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13
Mar

Everything Valve does is because of Steam


Why is Valve getting into virtual reality? Why is Valve making Steam Machines and the Steam Controller? Why did Valve make its own Linux-based operating system? Why did Valve make the Steam Controller? Why is Valve releasing its game engine, Source, for free? It’s the Steam economy, stupid!

Valve’s game store boasts “over 125 million active accounts worldwide.” How does Valve keep growing that store? By literally everything else it does. Here’s Valve president Gabe Newell explaining it to us last week at GDC 2015:

“We’re trying to build standard interfaces and standard implementations that other people can use. Because, to be honest, we’re going to make our money on the back end, when people buy games from Steam. Right? So we’re trying to be forward-thinking and make those longer-term investments for PC gaming that are going to come back a couple years down the road.”

That’s a very important point. Maybe you didn’t know, but Valve generates a ton of revenue from Steam. It’s not clear exactly how much, so here’s some context for that assertion:

  • The most current numbers on Steam usage are from last week, with 125 million “active accounts” — that’s not total accounts, but accounts being used with some regularity.
  • The Steam library is around 4,500 games, depending on what you count (that number excludes game add-ons and non-game software — thanks to Ars Technica‘s Kyle Orland and his Steam Gauge database for this number).
  • Valve gets approximately 30 percent of each sale made on Steam.

Thirty percent! That’s not for every single game, and there are plenty of free-to-play games, so that’s not a direct “30 percent take from all games sold on Steam,” but it’s not far off. For a taste of what that number can mean, we turn to Sega’s lawsuit with THQ over the pre-order profits from Company of Heroes 2 on Steam.

As Eurogamer reported in 2013, “There were 20,755 pre-orders for CoH2 registered through Steam from September 2012 to 24th January 2013. That generated revenue of $1,345,301.29, but, as is standard, Valve takes a 30 percent cut of Steam sales, leaving publishers and developers with 70 percent — in this case $941k.”

Approximately four months of pre-orders, totaling approximately 21K copies, brought Valve over $350K in revenue at the cost of running servers and consuming bandwidth. That’s not even sales of the game, but pre-orders. And that’s a single game among thousands.

Without giving direct numbers, Newell told us, “The PC has been going gangbusters lately. Steam revenue’s up 50 percent year-over-year, which tracks closely to overall what’s happening in PC.” Operating Steam is a very lucrative business.

So much so, in fact, that Valve’s entire business is built around Steam. “But Valve’s a game developer! Why isn’t Valve making games?!” you ask with a crowbar in one hand, a headcrab hat sitting atop your dome.

The short answer is, well, Valve is making games. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and DOTA 2 are primary examples: Valve is still making games, but only insofar as they’re experiments in new models for Steam. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is, “Here’s how to make a successful free-to-player shooter on Steam!” DOTA 2 is, “Here’s how to make a successful eSports game on Steam!”

WHY HARDWARE?

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With Steam Machines/Controller, Steam VR/Lighthouse and Steam Link, Valve is making a big push into physical hardware. Why? Because it all rolls up into Steam.

You may have noticed Steam’s search functionality adding support for VR games back in December 2013. Or maybe you used Steam’s in-home streaming functionality, which started beta testing one month earlier in November 2013? Or maybe you’ve got your own gaming PC in the living room, running Steam’s living room-friendly Big Picture Mode, first introduced back in 2011?

All of these initiatives serve one purpose: Extend the reach of Steam. The hardware Valve just announced, from its $50 game-streaming box (Steam Link) to its VR headset collaboration with HTC (the Vive), all directly rolls up into Steam. It’s the one common denominator among all these variables, and Valve’s been setting up foundations for this push across the past several years.

Steam Machines and the Controller couldn’t exist without Big Picture Mode (and now, SteamOS), just as Steam VR doesn’t make much sense without a store already populated with VR games. Steam Link is a physical extension of in-home streaming tech you could already be using.

The good news is that, while this all serves to make Valve richer, all these moves achieve the parallel goal of serving the PC gaming community at large.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

As Newell puts it: “[There’s] lots of hardware innovation: 4K and 5K monitors, G-Sync, 140Hz monitors. And all that’s driving what’s going on. So from our point of view, we sit back and say, ‘What’s going to be helpful? How can we keep PC gaming moving forward?’”

“Hardware and software pushes into streaming, VR and living room PC gaming from the company that owns the largest digital game service in the world” is apparently Valve’s answer.

Don’t miss the rest of our coverage from GDC 2015! Check out our events page right here.

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Wearables, Internet, Software, HD, Alt, HTC

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13
Mar

Carphone Warehouse launches the LG G Flex 2 in the UK


LG_G_Flex_2_Official_34

British mobile phone retailer, The Carphone Warehouse, has today launched LG’s second-generation curved, self-healing smartphone, the G Flex 2, in the UK. The handset is available to purchase on a 2-year contract through Vodafone for £34.50 per month, or for £529 outright on a pre-paid plan.

As for as internals go,  the G Flex 2 is a beast of a device packing a 5.5-inch curved P-OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing shooter.

Straight out of the box, the device runs the latest build of Android 4.4.4 KitKat with LG’s Optimus user interface plastered over the top. The handset is, however, expected to receive the much-anticipated and eagerly-awaited Lollipop update when it’s finally distributed by the South Korean company sometime later this month.

If you live in the UK, like the sound of the G Flex 2 and want to pick one up — hit the source link below.

Source: The Carphone Warehouse

Come comment on this article: Carphone Warehouse launches the LG G Flex 2 in the UK

13
Mar

NSFW: ‘Power Users’ need to shut up


I’ve had quite enough of “power users” who think they’re too good for the new MacBook.

I’ve been using a Mac for 30 years. I got my first one in 1985. I sell Macs on the weekends and write about them during the weekdays. I am, by any definition, a “power user.” Yet I detest that term, and I react viscerally whenever I hear someone else use it.

So it’ll be no surprise at all that I rolled my eyes this week at every proclamation from self-described “power users” who lament the direction of the new MacBook from Apple. I’m so excited about it I can barely contain myself. But then again, I was the same way about the new Mac mini when it came out last year. Because it’s a great $499 computer, no matter what “power users” think.

From complaints about the Intel Core-M processor to the color choices to the decision to use USB-C, it seems that anyone with skin in the Mac game has found something to pick on regarding the new Macbook. I think it’s all utter bullshit.

I think it’s all utter bullshit.

The thing that spec monkeys need to remember is that most people don’t care about what they care about. Most people buying new computers aren’t interest in how many cores a CPU has or how many GB of RAM or storage it has. Very few of the people I sell computers to have more than a passing interest. They want to know what the computer can do. What problems it solves for them.

From that perspective, the MacBook is already a success: It provides an up to date, modern OS X Yosemite user experience. It emphasizes wireless connectivity through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — something many consumers already have ample experience with on their iPhones and iPads. It’s loaded with the software most users need to get started: Everything from a web browser to email, data management apps for contacts, calendars and so on. And it’s well-integrated into an ecosystem millions of iPhone and iPad users already depend on to store their data and make it available in the cloud. iCloud, more specifically.

There’s a peculiar brand of solipsism I see exhibited on the Internet almost every time I log on: The fundamental belief that if a product is not right for me, anyone who likes it must be wrong.

PC sales are slipping, but Mac sales have grown. They’ve consistently tracked positive growth compared to PC market share for almost a decade. But there’s a ceiling on the number of people who are going to buy the Macs that are available today.

That doesn’t make the PC any less relevant. I use Windows; I just recently built a custom Windows PC. There’s still a lot to recommend the PC. PC manufacturers continue to sell millions of units from quarter to quarter. The market may be changing, but it’s still a very viable market.

Apple has created an opportunity sell Macs to a new audience.

Apple has only been able to sell however many Macs it’s sold to a slowly increasing audience. They needed to shake the tree a bit and come up with a new way to sell Macs. More than that, Apple has created an opportunity sell Macs to a new audience.

Smartphones existed before the iPhone. Tablets existed before the iPad. Yet Apple managed to will new markets into being for both these products by driving demand for them and by creating a satellite market of apps and accessories for them, inspiring other companies to do the same.

Ultimately, the best way to make the Mac even more successful is to create an entirely new market for the Macintosh that’s never existed before. And that’s precisely what Apple’s doing with the new MacBook. So if it’s not for you, power user, it’s not for you. Doesn’t matter. Lots of people are going to want it.

MacBook

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13
Mar

Apple’s ‘Project Titan’ Car Research May Be Headquartered at Leased Sunnyvale Campus


Apple’s “Project Titan”, its secretive and much-rumored electric car project, may involve a campus leased by Apple last year that is located in Sunnyvale, California, just a few minutes from the company’s main 1 Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, reports AppleInsider.

According to “two people with knowledge of the project”, the company has been receiving shipments that may be related to the project’s development at the Sunnyvale address, though it remains unclear if that location is indeed the headquarters of the car project.

According to one AppleInsider source familiar with “Titan,” many of Apple’s new auto-related hires, including recruits from Tesla, have been working out of the Sunnyvale campus. This person claims that some of the projects underway there have been kept “very secret” within the company.

It is said that the “Titan” development building itself is codenamed “SG5.”

Apple’s presence at the campus is not a secret, but AppleInsider believes Apple is linked to another company quietly operating at the site, likely as a front for Apple’s more secretive efforts. That company, SixtyEight Research, claims to be a market research firm, but there is little public evidence of any actual operations in that field. Instead, the building where SixtyEight Research is listed as a tenant has seen city permits issued for construction of an “auto work area” and a “repair garage”.

project titan

Photo of SixtyEight Research’s offices (Source: AppleInsider)

SixtyEight’s affiliation with Apple could not be confirmed, but Apple does have a long history of using shell corporations and deceptive methods to hide its secret projects. Aside from a barren website, there is scant other information about SixtyEight — lending more credence to its use as a front.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to surmise that SixtyEight could play a role in allowing Apple to purchase and import automotive equipment and tools without drawing any suspicion. Apple, after all, is the biggest company in the world, and has been known to force engineers to use false names in the past when visiting suppliers to avoid unwelcome attention.

A visit to SixtyEight’s offices by AppleInsider was met with frosted opaque glass and security cameras, with a note pointing those looking for the company offices to a three-story building in the complex leased to Apple.

Much of the evidence is circumstantial, but there definitely appear to be some curious circumstances at Apple’s Sunnyvale campus. Apple’s car project is reportedly still in the early stages, but the company is said to have committed to building a team of up to 1000 employees with a goal of launching a car around 2020 if the project proves promising.



13
Mar

Sprint will eat all costs to switch from another carrier in limited time deal




sprint_switch

Sprint on Friday announced a new, limited time promotion designed to lure customers away from other wireless providers. Starting immediately, Sprint will cover all of the costs associated with breaking a contract with your current cell phone carrier. That’s right, not just the early termination fees, but also any balances owed on a smartphone installment plan.

As you might expect there are a few things the subscriber must do in order to qualify for the credits, including turning the (good working condition) handset over to Sprint. Customers need to port their number and sign up for a Sprint Easy Pay, iPhone for Life Plan, or Sprint Lease plan. Alternately, you can also pay full retail price for the device.

Sprint has a website set up for registering and uploading of your bill; you’re paid in the form of an American Express card within roughly fifteen days of successful registration.

Sprint


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13
Mar

BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer, $84.99



There are few times when the phrase “better safe than sorry” is more appropriate than when it comes to making critical decisions after drinking. One mistake, slip or poor decision could alter the trajectory of your life forever. Many Android users turn to weight-loss, fitness tracker and diet apps for help managing and keeping track of the fuel they’re putting into their bodies. Why should it be any different when it comes to alcohol?

BACtrack is a mobile breathalyzer that interfaces, via Bluetooth, with Android to help you stay in control of your blood alcohol content. You’ll be able to monitor your level of intoxication and determine when you’ll be back within the legal allowance. BACtrack includes an internal air pump so your results are on-demand and accurate. You’ll also be able to chart your results and see metrics that help you evaluate your lifestyle choices. If you’re looking to harness the power of technology to help implement control in your life, BACtrack is a great solution for just $84.99.

See more at deals.androidguys.com

Do Not Miss These Other Deals!


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13
Mar

5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly



Welcome back to another episode of Android Apps Weekly! Here are your headlines for this week:

For more headlines, updates, and news, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter by clicking here. We put out a new issue every Friday that we personally curate. If you’re interested in getting it straight to your email, click the subscribe button below!

Subscribe to our Android Apps Weekly newsletter!

android apps weeklyAndroid System Webview

[Price: Free]
Android System Webview is an app powered by Chrome that allows other apps to display web content. If you’re running Lollipop, this has already been installed on your device but now it’s officially in the Play Store so it can be updated. There’s really not much to do on your part. It’s already there and now it’s in the Play Store.
Get it on Google Play
Android apps weekly

android apps weeklyBlood & Glory: Immortals

[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Blood & Glory: Immortals is an action RPG out of GLU Mobile where you play as one of three heroes that take on the armies of Zeus, Hades, and Ares. It features decent graphics, plenty of game play, and you can create your own guilds. It’s free to play so it costs nothing to check out.
Get it on Google Play

android apps weeklyCorgi for Feedly

[Price: Free]
Corgi for Feedly is a free lock screen replacement app that brings you news stories from your Feedly feed straight to your lock screen. It has a colorful, fun design and it works fairly well. It is a newer app which means it has newer app problems, but it’s totally free so it’s worth a shot.
Get it on Google Play

android apps weeklyStreet Art watch face

[Price: Free]
Street Art watch face is a new Android Wear watch face and it’s the first that’s been released by Google. It features some colorful, fun visuals along with an analog, minimal, and digital option. There aren’t a lot of customization features but it’s a nice addition to the watch face collection. Especially if you like urban scenes.
Get it on Google Play
Android apps weekly

android apps weeklyFive Nights at Freddy’s 3

[Price: $2.99]
Five Nights at Freddy’s 1 and 2 were huge hits in 2014 and we imagine that the third iteration will be a big hit in 2015. The game play is a lot of the same kind of stuff with some new game play elements mixed in. There are even multiple endings that you can try to go for. It’s $2.99 with no in app purchases.
Get it on Google Play

Wrap up

If we missed any great news, let us know in the comments!



13
Mar

NASA proves that Jupiter’s biggest moon is hiding an ocean


NASA has long suspected that Jupiter’s biggest moon, Ganymede, has a subsurface ocean, but that’s hard to prove when it’s in the outer solar system. Now, a team of scientists has found a way to provide evidence that an ocean does exist underneath its ice crust using the Hubble telescope. How? Well, Ganymede is the only moon in our solar system that has its own magnetic field. That, in turn, is connected to Jupiter’s field since the moon’s so close to the planet. This connection causes aurorae (like the northern lights here on Earth) that circle the moon’s northern and southern poles, which turned out to be just what the scientists needed.

They used the Hubble telescope to observe (under ultraviolet light) how big each aurora’s movements are. You see, a saltwater ocean would create its own magnetic field that would counter Jupiter’s, restricting the lights’ movement and causing them to perform an unenthusiastic dance — and that’s exactly what’s happening on Ganymede. The team believes that beneath the moon’s 95-mile-thick ice crust, there’s a 60-mile-deep saltwater ocean: that’s 10 times deeper than our planet’s.

NASA already has its eyes set on a number of icy moons: Titan, Europa and Enceladus. But since the presence of water is essential to its study of life beyond our planet, we wouldn’t be surprised if the agency conjures up a mission to Ganymede in the future.

[Image credit: NASA/ESA]

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Source: NASA

13
Mar

T-Mobile now rolling out Lollipop update for the HTC One (M7)


HTC_M7_One_Black_White_Leak

Next in line for the much-anticipated Lollipop update are T-Mobile-branded models of the One (M7) located in the United Kingdom. The 1.3GB upgrade, which is currently being pushed out by HTC carries version number 7.18.531.2 and transports the latest build of the Android operating system to the handset, in addition to a handful of bug fixes, stability improvements and speed optimizations

For those in need of a refresh, the Lollipop upgrade brings support for multiple accounts, improved notifications, a smoother multitasking experience, Ambient Display, smarter internet connections and the recently-announced Material Design guidelines.

To start the update, make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network. Then, from the home screen, press the Menu key, followed by Settings. Scroll to the bottom and tap ‘About Device’, followed by ‘Software Update and ‘Update Now’.

Come comment on this article: T-Mobile now rolling out Lollipop update for the HTC One (M7)

13
Mar

Poll: How fast should Windows 10 builds go out to Insiders?


Following the news earlier this morning about faster build releases for the Windows 10 Insider Program, the change lends itself to asking the question: How fast?

More importantly, we are curious about two points: (1) Should Microsoft have a canary build channel aka Ludicrous ring (2) If yes, what would be a satisfactory release schedule?

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