monster

The home stretch: How Pixar wrapped 'Monsters University'

EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- It's early April, and there's just over two months before Pixar's newest film, "Monsters University," hits theaters. For years, the filmmakers at this hit factory have been working like crazy, taking what was once a mere idea for a prequel to 2001's "Monsters, Inc." through every step on the way to the silver screen.

Thirty-two miles away, some of the "MU" team is still toiling away, mixing the film's sound at Skywalker Ranch, but here at the studio's headquarters, inside the Steve Jobs Building, it'… Read more

Review: Tiny Monsters offers yet another village-building simulator

Tiny Monsters doesn't do anything new in the village-building and simulation genre, but it is a well-crafted, fun-to-play game with a few unique twists. While the core concept here is very similar to other games like it, Tiny Monsters has its own unique style and presentation method that make it a good pickup for anyone looking for a new sim.

Tiny Monsters plays much like other games such as Dragon Vale. You will be collecting resources, building habitats, farms, and buildings, and growing monsters that will in turn allow you to build your city even faster. The game is … Read more

Hooked Up: Hang out with Nelly and his must-have gadgets

In this week's episode of Hooked Up, Kevin Frazier hangs out with Grammy Award winner and multi-Platinum recording artist Nelly. He talks about all the tech he can't live without, and how he co-founded Vatterott College in St. Louis and the Extreme Institute to teach students skills for making music.

Nelly also talks about his MacBook Pro, Canon EOS 7D that he uses for shooting videos, and the Monster Diamond Tears headphones that surprised him with their sound.

I'll break down the best dSLR cameras for shooting video with Kevin that broadcast professionals are using today. And … Read more

Hooked Up: Check out the set of NCIS with Pauley Perrette and her tech toys

In this week's episode of Hooked Up, Kevin Frazier hangs out on the set of "NCIS" with actress Pauley Perrette, who plays Abby Sciuto, the show's fan-favorite quirky forensic scientist. She talks about her role as the social media ambassador for CBS during "Tweet Week" and how she used Twitter to help keep the Hope Gardens shelter for families open.

Pauley bring hers own tech on set, including the dirtiest Macbook you've probably ever seen, and she shows us some of the fun set pieces in Abby's lab. She also talks about … Read more

Hack and slash through your bank account

Dungeon Hunter 4 (iOS|Android) is the latest installment from Gameloft's popular hack-and-slash RPG franchise, and it gets a lot of things right but may discourage some with an aggressive in-app purchase model.

All the right ingredients As hack-and-slash Diablo-like RPGs go, Dungeon Hunter is one of the best franchises in the genre for smartphones. Set in a medieval fantasy setting, you'll be charged with picking from four character classes, then fighting your way through hordes of demons. You can choose from two ranged classes that include a bow-wielding Sentinel or a spell-casting Warmage. On the melee side … Read more

Nokia Purity Pros are light and compact

Headphones like the Nokia Purity Pro Stereo Headset by Monster don't come along every day. At $349.99, this advanced pair of headphones is expensive but nets a long list of advanced mobile audio technologies. The result of a partnership between mobile phone maker Nokia and sound equipment company Monster Cable, the Purity Pro's impressive skill set includes wireless Bluetooth and active noise canceling. The device even relies on NFC hardware for effortless pairing, unique for a stereo headset. More compelling, the Purity Pro also serves up these capabilities for $50 less than the $400 Parrot Zik, another … Read more

My Facebook profile transformed into a 3D-printed monster

I can hold my Facebook profile in the palm of my hand. It's shaped like a pink butternut squash with a top hat, no arms, and a bit of blood dripping from its teeth.

This strange creature came about through the Creators Project, a globe-hopping initiative from Intel and Vice that supports artists working through technology. The initiative has been around since 2010, but the Facebook 3D-printable figures project just started this year.

The 3D-printable Facebook project can take three different forms. There's Monster Me, which turns out a little monster. There's Crystallized, which interprets your social data as a pretty crystalline form. There's also Astroverb, which turns out a personalized visual horoscope. These are all pretty abstract concepts. Given the choice, I had to go with the monster.… Read more

Monster set to ship $699 Katana, a premium Bluetooth speaker

LAS VEGAS--It seems like every audio company is putting out some sort of compact Bluetooth speaker system these days. Monster is, too, but it says its new $699 ClarityHD Katana speaker system, which is due to ship later this month in black and white versions, is a major cut above the rest.

It touts the Katana as a true "breakthrough" in wireless digital music systems. What makes it so groundbreaking? Well, according Monster, thanks to its advanced Bluetooth wireless capability featuring AAC and apt-X, "users experience a new level wireless audio performance, with the option to stream … Read more

Cut the Rope creators' next game: Pudding Monsters

PARIS -- The developers of the tremendously successful game Cut the Rope announced a new game today called Pudding Monsters.

In the game, the player must stick together wobbly single-eyed blobs of pudding into larger puddings, said Chief Executive Misha Lyalin. "They want to find the evil, bad man who steals their friends," plucking puddings out of the refrigerator as he walks by, he said.

He didn't announce a launch date for the game or even show how it works. But he promised that it will be slicker than Cut the Rope.

"Pudding Monsters is more … Read more

Infinite Monsters brings action to your Android device

Simple controls combined with a considerably comprehensive gameplay value, Infinite Monsters brings the classic fun and feel of side-scrollers. It also offers customization options that make your alien-shooting experience much more versatile and fun.

The opening interface doesn't have a lot of options, only Game Start and More Games buttons. When you start a fresh game, it shows you a very short tutorial on its controls and game environment. But even without looking at the guide, playing should still be pretty straightforward. You'll have to advance through the stage, shooting countless alien-zombie-like creatures, while collecting cash to upgrade … Read more