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Any Star Wars fan can mimic Darth Vader’s voice or Chewbacca’s roar with ease. But how many of them would be able to identify the lion’s roar used in the sound of the Millenium Falcon’s engine? In this aurally astonishing and visually engaging book , New York Times best-selling author J. W. Rinzler reveals the illuminating history of the sounds that make the Star Wars universe so believable, as recounted by their creator, legendary sound designer Ben Burtt. An attached sound module with an exterior speaker and headphone jack lets readers listen to more than 250 unique sound effects, and more than 300 photographs illustrate the epic’s many memorable scenes.
The Sounds of Star Wars
According to the Federal Communications Commission, the majority of American “broadband” users are not actually receiving broadband speed. That’s because the FCC currently defines broadband as requiring a download speed of at least 4Mbps and an upload speed of 1Mbps. In total, 68 percent of broadband connections in the US fall short of this speed. The figures, which have just been published in an FCC report (PDF) but deal with the situation as of 31 December last year, were collected from internet providers across the country. (These are the actual nationwide figures, or as close to it as a government agency can collect, rather than being extrapolated from a sample group as with opinion polls and surveys.) The data covers the packages subscribers have taken up, rather than the maximum speeds on offer in any area.
Most “broadband” connections are no such thing
Lord Vader and C-3PO Firefighter Helmets
Those two firefighter helmets were worn by German and French firefighters during the mid-19th century and up until World War I. They look a bit familiar, don’t they?
Amazon Deal of the Day: 60% Off 24: The Complete Series – $139.99, Shipped
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has all 8 seasons of 24 for just $139.99 . That’s 60% Off the box set’s regular retail price of $349.98. For eight seasons, Jack Bauer took on the bad guys and won–and he didn’t even get a bathroom break. Now is your chance to own the entire thrilling series.
OMG: AZO Stunts and Tricks Showreel 2010
Advertisement We’ve already featured this guy on [GaS] last year, and once again, he has released a showreel of some of the coolest stunts and tricks he’s done this year. Check it out.
The Most Epic Lightsaber Duel Ever [Video]
Advertisement This super awesome mashup of Star Wars and The Princess Bride is called the Chatty Duelists and was created by VFXFreak to learn a special effect program… but it ended up as one of the most epic lightsaber battle I’ve ever seen. Check it out:
Galactica Cylon Theme on Eigenharp [Video]
The Eigenharp is a modern electronic instrument that looks like the offspring of a sitar that had an affair with a Gravitron carnival ride . It can be used to layer several effects, drum rhythms and instruments at the same time, and in my opinion is the geekiest of all instruments. How do we take that geekiness to the next level? Throw in some Battlestar Galactica, of course!360 camera impressive, but not 3D
Researchers in Switzerland have produced what some are touting as a true 3D camera. In reality, though, it’s “only” a camera that can simulate a 3D effect in a 360 degree panorama. Traditional 3D imaging, known as stereoscopy, usually consists of taking two images of the same scene and then presenting them in a way that exploits how the brain processes the images seen by each eye. One limitation of this system is that the image itself can only show what the camera (simulating human vision) can see in one specific direction. The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne is now working on ways around this.
Amazon Deal of the Day: The Last Minute Online Edition
Well folks, there’s not much time left if you want to get your Amazon orders in time for Christmas while getting free shipping on the site, so here are a few amazing deals you might want to check out:Vader Doesn’t Like Bullies [Pic]
Artist Stephen Hayford created this awesome photo montage to honor Katie Goldman, a little girl that got bullied at school because she had a Star Wars water bottle .
- Apple quietly drops iOS jailbreak detection API Apple apparently has thrown in the towel, quietly dropping in iOS 4.2 an API that was intended to discover if the OS had been compromised and jailbroken. - Chrome Appears To Have Hit 10,000 Extensions, Inching Closer To Firefox Yesterday, Google put up a post on the Chromium Blog to celebrate a year of extensions being available for their Chrome web browser.
Monday morning links serving: The December 13th edition
Thor’s First Official Movie Trailer [Video]
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the epic adventure “Thor” spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.11.2010
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