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DT Daily: Supercar on Uber, Branson’s drone deal, Hunger Games 3 trailer

Today on DT Daily: You never know who’s going to pick you up on Uber, Richard Branson gets into the drone business and a first look at the first of the last two Hunger Games movies. Got that?

Citizen taxi service Uber is popular in Toronto, where you could get lucky and catch a ride in this: a McLaren S650 supercar. And who’s that at the wheel?

It’s 33-year-old Joel Zimmerman, who rave fans may recognize as EDM super-DJ Deadmau5. Apparently, when Zimmerman and his iconic alter-ego isn’t busy whipping up crowds at events like this, he sometimes cruises the streets of Toronto as an Uber driver, giving lucky riders a lift in his quarter-million dollar exotic hot rod. Selfies with Dead Mouse? Check. Idle chit chat about cats? You bet. High-speed antics? Hey, why not? He can afford a ticket or two.

Zimmerman isn’t the only celebrity moonlighting for some spare scratch on Uber. Tween pop star Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers is out there too, but he’s driving a Mini Pacemen. C’mon, Joe, break out a Ferrari or something…

Drone quadcopters are big business, and now comes news maverick billionaire Richard Branson has thrown his considerable financial weight behind drone startup 3D Robotics.

Branson is seen working a drone via a smartwatch in a new 3D Robotics video, which shows off the drone’s abilities as it tours the tropical retreat of Necker Island, one of Branson’s many private hideaways – which you can rent, by the way. No details about how much cash Branson poured into the former Wired editor Chris Anderson’s company have been specified, but he was trying to raise $30 million, which is pocket lint for Branson.

The fall movie season is almost here and that means it’s time to get in line for the first of two series-ending Hunger Games movies. The first trailer just hit and it looks great – or really silly, depending on how much you love this trilogy.

Highlights from the 90 seconds of footage include Catniss chatting up Donald Southerland’s evil President Snow character, a few seconds of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman helping to lead the rebellion, and a somewhat eye-rolling clip of Catniss and a friend taking down two fighter jets with their archery skills. MmmmK… Well, it is science FICTION, so let’s hope this third installment is at least as much fun as the first two. Watch the entire trailer here.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One opens November 21st and Part Two will arrive next year, so you still have plenty of time to read the book.

 Your host today is Holy Resnick.

Bill Roberson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I focus on producing Digital Trends' 'DT Daily' video news program along with photographing items we get in for review. I…
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