Is this the Real Thing ?

Some time, on week-ends, i'm posting a little "tech" article, and here is one. However it's not totally without a link with Disney as Apple CEO Steve Jobs is Disney's biggest stockholder and member of the WDC board of directors.

So. Next wednesday, January 27th, all Apple geeks - and i'm one of them! - will hold their breath during Steve's keynote at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco where he will announce the highly-awaited Apple's latest creation, the ITablet - or ISlate, or IPad, or IEverything you want. Fans expectations on this new multi touch product are pretty high, may be a little bit too high...

However, considering that Steve Jobs is supposedly "extremely happy" with the new product i think we can await a kind of high-tech E Ticket from the maestro, another big WOW! I can't wait to see if once again Apple will succeed to create a new i-can't-live-without-it product...

Of course everybody would like to know how the tablet will look, how magic the user interface will be, etc... but as a analyst said recently: "All Apple wizards working on the project seems to have disappear in a black hole"...and just like real black holes, nothing gets out of it.

But recently on Youtube two videos appeared, supposedly showing the awaited ITablet. Is it the real thing? Could be, but probably not as many people think it's a fake. If it is a fake, i must say it's a brilliant one. So brilliant that i'm still not totally convinced that it is one! Why? Because the tablet's user interface that you will see on the videos could really been created by Apple wizards. It works like magic. Have a look, and i'll meet you right after for one more thing.







Pretty cool, wasn't it? Now, the reason why i think it's not the real ITablet is because of the date these videos were posted on Youtube - December 29th, almost four weeks ago. If they show the real product there is no doubt that Apple would have asked Youtube to remove them, right? BUT Apple also know that once a video is released on the web, even if their lawyers react the same day, it's too late to stop it. The video has been downloaded and will re-appear the next day on another channel, etc...

SO, if these videos shows the real Apple Tablet - and although Steve is probably totally furious by now - they could decide to don't say anything which could be the best strategy to keep the project secret as viewers will think that "the videos are obviously a fake, if they were not, Apple would have asked for their removal". You got the idea of the third degree strategy? Now, may be i'm more machiavelic than Steve can be (not sure, though!) and very probably these videos DON'T show Apple's "latest creation". All we have to do now is to wait three more days to get the answer. Which is not that long to wait, isn't it?

Picture: copyright Apple Inc

Sneak peek at HKDL expansion with new Imagineering video !

Hong Kong Disneyland just released an "Imagineering" video about Hong Kong Disneyland expansion. Short but very interesting, almost all the Imagineering scenes were filmed at Glendale, close-up on the three new lands models, etc...



Although HKDL Toy Story Land will be slightly different than the WDS version opening later this year, DLP fans will be very interested by this video showing more of the Toy Story (Play)Land model, whether it's the "Slinky Dog Zig-Zag Spin" ride...



...the giant Rex figure...



...or the "RC Racer" half-pipe coaster.



Also, more pictures of the Toy Story Playland model HERE!

Don't miss this great video!




Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

All my thanks to Bennett for the Youtube link!

Video: copyright Disney

Models of the Future...

Let's have a look to the future with new pictures of awaited attractions/lands, which appeared recently on Disney fans web sites. The first picture above, coming from the chinese takungpao.com web site show the future Toy Story Playland opening this summer at the Walt Disney Studios - and next year at Hong Kong Disneyland.

The attraction in the foreground is of course the "Parachute Drop" attraction with its military base theming for the queue decor. Right behind it, the "Slinky Dog Zig-Zag Spin" ride and the "RC Racer" half-pipe coaster.

The next one below - from the WDS Fans web site show the same land on a different angle. As you can see the queue line of "Slinky Dog Zig-Zag Spin" will be inside a giant toy box which, i must say, is a brilliant idea.



I'm not expecting too much from this Toy Story Playland but if WDI Imagineers succeed to create a nice theming - and i'm sure they will - it can be a nice addition to the WDS. My main concern is the visual intrusion problem with the tower of the "Parachute Drop" and the half-pipe track of the "RC Coaster". I don't doubt that WDI Imagineers are aware of the problem, so let's hope that we won't see this tower and track when we'll get out of the Studio 1 and even from the small Holywood Boulevard.

Edited: Don't miss new pictures of Toy Story Playland model posted in my new article HERE.

This last model picture - click on it to see it in big size - was released two days ago by the Stitch Kingdom web site. It shows the highly-awaited new Fantasyland at WDW Magic Kingdom and the main changes from the Greg Pro rendering released last September are on the Pixie hollow area. The renderings shows a giant tree which has disappeared in the model. Big mistake, if you want my point of view. the rest of the land looks like on the artwork and apparently - thanks god! - no changes were done on the Little mermaid area.



The Global Disney Pinvestigation site has posted today a great update about all this, you can read it HERE


Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

All pictures: copyright Disney

Walt Disney in Rio de Janeiro, circa 1941 - Part Two

Here we go for the part two of this fantastic LIFE Magazine report on Walt Disney in Rio de Janeiro with his team of Disney Studios animators, in 1941. If you've missed the part one of this article you will find it HERE.

On these first pictures, above and below, Walt, walking with Disney animators is the one holding the bag on his head!



The next three pictures are very interesting. They show a Disney animator learning how to dance samba which... will lead to the famous "Saludos Amigos" sequence when Jose Carioca learn Donald how to dance the famous brazilian dance.



...and Mary Blair was not insensitive to its rhythm.





May be a litlle bit later, the group enjoy a drink - Herb Ryman, left and Frank Thomas and Mary Blair on the right.



The next pictures, showing Disney animators doing sketches of parrots, show the research - and the birth - of a new Disney character, Jose Carioca. On the first picture below, Frank Thomas.



On these two next pictures, Herb Ryman (center).





And here is a sketch of Jose Carioca by Jack Miller.



Let's have a look now at pictures showing famous Disney animators. I think it's Herb Ryman on the one below...



Here is a painting from Herb Ryman.



The next pictures show Jack Miller doing sketches...



...whether it's a man holding bananas...



...or another one walking with plants over his head (!)



...or a man sleeping on a road...



...or a small Brazilian village. I think it's Herb Ryman (right) who is here with Jack Miller (left).



Another painting of Herb Ryman, precisely showing a poor Brazilian village.



A last picture of Jack Miller in big conversation with a charming brazilian girl. Anyone know how the evening ended?



The next pictures show the great Mary Blair. First, in a botanical garden, with her husband Lee Blair, also doing sketches.









Mary Blair doing sketches of young schoolgirls...



...or ducks...



...or a military parade...



And everybody seems to be interested by Mary's sketches!



On the two next pictures, Mary Blair and Lee Blair, with Rio de Janeiro bay famous skyline in the background.





And here is Mary Blair painting.



Others pictures of Mary and Lee...





Visiting a Brazilian art gallery...



A last nice picture of Mary, by LIFE photographer Hart Preston



Let's come back to Walt who also met Brazilian musicians.





On the next picture Walt is the one holding a string basse. Which doesn't mean that he knew to play it!



Apparently there was a private screening (of probably a Disney animated movie), and Walt was doing a special commentary for the audience!



The Brazilian premiere of Fantasia also happened while they were in Rio de Janeiro.



And an evening party, may be on the same evening. On the picture below the atmosphere looks a bit ceremonious...



...but as you can see on this next one it didn't stopped Walt to be sensible to the charm of the woman next to him!



An evening party, may be after the Fantasia Premiere...





...where Walt seems to be amazed by the table decor.





A last picture with Walt listening to a young singer.



This is the end of this incredible LIFE Magazine report and i hope you've enjoyed all these rare pictures of this golden era!


Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

All pictures: copyright LIFE Magazine - All pictures by Hart Preston