Batman Beyond: The Complete Series DVD Collection Due On November 23, 2010

Warner Bros. Animation’s breakthrough series Batman Beyond comes to DVD for the first time in its entirety.  Featuring DC Comics’ iconic hero, Batman, Batman Beyond: The Complete Series presents nearly 20 hours of animated action spread over 52 episodes, as well as all-new bonus featurettes and a 24-page, 8”x 12” collectible booklet. Batman Beyond: The Complete Series will be distributed by Warner Home Video on November 23, 2010 as a nine-disc limited edition DVD set for $99.98

Batman Beyond: The Complete Series centers on Terry McGinnis, an ordinary teenager … until his father is mysteriously murdered. Suspecting foul play at his father’s company, Wayne/Powers Corporation, Terry meets Bruce Wayne and learns of a secret identity hidden for decades. Now too old to don the cape and cowl as Batman, Wayne refuses to help – so Terry does what any brash young kid would do: steal the Bat-suit and take matters into his own hands! Vowing to avenge his father’s death, Terry dons the high-tech suit tricked out with jetpacks, a supersensitive microphone and even camouflage capabilities in search of his father’s assassin. It’s 52 action-packed episodes following the adventures of the partnership between an ex-crimefighter and his apprentice, starring Will Friedle (Boy Meets World) as Terry McGinnis and, reprising his seminal role, Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Bruce Wayne.

Casting throughout the series’ 52 episodes featured award winners from feature films, primetime television and the Broadway stage – from Paul Winfield, Stockard Channing and Seth Green to
William H. Macy, Wayne Brady and Teri Garr – not to mention George Lazenby (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service), Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid), George Takei (Star Trek) and Henry Rollins (the front man for the rock band, Black Flag).

An all-star production team was headed by executive producer Jean MacCurdy and producers Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, Glen Murakami and Paul Dini. Writers on the series included Burnett and Dini, as well as Stan Berkowitz, Bob Goodman, Rich Fogel, Hilary Bader and John McCann.

Included in the beautifully custom designed package is a 24-page, 8”x 12” collectible booklet with the inside perspective and artwork from the vaults especially compiled by DC Comics for this release.

Three new bonus features created specifically for the Batman Beyond: The Complete Series are:

TOMORROW KNIGHT: THE BATMAN REBORN
The “Batman Beyond” creative team gives you a peek into the character of Terry McGinnis, and what made him worthy to become the new Caped Crusader.

GOTHAM: CITY OF THE FUTURE
A look at Gotham City, circa 2039, and how the team built a realistic vision of the near future while remaining true to the city they created in Batman: The Animated Series.

THE HIGH TECH HERO
Explore the technology behind the Bat-suit, its amazing powers and the real world science that inspired it.

The collection will also contain the DC 75th anniversary documentary, Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics.

“Batman Beyond was a landmark series as it created altogether new directions for the iconic character, and added dimensions for fans both old and new to the Batman mythology,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. “Warner Home Video is proud to release this important series in an all-encompassing box set, just in time to make a perfect holiday gift for the ultimate fan.”

The ModulR iPad Case And Accessory System

I have found an amazing new iPad case and accessory system for my iPad called modulR. The modulR starter package consists of a high quality case, cover, slim mount, and quick stand. ($99)

The case offers protection for your iPad while still allowing access to each of the user function buttons as well as the power / sync area. The case material feels sturdy while at the same time has a good gripping feel to it.  The back of the case has four ergonomic nodes that are the key to making the accessory system work.  The nodes are small enough to be unobtrusive and actually offer an even better grip while holding the iPad.  The case also comes with a cover that easily snaps in place to protect the entire screen. This is a great bonus feature, especially if you are constantly transporting your iPad in bags or briefcases and don’t want to scuff up your screen.

The accessory system is where the real magic happens. It allows for the functionality of the iPad to truly come alive and be utilized across all environments. The slim mount easily attaches to a variety of wall surfaces, and comes with the bracket as well as the mounting hardware and detailed instructions. The quick stand allows for sturdy viewing in landscape mode and can be turned over to be angled for easy typing.

It is now possible to fully utilize the capabilities of the iPad, now that it can be accessible everywhere that you go with the modulR system.

I am looking forward to the future release of additional accessories that are currently in development.  These include a convenient carrying strap, a Universal Swing Arm, as well as a Universal Car Mount. (Written by Meredith Fire-Hess)

The Beatles’ Classic 1973 ‘Red’ And ‘Blue’ Collections Remastered For Worldwide Release In October

The September 2009 release of The Beatles’ remastered original albums and new boxed collections in stereo and mono was one of the year’s top entertainment events, breaking chart records around the world. Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are pleased to announce that The Beatles’ original 1973 compilations, 1962-1966 (‘Red’) and 1967-1970 (‘Blue’) have been digitally remastered for worldwide CD release on October 19th. Both 2CD packages include expanded booklets with original liner notes, newly written essays by Bill Flanagan, and rare photos.

The first Beatles compilations to be released after the band’s 1970 disbandment, the popular ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ collections each feature a selection of singles and album tracks written by the band’s members.

‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ have been remastered by the same dedicated team of engineers at EMI Music’s Abbey Road Studios responsible for remastering The Beatles’ original UK studio albums, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The Top 10 Things Today’s Kids Will Never Experience

The class of 2014 doesn’t wear watches, doesn’t write in cursive and has no idea why Nirvana is awesome. That’s according to Beloit College’s annual Mindset List, aimed at helping teachers understand today’s cultural references. TIME Magazine takes a look at other bygone experiences today’s kids will miss. Read the list HERE.

Before there were cell phones, text messages and instant messengers, there were landline phones — some were even the rotary kind. But cellular phones changed all that. A February study by the Pew Research Center found that 41% of Millenials don't have landline phones as opposed to the 13% of baby boomers who are cell-phone only.

Master Lock Speed Dial

Aleviate memorizing any numbers and go with the gesture-based security of the Master Lock Speed Dial ($13). The Speed Dial retains the looks of Master’s traditional rugged combination locks, but uses an analog nub-style rocker to open using a sequence of up, down, left, and right movements.  This lock is perfect for school, storage and athletic lockers!

Belkin Conserve Insight

Do you ever wonder how much power your TV, microwave, or cell charger uses, and how much that costs you? The Belkin Conserve Insight ($30) is a new, easy-to-use monitor that will tell you exactly that. The white and green adapter plugs in the wall between the gadget or appliance you want to track and the outlet itself, using a small screen on a tethered box to tell you how much energy the attached device is using, as well as the carbon and monetary costs.

Switch Modular Pocket Knife

Do you ever wish you could create your own Swiss Army knife, carrying just what you need when you need it? The Switch Modular Pocket Knife includes two exterior body covers, two slotted caps to hold everything together, three interior axles that range from small (2-6 tools) to large (7-13 tools), and 18 tool attachments, including screwdrivers, a bottle opener, a saw, various blades, a flashlight, and even a 1GB USB memory stick. Available in September.

Read An Excerpt From Stephen King’s Upcoming Collection Full Dark, No Stars

Click HERE to read an excerpt from Stephen King’s upcoming book Full Dark, No Stars. Four unpublished novellas will be collected in a single volume and be released on November 9th, 2010.

All-Star Batman & Robin Print By Jim Lee & Scott Williams

Own a piece of comics history! DC Direct is proud to offer this stunning, museum-quality display piece featuring art by award-winning artist Jim Lee.

The artist’s process of creating the image of Batman and Robin on the cover of ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #9 is chronicled here on an acid-free, double-matted authentic DC Comics artboard, perfect for framing. A facsimile of Lee’s original pencil art appears beside a reproduction of the final, printed cover, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Jim Lee himself is also included.

The entire piece measures approximately 20″ high x 24″ wide and is packaged in a self-shipping box. The print can be ordered HERE for $100.

The Burger King Pizza Burger

The New York Pizza Burger ($12.99) is a 9-and-a-half-inch wide burger made with four Whopper patties topped with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and Tuscan pesto sauce.

Burger King Vice President John Schaufelberger said the NY Pizza Burger is a tribute to the city that also “demonstrates the type of menu offerings our guests can expect.” Schaufelberger said the Whopper Bar acts as an “innovation lab” for Burger King to pilot new menu items.

The 2,520 calorie concoction will be available exclusively at the New York City Whopper Bar starting in September to fulfill that longtime desire for New Yorkers to finally find a good pizza pie.

(All images from the wonderful burger blog, A Hamburger Today – LINK)

LOST For Sale

Here is a video tour of a collection of memorabilia from the ABC series LOST, which will be sold at auction in Santa Monica, California on August 21st and 22nd.

Facebook Places For The iPhone

Starting today, you can immediately tell people about that favorite spot with Facebook Places. You can share where you are and the friends you’re with in real time from your mobile device.

Have you ever gone to a show, only to find out afterward that your friends were there too? With Places, you can discover moments when you and your friends are at the same place at the same time.

You have the option to share your location by “checking in” to that place and letting friends know where you are. You can easily see if any of your friends have also chosen to check in nearby.

To get started, you’ll need the most recent version of the Facebook application for iPhone. Go to Places on the iPhone application and then tap the “Check In” button. You’ll see a list of places near you. Choose the place that matches where you are. If it’s not on the list, search for it or add it. After checking in, your check-in will create a story in your friends’ News Feeds and show up in the Recent Activity section on the page for that place.

When you check in, you can also tag friends who are with you, just as you can tag a friend in a status update or photo. You can post an update along with your check-in to tell people more about what you are doing.

In the “People Here Now” section, you can see others who are checked in with you at that place. This section is visible for a limited amount of time and only to people who are checked in there. That way you can meet other people who might share your interests. If you prefer not to appear in this section, you can control whether you show up by unchecking the “Include me in ‘People Here Now’ after I check in” privacy control.

The next time you head off on vacation or go to a show, check in with Places to find out which friends are there. See who is close by and read the comments from other friends who’ve been there before.

With Places, you are in control of what you share and the people you share with. You choose whether or not to share your location when you check in at a place. When you check in, you can tag friends who are with you but only if their settings allow it. When you are tagged, you are always notified.

Only your friends can see when you visit or are tagged at a place, unless you have specifically set your master privacy control to “Everyone.” You also have the choice to set more restrictive customized settings.

When a friend tags you through Places, you will receive a notification on Facebook and on your mobile device. The first time this happens, you’ll be given the choice to allow your friends to check you in to places.

When your friends check you in, it is as if you have checked in at that place yourself. You also will appear checked-in to your friends. If you do not allow friends to check you in, then when they tag you at a place, your name will appear in the same way it appears in a tagged status update. You will not appear checked-in at that place.

You can always remove any Places check-in or tag using your mobile device or on the web. It’s like removing yourself from a photo tag. You also have the choice to turn off the ability for friends to check you in at Places. Go to your Privacy Settings and turn off the setting to “Let Friends Check Me In.”

Take a tour of Places to learn more.

Taylor Swift Reveals Speak Now Album Cover & Preps Mine Video Premiere

Speak Now, Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated third album, is still over two months away, but fans can now check out the disc’s cover art. The country superstar released the artwork today for the album, due out Oct. 25th on Big Machine Records, and the photo features Swift twirling in a lush purple gown.

In other Swift news, MTV Networks announced today that the music video to “Mine,” the album’s first single, will premiere on CMT, MTV, VH1 and MTV International in a global cross-platform event on Aug. 27th. CMT and CMT.com will first unveil the video during a half-hour live special, “CMT Premieres: Taylor Swift ‘Mine,’” at 8:00 PM EST, with Swift introducing the clip in front of a live audience.

The video will then be presented on CMT.com, MTV.com and VH1.com in an online premiere at 8:30 PM EST before debuting on MTV’s Friday line-up at 9 PM EST. The clip, expected to reach more than 160 countries, was co-directed by Swift and Roman White.

Constructive Eating Utensils Set

Kids love to play with their food. Now you can let them with the Constructive Eating Utensils Set ($20). Cleverly disguised as construction tools, these utensils are on the job to help your child successfully move that food from plate to mouth (or ‘round and ‘round the plate). This “crew” includes “Fork Lift” Fork, “Bulldozer” Pusher and “Front Loader” Spoon – all scaled for little hands to hold, with textured handles for easy gripping. Made from PVC-free, phthalate-free plastic these utensils are rugged, yet lightweight, and dishwasher safe. If only they could guarantee your kids would eat their peas…

Will The iPhone Become Your iWallet?

A collection of recently published patents and a new hire at Apple suggest that future iPhones may carry built-in features to replace your credit cards.

Apple recently hired Benjamin Vigier as a product manager for mobile commerce. He’s an expert in near field communication (NFC), a technology that enables devices to exchange information wirelessly over very short distances. It’s the kind of technology that credit card companies have been touting (without much success) recently, where instead of swiping a credit card, you just wave a card or key fob in front of a reader. According to his LinkedIn profile, Vigier formerly directed and developed mobile payment solutions for PayPal and Starbucks.

In addition, Apple in recent months published several patent applications that portray NFC-based hardware and software features utilizing mobile payments for concerts, sports venues, airline ticketing and more.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

A growing number of businesses have been eyeing mobile payments as an alternative to credit cards. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile were planning a joint venture to form a mobile payment system competing with Visa and MasterCard. Such a move would presumably reduce costs to merchants, who are typically charged 3 percent of the purchase price when customers pay with a credit card.

However, as Wired.com’s Eliot Van Buskirk earlier reported, a mobile payment system would face difficulty breaking into the mainstream. In order for mobile payments to gain widespread adoption, merchants would have to purchase new readers, estimated at $200 per unit, and they’d have to be convinced that a large number of customers will be using the new payment system.

Also, a new mobile payment system would raise security concerns. A location that frequently performs wireless transactions would become a prime target for hackers and snoopers. One reason credit cards have been so successful is that they rely on leased lines and dedicated networks, which ensure reliability and security, according to Aaron MacPherson, IDC Financial Insights practice director for payments and security.

“Even if you’re using a mobile phone network, you do not want to be in a situation where you can’t pay because there’s no 3G signal … and the internet is susceptible to brownouts and denial-of-service attacks. It’s notoriously insecure,” MacPherson told Wired.com. “I don’t think either of them can substitute for the card networks.” (Reprinted from Wired.com)

The Keyport Slide

Keep all your keys neat and organized with this modern replacement for the keychain. The Keyport Slide ($79) replaces up to six keys with “blades” which fit into its modern metal key organizer.

Created to complement your personal style and organize those jagged objects you can’t live without, the Keyport SLIDE V.01 consolidates up to six keys into a universal access device that is similar in size to a box of Tic Tacs. Lightweight but heavy-duty, the Slide streamlines the bulkiness and clatter of a keychain packed with keys of all shapes and sizes and allows the user to easily access any key with just the flick of a thumb.

Keyport develops innovative access products for the modern lifestyle. Infusing utility with style, Keyport’s product suite provides a convergent solution to the muddle of keys and related paraphernalia crammed into your pocket.

B. Toys

B. Toys have become my new favorite toy company. This friendly company creates colorful affordable well designed toys that inspire individuality, creativity and just the sheer fun of playtime.

The good news is that their catalog of whimsical playthings are all available at your local Target store.

Their toy packaging is designed to turn into gift wrap to save you time and money and help the environment. The packages meant to become gift wrap are clearly marked on the front.

B. Toys are works of art and should not be hidden away when company comes over. They’ll want to play with them too!

Here is a sampling of some of their fine toys.

Meowsic ($24.99) Remember, Mozart may have been playing piano by the age of three, but he never mastered being you! This potable keyboard looks like a Cheshire Cat and plays 5 instruments & 5 rhythm sounds. With the press of a button you can play 20 familiar songs or 7 witty kitty songs. The retractable mic allows you and your child to sing along. Meowsic purrs itself off with an auto-off feature!

Parum Pum Pum ($19.99) Play your own rhythm. March your own route. This drum with centipede drumsticks is parade-ready with instruments inside such as a Jingle bell ant, Busy bee maraca & clacker, Caterpillar tambourine and 2 shaka-shaka eggs.

Whacky Ball ($14.99) Hammer in the morning. Hammer in the evening. Hammer at nap time. Four beautiful balls travel down a mirrored background with the aid of a squeaky hammer. Wheels spin, balls bang and a tray catches the balls at the bottom.

Barnes & Noble Releases Nook For iPhone, Updates iPad version

Barnes & Noble has released an iPhone version of its Nook e-reader software introduced for the iPad earlier this year. The Nook e-reader apps feature access to over a million titles from Barnes & Noble’s eBookstore, multiple font types and sizes, customizable background and text colors and brightness controls. Nook also provides an integrated Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary, synchronization of notes, highlights and current reading position and provides a unique LendMe digital lending feature that allows users to share their purchased eBooks with friends using the Nook platform. Nook for iPhone provides the same features offered in the iPad application optimized for the iPhone’s smaller screen and iPhone 4 Retina Display and includes integrated B&N eBookstore shopping, personal B&N digital library access, digital lending features and the ability to sync notes, highlights and current reading position with other Nook apps. Barnes & Noble has also released an update to its iPad application, renaming it from BN eReader to Nook for iPad and adding the ability for users to rate their books and sort by favorites as well as a user guide and first run tutorial for new users. Nook for iPhone and Nook for iPad are available separately as free downloads from the U.S. App Store.

Twitter Parade

Upload your Twitter ID or keyword to this cool website and it will create your own personal parade, complete with your followers, their tiny avatar heads and what they have been tweeting.

Rumor: Is An Apple iPad Mini Coming Soon?

Apple’s iPad is selling about as fast as they can make the things, and it’s not even completed its international roll-out yet. It stands to reason, then, that Apple’s probably upped its efforts to develop the iPad’s successor. This iPad 2 we would notionally have expected to be announced in January 2011, a year after the first device hit, and we still expect this to be the case. But now there’s an increasingly real-sounding rumor that Apple has another 7-inch version on the way, and it may even arrive this year.

Strangely enough, it’s a rumor that makes perfect sense.

Seven-inch iPad rumors have popped up before, but these latest ones come directly from China’s Economic Daily News newspaper, which pretty much nailed the original iPad’s format and timing well before its launch and at a time when other media outlets were pondering if it was going to be Apple’s netbook. Hence when the paper reports that some Taiwanese firms have won the contract to supply the new iPad, it’s worth paying attention.

Chimmei Innolux has apparently been selected to supply the 7-inch IPS LCD units, though we don’t know if these screens will have the iPhone 4′s “retina display resolution” or the same pixel count as the existing iPad–the first case would be technologically trickier, and the second would allow for simpler programming issues. Touchscreen tech would be from Cando, and Compal Electronics (which already is the premier place to assemble laptops) will be putting the thing together. Interestingly Foxconn, which is one of Apple’s biggest supplier/assemblers at the moment isn’t mentioned here: Has Apple shied away from the firm, in the wake of all its bad PR?

The main thing to remember about the 7-inch iPad speculation is that competitors with screen sizes in this mid-range are beginning to appear and will arrive in greater numbers later this year. It would result in a smaller, lighter iPad, solving one of the minor gripes that some users have about the initial device: That it weighs a fraction too much to hold after a while. Peering at the guts of the first iPad, it was clear that there was a lot of empty space inside the thing, so it’s easy to imagine all the battery and electronics tech being squeezed into a smaller shell. The screen is also exactly twice the diagonal size of the iPhone’s, which may have design and construction implications.

In the end, a 7-inch iPad would appeal to a slightly different audience than the 9.7-inch unit for two reasons: Size and price. Some folks would find its reduced bulk more convenient (if you’re a habitual hand-bag user perhaps). Other users would find the smaller screen of this mid-sized system less convenient than the bigger iPad’s, but of course they’d be able to buy the larger unit. The lower price–which is an assumption, but a reasonable one–would make the iPad “mini” more competitive in the soon-to-be-crowded tablet market, and would place it in financial reach of many millions more consumers. (Reprinted from Fast Company – Thanks for the tip Don)

True Blood Gets Naked And Bloody For Rolling Stone Magazine

Vanessa Grigoriadis’ True Blood cover story will appear in the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine available this Friday.

In the issue read why sex is the centerpiece of the show. Plus Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer discuss their on-set romance and finally learn how Alexander Skarsgard channels his inner evil.

DJ Lance & The Yo Gabba Gabba Gang Will Perform On Regis & Kelly This Wednesday August 18th

Hey Gabba fans! Tune in tomorrow morning to Regis & Kelly. DJ Lance and the gang will be there to perform. Set your DVR’s.

Geek Army Knife T-Shirt

Imagine what MacGyver could do with this? Available today only for $9.00.  Order the shirt HERE.

Watch The New Trailer For Buzzed-About Indie Sci-Fi Film Monsters

Few indie films this year have had the buzz around them of Gareth Edwards’ feature debut “Monsters.” Ever since it debuted at SXSW this year, the super-low-budget monster movie has picked up great reviews and seems to have real potential to become a crossover hit.

Set six years after a crashed NASA probe unleashed giant monsters in Central America, the film follows a journalist who agrees to help escort an American tourist through the ‘infected zone.’

The film will be released on October 29th. (Thanks for the tip Don)

The Float Table

The Float Table (price available upon request) is comprised of 64 cubes, all magnetized so that they never touch each other and never touch the floor.

How do the cubes stay in shape? The secret is a series of steel cables inside keeping everything in position. But you can rearrange the cubes and cables to mold it into other forms, such as an elongated coffee table shape.