Film review: Kung Fu Panda 2

AS fun as the 2008 animated hit Kung Fu Panda turned out to be, there was always a grey area concerning the movie's black-and-white hero.

You should know exactly what I'm talking about. And if you don't, well, you've flunked Movie Biology 101 forever more.

Come on now. You must have noticed a certain physical dissimilarity between the headstrong young Po (voiced by Jack Black) and his wise old dad Mr Ping (James Hong).

A lard-carrying panda the son of a card-carrying goose? And no explanation throughout the first Kung Fu Panda as to how this can possibly be?

Again I say - come on now.

Moving to right this wrong, the makers of Kung Fu Panda 2 get right down to origin story business from the opening scenes.

It is here we learn that Po's real ma and pa were the victims of a China-wide purge of pandas ordered by the psychotic warmongering peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman).

Shen is none too pleased when he learns that Po survived the cull. Particularly as it was once prophesied a panda would one day prove his undoing.

And so, Po and his merry band of martial arts masters, the Furious Five - still spearheaded by Tigress (Angelina Jolie) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) - are placed on a collision course with dark forces allied to the villainous Lord Shen.

Getting the better of this bad dude will not be easy because Shen has developed a monster cannon that overpowers the magic of kung fu, first time every time.

To properly assess the merits of Kung Fu Panda 2, you must compare it with two other films.

The first, of course, is the original KFP, alongside which No.2 stacks up very well indeed. The upgrade to 3D is worth while, the story is a solid refinement of the best bits from before and the balance between light humour and darker drama is quite well maintained.

Second, if you put Kung Fu Panda 2 head-to-head with the other animated sequel hitting cinemas this week, you would have to say the slick Cars 2 is beaten for the chequered flag by the burly panda.

Kung Fu Panda 2 has a better plot, superior vocal performances (yes, that even includes Jean-Claude Van Damme as a kooky crocodile!) and gives off a little bit of soul that its rival does not.

VISIT kungfupanda.com

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Posted in: Movies

Nokia's N9 surprise - MeeGo, not Windows Phone 7

At least, the next six months is, after the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world surprised just about everyone at the Nokia Connection event in Singapore today by not announcing its first Windows Phone 7 device.

Nokia hopes the new N9 smartphone will be available in Australia before the iPhone 5 arrives, most likely in September.

That's important, because the Finns have put everything they've got into creating a phone that's as un-Nokia as its recent poor forays into smartphones and as Nokia as the original simple design that saw it sitting virtually unassailable on top of the world through the 90s.

They've even asked Apple fans what they think of it.

"One of the workshop groups was heavily skewed with Apple fans," Chris Carr, Nokia's managing director in Australia and New Zealand, told news.com.au.

"The ones who had previous history with a Nokia device saw this as a real opportunity to move back to the brand.

"The Apple-only users — mostly younger users — were struggling to see how this device fitted in."

The rest, Mr Carr said, were overwhelmingly positive about the new design, the new interface and the most importantly, the return of MeeGo, the operating system that worked so well for the N900 nearly three years ago when it was known as Maemo 5.

The N900 was arguably the last credible success for Nokia, a geek's darling for its QWERTY keyboard and smooth touchscreen as well as its ability to consolidate contacts and notifications years before iOS and WP7 got around to it.

N9 will be around the $700 mark for a 16GB version, with up to a 64GB version also available.

It’s 3.9" screen is made from Gorilla Glass (read "tough") and the body is a single piece of polycarbon that’s colour-infused with either black, cyan or magenta. That means it you scratch it, it stays black, cyan or magenta.

It also means better reception, or as Nokia's senior vice president of design Marko Ahtisaari puts it, "unlike some products, you don’t need to hold it a certain way". Bam.

It also supports Nokia’s new free Maps service, which are integrated into the phone, require no downloading and automatically update. They're 3D too...

Near Field Communication technology helps do away with a lot of Bluetooth headaches. Mr Ahtisaari demonstrated a set of Nokia speakers with NFC built in. Simply touch the N9 to the speakers and instantly they pick up and play whatever music you’d been listening to on your phone.

Most importantly for Nokia, the N9's beauty is all in the swiping. One of their grander statements today came from Mr Ahtisaari, who claimed "the swipe is a big human fundamental gesture".

"It’s global — easy to learn and easy to do," he said.

Swipe from anywhere along the edge of the N9's screen and you’ll get taken home. From there, Nokia have identified the three screens most users, well, use.

The first swipe from a home page containing nothing but a clock takes you to Applications. The next brings up events and notifications and the final screen shows all your open applications.

And that’s it. Most importantly, it works — smoothly, even — mainly because it’s not Symbian.

It could have been much worse. The growing horror in the conference room today was palpable as assorted tech media and industry types waiting for the big WP7 announcement were walked through an hour of praise for the new Symbian upgrade.

Surely Nokia weren't sticking with a millstone that had for the large part helped drag their share market down some 40 per cent in their home country, saw them arguing with Apple about who's the new most valuable mobile brand, and shed 8800 jobs recently?

No, they weren’t.

"Symbian Anna" is a key part of Nokia’s push into South-East Asia Pacific, where they hope their budget friendly phones will snap up part of a market that’s expected to grow 40 per cent in the next four years.

Ten new Symbian phones in the next 12 months will help Nokia "connect the next billion".

So far so good. But where’s our Nokia Windows Phone 7? Nokia says the N9 is its new "hero phone", so does this catapult MeeGo phones to the top of the heap?

Not at all, says Mr Carr. The first WP7 phones will be rolled out next year.

"Nokia started with MeeGo three years ago... it wasn’t something we started in the last 12 months," he said.

"We'll still do Windows Phone regardless of (the N9's) success and bring it to Australia in first half of next year."

http://www.news.com.au/technology

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Posted in: Innovation and Invention,News,Technology

Cars that Will Perform at IIMS 2011

Joint Indonesian Automotive Industries (Gaikindo) said 32 agents brand holder (APM) is ready to support Indonesia International Motor Show 2011. These participants, 24 are registered private vehicles and commercial vehicle brands of the rest.

APM-APM include private car brand consists of Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler,Daihatsu, Dodge, Ford, Geely, Honda, Hyundai, Infinity, Jeep, Kia, Mazda,Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Peugeot, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki,Toyota, and VW.
While commercial car brands namely Astra Multi Trucks, Faw, Hino, Isuzu, Man Trucks,Truck Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Fuso, and Toyota Dyna.

Chairman of Gaikindo Sudirman MR said, in addition to the 32 holders of vehicle brand,IIMs would also enlivened 227 automotive support companies. IIMs to 19 will be held at the JI Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta, July 22 to 31. "Today all 32 APM has declared its readiness," Sudirman said in a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday, June 22, 2011. "They are committed to presenting the latest car products and also the flagshipconcept car."

Executive Chairman IIMS 2011 Johnny Darmawan said, one of which will present a concept car is the Peugeot SXC. The French manufacturer is back and this will enliven the IIMs after a couple of times absent from the biggest automotive exhibition in this homeland. Peugeot addition, several other manufacturers are also certain to show theirflagship concept car.

This time the BMW Group will showcase the MINI, the car line that displayed in hisbooth. Not only that, BMW will also feature the Art Car, the BMW car that is in use atLeMans racing series. The car also has a touch of art by world renowned artists, in the 70's, Andy Warhol take a touch to the BMW Art Car.

Garuda Mataram Motor, Volkswagen APM in Indonesia, this year's hall occupies two areas. In hall B will display the newest products from the passenger car variants such as,New Polo, New Touran, and New Caravelle. In addition to the hall B, Volkswagen is also present in semipermanent A. In this hall presents VW commercial transporters of his carand ambulance.

Meanwhile, Hino, which occupies the outdoor area, carrying the "Green Concept" will be the theme of their booth with a decor featuring live trees. In the IIMs this time willshowcase five Hino commercial vehicles mainstay.

Source : http://otomotif.vivanews.com

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Posted in: Automotive,News

Detective In 40 Minutes

Drama that has really really this title of the 4th Period Mystery. aka detectives In 40Minutes / 4th Period Murder Mystery. Is a type of drama is packed thriller with a touch ofvery young people.

Within one month of two killings occurred in the first-class Han Jeong Hoon tiba2 classmates just died of poisoning after drinking the juice and the perpetrators have not been revealed. Han Jeong Hoon typical boy's dream udah dech cewek2 really smart, alwayschampion class and got a cute face but not much less then it only made him a loner inher class personally.Until one day he was in conflict with one class a friend Tae-gyu who then because they do not want to fight more Jeong Hoon went to the toilet and back to class when reallysurprised because Tae-gyu Seeing dead bodies covered with blood, and when it was not aware of what that occur suddenly Lee Jeong Dae Hoon Jeong classmate who hasa strange personality obsessed with detective novels are always nyebunyiin face behindher long hair, until finally calling in "the curtain" by a friend of his first, which standsSeeing Jeong Hoon Tae Gyu beside the body.

Jeong Hoon admitted if not he who killed Tae Gyu. And Jeong Dae emang basicallyobsessed with the same matters relating to detective2 gini Jeong Hoon give ussuggestions to make nyari culprit or she will be accused as a killer Tae-gyu and theyhave 40 minutes before gym class ended and they found the body teman2 Tae Gyu.

With the assistance of Dae Jeong emang I think he even an expert can really open a locked door of a computer lab with her ​​necklace and he thinks it's expertise in the get it from reading the time Jeong Hoon asked. In the lab they examine all the data the students at the school and the investigation continued in the staff room and when he opened a drawer of a teacher whom they called "MBC" Jeong Gyu Tae Hoon found alaptop computer. But what's so "MBC" can be directly used as a suspect or jangan2 he was also in the same trap as Jeong Hoon? Can they find the killer within 40 minutesbefore gym class is over?

Actually ya drama story line and really light even if you could say there are not flat wrotethe music that gripping as most thrillers, and there's nothing too special in this film,except if diliat of pemainya a cute face cute son of seemingly similar Kim Ki Bum same.Jeong Han Seung Hoon Yoo Hoo played by me even according to the appeal of this filmlies precisely in the figure Seung Hoo is cute, so even if I'm bored rada same movie butwere helped by a handsome face Seeing Seung Hoo.

Yoo Hoo Seong who had become a cameo in this beautiful You're an actor can say the future of Korean with a very young age of 16 years really Woow! But he's already wonseveral awards as Best Young Actor in 2005 and 2007 .. a guy who also played at Queen Seun Dook this call in "Little So Ji Seob" and "Legend" with Bae Young June

For the role of Lee Jeong Dae originally to be played by Kim So Eun the Ga Eul of Boysbefore flower but do not know why the sudden ONLY role is replaced by new entrants SoRa Kang, but Kim So Eun had a cameo in this film.

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Posted in: Movies

EV Innovations Wave and Inizio Electric Cars

EV Innovations has revealed two new electric vehicles at the New York Auto Show.

The first EV is the Inizio EVS. The Inizio is looking to contend with the massively hyped Tesla Roadster – the high performance all-electric sports car. Innovations claims that the Inizio has a top speed of 170mph and a solid range of 200 miles. Acceleration claims are even more impressive for the Inizio as it can go from 0-60 mph in a four seconds.

Expect to pay a little more than the Tesla Roadster (set at $109,000) as the Inizio’s base price starts at $139,000.

EV Innovations other electric vehicle introduction is a much more affordable plug in EV called the Wave. The Wave has a very respectable expected range of 170 miles and will a starting price of $34,000.

While orders for the Wave are already being accepted, both electric vehicles are only prototypes.

Sources: http://www.ecoautoninja.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,News

Total lunar eclipse photos June 16, 2011 in the World

Total Eclipse of the Moon charm that occurred Thursday, June 16, 2011, eclipse thismonth is the longest natural event that occurred about 100 menitan. Total lunar eclipsetook place and looks beautiful in some places in the world, Thursday, June 16, 2011.

Following Photos Total Eclipse of the Moon June 16, 2011:

Total Moon Eclipse Photos June 16, 2011 in Serbia

in Indonesia

in the Philippines

in Moldova

in Pakistan

Total Eclipse of the moon event June 16, 2011 can be enjoyed directly with the naked eye throughout the world. This year will be twice the total lunar eclipse, the next eclipsewill occur on December 10, 2011. See more in Photo and Video Total Eclipse of the Moon June 16, 2011.

Photo source: foto.vivanews.com.

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Posted in: News