Snow White and the Huntsman Critics movie review

Snow White and the Huntsman is a new take on the classic fairy tale which features an expanded role for the Huntsman. In the fairy tale, he is ordered to take Snow White into the woods and kill her, but instead lets her go. In the new take, the Huntsman is not a love interest but acts more as a mentor, teaching Snow White to fight and survive

Well I havent watched the movie yet. So let me tell you what critics think....

NY Mag:

“It’s also strongly influenced by a lot of smart, feminist thinking about why Snow White has so much staying power—and why the story is better when it’s the heroine who slays the monstrous matriarch. [...] Kristen Stewart is not an obvious choice for Snow White, given her habitual expression of discomfort while striking conventional feminine poses—both in movies and on red carpets. That’s why, of course, she’s right for this Snow White, imprisoned in a tower during puberty and with no regard for her looks: She has integrity, inner beauty.”

Time Out NY:

“A too-bustling prologue shows how Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron, camping it up) usurped power, poisoned the land and imprisoned her stepdaughter rival, Snow White (Kristen Stewart, a delight). But then the film finds surer footing and proceeds with a deliberateness rare in a big-budget franchise starter; you can sense the hand of coscreenwriter Hossein Amini (Drive) in the story’s always involving, slow-build structure.”

WhatCulture:

“Snow White, is of course, innocence at its most pure and literally beautiful, but what really impresses is the transformation of the source text from one which seems anachronistic in light of feminism – waiting for a man to save the day – into one of proactive escape from one’s oppressors. The seemingly delicate fairytale figurehead is repositioned as a gusty leader of men [...] with Stewart’s intensity making up for her waifish, presumably inoffensive frame. Spelled out in less expository terms than a fairytale intended for easy digestion by children, the story takes on a new form, which adults as well as tweens will appreciate. [...] More The Dark Knight than Twilight, this is one fairytale update that packs an impressive punch and a deft, human touch.”

Today Online:

“It is Theron’s crazed performance as the wicked Queen Ravenna with her psychologically fractured past and evil present that spellbinds and scene-steals. She may be playing an over-the-top psycho but no one can say she isn’t committed to the role. The Oscar-winner’s performance is enhanced by the juxtaposition of the inherent darkness and her obvious beauty, along with the wonderful costuming and impressive CGI effects.”

EntertainmentWise:

“This is certainly a grittier take on the legend, but director Rupert Sanders (making his feature debut) makes sure to mix in enough ‘Lord of The Rings’ type fantasy to make this an interesting prospect, including magical stags and enchanted forests. The story is interesting enough to sustain you over a two hour running time, and little touches like the very impressive techniques employed to portray veteran actors such as Ray Winstone and Bob Hoskins as dwarves make it look a lot different to what one expects.”

OMG! I am gonna watch it this weekend!

Trailer:

Hapi Mari Manga review

Warning: Recommended readers: 18 + as the manga is little smutty

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Jan 8, 2009 to ?

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Josei

Authors: Enjouji, Maki (Story & Art)

Serialization: Petit Comic

Hapi Mari wasn’t a manga I wanted to read at first. I was bored and decided to just click on one random title in the romance section. Hapi Mari is basically about the dysfunctional marital life between Chiwa, an office lady, and Hokuto, the seemingly cold and socially aloof president of the company she works for. What’s that you say? The concept of Office lady plus mean cold guy has been done? Well, yes, it has been done, but Hapi Mari feels terribly refreshing. , I enjoyed how the author made the development of their relationship very realistic. 

Are you sick and tired of the usual typical plotlines, ie, seeing silly little high school girls with big buggy eyes and ridiculous pouty mouths who do nothing but worry over boys with great teeth and great hair who don’t give two shits about them?????

If you are, then look no further, because I bring to you in this review, Hapi Mari by Enjouji Maki!

Men - they're the root of Takanashi Chiwa's problems, which is why she never had the time nor the opportunity to have a boyfriend in her entire life. A full-time office lady and a part-time hostess, she works night and day to pay off her dad's debt from his failed business. One night at her part-time job, a high-class customer has her fired. Then the next day, she's called in to see the president - whom she had never even seen before in the office - only to find out she's to marry him! But what kind of guy is Mamiya Hokuto anyway? Will he become one of Chiwa's problems, or will he save her from them? And will this marriage even last?! 

Their marriage was a sham and Hokuto only wants to keep his power in the company while Chiwa wants to pay off her father’s debts. Her father’s business failed and the mother left, so Chiwa works as a host. Before you yawn and go ‘Oh no not another Ouran High School Host Club’, you only see Chiwa as a host for roughly two manga panels before

Hokuto proposes they get married. She dumps the job (as any normal person would do – oh wait, no, she got fired, sorry. But she’s never seen working at another host club so she must’ve turned over a new leaf. Hurray!). Anyway, the reason Chiwa was picked was because Hokuto’s grandpa knew her gran, who looked after him for some while (or summthing like that), and he wanted to repay the favour. At the same time, Chiwa could still work for the company and work off her father’s debts.

Well…Chiwa measures the odds… it seems ok, no strings attached… no compromises really, and Hokuto seems ok with it. Speaking about Hokuto… he seems sensible (or so she thought) so the two agree to the marriage. Then the problems come; Chiwa realises Hokuto is this giant tsundere. He’s hot as hell, but still acts like a big pompous ass to her half of the time.

Unfortunately, I’ve only Few. For so little, a lot goes on in every one. Unlike most manga heroines of shoujo, Chiwa is not a whiny little git and is reasonable, selfless and logical. She actually thinks ahead of things and think through.

Hokuto is a bit of a turd nearer the start, but as you read on, you realise he is actually quite the giant softie but too stubborn to show it. He is also husband material.

My god. After you read this, you will seriously wish your future husband, should be like Hokuto (but only when he’s nice!).

I gotta say. I like this this story. The art was fine - it is clean, the expressions are great, and I can follow who is saying what! More importantly though, I like the two main characters.

It isn't particularly deep, and so far, I really like where it is going. It is a little bit smutty, and I suspect that it may get a bit smuttier in the future, but in way that is part of its charm. Ultimately, this is a romantic comedy. I have only read the first three volumes (as it is all I could find. Woe!), but it has been humerous and well paced. Speaking of pace - it is fast paced! gets to the point quickly (they are married in the first chapter!). Despite the lightness of it all, it is quite moving in parts (Chiwa wears her heart on her sleeve) and it is quite sexy in places too!

It is light, and sweet, and I can't wait for it to continue! 

Stephenie Meyer Misses Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart On Set

Stephenie Meyer has a lot to be excited about. "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," the final installment of her "Twilight" vampire saga, hits theaters later this year, and the author has already started on her next big-screen project. She is currently working on the set of "The Host," the film adaptation of her sci-fi romance novel.

When MTV News headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a behind-the-scenes look at the movie, Meyer told us how strange it feels not to have "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart hanging around on set.

"It makes it a lot calmer. I do miss them, though," she said. "It seems funny not to have Kristen here. 'I'm on a set, why can't I talk to Kristen?' That's a little funny."

Although she misses working with the actors she spent nearly five years with bringing Edward Cullen and Bella Swan to life, Meyer has welcomed the experience of filming "The Host." Along with giving audiences the chance to see a whole new cast of characters, it was an opportunity to escape the dark and gloomy weather in Forks. "This [set] has beautiful landscapes everywhere we've been, and so that's been kind of different, too," she said. "We're not in a forest where you can't really see. We've got all this beautiful stuff. It's great."

She particularly enjoyed filming on the cave sets. "It was so awesome. The cave set was enormous. It was vast," the writer said. "They're just so cool, so much fun to walk on. It was kind of like someone built something out of your imagination just for you."

Police seek eyewitness in Bieber assault investigation: Selena Gomez

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives want to interview Justin Bieber and his girlfriend Selena Gomez after a photographer claims he was attacked by Bieber at a Calabasas shopping mall Sunday, but authorities continue to seek additional witnesses.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Sheriff's Department said the investigation was continuing and that detectives "are planning to interview Mr. Bieber." Law enforcement sources said Gomez is among the witnesses detectives would like to talk to.

Detectives are investigating claims by the photographer that the pop star struck him after he snapped photographs of the singer and Gomez, an actress, at the Commons at Calabasas Shopping Center. 

The photographer complained of pain and was taken by the Los Angeles County Fire Department to a hospital, where he was treated and released, officials said.  The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing, stressed that the probe was in its early stages.

A spokesperson for Bieber did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact detectives at (818) 878-1808. Anonymous tipsters may contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).

Taylor Swift And Ed Sheeran To Work Together On Her Next Album?

New BFFs Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran have been tweeting each other for a while now and it's now been revealed that the pair have in fact been busy working together on Taylor's next album.

The singer-songwriting pair have locked themselves away in a LA studio for the past few weeks and apparently couldn't wait to tell their army of Twitter fans about their upcoming 'masterpiece'...

Taylor took to Twitter recently to say: “Eating cheeseburgers, scribbling on guitars, writing songs with @edsheeran. :)"

Ed then replied: "In and out burger, defacing guitars and writing music with @taylorswift13 :)"

However, the pair have remained pretty quiet about the whole thing for the past couple of weeks - until a source spoke to The Sun about the upcoming collaboration...

"Ed and Taylor have been in the studio in LA a lot over the past few weeks working on new material"

"She's into her British music and became a massive fan of Ed before asking to work with him recently. There is a mutual affection between the pair."

It's not been revealed just how many songs that Ed will contribute to on the album - whether it's going to be one or several...but a co-writing credit is definitely expected to appear on Taylor's fourth studio album in the very near future.

The source continued: "It's still to be officially decided how the material will be released but just a single credit on her album will be worth big money."

"Taylor's country sound is massive around the world."

Well, if the pair's previous solo success is anything to go by - this is going to be one of a hit! Entertainmentwise have been in touch with Ed's press - however, nothing has been released just yet, but you'll be the first to know as soon as find out any further info!

Miley Cyrus’ Tattoo Timeline: What’s the Meaning Behind Her Ink? (PHOTOS)

Last week, the 19-year-old “Party in the USA” singer stepped out and showed off some brand new ink on her forearm, which consisted of Roman numerals VIIXCI (7 and 91). While the jury is still out on what her new tat means, Celebuzz decided to break down the meaning behind her other various tattoos. If you remember, Miley got her first tattoo at the age of 17, which reads “Just breathe” on her rib cage.

Any guesses as to why she went with that particular message?

A family friend of Miley’s suffers from cystic fibrosis, and dedicated her first tattoo to them.

Miley then followed up with some smaller tats, including an anchor on her pinky and “love” on her inner ear, but then got one of her largest ones to date — a dream catcher on the right hand side of her rib cage.

Chord Overstreet & Emma Roberts Split Again — New Report

Are you bummed by this break up? Chord & Emma were really cute together!

Maybe some couples are just too beautiful to last. According to a friend of Chord Overstreet and Emma Roberts, the couple has decided to officially call it quits — again. “They’re done,” the friend tells Star. “The last few weeks have been really rough.”

Chord, 23, and Emma, 21, were last spotted together May 9 at Nylon‘s Young Hollywood party in LA, but apparently they spent the night on opposite ends of the V.I.P. section after briefly posing for pictures.

The couple was also seen packing on the PDA at Coachella back in April. We never would have predicted they’d split so suddenly!

Are YOU surprised by Chord and Emma’s breakup?

Emma Takes to Facebook!

We reported earlier that Jo, from Emma Watson Official, is asking for suggestions for Emma’s site, or questions you would like to ask Emma. Today, Emma wrote a lovely little post on her Facebook. She posted,“I think when you take away all the premieres and press stuff and all the special effects, then you just come down to the fact that it’s all about acting, and I think that has been the best bit for me.” There were many requests for Emma to post more, and this may just be a sign that more is on it’s way!

Emma also included this picture:

A new photo from The Bling Ring set was posted today on the movies facebook page. And another photo of Emma and Israel Broussard taken by Sofia Coppola from about a month ago that we didn’t post before.

Daniel Radcliffe Wants to Star in a Superhero Movie

The actor who played the central character in Warner Bros. Pictures' massive, eight-movie adaptation of J.K. Rowling's best-selling Harry Potter book series, Daniel Radcliffe has helped the studio rake in nearly $8 billion in ticket sales and another $7 billion in home video sales and related merchandise.

Surely that amount of money has earned Radcliffe no small amount of goodwill with Warners, but has it earned him enough for the studio to let him take a stab at one of their coveted superhero roles? In a recent interview, the former "boy wizard" revealed that he wants to star in a superhero movie and that one of the characters he feels "really passionate about" is part of the pantheon of DC Comics characters owned by Warner Bros.

There’s not many superheroes left who haven’t been done but I don’t think anyone’s done The Flash yet.

That’s one I’d probably have a go at but I don’t have any immediate plans. There are lots of offers around, but I want to do something that I’m really passionate about.

Radcliffe's correct in assuming that no one has "done" the Flash yet, at least not as a major motion picture — CBS aired 22 episodes of The Flash TV series in the early '90s, which starred John Wesley Shipp as forensic scientist-turned-scarlett speedster Barry Allen — but Warner Bros. has been developing a live-action adaptation of the character since at least 2008. In fact, Warners president Jeff Robinov revealed last August that a "solid script" for The Flash movie written by Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim is already in the can, but the studio is taking it slow in the wake of Green Lantern's failure to impress at the box office.

With Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy wrapping up with the release of The Dark Knight Rises this summer, and the future of the Superman franchise in doubt beyond The Man of Steel because of copyright disputes, what Warners needs right now is a new superhero tentpole franchise. But, whether Radcliffe has the "magic" to support a franchise not based on the Harry Potter books remains to be seen.

2012 Kawasaki ZX-14R vs Suzuki Hayabusa

It was inevitable, we suppose. The toughest kid on the block will always have someone looking to knock him off the top of the food chain. But for Suzuki’s Hayabusa, that reign as the king of brute horsepower (and speed, at least before the onset of industry-wide speed limiters brought on by European government hysteria surrounding the 2000 Kawasaki ZX-12R) has been uninterrupted since the bike’s release in 1999. Even when the Hayabusa underwent a significant update in 2008, it wasn’t as if the Suzuki was in danger of being ousted from its throne; even a concerted effort by the previous generation Kawasaki ZX-14 (“Big Numbers”, April 2008) failed to topple the ‘Busa from its perch atop the sportbike pile.

Granted, there was a small blip on the ‘Busa’s reign when BMW’s reworked K 1300 S managed to come out on top of our comparison (“Warp Speed Ahead”, September 2009) by dint of its better overall performance, rather than just monster power. But BMW was unable to procure us a 2012 model in time for this comparison test; and it’s doubtful the Beemer would have stood much of a chance in this comparison once you read the details.

We’ve already covered both bikes’ tech details ad nauseam, so we’ll skip that portion and head right into the meat of the matter. Suffice it to say that for the loyalists out there (and there are many when it comes to this category…), it won’t matter what bike does what better — they’ll stick with their brand through thick and thin. But for those who are interested in how these bikes compare in daily life and overall performance, read on…

The “Hyper” in Hypersports Interestingly, the spec sheet on the Hayabusa states its seat height as 31.7 inches, while the Kawasaki is listed at 31.5 inches — but the Kawasaki definitely feels much taller than the ‘Busa from the saddle. Not that the ZX-14R makes you stand on your toes at a stop, but the spec sheets belie how each bike feels when you sit on it. Turning the key has the Suzuki’s analog dial gauges go through a test windup, while the ZX-14R’s LCD panel goes through a startup display depicting the bike’s distinctive front headlight profile.

For more, click here

Taylor Swift steps out of the shade with bright red lips on sunny day out to the studio

While most of America took a breather for Memorial Day, Taylor Swift was still hard at work. The stunning Country singer was spotted heading a studio in Santa Monica - and also ensured she looked the part. Taylor, 22, was wearing a shock of red lipstick, complete with shades and wore her blonde locks over one shoulder.

Last week Swift posted snaps of herself on Twitter following a girly night of face-painting. She posted a photograph of herself sporting an impressive blue and black butterfly over her cheek and forehead. 'Evidently, it was 'face paint Wednesday' last night,' she wrote, before posting the photograph. '@ashavignone drew a unicorn on @ClaireWinter's face. Impressed,' she added. The Instagram picture also showed an array of face paints and brushes, along with Taylor's friends also sporting painted faces of designs including a unicorn, flowers and hearts.

Selena Gomez Unspoken Victim in Justin Bieber Scuffle

Selena Gomez is the unspoken victim in Justin Bieber’s scuffle with photographers. The two have been dating for more than a year and she’s had to weather his rude behavior more than once. Selena, who is more reserved and considerate, has stuck by Justin every time he’s thrown a boyish tantrum.

But it seems like it’s only a matter of time before she gets fed up with his behavior. She is too sophisticated and mature to repeatedly be caught up in his misadventures, and it could start weighing on her image.

In the latest incident, Justin and Selena went to The Commons at Calabasas Shopping Center in Calabasas, Calif., to catch a movie. As they left, some photographers were outside waiting for them. When one of the photographers allegedly refused to move so Justin could drive off in his car, the 18-year-old singer got out and started scuffling with the photographer. Selena reportedly had to get out of the car and calm Justin down. Justin not only allegedly shoved the lensman, but in more rude behavior, flipped off the photographers after his blow up.

The paparazzo, of course, filed a police report charging Bieber with assault. Now he’s wanted for questioning by police. Undoubtedly, Selena will have to give a statement as well. Who needs that? The paparazzi can be overbearing and intrusive, but it doesn’t justify immature behavior. What’s worse, even though police want to speak with him, Bieber blew them off, too. He flew to Oslo, Noway, to give what he said was a “secret concert.”  Bieber lost his cool with fans who were following him at the theme park last February. The fans were stunned. His rep later said the fans were harassing him.

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez look more in love than ever

Justin Bieber and his pop star girlfriend, Selena Gomez enjoyed a romantic lunch at Benihana restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California, on Saturday. A source told Hollywoodlife.com, "They are like regulars and are always really friendly. When they came in for lunch, they looked more in love than ever.

Justin was holding Selena's hand on the table. They split an order of the vegetable tempura and Hibachi steak. They had green tea ice cream for dessert." As well as being friendly, Justin also reportedly left a generous amount of money for the waiting staff. The source added, "Justin once again left a very generous tip. He left almost the same amount as the entire bill."

 Justin, 18, and Selena, 19, may have been celebrating after the Boyfriend singer completed buying his first home, a seven-bedroom mansion in the Californian suburb of Calabasas for $6.5 million. The 10,000 square-foot property contains eight bathrooms, a library, cinema with stadium seating, a wine cellar, a wet bar and there is a pond within the 1.3-acre grounds, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Justin is thought to be keen on installing some high-tech gadgets in his mansion - which was constructed in 2005 and had been listed at $8.75 million - which also features a big guest house, large garage and pool, as well as a games room.

 The star's weekend took a turn for the worse on Sunday night however, when he was involved in an altercation with a paparazzi, which has led to him being accused of assault.

Katy Perry: Part Of Me Trailer

Brit award-winning popstar Katy Perry discusses her Christian upbringing and how songwriting has become, in her words, 'the truth of who I am' in a documentary style film of her life and music career. The film will be the first real glimpse into the star's life and we will discover what motivates her and what keeps her determined to succeed.

'Katy Perry: Part of Me' not only offers a fantastic insight into the life of the global superstar in 3D, but fans have been invited to become a part of it over Twitter in an interactive experience that allows them to select the songs Katy will sing in the film and wardrobe ideas. Exclusive behind the scenes footage from the movie is available via Katy's official twitter page.

According to the president of Insurge Pictures, ''Katy Perry: Part Of Me' is a really fun and engaging movie that celebrates every aspect of Katy's life including her relationship with fans', says Amy Powell. 'What better way to kick start the filmmaking process than by inviting her millions of fans on Twitter into her world?'

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart caught at Cannes 65th film festival

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have been dating for nearly four years, if reports are to be believed. They are notoriously coy about their romance and have not yet confirmed they are even dating. However, a romantic evening on a balcony in Cannes this week involving a romantic smooch seems to finally prove they are very much an item.

They are clearly smitten with each other and being co-stars on all four of the Twilight films, as well as working on the fifth, it's clear they can work together as well as play together which is often a big hurdle. They share a camera-shy attitude, hiding under baseball caps or hoodies whenever cameras are about and neither are regulars on the party scene. If either one of them has a premiere to attend, the other will generally always attend for support as well - even if they do enter via the back door. For a couple as huge as they are, they've done well to avoid the attention that surrounds them daily.

Ian Somerhalder & Nina Dobrev: Paris Lovers

Life definitely isn't imitating art for Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder. Though she chose to be with his brother on their hit CW show, The Vampire Diaries, there is no other option for the smitten starlet. The beautiful couple appeared to be more in love than ever as they shared a tender moment in Paris yesterday.

Ian, 33, paused during a nighttime stroll to hold his girlfriend close and tenderly tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

He wrapped his arms around Nina, 23, as they stood on the French city street. The look of love in their eyes was only something that's typically seen on the big screen (or, as it were for these adorable TV stars, on the small screen).

Both wore matching dark ensembles: he in dark denim, a black polo shirt and a trilby hat, she in a black jacket, paisley top and heels. After their romantic time together, the two intend to celebrate Diaries producer Julie Plec's birthday. He tweeted earlier today: 'Amazing day here in Paris...Wow. Can't wait to see @julieplec and party down in the City of Lights.' It is just another stop on the loved-up couple's globetrotting trip.

photos courtesy: JUST JARED

Somerhalder mum about romantic status

MANILA, Philippines – American actor-model Ian Somerhalder did not admit if he is currently committed to special girl in his life. In an exclusive interview with “The Buzz” aired on Sunday, Somerhalder tried to evade the question if he currently has a girlfriend. “I am committed to a lot of thing,” he said. According to reports, Somerhalder is eyeing actress Nina Dobrev, his leading lady in the hit American show “The Vampire Diaries.” Meanwhile, Somerhalder vowed he would return to the Philippines. Having been in the country for only a short while, Somerhalder said he would definitely come back to see other tourist spots in the Philippines. Somerhalder stayed in the Philippines for less a week for his commitment as the newest endorser of local clothing brand Penshoppe.

Ferrari Reveals Eric Clapton SP12 EC One-Off

It took a while for them to officially announce and reveal what they’d done, but Ferrari finally revealed that very special one-off 458 Italia-based car they built for Eric Clapton.

It’s officially called the SP12 EC, is rumored to have cost GBP3 million as it was purchased from a London dealer and still look like a bad idea.

"The world-famous guitar player has been attached to one particular Ferrari model: the 512 BB, of which he has owned three over the years. So his desire was to drive a car inspired by this model, with influences from the multi-award winning 458 Italia,” Ferrari says.

Since Ferrari didn’t reveal anything else, and there are no other clues about the car hidden in backwards tapes of Clapton’s music, we’re stuck for details.

However, we expect that car has various bit from older Ferraris, was custom built by Maranello themselves. and is actually a V8, not a V12. Clapton wanted a car to be a spiritual successor to the 512, which indeed had a 12-cylinder, but it was a boxer engine which Ferrari doesn’t make any more. We might still be proven wrong, but until specs for this car appear we’re going to stick to our gums and say this is a V8.

Clapton says that this project is one of the most satisfying things he’s ever done, but will the automotive world agree?

Facebook’s New iOS Camera App: A New Competitor For Instagram?

Facebook has released its own standalone photo-sharing app for the iPhone, a surprising move that comes less than a month after it acquired Instagram. The social networking giant’s new iOS app – dubbed Facebook Camera – is designed to capture photos, apply filters and batch upload pics to a user’s Timeline. In a move clearly inspired by Instagram, the new app also features its own array of filters.

On first startup, Facebook Camera automatically detects and links any Facebook account associated with the user’s iPhone. However, there is nothing Facebook-like with the new app’s user interface. There is a New Feed of photos uploaded by you or your friends, and the app can support batch uploads of up to 30 files. Tapping on the photo will allow you to rotate, crop and apply filters to the image.

As initially released, Facebook Camera only has 14 filters, but Facebook is certain to add more options in future updates. It is now available as a free download on the iTunes Store, and an Android port could be expected in the near future.

Interestingly, Facebook’s new app was released a scant few weeks after the social networking giant snapped up Instagram for a hefty $1B. The timing suggests that Facebook Camera has been under development long before the deal with Instagram was sealed.

 Facebook could now be planning to port Instagram’s features into its own app, and move the developers of the photo-sharing app to the Facebook Camera team. As such, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Instagram entirely disappear from the App Store in the long run.

Apple Preparing to Sell Nest Learning Thermostat at Retail Stores

Apple will soon offer the Nest Learning Thermostat through both its online and retail Apple Stores, iLounge reported Friday. The internet- and iOS-enabled thermostat will sell for $249.

 Nest, a digital thermostat that “learns” over time based on user behavior, was released to much media interest late last year. The product’s parent company, Nest Labs, was co-founded in 2010 by former Apple senior vice president and iPod creator Tony Fadell. The Nest attracted the attention of tech consumers and media not just due to its creator’s heritage, but also as a result of the undeniably “geeky” nature of the device. Internally, the Nest uses a “combination of sensors, algorithms, machine learning, and cloud computing” to learn from user behavior how to best maintain a home’s environmental settings while optimizing energy efficiency. Externally, the device is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing users with mobile devices to access their Nest via a free app, with which they can remotely adjust temperature settings, view historical data, and estimate energy usage. 

 The Nest itself is also beautifully and simply designed, with just a single control dial, paying homage its iPod step-sibling and it has received mostly positive reviews since its launch. If you can’t wait for Apple to start selling them, you can pick one up now at other retailers, such as Lowes, or via Nest’s website.

Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition Revealed, to Be Shown in Frankfurt

This isn’t the first time that Italian sportsbike specialists Ducati and Mercedes’ AMG division have crossed paths, yet it looks like their latest collaboration is the work of God and the ‘Diavel’ himself combined.

The two companies have today announced that the new Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition will be shown for the first time at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and we are very anxious to see it.This isn’t the first time that Italian sportsbike specialists Ducati and Mercedes’ AMG division have crossed paths, yet it looks like their latest collaboration is the work of God and the ‘Diavel’ himself combined.

The two companies have today announced that the new Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition will be shown for the first time at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and we are very anxious to see it.

The AMG heritage in this range-topping Diavel go deep, with this special edition sporting AMG’s signature 5-spoke wheel styling, carbon fiber lateral radiator grills with aluminum trim, AMG-style sport exhaust system with engraved end-caps and AMG-style horizontally ribbed seat upholstered in Alcantara.

Just like AMG’s engines are in Germany, the motorcycle is hand-built but it’s about as cool in our eyes as the SL 65 Black Series. The exclusive new Diavel AMG Special Edition is dressed in matte black carbon fiber bodywork with AMG’s “Diamond White Bright” stripe and frame color to make the black wheels stand out.

The special edition wheels, seat and exhaust end-caps are all covered in AMG badging while the German brand of performance is also laser-engraved into the air-duct panels either side of the fuel tank. The Ducati Diavel AMG Special Edition and exclusively designed leather jacket and helmet apparel will be available in early 2012, with orders opening at the same time as the unveil in Frankfurt.