An isolated teenaged girl genetically engineered to be an assassin must elude rogue CIA agents intent on terminating her in Hanna, Amazon's adaption of the 2011 film of the same name. It's a gritty, competent thriller, with strong performances from a talented cast, and has already been renewed for a second season. The problem is that no matter how much one tries to separate the series from the film, comparisons are inevitable. And in almost all respects, the TV adaptation comes up short. (Some spoilers for the series and the 2011 film below.) Not everyone was a fan of Director Joe Wright's original film, with its strange mix of espionage and dark coming-of-age fairytale. But it's one of my recent favorites for precisely those elements, driven by an exquisitely unsettling performance by Saoirse Ronan in the titular role. Ronan had this otherworldly presence of untouched innocence, combined with a ruthless hunter's instinct, as we saw in the very first scene when she kills and dresses a … [Read more...] about Hanna TV adaptation sacrifices magic of original film for typical teen angst
Magic pad
Hannah TV adaptation sacrifices magic of original film for typical teen angst
An isolated teenaged girl genetically engineered to be an assassin must elude rogue CIA agents intent on terminating her in Hannah, Amazon's adaption of the 2011 film of the same name. It's a gritty, competent thriller, with strong performances from a talented cast, and has already been renewed for a second season. The problem is that no matter how much one tries to separate the series from the film, comparisons are inevitable. And in almost all respects, the TV adaptation comes up short. (Some spoilers for the series and the 2011 film below.) Not everyone was a fan of Director Joe Wright's original film, with its strange mix of revenge thriller and dark coming-of-age fairytale. But it's one of my recent favorites for precisely those elements, driven by an exquisitely unsettling performance by Saoirse Ronan in the titular role. Ronan had this otherworldly presence of untouched innocence, combined with a ruthless hunter's instinct, as we saw in the very first scene when she kills and … [Read more...] about Hannah TV adaptation sacrifices magic of original film for typical teen angst
6 unexpectedly cool things with built-in wireless charging pads
I love the convenience of Qi ("chee") charging, which is now an option in most midrange and premium phones. Just lay it on a Qi pad or stand and presto: magic electricity transfer.Of course, that's one more thing cluttering up your desk, nightstand or whatever. And they're not the most attractive-looking things, either. Thankfully, wireless charging pads are starting to work their way into other products: desk lamps, Bluetooth speakers and so on. Here's a look at some of the more in-Qi-neous places you'll find them. Topelek Wireless Charging Alarm Clock Topolek A growing number of alarm clocks offer built-in Qi charging pads, but I like this one for a couple reasons. First, it looks cool. Second, because the base of the clock is also the charger, it's easier to fumble for in the dark. With brick-like clocks that integrate the pad into the top, you're less likely to hit the sweet spot -- and more likely to accidentally graze a control button. $34.00 at Amazon TaoTronics LED … [Read more...] about 6 unexpectedly cool things with built-in wireless charging pads
Nintendo Labo VR tested – Magical entry point into Virtual Reality for just £35
NINTENDO Labo lets you build cardboard toys that interact with your Switch, and the latest pack for it is arguably the best yet. The basic pack lets you build you very own VR headset and jump into the usually expensive world of VR for just £35, and works really well. We were very sceptical before trying it out, but were won over quickly. As with the vehicles before it, building the headset is simple buy slightly fiddly, but what you end up with is robust and works really well, with a huge range of experiences on offer right out of the (sorry) box. The games and experiences you've got on offer range from the very simple -- manipulating a UFO catcher claw in 3D space to pick up some fruit -- to a complete on-rails shooter. One big selling point comes from one of the most obviously weird things about it -- you need to physically hold your cardboard creations up to your face. The obvious benefit here is that the ability to disengage instantly with the immersive experience means the … [Read more...] about Nintendo Labo VR tested – Magical entry point into Virtual Reality for just £35
Best Alternatives to Apple’s Magic Keyboard in 2019
Every iMac and iMac Pro comes with a specially designed, Apple-branded Magic Keyboard and you either love it or hate it. If you love the look of the Magic Keyboard but don't love the feel, or maybe you were hoping for a little more than what comes in the box, we've got a list of keyboards that have a very similar design, but offer something a little different. If you love everything about the Magic Keyboard, but you really want a numerical pad, this model's nearly identical to the Magic Keyboard except that it has a 10-key number pad, a couple of additional function keys, and dedicated control keys. It's the perfect solution for Mac users that need more keyboard functionality. $129 at Apple Matias' keyboard looks very similar to the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and has a nice, comfortable slant for typing. You can also pair up to four different Bluetooth supported devices, including your Apple TV. You can get the standard Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard in space gray, … [Read more...] about Best Alternatives to Apple’s Magic Keyboard in 2019