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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuOiNjpkEFY

Falkor of the NeverEnding Story is the latest spokes(dragon) for Spotify, as part of its latest campaign focusing on the stories behind the songs. Brought by Wieden+Kennedy, the latest campaigns go in a series of directions, including relying on 80s nostalgia to the current political climate, trying to hook in an audience by telling stories about how/why its users really seem to like certain tracks. For the NeverEnding story campaign, the premise comes from how Limahl’s song “The NeverEnding Story” is streamed at least once a day, worldwide, somewhere. Falkor (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, just like in the original movie), discusses this factual tidbit with Atreyu on his back, except that Atreyu is no longer a child but a man in his 40s.

Behind the scenes with Falkor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0b5cvMeRZQ

The other two campaign videos are focused on other odd little tidbits, such as how the Flo Rida song “My House” tends to keep appearing on users’ playlists about moving, particularly about moving to Canada:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE9DaSxwEr4

And about how Pope Francis happens to have a rock album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUbhWUu2Jbo

Rolling out over mainstream and digital, the campaigns strike a quirky note and are supported by out-of-home ads and even a large life-sized mural of Falkor, painted in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (but of course).

The Oculus Rift is here – if you can afford it. At a retail price of $599, the final consumer version is finally shipping out to early adopters. If you have a powerhouse of a PC computer and you love gaming, you probably already have it, or are thinking of getting something similar. The future is almost here.

What is the Oculus Rift?

A virtual reality headset developed by Oculus VR, the company started a Kickstarter campaign in 2012 to pay for development, which promptly raised $2.5 million from backers. In 2014 Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion, raising some concerns that it was going to be used as part of Facebook’s social media empire instead of for serious gaming. So far in the final consumer version, this doesn’t seem to be the case, though with Playstation also coming up with a consumer VR offering this year that’s probably more affordable (it costs less, and doesn’t need a monster PC), it stands to be seen how competitive Oculus will be.

We’ve tried a developer version of the Rift over at Starship early last year. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t work on a Mac, even a souped up version, though it seemed that it was possibly a problem with our particular kit rather than with the Rift in general (it wouldn’t work properly on a PC either). We’ve tried the developer version in the Library at the Docks, which was fun but didn’t really work with wearing the Rift over spectacles.

Reviews so far

Via Ars:

After decades of incremental improvements to the way PC games and apps are displayed on monitors, the Rift feels like an entirely new way of thinking about how we look at the computerized world. It’s unique enough that a lot of the things we take for granted in computing and gaming are struggling to catch up with the new rules necessitated by its entirely new viewpoint. That means this first step still feels a little rough and uncertain in many ways that lessen its sheer impact.

Via the Verge:

The high cost of buying and running high-end VR headsets makes them inaccessible to many people, and the Rift in particular is relentlessly focused on gaming. Within these limitations, though, the Rift makes a good case for seated VR, and it lays a solid foundation for what’s to come. The headset you can buy today is not Oculus’ most ambitious vision for virtual reality — but it’s a vision that Oculus has successfully delivered on.

Trying the Rift in Melbourne

As we mentioned before, the Library at the Docks has a set – and is also a really cool place in general for a visit. Check it out! Or for a more immersive experience with VR (though one that isn’t spectacles friendly either) try Zero Latency.

In Credited As: Graphic Designer, Martin T. Charles (Ghostbusters, The Avengers, The Artist) brings us behind the scenes in what he does with Hollywood. He’s spent his career working with some of the biggest franchises in film, with A-list Hollywood directors, producers, production designers and stars. Via Marketwired:

Charles began his career in Los Angeles in the early 1990s after earning a Bachelor’s degree in communication design from Pratt Institute in New York. Since then, he has seen digital technologies transform sets, props and other graphic elements while serving as graphic designer for more than 50 feature films. In addition to “42,” his vast list of film credits includes “The Avengers,” “Public Enemies,” “Miami Vice,” “Leatherheads,” “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “Love and Other Drugs,” “Larry Crowne,” “AI: Artificial Intelligence,” “Minority Report,” “Be Cool,” “50 First Dates,” “Seabiscuit,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Murder by Numbers,” “Stuart Little” and “That Thing You Do,” among others.　

On the set, he is known for his attention to detail and ability to bring originality and authenticity to each project’s visuals. That’s where digital comes in, he says. Not only signs, but windows, floors, walls, ceilings, artwork and even wine and beer bottle labels are designed and printed on one of Charles’ two Roland large-format printers.

“It’s all about adapting to the vision for the production,” said Charles. “The more tools you have to build on a design theme, the more creative and inspiring your results will be. I never recycle anything I’ve used before. I have to build it fresh in my own mind and then work with the most advanced technologies available to bring a concept to life.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7Cyv3cvIxY

Nike has finally made its self lacing, Back-to-the-Future-esque shoes available for (limited) purchase. Called the HyperAdapt 1.0, Nike had previously already launched a version of self-lacing shoes last year with Back to the Future stare Michael J Fox. The latest version is set for the mass market later this year (price still to be determined). According to Wired:

John Hoke, Nike’s vice president of design, explains that the shoe doesn’t use a traditional lacing system, but rather a battery-powered series of pulleys that cinch the throat of the shoe. When the wearer steps inside the shoe, sensors at the bottom register his or her weight and the position of the foot inside. “It reads if you’re heavy on your heel or heavy on your forefoot,” Hoke says.

The shoes will apparently also auto-adjust to your favourite settings after a couple of wears, making them possibly the highest tech shoe accessory you could own in the near future. Hoke also mentioned that eventually, the information from the shoes could be fed into an entire set of Nike wearables, sort of like an enclosed ecosystem that would self-tailor for your comfort. The shoes will also run on battery, which will apparently last for about 2 weeks before requiring a recharge. Yes, in the near future, you’re going have to charge your shoes, just like your iPhone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCbWyYr82BM

In this new Siri iPhone ad, they’ve brought in the big guns. Cookie Monster bakes with the voice assistant, making use of its timer, music and other functionalities while trying to kill time until his cookies are done. We’re a little surprised that it could actually make out Cookie Monster’s gruff voice (it’s not that good for some of us, particularly those of us with non-Western English accents), but it’s a cute, hungry, hands-free ad. As a chef, Cookie Monster is probably more relatable than your usual TV fare: There’s no into-the-oven and miraculously out again instabatch here. Cookie Monster is battling with time. And hunger.

Although Siri is available on all iPhones, the hands-free version with the voice-activated functionality advertised in the ad is only for iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. iPhone’s latest ads have focused on its 3D Touch and Live Photos, though it did previously have another hands-free ad with Jon Favreau.

Battle of the Ad Budgets

Apple’s rival Samsung has recently increased its R&D budget at around 7.4% to KRW 15.3 trillion, that is $13.8 billion, while the ad budget is getting cut by 9.4% (Though, as at 2013, its ad budget was an enormous $13 billion). In contrast, Apple’s ad budget is relatively tiny, at $1.2 billion as at September 2014. Curious!

ICYMI: President Barack Obama appeared at SXSW to discuss the Apple vs FBI case, among other tech matters. The (very long) keynote conversation is above. Michelle Obama also appeared to discuss Let Girls Learn, an initiative she is leading to try and get girls globally to stay in school. About President Obama’s keynote:

“I anguish a lot over decisions we make to keep the country safe,” Obama said. “I would caution against taking an absolutist perspective.”

While Obama wouldn’t directly comment on the recent Department of Justice court battle with Apple over accessing information on an iPhone in the San Bernardino, Calif. shootings, the president suggested there should be situations where phones could be surveyed.

“All of us value our privacy,” Obama said. “Before smartphones were invented and to this day, if there’s probable cause to think you abducted a child or you are engaging in a terrorist plot or you are guilty of a serious crime, law enforcement can appear at your doorstep” with a warrant, he explained.

“I am of the view there are real reasons we should make sure government can’t willy-nilly get in everyone’s iPhone,” the president continued. “The whole Snowden disclosure episode elevated people’s suspicions of this. So does popular culture, which makes it appear I’m in the [Situation Room],” monitoring private exchanges.

Check out the short film Toonocalypse, which combines real world filmed footage with animation. More:

[Toonocalypse] is set to have its World Premiere at the 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival. The film, along with several other short animations, will be competing for the festival’s prestigious McLaren Award which aims to provide a focus for new, British short animations. This year’s McLaren Award showcase takes place on the 23 June in the Filmhouse. In addition, Toonocalypse has also been nominated for the EIFF’s Best Short Film Award.

The eighteen minute short was written by Owen Rixon & Callum Barton, produced by Siggy Stone and directed by Owen Rixon.

From the director:

Toonocalypse started as a visual concept to show the traditional, venerated technique of 2D animation in a brand new context and to tell an alien invasion movie like no other. When producer Siggy and I, both fresh out of university, came up with the original idea in 2010, we were thinking of ways to combine my 2D animation background with Siggy’s live action one, and the idea of a 2D/live action movie was the result.

The project was ultimately abandoned due to lack of time, experience and resources but over the next three years the idea remained a discussion. It was only after setting up a production company called The 2D Workshop with colleague and writer Callum Barton that we decided to develop and write the film.

Nonprofit charity International Rescue Committee tapped Game of Thrones to record #RealmToTheRescue, a series of ads supporting humanitarian aid to refugees. More:

Beginning Monday, public service announcements and videos featuring the show’s actors will appear urging support for the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian relief organization that aids refugees. The ads will appear online exclusively, including on the charity’s microsite, YouTube and social media platforms.

The campaign will run through the series’s sixth season, which begins April 24, with the goal of raising $1 million. The organization is tapping into a significant audience: The trailer for the coming season of “Game of Thrones” was viewed 32 million times within 24 hours of being posted online on Tuesday.

They will also be running a campaign through Omaze, something that’s been quite popular for film franchises, including Batman vs Superman and Star Trek. About the International Rescue Committee:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home.

You can donate to the #RealmToTheRescue effort here, or subscribe and stay tuned for their eventual Omaze campaign.