Pic of the Day - 21st May

A thunderstorm cloud hangs in the sky near Edmond, Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon, May 19, 2010. Many thunderstorms in central Oklahoma went super-cell and produced numerous tornadoes in the late afternoon and into the evening. (Photo: AP)

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Pic of the Day - 21st May

French national football team players jog during a training session on May 21, 2010 around Tignes' lake, in the French Alps, as part of their preparation for the upcoming World Cup 2010 in South Africa. France will play Uruguay in Capetown in its group A opener match next June 11. (Photo: AFP)

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Apple drops 'Get a Mac' for 'Why you'll love a Mac'

Justin Long, the actor behind the endearing-turned-belittling Mac character in Apple’s long-running “Get a Mac” ads, wasn’t kidding when he foretold the end of the campaign. Apple on Friday unveiled its new, less imperative marketing approach: Why you’ll love a Mac.

This time around, Apple has apparently ditched the humor, as there are no chuckle-worthy Web or TV video ads—at least not yet. Apple’s new campaign, which the old Get a Mac link now redirects to, is a testament to Apple’s emphasis on brevity and clarity. A series of straightforward, single-sentence pitches are organized in a grid, such as “it’s designed to be a better computer,” and “it comes with software you’ll love to use.” Mouse over each one and a concise blurb will appear, along with a link to expand on the topic if you want to know more.

Apple is still banging the same marketing drums, though. In addition to better design and lovable software, Apple boasts the Mac’s freedom from viruses, compatibility with “your stuff,” and ability to run Windows and Windows applications should that steady stream of new switchers need a lifeline.

We’ll have to wait and see if Apple’s new approach will translate to a similar attitude in video ads on the Web and TV. The “Get a Mac” bit got pretty long in the tooth, so consumers will almost surely welcome anything new (well, to the extent that one can “welcome” a refreshed ad campaign). Developers who were concerned that the Mac is getting left behind in favor of the iPad and iPhone might also find some relief in this rejuvenated attention from Apple.

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Megan Fox dropped from third 'Transformers'

LOS ANGELES – Megan Fox, who made her name as Shia LaBeouf's sultry love interest in the first two "Transformers" movies, has been dropped from the third.

Paramount Pictures said Wednesday that Fox's option was not picked up for part three in the blockbuster Michael Bay series. The studio, which released the first two movies about shape-shifting machines doing battle, declined to give further details or say who would replace the 24-year-old actress.

Fox's publicist, Dominique Appel, did not return a message left at her office seeking comment.

Fox, notorious for making attention-grabbing comments to the media, engaged in a public spat with director Bay around the release of part two last summer. But Bay later defended her and said he looked forward to working with her on part three.

In announcing "Transformers 3" in October on his blog, http://www.michaelbay.com, he wrote: "P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture."

"Transformers" from 2007 and the 2009 sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" have made more than $1.5 billion worldwide. Production is scheduled to begin this month on the third installment, with a release date set for July 1, 2011, Paramount said.

Fox also starred last year as the title character in "Jennifer's Body," playing a possessed cheerleader who preys on high school boys. The movie, written by Oscar-winning "Juno" writer Diablo Cody, made a disappointing $16.2 million domestically.

Next, Fox will star opposite Josh Brolin and John Malkovich in the supernatural Western "Jonah Hex," scheduled for release June 18.

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