Facebook just acquired Oculus VR, the company that makes the Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) gaming headset for $2 billion.

But it is not until you try an Oculus headset that you realize why this new platform for games is, obviously, worth every penny of the $2 billion price tag.

It is one of those rare products where describing it in mere words doesn't come anywhere near to realistically depicting how incredible the experience of wearing one is.

Two-dimensional photos and videos are a poor substitute, too.

It's one of the most completely bizarre, wonderful, unique, laugh-out-loud, "holy cow!" video experiences I have ever had. I was blown away by this product when I tried it at CES, the big computer expo in Las Vegas earlier this year.

It's still a prototype but the new Oculus Crystal Cove prototype features some impressive technical improvements over the last version. Basically, they've gotten rid of the slightly jerky way the landscape moves around as you turn your head, and they've added an increased level of "positional tracking" so that the game reacts when you lean into, or pull away from, an object.

The result is a level of virtual 3D reality that reacts so naturally to what the user does that you actually get motion sickness when you stop playing, because your body has been convinced that it was moving around.

Again, this sounds like a mere technicality until you see it for yourself — lean forward to look at a cockpit dashboard in the game, and the gauges and displays loom toward you with natural clarity just as they would in real life. It's disconcertingly good — the internal 3D world moves as convincingly as the real one.

The context here is that video games bore me.

I've owned a PlayStation and a Wii, both of which had long careers as dust collectors in my living room. I am just not interested in sitting on the sofa for hours at a stretch, playing advanced versions of Space Invaders.

Yet within seconds of donning the new headset I knew this was a (non-cliched) game changer, in the sense that it will literally change games forever. Once the goggles were in place — and they fit over your glasses, if you wear them! — I was instantly inside the cockpit of a military space fighter, launching into a gloomy, asteroid-filled galaxy of hostile aliens and impossibly vast ships. (The game was Eve Valkyrie, see video below.)

But the game itself is actually the least interesting part of the experience. It's the fact that when you look at your feet, you see a pair of feet at the pedals of a beat-up fighter ship. Turn around to look behind you and you can see the leather cushion on the back of your seat. Check out the ceiling. Look out the side windows. Whatever you want to do. (The level of detail is helped by a high-definition OLED screen display.)

The Crystal Cove version of the Oculus rift is currently only a prototype that game developers can buy and experiment with. There are about 50,000 development kits for the original headset out there. Neither are available at retail yet, and the number of top-quality games you can play on it is limited.

So gamers will have to wait.

I left the Oculus booth  in Las Vegas completely convinced that it's the future. Oculus games make Grand Theft Auto or  Call of Duty played on a TV look like Pong.

There was just one question in my head: Why does this company still exist? It should have been acquired by Microsoft or Sony or Nintendo or EA or Take Two or any of the other large gaming companies months ago.

The firm has taken about $115 million in funding from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and backers on Kickstarter. That sum would imply a valuation in the billions.

One can only assume they've been saying "no" a lot.

Join the conversation about this story »

Facebook is buying Oculus Rift for $2 billion.

For those of you wondering what Oculus Rift is, it's a virtual reality headset that is most definitely the future of gaming.

The device straps onto your head and completely immerses you inside a video game. It also has motion sensors so you can look around as if you were really inside the world. 

But it's nearly impossible to explain. The Oculus Rift is one of those things you have to see to believe. Several Business Insider employees gave it a whirl last week, and we took them on a trip through the solar system, on a medieval roller coaster, and put them into a death-by-guillotine simulation.

Produced by Will Wei. Additional camera by Justin Gmoser.

SEE ALSO: Scientists Discovered What Makes Someone A Good Dancer

Follow BI Video: On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

Gwyneth Paltrow used her Goop blog to announce Tuesday afternoon that she and her Coldplay frontman-husband, Chris Martin, are separating after ten years of marriage.

The couple, who have two children together, were rumored to have been fighting recently over the family's move from London to Los Angeles.

In the thoughtful blog post, Paltrow explains that the decision has been a long time in the making after "working hard for well over a year" and that "we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate."

Read the full explanation below, because the Goop site is currently down due to increased traffic.

SEE ALSO: 'Homeland' Actor Writes His Own Emotional Obituary

Join the conversation about this story »

It's been four months since Katie Couric announced she was becoming the first-ever Global Anchor at Yahoo, and we still have no idea what that means. Apparently, neither do people at Yahoo.

"When it comes to digital, I think Katie's going to have a serious problem adjusting to that. I don't understand what [Yahoo President and CEO Marissa] Mayer wants from her," a source who has worked with Couric tells us. "She's not Internet savvy. So she tweets— who doesn't?" [A 2008 NYT article argues Couric is very web savvy compared to her counterparts.]

Couric took the position at Yahoo for a reported $6 million salary amid the cancelation of her daytime talk show, "Katie." That's a big salary but not much compared to the $15 million salary she once earned as an evening news anchor at CBS.

"I think she was looking for an out," explains the source. "She had this talk show and the full power of ABC-Disney behind her, every resource, and a huge marketing campaign — but it still didn't work."

Now the veteran TV personality has to prove herself on the new platform — and to do so while Yahoo faces its own identity crisis and turmoil on its editorial team.

Couric says in a new Yahoo News promotional video that her role will be interviewing "politicians, thought leaders, cultural icons, and tech titans," and she has already interviewed former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates for the site — big names though people who are hardly media shy.

Longtime Hollywood publicist Howard Bragman, who is now vice chairman of Reputation.com, gives a more optimistic outlook on Couric's next step: "I think it's a really smart move for her, but perhaps an even smarter move for Yahoo. It's clear that where people get their news from is changing in pretty extraordinary ways and familiarity breeds content. As Yahoo does more original content, Katie is a face who people know, a face people trust."

Bragman predicts a convergence of TV and digital news, which Couric could fit into nicely.

"I think you will find digital is going to get more like traditional TV and traditional TV is going to get more like digital," explains Bragman. "Meaning, on digital, the production quality is going to improve, the shows are going to be better defined instead of just segments, and I think they're going to evolve into more of a traditional TV-like atmosphere. Traditional TV is realizing timeliness is huge, being live is huge — some of the things that digital has known for a long time. And as they meld into each other, she gets it."

It helps that Couric is resilient.

"Katie has not always exceeded expectations in everything she does, but she keeps coming back and she keeps fighting. She's willing to try new things and for that I give her a lot of credit. There's a lot of people who have disappeared; she's lasted," Bragman says.

Still, a former staffer of Couric's warns, "I can see a very similar pattern happening — before Katie arrives her people roll in, they act like 'we're Katie's people, here's how it's going to roll.' I think that's starting to happen at Yahoo and I don't think it's going to roll."

A Yahoo source confirms that, indeed, current staffers and freelancers are already being forced to share desk space to make room for Couric's people.

But a source familiar with Couric's Yahoo plans assures Business Insider, "This is a slow rollout that will continue to gain momentum and Katie works with the Yahoo team on further developing their infrastructure."

Continued the source, "It’s an incredibly exciting time for her to be a part of their expansion and she will be introducing various new forms content over the next several weeks and months.”

SEE ALSO: The Careful Exit Of Disney's Anne Sweeney Can’t Hide How Badly The Network Is Doing

Join the conversation about this story »

Chicago music festival Lollapalooza announced its 2014 lineup for August 1-3, and it's pretty good.

Eminem, Outkast, Kings of Leon, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, and Arctic Monkeys headline the 130 acts playing over the course of the three-day festival, which returns to Chicago's Grant Park for the tenth year in a row.

The rest of the list includes a diverse roster of performers, from Lorde and The Avett Brothers to rapper Nas and DJ Sebastian Ingrosso.

But good luck getting tickets, as three-day passes sold out within an hour of going on sale Wednesday morning.

A limited number of single day passes will be available today, March 26th, starting at 11 a.m. EST. VIP and platinum packages are also still available. 

Check out the full lineup of acts below:

• Eminem
• Outkast
• Kings of Leon
• Arctic Monkeys
• Calvin Harris
• Skrillex
• Lorde
• Foster the People
• The Avett Brothers
• Zedd
• Krewella
• Sebastian Ingrosso
• Above & Beyond
• Nas
• Childish Gambino
• Broken Bells
• Spoon
• Cage the Elephant
• Interpol
• The Head and the Heart
• Young the Giant
• Lykke Li
• Chase & Status
• Chance the Rapper
• Phantogram
• cut/copy
• Flosstradamus
• Chvrches
• Fitz & the Tantrums
• Chromeo
• The Glitch Mob
• Grouplove
• Darkside
• Portugal the Man
• Gramatik
• The 1975
• Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
• Jenny Lewis
• Rebelution
• AFI
• Manchester Orchestra
• Glen Hansard
• J. Roddy Walston & The Business
• John Butler Trio
• Gesaffelstein
• The Kooks
• Martin Garrix
• Flume
• Rudimental
• Phosphorescent
• Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
• Iggy Azalea
• Duke Dumont
• Run the Jewels
• Bombay Bicycle Club
• Temper Trap
• Airborne Toxic Event
• Warpaint
• Joachim Garraud
• London Grammar
• Kodaline
• Typhoon
• White Denim
• Sander Kleinenberg
• Z-Trip
• Delta Rae
• Lucius
• Kate Nash
• RAC
• Blood Orange
• Vance Joy
• GTA
• Perry/Etty vs Joachim Garraud
• Rich Homie Quan
• Jhené Aiko
• Jagwar Ma
• Parquet Courts
• Kongos
• Temples
• Small Pools
• NONONO
• Vic Mensa
• Jungle
• Gemini Club
• Francisca Valenzuela
• Wildcat! Wildcat!
• Crizzly
• Into It Over It
• PAPA
• Bomba Estéreo
• Courtney Barnett
• The Districts Bleachers
• San Fermin
• Robust
• Bear Hands
• Roadkill
• Ghost Choir
• Royal Blood
• Kausea
• Brillz
• Ratking
• Bronze Radio Return
• Jacob Plant
• Meg Myers
• Lindsay Lowend
• The So S Glos
• Joywave
• Betty Who
• Cash Cash
• Desert Noises
• Fly Golden Eagle
• Bebe Rexha
• Jon Batiste and Stay Human
• Crass Mammoth
• Wallpaper
• Benjamin Booker
• Cardiknox
• DUGAS
• The Last Internationale
• Space Capone
• Bagheera
• Johnnyswim
• Plastic Visions
• Of Verona
• Charlie Hirsch
• Oyinda
• Highly Suspect
• Anna Lunoe
• Rocky Business

SEE ALSO: Outkast, Muse, Arcade Fire Headline Coachella 2014 Lineup

Join the conversation about this story »

Ahead of the Xbox One's release last November, a number of Microsoft employees received white consoles with the words, "I made this."  

It's a pretty cool one-of-a-kind gift that isn't available to the public, until now.

Months after the next-generation consoles release, a few of those white Xbox Ones have popped up for sale on eBay. If you want your hands on one of the white consoles, they're not cheap.

Two of the listings we found are asking for $1,800 and $2,700.

PCMag reports 10 employee exclusive consoles have been spotted on eBay with the most expensive one retailing for more than $3,000.

The Xbox One retails for $499.

Here are a few images of the white console:

Unlike the standard green box, employees received their Xbox One's black boxes with a specially designed cover.

Both the controllers and the console are labeled with the words, "I Made This."

We reached out to Microsoft for comment.

According to a Microsoft spokesperson, it sounds like the company is okay with employees selling off their exclusive hardware.

“The custom-white Xbox One consoles gifted to our launch team were tokens of appreciation. Microsoft did not set resale restrictions on these consoles.”

SEE ALSO: Microsoft is quietly lowering the prices of the Xbox One

AND: The future of the Xbox One is riding on "Titanfall"

Join the conversation about this story »

Jack Bauer is back, but not quite in the same way you might expect in the new trailer for 24: Live Another Day, starring Kiefer Sutherland. After his days at CTU, Jack is now a wanted fugitive, surfacing after several years in London, where the U.S. government thinks he is planning an attack on President Heller (William Devane).

What they don't know is he is actually trying to prevent an assassination attempt, with the help of his old partner Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub). Every second counts in this new footage, featuring co-stars Kim Raver, Yvonne Strahovski and Benjamin Bratt. This 12-episode limited series kicks off Monday, May 5 with the season premiere.

24: Live Another Day episode 1.1, "Season 1 Premiere" airs on Fox May 5th, 2014. The episode stars Kiefer Sutherland, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Judy Davis,William Devane, Giles Matthey, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kim Raver, Michael Wincott and is directed by Jon Cassar.

SEE ALSO: Teaser Trailer For The Return Of '24' Shows Jack Bauer In Trouble

Join the conversation about this story »

The website Total Frat Move offers a style of collegiate humor that recalls the golden age of the National Lampoon.

The site's parent company, Grandex, earns the majority of its revenue through the apparel brand Rowdy Gentleman.

The brand's top-selling item is a patriotic tank top that features an American flag accompanied by a simple slogan: "Back to Back World War Champs." The success of the tank top spurred Grandex to slap the slogan on a plethora of items including koozies, hats and posters.

Don't Miss: Meet The Genius Frat Dudes Who Turned Bro Humor Into A Multimillion-Dollar Media Empire »

NOW WATCH: Here's Who 'The Most Interesting Man In The World' Thinks Is The Most Interesting Man In The World

Follow BI Video: on Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

A long time ago on a film set far, far away, two directors made a friendly bet about a small space-fantasy film called "Star Wars."

Steven Spielberg would go on to win the bet and take millions of dollars from George Lucas over time.

Here's how the out-of-this-world wager came to be.

The Troubles Of "The Star Wars"

In the mid-1970s, science-fiction films weren't very popular.

1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey" led the way for the genre but made just $56 million at the box office. So when a young director named George Lucas was trying to sell a script called "The Star Wars," based on "Flash Gordon" space serials, not many studios were eager to make it.

It wasn't until Lucas took his script to 20th Century Fox that the film finally received backing — but even then it was more because of the success of Lucas' previous film, "American Graffiti."

The challenges didn't stop there. A delayed, over-budget production caused the troubled director to visit a friend shooting his own sci-fi film in Mobile, Ala.

That friend was Steven Spielberg and the film was his 1977 classic, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

The Bet

According to an interview with Spielberg for Turner Classics Movies, Lucas came to the set of "Close Encounters" out of sorts after problems with his passion project. Needing to recharge, Lucas spent a couple of days on set.

"George came back from 'Star Wars' a nervous wreck," Spielberg said. "He didn’t feel 'Star Wars' came up to the vision he initially had. He felt he had just made this little kids' movie."

After a few days, Lucas realized something else: Spielberg's "Close Encounters" was going to be so much more successful than "Star Wars." So much more that he felt like making a bet with Spielberg.

Spielberg would later say: 

"He said, 'Oh my God, your movie is going to be so much more successful than 'Star Wars'! This is gonna be the biggest hit of all time. I can't believe this set. I can't believe what you're getting, and oh my goodness.' He said, 'All right, I'll tell you what. I'll trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? I'll give you 2.5% of 'Star Wars' if you give me 2.5% of 'Close Encounters.' So I said, 'Sure, I'll gamble with that. Great.'" 

"Close Encounters" would indeed be a hit, making $303 million at the box office. However, "Star Wars" would go on to become one of the biggest box-office hits of all time.

A Financial Empire

Spielberg's gamble paid off. Big time.

Released May 25, 1977, on a budget of $11 million, "Star Wars" — later retitled "Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope" — went on to make $460 million in the U.S. alone.

Adjusted for inflation, the film has made $1.48 billion at the box office, making it the second-biggest box-office hit of all time — only behind "Gone With The Wind." 

By our calculations, this means Spielberg's 2.5% could have made him nearly $40 million.

"'Close Encounters' was just a meager success story. 'Star Wars' was a phenomenon," Spielberg said a few years ago. "Of course I was the happy beneficiary of a couple of net points from that movie, which I am still seeing money on today."

Sequels "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" would also go on to be great successes leading to prequels, rereleases, and merchandising, making the "Star Wars" franchise one of the biggest in Hollywood, reportedly worth $30 billion and growing.

NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson Tells Us Why 'Star Trek' Is So Much Better Than 'Star Wars'

SEE ALSO: New 'Star Wars' Sequel Will Take Place 30 Years After 'Return Of The Jedi'

NOW WATCH: Here's Who 'The Most Interesting Man In The World' Thinks Is The Most Interesting Man In The World

Join the conversation about this story »

If you've been anxious to get your hands on an Xbox One, it may be a good time to invest.

Numerous retailers have been cutting the $499 price of the next-generation console by $50.

Walmart, Best Buy, Target have all dropped the console’s price to $449.* The price is for consoles packaged with Xbox One's exclusive new game "Titanfall" and another bundle including Forza Motorsport 5.

You probably haven't heard the news because there haven't been any big ads for the price drop. 

A look at Walmart's current weekly ad doesn't include a mention of the console in its rollback prices. Target's circular doesn't even show the Xbox One mentioned on its video game page. We can't find anything under Best Buy's featured weekly deals either.

Yesterday, a video game site reported the price of the next-gen console actually reached $399 for a while on Amazon (the same price as the PS4) with a discount code.

When we accessed the page, we noticed a $20 discount.

The price has since jumped back to $496.99 on the site. (It's now at $499.) Entering the code XIAMAZON at check out will bring the price down to $449.

Microsoft also started selling bothbundles on its site for the reduced price. 

The drop in price comes as Sony's PS4 is dominating the gaming market. 

According to VGChartz, as of March 22, Sony has sold approximately 6.3 million consoles — and is having trouble keeping up with demand.

Microsoft has sold 3.9 million Xbox One consoles.

When we initially saw the drop in price on Amazon, we confirmed a current special promotion with Microsoft.

Here's the official statement we received from a spokesperson:

“This is a special promotion offered by various retail stores in the U.S. Microsoft sets a suggested retail price, but specific pricing and offers vary by retailer. Check with your local retailer for details on their Xbox One offerings.”

*In order to view the price of the Xbox One on any site you need to add the item to your cart and check out.

Why?

Best Buy offers the best explanation:

"As a retailer, we set our own prices independently, but some manufacturers restrict how we may communicate those prices. In some cases the manufacturer does not allow us to show you our price until you take further action. Don't worry; you can remove the item from your cart if you decide not to buy it."

SEE ALSO: Microsoft employees are selling their white Xbox Ones for thousands on eBay

Join the conversation about this story »

McLaren of Beverly Hills confirmed today that Jay Leno has taken delivery of the first privately owned McLaren P1 hypercar in the U.S..

Finished in volcano yellow, Leno's groundbreaking $1.4 million P1 features state-of-the-art hybrid drive technology and an electronically limited top speed of 217 mph.

The McLaren hypercar also incorporates a litany of technological advancements derived from the company's championship winning Formula One program. 

The former "Tonight Show" host and car fanatic took part in a photo shoot at McLaren of Beverly Hills' showroom as part of the delivery ceremony. Leno even invited a pair of fans into the dealership to sit in his newest toy. 

McLaren Automotive recently announced that it reached profitability a year ahead of schedule on the account of booming P1 sales.

Unfortunately for those who have yet to put in their order, all 375 P1s to be produced have been sold. However, McLaren say that interested buyers are welcome to add their names to a waiting list. 

Check out the video of Jay's new McLaren:

SEE ALSO: McLaren Finally Makes Money After P1 Hypercar Sells Out

Join the conversation about this story »

If you tune into TV Sunday night and aren't watching "The Walking Dead," you're most likely tuned into "Resurrection" on ABC. 

While all of ABC's other shows (see below) aren't performing spectacular on the network, the midseason premiere of "Resurrection" has been a break-out so far. 

Upon its debut, the show became television's biggest midseason drama debut in two years.

Ratings for the series have slowly been falling since the show’s March 9 debut. Still, it was the most watched show Sunday evening after NCAA basketball and “60 Minutes.” Yes, more people watched it than CBS’ shocking episode of “The Good Wife.”

Here’s how the show’s ratings look compared to the average ratings (current season) for other shows on the network right now:

It's the sort of win ABC needs right now as the network's ratings are currently in fourth place.

So what did the network do to pull in viewers Sunday nights?

It's not the acting and it's not a big-name actor.

Rather, it's the mystery surrounding the series. 

If you've seen any of the show's ubiquitous marketing, "Resurrection" begins with a little boy waking up in China. Throughout the pilot episode we learn the boy, named Jacob, died 32 years earlier. 

No one has any idea how he got there or why he's alive or if the boy even is who he claims to be. 

He certainly looks and sounds like the real Jacob who died years earlier. He has memories that only "Jacob" could have. Stranger is that he even remembers dying.

After you stomach all of that, we find out he's not the only person coming back to life.

What's the deal — are they zombies? Aliens? Is there a religious undertone? (A priest plays a pretty big role on the show.) 

The answer to that question may hold the key to the show's future success on the network. It's obvious people are tuning in is to find out why long dead citizens of the fictional town of Arcadia, Missouri are suddenly reappearing. 

However, don't expect to get any answer to that question any time soon ... or possibly ever.

The series is based on the book “The Returned” by Jason Mott. The novel was well received, but the reader never finds out why certain people come back to life. It’s more of a character study on how people would react to others returning from the dead.

As the show's ratings are slumping downward it may end up having the same fate as similar ABC shows in the past. 

Since "Lost" ended in 2010, other series surrounded in mystery debuting on the network — "V" (2009-2011) and "FlashForward" (2009-2010) — have also had big debuts but have tapered off once the audience is clued in to the "big" reveal.

While ABC may hold off on giving any answers to its show's new premise, the future of "Resurrection" will heavily rely on how the series addresses people returning from their graves.

SEE ALSO: Here are the YouTube stars and channels Disney paid $500 million for in Maker Studios' deal

Join the conversation about this story »

The worldwide motion picture theater industry descends on Caesars Palace in Las Vegas today for the fourth annual CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO [National Association of Theater Owners] that runs through March 27.

CinemaCon is the largest annual gathering of cinema owners and operators from around the world, drawing filmmakers, distributors and exhibitors alike for a four-day celebration of the theaters and films we love.

We’ll be celebrating CinemaCon this week by highlighting theaters and the films that’ll be filling them this coming summer. We start today by looking at five unique, technically advanced or just down right gorgeous theaters in America.

These are the places that remind you why there is simply no substitute for seeing a film in a theater; whether it’s mind-blowing technology, an unbeatable environment, or the joy of watching a film with hundreds of fellow movie lovers (or a combination of all three), here’s a brief look at some fantastic places to take in a movie.

1. The Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater, San Jose, California

Northern California’s only domed IMAX theater can immerse you and 279 of your closest friends in a giant wrap-around screen (four times the size of a typical movie screen) with crystal clear images eight stories high, a projector the size of a Volkswagon Beetle, and 13,000 watts of wrap-around digital surround sound.

2. The Uptown Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis has long been a unostentatious Mecca for fantastic art, and the Landmark Uptown Theater fits right into a city that includes the world renown contemporary art center the Walker among its jewels.

Located in the middle of the city’s Uptown District, the historic Uptown Theater (originally built as the Lagoon Theater in 1916, which eventually burned down) had a long stint as a repertory theater, eventually becoming a world class art film theater in 1985.

It underwent extensive renovations in 2012, and now boasts a full bar, reserved seating, its beloved balcony and the 50-foot tower that was originally a beacon to orient residents that they were, indeed, uptown.

3. AFI Silver Theater, Silver Spring, Maryland

It’s not surprising that the AFI Silver Theater is a technical marvel, considering its mandate is “seeing the screen itself as a source of literacy, learning and vision for the future.” The exceptional technical facilities that define the AFI Silver include film formats from 16 to 70mm, high-definition digital cinema video projection, and broadcast quality video recording. The historic Silver theater was saved from destruction by a partnership between Montgomery Country, Maryland and the American Film Institute.

Due to its namesake institute, the theater also includes distance learning capabilities via satellite, fiber and the Internet, as well as a moving image exhibition and cultural center. “Whether it’s silent film at the proper frame rate with live musical accompaniment, 70mm wide screen spectaculars or digital cinema, the AFI Silver offers state-of-the-art technology in each of its three theatres — with seating for 400, 200 and 75, respectively,” their website states. It’s one of the premiere theaters, right in the heart of the nation’s capital. 

4. The Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, California

It helps that the Dolby Theater has access to all the insane technology Dolby creates, including their breakthrough audio experience, Atmos. Atmos delivers the most natural, life-like sensory experience in the world (including last year’s Gravity, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and the upcoming Noah). The theater doesn’t slouch on the screen, either—Dolby is secretly becoming a powerhouse image technology company, and the Dolby 3D screen here is astounding. The specs of the theater are massive—180,000-square-feet and 3,400-seats.

5. The 21st Street Warren Theater, Wichita, Kansas

This beloved Wichita location has an IMAX theater, stadium seating, a classic diner and malt shop and even an enclosed ‘Cry room,’ where parents with small children can watch the movie (with their kids’ often unwanted additional soundtrack) with its own sound-system separate from the theater.

SEE ALSO: 10 Of The Best Dine-In Theaters In America

Join the conversation about this story »

Cuban-American rapper Pitbull, 33, has just two years to make his dream of becoming a billion-dollar brand by age 35 into a reality.

"Do I think it's realistic to be a billion-dollar company by [age] 35?," he asks The Hollywood Reporter in a new cover story interview. "Absolutely."

And it's hard to not to believe him.

After just six years in the spotlight, Pitbull sums up his rise to fame into categories: "2009 is freedom; 2010, invasion; 2011, build empire; 2012, grow wealth; 2013, put the puzzle together; 2014, buckle up; 2015, make history." 

Thanks to seven albums, nine top 10 singles, and two No. 1 Billboard hits with this year's "Timber" and 2011's "Give Me Everything," Pitbull can now boast plenty of big brand name partnerships.

The rapper has sponsorships from Dr. Pepper, Kodak, Bud Light, Voli Vodka and, most recently, Playboy, which in March made him the new global face of the brand. He has a fragrance line, Pitbull Man and Pitbull Woman, which retail for $30 for a 1 oz. bottle.

The partnerships, combined with 150 performances in 25 countries in 2012 alone and 8.5 million downloads in the U.S. on just his two No.1 songs, puts Pitbull's net worth between $11 and $15 million, according to THR.

But don't expect to see any high-end collaborations from the Florida-raised musician, á la Jay Z's $1,000 T-shirt for Barneys. Instead, he says he is doing things differently from his colleagues by committing to the middle class.

"We're at the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn," says Pitbull, a former drug dealer, quoting a "Rapper's Delight" lyric. "The only business that I knew growing up was flipping — if I invested five dollars, I knew I could get back eight. If I got back eight, that meant I could live off three, invest another five, get another eight, stack another three. That's what the music business is to me — flip after a flip, a flip after a flip."

Pitbulls' longtime manager, Charles Chavez, echoes his client's sentiments of catering to the masses to live with the classes.

"We have a plan — with the music, TV projects [Pit boasts a development deal with Endemol, producer of Big Brother], films [he's teamed up with Ryan Seacrest for a TV miniseries on the Bacardi family], his businesses, the brands that we get involved with," says Chavez. "You never know, but it's the plan."

Part of that plan is playing into Pitbull's cultural roots.

He explains, "I'll be sitting in marketing meetings where they're going, 'Well, this is our multicultural budget,' and 'We'll make this a multicultural campaign,' and I say, 'Great!' knowing that they see me in the context of the Latin boom. 'Oh, he's the next Latin this or Latin that. …' But in my mind, I know this is the general market. I touch everybody at the end of the day."

But Pitbull knows that building an empire isn't easy, and won't happen overnight, which is why he preaches the importance of hard work to his six children.

"Why do interns make the best CEOs? Because they got the doughnuts and coffee, they cleaned the bathrooms," he says. "They learned that building in and out." 

And ultimately, hard work pays off — getting him fans from all walks of life.

After headlining the recent iTunes Music Festival at South by Southwest, an inebriated Apple executive professed, "I love you, Pitbull."

Read the rest of Pitbull's THR profile here >

SEE ALSO: There Are Still Big Questions About Yahoo's $6 Million Katie Couric Gamble

Join the conversation about this story »

One of the most epic tales in modern literature, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" has enthralled readers for nearly 60 years with triumphant themes of courage and friendship but also destruction and war. 

While Tolkien always denied direct parallels to history, his early life and experiences during both World Wars greatly influenced his writing, inspiring an intense love of nature and a deep distrust of that which destroys it — industry and war.

In its Beyond The Movie series, National Geographic explored Tolkien's influences, speaking to scholars as well as those who knew him personally. We broke out the highlights. 

Tolkien grew up in the English hamlet of Sarehole, just outside of Birmingham.

His childhood in a rural community, shown below, played a critical role in developing not only Tolkien's love of nature but also his sense of responsibility for protecting it.

Here, a young Tolkien explores the village. "Sarehole is a great place for adventures," Chris Upton, a Tolkien historian said.

Hardware startups don't nearly get enough attention.

Companies that build apps and Web services get all the attention but more and more companies are starting to build physical products you can buy and use. 

In light of Facebook buying virtual reality company Oculus VR for $2 billion, we decided to shed some light on other hardware companies in Silicon Valley doing incredible things. 

Alexander Asseily, Hosain Rahman

Co-founder and Chairman; Co-founder and CEO, Jawbone

Jawbone quietly raised more than $100 million in a debt round of financing back in September because, Jawbone says, demand for its Up fitness tracker is high. In February of 2014, we got word that the company is raising $250 million at a $3.3 billion valuation. 

Jawbone also bought BodyMedia, a 14-year-old wearable fitness startup, for $100 million last year.

Mike Del Ponte

Founder, Soma 

Mike Del Ponte is the genius behind Soma, a sort of Warby Parker of water filters. In July 2013, it closed a $3.7 million round of seed funding led by Baseline Ventures and Forerunner Ventures.

Soma is targeting people who are tired of ugly Brita water filters and are passionate about sustainability. For every biodegradable water filter it sells, Soma donates money to charity.

Jason Johnson, Yves Behar

Founders, August

The Internet of Things is all the rage lately, so it's no wonder startup August was able to snag $8 million for its smart locks from Maveron Ventures, Cowboy Ventures, Industry Ventures, Rho Ventures, and SoftTech VC.

With August, you'll never have to worry about getting locked out of your house because the system is entirely key-less. August also gives you total control of who can enter your home and when. August will start shipping its locks later this year.

Warner Bros. released a teaser trailer for a new disaster movie "Into the Storm" today.

The film stars stars Richard Armitage ("The Hobbit") and Sarah Wayne Callies ("The Walking Dead," "Prison Break") as they try to escape a series of tornadoes.

Here's the plot synopsis via Warner Bros.:

"In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, “Into the Storm” throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme."

The teaser doesn't give away much. It just sets an ominous tone for the upcoming movie. The full trailer will be released tomorrow at 1 PM tomorrow.

“Into the Storm” will premiere in theaters August 8.

Here's the full trailer that debuted Thursday:

Here are a few photos Warner Bros. released from the film:

SEE ALSO: Tom Cruise fights for eternity in new "Edge of Tomorrow" trailer

Join the conversation about this story »

"Timber" rapper Pitbull is already worth between $11 million and $15 million, but the Cuban-American with seven albums under his belt hopes to quickly turn himself into a billion-dollar empire.

Thanks to partnerships with big name brands such as Playboy, Kodak, Bud Light, and many others, as well as a lucrative fragrance line, the 32-year-old is well on his way.

"As far as what Pitbull inc. is accomplishing, it's not about the money, it's about the journey," Pitbull says in a new video interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

In order to create his billion-dollar brand, Pitbull says he is committed to catering to the middle class.

In the video, Pitbull revealed his three business heroes and why:

1. Warren Buffett: He's someone who created an amazing reputation and to this day, a very powerful man, but very humble.

2. The Slim Family: they've always gone left -- meaning when people say 'this is the way we need to go' they say 'what about this? let's try something different.

3. Mark Cuban: I like Mark Cuban because he has fun. He enjoys the wealth that he's worked very hard for and created. On top of that his last name is Cuban and I'm Cuban.

Watch Pitbull explain in his own words below:

SEE ALSO: How Pitbull Plans To Become A Billion-Dollar Empire By Appealing To The Middle Class

Join the conversation about this story »

Daft Punk, one the smartest music groups going, has done it again. 

This time, instead of making good music, it has awesome retro-style posters for selling its merchandise.

All these posters below come from Daft Punks's site.

 Via: Pitchfork

Join the conversation about this story »

“The Wolf of Wall Street” not only won over the box office, it also generated a lot of interest in stockbroker jobs. 

The movie, of course, follows the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort’s Stratton Oakmont brokerage firm.

According to a four-month study by job site Indeed.com, there was a spike in the number of searches for stockbroker positions leading up to and around the release of the Martin Scorsese film.

Indeed saw a 79.6% increase in stockbroker job searches in the U.S. and a 44% increase in the U.K.

The study sampled more than 100 million job search queries on its site.

The company also conducted an additional two-year study to confirm this is the "most significant" Indeed has seen in stockbroker job search queries.

Indeed did not have any results on how many people applied for related jobs.

SEE ALSO: The Rock looks ridiculously awesome as "Hercules" in first trailer

Join the conversation about this story »