Image credit goes to Plug 1 at WhatImSeeing

RiffTrax is Mike Nelson's clever venture which allows him (and frequent contributors Murphy and Corbett) to make fun of more current films (and TV shows) without having to deal with annoying copyright issues. Just purchase and download an MP3 of their movie commentary and then play it along with a DVD of the film. The wonders of modern technology!

We had a chance to talk with Mike Nelson about Rifftax, performing live and, of course, bad movies.

First off, thanks for once again doing some shows in our fair city. But we're wondering why you guys keep coming here. You're making other cities jealous! Do you have any other live shows planned? Perhaps a tour of some kind?

The guys at the SF SketchFest have been kind (or crazy) enough to invite us a couple of times. We did a live RiffTrax this winter and it worked out, so they asked us back. We get asked by other cities to do live shows but frankly, those other cities don’t provide as much sushi as does San Francisco. If they can pony up more sushi, we’ll consider it.

Since you're doing mainstream movies now, do you find it harder to just go see a movie these days without thinking about how it might fit into a RiffTrax, and constantly thinking up wisecracks in your head, (or perhaps out loud, to the delight of your fellow movie watchers)?

Yeah, I’m doomed to look at almost every movie as material. I watched The Hours not long ago and every tragic moment in it (of which there are dozens), I’m thinking, hm, that could be pretty funny… But no, I don’t do it out loud in a theater, even when movies deserve it, like, say, Déjà Vu.

Fan-created image of Mike "Aeon Flux" Nelson from the RiffTrax Web site.

The rumor that started circulating last week is that Apple's new for-real-no-really-it's-happening-this-time-we-swear video iPod is going to have a larger (3.5-inch) screen that will incorporate a "virtual" click wheel on the screen itself. The touch screen aspect of the rumor was bolstered by patent applications from Apple showing how such an interface would work with the iPod, iTunes, and iPhoto.

Adding to the speculation is this video demonstration of a multi-touch research project from NYU showing how such an interface might work. Emphasis on might — note that the NYU project and Apple's patent application are unrelated. The Cult of Mac Blog gives one take on how the two could work together.

As for the practicality/feasibility of the rumor: err... maybe? It makes sense, and it would be an ingenious way to make an iPod with a larger screen but a similar overall form factor. It's certainly possible, as the Nintendo DS proves a touch screen display is practical even for the grubby fingers of little kids (and the greasy, oily fingers of older game players). At the same time, Apple's learning its customers are sensitive, litigious types who don't like having their expensive new MP3 players get all scratched up. We think this technology will eventually make it to the iPod line (or even better, the PowerBook) but not as soon as the rumor sites think.

Leander Kahney of Wired News got some flak for his commentary about the relative merits of Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates. He says that the popular perception of Gates as evil monopolistic robber baron and Jobs as free-thinking hero to the masses is nonsense.

Finally! Someone's putting a kibosh on all the unrealistic and simple-minded... err, hang on a second. He then goes on to say that because Jobs doesn't give as much to charity as Gates, he's a "shameful," greedy, self-serving capitalist. Who should be more like Bono. He also makes sure to mention Jobs' increased wealth from the Pixar buyout, making Jobs a partner in the only organization more evil than the Chinese government — Disney.

Tony Long at Wired defended his colleague with his own column, pointing out that none of these tech leaders deserve the worship and adulation they get. Not content to let a reasonable comment stand, he goes on to say how they're all greedy, self-serving big-business moguls, more than likely crooks who got their tremendous wealth from unethical or illegal tactics. And, incidentally, computers suck.

More disappointment after the jump, plus something good comes out of the Google China controversy!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers at Northern California Movies

The keynote announcements from Google are in line with the more believable rumors of the past couple of days: the Google Video Store, a partnership with CBS and other video content providers for downloadable video. The announcement also included the Google Pack, a freely-downloadable software bundle of internet tools made by Google and third-party developers (including the Firefox browser, Trillian IM client, and anti-virus and anti-spyware software). Even as we write this report, attendees at the Google keynote address are enjoying the antics of Robin Williams.

You'd think that for a city on a fault line, situated right next to the world's biggest proving ground for new technology, the Bay Area could come up with a better class of super villains and evil geniuses. Giant robots tromping down Market Street, mind control rays broadcast from Sutro Tower, sheesh, even some sea lions with frickin' laser beams on their heads terrorizing tourists at Pier 39.

But no, all we get are "Web pioneers" and Sheryl Crow-hugging guys in turtlenecks trying to sell us MP3 players. So with a dejected sigh, let's go over some of the delays and missed opportunities in evil tech news over the past couple of the days:

Danger! Death Ray
Last Saturday, students from MIT came to San Francisco in an attempt to recreate Archimedes' Death Ray in an experiment for the Discovery Channel's series "Myth Busters." Any Roman fleets thinking about invading the city will be happy to hear that the experiment failed. The students' fatal flaw was that they didn't just fire the ray immediately, but instead stopped to explain exactly how the death ray works, giving the show's producers a chance to escape and foil their plans.

Now, Rio will be allowed to continute producing their own products, but Rio's R&D department will basically be gutted and the valuable parts moved to SigmaTel. Why does this matter? Because SigmaTel are the folks who make the flash-memory for the iPod Shuffle. While of course they can license their new technology assets to anyone, it does seem to indicate a firmer grip on the flash-based player market by Apple.