[Op-Ed] Android’s Next Update Should Focus On Gaming
Google’s next Android update should focus more on gaming. Android is an open source operating system (OS) that is based on Linux. The great thing about open source is that it is free and any one can enhance the OS. Android is an OS meant for mobile devices but lately it has been used to create consoles.
One of the most famous of these consoles is the Ouya. It was funded by the public through kickstarter and is android based. It is not 100% Android and for good reason. The people behind Ouya knew this and enhanced Android so that it can be souly focused on gaming. One of the short comings of this is that there is no Play Store. That means the games you already own might have to be bought again for the Ouya. Madcatz M.O.J.O is another Android based console that runs 100% Android. However this brings short comings because Android is meant for a touch screen interface.
Netflix once said that they want to become HBO before HBO becomes them. Netflix has been #1 at what they do but they know full well to stay on top you have to keep moving forward. That is how they beat Blockbuster and that is how they are beating television and cable networks. So who has the ability to beat Android? Definitely not Apple. Yes I had to say that. The OS they have to look out for is Steam OS (Steambox). Even though it is still in beta the Steam OS is on its way to change the gaming industry. Steam OS is a Linux based OS that is made with its sights solely on gaming. Steam OS was made to take out the middle man so that games can run in theory smoother. The only reason I bring up the Steam OS is because the mobile hardware is slowly evolving to becoming like PC. For example Nvidia’s next generation chip is based off their PC chip system. So much so that they ran a full PC game on one of their demo tablets. So even if the Steam OS is not ready now it will only be a matter of time.
Even though Android has made small improvements in the development toward gaming, none have been a big leap. Sure we can play games with a USB controller attached to any Android device running 4.0 and above. However that is a small step toward the right direction. Android has a chance to be a lot more than just for the mobile market, but Google has to make that choice before someone else makes it for them. With Google picking up Green Throttle, it is looking like they are already moving in that direction. I certainly hope something happens soon.
The inventor of the web wants you to help create an internet bill of rights
The web has changed a lot in the 25 years since Tim Berners-Lee first proposed its underlying technology, and not entirely for the better — censorship, reduced net neutrality and surveillance are very real concerns. Berners-Lee and a host of partners are fighting these threats by launching Web We Want, a campaign pushing for an internet bill of rights in every country. The initiative asks you to start a discussion about the web you’d like to see, and to draft a matching set of rights. It’s also fostering education efforts, offering small support grants and rallying groups at critical moments. There’s no certainty that Web We Want will make a tangible impact, but it should provide a stronger voice to advocates of a free and open internet.
Filed under: Internet
Via: GigaOM
Source: Web We Want
Microsoft’s OneNote may come to the Mac this month
Microsoft’s OneNote app has been available on mobile, Windows and the web for quite some time, but Mac support for the note-taking software has proven elusive… at least, until now. Both The Verge and ZDNet hear that OneNote will be available for free on OS X later this month. Microsoft would also release a free desktop Windows app (the Windows 8-native app is already gratis) to better support its own platform. Both versions would include new features, too, including a Clipper service to save web content and a desktop variant of Office Lens’ document scanning. We’ve reached out to Microsoft to verify the claims. It’s easy to see why the folks in Redmond might expand OneNote’s ecosystem, though. The app is facing stiff competition from Evernote, which is available on most modern platforms — Microsoft would simply be countering a rival.
Google Wallet’s new ‘Orders’ feature lets you track online shipments
Nice to see Google is keeping the regular Google Wallet updates coming. A few weeks after introducing loyalty card scans, the company is adding a feature called “Orders,” which lets you track your online shipments using Google Wallet’s iOS or Android app. In particular, you can view receipts for purchases you made online, as well as check the shipping status (Google says it’s made arrangements with “primary package carriers in the US”). The roll-out appears to have already begun, though it could take a while for the update to reach some devices — yours truly, for instance, is still waiting.
Source: Google (Twitter), (Blogspot)
Here’s how the NSA can collect data from millions of PCs
We know that the NSA has been ramping up its efforts to collect data from computers, but it’s now clear that the intelligence agency has the tools to compromise those computers on a grand scale. Information leaked by Edward Snowden to The Intercept has revealed that the NSA has spent recent years automating the way it plants surveillance software. The key is Turbine, a system launched in 2010 that automatically sets up implants and simplifies fetching data; agents only have to know what information they want, rather than file locations or other app-specific details. A grid of sensors, nicknamed Turmoil, automatically spots extracted info and relays it to NSA staff. The combined platform lets the organization scrape content from “potentially millions” of PCs, instead of focusing only on the highest-priority targets.
The spies also have a wide range of weapons at their disposal. They can grab data from flash drives and webcams, remote control PCs and intercept the content from both internet calls as well as virtual private networks. The NSA doesn’t always go directly after a target, either. It frequently compromises IT administrators to reach people on the networks they run, and it will both spoof websites and alter traffic to trick targets into installing code. Snowden’s latest leak isn’t all that surprising given that we’ve seen governments use similar espionage methods in the past, but it suggests that the NSA can easily watch a large number of computer users without sweating the exact techniques that it uses.
Filed under: Networking, Internet
Via: CNET
Source: The Intercept
SXSW 2014 wrap-up: Snoop Dogg, stun copter, Snowden, Mario Kart and more!
SXSW Interactive can hardly match the significance of CES, MWC or IFA when it comes to consumer electronics launches, but there’s always a ton of awesome gear to see. This year, Chaotic Moon’s “CUPID” stun copter was perhaps the most shocking innovation, but IBM’s Watson-powered food truck, a Leap Motion-equipped Oculus Rift and Neil Young’s PonoMusic player also dominated on the gear front. In between hands-on demos, we caught up with Aereo, BlackBerry, Shaquille O’Neal and even Snoop Dogg, while also sitting in on SXSW sessions featuring the likes of Edward Snowden and 23andMe’s Anne Wojcicki. We say farewell today, but South-by 2014 will live on for a few days to come, with hundreds of concerts and other events dominating the seemingly countless performance venues in Austin, Texas.
Filed under: Misc
Forging weapons upstages fowl flinging in the new Angry Birds Epic RPG
If you’re a fan of flinging Angry Birds across the screen or racing them in go-carts on your favorite mobile device, Rovio’s next installment looks to offer a new challenge. Angry Birds Epic is said to be a turn-based RPG with all the battle and armor building players can handle. Kotaku reports that making weapons, potions and other provisions with funds acquired during conquests or via in-app purchases will be a key part in the storyline. Details are scarce for now, but an in-progress version is said to hit iTunes in Australia and Canada this week with a global launch across iOS, Android and Windows Phone sometime in 2014.
Filed under: Gaming
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: Kotaku
Gaming deals of the week: 3.12.14
Sometimes you just have to wait until a retailer tosses together a bunch of tech that you’re eying before you make the leap. In terms of new gaming consoles, today could very well be the day. There are tempting bundles for both Xbox One and PS4 on the other side of the jump, alongside two other entertainment-minded gadgets to help boost those high scores.
If there are other gaming devices you’re after that we haven’t included here — join us and add them to your “Want” list. Every time there’s a price cut in the future, you’ll get an email alert!
Xbox One Bundle
Price: $630
Regular Price: $730
Engadget Score: 81
Buy: GameStop
Sure, you could go after one of the new Forza 5 bundles, but here you’ll nab the Xbox One, an extra controller, the aforementioned title, Zumba World Party to keep you fit and a 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription. All of that comes with a $100 discount off of the regular sticker price of snagging each of those separately. Don’t worry, you can Zumba from the privacy of your own living room. We won’t judge.
PlayStation 4 Bundle
Price: $550
Regular Price: $570
Engadget Score: 83
Buy: GameStop
Prefer the PS4 and FPS titles? No worries: There’s a bundle for you too. This option includes Call of Duty: Ghosts, a second DualShock 4 controller and one year of PlayStation Plus. Sure, $20 is obviously a modest discount, but that’s money you can spend elsewhere, right?
Apple iPad Air (16GB, WiFi)
Price: $450
Regular Price: $500
Engadget Score: 92
Buy: Best Buy (Silver), (Space Gray)
A tablet on a gaming deals roundup? You betcha. And a $50 price drop on the current-gen model is certainly worth considering, especially when you factor in the iPad Air’s A7 chip and stellar battery life for iOS gaming. According to our 90-day Price History, there was an additional $10 discount just last week, so you may want to keep an eye out if you’re really pinching pennies.
Turtle Beach Ear Force PX51
Price: $200
Regular Price: $270
Buy: Amazon
If you’re all set in the console department, might we suggest a useful accessory? The Ear Force PX51 is now seeing an attractive discount on a model that debuted in March 2013. There’s compatibility across a wide spectrum of devices with custom presets to wrangle the 360-degree Dolby Surround Sound. Use our Compare tool to see how this unit stacks up against other high-scoring gaming headsets.
Filed under: Gaming
Yahoo now shows Yelp reviews when you’re searching for local businesses
Google has long made it easy to find reviews of local businesses in its search results, but you’ve been out of luck if you prefer Yahoo. You won’t have much trouble scouting those locations after today, though. As hinted earlier this year, Yahoo has integrated Yelp’s data into its searches, including reviews and photos. Look at a sushi place, for instance, and you’ll find out when it’s open, what it looks like, and whether or not its rolls are any good. Yahoo may just be closing a feature gap with the Yelp deal, but we’re not going to complain if it means that more of our friends make informed decisions about where they shop.
Filed under: Internet
Via: Recode
Source: Yahoo Search (Tumblr)
Monitor which apps consume your time with Frequency [App of the Day]
Ever wonder why you’re not getting any work done? Or, perhaps you’re trying to figure out why your smartphone battery dies so quickly. Maybe you want to see how much Flappy Bird you’re getting in versus productivity apps. Guess what… there’s an app for that. Surely there are others, but I really dig Frequency lately.
Offered in a free and pro version ($.99), this app looks at which apps you are using and for how long. You can compile your list based on a variety of factors: today, past week, past month, etc. What’s more, you can check to see which apps you’ve used and see them against apps you have yet to run.
The free version checks frequency every thirty seconds, delivering the data in half minute increments. Should you go pro you can toggle the frequency and fine-tune the app. We can imagine this be helpful if you’re billing a client for time spent within a particular app. Those who work on a tablet may find this convenient for photo editing tools or writing/CMS scenarios. Also, toggling to a less-frequent ping can help get your battery to last longer.
We should also point out that the free version does not automatically run at the startup of your Android device. The pro client, as you might have guessed, can be configured to do so.
We’ve seen monitoring apps for data and general usage but few of them look as sharp as Frequency. We like the layout of the app, its simplicity, and its overall aim.
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