Apple’s stock is volatile, consumers are furious, and yet the controversy surrounding “Antenna-Gate” doesn’t seem to be hurting sales.  The more relevant story here, however, is how some Taiwanese animation company’s version of the ordeal went viral.  Only a passing familiarity with the story is enough to overcome the language barrier.  Here’s the vid, in case you haven’t seen it:

What did you think of their animation style?  Do you think Apple should recall the iPhone4?

Share your thoughts below.

First came the comic book superheroes — Batman, Superman, and Spiderman rising like pop-culture phoenixes from the pages of comic books. Then came the video games.  The next inevitable step was casting comic book superheroes as stars of those video games.

So went the evolution of the video-game culture, catapulting the gaming category into the No. 1 spot of the children entertainment industry, where it’s expected to stay for a long time.

John Kuraica, director of the Game Art & Design and Media Arts & Animation programs at The Art Institute of California - Sacramento, says he sees a trend toward companies releasing comic books and graphic novels in tandem with their related video games.

“They’re crossing boundaries and genres,” says Kuraica, who worked on the game Dead Space for Electronic Arts.  ”In the past, people who would purchase comics didn’t necessarily play games. Now the marketers are trying to cross-promote novels with games. I believe that we are just seeing the beginning of this trend.”

There’s often a common storytelling thread between the graphical art of comic books and the interactive element of video games.  The main technical distinction is the difference of 2D and 3D art.

Dave Bogan, an art director at Telltale Games, works with a concept artist to help translate a 2D comic into a 3D game.  ”You’ve got to solve certain problems and make certain sacrifices to translate it into 3D,” Bogan says.

Comic artists attempt to draw characters from the most appealing angles, meaning that certain angles that need to exist in a 3D game are never created.

For example, the company’s Sam & Max video game characters are truly 3D and viewable from any angle.  But when translating the characters into the video game Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, the art department at Telltale Games decided to keep most of the characters 2D.  Because when translated into 3D, Bogan says, the characters “fell apart” when viewed from certain angles.

Think game design and animation may be your thing? Learn more about programs offered at The Art Institutes schools, available in many parts of the country.

Much like Zinch connects students to admission officers, the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) connects students with collegiate coaches to find the right school and athletic program for every high school athlete. With over 8 million athletes and 40,000 college coaches you might be the best player in your district, but college coaches aren’t always going to know about you. A liaison is needed, and that’s where NCSA comes in. Want to get started now? Talk to an NCSA Collegiate Scout any time just by giving them a call.

A student creates a scouting profile on NCSA’s website and college coaches can access these profiles depending on what they’re looking for. Find out more about the company and what they’re all about by checking out this video below.

Summer vacation has peaked, and you’ve had a chance to lounge in the sun. Now it’s time to embark on an adventure…whether it’s meeting your favorite vampire in Twilight, enjoying the romance of a lifetime in Jane Eyre, or exacting vengeance in The Count of Monte Cristo. There are so many worlds to explore and discover, and summer is the perfect time to do it. Reading over the summer is relaxing and fun, but that’s not the only compelling reason. It will also help you become more successful in and out of school:

Research has shown that the average student loses up to one month of school instruction over the summer… it’s often referred to as the “summer slide.” These learning losses can accumulate over the years and have devastating effects on the outcome of your school career.

In addition to preventing summer setbacks, reading over the summer also promotes and maintains good study habits and good grades. Studies also show that for every one million words you read, you will add another one thousand words to your vocabulary.

There are many reasons to enjoy a good book over the summer. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Parents:

Are you computer shopping for your college-bound kid?  If so, read this article to avert disaster.  Here are four precautionary measures to consider:

Backup Services & Devices – Viruses can damage or destroy crucial files like term papers and other important documents.  Online backup sites like Carbonite and Norton Online Backup automatically back up files and protect them online for about $5 a month.  A flash drive or pocket media drive can also be used to back up files and start at under $20.

System Recovery DVD – Windows encourages you to create a “recovery” disc that will allow you to reboot from that DVD in the event your operating system has a problem. Unfortunately, many people don’t take that extra step. When you order your new PC, you can often order the recovery DVD included with your purchase for under $20. It’s a one-time, inexpensive add-on that will more than pay for itself when you have a problem.

Extended Warranty – No matter how careful you are — accidents happen.  You can fully protect your HP PC from damage and drops with an extended warranty.  HP can arrange shipping for home or campus for necessary repairs.

CompuTrace LoJack for Laptops – Crime is an issue on every campus, and CompuTrace is the Lo-Jack for your computer.  Once a student reports their computer stolen, CompuTrace will track that computer once it connects to the internet and contact local police to alert them to the stolen device.

HP Academy has a ‘peace of mind’ bundle on sale now through September 28, just in time for back-to-school.  It includes a  2yr HP Care Pack Accidental Damage Protection Services with LoJack for Laptops (product code on website HC688B).  You can save up to 54% when purchasing an HP Compaq, G-series, Pavilion, TouchSmart, or Envy laptop.

HP Academy provides exclusive education discounts on PC’s, printers, and a wide variety of supplies and accessories including many of the products mentioned here.  HP Academy also has experts standing by to help you choose your PC.   Call 800-632-8251 today for a great deal on a computer, and the peace of mind that your investment is protected.

When you’re 17, chances are you’re more worried about what you’re doing on Friday night or, hopefully, what college you’ll be going to in the future. Yet Steven Ortiz, a 17 year old from California, worries about what his next trade will be.

Steven traded his way up to a Porsche in just two years by bartering on Craigslist. Starting with an old cell phone to an iPod, a MacBook Pro, a series of dirt bikes, cars and trucks, it took a lot of patience and skill to eventually be the owner of a Porsche. It makes you wonder what you’ve done in the past two years and what you could have been doing instead.

We’re not recommending you start gathering up old cell phones to see what you can end up with in two years, but if Steven sells his Porsche, who knows, maybe he could pay for college?

With majors in graphic design, animation, game art, interior design, and art education — you’d expect Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design to be gushing with talented young artists.   That is exactly what you’ll find at RMCAD, located in Denver, CO.

Curious to see some of their work? Visit their website for sample portfolios of recent graduates, including class of 2010’s Ryan Secora, who plans on illustrating literature.  Wonder what you’ll do when you’re not in class?  Nicole Arocha, a senior studying 3D animation and graphic design, describes her favorite hangouts and off-campus activities.

How about advice for prospective students?  Corey Pile, graphic design and interactive media major, says “there are several ways to go about any challenge in your life.  Every possibility has the potential for greatness or failure.  It’s up to you to decide what you’re going to get out of your classes.  It’s up to you to take control of your life and learn what you want to learn.   There are more than enough great opportunities on this campus, but you have to take it upon yourself to make it happen.  And everyone on campus is willing to help you to get there, so why not be a part of greatness?”

We encourage you to visit RMCAD’s profile page to get a better feel for the college.

beRecruited.com is a high school athlete’s dream. A one-stop site where you can connect with college coaches who are looking for their next star player; beRecruited will give students the opportunity to prepare for the sports recruiting process and come out of it without any regrets. With 18 sports represented, college coaches can search student profiles and learn more about student athletes through images, videos and stats and determine if they’re a good fit for their program. Kinda like a Zinch for athletic recruiting.

Need a little more help to ensure you’re ready for college recruitment? beRecruited even has a Resource Center where you can check out ways to choose the right program, learn more about grade requirements and even get training tips depending on which sport you play. For example, check out this training video with a workout idea for Volleyball players:

The college admissions process is a hassle, and students everywhere know this. Sometimes they get help from those who know the process best, sometimes they figure things out themselves and other times they sing about it. Maureen Silva is a zinch student and recent high school graduate who chose to do all three.

Hear her take on college admissions and financial aid through song below. We love the creativity put into this song!

Congratulations to the Weekly “Three Sentence Essay” Scholarship winner, Rhea Nichols! Her essay not only made us laugh, but showed she was informed about the current oil spill in the Gulf. Funny and smart! Congratulations Rhea!

Here is her winning essay:
If I could pull a prank on any world leader, it would be President Obama. I would have his staff prepare a nice dinner for family and guests and announce the menu as fresh seafood from the Gulf Coast. Perhaps, the significance of the problem would hit home, and he would take a stronger stand.

Here is a little more about our winner:
I’m a rising senior, and I like to stay busy. Most of my time, I spend playing softball. I play on a top travel team called the Williamsburg Starz Gold Team. I play in the outfield because I am a very fast runner and like the challenge of running after fly balls. When I’m not playing softball, I like to go to the beach with friends. In the winter, I love to go snowboarding, and I like to take bus trips to Snowshoe. I also enjoy quiet activities like reading and painting. I plan to major in art, so I love to draw and paint. I also volunteer at a camp for children with autism.

Here are some of our runner ups:

Nikita West: I’d challenge how tech-savvy the President is by doing the classic screen shot of the empty desktop, make it the wallpaper, hide all the icons and hide the start bar. The mouse would work, but it would look like everything he clicked on was broken. It would provide humor for the computer techs.

Jenna Markovska: If I could play a prank on any world leader, I would send Obama a fake letter/email from Lady Gaga’s record label strongly requesting that he play her love interest in her next music video.

If you want a chance to win next week, be sure to post you two to three sentence essay in the comments section of the scholarship profile and don’t forget to update your profile!