Plot SPOILERS!

[Paul (ral)]

Since he's wearing a mask, I would expect Hardy to be dubbed.

Any eye witness reports of Bane's voice are invalid to me until I see the movie...or a trailer.

[Silver Nemesis]

It looks like it's legit. Here's a video shot by one of the extras.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR4hVwDhbIg&feature=player_embedded

This guy's wrong about the hostage being Gordon though. Other people from the stadium have identified which character it was, and it's not Gordon.

People who were at Heinz Field are saying this was one of the weaker takes, and that the voice does sound better when you hear it clearly. They're also reporting that Bane had a tube attached to the back of his head, hinting at the use of Venom in the scene.

I've read descriptions of how the scene plays out and it sounds very similar to the circus scene from Batman Forever.

Since he's wearing a mask, I would expect Hardy to be dubbed.

Any eye witness reports of Bane's voice are invalid to me until I see the movie...or a trailer.

Very sensible. The mask is one thing, but he's also having to project his voice into a football stadium. I'm sure when he speaks at normal volume he'll sound better.

[BatmAngelus]

For now, I'm going to hope that the current voice is just how Hardy sounds when his mouth is covered up in that mask and that he'll be giving the characters his real voice in post-production. 
If it's not or if Hardy's dubbing voice ends up sounding similar... then   It doesn't sound the least bit intimidating, it just sounds goofy.

In looking at Bane...I have the opposite issues that I had with the TDK Joker.  I hated the hair and makeup on Heath's Joker, but everything else from the neck down- the purple suit, the snazzy vest- was cool with me.

In this case, I don't mind the changes in the mask so much or that Hardy went with the bald look.  The mask still looks like it'll serve the purpose of intimidation, as well as a possible feed for the Venom (if that's even in the movie).
But then, from the neck down....I don't know what's going on.  It looks like he's in some kind of military/SWAT armor vest gear as well as a long coat.  The result just looks ugly to me and manages to make him look more ridiculous than in the comic, in my opinion.
Sure, Bane may look like a luchador in the comic, but I think there's a nice simplicity in his black outfit.  He never wore armor 'cause he didn't see the need to.  He had the confidence that he could crush whoever was around to challenge him.

[BatmAngelus]

Pictures of a possible new vehicle have leaked online.  It looks Tumbler-like, but as you can see in the pics, it's definitely not one of the actual Tumblers.

Speculation (and closer looks) leads one to believe that this is the new Batwing:
http://batman-news.com/2011/08/11/is-this-the-batwing-in-the-dark-knight-rises/
http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/debbiedowner/news/?a=44237

EDIT: On closer investigation, I can see a more bat-like motif to the Batwing than I had counted on.  Could be promising...

[Silver Nemesis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLwzlI-omo&feature=player_embedded

[Paul (ral)]

Im not sure how I feel about a batwing in this film, it seems like a real leap from the realism based approach.

[DocLathropBrown]

That thing is hideous!

[Azrael]

Obviously, it will look a lot better when seen in action in the finished film. It reminded me a bit of the flying "hunters" from the original Terminator film. I remember my initial impressions from the so-called Tumbler. It looked ugly in photos, I still think the Furst car is much more beautiful and "Batman", but it was quite impressive in action.

As for the "realism", I think we can't complain that they seem to take more liberties

[Gotham Knight]

Wow...it's an HK. I didn't know Skynet was designing Batman's gadgets these days. At the very least, this movie with provide clever editors fake trailer fodder for a crossover thing.

[DocLathropBrown]

Well, it's hideous because of its design, not because it's on a gimble. An all flat body but with an overhanging cockpit in front like some kind of deformed blob hanging off the front? Hideous. Why not just make it a damn helicopter?