Vidzone brings free music-video streaming to PS4
The PlayStation 4 might not play CDs (yet) and an official YouTube app is still MIA, but that doesn’t mean music and music videos are out of reach. Vidzone has finally taken its streaming app into the next generation, and, unlike Music Unlimited, it’s free. Much like its previous-gen counterpart, the video application offers concerts, interviews, custom playlists and even crams the PS4′s native social-features in for good measure. You can share screenshots of what you’re watching to Facebook and Twitter, for instance, and recent activity in the app also populates the “what’s new” activity feed on your friends’ consoles. Unless you want your Battlefield 4 clan to know you went on a lengthy Ke$ha binge, however, we suggest turning that setting off.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Via: Joystiq
Source: PlayStation Blog
Nokia pulls Here Maps from the App Store, blames iOS 7
In the wake of Maps-gate, Nokia was one of several outfits that rushed to Apple’s aid with a navigation app of its very own. A year later, however, and that same offering has been yanked from the App Store before it could send a note to its neighbors. When we asked, Nokia responded with the below quote, saying that iOS 7 harms the user experience of HERE, but users can still access the mobile edition of the service. Which is all well and good, unless you were a big fan of the app’s ability to cache offline data.
“We have made the decision to remove our HERE Maps app from the Apple App Store because recent changes to iOS 7 harm the user experience. iPhone users can continue to use the mobile web version of HERE Maps under m.here.com, offering them location needs, such as search, routing, orientation, transit information and more, all completely free of charge.”
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Mobile, Apple, Nokia
Via: Nokia Power User
Source: Indian Express, iTunes (Broken link)
Nintendo Network stutters under holiday traffic, Pokemon Bank and Transporter delayed
Unwrap a Wii U this holiday season? Apparently, you weren’t the only one: the company’s Nintendo Network seems to be stumbling over increased traffic. “Players are having trouble setting up Nintendo Network IDs and downloading content in the Nintendo eShop on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS,” Nintendo writes on its US support page. “We truly regret the inconvenience, and wish to reassure everyone that providing a solution is our top priority.”
The network issues are sure to be a thorn in the side of new users pursuing the Wii U’s requisite updates, not to mention current owners hoping to check out this week’s eShop sales. Folks planning to pick up Pokemon Bank and Poke Teleport (a pair of programs designed to allow players to save, store and transfer their pocket monsters between new and old versions of the games) will have to wait too — both apps have been delayed until the network issues can be resolved. With any luck, that won’t take too long, but if you care to nip at Nintendo’s heels you’ll find the company’s official announcement at the source links below.
Source: Nintendo (1), (2), (3)
CyanogenMod brings its unique Android alternative to every Oppo N1 smartphone
If you’ve had your Oppo N1 since launch but would rather use anything besides its Android one-off ColorOS, the hardware manufacturer doesn’t take it personally. In fact, you’ll find a version of CyanogenMod that’s tailor-made for the device if you click over to Oppo’s forums. Previously, the custom version of Android was only available on a special edition of the N1, but now everyone has access to CyanogenMod’s vision of what Google’s OS can be: namely, bloat-free and better performing. Because the ROM was built specifically for the device, you won’t lose access to the handset’s more unique features — even the rear touch-panel and the swiveling camera lens. The N1 may be a niche phone, but this close relationship with Oppo could get CyanogenMod just a little bit closer to its goal of becoming a mainstream alternative to Android and iOS.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: Android Central
Source: Oppo Forums (official)
Oppo Teases Screen Resolution for the Oppo Find 7
Oppo is at it once again with the teasing tweets. As you can see above, the Oppo Find 7 is going to have a beautiful display (as if you didn’t already know that), with a whopping 2560 x 1440, and 538 PPI. That is a lot of pixels in your pocket.
A week ago, Oppo tweeted out a similar tease, but the message was received by all just like it is here. The Oppo Find 7 will be the first phone to have a 2k display, but you can imagine that will be the standard for next year’s flagship phones. Hopefully these extra clear displays don’t wreak havoc on the batteries, but that will just mean the batteries will have more power to support these displays. Let us know if you are excited for the Oppo Find 7, or if you will just wait for the next awesomely displayed device to come around the bend.
Source: @Oppo
Netflix outage interrupts streaming in US, Canada and Latin America (update: fixed!)
As they do each year, the holidays have brought their usual assortment of family gatherings, overeating and service outages, including one tonight affecting Netflix. We’re able to play videos on some of our devices but not others, and users are flooding Twitter with reports that it’s out. The official support account tweeted that it’s aware of streaming issues on “all devices” throughout the US, Canada and Latin America. There’s no word on when service will be restored, but while we keep an eye on @Netflixhelps for updates, you can weigh the decision between actually talking to your family or trying out competition like Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus or Redbox Instant.
Update: Netflix support says the issues have been fixed, which indicates service has been restore much faster than it was during last year’s Christmas Eve outage.
To our customers in the US, CA, and Latin America: we’re aware of streaming issues on all devices & working to resolve the problem ASAP.
– Netflix CS (@Netflixhelps) December 27, 2013
The issues reported earlier have been fixed. Our apologies – and thank you for your patience.
– Netflix CS (@Netflixhelps) December 27, 2013
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Netflix CS (Twitter)
Internet Archive starts preserving classic game consoles on the web
Many gamers won’t load a console emulator for much more than a brief nostalgia kick. The Internet Archive has loftier goals, however. It’s expanding its Historical Software Collection to include the free-to-play Console Living Room beta, which recreates classic ’70s and ’80s systems on the web for the sake of the historical record. The initial library includes hundreds of games for the Astrocade, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, ColecoVision and Magnavox Odyssey. There are gaps in the catalog, and sound isn’t working; the CLR isn’t yet a match for a conventional software emulator, let alone the real thing. The Internet Archive promises to address both problems in the near future, though, and it shouldn’t be long before its collection delivers a complete vintage gaming experience… minus the old-fashioned tube TV.
Source: Console Living Room
This homemade ‘3D printer’ spikes jello shots with infused designs (video)
Barista Bots, one of the most popular attractions at this year’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, printed scanned logos, smileys and other shapes atop comped lattes. Thirsty attendees with 20 minutes to spare for the queue walked away with a free coffee and a robot-extruded froth. The novelty will have surely worn off by next year’s SXSW, and we think we’ve stumbled upon the perfect replacement. It was born from a desire to turn otherwise ordinary gelatin shots into an original alcoholic treat — meet the 3D Jello Printer.
SpritesMods managed to accomplish this feat with a lot of creativity and a few recycled parts. They repurposed the stepper motors from discarded CD-ROM drives to move a syringe along the necessary axes, and used an old ejector mechanism to push down the plunger. An AVR microcontroller stores several different designs, which materialize in tiny jello shots using a cocktail of banana liquor, food coloring and a bit of corn starch to turn the liquid into a gel. SpritesMods is kind enough to help you get started with creating your own. Just dig up some choice e-waste and follow the tutorial — you’ll be mass producing the perfect New Year’s Eve consumable in no time.
Filed under: Household, Peripherals
Via: Boing Boing
Source: SpritesMods
Samsung Releases their Infographic ‘Evolution of Display’
Earlier today, we got an infographic from HTC that showed the long process of getting Android updates rolled out to your device. Now, we get Samsung and their infographic showing us the evolution of those pretty displays on our devices.
In 1988, the SH100 hit the shelves, and that was the beginning of the Samsung mobile journey. Fast-forward to 2002, when the first colored display Samsung phone came about, and I remember I had the first Nokia color display phone around that time. Samsung also tried to up their game by introducing a different kind of flip display in 2005. It wasn’t until 2009, when we got the beautiful AMOLED display on the SH-W850 model phones came out, which I remember looking pretty marvelous. This then gave birth to the Galaxy S line in 2010, and the rest is pretty much history. So check out the complete evolution of the Samsung display below. Let us know the first Samsung device you ever got.
Source: Android Authority
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