Web Watch
June 20, 2013 in Internet, Linux, Software, Web Watch by
Despite the promise of portability from service providers, the reality of the cloud for big customers is a similar type of lock-in as they experience with on-premise apps vendors such as Oracle and SAP, two CIOs said Tuesday.
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June 20, 2013 in Internet, Linux, Software, Web Watch by
Taiwan’s HTC has unveiled an updated version of its 5-inch Butterfly smartphone that comes equipped with a bigger battery, more powerful processor and the company’s BlinkFeed homescreen.
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June 20, 2013 in Internet, Linux, Software, Web Watch by
With more than a billion monthly active users, it’s easy to imagine that most of the data travelling over Facebook’s networks is delivering photos, status updates and “likes” to its end users, but that’s far from the case.
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June 20, 2013 in Internet, Linux, Software, Web Watch by
Twitter has bought Spindle, a search technology company that informs users about what’s happening with local businesses and organizations around them.
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June 20, 2013 in Internet, Linux, Software, Web Watch by
A previously misunderstood magnetic phenomenon has been apparently explained by a paper published on Sunday in Nature Materials – and the explanation could lead to wholesale transformation in magnetic storage.
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June 20, 2013 in Gadget, Internet, Software, Web Watch by
Earlier this afternoon, Microsoft surprised the tech world by reversing its stance on some Xbox One policies that had angered many gamers for the past few weeks and gave Sony firepower to poke fun at its rival.
Now, you won’t need to connect to the Internet once every 24 hours like Microsoft originally planned. Nor will there be any restrictions on sharing, trading or renting games.
People are sounding off left and right with their opinions, so we thought we’d fire up a poll to see if the new changes are enough to want an Xbox One. Or, on the flipside, maybe you liked the original policies are are pissed with today’s news.
If you have an opinion that doesn’t quite resonate with the poll answers, feel free to sound off in the comments.
Take Our Poll
Reach staff reporter Taylor Soper at taylor@geekwire.com or on Twitter @Taylor_Soper. Follow us on Twitter @GeekWire.
June 20, 2013 in Gadget, Internet, Software, Web Watch by
You complained, and Microsoft listened.
In an incredible turn of events, Microsoft has changed its mind on a handful of the Xbox One policies that had many gamers up in arms.
Don Mattrick, the president of the company’s Interactive Entertainment Business, just wrote a blog post detailing the huge changes, which are also reflected in the updated Xbox One Q&A.
“Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback,” Mattrick wrote. “I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.”
Among the changes:
The console does not have to connect to the Internet every 24 hours
Internet connection is only required when first setting up the console
Whether you’re online or offline, all downloaded games will function the same
No additional restrictions on trading games or loaning discs — you can share and rent Xbox One games just like you can with Xbox 360 games
No more regional restrictions
Microsoft had taken some heat for requiring the console to be connected to the Internet all the time, including some harsh words from very angry military personel. Mattrick actually said last week that those who do not have Internet should stick with the Xbox 360. Microsoft last week launched a refreshed Xbox 360 and plans to continue supporting the console.
Advantages of that approach included the ability to play games via the cloud, for example when logging into your Xbox Live account at a friend’s house. It appeared that the company was going to continue demonstrating the value of the approach to win over hard-core gamers for Xbox One, but now they’ve reversed their decision.
Microsoft and Sony just wrapped up a week at the big E3 conference, with much of the attention on console price ($499 for the Xbox One vs. $399 for the Playstation 4), the Xbox One’s restrictions on video game sharing, and its requirement for regular Internet connectivity. While Microsoft spent time defending itself on the big Xbox One changes, Sony landed a series of statements (and jokes) designed to point out where its PlayStation 4 differs from Microsoft’s new console.
Here’s Mattrick’s post in full:
Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.
For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.
Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games– After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console — there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.
We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.
Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.
Previously on GeekWire: Microsoft says you can tether your phone for Xbox One check-ins
Reach staff reporter Taylor Soper at taylor@geekwire.com or on Twitter @Taylor_Soper. Follow us on Twitter @GeekWire.
June 20, 2013 in Gadget, Internet, Software, Web Watch by
Calling all hackers: Microsoft wants your help and will pay you some big bucks for it.
Starting June 26, the Redmond software giant today will debut three “bug bounty” programs that encourage computer engineers to help the company keep its products safe from a security standpoint both before and after launch.
The “Mitigation Bypass Bounty,” will award $100,000 to those who can expose security issues in Windows 8.1 Preview, the latest version of the Windows operating system to be unveiled also on June 26. The company is offering an additional $50,000 for the “BlueHat Bonus for Defense” program, which awards those who can demonstrate defensive techniques to block what the hacker uncovers in the “Mitigation Bypass Bounty” program.
So to recap: If you can find a bug in Windows 8.1 and offer a nice defense mechanism, $150,000 could show up in your bank account. Not bad, eh?
There’s also an $11,000 reward for those who can pinpoint cracks in the Internet Explorer 11 Preview. But this program, unlike the other two, has a deadline of July 26 so that Microsoft can catch any bugs during the beta stage of IE 11.
Microsoft previously offered a one-time $250,000 BlueHat prize contest, but the new programs are the company’s first that are ongoing. The reward systems are also some of the most generous among big tech companies like Google, Facebook and Mozilla.
Hackers as young as 14 can sign up, though minors need permission from their parents. Residents of countries under U.S. sanctions like Cuba and North Korea are banned from the program.
Microsoft penned this blog post that provides more details about the new program.
Reach staff reporter Taylor Soper at taylor@geekwire.com or on Twitter @Taylor_Soper. Follow us on Twitter @GeekWire.
June 20, 2013 in Gadget, Internet, Software, Web Watch by
As Microsoft continues to try and get Surface tablets in the hands of educators and students, Apple has just landed a contract with the second-largest public school system in the country.
The Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education approved a $30 million contract with Apple Wednesday night. Under the terms of the contract, Apple will provide iPads priced at $678 and pre-loaded with educational software to its schools as a part of a pilot program. If the program is successful, the district would move towards acquiring iPads for all of its enrolled students in the next few years.
According to the LA Times, Robyn Hines, a Senior Director of State Government Affairs at Microsoft, said at the meeting that the board should consider other tablets as a part of the pilot program, noting Microsoft’s market share among businesses, and the potential for the district to miss innovations from other products.
That argument didn’t sway the board, which voted 6-0 in favor of the contract.
Blair Hanley Frank is a technology journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also worked for Macworld, PCWorld and TechHive. He can be found on Twitter @belril.
June 20, 2013 in Gadget, Internet, Software, Web Watch by
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen
Slowly but surely, Adobe’s Creative Cloud is gathering steam.
The company says the subscription-based replacement to its Creative Suite now has 700,000 subscribers, up from 479,000 in the first quarter of 2013. As Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen told CNet, that’s ahead of their expectations.
“The results overall say we’re ahead of where we thought we would be when started the move to the Creative Cloud,” he said. “If I look at the key goals we had of trying to move to the cloud, to be able to attract new customers, we’re certainly attracting new customers as a result of the affordable pricing.”
Whether or not the cloud holds the way forward is another question. The Creative Cloud service is divisive, to say the least. An individual subscription to the full Creative Cloud (which includes the products in CS6) costs $50 a month with a full-year commitment. An individual application like Photoshop or Flash costs $20 per month. That means even if you aren’t using Adobe’s products in a given month, you’re still paying for it.
In addition, it’s not possible to get files out of the cloud once your subscription has expired, though Adobe has said they are looking into changing that restriction in the future.
Those factors combined have left a sour taste in many users’ mouths. A CNet survey revealed that 76 percent of Creative Suite 6 users polled said they would not upgrade to Creative Cloud, and would instead remain on CS6.
Narayen has been trying to counteract that sentiment. In his interview with CNet, he stressed the advantages with moving to the cloud, citing an ability to push out improvements ahead of a traditional product cycle and leverage cloud computing to speed up certain tasks. In addition, Narayen said that a wide cross-section of Adobe’s customer base had made the jump from boxed product to subscription.
But even as customers revolt, Narayen says that the company doesn’t want to leave anyone behind.
“Every customer is a customer we want to make the journey with us,” he told CNet. “We will work hard to demonstrate why the innovation is the better accomplished through the Creative Cloud.”
According to Mashable, Narayen is optimistic about the Creative Cloud’s chances, saying: “A few years from now, people will say, ‘How could I even imagine a Photoshop that was not connected to the cloud?’”
Blair Hanley Frank is a technology journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has also worked for Macworld, PCWorld and TechHive. He can be found on Twitter @belril.
