Bungie has announced fresh details of its latest downloadable content, and we’ve played the new multiplayer maps and Trials of Osiris eventThe Reef is open. That’s the high concept behind House of Wolves, Destiny’s second downloadable content package. The strange floating junkyard that players glimpsed all too briefly during the game’s story missions will provide the core of the expansion, and the focus of its new competitive (PvP) and co-operative (PvE) content.Here lurk the Awoken, a human race that once fled to the outer reaches of the galaxy when the period of glorious galactic expansion was brought to a cataclysmic end by The Darkness. Now the tribe lives among the abandoned remains of a thousand derelict starships, ruled over by a Game of Thrones-like royal family. The Fallen, one of the alien races seeking to invade Earth, has rebelled against the Awoken, and now their queen has enlisted the help of the Guardian to seek revenge: her key target, the Fallen sect known as the House of Wolves. Continue reading...

The photo-sharing app has blocked searches for the eggplant or aubergine emoji after users employed it to denote a penis. Other sexualized produce remains unaffectedIs that an emoji in your Instagram feed, or are you just happy to see me?Instagram has launched a surprise crackdown on the symbol for an eggplant, or aubergine, which the Guardian can reveal is employed by some users to represent a penis when posting a message with their pictures. Continue reading...

Google’s online video service will make a series of films with AwesomenessTV, as well as bagging exclusive rights for new shows by The Fine Brothers and SmoshYouTube is getting into the movie business, although its films will be getting their premieres online rather than in cinemas.Google’s online video service has announced a partnership with multi-channel network (MCN) and DreamWorks Animation subsidiary AwesomenessTV to make a series of films featuring YouTube stars.Related: ‘Traditional TV viewing for teens and tweens is dead. Not dying. Dead.’Related: YouTube backs digital star Stampy's new Minecraft show Wonder Quest Continue reading...

From exploding kittens to electric bikes to space telescopes, crowdfunding has revolutionised the way we create. So how do you do it? Continue reading...

Google Handwriting Input, Office Remote, Handpick, Football Manager Classic 2015, Skullduggery, Implosion – Never Lose Hope and more Continue reading...

Online administrator blocks user account of ‘David Coburn MEP’ over attempts to alter article about the Ukip politician 69 times in six days Continue reading...

Artists say GetArtUp, which allows businesses and wealthy individuals to rent pieces, has mistreated pieces and some have never been returned Continue reading...

Sales put Samsung back in front in terms of volume, but war with Apple over larger-screened phones takes its toll on profitsSamsung has reclaimed the top spot in global smartphone sales, beating Apple and Lenovo, despite its profits slipping 39%.

Head of news Kate Torney outlines growth plan, saying corporation intends to increase investment in online services by 40% over next three years Continue reading...

It took thousands of years to find cheap metal cutlery that didn’t react disagreeably with food Continue reading...

The place to talk about games and other things that matter Continue reading...

Those who decry violent video games don’t understand that simulating an activity can act as a replacement, not just an encouragement

After trial with PC manufacturer Dell, the biggest cryptocurrency company in the world heads to Britain, buoyed by ‘forward-looking’ regulators

Users should not panic about a Facebook-style filtered timeline just yet, but Dick Costolo says curation will happen for ‘logged in users’ as well as passing visitorsTwitter will expand its efforts to “curate” tweets and media for its users, according to chief executive Dick Costolo, although his latest comments to analysts stopped short of signalling a Facebook-style filter for people’s main timelines.In the social network’s latest earnings call, Costolo was asked whether Twitter plans to expand to all users the curated feed of noteworthy tweets that logged-out users see when visiting its site.Related: Twitter misses forecasts after results are published early – on TwitterRelated: Twitter's 'Instant Timeline' is actually a really good idea Continue reading...

Tech firm pulls in first-quarter revenues of $436m as Dick Costolo blames ‘lower-than-expected contributions from some of our newer products’ Continue reading...

Flagship smartphone has a slightly curved quad HD screen, laser auto-focus camera and removable battery and storage making it a direct challenge to Galaxy S6LG has launched it latest G4 flagship Android smartphone, which boasts a slightly curved quad HD screen, a low-light camera and a leather back.The G4 is LG’s attempt to maintain the momentum gained by the company’s G3 last year, which introduced a quad HD screen to the smartphone market and garnered favourable reviews for being one of the most usable phablets – smartphones with screens 5.5in or bigger. Continue reading...

UberEats promises customers lunch in less than 10 minutes as it expands service from Los Angeles and Barcelona – but faces a growing field in the Big Apple Continue reading...

If you use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or the internet, you may have noticed some striking images and videos over the past few days. Little cartoon presidents pole-dancing. Cartoon celebrities performing karaoke. Your friends creating avatars of themselves pole-dancing and performing karaoke.

WPP chief says the on-demand service needs other sources of revenue to help fund its $4bn-plus content budget

Alex joins ‘genderless’ character Steve, as he ‘doesn’t really represent the diversity of our playerbase’, explains gaming company

Roy Price, who persuaded Woody Allen to make his first TV series, joined by HBO’s Michael Ellenberg, Discovery’s Rich Ross and John Landgraf from FX Continue reading...

Treyarch says it is making big changes to the CoD blueprint, with co-op campaigns, RPG progression and a new approach to space and movement. But worry not – this is still a game about shooting people in the face“I read the other day about these bio-hackers who are injecting their eyeballs with some bioluminescent fluid that gives them night vision – it’s crazy.”

Ex-Wings frontman has more followers on Japanese messaging app than on Twitter and Facebook combined

The Liberal-Conservative coalition promised accountability, transparency, and ‘ending the storage of internet and email records without good reason’. Here’s a report card on how they fared

Double Fine has released the second part of its successfully crowdfunded point-and-click epic, but the road to release has not been easyTim Schafer, co-creator of some of the most beloved adventure games in history, is sitting in an office in Guildford, home to cobbled high streets, grassy hills and Peter Molyneux. He’s talking to me about the barges of England – or “houseboats” in American parlance. Guildford has lots of them. A series of canals criss-cross through the city providing a getaway for those seeking to sell up, buy a floating idyl and escape the rat race, with its work pressures, traffic jams and functioning toilets.So what’s the designer of the Monkey Island series, whose hobbies include getting embroiled in some of the greatest dramas of modern consumerism doing staring at a bunch of hippie ships in The River Wey? Tim is dumbfounded by my cynicism. “It’s Fable!” he says. Continue reading...

They might all be trying to push the right buttons, but how much importance do the parties give technology in their pledges for power? Continue reading...

Tabletop games offer a face-to-face opportunity to convey a message that the impersonal world of online gaming misses

The place to talk about games and other things that matterTuesday already! Continue reading...

Apple’s much hyped smartwatch is carefully crafted with a masterful design, but poor battery life and confusing software mean curious consumers should waitApple’s first attempt at a smartwatch shows promise with notifications, voice calls and fancy pressure-sensitive taps, but is very much an expensive first generation product with bugs, quirks and confusions.

Animal charity Wood Green partners with Handy cleaning service to offer selection of rescue cats in need of temporary foster homesLondoners who find themselves sharing their homes with mice can now foster a cat in order to get rid of rodent invaders.Handy, an on-demand cleaning and DIY service, has partnered with animal charity Wood Green to offer rescue cats in need of temporary foster homes through its app. Continue reading...

Apple sells 61.2m iPhones in first three months of 2015 and brought in revenues of $58bn, but latest numbers do not include Apple Watch Continue reading...

The Digital News Initiative is likely to be seen as an attempt for Google to improve its image after recently being accused of anti-competitive behaviour Continue reading...

Half of media company’s awards from public vote in contest known for recognising excellence on the internet Continue reading...

A plan that links culture, the creative industries and education would encourage economic growth and draw new talent from universities Continue reading...

Russian hackers infiltrating White House email system last year raises ‘red flag’ that Obama’s BlackBerry and Clinton’s ‘home brew’ system are also susceptible Continue reading...

Developer Cowly Owl’s creative iOS app will delight pre-school kids as they explore its colourful world of customisable beastiesMonsters under the bed aren’t, generally, much fun for children. Monsters on a nearby tablet or smartphone? That’s more like it. And that’s exactly what kids get with a new app called Monster Mingle.This iPhone and iPad app is the work of British developer Chris O’Shea, whose previous apps as Cowly Owl include Makego, Little Digits – Finger Counting and Dinosaur Mix, which are all well worth a download.Related: Snow White by Nosy Crow app: 'Getting children sparkly-eyed about storytelling' Continue reading...

Google cited Ebay as part of ‘a ton of competition’ in the online shopping world, and chief executive John Donahoe agreesEbay chief executive John Donahoe has spoken out over the EU antitrust investigation into Google, agreeing with the search giant’s claim that his company is a strong competitor for it in the online shopping sector.Donahoe’s comments have been seen as backing for Google over the antitrust investigation launched against it by the European Commission. “Yes ... We are a strong commerce competitor,” Donahoe told the Financial Times. The interview paraphrases further comments from eBay’s chief executive, noting that the barriers between different areas of e-commerce are breaking down.Related: Europe is targeting Google under antitrust laws but missing the bigger picture Continue reading...

You can’t actually purchase an Apple Watch in an Apple Store, only in a few high-end boutique shops. And the resulting experience is a pretty awkward oneBuying an Apple Watch is a strange experience. At least in the opening few months, it’s tricky to even do at all: you can’t simply walk into a shop with £300 and walk out with a watch. Instead, at least in Apple Stores, you book an appointment, arrive for a 15-minute “fitting”, and, at the end of it all, walk over to an iPad to order one online for delivery.The rationale seems to be two-fold: avoiding unsightly queues outside the stores, and managing the inevitable supply constraints. Many would-be purchasers might be tempted to skip the palaver and order online from the comfort of their own home, but the fitting is not all PR fluff. The difference between the two watch sizes, and the multitude of straps on offer, is difficult to fully appreciate until the thing actually sits on your wrist. In my case, I went from mulling the purchase of a 42mm watch (clearly intended to be – if not actually advertised as – the “men’s” watch) to settling on the smaller 38mm, which, it turns out, is around the same size as my dear Casio F-91. But the faff that surrounds the whole thing rather undermines the usefulness. Continue reading...

Telecoms group, which is being taken over by BT for £12bn, attributes success to double-speed 4G internet Continue reading...

Citizens, governments and technology startups deserve a regulator to keep the monopolistic instincts of the Googles, Facebooks, Amazons and Apples at bayDigital monopolies are growing fast. Investors demand nothing less. But shouldn’t we, as citizens, demand something, too?Shouldn’t we have some recourse if Facebook decides to manipulate an election, or Google disappears a favourite firm from its all-important rankings? Continue reading...

Joseph Garrett’s feline alter-ego is a superstar for kids, but he’s happily under the radar for adults: ‘Mainstream approval is something I’m not interested in’Joseph Garrett isn’t famous. He’s a gamer and video producer in his mid twenties, who leads a quiet life well away from the tabloid spotlight.His alter-ego, though, is a superstar. Albeit one more likely to be spotted falling off a physically-impossible tower of beds in Minecraft than papped falling out of a nightclub.Related: Minecraft YouTube videos were watched 3.9bn times in MarchRelated: Little Baby Bum: how UK couple built world's fifth-biggest YouTube channelRelated: YouTube, apps and Minecraft: digital kids and the future of children’s mediaRelated: YouTube Kids ads row: how should we pay for children's entertainment?Related: Minecraft movie will be 'large-budget' but unlikely to arrive before 2017 Continue reading...

Developer Treyarch promises to modernise the Call of Duty experience with open environments and a ‘specialist’ soldier system for multiplayerCall of Duty is not going “open world” – not yet. But with Black Ops 3, the third title in the covert war spin-off series, it is taking a small step in that direction.As leaked by Call of Duty (CoD) news site CharlieIntel on Friday, this year’s CoD instalment will feature a four-player co-operative campaign mode, allowing friends to take on the story together. Continue reading...

The rapper and mogul defends the streaming service’s turbulent start, asking followers to ‘give us a chance to grow & get better’ Continue reading...

Seven Days of Westerplatte is a passion project highlighting Polish resistance in the second world war – despite its creator being born 44 years after it finishedOn 1 September, 1939, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Polish military depot at Westerplatte. The attack marked the beginning of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, and with it the second world war.For the small Polish garrison, the odds seemed overwhelming. Just 209 men found themselves besieged by over 3,000 German troops. Continue reading...

A superb modern take on the side-scrolling platformer Continue reading...