Why Microsoft’s Build Conference Was a Tease
This week the Tech Fetish crew discusses Microsoft Build's keynotes, some of NASA's latest exploits, Google's Project Fi, and more. We also skipped Fresca this week. Sorry, everyone.
Download this week's podcast (right click to save)
Marvel Needs Its Heroes Back
One of the complaints voiced an awful lot in regards to contemporary superhero comics is "Why can't heroes just be heroes?". Between Civil War, Avengers vs. X-Men and Injustice Gods Among Us, often it seems as though Marvel and DC's heroes are too busy fighting one another to bother confronting the real evils of the world. It's a trend that's continued in the pages of Jonathan Hickman's Avengers comics and the recently concluded "Time Runs Out" storyline. As Marvel transitions into Secret Wars and whatever comes after that big crossover, the time has come to see a Marvel Universe where Earth's Mightiest Heroes live up to their mandate again. However, it's not the old guard like Cap and Iron Man who can redeem the Marvel Universe now. Instead, we need the All-New, All-Different Avengers to light the way.
Apple Watch Sensor Impacted By Tattoos
The Apple Watch is officially available for public consumption, but some owners are already discovering not all wrists are equal.
In a revised Apple support page, Cupertino has acknowledged that one of the device's marquee features, the heart-rate monitor, can be impacted by changes to a user's skin – namely tattoos.
The sensor's technology, known as the photoplethysmography, bombards the wearer's skin with both green LED and infrared light to monitor the blood flow during and between heart pumps. To put it very simply, the difference in this amount of blood is how the sensor monitors how quickly your heart is pumping, hence your rate.
NBC Orders New Series Starring Thor’s Jaimie Alexander
And it begins! NBC is the first network to present their new series at the annual Upfronts the week after next, and so it’s not a surprise that they are the first network to begin to choose which of their pilots they’re picking up to series.
Deadline reports that NBC has ordered another spinoff from Dick Wolf’s Chicago franchise, Chicago Med, along with the mystery-thriller Blindspot (from Arrow and The Flash’s Greg Berlanti) and another medical drama, Heartbreaker.
Chicago Med will bring the total number of series in this franchise airing concurrently to three, on top of the already-renewed Chicago Fire and Chicago PD – not to mention they all exist in the same universe as Wolf’s Law & Order: SVU, which has also been renewed for next season.
Destiny: Are You Ready for Trials of Osiris?
This week we were lucky enough to have Patrick from Planet Destiny join Destin Legarie and Fran Mirabella to talk about Trials of Osiris and the best weapon and armor sets that you should bring into combat. What do you need to bring to battle for the highest chance of success? Listen or watch to find out.
Avengers 2 Reactions & Jared Leto’s Joker Reveal
Welcome back to Keepin' It Reel! In this week's podcast, Jim Vejvoda, Roth Cornet and Joshua Yehl bring you the latest in genre movie news.
This week's topics include Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Spider-Man reboot, Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War, Robotech, The Fast and the Furious 8, the Jump Street and Men in Black spinoffs, Avatar sequels, and more. (FYI: We recorded this before we found out that was NOT Deadshot's mask in those set photos.)
Finally, we go into SPOILERISH detail in our reactions to Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron and speculate how much loot it will make this weekend.
Ultratron to Release on PlayStation Platforms in May
The spiritual successor to classic arcade game Robotron 2084 is coming to the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita on May 12.
Called Ultratron, it's a twin-stick shooter in which players are the one remaining battle droid to avenge the destruction of the human race. Along with power-ups and "cute but deadly pets," there will be multiple enemies and bosses to fight.
Developer Symon Brian of Curve Digital explains on the PlayStation Blog that it's "what happens when you take the spirit of Robotron
but update it for the PlayStation generation."
For more on spiritual successors, check out Yooka-Laylee, the brainchild of the original Banjo-Kazooie developers.
Family Guy Episode 250 Clip: Liam Neeson Confronts Peter
FOX has released a clip from Family Guy's upcoming 250th episode, featuring a confrontation between Peter Griffin and Taken actor Liam Neeson.
Apparently, Peter has been running around Quahog claiming he could "kick
arse." Neeson (voiced by Neeson himself) gains access to Peter's jail cell by posting his bail and dares Griffin to take his best shot. See what happens next in the clip below, which debuted earlier today on The Wrap.
Family Guy's landmark 250th episode, "Fighting Irish," airs May 3 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jordan Sirani is a freelance news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @jdsirani.
New Flash Preview Spotlights Gorilla Grodd
The CW has debuted a new trailer for The Flash's final 3 episodes, teasing plenty of Reverse-Flash goodies, and an upcoming sequence in the sewers, starring none other than Gorilla Grodd! Take a look at the trailer below:
While you're already thinking Flash-y thoughts, check out our interview with Iris West actress Candice Patton, right here:
You can catch The Flash Tuesdays at 8pm ET on The CW. Be sure to read our review of the latest episode, "The Trap."
Who Got Cut From Avengers: Age of Ultron?
Warning: This piece contains spoilers for Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you may want to skip this one.
There's a ton of MCU cameos in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but one popular character was cut from the final film. Director, Joss Whedon confirmed Tom Hiddleston had actually filmed a few scenes as Loki, but they were cut in the editing process.
"We did shoot something and it didn’t play." Whedon said. "The movie has so much, is so filled and we didn’t want it to feel overstuffed. I really wanted to have Loki in it but I understood the decision, that it was just like, ‘Now there are too many voices in the chorus.’ At some point the embarrassment of riches is actually embarrassing."