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Jay-Z, Alicia Keys To Perform At World Series' Opening Game

10/27/2009 12:49:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Pair will perform 'Empire State of Mind' at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

Jay-Z loves to take hip-hop where it has never gone before — well, how about the World Series? Hov and Alicia Keys will be performing the Big Apple anthem "Empire State of Mind" on Wednesday at the new Yankee Stadium before game one's first pitch is thrown, Jay confirmed to MTV News on Monday (October 26).

"First of all, the new [Yankee] Stadium — it's the Yankees and it's game one of the World Series," Jay said while promoting his "DJ Hero: Renegade Edition" video game, which sees him teamed up with Eminem. The Yanks happen to be Hov's favorite baseball team.

"I'm beyond excited about it, and on top of that, it's a New York record. It's a record that pays homage to New York [and which was also performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards]. The timing of that couldn't be better," Hov enthused.

Jay said his spot at game one has been in place for several days — all he needed was for the Yankees to wrap things up against the Los Angeles Angels.

"The whole time we knew we had the performance," Jay laughed. "We knew we had the performance last week. I think it was 3-1 [in favor of the Yankees] at the time. [The Yankees] lost that game to make it 3-2. I was like, 'Man!' I had to come in [the stadium] with the stage and all that. I was like, 'Man, these guys gotta come on.' It was almost selfish."

Well, the Yankees sent the Angels home last night with a 5-2 American League pennant-winning victory at the stadium.

All through the playoffs, the Yankees have been showing love to Jay and his Blueprint 3. Derek Jeter has "Empire State of Mind" play during his at-bats, while Alex Rodriguez's theme songs have been "Already Home" and "Reminder." Meanwhile, Robinson Canó's at-bat are themed by "Run This Town."

Microsoft blames Windows 7 upgrade mess on user confusion

10/27/2009 12:48:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Error is 'by design' when users try to upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7

Microsoft yesterday blamed user confusion for the problems many have encountered trying to move from Vista to Windows 7 after buying a discounted upgrade offered to college students.

"Digital River and Microsoft are aware that some customers from the Windows 7 Academic Store had difficulties completing the download or installation of the product," said a Microsoft support engineer identified as "Michael" in a message posted Sunday to the company's support forum.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based Digital River fulfills download orders for Microsoft's $29.99 Windows 7 upgrade offer to students. Several hundred users have said that they were unable to upgrade from Windows Vista to the new operating system after purchasing, then downloading, a Windows 7 upgrade, from Digital River.

"We are aware that consumers are encountering difficulties installing Windows 7 where the customer is currently running a 32-bit version of Windows such as Windows Vista, but purchased the 64-bit version of Windows 7," Michael said.

Last week, users reported that an error message prevented them from unpacking files downloaded from Digital River. The message read: "We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded."

"This error occurs when you are in the unloading phase of the 64-bit Windows 7 download process and are running a 32-bit version of Windows such as Windows XP or Windows Vista 32-bit," Michael added. "This is by design, as you cannot launch setup for the 64-bit version of Widows 7 while running a 32-bit operating system."

According to Microsoft, users can conduct "in-place" upgrades -- those that retain all data, settings and applications -- only from Vista 32-bit to Windows 7 32-bit, or from Vista 64-bit to Windows 7 64-bit. The company had spelled out the in-place upgrade paths last summer, before it released Windows 7.

"If you want to move from Windows Vista 32-bit to Windows 7 64-bit, or if you are running Windows XP, you have to do a "Custom" or clean installation that must be started by booting off the Windows 7 64-bit DVD," Michael stressed.

A Windows 7 custom upgrade, called a "clean" install by some, requires users to back up data and settings from Windows XP or Vista, install Windows 7, then restore the data and settings before finally reinstalling all applications.

Students who mistakenly downloaded the 64-bit edition of Windows 7 from Digital River should request a refund, Microsoft's Michael continued, then pay for and download the 32-bit version instead. He pointed customers to a page on Digital River's site where they could request a refund. "In the Web form, select the Order question option in the drop-down menu and include 'Refund and Request 32-bit' in the first line of the problem description," Michael recommended.

His advice runs counter to the policy listed on the Digital River support site, which says that there are no refunds for the student discount Windows 7 upgrade.

Michael claimed that Digital River has identified and contacted customers who have been affected by the download error. "Digital River has been making every effort to make it right for these customers," he said. The Microsoft engineer also said Microsoft would not handle support questions about Windows 7 unless customers were able to reach the initial installation screen; all issues prior to that step were to be directed to Digital River.

On Saturday, users blamed both companies for their problems, and were irked that neither had stepped up to accept responsibility or provide answers. "This problem is not being resolved by anyone," complained a user tagged as "tatguy6" on the same support thread Saturday. "Someone is to blame. I guess we are just gonna have to wait for someone to pull their heads out of their butts and do something for us to resolve this."

"I [have] had enough," added "arkavat."

Tatguy6, arkavat and several others said that they were, or had, filed complaints against Digital River with the Better Business Bureau.

Digital River has yet not responded to a request for comment made last Friday.

Taylor and Taylor Hit the Town—and Shack Up?

10/27/2009 12:48:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Looks like Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift are on the fast track from being "just friends" to a little bit more. Tay-Squared stepped out together for the first time officially last night, hitting up the Los Angeles Kings game.


T & T, both dressed in black, took in the game from second-row seats and looked like they were having a fab time together, onlookers tell us.

As for their nightcap?

Sources put the two Taylors entering the Beverly Wilshire Hotel around 10 p.m.—but they were never seen leaving!

Lautner showed up at Swift's Chicago concert the other week—but besides that, the two cuties haven't been seen in public together. Until now. Maybe Robsten should take notes?

Hopefully this new couple can go the distance, because T.L. is about to embark on a huge publicity tour for New Moon.

Speaking of Twilight, the cast held its wrap party for Eclipse up in Vancouver on Saturday, but Lautner and costar Ashley Greene fled the country before the shindig took place. Production is on-schedule to wrap this week.

As for the remaining scenes—a source tells us there are some "romantic moments" that need to be shot involving Edward and Bella. But we hear that thanks to some of the out-of-control tourists up in VBC, these will primarily be shot in a studio versus on location.

Facebook and MySpace 'in talks?' Of course

10/27/2009 12:47:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Sound the alarms! The U.K.'s Telegraph news outlet has a story that seems to prove the unthinkable: that onetime social-networking rivals Facebook and MySpace could actually be working on some kind of partnership.

Two years ago this would've been a huge deal. Now? I'm really not surprised.

"The move could potentially see MySpace music and video footage being shared on Facebook via its Connect platform, which allows people to log into third-party sites using their Facebook ID," the article by Emma Barnett explains.

It then quotes Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg as saying that "we would like to have (MySpace's) content, as we already do with many other sites, shared across our network because it is good for our users" and that "we are open to working with MySpace and are in talks with them at the moment."

MySpaces CEO Owen Van Natta, who used to have a similar role at Facebook to the one that Sandberg does now, is likewise quoted as saying "we are in talks with Facebook, and other sites, about how we could partner with them."

See, here's the deal. Sandberg and Van Natta are quoted in pretty ambiguous terms. But any third-party company on the Web is at liberty to implement Facebook's log-in standard with the Facebook Connect API: over 15,000 sites had, at last count. The catch with MySpace is that both sites are so large, they'd naturally be in some kind of talks about it simply to handle infrastructure issues (and likely more). The Huffington Post, for example, struck a deal with Facebook to power its "Social News" feature with Facebook Connect rather than just to chuck in some Facebook Connect code.

Partnering with Facebook is actually excellent positioning for MySpace, because the News Corp.-owned social site has been attempting to differentiate itself from pure social networking: a game that Facebook has clearly won. By hinting that it could strike a deal with Facebook, MySpace is putting out a major "we're different" message as it tries to establish itself as a pop culture hub. Facebook's the one providing the platform for the content; MySpace is the one providing the content itself.

For Facebook, meanwhile, you could take this as a "look, we've won" move. After all, it's a validation of the power of the social network's content platform that a company like MySpace--which used to dwarf Facebook in size--would want to use it for distribution.

Stuff Your Stockings With Chris Brown's New Album & can’t stop Tweeting about Rihanna

10/27/2009 12:47:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

"OFFICIAL ALBUM DATE: DECEMBER 15... GRAFFITI... NOW BLOG ABOUT THIS..LOL."

Aye, aye, Chris Brown.

The comebacking R&B star revealed via Twitter Monday that his third studio album, and first since 2007—let alone his first since his February arrest for assaulting Rihanna—is due out Dec. 15.

Graffiti will include the up-tempo "I Will Transform Ya," featuring Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz, and the wistful slow tune "Crawl."

Figuring he'd better thank those who have stood by him, Brown has planned a month-long fan-appreciation tour, which kicks off Nov. 14 in Houston.

Chris Brown can’t stop Tweeting about Rihanna

During the wee hours of Monday morning, singer Chris Brown took to Twitter and posted a YouTube link to a photo montage of himself and Rihanna during happier times.

“I’m sorry y’all. Just had to post it,” was the accompanying text on the Tweet, and the post immediately following said, “For the fellas: showing emotion doesn’t make u weak … being honest makes you strong.”

Sending Tweets about Rihanna and what happened between them on Feb. 8 doesn’t break any laws (Brown’s stay-away order is still in place; his attorney Mark Geragos didn’t respond to requests for comment on Brown’s Twitter feed). But there’s something not right about using her for his own promotion.

At about the same time Brown's Tweets about Rihanna were gaining buzz, he followed up with messages about his “I Can Transform Ya” video premiere on MTV planned for Tuesday, and news of his official album date. That Tweet specifically included the directive, “Now blog about this … LOL.”

So Chris: here’s some blogging about it. Now, how about promoting your work without Rihanna’s help?

TVB Award Nomination List

10/27/2009 12:46:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , , 0 Comments

Part of the nomination list:

Best Actor:

Wayne Lai-Rosy Business
Moses Chan-The Gem Of Life
Dayo Wong-You're Hired
Wong Hei-Burning Flames III
Kevin Cheng-Burning Flames III
Bosco Wong-Burning Flame III
Roger Kwok-D.I.E. Again
Gallen Lo-Born Rich
Ray Lui-Born Rich

Best Actress:

Sheren Tang-Rosy Business
Charmaine Sheh-Beyond the Realm Of Conscience
Tavia Yeung-Beyond the Realm Of Conscience
Anita Yuen-Born Rich
Jamie Chik-Born Rich
Kenix Kwok-Born Rich
Teresa Mo-Off Pedder
Sonija Kwok-D.I.E. Again
Liza Wang-When Easterly Showers Fall On The Sunny West

More: TVB 42nd Lighting Ceremony: Oriental Sunday #620

1. Main article titled "Bosco Wong & Myolie Wu - Love getting stronger"

The brief rumour about Bosco and Toby is over. Bosco Wong and Myolie Wu are back to normal. They were spotted shopping for furniture together with Bosco's family. The two got closer after this incident.

At the TVB 42nd anniversary lighting ceremony, many rumoured couples were not close except this pair. Bosco & Myolie who were so real and so close and always exchanged gazes with each other. After the show, Bosco & Myolie went to eat at apm in a group of 7 people including Nancy Wu, Elaine Yiu and their assistants. Of course, Bosco & Myolie sat together. The two sticked closely together, chatting secretly and looking at each other during the meal. Well, they didn't have to eat, they got full just by staring at each other!

2. Wordings at top left hand corner

Bosco Wong & Myolie Wu were officially permitted to stick together to introduce BFIII. The two always try to avoid being together as much as possible. However based on their behaviour of this evening, it appeared that they might be surfacing their relationship from underground.

3. Wordings in the circle at bottom left hand corner

After the lighting ceremony, Myolie took off her BFIII wig and went with her boyfriend, Nancy Wu and Elaine Yiu etc. to eat at apm. Bosco & Myolie sticked closely together. Myolie's stare and smile towards her boyfriend were so full of love.

4. Wordings at bottom right hand corner underneath the main article

After the meal, Bosco & Myolie walked seperately as usual when leaving the restaurant.

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 upgrade issue for digital copies

10/27/2009 12:45:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Back in September, Microsoft offered students the ability to purchase Windows 7 for only $29.99. I am sure that there were gobs of students who pre-ordered the OS to be digitally delivered via Digital River when the OS launched last week. PC World reports that “hundreds” of Windows 7 buyers who purchased digital copies are getting errors when they try to install.

Microsoft has officially confirmed an error with installing the digital version of Windows 7 purchased through Digital River. At this time, Microsoft is said to be investigating reports, but has offered no fix yet. Users reportedly began complaining of problems within hours of the launch of the OS last week.

The error reportedly happenes after the “Unloading the Box” progress meter is full and the error reads, “We are Unable to create or save new files to the folder in which this application was downloaded.” Microsoft engineers claim they will post a fix when they can find the cause of the issue.

Jude Law's New Baby Says Hello! to You Before Daddy

10/27/2009 12:45:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Jude Law's fourth child and his hot baby mama, Samantha Burke, are ready for their close-up.

Five-week-old Sophia is making her debut in this week's British tab Hello!, appearing on the cover with her mom and with a 14-page spread inside—which means you're seeing the happy newborn before her dad.

"There are no plans for it to happen at the moment, but I know he's busy," Burke says. "He'll fall in love with her when he sees her.

"She has Jude's chin and nose, and she does a little pout, that I notice he's done before."

Gushing isn't the only aspect of the article. The 25-year-old model-actress also spills the beans on her dalliance with the Sherlock Holmes star...

The Florida-based brunette claims she and Law "went out several times. He was a lot of fun to be around, always making me laugh and smile."

And although the actor, who has three children with his ex-wife, Sadie Frost, has yet to meet his youngest offspring, Burke is confident it's only a matter of time. Burke is hopeful that father and daughter eventually will share a close relationship.

The full Burke interview appears in Hello!, on sale now.

VanNess Wu acts in "Autumn's Concerto" 's court scene, Memorizing lines till he was afraid

10/27/2009 12:44:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 1 Comment

Recently, VanNess Wu, Ady An, and others were acting in a court of law scene in Taipei for idol drama, <Autumn's Concerto>. VanNess Wu, who plays a lawyer, said laughingly that for this 12 page long court scene he was memorizing lines till he was afraid. He even dreamt that he was a lawyer in court helping a friend file a lawsuit.

In the drama, for Liang Mucheng (Ady An)'s innocence, Sheng De University called for a "Truth Investigation Court." Ren Guangxi (VanNess Wu) served as Liang Mucheng's lawyer in the court battle against Ah Cai Shu's (Chen Muyi) lawyer, Xu Fangguo (Zheng Youjie).

Due to VanNess Wu not being to familiar with written Chinese, plus the inclusion of some proper nouns, Director Chen Huiling was very heartwarming. She read the lines out loud and recorded it as a mp3 to give to VanNess Wu. Whenever he had a single moment, VanNess Wu would take it out to listen to. Even when he is in the gym, he would bring his iPod.

VanNess Wu said that he prepared for almost two months for this scene, memorizing lines till he was afraid. He even dreamt that he was a lawyer in court helping a friend file a lawsuit. This twelve page scene took three days to film. VanNess Wu said that while he was a bit afraid during filming, he felt very accomplished after the filming. It was a breakthrough for this acting career. Merely six years later in the drama, his first appearance is in a scene where is he also helping someone file a lawsuit. VanNess Wu is already waiting in cold sweat.

iPhone concept borrows iMac style

10/27/2009 12:44:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

With the MacBook now brought smack up to date with unibody styling, and the fully metal-clad iMac causing a stir on desktops, it seems like about the right sort of time to ask what the iPhone could learn from the new designs? Happily Isamu Sanada – who you might recall from these fair pages in previous months – is one step ahead of us, and he’s put together some concept art of what an iMac-inspired fourth-gen iPhone might look like.


The edge-to-edge glass and contrasting brushed aluminum are the stand-out elements here, and certainly leave the concept iPhone looking distinctive and, dare we say it, more eye-catching than the current 3GS. However we’re also left with the sneaking suspicion that the design – evolved after three generations already, after all – is beginning to date.

So here’s the question: not only are we wondering whether the new stylings of the iMac and the unibody MacBook range could transfer successfully to Apple’s smartphone line but, more broadly, is Apple in need of a significant refresh of their iPhone design language? Let us know what you think in the comments.


Is There Any Real Dirt on Selena Gomez?

10/27/2009 12:43:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

How come everybody seems to love Selena Gomez? You can't go anywhere to look for dirt on this girl.

And thus the circle was squared: Your second sentence essentially answers—or at least partially answers—your question.

Tweens love Selena Gomez because—aside from her hit show (Wizards of Waverly Place, people) and music, of course—she offers just enough bubblegum intrigue to reel you in without grossing you out.

This is not Britney Spears, with her icky bare feet traipsing in and out of public bathrooms, and her erstwhile bald head leering into a paparazzi lens, and her stripper poles, and her...ew. Britney is too much for that crowd. Tweenies just want to watch some TV and, um, hear a cool song, and pretend that their favorite stars are engaged in feuds.

Nobody—except for maybe Demi Lovato or Miley Cyrus—provides a better canvas for that kind of pink sparkly unicorn fantasy.

Exactly what is Selena's magic formula? Well...

Let me make you a list. The kids, they love the lists:

1. She doesn't drag us down with her silly indie dreams: Sure, Gomez wants to "evolve into more acoustic stuff," as she once put it to a reporter. But until then, she'll give the kids exactly what they want, like the light, fun stuff off her first CD.

2. She's seen as fresher and less slick than her more established peers. "Selena is part of the brilliant Disney marketing machine," pop culture and tween social media expert Ashley Dos Santos notes. "That being said, they aren't making something out of nothing. Selena Gomez is the untarnished, multicultural version of Miley Cyrus."

Translated: Selena is merely hyperpackaged instead of all-out megapackaged.

3. She has both a famous BFF (Lovato) and a famous alleged feud (Cyrus). Gomez has denied she's feuding with Cyrus, but no matter. Which one is the total BITCH?

4. Speaking of fresher, she reaches more than one demographic. "Gomez serves as a role model for other little girls from diverse ethnic backgrounds who are searching for cultural representations of themselves in the media," Dos Santos points out.

5. And, of course, she makes entertainment that kids like. In the case of her hit franchise, Wizards of Waverly Place, really, really like. Back in August of this year, the Wizards TV movie drew in 11.4 million viewers for its Friday-night premiere. That made it the second-highest-rated entertainment telecast on cable over the past two years.

Still in the No. 1 spot? High School Musical 2. We can't all be Zefron, after all.

Taiwanese idol dramas create their fair share of leading ladies

10/27/2009 12:43:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

HUNKS have always been the focus of Taiwanese idol dramas.

Just mention the names Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou and Mike He and you can imagine hordes of fanatic teenage girls screaming.

However, over the last couple of years, some leading ladies have also emerged.

U-Weekly picks its top three candidates for Best Idol Drama Queen:

ARIEL LIN, 27

The baby-faced actress, who bagged last year's Best Actress accolade at Taiwan's Golden Bell Awards, has since branched out into the music industry.

She released her debut album Blissful Encounter in July to mixed reviews.

But the happy-go-lucky gal takes criticism in her stride and prefers to focus on work, rather than be bothered by bad press.

'Some people say that I've been struck by the 'curse' of the Golden Bell,' she said, referring to the stroke of horrid luck that has hit other actresses after winning the award.

Ariel suffered only a slight career dip.

Her latest idol drama, Love Or Bread (also starring actor Joe Cheng), did not do so well in terms of ratings, compared with her previous efforts like Love Contract (2004) and It Started With A Kiss (2005).

She remains positive though, saying: 'I don't want to put pressure on myself, by constantly thinking of awards.

'To me, the response from the audience is still the most important. So long as viewers and fans like my acting, I'm very happy.'

CHERYL YANG, 31

This veteran television actress was flying under the radar till last year's breakthrough drama series My Queen.

Cheryl played a high-flying 30-something career woman who falls in love with Ethan Ruan, a co-worker almost 10 years younger.

It's no surprise Cheryl pulled off her role with aplomb, as she is no stranger to playing difficult characters.

Her most daring performance was in the movie Twenty Something Taipei (2002), in which she stripped naked.

JOE CHEN, 30

She may have a boyish-sounding English name, but don't be mistaken. Joe is anything but a tomboy.

The actress-host started out as a member of girl group Seven Flowers, but after the dismal sales of its debut album, they disbanded and she moved into acting.

Two of her dramas, Prince Turns To Frog (2005) and Fated To Love You (2008), came in tops in television ratings, a testament to her ascending star power.

Joe recently revealed her future plans to the Taiwanese press: 'I'm not getting any younger, I don't want to be stuck in the same type of series forever.'

She added that she 'yearns to jump out of the idol drama circle' and 'take on more challenging roles', including those that would require her to uglify herself.

New York Times preparing for 'impending Apple slate'

10/27/2009 12:43:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

It's no secret that newspapers in the U.S. are having their share of difficulties during this economic downturn, but New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller is looking to the future and that future includes an Apple tablet.

Keller's remarks came during a presentation earlier this month to the digital staff at The New York Times. Video of the "off-the-record" meeting was obtained by the Nieman Journalism Lab and posted on its site. At the meeting, Keller addressed some of the things the newspaper needs to do to succeed, including preparing for platforms of the future.

"We need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms and devices," said Keller. "I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that."

It's not clear whether Keller has inside knowledge of an Apple tablet or if he was just assuming the existence of the device based on the rumors and speculation that have been around for months.

However, Keller could know more than the average person. Apple has reportedly been talking to several high-profile media companies, negotiating to get its content ready for a new device the company is preparing to launch, according to Gizmodo.

Attracting companies like The New York Times could be a win-win for both companies--Apple would have reputable content for its device and companies like The New York Times would have a new revenue source for its business.

Jackson’s sons can’t accept dad’s death

10/27/2009 12:43:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

As is to be expected, the grief-filled months since Michael Jackson’s sudden death have been difficult for his three young children, but one them is said to be coping much better than the others.

According to the “King of Pop’s” sister, La Toya Jackson, 11-year-old Paris Michael has found a positive way to keep her father’s memory close. However, the singer’s death took a tougher toll on his sons, Prince Michael, 12, and Prince Michael II, aka “Blanket,” 7.

“Paris thinks and talks about her father all the time,” La Toya Jackson explained in an interview the Daily Mirror. “She’s doing very well, writes a lot and she wears his shirts every day. They still smell of him and it helps her feel close to him.”

But embracing the memory of Michael Jackson hasn’t come nearly as easily for the late legend’s oldest child.

“Prince just doesn’t want to speak about it,” La Toya Jackson told the paper. “He won’t even watch the DVDs — he just walks right past the TV. It’s too soon, too touching. I do worry about him very much.”

It’s a concern that carries over to the youngest Jackson sibling, who has allegedly confronted his emotions, if not accepted his loss.

“And Blanket is just a very sad, shy little boy,” the children’s aunt said. “He cries — he really does cry. It’s so painful for him. No one can bring his daddy back and it hurts so much.”

Each child will likely heal in his or her own time, but La Toya Jackson is hopeful that outside help may speed the process.

“They all go to therapy,” she revealed, adding, “and I truly hope Prince especially will be able to open up.”

Popular Idol Group, Super Junior-M, Guests on MTV

10/27/2009 12:42:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

The other day, the popular idol group Super Junior M were guests on MTV <Sounds of Nature Village>. During the program they exposed some of each other's secrets. The host, Chen Zheng Fei (VJ Andy) designed a scenario where the seven members would "coincidentally meet" the beauty Zhu Zhu. Each of them put their skills to test to see who will ultimately gain a piece of Zhu Zhu's "heart." For four straight days, from October 28th to 31st, SJ-M will come into contact with you on the Chinese MTV music station channel. Laughter will ensue starting at 12:30 in the afternoon.

These seven handsome men are all close to each other. They thoroughly understand the particulars of each other's daily lives. When all is said and done, who likes to act cool the most? VJ Andy had hardly gotten the words out before the members simultaneously pointed to Siwon. Being attacked from all sides, Siwon very innocently shook his head. VJ Andy immediately requested for Siwon to put on a cool pose, however, Siwon made a cute expression instead - one that said he was being bullied by everyone else. The leader, Hangeng, could no longer take it and promptly got up to "point out his mistakes." While speaking, he demonstrated the classical motions of Siwon's normal walk. Hangeng even supplemented it with, "His chest raises even more when he sees a pretty girl." Everyone clapped and cheered. Siwon was between laughter and tears and could only ferociously say one thing, "That's too much."

When VJ Andy asked about who takes care of himself the best, everyone again, without consultation, pointed towards Donghae. Andy racketed his head, "I thought it was Zhou Mi. Don't you guys say that he is the one who purchases the most cosmetics?" Henry said that Zhou Mi simply likes to buy, but not use, while Donghai uses cosmetics the most. The gentle Donghae would not let that pass either: If you can't find me one day, everyone please come to the skin department in the hospital to find me.

When SJ-M's seven members face a beauty, who's conversational skills is the best? VJ Andy called out Zhu Zhu for everyone to act out a scene to see who, when running into a beauty on the streets, had the best method to obtain the girl's number. As soon as Henry went on stage, he called out "Christina," using the erroneous name trick. He was promptly ridiculed by Zhu Zhu as being too old fashioned. The man loved by millions of people, Hangeng, set out and promptly laughed softly, sufficient enough for Zhu Zhu to forget the scenario and actually "take the initiative" and ask him for his number. This resulted in her being scolded by VJ Andy for "failing to live up to expectations."

These grownup boys of SJ-M are youthful and moving, filled with witty humor. Starting on October 28th, MTV<Sounds of Nature Village> will have a 4 consecutive day exclusive interview with this extremely popular group. From uncovering each other's secrets to striking up conversation with the members, this interesting exposure and 10 exclusive shoots*, should be sufficient to satisfy the appetite of the fans. Be sure not to miss it!.

Google Launches Google Social Search Amid Social-Media Battle

10/27/2009 12:41:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , , 0 Comments

In a move underscoring the escalating battle among Internet companies over what is known as social media, Google Inc. (GOOG) on Monday launched a tool that allows users to find postings from their friends as part of a Web search.

Google Social Search, which is available starting Monday, includes relevant postings by colleagues, friends and selected media sources on feeds from Twitter Inc. and on blogs, as well as in broader Internet searches on its search engine. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company posted details of the new product on a blog.

A search for a restaurant could generate not only official sites and mainstream media reviews, but also comments from friends or colleagues on a range of different blogs or social sites, if they had set up a profile that allowed their data to be searched.

Social Search is being launched days after both Google and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Google's main rival in Internet search, announced separate deals with start-up micro-blogging site Twitter Inc. Microsoft also announced a similar deal with Facebook Inc. to get access to its user information. Microsoft owns approximately 1.6% of Facebook, following a 2007 investment.

San Francisco-based start-up Twitter, which lets users blast short messages from computers and mobile phones which are then displayed on their pages, has seen explosive growth until recently. Marketers are increasingly looking for ways to tap social media such as Twitter and Facebook for ways to better track trend-making topics and reach younger users.

It wasn't immediately clear how Social Search relates to the deal Google announced with Twitter. Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Scarlett Johansson to make Broadway debut

10/27/2009 12:41:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Actress Scarlett Johansson will make her Broadway debut starring in a revival of American playwright Arthur Miller's drama "A View from the Bridge," the show's organizers said on Monday.

Amid a growing trend of Hollywood stars appearing in Broadway plays, Johansson, 24, will appear on the Great White Way opposite actor Liev Schreiber in the drama set in 1950s America about a Brooklyn dockyard worker obsessed with his 17-year-old niece, to be played by Johansson.

Previews will begin December 28 and the show will run for 14 weeks.

Johansson's list of films include "The Horse Whisperer", "Lost in Translation" and Woody Allen's "Match Point" in 2005. She also released an album this year with U.S. singer Pete Yorn. Schreiber has already appeared on Broadway several times, including winning a Tony award, as well as in films.

Other high-profile film actor's to have appeared on Broadway this year include Jude law, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, Sienna Miller and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Strong ticket sales in the 2008/2009 Broadway season have been credited to the concentration of big name stars and Broadway producers have said it is now essential to have Hollywood stars to ensure big profits in plays on Broadway.

Jay Chou returns to Taiwan to film MV for Cindy Yen; the two battle it out with piano skills

10/27/2009 12:41:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Jay Chou has been busy filming "The Green Hornet" in Hollywood, recently in order to fully support his junior female apprentice Cindy Yen, he took time out of his busy schedule to fly back to Taipei to film the MV for the two's duet "Sand Painting", the director Kuang Sheng built a massive sand shore on the set, he hired the only spray paint teacher in Taiwan to spray on the wall ever changing clouds. Jay Chou especially played the cello for Cindy in the MV, on the other hand Cindy Yen showed off her piano skills and violin skills, the two "harmonize the two instruments to perform the beautiful dialogue between the piano and cello."


Jay Chou sang the r&b song "Sand Painting" with Cindy, it's an exception to his usual practice of only singing songs he has written himself with girls. According to reports, Cindy went through a lot during the writing of "Sand Painting", when she wrote the first version she didn't dare to give it directly to Jay Chou, she hid outside the recording studio watching Jay's reaction, after "judging" it Jay Chou said: "This song's not bad, but it's more suitable for you to sing it yourself." After being rejected all Cindy could do was go back and try harder, she kept on thinking about what song would be suitable for her to sing with her senior male apprentice, she gave him a second song, after hearing it, he said: "Yea, keep trying!" She knew it wasn't ok, after suffering rejection twice in a row, Cindy persisted in doing her best, she kept thinking about music that suits both their domains and feel, she even especially designed a rap in the song for Jay Chou, she worked on it all night, and at last got Jay Chou's approval.


When filming the MV, Cindy's piano and violin were against Jay Chou's cello, the set was filled with smoke. After their battle, Jay Chou praised her musical ability: "Cindy's piano playing skills are really amazing! She is as good as Yuhao, but for a girl to be able to play at this pace and crazy power, it's really cool and surprising! She was completely different when I was singing with her, you see she is very quiet when singing, but once she starts playing the piano she is completely different! The important point is she can write songs, you have your own style by writing your own songs!"

Cindy was very grateful to Jay Chou, what made her even more touched was that Jay Chou rushed to the set to join the filming as soon as he returned to Taiwan, it was her first time filming an MV, Cindy said: "I was so nervous I couldn't sleep! I had not idea whatsoever what I had to prepare, my senior apprentice told me I had to relax, he looked after me like a sister, I'm so lucky to be able to sing with my senior apprentice!"


After receiving guidance from Jay Chou, Cindy quickly learned how to get into the state, in order to set the scene for the song, they built a sand setting on the set, with the wind blowing the sand after the filming Cindy had sand all over her, she didn't mind and said it was all worth it! In the MV Jay Chou had a mixed style look, a black jacket, white trainers, he had on a hip hop cap and leather gloves, he matched the mix of classical and r&b of this song, when he was playing the cello he put out a cool pose, with a speed so fast that your ears can't catch up, he played out the melody from the cello at lightning speed, the director was stunned! He laughed saying he really knows how to show off!

Jay Chou didn't forget to teach the newcomer Cindy, firstly he laughed saying she had to be careful of the paparazzi! He also told her: "Don't mind too much about discussions online, because writers don't take attacks! There's lots online, a majority of them are jealous, envious." He said directly: "I think you have to know how to re-adjust yourself."


Sprint Palm Pixi arrives November 15th for $100

10/27/2009 12:40:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Sprint and Palm have announced launch details for the second webOS smartphone, the Palm Pixi. The candybar handset – which we played with back in September – will arrive on the CDMA network in the US come November 15th, priced from $99.99 after $150-worth of instant and mail-in rebates, and presuming a new, two-year agreement.


Pixi specs include a full QWERTY keyboard – which we found to be a little more usable than that of the Palm Pre, thanks to the keys being more raised – a capacitive touchscreen, gesture-based UI and 8GB of onboard storage. Connectivity includes EVDO Rev.A and Bluetooth, but not WiFi, and the whole thing measures just 11 x 55 x 10.85 mm.

The Pixi will also bring with it Palm’s new Facebook application, which will presumably also be made available for Pre owners. Like the Pre, the Pixi will be compatible with the $79.99 Touchstone inductive charger, though it will need a new battery-cover first ($19.99)

Amy Winehouse Shows Off New Boobs

10/27/2009 12:40:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Apparently Amy Winehouse's dad isn't the only one who happens to think his daughter's newly augmented breasts are "great."

The singer, and sometimes rapper, showed up today at the Q Awards in London and proudly put her purchased parts on display.

Obviously, for Amy, when life gives you lemons, don't bother making lemonade.

Just get yourself some bigger lemons.

‘19′ drama starring TOP and Seungri out on November 12th

10/27/2009 12:39:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments

Telecinema production ‘19′ (19 years old) starring Big Bang’s TOP and Seungri, and YG actress Heo Yi Jae has a date now, this telecinema project will be released on November 12th.

This a suspense drama about the life of 3 teenagers that become friends after running away and they investigate homicide cases together. TOP and Seungri escaped from a police station after they were accused of murdering someone, Heo Yi Jae then joins them as well and they all become close. Just like the title, they all play a 19 year old teenager role.

This is a telecinema that is produced simultaneously for television and cinema. Each act is 120 minutes long and two episodes each. The drama versions will air in Korea whereas the film versions will air in Japan. There will be 14 Episodes in total, TOP and Seungri will be starring in the 7th Episode, the last one to come out on November 12th.

Verizon BlackBerry Storm2: October 28th for $180

10/27/2009 12:39:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

There’s not just a new OS for the Verizon BlackBerry Storm today, but official word on when the touchscreen smartphone’s successor will arrive on shelves. This coming Wednesday, October 28th, will mark the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2’s arrival, with the handset priced at $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and assuming a new, two-year agreement.

Your hard-earned dollars get you a 3.25-inch 480 x 360 capacitive touchscreen with the latest iteration of RIM’s SurePress technology, both EVDO Rev.A and UMTS/HSPA 2100 (the latter for travelling), and WiFi b/g, along with OS 5.0 and a total of 18GB of storage (2GB internal; 16GB via included microSD card). Around the back there’s a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera with image stabilization and flash, and a 1,400mAh replaceable battery good, Verizon claim, for up to 5.5hrs talktime or 11.2 days standby.

Other specs include a 3.5mm headset jack, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and a proximity sensor, and Verizon’s usual apps – including Rhapsody music – are preloaded. Unfortunately there’s no preferential upgrade rate for existing Storm owners, which given the first-gen handset’s mixed reviews seems a little short-sighted of Verizon.

Fahrenheit will not disband before the contract has ended

10/27/2009 12:39:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Idol group Fahrenheit last weekend had two consecutive concerts for their grand finale. What should of been a happy celebratory party turned into a party surrounding information regarding their contracts and also the question of whether Wu Chun will fly solo. Fahrenheit frankly replied and said that their mood had been affected by the reports, they hope everyone can focus their attention onto their efforts they've put into the concerts.

Wu Chun: Contract has not expired

The question regarding Fahrenheit's contract has been a hot topic, the 4 members came forward to especially explain the situation. Calvin Chen stated "The contract still has 2 years, there's no problem with the renewal of contracts. Within the group, the developments of each member will have their own ups and downs, Fahrenheit's work schedule has always had a schedule for each member and also a schedule for all 4 group members". He also said at present the new album is in the middle of being recorded and they have been continuously taking on advertising endorsements, "Not caring what the outside world says, as long as Fahrenheit exists there will be 4 members". Accused of delaying the renewal of his contract Wu Chun said "it (contract) has been discussed, but the contract hasn't even ended!"

The box office sale for the second show just passable

Regarding the loss of Wu Chun, Fahrenheit would become a crippled ship, Arron Yan humorously replied "Even if we do become a crippled ship, we will not find a new ship." Fahrenheit's 1st show was almost a full turn out, but the 2nd show had only sold about 80% of the tickets, they expressed "Before going on stage we were told about the situation of our box office sales, but to hold how many shows it not something we decide, we're actually a little disappointed but this will make Fahrenheit work even harder, hoping in the next concert we will have more people to come support us."

Samsung Galaxy Spica gets official in Russia

10/27/2009 12:39:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

Samsung Russia have officially announced the Galaxy Spica, the company’s second Android smartphone and the moderately-diminuative follow-up to the Galaxy I7500. The Samsung Spica has a 3.2-inch display, 800MHz processor and 128MB of memory, according to the press release, together with quadband GSM and dualband 900/2100 UMTS/HSPA.


There’s also A-GPS, a digital compass, 1,500mAh battery and a microSD card slot. Full specifications are unknown, but from early previews we’re expecting WiFi, Bluetooth, a 3.2-megapixel camera and 1GB of onboard storage for media and files.

You’ll obviously get all the usual Google apps that Android users are familiar with, too, together with access to the Android Market. No word on US or European availability as yet, but the Samsung Galaxy Spica will arrive in Russia come November 2009, priced at 14,000 roubles ($484).




Wonder Girls Ready for More Challenges

10/27/2009 12:38:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

The Wonder Girls reappeared in Korea for their local fans with good news last Friday: they ranked 76 in the Hot 100 of the Billboard chart.

This is the first time in the chart's 115-year history that a Korean singer or group has ranked in the top 100, according to the five-member group's agency JYP Entertainment.

The group and its producer Park Jin-young, also known as JYP, held a press conference to share the news and excitement with local fans.

``The Billboard's Hot 100 is one of the toughest charts to be ranked on. The Wonder Girls is the first Asian group to enter the chart in almost 30 years,'' Park said at the event packed with reporters and photographers held at a caf? in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul.

``The fact that the song `Nobody' was played 65 times on the top five radio stations in the U.S. is the equivalent to 650 times on local radio. It's a miracle.''

The ranking is determined by album sales and radio airtime.

The five members also looked excited to be back home, smiling and posing for the cameras eagerly.

``It feels good to be in front of so many flashing cameras,'' Ye-eun, also known as Yenny, said.

The news of the group moving to the U.S. to boost their career was considered both an adventure and a challenge, and it was obvious the young girls had a hard time over the different language, culture and preferences.

``I remember when we first went to the U.S. and I cried myself to sleep every single day. It took a long time to adjust to the new life there, and because we didn't speak the language fluently, it was hard to meet new people. It was also scary to sing and dance in front of people we didn't know well,'' Sun-mi, or Mimi, said in tears.

Learning the language was one of the most important tasks of all, and Park explained that the girls had to go through a grueling schedule every single day.

``The girls performed for 50 shows not only in the U.S., but also in Mexico and Canada as the opening act for the Jonas Brothers. They would perform, take English lessons for six hours, promote themselves in the streets two hours before and after their performances and sleep in the buses while they moved from one location to the other,'' he said.

Many Asian artists, including Korean, have tapped into the U.S. market before, but it was hard for any of them to squeeze into the already competitive pop industry. When asked how he and the girls did it, Park explained his strategy with enthusiasm.

``We thought we needed to attract teenagers. Probably because of the Internet, they were more open and didn't discriminate against any particular race, so we worked on catching their attention for seven months. Instead of just selling albums at record shops, we signed a deal with a teenage clothing brand that has more than 1,000 shops across the U.S. We started selling the album at these stores two weeks ago, and more than 30,000 albums were purchased,'' he said.

The girls have had a busy yet fruitful year, and Park seemed happy and satisfied with their work and the outcome.

``There are no groups in the U.S. that are following the retro concept. The reason radio stations play `Nobody' is because there are no songs like it,'' Park said, adding that the girls will appear on a popular television program in November.

Local fans will have to wait for the Wonder Girls to perform in Korea, as the group will continue pursuing their dream in America for the time being. They will leave Korea after shooting a commercial and release an all-English album early next year.

``We want to surprise the people who were skeptical. Even if we fail, we want to fail while doing our best. I'm relieved that we are doing pretty well now,'' Park said laughing.

Making their debut in 2007, the Wonder Girls shot to stardom with their songs ``So Hot'' and ``Nobody.'' The five members became a sensation that attracted both male and female fans with their retro and sexy look, catchy songs and down-to-earth personalities. They moved to the U.S. this year and made headlines when they became the opening act for the Jonas Brothers' concert tour.

Telus kicks off HSPA+ network with iPhone November 5th, HTC Hero, LG New Chocolate and more to follow

10/27/2009 12:37:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , 0 Comments



Telus already announced that it'd be launching the iPhone in November, but it's just now gotten official with an actual date: November 5th -- which just so happens to also be the day that it lights up its brand new HSPA+ network. Unfortunately for anyone hoping that a little competition would spark a price war, Telus is matching Rogers' prices across the board, starting at $99.99 for the basic 8GB iPhone 3G, and moving up to $199.99 for the 16GB 3GS, and $299.99 for the 32GB 3GS (all on a three-year contract, of course). What's more, Telus has also taken the opportunity to offer the first official confirmation of some of the other devices that'll take advantage of its new network, including the HTC Hero, the previously rumored LG New Chocolate (a.k.a BL40), the Blackberry Bold 9700, and the Nokia E71 (plus a USB stick, for good measure). No prices or release dates for any of those just yet, unfortunately, but the Hero and New Chocolate are apparently Telus exclusives.

Divorce said to be a requisite for Erika Sawajiri's comeback

10/27/2009 12:37:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

“I used to think that it would take a man like Tsuyoshi Takashiro to handle someone as strong-minded as Erika, but I guess that wasn’t the case,” comments a close friend of Erika Sawajiri. A month has passed since the termination of her contract, and Sawajiri has made no public appearance since.

In the meanwhile, rumors have spread that Sawajiri, 23, is expressing discontent about her husband to those around her. According to the aforementioned source, Sawajiri used to have great respect for Takashiro, 45. “If he suggested getting a Mac computer, she would get one for her own use. She’d install all the software and always listened to music of her husband’s preference. It was as though she would do anything he told her to. But her attitude changed shortly before the contract termination. ‘These days I often feel as though something is just not right about him’ was what she told me.”

Before the couple was married, Shukan Post was at a club event in autumn of 2007 where Takashiro, with Sawajiri in tow, was DJ. It did appear at the time that Sawajiri always remained a step behind Takashiro. To each and every person he would introduce her to, Sawajiri spoke with deference and bowed her head many times, which left a lasting impression.

Shukan Post has reported previously of the gap between the media projects ostensibly credited to Takashiro in his work portfolio and the facts. As his wife, Sawajiri must have been aware of the discrepancies. “Erika had this admiration for the kind of relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and married Takashiro because she saw him as sophisticated and felt he could ‘better’ her. Once they started living together, I guess she found out that wasn’t true – like she woke up to reality. I once mentioned something negative about his DJ work and his clothing, and she actually agreed with me,” adds the friend.

Sawajiri is currently staying in Europe, and her comeback to show business is nowhere in sight. But an executive of an entertainment management company claims that there still is a possibility provided that she divorces Takashiro.

“Prior to her termination, there was some talk about transferring to a different agency that’s more music-oriented, involving an offer of several hundred million yen. Nothing came out of it apparently, but the recent events pretty much have proven that her husband is the problem. Negotiations might resume if she agrees to sever her ties with Takashiro.”

According to an entertainment journalist, it is “common knowledge” that problems arise when a man gets involved in the career of an actress or female show-biz personality. In fact, one of the reasons for Sawajiri’s contract termination had to do with Takashiro’s use of his wife to promote a certain fashion brand without the consent of her agency. Needless to say, her former agency must have considered Takashiro as a nuisance in view of their business.

The rumored marital rift and the requirement to divorce her husband as a condition for her comeback… What decision Sawajiri will make remains to be seen.

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