Playdate: We’re livestreaming the ‘Destiny’ beta for PlayStation 4!
Welcome, ladygeeks and gentlenerds, to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from next-gen consoles. Because games! They’re fun!
When the folks behind Halo, Bungie Studios, offered a taste of their next big franchise earlier this year, we jumped in to show it off. And now that Destiny‘s beta is open on PlayStation 4, we’re back to jump in once more and explore the upcoming blockbuster a final time before its official launch on September 9th. Rather than employ wildly expensive dark magic to show Destiny, we’re using the delightfully free Twitch service. Join us right here at 12PM ET (or thereabouts — technical issues do sometimes occur) for an hour-long exploration of Bungie’s next big game, Destiny.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony
Source: Twitch
Sure, why not: Pay $2 to fart and plank in a PlayStation 4 game
Look, we’re not gonna tell you how to spend your hard-earned money. If you want to spend two actual dollars enabling your Killzone: Shadow Fall character to fart — yes, that kind of fart — and “plank” (this) on PlayStation 4, go for it. But allow us this moment of plea: please don’t. Here’s the description of what your $2 gets you:
“It’s all fun and games until someone loses a game. (Or so they say). Show your fallen enemies, not everything need [sic] be taken seriously. This pack contains Fart, Planking and Comedy spotlight moves.”
One part of us wants to know what “Comedy spotlight moves” could possibly be given that the highly comedic farting and planking verbs have already been used.
We’re not gonna make the guilt plea (“there are children starving all over the world”), and we’re not gonna appeal to your financial sense (it’s just two bucks, right?). Your common sense, however, is fair game. The long and short is this: forking over any cash for this kind of junk DLC sends the wrong message to both the game’s developer (Guerrilla Games) and its publisher (Sony). We’re not saying it isn’t funny — it very well may be! — but we are saying you shouldn’t have to pay for it. It is indeed optional, yes, which is exactly why we suggest you optionally choose to skip this. Vote with your dollars, y’all! Or end up like the angry lady above.
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony
Via: GameSpot
Source: PlayStation Network
Sky’s new Service app lets you manage your account on the move
Sky’s got a plethora of mobile apps to keep you entertained on the go, but has until now neglected customers who find admin just as fun. Much like mobile carriers have apps for general account management, the new Sky Service app for Android and iOS lets subscribers view and pay bills, check the details of their TV packages and manage their broadband router restrictions. The app also allows you to reset your TV PIN if the kids have cracked it while you’re out, request a customer service call-back, reschedule an engineer visit and alter which Sky+HD box the Sky+ app records to if you have a multiroom setup. Not the most exciting tasks, but handy to have in your pocket nonetheless.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD
Source: Sky
Google won’t call games with in-app purchases free anymore (updated)
The European Commission has said that while Google addressed its concerns around games with in-app purchasing, Apple has yet to offer a strategy. Following hordes of complaints by outraged parents, the EU asked both companies to implement changes to the way they sell such apps in their stores. Those include not misleading consumers about supposedly “free” games, not “directly exhorting” children to buy in-game items, thoroughly informing customers about payment arrangements and forcing game-makers to provide contact information.
Google has already said it would implement several of the changes starting at the end of September. For instance, it won’t use the word “free” for in-app purchase games; it’ll come up with targeted guidelines for games to prevent encouragement of children to buy items; and will implement measures to monitor breaches of EU law.
Meanwhile, the EU said that Apple has “regrettably” not provided any firm solutions or timetable to address its concerns, though it added that Cupertino has promised to attack the problem. Apple was already forced to implement alerts in iOS 7.1 warning users of in-app buys, following lawsuits and a scuffle with the FCC. It has also implemented other parental controls, as shown in its Parents’ Guide to iTunes. Meanwhile, the European Commission said that enforcement is now in the hands of individual EU nations, which will need to decide on their own how to punish developers currently facing legal action.
Update: In response to the EU’s remarks, Apple has given us the following statement:
Apple takes great pride in leading the industry in parental controls that are incredibly easy to use and help ensure a great experience for parents and children on the App Store. The parental controls in iOS are strong, intuitive and customizable. And over the last year we made sure any app which enables customers to make in-app purchases is clearly marked. We’ve also created a Kids Section on the App Store with even stronger protections to cover apps designed for children younger than 13.
These controls go far beyond the features of others in the industry. But we are always working to strengthen the protections we have in place, and we’re adding great new features with iOS 8, such as Ask to Buy, giving parents even more control over what their kids can buy on the App Store.
Our goal is to continue to provide the best experience for our customers and we will continue to work with the EC member states to respond to their concerns.
[Image credit: Philippe Hugen/AFP/Getty Images]
Google finally agrees to fix Chrome bug that drains Windows laptop batteries
Chrome may be the browser of choice for around 35 percent of the world’s internet users, but it’s not without its flaws. A report by Forbes has highlighted that the browser won’t return to an idle state if it’s not being used, demanding significantly more power than rivals like Firefox or Internet Explorer. That’s a big problem for laptop users, since their portable Windows machines are losing battery life far faster than they should. It’s apparently been a problem since 2010, but it’s only now that Google is admitting that something needs to be done about it. In a statement to PC World, the company has pushed the fault to the top of the Chrome team’s to-do list, so hopefully it won’t be long before you get a lot more browsing before you retreat to a wall socket.
Virgin Media’s TV Anywhere streaming app comes to Kindle Fire tablets
After bringing its TV Anywhere app to Android at the end of last year, Virgin Media has continually updated the list of supported smartphones and tablets. Today, it’s adding another range of Android devices to this roster, namely Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets, as the TV Anywhere app has now dropped the Amazon Appstore. It’ll let you watch live TV over a WiFi connection (3G/4G streaming is not currently supported), manage your set-top box recordings, browse TV listings and also serve as a remote control. Virgin claims it’s the first service of its kind to come to Amazon’s marketplace (at least in the UK), with neither Sky nor YouView officially offering a separate Kindle Fire app. After a relatively quiet period, Virgin Media has begun to think about mobile streaming again. Last week, it brought Sky’s entertainment channels to TV Anywhere, and next month customers will be able to use their Virgin account to access Sky’s Sports and Movies apps.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, Mobile, Amazon
Source: Virgin Media TV Anywhere
Take a 3D tour of London with Google’s latest Maps update
If you’ve ever wanted to explore London but haven’t been able to fund the trip, Google wants to lend a hand. As part of its latest update, the search giant has unveiled a new 3D model of the city in both Maps and Google Earth, allowing you to pan, zoom and rotate your way down the Thames and past its popular landmarks. London is actually the fifth English city to appear in 3D on Google Maps after Reading, Leeds, Birmingham and Stoke on Trent, while Apple has offered similar (but maybe not as detailed) flythroughs of the capital for some time. Google is quick to point out that its 3D imagery covers the whole city, not just tourist spots and other iconic locations, so if you have some time to kill, head on over to the source link below and get explorin’.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
Via: Evening Standard
Source: Google Maps
Futurama’s intro rendered in 3D is gorgeous
Stop wondering what Futurama‘s intro would look like if it were rendered in 3D and prettied up ten quadrillion percent: it’s here. Well, part of it is anyway, care of Russian animator Alexey Zakharov. He took the spaceship intro to Futurama, references to “Mom’s Old-Fashioned Robot Oil” and all, and applied a suite of computer animation tools (3ds Max, Nuke, Photoshop, After Effects). What you see above is just a mere snapshot into the gorgeous 32-second video we’ve embedded below. Get out your sunglasses, y’all: the future’s so bright, you’re gonna need shades.
[Image credit: Alexey Zakharov]
Filed under: Misc, Software, HD
Via: Sploid
Source: Behance
Facebook’s got a new app and you (probably) can’t have it
Though Facebook’s origins were in exclusivity, serving only college students for some time, the service has since expanded out to billions of people around the world. Today, Facebook’s launching a new approach to exclusivity, and it sounds sadly familiar to reality: “Facebook Mentions” is a new iOS app that only “public figures” can use. What’s a “public figure?” The usual suspects: especially high-profile celebrities, journalists, government officials, and popular brands/businesses. So, the rich and/or famous? Got it.
So, what does the app do? It’s a much more brand-centric approach to using Facebook (which, yes, includes people who are brands unto themselves — Kanye West, for instance). As Recode‘s Facebook-verified Peter Kafka explains it:
- “The emphasis is on posting new messages, photos and videos, instead of reading what your pals have put up.
- There is a Mentions tab that’s supposed to make it easy for stars to see what people are saying about them. It looks strikingly like the ‘@’ tab that Twitter has always had – and also uses the term ‘mentions.’ It is another in a series of moves that are … inspired by Twitter’s playbook.”
It also enables those with access to host live Q&A sessions, as well as streamlining the multimedia sharing aspects of Facebook. You’ve probably seen it in action before: apparently that Dr. Dre/Tyrese celebration video that went live just ahead of the Beats purchase by Apple was through Facebook Mentions.
In so many words, Mentions is a tool designed specifically for people who have assistants to manage their social media profiles. If you’re one of those people (or their assistant) and don’t yet have access, you can download the app and request it right here.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Software, Mobile, Facebook
Source: iTunes App Store, Facebook
Angry Birds Rio updates with 26 new levels in ‘Timber Tumble’
You have to hand it to Rovio, they do a pretty good job of keeping things rolling with their Angry Birds franchise, especially with their games. They set themselves up to be able to add new levels to various version of the games without always having to release a whole new game. Angry Birds Rio is one of those many titles that can forever expand. Originally the game launched when the accompanying movie Rio was released. The title has received multiple updates with new levels added as time went on boasting 320 levels, 72 bonus levels and 12 episodes total and offers similar game mechanics as other version with a few birds from the movie for good measure.
Rovio has released an update to the game that went live just yesterday which brings in 20 more bird brained levels and 6 bonus levels in an episode dubbed Timber Tumble. Unlike other Angry Bird variants, you are up against a group of mischievous monkeys, the funny ones from the movie. If you happen to be an Angry Birds addict, a casual player or maybe just have kids who enjoy it, you might as well pick up the update. The game is free after all.
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