Give the leather leggings a miss, Mischa! Ms Barton fills out her trousers a little too well

There was a time when Mischa Barton could throw on any old clothes and the fashion world would follow.


But spotted out wearing unflattering leather leggings with Converse trainers and a low-cut white blouse, the actress looked nothing like her normal stylish self.

The 23-year-old squeezed into the tight wet-look trousers as she popped to Le Pain Quotidien restaurant in Los Angeles on Friday.

Even switching coats did not help improve the look and the overall sartorial selection certainly did nothing to flatter her fuller figure.


The actress has sparked concern in the past over her fluctuating figure, which has seen her drop from healthy weight to a gaunt size six.

She made her name as the willowy blonde clothes horse in American teen drama The OC.

But when she left the show, she also left behind the skinny teen and found her curves.

Unfortunately, the roles began to dry up, and she then stripped off for an ill-advised nude scene in film Closing The Ring.

In 2008, Mischa – then a curvy size 12 - was snapped on holiday with cellulite on her legs.

But she then dramatically slimmed down and, last February, was seen looking gaunt with sunken cheeks after reportedly following a draconian slimming programme.

Her face and figure appeared bloated last summer, before she was admitted to a psychiatric ward, but insisted it was down to botched wisdom tooth surgery.

Mischa had a rough 2009 – culminating in her latest U.S. TV show The Beautiful Life being cancelled after just two episodes.

The star has also told how she ‘hit rock bottom’ after being sectioned in the psychiatric ward and was accused of substance abuse by friends.

But she appeared to be back on track in the autumn, looking healthy and happy as she attended fashion events and premieres.

She is now set to star in an episode of Law And Order: SVU as a prostitute.

Will Simon Cowell really leave ‘American Idol’?

With the new season of “American Idol” beginning Tuesday, viewers are wondering whether Simon Cowell will be around to deliver his arsenic-laced assessments after this season.

However, sources who know Cowell well say that he’s not really planning on leaving “American Idol,” he’s just using the possibility as a bargaining chip to help another show along.

“He’s just using his current situation at ‘AI’ to be able to get ‘X Factor’ into the U.S.,” said one source.

“X-Factor” is a British show not unlike “America’s Got Talent.” Cowell's not just a judge on "X Factor," he has a financial stake in its success. “X Factor” is produced by his production company, Syco.

Sources say that Cowell’s contract with “American Idol” currently prevents him from launching any sort of competing show, but that will have to change if he renews his contract when it expires this May.

“Simon isn’t allowed to launch any competitor to ‘Idol’ while he’s under contract — but he’s necessary to the show,” said another source close to Cowell. “If push comes to shove, ‘Idol’ is likely going to try to find any way to keep him onboard, even if that means giving in to the ‘X Factor’ problem. Otherwise, if there’s no more Simon, I’m guessing there will be no ‘Idol,’ either.”

Google Phone Threatens Droid More Than IPhone

It’s a nice phone. OK, it’s a very nice phone.

But nothing about the new Nexus One smartphone from Google Inc. comes close to warranting the mass hysteria that attended its unveiling last week.

The Nexus One isn’t revolutionary. Nor is it an iPhone killer -- a phrase we should banish to the Tech Writers’ Hall of Cliches. It is, instead, a sleek phone with some advancements in display and processor technology that will surely be matched and then overtaken by others in the months ahead.

True, the rapidly evolving competition among Google, Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Research in Motion Ltd. is fascinating to watch. And Google’s plunge into e-tailing -- the Nexus One can only be bought directly from the company over the Web -- has the potential to shake up how phones are sold.

Me, though, I find it hard to swoon over a business model.

The Nexus One, manufactured by Taiwan’s HTC Corp. to Google’s specifications, is similar in both size and shape to the iPhone -- a smidge thinner and lighter, a trifle longer. It runs a new version of Google’s Android operating system that makes modest tweaks to the software that debuted on Motorola Inc.’s Droid two months ago.

Thing of Beauty

If anyone ought to feel threatened by the Nexus One, it’s Motorola, which committed to using Android for all its smartphones and now has powerful new competition from its own partner. Just to cite one area, the Droid’s screen used to be my favorite: super-bright, with higher resolution than the iPhone. But the Nexus One uses new technology that provides an even richer display, with deeper colors and blacker blacks. It’s a thing of beauty.

Under the hood, the Nexus One uses a Qualcomm Inc. processor that’s the most powerful ever put in a phone. It also has enhanced 3-D graphics, expanded speech-to-text features -- you can now dictate your Facebook or Twitter updates rather than type them -- a replaceable battery and a memory-card slot.

At the same time, the Nexus One shares the shortcomings of previous Android and HTC phones.

The number of Android apps trails far behind the iPhone. So does Android’s ability to sync with Microsoft Outlook for e- mail, calendars and contacts, though the Nexus One does come with a version of DataViz Inc.’s Documents To Go software that lets you work with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.

Accidental Launches

Its app icons, which now whiz onto the desktop instead of rolling up window shade-style, are too small and close together; I too often accidentally launch an app when all I’m trying to do is scroll through them. The included 4 gigabytes of storage is too small and inflexible, with only 190 megabytes set aside for apps.

You can’t pinch your fingers together or move them apart to zoom in or out on a screen. The home, back, menu and search buttons below the screen require too much pressure to push, and the trackball seems superfluous except when it glows to signal a new call or message.

The company’s real innovation is in how it’s selling the Nexus One and the other Google-branded phones to follow.

Most phones in the U.S. are purchased tied to a specific carrier, which subsidizes the cost of the handset in return for your commitment to a service contract. Google is seeking to separate the handset from the service. You can buy it with a service plan for $179, or pay $529 and purchase service separately.

T-Mobile

At launch, there isn’t much of a choice: The only carrier currently offering a plan is T-Mobile USA, the U.S. mobile-phone division of Deutsche Telekom AG, which charges $79.99 per month. In theory, you can also use a SIM card from AT&T Inc., but the phone wouldn’t be able to use AT&T’s 3G network for data, only its older, slower Edge network. Outside the U.S., Google is shipping the unlocked Nexus One to the U.K., Hong Kong and Singapore.

The choices will multiply over time. This spring will see a Nexus One that runs on the Verizon Wireless network, which uses a different technology than AT&T and T-Mobile. Also in the spring, Vodafone Group Plc is lined up to offer a service plan for the Nexus One in Europe.

Google is responsible for delivering the phone -- the one I ordered on launch day last week arrived in less than 48 hours -- and will be the first point of contact if anything goes wrong.

Weakening the carriers’ control and compelling them to compete with each other may eventually put more power into consumers’ hands -- and, of course, Google’s.

While all this is interesting, it’s hardly earth- shattering. When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, it changed the entire way people thought about wireless devices, ushering in the era of the mobile Web.

The Nexus One? It’s just a very nice phone.

The Price of Apple MacBook Pros Around the World



Brazil is one of my favorite countries. Cool people, great music, heavenly beaches, and caipirinhas. But if you have to buy a Mac, you are screwed. And like this graphic shows, it's the same in other places in the world.

Brazil wins, however: The price of one MacBook Pro 17" there buys you two identical models in the US. It's the same with other Apple products, so if you can't live without your Apple fix, you better move to another country.

I'd take the caipirinhas and the beaches, thank you very much.

Another boy for HK actress Cecilia Cheung

Veteran Hong Kong actor Patrick Tse has revealed that his daughter-in-law, actress Cecilia Cheung is expecting a boy.

He told reporters on Sunday that he was informed immediately after his son, actor Nicholas Tse, and Cheung found out the gender of their second child.

When asked about his thoughts on Cheung having a second male child, Tse replied that he was "not disappointed in any way" and said that it did not matter because the couple "will continue to have children".

"I have always doted on Cheung because she is a great person; she always puts her family first and is willing to sacrifice for her family," he added.

Cheung's mother-in-law, former actress Deborah Lee, also said that the gender of the baby "did not matter" and that it is more important for both mother and child to stay safe.

Lee has certainly put her money where her mouth is. She has reportedly been preparing Chinese herbal tonics that cost almost HK$10,000 (S$1,800) per dose for Cheung on a regular basis.

Patrick Tse's revelation ends speculation over the gender of Cheung's second child since the couple announced last year that they were expecting another child.

The pair have been keeping mum about the gender since the announcement and were only willing to say that they "had done an ultrasound scan but the result is unknown".

Cheung gave birth to her first child, Lucas, in 2007 and had reportedly suffered two miscarriages prior to her current pregnancy. Her second child is due in May this year.

Lee Minho to come out of the closet?

After seeing how he treated his lover Geum Jan Di on the drama Boys Before Flowers, we all know he can’t possibly be gay. But he can at least fake it.


Its just been revealed that Lee Minho was cast to play the role of a gay guy named Jun Jin Ho in a new MBC drama, Personal Taste.

Jun Jin Ho is a perfectionist who decides to act as a homosexual to become the roommate of his crush, who only befriends homosexual boys. Jun Jin Ho also enjoys seeing his room abnormally clean and neat, and of course, enjoys playing with girls as well.

“The elegant image of Lee Minho, plus his unique charm is perfect to fulfill women’s fantasies and portray men’s true feelings. We believe his acting and charisma will attract many viewers.”, says a representative.

Lee Minho stated, “I apologize for the long wait. I think my strong desire to bring better acting made me wait even longer. I promise to return as an actor who is more mature and experienced for the viewers.”

Personal Taste is planned to air its very first episode in April of this year, so stay tuned!

Pssst ... there's another glitch in Modern Warfare 2

There's always time for stories about glitches in Modern Warfare 2. Yes, once again 2009's most popular shooter has been exploited by people who feel accomplished by cheating in videogames. The latest bug arrived in very much the same way as the last one -- it's a PC mod that has been smuggled onto the Xbox 360 version.

This new glitch grants players the ability to move in fast-motion, and players get the feeling that they're skating on ice while they move. Running gives players about five times the normal speed. This glitch is most commonly found on Sabotage games, so be warned if that's your preferred gametype.

Every glitch uncovered in Modern Warfare 2 is yet another point scored by those in favor of dedicated servers. It really seems that letting Infinity Ward handle everything did not make for a more secure and fun gaming experience. Not that we expect IW to care, given the amount of bank they made.

Michael Bublé Is Engaged

Canadian crooner Michael Bubl̩ is getting hitched to his Argentinian actress girlfriend, Luisana Loreley Lopilato de la Torre Рand has been engaged for the last two months, his longtime rep confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.

"Michael proposed to his girlfriend, Luisana, in November, in front of her family in Argentina," rep Liz Rosenberg says. "They're ecstatic. They're adorable, in love and laugh all day long."

Lopilato, 22, a film and TV actress who stars in the hit Argentinian soap opera, Atraccion x 4, accepted his proposal Рand loves the diamond engagement ring from Vancouver jeweler Minichiello that Buble, 34, gave her to seal the deal, a friend of Bubl̩'s tells PEOPLE. "He designed the setting himself. He's very proud to be engaged to her."

The "Lost" and "Home" singer met her after one of his concerts in Buenos Aires in November 2008. "They met at a party the record company threw for him after his show in Buenos Aires," says the friend. "The head of the label wanted to introduce Michael to Argentina's most famous actress. When he met her, he said it was love at first sight."

Their Families Have Met

Their families have met "several times and are all very happy about this union," says the friend.

Lopilato, who shot to stardom as a member of the band Erreway and on the soap opera Chiquititas, is working on her next film, Plumiferos. Bublé is gearing up for his "Crazy Love" tour, which begins in March.

The couple has tried to keep their romance "low-key," says the friend. "She travels with him when she can. She was with him when he recently appeared on David Letterman and when he performed on Australian's Idol X-Factor in front of the Sydney Opera House."

Lopilato may also accompany him to New York City on Jan. 30 when he performs as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She even appears in the video of his current hit single, "Haven't Met You Yet."

The couple spent New Year's in Hawaii, where they "had a great time," says the friend.

Bublé was engaged to his longtime girlfriend, singer and actress Debbie Timuss, but split up in November 2005. He also dated The Devil Wears Prada actress Emily Blunt for more than two years, but split with her in 2008.

Bublé and Lopilato haven't set a date for the wedding yet, says Rosenberg.

Another Day, Another Lindsay Lohan Car Crash

It's been awhile, but Lindsay Lohan has struck again!

After a Saturday night out, the always-embattled actress was involved in a car crash.

"Her car was involved in an incident last night and a report was generated. There is an investigation. That's all we can confirm at this time," a rep for the Los Angeles Police Department tells E! News.

LiLo was not behind the wheel of her BMW, reports TMZ, when the driver stuck a paparazzo while leaving The Hotel Cafe. Her driver is reportedly under investigation for assault with a deadly weapon, but the actress is said to be in the clear. (But we're guessing a lawsuit might not be far off.)

Lohan is all too familiar with collision woes, having dealt with her fair share over the years. Last May, the star was riding shotgun when another driver crashed into a wall outside of a Hollywood hotel, and back in 2007, she spent months battling DUI and car-chase charges.

Roxxxy the 'Sex Robot' Debuts at AVN Porn Show

TrueCompanion on Saturday kicked off the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo's Saturday sessions with the debut of the "the world's first sex robot."


Meet the Roxxxy TrueCompanion. This doll has an artificial intelligence engine programmed to learn your likes and dislikes. She can listen, feel, and speak to her owner.

The doll features "girlfriend personalities," including Frigid Farrah, Wild Wendy, Mature Martha, and more. Users can also built custom profiles online and swap them with friends. The doll goes on sale next week for for $7,000 - $9,000 plus a subscription fee, which is "comparable to a cell plan," according to Roxxxy's creator, Douglas Hines.

TrueCompanion and Hines, a former Bell Labs employee, introduced its first robot, Trudy, in 1993. Users, however, told the company that the dolls were too "catatonic" and not interactive enough. Enter Roxxxy.

When asked what inspiration was for creating the doll, Hines said that "after 9/11, I wanted to give back." God bless America.

Else hands-on Closer : 'still alive and kicking'



We caught up with Else at CES to check on how they're doing with the First Else since we last saw them back in November. According to CTO Eldad Eilam, the basic functions of the ALP-based phone are finally done and dusted, so now Else will mainly focus on fine-tuning its snazzy visual effects until beta around the end of March. There's no doubt that it's also finalizing plans -- pricing, content distribution, and remote sync service, etc.-- with various partners in the US and Europe. If you happen to be in Asia, then sorry -- apparently Else has no intention to visit you guys just yet, but you might get lucky if you sneak into Sharp's factories in Japan or China. For the rest of us, we shall continuously gaze at our hands-on videos until First Else's expected end-of-Q2 launch







Fan Bingbing in the Onlookers' Eye

Maggie Cheung is regarded as a synonym of noble elegance whereas Carina Lau is hailed for being a woman that defines natural grace. While speaking of actress Fan Bingbing, people call her a Chinese 'Femme Fatale' for the voluptuous beauty she flaunts either on glossy pictures or red carpets.


Maybe it is because her beauty is so blinding that few onlookers would look beyond her face and deep into her heart.

Love or hate, the actress turning 30 has climbed up to new heights in her career, successfully juggling roles of a prolific actress and owner of private-run film studio in this past year.



Fan Bingbing was the cover girl again for the February issue of 'Marie Claire' and an accompanied interview she emptied her heart to gave the readers a much closer look at this radiant star off screen.



As a typical Virgo Lady, the self-critical actress would take her time to tidy up wardrobes for a whole day; she would be sweet enough to have a box of gifts collected beforehand, properly tagged and delivered in due time to people she cares for; also a considerate girl, she talks about an assumable meeting with would-be mother-in-law when she would choose to dress neutral, an effective practice she thought would convince the mother that she is not taking away her son. While back to work and with other actresses around, she may feel like an Amazonian woman who is ready to take others under her wing.


Lin Chiling dispels rumours of her engagement

Model/actress Chiling Lin has set the record straight on the rumours of her engagement to bathroom equipment heir Scott Qiu.

Asked if he was a potential husband, she told talk-show host Shen Chun-hua: 'I've never said so. The media said it on their own.

'I haven't had such thoughts.'

Lin, who dated pop star Jerry Yen previously, was asked about a letter of apology he wrote her and never sent after their break-up.

China Times said she was speechless for a few seconds, before saying: 'I don't want to read it.'

But she said she and Yen are friends who still talk on the telephone.

'Avatar' leads box office for fourth weekend

"Avatar" ruled the North American box office for a fourth weekend on Sunday, days after it soared up the worldwide rankings to become the second-biggest movie of all time.

James Cameron's 3-D sci-fi epic earned $48.5 million across the United States and Canada during the three-day period beginning Friday, distributor 20th Century Fox said.

Its total rose to $429.0 million, making it the seventh-biggest movie of all time in North America, before accounting for inflation. The last movie to enjoy four consecutive weekends at No. 1 was the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," in 2008.

Fox, a unit of News Corp, has said it expects "Avatar" to challenge "The Dark Knight" ($533 million) for the No. 2 slot in the North American record books. Cameron's "Titanic" holds the title with $601 million.

International moviegoers have driven the new film's success. As of Wednesday, they had chipped in $761 million, taking the film's worldwide total to $1.14 billion. "Avatar" passed the $1.12 billion tally of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" to become the second-highest worldwide release ever, trailing only "Titanic" with worldwide sales of $1.84 billion in 1997-1998. Fox will release updated international weekend sales data later on Sunday.

"Avatar" is the tale of a disabled ex-Marine sent from Earth to infiltrate a race of 10-foot (3-meter) blue aliens and persuade them to let his employer mine their homeland for natural resources. It was reportedly the most expensive film ever made, with a budget of at least $300 million.

Avatar - $48,500,000
Sherlock Holmes - $16,610,000
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - $16,300,000
Daybreakers - $15,000,000
It's Complicated - $11,007,000
Leap Year Uni.- $9,165,000
The Blind Side - $7,750,000
Up in the Air - $7,100,000
The Princess and the Frog - $4,700,000
Invictus- $1,715,000

Adam Lambert Wants a Boyfriend!

ADAM Lambert wants to be in a relationship!

The hunky American Idol runner-up — who recently split from longtime beau Drake LaBry — says he’d love to have a new man in his life, but his busy schedule gets in the way.

“I’m not in love,” Lambert told US TV show Extra, adding that he likes to casually date and enjoys meeting new people.

“I’m not in the position to be in a relationship. Ultimately, I would love that.”

Adam has previously revealed that he’s only ever been in love once.

“My life has changed so much, I’m not sure what my needs are anymore,” he said in a November interview with the USA Today newspaper. “At the moment, it’s probably difficult to have a relationship.

“I’m going to be doing a lot of growing in the next couple years. I’ve only been in two relationships, and really, really in love just one time. That’s one part of my life I’m learning about — my heart.”

BoA’s 7th Japanese Studio Album is pushed back to Feb 10,2010!

Previously reported that Asia Star BoA will be releasing her 7th Japanese Album on Jan 10,2010!


Yet, news came out today saying that on Jan 8, her Japan Official website has changed the date of the release and saying that the album is pushed back to Feb 10, one month from the previous released date.

BoA 7th Japanese Studio album titled “Identity” has shown a fresh-er look of her as she goes short hair for this album concept.

In conjunction with her upcoming album release, BoA will also held a national tour all over Japan from February to April 2010 under the title “BoA LIVE 2010“. The tour will start on Feb 17 with the following cities on the list : Kobe, Kanagawa, Fukuoka, Osaka, Hiroshima, Aichi, Sendai, Saitama, etc. As closing, BoA will be singing in her Tokyo Concert on April 15 and wrapped up her national tour in the sakura country.

Apple Tablet may ship with multi-touch version of iWork

Apple has reportedly spent a considerable amount of time in recent years working on a version of its iWork productivity suite that could be controlled solely through the use of complex multi-touch gestures, making it well-suited for inclusion on the company's forthcoming tablet device.

Those claims were embedded in a profile piece Saturday published by the New York Times on the growing number of slate-like computing devices that are in the process of making their way to market, or already on the market, including the Kindle, the Alex, the Que proReader and the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid.

In particular, the newspaper cited "conversations with several former Apple engineers" who've reportedly had a key role in the ongoing development of Apple's much-anticipated tablet device who suggest the company may require that users adapt to a "somewhat complex new vocabulary of finger gestures to control it, making use of technology it acquired in the 2007 purchase of a company called FingerWorks."

“The tablet should offer any number of unique multitouch experiences — for example, three fingers down and rotate could mean ‘open an application,’ ” one former Apple engineer reportedly told the paper. A second added that the Cupertino-based company has “spent the past couple of years working on a multitouch version of iWork."

Based on these rumblings, the Times speculates that Apple's looking to market its upcoming tablet device as "a fully functional computer, rather than a more passive device for reading books and watching movies." Such a move could reportedly help the electronics maker seek a higher average selling price for the device when it hits the market later this year.

Apple is widely expected to introduce its tablet offering later this month, with recent reports predicting that the device will be available for purchase near the end of the first quarter (March) or sometime the following quarter (which runs April - June).

Miley Cyrus steps out in a revealing ripped top with ripped jeans to match

She says she’s a tomboy at heart, but Miley Cyrus’s outfits have become more and more revealing as she attempts to distance herself from her clean-cut Hannah Montana persona and yesterday the Disney star didn’t disappoint as she flashed her bra in a sexy ripped top.


The 17-year-old donned the cobweb style grey t-shirt, which looked as though it had been ripped to shreds from behind, with paint-splattered and ripped jeans plus knee-high studded boots during a shopping trip in Los Angeles

Miley’s outfit caused a stir as she stopped off at a nearby coffee shop in Beverly Hills but the teenager seemed unfazed by the admiring glances she received from onlookers and later posed for pictures with a group of fans.



The outing came as she arrived back in the US with Australian boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, 19, after spending the New Year visiting his and friends in Phillip Island, Victoria.

When Miley, who had managed without a security escort for her whole trip, flew home from Melbourne airport, she caused such excitement that she was given a police escort through the terminal and rushed through customs in a bid to escape the paparazzi and screaming fans.


The star recently admitted that she finds life in the spotlight extremely difficult and enjoys returning home to Nashville, Tennessee where she is able to go out with her friends without being bothered.

'I got on the plane to Georgia, and I was lying in my mom's lap and crying and saying, '"I'm so happy to be getting out of Los Angeles,"' she told Harper's Bazaar magazine.

'I went out every night with my friends. I did karaoke. I danced. All this stuff would've been such a big deal in Los Angeles: Who's she with? Why is she dancing?

'I felt alive and real. It's so much easier to know who you are when there aren't a thousand people telling you who they think you are. I felt like I was really figuring myself out. Usually I have someone whispering in my ear, but I was on my own.'

Earlier this week it was revealed that Hannah Montana, the Disney show where Miley found fame, is likely to be shut down for good after filming its fourth season.

VanNess Wu and Autumn’s Concerto director in a love triangle?

It was previously reported that Van Ness Wu and his Autumn’s Concerto director Chen Hui-Ling are unusually close. They have denied such rumors and maintained that they have a professional relationship. Director Chen plans to shoot a new mini-series in March and has invited Van Ness to be the producer. Apparently director Chen’s boyfriend, who is a lighting technician, will also be working on this series, making it a collaboration of the (rumored) love triangle.



The rumors started as Van Ness Wu was often seen hugging and holding hands with director Chen on the set of Autumn’s Concerto. Director Chen explained that she only thinks of him as her little brother, and she was close with everyone from the crew anyways. His manager also confirmed the same, “Van Ness Wu treats everyone like family.”

Autumn Concerto's director Chen Hui-Ling at the 2008 Golden Bell Awards with awards for best editing, mini-drama writer, and theater director.

Van Ness Wu’s successful turn in Autumn’s Concerto has propelled him to the king of ratings among F4. He plans to expand his work behind the scenes by collaborating with director Chen on the new mini-series. Van Ness revealed that while shooting the Autumn’s Concerto, he experienced inexplicable frustration for 3 days in a row. On the fourth day, he dreamed of God and was told, “You're okay, it'll be fine.” Van Ness said the condition stopped after that day, while his manager explained he was probably just too deep into his acting.

Ex-Dead Space devs arming Modern Warfare 3?

What we heard: In July 2008, Infinity Ward announced that its top developers had signed a long-term contract with Activision. Besides involving presumably large monetary sums, the deal allowed the Santa Monica studio to branch out from the Call of Duty series it created in 2002 to work on a "unique new IP."

Now, with Call of Duty franchise sales topping $3 billion, unconfirmed reports indicate Infinity Ward may be focusing on its mystery project. Citing "US Insiders," the UK site says that Activision has farmed out development of the sequel to the megahit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which minted $550 million in five days last November.

If Infinity Ward is indeed moving on to its Next Big Thing, who might take over such an important franchise as Modern Warfare? Citing more unnamed sources, VG247 has two suspects: an unnamed Canadian studio, and Sledgehammer Games, Activision's newly founded San Francisco Bay Area studio.

Sledgehammer seems the more likely suspect, given that it has publicly said it is working on a "new game based on one of Activision's existing franchises." It is also currently hiring lead online multiplayer designers who must have at least "five years experience working on current AAA multiplayer shooters for current consoles and PC." Then there's the shop's sterling pedigree: its two founders, Glenn Schofield and Michael Condrey, were the main minds behind Electronic Arts' acclaimed Dead Space series before Activision poached them last July.

The official story: Activision reps had not returned requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: It's certainly in the realm of possibility, since Call of Duty development has been farmed out before. Since 2006, former Spider-Man developer Treyarch has made World War II-themed entries in the series while Infinity Ward crafted the first two Modern Warfares. Also, after eight years of Call of Duty, the latter studio's talented development team is likely ready to try something completely different.

Michael Jackson WAS murdered: Death certificate amended by coroner after police investigation

Michael Jackson’s death has been officially ruled as murder, it was revealed today.

The cause of death on the 50-year-old’s death certificate has been amended to 'homicide' after months of speculation.

According to the document the King of Pop died from ‘acute Propofol intoxication’ due to an ‘intravenous injection from another’.

On the original certificate issued on July 7 deputy coroner Cheryl MacWillie refused to give a cause of death.

However after further investigations, the certificate was amended and re-released in August by medical examiner Christopher Thomas. It now states the cause of death on 25th June 2009 as 'homicide'.

A source said that the Jackson family are 'keeping faith with the police', adding: 'We still feel that there is more than one person responsible for Michael's tragic death.

'Joe won't give up on getting justice for his son and a lawuit is his focus.'

The news comes after it emerged that the singer’s doctor Conrad Murray is expected to be charged with manslaughter.


Dr Murray could be prosecuted for 'gross negligence' for his treatment of the pop star during his last hours, police sources said.

Murray, a cardiologist, was with the star at his rented Los Angeles mansion in June and tried to revive him when he was found unconscious.


Murray already has a Houston law firm building his defence. Police affidavits say he admitted loading up Jackson with Propofol and other drugs in the hours before his death.

Miranda Sevcik, a spokeswoman in Houston for Murray and his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, said Friday the doctor had no comment and reiterated that Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson.

Jackson died while under Murray's care as the singer prepared for an ambitious concert schedule.

The district attorney's office is waiting for Los Angeles police to turn over the case before presenting it to a grand jury, the law enforcement source said.

A spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, however, denied that any decisions have been made.

'We have been working closely with the Los Angeles police during the pendency of this investigation,' spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said.

'There is no case before us at present and no final decision has been made.'

To prove a charge of involuntary manslaughter, authorities must show there was a reckless action that created a risk of death or great bodily injury.

If a doctor is aware of the risk, there might also be an issue of whether the patient knows that risk and decided to take it.

A large number of witnesses have been interviewed by police, including those who were present during Jackson's last days and those who worked with him in preparation for his comeback concert, 'This Is It'.

Authorities have also lined up medical expert witnesses who will testify about the normal standard of care in a situation such as Jackson's and will give opinions on why Murray's actions constituted gross negligence, the source said.

The police investigation was substantially completed by the end of December, the source said.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart ‘Eye Property on Isle of Wight’

ROBERT Pattinson and Kristen Stewart might be relocating!

The couple spent the New Year in Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight, which is just off the south coast of England.

And because they were hardly bothered during their brief stay, the stars — who became household names in the Twilight movie franchise — are thinking about buying a house in the secluded area.

“Rob and Kristen were only recognized a handful of times while in Ventnor,” said one insider. “They loved it. They were able to walk around largely unnoticed — like a normal couple. They’ve talked about buying a property on island for when the pressures of Hollywood get too much.”

The resort town of Ventnor is a favourite among other British celebrities, including supermodel Kate Moss, comic Russell Brand, socialite Peaches Geldof and singer Amy Winehouse, because of the privacy it offers.

“Well-known artists and musicians have found that they can live normal lives in Ventnor, away from the media glare,” said local resident Sally Perry. “So others tend to follow suit by choosing our lovely town for their special getaways.”

Yoona has a desirable egg-line

You must be thinking, what the heck is an egg-line? Well in Korea, they just invented this term. It’s supposed to describe a certain face shape. A lot of people in Korea talk about having a V-line because most people like to have a triangular shaped bottom half of a face. But this time, they’re going for the full-rounded egg-line.

I think it’s pretty obvious what an egg-line looks like. It’s just round or rather oval, like an egg. A plastic surgery hospital recently held a survey with college freshmen(to-be’s) asking, “Which celebrity has the most desirable egg-line.” Out of the 293 people, 197 of them picked Yoona of SNSD. That’s a whopping 67% of the votes.

The head of the hospital said, “Yoona is an idol but also an actress. She can pull off any style. Her eggline shows off a friendly and innocent image. These days, instead of having intense clear features, people like the egg shaped face. A lot of people have been getting plastic surgery for chins like Yoona’s.”

What’s with all the food related names for body parts? Chocolate abs, honey thighs and now egg-line.

iPhone Beats Droid, Nexus One And Droid Eris In Touchscreen Performance



The folks over at MOTO Labs (not related to Motorola) demonstrated a DIY yourself technique that allows the average person to easily compare touchscreen performance between multiple handsets. The test is performed by opening a drawing application on the test handset and drawing a diagonal pattern of straight lines very slowly on the screen. A good touchscreen will produce straight linear lines, while a poor touchscreen will produce wavy lines. To demonstrate the technique, MOTO Labs did a comparison test between the Apple iPhone, Google Nexus One, Motorola DROID and HTC DROID Eris. The clear winner in most of the tests was the iPhone which produced straight lines but with curving and sensitivity loss at the edges of the screen. The Nexus One and DROID Eris fall slightly below the iPhone with both handsets performing equally well, producing straight lines with some waviness and good sensitivity at the edge of the screen. At the bottom of the pack was the Motorola DROID which showed significant waviness and “stair-stepping” in all tests. These results might definitely mean something to the average user as a touchscreen that tracks poorly has a higher likelihood of misinterpreting touch input, and apparently imprecision even as small as a millimeter or two can make a significant difference when using a small on-screen keyboard or selecting text for editing. The video demonstrating the test and its results are after the jump. Watch it and let us know what you think. Is the DROID really as bad as the results show or is this test somehow skewed?

Jerry Yan, Ella have to kiss in abduction scene

Jerry Yan, member of Taiwan band F4, and S.H.E member Ella are collaborating in an upcoming drama series "Down with Love". Earlier, while filming an abduction scene, the director added a kissing section last minute, and caused nearby child star Xiao Xiao Bin to cover his eyes when they started making out. Ella and Jerry have many kissing scenes in this drama, and Ella expressed that this drama is very interesting and different. "For example, I had to receive a hand grenade from Jerry through our mouths, and it got caught many times, making us laugh. The setting was also very hot, so our bodies got very dirty." However, they continued to film and finished the scenes like professionals.


Donnie Yen gets big paycheck for modeling undies

Very few stars can demand over 10 million RMB per movie, but that is not the case if you are WORLD STAR Donnie Yen! In fact, 10 million is not even enough to pay half of his salary for a movie, but it might be enough to get him to model some men's underwear. Donnie Yen was rumored to have been paid 15 million for doing a new set of underwear ads for a brand in Mainland China. Concerning his payday, he said, “It is over 10 million, but I can't give the exact numbers.”

Donnie Yen has been on a roll in 2009 with a string of hit movies. He was called the number one money-maker of the year, reportedly making over 200 million RMB. He responded, “Huh? Oh no! That's exaggerated! The revenue department will come after me, there is no way I'll admit to this!” Concerning rumors that his salary-per-movie has risen to 22 million, he said, “Someone has offered me this amount to do a movie, but artists are in a passive position. The market adjusts naturally, like stocks rising and falling. I can only do my best in each movie.”

His new movie Bodyguards and Assassins has made over 275 million in the Mainland box office. Donnie Yen would like to thank the audience for their support. He said the movie's success is not solely based on him, and he was already happy just to be a part of the production. His new movie 14 Blades, in which he battles Pirate Wu Chun, will hit theatres during the Chinese New Year. Donnie Yen said he doesn't feel the burden of box office success, and only hopes that everyone can acknowledge his contribution and influence to Chinese movies.

Unfortunately there is no video footage of his photo shoot, but here's a clip of Donnie Yen when he visited SETTV's Showbiz (WQYL) to promote Ip Man. Hosts JR and Meng Zhe show what happens when fools try to challenge Donnie Yen.....

Fergie, Josh Duhamel Renew Wedding Vows

Josh Duhamel surprised his wife of nearly a year, Fergie, with a vow renewal ceremony Wednesday, UsMagazine.com has confirmed.

The couple -- who first said "I Do" in front of hundreds of guests in Malibu on Jan. 10, 2009 -- wed again with just the two of them and a minister outside Santa Barbara, Calif.

"It was a total surprise for Fergie," a source tells Us.

Duhamel, 37, whisked Fergie, 34, away via private helicopter from Los Angeles to the resort town (where Oprah has a home), according to RadarOnline.com, which first reported the news.

There, a limo was waiting to bring the couple -- who first began dating in 2004 -- to the luxe Bacara Resort & Spa, located about 20 minutes away.

During their 15-minute ceremony, held on a bluff overlooking the ocean, Fergie was "crying and very emotional," a source tells Radar.

Another insider describes the moment to Us as "really romantic, great views of the Pacific, sunset ceremony."

Afterward, the couple had a romantic dinner at the resort's upscale Miro eatery.

"They had the whole restaurant to themselves and left before the first customers came in," a source tells Radar.

Following the meal, the couple left hand-in-hand to return to the helicopter and fly back to Los Angeles.

Fergie and Duhamel's first year of marriage has been rocky.

In November, a stripper named Nicole Forrester alleged they carried on an affair while he was shooting the comedy Life As We Know It in Atlanta, a claim both Fergie and Duhamel have denied.

A source tells the new issue of Us Weekly that enduring the ordeal actually made their marriage stronger.

Ellen DeGeneres: "If Simon goes, I go!"

In a cover-story interview with EW, new judge Ellen DeGeneres throws herself into the middle of American Idol's negotiations with Simon Cowell. "If Simon goes, I go!" Ellen tells the magazine. "I will not be there without Simon."

And what does Simon think about that? "I think right now we have to concentrate on the next season and just get through that and worry about everything else afterwards," he says.

'Supernatural': Sixth season or bust?

The apocalypse may have to wait. CW boss Dawn Ostroff says Supernatural creator Eric Kripke is warming to the idea of a sixth season.

“I think he’s in that state of mind,” she says. “I had lunch with Eric the other day and he’s really excited about the show right now. I think he feels this season has been really satisfying for him. He’s certainly not running out of ideas by any stretch of the imagination.”

Ostroff, who says Kripke has been “hitting it out of the park” creatively this season, also points to Supernatural’s ratings success as proof the show has a lot of life left in it. “The ratings are up,” she says. “We have more young women coming to the show than ever before. There aren’t a lot of shows that you can say are doing better in their fifth year.”

Porn's Next Big Tech Push? Micro USB

I realize it seems a bit odd that members of our staff attend AVN's Adult Entertainment each year after the Consumer Electronics Show, but we do so for more than just kicks.

The adult industry has a proven track record of being an early tech adopter, pushing the latest gadgets and ideas via its enormous user base, taking a stand on things like VHS vs. beta and HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray.

One of the trends I saw on the floor this year was the adoption of Micro USB. The connector has been chosen as a standard for many major cell phone manufacturers, and it looks like many in the porn industry are getting on board as well, with a new crop of vibrators that can be charged from the comfort of your PC. From now on, you'll only have to pack one cable for those long business trips.

Is this the big push that Micro USB needs to go ubiquitous? I'm guessing that a consortium of major handset manufacturers are enough to put it over the top, but let's face it, the support of the adult industry certainly couldn't hurt.

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