Twitch opens up its money-making tools to tens of thousands of non-Partnered channels

 On the heels of yesterday’s news about expanded subscription options for partners, video streaming site Twitch today announced another way for its creator community to generate revenue, with the launch of an Affiliate program. Explains the company, the new program will allow non-partnered video creators to gain access to a variety of tools that will allow them to make money from… Read More

The autonomous robotic sunshade and other news

BBC Click's Lara Lewington looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.

'Why I hacked the government'

Hacker Jake Davis says he was motivated by the idea of the internet as a 'Utopian space'

UK's online shoppers top global spending survey

UK households spent the equivalent of $5,900 (£4,611) using payment cards online in 2015.

Juicero: Juicing boss defends $400 machine

Juicero ridiculed after it emerges sachets of ingredients can be squeezed just as easily by hand.

Tesla recalls 53,000 cars over brake issue

Some Model X and Model S vehicles are affected, but there have been no reports of accidents.

Cameroon ends internet shutdown on orders of President Paul Biya

Online access is restored three months after it was cut off in English-speaking areas over protests.

Streamers flock to YouTube Live, but the money (and crowd) is still at Twitch

 YouTube Live is making impressive strides in catching up to incumbent Twitch, but it has a long way to go yet. On the bright side, it doesn’t look like they’ll run out of road: streaming looks to be a fairly sustainable business. Read More

Game over, man! The NES Classic is discontinued planet-wide

 Well, it was fun while it lasted. The NES Classic Edition (it went by several names, but you know what I mean) was the must-have item of the holidays and pretty much ever since, owing to short supply of the compact retro gaming console. And Nintendo just confirmed that it was indeed ending production of the device in Europe, the last region they were still officially available. Read More

StarCraft is now free, nearly 20 years after its release

 Have you always wanted to check out that StarCraft game you’d heard so much about, but somehow managed to go nearly 20 years without buying a copy? Good news! Nearly two decades after its 1998 release, StarCraft is now free. Legally! Read More

Everything Facebook launched at both days of F8 and why

 Typing with telepathy? Hearing through your skin? An augmented reality developer platform? These are just a few of the launches and demos Facebook showed off at the social network’s big F8 conference. Here’s an updated breakdown of each major announcement from both days of F8 and why they’re important to you and Facebook. Read More

With its Unity Buy SDK, Shopify now lets mobile games sell real goods

 Mobile game developers tend to enjoy offering swag related to their games, especially if those amass any kind of decent-sized audience. The Unity Buy SDK from Shopify, announced at its Unite developer conference today, makes it easier to build a store for real stuff right inside your game, so that players can buy t-shirts, mugs, toys and emblazoned with your logo and characters as easily as… Read More

Russia's secret

Stem subjects - science, technology, engineering, maths - have an image problem. But not in Russia.

Smart nation

Smart bus stops and virtual hospitals are all part of Singapore's smart plans but what do citizens think?

USAF F-35A stealth jets train at RAF Lakenheath

United States Air Force stealth jets are training in Suffolk on their first overseas deployment.

Wi-fi connected 'smart' juicer criticised

A smart juicing device has been criticised on social media after journalists found you could squeeze a similar amount of juice using your hands.

Celebrities warned over Instagram ads

It is the first time the US consumer regulator has intervened on the issue.

Bose sued for logging listening habits

A lawsuit alleges the firm is gathering data on listening habits without getting permission.

Credit card with a fingerprint sensor revealed by Mastercard

A biometric sensor on the card will be used to verify users' identities when making purchases.

Jet-propelled sky taxi tested in Germany

Plane-maker Lilium hopes to launch a five-seater sky taxi service in the future.

Facing the future

They may threaten the human workforce, but they are crucial to the modern economy.

Smartphone pitfalls

Are smartphones empowering poor Kenyans or simply causing more problems than they solve?

Tarzan on test

How a robot designed to swing between cables could help farmers monitor crops.

Brian Eno's app Reflection uses science to create music

Music pioneer Brian Eno discusses his generative music app Reflection.

Flying car prepares for launch

Anna Holligan went to see what Dutch developers claim is a world first.

Industrial strategy 'must help' UK creative industries

Ministers told film-making, music, and video games are becoming important parts of industry.

Driving test: Learners must be able to use sat navs

Four changes in December will introduce "more real life scenarios" to the test, ministers say.

Callisto Group hackers targeted Foreign Office data

The UK's Foreign Office was targeted by highly motivated and well-resourced hackers over several months in 2016.

Burger King advert sabotaged on Wikipedia

Public changed Whopper burger page to say it was "worst hamburger product" and contained "cyanide".

Artificial intelligence: How to avoid racist algorithms

Why do so many algorithms seem to echo human bias?

Airbnb account hijackers burgle homes

Airbnb is making security changes after a BBC probe into thefts involving the rental service.

Microsoft will reveal Project Scorpio Xbox console details at E3 on June 11

 Microsoft just sent out invites to members of the media for its big reveal of Xbox Project Scorpio, the upgraded console that will be the “first true 4K console for gamers” according to the company. We’ve long expected E3’s press event to be the big consumer debut for Scorpio, but Microsoft spelled out that it will indeed be the star of the show in a blog post on… Read More

PlayStation Vue adds ESL’s esportsTV to its internet TV lineup

 PlayStation’s streaming TV service Vue is getting content that could be very near and dear to many users’ hearts: ESL’s esportsTV. LA-based ESL counts itself the world’s largest esports company worldwide, and it esportsTV channel will broadcast 24/7 esports content via a linear channel for the first time ever in the U.S. The launch is coming soon, and will arrive in… Read More

Boy learns to drive on YouTube for McDonald's joyride

The Ohio boy drove his sister to the restaurant and obeyed all traffic laws, police say.

Katie Price calls for online trolls register

The former glamour model and her son talk to BBC 5 live about online trolls and cyber-bullies.

Headset homage to Lemmings released and other tech news

BBC Click's Dan Simmons looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.

Amazon ramps up smart speakers battle against Google

Amazon is allowing other firms to use its far-field microphone technologies for free.

Yahoo faces Chinese dissidents' lawsuit

A fund of more than $17m set up to help Chinese dissidents was misspent, a law suit alleges.

Toyota develops robotic leg braces for older people

The brace works by sensing and adapting to the way the wearer walks, providing "just enough support".

Leaked Star Wars: Battlefront II trailer is visually stunning

 If you’re a fan of the Star Wars (many people are) then you may also be a fan of this trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront II, which just popped up a bit early on Vimeo. The trailer is amazing, showing action-packed sequences rendered using the in-game engine, which seems to be able to deliver top-notch visuals of the variety normally reserved for cutscenes. Perhaps you played Star Wars… Read More

Nintendo reveals Joy-Con battery grips and new color, standalone Switch dock

 Nintendo will offer a special battery grip accessory for its Joy-Con controller accessory, which will be offered in sets of two and add more life to the already considerable 20-hour runtime of the Joy-Cons using their built-in power. Nintendo is also going to add a new color option for Joy-Cons, a Neon Yellow that will make sure everyone knows you’re using a Switch and can’t… Read More

Nike to investigate 'misuse' of logo in race hate merchandise

The US sportswear company responds after Amazon and eBay remove products with a Gypsy and Traveller racial slur.

Virtual reality headsets seek cord-free future

AMD is looking to cut the cords on VR with its investment in start-up Nitero

Farewell, NES Classic Edition

 Nintendo had a bonafide – and apparent surprise – hit on its hands with the NES Classic Edition. But like all good things, its time is done. This afternoon, the company confirmed with TechCrunch that, “Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year.” It’s not… Read More

Unreal’s ‘photorealistic character sample’ is like a Rob Lowe from the uncanny valley

 Making the character models you see in games is a very involved process, and as a few recent titles have shown, the faces especially are hard as hell to do right. The folks behind Epic’s Unreal Engine, which powers more than a few of those games, have kindly offered a ‘photorealistic character sample’ — a Rob Lowe-looking dude who looks almost real enough to touch. Almost. Read More

Sponsored gamers

The University of Utah becomes the first US college to offer scholarships for competitive video gaming.

The good stuff

Philanthropy tech is on the rise, from gaming with a conscience to video ads earning cash for charities.

How free wi-fi is transforming India's rail stations

Free high-speed wi-fi is now being offered at 115 stations on India's railway network.

Jay Z pulls most of his music off Spotify in streaming battle with Tidal

Spotify confirms that "some" of Jay Z's back catalogue has been removed "at the request of the artist".

Teen dumps boyfriend using music streaming playlist

Utah student Kirsten Titus has dumped her boyfriend using a creatively crafted Spotify playlist.

CEO Secrets: Yogscast boss tells YouTubers 'Do it for love'

The boss of Yogscast, which has 23 million subscribers, reveals his secrets for success on YouTube.

Man creates a jet engine powered suit and other news

BBC Click's Kathleen Hawkins looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.

Amazon's Alexa turns on Ford car's engine

The virtual assistant can also give the vehicle a health check and find nearby stores.

Rocket launch firm blasts onto Milan stock market

Avio, dubbed Europe's answer to SpaceX, expects demand for satellites to rise in the coming years.

Minecraft: New marketplace for community creators

Minecraft to allow community creators to sell their content officially in the game for the first time.

Dallas warning sirens 'set off by hacker'

All 156 warning sirens in Dallas suddenly sounded just before midnight on Friday, waking people up.

'NSA malware' released by Shadow Brokers hacker group

The Shadow Brokers group released a password for the hacking tools after failing to sell them.

Google's AI seeks further Go glory

AlphaGo will soon challenge a Chinese teenager, recognised by many as the world's top player.

Plane-tracking app explores airspace in 3D

Hundreds of planes can be seen flying above the UK in a new plane-tracking app.

Google’s AlphaGo AI to take on world’s top Go player in May

 After Google-owned DeepMind’s virtual Go champion AlphaGo took on and defeated one of the top-ranked human players in the world, it looks like Google wants to build some bridges, explore the AI-human interaction dynamic – and see if AlphaGo can take on the very best human Go player in the entire world. Google is partnering with the China Go Association and the Chinese Government… Read More

Minecraft is getting a Marketplace where creators can monetize their creations

 Minecraft is getting an update this spring that will add a number of new features, but the most dramatic might be the Minecraft Marketplace, a storefront where users can buy and sell in-game creations for real money. The Marketplace will offer maps, texture packs, skins, min-games and more, all curated by the Minecraft team. The launch catalog will feature selections from a handful of… Read More

Of course a venture capitalist was no match for CMU’s updated poker-playing AI

 Libratus, Carnegie Mellon’s poker-playing AI, is damn good. It easily routed four of the world’s best poker players back in January over 120,000 hands of No-Limit Texas Hold-um. So it comes as no surprise that a team of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and engineers playing against Lengpudashi, Libratus’ bigger, badder brother, would face a similar fate. Read More

Fake news: Should we know how to spot it?

Facebook's director of policy for Europe says it's up to people to educate themselves

An air traffic control system... for drones

Singapore researchers are working on a system of air lanes to keep drones on a safe path.

Winning a Bafta Games award 'unexpected'

The Bafta Games award winners tell Newsbeat how they're feeling after most the world's prestigious gaming ceremony.

YouTube channels need 10,000 views for adverts

YouTube video creators will now have to pass a viewing threshold before earning advertising revenue.

McLaren to 3D-print parts at Bahrain F1 Grand Prix trackside

The British race team will redesign parts to suit track conditions at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Wonga data breach 'affects 245,000 UK customers'

The payday lender says bank account numbers and home addresses were among the information stolen.

Google adds search results 'fact check' flag

Websites debunking fake news stories will be displayed more prominently in search results.

Twitter forces US to drop demand for Trump critic's details

A government agency wanted the identity of a Trump critic, but has withdrawn their request.

The Xbox One Scorpio is a six-teraflop gaming beast

 Microsoft couldn’t wait until E3 in June to unveil the Scorpio, so the company shared some details with Digital Foundry and we now know all of Project Scorpio’s tech specs. As expected, it’s going to be by far the most powerful gaming console out there. The console GPU will be able to process six trillion floating point operations per second, or six teraflops for short. Read More

Disney just launched the new mobile-only version of Club Penguin

 Club Penguin Island, the mobile-only replacement for the original Club Penguin (which shut down last night) has launched. Started in 2005, Club Penguin was one of the first successful virtual worlds for children and, as they grew up, teens and adults. At its peak the platform had 200M users, and a few months ago was still seeing upwards of 5M visitors to the Club Penguin website each month.… Read More

Stealthy gaming company Wonder is ready to tease its new mystery hardware

 Wonder, the incredibly stealthy new gaming company, has quietly created a signup page for information and perks related to its plans for global domination of the gaming market from its Los Angeles headquarters. The company is calling its new campaign the “Alpha Program”, and folks that are interested can get updates on Wonder’s product, provide feedback, and get perks and… Read More

A look back on the golden age of Atari gaming

 This excerpt is from Jamie Lendino’s Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation, an amazing book that details with an obsessive’s eye the rise and fall of Atari 8-bit computers. In this chapter, he looks through a few of his favorite Atari games and brings the memories flooding back of long weekends spent twirling joysticks in the rising dawn of computer gaming. Read More

Data for sale

Trump may repeal an Obama-era internet privacy rule - how does this impact users?

Bogus boss scam

Incidents of fraudsters posing as the boss and demanding staff make payments is on the rise.

UK losing online extremism battle, research suggests

Home Secretary Amber Rudd says she wants to tackle the issue "head-on".

Clean sailing

Diesel-powered ferries are big polluters, so could electric engines be a cleaner option?

Fake funding

After GoFundMe vows to refund people that fall victim to fraudulent pages, we have some tips on how to spot a fake crowdfunding campaign.

Cyber-patriots

Henri Astier assesses the risks from the rise and rise of France's online far right.

New Facebook rocket icon links to 'complementary' second news feed

A rocket icon appears on people's menu bars, linking to content "that might be interesting".

NASA is using a mixed reality space station to train astronauts

 NASA has always embraced emerging technology for visualization, even if that tech was seemingly developed for frivolous entertainment. We recently covered its holographic Mars exhibit, and the many 3D resources that NASA makes available to developers and educators. Now, the US space agency has partnered with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine to create a mixed reality International Space… Read More

PlayStation 4 Pro’s Media Player gets 4K MP4 video support

 The PlayStation 4 Pro just got an update that makes it an even better companion for a 4K TV set. An update to the native PlayStation Media Player app will enable 4K video playback, for files in mp4 format saved on either a USB drive or kept in a home server the PS4 Pro hardware con communicate with. Not that if you’ve got a drive attached to your PS4 Pro that’s formatted to act as… Read More

Twitch to start selling video games this week

 Video game streaming site Twitch will soon begin selling PC games and other in-game content on its site, the company says. We understand the games may arrive as soon as tomorrow or later this week, though the exact timing is still in flux. Already one of the top destinations for live streaming and fan engagement, it’s not surprising that Twitch would take the final step… Read More

Xbox One gets Beam streaming, a new guide and more starting today

 Xbox One is getting an update starting today, echoing some of the major changes coming to Windows in its forthcoming Creators Update. The big new additions include streaming via Microsoft’s own Twitch competitor Beam, as well as a brand new Xbox user experience made up of a new design for Guide, improvements to Home and more. The new features are designed around encouraging gamers to… Read More

This year’s Tribeca Film Festival will include a video game festival, too

 New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival is getting a sister event — this year, it will include the kickoff of the very first Tribeca Games Festival. The event is being launched in partnership with gaming publication Kill Screen and will take place on April 28 and 29 (during the film festival). Read More

Team Indus: India's race to the moon

India's Team Indus is one of five groups in a race to put a privately funded spacecraft on the Moon.

Robot making schoolgirls set for world championships

Schoolgirls who designed and built a robot will represent the UK in the Robotics World Championship.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+: First look

Samsung's new phones feature a new virtual assistant, Bixby, and longer screens than past devices.

US and UK laptop bans on some Middle East flights come into effect

The US and UK bans affect direct flights from some Middle East airports.

Disturbing YouTube videos trick children

Thousands of videos on YouTube look like versions of popular cartoons but contain disturbing and inappropriate content not suitable for children.

WhatsApp must not be 'place for terrorists to hide'

Messaging apps which are encrypted must be accessible to those fighting terror, the home secretary says.