8 most baffling things about Star Wars

When the first Star Wars movie debuted back in the mid 1970′s, no one figured that the movie would be one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. While at the time everything was about venturing into space and dreaming about the great beyond, Star Wars and the franchise that has come with it has evolved into the biggest icon when it comes to movie franchises. With that being said, the following is a look at just how much Star Wars has affected life on the planet Earth and ten of the most baffling things that have resulted from the movie sequel.

Number 1
The first thing is the vision that George Lucas had for the movie. Back then and even after Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi, no one really seen where Lucas was trying to take the franchise. It was really only the hardcore fans that really knew the story. Still, the futuristic warriors, guns, and planes that were used all throughout the movie were the vision of the one and only George Lucas and that vision has endured all of these years.

Number 2
Secondly, the characters – Jabba The Hut, Obi Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker. All of these characters were the brainchild of Lucas and his development team. George Lucas was 30 years before his time. Lucas was able to come up with characters that were inspired from his younger years but still had that futuristic look. When you watch a sci-fi movie today, you can bet that the characters were a direct result of Star Wars.

Number 3

Another baffling thing about Star Wars is its worldwide popularity. Star Wars clubs and conventions are staged all over the world. The buzz that was created back in 1977 is one that is still around today. When it comes to science fiction, Stars Wars and George Lucas are sure to be one of the first names if not the first name to come up in the conversation. Star Wars brought together people from all over the world and today that camaraderie is still there.

Number 4

Questions of the future of the franchise is another thing that baffles fans of Star Wars. Hardcore fans seem to be able to come up with new material all of the time. This is evident in the new Star Wars animated series that are on television. Still, there are questions on whether anymore movies will come out to add on to the franchise.

Number 5

Lucas Films is probably the most baffling thing that has come out of Star Wars. This is evident in the later movies that were released such as The Phantom Menace and The Revenge of The Sith. Lucas Arts, with its internationally known graphics and images group, has even ventured into video games. One of the more popular gaming features these days is 3D gaming. This all comes from the technology of Lucas Arts and Lucas Films, all which was the spawn of the original movie.

Number 6
The sustainability of Star Wars is baffling not only because it has been around so long but the future is so bright. One of the reasons for this is the new popularity in 3D viewing. Now with 3D ready TV, viewers can now expect the new Star Wars movies to been even better than before. Thus opens the door for inspiration, another baffling thing. It is known about Lucas’ inpiration, 3D technology opens the door to make that inspiration even more profound.

Number 7
Then comes the value of the Star Wars franchise. It is just hard to be able to put a monetary value on the price of the Star Wars name. There has just been too much stuff that has come off of the name. With all movies, merchandise, games, and what not you just could not put a price tag on Star Wars. The best value that can be placed on it is the worldwide inspiration and popularity.

Finally

Conventions and the toys.

It is these two baffling things that will keep Star Wars going if there are no more movies released. There are collectors and conventions all over the world and it is these fans that will keep the brand going.

You could sit here and talk about all the things that Star Wars has done and how much it is worth, the most baffling thing is that people still talk about Star Wars in the same sense as they did when the movie came out nearly 35 years ago.

Just for fun…

Some of the most maffiling gaffs in the movie:

After the Stormtroopers have captured Leia aboard the Blockade Runner and are leading her to Vader, one Stormtrooper’s armour is visibly damaged.

In the original widescreen version, during a long shot of a loading bay in the Death Star, you can see a crew member walk just into shot on one side of the screen, stop, look up, and back out again.

When the Jawas are walking toward Luke to take the damaged droid, there’s no more smoke coming from it but in the following shot, there’s a lot of smoke.

When the Tuskan Raiders are seen raiding Luke’s speeder, you can actually see the wheels or at least whatever is holding it up off the ground.

At the begining when R2-D2 is in the escape pod and C3PO is arguing with him there is a shot of 3PO from the side and you can see the reflection of the camera in his head.

When Obi-wan and Luke are watching the hologram of Princess Leia projected onto a small table, the objects on the table change position and number in each shot.

When C-3PO is on the Conveyor belt in the Jawas transport vehicle, if you look in the reflection in his head you can see the camera crew.

6 bits of 3d tv advice that will land you in the hospital

T her e’s a l o t o f buzz at t he mo ment in t el evisio n ind ust r y pr ess and at t ec h sho ws abo ut 3D t elev ision . Man ufac­tur e r s ar e l o o kin g at 3D TV as a way to in vigo r ate fl aggin g s al e s , th at h ave be e n h it by th e gl o bal r e c e s s io n . 2010 is be in g to ute d as th e y e ar th at 3D te l­e vis io n wil l r e al l y s tar t to gain pe n e tr­atio n in th e h o me mar ke t.

A t the CE S 2010 (the Con s um e r E le­ctron ics S how) in La s V e g a s , a ll the TV m a n ufa cture rs s howe d off the ir n e­w 3D e xp e rie n ce . S on y , Tos hiba , S a­m s un g , LG a n d P a n a s on ic a ll ha d 3D te le v is ion s on dis p la y to s how off to v­is itors . The s e com p a n ie s a re s e rious a bout 3D, a n d ha v e com m itte d billion s of p oun ds to it’s de v e lop m e n t.

With a s tag g er ing 3.4 millio n 3D televis io ns ex pected to b e s o ld in the US this y ear , this is an ar ea that manuf actur er s ar e taking ver y s er io us ly , and ho ping will lif t their depr es s­ed s ales . S o ny and Panas o nic’s TV divis io ns ar e cur r ently lo s ing mo ney and co mpanies ar e pinning their ho pes o n 3D TV in a b ig way .

Bu t w h o w ill bu y th ese n ew sets, an d is it j u st in d u stry pro fessio n als w h o are rallyin g beh in d th is n ew tec h n o lo gy?

W h at is 3D T V?

3D T V use s t h e sam e t e c h nology y ou m igh t h av e e xp e rie nc e d in t h e c ine­m a re c e nt ly t o sh ow h igh qualit y im age s t h at p op up out of t h e sc re e n. M ore t h an a sim p le gim m ic k , 3D im age s ap p e ar c risp and h av e a re al de­p t h of fie ld. 3D is h av ing an ast ronom ic al e ffe c t on c onsum e r sp e nding at t­h e c ine m a, and t h e re are at le ast 20 m ore 3D m ov ie s se t for re le ase in 2010.

T h e v iewer wears sp ec ial el ec t ron ic gl­asses wh ic h op en an d c l ose a sh ut t er ov er eac h ey e, an d sh ow a sl igh t l y d­ifferen t im age t o t h e l eft an d righ t ey e. T h is c reat es a 3D effec t . T h e gl asses c on n ec t t o t h e sen d in g T V v ia in in fra-red l in k, an d t h e bat t eries are re-c h­argeabl e.

What y o u n e e d fo r 3D T V­

Un fortun atel y for an y on e wh o h as jus t bough t a n ew TV, y ou c an ’t get 3D tel evis ion on a regul ar s et. Th e TV mus t be 3D TV read y . Y ou’l l al s o n eed eith er a Bl u-ray pl ay er or on e of th e upc omin g 3d TV d ec od ers , wh ic h wil l al l ow us ers to watc h S ky an d oth­er c h an n el s in 3D .

If you’re a m ovie f an wit h a 3D T V, you’ll n eed t o buy a 3D version of t he Blu-ray t it le.

W ha t y ou ’ll be a ble to w a­tch

The m a i n p ul l f o r 3D techno l o gy a t the m o m ent i s to do w i th m o vi es l i ke A va­ta r. But there a re a num ber o f o ther thi ngs tha t y o u’l l be a bl e to w a tch o n a 3D s et.

3D sport s – ESPN ha s a nnounced t­hey’ll be t he f irst net w ork t o of f er 3D sport s prog ra m m ing . You’ll be a ble t o w a t ch a ll your f a vourit e sport s in 3D such a s f oot ba ll, t ennis a nd g olf .

Gam i n g – There m ay b e s om e i n teres­ti n g con n ecti on s i n the f uture b etween techn ol ogy l i ke the X B OX 360’s 3D gam es add-on , whi ch al l ows us ers to p l ay 3D gam es b y m ovi n g thei r b ody p arts , i n con jun cti on wi th a 3D TV.

3D H D fre e v ie w / 3D Sky – 3D m a y we l l h a v e a n im pa ct o n h o w y o u wa tch o rdina ry TV .

Wh y 3DT V could f a il

P ri ce – 3D T Vs won ’t b e cheap . M an­ufact urers are p ut t i n g t he p ri ce of n ew 3D T Vs at ab ove t he p ri ce of a t op en d T V. I t ’s n ot goi n g t o b e cheap t o get 3D t el evi si on i n t he hom e. Wi t h t he worl d st i l l sm art i n g from t he d ep t hs of a recessi on , are con sum ers read y t o sp l ash out on a n ew set ? Wi t h 1 i n 4 surveyed sayi n g t hey d i d p l an t o p­urchase a 3D T V i n t he n ex t 3 years, i t seem s l i ke som e p eop l e are wi l l i n g t o m ake t he i n vest m en t .

The gl asses – w hi l e som e peopl e ar e exc i ted abou t the ar r i val of 3D tel evi si­on , ther e’s an equ al l y str on g r eac ti on fr om som e w ho d on ’t w an t to si t i n thei r l i vi n g r oom w ear i n g su n -gl asses. Goi n g bac k to pr i c i n g, the gl asses ar e el ec tr on i c an d al so w on ’t be c heap.

Slow upt ake – I t usually t akes a n um b er of years f or a t echn ology t o really pen­et rat e every day li f e. Wi t h m an y con­sum ers happy wi t h recen t purchases of f lat pan el T Vs, i t m ay b e som e t i m e b ef ore t hey are ready t o upgrade. Davi d Kem pn er, J ohn Lewi s’s vi si on b­uyer sai d he ex pect ed t he process t o b e a ’slowb urn .’

Co nsu m er s co u ld g et headaches – A r­ecent stu dy b y the u niver sity o f Calif o r­nia, B er k eley, f o u nd that 3D TV co u ld g ive yo u headaches. Ther e is also a g­r eat deal o f anecdo tal m ater ial su g g­esting that so m e peo ple ar e su f f er ing f­r o m headaches w hile u sing this new techno lo g y.
Wh en will 3D TV be a va ila ble?

Ma rch 2010 s a w Ja me s Ca me ron , a l­on g w ith th e Bl a ck E ye Pe a s , l a un ch a ra n ge of 3D TVs in Time s S q ua re .

S o when wi ll ev ery one be able to get thei r hand s on a 3D s et? The eas y ans wer i s – li k ely by the ti m e y ou read thi s , wi th 3D TV s hi tti ng the UK at the end of M arc h 2010. Retai lers are getti ng read y for the rus h of ord ers of 3D s ets and i ni ti al p ac k ages i nc lud e 46″ and 55″ m od els , wi th 2 p ai rs of 3D glas s es i nc lud ed .

Article in full

First UK 3D TV on sale

John Lewis has launched 3D TV’s on johnlewis.com. The £1,800 Samsung C7000 is the first consumer 3D TV to hit store shelves.

The first 40-inch TV is available from John Lewis’ flagship store on Oxford Street as well as at John Lewis Online.

What’s more is that John Lewis are offering two free pairs of 3D glasses if the £349 3D Blu Ray player is purchased on top of the 3D TV. Purchasers will also get a copy of animated Dreamworks film Monsters vs Aliens on DVD.

John Kempner, buyer for vision at John Lewis says, “3D TV is an incredibly exciting technology, and once again John Lewis is first to market. Manufacturers like to use us as their launch partner because our customers are always early adopters of new technology.”

“It is worth remembering that even though 3DTV content is limited at the moment, this new breed of TV provides fantastic picture quality for regular 2D viewing, so a 3DTV is a great investment purchase,” said Mr Kempner.

Samsung UE40C7000 LED 1080p 3D TV, 40″, Built-in Freeview HD, 3D Blu-ray Player & 3D Glasses
£2,148

* Samsung BD-C6900 : Free 2 year guarantee
* Samsung 3D TV: Free 5 year guarantee
* Sams 3D Glas: Free 1 year guarantee

3D TV Health risk

As Samsung 3D TV enters the Australian market, the company simultaneously released an extensive list of health precautions that may discourage potential early adopters.

Warnings include cautions for young children, teenagers, pregnant women and the elders, as well as those under alcoholic influence and with epilepsy.

Elise Davidson, spokesperson from the consumer group Choice, said that health warnings that were released will possibly affect people’s attitudes to adopting new technology at once.

“People should and will start thinking twice about it.”

“Consumers should not rush and buy a 3D TV at once unless they feel that they really need one,” said Davidson

“If they fall into one of the risk groups for health issues, they will have a better idea whether they are going to be affected or not if they wait and see what happens.”

Some of Samsung’s released warnings include:

- Pregnant women, the elderly, sufferers of serious medical conditions, those who are sleep deprived or under the influence of alcohol should avoid utilizing the unit’s 3D functionality.

- Some viewers may experience an epileptic seizure or stroke when exposed to certain flashing images or lights contained in certain television pictures or video games.

- Viewing in 3D may cause disorientation for some viewers. Accordingly, DO NOT place your TV near open stairwells, cables, balconies, or other objects that can be tripped over, run into, knocked down, broken or fallen over.

Davidson said that while the wait-and-see approach is advantageous in considering the safety and health concerns, it also takes in technical and financial considerations.

“What we see with all these new products that hit the market is that performance and quality improves in a rapid pace and the price tends to drop sharply if you wait after six months to a year,”

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