man

Santas and Burning Man and bridge climbing, oh my

OAKLAND, Calif. -- If you live in Austin, San Francisco, New York, or any number of other cites, the sight of hundreds of Santa Clauses prowling around, ducking in and out of bars, department stores, or parks as part of the annual SantaCon has probably become second nature.

But imagine seeing dozens of St. Nicks walking toward you on a San Francisco street in 1994 or 1995 , when the Internet was anything but ubiquitous, when culture jamming was a phrase no one had heard before, and Improv Everywhere, the Yes Men, and flash mobs were still a thing of the … Read more

Spider-Man and two Captain Americas in Hollywood brawl

When superheroes fight each other, there is always the assumption that one side must be on drugs or in the control of some devious mastermind who knows the superhero's one touching weakness.

Neither may have been the case on Wednesday, when superheroes took their battle not to the sets of Hollywood, but to its streets.

As CBS Los Angeles reports, the Madame Tussauds kiosk -- just inches away from the famed Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard -- was the scene of an ugly meeting of the ripped (or not) bodies.… Read more

Superman trailer re-created Minecraft-style

Superman is getting a fresh reboot in the upcoming film "Man of Steel." The third teaser trailer for the film is a shot-by-shot remake of the official trailer, done in the style of the Minecraft video game -- complete with square planets and a blocky Russell Crowe with a pixelated mustache.

Superman's chunky cape makes for some particularly amusing moments as it blows awkwardly around in the wind. Plus, we get Clark Kent as a Minecraft super-baby.… Read more

Pac-Mania, alive and well

We missed the official anniversary by a couple of days -- mark the calendar for May 22 -- but let's not close the week without taking a moment to mark Pac-Man's remarkable status as a cultural icon. In the 33 years since the game's creator, Toru Iwatani, saw his invention make it into the market for the first time, Pac-Man has become a part of our cultural lexicon, appropriated as a symbol by the likes of professional boxers as well as political protesters.

It hardly seemed that would be the outcome given Iwatani's rather modest ambitions … Read more

Chattanooga to Iron Man: Pardon us, but you're a liar

"It isn't choo-choo. OK, punk?"

These were the pained, spittle-emitting words of the elders in Chattanooga, Tenn., on seeing "Iron Man 3."

Well, they weren't the exact words, but these that I've selected seem to accurately express the Chattanooga sentiment on witnessing Robert Downey Jr. become frustrated at the city's allegedly slow Internet service in the movie.

I have before me a missive from the city's representatives demanding a Google Hangout with Downey Jr., the producers, the directors, and anyone who claims to have been involved in creating such a horrid … Read more

ORBX streaming tech could revolutionize computing

SAN FRANCISCO -- First-person shooter games don't appeal to Brendan Eich, Mozilla's chief technology guru and the guy who created JavaScript nearly two decades ago. He doesn't let his kids play them, either, he says. But he was so excited on Friday about showing off the potential of a new browser codec called ORBX.js at Autodesk's One Market Street offices here that he began playing Epic's Unreal Tournament 3 "Sanctuary" level in a room of 20 or so witnesses.

As Eich maneuvered somewhat awkwardly through the onslaught of opponents, Jules Urbach, CEO … Read more

Teen's amazing DIY Iron Man suit is superhero chic

On his Blackout Props Facebook page, Archie Whitehead introduces himself, saying, "Hi! I'm 17 and have just got into special effects, props, and costumes." By "just got into," he actually means, "I just build an awesome wearable Iron Man suit from scratch while you were busy surfing cat videos online."

The materials for the suit alone cost around $500. Some portions of the costume are made from foam rubber. Automotive spray paint gives it the glossy, just-built-by-a-billionaire look. Battle scars across the helmet hint at some epic conflict. It took several months to put the costume together.… Read more

Mad Man 1.0.1 Review

Mad Man is the newest in a long line of apps channeling the faux retro arcade feel of the '70's when many games were about space, neon lights, and time limits. In this case, you are pitted against an opponent online and must move your light across the screen without it being hit by any of the obstacles, including your opponent. The result is quick and entertaining, though ultimately lacking due to some design decisions.

The interface is fun and easy to use. The game loads quickly, the music is suitably old-school, and the graphics are both bright and … Read more

Iron Man 3 takes to the unfriendly skies on Android, iOS

Like most superhero fanboys, I'm pretty jazzed about "Iron Man 3," which opens one week from tomorrow.

And like most superhero movies of late, this one has an official game to accompany it. Gameloft's Iron Man 3 just landed for Android and iOS. And it's probably not what you'd expect.

Indeed, based on Gameloft's last movie tie-in, the Amazing Spider-Man game, you might envision something similar here: a running, jumping, and flying Tony Stark, with a mixture of ground- and air-based combat.

But this game takes its cues from Temple Run and throws … Read more

Life-size Iron Man figure will watch over you for $8,500

You could spend a lot of time and energy fashioning your own Iron Man armor, or you could just throw $8,500 over to Sideshow Collectibles and pick up a full-size suit right off the shelf.

The Tony Stark-size figure is a reproduction of the Iron Man Mark 42 suit from the upcoming "Iron Man 3." It's more than 7 feet tall and is painted with high-gloss automotive paint to give it that Iron Man shine. That's not all, of course. For your investment, you'll also get to enjoy LED light-up eyes, arc reactor, palms, and display base. That makes it a very expensive, but very cool, lamp.… Read more