Crowdfunding Campaign Aims to Shed Light on ‘The Secret History of Mac Gaming’ in New Book

Journalist and author Richard Moss has launched a crowdfunding campaign for his book The Secret History of Mac Gaming. Moss’ work will describe the story of a community of gamers and developers who crafted gameplay experiences that would later serve as influential backbones of modern games, gaining little credit for their place in the history of video games in the process.

Among major influences, Moss mentions that gaming on the Mac brought ideas like “mouse-driven input, multi-window interfaces, and even online play” into popularity with gamers around the world. The book will delve into that history and include over 60 interviews with individuals who were there at the height of Mac gaming, all the way back to the 1980s. The description mentions that it should run about 304 pages long in a standard hardback form, with Mac gaming evangelist Craig Fryar contributing in a co-author role in some chapters.

Mac gaming led to much that is now taken for granted by PC gamers, including mouse-driven input, multi-window interfaces, and even online play. The Mac birthed two of the biggest franchises in videogame history, Myst and Halo, and it hosted numerous “firsts” for the medium.

The Secret History of Mac Gaming is the story of those communities and the game developers who survived and thrived in an ecosystem that was serially ignored by the outside world. It’s a book about people who made games and people who played them — people who, on both counts, followed their hearts first and market trends second.

Among many topics and chapters that aim to “cast a narrative around the people behind the games,” Moss will include stories like Apple’s original intention to acquire Bungie games. That, of course, never came to pass due to Microsoft’s own acquisition of the studio in 2000, eventually leading to the now massively successful multi-media franchise Halo. Microsoft’s cherry picking of “the premier Mac game developer” out from under Steve Jobs didn’t sit well with the former Apple CEO, and was one of the first of many stepping stones that led to the less-than-stellar Mac gaming landscape seen today.

The book is currently on the crowdfunding site Unbound, which deals exclusively in getting independent stories off the ground thanks to the monetary input of interested users. As of the time of writing, The Secret History of Mac Gaming needs about 500 more pledges to be successfully funded. Unbound is based in London, but the site offers international exchange rates for customers interested in pledging who live outside of the United Kingdom. There’s also a £14 ($20) international shipping charge for most physical rewards.

The initial £10 ($14) reward tier will get pledges an eBook version of the book, while those who are into physical books will need to pledge £30 ($44). Higher rewards include your name listed in the front of the book, exclusive art, a meet-up with the authors and, at the highest £2,000 ($2,900) tier, a “unique dust jacket” created solely for the user who donates on that tier. Every contributor to the campaign will get their name in the back of the book.

Check out the campaign page here to browse all of the rewards, and even read an except from The Secret History of Mac Gaming.
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 9.3.2 to Public Beta Testers

Apple today released the third beta of an upcoming iOS 9.3.2 update to public beta testers, one day after seeding the third iOS 9.3.2 beta to developers. iOS 9.3.2 comes more than a month after the release of iOS 9.3, a major update that introduced Night Shift mode and other new features. iOS 9.3.2 has been in testing since April 6.

Beta testers who are taking part in Apple’s best testing program will receive the iOS 9.3.2 update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on their iOS device.

Those who would like to participate in Apple’s beta testing program can sign up through the beta testing website, which gives users access to both iOS and OS X betas.

As a minor 9.x.x update, iOS 9.3.2 appears to focus on performance improvements and under-the-hood bug fixes to address issues discovered following the release of iOS 9.3. We don’t know all of the fixes that will be included in the update, but a significant Game Center bug appears to have been fixed.

iOS 9.3.2 beta 2 also re-introduced a much desired feature — the ability to use Low Power Mode and Night Shift simultaneously for power saving features combined with blue light reduction.

No other outward-facing changes or immediately apparent bug fixes have been discovered in the first three developer betas.

Related Roundup: iOS 9
Tag: iOS 9.3.2
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 9.2.1 to Developers

Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming 9.2.1 update to tvOS, the operating system designed to run on the fourth-generation Apple TV. Today’s beta comes one week after tvOS 9.2.1 beta 2. tvOS 9.2.1 has been in testing since April 6.

tvOS 9.2.1 is a minor update that comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 9.2, a significant update introducing features like Bluetooth keyboard support, dictation, Siri search for the App Store, app folders, and more.

tvOS betas are more difficult to install than beta updates for iOS and OS X. Installing the tvOS beta requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes or Apple Configurator. Those who have already installed the first two tvOS 9.2.1 betas will be able to update to the third beta over the air.

As a minor 9.x.x update, tvOS 9.2.1 appears to focus on bug fixes and performance improvements that are not readily obvious to Apple TV users. No outward-facing changes have been found in the first two tvOS 9.2.1 betas, but should any new features be found in beta 3, we’ll list them below.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: tvOS 9.2.1
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Put these apps in your Mac’s menu bar – CNET

Enlarge Image

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

The OS X menu bar is a great spot to park lightweight apps for easy access. Here are my six favorite menu bar apps that I use each and every day.

Itsycal

There are more powerful calendar apps than Itsycal, but I prefer Itsycal for its simplicity. It installs an icon in the menu bar that displays the current date. You can click on the Itsycal icon to see the full month. Itsycal also lets you link to the OS X Calendar app and will display upcoming appointments, but you can’t schedule appointments with Itsycal, which is fine by me since I like it just to be able to glance at my menu bar to see today’s date.

Itsycal is free and available direct from developer Mowglii.

XMenu

I use XMenu for quick access to my folders. The app hasn’t been updated in a couple years, but it works well with OS X El Capitan. In XMenu’s preferences, you can set it up to display up to six icons for items including your Applications, Documents and Home folders. There is also an option for a custom, user-defined folder. I use it for quick access to my Home folder.

XMenu is free and available from the Mac App Store.

ClipMenu

ClipMenu is a quick-and-easy clipboard manager. Instead of cutting and pasting items individually, ClipMenu holds your clipboard items so you can do all of your cutting and then use ClipMenu to do all of your pasting. Division of labor is a beautiful thing.

ClipMenu is free and available from the developer.

Skip Tunes

Skip Tunes lets you control iTunes, Spotify and Rdio from the menu bar. It places a small control panel in the menu bar at the top of your Mac’s display. It provides play/pause and fast-forward buttons, and if you click on the musical note button, a small window opens below the Skip Tunes control panel that shows album art and artist and song information. You also get a larger play/pause and fast-forward buttons, along with a rewind button.

Skip Tunes costs $2.99, £2.29, AU$4.49 in the Mac App Store.

If you are looking for only menu-bar control of iTunes, check out the free BarTunes app.

Flux

If you are enjoying Night Shift on your iPhone, then you’ll like Flux for your Mac. It adjusts the color temperature of your Mac’s display according to the time of day. So, cooler temperatures during the day when the sun is up, then warmer colors at sunset and even warmer at bedtime.

Flux is free and available from Download.com.

Bartender 2

If you start accumulating menu-bar apps, you’ll need an app to keep them organized. Bartender 2 is that app. It basically provides a second menu bar for when your Mac’s menu bar starts to feel crowded. For an in-depth look at Bartender 2, read use Bartender to supercharge your Mac’s menu bar.

Bartender 2 costs $15 and is available from the developer’s site, but you can try it free for four weeks.

For more, get six tips for organizing your Mac’s menu bar.

Google brings its YouTube Space initiative for content creators to Canada

Google has announced the opening of a new YouTube Space in Toronto, Canada. The space will serve as a creative incubator, offering aspiring content creators with the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field, utilize filming equipment and network with resident YouTubers.

The YouTube Space is located at George Brown College’s Centre for Arts, Design and IT, and will offer said workshops and programs at no cost to attendees. Those who head to the dedicated space will be able to learn from experienced personnel, connect with other content creators and even create, edit and publish work from within the college.

Toronto, Canada joins eight other cities who have similar initiatives to cater for local talent. Should you wish to learn more about the YouTube space in Toronto, be sure to check out the official website and sign up to the newsletter.

Nextbit unveils major Robin software update, AIAIAI headphone collaboration

Android 6.0.1 update brings battery, sound and camera improvements, as Nextbit partners with AIAIAI for custom headphones and launches Robin on Amazon.

Nextbit, the company behind minty cloudphone Robin, has announced the first major software update for the handset, alongside a new partnership with Danish audio brand AIAIAI.

First off, the Nextbit Robin will receive its update to Android 6.0.1 starting today, bringing with it the April 2, 2016 Android security patch and an influx of new emoji.

Together with the latest code from Google, Nextbit includes new low-level tweaks for quicker performance and improved battery life — an increase of up to 5 percent, the firm tells us. Robin’s camera has also been overhauled, with an entirely new camera app and faster, better photos from the 13-megapixel shooter. And there’s also new sound tuning from audio software firm Arkamys for clearer audio through the phone’s front-facing speakers and headphone jack.

What’s more, Nextbit has announced a partnership with AIAIAI to sell a special pair of TMA-2 headphones direct from Nextbit.com. The cans, which sell for $225, have been tuned for the Robin handset, and come with a built-in cable button and mic — in Nextbit mint, naturally. The AIAIAI partnership also sees Nextbit introducing new “curated” Robin ringtones from leading DJs, the first of which come from Giraffage (“Breeze”) and Lauren Lo Sung (“Patricia”) and will be available from the Robin community site.

And finally, Robin launches today on Amazon.com in “mint” and “midnight” flavors, at the standard $399 price point, along with free shipping for Prime members.

See Nextbit Robin on Amazon (Mint) See Nextbit robin on Amazon (Midnight)

Will you be updating your Nextbit Robin today? Tempted to pick one up at Amazon? Shout out in the comments and let us know what you think!

Nextbit Robin

• Nextbit Robin review
• Nextbit Robin unboxing
• Nextbit Robin specs
• Join the Nextbit Robin forums

See at Amazon

BBC and Google join forces with service providers to help keep children safe online

The BBC and Google have joined forces to help keep children safe when browsing online and using the internet. The two parties have joined Internet Matters, which was set up a few years back by UK service providers, including BT, Sky and Virgin Media. While the BBC and Google already promote online safety for children, this move represents a more collaborative approach.

From the Guardian report:

“Both organisations are already working with Internet Matters. The BBC is collaborating on an online guide called iWonder and will promote its work at its events. Google will work with the organisation on its visits to UK schools under its pilot Internet Legends programme, which aims to teach 10,000 children about issues such as image sharing and privacy, and could be rolled out further. Other projects are expected to be developed under what Internet Matters has described as a long-term partnership.”

It’s positive to see corporations banding together to work with other parties and the education sector in promoting a safer online experience for children. With more and more kids gaining access to internet-enabled devices, it’s paramount that measures are taken to ensure they understand potential dangers and have the knowledge to take steps in protecting themselves.

• Setting up a kid-friendly Android device

Samsung Dev Con 2016 opening keynote liveblog: 9:30 a.m. PT April 27!

Get the scoop on SDC 2016 with the opening keynote.

Samsung’s annual Developer Conference is kicking off in San Francisco, and it all starts with the opening keynote at 9:30 a.m. PT on April 27. Android Central is there to cover the big news and upcoming trends coming from Samsung Dev Con, and that means we kick things off with a liveblog of the keynote.

The keynote should be plenty interesting with speakers like president of Samsung Mobile D.J. Koh, and executive VP of R&D at Samsung Mobile Injong Rhee, among others.

Follow along with the liveblog here. The official keynote start time is 9:30 a.m. PT — that’s 12:30 p.m. ET and 5:30 in the UK — but we’ll be in there a little early to set the stage and get ready for the show. Join us!

Instagram is testing a new design that ditches color to help your photos pop

Instagram is testing a new design for its Android app, one that ditches the familiar blue for a simpler, white design. In fact, white is the dominant color across the board in this test version of the app, from the feed to the camera.

A screenshot of the Android app redesign was posted to Twitter by Thomas Pepall (via Reddit):

What has Instagram done to me pic.twitter.com/3eTob12Vkf

— Thomas Pepall (@thomas_pepall) April 26, 2016

Instagram appears to only be testing this design with a very small group of people on both Android and iOS, which it does from time to time, as the company told Mashable. Because of this, it’s unclear if this design will eventually roll out to all Instagram users.

Netflix lets Android users pay with their Google Play account

Netflix is giving Android users a new way to settle their monthly bill. As its Play Store listing reveals, the Netflix app on Android will “soon” be updated with a Google Play Billing option. That means customers can choose to have their account charged directly through Google Play, provided they already have some form of payment method stored. In a statement to Variety, the company said it would roll out over “several weeks” to a “segment of members in supported regions.” So for now, it seems the option will be restricted to a small group of users. Bummer.

The same feature was added to the Netflix for iOS app last September. If you’re lucky enough to gain access, the Android equivalent is worth considering. Switching to Google Play Billing means you can reduce the number of companies that have access to your card details. With the Google Play Store, you also have some additional payment options, such as physical gift cards. Such an option could prove valuable for families and younger Netflix users that don’t have access to a debit or credit card.

Source: Netflix (Google Play)