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Man and machine tumble in unison down a narrow rocky chute. This video gets the heart racing!

The Winter Olympics are coming. As the highly-anticipated event draws near, BBCSport released an official trailer promoting its coverage for the games, featuring a voiceover by British actor Charles Dance, famous for his role as Tywin Lannister on HBO's Game of Thrones

The trailer itself features hopeful athletes trekking through a stunning CGI backdrop of snowy, dangerous-looking mountains. It looks like it belongs more to a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster like Lord of the Rings, rather than a sporting event

The chilling copy for the trailer further heightens the intensity. Here is a transcript: Read more...

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Let's start the campaign now, folks: The time has come to bring monster trucks to the Winter Olympics

Because, if the video above is any indication, combining monster trucks with ski slopes makes for a remarkably savage spectator sport

The clip comes from Red Bull, a company that's mastered branded YouTube content like no other. Red Bull recently sponsored an event called Frozen Rush, in which 900-horsepower trucks raced down the snowy slopes of Maine's Sunday River Ski Resort at speeds of up to 100 mph

Meanwhile, in other hashtag-extreme videos produced by Red Bull, check out a BMX biker ramp-riding ..on a moving trailer in traffic. Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Olympics, Entertainment, Videos, and Sports

Vine star and filmmaker Zach King may not perform magic in the traditional sense, but his expertly-edited six-second videos could put David Blaine to shame.

This Vine compilation from YouTube user FarlyTeem strings together some of King's most mind-bending videos

The Vine star's absorbing videos show off his sharp editing skills. A bit of post-production magic lets King pull a kitten from a desktop photo, pour Nerds candies from his laptop and jump through walls

In a sea of special-effects Vine videos, King's perplexing clips keep us hooked with their simplicity. That, and their great sense of humor. Read more...

More about Youtube, Viral Videos, Social Media, Viral Video, and Vine

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello will be performing with Bruce Springsteen tonight (January 14th) on ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon‘. Morello of course appears on eight songs on Bruce Springsteen‘s latest album, “High Hopes“.

Even drug cartels need to manage their image. There's a surprisingly long history of drug lords helping out in their communities, and now one cartel is taking to YouTube to spread word of its philanthropy. According to Newsweek, Mexico's Gulf Cartel — one of the largest in the country — was featured in a YouTube video last week showing its members handing out cakes to schools, hospitals, and impoverished neighborhoods. And that's only the latest video. Just after Christmas, a separate video reportedly showed members of the cartel distributing free toys and dinners as members of the community cheered them on.

This type of community work is apparently becoming a modern necessity. According to Newsweek, cartels' images have been...

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Southern Australia is roasting as temperatures climb as high as 117 degrees Fahrenheit, and cool reprieve isn't expected until the end of this weekAverage temperatures in the summer in this region of Australia reach 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Firefighters are on hand as a severe fire danger rating is in effect for seven of the region's 15 districts. In Melbourne, tennis fans are baking as the Australian Open wraps its second day. A dwindling group of spectators braving the heat are sporting light clothing as armor against the sun while players are retreating to bags of ice between matches Read more...

More about Photos, Weather, Australia, Us World, and World

Google's $3.2 billion acquisition of Nest on Monday was a reminder of the company's penchant for taking bold risks, but also illustrates the opposite point about Apple, a company that has grown increasingly risk-averse.

Apple's biggest purchase last year was Topsy, a purveyor of Twitter-based analytics that cost the company $200 million. Google's largest acquisition of 2013 was Waze, the Israel-based producer of real-time traffic data, which cost 5X that amount. To obtain that prize, Google had to outbid other potential suitors including — reportedly — Apple

Since Nest was created by two former Apple execs and the company's products exhibit an elegant design aesthetic, Nest would appear to be a natural fit for Apple. However, Tony Fadell, Nest's founder and CEO, apparently doesn't get along with Apple design guru Jony Ive. More significantly, Apple's attitude about acquisitions has been to keep them small and unflashy. This reflects the belief of Steve Jobs, who, as the story goes, thought buying companies was a sign of defeat and an admission of failure. Read more...

More about Google, Apple, Business, and Nest

This lady actually won a spot in the Showcase Showdown despite severely twisting her ankle with the force of her own spin. She's clearly in pain, and needed to get to a hospital, yet decided to stick it out until after the Showcase Showdown (which she lost).

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It's hard to describe what it feels like walking around the massive Las Vegas Convention Center. Imagine something between being lost in IKEA and a college football stadium, but packed even tighter and completely lacking in any sort of logical floor plan. As you enter from the relative calm of the parking lot, the LVCC assaults your every sense. Each booth screams out with the newest high-definition displays and thundering bass, as gaudy lights and blaring ads distract you from the bizarrely patterned carpet meant to lure you through the labyrinthine hall.

But the spectacle pauses every evening, after the executives, buyers, booth babes, reporters, and industry affiliates have all gone home. In those hours, it becomes a serene, almost...

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Comic creators Marvel took some of their biggest characters to the small screen for live action drama last year in Agents of SHIELD. Now arch-rival DC Comics is planning to do the same. Deadline reports that pilots for TV shows Constantine and Gotham have been greenlit at NBC and Fox respectively.

Both shows were first revealed last September. Gotham was expected to focus on the early life of Gotham City's police commissioner Gordon, but Fox chairman Kevin Reilly said yesterday that the show would also feature "all of the classic Batman villains," including Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin. The program, described as "an operatic soap with a larger than life quality," is also set to tell the story of a young Bruce Wayne. A...

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Status Symbols are devices that transcend their specs and features, and become something beautiful and luxurious in their own right. They're things that live on after the megapixel and megahertz wars move past them, beacons of timeless design and innovation.

In December of 1989 Roger Ebert ended his review of Nintendo-produced Fred Savage film The Wizard thusly:

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Photo credit: The Meta

Yes, Celine Dion has an actual waterpark inside her $72.5-million home, which is currently on the market for one very wealthy person to snatch up. Let's just say that during the warmer months, it sure beats fighting to crowds at the real waterparks. Click here to view the first image in today's viral picture gallery. Continue reading for a viral video of the Simpsons tribute to retiring Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.

Looking for an easier way to make chocolate covered strawberries at home? If so, then simply slice a few strawberries up, place them in an ice tray, and then pour melted chocolate over it before place it in the freezer. We've rounded up 20 more cool and creative food creations that geeks would love for your viewing enjoyment. Continue reading to see them all.

If someone is trying to break into your home, the first thing you should be doing is either calling the police, or messaging a friend who can, not posting a Facebook update. Or, if you plan to lie about a home invasion, make sure that you're not posting from "mobile" when your phone is supposedly inaccessible. continue reading for more.

Photo credit: The Meta

Yes, even 6th graders are now bringing iPads to class and using it to Tweet as well as post Facebook updates. During breaks, lunches, and after class, this is quite normal, but when you try doing these things in the middle of a lecture, just hope the teacher isn't this one. Click here to view the first image in today's viral picture gallery. Continue reading for a viral video of the most insane pool trick shots in the world.

LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world, and he's also been known to flop from time to time. It's because of that second part that he's given birth to the latest sports-themed meme to sprout up on the internet: LeBroning. What is LeBroning? Take it away, kids!

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D.C. is full of secretsHouse of Cards, the masterful, award-winning Netflix series that follows the political mischief of House Majority Whip Francis Underwood, is now unleashing a slew of its own

Neflix released its director's commentary, along with a bevy of delightful facts from the likes of directors David Fincher, James Foley and many more. Though they shared mostly technical details about set design and cinematography, they occasionally dropped (spoiler-free) tidbits you won't find anywhere else. We combed through the episodes and plucked out the 11 coolest facts.

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Google announced a $3.2 billion investment in Nest on Monday, the creator of the smart thermostat and smoke detector. At first glance, the tech behemoth's move seems like a reasonable purchase.

But that's only until you realize it's the start of a new era — the era of the Internet of Things.

This comic, illustrated by Mashable's Lance Ulanoff, proves that Google-connected technology is just a click away from being way too intrusive. Be afraid

Comic illustrated by Lance Ulanoff. Read more...

More about Google, Comic, Comics, Nest, and Watercooler

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

Featured App

Bills Reminder Lite

Today's roundup is presented by Bills Reminder from HandyApps.

• Google Announces Carrier Billing For Movies, Music, Books, And Apps From The Play Store On Some Carriers
• Manilla Releases Android App, Makes Bill-Paying Easier Than It Should Be
• Weather Underground Is Now Available For Google TV, Makes You Forget The Weather Channel You've Already Forgotten
• 'Weather Live' Ends Amazon Appstore Exclusivity, Now Available In The Play Store

16 Best New Android Apps From The Last 2 Weeks (12/31/13 - 1/13/14) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

It was almost a year ago we told you guys you about Sliding Messaging, a unique SMS application for Android devices that introduced a Google Talk-like slide out navigation menu, used for quickly switching between conversations. The idea was great, no denying that. But as we mentioned in our original post, there were more than a few issues that kept us from using Sliding Messaging as our go-to SMS app.

Fast forward to today where the same developers — who just so happen to be the guys behind Talon, the new Twitter app we told you about earlier today — have emerged with an all new SMS app dubbed EvolveSMS. According to the developers, there are so many features crammed inside Sliding Messaging, it was impossible to completely stomp out (namely, the lag issue). So, they’ve decided to start anew, taking one of the best ideas from Sliding Messaging (the slide-out conversation view, namely) and have introduced it into a new SMS app built entirely from the ground up and for the masses.

With a goal to deliver “everything that Google didn’t give us in Hangouts”, EvolveSMS is simply meant to be lightweight, simple to use, feature packed, and most importantly — beautiful. You’ll notice EvolveSMS features KitKat’s transparent status and nav bars, along with blurred out cover photos ala Google Wallet/Google+. The app supports themes, emoji, group SMS, password protection, and more.

EvolveSMS is completely free to download, just keep in mind the “Customization Pack” (themes, layout, etc.) is unlockable via an in-app purchase, along with the “Feature Pack” (blacklisting, individual notifications, etc.) running $1.50. Not too shabby considering this is probably the most feature packed SMS app currently available on Android. Great work, Klinker Apps.

UPDATE: In a post on Google+, the developers have stated that they will continue to support Sliding Messaging. While it might not have the speed of EvolveSMS, it will continue to have some of those added features not available in EvolveSMS. This means Sliding Message will be a viable option for Android power users, while EvolveMessaging is aimed at mass appeal.

Download on Google Play: EvolveSMS

Sony had a lot of great smartphones to announce under their Xperia brand at CES, but they also had some goods for those who are on the PlayStation train. It’s PlayStation Now, a new streaming games service that will let you play a selection of great PS1, PS2, PS3 or even PS4 titles using the power of recently-acquired Gaikai.

It was obvious that PlayStation Now would come to all of Sony’s platforms, including Bravia TVs, the PlayStation Vita, and the PS4, but we were a bit surprised to learn that Sony would also be bringing functionality to popular mobile platforms like Android and iOS. All of this will be delivered via a monthly fee (different tiers for different levels of access) or by users buying access to games individually.

While Sony didn’t have a working demo of PlayStation Now on Android, we did get a look at it in action on their Bravia TV and the PlayStation Vita. The former showed a relatively smooth experience. It was impressive considering CES usually doesn’t have the best network conditions. Chris Chavez noticed a bit of artifacting during gameplay, though it wasn’t too bad all things considered.

Edgar’s time on the PlayStation Vita proved even more impressive, with the powerful handheld delivering crisp, smooth and clean Joel Banderas goodness on the go. There’s only one thing we have to say (or do) to all of this…

Watch the hands-on video above.

[via PS4Daily]

Notorious prankster Roman Atwood recently took to the streets again, this time to scare the pants off some curious passerby and, of course, upload their reactions to his YouTube account.

The idea is as simple as it is pure evil: Put a rubber snake in abandoned purse and see what happens when someone tries to pick it up.

Be sure to watch the whole thing — especially the very end, when a police officer walks into the trap.

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

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Rejoice, Heisenbergers — Breaking Bad's final eight episodes will be available to stream on Netflix starting Feb. 24

The hit AMC television show, which won Best Drama at Sunday's 71st Golden Globes, wrapped up its five-season run in September. The first four seasons and part one of the fifth season are currently available on Netflix, which means as of late February, fans and newbies can relive the entire nail-biting transformation of protagonist Walter White from milquetoast chemistry teacher to sociopathic drug lord

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Heads up, ladies and gents — Google has just announced a big acquisition worth $3.2 billion in cold, hard cash. That money will go toward buying Nest, the company that makes smart home thermostats, smoke alarms and CO2 detectors. The sale was announced on the company’s Investor Relations portal today, with CEO Larry Page commenting on the move:

Nest’s founders, Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, have built a tremendous team that we are excited to welcome into the Google family. They’re already delivering amazing products you can buy right now–thermostats that save energy and smoke/CO alarms that can help keep your family safe. We are excited to bring great experiences to more homes in more countries and fulfill their dreams!

Google says Nest will continue to operate as its own brand and entity under CEO Tony Fadell, much like what Motorola did after they were acquired by Google in 2012. Google expects the regulatory approvals process to last only a few months, and fully expects the sale to successfully close within the first half of this year.

Nest’s line of products have been at the forefront of the connected home movement, giving folks a very nice option for being able to monitor and adjust home conditions on the go. Their thermostat helps save energy by allowing you to adjust heat and cooling  while you’re away from home, so you can leave the thermostat off while you’re at work, and have it cool or heat your home just before you get back for the day.

Nest has also developed a CO2 detector + smoke alarm, so you can make sure your home is safe while you’re out and about by keeping an eye on its condition using your smartphone or tablet.

It’s a big move for Google who has been previously rumored to be working on their own smart home solutions. While we still have yet to see Google’s own plans come to light in official fashion, this sale definitely tells us their hat is in the smart home arena. For more on Nest and what they offer, be sure to take a gander at their website.

The Cubs' new mascot is a nightmarish, perverted furry, and it deserves to have horrible things done to it. Gawker art director Jim Cooke has already gotten this party started. Do your worst.

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Photo credit: Reddit

What do you do when you're tasked with making a life-sized ghost ship, but can only use cardboard? Gather together a few talented friends and make one of course. The stunning example you see above was made in just 5-days for a Halloween party on Treasure Island. Continue reading for more.

Rarely does the first leaked firmware update for a flagship phone end up being exactly what rolls out to users, but that appears to be the case for the recently leaked KitKat ROM for the Note 3. Android 4.4.2 (N9005XXUENA6) is appearing in Poland through Kies right now, and the version number matches the leak from this weekend.

Samsung made a few notable tweaks in KitKat for the Note 3, just like it did for the ROM for the Galaxy S4 leaked a few days earlier.

• Android 4.4.2 Test Build Leaked For The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 SM-N9005
• Android 4.1.2 Now Rolling Out To The Galaxy Note II (GT-7100) And Note II LTE (GT-7105), Brings A Slew Of New Features
• [Update: Most GSM LTE Models] Galaxy Note II (t0lte) Gets Official CM 10.1 Nightlies
• The Circle Is Complete: Galaxy Note II For Verizon Pops Up In Screenshot, Model SCH-I605

Samsung Rolling Out Android 4.4.2 For The Galaxy Note 3 (N9005), Starting With Poland [Update: Changelog And Video] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Heads up, Note 3 owners — Samsung’s not taking their sweet time in getting you stepped up to Android 4.4 KitKat. The company has started rolling the big upgrade out to owners of the handset in Poland, which means others with international, unbranded and unlocked versions of the handset in other regions shouldn’t be too far behind.

Earlier leaks had us believing Samsung might be looking to bring us a new user interface with the launch of KitKat, though it doesn’t appear that is the case just yet. We do still get a lengthy list of changes and improvements, however. Here’s a short list of what to expect:

• Music album art shows on the lock-screen while music is playing
• A camera shortcut is now displayed on the lock-screen
• New emojis support
• Select between the stock messaging app or Hangouts for SMS and MMS
• Select between TouchWiz or other launchers through settings
• Wireless printing
• Updated Google apps
• Updated Galaxy Gear Manager brings improved connectivity and better email options

All of that comes alongside everything else Android 4.4 KitKat brings, such as experimental use of the new Android Runtime, and the likely the built-in transparency framework in place of Samsung’s own custom solution.

The version number being sent out to users in Poland is N9005XXUENA6, so be sure to check for it if you haven’t already. As for everyone else, you’ll want to be patient and hit up Samsung’s support in your region of choice to see if they’ll be willing to give you an ETA for your specific rollout. Those on carrier-branded versions will obviously have to wait until the upgrade is approved, which could take a bit of time due to testing and custom applications.

[via SamMobile]

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler killing it as hosts, again

The funny pair's second time at the Golden Globes didn't disappoint with a brief but completely on-point monologue that made fun of Tom Hanks' private parts, George Clooney's dating life, Matt Damon's non-fame and Jonah Hill masturbating

They even promised the one thing we all pray for at award shows: brevity

"We are going to get this done in three hours. Or as Martin Scorsese calls it: Act One."

Keep up the good work, gals

BONUS: Weird and Wacky Red Carpet Moments Read more...

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