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quarta-feira, 31 de dezembro de 2014

VIDEO: Wave Goodbye to Microsoft's Original Kinect




Whether you Think Depth-Sensing Cameras will Become the Next Big Thing or Fizzle Out, the Model that Helped Usher in the Tech is Set to be Retired for Good. The Original Kinect will be Phased Out in 2015, Some 4 Years after Microsoft 1st Introduced it to Bolster XBox 360 Sales. The Sensor was Controversial with Gamers from the Get-Go but, was Embraced by the DIY Hacking Community and Companies Who Used it for Facial and Motion Tracking, among (Many) Other Uses. Plenty of those Folks still Rely on the Kinect v1 so, Microsoft Advised them to Buy as Many as they Need and Soon, since it Won't Make any More after the Current Stock Sells Out. The Next-Gen Kinect v2 Became a Non-Optional Part of the XBox One Console but, Many Gamers Didn't Use it and Didn't Want to Pay for it. As a Result, Microsoft Now Offers a Cheaper XBox One Version without it, a Move that Boosted Sales of Late. As Expected, it has also Introduced a New $199 Kinect for Windows, along with a $50 Adapter that Allows you to Use an XBox One Kinect on your PC. While its Demise is Not Unexpected, we still Feel a Bit Nostalgic about the Original Kinect -- to See Some of the More Bizarre Things Done with it, Check the Video, below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho8KVOe_y08






Info Sources:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/kinectforwindows/archive/2014/12/30/original-kinect-for-windows-sensor-sales-to-end-in-2015.aspx

http://microsoft-news.com/microsoft-to-end-original-kinect-for-windows-sensor-sales-in-2015

XBox One SDK Leak, Opens the Door for Homebrew Apps

Want to Build an XBox One Game without Registering as a Developer ? You May Soon be Able to, Thanks to a Leak of the XBox One Developer SDK by a Hacking Group Called, 'H4LT'. It Cites Noble Reasons for Posting the Software, Namely to Allow Greater "creativity and research... towards homebrew applications" on the Console. The Leak, however, Doesn't Mean you Can Start Cooking Up Official XBox One Apps because, you'd Need to be Accepted into Microsoft's ID@XBox Publishing Program and Clear Other Hurdles. Still, it'll Let Curious Types Poke Around the SDK or Possibly Check for Weaknesses, Giving Microsoft Another Holiday Headache.




Info Sources:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/31/7472393/xbox-one-sdk-leak-homebrew-apps

https://twitter.com/notHALT/status/550013107972890624


Download the Leak, over here:

https://mega.co.nz/#!iEhAETgQ!EUMxhVRGl4ENGfGmWIPmLEPNieuA5Z5TzNOxhkrFjaA



'Lizard Squad's', Vinnie Omari, Arrested

A Self-Professed Member of the 'Lizard Squad', was Arrested this Week by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit in England, according to Documents Obtained by 2 Publications and a Thames Valley Police Press Release. The 'Lizard Squad' is a Group of Self-Described Hackers Who since August, Have Made a Nuisance of and Name for itself by Taking Down a Variety of Gaming Networks, including Blizzard's, the PLAYSTATION Network and XBox LIVE. On December 1, the Group Threatened to Take Down Both the PSN and XBL over the Holidays. They Later Claimed Responsibility for Both Network Outages, which Stretched through Christmas. Independent Investigative Journalist, Brian Krebs, Who Covers Internet Security News on his Website, Krebs on Security, Posted a Copy of a Police Bail Document from the Kingston Police Station for 22-Year-Old, Vinnie Omari. In a Post Today, he Writes that Omari, Who Krebs Identified as a Member of the Group, was Arrested by Police. Omari Told The Daily Dot that, Police Raided his Home Monday and Arrested him. He also Shared a Search Warrant with the Publication, Showing Police were Looking for any Evidence Revealing "email addresses, usernames, passwords, documents containing names associated with Paypal fraud".


They were also Looking for Evidence, according to the Warrant, for Anything Related to the "hacking of the PLAYSTATION Network and XBox LIVE Systems over the Christmas period". Omari Said Police Took his XBox One, Phones, Laptops, Computer USBs, "etc". Earlier Today, the Thames Valley Police Issued a Press Release for the Arrest, Saying that, the 22-Year-Old Man (Who they Didn't Identify), was Arrested the the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit on Suspicion of Fraud by False Representation and Computer Misuse Act offences. "The arrest yesterday (30/12) is in connection with an ongoing investigation in to cyber fraud offences which took place between 2013 and August 2014 during which victims reported funds being stolen from their PayPal accounts", according to the Release, which Doesn't Mention the PlayStation and XBox Investigation. Both the Press Release and the Document Posted by Kreb, Show that, the Man was Released on Bail until March. According to the Bail Notice, Omari's 1st Hearing will be March 10 at 11 a.m. in Surrey. The Daily Dot Reported Sunday, Citing Multiple ources with Knowledge of the Investigation that, the FBI was Actively Investigating Another Member of 'Lizard Squad'. The Teen Lives in Finland, according to the Report. The FBI Later Confirmed the Report. In a Short Email Interview with Polygon Last Week, a Member of the Group Said, they were Motivated to Attack the Networks because "chaos is entertainment".




Info Sources:

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2014/12/lizard-kids-a-long-trail-of-fail/#more-29368

http://www.dailydot.com/crime/lizard-squad-vinnie-omari-arrested/?tw=dd

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/newsevents/newsevents-pressreleases/newsevents-pressreleases-item.htm?id=298271

http://www.dailydot.com/crime/fbi-lizard-squad-ryan-sony-psn-playstation-network-microsoft-xbox-live

http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/30/fbi-confirms-lizard-squad-under-investigation-for-psn-xbox-live-attacks



Add-On Lets Your Chromebook Run Linux in a Window

You Can Already Run a Conventional Operating System like Linux on your Chromebook if you're Determined Sort but, it's Not Really Convenient...Not Unless you like Hopping between Virtual Terminals, anyway. However, there's Now a relatively Simple Way to Juggle between Chrome OS and Linux. If you Grab a Tweaked Version of David Schneider's Crouton Extension and Type in a Terminal Command, you Can Now Run a Version of Linux (so Far, Debian and Ubuntu) in a Window. You Won't Have to Drop that Hangouts Chat just to Finish Some Work in OpenOffice, in Other Words. While you'll still Have to be Comfortable with Installing Linux in the First Place, this Could Easily Turn your Cheap Web Surfing Machine into More of a Power User's Tool.




Info Sources:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gcpneefbbnfalgjniomfjknbcgkbijom

https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/pull/1144

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+FrancoisBeaufort/posts/JDVkXALPcNq

http://thenextweb.com/google/2014/12/30/chromebooks-can-now-run-linux-window/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+All+Stories%29

https://gigaom.com/2014/12/30/chromebooks-can-now-run-linux-in-a-chrome-os-window



The Hackers Who Hit Sony Pictures also Threatened CNN

The Guardians of Peace Didn't just Threaten Sony Pictures and Theaters that Planned to Show The Interview; it also Shook its Fist at the Press, too. The Intercept has Obtained an FBI Alert Noting that, the Group Implied Threats against a "News Media Organization" on December 20. While the Bulletin Doesn't Name the Company, The Desk's, Matthew Keys, has Copies of the Pastebin-Based Messages (since Removed) Showing that, CNN was the Target. The GOP Sarcastically Complimented CNN on its "Investigation" of the Hacking Group and Linked a Video Calling the TV Network an Idiot but, Didn't Warn of any Specific Consequences. The News suggests that, the GOP Won't Rule Out Attacks against Other Companies if they Support Sony's Cause but, Don't Read Too Much into the Group's Words -- so Far, this Appears to be Little More than Saber-Rattling. Nothing has Happened to CNN in the 11 Days since the Messages Went Up and Both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security Note in their Bulletin that, Many Hacking Outfits Make "Exaggerated Threat Statements" that Never Pan Out. And, as we All Know, Sony eventually Showed The Interview Both in Cinemas and Online without Incident. At this Point, Hacking CNN would Accomplish Little.




Info Sources:

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/12/31/sony-hackers-threaten-u-s-news-media-organization

http://thedesk.matthewkeys.net/2014/12/sony-hackers-guardians-peace-taunting-cnn-fbi-says



New Satoru Iwata Interview, Tackles Miyamoto's Method and Nintendo History

"Miyamoto also says that when a problem just can't be solved no matter what, someone is lying." - Satoru Iwata on Shigeru Miyamoto's Way of Looking at Things. That Quote Above Comes from a New Interview with Nintendo President and CEO, Satoru Iwata, Who Puts it into this Context: "He doesn't mean 'lying' in a bad way but, that the person's thought-process is mistaken, or they're looking at the problem the wrong way. Miyamoto is like, how do I put this, he's a genius at creating perception changes. Explaining the value of changing one's perception in an easily understood manner makes people happy so, it's a very interesting skill (laughs)". Japanese Website, 4Gamer.net, Recently Posted the Interview with Iwata and Some Enterprising NeoGAF Users Have been Translating it, into English. While the Translation is Incomplete and Sometimes Lacks Clarity, the Insight into Iwata's Thinking and Nintendo's Game Development Culture and History is Entertaining and Informative. For Example, at One Point, Iwata Says, "back when I was just starting out, I sort of arbitrarily decided that Miyamoto was my rival, though that's embarrassing to admit now". He also Speaks of his Last Professional Game Programming Gig -- an Emergency Debug Session on Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube, after he'd already Moved into Management at Nintendo. On the Flipside, he Talks about his 1st Efforts of Programming, too -- on a Hewlett-Packard Calculator in the 1970s. But, Most Compelling is Iwata's Talk of the "Miyamoto Methodology", which he Wants to Preserve ("I feel like it would be useful to the game industry if you could put it into words", Iwata Says.) The Above Quotes are just a Small Part of that.




The post on NeoGAF that contains the full translation efforts of the forum's posters is well worth a read:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=144880810&postcount=1



LG Announces the World’s 1st 21:9 Gaming Monitor with AMD FreeSync Support

Next Week, at CES 2015, LG will Introduce What it Calls the World’s 1st Ultrawide (21:9) Gaming Monitor with AMD’s FreeSync Technology — AMD’s Alternative to Nvidia’s Proprietary and Expensive G-Sync. I Say “World’s 1st” but, Considering LG Hasn’t Yet Released the Monitor, nor Given us an Expected Release Date or Price, that Seems a Little Bit Rich. As you May Have Noticed, Ultra-Wide Desktop Monitors are Shaping Up to be the Next Thing. Over the Last Few Months, we’ve Seen Ultra-Wide Panels from Most Big Display Makers — and Recently, Samsung has Taken it to the Next Level with a Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor (the S34E790C). These 21:9 Screens usually Have a Resolution of either 2560 × 1080 or 3440 × 1440, depending on the Diagonal Width and How Much you Want to Spend. Ultra-Wide Screens are Mostly being Marketed at Gamers Who Want an Increased Field of View in FPS Games (i.e. Dirty Cheaters) — but, they also Make a Pretty Good Alternative to Having 2 16:9 or 16:10 Monitors on your Desk.


In the Case of LG’s “World 1st” Ultrawide Gaming Monitor (Model 34UM67), All we Know is that, it Measures 34 Inches Diagonally and that, it Supports AMD’s FreeSync Technology. LG Hasn’t Revealed the Resolution of the Screen, nor Any Other Vital Statistics (Latency, Panel Type, Viewing Angles, etc.) So, for Now, I Guess All we Can Really Discuss is FreeSync. Last Fall, Nvidia Unveiled G-Sync, which Promised to Reduce Frame Stutter and Tearing. The Problem is, G-Sync Doesn’t Work with your Current Monitor: You Have to Buy a New Monitor with a Special G-Sync Logic Board Hidden Inside. A Few Months Later, AMD Announced, FreeSync, a Technology that does Much the Same Thing but, Without Using Fancy, Proprietary Hardware. Your Monitor does Need a DisplayPort 1.2a Controller to Support FreeSync, however — which Means that, your Current Monitor almost Certainly Can’t Use FreeSync but, that your Next Monitor probably will.


Earlier this Week, Iiyama actually Released (as in, you Can Buy it Right Now) the 1st FreeSync Monitor — the 28-Inch 4K ProLite B2888UHSU-B1, Priced at around $600. Curiously, this Monitor Reportedly Uses the Same LCD Panel as the 28-Inch 4K Acer XB280HK — but that Monitor, which is instead Outfitted with Nvidia’s G-Sync Tech, will Set you Back around $1,000. The Price Difference is probably (Mostly) Explained by the Special Logic Board that Every G-Sync Monitor Must be Outfitted with. If the Iiyama Unit Performs Well, $600 is a Very Good Deal for a 4K Monitor with FreeSync — and it Should Mean that, the Ultra-Wide LG and any Other FreeSync Monitors that Arrive over the Next Few Months, will be Priced Very Competitively. We Haven’t Reviewed FreeSync Yet but, if it’s at All Comparable to G-Sync, then Nvidia will Have a Tough Sell on its Hands.



Nvidia Will Reportedly Release a Mid-Range Maxwell GPU – the "GTX 960" – in January

New Rumors Today Imply that, Nvidia is Preparing to Release a Mainstream Version of its Maxwell GPU in Late January. Nvidia Debuted Maxwell in 3 Desktop GPUs in 2014 — the Lower-End GTX 750 Ti in February and the High-End GTX 980 and GTX 970 in September. The GTX 970 was the Crown Jewel of that Arrangement, as Far as the Price-Performance Ratio is Concerned. Now, the Company is Reportedly Prepping a New Card for the Mainstream Market — the "GTX 960". Specs on the Card, at Present, are a Bit of a Muddle. Today’s Report Indicates that, the Chip will Use a 128-Bit Memory Bus, Paired with a New GM206 GPU Core and 2GB of RAM. Previous Reports, however, had Pointed to a Larger Chip, a 256-Bit Memory Bus and a 4GB Memory Buffer Using a Cut-Down Version of the Same GM204 that Powers the GTX 980 and 970.


I Suspect there’s Truth to Both Rumors. Right Now, the GTX 970 Sells for $329, with 1664 CUDA Cores, an 8GB Frame Buffer and a 256-Bit Memory Bus. Nvidia Could Trim the Die to Create a "GTX 960" (or 960 Ti) by Disabling More Cores but, the GTX 970 is Already a Fair Bit Smaller than the 980, with 13 SMMs Enabled (1664 Cores) as Opposed to 16 (2048 Cores) on the Full Chip. Given that Nvidia Typically Targets Both the $180-$200 and the $250-$280 Market with Separate SKUs, it Makes Sense to Assume that, the Company will Introduce Products to Address Both these Segments. The Question is, How will it Hit them ? When we Reviewed the GTX 750 Ti this Past Spring, we Noted that, while the Card’s Power Efficiency and Performance-per-Watt was Excellent, AMD Ultimately had a Stronger Offering from its Own Hardware. The GTX 750 Ti’s 128-Bit Memory Bus Appeared to Handicap it in 1080p Gaming — there were Several Cases Where the Older GTX 650 Ti Boost was Faster than the Card that Ostensibly Replaced it. This Implies that the "GTX 960", When it does Launch, will Either Offer a Larger L2 Cache than the GTX 750 Ti, Draw on Faster Memory (the GTX 750 Ti Used 1350MHz GDDR5 but, GDDR5 Clocked at 1750MHz is Available on the Market), or will Simply Use a Wider Memory Bus.


A 2GB Frame Buffer, Possibly with a 4GB OEM Option, probably Makes the Most Sense for the Current Space — though Given the RAM Requirements on Next-Gen Games, Nvidia could Plausibly Push the Envelope on this Front a Bit. How this Plays Out will Depend on How Much Trouble Nvidia Wants to Make for AMD and What Kind of Yields it’s Getting on 28nm Maxwell Hardware. After the GTX 980 Launched, AMD Responded with Aggressive Price Cuts on the R9 290 and R9 290X. Combined with the R9 285 that it Launched in August, Team Red currently has a Solidly Competitive Lineup at the $329 Price Point and below. Maxwell’s Major Claim to Fame, however, is its Performance-per-Watt — and that’s a Gain that AMD’s Current Crop of GCN Cards, Simply Can’t Match. If Nvidia Gets Aggressive with Pricing this New Card, it Could Put Significant Pressure on AMD’s Competitive Structure in the Important Mainstream Market.



Sylvester Stallone Confirms Plans for "Rambo: Last Blood" and "Scarpa"

Although 2014 is just about Over, Hollywood Multi-Hyphenate Sylvester Stallone is Among those Already Looking to the Future. Stallone Revealed via Twitter that, he has Lined Up his Next 3 Projects: He’ll Begin Production in Philadelphia on the Rocky Spinoff Creed Immediately, then Shoot Rambo: Last Blood (Confirming »XoZeN« CyberTronx's Own Title Scoop from Earlier this Year) and Follow Both with the Mobster Biopic, Scarpa. Stallone will Reprise his Role as Rocky Balboa for Creed Ppposite Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station, Chronicle) and Tessa Thompson (Dear White People, When a Stranger Calls). The Story Follows Jordan as the Grandson of Apollo Creed. The Elder Creed, Played by Carl Weathers, Appeared in the 1st 4 Rocky Films until a Fight with Ivan Drago in Rocky IV Led to his Death in the Ring.


The New Film will See Rocky Stepping in as the Younger Creed’s Reluctant Trainer. It is Believed (although Not Fully Confirmed at this Time) that Stallone will also Direct, Last Blood, which will Serve as the 5th (and Likely Final) Entry in the Action Franchise Launched in 1982 with First Blood. In 2009, a Rumored Synopsis Hit for a 5th Film that Made it Seem like Stallone was Planning to Adapt James Byron Huggins’ Novel, “Hunter”. At this Time, however, Official Plot Details are Unavailable. Scarpa, finally, will Follow the Life of Gregory “The Grim Reaper” Scarpa, the Chief Enforcer for the Colombo Crime Family, Who was also an FBI Informant for over 30 Years. Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer, Runner Runner) is Attached to Direct with the Script Hailing from Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino).




Stallone’s Original Tweets, which Include a Peek at his Writing Office, are Posted below:

https://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone

http://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone/status/549320892862328832/photo/1



VIDEO: Concept Art Surfaces for Abandoned "BioShock" VideoGame Movie

Plans for an Adaptation of the Hit VideoGame, "BioShock", Fell Apart Back in 2011 and Now Irrational Games Doesn't Want to Force a Movie unless it's Going to be Done Right. Therefore, "BioShock" is Nothing but, a Pipe Dream for Fans Wanting to See the Story Play Out on the Big Screen. However, you Can Imagine What the Film Might Have Looked like, as Some Concept Art from Illustrator, Kasra Farahani (Star Trek Into Darkness, Thor) has Surfaced Online from Blastr (via SlashFilm). It Doesn't Give us a Much Better Idea of What the Movie would Look Like Beyond the Aesthetic we've Already Seen in the Game but, it's Some Nice Work.




Look ! Here's Concept Art for the "BioShock" Movie, which is Now Dead in the Water (No Pun Intended) :
















You Can still Check Out an Awesome Fanmade Teaser Trailer for a "BioShock" Movie, right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRa-78twi3s






Of Course, this is just What One Artist Turned in for Concept Art for the Film. Studios Commission Many Artists to Design Various Aspects of Films but, they Don't All End Up Becoming Realities on the Big Screen. There's a Lot of Star Wars: Episode VII Concept Art Out There, Featuring Things that Aren't in the Movie and were Merely Created as Pitches of Potential Characters, Sets, Weapons, etc. to Put in the Movie. As you Can See, Some of the Locations Have bee Adjusted to Remove the Overwhelming Presence of the Underwater Elements of the VideoGame. Someday we Might Get a "BioShock" Movie but, Not Soon. You still Want a "BioShock" Movie ? I Want ! ;)

You Can Finally Play "PlanetSide 2's" Beta on PS4 this January

Sony's Massive Multiplayer FPS, "PlanetSide 2", Enters into Beta on PlayStation 4 this January, Sony Online Entertainment President, John Smedley, Announced on Twitter. The PS4 Beta Goes Live on "either the week of the 13th or 20th", Wrote Smedley. Firmer Dates will be Available on January 5 When the Developing Team is Back to Work. Registration for the Closed Beta Began Earlier this Month, despite Initial Plans to Launch the Game on PS4 Earlier this Year. "Planetside 2" is One of a Couple Dozen Free-to-Play Games, Sony is Looking to Showcase on PS4 in 2015.




Info Source:

https://twitter.com/j_smedley/status/549236915116191744



terça-feira, 30 de dezembro de 2014

Microsoft is Building a New Browser, "Spartan", as Part of its Windows 10 Push

There's been Talk for a while that, Microsoft was Going to Make Some Big Changes to Internet Explorer in the Windows 10 Time Frame, Making IE 'Spartan' Look and Feel More like Chrome and Firefox. It Turns Out that, What's actually Happening is Microsoft is Building a New Browser, Codenamed, 'Spartan', which is Not IE 12 -- at Least according to a Couple of Sources of Mine. Thomas Nigro, a Microsoft Student Partner Lead and Developer of the Modern Version of VLC, Mentioned on Twitter Earlier this Month that, he Heard Microsoft was Building a Brand-New Browser. Nigro Said he Heard Talk of this during a December Episode of the LiveTile Podcast. 'Spartan' is still Going to Use Microsoft's Chakra JavaScript Engine and Microsoft's Trident Rendering Engine (Not WebKit), Sources Say.


As Neowin's Brad Sams Reported Back in September, the Coming Browser will Look and Feel More like Chrome and Firefox and will Support Extensions. Sams also Reported on December 29 that, Microsoft has 2 Different Versions of Trident in the Works, which also Seemingly Supports the Claim that, the Company has 2 Different Trident-Based Browsers. However, if my Sources are Right, 'Spartan' is Not IE 12. Instead, 'Spartan' is a New, Light-Weight Browser Microsoft is Building. Windows 10 (at Least the Desktop Version) will Ship with Both 'Spartan' and IE 11, my Sources Say. IE 11 will be there for Backward-Compatibility's Sake. 'Spartan' will be Available for Both Desktop and Mobile (Phone / Tablet) Versions of Windows 10, Sources Say. 'Spartan' is just a Codename at this Point. My Sources Don't Know What Microsoft Plans to Call this New Browser When it Debuts. The IE Team Hinted during a Reddit Ask Me Anything Earlier 2014 that, the Team had Contemplated Changing the Name of IE to Try to Get Users to Realize the Much More Standards-Compliant IE of Today is Very Different from Older, Proprietary Versions of IE.


Microsoft May Show Off 'Spartan' on January 21, When the Company Reveals its Next Set of Windows 10 Features. But, my Sources also Aren't Sure if 'Spartan' will be Functional Enough for Inclusion in the Windows 10 January Technical Preview and Mobile Preview Builds that are Expected to be Available to Testers in Early 2015. It May Not Show Up in the Test Builds until Some Point Later, they Say. Will Microsoft End Up Porting the 'Spartan' Browser to Android, iOS and / or any Other Non-Windows OSes ? I'm Not Sure. The IE Team Said a Few Months Back that, Microsoft had No Plans to Port IE to any Non-Windows Operating Systems. But, 'Spartan' Isn't IE. And these Days, Microsoft is Porting Much of its Software and Services to Non-Windows Variants. So, I'd Say there's a Chance that, this Could Happen Somewhere Down the Line...




Info Sources:

https://twitter.com/ThomasNigro/status/545689463712915456

http://www.livetile.fr/category/livetile/episodes

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2010/03/18/the-new-javascript-engine-in-internet-explorer-9.aspx

http://www.neowin.net/news/internet-explorer-12-ui-overhaul-is-a-blend-of-chrome-and-firefox-adds-extension-support

http://www.neowin.net/news/internet-explorer-12-big-changes-are-coming-to-trident



Still Can’t Connect to PLAYSTATION Network ? Here's How to Adjust Your Settings

While Sony is Reporting that, the PLAYSTATION Network (PSN) is Back Up After the Outages, we’ve been Receiving Reports from Readers that, All is still Not Well. Our Own Ricardo Pereira Tried these Tips to Get his PlayStation 4 Connected Again and they Might Work for you, too. PlayStation Forum User, 'SKShadowGod', Suggests following these Steps to Get Back Online if you are Experiencing Error CE-33987-0.

  1. Go into the network settings
  2. Choose to set up internet connection
  3. Select the appropriate connection (wired or wireless)
  4. Choose “Custom”
  5. Select the appropriate network and enter your password
  6. Automatically acquire an IP Address
  7. Do not specify DHCP Host name
  8. Use automatic DNS settings
  9. Manually set the MTU
  10. Change the number to 1472
  11. Do not use proxy server
  12. Test your internet connection

Hopefully this Gets you Back Up and Running. Good Luck.


Info Source:


Scientists Show How You Can Restore Lost Memories

It's Scary to Lose Memories, especially in the Early Phases of Diseases like Alzheimer's -- you're Really Losing Part of Yourself. Thankfully, Researchers at UCLA, May Have Found a Way to Get those Memories Back. They've Conducted Experiments suggesting that, Memories Aren't Stored in Synapses, as Established Theory Dictates. Instead, you Only Need to Make Sure that Neurons are Intact and that, the Brain Can Synthesize the Proteins Needed to Form New Synaptic Links. In a Snail, Memories Came Rushing Back after Scientists Stopped Using a Protein Synthesis Inhibitor that Curbed Synaptic Growth. Those Memories would Have been Gone Forever if, the Synapses Themselves were Really the Key. These are Early Findings but, they Should Correlate to Similar Processes in Human Brains. That, in Turn, has Big Implications for Medicine. If you Can Restore Memories by Creating Synaptic Connections, it Should be Possible to Bring Back those Precious Moments if you're Suffering from Early Stage Alzheimer's or Other Memory-Related Conditions, Where the Neurons Remain Intact. It Wouldn't Help in Situations Where the Neurons are Gone (such as Late Stage Alzheimer's) but, it Could Improve your Quality of Life for Years, if Not Decades.




Info Sources:

http://elifesciences.org/content/3/e03896

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/lost-memories-might-be-able-to-be-restored-new-ucla-study-indicates

http://nation.com.pk/snippets/29-Dec-2014/lost-memories-could-be-restored



Internet Systems Consortium Website also Hacked

Remember How just Last Week I Told All you Dedicated System and Network Administrators that, you Weren't Going to be Starting your Holiday Weekend Early because of a Serious NTP Security Hole ? Well, Turn your Car Around and Head Back to the Server Room. The Internet Systems Consortium (ISC) has Taken the Site Down for Maintenance because, they "believe we may be infected with malware". Oh Boy. OK so, those of you are Battle-Hardened Network and Sysadmins Already Know Why this is Bad News and you're Already Logging in via SSH to your Domain Name System (DNS) Servers. For the Rest of you, Here's Why this Could be Really, Really Bad News. ISC is the Group Behind the Open-Source Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) Program. BIND is Arguably the Most Popular DNS Software on the Planet. It is Certainly the Most Used DNS Program on the Unix and Linux Systems that Make Up Most of the Internet's Fundamental Infrastructure. DNS is the Master Address List of the Internet. It's What Translates Every Human-Readable Internet Address in the World, Say http://www.google.com, into its IPv4 and IPv6 Addresses. These Numeric Addresses are then Used by Routers and Switches to Move Data from your Computer, Smartphone, Tablet, Whatever, to your Websites, your Email Server and Back Again.


In Other Words, it's Really Important. Without DNS, there is No Functional Internet. If the BIND Code itself has been Corrupted and you've Updated your DNS BIND Server with the Code, you Could be in for a World of Hurt. Your Website Might Now Have a Security Hole on it. It's also All Too Possible that, it Could be Used for a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack. Adding Insult to Injury, ISC Runs the F DNS Root Server. This is 1 of the 13 Root Servers that the Internet Relies upon for Global DNS Services. Before you Start Hyperventilating, it May Not be that Bad. Cyphort, an Internet Security Company, Reported that, they'd Told ISC that their Website had Malware on it on December 22nd. ISC's Main Site, which Used an Out of Date Version of WordPress, had, according to Cyphort had been Compromised to Point Visitors to the Websites Infected with Angler Exploit Kit. Fortunately, for the Internet, if Not Windows Users, Angler is a Windows Specific Malware Package. On the Other Hand, while ISC's DNS Code and DNS Servers are on Separate Servers from the Front-End WordPress Driven Website, Where there's' been One Security Compromise, there Might Have been Other, More Critical Ones.


For Now, there are No such Reports on the BIND Announcement or BIND-User Mailing Lists. On the Static Page, that Now Greets you on the ISC Site, ISC Recommends that, Anyone Who's Visited the Website Recently "scan any machine that has accessed this site recently for malware". In a Separate Issue, on December 9, Carnegie Mellon University's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has Reported that, there is a New DNS Vulnerability by which Recursive DNS Resolvers Can be Knocked Out of Service by an Infinite Chain of Referrals if Provoked a Malicious DNS Authoritative Server. This Problem has been Fixed so, you'll Need to Update BIND. So, it Looks Like the Chances are that, ISC's Problem is Limited to Windows PC Malware and it Hasn't Effected BIND or ISC's DNS Site. But, do you Really Want to Take that Chance ? I Didn't Think so. Start Checking your Sites for Malware Now and Looking at your DNS Logs for Suspicious Activity. That's What I'm Doing Now. Lucky us.




Info Sources:

https://www.isc.org

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/5/html/Deployment_Guide/ch-bind.html

http://www.cyphort.com/isc-org-infected

http://www.symantec.com/security_response/attacksignatures/detail.jsp?asid=26992

https://lists.isc.org/pipermail/bind-announce/2014-December/thread.html

https://lists.isc.org/pipermail/bind-users/2014-December/thread.html

http://www.cert.org

http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/264212



Facebook Says, it "Can Do Better" with its "Year in Review" Slideshows

Facebook Inadvertently Opened a Lot of Old Wounds with its Automated "Year in Review" Slideshow Feature. While it was Meant to Highlight People's Favourite Moments, it also Reminded Many of Deaths, Divorces and Other Tragedies that they Tried to Leave in the Past. The Company is Clearly Ready to Own Up to its Mistake, though. Product Manager, Jonathan Gheller, has Apologized to Eric Meyer (Whose Story about his Daughter's Death Drew Attention to the Problem) for the Insensitivity and Declared that, the "Year in Review" Team "can do better" in the Future. While it's Not Clear What those Changes will Involve, The Guardian Notes that, Facebook has already Changed the Ending of the Slideshow from "it's been a great year" to "see you next year" to Avoid Making Presumptions. For his Part, Meyer is Quick to Note that, Facebook Isn't the Only One Making Gaffes like this. As he Puts it, Web Designs Seldom Account for "worst-case scenarios" in People's Lives. They Frequently Assume that, you're Sharing Good News, or that you Want to Relive Every Memory. Developers Aren't Intentionally Cruel, Meyer Says but, they Need to be Aware that, they Could Potentially Exacerbate Someone's Suffering When they Highlight Content. Facebook is just Learning that Lesson the Hard Way Possible.




Info Sources:

http://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2014/12/27/well-that-escalated-quickly

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/12/26/facebooks-year-in-review-app-swings-from-merely-annoying-to-tragic

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/29/facebook-apologises-over-cruel-year-in-review-clips



VIDEO: "Halo 5: Guardians" Multiplayer Beta Available Now




Did you Buy November's Halo: The Master Chief Collection ? If so, Beginning Now, you Can Start Playing the Multiplayer Beta for 2015 XBox One Game, "Halo 5: Guardians". The Beta will be Available to Download Starting at 9 A.M. Pacific / 12 Noon Eastern of Yesterday, according to a Tweet from the Official Halo Twitter Account. Though the Halo 5 Beta Doesn't Officially Become Available until Later Today, Some Fans on Reddit Have Discovered a Workaround that, they Say, Lets you Get in Right Now. Just Access the Halo Channel, Watch All the Halo: Nightfall Episodes (you Can Fast-Forward) and then Select a Nightfall Armor Reward for Halo 5, which will then Reportedly Take you to a Download Store Where Halo 5's Beta is Available. The Halo 5 Beta was Previously Available Only for XBox One Preview Program Members. Being a Member of that Program (which is Invite-Only) or Owning a Copy of The Master Chief Collection are the Only 2 Ways to Get into the Halo 5 Beta as of Right Now. The 3-Week Trial Runs through January 18.




Info Sources:

https://twitter.com/Halo/status/549448936541278208

https://www.reddit.com/r/halo/comments/2qmu15/how_to_install_the_halo_5_beta_right_now


Here's Almost 1-Hour of Gameplay Demonstration of the "Halo 5: Guardians" Beta in Action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_9T1ILYYJk


Oculus VR CTO John Carmack: The Extended Q&A


It’s been a Banner Year for Oculus VR, Thanks to Facebook’s $2 Billion Acquisition of the Virtual-Reality Company. Chief Technology Officer, John Carmack, Best Known for Programming the Iconic VideoGames, DOOM and QUAKE, Joined just in Time for the Rush. Fortune Spoke to him about What’s Next for the Immersive Technology.




"What separates virtual-reality technology today from VR in the past ?

In the past there were smaller niche companies, research companies, or military projects, and none of them got it right. Everybody was doing small incremental improvements on the previous formfactor and design, which just wasn’t right. And they didn’t notice that you can make it something that the mass market could enjoy. Oculus really started popularizing a new approach using cellphone screen technology, a wide field of view, and super-low-latency sensor tracking. It’s not crappy stuff that doesn’t work and makes everybody sick. When you experience Oculus technology, it’s like getting religion on contact. People that try it walk out a believer.


What excites you about mobile VR ?

The magic of a completely portable and wireless VR headset is easy to under-estimate until you have experienced it. We don’t have the raw horsepower of a high-end gaming PC yet, but there are valuable compensations that make it a very interesting trade-off. And many developers will thrive on the platform, especially as it improves at the rapid pace of the mobile ecosystem.
At its very core, virtual reality is about being freed from the limitations of actual reality. Carrying your virtual reality with you, and being able to jump into it whenever and wherever you want, qualitatively changes the experience for the better. Experiencing mobile VR is like when you first tried a decent desktop VR experience. There is a sense that you are glimpsing something from the future. This is science fiction made real, and it’s only just the beginning.


What has surprised you about the types of VR games developers are making ?

Everybody just assumed that first-person shooters were going to be the big thing in VR because [Doom 3 BFG Edition] was the initial demo. But very quickly Oculus learned about the issues with simulator sickness. Comfortable VR experiences had to be these seated cockpit games and you’re diverging from that at your own risk. The great games are the space sims and driving sims and these experiences where you’re basically sitting at a table with nothing happening in front of you. A lot of interesting things are evolving there. There are great games that can be made. One of the fun things about mobile VR is that without cables tethering you to your PC, you are completely free to sit in a swivel chair and turn around every direction. You can have these navigating experiences where you’re walking around areas. As long as you’re turning in real life and only going forward, VR works as a comfortable experience. It’s still not as comfortable as not moving at all, but it works and you can do it for long periods of time. But the entire development community has migrated away from that because of best practices on the PC. So I am excited to see some people migrate back to that and make some of the exploratory VR things that are very much designed to be played in mobile where you have the freedom to rotate around in the real world.


What are the nonentertainment opportunities you see in virtual reality ?

The stereoscopic panoramic videos that we’re showing on Samsung VR are getting a lot of positive traction. It’s exciting when you see creative types—whether from the music, film, or video industries—look at this stuff. The gears are turning in their head almost immediately about how they can use it as a new medium. Part of it is that built-in game-engine technology for the position tracking. But there is also the interesting push for building panoramic content and even augmenting existing content. One of the big things that DreamWorks showed at the Samsung event [in Berlin, Germany] was a traditional movie playing on a screen, which normally would be boring. But they had this animated game engine going on around it, so you had this environment where the characters from the animated movie are waving at you or responding to what’s going on in the movie. That’s another really interesting way that you could have game technology merging with traditional media.


How do you see mobile VR becoming part of people’s lives ?

We can’t really say how people are going to wind up using mobile VR. The experience we have so far with people sitting at their PCs and playing games requires a very conscious action to set aside some time to do that. Mobile VR should be much like mobile [devices] in that case, where you can carry it around with you with a tablet and, at some random time when you have some time to kill, you can jump into VR. In fact, that’s what I was doing [in Berlin] at the Samsung event. I was sitting in the “ready” room. I thought, “Well, I have the VR headset here. I’m just going to sit here and play it for a while.” It was filling the time, which is the niche that a tablet or mobile device would have—but with the VR experience.


What are the challenges that remain for mobile VR ?

The only significant issue we’re facing right now with mobile devices is not peak hours, but how long they can sustain VR running at large fractions of that power. While we will continue to need mobile systems that get faster and faster with more and more cores and wider and wider GPUs. It’s fine right now if you want the short 15-minute experiences that offer a lot of interesting stuff. But looking ahead, we want people to be in VR for hours at a time. There are some significant challenges that we have to face there.


What impact will Samsung’s entry into VR have on the industry ?

One of the things that makes me most excited about the mobile deal and partnership with Samsung [In September, the companies announced the jointly-developed Samsung Gear VR —Ed.] is the pace of advancement that goes on in this space. It forces Oculus to work very hard to schedule these multiple-time hardware releases, so the pressure of the mobile ecosystem is a really great thing. The power of these mobile systems is really impressive when you look at the spec sheet on paper, but one thing that I did not have a good appreciation of a year ago was how important the power and thermal issues are with 2.5 GHz processors and really fast GPUs."



"USBdriveby" Emulates Mouse and Keyboard to Hijack Computers

A $20 USB Microcontroller that Someone Can Wear Around their Neck, Can be Used to Weaponize Mouse Clicks and Keyboard Actions in an Effort to Install Backdoors, Evade Firewalls and Modify DNS Settings in a Matter of Seconds, a Researcher has Demonstrated. Security Researcher, Samy Kamkar, has Taken a Teensy 3.1 USB-Based Microcontroller and Fitted it with Software that Can Emulate a Mouse and a Keyboard When Connected to a Computer. The Gadget Dubbed, "USBdriveby", Leverages the Fact that, Many Systems Blindly Trust USB Devices Connected to them. Once it's Plugged in to a Machine, "USBdriveby" Immediately Starts Performing Mouse and Keyboard Actions, which Allows it to Carry Out a Wide Range of Tasks, such as Opening a Backdoor, Disabling the Firewall and Controlling Traffic Flow by Changing DNS Settings.


After the Device is Disconnected, the Attacker has Full Access to the Targeted Computer. "When you normally plug in a mouse or keyboard into a machine, no authorization is required to begin using them", the Researcher Explained. "The devices can simply begin typing and clicking. We exploit this fact by sending arbitrary keystrokes meant to launch specific applications (via Spotlight / Alfred / Quicksilver), permanently evade a local firewall (Little Snitch), install a reverse shell in crontab and even modify DNS settings without any additional permissions." Kamkar's Example Targets an OS X Device but, the Expert Says the Attack Works just as Well on Machines Running Windows and Unix-Like Operating Systems. The Source Code for the Microcontroller and the Various Operations Performed by "USBdriveby" has been Made Available. These Types of Attacks are Not New and there's Reason to Believe that, the NSA has Already been Using such Devices in its Operations.


Earlier this Year, at the Black Hat Security Conference, Researchers at Germany-Based SRLabs Demonstrated that a USB Device's Firmware Can be Reprogrammed for Malicious Purposes. They Called the Attack, "BadUSB". The Methods Developed by SRLabs are More Sophisticated than the Ones Used for "USBdriveby" but, the German Researchers Hadn't Released the Source Code for their Modified USB Controller Firmware. In September, Researchers, Adam Caudill and Brandon Wilson, Released "BadUSB" Source Code after a Presentation at the DerbyCon Security Conference. They Argued that, the Code had to be Made Public so that, People Can Learn How to Protect Themselves against such Attacks. However, "USBdriveby" is Different from "BadUSB" and Other Similar Devices, such as USB Rubber Ducky, because it also Emulates a Mouse, Not just a Keyboard. The "USBdriveby" Code is Available for Both Teensy and Arduino Microcontrollers. However, Kamkar has Pointed Out that, Some Arduino Controllers, such as Arduino Nano, Aren't Capable of Emulating a USB Keyboard or Mouse. "USBdriveby" is Not Kamkar's 1st Interesting Project. One Year Ago, he Developed a Drone that could Autonomously Seek Out, Hack and Take Over Nearby Drones.




Info Sources:

http://samy.pl/usbdriveby

https://www.aclu.org/files/natsec/nsa/20140130/NSA%27s%20Spy%20Catalogue.pdf

http://samy.pl/skyjack



Russian Hackers Stole Millions from Banks, ATMs

Tens of Millions of Dollars, Credit Cards and Intellectual Property was Stolen by a New Group of Cyber Criminals. Group-IB and Fox-IT, in a Joint Research Effort, Have Released a Report about the Anunak Hackers Group (PDF). This Group has been Involved in Targeted Attacks and Espionage since 2013. Anunak Targets Banks and Payment Systems in Russia and CIS Countries. In Europe, the U.S., and Latin America, Criminals were Mainly Focusing on Retail Networks as well as Mass Media Resources. Anunak is Unique in that, it Aims to Target Banks and e-Payment Systems. The Goal is to Get into Bank Networks and Gain Access to Secured Payment Systems. As a Result, the Money is Stolen Not from the Customers but, from the Bank itself. If they Manage to Infect Governmental Networks, they Use the Infrastructure for Espionage.




Info Sources:

https://www.fox-it.com/en/files/2014/12/Anunak_APT-against-financial-institutions2.pdf

http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=17781



"More And More Consumers Skipping TV, Going Broadband Only", Says Marchex Director

The Number of Consumers that are Skipping Cable TV and Only Ordering Broadband Services from their ISP is Accelerating, according to a New Study by Marchex. In a Survey of 500 Customers of Large ISPs, the Company Found that, 27% are Now Ordering just Broadband from their Provider, while just 22% Now Order just Television Services. Sports -- Specifically and especially ESPN -- Continues to be the Biggest Thing Keeping Consumers from Cutting the Cord. 40% Ask their Provider about Only Buying for Specific Channels, Suggesting that, the Interest in a la Carte Remains Strong. The Survey also Notes that, Consumers are Unsurprisingly Interested in High-Value Promotional Bundles but, are Increasingly Turned Off by Long-Term Contracts. "Cable companies are coming face-to-face with the threat of disruption. Our data shows that providers need to start addressing pressing consumer demands; otherwise, they risk losing real market share when people decide to cut the cord for good", Stated Marchex Director of Analytics for Marchex.




Info Source:

http://investors.marchex.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=175199&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1996783



"CONSORTIUM: The Tower Prophecy" Announced by Interdimensional Games

Interdimensional Games Announced "CONSORTIUM: The Tower Prophecy", a Sequel to CONSORTIUM, Saying Both are Part of What will Ultimately be a Trilogy of Tower Defense Games. Like the 1st CONSORTIUM, the Sequel will be Crowd-Funded, as they Say we Should Expect a Kickstarter at Some Point After 2015. "We have taken all of the awesome feedback we've received from CONSORTIUM players over the past year and applying it directly to the design of the sequel", Says iDGi Founder, Gregory MacMartin. "The Tower Prophecy is designed to be a stand-alone experience that will not require the first game to fully enjoy. However, for players that finished CONSORTIUM, all of their universe statistics, decisions and inventory will carry over and heavily influence how The Tower Prophecy plays out."




Here's Word on the Game:


"CONSORTIUM: The Tower Prophecy" takes place on December 21st, 2042 in the heart of downtown London. Civilian hostages have been taken by terrorists with a dubious agenda in the Churchill Tower, a thousand meter high skyscraper built over the River Thames. Bishop Six (the player) has been tasked with skydiving in from the Consortium command vessel ZENLIL above the clouds and rescuing the hostages. Players will soon begin to realize that nothing about the mission or the situation is what it seems..."




Visit the Official Website for the Game, here:

http://thetowerprophecy.com



"Killing Floor 2" Video Dev Diary




Tripwire Interactive Now Offers a New Video Developer Diary that's Part 1 of a 3-Part Series on the Weapons and Perks in their upcoming FPS Sequel, "Killing Floor 2". In the Videoclip they Discuss their Focus on the Weapons in the Game, Noting that, they're Sacrificing Some of their Usual Focus on Fidelity for Things that Involve a Little More Imagination.




Here's a Bit:


"Known for having high-quality, realistic guns in their games, the Tripwire Interactive team are no strangers when it comes to packing their virtual armory with weapons of all types. In this brand new developer diary installment, Weapons and Perks: Part 1, the team gives an inside look at what it takes to push the weapons and perk systems to the next level in KILLING FLOOR 2. The sky’s the limit when it comes to the new and exciting tools that players will have at their fingertips to kill hordes of the deadly zeds. Whether it is traditional weaponry, sci-fi-themed armaments or even post-apocalyptic hybrid arms, KILLING FLOOR 2 will continue to expand upon its already vast arsenal, while keeping fan-favorites from the first title when the game releases next year."




Here's the Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBajbC3_5Zw


Info Source:

http://www.tripwireinteractive.com/news/killing-floor-2-dev-diaries-3-weapons-perks-part-1!.aspx


4K PC "Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes" Ships on Steam

Konami Digital Entertainment Announced the Release of the Windows PC Edition of "Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes", which Contains a Number of Visual Enhancements Compared with the Original Version of the Stealth / Action Game.




Word Goes as this:


"The PC edition of METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES marks the first use of 4K compatibility in the METAL GEAR SOLID series, boasting an increase in the number of simultaneous light sources, the number of models that can be displayed on-screen and increased shadow resolution."


Here's the Description of the Game:


"METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES takes place in 1975 and sets in motion a series of events that culminate in the stunning plot lines of the upcoming METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN. GROUND ZEROES stars Big Boss - legendary hero and mercenary - as he infiltrates a sprawling secret prison base called ‘Camp Omega’ in Cuba on a rescue mission. He soon finds himself alone behind enemy lines, in a truly non-linear mission that showcases key advances to the series made possible by the use of Kojima Productions’ FOX Engine. METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES is centered on a large open environment, with missions where time of day and weather cause a dynamic effect on the game and its content. The game offers total freedom of movement within its missions by allowing users to choose how they engage guards, what routes they traverse and who they rescue. As such, the game offers incredible replay value, encouraging players to revisit its content in order to find more secrets. Furthermore, the game features an online global ranking system where players can compete in unique in-game and mission challenges, as well as achievements to see how they compare against others around the world."



"Half-Life 3" Confirmed by Gabe Newell in Hiatus; Not Coming Soon

There’s Hardly a Name in Gaming that Generates More Hype with its Mere Mention than that of “Half-Life 3” and the Day When VALVe Officially Announce that the Game is Coming, will Likely See the Internet Coming to a Halt from All the Traffic Generated as a Result. Until then though, Speculation is All Gamers Have – and they’ve Certainly been Quite Active with it too. And Now, it Seems that, those Rumors May Finally be Put to Rest for a While – Gabe Newell, VALVe’s Co-Founder, has just Broken the Silence and Acknowledged the Game. However, it Wasn’t in the Way Most Gamers were Hoping for. As Usual in Interviews with Gabe, he was Asked about the Current Status of “Half-Life 3” – and while this was Previously Met with Attempts to Dodge the Question, this Time Gabe Directly Admitted that, the Game Isn’t Happening Anytime Soon, because it’s Not Even in Development at the Moment.


While this Might be a Huge Disappointment to Anyone Who’s been Waiting for the Next Installment in the Epic “Half-Life” Series, Gabe did State that, the Company Acknowledges the Enormous Fan Interest in the Title and they Haven’t Completely Scrapped the Idea – it’s just been Put on Hold for Now. That’s Not actually so Surprising though. There has been a Lot of Speculation about the Game’s Future, with Many Fans Believing that VALVe May Not Want to Release it Anytime Soon – or at All. The Problem is that “Half-Life 3” is Easily the Single Most Hyped Game in the Entire History of Gaming, arguably Surpassing even Duke Nukem Forever (Partly because, the Latter Game eventually Came Out After All). According to Some Fans, at this Point, No Matter What VALVe Release, it will Never Live Up to the Expectations Everyone has. On the Other Hand, it would Certainly be Disappointing for “Half-Life” to Die Out just because, VALVe are Afraid that, they’ll Never be Able to Pull it Off Properly.


There are Fans of the Opinion that, it’s Better to Release the Game and Conclude the Plotline Once and for All, than to Keep it in Limbo Forever. VALVe Have a Lot on their Plate Right Now Anyway, with Multiple Projects Rumored to be Underway – and Given the Company’s Small Size, they probably Couldn’t Devote Much Effort to “Half-Life 3” Even if they Wanted to. So, with this in Mind, it really does Seem like the New “Half-Life” is still a Long Time Away, if it’s Ever Coming at All and Fans should Focus their Energy and Attention on Something Else. There are Always Fan-Made Mods to Fill Up the Void, if Nothing Else Works Out in the Long Run.



segunda-feira, 29 de dezembro de 2014

Xiaomi Has Sold Over 1 Million Android Smartphones in India

Even though Xiaomi has Only been Selling Android-Powered Smartphones in India for Only 6 Months, the Chinese Smartphone Manufacturer has Sold over 1 Million Handsets in that Time. Up until Recently, Xiaomi had just 3 Devices for Sale in India; the Xiaomi Mi 3, Xiaomi Redmi 1S and the Xiaomi Redmi Note. The Company was Slapped with a Sales Ban in India, Earlier this Month, with Ericsson Claiming that, its Smartphones Violated Several of their Patents. The Sales Ban will Affect Xiaomi until February 5, 2015. Xiaomi Got an Indian Court, to Allow them to Sell Smartphones that are Powered by Qualcomm Processors, which Lasts until January 8th. This Allowed the Company to Sell Only One of their Handsets, the Redmi 1S. The Redmi Note 4G Goes on Sale in the Country Next Week.



VIDEO: Watch QUAKE Being Played on an Oscilloscope




What is Considered by Some to be the 1st VideoGame — Tennis For Two — was Played on an Oscilloscope at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1958. 56 Years Later, Oscilloscopes Can still Play VideoGames — in this Case, QUAKE. Finnish Modder, Pekka Väänänen Got QUAKE, the 1996 Landmark of PC Gaming, to Run on a Huawei V-422 Oscilloscope. You Can Watch it in the Video below, which Shows a Playthrough of QUAKE's 1st Level. Oscilloscopes Measure Electrical Signals so, the Video Output here is Some Kind of Weird Cross between Vector Graphics and a Pink Floyd Laser Show from 1983. It's Not the Only Piece of Highly Specialized Scientific Equipment to Run VideoGames, either.




A More Detailed Technical Report on How this All Works, May be Read, here:

http://www.lofibucket.com/articles/oscilloscope_quake.html


Info Sources:

http://kotaku.com/quake-running-on-an-oscilloscope-1675969720

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMli33ornEU