The World’s Smallest Harmonica

The World’s Smallest Harmonica ($23.45) comes to you from Hohner, the brand favored by musicians around the world. It features the legendary Hohner craftmanship with brass reeds and pear wood comb that gives you a full sound!

Though it only measures a miniscule 3.5cm, the same size of a paperclip, it can play the whole octave in C-Major.

The World’s Smallest Harmonica comes with its own black carrying case and can be attached to a keychain.

What You Didn’t Know About Nintendo

Here is a look at some of the numbers and the trivia associated with Nintendo, one of the world’s most beloved gaming companies.

New Star Wars Animated Series in the Works

Lucasfilm Animation announced today it is developing an all-new animated “Star Wars” series, focusing its efforts on the comedic aspects of the “galaxy far, far away.” Featuring creative involvement from Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, creators and executive producers of the Emmy and Annie Award-winning “Robot Chicken,” as well as writing from “The Daily Show’s” Brendan Hay, the series will look at the Saga’s characters with a playful and irreverent tone. The series will be produced by Daytime Emmy and Gemini Award-winner Jennifer Hill (“The Backyardigans”), and directed by Emmy-nominated Todd Grimes (“Back at the Barnyard”).

“There are so many stories taking place in the Star Wars universe, and they don’t all have to focus on the fate of the galaxy,” said Grimes. “We’re looking at Star Wars from a new perspective; this will be a glimpse at how the rest of the galaxy is affected by the events of the Saga. There’s a lot of humor to be mined from that.”

“The Star Wars universe is so dense and rich; it’s crazy to think that there aren’t normal, mundane everyday problems in a world so well-defined,” said Green. “And it’s even crazier to think of what those problems might be, since it’s all set in a galaxy far, far away. What do these characters do when they’re not overthrowing Empires?”

Said Senreich, “We’re going to pull back the curtain of some of those behind-the-scenes shenanigans. It’s going to appeal to all ages, the way Star Wars should — but there’ll be plenty buried under the surface, as well. As Obi-Wan might say, ‘it all depends on your point of view’.”

The Marvelous Cartoon Wigs Museum T-Shirt

The Marvelous Cartoon Wigs Museum t-shirt by Rodrigo Leonardo Batista Ferreira can be ordered HERE for $18.

Apple Sells Over 300,000 iPads On Launch Day

Apple has announced that it sold more than 300,000 iPads on launch day, surpassing the launch weekend total of the original iPhone. These sales included deliveries of pre-ordered iPads, deliveries to channel partners, and sales at Apple retail stores. In addition, iPad users downloaded over one million apps from the App Store and over 250,000 ebooks from the iBookstore during the first day. “It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world—it’s going to be a game changer,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.”

Stephen King On The Kindle And The iPad

Stephen King discusses his thoughts on e-Readers in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly:

“In 2008, not too long after writing a column about the Kindle reading device for EW, my agent, Ralph Vicinanza, suggested I write something for Amazon. They were going to introduce a new version of the Kindle, he said, and asked if I might like to write an original story to be published exclusively in that format. I said I’d consider it, and did just that on several of my daily three-mile walks when I do my best thinking.

I decided I would like to write a story for the Kindle, but only if I could do one about the Kindle. Gadgets fascinate me, particularly if I can think of a way they might get weird. I had previously written about homicidal cars, sinister computers, and brain-destroying mobile phones; at the time the Amazon request came in, I’d been playing with an idea about a guy who starts getting e-mails from the dead. The story I wrote, ”Ur,” was about an e-reader that can access books and newspapers from alternate worlds. I realized I might get trashed in some of the literary blogs, where I would be accused of shilling for Jeff Bezos & Co., but that didn’t bother me much; in my career, I have been trashed by experts, and I’m still standing.

All of this happened before Barnes & Noble started selling the Nook reader and Steve Jobs — to considerable fanfare — introduced the iPad, surely one of modern consumerdom’s stupider geek-me-with-a-spoon names. (I would have called it the iDo, but Mr. Jobs didn’t ask me.) It was also before the inoffensive little e-book reader — a perfectly logical outgrowth of the Internet age — grew into something that now seems to threaten publishers, bookstores, and even the authors themselves. And before Amazon and Wal-Mart got into a seriocomic price war that sent the prices of last year’s best-sellers (on paper as well as in e-book versions) plummeting. At one point, you could buy the Kindle edition of Under the Dome for eight bucks, less than half the list price of the forthcoming paperback edition. What’s up with that?

Maybe instead of ”Ur,” I should have written a story called ”The Monster That Ate the Book Biz” — but would Amazon have wanted that one? Probably not.

I have no plans to get an iPad. I know it will do more things than my Kindle, but I don’t want more things. If I want other stuff — movies, TV shows, weather forecasts, the forthcoming Josh Ritter album — I have my Mac. When it comes to reading, the Kindle supplies everything I want, thanks. I can order the latest Michael Connelly out of thin air, carry it in my jacket pocket, and make the type as big as I want. After all that, should I insist it sing, dance, and give me GPS coordinates to the nearest Waffle House? Comrade Stevie says nyet.

But my e-reader will never completely replace my books. Footnotes are difficult to access on the Kindle (oh, there’s a way, but it’s counterintuitive). The black-and-white covers are blah. Worst of all, holograph materials are all but indecipherable. I read a Minette Walters mystery recently on my Kindle. Several handwritten letters were an integral part of the plot, and I hadn’t the slightest idea of what they said, even when I held the damn screen an inch from my nose. Of course, a color Kindle is rumored to be in the works, the iPad will feature color from the jump, and I’m sure I could have read those incriminating letters on the new and larger Kindle DX.

The real problem with e-readers, and what may save the embattled publishing industry, is simple consumer resistance. There are lots of advantages to the electronic devices — portability, instant buyer gratification, nice big type for aging eyes like mine — but there’s a troubling lightness to the content as well. A not-thereness. Even formidable works like Neal Stephenson’s Quicksilver feel somehow not quite real when read on a screen. I bought a Kindle for everyone in my immediate family, but I’m the only one who uses it regularly. Oh, and something else: If you happen to drop a book into the toilet, you can dry it out. Drop your Kindle into the toilet and maybe it’ll still work.

The title of an Anthony Powell novel may best express my own uneasy mixture of feelings about Amazon’s reader and its Johnny-come-lately competitors. The novel is titled Books Do Furnish a Room. That particular book is not, so far as I can tell, available in a Kindle edition.”

50 Years of Dr. Martens

April 1st 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martens. Watch the film below that tracks five decades of DMs, as told by the people who made them famous.

The famous footwear company asked 10 artists to record their version of a cult classic track which represents the spirit of the people who’ve worn Dr. Martens over the past 50 years. Ten directors were picked to make videos for each of the downloadable tracks. Listen and watch HERE.

Skateboardanimation

Tillies Singer took a ton of digital photos and bunch of real life magazines to create this amazing stop motion animated skateboard video.

Apple iPhone OS 4.0 To Be Revealed on April 8th

Today Apple sent the media invitations for a sneak peek of the next generation of iPhone software”. The event is in 3 days on April 8th at 10AM Pacific and THE FIRE WIRE will provide the highlights of the announcement.

Five-Year-Old Joshua “Rizzo” Sacco Reenacts Herb Brooks’ Miracle Speech At Fenway Park

Five-year-old Joshua “Rizzo” Sacco was invited to Fenway Park for the season-opening Red Sox-Yankees game to reenact his Internet-famous imitation of Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks delivering the “Miracle speech” from the 2004 “Miracle on Ice” biopic, Miracle.

The Red Sox went on to win the game 9-7.

New Video Game Releases: April 4th – April 10th

Maybe the headline should read “New Cricket Chirpings” instead.  There are only four games dropping this week, the biggest of which is a previously released downloadable content disc.

The Borderlands DLC disc offers both The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Moxie’s Underground Riot episodes on one convenient DVD.  It is the same content that was released months ago online for the sleeper-hit wasteland shooter.  If you play Borderlands and are not online, you might wanna pick it up.  Then again if you’re not online why the F are you playing Borderlands?!  It’s a co-op, loot scavenging shooter that was specifically designed for online play.

On the PC front, Lead and Gold actually looks pretty cool.  It’s a multi-player shooter that’s taken its influence from Valve’s stellar Team Fortress 2 and is set in the wild, wild west.

Two games for the DS round out the week.  Make sure to tell your wallet to enjoy its nice vacation.

Tuesday (April 6th)
Borderlands: Double Game Add-On Pack (PC, 360)
Squishy Tank (DS)
Satisfashion (DS)

Thursday (April 8th)
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West (PC)

(Written by Nick Creature)

Two Minute Iron Man 2 Film Clip

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios has released the first film clip from the anticipated sequel Iron Man 2 starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson.

The film is due out May 7, 2010.

Alvin, Theodore and Simon Take Over Dodger Stadium

Today we had the wonderful opportunity to take our family to Dodger Stadium and watch the Dodgers play the Angels courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The invitation was celebrating the release of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel on DVD and Blu-ray on March 30th.

In this film, the 3 lovable furry characters meet their musical match after returning to school and entering into a battle of the bands competition in hopes of saving the school’s troubled music program. Though the Chipmunks are confident they have the songwriting skills to win the competition, a newly formed singing trio dubbed the Chippettes promises to give them some stiff competition on-stage. Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette are indeed the real deal, and the closer the competition gets, the more Alvin, Simon, and Theodore realize that in order to win, they’ll have to give it everything they’ve got.

Prior to the baseball game we were escorted to Autograph Alley and took advantage of all the fun events. My nephew Anthony enjoyed watching the teams warm up on the field and won a DVD of the original movie.

My niece Victoria loved singing Karaoke with her voice altered like a chipmunk.

The kids received free hats, shirts and temporary tattoos. We all took pictures with the life size statues of Alvin, Theodore and Simon.

We took our seats and heard the Chipmunks sing “America The Beautiful,” and during the seventh inning stretch listened to Alvin, Simon and Theodore lead the audience in “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”. Everyone had a fantastic time and we are so appreciative of Fox’s hospitality!

Neil Numberman’s Monster Easter Eggs

If you’re coloring Easter Eggs this weekend, how about making some Monster Easter Eggs? Neil Numberman made these templates to help you create your oval creatures:

Caffiend

Squiddly

Yggdrasil

Champ

Roscoe

Batfrey

Make sure to print these out on nice thick card stock and then carefully cut them out. Follow the instructions and glue when necessary.

Time And Newsweek Have iPad Cover Stories

Both Time and Newsweek have cover stories about the iPad this week.

Story Titles & Plot Synopses for Stephen King’s Full Dark, No Stars

On November 9, 2010 Stephen King will release four unpublished novellas in his newest collection entitled, Full Dark, No Stars. Here are the story titles and plot synopses for the 352 page upcoming book:

1922
The story opens with the confession of Wilfred James to the murder of his wife, Arlette, following their move to Hemingford, Nebraska onto land willed to Arlette by her father.

Big Driver
Mystery writer, Tess, has been supplementing her writing income for years by doing speaking engagements with no problems. But following a last-minute invitation to a book club 60 miles away, she takes a shortcut home with dire consequences.

Fair Extension
Harry Streeter, who is suffering from cancer, decides to make a deal with the devil but, as always, there is a price to pay.

A Good Marriage
Darcy Anderson learns more about her husband of over twenty years than she would have liked to know when she stumbles literally upon a box under a worktable in their garage.

Engadget.com Editor-In-Chief Joshua Topolsky Shows Jimmy Fallon The iPad

Engadget.com Editor-In-Chief Joshua Topolsky shows Jimmy some of the iPad’s coolest apps.

Master Business Card Thrower

Samsung hired this master business card thrower (name unknown) to showcase his accuracy and help promote the new digital camcorder H205.

DC’s All-Star Batman and Robin to Become Dark Knight: Boy Wonder

At Wondercon today, DC Comics announced that the long-delayed All-Star Batman and Robin is officially over — but that the story will continue in a new series titled “Dark Knight: Boy Wonder.” And rather than the All-Star universe, it will take place in the universe of “Dark Knight Returns,” “Dark Knight Strikes Again” and “Batman: Year One.”

“The first Chapter of the story of how Batman and Robin came to be has been told in issues 1-10 of All Star Batman and Robin, said All Star Batman and Robin artist Jim Lee. “Frank and I sat down just recently to have a long talk about how best to finish this very ‘deadline challenged’ project and give the loyal fans the second part of this epic storyline they have been patiently waiting for. Moreover, we wanted fans to know that this story is part of the overall Batman mythos and Dark Knight Returns universe which Frank Miller started back in 1986.”

Out of this meeting came the decision to rebrand the series Dark Knight: Boy Wonder. It will fit into the library of Frank Miller Batman titles: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.”

The good news is that the remaining six issues of the story will ship on time beginning in February 2011.

IDW And HBO Announce True Blood Comic Series

HBO and IDW Publishing are thrilled to announce an exclusive partnership to produce a multiple, all-new comic book series based on the network’s hit show True Blood. Premiering at San Diego Comic-Con in July, this sexy, visually striking comic series will add new and unique layers of supernatural drama to the wildly original Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning television show. Developed closely with the show’s Oscar-winning creator, Alan Ball (HBO’s Six Feet Under, American Beauty), IDW’s True Blood series are the exclusive, official comics for the show and will be available in both print and digital formats.

“I am very excited to be introducing the True Blood comic book series,” stated Ball.  “These graphic novels are a great companion to the series and we are pleased that the popularity of the show is allowing it to branch out into different mediums.

”The first six-issue True Blood comic series offers the same erotically-charged romance, wry humor and intriguing mystery and suspense the show has become known for. The plot was developed with Ball, along with series writers Elisabeth Finch and Kate Barnow, and co-written by David Tischman and Mariah Huehner. Beautifully illustrated by top tier artist David Messina, the series captures all the bloody details and sexy reveals of this exciting new adventure. Renowned artist J. Scott Campbell will join Messina in providing covers for each issue.

The comic series will explore the ongoing adventures of telepathic heroine Sookie Stackhouse, her vampire lover Bill Compton, best friend Tara Thornton, enigmatic and ancient vampire sheriff Eric Northman, loyal boss Sam Merlotte, brother Jason Stackhouse, perpetual-virgin vampire Jessica, and the flamboyant cook/drug dealer Lafayette Reynolds.

In the first storyline, Sookie and the rest of Bon Temps find themselves waiting in Merlotte’s bar for a strangely portentous raging storm to subside. Soon, they discover they’ve been trapped by an entity that feeds off of raw emotions and begins killing off the patrons one by one until his hunger is sated.

True Blood #1 (of 6, 32 pages, full color, $3.99) will be available in stores in July.

more about “IDW And HBO Announce True Blood Comic…“, posted with vodpod

Stephen Colbert Gets a Free iPad

Just like the iPhone – You can’t make calls with it.

The KFC Double Down Is Real

Last August, I wrote about the Double Down a new food item being tested by KFC. For those coming late to the story, it’s two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets, two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce (?). At the time, the product was only being tested in Rhode Island and Nebraska.

Well, America has spoken and yesterday KFC announced the decision to go nationwide with the breaded behemoth on April 12th.

The sandwich will be available in two forms. The Original Recipe sandwich will set you back about 540 calories, 32g of fat and 1380mg of sodium. The Grilled Double Down totals 460 calories, 23g of fat and 1430mg of sodium.

Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California by Giada De Laurentiis

Since her debut on Food Network in 2002 with the hit program Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis has been enticing Americans with her updated twists on Italian favorites.

In Giada at Home, her newest book, she shares a personal look into how she cooks for those dearest to her, with simple recipes inspired by her television show of the same name.

The cookbook covers two continents with wonderful recipes from Italy and California. Chapters of this friendly and inviting book are titled by course, such as Appetizers and Desserts, as well as by ingredient and occasion (e.g., brunch). The author includes straightforward instructions for classic Italian fare, such as steak involtini; Chianti-marinated stew; pecorino and bean salad; and limoncello granita, as well as a selection of such modern dishes as grilled asparagus and melon salad; pea pesto crostini, and lemon hazelnut tiramisù. Chock-full of mouthwatering dishes for easy entertaining (Italian fried olives; whole wheat pita chips with mascarpone-chive dip; and vegetable parmesan), this appealing collection is supplemented with informative, short essays on ingredients including olive oil and dried and fresh herbs.She shares classic Italian recipes passed down through the years, like cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in salty prosciutto, creamy risotto with the earthy and deep flavors of mushrooms and gorgonzola, and lamb chops basted with honey and balsamic vinegar. New family favorites include grilled asparagus and melon, game hens roasted with citrus and herbs, and a sorbet made with pomegranate and mint, all bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors.

No matter which recipe you choose—classic or contemporary—Giada at Home makes gathering the favorite people in your life for fabulous weeknight meals and family celebrations delicious and easy.

The 240 page illustrated hardcover is available at bookstores now or can be ordered HERE.

Jimmy Kimmel To Host Aloha To LOST Special On May 23rd

What are you doing after the Lost finale on Sunday, May 23rd — aside from experiencing the early stages of withdrawal? You’re watching Jimmy Kimmel Live: Aloha to Lost, a special edition of JKL devoted entirely to the show’s series finale. Highlights of the hour include an analysis of the two-hour conclusion, an appearance by executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, and live interviews with several of the show’s cast.

Order Stephen King’s Blockade Billy Now, First Printings Are 50% Sold Out!

The first printing of Blockade Billy by Stephen King is in the very low five figures and Cemetery Dance Publications is over 50% of the way sold out after just 4 days of sales. At this point, the publisher can tell you that these 1st edition/1st printings will NOT be going to any of the chain bookstores or big online retailers. 1st edition/1st printings are a must-have for any collector and this is easily the lowest 1st trade printing of any new King book since the 1970s.

Even though this is called a trade edition, it has a very limited printing. The 1st edition/1st printing hardcover that CD is selling through their online store is also the only trade printing with the Limited Edition “Blockade Billy” baseball card, which will probably become quite a collectible in the years to come. A lot of general readers will use it as a bookmark or lose it over time, so collectors who hold onto their card and keep their copy of the book in good condition could have a very nice addition to their collection.

Be sure to grab your copy now while supplies are still available. They won’t be around forever!