Monthly Archives: January 2016
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to Investigate Exploding Hoverboards
Hoverboards/self-balancing skateboards have started one too many fires, prompting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to announce that it's now looking into these hoverboards to determine how safe (or unsafe) they really are.
The issue has become a priority investigation for the organization, which is "devoting the staff time and resources necessary to find the root causes of the fires." As part of their investigation, the CPSC will continue to test newer hoverboards, as well as those involved in any recent fire incidents.
Microsoft Explains How to Replace the Surface Pro’s Power Cord
Microsoft is finally ready to start replacing the faulty AC power cords for certain Surface Pro models.
In a blog post on the official Windows Blog, the company explains that it's starting a voluntary replacement program for the AC power cords that came with any Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3 bought before March 2015 (July 2015 in other areas). Microsoft will provide one redesigned power cord for each eligible Surface Pro tablet someone owns, no proof of damage required.
Johnny Depp Could Go to the Triple Frontier
Johnny Depp is reportedly in early talks to star in a crime thriller about the dark heart of the South American drug trade.
The news comes courtesy of Variety who note that offers have also gone out to Tom Hanks and Will Smith.
Titled Triple Frontier, the movie takes place in the wild region where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet along the Iguazu and Parana rivers. The three borders makes the area very difficult to police and thus a perfect place for crime to thrive.
The movie has been in development for a long time with The Hurt Locker's Kathryn Bigelow originally tapped to direct. The movie is now being helmed by A Most Violent Year's J.C. Chandor.
Rumored Details About Cate Blanchett’s Thor 3 Role
New details on Thor: Ragnarok's rumored villainess have reportedly leaked.
Until now, the villain's identity has remained a mystery, but sources close to Geek.com have revealed new information about the role—which Cate Blanchett is expected to play (though a deal is not yet in place).
Darkwing Duck Is Not Coming Back
Sorry '90s kids, but news of a "gritty" Darkwing Duck reboot has been greatly exaggerated.
Io9 and several other websites were bamboozled earlier today when an old April Fools joke circulated around the net, promising a new Darkwing Duck series that would have both the “same energy and bumbling crime-fighting spirit” while also presumably being a dark, TDKR-style re-imagining of the character.
The show was a spin-off of Duck Tales that aired from 1991-1992. It began on the Disney Channel before moving over to ABC. It featured the adventures of mild-mannered Drake Mallard who fought crime by night as caped vigilante Darkwing Duck along with his sidekicks Gosalyn and Launchpad McQuack.
Overwatch Beta Returns in February
Overwatch's closed beta will return in mid-February, Blizzard announced today. The team-based shooter went "offline for an extended break" back in December, and the development team hoped to get it back up in late January.
"Rather than try to rush a beta patch out this month, we're going to take a few extra weeks before bringing the closed beta back," an update on the Overwatch forum reads.
Though Blizzard is happy with the progress it has made, Overwatch just isn't ready yet. The goal of the break was to "address player feedback, work on some core features, and adjust the balance of the game." While looking through the feedback, Blizzard noticed that fans wanted more game modes "in addition to Point Capture and Payload." So that's what they'll be working on in the coming weeks—polishing the new game mode and finishing up some new maps.
Star Wars Toys Sell Over $700 Million in 2015
Star Wars fever reached a new peak in 2015, as the franchise's toy sales reached over $700 million for the year, according to retail research group NPD (via Reuters).
The NPD group released a report showing the Star Wars franchise leading a strong year for the toy industry, which generated $19.4 billion overall and boasted significant marketing growth.
Star Wars toys, like the BB-8 droid and Kylo Ren lightsaber, alone contributed more to the toy industry's sales and growth than Jurassic World, Minions and Avengers combined.
The Star Wars franchise saw an extra surge on Force Friday, which NPD says attributed to their surge to the number one spot. IGN recently listed the ten best Star Wars toys around, which includes one released on last year's Force Friday.
The Escapists The Walking Dead PS4 Release Date Revealed
The Escapists: The Walking Dead will release for PlayStation 4 on February 16, Team17 has announced.
In the game, players will control The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes as he wakes up at the Harrison Memorial Hospital. The tutorial level matches the first issue of The Walking Dead comic, according to a PlayStation Blog post. Players will then travel to various recognizable locations from The Walking Dead universe, including Greene Family Farm, Meriwether Correctional Facility, Woodbury, and Alexandria.
Crafting returns to the PS4 version of the prison break game, with over 70 different items able to be crafted from more than 250 materials. Some of these items include shovels, cutters, and a modified pistol and rifle.
Marilyn Manson Joins the Cast of Salem
Marilyn Manson is joining the spellbinding chaos on WGN America's Salem in a special Season 3 guest starring role.
Manson joins returning Salem stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Ashley Madekwe,
Tamzin Merchant, Elise Eberle, Iddo Goldberg, Joe Doyle and Oliver Bell as Season 3 begins production today in Shreveport, LA.
Manson is set to portray “Thomas Dinley” - a barber and surgeon who is the go-to man in Salem, from a shave and a haircut to being leeched, bled, sliced open or sewn up. Previously, Manson collaborated with Salem's composer Tyler Bates on the show’s opening title sequence: the song "Cupid Carries a Gun," which also appears on Manson's latest album, "The Pale Emperor."
Arrow: First Look at Vixen
Vixen is making the jump from animation to live-action on an upcoming episode of Arrow, and the first image of the character has now been revealed.
Megalyn E.K., who voices Vixen on the CW Seed animated series -- which was recently renewed for Season 2 -- will be reprising her role on Arrow. Mari McCabe/Vixen met both Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and The Flash (Barry Allen) in the first season of the animated series, which is set in the Arrow/Flash universe, so we'll see how much her appearance on Arrow references those events.
Megalyn E.K. as Vixen in Arrow.