Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 now available by subscription for $19, headed to OS X and more
Unreal Engine 3 set the standard for games last generation, powering breakout franchises like Gears of War and Mass Effect. We don’t know if Unreal Engine 4 will have the same impact, but today’s move by Epic Games to massively democratize this game engine is certainly a step in the right direction. Today, Unreal Engine 4 is going subscription: For $19/month you get, “access to everything, including the Unreal Editor in ready-to-run form, and the engine’s complete C++ source code hosted on GitHub for collaborative development.” That’s according to Epic Games head Tim Sweeney, who spoke at a GDC event this morning. Any game published commercially must also pay 5 percent of gross profit to Epic (which could get lucrative very quickly for Epic). It’s a move aimed directly at the evolving world of contemporary game development, where indie hit-makers like Jonathan Blow take the stage at Sony’s PlayStation 4 unveiling in place of triple-A studios. We were shown a simple Flappy Bird clone for iOS, for instance, as an example of the flexibility of UE4 (the demon lord seen above is an example of the other end of the engine).
Beyond the subscription service and full access to the source code (which is a big move unto itself), Unreal Engine 4 is getting OS X support. There’s also evidence in the source code that Epic’s working on Oculus Rift, Linux, Steam Machines and HTML5 support. But we already kinda knew all that, right? So we asked Tim Sweeney for a deeper dive into today’s news and what it means for Epic Games as both a game engine maker and a game studio. Head below for the full video!
Pretty soon you’ll be able to rip video from the PlayStation 4
During the lead up to the PlayStation 4′s launch, Sony promised that it would enable gamers to shut off HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) post-launch and allow unrestricted video capture over HDMI. That day is almost here, as the company’s just announced its intention to release two new system updates mostly focused on the console’s sharing functionality.
Though Sony hasn’t set a time frame for either of these two planned updates, the first should arrive in the “upcoming weeks” and will add in that previously mentioned HDCP-off option, as well as video editing tools so gamers can chop up and tweak gameplay footage captured via the Share button. In addition to this, the PS4 will also gain an option to save recorded clips and screenshots to an external USB drive, thus clearing up your system’s limited storage space and letting you preserve your gaming conquests. Sony apparently plans to bundle additional features and fixes into this update, but for now it’s saying that specifics on just what that entails will come at a later date. Who knows, maybe it’ll also usher in VR support for Project Morpheus. Though that’s probably us wishing too hard and jumping the gun a bit.
But that’s not all for tweaks to the PS4′s popular Share feature set. When the second planned update hits, gamers will not only get a chance to archive broadcasted Twitch footage, they’ll also get a chance to stream and view it in 720p resolution. Again, there’s no concrete mention of when we can expect these updates to roll out, but at least you can take solace in knowing that Sony’s making good on its word.
Source: Sony PlayStation blog
10 years of social media’s biggest players and payouts by the numbers
Facebook launched ten years ago in February 2004. A month later, so did this site. Social media hasn’t, doesn’t and won’t stay still. As Myspace rises, Friendster declines. The pattern’s repeated itself a few times already, and even Google hasn’t quite cracked the magic social network formula, at least not yet. The crown currently belongs to Facebook, a company that’s made some big, big startup purchases on the way, although Twitter continues to pack (arguably) more influence. A whole lot has happened in the last decade, but we’ve tried to squeeze the more interesting parts into something a little more visual. Check out the full ‘graphic, right after the break.
Pandora One rate changes to take effect in May
Pandora on Wednesday announced changes to its Pandora One streaming service rate plans. Set to take effect in May, new Pandora One subscribers will be billed at a rate of $4.99 per month. What’s more, there will be no option to pay in an annual subscription.
[Since 2009]…the costs of delivering this service have grown considerably. For example, the royalty rates Pandora pays to performers via SoundExchange for subscription listening have increased 53% in the last five years and will increase another 9% in 2015
Customers who are already subscribed to the $36 annual plan will be migrated to a monthly $3.99 plan with “discounted loyalty” rates. Indeed, this is still a $12 increase for the year, or $1 per month.
Pandora advises that the new plans only affect about 3.3 million of its 250 million registered user base.
The post Pandora One rate changes to take effect in May appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Sony delivers Android 4.4 KitKat to Xperia Z series smartphones
Sony on Wednesday announced that the Android 4.4 KitKat update is available for the Xperia Z series of smartphones. Specifically, the Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact, and Z Ultra can now update to the recent version of Android.
In addition to the standard fare of Android features, Sony has included a few custom enhancements and settings for users.
- We’ve added our tweaked Status Bar and Quick Settings… now more intuitive and customisable (and pretty easy on the eye)… cleaned up to ensure you only get the notifications you really need
- If you’ve got a Sony PlayStation 4, you might recognize our new user interface – we’ve added the same sleek launch animation and livewallpaper across the lock and home screens
- We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, TrackID TV, Sony Select, Smart Social Camera and…
- Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, better download speeds, and more!
- Our unique custom interface experience: “Xperia Themes”, with downloadable UI packs from Sony Select – skin up to 280 assets across your Xperia smartphone with a variety of styles, and more to follow soon…
As often is the case, the exact release of each device’s update varies by carriers and market. Looking ahead, Sony expects to deploy the 4.4 KitKat update to the Xperia Z, ZL, Tablet Z, and ZR starting in the middle of the second quarter.
The post Sony delivers Android 4.4 KitKat to Xperia Z series smartphones appeared first on AndroidGuys.
KitKat now rolling out to Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra, Z1 and Z1 Compact
An Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Xperia Z Ultra, Z1 and Z1 Compact is rolling out as of today, Sony’s announced. In addition to what the newer OS version itself brings, Sony’s folded in some tweaks of its own, like a reworked status bar and quick-settings menu, a couple of PS4-inspired UI elements and updated forms of Sony’s stock and media apps. While KitKat might be ready for this trio of devices, remember that availability depends on where you live and what carrier your handset may be bound to, so don’t bet on a notification popping up this very afternoon. Sony confirmed back in November that the Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z, too, were eligible for a KitKat update, but they’ll have to wait until at least “mid-Q2″ for their snacks. In better news, the Xperia T2 Ultra, E1 and M2 have been added to that exclusive list, though we can’t give you even vague timelines for when these updates might be available just yet.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Sony
Via: Android Central
Source: Sony
Comcast Xfinity TV adds 18 live-streaming channels with USA, HGTV and more
Just in time for the official start of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Comcast has added a load of new channels to its Xfinity TV offering, including options for watching the first second round upsets. Alongside March Madness viewing with access to TNT, TBS and truTV, key additions to the live-streaming library include A&E, Bravo, Cooking Channel, E!, Food Network, HGTV, History, Syfy, USA and more. Of course, this is on top of the more than 25,000 on-demand options for watching at your leisure. All of the new channels are available via either Xfinity TV on the web or Xfinity TV Go for iOS and Android.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source: Comcast
The new Oculus Rift costs $350 and this is what it’s like
If you’re still not paying attention to Oculus VR and the Rift headset — the folks at the forefront of virtual reality’s recent rebirth — what are you doing? Okay, we’ll forgive you. It’s still just a development kit after all, and even the latest prototype (“Crystal Cove”) is far from the expected final product. Today though, you’ve got one less excuse to stay in the dark: The second Oculus Rift development kit is available for pre-order; it costs $350; and it’s really, really impressive. That’s two reallys.
The Oculus Rift has come a long way since we first saw it back in 2012. First there was the HD version, and the next big leap came with the Crystal Cove prototype (which took home our Best of CES 2014 award). The second development kit takes Crystal Cove and adds several bells and whistles, most notably a custom, in-house camera that faces you while playing to track depth. The IR sensors are now hidden below the front plastic, and a duo of ports (USB 2.0 and a one-eighth-inch audio jack) is just above where your left eye would be if it weren’t covered by a VR headset. A power button is on the right side, which is an important change as it also means that the intermediary box between the previous dev kit and the PC powering it is gone. A single wire exits the second Oculus Rift dev kit, which splits to USB for power and HDMI for video. It’s not quite the wireless standalone unit we’re waiting for, but cutting down on the mess of wires sure doesn’t hurt.
So, what’s it like to use it? We’d love to tell you it’s another staggering jump from Crystal Cove, but that’s just not the truth. It’s more polished than Crystal Cove in terms of finish, but the performance leap isn’t dramatic. The few games we tried — updated versions of the Tuscany and Unreal Engine 4 RTS demos were on-hand, as well as a new UE4 game with little sword-fighting characters in a multiplayer scenario — were fun, but the muddy graphics in the former two demos really stood out with the new screen (a low-persistence OLED pushing 1,080 x 960 in each eye).
“DK2,” as Oculus calls it, is simply the next step in the process, and that’s fine. Game developers (and gobs of enthusiasts, ourselves included) get updated hardware for the projects they’re working on and Oculus VR gets another injection of cash on its road to the consumer version.
Here’s the part where we tell you the same thing we’ve been telling you about the consumer version since 2012. Sadly, it still isn’t arriving any time soon. Company founder Palmer Luckey wouldn’t put a date on its release or give its target specs, but he did say it’ll be another great leap over the second development kit. For now, there’s another Oculus Rift dev kit that’s immersive, surreal and industry-changing. Things could be worse, right?
Photos and video: Michael Gorman, Edgar Alvarez and Sean Buckley.
Several states join the Justice Department in probe of Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger
The future of Comcast’s plans to bring Time Warner Cable’s subscribers under its umbrella are still very much up in the air. The Senate is planning hearings about the merger later this month and now several states are joining the Justice Department (DOJ) in its probe of the buyout. The attorneys general in Florida, Indiana and other states are working with the DOJ to determine if the deal would violate antitrust laws. Each state is also looking at how the combination of two of the biggest cable providers in the US would effect local markets. While it’s not unusual for states to join the federal government in antitrust investigations, it does give the DOJ additional resources to work with. At the moment the exact number of states joining the probe is unknown, but we’re sure all will be revealed in time.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Reuters
Apple Projected to Set New March Quarter Record with 42 Million iPhones Shipped
Apple appears poised to continue its string of setting new year-over-year records for quarterly iPhone sales, based on new data from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. According to Huberty’s “AlphaWise” smartphone tracker, Apple is on track to ship 42 million iPhones during the January-March quarter, topping the March quarter record of 37.4 million iPhones set last year.
Morgan Stanley’s AlphaWise tracker follows Google Trends data, and the firm touts that it has been more accurate than analyst consensus in recent quarters. Analyst consensus and Morgan Stanley’s own supply chain estimates have been pegging Apple’s iPhone shipments for the quarter at 38 million units, but demand numbers appear likely to push that number up.
The strong demand appears in nearly all geographical regions, with U.S. carrier and retailer promotions in particular being cited for increasing customer interest.
One area that has not fared as well is China, which is seeing weaker momentum this quarter due to the earlier launch of the iPhone 5s/5c in that country. New iPhones have typically debuted in China several months after the first wave of launches, but Apple made strong efforts to ensure that China was included in that first wave for the latest iPhones. The January addition of China Mobile as an iPhone partner is offsetting that loss of March quarter momentum in China somewhat, but not enough to turn the overall trend for the country positive.
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