and into the hands of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, however, and three years after its submission date, the proposed device has returned to haunt the South Korean manufacturer, in the form of an issued patent. The concept in question is quite simple: a primary LCD would be visible at all times, and when the occasion called for another panel or two, they'd simply slide into view, ready to serve as a number pad, or settings control, predictive text display, or even a full-fledged split keyboard.

Now, considering that there's been plenty of time since this filing to bring such a smartphone to market, we're going to guess that LG's abandoned plans for its tri-screen device, opting instead to boost the primary display size in smartphones like its Optimus G Pro, or the poorly received 5-inch Optimus Vu. That's not to say that multi-screen handsets won't continue to make an appearance, however -- NEC's Medias W has already hit NTT DoCoMo in Japan, and it's possible that BlackBerry may be considering a split device of its own. This LG concept, however, is probably destined for a dusty filing cabinet at the patent office, where it's unlikely to surface again.

Source: USPTO

Tags: lg, mobilepostcross, patent, uspto

Source

By: Unknown On 9:39 PM

Continue Reading

Amazon green-lights five kids shows, assures that parents will never see their Kindle Fires again

Prime Instant Video Greenlights Its First Children's Pilots for Production

Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, announced today that five children's test pilots have been greenlit for production. This announcement comes on the heels of the first pilot production commitment in December, which greenlit six comedy pilots, bringing the total number of Amazon Studios pilots currently in production to 11.

"Production is already underway for the first set of comedy pilots we announced last month, and now we are excited to add even more pilots to the list-five amazing preschool children's series"

Once completed, all 11 pilots will be posted on Amazon Instant Video, Prime Instant Video, Lovefilm UK and Lovefilm Germany for Amazon customers to watch for free. Viewer feedback will help determine which series Amazon Studios should produce.

"Production is already underway for the first set of comedy pilots we announced last month, and now we are excited to add even more pilots to the list-five amazing preschool children's series," said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. "Our children's series come from industry luminaries with credits such as Blue's Clues, Sid the Science Kid and Dino Dan. We think parents-and our very youngest customers-are going to love the magical combination of entertainment and learning that they'll discover in these children's series."

"We are thrilled to be working with Amazon Studios on our pilot and can't wait to soar into a creative arts curriculum with Creative Galaxy," said Angela C. Santomero (Blue's Clues), creator and executive producer of the debut series, which is one of five children's series to receive a pilot order. "We know that art can have a powerfully positive effect on children, and through our proven signature approach to preschool television, we will actively help young viewers learn how to think creatively in their own lives. Working with Amazon Studios has been fantastic, and we look forward to jumping into the production process."

Children's pilots include:

Creative Galaxy

Creative Galaxy is an animated interactive art adventure series, designed to inspire kids' creative thinking through crafts, story, music and dance. The series was created by Angela Santomero, creator of Super Why!, the Emmy-nominated literacy series, Blue's Clues and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

Oz Adventures

In this innovative problem solving series, Dot, Dorothy's daughter, goes off to Oz everyday with the children of the beloved characters from L. Frank Baum's classic book, The Wizard of Oz. In each episode, the yellow brick road leads Dot to a new magical location where she solves problems alongside her Oz friends.

Teeny Tiny Dogs

Produced by The Jim Henson Company (Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train) and created by Howard Baker (Rugrats), Teeny Tiny Dogs follows Butch, Butterfly, Dinky and Polly as they help one another navigate the big world despite their teeny, tiny, small size. This series promotes happiness through friendship, learning, growing and developing a strong sense of self as seen through the eyes of canine friends.

Tumbleaf

Tumbleaf was created by Drew Hodges and Bix Pix Studios, an award-winning stop motion studio. The series, aimed at preschoolers, is set in a whimsical land where a small blue fox named Fig plays each day and discovers adventure, friendship and love around every bend in the path. Children will be enriched by narratives that promote play through exploration and cognitive reasoning.

The Untitled J.J. Johnson Project

The Untitled J.J. Johnson Project revolves around Anne, a young scientist, who creates three robot helpers to assist her scientific experiments in the back of her dad's junkyard. This science-based series from creator J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan, This is Emily Yeung) aims to introduce kids to science and technology in a fun, new way.

These five new pilots join the six comedy pilots already in production: Alpha House, Browsers, Dark Minions, The Onion Presents: The News, Supanatural and Those Who Can't.

About Amazon Studios

Since its launch in November 2010, more than 14,000 movie scripts and 2,500 series pilot scripts have been submitted to Amazon Studios. The original series announced today will be added to the Amazon Studios series development slate, which currently boasts 20 additional projects.

Amazon Studios continues to invite series creators to upload their proposals for comedy and children's programming at http://studios.amazon.com/getting-started/series or submit them privately via Amazon Studios.

Sourse

By: Dilusha On 9:58 PM

Continue Reading

First Full-Length Man of Steel Trailer: Superman's Never Looked So Badass

This story will display in ...Dec 11, 2012 12:30 PM  

Finally! Since the first teaser dropped this past July, this is what comic book fans and move buffs have been waiting for. The first full-length trailer for Zach Snyder's reimagining of Superman, Man of Steel, just went live and it looks pretty good.

Plot points aside, the visuals look stunning, which is Snyder's go-to. But there's a lot left to be said. Superman does look like a genuine badass, however. Snyder just might pull this off. What do you think?

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 11:45 AM

Continue Reading

Tufty: You Will Never Look at a Teddy Bear the Same Way Ever Again

This story will display in ...Nov 24, 2012 9:00 PM  

You probably had a teddy bear as a kid, or some other stuffed animal. We all did. There's nothing wrong with that, right? Not here in the real world (probably) but according to the short film Tufty, you've got some blood on your hands.

The short opens with a small boy reaching for a stuffed bear, but it's not him the film follows, but rather the trails and tribulations of that poor "toy." You can probably guess where this is going, but it's so worth watching those live teddy bears frolicking in the wild. But beware, you'll probably never be able to look at a teddy bear again without imagining the gory removal of its bloody innards.

Of course, you could definitely read some "animal rights" undertones into this, at levels you may or may not agree with, but let's just focus on something we can all agree on: watching those teddy bears run is f*cking hilarious. [The Best Short Films]

View the original article here

By: Dilusha On 5:13 PM

Continue Reading