Latest News - Page 2669

Google has updated Hangouts for iOS, with a new-look user interface, increased performance and more. Google has even included a refreshed dialer, which is a nice touch.

The new Hangouts for iOS app includes a new quick compose button that lets you get to new messages even quicker than before, as well as providing access to images from your iPhone gallery, camera or emoji library. This lets Hangouts for iOS users send all sorts of pictures to their friends through Hangouts.

Google has also baked in some performance improvements, the usual bug fixes, and more. The new Hangouts for iOS is available on the iTunes Store, and will be made available for Android in the very near future.

Nintendo hasn't had the best run with the Wii U, with Nintendo's legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto talking with Fortune recently, where he had some interesting things to say.

There have only been 9.54 million units sold, making the Wii U the slowest-selling Nintendo console of all time. During his interview with Fortune, Miyamoto said: "I feel like people never really understood the concept behind Wii U and what we were trying to do. I think the assumption is we were trying to create a game machine and a tablet and really what we were trying to do was create a game system that gave you tablet-like functionality for controlling that system and give you two screens that would allow different people in the living room to play in different ways".

It was all bad timing with the tablet-like controller with the Wii U, where Miyamoto added: "Unfortunately, because tablets, at the time, were adding more and more functionality and becoming more and more prominent, this system and this approach didn't mesh well with the period in which we released it. I still feel it was a very novel approach - and a very interesting idea".

The public launch of Apple Music is just hours away, and it looks like Apple will once again carry the entire weight of the music industry. Years ago, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) received help from iTunes at a time when music listeners were fully embracing illegal file sharing - and it seems like it could be up to Apple once again.

There is a new fight, one which the RIAA is struggling with, as more music listeners turn to online streaming services while listening to music. Millions of people use legal services such as Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music, but don't pay.

After a free three-month trial period, users will be forced to pay $9.99 per month for Apple Music - or find a different service.

Gamers have patiently waited for The Last Guardian for a long time, after the game was originally announced during E3 2009 for the PlayStation 3.

However, it was a general relief to be able to show the game off during E3 2015 and promise a 2016 ship date to gamers.

"Last night was, but now the reality settles in. We have to deliver, we have extra pressure, and the team has too, but it's a good pressure. The team is super happy," said Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony's Worldwide Studios at Sony Computer Entertainment, in a statement to GamesIndustry.

Sony isn't interested in directly offering backward compatibility so PlayStation 4 gamers can play their PlayStation 3 titles on the new generation console. However, Sony wants gamers to check out the PlayStation Now streaming subscription service that provides access to hundreds of PS3 games.

There are some PS4 gamers and media members that think Sony should investigate rolling out a backward compatibility feature for the PS4 - just to make gamers happy. Sony has worked hard to create a good gaming ecosystem, trying to keep sometimes fickle fans happy.

If it doesn't offer backward compatibility, Sony runs the risk of leaving gamers disappointed, though with other methods to play PS3 titles - for free or paid rental - I think the Japanese electronics company has done enough already.

We're only a couple of weeks into the Radeon R9 Fury X being on the market, but buyout rumors continue to flow onto the Internet, with Microsoft now reportedly interested in acquiring AMD.

KitGuru is reporting from their sources that Microsoft is interested in acquiring AMD, which would make sense. But, remember that Microsoft has a very tight relationship with Intel when it comes to their products and Windows. Microsoft also maintains a very close relationship with AMD, as their Xbox One is powered by an APU made by AMD.

Microsoft has a huge $95.3 billion in cash, so it wouldn't take much to buy AMD at their market cap of $1.81 billion right now. If you consider the current value of AMD right now, it is three times less than what AMD paid for ATI Technologies back in 2008. With analysts estimating that Microsoft pays around $100 per APU to AMD for its Xbox One, Microsoft has already shelled out $1.26 billion or so to AMD with its 12.6 million Xbox One units sold.

The creator of Mario, The Legend of Zelda and other popular game titles, Shigeru Miyamoto, is focused more on new video game development instead of the Nintendo NX.

Miyamoto is more of a software and gaming guy, but has contributed input regarding previous Nintendo hardware platforms - but seems more interested in just watching the hardware develop, and make sure future titles are able to run well on NX.

"I've pulled myself back out of some of the hardware section and I'm really focused on some of the software I'm involved in- for example, the new Starfox game," Miyamoto recently said to Forbes. "Of course, I am observing and looking at the hardware, but I am not actively participating and making decisions."

Elon Musk gets a lot of attention for his work as CEO of Tesla, but it would seem that SpaceX, his space company, holds true potential for human greatness. The company isn't designed to cater rich tourists into space, and Musk would rather launch satellites and ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.

NASA and other space programs hope to launch future missions to Mars, including a possible manned mission to the Red Planet. It seems that thought isn't necessarily lost on SpaceX, which continues to develop space rockets:

"I know for a fact that the guys within SpaceX already have a design for the engines and the rocket that would get to Mars," said Ashlee Vance, biographer of Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, in a statement to National Geographic. "Knowing the caliber of talent there, I trust that that part is feasible if not profitable. The colonizing part? That's still an enormous question."

It seems like gamers are interested in Steam machines, as Valve has sold out of "get it early" Steam Machines. The preorder allows gamers to get a Steam Machine one month earlier than the general public.

The Steam Machine runs the SteamOS, a customized version of Linux. Valve is working with Alienware, Syber and other third-party hardware OEMs so gamers will be able to enjoy a comfortable gaming experience. The hardware ranges in price from about $450 up to $1,500, and gamers still have plenty of questions regarding Steam Machines and SteamOS.

The "Get it Eary" Steam Machines sold out in less than one month. It's unknown how many units actually have been preordered, and if this is just a clever marketing ploy from Valve. If you missed out on the Steam Machine, it's still possible to reserve a Steam Controller, Steam Link, or Alienware Steam product.

Even though Nintendo is fully looking towards the future with its upcoming NX console, that doesn't mean it is going to just abandon 3DS and Wii U owners. Instead, new game titles and software updates will be made available for both systems, even while the company works on new technology.

"However, the 3DS and Wii U have install bases. Immediately cutting off software for previous hardware upon the release of a new machine is inefficient. We will continue making 3DS and Wii U software while preparing for the NX," said Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo, while speaking to investors. "We are prioritizing satisfying customers who purchased the Wii U."

Details about the NX won't be released by Nintendo until 2016, even though gamers were hoping to learn more during E3. It's reportedly going to be a "new concept" from the Japanese gaming company, and shouldn't be considered an outright replacement for the Wii U.

Researchers have a strong curiosity about the red planet of Mars, and a manned mission one day seems like a possibility. However, the spacesuits used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station would need to be replaced with newer generation spacesuits, and some type of flexible spacesuit would be ideal.

The suits designed for space today must take into consideration an astronaut's ability to complete work in microgravity. The lower half of the suit is extremely stiff and makes moving around more naturally difficult - but increased mobility would be required for future space missions.

Astronauts must be able to twist, bend, and move around easily, especially if they needed to take soil samples or collect items from a foreign planet. A number of different prototype spacesuits are currently in development - and some are being tested - so there is hope that changes will be coming.

If you were looking forward to playing a map involving the Death Star in Star Wars: Battlefront, you may not be happy to hear what a DICE community manager recently said.

Electronic Arts previously said there would be no space maps or space-themed battles in the game, but it looks like the Death Star won't be included at all: "We will not offer a Death Star-based map," the manager said in a post on Reddit. "But stay tuned for details around the maps we will offer."

You'll be able to see some eye candy as Star Destroyers fly overhead, but it won't be possible to actually try to shoot them down.

Research teams from the University of Exeter and Cardiff University want to develop a video game that is able to actually help gamers by controlling our need for junk food.

To win the game, a player must press images of healthier food options instead of unhealthy snack foods. This game is said to help condition the players, so they will make similar food choices while raiding the refrigerator or rummaging through the food pantry.

"This research is still in its infancy and the effects are modest. Larger, registered trials with longer-term measures need to be conducted," said Dr. Natalia Lawrence, research team lead, in a public statement. "However, our findings suggest that this cognitive training approach is worth pursuing: it is free, easy to do and 88 percent of our participants said they would be happy to keep doing it and would recommend it to a friend. This opens up exciting possibilities for new behavior change interventions based on underlying psychological processes."

Call of Duty DLC previously launched first on the Microsoft Xbox platforms, but that has changed now that Sony PlayStation is the new "home" for CoD. PlayStation gamers can look forward to receiving Black Ops 3 DLC first, and the multiplayer beta will also hit the PlayStation before the PC and Xbox.

"Well, I think the first thing was we've had a great relationship with Activision around Destiny... and I'm a huge fan of that," said Adam Boyes, VP of publisher and developer relations for the Sony PlayStation, in a statement published by GameSpot.

Boyes said things started to come together after the PlayStation team tested Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. "We fell in love instantly. As soon as I started playing it, I said, 'This feels incredible! You can wallride!' It's just so smooth; it's almost like poetic. And so obviously, we just continued talking with our partners at Activision and worked something out. And now we've got I think a great benefit to all gamers."

HBO's decision to launch a standalone streaming service to desktop and mobile users seems like it was a brilliant move, as HBO Now was the top grossing app for Apple iOS in May, the App Annie research firm found.

App Annie hasn't finalized June app figures yet, but expect HBO Now to remain near the top once again.

HBO Now, which is $14.99 per month, was able to top Spotify, Hulu, and other subscription-based streaming services. Using your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device is the easiest way to watch premium content not attached to a cable or subscription plan.

Almost half of UK studios were focused on mobile game development in the UK in 2014, but is facing increased pressure from PC game developers. The mobile lead dropped from 49 percent to 48 percent year-over-year when comparing 2014 to 2013, while PCs increased from 34 percent up to 37 percent, according to the TIGA UK video game trade association.

Of course, PC game development includes retail and online PC games, social network games and MMOs - and the shift more towards PC could continue through this year.

"PC, in contrast, gained steam in 2014, with 37 percent of studios adopting it as their primary platform choice up from 34 percent in 2013," said Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO OF TIGA.

Political tensions between the United States and China have been strained for a number of reasons in recent months, and things won't suddenly get better. US intelligence chief James Clapper believes China is the leading suspect in the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, which left millions of government workers at risk of identity theft.

Here is what Clapper said while speaking at a recent Washington intelligence conference: "You have to kind of salute the Chinese for what they did," based on the sophistication of the data theft. The first two attacks stole more than 4 million records, and it's been reported that up to 18 million files could have been affected.

"It's something that we agreed needs to be addressed and hopefully it can be addressed soon," said John Kirby, US State Department spokesman, during a recent press conference.

We've been hearing about Nintendo's next generation 'NX console' for a while now, but the company hasn't laid out any details on NX at all. It has been a secret, known only as NX.

The Japanese gaming giant is being secretive about it as it doesn't want its competitors in Sony and Microsoft to steal any of its ideas. In a recent shareholders meeting, Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata said: "We can't talk about the NX. If we do, competitors may take our ideas and customers won't be surprised. This would not be beneficial for the company or its shareholders. The NX is new hardware, and will start from 0. However, the 3DS and Wii U have install bases. Immediately cutting off software for previous hardware upon the release of a new machine is inefficient. We will continue making 3DS and Wii software while preparing for the NX. We are prioritizing satisfying customers who purchased the Wii U".

We know to not expect anything from Nintendo on NX until 2016, but it looks like whatever the company is working on, we could hopefully be in for one of the most unique consoles released.

The US Army is helping fund a research project at the University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on developing intelligent robots that don't require extra sensors or software. The robot, which physically looks like a cockroach, is able to overcome obstacles on its own.

The ability to teach robots and AI to identify - and successfully navigate obstacles without human guidance - is a difficult task.

"The majority of robotics studies have been solving the problem of obstacles by avoiding them, which largely depends on using sensors to map out the environment and algorithms that plan a path to go around obstacles... however, when the terrain becomes densely cluttered, especially as gaps between obstacles become comparable or even smaller than robot size, this approach starts to run into problems as a clear path cannot be mapped," said Chen Li, lead author of the UC Berkeley research, in the Bioinspiration & Biomimetics journal.

Virtual reality was one of the most popular topics during E3 2015 earlier this month, but Nintendo isn't quite on the VR bandwagon. Although the company is paying attention to VR developments, it's seen as a technology that doesn't fall in line with Nintendo's current game production philosophy: be fun and social.

Microsoft and Sony appear to be fully onboard VR hardware support - and game development - hoping consumers are okay with wearables designed to enhance the gaming experience.

"The current types of virtual reality aren't really a good fit for Nintendo's philosophy of trying to create entertainment that people can play together in the living room," said Shigeru Miyamoto, game design legend behind Mario, told Yahoo Games during E3. "We're constantly looking at different technology and experimenting with different elements of it, but we're not feeling virtual reality is currently in a place where it's ready to be released - as a product that fits with our philosophy of fitting in the living room."