movies

There are at least a couple of different ways to motivate people into doing what you want them to do. You can offer consequences for bad behavior or rewards for good behavior. When it comes to cell phone use during movies, Cinemark is testing out a system that offers carrots rather than sticks.

CineMode is a new component to Cinemark's smartphone app for iPhone and Android. You open the app, select CineMode, follow the reminder to silence your phone, and then activate CineMode. It automatically darkens your screen. Leave it on for the duration of the film and Cinemark will send you a coupon as a reward.… Read more

The blockbuster "Jurassic Park" gets another chance to shine -- this time in the third dimension -- as it makes a big 20th anniversary comeback to 3D and IMAX 3D movie screens on April 5, 2013.

To mark the occasion, Universal Pictures whipped up a fresh trailer and captivating poster for the movie. We heartily recommend that you share these with any "Jurassic Park" fans so they can perfect their Velociraptor impersonations and get the movie's premiere on their calendars in advance. Jurassic Park" might be 65 million years in the making, but we think the 3D release is a guaranteed sick day months in the making. … Read more

If you like watching DVDs on your PC, you'll be disappointed to know that Windows 8 can't play DVD videos out of the box, so to speak. That doesn't mean you have to go out and spend a lot of money to get DVD video playback. In fact, there are quite a few programs available that are free. Here are a few popular options for watching DVDs on your Windows 8 PC:

Windows Media Center It's the omission of Windows Media Center that removed Windows 8's ability to natively play DVD video. If you like … Read more

Google is making Google Play's music and movies available in Europe later this month.

From November 13, owners of a Google TV set-top box or enabled television in the U.K., Germany and France will be able to download movies and music from the Google Play store, the company said in a Google+ post.

The movies and music -- previously only available in the U.S. -- won't, however, be available for download to other Google devices such as Nexus smartphones or tablets, but its availability is unlikely too be far behind.

Due to licensing restrictions by Hollywood … Read more

Some would consider Disney's announcement of acquiring Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) for a little over $4 billion epic enough as is. Disney stunned sci-fi fans further with the additional announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII would arrive in 2015, causing many to wonder who would direct the movie, and more importantly, who would star in it.

It might take awhile to find out who the actors in "Episode VII" will be, but at least we know that the most cantankerous of the bunch, Harrison Ford, is onboard with participating in the highly anticipated follow-up to "Return of the Jedi," according to Entertainment Weekly. … Read more

If you love being on the edge of your seat in a movie, get down to the Dominican Republic.

A theater in Santo Domingo is the world's first venue with Tremor FX movie seats, which apparently supply your posterior with "a more immersive theater experience," according to makers Red Seat Entertainment and Seating Concepts.

The Tremor FX system was shown off earlier this year at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. It has three vibrating actuators -- two in the back and one in the bottom -- that shake in response to sounds from the movie. … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Beyonce reacts to President Obama's re-election.

- Marijuana now legal for recreational use in Colorado and Washington.

- I'm joining the rest of the world and getting cable TV; which Time Warner package is the best deal, and are there any pro tips out there to get more for my dollar?

- Measure B in California requires L.A. porn stars to wear condoms.

- Don't forget to enter our Halloween Samsung Galaxy S3 Giveaway contest!

Bathroom break video: Horse crashes Huffington Post's election night coverage.

Webcam utilities come in several flavors. Some emphasize the security angle by monitoring several cameras at once, much like a CCTV system. Others have a different objective: fun. ArcSoft's WebCam Companion 4 definitely falls into the second group. This shareware Webcam manager not only handles your Webcams but also edits and adds cool stuff to your video feeds, such as masks and text. It can capture 3D and HD video and still images, and it makes it easy to share everything on Facebook, Twitter, and other Web sites. But that doesn't mean WebCam Companion doesn't also make … Read more

Siri will get a little smarter with the next version of iOS.

The iOS 6.1 update will give the voice-command feature the ability to order movie tickets through Fandango, according to 9to5Mac.

Users can ask to get movie tickets for a specific film and location, and Siri will bring up a theater and showtime. Users can then click to purchase the tickets, which brings up the Fandango apps to finish out the transaction. If the device doesn't have Fandango, Siri will direct users to a link to download the app.

The feature is exclusive to the U.S., … Read more