hearing

AppWizard
June 14, 2025
A Minecraft Movie has grossed over [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: The feature adaptation of the beloved video game Minecraft, aptly named A Minecraft Movie, has proven to be a box office sensation, amassing over 0 million globally since its debut in early April. As anticipation builds, the film is set to make its streaming debut on HBO Max on June 20, 2025. Viewers can look forward to the unique experience of hearing Jack Black repeatedly utter the phrase "chicken jockey," a delight for fans both young and old. Additionally, a special version of the film will be available featuring Sophia Morales, known for her work in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, interpreting in American Sign Language, marking a significant step towards inclusivity in cinema. Synopsis of the Film For those who may have missed the theatrical release, here’s a glimpse into the enchanting world of A Minecraft Movie: Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world. Directed by Jared Hess, the film's script is a collaborative effort from a talented group of writers, including Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta. In addition to its streaming release on HBO Max, A Minecraft Movie will also air on HBO on June 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET. As we await the film's arrival on streaming platforms, viewers can enjoy the American Sign Language version of the trailer below." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million globally since its release in early April. It will be available for streaming on HBO Max starting June 20, 2025, and will also air on HBO on June 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The film features Jack Black and includes a special version with Sophia Morales interpreting in American Sign Language. The movie follows four characters—Garrett, Henry, Natalie, and Dawn—who are transported to the Overworld and must navigate challenges to return home, guided by Steve, played by Jack Black. The film is directed by Jared Hess and written by a team including Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta.
AppWizard
June 13, 2025
Samsung has released One UI 8 Beta 2 for the Galaxy S25 series, which includes bug fixes and feature refinements. A new feature called Call Captions, part of the One UI 8 ZYF5 build, is designed to convert spoken words into text in real time, aiding users with hearing impairments. This feature allows users to read transcribed text during calls and is particularly useful in noisy environments. Screenshots of the feature have been shared, although it is still in early development and may not be fully stable.
AppWizard
June 10, 2025
Android 16 has been officially launched, with Google Pixel phones being the first to adopt this stable version. Key features include live notifications for real-time updates, a "desktop windowing" feature for larger screens, and custom keyboard shortcuts. The stable version was released on June 10, earlier than previous years. Enhanced communication capabilities for users with hearing aids allow clearer call quality and volume control from the phone. Security improvements include Advanced Protection against scam apps and online threats. Android 16 will roll out to Pixel 6 and newer models, with updates for other brands expected later this year. The Google Pixel 9 features a Tensor G4 chip, a 6.3-inch Actua Display, a dual-camera system, a 4700mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, and a commitment to seven years of OS and security updates, along with an IP68 water-resistant design.
AppWizard
May 28, 2025
The One UI 8 beta is now available for Galaxy S25 models in select regions, featuring enhanced AI capabilities, a tailored user experience for different device types, and proactive suggestions. It introduces improvements to the Reminder app, Quick Share, multitasking, Samsung Internet, and accessibility features. The rollout is limited to regions including Germany, Korea, the U.K., and the U.S., excluding the Galaxy S25 Edge. A stable version is expected to launch with new foldable devices this summer. Key features include multimodal capabilities, enhanced Now Bar and Now Brief features, local data processing options, and improvements to the Auracast feature. The Reminder app will consolidate tasks into a single interface, and Quick Share will receive enhancements. Additional features include improved file search, a redesign of Samsung Internet, multitasking enhancements, new Calendar features, and social health management options through Samsung Health. More features may be revealed as the beta progresses.
AppWizard
May 24, 2025
The trial involving three former high-ranking executives at Ubisoft, including Serge Hascoët, Tommy François, and Guillaume Patrux, has been rescheduled to June 2nd due to delayed information from Ubisoft. CEO Yves Guillemot and HR director Marie Derain will testify, though they are not accused of direct involvement in the alleged sexual harassment and bullying. The trial aims to explore Ubisoft's broader responsibility in creating a workplace culture that allowed such behaviors to persist.
AppWizard
May 19, 2025
Android 16 will introduce Auracast, allowing Google Pixel users with compatible devices to connect multiple Bluetooth headphones to a single Pixel phone for audio sharing. This feature can be accessed on Google Pixel 8 series or newer devices, and it relies on Auracast technology. Users can enable audio sharing through Developer Options, which is also available on Android 15 devices. Compatible earbuds or headphones must support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, with examples including Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and 3 Pro. To initiate audio sharing, users must access the Audio sharing page in the Settings app and follow specific steps to create a broadcast. The public debut of this feature is confirmed for Pixel phones with the release of Android 16, but the exact timeline is uncertain.
AppWizard
May 17, 2025
Apple TV+ has released a new sci-fi series titled "Murderbot," adapted from Martha Wells’ "Murderbot Diaries." The show features Alexander Skarsgård as a self-aware cyborg tasked with protecting scientists on an uninhabited planet while secretly binge-watching a space opera. The first two episodes are now available for streaming. FX's "Welcome to Wrexham," a docuseries about a Welsh football club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, returns for its fourth season on Hulu. " Duster," an action drama set in the 1970s, stars Josh Holloway and is now streaming on Max. Amazon's "Overcompensating," a college comedy created by and starring Benito Skinner, follows a closeted freshman and his outsider friend on a journey of self-discovery, with all eight episodes available on Prime Video. "The Brutalist," a historical drama starring Adrien Brody, is now streaming on Max after winning three Academy Awards. The Apple TV+ documentary "Deaf President Now!" recounts a 1988 protest at Gallaudet University for a Deaf president, directed by Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim. "The Quilters," a documentary short about incarcerated men making quilts for foster children, is available on Netflix. The "Minecraft Movie," featuring Jack Black, is now available for purchase on Amazon. Disney's live-action "Snow White" can now be watched on VOD platforms despite previous controversies surrounding its production.
AppWizard
May 15, 2025
Google is introducing AI-powered accessibility features for Android, targeting users with low vision or hearing impairments. An upgraded version of TalkBack allows users to ask questions about images and receive descriptive answers. The "Expressive Captions" feature provides real-time captions that include tone and emotions, currently rolling out in English in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia for Android 15 and above. Google is also opening its Project Euphonia repository to developers to create customized speech recognition tools for diverse speech patterns. These initiatives are part of Google's commitment to accessibility and user-friendliness.
AppWizard
May 10, 2025
Director Jared Hess' "A Minecraft Movie" is being produced with significant contributions from Wētā FX, which is responsible for creating the film's vibrant world and characters. The movie has a global box office nearing [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Last weekend, I provided an exclusive glimpse into the creative process behind director Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie, featuring insights from VFX Supervisor Sheldon Stopsack and Animation Supervisor Kevin Estey. This weekend, we delve even deeper into the collaboration with Wētā FX, the studio responsible for bringing the vibrant world and characters of Minecraft to life on the big screen. Minecraft By The Numbers In my previous article, I explored Wētā FX’s pivotal role in crafting the unique universe of Minecraft, where the game’s iconic blocky aesthetics seamlessly merged with live-action elements. With a staggering global box office nearing 0 million, A Minecraft Movie is poised to become one of the year’s most significant blockbusters, potentially surpassing summer heavyweights like Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman as it approaches the 0 million mark. VFX character designs for "A Minecraft Movie."Source: Wētā FX Minecraft And Making Monsters The intricate world-building by Wētā FX was essential to the film's success. Stopsack elaborated, “People often ask how our environments influenced the characters. Interestingly, it was the characters that shaped the environments. For instance, Malgosha and Dennis needed to forge emotional connections with the audience, which dictated how realistic or abstract we could render their appearances and performances. This understanding guided our environmental design, ensuring that the digital characters felt integrated into the world.” The result was the creation of the expansive Overworld, which seamlessly combines 64 diverse terrains into a cohesive environment for both day and night scenes. This vast digital landscape was shared with Digital Domain for the film’s climactic battle. Stopsack noted the scale of their work, stating, “To illustrate the enormity of our task, we placed over 2 billion clumps of grass patches in the Overworld, each made up of individual grass blades.” VFX character designs for "A Minecraft Movie."Source: Wētā FX When discussing the challenges and joys of animating the film's diverse characters, Estey shared, “Every character and creature we designed has its own story and challenges, as no two are alike. We ended up with 26 unique characters, each requiring distinct personalities, behaviors, and motion styles.” VFX work for Malgosha in "A Minecraft Movie."Source: Wētā FX Focusing on Malgosha, Estey remarked on the unique challenge of introducing a character not found in the game but crucial to the film's narrative. “We had to strike a balance between creating a new character that would resonate with the gaming community while ensuring she fit seamlessly into the Minecraft universe. Jared wanted all characters in The Nether to appear realistic yet retain the iconic blocky aesthetic.” To achieve this, Malgosha was designed with a fleshy, detailed look, complete with jiggly jowls and a flowing cloak, while still embracing the distinctive Minecraft style. Estey also highlighted the comedic elements that made the animation process enjoyable. “One of the standout scenes for us was the showdown between Steve and Malgosha, particularly the triple-knife gag. The absurdity of Malgosha repeatedly attempting to stab Steve with knives she claims she doesn’t possess was both hilarious and engaging.” VFX character designs for "A Minecraft Movie."Source: Wētā FX The creation of Malgosha involved significant collaboration, with motion-capture performer Allan Henry lending his physicality and vocal inspiration to the character. His comedic chemistry with Jack Black, who voiced Steve, greatly influenced Malgosha's animation. “I’ve known Allan for almost 15 years,” Estey shared. “He’s an incredible stunt performer and actor, and his humor is unmatched. Working with him and Jack Black, both of whom I admire greatly, was an unforgettable experience.” Estey continued, “Their improvisation during the triple-knife scene added layers of humor that we had to translate into Malgosha’s digital performance. When Rachel House provided her vocal performance, we integrated it with Allan’s physicality and Jack’s comedic timing, ensuring that the humor resonated through Malgosha’s animation.” “Seeing the final scene come together and hearing audiences laugh during screenings was immensely rewarding,” Estey concluded. “That kind of connection with the audience is what makes this work so gratifying.” A Minecraft Movie is filled with a plethora of characters and creatures, from Dennis to the Piglins and Bee. I look forward to continuing my discussions with Wētā FX as I prepare to review the home entertainment release of A Minecraft Movie. Stay tuned for more insights soon!" max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million and is expected to be a major blockbuster, potentially surpassing other films like "Fantastic Four: First Steps" and "Superman." Wētā FX's character designs and environmental work are crucial to the film's success, with over 2 billion clumps of grass patches created in the expansive Overworld. The film features 26 unique characters, including a new character named Malgosha, designed to resonate with the gaming community while fitting into the Minecraft universe. Malgosha's design incorporates a fleshy look while maintaining the game's blocky aesthetic, and her animation was influenced by motion-capture performer Allan Henry and voice actor Jack Black. The film includes comedic elements, particularly in a scene featuring a gag between Steve and Malgosha.
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