Attorneys for Michael Jackson’s doctor want to release outtakes from his concert film ‘This Is It,’ reports Billboard.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death, wants access to over 100 hours of raw footage that was filmed during the singer’s last days.

Sony Pictures is, of course, fighting the request, but Murray plans on using the clips to defend himself and show that Jackson was in good health before he died.

Lawyers for Murray and Sony attorneys are due in court Thursday. Murray is charged with giving Jackson an overdose of anesthetic propofol and other sedatives.

I don’t think releasing footage of a very ill Jackson is going to solve anything. People are trying to move on, and he’s just dragging it out. The charge has been laid, you’re guilty, now pay the price.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Though Michael Jackson may have passed on, his ability to entertain and astound certainly has not.

Following on the heels of Tuesday night’s $2.2 million haul at a series of midnight showings, “This Is It” took in another $7.4 million in its first full day of release and another $12.7 million overseas. According to mtvnews.com, overall the film tallied a worldwide total of $20.1 million, a jaw-dropping amount for a midweek release, specifically a documentary.

According to distributor Sony, Wednesday’s total is the best daily gross for a film on a Wednesday in October. Placing nearly $1.5 million ahead of last weekend’s box-office champ “Paranormal Activity,” the movie about the King of Pop now seems poised to reign supreme at movie theaters nationwide on Halloween weekend. It is setting its sights on the all-time champ “Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert,” which tops the list with $65.3 million.

The result of a massive bidding war that ensued in the weeks after MJ’s June 25 death, ”This Is It” was collected from more than 100 hours of the pop singer’s rehearsal for a sold-out 50-date comeback tour in London. Filmed at the Forum and the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Sony paid $60 million for the rights to the footage, which was then compiled by Jackson collaborator and “High School Musical” director Kenny Ortega. It is rumored that Ortega’s dediation to “This Is It” is one of the main reasons for his decision to leave the set of the upcoming film, “Footloose.”

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

More. That’s the key word when discussing Naughty Dog’s PS3 exclusive hit sequel Uncharted: Among Thieves.

He definitely works hard for his money!

They have given us more of everything we loved from Uncharted: Drake’s fortune. More witty commentary, more weapons, more items, more actions, more explosions, more girls, more modes of play, more… well, you get the idea.

Recently, this writer had eye surgery, and as such, I have had a hard time staring at screens for long periods of time while my eyes healed. Let me tell you, this title was so much fun to play and so hard to put down, that I very well could have destined myself blind in the future from eye strain, especially at a time when my eyes are at their weakest.

Normally I would choose my Xbox 360 over the PS3 due to control preference and number of friends online, however, Sony comes out with amazing exclusive titles from time to time that bring me back to the PS3 powerhouse. Titles like Uncharted: Drake’s fortune, Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet, and now, Uncharted: Among Thieves.

Among Thieves takes you behind the eyes of brilliant and ridiculously lucky treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he searches for the elusive lost fleet of Marco Polo and the Cintimani Stone, a giant sapphire said to be worth billions. Of course if you’ve played the first uncharted title, you know better to think this is all that is being searched for and all that you will find, but in order to not spoil the game for you all, I’ll leave it at that. Along the way you run into old friends like Victor Goddamned Sullivan and Elena Fisher as well as new characters who had a past with Nathan such as Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer. Before I go any further in this review, the reason I point out characters so quickly is that Among Thieves has something so many other games lack, extremely detailed and relevant character depth. By the end of the game, nay, within the first hour of play, you feel like you personally know each character and have a strong emotional connection with them. When one gets hurt or goes missing, you feel for them, you share the same emotion Drake does. I will even admit that my eyes teared up and I was actually worried for a specific character at one point in the game, heaving a large sigh of relief when the dust settled.

Yes, the game is that beautiful. Those are in game graphics here!

Before we dive into the technical aspects of this review, I wanted to continue on the line of character and emotion. Among Thieves has almost every basis covered for being both a great game AND a great movie. Just like Drake’s Fortune did for me in the past, while playing you get so enthralled in the story that you actually wish it were a movie, everything from the great story filled with countless plot twists, to the witty commentary between characters with intelligent use of vocabulary as ‘Jerkweed’ and ‘Asswipe’ slipping from Drake’s educated lips. He even says on many accounts what I would be thinking at that exact moment at points where he is climbing high mountains he might utter, ‘Oh man, I am so tired of climbing sh*t’, or while in a pool he would shout out, ‘Marco… fish out of the water?’, or at moments where I would think how lucky Drake is as he is about the be crushed by flying train debris only to be saved by the first and only tunnel you spot for hundreds of miles, a comment would be made about it. The story itself is bigger and more epic than any other somewhat realistic (as in, not space or fantasy) story I have ever played, read, or even saw in a movie, even the scene swipes remind me of Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

I could go on and on about the story and character design, but then we would never get into the meat of the game’s mechanics, so if you want to go beyond what I have discussed so far, my only recommendation is to just go out and try the game yourself, I don’t think you’d be disappointed.

Graphically this could very well be the most beautiful game I have ever played. Sure, I may have said that with the first Uncharted title, but like I said at the beginning of this review, Naughty Dog has given us more of everything! Detail has reached an all new high with hair movements, clothing wrinkles and the amount of detail found in the environments. Not only do run down streets of Nepal have the most minuscule detail present (pictures of families in buildings as they collapse) but the sheer size of these environments are just amazing. Huge Tibetan temples as far as the eye can see encrusted in jewels and scripture kept me playing the game for at least an extra hour or two just because I was so blown away by what I saw that I had to explore every corner of every space provided. Weapon and item detail have also been boosted as you can see every gear and bolt of every gun being used in the flash of an eye. It goes beyond detail for Among Thieves, the lighting effects in terms of shadows, sun, and explosions are also top notch. There are so many examples I would love to share right now, but I feel like anything I say will ruin the plot, something I would never want to do to fans of Uncharted. So again, I will cut off my critique of graphics here by saying, play the game. Your eyes will thank you.

Audibly this is arguably the best sounding game I have ever played as well. Not only do the scores match the environment and mood extremely well, but they have also been improved in terms of how they were implemented versus Drake’s Fortune (In the first title, you would know when a gun fight would be coming up due to the score change). Often a good game’s mood can be dampened by the choice of music, and rarely does this reviewer find there to not be a single hiccup in musical tastes as Among Thieves hits each point perfectly. It’s not only the music that brings you deeper into the title but also the voice acting. With multiple languages available for both subtitles and dubbing, each character looks like their voices were made for their in game counterparts. Even though there are many different accents and dialects being used throughout the game, none of them seem outlandish or unrealistic. Heck, even the Australian voices sound authentic! Beyond the voice acting we are also given such details in how we hear our fan favourites speak depending on the scenario: on a train, it sounds like they’re on a train; in a cavern, you hear a slight echo; my personal favourite is at one point when Drake is holding a pen cap in his mouth, the muffles and whistles sound as if you were doing the exact same thing, extremely detailed and realistic. When my eyes were hurting from playing too much, it didn’t faze me too much to have to close my eyes and relax a little because the audical experience was more than enough to keep me thinking about this title through and through.

Now THAT was a rockin' party.

An issue with the first Uncharted title was that it seemed much too planned out. You would climb a little, then walk into a much more open area with plenty of cover and ammo. Here you knew there was going to be a gun fight, rinse and repeat. In Among Thieves they did a much better job of not only making everything less obvious in terms of what would be happening next (they did a great job in this aspect), but they also changed up the types of gameplay as well, with more running scenarios (away from trucks, tanks, helicopters, falling buildings), boss fights, and now a very expanded stealth mode of play (hanging from ledges, hiding behind cover and so on). Add on new items such as shields and propane tanks, and you have a whole new level of gameplay to enjoy. Again, more of everything. If you though Drake’s Fortune had some epic battles, try fighting a helicopter from a building as it collapses… with you inside the building! More explosions, more near death experiences, more more more. Get the idea?

In terms of lasting appeal, Uncharted: Among Thieves has increased their offering drastically from the first title. With plenty of treasures to find in the oddest places (who leaves priceless artifacts on the back of a caboose?) and multiple difficulty levels, you already have more reasons to replay this great game. Add on the ability to buy special effects like sepia colour, fast forward mode, new skins, and special cheats and weapons give you even more replay value. Add on a nifty little Twitter feature to tell all your friends how good you are at this game and even more to play with. But after all this, I still feel like it’s all a little sliver of replay value compared to the newly introduced online multiplayer modes. oh, I didn’t mention that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves had a fully featured multiplayer option? And no, this isn’t just some slapped together death match mode we’re talking about here; Among Thieves provides a unique mash up of all the best multiplayer options in a set that will have you addicted to playing over and over again. The way character progression works in multiplayer is great, you earn money for each other player you kill, for each objective you accomplish, and for each award you are given (you get awards for killing people with your fists, throwing people off of ledges, killing people in a row, killing people who are killing people in a row, etc). and with this money, you can buy new skins, skills, taunts, and abilities – but only if your character is at a high enough level to unlock the ability to buy these options in the first place. So as a gamer you obviously want the best of the best (which can be abilities called boosts like better accuracy with a handgun, quicker reloads, extra grenades and so on); because of this, when you get to a certain level you want to play that little extra bit to get to the next milestone. This leads to MANY late nights playing online.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves provides two main forms of multiplayer action, competitive and cooperative. Competitive gives players 5 on 5 battles with game modes like your standard death match, elimination, plunder, turf war, king of the hill and chain reaction pitting heroes against villains. As well there are co-operative modes of play in which you work with a partner to play modes such as survival, gold rush, and standard co-op mode. Along with these online modes of play you have the choice and variety of 8 maps from the sanctuary, ice cave, lost city, train wreck, temple, village, plaza, and finally a blank stage mode to test out different aspects of the game. This multiplayer mode is definitely something that will bring you back to Uncharted time and time again.

Multiplayer mayhem, fast paced, high action, and not a lick of slow-down.

Overall Uncharted 2 was by far one of the best PlayStation 3 titles I have ever played, even one of the best video games I ever got to enjoy period, however there were a few negatives I had with the title. Nothing overly major, however they should be mentioned. First off a small annoyance is that random priceless treasures can be found in the most random places: The roof of a train, in the middle of a road, on the top ledge of a cavern that supposedly has never been seen by man before. Things like that just irk me. The second issue I had came with the multiplayer modes, yes I praised them continuously above, however, after playing for hours upon hours I grew stale with the few maps available; I figure this was done purposely so that new maps could be released in the future for further markup… or free! Finally the biggest problem I had throughout the game were glitches. While this was by far one of the most technical titles I have ever played and the vast majority of the game was glitch free; I did get frustrated when Drake would jump towards a ledge, glitch out and fall only to try again a moment later. Or getting stuck in a wall or snow bank while running for your life. While these only happened a few times throughout the game, I did notice them to occur more later on in the title as if the ending bit was rushed; more or less from the beginning of the Nepalese snowy mountains to right before the last area in the game is where I found most glitches. On a side note, not really a glitch but something I wish Naughty Dog and Sony included in Uncharted 2, a self play mode so that once you finished the game, you could just sit back and watch it as though it were a movie… because we all know it would be a fabulous movie!

Summary:

If you only buy one PS3 game this holiday season, I highly recommend you make it Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It has everything you could want, great controls, great gameplay, replay-ability, great story, great dialog, great sound, great graphics, a long lasting single player mode, an ever expanding and fantastic multiplayer mode… jeeze, I can’t think of any reason not to play such an amazing game. Go out and buy it. If you don’t have a PS3, go buy it for a friend that does… and move in with them. This has been one of the most polished and impressive games I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

Gameplay: 5/5

Graphics: 5/5

Sound: 4/5

Replay Value: 5/5

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

The event was packed with tons of PS3 games

SONY HOLIDAY PRESS EVENT 09: A casual analysis.

Ahsan  says:
So then,  let’s talk about the Sony holiday press event

April  says:
You really don’t care about my well being do you? >. < anyways, What did you think?

Ahsan says:
Where do I begin,  I loved the fact that the entire event was held in such an inconspicuous place and just felt like a modern art gallery.

April  says:
I know! It looked like an empty building and right on the upper floor was the event. Like some secret organization having a meeting or something!!!

sony makes some nice scarves

Ahsan   says:
hahaha true say!!!!!
I loved the ps3 scarves we received.
Check it I got a photo of it

April:
Yeah, I know, We walked in at the same time ;p

Ahsan says:
OMG the hors d’oeuvres

April says:
I ate so much >.< but I`m happy ;p
Loving the scarves <3 I wore mine the moment the event was over.

April was on box number 2..

Ahsan says:
Well I might go ahead and sell mine online. Nah, I`m just kidding
but enough about that, let`s talk about what we saw.

April  says:
I`m still dizzy from all the games we saw there! I saw Avatar, Aliens vs Predator, Tekken 6, Assassins Creed II, Heavy Rain, God of war 3, did I get all of them?

Ahsan. says:
You forgot Where the Wild Things Are, Dj Hero, Guitar hero 5, MAG, Mod Nation racers, Army of two, the New Dead to Rights, Need For Speed Shift, another Sonic game, Tony Hawk ride, the new Katamari
In other words A LOT of games. A LOT

April  says:

YEAH!

Ahsan  says:
Something that I’ll mention right off the bat is what was mysteriously missing from the show floor. Firstly we didn’t get a chance to see Modern Warfare 2.

April says:
And let’s not forget Gran Turismo 5. I honestly thought that would be there or at the very  least some video footage.

Ahsan says:
So very true, I had another gripe about not seeing the PSPgo fully playable, I mean the main rep had it, you just had to schedule a personal time with him in order to see it.

April says:
Yeah, it was pretty difficult to see the hand held. There were no displays, so it wasn’t like we could just reach into his pocket and grab the go to test it out >.<
So were there any sports games at the event?

Ahsan says:
Yes Tony Hawk’s Ride was in full display at Activision’s corner.

April says:
I thought I saw you in the distance trying to balance on something, tell me how was the game?

Ahsan says:
Oh Tony Hawk ride was awesome. ThepPeripheral made it as if you were actually balancing on a skateboard, the game even had a casual mode for those of us who can’t steer with proper precision. With a different take on how they used to approach their skateboarding games, I believe this year they may have set themselves apart from the competition. Despite its hefty price tag, the unit was really sturdy and we got to see a real skateboard legend show us the ropes.

Our legendary Skateboarder tries out Tony Hawks Ride, before going underground

April says:
Oh, it’s Jooooosh!!!! = D lols! Speaking about the stuff of legends, who brought the beat down in Tekken 6? which looked gorgeous and seemed to have the largest roster ever seen in Tekken history.

Tekken 6 looked amazing..despite the fact that I kept losing

Ahsan says:
Indeed! The backgrounds were gorgeous and fully animated, tons of stuff was going on. And according to the reps everything in the game is fully unlockable and if there should be any new downloadable content rest assure it will be free.
As for you bringing the pain in Tekken 6, my controller was messing up. It`s not over yet!

April says:
Okay, whatever you say. Was it sort of like how your drums were busted in Band Hero?

Ahsan says:
Whoa there! Ever wonder if it had something to do with your singing? Band Hero was certainly was fun.

April says:
Thank god for Taylor Swift, as long as they keep Hanna Montana away from any music game I`m happy.

Ahsan. says:
Alright changing gears let’s talk about the high points of the show,
run down your top three games of the event.

April says:
That’s easy as pie
my top three have to be:

King of kings?

Assassins Creed II, Just because there’s so much more freedom than in the first one. The inner history nerd in me really is in love<3 with the historical aspect of the game. First the Crusades now the Renaissance how can I not get excited? Throw in Leonardo Da Vinci into the whole shenanigan and I’m ecstatic. Plus he’s an assassin, a darker aspect of history. It was a time where modern ideas were being born and control was being established. So he`s pretty much a ninja like Ryu Hayabusa lol!

the second
has got to be Uncharted 2: Among thieves

I grew up watching movies like Indiana Jones and I played games like Tomb raider. This is pretty much the best of both worlds! I really loved the interaction between the characters. The dialogue really made me laugh.  While the jungle scenery was so lush that it made me want to just hop on a plane and find that forest!  Explore the land, find treasure and literally become the female Nathan Drake.

My number three without a doubt would be Heavy Rain.

It’s no peaches and cream type of game. But the story line is really mesmerizing. The way it plays even reminds me of Shenmue. Which was one of the best games on the Dreamcast. The interaction like asking questions and looking at objects left me thinking of Ryo Hazuki lol. (Please bring him back!)  This also being a story driven game has many puzzles to solve which made the inner Sherlock Holmes in me want to figure out what in the world was happening.

Ahsan says:
Fan boy alert.. I didn’t know Shenmue was so dear to you

Deciphering Heavy Rains controls

April  says:
First of all I’m a girl and besides Shenmue was an amazing game. Seeing elements of it in this game really made me smile.

Ahsan says:
But  didn’t you find Heavy Rains controls a little archaic? I felt like it was akin to the old tank style controls of resident evil. Also, I wonder how deep this game can actually get since majority of it is spent on story elements and human interactions.. Where is the gameplay at?

April says:
I  hate to admit it but the controls were a bit hard to get used to. I wish that it was easier to move the character from one area to another. As for the gameplay,  it’s all in the interaction, for example when the character is scared it’s really difficult to choose the decision you want because the predominant emotion of the character at that moment was fear.

Ahsan . says:
Ok,  so you mean to tell me that the character interactive moments yielded multiple results? That’s pretty cool.
Moving to your other choice-Assasins creed 2. I did love all the gameplay reveals thanks to the in depth demo we had our hands on.

April says:
>.<  AGREED

Ahsan says:
Having factions work for you, looking for good prices on items, and not drowning is a huge plus.

ACII builds upon the original distraction.(MGS4 pictured above)

April says:
Like the courtesans! You can hire a group of woman to distract the guards which will allow you to pass in an area without being detected. No wonder Kojima-san loved this game! LOL it’s like those books you planted to distract the guards in Metal Gear.

Ahsan says:
Ubi was carefully listening to all the feedback from the first game and its clearly evident in the sequel. Heck the lead creative designer who walked us through the demo was kind enough to inform us that they’ve even managed to cut down on the amount of annoying beggars.

April:
To me it’s a perfect example of pivotal game play improved by careful feedback.
Sooooo, how about you?  What was your top three??
What games made your list?

Ahsan says:
Top three games of the show are: Aliens vs Predator-Rebellion’s pre alpha build was visceral, vicious and seemed like a true successor to the pc version. For a pre alpha build it had some amazing gamplay elements, like the predator leap that sort of solves first person platform problem.
Next on the list is Uncharted 2 for its jaw dropping locations and excellent presentation. Last up I pick God of War 3 with its impressive visuals and insane battles. I honestly could not believe these games were running on a ps3.

April says:
Yeah? Why?

Ahsan says:
Uncharted 2 in particular takes a tried and true formula and adds some small tweaks that create a more streamlined experience. Uncharted 2 is already lighting up high review scores and having some hands on time with it certainly illustrates why.

what happens next is complimented by buckets of blood and gore

GOW 3 was the most primeval experience, I HAVE EVER SEEN. This game was brutal and I loved every moment of it. Combos were easy to pull of and you had some insane encounters throughout the demo. Remember when David Jaffe was quoted as calling the game a literal painting come to life; he was spot on. The third title in the series is definitely the best.

April says:
This was so sick, it was so brutal and gory yo! I’m so stoked for this game.

Ahsan says:
I know, I just said that lol but same!! March 2010 can’t come soon enough.

April says:
We saw a lot of good games but what about the other side of the puddle? What didn’t deliver?

Ahsan says:
It’s rather sad but I was disappointed with Army of Two and its lack of co op display thus crippling the morality system that has been hyped up. Instead we got a closed combat area showcased to us with a warzone surrounding it.
I found the new Dead to Rights not compelling enough to play but that’s just me, it seemed like the game was out of place. It wasn’t visually interesting nor did the gameplay seem to be an evolution of the series. What about you?

April says:
Weeeeelllllll…….

EA

Ahsan:
Well???

April says:
Avatar was what disappointed. It has so much potential but it just didn’t cut it for me. Graphically, they need to bring up their A game to the plate. What also kinda bugged me was that we weren’t given the opportunity to actually play the game ourselves. It was pretty much like watching a demo on the computer screen.

Ahsan says:
Yea, I mean the game is supposed to utilize a 3D Tv and uses Farcry 2s Dunia engine but it’s far from looking remotely close to Farcry 2. There was tons of geometry but having no hands on really hurt

April says:
* Imitates Randy Jackson* KEEPIN’ IT REAL DAWG!

Dj hero brought out the Urban DJ in all of us.

Ahsan says:
Yea, yea brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr bap bap

April says:
=P

Ahsan says:
Alright so this was our first press event and the kids these days wont read anything till it has some sort of rating or grade on it. So then give a grade to this press event.

April says:
B+ It was amazing but there’s always room for improvement.

Ahsan says:
Indeed, I’m with you on that. B plus some big hitters were missing but for the most part we had some pleasant surprises like a robust build of Assassins Creed 2 and Aliens vs Predator. So stay tuned for our pick of the show and a detailed discussion of what we learned.

Assassin Creed II - We just couldn't get enough of it

April says:
*Hand raises up* I call Assassins Creed 2!! haha called it  ;p

Ahsan Khan. says:
VERY WELL.
Till then our loyal readers stay tuned.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Barnes & Noble Inc. Is expected to unveil an electronic-book reader to compete with Amazon.com’s creation Kindle.

The ‘Nook’ is the newest e-reading technology. It features a colour touch screen and Google Android OS technology.

While the convenient, stylish e-reader is sure to save customer’s money on novel purchases, it doesn’t come cheap. The ‘Nook’ has a reported retail price of $259…similarly priced to Amazon’s model.

E-readers can also be purchased through Sony, IREX Technologies Inc. and Plastic Logic Ltd.

According to a recent Forrester Research report, about 900, 000 e-readers will be sold over the 2009 holiday season, and that’s expected to double in 2010.

The popularity may spell an unfortunately dramatic decline to the literature industry.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Just when you thought you knew exactly what to buy this holiday, Sony announces a new model of their slim PS3.

The slimmer PS3 has been a runaway hit since its launch in September and has sold more than a million units world wide in a matter of three weeks. The new model is identical to the current slims save for the fact that now it has a larger hard disc drive (HDD).
With 250 GB and a retail price of $349.99 you are getting one sweet deal.
The added hard drive space is quite a nice touch as these days download content has taken off drastically.

I say shell out that extra 50 bucks and get the 250GB it’s totally worth it.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Go get some!

The PSPgo has been available at retailers all across North America since Oct 1 2009.
With its launch Sony has announced that at least 17 new games will go up for digital download. Titles include key franchises such as Gran Turismo, God of War, Tetris, and many more.

The PSPgo designed to be 50 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter showcases the benefits of digital distribution.
Operating solely on download content with internal 16 gig space and an additional 16 gig through memory stick micro.
This however does not mean UMD production will cease as Sony has no plans to stop producing games for the regular PSP.

PSPgo retailing for $249.99

I can’t wait to get my hands on one and try it out.
Drop us a line and let us know what you think of the go

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Tech giants Panasonic and Sony plan to bring 3D viewing to the small screen by 2010, Reuters.com reports.

Last week Panasonic unveiled a 50-inch high-definition 3D plasma television with glasses that make images appear as if you can reach out and touch them.

The technology tricks your brain with high-speed shutters working in sync with the glasses to form a double-layered image.

“When the TV is showing the left image, the shutter closes the right eye so people can see only the left image,” explained Keisuke Suetsugi, manager in charge of high quality AV development.

“And the next moment, when the TV is showing the right image, the shutter glass is covering the left.”

The company announced that it will team up with the creators of James Cameron’s upcoming 3D film “Avatar” – set to be released in theatres on December 18th. The agreement will no doubt commence a new wave of negotiations between Tech and production companies to improve and refine the way that people watch television and movies in their homes.

Japan’s CEATEC tech show, opened Oct 6-10, revealed the Panasonic and Sony models, along with models by major tech companies Sharp and Samsung. The exhibit ensures the inevitable presence of 3D television sets in homes over the next decade.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

For a minute there, the entire history of pop music was hanging in the balance of some very unsteady hands. Michael Jackson’s esate, now in the control of his family, is famously known to include the entire Beatles discography but TMZ assures us the Fab Four’s musical history will not be included in a massive auction scheduled for April.

Jackson’s personal effects, many from his fabled Neverland ranch, will be auctioned to boost the assets in order to pay off the debt claimed by a number of creditors, according to the Guardian UK. But the Beatles catalogue, and the rest of Jackson’s publishing catalogue, will stay in the trust of his kids who can expect to profit more from it in the long-term than any immediate return if it were sold now.

In financial reports released in August, Jackson’s bottom line net worth was calculated to be $1,360,839,979, according to TMZ who viewed the documents. Of that, though, $1,150,000,000 is the Sony-ATV Publishing Trust holding the Beatles catalogue. The Jackson trust purchased ATV in 1985, after McCartney turned down the opportunity, and merged it ten years later in a deal with Sony. Now the third-largest music publishing company in the world, it owns the rights to music by Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Eminem, Willie Nelson and Taylor Swift, to name a few.

The Los Angeles auction is the first salee of Jackson’s property actually sanctioned by Jackson himself, after he tried to halt an auction in 2007 of he and his family’s properties acquired by a New Jersey businessman.

In life, the sale would signify Jackson’s departure from the grandeur of his celebrity existence – perhaps in the wake of his aquittal in 2005 of child molestation charges, which was followed by his abandonment of Neverland Ranch.

Now after Jackson’s death, the auction could mean one of two things: either a very poignant glimpse to the extraordinary extent to which Jackson tried to substitute real life with inanimate materialism. Or, it could turn out to be nothing more than a public bone collection of the only tangible remains of the King of Pop.

Neverland Ranch was literally emptied last summer, when Jackson commissioned Darren Julien, a renowned celebrity autioneer, to scrutinise the land. More than 2,000 items were cleared from the premises, including the amusement park that occupied only part of the 38 acres inside the ranch. The iconic gates of Neverland are now leaned against the wall of a warehouse somewhere in Los Angeles.

Julien is forecasting the April auction to be a regular frenzy of a sale as both media and fanatics are expected to flock to the Beverly Hilton event. Jackson’s signature diamond-studded glove that he wore when he married Debbie Rowe was auctioned to Warwick Stone on behalf of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for a whopping $49,000.

The April auction will feature more than 2,000 items, including exclusive artifacts from Jackson’s Neverland Ranch that have never been seen by the public eye. When Julien and his team were invited by Jackson in 2007 to scrutinise the Ranch, they were astonished at the bizarre accumulation inside.

“It seemed as if everything he owned was made of bronze and marble and gold,” said Michael Doyle, a member of Julien’s team according to the Guardian UK.

Along with custom-made crowns and an ornate throne that was part of Jackson’s bedroom decor, vintage arcade games and Jackson’s vast collection of 18th- and 19th century art will be available. Jackson’s stage costumes will inevitably go up for grabs, such as the fedora he wore in the video for “Billie Jean” and outfits dating as far back as his days in the Jackson 5. His personal souvenirs, such as military insignia he gathered during his world travels will go, along with a regal cape his children Paris and Prince Michael gave him as a Father’s day gift.

A large part of Jackson’s personal belongings will not be included in the auction, and only time and financial necessity will determine what other aspects of Jackson’s historic life will be sold to the clamouring hands of his admirers and debt collectors.

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They said it wasn’t going happen, they didn’t know Sony!

Well after months of rumors and speculations it’s now official.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc announced the new
PlayStation®3 (CECH-2000A) computer entertainment system, featuring an extremely streamlined form factor with a 120GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

This new model will be available as soon as SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 for a retail price of $299 CDN!!!!! To add to the insane deal maker  all 80 gig units will fall down to $299 as well and 160 gig units slashing down to $399.
There you go! you HAVE NO REASON not to go out and get a PS3. Unless you have absolutely no money on you…

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Sony Pictures confirms Oct. 30 as the release date for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” movie, which documents the King of Pop’s final concert rehearsal.

The film is being produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage – all captured in high definition.

To add to the experience, “This Is It” will also offer certain sequences in 3-D, along with interviews with some of Jackson’s closest friends and creative collaborators.

“This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, his career, and the stage spectacular that would have been,” read part of the statement released by Sony. “The film will provide moviegoers with an unforgettable front row experience compiled from extensive footage that shows Jackson’s meticulous preparation for his 2009 London shows.”

Most of the footage was shot in June, 2009 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

“Michael lives on through his songs, his creative genius, his body of work and his passion for his art,” said Rob Stringer, Chairman of Columbia/Epic Label Group, in a statement. “He was a perfectionist on stage and through this unique film, audiences will be able to see, many for the first time, how much Michael poured into making his performances as special as they were perfect”.

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It’s not just for boys or the Japanese anymore.  Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced a new Limited Edition Hannah Montana PSP Entertainment Pack.  Similar to the Madden and Daxter packs that came before it, the Hannah Montana kit will include: a copy of Disney Interactive’s Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show video game, three episodes of the tv show on UMD, a 2GB Memory Stick Pro DUO and, of course, a lilac-coloured PSP-3000.

Gamers can customize their PSP with fashionable vinyl stickers also included.    “The new Limited
Edition Hannah Montana PSP Entertainment Pack plays a central role in SCEA’s larger ‘Girlz Play Too’ initiative and we’re committed to bringing a steady stream of female-friendly content to consumers,” says John Koller, the company’s Director of Hardware Marketing.  “While SCEA has a broad range of PSP owners from under 12 to over 45 years old, we saw a tremendous opportunity for us to connect with the  female and ‘tween’ demographic and create a PSP system that girls will love.” Sony has certainly been throwing a lot of support at the PSP lately.  Some gamers can look forward to portable entries from Ubisoft’s Petz and LittleBigPlanet, while others await the new Assassin’s Creed and Soulcalibur games.

The Hannah Montana Pack has an MSRP of $199.99 and is out now.

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Guess what is in stores now?  Singstar Queen, the newest title in the series that has been trying to fill the big shoes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band with it’s vocal-only styles.  Being released for the PS3 and PS2, this game promises to bring the thunder Freddie Mercury-style.  What may push this newest title and give it the edge is right there in the title: Queen.

The game features over 20 of the most popular and memorable Queen singles ever released.  I personally suggest you Wayne’s World it and headbang the chorus to Bohemian Rhapsody.  So I will finally be able to play a singing game where I actually know the words.  This could be the beginning of a new era, where I do not suck at singing games.

Man I love Queen.

Cheers.

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A deal involving Sony Pictures, to acquire rehearsal footage from Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” concert rehearsal is being finalized. According to Variety, the distribution company hopes to give the film a theatrical release this Halloween.

It has been reported that Sony is paying approximately $60 million for 80 hours of rehearsal footage of Jackson. The footage currently belongs to AEG Entertainment, the company responsible for promoting Jackson’s 50 shows in London.

Kenny Ortega will reportedly assemble the movie which Sony plans to released on October 30, according to MTV News. The “High School Musical” director shot the original footage. According to Variety, the rehearsal film will feature “at least three” videos, and one of them could be an alternative version of Jackson’s hit “Thriller.

A slew of distributors were reportedly interested in the footage, but since Sony’s music division owns the publishing rights to the king of pop’s songs, it’s fitting for them to own the rehearsal footage as well.

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Alright, hot off the presses we have Sony and their E3 announcements

For starters the PSP Go (the worst kept secret) has been officially announced. The unit will retail for approximately CDN $249.99 MSRP. The system is said to have a more digital storage focus, with a 16 gig flash memory and the options to add your own memory stick. With an array of new applications to take advantage of it, such as “SensMe” a mood based music application used to manage and create playlists depending on you mood. Along with that we now have a central application Media Go! allowing transfer of digital content via your PC to the PSP. Launching along side The PSP GO will be the loooong awaited Gran Turismo for the PSP both of which are coming this October.

Its important to note that the PSP G0 wont be replacing the PSP 3000 model. Sony plans on supporting the UMD centric model as well as its new flash drive counter part; offering applications and services that will work for both units.

But that’s not all folks, you see, at the E3 press conference we learned that 25 PS3 exclusive titles are on their way, add that to the list of multi platform third party titles and you have tons to play. With exclusives like Uncharted 2 – Among Thieves, God of War III, MAG (256 player online war game!), Ratchet and Clank Future – a crack in time, to titles like ModNation racers- user created racer that is all about customization, right down to the track itself. Oh and we had a glimps of Gran Turismo 5, only this time there seemed to be damage!!

And then there were the titles we really didn’t see coming, Metal Gear Solid : Peace walker, an official sequel to MGS3: snake eater, announced by the man – Hideo Kojima -himself. Resident Evil for the psp, Another is Rockstar’s The Agent, a gritty take on the world of espionage. And just when you thought it was safe to play Final Fantasy 13… in comes 14. Final Fantasy 14 strictly online and exclusive for the PS3.

Finally a new tech demo was showcased, combining the existing eye toy and a new peripheral to create immersion in a new manner. The controller basically takes real world information, replicates your movement in the digital world 1:1 and then using the eye toy you can view the amalgamation of your world and the game world with effects placing objects seemingly around you.
Still in its prototype phase, the tech demo showed off sword fighting, bow and arrow, precision drawing and other motion based implementations.

If you ask me the industry is really taking this motion thing to some new and scary heights.

Besides that people can expect to see The DUALSHOCK 3 come out in deep red and metalic blue.

Whew!!! that’s a lot of info. So basically Sony has got your back and wants to assure you, the public, that there isn’t any shortage of supporting the Playstation brand and its 3 viable platforms.

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A camera that can upload photos moments after taking them will be available in Canada in April.

Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-G3 can upload photos and videos in any Wi-Fi hotspot thanks to its built in web browser.

“Research shows that our customers greatly value sharing images and video clips, but they often forget or don’t have enough time if they wait to get home to upload images,” said Mio Ozawa, manager of digital camera marketing at Sony Canada. “Our new Cyber-shot DSC-G3 camera provides the simplicity and convenience of sharing in the moment, while the impulse is still fresh in people’s minds.”

The camera, like a computer, will be able to connect to free, fee-based, secure and unsecure hotspots in places like hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and airports. After connecting to the Internet, the camera automatically goes to the Sony Easy Upload home page. The camera will be available for around $600.

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LightBox Interactive announced a deal with Sony today that allows them to create exclusive software titles for PlayStation platforms.

The new software development company, LightBox Interactive,  was formed by Dylan Jobe, former Incognito Entertainment Studio Director.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with Dylan and his team in their new endeavor at LightBox Interactive,” said John Hight, Sony’s director of internal development.  “Through pioneering many online and community features on PlayStation network with the multiplayer game Warhawk, this team is established as leaders in the online category.  I look forward to seeing what kind of further innovations they bring to the PlayStation platforms through this new development deal.”

Jobe directed Warhawk, a multiplayer PlayStation 3 game that was first to deliver consumers a game on Blu-ray Disc and as a download on the PlayStation network.

“We’ve forged a fantastic relationship with Sony over the past nine years and with the formation of LightBox Interactive, our partnership will continue to grow, fueling the development of great games for players around the globe,” said Dylan Jobe, president, LightBox Interactive, Inc.

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Sony Canada yesterday unveiled its new 52″ BRAVIA flat-panel LCD high definition television, featuring 240Hz high frame rate technology. The television will be available in select Sony Style retail stories and other dealers across the country.

The television incorporates Sony’s new Motionflow 240Hz technology, which allows for a exceptionally clear and detailed image with nature motion. The technology also quadruples the frame rate of conventional LCD TVs.

Other image improvements include Sony’s Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE), which gives a contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and BRAVIA Engine 2, Sony’s digital video processor that transforms all incoming signals to match the TV’s 1080p resolution.

The television is also compatible with the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module that attaches to the back of the product. The Internet Video Link service streams on-demand entertainment including movies, TV programs, YouTube videos and other content not found on network or cable/satellite TV. Finally, the television features Digital Media Port compatibility, which gives access to video and music from portable media devices like Walkman and iPod players.

This television retails for approximately $4,199.99.

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Since the release of Metal Gear Solid 4, there has been little noise on the big name, big hype, Playstation 3 exclusive front. That is, until the world caught wind of the interestingly titled, and bizarrely detailed Little Big Planet (LBP). Announced in early March of 2007 this title has been an unstoppable boulder of hype and discussion until it was finally released October 21st, then delayed due to music controversy to be released a week later.

The basic premise is that you control ‘Sackboy’, a generic doll in a world of colourful art and creation that rivals Katamari’s world in craziness. You travel this new land exploring unique areas helping artistic creatures here and there with a final goal of collecting as many bubble points as possible as well as items you can use to customize your Sackboy or create worlds of your own.

This is why I was so disappointed when I lost interest in the game after a couple of days. You see, the best part, the most intriguing part of the game is the customization, creating your own ‘Sackboy’ (the basic avatar character you begin with) and making amazing levels from scratch are what this title is all about. The gripe I have is that a) the average person doesn’t have enough time to spend creating worlds or personalizing every aspect of the game, and b) in order to get the pieces to customize, you must go through the ‘story mode’ and find all these thousands of items, and the actual game play just isn’t that fun. Basically you walk from left to right collecting bubbles, pushing things, grabbing things and jumping. Every once in a while you place a special sticker you find somewhere onto an item and you usually get more bubbles points and items to collect. It loses interest, fast.

Don’t get me wrong, there is more to this game than the dull gameplay and customization. Collecting keys to unlock special mini-game levels and doing any level with friends or online is always something to break up the monotony. The big seller is being able to play other’s creations, whether it be a batman themed world or the first level of Super Mario Bros. or some magical concoction that grabs players 5 trophy achievements for doing nothing, we are able to see other peoples minds at work. Unfortunately, playing the actual levels are still not so fun.

The graphics of the game, while somewhat simple in terms of textures and what they actually are, are intensely detailed, the Sackboy looks like a real-life doll and the stickers and items you collect can range from realistic snapshots to abstract art pieces. The animation of each Sackboy goes as deep as customizing the expression they carry and positioning their arms, head, or torso any which way you like to express yourself to the fullest. The creepy artistic aspect of the non-playable characters are all very smooth and fluid as well, adding to their creepy-ratings, and with the upcoming haloween date, more and more spooky happenings seem to be popping up everywhere.

The level designs offered by developer Media Molecule are all based on real world experiences and designed to give players a glimpse at what’s possible with LBP. While these levels are excellently designed, they seem to lack the chaos a gamer who thinks they know what other games like can offer with their online creations which can range from masterpiece to frustratingly unplayable. The opening sequence for this title will have your eyes bugging out with the sheer amount of possibilities shown immediately.

With a game as deep and immersive as LBP, you would assume there to be a relatively steep learning curve. Luckily however, each time you encounter something new, you are given a voice over narrative, and sometimes even a video telling and showing you how to use this new tool (such as utilizing the Playstation Eye camera to bring pictures into your LBP world). The voices are calm, clear and concise, slow enough for the listener to comprehend, but not too fast that you miss the important details. The musical scores are also very well attended to, while they work perfectly with the game’s vibe, they seem to be underappreciated and most times not even noticeable when playing. Which I suppose is better than the alternative.

Controlling your very own Sackboy could not be easier, X to jump, R1 to grab and square brings up your in-game menu. You can also use your Six-Axis controller to change where your Sackboy is looking / thrusting their pelvis, and control their arms with the two analog sticks. Playing through the game, if you fall into spikes or gasses, get hit by a baddy, or get stuck and have to ‘pop’ yourself, you get sent back to the checkpoint, do this enough times and its game over, but move onto the next checkpoint and you reset your tries count. The only things you have to look out for are when you play online. Interesting choices in camera work, lag, and frustrating co-Sackboys messing up puzzle chain reactions can irritate avid gamers, but hey, it’s a learning experience so go easy on the little sack.

All in all, with this being Sony’s big title exclusive of the holiday, you can expect plenty of future downloadable content and with players constantly creating worlds, there really is no end to the game. Create, Play, Share; the slogan of this insanely cute imaginative game really rings true as you not only make worlds for yourself to enjoy but others around the world, and the effort is given back by other players tenfold. If you have the time to go around collecting pieces then even more time to create an interactive world, LBP will be used to its fullest potential, if however, you have a job, school, social life or other obligation, you might not be able to enjoy all aspects LBP has to offer. That being said, with player created content going mainstream at an unprecedented speed, maybe Little Big Planet is just the first in a massive leap towards the new gaming future?

Gameplay: 4.5/5
Graphics: 5.0/5
Sound: 5.0/5
Replay Value: 5.0/5

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Earlier this week, Sony Canada introduced its new Bravia LCD TV. The Bravia features 240Hz high frame rate technology that delivers high quality motion detail, and feature an extremely thin design measuring just 9.9mm, or about the thickness of a CD jewel case.

The new motion technology feature, called Motionflow, allows images to be delivered in great detail and crispness with natural motion. Other picture enhancements include Sony’s Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE), which helps deliver a contrast ratio of 50,000:1, and Bravia Engine 2, Sony’s digital video processor that enhances all incoming cable or satellite signals to match the TV’s 1080p resolution.

Sony will also be releasing its 40-inch diagonal 1920 x 1080p KLV-40ZX1M flat panel LCD monitor. This monitor will also be only 9.9mm deep and weigh approximately 26 pounds. The monitor will also feature a wide colour gamut LED backlight and Sony’s Motionflow technology.

Both of these models will be available by the Holiday season in Canada.

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