Viacom and Amazon enter multi-year agreement, spurning Netflix in the process
Today, Viacom and Amazon announced their multi-year agreement to stream Viacom TV shows exclusively on Amazon's Prime Instant Video service. Viacom is one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, comprised of a large number of TV networks including MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. The agreement also comes at Netflix's expense whose own agreement with Viacom recently expired.
It's a huge blow for Netflix subscribers, as shows broadcast on any of the aforementioned networks (like South Park, Rocko's Modern Life, Workaholics, Teen Mom, etc.) will be unavailable to them. At the same time, it's a huge gain for Amazon, as Prime Instant Video hasn't had access to worthwhile content. Does this mean Netflix, who's experienced a bit of a subscription bump with exclusive series like Arrested Development premiering, will lose a large number of its 20-something demographic with this huge exodus of shows? We'll see. I know one thing: I finally have a good reason to actually use my Prime Instant Video subscription.
[via Deadline]
Farmville crops dry up as Zynga lays off large number of staff
Does anybody still play FarmVille? I remember when the craze took over Facebook, resulting in a seemingly endless amount of hourly game requests to water plants and harvest crops. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Zynga, the company that popularized (and somewhat legitimized) Facebook social gaming has recently fired more than 500 employees in an attempt to save up to $80 million. The rollout, which should be finalized by the end of August, was deemed a necessary business strategy to ensure the company stays alive for an extra while longer.
It's an unfortunate move for everybody who lost their jobs, but the once seemingly gigantic gaming company have fell upon hard times as of late. As part of the massive layoffs, Zynga has also closed down its offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas. Originally driven by in-game purchases, the company has relied on advertisements to bring in money. Realistically, it was only a matter of time before people realized buying extra energy or rare sheep wouldn't be worth it.
This news doesn't have a direct effect on its catalog of games, so those still finding truffles with pigs should feel good knowing their farms won't be disappearing... for now.
[via The Verge]
Vine has been added to Android
The new social media trend, Vine, has finally spread its wings and flown from its iPhone nest into the waiting arms of its Android brethren. For those that haven't jumped on board with the new app, Vine is a video sharing social network where users can shoot 6-second clips that run into a continuous loop. With Twitter and Facebook integration, the network has attracted 13 million users.
Vine for Android is lacking some of the basic features found on iPhones like hashtags and direct mentions, it does offer the ability to zoom, which is notably lacking on iPhones. As the updates continue to roll out, these features will begin to fill out. There are also plans to include some Android-exclusive features, as well.
Some creativity can be utilized for Vine videos, such as some inventive stop-motion animation videos. My personal favorite Vine so far has been of a dog touching a Super Mario mushroom for a power up. I personally have been using Vine for live shows, like this sneak peek at ShowYouSuck's live remix of "The Return of Headbanger's Ball" at SXSW this past March. If you haven't yet, follow Ruby Hornet on Vine for future updates.
[iframe id="https://vine.co/v/bdzQM1xWtrO/embed/simple"]
[via IGN]
The Weekly Swarm: 5/27 - 6/1
We had a steady influx of music drops this week, didn't we? Shintendo64 dropped TERRABYTZ, De la Soul made their video return with "Get Away," Vic Mensa teased and dropped the "Orange Soda" video, Sir Michael Rocks finally released While You Wait..., GhostWridah got into the mixtape fun with Flu Game, and Sulaiman and Vic Spencer dropped their collaborative EP, We're Still Disappointed, and ShowYouSuck debuted a new sound with "Watching Walking Dead" (with some pretty amazing artwork, right?). We also had a collection of great movie trailers debut, including Machete Kills, This is the End, and Prisoners.
Needless to say, it was a busy week, so if you missed out on every post we put up, you can easily check down the list below.
Movie News
New Directors Added into the James Bond 24 Mix
Sam Mendes Will Direct Bond 24 After All
[Video] Much Ado About Nothing "I am an Ass" Clip
Michael Bay Woke Up in a New Bugatti for New Transformers 4 Car Models
[Trailer] Machete Kills
[Trailer] This is the End
[Trailer] Prisoners
Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan, Milla Jovovich, and Wesley Snipes Become Not So Expendable for The Expendables 3
Forest Whitaker Will Have a Dream as Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis
Green Lantern Screenwriter Hired to Ruin Blade Runner Sequel
New Alamo Drafthouse "Don't Talk" PSA features Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke
Music News
Schoolboy Q: "Hell Of A Night"
Roman Flowrs: "RainFore$t" (Instrumental)
Blu: “Summertime” (feat. Arima Ederra)
[Mixtape] ShowYouSuck: "The Essentials"
[Podcast] Closed Sessions Radio 5.24.13
Disclosure: "You & Me" (feat. Eliza Doolittle) (Toro y Moi Remix)
WHITE-OWL: "WAX TRAP VOL. 3 (TURNT UP EDITION)"
LIZ: "Horoscope"
Lil Bibby & Lil Herb: "Know They Role" (prod. by C-Sick)
[Mixtape] Shintendo64: "TERRABYTZ"
[Video] Alex Wiley: "Earfucked"
Spring Awakening Schedule and Daily Tickets Available
Craig Robinson: "Take Yo Panties Off" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
[Video] Wonda: "Please Don’t Listen To This Song"
[Video] Saba: "Gurlfran"
[Video] Lucki Eck$: "Everything Out$ide"
Manny P: "This Is Where" (prod. by Savier)
[Video] De La Soul: "Get Away" (feat. The Spirit of Wu Tang)
[Mixtape] Sir Michael Rocks: "While You Wait..."
More Artists Added to North Coast Music Festival Lineup
[Mixtape] GhostWridah: "Flu Game"
Martin $ky: "Rapture" SNIPPET (prod. by Saba)
[Video] Vic Mensa: "Orange Soda"
Hodgy Beats: "Years"
J. Cole: "N***az Know"
[Mixtape] Sulaiman x Vic Spencer: "We're Still Disappointed"
[Video] YP: "I Like That In You"
[Video] L.atasha A.lcindor: "Down to Earth Thoughts"
Mick Jenkins: "BOB" (feat. Dally Auston) (Prod. by OnGaud)
ShowYouSuck: "Watching Walking Dead" (feat. Chris LeSage) (prod. by MikeJaxx)
Roman Flowrs: "Rock With Me"
Photography
[RH Photos] Anamanaguchi (Live at Lincoln Hall 5/25/2013)
[RH Photos] Jambalaya Fest Austin (5/24/2013)
[RH Photos] Impolite Society (Live at Double Door 5/24/2013)
Tech News
Google Adds New Video Features to YouTube Videos
Google Adds New Video Features to YouTube Videos
Heads up, aspiring filmmakers: Google and YouTube have now made it easier for you to achieve your dreams. Yesterday, YouTube announced their addition of "enhancement" features for uploaded videos. They used slow-motion as the highlighted feature for the announcement. Now, those uploading their videos to YouTube can create slow-motion videos using the editor to slow down speed to 1/8th the normal speed. Other features include color/brightness correction, stabilization, color filters, clip trimming, and face blurring.
What do you all think about this? Personally, I prefer when filmmakers and video editors do their work through proper post-production avenues, such as Final Cut or Adobe Premiere. At the same time, this could help aspiring videographers who might now have access to or knowledge of FCP and Premiere. One thing's for sure: The amount of funny slow-motion videos will grow exponentially.
[via YouTube Creators]
The Weekly Swarm: 5/20 - 5/26
How's everybody's Memorial Day weekend going so far? I hope everybody's spent their Sunday reuniting with the Bluth family with Netflix's release of Arrested Development season 4. Or maybe you're all celebrating with Chance the Rapper at his two sold-out Chicago shows at The Metro? However you're spending this holiday weekend, stay cool and safe. We had a great week here at Ruby Hornet; Microsoft debuted their next console, Xbox One, Action Bronson dropped his amazing video for "Strictly 4 My Jeeps," Chuck Inglish pulled the curtains back for his EP, Droptops, I reviewed the weekend's top box office film, Fast & Furious 6, and we had two amazing Chicago music videos drop in JDott Trife's "Homicide" and the long-awaited "La Clika" by Scheme. You can check out all of this and more below.
Movie News
[Trailer] Anchorman: The Legend Continues
[Trailer] Blood Ties
[Trailer] Man of Steel
[Trailer 2] The World's End
[Trailer] Don Jon
[Trailer] Iceman 3D
[Trailer] We're the Millers
[Trailer] Maniac
[Short Film] ABE
[RH Review] Fast & Furious 6
[Trailer] The Act of Killing
[RH Review] The Arrested Development Documentary Project
Music News
Yeezymania Is Back! New Video + SNL Performance + Album Artwork & Title
[Video] Taylor Bennett: "Speed Racer"
Nunca Duerma: "Bump in the Trunk (Bone Thugs -n- Harmony Remix)"
Side by Side Media Collective is Giving Away Spring Awakening Tickets
[Video] Action Bronson: "Strictly 4 My Jeeps"
[Album] The Procussions: "5 Sparrows for 2 Cents" Instrumentals
[Mixtape] Brian Fresco: "Mafioso"
Sir Michael Rocks: "In a Minute" (feat. Ab-Soul and Dash) (prod. by Larry Fisherman)
[Video] Phil Ade: "Nas Told Me"
[Video] Joey Purp: "I Don't Care"
[Video] Scheme: "La Clika"
DJ Reflex: "Body So Tight" (feat. Childish Gambino)
Roman Flowrs: "Love Story" (feat. Shandia)
[Video] Cam Meekins: "Truckers" (feat. Jefe Replay)
[RH Premiere] JDott Trife: "Homicide"
Impolite Society: "Player Sh*t"
Lili K Announces New EP Entitled "My Favorite Things"
New Chance the Rapper Merchandise Available Online
T.D.E. "good kid m.A.A.d city" Tour Promo + U.O.E.N.O. Freestyle
Martin $ky: "TRACK 01" (prod. by Knxwledge)
TwoLetterz: "Chi-Town Sh*t" (feat. Tree) (prod. by Roman Flowrs)
Brian Fresco: "Fireworks"
Gzus Piece x Scoleone x Mic Terror x Kennan Coke x Gig Brown: "Thottianna" (prod. by Doc Da Mindbenda & Na$im Williams)
Earl Sweatshirt: "Guild" (feat. Mac Miller)
Jambalaya Fest Austin Contest Winners
[Mixtape] Daryn Alexus X Dee Lilly: "VHML 2"
Giftz: "Nino" (feat. Tree and SaveMoney)
Jarred A.G.: "Golden Noose" (prod. by Smoko Ono)
Jhene Aiko: "Comfort Inn Ending" (prod. by No I.D.)
[EP] Chuck Inglish: "Droptops"
[Video] Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire: "Fat Fool" (Prod. by The Alchemist)
Tha Guyver: "Yung Allah" (prod. by iLLeeT)
Ghostwridah: "Buckets"
Grade Aplus: "Red Velvet" (prod. by MikeJaxx)
St. Millie: "No Damn" (prod. by Von Vuai)
[Video] Anamanaguchi: "Endless Fantasy"
[Mixtape] The Jet Age of Tomorrow: "The JellyFish Mentality"
[Mixtape] The Cranberry Show: “The Jellyfish Theory”
More Kanye West Videos Being Projected This Weekend
EP: Naledge & IKAZ – Au Pain Dore
[Tracklist] Mac Miller: "Watching Movies With The Sound Off"
Tech News
Yahoo Buys Tumblr for $1.1 Billion
[Video] Sony's PlayStation 4 to be Revealed on June 10th
Microsoft Reveals New Xbox Entitled "Xbox One"
Sony Contemplates Selling Its Entertainment Divisions
Photography
[Photography] Olivia Munn in Esquire June/July 2013
Sony Contemplates Selling Its Entertainment Divisions
During my high school days, Walkmans were still the go-to portable music devices amongst my peers. Just around the time Apple released its first iPods, and before the entire music industry was revolutionized with the focus towards digital releases, CDs were the norm, with Sony being the biggest name in the game with its huge selection of CD, tape, and portable radio players. Of course, a lot has changed over the past decade, with most high school kids probably unfamiliar with the "Walkman" brand. Even outside of music devices, Sony's reputation as the top dog in consumer electronics has dropped a bit with other companies like Samsung and Microsoft rising up to take a chunk out of Sony's hold on the electronics industry.
Nowadays, Sony's largest earnings come from its various entertainment divisions, including Sony Pictures Entertainment (film and TV) and Sony Music Entertainment (self-explanatory). Last week, Daniel Loeb, chief executive of the hedge fund The Third Point that owns the largest stake in Sony at 6.5%, suggested that Sony sell a portion of its Entertainment holdings in order to amass larger profits from the divisions. Loeb's proposed idea would involve Sony selling a 15-20% stake in its Entertainment divisions to existing shareholders, allowing Sony to focus on its electronics division, which includes the aforementioned Walkman line of products. The proposal, Loeb predicts, would result in a 60% boost in share value.
Of course, Sony is reluctant to sell off portions of its most profitable divisions, especially considering Sony Pictures' stance as one of the top TV/film production/distribution studios with franchises like Ghostbusters and Spider-Man, as well as various franchises under Sony Pictures-owned Columbia Pictures (Skyfall, Men in Black, etc). Sony Music, meanwhile, is Bruce Springsteen's label, whereas Sony/ATV Music Publishing holds the rights to The Beatles' and Michael Jackson's catalog along with the Jackson estate.
A board meeting has been scheduled to discuss Loeb's proposal which will determine Sony's official decision on the matter. For now, this is an interesting development that could shape the future of Sony and its various divisions.
[via Bloomberg, via The Verge, via New York Times]
Microsoft Reveals New Xbox Entitled "Xbox One"
Microsoft recently unveiled their new console system, Xbox One. Described as a console "where all of your entertainment comes live in one place," Xbox One is shown to be a huge next step for Microsoft in the next generation of console gaming. Kinect functionality has been streamlined with almost 1:1 voice command recognition. The presenter demonstrated this with simple voice commands, including "Xbox: on."
Furthermore, the console streamlines video input channels by connecting the Xbox with Comcast functionality. For example, with a simple voice command of, "Switch to TV," the video input automatically switches from the Game input to TV input. Of course, this function might be limited to TV/satellite/cable providers who partner with Microsoft for the functionality.
Xbox One is aptly titled, building up its functionality as an "all-in-one home entertainment system... one system for a new generation." Of course, this is a gaming console first and foremost. Gaming hasn't been discussed just yet, but keep your eyes peeled on this post as I update it during the Xbox One press conference, complete with screen shots and specifications.
Update 1: Below are the hardware specifications for the Xbox One. According to the presenter, around 300,000 servers will power Xbox Live for Xbox One, amounting to more than the number of personal computers in use in 1999. That's a lot of computers.
Update 2: EA Sports announced their Infinity Engine as being an Xbox One exclusive, meaning the next generation of Madden, FIFA, NBA Live, and UFC will run on the new engine exclusively for Microsoft, whereas PS4 ports will run on a separate engine. Whether this will be a good financial move for EA will take time to tell. However, I feel like the art direction looks too cartoon-ish. Screen shots are below. (Note: Screen shots look a little blurry due to my internet connection.)
Update 3: Building on the connectivity between the Xbox One and TV, Xbox Entertainment Studios was formed to touch upon an immersive experience uniting Xbox and TV. Halo: The Television Series was announced, complete with a partnership between 343 Industries and one of the greatest names in sci-fi/fantasy, Steven Spielberg.
An exclusive partnership was also announced between Microsoft and NLF to include live fantasy football updates displayed on-screen during NFL games. For example, if Jay Cutler was on your team and scores a touchdown, an update would pop up on screen showing all of his stats.
