Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens teaser trailer makes debut

If you love all manner of geekdom as we do, the last few days have been dominated by multiple viewings of the new teaser trailer for 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Being a much loved franchise, which multiple generations of fans have a vested interest in, the first teaser has garnered plenty of reaction, both good and bad. On the good, or light side of the force, we were given glimpses of four new characters in particular. 

First up is John Boyega (Attack the Block), who plays a yet to be named character sporting a stormtrooper suit. We also got glimpses of Oscar Isaac (Robin Hood, Drive) as an X-Wing pilot, but his role in the new Star Wars flick is also a mystery. Even though it is a teaser, it has already produced an iconic image, namely the new Sith antagonist who wields a uniquely designed lightsaber. This character walks among the shadows of a forest, but we're are lead to believe that he is played by Adam Driver (Girls, Lincoln).

Along with the frenzied hype, the dark side has been able to mar the teaser trailer's release, with some fans venting their unwarranted frustration over the appearance of Boyega as a stormtrooper. Not phased by the unfair criticism, Boyega replied to racial slurs in a very classy manner, telling commenters to "get used to it". 

We for one are angry for only one reason, the fact that this trailer comes a full year before the movie is expected to debut on 18 December 2015. Check out the teaser below, as well as a Lego-inspired version which popped up online a few short hours after the live action version. 

Video courtesy of YouTube user Snooperking. 

First Jurassic World trailer hints at hybrid dinosaur

Star Wars was not the only old-school franchise to get refreshed, the folks over at Jurassic World also got into the fun, releasing an initial teaser trailer, then a fully-fledged version a few days later. In it, the dinosaur-filled island theme park is open once again, which only begs the question of why they didn't learn their lesson the first time. Their mistake is our gain however, as we can once more venture back and see what it might be like if DNA-splicing was a reality.

Along with the usual gargantuan herbivores, and fan-favourite Velociraptors, there is a new breed of dinosaur joining the mix. Only featured in terms of the damage it leaves behind, a hybrid dinosaur has been let loose on the island of Jurassic World, with new-age leading man Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) charged with saving the day. Slated for release on 12 June 2015, it should prove interesting to see whether this franchise reboot can recapture some of the magic it has lost in previous lacklustre instalments. Click on the trailer for a glimpse. 

Terminator: Genisys poster surfaces

It looks like 2015 is shaping up to be the year of the sci-fi reboot, as details surrounding Terminator:Genisys begin to surface. Along with casting news, which is said to feature a very old Arnold Schwarzenegger, an interactive movie poster has also been released. Titled Genisys, the new Terminator film will see some new faces take on a few iconic roles, with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) playing Sarah Connor. The film is set in 2029 as the war between humans and Skynet is well under way. 

Time-travelling is said to feature heavily, as Empire Online reports that one of the main characters, Kyle Reese is sent back to 1984 to save Connor from termination by the original killer cyborg. A trailer is also expected to follow this news in a few weeks time, and we'll be sure to keep all TechSmart readers in the know.     

Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli featured in new doc

A new English-subtitled version of the documentary focusing on iconic Anime creator Hayao Miyazaki and his production house Studio Ghibli is set for release in late January 2015. Titled The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, the original Japanese version debuted in the latter half of 2013, as Miyazaki was completing work on his final film, The Wind Rises. 

The documentary itself is said to paint a vivid picture of the trials and tribulations that Miyazaki faced daily, with the pressure to create award-winning works and run a successful studio taking quite the toll. Along with this, viewers will be given a very honest portrayal of one of the genre's most iconic writer/director, whose work played a huge part in making Anime films a recognised artform. For any fans of the genre, or those of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki, this documentary is well worth watching. View the US trailer below.  

Google's Santa Tracker teaches kids to code

As has become an festive tradition in recent years, Google has unveiled its Santa Tracker, designed for kids both young and old to get into the spirit of the holidays. This year round brings a couple of enhancements, with Google setting up shop in the North Pole and providing educational games and content during each day of December, before tracking Santa on Christmas Eve as he delivers presents across the globe (in real-time of course). 

Think of this new daily content feature as an advent calendar for young geeks who want to learn something instead of simply getting chocolate to scoff down. Google say that further into the month, users will be able to find out how to say "Santa" in different languages, as well as learn some basic Javascript skills via a coding project. Head to Google's Santa Tracker here.  

World's oldest analog computer dated back to 205 BC 

Believed to be the oldest analog computer discovered to date, the Antikythera mechanism has been carbon-dated to around 205 BC. Originally discovered on a shipwreck off the coast of Greece, the device itself is said to have been able to predict planetary positions and orbits, as well as celestial events like eclipses. That’s some pretty high grade tech, especially if the 205 BC date is correct. 

The dating process of the now named Saros dial, places it an estimated 50 to 100 years before any other analog computing device. The research was conducted by science historian Christián C. Carman and physicist James Evans. Along with pinpointing its origins, the new research found that ancient Babylonian arithmetic forms the basis behind which the Saros dial's computational power is built. While modern technology far surpasses the computing capabilities of the Saros dial, it is still compelling to see that such ingenuity existed as far back as 205 BC.