Microsoft has rolled out a bunch of new apps for Xbox 360, including one for the outstanding HBO Go service. Available to HBO subcribers, HBO Go allows viewers to stream a ton of movies, television shows, and sports events. In the past, the network has allowed HBO Go users to catch early episodes of its original programming. In short, this service completely owns.
I use HBO Go on my iPad all the time. In fact, it’s probably my favorite app for streaming video, beating out Netflix, Crackle, and all those other pretenders. It offers a large library of excellent movies. It offers every episode of some of the best HBO original shows (Game of Thrones, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, etc.). It also offers loads of great HBO Boxing fights. As an HBO mark, I’m thrilled that the service is now available for Xbox 360.
How about you guys and dolls? Are you psyched that HBO Go can be experienced on Xbox 360?
Publishing content is getting awesomely cool. I’m sure that all of you have heard about the millions of dollars Double Fine and InXile Entertainment have raised to develop their games. Recently, Aziz Ansari has followed the steps of Louis CK and Jim Gaffigan by releasing a direct-to-Internet…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, The Situation’s prescription-drug problem, T-T-T-Tebow and the Jets, or wishing RPadholic Thundercracker a belated happy birthday, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Publishing content is getting awesomely cool. I’m sure that all of you have heard about the millions of dollars Double Fine and InXile Entertainment have raised to develop their games. Recently, Aziz Ansari has followed the steps of Louis CK and Jim Gaffigan by releasing a direct-to-Internet comedy special for $5. I love that creatives are using modern methods to find new ways to release content. This has been tried in the past (remember Public Enemy and Sellaband.com?), but new Internet services have made it more feasible.
Giving content creators more freedom is fantastic. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that publishers are evil. In many cases, publishers can help creators succeed by reigning them in and marketing them well. However, in some cases, publishers can get in the way and stifle creativity. I love that services like Kickstarter and the ease of selling video content on the Internet are giving creators more freedom and consumers new ways to enjoy their favorite artists. As someone that generally has problems with authority, I love that it takes power away from “The Man” (bonus!). This is, quite possibly, the start of a massive change in how content is created and consumed; it’s exciting and new (like Love Boat).
Are you as excited by modern methods of self-publishing as I am? Do you think that services like Kickstarter will lead to more self-published games and developer empowerment? Are you digging the crazy possibilities that can be had by giving creatives more freedom? Or do not care how your content as published, so long as you can get it? Kindly discuss in the comments section and let me know!
Hundreds of millions of Super Bowl advertising dollars have come and gone. A few of you mentioned being underwhelmed with Super Bowl XLVI’s commercials and I mostly agree with that sentiment. Having said that, there were several spots that…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, M.I.A.’s middle finger, The Undertaker vs. Triple H WrestleMania rematch, or Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. being a weight cheat, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Hundreds of millions of Super Bowl advertising dollars have come and gone. A few of you mentioned being underwhelmed with Super Bowl XLVI’s commercials and I mostly agree with that sentiment. Having said that, there were several spots that caught my eye. Here are my 10 favorite Super Bowl XLVI commercials. After you’ve gobbled them up, please let me know which ads were your favorite.
1) The Avengers Teaser — Earth’s mightiest heroes (and also Hawkeye)! Scarlett Johansson in her remarkably tight Black Widow costume! I’m totally geeked out for this movie.
2) MetLife — Any commercial that brings together Voltron, Charlie Brown, Marvin the Martian, Mr. Magoo, etc. is pure win.
3) Kia — I will absolutely buy that men dream about Adriana Lima and dozens of other women in bikinis. I think it’s hilarious that Kia thinks men dream about old bands (Motley Crue) and old MMA fighters (Chuck Lidell).
4) Audi — Making fun of vampires is always a good thing.
5) Chevy Silverado — This was a cute and clever spot. Combining Barry Manilow, a post-apocalyptic world, and Twinkies is borderline genius.
6) Teleflora — More Adriana Lima! This time she shows off her body and her sexy Brazilian
accent.
7) Volkswagen — I’m a geek. This commercial features the Mos Eisley cantina. Of course I loved it!
8) G.I. Joe: Retaliation Teaser — The action looks slick and I’m a homer for movies starring The Rock.
9) Time Warner Cable — I’m really unhappy with my Time Warner Cable television and Internet service, but I have to give the company props for this commercial with Rick Gervais.
10) Fiat 500 Abarth — Sexy Italian woman dropping frothed milk on her breasts? Yes, you have my attention Fiat.
Last night my friend Paul notified me that X-Play’s Adam Sessler recently shaved his head and started growing his facial hair. Two things immediately popped into my head. First, I remembered a moment in early 2011 when RPadholic N8R told me how awesome Adam would look with a shaved head. I also thought about the possibility of Adam being replaced by Evil Adam Sessler From an Alternate Universe. Whatever the case may be, I’d love to hear your opinion on Adam’s new look. Clearly he looks awesome. The question is, how awesome?!?
This video of Kris Humphries — the most disliked player in the NBA — has been circulating. Some people are using it to fuel their hatred, saying that it shows his homophobic behavior. Others are saying that he’s not really being homophobic; at best he’s being ignorant and at worst he’s being idiotic. Check it out and decide (please)!
I honestly don’t think that Humphries is homophobic. Knowing what I know about reality television, I’m going to guess that a lot of this was an angle “urged” by the show’s staff. At worst, his homophobia is passive, but I’m more inclined to think that it was manufactured by the show’s writers and producers. I definitely agree that he’s ignorant and idiotic.
What’s your take? Is Kris Humphries a homophobe, an idiot, or both?
Here’s a video clip of Chris Jericho’s return to the WWE on last night’s episode of Raw. It was unusual and brilliant at the same time. Let’s talk about the unusual part first. Jericho, one of the best talkers the WWE has had in the last decade, didn’t say much. He soaked up the cheers, played the crowd, and smiled in an exaggerated way. Every now and then he screamed Come on baby!!!” and “Yeah!!!”, but he didn’t say anything substantive. Everyone was expecting one of his classic promos, but it never came.
His return was just genius. He completely played the live crowd and the television audience. People are going to be tuning in next week to see what he’s all about. It was a fantastic swerve that nobody could have predicted.
While I’m sure that he was genuinely excited to perform in front of a WWE crowd again, I’m going to guess that the smiling was disingenuous as far as his character is concerned. I can see him berating the crowd next week for cheering him like a returning hero. He’ll mock them for reacting to his return that way when he thinks they’re all hypocrites, parasites, sycophants, and gelatinous tapeworms.
Then again, maybe he won’t. Jericho’s return has people wondering what will happen next and his character has an awesome unpredictability that should be milked. I don’t know where he’s going with this run, but I can’t wait to find out.
What did you think of Chris Jericho’s return to WWE Monday Night Raw?
For the last couple of months WWE has been teasing the return of a “mystery” WWE Superstar. Several sources believe that Chris Jericho will be making his return to pro-wrestling in tonight’s Monday Night Raw. What do you think? Is “the best in the world at what he does” coming back? Or will it be someone else? (I’m hoping for Festus…just kidding.)
Certainly WWE would be better with Jericho. He’s an established star that’s absolute money on the microphone and strong in the ring. Jericho setting the tone for WWE in 2012 would be fantastic. That said, the next few months are sure to be dominated by John Cena vs. The Rock. If Jericho is coming back, wouldn’t it be better to have him return after WrestleMania in a (mostly) Rock-free WWE?
Anyway, please let me know if you think the mystery WWE Superstar is Chris Jericho. If you think it is, are you excited by his return? If not, who do you think is coming back?
In case you missed any of the “Best of 2011” stories, here are links to your fellow RPadholics’ picks for the best game, videogame graphics, videogame sound, movie, and gadget. While you’re here, feel free to leave any “Best of 2011” choices that weren’t covered last week. From your favorite comic book, Netflix rental, TV show, sports team, coffee, fast food, WWE Superstar, and more, use this post to get 2011 out of your system (please)!
I’m totally marking out for WWE programming right now. This has been my favorite period of WWE television since Shawn Michaels retired. A guy that used Twitter to get over and two guys I watched with dozens of other people at Ring of Honor…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, random people paying off random layaway accounts at K-Mart, Rudolph vs. Frosty, or Intelligentsia’s Colombia La Loma, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I’m totally marking out for WWE programming right now. This has been my favorite period of WWE television since Shawn Michaels retired. A guy that used Twitter to get over and two guys I watched with dozens of other people at Ring of Honor shows are holding championship belts. I love that three guys that work hard and genuinely connect with fans are getting pushed by WWE. While I have an aching suspicion that at least one of the three championship reigns will be short, I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts. Join me as I reflect on three of the current WWE champions.
Zack Ryder United States Champion: I wrote a bit about the crazy phenomenon of Ryder a few weeks ago. As an Internet nerd, I have to give it up to a guy that used Twitter outreach and YouTube videos to connect with fans. I completely respect and admire what he did; WWE management wasn’t giving him an opportunity to shine, so he took matters into his own hands and created his own success. While I’m happy for Ryder, it’s not the same level of excitement I feel for the next two champions.
CM PUNK WWE Champion: I know that a few of you are down on Punk because of his size, but you can’t question his in-ring ability or deny the fact that he has cut the best promos in WWE all year. As you probably know, I’m partial to Ring of Honor alumni and love when those guys do well in bigger companies. Punk also gets mad bonus points for posing with some of my Pokemon dolls for a Games Radar article I did back in the day. I love that my photos of Punk and my Pokemon are on the first page of Google results when you do an image search for “CM Punk”.
Punk is just a great wrestler that has worked hard to get one of the top spots in the business. I think it’s great that he’s old school. I love that he prefers the term “pro-wrestling” over “sports entertainment”. It was nice that he wore a Randy Savage outfit and started incorporating Savage’s elbow drop shortly after Macho Man passed away. Even though I generally don’t trust people who drink, I think Punk is awesome. He’s my second-favorite straight-edge person.
Daniel Bryan World Heavyweight Champion: Before WWE re-branded him as Daniel Bryan, Bryan Danielson was one of my favorite Ring of Honor wrestlers. I believe he’s one of the top three wrestlers in WWE today. His game is just so diverse, mixing outstanding mat wrestling, high-flying moves, and modern MMA twists. Yeah, he’s still finding his way on the mic, but he’s getting a lot better (something John Morrison never did). More importantly, his wrestling is so good that fans connect with him and want to see him do well. It’s weird seeing him (fake) tan and wearing more black than red these days, but he’ll always be “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson to me — one of the best wrestlers I’ve seen live.
I love the photo above from CM Punk’s Twitter feed. Seeing Punk and Danielson with the two major WWE straps gives me warm fuzzies. It’s great seeing two guys that are superiors wrestlers make it to the top. It’s sweet that two guys that have known each other for more than a decade and have wrestled in hundreds of high-school gyms are headlining shows that are watched by millions of people. In many ways, the photo reminds me of when Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit held those belts. Similar to how Punk and Danielson made their way through the indie scene together, Guerrero and Benoit went from ECW to WCW to WWE together. The two were also great wrestlers that were on the small side. When Benoit and Guerrero were celebrating with their titles at WrestleMania XX, I remember thinking, “Damn. That’s a lot of confetti,” and also, “It feels nice to see that the right guys have the belts.”
Sadly, I don’t have a ton of faith in WWE creative to leave the strap on Danielson. Hell, he only has it now because Mark Henry suffered a groin injury and they had to quickly rewrite the match. It’s too early to tell, but I fear he’ll just be a transitional champion.
I don’t know how long these three WWE Superstars will keep their championships, but it’s great to see that, once again, the right guys have won.
During a multifaceted geek chat with Nerd Friend X, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon came up. As a tech enthusiast and a gamer, I feel obligated to support the show. It helps that I actually dig Fallon’s humor and my buddy Gavin works on the show…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, if Tebowmania will die down now that the Broncos’ streak has snapped, your WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan (!!!), or Rooney Mara vs. Kate Mara, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
During a multifaceted geek chat with Nerd Friend X, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon came up. As a tech enthusiast and a gamer, I feel obligated to support the show. It helps that I actually dig Fallon’s humor and my buddy Gavin works on the show. I was surprised to learn that Nerd Friend X hates the show and Fallon. It’s one thing if he doesn’t like Fallon’s humor and the show’s writing; it’s not for everyone. As a gamer and tech enthusiast, I feel that he should support it. After all, nobody else in late night features game developers and tech editors.
I love that Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski showed Gears of War 3 on the show. It’s awesome that Naughty Dog’s Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra dropped by to demo Uncharted 3. Microsoft got a ton of press when Microsoft’s Kudo Tsunoda showed Kinect to mainstream America on Fallon. TheVerge.com’s Joshua Topolsky (ex-Endgadget) drops by regularly to tell Jimmy and his audience about the latest and greatest in consumer electronics. Is there a late-night show that’s more nerd-friendly than Late Night with Jimmy Fallon?
Jimmy Fallon, his writers, and his producers are the future of late night…at least the future of what I want late night to be. People that grew up with games and/or obsessed with nerd toys are getting older. I love that there’s a late-night TV-show that covers my interests with respect and enthusiasm. I dream of the day Fallon gets the 11:30 slot, bringing great games and tech content to “the big show”. With your support, he’ll get there.
What do you think of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon featuring videogames and consumer electronics? If Fallon gets an 11:30 show, do you think he’ll continue bringing on game developers and tech experts as guests? Or will games and geek stuff be relegated to after midnight instead of before it?
