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No BS PodcastNo BS Podcast #75 Dream Date Redux: The Norm Chan Edition

Posted 08/01/08 at 12:52:01 AM by Tom Edwards

The podcast gang returns after an extended break to bring you a the latest and greatest tech news. We also answer a load of your questions, providing advice on such subjects as dual PSUs, water cooling, and system upgrading.

We also follow up our astoundingly popular Win a Dream Date with Dave contest with its sequel, the Win a Dream Date with Norm competition. If you would like to enjoy a delicious chaperoned lunch with online editor Norm and take a tour of the Lab, tell us why you'd like to spend some time with Norm--songs, photo collages, and videos are all welcome. Send your entry to maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com by August 11!.

Do you have a tech question? A comment? A tale of technological triumph? Just need to get something off your chest? Email us at maximumpcpodcast@gmail.com or call our 24-hour No BS Podcast hotline at 877.404.1337 x1337--operators are standing by.

Subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337

Comments: 17
TAGS: cpu, gpu, No BS Podcast, doctor, Comic-Con, dream date

FeaturesComic-Con 08: Four Days, Four Hundred Cosplay Photos. Welcome to the Ultimate Geek Gallery.

Posted 07/28/08 at 11:00:00 AM by Norman Chan

It was a herculean task. Team Maximum PC at this year’s Comic-Con International consisted of only two people, and there was no way we could attend every packed panel at the event. So instead of bringing you movie and television panel reports you’ve probably already read on SlashFilm or AintitCoolNews, we wanted to be your eyes on the show floor. And that meant showing you what stood out most in the 500,000sq ft space of the main exhibit hall: the cosplayers. Our quest to document as many unabashed costumed geeks as we could find yielding 400 photographs of comic-book, anime, fantasy, science fiction, and film characters. We saw dozens of jokers and batmen, numerous video game-inspired outfits, and even steampunk-era Ghostbusters. The impressive level of creativity and enthusiasm that we saw in these cosplayers was an awesome reminder of why we love geek culture. We hope you can appreciate it as well.

Click through for, yes, all four hundred photos -- each in thumbnail and full-rez formats. Can you name all of the characters?

Comments: 29
TAGS: photos, Comic-Con, Photo Gallery, geek, feature, popular culture, comic-con 08, cosplay, san diego comic-con, costumes

FeaturesComic-Con 08: 10 Kick-Ass Sights From the Show Floor, Day 3

Posted 07/26/08 at 02:15:00 AM by Norman Chan

Here’s something I noticed today while snapping up photos hundreds of cosplayers: they each have a unique pose prepared when other attendees or photojournalists ask to take their picture. It’s actually quite entertaining to watch, really. A dressed-up costumer will just be walking by, casually chatting away with their friends, and then they’ll suddenly execute a unique pose and mug for the camera if they anticipate a shutter click. I’d like to imagine that these cosplayers practice modeling their poses in front of a mirror before stepping foot in public.

But on to the kick-ass sights I saw today. Warner Brothers held a large panel to promote the upcoming Watchmen movie; director Zack Snyder brought the entire starring cast to answer questions from fans and show off never-before-seen footage. The cast really looked and sounded like they loved the material and immersed themselves into their roles. Confirmed: Patrick Wilson’s Nite Owl will indeed be balding, fat, and impotent when he’s out of costume. Matthew Goode, who plays Ozymandias, also pointed out that he played the character with the idea that Veidt was the son of Nazis.

Click the jump to see more awesome costumes, and to find out who I bumped into on the show floor today.

Comments: 7
TAGS: photos, Comic-Con, geek, feature, popular culture, comic-con 08, cosplay, san diego comic-con, watchmen, celebrities

FeaturesComic-Con 08: 10 Kick-Ass Sights From the Show Floor, Day 2

Posted 07/25/08 at 02:37:04 AM by Norman Chan

Who knew geeking out could be so tiring. The first full day of Comic-Con is over, and our legs are already worn out. But before we collapse in fatigue, we wanted to share with your some more awesome sights from the show floor. We spotted hundreds of cosplayers (don't worry, we'll be posting photos of them ALL after the event), B and C-grade celebrities (Captain Sisko from Deep Space Nine!), and even some surprise announcements from the movie presentations (Tron 2 is in the works, starring Jeff Bridges). Some quick impressions of the Max Payne footage shown today at the 20th Century Fox panel: the movie looks like it's taking the story seriously, and bullet-time shots are definitely different from what you've seen in the Matrix or John Woo films. The film apparently utilizes a camera that can shoot at 1000 frames per second -- one scene we saw slowed the firing of a single shot down to over half a minute. Another big surprise from that panel: Hugh Jackman made an unannounced appearance to show off the first footage from the Gavid Hood directed Wolverine movie. Gambit and Deadpool are confirmed to appear. Awesome!

These ladies can barely contain their excitement for Ghostbusters. Click through the jump for more geek-out photos.

Comments: 5
TAGS: photos, Comic-Con, geek, feature, ghostbusters, popular culture, comic-con 08, cosplay, san diego comic-con, celebrities

FeaturesComic-Con 08: 10 Kick-Ass Sights From the Show Floor, Day 1

Posted 07/24/08 at 12:45:15 PM by Norman Chan

So much geeking out to do, with so little time to do it. We’re just about to head back to the San Diego Convention Center to join the 100,000 pop culture fans who’re ready to storm into the show floor. But before we head out to attend today’s festivities (which include a Max Payne movie presentation and Science Fiction discussion panel), we wanted to share with you our favorite snapshots from yesterday’s Preview Night. Families in cosplay, movie props, toys, and geek babes – wish you were here to see it all!

Click through the jump for the rest of the pics!

Comments: 4
TAGS: photos, Comic-Con, geek, feature, Batman, popular culture, comic-con 08, cosplay, san diego comic-con, watchmen

FeaturesMaximum PC Invades Comic-Con! Early Access Photos and First Nite-Owl’s Ship Licking

Posted 07/23/08 at 09:30:24 PM by Norman Chan

Geeks rejoice! Comic-Con, the annual holy land for comic book, movie, television, and gaming culture, is just about to open its doors. We’re down here in San Diego covering the event, and had a chance to sneak in before the doors opened to the 400,000 attendees to take a few photos of the convention floor. The spotlight tonight: the video game presence at the con. All the top gaming publishers are here, including EA, Capcom, THQ, and Sony. Maximum PC even has its own booth, Gaming University, where we’re joined by our friends at HP, FunCom, and CDV. Of course, we couldn’t resist snapping a few photos of the awesome props on display, including the mind-blowing Nite Owl ship from the upcoming Watchmen movie. Honestly, we tried to obey the “do not touch” signs. It just looked too delicious.

Click the jump for photos of the ship’s interior, and more snapshots from the floor. Over the next four days, we’ll bring you more reports from Comic-Con, so check back frequently!