Sunday, July 31, 2016
CEO Secrets: Reddit boss shares three tips for success
Steve Huffman, co-founder and chief executive of Reddit, offers the business advice he wishes he had been given before he started out, for the BBC News series CEO Secrets.
Game on: A history of computer games
An exhibition at the Science Museum looks at the history of computer games.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Square Enix’s new RPG comes to the Apple Watch
Because if someone builds a screen, Square Enix is going to bring an RPG to it – no matter how small or seemingly difficult such a proposition might ultimately be. Cosmos Rings is the gaming company’s first crack at the prohibitive form factor – and it’s an exclusive no less. The title utilizes an accompanying iPhone app, but users need Apple’s wearable to play.… Read More
Pokémon Go’s paying user base has reached a plateau
Pokémon Go may be the most downloaded app in its first week post-launch ever, and is said to be raking in some $1.6 million daily on iOS alone, but a new report out on Friday suggests that the popular game’s paying user base may have already shrunk. According to data from Slice Intelligence, the app’s paying users peaked mid-July when the game had 56 percent more paying players… Read More
Microsoft awards hardware startup ENTy the 2016 Imagine Cup
The festivities have wrapped for Microsoft’s Imagine Cup, a global competition among students and young people to create new software and devices. The winner this year was ENTy, a polished and highly practical hardware solution for tracking posture, helping with diagnosis and possibly treatment of diseases that affect balance. Read More
Friday, July 29, 2016
Minecraft support for Oculus Rift is finally almost here
After months of teasing, Microsoft is finally almost ready to give Minecraft Windows 10 Edition Beta users a taste of VR. In a blog post celebrating the first anniversary of Minecraft Windows 10 Edition Beta, Microsoft announced that support for the Oculus Rift will be coming “in the next few weeks” as a free update to existing users. People who want to get in on the action have… Read More
Oculus launch-exclusive Adr1ft nows lets you get lost in space on HTC Vive
I’m going to put this right up front: Adr1ft isn’t for the weak of stomach. The virtual reality free-floating space survival sim left me a tad queasy, and I’m somewhere in the middle of the VR sickness sensitive spectrum. But for those looking to boldly barf where only Oculus Rift owners have barfed before, Adr1ft is launching on HTC Vive today. Even if you might feel a… Read More
Twitter will stream its first eSports competition, starting today
It’s no Twitch, but Twitter this weekend will live stream its first eSports competition on its service, thanks to a partnership with Eleague. Twitter will provide live coverage of the organization’s semifinals and championship held today and tomorrow in Atlanta, where teams will be playing Valve’s “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Game.” The first… Read More
PlayStation VR play area requirements detailed, seated play recommended
PlaySTation VR is set to arrive on October 13, but a new official pamphlet being distributed by the company (via Polygon) sheds some light on what players can expect in terms of space requirements and gameplay style. The document shows that the idea space is about 6′ x 10′ big, with the player seated roughly in the middle, facing the PlayStation Camera at the long end. HTC… Read More
Pets left hungry as smart feeder breaks
Owners of smart pet-feeding device Petnet are told to "feed their pets manually" after a server problem stopped the device from working.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Dunkers competes with one million downloads in its first week
Dunkers, a new game by Colin Lane (known for Wrassling and other fun sporty games), has racked up 1 million downloads since it was released last week. The success in large part is thanks to heavy featuring from Apple; it has been featured more than 150 times worldwide. Currently in iTunes, it sits at No. 1 sports app, No. 4 sports game, No. 8 free game and No. 34 free app overall. The game… Read More
Toy-maker designs £15 VR headset in deal with Google
A toy-maker from the West Midlands has signed a deal with Google to design and manufacture a low-priced cardboard virtual reality headset which works with smartphones.
Technology explained: What is the internet of things?
Jane Wakefield explains what the so-called internet of things is all about.
Facebook profits beat expectations
Facebook announces another exceptional quarter of growth, with profit climbing 186% from this time last year.
Samsung profits boosted by smartphone sales
Strong smartphone sales help Samsung Electronics post its best quarterly results in more than two years.
Democrat hack: Who is Guccifer 2.0?
A lone hacker is claiming responsibility for the hack on the US Democratic Party but is that person to be believed?
Pokemon Go: Player claims to have caught all UK characters
A Pokemon Go player claims to have become the first to catch all the characters available in the UK.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Real trainers don’t Pokemon Go without a little Willow in their pocket
After a storied history making Poke balls, Saffron City tech firm Silph Company recently started trying its hand at software. Inspired by Pokemon Go’s popularity, its latest app Willow aims to hep trainers enjoying Niantic’s location-based hit to be the very best, like no one ever was. Willow is an app that wants to provide trainers with a competitive edge by making sure… Read More
Digital divide
There are strong social divisions in how young people use digital technology at home, according to international research from the OECD.
Councils demand reassurance on universal broadband pledge
Councils urge the government to "reaffirm its commitment" to a minimum broadband speed to stop thousands falling into a "digital twilight zone".
Twitter reports slowest revenue growth since 2013
Twitter has reported its slowest quarterly sales growth in three years, as the company fends off competition from a growing number of social media sites.
Apple sees iPhone sales drop again but beats forecasts
Apple reports a second consecutive quarter of falling iPhone sales, but the 15% drop was not as bad as analysts had feared.
Osram Lightify light bulbs 'vulnerable to hack'
Security researchers discover nine vulnerabilities in a range of internet-connected light bulbs made by Osram.
Tech groups told Europe funds 'on pause'
Tech companies express concern over the current freeze on allocating crucial European funding in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Investors realize Nintendo didn’t develop Pokémon Go and shares plummet
Nintendo’s shares plunged after the company said late Friday that the worldwide success of Pokémon Go will not significantly impact its financial results. Nothing Nintendo disclosed about the ownership of the game was new information, but markets were shocked anyway. The stock sank 18 percent to 23,220 yen at the close in Tokyo, the maximum one-day move allowed by the exchange,… Read More
Pokémon Go estimated at over 75M downloads worldwide
Pokémon Go has already earned one official record — most downloads on the App Store in a launch week ever. But it’s going to break a lot more records still: app analytics firm Sensor Tower estimates that it hit 50 million downloads on Google Play alone over the weekend, another record, and overall the company says that PoGo has racked up more than 75 million installs across iOS… Read More
Mobile gaming company Scopely raises $55M
Scopely is announcing that it has raised a $55 million Series B round of funding. The Los Angeles-based company has built tools for promoting and monetizing mobile games — some of those games are developed in-house, others are created by outside studios. “The vision is creating the most premium experiences on people’s phones across a network of developers,” co-founder… Read More
Nintendo NX said to be a portable console with removable controllers and a TV dock
Nintendo’s upcoming NX console is slowly taking shape, but a new report provides a lot more specificity than we’ve seen in the past, claiming the still-secret gaming hardware is actually primarily a portable console – albeit with some modular features that could make it more versatile than most handhelds.
According to new info from Eurogamer, the NX core system will be a… Read More
Vault-Tec Workshop gives Fallout 4 players their own Vault to toy with
Fallout 4, I can’t quit you. At least, not while Bethesda continues adding content, like today’s launch of the Vault-Tec Workshop add-on. The $4.99 DLC brings players on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC the ability to create their own Values, stock it with furniture and fill it with residents to mislead and mistreat.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Vaults in Fallout are… Read More
Monday, July 25, 2016
Pokemon Go to get more Pokemon, trading, and customizable PokeStops
Pokemon players will eventually be able to fill out their collections via trades, which is very good news for people eyeing region-specific Pokemon like Australia’s Kangaskhan from the other side of the world. Niantic CEO John Hanke revealed at a San Diego Comic Con panel that Niantic is indeed working on adding trading (and new training features) to their game, as well as… Read More
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Tinder launches group dates feature
Tinder now allows groups of friends to meet up - a feature one expert says risks turning it into an "orgy app".
More misery for BT broadband users after new power cut
BT and Plusnet users were unable to access some websites again, after problems with the service yesterday.
Japan 'to stop making VCR machines'
The last videocassette recorder (VCR) in Japan is to be produced by the end of the month, according to the Nikkei newspaper.
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Pokémon Go is doing a lot of good, here are 3 surprising ways
“What are they doing?”
That was the question an older woman, probably around 70 or so, asked me yesterday. She was pointing to a group of 18-ish boys and girls near a YMCA, the biggest (and, so far, only) Pokestop in the city where I live. Without exception, the teens were all staring at their smartphones.
“They’re playing Pokémon Go,” I replied. The lady… Read More
Dots & Co. tweaks the Dots games by adding a friendly companion
Dots & Co., the follow-up to the popular puzzle games Dots and Two Dots, launched on iOS and Android earlier this week. If reading about the new game isn’t enough for you, you can watch me try it out in the video above. In many ways, Dots & Co. should feel pretty familiar to fans of the previous games. Your goal is to clear as many dots as you can by connecting dots of the… Read More
Friday, July 22, 2016
R.I.P. VHS
VHS has come unspooled. It's been taped over. The screen has filled with static, then gone blank.
Pirate sites are 'affecting dance music in a bad way'
Pirate Download Stores imitate legal sites and fool people into thinking subscription fees are paid to the industry.
Children make 3D-printed boot for penguin and other news
BBC Click's Lara Lewington looks at some of the best of the week's technology news
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu live action movie confirmed
A live action Pokemon movie is to begin production in 2017, Legendary Entertainment has confirmed.
Desktop banking use falls, as users switch to apps
The use of internet banking on a computer has fallen for the first time, as users switch to mobile apps, according to the banking industry.
US man jailed over bitcoin fraud scheme
A Texan man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for running a fraudulent Ponzi-style scheme based around the Bitcoin virtual currency.
Pokemon Go finally launches in Japan
Nintendo's Pokemon Go is now available for players in Japan, the birthplace of the little monsters, says game developer Niantic Labs.
Snowden designs phone case to spot hack attacks
A smartphone case that tells its owner when their phone has been hacked is being designed by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Players probe Elite game space mystery
Elite Dangerous gamers are working feverishly to decipher a puzzle uncovered by one player of the space simulation.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Meet Dots & Co, the latest game in the Dots series
Dots, the gaming studio that brought you ultra-successful time sinks Dots and Two Dots, is today releasing Dots & Co. Dots & Co is very familiar for folks who have played Dots and Two Dots, yet it puts a greater focus on characters you meet along the way, each of which has a different ability that will help you solve puzzles. There are over 15 different game mechanics within Dots &… Read More
Nintendo NX could bring “lots more casual players back” according to Ubisoft CEO
The Nintendo NX is one of the most long-teased console releases I can ever remember, especially as an officially acknowledged thing. Speaking on his company’s quarterly earnings conference call yesterday (via IGN), Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot shared some tantalizing impressions about the NX: It’s “really great,” and it should “help the industry continue to… Read More
Pokemon Go: Where might you catch 'em all in Japan?
Fans are still waiting for Pokemon Go to be launched in Japan, the birthplace of the phenomenon, so where might the monsters be hiding out?
Facebook's Aquila drone takes to the air
Facebook invites BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones into its drone-making factory to mark the first successful flight of one of its aircraft.
Nearly six million fraud and cyber crimes last year, ONS says
Almost six million fraud and cyber crimes were committed last year in England and Wales, new figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest.
What will stop Tumblr's tumble?
Three years have passed since Yahoo bought micro-blogging site Tumblr, but it is not the goldmine it once hoped.
File-sharing 'mastermind' arrested in Poland
US authorities have charged a Ukrainian man alleged to be the mastermind of the world's biggest online piracy website.
Cleric flags fatwa against Pokemon
A leading Saudi cleric has urged followers to shun Pokemon Go because of a fatwa against it.
France data authority criticises Windows 10 over privacy
Windows 10 gathers an "excessive" amount of personal data on users, the French data authority says in a formal notice about the operating system.
Mozilla to block Flash in Firefox browser
Mozilla is planning to end full support for Adobe's Flash software in its Firefox browser from next month.
Valve tackles Counter Strike gambling sites
Game maker Valve is threatening to shut down sites that use add-ons for its Counter Strike game to gamble.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Pokémon Go launch in Japan postponed after email leak
Game-maker Niantic has postponed today’s scheduled launch of Pokémon Go in Japan after internal emails leaked out on to the internet. Read More
Pokemon Go is a hit at Hot Topic, but hardly happening at Home Depot
As Pokemon Go moves into the real-world partner marketing business with McDonald’s, one might wonder what businesses potentially stand to gain the most from association with Niantic’s world dominating location-based collect’em game. Well, Red Robin should plan a Squirtleburger™, if data gathered by location analytics firm Placed is any indication. The company used info… Read More
Get lost in 10,000 square miles of multiplayer VR with MetaWorld later this year
Virtual reality as it exists is generally an isolating experience. Plenty of VR worlds are sparsely populated, inhabited by robots, or empty. There are social platforms for VR already, but MetaWorld, an upcoming collaboration between UK-based Improbable and Berkeley-based HelloVR, will expand the horizons of social VR – expand them nearly 10,000 square miles, to be exact.
MetaWorld… Read More
Learn-to-code startup CK targets the Minecraft modding craze
The learn to code space is packed with ideas. But when it comes to what children want to do online, towering over everything else is the build-it-yourself Microsoft-owned Minecraft platform. All lesser virtual, creative playgrounds are overshadowed by this pixellated silhouette. Read More
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Meet 6 weird new Pokemon from Pokemon Sun and Moon
Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have another game besides Pokemon Go that they want you to remember: Pokemon Sun and Moon. Since I loved Pokemon before it was about getting exercise and meeting new people, I’m very excited about Sun/Moon’s release on Nintendo 3DS, which happens November 18. But I’m struggling to remember if all new Pokemon in each sequel were as weird as… Read More
ARM: 'The jewel in the crown of British technology'
UK technology firm ARM Holdings is to be bought by Japan's Softbank for £24bn ($32bn) it confirmed on Monday.
Why fencing with a drone could make it smarter
The drones being taught to avoid moving obstacles in real-time
How F1 tech could help Ben Ainslie win the America's Cup
BBC News goes on board a high-speed catamaran with Sir Ben Ainslie and his team as they practise for the next leg of the America's Cup.
Melbourne students' 'sexualised' Instagram posts spark anger
Two students at an elite Melbourne school are suspended and police are investigating after an Instagram account giving sexual ratings to pupils sparks anger.
Train game parodies 'shambolic' railway
Web developers create an online game where players cancel Southern Rail trains and take profits from passengers.
Social media harms moral development, parents say
A majority of parents in the UK believe social media harms their children's moral development, a survey suggests.
How Pokemon Go took over the web
A dive into the data showing the popularity of the monster-hunting mobile game Pokemon Go.
Microsoft to miss 'one billion' Windows 10 target
Microsoft says it will miss a target of getting Windows 10 running on more than one billion devices by 2018.
What is ARM and why is it worth £24bn?
ARM's technology is at the heart of millions of smartphones and tablets - but the company's inventions are used wider still.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Pokemon Go T&Cs strip users of legal rights
Players of Pokemon Go are not only giving up their right to act like sane human beings in public, as they walk around, zombie-esque, reaching into the phones held in front of their faces, they are also likely to be waiving legal rights if they don’t take a very close look at Niantic Labs’ Terms of Service for the game. Read More
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