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Clever LegoJurassic World won't hit theaters until June, but its Lego set hits store shelves in May. Luckily, you won't have to wait that long to see it.

The first official photo of the set features three figures, a medical vehicle and, of course, two raptors. Chris Pratt's character, Owen, is one of the three figures featured. The actor tweeted an official image of his likeness on Feb. 4

Image: Courtesy of Lego

Lego will unveil the construction set at Toy Fair 2015, which runs from Saturday through Tuesday at the Jacob K. Javit's Convention Center in New York City. Read more...

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LONDON — It doesn't hit movie theatres until November, but fans have been given a first glimpse of the latest James Bond film 'Spectre' in footage released Thursday.

The first still from the film, also released, shows Daniel Craig high in the snowy mountains of Austria, gun in hand.

Here’s the first behind the scenes footage from the set of #SPECTRE
https://t.co/MWgpDQ3Dnn

— James Bond (@007) February 12, 2015

The clip shows behind the scenes footage from what appears to be a car-chase filled, dramatic action scene

Image: Sony Pictures Twitter Read more...

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You'll probably never be a world-class pole vaulter. If fact, you may well never want to try one of track and field's most extreme disciplines

But, thanks to GoPro and former Cal pole vaulter Allison Stokke, you can get a dizzying sense of what it feels like

The 80-second video embedded above shows Stokke performing a pole vault from multiple angles. The best snippet, though, comes at the 45-second mark, when a camera atop Stokke's head shows what she really sees. Pulled back to slow motion, it's actually quite majestic

Watch. Enjoy. Try not to get too dizzy Read more...

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Announced during last year’s Google I/O, 2014 was the official induction year for Android Wear smartwatches (or just wearables in general). After the holiday season came and went, we didn’t have any solid data reporting how well, if it all, these first gen Android Wear smartwatches were being adopted by consumers.

Industry analyst Canalys is now providing us some insight, reporting that out of 4.6 million wearables shipped last year, over 720,000 of them were Android Wear smartwatches. The most popular? You guessed it: the Moto 360. Canalys notes that the LG G Watch R came in a close second, outperforming the original square LG G Watch. By comparison, Pebble announced last week that they had officially sold 1 million of their smartwatches and is by far the most successful smartwatch to date. Meanwhile Samsung has hit the market hard, releasing 6 different wearables in as little as 14 months and is currently leading the smart band race.

Looking ahead, 2015 will be the year second generation Android Wear devices are expected to hit the market, with rumors that although HTC is finally ready to enter the smartwatch segment, they’ll be relying on their own OS to get the job done. With the Apple Watch looming on the horizon, we can’t wait to see how Android OEMs will differentiate and compete.

Early this morning, Samsung R&D Chief DoonHoon Jang took to the official Samsung Tomorrow blog to tout the company’s history of cutting edge smartphone cameras, while teasing a new camera for their 2015 flagship model ( Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge). How exactly did Samsung show off 15 years worth of R&D? With a cheap megapixel table. How wonderfully basic.

Of course, as most photographers will tell you, MPs alone does not a good photo make. Thankfully the boys at SamMobile are helping shed a little more let on the specific hardware being used in the upcoming Galaxy S6/Galaxy S6 Edge, with an exclusive on some of the finer details. According to them, Samsung could be going with their own in-house 20MP camera sensor with OIS (model numbers SLSI_S5K2T2_FIMC_IC and SLSI_S5K4E6_FIMC_IS) and the same 5MP front facing shooter as found on Samsung’s current Galaxy A series line.

Still up in the air is which variant these sensors will wind up on — the Samsung Galaxy S6 or Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Due to manufacturing constraints, it’s entirely possible the 20MP sensor will find itself landing on the Galaxy S6 Edge only. This also explains why the Galaxy S6 Edge popped up in benchmarks not too long ago reporting a 20MP camera.

As for the software, Samsung is said to be leveraging Android 5.0 Lollipop’s new camera APIs for a new “Pro” mode inside their camera app. Pro mode will give users the ability to choose between 3 different focus modes, one of which will allow for manual focusing. There was no word on whether the phone will shoot in RAW, but for a “Pro” mode, it’s definitely a possibility.

As for the more causal shooter, Samsung did mention that their 2015 flagship phone will feature an “intelligent” camera that does all the thinking for the user, providing for better image quality “under any conditions.” If the Galaxy Note 4 taught us anything, it’s that Samsung definitely knows photo quality. Here’s to hoping that with the Galaxy S6, Samsung is able to put their money where their mouth is.

The Ridley Noah SL is a remarkable piece of engineering. We put it through a few fast rides in California last week.

The first 24 hours of a crisis situation are some of the most critical. Be prepared with the Taurus First 24 Kit. Curated by a team of survival experts, it...

Visit Uncrate for the full post.

According to The Information, Google is in the process of testing a contextually-aware mobile payment system codenamed "Plaso" around some of the company's offices in cooperation with popular businesses like Papa John's and Panera Bread. That a new Google mobile payment system is under development at all shouldn't be surprising: Wallet's abysmal adoption rate, along with competitor Softcard, have made it obvious that NFC payments aren't resonating with consumers enough to really change buying habits yet.

Read More

Google Is Testing A Mysterious New Mobile Payment System Called "Plaso" That Sounds A Lot Like Square Wallet was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello has collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan member GZA on a reworking of Babe Ruth‘s “The Mexican“. The track appears to be a one-off and is not scheduled to appear on GZA‘s new album “Dark Matter“.

The post Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello & Wu-Tang Clan’s “GZA” Collaborate On “The Mexican” appeared first on Theprp.com.

SkyMall may be bankrupt, but these odd outdoorsy products live on.

Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue will have his new solo album “Carry The Fire” out on April 21st through Staple/Vagrant Records. A premiere of the track “Back To Back” from it can be heard below through Billboard.com. No word yet on that potential Thrice reunion though.

The post Thrice Frontman Dustin Kensrue Debuts New Solo Track “Back To Back” appeared first on Theprp.com.

Since the early 1980s Midwesterners dreaming of big peaks have cut their teeth on this excellent ice.

Facebook has started rolling out new ways for people to buy and sell things on the platform.

As an alternative to services like Craigslist or eBay, Facebook users sometimes turn to Facebook Groups to make purchases. Previously, however, this was mostly done informally

Facebook added a more organized interface for transactions on Tuesday, it announced in a .

Image: Facebook

Facebook users can now select a "sell" button instead of "post" when writing up a listing. Individual slots can also be filled out to specify price and product descriptions, instead of the typical single body of text you're used to when writing a Facebook post. Sellers can also mark the listing as either "avaiable" or "sold" after it has been posted.

The feature is unlikely to dethrone Craigslist, but it makes user-based commerce a bit more official on the platform. However, the feature isn't available to everyone just yet.

It has rolled out to at least a few groups, including this Rio de Janeiro-based group that helps musicians buy and sell instruments, but will continue expanding over the next few months. Ultimately, it will be available on iOS, Android and the web client.

People who run so-called For Sale Groups on Facebook can nominate their group to get the new feature here.

Facebook plans to continue expanding user-to-user sales on the website.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. Read more...

More about Facebook, Craigslist, Tech, Apps Software, and Dev Design

In case Severus Snape's heart-wrenching, flashback-filled story in the original Harry Potter series didn't hit you in the feels enough, YouTube user kcawesome13 has recut footage from the films to put Snape's story in chronological order

The 14-minute clip shows Snape aging from an awkward and scared child to a double agent working to protect Harry. As Vulture says, it's basically Boyhood meets wizards

It will make your heart break all over again. Even after all this time, you ask? Always.

More about Viral Videos, Harry Potter, Film, Watercooler, and Videos

You're used to ads in regular TV programming, but what would you say if your smart TV started inserting ads into videos you own?

This is exactly what happened to some Samsung smart TV owners, and though it seems to have been an error on Samsung's part, it's a scary omen for the types of advertising we might see on TVs in the future

On Monday, a Reddit user complained in a post that a muted Pepsi ad started playing while he was watching shows and movies on his Samsung TV. The actual files were stored locally on the user's Plex media server, but the ads did not show on any other platforms, such as tablets or smartphones, accessing the same server. Read more...

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Who run the world? Beyoncé, obviously. But the Barden Bellas come a close second

In the newest Pitch Perfect 2 trailer, the aca-awesome gals tackle the Queen B's hit song "Run the World" to prove they still got it, even against some fierce international competition — and even sans underwear

Just remember: World War II. Boom

Pitch Perfect 2 hits theaters May 15.

More about Viral Videos, Beyonce, Anna Kendrick, Film Trailers, and Entertainment

Hail Sony

Thanks to a deal between Sony Pictures and Marvel announced Monday night, Spider-Man is now officially a part of the Marvel cinematic universe.

The terms of the deal allow Spider-Man to appear within Marvel films, hinting at an almost certain appearance in upcoming Avengers films, and perhaps even in Captain America: Civil War.

While the long-standing rumors about the deal have finally been put to rest, there are still challenges to overcome. We're not sure what it took to bring Sony and Disney/Marvel to a common ground, but according to these leaked scripts that we definitely didn't make up just now, the deal will also probably mean a lot more Sony product placement. Read more...

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Even on a set of children’s instruments, complete with a Barbie guitar, Slayer‘s “Raining Blood” still sounds pretty heavy. Musician Drew Creal put together the following video of that and provided the following list of gear used:

Gear List:
– 2 Pink First Act Discovery Drum Sets
– Black First Act Discovery Guitar
– Red Squire Strat Mini
– Esteban G-10 Guitar Amp
– Rock Band Guitar Controller
– Barbie Guitar
– Paper Jamz Guitar
– Fedora

As Creal notes:

“Some drum samples were used at the beginning and during the breakdown to add some beef. All other sounds throughout the song were made with the instrument in the video”

The post Slayer’s “Raining Blood” Still Sounds Pretty Heavy On Children’s Instruments appeared first on Theprp.com.

Close your eyes. Take a moment and imagine that every day — for 365 days — you received a free hamburger and an order of friesAm I in heaven? you may wonder. No. This is reality.

A reality, that is, which includes a one-time Groupon purchase for a year's worth of burgers.

The Philadelphia-based burger joint PYT is behind the deal, priced at $144. According to PYT's Groupon page, the deal is valued at $4,380, meaning buyers get a 97% discount on 365 orders of a burger and fries

The Groupon deal will also be valid at PYT's planned New York City location, set to open in July of this year. You have until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET to decide if it's worth your investment. Read more...

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KRAMATORSK, Ukraine — At least seven civilians were killed and more than a dozen wounded in a rocket attack on the Kiev-controlled eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, regional authorities reported.

The attack happened midday and as residents here returned to offices from lunch. At a café where Mashable was dining, about one mile away from the scene of the attack, the rumbling of a series of violent explosions shook its very foundation, and sent a dozen patrons screaming out the door and under their tables.

The Donetsk regional government reported seven civilians were killed, with another 16 civilians, including two children, suffering injuries of varying degrees of severity. Additionally, two soldiers were killed and at least nine more were injured by a separate barrage of rockets that exploded on their sprawling military base at the nearby airfield. Read more...

More about War, Us World, Ukraine, and Eastern Ukraine

The Clarion casino-hotel was imploded early Tuesday in Las Vegas, reduced to rubble to make way for a new hotel tower.

But the 12-story, 200-room structure, which opened in 1970 as the Royal Inn, didn't go down cleanly. The implosion was delayed by about half an hour because of bystanders who wouldn't get out of the way, and an elevator shaft was left standing.

“Basically, the debris fell so fast, it choked the base of that tower and didn’t give it the opportunity to move,” said Thom Doud, project manager of Controlled Demolition Incorporated. Read more...

More about Las Vegas, Lifestyle, Travel Leisure, Clarion, and Implosions

There's no telling what opponents will see when stepping to the foul line at Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena after the black curtain stationed behind the visiting team's second-half hoop opens.

But amid the uncertainty, those opponents can count on two things: The "Curtain of Distraction" will open just when they need their concentration most — and whatever's behind it will be weird. Super duper weird

Against rival Arizona on Saturday, the makeshift curtain was pulled back to reveal shirtless male students, one of them dressed in a black tutu, twerking while wearing animal masks: Read more...

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From 10,800 feet, even an intimidating city like Las Vegas gets a bit of perspective.

For Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Vincent Laforet, most recently known for his beautiful photo essay above New York City in January, perspective is what his aerial photography project is all about. The latest installment, entitled "AIR: Sin City 10.8K" focuses on the bright lights of Las Vegas.

"From that high, this one little strip of like, Eiffel Towers, it looks like a Monopoly board," he tells Mashable. "It looks like a toy set. It's a little strip of like, 20 or 40 hotels, you know? It's a joke." Read more...

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The family of Kayla Jean Mueller, an 26-year-old American captive of the Islamic State whose death was confirmed on Tuesday, has released a letter from her that was smuggled out of Syria last year.

In the letter, which is believed to have been written in late 2014, Mueller told her family that she was in a safe location, unharmed and healthy, and was being treated with "the utmost respect and kindness." She had even put on weight.

"I have been shown in darkness, light and have learned that even in prison, one can be free," she writes in the letter. "I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it." Read more...

More about Isis, Us World, Us, Islamic State, and Kayla Jean Mueller

You may hate the snow, New England, but your dogs are loving it

The northeastern United States has been getting pummeled with record-breaking snowfall this year, which is causing residents plenty of grief

However, as this GoPro video reveals, some Boston dogs are truly enjoying the wintery weather. Probably because they don't have to shovel.

More about Viral Videos, Dogs, Gopro, Watercooler, and Videos

Announced back during CES 2015, Sling TV was one of the more interesting developments to come out of the show. Initially launching as an invite-only beta, today Sling TV is now officially open to all US residents. For those that haven’t been keeping up, Sling TV is a subscription based service offering up live TV packages streamed online directly to your Android devices.

The initial $20 Sling TV package includes live TV from the following channels:

• ESPN
• ESPN 2
• TNT
• TBS
• HGTV
• Food Network
• Travel Channel
• CNN
• Cartoon Network & Adult Swim
• ABC Family
• Disney Channel

For an additional $5 a month, you gain access to Sling TV’s Sports Extra, News & Info Extra, or Kids Extra packages. There’s not much, but as our own Joe Fedewa points out in his hands-on, it’s one of the cheapest ways to watch ESPN without paying through the nose with a cable company. Plus, Sling TV supports a wide range of devices including Android, iOS, Roku, and soon, Chromecast.

You can sign up right now at Sling.com and if you’re feeling leery, don’t forget that there’s no cancellation fees, set up fees, or any commitments what-so-ever. The Android app is also now available in the Google Play Store (no more sideloading) via the link below.

[Sling]

If you’re a savvy internet user you’re probably using some sort of ad blocker (though hopefully not on your favorite sites). The most popular ad blocker is called AdBlock Plus, which boasts over 300 million downloads worldwide. That’s a lot of advertising dollars that are going unseen by internet users. Google, along with Amazon, Microsoft and Taboola, have decided to do something about it.

The Financial Times is reporting that these companies have paid AdBlock Plus to allow their ads to pass through the blocking software. AdBlock makes money by allowing companies to pay for their ads to go unblocked as long as they comply with AdBlock’s “acceptable ads” policy. It’s unclear whether Google and co. are simply abiding by this policy or just throwing money around to get their way.

Obviously a service such as AdBlock Plus is a big threat to Google, a company who makes a lot of money on online advertising. In 2013 Google even removed the AdBlock app from the Play Store. Everyone hates to see ads, but often times they are the only thing keeping a website alive. A lawsuit against AdBlock is currently being considered by the French Internet Advertising Bureau.

Where do you stand on this issue? Should companies be able to pay for their ads to go unblocked? Should ad blockers even be allowed? Do you use AdBlock, and do you whitelist your favorite sites?

It's been rumored there could be more than one version of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone, but now it looks like we could see as many as five different body types when it launches next month.

According to alleged leaked photos obtained by CNET Korea, Samsung is working on five variants of its next-generation flagship smartphone, which will likely debut at the Mobile World Congress conference on Sunday, March 1 in Barcelona.

Image: CNET Korea

The obtained image shows five phones in what appears to be a promotional marketing shot. While the phone on the left looks like a traditional version of the Galaxy S6, the one on the far right appears to have a curved edge similar to the design of the Galaxy Note Edge. It also appears to have a physical home button and a thick, silver bezel around the screen Read more...

More about Mobile, Android, Samsung, Tech, and Gadgets

Fans of Game of Thrones — and the book series more properly called A Song of Ice and Fire — know that author George R.R. Martin has changed his mind about many things in it, not least of which is the number of books it contains

But back when the still incomplete 7-part series was being sketched out as a trilogy, Martin had a few ideas that look rather strange with hindsight

Not least of which was putting a 9-year old Arya Stark, played in the series by teenager Maisie Williams, in a bizarre love triangle with her sworn enemy Tyrion Lannister and her half-brother, Jon Snow

More about Books, Entertainment, Game Of Thrones, and George R.R. Martin

In what can only be described as the biggest news of the week/month/year/lifetime, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Netflix is working with Nintendo to launch The Legend of Zelda live action series (think Game of Thrones but without all the orgies and incest).

Still in the early stages of development,  Netflix is still searching for a writer to work on the series. Of course, the series is said to feature a young boy named Link, as he travels across Hyrule to rescue a young waifu girl named Zelda.

While Nintendo doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to live action, Netflix has been hitting the mark with original series such as House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black, and Marco Polo.

We know, it’s not technically “Android related,” but it’s coming from Netflix > Netflix offers an Android app > Android. There. You happy?