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Emoji invade the official Star Wars app
The official Star Wars app got it’s first substantial update last week, bringing a full set of the emoji characters that delighted fans during Celebration Anaheim and San Diego Comic-Con. They’re the work of artist Truck Torrence, aka 100% Soft. Torrence spoke about the project at io9, Disney Insider, and more.
These aren’t formal emoji that you can nab straight from the keyboard, but if you have the app they act just like regular images.
They say they’re not sure if there’ll be more, but seeing as we’re lacking Rey, Finn and Poe images (among others,) I’d say it’s a sure thing there’ll be more by the time December rolls in.
An official Star Wars app has launched
StarWars.com now has an official mobile app, available in iOS and Android. It’s free, but good luck remembering your Disney ID password!
Star Wars virtual reality is coming
Lucasfilm and ILM today announced that they’ve formed the ILM Experience Lab (ILMxLab) to create “immersive content” – aka virtual reality and such. Coming one day to a theme park or gaming console near you, probably!
If that doesn’t do it for you, there’s also a new George Lucas interview.
Lucasfilm and Disney launching interactive storybooks for mobile
Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace is available on Apple’s App Store now, with the rest of the saga to follow.
Tiny Death Star mobile game launches today
Tiny Death Star, a new Star Wars mobile game based on Tiny Tower, has launched today. It’s free at the App Store for iPhone and iPad and on Google Play.
Roundup: Bind matter, create lightsabers? Science!
SCIENCE! Physicists have discovered “photonic molecules,” which could allow something like a lightsaber to really exist. “When these photons interact with each other, they’re pushing against and deflect each other,” Harvard Professor of Physics Mikhail Lukin says. “The physics of what’s happening in these molecules is similar to what we see in the movies.” Lukin and his colleague, MIT Professor of Physics Vladan Vuletic, have published their findings in the scientific journal Nature.
Episode VII. IMAX CEO tells IMAX investors that they’re “talking to J.J. Abrams” about filming the new Star Wars in IMAX. Alrighty then.
Whedon. Entertainment Weekly asks Joss Whedon if he’d turn down a Boba Fett movie if offered. “I can’t say for sure, because that’s a tasty morsel,” he answered. “But right now my heart doesn’t go that way.” Ugh. Lucasfilm, if you ever do decide to call up Joss Whedon, please don’t waste him on a Boba Fett movie.
Video. This “open letter” to J.J. Abrams is gorgeous and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Report: Distribution via Apple TV for cartoons, Episode VII production news?
Jedi News has a doozie for us today: There’s an app in development that Disney and Lucasfilm for Apple TV devices… And that venue will be where they distribute the “the final Clone Wars episodes exclusively” – and it’s going to happen in the upcoming holiday season. But that’s not all, their source said:
“Distribution will only be on Apple TV devices capable of running iOS7 and there has been no confirmation if the same app will be available to other iOS devices such as iPad or iPhone.”
Now THAT is where I start to get excited… As much as I’d rather have set information coming in from less restrictive environment… Well, I am an Apple fan. (Please come to iOS. Just the Episode VII stuff.) Plus, Apple announced that they’re adding some Disney content to Apple TV today, so this concept is anything but far-fetched.
And… I have heard independently of this that there is a big multi-media/app project in the works which could fit right in the the same wheelhouse as what we’re hearing here. Certainly there are far, far more details to come if this ends up being true, but I am definitely leaning in the direction of ‘plausible’ here. At least for today.
Are the Angry Birds taking on Star Wars?
Finally, a Star Wars game I will actually play! It seems like there have been fan versions of this almost as long as we’ve had Angry Birds themselves…
Anyway, your confirmation: Their just-launched Tumblr posted the above GIF today, along with the following text:
Times Square, New York, October 8th, 10am EST.
HINT: Head to Toys R Us at 8am EST!
Seeing as they have done film tie-ins and their latest game is space-themed, this isn’t unprecedented. Stay tuned…
UPDATE: Fast Company has a few more details… For instance, Luke Skywalker will be replacing the game’s default Red Bird. Lucasfilm and Rovio will be releasing more tie ins – the article mentions toys, apparel, bedding and a Jenga-inspired board game – so don’t expect to get off easy, collectors. (via)
Convention tip: Cameras, phones, camera phones and sharing your photos
You may be tempted to show off a great Star Wars phone case, but this may be the best time to switch it up – unless you made it yourself, you probably won’t be the only one using it. Same goes for ringtones!Unless you’re a professional, or otherwise used to hauling around a large camera, take one that’s portable and small. I’m sure a lot of folks will be using cell phone cameras, which are usually both!
If you are planning on using your cell phone to take pictures, and you use an iPhone or Android device, it might be worth looking into Instagram. It’s a nifty little social photo app that you can either take pictures through or use to post existing photos taken by the default camera setup. Yes, it’s best known for the faux-retro filters, but you don’t have to use them – and you can link it to your Twitter account.
For old-school photographers, or those who don’t want to share on the go, I remain, always and forever, partial to Flickr. It may be losing ground to Instagram these days (and with good reason – there’s a mobile app, but it’s awful) but it still remains the best photo archive/browsing site out there.
Anyway, a few more practical tips:
Luci: “Take a Sharpie and masking tape and put your name and address (or cell phone number if it’s not your cell phone) on the camera. You will be surprised by how many get returned to you. At DragonCon people are always turning those things and iPhones in because they are honest but by the end of the con, no owner shows up.”
Erika: “Remember to pack some extra batteries in your backpack/bag within easy reach.” And a spare charger, cell phone users! In fact, bring two, and leave the one you use overnight at the hotel – that way you have a spare if the other one gets lost. You might also want to look into a battery case or something similar.
And don’t forget to keep an eye on your camera batteries. True story from James: “Thursday night at Comic-Con, I plugged my camera into the laptop to download the pictures, and left the camera on all night (the batteries use a separate wall charger.) When I went to take a pic on Friday, it was dead.”
“Tip 1: remember to charge your camera batteries at night and Tip 2: remember to grab the batteries in the morning when you grab the camera – if you need to, leave your camera battery door open to remind you that there’s no battery in it, since usually outlets are not in obvious places in the hotel. Having a spare battery pack is smart!”