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by Keith Stuart on (#3FTM)
The latest Ubisoft action adventure locked certain content unless players downloaded a special app. The feature has been abandoned but it says a lot about where games areUntil recently, if you bought Ubisoft’s historical action adventure Assassin’s Creed: Unity, and came across a blue chest while exploring the game’s luscious depiction of revolutionary France, you wouldn’t have been able to open it. At least you wouldn’t unless you downloaded the special companion app on your Android or Apple phone and synced it to your PC or console.The Assassin’s Creed: Unity app also provides a range of puzzles and a heat map showing how players have competed levels in the main game. But unlike other companion apps recently released for games like Call of Duty, Titanfall and Battlefield, it’s not free. Well, not strictly. Players who download it either have to pay to unlock certain features, or pay for the completely unlocked premium edition. On Wednesday, however, Ubisoft announced that it was unlocking the chests for all gamers. A look at the app’s Google Play page tells you part of the reason why: dozens of players complaining that they couldn’t get the app to sync with their console, or who had updated the app only to lose data.
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| Link | http://feeds.theguardian.com/ |
| Feed | http://feeds.theguardian.com/theguardian/technology/rss |
| Updated | 2024-11-25 13:01 |
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by Charles Arthur on (#3FQS)
From Kevin Mitnick to LulzSec and Anonymous, the destiny of a hacker group tends to follow the same arc – hack something, hack something bigger, until someone makes a mistake that leads to one or more members being arrested
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by Alex Hern on (#3FQV)
The payment processor has finally enabled bitcoin support, first promised in March 2014 Continue reading...
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by Alex Hern on (#3FPD)
The company said it only wanted to “enhance†user experience, and offered instructions to remove the adware – but not to completely fix the security hole. Continue reading...
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by Samuel Gibbs on (#3FMC)
Reports show Apple is targeting 2020 to release an electric car after poaching key staff from rival car and battery manufacturers including Ford and TeslaApple is reported to be working on an electric car or vehicle-related project that could be released by 2020.The Cupertino, California-based company has been on a hiring spree attracting key members of rival car manufacturers’ electric and new vehicle system teams.Related: Tesla Model-S launch: an electric car to answer even Clarkson's objectionsRelated: 10 reasons to hope Apple isn't really making a car Continue reading...
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by Presented by Aleks Krotoski with Jemima Kiss and J on (#3FK7)
The recent European court of justice ruling on the right to be delisted by companies like Google opens up a new era in digital rights Continue reading...
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by Joanna Goodman on (#3FDG)
Online freedom brings internet dangers. With regulation limited and hard to enforce, education could be the key to keeping our children safe Continue reading...
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by Keith Stuart on (#3FCH)
The Oxfordshire charity devises specialist game control setups for people with physical disabilities – try telling them games are a waste of timeLee is a lifelong gamer; he also has spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. When his condition meant that he was no longer physically able to play games, he became depressed – he felt like part of who he was had slipped away. Now, with a combination of a mouth-controlled joystick and a series of micro-switches he is playing again. He has just completed Grand Theft Auto V. “There are no more limitations,†he says.The staff at SpecialEffect have dozens of stories like this. Set up in 2007 by Dr Mick Donegan, a specialist in assistive technology, the charity uses a range of specialist interfaces to help people with disabilities who want to play video games but can’t use standard controllers. They have palm and chin joysticks, they have button pads that can be pressed with feet, and voice control systems. Some setups implement technologies developed by other organisations, some are custom built by resident engineer Barrie Ellis and his small in-house team, who’ll often happily rip apart standard peripherals before reconfiguring them into more accessible gadgets. Continue reading...
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by Guardian music on (#3F7Y)
The R&B duo thanked fans after raising almost three times their target through Kickstarter Continue reading...
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by Dominic Rushe in New York on (#3EAJ)
International row likely after revelations of breach that could have given NSA and GCHQ the power to monitor a large portion of world’s cellular communications Continue reading...
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by Julia Powles on (#3DTN)
Corporation says it is trying to see things from ‘a more European perspective’ after receiving 220,000 requests for delisting in its search engine, but reveals 60% have been rejected
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by Nicky Woolf in New York on (#3DTQ)
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by Guardian Staff on (#3DSP)
Anatomist and broadcaster Alice Roberts discusses her life long fascination with science and how a pop-up book she read as a child inspired her to pursue a career in human anatomy.
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by Keith Stuart on (#3DRJ)
As Sega releases footage of its previously teased Sonic Runners, we take a look at the winding road that has brought the blue speedster to this point
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by Reuters in San Francisco on (#3DP7)
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by Amanda Holpuch on (#3DNA)
Dana Lone Hill to bring class action lawsuit against policy that has provoked ire from groups who want their identities protected onlineA Native American activist plans to lead a class action lawsuit against Facebook over its “real name†policy, which has drawn the ire of drag queens, domestic abuse survivors and political activists across the globe.
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3DK7)
But Do Button, Do Camera and Do Note are just early steps towards the operating system of the future says CEO Linden Tibbets Continue reading...
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by Samuel Gibbs on (#3DHY)
Researcher discovers that voice commands and their interpreted words are clearly visible to anyone attempting to lookSome Samsung smart TVs are sending users’ voice searches and data over the internet unencrypted, allowing hackers and snoopers to listen in on their activity.The revelation comes 10 days after Samsung found itself in the middle of a row over the “Orwellian†privacy policy for its smart TVs, after it was revealed that it was sending user voice data to third parties.Related: Samsung's listening TV is proof that tech has outpaced our rights Continue reading...
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by Ben Child on (#3DGE)
South African director says fifth Alien film has got go-ahead after stoking fans’ appetite with artwork for ‘abandoned’ version Continue reading...
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by Ben Quinn on (#3DFD)
Online video service is ‘fine-tuning’ offering that would compete with Netflix, following invite-only beta launch of YouTube Music Key
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by Samuel Gibbs on (#3DCC)
Adobe’s Photoshop has been the dominant force in image editing for a quarter of a century, but now there are lots of good competitors – some free, some paid for, some even work in the browserAdobe’s Photoshop is now 25 years old and is arguably the pinnacle of photo editing. But, at £8.57/month, it’s also much more expensive than most people can afford, so here are 25 alternatives for 25 years of photoshoppery.PaintShop Pro
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by Alex Hern on (#3D90)
Leading PC manufacturer shipped computers containing Superfish software that could leave users permanently open to attack when using public Wi-Fi network
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by Jack Schofield on (#3D62)
Leslie has several old PCs in his attic, and would like to remove any personal information before disposing of them, either for recycling or re-use. Jack Schofield explains how to do it…Like many readers, I have several old PCs in my attic, all of which were set aside for one reason or another: old age, insufficient specs, malfunctioning software or hardware, etc. It seems a pity not to hand them on to someone who cannot afford a PC of their own, or recycle them.In the past, before disposing of an old PC, I’ve been advised to destroy the hard drive with a sledgehammer to prevent confidential data being passed on to some third party. Well, yes, but it then becomes a bunch of spare parts. I’d be grateful for some guidance, as I’d rather not take them to the council tip. LeslieRelated: Raspberry Pi becomes best selling British computerRelated: Security researcher publishes 10m usernames and passwords online Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3D1S)
Fellow Kickstarter-funded creator says accusations over Godus game are ‘way out of proportion’ as he sends support to British developer Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3D0Q)
Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud and other music app can now provide soundtracks to Snapchat videos and storiesFresh from rumours that it is raising fresh funding valuing the company at $19bn, Snapchat has launched a new feature that makes it easier for users to add music to the videos they share using its app.Snapchat can now take a live feed of whatever music or audio is currently playing on a user’s smartphone when they record a video, and use it as the soundtrack when they send the clip to friends or upload it to their “Stories†profile.Related: Ten things you need to know about Snapchat Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3CZG)
Smartphone maker aiming for the ‘smartest, most secure, user-friendly mobile wallet’ that will work with retailers’ existing point-of-sale terminalsUS startup LoopPay describes itself as “the most accepted mobile wallet on the planetâ€. Now it belongs to Samsung, after being acquired to bolster the company’s efforts to compete with Apple Pay and other mobile payments technologies.LoopPay’s technology helps retailers convert their existing magnetic-stripe readers into contactless payment receivers, with its app then used by smartphone owners to store their card details and pay for goods.Related: Apple Pay on the way: why we may start shopping differently in 2015 Continue reading...
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by Keith Stuart on (#3CZJ)
The place to talk about games and other things that matter Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3CY0)
Quan Inc creation is one of the characters emerging from the social network’s sticker store, complete with a surreal all-caps Twitter feed“You just got schooled... by a fish.†Business Fish certainly isn’t short on confidence, but who is this sharp-suited man with a fish’s head, and why is he popping up in the comments in a growing number of people’s Facebook feeds?The answer: Business Fish is one of the packs available on the social network’s Sticker Store, which has been quietly picking up steam in recent months.BUSINESS FISH HI MY NAME BUSINESS FISH PLS TAKE MY BUSINESS CARD pic.twitter.com/QqFe2gj14bBUSINESS FISH 2 RIGHTS DONT MAKE A WRONG BUT HOPEFULLY A 25% OFF UR NEXT ORDER VOUCHER CODE DOES PLSBUSINESS FISH FEEL FREE 2 CLIMB THE BUSINESS FISH LADDER 2 SUCCESS B--------U S--------I N--------E S--------S F--------I S--------H Continue reading...
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by Keith Stuart on (#3CV2)
Want to get into gaming but don’t know where to start? Here are some great smartphone, console and PC titles to kick off your collectionSo you’ve bought a shiny new games console, or a ridiculously powerful PC, or the latest smartphone iteration, and now you want to play games on it. What happens next?Well, if you’ve been doing the whole gaming thing for years, you’ll know which review sites to go to, what developers and publishers produce the best stuff and what everyone is looking forward to playing. But if you’re just starting out, it can all be a bit … overwhelming. Every year around 1,000 new titles are released on consoles and PC, and there are more than 300,000 games available on the Apple App Store. So how are you supposed to work out what to play?Related: How do I start playing video games? A beginner's guide Continue reading...
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by Reuters in New York on (#3C37)
Ross Ulbricht was convicted two weeks ago of being the mastermind behind Silk Road, an online black market that flew beneath law enforcement’s radarThe US government on Wednesday said it plans to auction 50,000 bitcoins on 5 March, following the recent criminal conviction of Ross Ulbricht for being the mastermind behind the online black market known as Silk Road.Related: Silk Road's 'Dread Pirate Roberts' convicted of running online drug marketplace Continue reading...
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by Ed Pilkington in New York on (#3BQG)
Google says increasing the FBI’s powers set out in search warrants would raise ‘monumental’ legal concerns that should be decided by CongressGoogle is boldly opposing an attempt by the US Justice Department to expand federal powers to search and seize digital data, warning that the changes would open the door to US “government hacking of any facility†in the world.In a strongly worded submission to the Washington committee that is considering the proposed changes, Google says that increasing the FBI’s powers set out in search warrants would raise “monumental and highly complex constitutional, legal and geopolitical concerns that should be left to Congress to decideâ€. Continue reading...
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by Calum Marsh on (#3BKT)
The revered video game is being re-imagined by Aryok Piñera, who started the project alone but now leads a motley crew dozens strong. The legality of such ‘mods’ is murky, but that won’t affect its practitioners’ passion for perfectingIt took Aryok Piñera a week to make Mario lean properly.In the 1996 Nintendo game Super Mario 64, a player can instruct Mario to run forward; if he begins to turn left or right, he tilts to the side, like an airplane banking.Related: It's complicated: why playing a video game is like having a relationship Continue reading...
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by Samuel Gibbs on (#3BEM)
Biggest change to how the web works since 1999 should make browsing on desktop and mobile faster
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3BEP)
Former Our2ndLife members already have more than 780k subscribers. ‘When fans watch our videos they feel like we’re talking directly to them’ Continue reading...
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by Ian Williams on (#3BDH)
In 2004, the EA Spouse controversy exposed a culture of unpaid overtime throughout the games industry. In this special report we investigate how much, if anything, has changedMy significant other works for Electronic Arts and I’m what you might call a disgruntled spouse.It was with these words 10 years ago that Erin Hoffman began an online journal detailing her husband’s gruelling experience working at an EA game development studio. For months on end he worked 12-hour days, six days a week, and when the game’s final deadline loomed, it got worse. “The current mandatory hours are 9am to 10pm – seven days a week,†she wrote, “with the occasional Saturday evening off for good behavior (at 6:30pm).â€
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by Alex Hern on (#3B8T)
Company patents head-mounted device that would use its owner’s smartphone as a screenApple has been awarded a patent for a head-mounted display device, which uses an inserted iPhone for a screen in a manner similar to Samsung’s Gear VR or Google’s Cardboard project.The patent, filed in September 2008 but only granted this week, shows a chunky set of glasses with a slot for a mobile phone, as well as built-in earphones and a wireless remote control the user can hold in their hand while plugged in to the system.Related: Apple's Jony Ive digested: 23 things we've learned Continue reading...
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by Samuel Gibbs on (#3B54)
Hackers hijack JamieOliver.com leading some users to download malicious software that could take control of their computersThe official site of TV chef Jamie Oliver, which sees an average of 10m visits per month, has been compromised by hackers serving malicious files to visitors which could take control of their computers.
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3B30)
Crowdfunding service’s review algorithm is waving through 31% of projects, as site strives to keep its community ‘healthy’ Continue reading...
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by Rich Stanton on (#3B1S)
Creators of zombie survival classic Left 4 Dead are back with a thunderous multiplayer shooter that pits one player against four Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3B01)
‘Developer edition’ of new gadget made available for pre-order in UK and Germany, with £620 price and companion software development kitGoogle may have gone back to the drawing board for a rethink of its Glass smart eyewear, but rivals are pressing on with their plans – including Sony, which has made its SmartEyeglass gadget available to pre-order in the UK and Germany.Described as a “developer editionâ€, the SED-E1 eyewear will cost £620 when it goes on sale in March, at which point it will also be available in eight other countries. However, a version for non-developers won’t go on sale until 2016 at the earliest.Related: Google Glass can return – but it must clear four big hurdles first Continue reading...
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by Alex Hern on (#3AXH)
Social network wants its users to make VR content to go with their photos, videos and status updatesA year after buying virtual reality trailblazer Oculus, Facebook has confirmed that it’s making its own VR apps.However, the company doesn’t just want its users to consume VR content. It wants it to be as easy to make virtual realities as it is to upload a photo or a video, so that anyone can do it – whether that’s a typical user, or even superstars like Beyoncé.Related: Samsung creates drone, robotics and virtual reality labRelated: Facebook still suspending Native Americans over 'real name' policy Continue reading...
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by Alex Hern on (#3AWJ)
Slate of changes in App Store review process means some apps have been forced to change in a hurry Continue reading...
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by Stuart Dredge on (#3AWM)
Technologies join nuclear war, ecological catastrophe, super-volcanoes and asteroid impacts in Global Challenges Foundation’s risk reportArtificial intelligence and nanotechnology have been named alongside nuclear war, ecological catastrophe and super-volcano eruptions as “risks that threaten human civilisation†in a report by the Global Challenges Foundation.In the case of AI, the report suggests that future machines and software with “human-level intelligence†could create new, dangerous challenges for humanity – although they could also help to combat many of the other risks cited in the report.Related: Artificial intelligence: can scientists stop ‘negative’ outcomes?Related: Rise of the robots: how long do we have until they take our jobs? Continue reading...
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by Reuters in Paris on (#3AT7)
Online taxi-booking service presses European Commission to probe regulation which it claims favours regular cabs at its expenseUber has filed a second complaint to the European Commission against a French law that the online taxi-booking service says favours regular taxis at its expense, the company said on Tuesday.Uber filed a complaint with the Commission last November, the first of a series of challenges to EU member states reluctant to open their markets to the US firm. Continue reading...
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by Julia Powles and Enrique Chaparro on (#3AMV)
Google has acted as judge, jury and executioner in the wake of Europe’s right to be forgotten ruling. But what does society lose when a private corporation rules public information?
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by Patrick Collinson and Samuel Gibbs on (#3AKB)
Banks’ new app will allow customers with iPhones 5S and later secure access to their accounts using Apple’s Touch ID Continue reading...
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by Keith Stuart on (#3AGN)
Heard a lot about Grand Theft Auto or Uncharted? Want to give games a go but not sure where to start? Here’s a quick introductionRecently, several non-techy friends have sidled up to me and asked, in hushed conspiratorial tones: “Keith, should I be playing video games?â€It’s an interesting question for two reasons. First, I write about video games for a living; that’s my job. So what did they think I was going to say? “No, they’re a massive waste of timeâ€? Secondly, a few years ago, people my age were feeling guilty about playing video games, now there are people feeling guilty that they’re not. This is progress. Continue reading...
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by Reuters on (#3A7T)
Half of order is for entry-level Sport model but Apple also hopes to sell a million 18-carat gold versions a month, according to Wall Street JournalApple has asked its Asian suppliers to make 5m-6m units of its three Apple Watch models for the first quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
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by Rupert Neate in New York on (#3A11)
App manufacturer hopes to raise $500m in venture capital investment in deal that would make founder Evan Spiegel’s stake worth $2.85bn
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