Nothing can go wrong.... Hal 9000 is on the iPhone
You knew it had to happen. The charming but murderous computer from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey has made to the iPhone/iPod touch. Hal 9000 [App Store link] awaits you for US $0.99.It's basically a still of HAL, with lots of his famous sayings from both 2001 and the 1984 sequel, 2010. The real voice of HAL was Canadian actor Douglas Rain.
Don't know how MGM, owner of the two films, or actor Rain will feel about their work being appropriated for this app, but sound clips of HAL have been floating around on computers for a long, time. Images of HAL have also been used as desktops and wallpaper on computers and phones.
The author of the program, Jonathan Mulcahy is a Boston Systems Engineer. Not surprisingly, he used to fool around with robotics.
[via VentureBeat]
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Source: http://jonathan.mulcahy.org/hal/
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You knew it had to happen. The charming but murderous computer from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey has made to the iPhone/iPod touch....
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" I never thought about the copyright issue, and just to be safe, I made it free." This is the basic problem with the app store as it is now. How can someone rip off major intellectual property from a movie studio and then claim ignorance. Sorry but I don't buy it. Suppose you made an app called Thriller than cost $.99 and played Michael Jackson's Thriller when you pressed go. Would you honestly claim you never thought about the copyright issue? C'mon...
February 14 2009 at 9:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe app is now free. I never thought about the copyright issue, and just to be safe, I made it free.
February 12 2009 at 5:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyMy favorite film of all time, hands down. But I can't justify getting this for .99, should have been free. For shame!
February 11 2009 at 3:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt's useless if you want to play a specific line, it's a one screen app that plays a random Hal quote when you tap the screen.
Would be a much more useful app if it had a soundboard (well, as useful as any app in this genre).
This will get pulled and that developer sued faster than you can say "Open the pod bay doors"...
Ah....Submarine tactics!
February 11 2009 at 11:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyLook chrism238, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.
I've had HAL as my wallpaper for a long time, looks good on the iPod. If they came to me about the copyright I'd say it was from the sister HAL 9000 back on earth that wasn't shown in the movie!
I see what you did there, Dave.
Dave?
pretty sure the copyright for pictures and sound would be held by the movie production companies. but they would probably never sue, that is until the app makes a few million dollars. then they will sue for millions more in damages also. good luck!
February 11 2009 at 10:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply"but sound clips of HAL have been floating around on computers for a long, time. Images of HAL have also been used as desktops and wallpaper on computers and phones."
free is one thing, but to attempt to profit from it is completely different. i would expect a blogger within a media network to recognize and state this difference.
HAL is actually IBM... with one letter shift.
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