Barnes & Noble Offering Free Coffee if You Show an E-book Running B & N’s App

You can receive a FREE tall hot or cold Starbucks coffee at Barnes & Noble bookstores for a “limited time”.

Simply show a café server an open ebook on a Nook, iPhone or any device running Barnes & Noble’s eReader app (a B&N employee will even help you download it if you don’t have it installed) and a gratis caffeinated beverage awaits you. No word on when the promotion will end.

Writers Working On Green Lantern 2 and Flash Treatments

Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim have been hired to draft treatments for Green Lantern 2 and The Flash, reports Heat Vision.

The writers (the same team responsible for the upcoming first Green Lantern film) will write treatments for both comic book adaptations and, depending on how events progress, will be responsible for the full screenplay to one of them.

The first Green Lantern film is set for release on June 17, 2011.

Television Network Presence At 2010 Comic-Con

ABC’s science-fiction show V and the network’s cult-fave Castle will have a presence at the annual Comic-Con International in San Diego, which runs from July 22 to July 25. The network’s high-concept drama No Ordinary Family — a Michael Chiklis starrer about a family with extraordinary powers — will also bow at the convention.

CBS’ Big Bang Theory — a favorite among the fanboys who make the annual sojourn to San Diego each year — is expected to return, as well as other Warner Bros. TV-produced shows like Fringe (Fox), Chuck (NBC), Human Target (Fox), as well as The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and Smallville (all on the CW). The studio will also unveil several new shows at the convention, including the CW’s fall show Nikita, a redux of the popular franchise about a female operative that stars Maggie Q, and Childrens Hospital, a new series for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim starring Rob Corddry.

20th Century Fox TV will schedule panel discussions for its animated shows on the Fox network, including Family Guy, the Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, American Dad, and Futurama. The network’s freshman hit Glee will have a presence at the convention, as will Bones (Fox), and the FX shows It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Sons of Anarchy. The studio plans to introduce Terra Nova, Steven Spielberg’s big-budget prehistoric drama for Fox, as well as the new animated shows Bob’s Burgers (Fox), Neighbors From Hell (TBS), and Archer (FX).

NBC-Universal Studios will use Comic-Con to debut The Event and The Cape, two high-concept dramas that will bow on NBC next season. The Cape is about a framed former cop who dons a superhero uniform to clear his name, while The Event is a thriller about a regular Joe caught up in a large conspiracy.

Bheestie Moisture-Removing Bag

We try to be careful with our gadgets, but even the most diligent protectors can be thwarted by a slip from the shoulder while relieving themselves, or by an errant step on a lake- or river-side camping trip. Consider Bheestie ($20) your backup plan. This moisture-absorbing stuff comes in a handy, resealable bag that lets you toss your soaked silicon in and retrieve a dry, hopefully functional device. Unfortunately, it can’t un-trigger a moisture sensor, so you’d best hope that iPod or iPhone didn’t get too drenched.

Kick-Ass DVD Due On August 3rd

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has announced DVD ($29.95) and Blu-ray/DVD Combo ($39.99) releases of Kick-Ass for the 3rd of August. Extras on the DVD will include a commentary with director Matthew Vaughn, 2 featurettes (“The Art of KICK-ASS”, “It’s On! The Comic Book Origin of KICK-ASS”), and a Marketing Archive. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo release will include all of that, along with an Ass-Kicking BonusView Mode, a 4-part A New Kind of Superhero: The Making of KICK-ASS featurette, BD-Live features, and a digital copy of the film.

Love Me Tater

Mr. Potato Head got his start in 1952, two years before Elvis Presley recorded his first rock and roll record. Now Graceland is hoping to turn the 58-year-old toy into a really hot potato.

The Elvis estate, Hasbro Inc. and PPW Toys will release a $20 “Mr. Potato Head Elvis Presley” to help celebrate Elvis Tribute Week in August. The first version will wear a jumpsuit. A second version — in black leather suit — will be done in time for the Christmas holidays.

“This is one of 15,000 Elvis-licensed products, but it is one we’re really excited about,” said Graceland spokesman Kevin Kern.

People think of Mr. Potato Head as a toy for pre-schoolers, but PPW spokesman Dean Gorby said the Elvis version will help broaden the audience from young fans to adult toy collectors. A KISS version “did great” last year, Gorby said.

Watch The Trailer To AMC’s Newest Thriller, Rubicon

AMC’s Rubicon is a conspiracy thriller starring James Badge Dale (who earlier this year headlined HBO’s The Pacific) as an analyst at a New York City think-tank who is thrown into a story where nothing is as it appears to be.

The series cast includes James Badge Dale (The Pacific, The Departed), Oscar-nominated actress Miranda Richardson (Sleepy Hollow), Dallas Roberts (Walk the Line, Flicka, The L Word), Jessica Collins (The Nine, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Christopher Evan Welch (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Lauren Hodges (Law & Order), and Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Sandlot).

Rubicon, will air on Sunday, June 13th @ 11PM |10C, immediately following the Season 3 Finale of Breaking Bad.

Jaccard Safe Hands Mandolin

Consistent uniform slices can be created quickly and easily with the Jaccard: Safe Hands Stainless Steel Mandolin ($99.99).  This food slicer is unique, in that your fingers are always protected with the patented 2 piece food holder that keeps your hands and fingers safely away from the cutting surface. The ergonomic base is designed to feel comfortable and stable while allowing the user to have complete control while slicing or grating food.  The legs are slip-resistant, and provide a sturdy base during use. The legs also fold down flat for easy storage. The slicing height can be customized with a simple turn of 2 screws. The unit is constructed out of stainless steel, and is dishwasher safe. The mandolin comes complete with 7 interchangeable stainless steel blades that nest in a space saving box. These blades include:

- 1 Exclusive tomato blade

- 1 Cutting Blade

- 1 Serrated blade

- 1 Grating blade

- 3 Julianne blades

It is now easier than ever to make gourmet style dishes. The tedious task of making such items as waffle fries or julienne vegetables becomes quick and easy with the Safe Hands Mandolin. (Reviewed by Meredith Fire-Hess)

Perplexus

A few days ago we posted about one of the most expensive kid’s toys Superplexus which costs a lifetime of allowance.  For those of you that don’t have that kind of spending money there is a smaller but equally engaging affordable version.

PlaSmart, Inc: Perplexus ($24.99) is an addictively fun toy that can be enjoyed by kids age 6 to grownups.  Although, I can say from personal experience that the adults may have a difficult time getting a turn once your kids get a hold of it. Perplexus is a maze like no other. The game consists of a transparent sphere that houses a small marble that glides along a colorful track with constant twists and turns. Along the way there are 100 check-in points. However, it is quite a challenge trying to keep the ball from falling off the track given the numerous barriers.

It is completely portable and best of all no batteries are required.  In addition to be being fantastically fun, it is also educational.  Hand-eye coordination, motor skills and dexterity improve with use. For those adults looking for an office diversion, the Perplexus is the perfect desktop toy. (Reviewed by Meredith Fire-Hess & Ben Hess)

Editor’s Note: My nephew Ben spent the entire day with Perplexus and simply could not put the puzzle down.  I asked if he would like to add a video review and he agreed.  Here is the first of what I hope will be many video reviews from our FIRE WIRE Field Correspondent, Ben Hess.

Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One Might Be A DC Universe Animated Film

ComicsContinuum is reporting that Warner Home Video has greenlit a DC Universe animated adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchilli’s Batman: Year One. According to the report, the film will be directed by Sam Liu, who co-directed Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Planet Hulk, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. No confirmation from WHV at this time.

Batman: Year One was partly used for inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s Batman reboot Batman Begins. The comic turned graphic novel is considered one of the best Batman stories ever printed. Here is the official description from DC Comics:

“A young Bruce Wayne has spent his adolescence and early adulthood, traveling the world so he could hone his body and mind into the perfect fighting and investigative machine. But now as he returns to Gotham City, he must find a way to focus his passion and bring justice to his city. Retracing Batman’s first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante, we watch as he chooses a guise of a giant bat, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon, inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a corrupt political system that infests Gotham.”

You can check out a preview of the comic on DCComics.com. The graphic novel is available in a 144-page paperback for around $10 from Amazon. (Thanks for the tip Don)

Ray LaMontagne To Release New Album, God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise On August 17th, 2010

Acclaimed recording artist Ray LaMontagne is set to release his new album, Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs – God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise on August 17th, 2010 on RCA Records. This is his fourth studio record, and the follow-up to his heralded Gossip in the Grain.

Entirely self produced (for the first time) God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise was recorded in two weeks at LaMontagne’s home in the woods of western Massachusetts. The newly restored historic home served as a homemade recording studio for Ray and his fellow musicians. The setting provided a backdrop for the creation of songs imbued with Ray’s signature poignancy. With Ray’s vocals at the forefront of the songs and a loose, almost live sounding recording, the album stands as a testament to a band at the height of their powers. The newly coined ‘Pariah Dogs’, consists of Jay Bellarose (drums), Jennifer Condos (bass), Patrick Warren (keyboard), Eric Heywood (guitar) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar). Individually, these musicians have contributed to the live work of such heralded musicians including Beck, Joe Henry, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams and Joe Cocker to name a few of their career highlights. Together with Ray, they shared a sense that the sessions for this record were rare and extraordinary.

Ray’s last album Gossip in the Grain debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts. He appeared on multiple television programs included a coveted spot on Saturday Night Live. Ray will hit the road with David Gray beginning August 15th and ending September 10th. During his last North American tour, Spin.com proclaimed Ray, “illustrated a near flawless transition from a front porch in Maine to the front of the most prestigious stage in the world (Radio City Music Hall).”

Track listing:

1. Repo Man

2. New York City’s Killing Me

3. God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise

4. Beg Steal Or Borrow

5. Are We Really Through

6. This Love Is Over

7. Old Before Your Time

8. For The Summer

9. Like Rock & Roll and Radio

10. The Devil’s In The Jukebox

New Muppet Movie To Open Christmas 2011

Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller may not have the official greenlight on their redo of The Muppets but they’ve got a release date. Walt Disney Studios have slated the new, still untitled, Muppet Movie for December 25, 2011. Stoller and Segel, who wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall together, are just about to turn in a new draft for director James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords). Segel will star with Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the gang. The movie will introduce a new muppet to the clan, but all other plot details for the film have been kept under wraps. At least we know what we’re doing Christmas 2011.

Comic Book Pick of The Week: Batman 700

Grant Morrison returns to Batman with this oversized special! And he’s brought an all-star roster of artists along with him including Andy Kubert, Tony Daniel and Frank Quitely to celebrate this milestone 700th issue ($4.99) featuring stories spotlighting each of the Batmen from different eras – Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.

You won’t want to miss this blockbuster story that paves the way for the return of Bruce Wayne and sports mind-boggling covers by superstars David Finch and Mike Mignola.

The issue will be available on June 9th.

Guitar Hero for iPhone

Guitar Hero for iPhone ($3) was released yesterday. This pocketable version of the console music game features a unique interface that lets you tap, strum, whammy, and slide your way through each song, with six included tracks from the likes The Rolling Stones, Weezer, Vampire Weekend, and The White Stripes, with tons more available from within the app — for an additional fee.

Stephen King Surprises Justin Cronin On Good Morning America

 

On ABC’s Good Morning America, Stephen King surprised author Justin Cronin with great praise about the new book, The Passage which is in book stores today!

8 Incredible Health Innovations That Transform Lives

New technologies are helping close the gaps for those with physical disabilities. Each day, the physical capabilities that technology gives us is incredible, and we’re not just talking about texting friends at lightening pace, or the ability to see our energy consumption in real time. We’re talking about the abilities given to us by new tech in the health industry, either to supplement or restore disabilities experienced by people across the globe.

Technology is giving us wonderful options for those of us with physical limitations. From the blind to the deaf, from amputees to burn victims, gadgets are creating a whole new realm of abilities.

HERE are eight extraordinary technologies that hold promise for an easier life. (Thanks for the tip Don)

Josh Silver invented eyeglasses that adjust to the wearer’s correct prescription simply with liquid. More or less liquid is added to the lens until the prescription is just right for the wearer. The inexpensive glasses address an important need of more than one billion people in developing nations worldwide who lack access to eyecare.

The Most Expensive Kid’s Toy: The Superplexus

This is the three-dimensional spherical labyrinth that challenges the limits of your manual dexterity and spatial understanding as you maneuver a 5/8″ wooden marble through its entire course. The Superplexus ($30,000 not a typo) is a complex network of chicanes, multi-planar hairpin turns, spirals, and staircases–even a vortex. Hand made from 3- and 6-ply Finnish birch that form the track, over 400 hours are involved in its construction. The labyrinth is set inside a 36″ diameter acrylic sphere affixed to a Jatoba base using a stainless steel gimbaled mount that allows you to tilt the sphere in any direction to guide the marble. The entire track laid out on a straight line is 31′ longer than a football field. In addition to the track, the ball must travel on a 1/16″ diameter stainless steel wire pathway at eight points along the journey. A series of directional arrows indicate the course to follow, and successful completion requires a minimum of 425 turns (plane changes) of the sphere–without letting the marble fall off the track. Each Superplexus’ difficulty level can be customized. 50″ H x 36″ Diam. (65 lbs.)

Apple Posts World Wide Developers Conference 2010 Keynote Address

Apple has posted the stream of yesterday’s WWDC keynote by Steve Jobs. During the keynote, Jobs unveiled iPhone 4 along with many new features of iOS 4, including the FaceTime video conferencing feature.

More Talent Added to Long Beach Comic Con’s October Show

MAD Event Management and Long Beach Comic Con are proud to announce that they have lined up an impressive guest list of comic book talent for their October 29-31st show at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Just added to their growing lineup of amazing comic book creators are Jeph Loeb, Peter Tomasi, Jimmy Palmiotti, Eric Canete, Amanda Conner, Drew Johnson, Angus Oblong, Cat Staggs, Richard Starkings and Gus Vazquez. Creators already announced include Tim Bradstreet, Howard Chaykin, Tony Harris, Trent Kaniuga, Todd Nauck, Dustin Nguyen & legendary artist Bernie Wrightson.

“This year’s show is shaping up to be an exciting sequel to the first one. We’ve received incredible support from the comic book community and look forward to showing off our expanded Artist Alley to everyone in October,” said Phil Lawrence, show co-Promoter. Lawrence also announced that several exhibitors had signed on for the show, including Aspen Comics, Com.X, Boom Studios, IDW, Top Cow Entertainment and many more to be announced.

For a complete list of events, guests, activities, ticket prices and times, visit www.longbeachcomiccon.com. Tickets for Long Beach Comic Con are on sale now through the website and will also be available at the following comic book and hobby shops: Amazing Comics, Comic Bug, Comic Madness, Geoffrey’s Comics, Golden Apple, Metropolis Comics and Pulp Fiction.

Historypin

Historypin invites you to dig out, upload and pin your old photos, as well as the stories behind them, onto the Historypin map. Uniquely, the site allows you to layer your old images onto modern Street View scenes, revealing a series of windows into the past.

This “digital time machine” allows people to view and share history in a totally new way using Google Maps and Street View technology.

Historypin aims to become the largest user-generated archive of the world’s historical images and stories.

Five Hundred 45s

From Frank Sinatra to Foo Fighters, Five Hundred 45s: A Graphic History of the Seven-Inch Record chronicles more than half a century of vinyl-single art, all reproduced at original size.

Compiled and written by album designers Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz, the book groups its 500 subjects thematically, rather than chronologically. Collectively, the images represent the best use of art, illustration, photography, and typography in the packaging of an analog format that has survived through the digital revolution.

Read about the history of the 45 adapter, browse an online collection of classic 7 inch-records, and buy a copy of the book here. (Thanks for the tip Don)

Super Heroic Minimalism T-Shirt

This T-Shirt Design Concept entitled “Super Heroic Minimalism” was created by the artist, biotwist. If you like the design vote for it here on Threadless!

Apple iPhone 4 – Face Time Promo Video

The new Apple iPhone commercial directed by Sam Mendes, the Academy Award-winning director of American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road and Away We Go, is now online and can be watched below. The commercial premiered after Steve Jobs announced the new iPhone 4 during Apple’s WWDC keynote today (June 7th 2010).

Correction: Yesterday, I incorrectly shared that this promo video was filmed by Sam Mendes. Today Engadget pointed out that this is not the rumored commercial created by the famous director, but is an internally produced piece.

Apple Announces iPhone 4

Apple today presented the new iPhone 4 featuring FaceTime, which makes the dream of video calling a reality, and Apple’s stunning new Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone, resulting in super crisp text, images and video. In addition, iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple’s A4 processor, a 3-axis gyro and up to 40 percent longer talk time—in a beautiful all-new design of glass and stainless steel that is the thinnest smartphone in the world. iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 100 new features and 1500 new APIs for developers. iOS 4 features Multitasking, Folders, enhanced Mail, deeper Enterprise support and Apple’s new iAd mobile advertising platform. iPhone 4 will be available in the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan on June 24, starting in the US at just $199 for qualified buyers with a two year contract.

“iPhone 4 is the biggest leap since the original iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “FaceTime video calling sets a new standard for mobile communication, and our new Retina display is the highest resolution display ever in a phone, with text looking like it does on a fine printed page. We have been dreaming about both of these breakthroughs for decades.”

FaceTime is as mobile as your phone, so you can see your loved ones and friends anywhere there is Wi-Fi. Using FaceTime is as easy as making a regular voice call, with no set-up required, and you can instantly switch to the rear camera to show others what you are seeing with just a tap.

Apple’s stunning 3.5 inch Retina display has 960 x 640 pixels—four times as many pixels as the iPhone 3GS and 78 percent of the pixels on an iPad™. The resulting 326 pixels per inch is so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when the phone is held at a normal distance, making text, images and video look sharper, smoother and more realistic than ever before on an electronic display.

iPhone 4 is the thinnest smartphone ever—9.3 millimeters—with an all-new design and build quality like no other mobile device. The front and back are made of aluminosilcate glass, chemically strengthened to be 30 times harder than plastic, more scratch resistant and more durable than ever. The front and back glass have an oil-resistant coating that helps keep it clean, and encircling iPhone 4 is a highly finished stainless steel band made of a custom alloy that is forged to be five times stronger than standard steel.

iPhone 4 features a new 5 megapixel autofocus camera with a 5x digital zoom, a backside illuminated sensor and built-in LED flash that allows you to take amazing pictures even in low light and dark environments. iPhone 4 lets you record and edit incredible HD video and the popular tap to focus feature now works while recording video. You can use the iPhone 4‘s LED flash for both still photography and video recording. The new iMovie app for iPhone lets you combine movie clips, add dynamic transitions and themes and include photos and music, and users can buy it for just $4.99 through the App Store right on their phone.

iPhone 4 is the best mobile device ever for games and entertainment, with access to tens of thousands of games and entertainment apps on the revolutionary App Store. Every iPhone 4 has a built-in 3-axis gyro that when combined with the accelerometer provides 6-axis motion sensing such as up and down, side to side, forward and backward and pitch and roll, making it perfect for gaming. Developers can access the gyro using the new CoreMotion API to make games and other apps that go well beyond what other mobile devices offer.

iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system. With over 100 new features, it includes Multitasking, Folders, enhanced Mail, deeper Enterprise support and Apple’s new iAd mobile advertising platform. With Multitasking, users can now instantly switch between any of their apps while preserving battery life. With Folders, users can easily organize their apps into collections by simply dragging one app on top of another. A folder is automatically created and named based on the category of apps selected. Users can change the name of any folder at any time. In addition, users can now customize their lock and home screens with an array of supplied wallpapers or with any of the photos on their phone.

The new iBooks app will be available for iPhone 4 as a free download from the App Store and includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile product. The iBooks app will sync your current place in a book, along with any bookmarks, highlights and notes you have created, between copies of the same book on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. iBooks users can also now read and store PDFs right in iBooks. There are now over 60,000 books available in the iBookstore, and users have downloaded over five million books in the first two months.

More than five billion apps have been downloaded from the revolutionary App Store and more than 225,000 apps are available to consumers in 90 countries. Almost 100 million iPhone and iPod touch users around the world can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

iPhone 4 delivers an amazing seven hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi and up to six hours on 3G, and up to 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours of audio playback. iPhone 4 is powered by Apple’s new A4 processor that provides exceptional processor and graphic performance along with long battery life. iPhone 4 features a second microphone and advanced software to suppress unwanted background noise for improved call quality when in loud places. iPhone 4 also offers 802.11n Wi-Fi networking and adds quad-band HSUPA to provide 7.2Mbps downlink and 5.8Mbps uplink capability.

Pricing & Availability:

iPhone 4 comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model in both Apple and AT&T’s retail and online stores, Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores. iPhone 4 will be available in the US, France, Germany, Japan and the UK on June 24 and customers can pre-order their iPhone 4 beginning Tuesday, June 15 from the Apple Online Store or reserve an iPhone 4 to pick up at an Apple Retail Store. iMovie for iPhone will be available on the App Store for just $4.99 (US).

Obsessed With Marvel – Test Your Knowledge of the Marvel Universe

Do you possess Super Hero knowledge of the Incredible Hulk and X-Men? Do you know what makes the Fantastic Four so fantastic? Chronicle Books’ new Obsessed With Marvel by Peter Sanderson ($29.95) is the ultimate trivia book for the millions of Marvel Comics fans who want to test their expertise in a fun and challenging way.

More than just a 150 page trivia book, this interactive game includes an electronic scoring module that allows readers to quiz themselves or compete against a friend. With 2,500 questions covering the expansive Marvel Universe, it’s easy to test who really knows the difference between Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099.

Featuring every character from the original Fantastic Four to Nick Fury’s Howling Commandos to The Incredible Hulk, tidbits on legendary Marvel developers and artists, and artwork from the classic comics, Obsessed With Marvel is a treat for every comic book fan!