Sunday, June 23, 2013

Five Amazon pilots get the green light

Customers Have Spoken: Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf Chosen for Amazon's First-Ever Original Series, Available Exclusively on Prime Instant Video

Four senators-turned-unlikely-roommates, four young entrepreneurs attempting to make it big in techland, a kid scientist and her robots, an alien artist, and a whimsical fox searching for adventure-are all getting back into character. Comedy pilots Alpha House and Betas, along with kids pilots Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf, have been given the greenlight to begin production on a full series of episodes that will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014. Amazon and LOVEFiLM customers gave feedback that Amazon Studios used to decide which comedy and kids pilots should be made into Amazon's first original series.

"We are thrilled at the enthusiastic customer response to our first original pilots," said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. "We built Amazon Studios so that customers could help decide which stories would make the very best movies and TV shows. It's exciting to see the process in motion, doing exactly what we set out to do. The success of this first set of pilots has given us the push to try this approach with even more shows-this is just the beginning."

"We're thrilled to have emerged safely from this harrowing exercise in online democracy," said Garry Trudeau, Alpha House creator. "All of us at Alpha House thank both Amazon and its wise and wonderful customer base for such a happy outcome. As the future of episodic TV packs up and moves to Seattle, we hope the audience will continue to have as much fun watching the show as we have making it."

"After many sleepless nights scrutinizing the number of stars we were getting online, we're excited that both Amazon and the Amazon customers have given us a vote of confidence to move forward with a full season of Betas," said Michael London, Executive Producer of Betas. "This is only the beginning for our young social media players and we are excited to push them out in the big world to see if they sink or swim."

"It's really rewarding to hear that customers loved Creative Galaxy. It has been a passion project for me to bring the best arts and creativity to kids with Amazon, and I'm so excited that kids are going to be able to enjoy a full season of the show early next year," said Angela C. Santomero, Creator of Creative Galaxy. "We need more innovative kids programming that puts a strong emphasis on creativity and education. I'm proud and honored to be collaborating with Amazon to make these shows for kids."

"Every time you put a child in front of a screen you have the opportunity to positively influence them which is why we focused on developing pilots that purposefully combined entertainment and learning," said Dr. Alice Wilder, Education Psychologist and Curriculum Advisor. "Parents and kids have told us they loved Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf and it's going to be very exciting to see these pilots develop into shows that provide a unique and modern approach to education that will prepare children for a world that is rapidly changing."

What customers are saying about the pilots:

Alpha House:

"A political comedy from the mind of Garry Trudeau starring John Goodman with a cameo from Bill Murray. Needless to say this show has a lot of potential and I can't wait for more episodes."
"John Goodman shines in this series. Love the supporting cast. The show is intelligent, funny and unique. Can't wait for more shows!"
"This show was witty and fun. The actors are great and they are what initially drew me to the show. I would definitely watch if the pilot was given the green light."

Betas:

"If this show doesn't continue, I don't know what I will do. I was hooked from the very beginning! I need to know if the boys sell their app! I need them to beat Valet Me!"
"The characters are great. The humor is witty, dry and hilarious. The premise for the show is not too complicated and when it ended, I immediately wished that I had another episode to watch. Can't wait for a full season. Great show!"
"No laugh track. Believable characters. The very real awkwardness. No Cheesecake Factory jokes. And a surprising cameo by Moby. What's not to like?"

Annebots:

"I think this could be a big hit. We always need top quality children's shows that inspire and teach in a fun and exciting way. I also like that the show will have its own web page. Could be the best idea in children's programing since Sesame Street."
"Both my five and seven-year-old girls loved this. When they watched the preview and saw that there would be apps to go along with the shows they flipped out and thought that was the best thing ever. I would surely pay for apps that go along with the show for their Kindles."
"Our family loved the pilot of Annebots. We have two girls, seven and 10, and they both were disappointed when the pilot ended. They wished it was longer and there were more episodes to watch. We discussed why a pigeon needs a rocket to fly and decided it was in order to fly fast. We also enjoyed the 'eyes' machine and discussed how cool it would be to have one. Please make more episodes."

Creative Galaxy:

"My three-year-old loves this episode. He has it completely memorized. We need more Creative Galaxy as soon as possible! As a teacher, I love the vocabulary and the way it fosters imagination and ideas!"
"My kids (six and three-years-old) LOVE this show! The show makes art and creativity very accessible and relevant to kids' everyday lives! Loved it and I can't wait to see it fully animated!"
"Absolutely loved the idea of this show and the message it teaches kids. Refreshing to see a show that focuses on the importance of art as a problem solving tool. Very cute and would hope to see more!"

Tumbleaf:

"Gorgeous animation with so much appeal. My children were hooked. It's a pilot, but I'm hoping for a full series. Watch it!"
"This show is such a breath of fresh air! Its gorgeous animation and art direction, as well as the valuable life lessons it teaches, are sure to make it a loved show by all. I love that stop motion is being utilized to help bring these magical characters to life, it makes them feel so real and tangible. I vote YES! I would love to see more of these special characters and the stories they tell."
"Beautiful, kid-friendly animation with great, imaginative characters and a fun storyline. Kids of all ages will love this show-love the Pine character especially :) Hope we get to see more than a pilot!"

Comedy Series

Alpha House, which stars John Goodman and was written by Academy Award nominee and Pulitzer-Prize winner Garry Trudeau and produced by Elliot Webb and Jonathan Alter, is a comedy about four misfit senators turned unlikely roommates (Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy and Mark Consuelos) who rent a house together in Washington DC.

Set in the land of Silicon Valley start-ups, Betas, written by Evan Endicott and Josh Stoddard, follows four friends as they attempt to strike it rich with a new mobile social networking app. Ed Begley Jr., Jon Daly, Joe Dinicol, Charlie Saxton and Karan Soni star in the show. Michael Lehmann will direct and produce the show along with Emmy Award winners Alan Freedland and Alan Cohen, and Academy Award nominee Michael London.

Kids Series

Annebots revolves around Anne, a young scientist, who creates three robot helpers to assist her scientific experiments in the back of her dad's junkyard. This science-based series from creator J.J. Johnson aims to introduce kids to science and technology in a fun, new way.

Creative Galaxy is an animated interactive art adventure series, designed to inspire kids' creative thinking through crafts, story, music and dance. The series was created by Angela Santomero, creator of Blue's Clues and the Emmy-nominated literacy series, Super Why!

Tumbleaf was created by Drew Hodges and Kelli Bixler of Bix Pix Entertainment, the award-winning stop motion studio. The series, aimed at preschoolers, is set in a whimsical land where a small blue fox named Fig plays each day and discovers adventure, friendship and love around every bend. Children will be enriched by narratives that promote play through exploration and scientific thinking.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (http://www.imdb.com), the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.


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doubleTwist gets Holo-inspired makeover in latest release

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doubleTwist gets Holo-inspired makeover in latest release

Now with a brand-new streaming music service under its belt, Android player doubleTwist is undergoing a makeover. The app's latest incarnation has just landed on Google Play and features a Holo-inspired refresh that still keeps the character and dark looks of its predecessor. As you'd expect, the application now uses the system action bar on all screens and incorporates the "Up" button. The fresh release also includes cleaner alert and dialog prompts, refined typography and pages that work in both portrait and landscape views, with the occasional optimized layout for the latter. Despite the big tweaks, the outfit says this is just phase one of its Holo facelift, and that more drastic changes and optimizations for devices toting larger screens are coming down the pike. Click the neighboring source links to download the app and catch a grand tour of the revamp.

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Connected Data announces Transporter v2.0, focuses on user experience and mobile apps

Connected Data Revolutionizes Private Cloud Storage with Launch of Next Generation Transporter

Transporter v2.0 Greatly Simplifies the User Experience and Adds Key Features Including Global Access from iOS and Android Mobile Devices

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. – May 29, 2013 – Connected Data, a provider of elegantly designed solutions to share, access and protect data, today announced major enhancements to the company's popular Transporter private data sharing and storage device. On the heels of its successful Kickstarter launch, Connected Data unveiled version 2.0 of the Transporter software suite to greatly simplify the user experience, add key functionality, and extend its file sharing and storage benefits to mobile devices. Transporter devices powered by version 2.0 will be available through a national network of partners in June 2013.

With notable data breaches from popular services like Dropbox and Instagram, security and privacy for file sharing and storage is more important than ever. Transporter sets the new standard as a completely private alternative to public cloud offerings. With the Transporter, all data is stored only on authorized devices to ensure privacy, but also provides users with global access and unlimited sharing. Unlike cloud services, the Transporter is a one-time purchase with no monthly charge.

"With the rise of mobile computing, consumers need robust technology solutions that enable them to share and access files on the go," said Dave Reinsel, group vice president at IDC. "Solutions like Connected Data's provide a completely private, peer-to-peer offering, with all data hosted only on authorized devices. Connected Data is on the right path having sold thousands of Transporter units in the first few months of production."

In version 2.0, Connected Data made significant Transporter enhancements for access and transfer of terabytes of files on limited storage devices. Key features include:

- Simplified interface - Version 2.0 provides full drag-and-drop support, right-click functionality and the ability to share links to files with others. Users can install the desktop application, immediately drag-and-drop files to their Transporter, and right-click on any file or folder to manage or share.

- Flexible sync options for limited capacity devices – Most cloud storage providers offer "all or nothing" syncing where everything is either synced across all devices or not accessible. While that works well for a few files, it doesn't work for large media collections on limited capacity laptops and ultrabooks. With Transporter v2.0, users can sync and share critical folders (e.g. work documents) while still having the ability to access and share large folders (e.g. music, photo or movie collections) stored on Transporter from any device regardless of capacity.

- New iOS and Android mobile apps – Transporter v2.0 also introduces new iOS and Android mobile applications allowing users to remotely access, upload, download and share files stored on Transporter directly from their iOS or Android device.

- Remote access and connection enhancements – Transporter v2.0 also includes enhancements to ensure that users will be able to connect to and access their Transporter files regardless of the firewall security that may be in place.

"Connected Data has attracted thousands of new customers since our successful Kickstarter campaign and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have a growing and passionate user base," said Geoff Barrall, CEO of Connected Data. "When setting out to improve upon the Transporter, we listened to feedback from our existing users which helped to set the direction for version 2.0. We're delivering a streamlined Transporter experience that will delight both our new and existing customers."

Transporter can be used as a standalone private cloud or shared with other Transporter devices. This unique ability of Transporter devices to communicate and share with each other regardless of location enables consumers and businesses to easily create a network of shared files with friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues.

Transporter v2.0 will be a free software upgrade for all existing customers. For new customers, Transporter starts at a suggested retail price of $199 without a hard drive, $299 for 1TB and $399 for 2TB. Transporter is currently available from a national network of partners including Abt, Adorama, Amazon, B&H Photo, Buy.com, Datavision, J&R, MacMall, Newegg, PCMall, PCNation and ZONES.


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Tim Cook: Apple will open up its APIs

Tim Cook: Apple will open up its APIs data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20586634' !== '') ? 'bsd:20586634' : ''; var postID = '20586634'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"apple",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"michael-gorman", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Tim Cook: Apple will open up its APIsBypostedMay 28th, 2013 at 10:23 PM 0

Tim Cook Apple will open up its APIs

Tim Cook's had a lot to say today at D11, from talking about wearables to the next versions of iOS and OS X, and he just gave devs for those software platforms a bit of good news. That's right, folks, Tim Cook has pledged that Apple will open up its APIs more, but "not to the degree that we put the customer at risk of having a bad experience." When pressed about giving developers the ability to build better experiences and present customers with more choice -- like say, having access to Swype or SwiftKey -- Cook defended Apple's current, more restrictive policies saying that "the customer pays us to make some of these choices on their behalf." So there you have it, the folks at Apple only let you use the stock software keyboard on your iPhone because you paid them to do so.

Follow along with our D11 liveblog right here.

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15 Colorful Designer Pieces, Now on Sale

While you were enjoying your long weekend, the Memorial Day sales kicked off, knocking prohibitively priced designer items down to a somewhat more realistic price range. We've rounded up some of our favorite pieces to snap up, including items from Miu Miu, Proenza Schouler, Tibi, and more. Get them before the only sizes left are 34 and 44. Click through for the full selection.


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LG officially reveals the white Nexus 4, launches May 29th

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LG officially reveals the white Nexus 4, launches May 29th

Finally, the Nexus swan arrives. LG has just announced that the white iteration of its Google phone will make its first retail appearance in Hong Kong at the end of May, rolling out across Asia, North America and Europe over "the next several weeks." As a reminder, the Nexus 4 packs an admirable 320 ppi 4.7-inch HD IPS display, 8-megapixel camera, Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and the very latest version of Google's mobile OS, which, for the time being, is Android 4.2. No pricing has been formalized yet, though we expect it to match the black original. Interestingly, Hong Kong's May 29th release date is one day before LG's Optimus G Pro launch soiree at Macau -- practically next door.

White Nexus 4 Press shots See all photos 4 Photos

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Show full PR textLG INTRODUCES NEW NEXUS 4 WHITE
Same Popular Smartphone, Different Color


SEOUL, May 28, 2013 ? LG Electronics (LG) today announced the launch of Nexus 4 White, the newest edition of the popular smartphone developed in collaboration with Google. Nexus 4 White features the same stellar Android™ experience as the original Nexus 4, combining LG's sophisticated hardware design and popular Google Services such as Google Now and Photosphere for an outstanding overall user experience.

"Nexus 4 set the standard for Android 4.2 Jelly Bean smartphones," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "Nexus 4 White delivers the same Google experience to consumers in a stylish and attractive color option."

Nexus 4 White comes with the superb 4.7-inch 1280-by-768 True HD IPS Plus display (320ppi) supported by Zerogap Touch technology. At its heart is the high performing Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM.

Starting in Hong Kong on May 29, Nexus 4 White will roll out globally in select markets in Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East over the next several weeks.

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