LATEST ADDITIONS

Premiere Design
Goldmund Seoul Showroom
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 07, 2011
Normally, I profile extreme products in this blog. But when I saw these photos of Goldmund's new showroom in Seoul, South Korea, I had to share them with you.
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Audio Video News
Apple Seeks to Offer Cloud Access
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 07, 2011
Don't you hate it when you've paid for a download but can't enjoy it—because it's on a device that's either unauthorized, lost, or dead? Apple is proposing a solution to the music industry in the form of cloud-based content access.

The proposal under discussion would "give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music," says Bloomberg News, which broke the story. "A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost."

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Morning Glory (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Mar 07, 2011
A laid-off television producer (Rachel McAdams) is desperate for work and takes a job to produce the lowest-rated morning new show called "Daybreak." She soon learns that the zany world of network broadcasting will require quick thinking and a great sense of humor in order to handle the self-absorbed co-hosts of the show (Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton).

The film boasts and impressive cast, an accomplished writer (Alan Brosh McKenna - The Devil Wears Prada) and director (Roger Michell - Notting Hill), and hit-maker J.J. Abrams as the producer. Unfortunately, the accomplished team delivers few laughs with a cast of unlikable characters and shallow scrip.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Man From Nowhere—Well Go
Kris Deering  |  Mar 06, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 2.5/5
His only friend called him "The Man From Nowhere"... Taesik, a former special agent becomes a loner after losing his wife in a miserable accident and lives a bitter life running a pawnshop. He only has a few customers and a friend named Somi, a little girl next door. As Taesik spends more and more time with Somi, he gets attached to her. Then Somi is kidnapped by a gang, and as Taesik tries to save Somi by becoming deeply associated with the gang his mysterious past is revealed.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Fighter—Paramount Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Mar 05, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Micky Ward is a struggling boxer long overshadowed by his older brother and trainer, Dicky a local legend battling his own demons. Their explosive relationship threatens to take them both down - but the bond of blood may be their only chance for redemption.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
127 Hours—Fox Searchlight
Kris Deering  |  Mar 04, 2011
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
"127 Hours" is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over 8 miles before he is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers, family and the two hikers he met before the accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can when we choose life.
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Vote
How Much Do You Listen to Music at Home vs. Mobile?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 04, 2011
Last week, I asked how much you watch TV versus on the go, and the results confirmed that the vast majority of UAV readers watch all or nearly all of their TV at home. This is not really surprising, since our readers are ultimately concerned more about quality than convenience when it comes to video content, as indicated by the response to a previous poll question—Which is more important, convenience or quality?

This week, I'm asking the same question about music—how much do you listen at home versus on the go? Of course, the same issues arise in this case—the audio quality of your home system is likely far better than your iPod or other portable music player, but the portable player is far more convenient. On the other hand, portable music players have been around a lot longer than portable video players, and you can be doing other things while listening to music as opposed to watching video. So I suspect the distribution of answers might be somewhat different, with more people listening to music on the go more of the time. But I could be wrong…

Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice. Select the ratio that most closely reflects your listening habits.

How Much Do You Listen to Music at Home vs. Mobile?
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
S.W.A.T. Firefight (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Mar 04, 2011
LAPD officer Paul Cutler (Gabriel Macht) leaves the sun and fun of California when he's ordered by Homeland Security to relocate to Detroit in order to train its S.W.A.T. team on the latest rescue techniques. Things are going great until a botched domestic dispute turns ugly and the surviving spouse (Robert Patrick) wants revenge.

I had low expectations considering this is a direct-to-video release, which allowed me to moderately enjoy the flick. The script, acting, and production value all have a low-budget "made for TV" feel, but director Benny Boom does his best to keep a brisk pace to keep it interesting.

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Audio Video News
Win the Polk F/X Wireless Surround
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 04, 2011
Polk Audio is staging a contest that will put F/X Wireless Surround speakers into the hands of happy surround buffs. You can enter every day between now and March 31, 2011. No purchase is required.

The F/X Wireless Surround looks more like a squat subwoofer than a surround speaker. This unorthodox product is designed to be placed behind the main seating area, providing surround effects without intruding into the room.

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Music Reviews
XTP: Skylarking
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 03, 2011
 
Ape House
Music ••••½ Sound ••••

Funny thing about this 1986 album: Despite its Pepper-y production by Todd Rundgren, it has always sounded . . . what, exactly? Thin?

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