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Amazon Online Video Service Arrives in Japan

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Amazon Japan has launched its Instant Video online platform,
 with more than 26,000 imported and local films and TV shows for 
streaming or download. Amazon's decision to enter the online video 
market in Japan is interesting for two reasons. For starters, it is 
entering an already crowded marketplace with several major local 
competitors. It's also another sign that the competition between Amazon 
and its Japanese counterpart Rakuten is heating up.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
See also: <a href="http://www.circlestech.com/2013/11/angering-booksellers-is-amazon-source.html" target="_blank">Angering Booksellers is Amazon Source Program</a></h4>
The launch of Amazon Japan's Instant Video service comes just before 
the debut of the Kindle HDX, which goes on sale in Japan tomorrow. The 
device will come with a 2,000 yen ($20) coupon for Instant Video as a 
promotion. Instant Video's pricing tier begins at 100 yen (about $1) for
 a 24-hour rental. Amazon Japan also started selling e-books at the end 
of last year and now has more than 25 million songs on its music 
service.<br />
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The debut of Amazon Japan Instant Video pits it against local 
competitors like GyaO Corp, Tsutaya TV and NotTV, as well as Hulu and 
Apple's localized Japanese services. Amazon Japan's new focus on 
streaming video comes after competitor Rakuten took several big steps to
 position its $16 billion Internet services ecosystem as a significant 
worldwide competitor to Amazon and Netflix. Over the past two years, 
Rakuten has acquired e-reader services provider Kobo, European streaming video platform Wuaki.tv and Viki, a global video streaming platform that crowdsources translated subtitles.<br />
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Rakuten is probably best known in the U.S. as the lead investor in last year's $100 million Pinterest round,
 but it is also one of the world's largest e-commerce companies with a 
current market cap of about 1.9 trillion yen ($18 billion USD). That 
amount, however, still puts it far behind Amazon's market cap of $177 
billion. With e-commerce's extremely thin margins, Rakuten's decision to
 focus on aggressively expanding its digital content business makes 
sense. Amazon Japan's move into the online video market is another sign 
that, despite its much larger size, the e-commerce behemoth will not 
take its business in Japan for granted.<br />
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<i>Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. </i></div>

Amazon Online Video Service Arrives in Japan

Amazon Japan has launched its Instant Video online platform, with more than 26,000 imported and local films and TV shows for streaming...

+ Read more »

Betas Tries Review With Girls Type Humor

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In the second episode of Amazon's <i>Betas</i>,
 the main character makes a tongue-in-cheek launch video for the hookup 
app he's developing. It's to poke fun at the cliched life a blogger 
accused him of living in a harsh takedown post, but instead it 
highlights the show's weaknesses: The character, and the show, try very,
 <i>very</i> hard to be cool.<br />
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See also:  <a href="http://www.circlestech.com/2013/11/hunger-games-theme-park-plans-says.html" target="_blank">Hunger Games : Theme Park Plans | Says Studio CEO</a></h4>
<a href="http://amzn.to/180AMmO" target="_blank"><i>Betas</i></a> is <a href="http://studios.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon Studios</a>' second original series, which launched Nov. 22, just one week after the political comedy <i>Alpha House</i> from <i>Doonesbury</i> creator Garry Trudeau. While <i>Alpha House</i> didn't have quite enough clever punchlines, <i>Betas</i> has too many.<br />
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The half-hour comedy follows a group of four Silicon Valley dudes 
working on a startup social networking app tailored toward "dating." Joe
 Dinicol is twenty-something CEO Trey, the ideas man who persuaded his 
nerdy hacker engineer BFF Nash (Karan Soni) to drop out of Stanford and 
start their hookup app. Charlie Saxton is programmer Mitchell, and Jon 
Daly is odd-man-out 35-year-old slacker security chief Hobbes.<br />
The show's main problem is that the dialogue is so clever and 
stylized, but none of the characters seem to believe what they're 
saying. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="betas-is-sort-of"></a>
<br />
<blockquote class="microcontent-wrapper pullquote">
<div class="microcontent-shares" data-description="Betas is sort of like a cruder, tech-centric version of the Dawson's Creek dilemma: Do teens really talk like that? No. They don't." data-fragment="betas-is-sort-of" data-url="">
</div>
<span class="microcontent" data-description="Betas is sort of like a cruder, tech-centric version of the Dawson's Creek dilemma: Do teens really talk like that? No. They don't." data-fragment="betas-is-sort-of" data-micro="1"><i>Betas</i> is sort of like a cruder, tech-centric version of the <i>Dawson's Creek</i> dilemma: Do teens really talk like that? No. They don't.</span>
</blockquote>
<span class="microcontent" data-description="Betas is sort of like a cruder, tech-centric version of the Dawson's Creek dilemma: Do teens really talk like that? No. They don't." data-fragment="betas-is-sort-of" data-micro="1"><i>Betas</i> is sort of like a cruder, tech-centric version of the <i>Dawson's Creek</i> dilemma: Do teens really talk like that? No. They don't.</span>
 But in this case, it's, "Are these people really this clever all the 
time?" The answer is also no. They're definitely not, but the writers 
would like them to be.<br />
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"We took a few trips to the Bay Area and spent time at accelerators 
and startups, and we did a lot of phone interviews with venture 
capitalists, angel investors and tech CEOs," <i>Betas</i> co-creator Evan Endicott told <a href="http://mashable.com/" target="_blank"><i>Mashable</i></a>.
 "It turned out that the culture and our perceptions of the startup 
space turned out to be accurate — just from us being people who use 
apps, read sites like <i>Circles Tech</i><br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Circles Tech</div>
or go to movies like <i>The Social Network</i>."<br />
Want to create a drinking game? Take a shot every time someone on <i>Betas</i>
 name-drops an app (real or fake), a meme or some sort of Silicon Valley
 tech-speak nonsense. (Drinking games based on Amazon original series 
are totally the future.)<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="m!8632"></a>

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Basically, this show is packed with a Diablo Cody-level of cute pop 
culture references, but most of the time it just doesn't feel natural 
coming from the actors' mouths.<br />
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<a href="http://www.circlestech.com/2013/11/5-top-great-android-apps-to-find-your.html#more" title="Read more » 5 Top Great Android Apps to Find your Lost Android  Device">
Read more »</a></div>
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Betas Tries Review With Girls Type Humor

In the second episode of Amazon's Betas , the main character makes a tongue-in-cheek launch video for the hookup app he's devel...

+ Read more »

Hunger Games : Theme Park Plans | Says Studio CEO

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Lionsgate, the studio behind <em>The Hunger Games</em>, revealed in a
 conference call Friday that it has been approached to create theme 
parks after the popular franchise and is considering the possibility.<br />

There isn’t a lot of information yet, but the phone conference was between Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer and industry analysts. According to <em>Variety</em>:<br />

<blockquote>
Feltheimer said Lionsgate had been approached about 
“Hunger Games” theme parks in two territories and was considering those 
possibilities. He gave no further details.</blockquote>
What should be considered is whether <em>Hunger Games </em> fans would be willing to pay hundreds of dollars to spend a day immersed in its setting. The difference between<em> The Hunger Games</em> and, say, <em>Harry Potter</em>,
 is that there’s no part of the world that most readers actually want to
 see come alive. Between the abject poverty, forced labor and Capitol 
people who joyfully rip 24 families apart every year for entertainment, 
it might be a hard sell.<br />

But since the books and subsequent films are widely popular, may the odds be ever in their favor.<br />
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<em>Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.</em></div>

Hunger Games : Theme Park Plans | Says Studio CEO

Lionsgate, the studio behind The Hunger Games , revealed in a conference call Friday that it has been approached to create theme p...

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Batman Arkham Origins is Available…But Does it Deliver? - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Who doesn’t want to get the opportunity to be Batman, even if it’s only through a video game console? Batman Arkham Origins was released on October 25, 2013 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and as a PC game. Being released behind such big hits as Arkham Asylum and Arkham City left Arkham Origins with big shoes to fill. So just how does it stack up to the previous entries in the Arkham catalog in terms of the storyline and the gameplay?<br /><br /><b>Arkham Origins</b><br /><br /><b></b>First things first. There were 2 major changes with Arkham Origins. First, Rocksteady, who developed both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City did not develop Arkham Origins. It was Warner Bros who developed Arkham Origins. As a result of this, gamers are certain to notice some subtle differences throughout the game. Second, and perhaps more disappointing to hard-core fans is the fact that the voices of Batman and the Joker (originally voiced by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill) have been replaced with other voice actors. The other actors do a credible job, of course, but it’s just not the same.<br /><br />The storyline of Arkham Origins finds a young Batman 5 years before the events that happened in Arkham Asylum. A rich criminal puts a large bounty on Batman’s head and 8 different assassins line up to try and collect that bounty. Sounds interesting, right? It also happens on Christmas Eve in Gotham which adds to the tension.<br /><br />As far as the gameplay goes, Arkham Origins is much the same as its 2 predecessors. Combat and travelling around the city will feel immediately familiar. Unique in Origins, however, is the ability for Batman to call his Batwing to help him quickly travel around Gotham.<br /><br /><b>What’s the Verdict?</b><br /><br />Many reviewers are finding that this Batman installment feels a little too…familiar. The fighting is the same (with the exception of the shock gloves which pretty much allow Batman to win any fight), grappling around the environment is essentially the same, and the overall gameplay is the same. Batman still uses his gadgets, he still solves puzzles, and he still has to go into CSI mode to look for evidence.<br /><br />Indeed, it seems it is not as groundbreaking of a game as its 2 forerunners. Is it a bad game? No. Is it the best Batman game available? No. Will it still sell a ton of copies? You bet. Should you check it out for yourself? Of course. As stated at the beginning of the post – who doesn’t want to be Batman for a while?</div>

Batman Arkham Origins is Available…But Does it Deliver? - Circles Tech

Who doesn’t want to get the opportunity to be Batman, even if it’s only through a video game console? Batman Arkham Origins was released on ...

+ Read more »

'Murder, She Wrote' Reboot to Star Octavia Spencer - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">NBC has agreed to a put pilot commitment on a reboot of Angela Lansbury‘s hugely popular and long-running mystery series <i>Murder, She Wrote</i>. That means that we’re definitely seeing Octavia Spencer in the lead role some time soon.<br /><br />There’s usually no guarantee that a show will actually air until after a pilot is produced and the network commits to a series. A put pilot, however is a distinctly different animal, and that’s what <i>Deadline</i> is calling Alexandra Cunningham and producer David Janollari‘s new project, starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. The “put” part of a put pilot means that the network has agreed to air the pilot, regardless of whether they pick it up for a series or pay some steep fees to the production studio that made it. It means that whatever Cunningham, Janollari and Spencer produce, we’re very very likely to actually see it air.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br />And what will they produce? <i>Deadline</i> describes the <i>Murder, She Wrote</i> redo:<br /><blockquote>Described as a light, contemporary procedural in the vein of <i>Bones</i> or <i>Fargo</i>, it follows a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth (Spencer) who self-publishes her first mystery novel. Set in a day where sensational headlines inundate the news, this woman’s avid fascination with true crime leads her to become an active participant in the investigations.</blockquote><br /><i>Bones</i> and <i>Fargo</i> are some good names to drop, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen a woman of color take the solo lead in a detective procedural. Apparently, the entire idea began with Octavia Spencer:<br /><blockquote>“I’ve always considered myself an armchair detective and in a recent meeting with [NBC Chairman] Bob Greenblatt, he asked me what type of character would be able to lure me to TV. Naturally, I said ” J.B. Fletcher” meets “Colombo”… And here we are. I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Dave Janollari again, and Alex Cunningham a brilliant writer who shares my love for all things mysterious and Angela Lansbury.”</blockquote><br />Lansbury herself was nominated for a lead actress Emmy for her work in every one of <i>Murder, She Wrote</i>'s 12 seasons, but I can imagine Spencer filling the role admirably. And while <i>Deadline</i> doesn’t give a source for the info, they "hear" that Lansbury has been approached to appear in the adaptation. Either way, this is something that needs to be on television.<br /><br /><i>Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.</i></div>

'Murder, She Wrote' Reboot to Star Octavia Spencer - Circles Tech

NBC has agreed to a put pilot commitment on a reboot of Angela Lansbury‘s hugely popular and long-running mystery series Murder, She Wrote ....

+ Read more »

Are You Losing Sleep Over Your Slow PC? - Circles Tech

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Ever want to throw your PC out the window because it was taking too long to load a website? You’re not alone. A global survey commissioned by storage device maker SanDisk found that 14% of American respondents have taken their frustrations out on a gadget, while 27% have lost sleep due to slow computer performance. The survey also found the average American has lost 119 hours of free time to computer-related delays in the past 12 months. That’s almost five days a year of your life lost because your computer was stalling.<br>
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The June 2013 study of more than 8,000 PC users from around the world found that the frustration caused by inefficient devices could put a quarter of American respondents in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Oddly enough, despite mobile Internet speeds still lagging behind ethernet or Wi-Fi connections at home or the office, 53% of Americans polled said the computer they use at home or work is the device that annoys them the most due to wasted time. Only 22% said their mobile phone caused the same grief.<br>
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Are You Losing Sleep Over Your Slow PC? - Circles Tech

Ever want to throw your PC out the window because it was taking too long to load a website? You’re not alone. A global survey commissioned ...

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GoGo Vision: In-Flight Movies Before Theatres - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Features such as <i>High speed</i> web browsing and <i>airborne streaming</i> make Gogo an indispensable element of any tech infatuated traveller’s itinerary.  The world leader of in-flight connectivity and a pioneer in wireless in-flight digital entertainment solutions, Gogo has partnered with Magnolia Pictures to offer their movies to airline passengers through Gogo Vision. The content will include pre-theatrical and theatrical release titles, a first for Gogo.<br /><br />You could be watching films Like Anchorman 2 on a plane, before it hits the cinemas.<br /><br />The deal, just announced, will put select films on its Gogo Vision <i>VOD service</i> before they arrive in theatres. Starting from next month, airline passengers will be able to rent two brand new movies for the usual fee of $3.99 each, which will be available ahead of  their theatrical release. Whilst it is unlikely that these foundational movies will break any box office records, the influx of early access content will certainly be an advantage for passengers who forgot to bring a book. “We are excited to be working with Gogo and their innovative Gogo Vision platform. Airline passengers can finally have the same early window access to our amazing films that has been available in virtually every home, every mobile device and many hotels across the country,” Eamonn Bowles, President of Magnolia Pictures, said.<br /><br /><img alt="GoGo" height="432" src="http://techbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/aircraft-commerce-com-e1381410985638.jpg" title="GoGo Vision: In-Flight Movies Before Theatres" width="640" /><br /><br /><br /><a name="more"></a>Starting in November, passengers on select aircraft will have access to THE LAST DAYS ON MARS, a sci-fi thriller starring Liev Schreiber (Ray Donavan, X-Man Origins: Wolverine), before it is released theatres. They will also have access to BEST MAN DOWN, a comedy starring Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard) and Tyler Labine (Tucker and Dale Vs Evil).<br /><br />Gogo Vision enables passengers to rent movies and television shows and then stream them to their own Wi-Fi enabled devices. Passengers can select from a library of more than 100 programs from some of Hollywood’s major studios. Renting movies through Gogo Vision starts at $3.99 and only $.99 for a TV show.  For passengers who do not finish their program onboard the aircraft, Gogo Vision has a nice feature that allows passengers to finish watching their program on the ground for a 24-hour period on the same device on which they rented the content.<br /><br />“We continue to enhance and improve the offerings that passengers can find on Gogo Vision…Magnolia has a strong history of bringing cutting edge and compelling content to market. Having pre-theatrical and theatrical releases available to passengers is a first for Gogo and it will help assure that there’s always something fresh and exciting for passengers to watch when they use Gogo Vision.” Gogo’s chief commercial officer, Ash ElDifrawi, sai</div>

GoGo Vision: In-Flight Movies Before Theatres - Circles Tech

Features such as High speed web browsing and airborne streaming make Gogo an indispensable element of any tech infatuated traveller’s iti...

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Which Superhero Flies Highest on Social Media? - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Maybe you can leap tall buildings or stop a locomotive in its tracks, but how fast can you become a trending topic?<br /><br />Comic book fans love to see their favorite super-powered characters face off again and again — that explains the popularity of <i>The Avengers</i> or 2015's yet-untitled Superman/Batman film. But what if superheroes — and their evil-doing nemeses — squared off in the social arena?<br /><br />Synethesio monitored social media channels over a 30-day period to measure the impact of the world's mightiest heroes ... and villains. The 10 characters with the highest social scores appear in the graphic below. Would it surprise you to know the most popular superhero of all is one without any powers?<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br />Who's your favorite superhero, heroine or villain? Let us know in the comments below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="m!c816"></a><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><img alt="Superheroes_Draft_3_WEB" height="640" src="http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzEwLzEwL2Y2L1N1cGVyaGVyb2VzLjUyNTMwLmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTEyMDB4OTYwMD4/1a9cfcaf/40c/Superheroes_Draft_3_WEB.jpg" width="131" /></div><br /><br /><br /></div>

Which Superhero Flies Highest on Social Media? - Circles Tech

Maybe you can leap tall buildings or stop a locomotive in its tracks, but how fast can you become a trending topic? Comic book fans love to ...

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New York Comic Con Tweets From Attendees' Accounts Without Permission -Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Fans, celebrities and press attending New York Comic Con on Thursday sent out laudatory tweets expressing excitement to be at the annual convention — or at least it looked like they did, as the tweets were published entirely without their permission or knowledge.<br /><br />The tweets were tied to attendees' NYCC badges. This year, conference organizers Reedpop allowed people to pre-register their badges online. The badges have radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips that are tied to a user's identity in order to curb counterfeits. (RFID chips use radio frequencies to transfer information between the chip and a receiver.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="m!156a"></a><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><img alt="Comic-Con-Badge-Registration" height="311" src="http://rack.2.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzEwLzExL2UxL0NvbWljQ29uQmFkLjY2YzVlLmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTEyMDB4OTYwMD4/6103ef40/a5f/Comic-Con-Badge-Registration.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /></div><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br />Attendees were then invited to connect their social-media accounts to their badge, although it wasn't explicitly stated that NYCC could post to Facebook or Twitter on their behalf.<br /><br />As people checked in to the convention on Thursday, many published tweets looked authentic (and were written in conversational language), but were not written by attendees. Here's a selection, below:<br /><blockquote>Pop culture overload! Just checked into #NYCC! http://t.co/RLBoRBiWYe<br /><br />— Greg Miller (@GameOverGreggy) October 10, 2013</blockquote><br />The bit.ly links redirected to New York Comic Con's Facebook page, and the tweets were all tagged with #NYCC.<br /><br />NYCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. We'll update this story as it develops.<br /><br />Did New York Comic Con send out unauthorized tweets from your account? Tell us your story, below.</div>

New York Comic Con Tweets From Attendees' Accounts Without Permission -Circles Tech

Fans, celebrities and press attending New York Comic Con on Thursday sent out laudatory tweets expressing excitement to be at the annual con...

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Because of iPad, 'Little Mermaid' Will Never Be the Same - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ariel’s not the only one with gadgets and gizmos aplenty. In 16 locations across the U.S., audiences can bring their own tablets to the movie theater during the month after Sept. 20 — and actually use those devices during the film.<br /><br />Disney’s latest re-release of the 1989 classic <i>The Little Mermaid</i> came with a twist: The company encouraged children to bring and use their iPads during the screening, provided, of course, they played along on Disney’s free iPad app, Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid App. Audience members can play games, compete with other participants in the theater and sing along with the music as the story unfolds.<br /><br />IPad in hand, I caught a showing of <i>Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid</i> to test the app, the experience and to consider what second screen moviegoing means for the future of the industry.<br /><br />The app is well designed. Using your iPad's microphone to sync, its interactive elements match up with the film even if you have to close the app for any reason (like a potty break). The games come fast and often, and usually associate with a specific character or event in the movie. For example, when Triton comes onscreen you'll be playing <i>Triton's Trivia.</i> Most importantly, the games are appropriate for a wide range of ages — and 20-something reporters.<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br /><br /><br />This isn’t Disney’s first foray into the world of second screen gaming. The App Store has hosted second screen games for <i>Real Steel</i>, <i>TRON Legacy</i>, <i>The Lion King</i> and more for several months, as companions to the Blu-Ray DVDs.<br /><br />However, bringing your second screen to the movie theater makes this version different, and it may indicate a future trend.<br /><br />Disney has long supported the movie-going experience. Its classic re-releases offer new audiences a chance to see their favorite princes and princesses on the big screen — and Disney can make several million bucks or so in the process. The push for second screen is simply the next step.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="but-does-the-little"></a><br /><blockquote><br /><div></div><br />But does <i>The Little Mermaid</i> need second screens to get a second wind?</blockquote><br />But does <i>The Little Mermaid</i> need second screens to get a second wind? The brand remains popular even after 25 years; according to Google, it's the third most frequently mentioned Disney movie on the web. Does adding distracting games and new character voiceovers help a new generation fall in love with the story?<br /><br />Because the games <i>are</i> distracting. Some moviegoers meeting Ariel and friends for the first time will find it hard to focus on the movie, with a new game every minute or two. Many games require an individual's full attention, for instance, when players quickly pop bubbles or tilt the iPad to catch Ariel's treasures in a chest. In fact, the games were so distracting, on multiple occasions key information was lost to gameplay.<br /><br />See an example of one of the games in the video below:<br /><br /><br /><br />Not to mention the voiceover and inter-theater competition, where up to four characters talk over the dialogue in the film to encourage players to compete with other audience members. As someone who grew up with Ariel, sure, the games were fun. But children seeing the movie for the first time missed seeing Triton destroy Ariel's treasures; Ariel meet Eric for the first time; Ariel's visit with Scuttle.<br /><br />The only time the iPad truly helps the audience pay attention to the movie is during a song. Following along with lyrics on your iPad not only provides good practice for young readers, it helps the audience focus on the movie's plot.<br /><h2>Is this the future of the movie theater?</h2><br />While <i>The Little Mermaid</i> will soon return to the Disney Vault, iPads and all, Disney is releasing <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas</i>: Second Screen in theaters later this year. One can expect the trend will continue as long as the movies are profitable.<br /><br />So, does this mark the beginning of a trend for moviegoers? And if so, could it revive the movie theater industry or drive the final nail in the coffin?<br /><h3>The Pros</h3><br /><ol><br /><li>Despite the number of "digital detox" vacation tips you may have read this year, we're more attached to our devices than ever. Statista reports that the amount of time Americans spend consuming digital media will eclipse the amount of time spent watching television for the first time ever this year. The extension of the second screen experience into the movie theater seems like a natural progression.</li><br /><li>Adding a game element to a movie elevates it from a linear to non-linear narrative, giving audience members the chance to interact with the story and its characters. It revitalizes the almost 25-year-old animation, bringing it up to par with more recent animated creations like <i>Monsters University</i> or <i>Brave</i>. And the novelty of the experience could drive revenue for Disney in a time when many agree the the movie industry is in decline.</li><br /><li>There's no telling what's next for second screens. If geared towards an adult audience, second screens could provide background information, a chance to live-tweet movie reviews to friends or quiz movie buffs. For series, (like the upcoming <i>Star Wars</i> episode, perhaps?) audiences could get refreshers on how characters fit into the universe, family trees, etc.</li></ol><br /><h3>The Cons</h3><br /><ol><br /><li>There's a reason we're instructed to turn off cellphones before a movie. Extra devices ruin the movie experience by providing unwanted distractions that take the viewer out of the story. Ariel walking on her shaky legs for the first time is excitement enough for young audiences.</li><br /><li>Many parents are trying to <i>limit</i> their children's screen time, especially for children under the age of five, due to its potential link to emotional distress, anxiety and depression.</li><br /><li>As of now, you need an iPad to participate. Not an iPhone. Not an Android or Microsoft tablet. So, what about the other 50% of the tablet-wielding population?</li></ol><br />Where do you stand on Disney's second screen / silver screen experience? Let us know in the comments.</div>

Because of iPad, 'Little Mermaid' Will Never Be the Same - Circles Tech

Ariel’s not the only one with gadgets and gizmos aplenty. In 16 locations across the U.S., audiences can bring their own tablets to the movi...

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How Tony Bennett Conquered the Internet in a Day - Circles Tech

Legendary singer Tony Bennett intently taps on his iPad while sharing a story about his old friend Frank Sinatra. It's a big day for the 87-year-old musician: more than 75 of his albums are finally landing in the iTunes Music Store and he's about to set out on a full day of social networking to get the news out to a much younger audience.<br/><br/>"It's amazing how technology has changed the way we live and it's remarkable to think about what's ahead," Bennett told <em>Mashable</em>, before participating in a Twitter chat. "No one wants an autograph anymore — they just whip out their camera phones and post it to Facebook right away. Everything is so fast."<br/><div><br/><br/>See also: <a href="http://circlestech.com/amazon-takes-on-paypal-with-its-own-checkout-service-circles-tech/">Amazon Takes on PayPal With Its Own Checkout Service</a><br/><br/></div><br/>For an artist who has been a success for more than six decades and racked up more than 17 Grammy awards along the way, he's still learning how to evolve with the industry.<br/><br/>As a part of an effort encouraged by his son, the singer — wearing a suit, as always — was seemingly everywhere on the Internet on Tuesday. One hour, he was fielding questions on Twitter and the next, he was rattling off answers on Reddit, a Q&A session that landed him on the front page of the wildly popular message board website. And then, to wrap up the day, he looked through old pictures from the Sony Music archives for a video posted in segments to his Facebook page.<br/><br/>For a man who says he barely checks his iPhone, he <em>owned</em> the Internet, discussing everything from his love of painting to his upcoming jazz album with Lady Gaga, which will likely debut in January.<br/><br/>Many who asked questions on Reddit cited their parents and grandparents as huge fans, but his recent work with younger acts such as Gaga, Carrie Underwood and the late Amy Winehouse ushered in a new wave of followers.<br/><br/>"My favorite story about [Winehouse] is that while everybody was mourning her death, I ran into her mother, who was a very small sweet little woman,'" he wrote on Reddit. "She said, 'I'm a little different than everybody about my daughter's death because she always had a dream of becoming famous. So even though she had a short life, she was always content because she acquired her goal.'"<br/><br/>Bennett's other social initiatives were a little less candid than the Reddit AMA, as followers submitted questions via Facebook and Twitter using hashtag #AskTony and #TonyDigitalDay ahead of time. Answers were prepped and posted with the help of Twitter app Long-Tweets, which lets you post tweets longer than 140 characters.<br/><br/>He wasn't a complete stranger to the digital world before Tuesday; he says he is loyal to his iPad while on the road: "I use a lot of art apps," Bennett, who's biggest passion aside from music is art, told Mashable. "I watch instructional videos about it too."<br/><br/><a name="m!1d4b"></a><br/><div><br/><div></div><br/><img alt="Tony Bennett" src="http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzEwLzA4L2VjL1RvbnlCZW5uZXR0LjFlNWI0LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTEyMDB4OTYwMD4/7995ee46/0d6/TonyBennett2-640x426.jpg" /></div><br/>Among his favorite art apps are Art Authority and those by artist friends, including Charles Reid, Robert Wade and Everett Raymond Kinstler. He used to sketch on napkins and tablecloths at restaurants — so waiters and waitresses were treated to more than just a tip — but now he relies mostly on his tablet while traveling.<br/><br/>How else are you seeing legends adapt to the technological age? Let us know in the comments.

How Tony Bennett Conquered the Internet in a Day - Circles Tech

Legendary singer Tony Bennett intently taps on his iPad while sharing a story about his old friend Frank Sinatra. It's a big day for the...

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6 Big Names New to Social Media This Week - Circles Tech

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's time for another dose of the new accounts added to various social media platforms — and this week's list promises to be a bit magical.<br /><br />Here's your social media roundup for the week ending Oct. 4:<br /><h3>Sarah Michelle Gellar on Twitter</h3><br />Vamping things up this week is Sarah Michelle Gellar, who joined Twitter to a barrage of welcome tweets from her former <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> co-stars. Gellar is making the rounds promoting her new show <i>The Crazy Ones</i>, which she stars in with Robin Williams, making it e a good time to engage on social media. Twitpics of Freddie Prinze, Jr., please.<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><h3>Robert Sacre on Twitter</h3><br />This one's for you, Laker fans. Robert Sacre, who plays for the Los Angeles basketball team, joined Twitter early in the week. The 7-foot-tall center has been quite engaged with his followers, responding to fans' tweets — and himself — on the social media platform. Strike while the iron's hot, everyone.<br /><h3>Nandan Nilekani on Twitter</h3><br />Your oddly-late-to-the-game follow of the week goes to Nandan Nilekani, one of the main player's in India's technology community. Better late than never, we guess. Dubbed the "Bill Gates of India," Nilekani is the co-founder of Infosys, which is the third-largest India-based IT services company. Nilekani is also the current chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, a government agency that is attempting to provide every person in India with a unique digital ID. And his tech credentials don't stop there. He is the chairman of another government agency, the Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects, which advises on the technological aspects of the country's large financial projects.<br /><h3>Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram</h3><br />In a Best-friends pose with fashion designer Jason Wu, actress Gwenyth Paltrow posted her first photo to Instagram. Paltrow was recently named the Most Hated Celebrity in Hollywood, but also <i>People</i> magazine's most beautiful woman of 2013. Will this different side of her help her image — or fuel the fire? Either way, let's hope for plenty of photos of husband Chris Martin.<br /><h3>Charlize Theron on Instagram</h3><br />Staying true to her roots, South Africa-native Charlize Theron sent her first Instagram from a recent trip to the country. Theron, who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a Florida serial killer in <i>Monster</i>, is also an activist — especially concerning youth issues in Africa.<br /><h3>Disney Parks on Vine</h3><br />The day we've all been waiting for without even realizing it has come. Disney Parks is now on Vine, enchanting us one six-second video at a time. The company is already incredibly engaged on the platform, currently hosting a Vine challenge that asks users to "show their Disney side."<br /><br />Happy any of these names have finally joined us in social media bliss? Anyone you think we should be keeping an eye out for? Let us know in the comments below.</div>

6 Big Names New to Social Media This Week - Circles Tech

It's time for another dose of the new accounts added to various social media platforms — and this week's list promises to be a bit m...

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