Monthly Archives: January 2016
Volkswagen May Need to Buy Back 115,000 U.S. Cars After Diesel-Emission Scandal
Following the events of Volkswagen's emission scandal that involved installing software to cheat emissions standards, the automaker is now taking the necessary steps to rectify the situation. Steps that will cost the company a lot of money.
One of those steps, according to Reuters (citing German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung), may include buying back close to 115,000 of its own vehicles that currently reside within the U.S. The decision to do so hasn't been confirmed by VW brand chief Herbert Diess, though he hopes to come to an agreement with U.S. regulators very soon.
What Were the Best-Selling Comics of 2015?
The Star Wars franchise wasn't just responsible for the highest grossing movie of 2015, it also dominated the comic book industry in a big way last year. This week Diamond Comics released their final sales figures for 2015, with Star Wars #1 clinching the top spot by a wide margin.
Star Wars #1 sold just shy of a million copies in 2015, clocking in at an estimated 985,976 copies sold. It was followed by Secret Wars #1, which sold an estimated 527,678 copies. As expected, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1 was the top-selling comic for DC, moving an estimated 440,234 copies. Both Bravest Warriors: Tales From Holo John #1 and Orphan Black #1 also cracked the top ten, proving just how much of a sales boost publishers can get by partnering with Loot Crate.
Animated Pokemon Stickers Come to LINE
The Pokemon Company has released a set of new animated LINE stickers based on its beloved creature-collecting franchise.
A total of 24 "cute and fun" Pokemon stickers are now available on the mobile app, featuring fan favorites like Pikachu, Lucario and Eevee. The full collection is available for $2 USD on the LINE Store. Here's a look at a few of the stickers included in the set:
Making a Murderer Subject Steven Avery Getting Investigation Discovery Special
Netflix's new true crime series Making a Murderer has caught the public's attention, and the light is going to continue to shine on subject Steven Avery. Investigation Discovery announced on January 8th at the Television Critics Association winter press tour that the network is working on a new special about Avery.
An Avery-focused special edition of ID's Front Page series, hosted by journalist Keith Morrison, will air in late January, announced Henry Schleiff, group president of Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
“We feel compelled to address what we believe are some critical details missing from the Netflix production ... in an attempt to provide critical, crucial evidence and testimonies that answer many of the questions surrounding Steven Avery," Henry Schleiff said at ID's TCA presentation.
The Most Insanely Dangerous, Awesome Drone Ever
There is so much to see at the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas that it can be hard to know where to begin. If you're looking for a little bit of excitement, you'd do well to stop and check out the Ehang personal drone.
It's large enough to carry one passenger to a predetermined destination. Simply punch your coordinates into the accompanying smartphone app, climb in, and let the miracle of modern technology whisk you away on a chair of pure science.
If you're sick and tired of boring drones that don't do much more than take photos, the Ehang drone might be for you. However, there are a few caveats. As thrilling as it might be to fly effortlessly over the tops of the homes of all your haters, the company behind the drone is still working out some of the kinks.
See The Simpsons Miami Vice / GTA-Style Couch Gag
The Simpsons is getting another extremely elaborate couch gag, with an extended homage to 1980s action shows like Miami Vice -- and by extension, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
The gag runs almost two minutes in total, with a very different art style and lots of cameo appearances from characters like Ned Flanders, Sideshow Bob, Lenny, and Carl. It will air with the episode "Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles" this Sunday.
The couch gag in the opening credits began as a simple and quick throwaway joke, but in recent years has developed into some much lengthier homages. The famous sequence has been used to give nods to The Hobbit and Guillermo Del Toro, and to set the tone for the show's Futurama crossover. Be sure to check out our Top 25 Couch Gags as we decide where this latest one fits.
Apple Patent Reveals Potential Plans to Add Two Rear-Facing Cameras to the iPhone
Apple's next iPhone could have an improved camera on the back, if a recently published patent is anything to go by.
The patent, discovered by Patently Apple, describes a dual camera system, with the main benefit being the ability to zoom in while taking pictures without seeing a noticeable drop in resolution. That in itself would be a welcome addition to the "iPhone 7," but the patent also includes examples of other uses, such as taking video and still photos simultaneously.
John Cena Undergoes Surgery, Likely to Miss WrestleMania
Pouring salt in the WWE's current "injured list" wound - that already includes big names like Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and Cesaro - John Cena underwent shoulder surgery today. Per Cena's own tweet from yesterday...
Rather upside down start to 2016 as tomorrow I will head to Birmingham for shoulder surgery. Life's full of set backs but #nevergiveup
— John Cena (@JohnCena) January 7, 2016
So what does this mean for the next few months? Well - barring a miraculous (and not out of the question) super-Cena healing process - this injury (which is rumored to be either a torn rotator cuff or a torn labrum) could mean that Cena's out of the WrestleMania 32 picture. As this type of procedure usually requires 6-9 months of aftercare and rehabilitation.
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Figma Link Revealed
A new Nintendo Figma based on the The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds' Hylian Hero is coming later this year from Max Factory and Good Smile Company.
According to Max Factory's announcement (via Toyark) two versions will be available when the figure releases this August. Here's a look at the standard version, which will be priced at 4,630 yen (approximately $39 USD).
Meanwhile, the customizable DX version comes bundled with various accessories, including a pot, bomb and hook shot. It will be exclusive to the Good Smile Company's web store in Japan for 5,556 yen (approximately $47 USD). An international release is reportedly planned as well. See it below.
George Miller Expresses Interest in Making a Furiosa Movie
Mad Max director George Miller has talked more about what he could do with a Furiosa movie following the success of Fury Road.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Miller said that Fury Road only alluded to her past, so another movie could explore it in more detail. But, he also pointed out that fans seem to be catching a lot of the subtext already.
"She's a pretty compelling character so it'd be great to tell her story," he said. "Her backstory is pretty interesting, we only allude to it in this movie. This movie is on the run, people don't have much time for recreational talk. You have a sense of her having gone through stuff, that's what the movie is trying to do. You know, you're trying to put a lot of iceberg under the tip, I like saying.