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Activision 'significantly changed' the story arc of Destiny
Court documents gleaned from Halo composer Martin O'Donnell's case against Bungie and Activision reveal that Destiny's story arc was "significantly changed" from the original, and strongly hints that Activision is responsible.
When the first chapter of Destiny's five-part franchise launched in 2014, gamers found that it wasn't the intergalactic opera they were expecting. The story elements were (and still are) very light and players finally understood what kind of series Activision and Bungie have created--the kind of piecemeal bits that can be strewn out over a decade of releases. But Destiny wasn't always like this.
The court papers of Martin O'Donnell's lawsuit against Bungie show that the game went through a phase of "substantial revision" which led to the first year-long delay. "Although Destiny as planned for release in September 2013, the story was substantially revised beginning August 2013, requiring a new release date of March 2014 and edits to much of the work previously completed," the documents read. "After a brief vacation/sabbatical in early fall, o'Donnell returned, worked on the story and recorded dialogue, but wrote no additional music. For reasons unrelated to O'Donnell's performance, the release date was again moved, to September 2014."
Continue reading: Activision 'significantly changed' the story arc of Destiny (full post)
Fujitsu's new wireless receiver can transmit 8K videos instantly
Fujitsu has announced that it has developed a new wireless communications receiver, which is capable of massive transfer rates of up to 20 gigabits per second. The receiver is tiny enough that it will fit into a smartphone, super-powering data transfer rates.
The new chip would make smartphones and tablets capable of transferring 4K or even 8K video virtually instantly, with 8K resolution videos featuring 16x the resolution of 1080p. Fujitsu is calling its new chip the world's first compact 300GHz receiver, thanks to its insanely fast wireless communication abilities.
Fujitsu's new chip is smaller than 1 cubic centimeter, where it combines both a receiver-amplifier chip as well as a terahertz-band antenna. Because the chip has high sensitivity, transmissions ranges are much shorter - just 1m away. A Fujitsu spokesperson said: "It is the first time such a highly sensitive terahertz band receiver has been made small enough to fit into a current-generation cellular phone". The company hopes to have the chip being built commercially in 2020.
Continue reading: Fujitsu's new wireless receiver can transmit 8K videos instantly (full post)
Android app holds you ransom for $500, after snapping a photo of you
There's an Android app going around that is holding people ransom, but not before it snaps a picture of the user. Adult Player is a porn app that secretly takes a picture of the user through their front-facing camera, after which it locked the users device and demands $500 to unlock it again.
Adult Player has not been approved by Google Play, and can only be downloaded from a website. US security firm Zscaler says that Adult Player's ransom message sits on the smartphone's screen at all times, reappearing if the smartphone is rebooted. Zscaler said: "This ransomware acts as a porn app named 'Adult Player' and lures victims who assume it is a pornographic video player". Zscaler added: "When the victim starts using it, the app silently takes a photo of the victim, which is then displayed on the ransomware screen, along with the ransom message. The app demands a ransom of 500 USD".
Zscaler says this is the second porn-focused ransomware they've discovered and is particularly nasty as it pops up once a smartphone has been rebooted. It completely locks the user out of the own smartphone, forcing users to pay the $500 to remove the block from their smartphone. Adult Player can be removed, but Zscaler says that it is quite difficult to do so. The security firm added: "The ransomware is designed to stay stagnant on screen and does not allow the the victim to uninstall it. Rebooting the device does not work in such cases as ransomware app becomes active immediately after reboot, which leaves no scope for the victim to get into device "settings" and uninstall the ransomware".
Continue reading: Android app holds you ransom for $500, after snapping a photo of you (full post)
Warner execs demand more Batman, less Superman
Warner Bros. executives are keenly awaiting their biggest release of the 2016 blockbuster season 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' and have apparently issued a few notes on the films rough cut which amount to featuring more of the caped crusader and less of Krypton's last son, which might rankle star Henry Cavill, and it's director Zack Snyder.
According to Heroic Hollywood, the company has been so enamored with Ben Affleck's portrayal of Batman, they've issued the directive to feature his character more hevaily, which is apparently "blowing Henry Cavill's Superman right off the screen." Such is the studio's love affair with Affleck's Batman, they've already greenlit a stand-alone film which will be written, directed and star the actor.
'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' will be released in 3D and 2D cinemas as well as IMAX screens on March 25th 2016 worldwide.
Continue reading: Warner execs demand more Batman, less Superman (full post)
V-MODA shows off its Crossfade Wireless Over-Ear headphones
Audio company V-MODA has unveiled the Crossfade Wireless Over-Ear headphones, a hybrid audio device that supports both wired and wireless listening.
The headphones can maintain a wireless Bluetooth signal up to 33 feet away, with 12 hours of continuous listening. V-MODA also supports a dual-diaphragm 50mm driver, and plugging in a cable immediately switches off all electronics so zero latency can be achieved. The built-in hidden microphone supports phone calls and voice recognition, whether connected to a PC and notebook or smartphone.
"As an avid analog purist, for years I said I would not make a wireless headphone; instead, we decided to make our best over-ear wired headphone yet featuring the best wireless mode," said Val Kolton, CEO of V-MODA. "After years of R&D, we can proudly say that Crossfade Wireless is versatile enough to be the everyday audio weapon of choice for music professionals, audiophiles, gamers and savvy consumers, alike."
Continue reading: V-MODA shows off its Crossfade Wireless Over-Ear headphones (full post)
Raspberry Pi gets official 7-inch touchscreen display
The Raspberry Pi is one of the niftiest little inventions that can power a zillion different gadgets, but it's always been missing one important thing: a display. Now that's all changed with an official 7-inch touchscreen display specifically tailored for the device.
The 7-inch display has an RGB resolution of 800x400 at 60FPS, with 24-bit color and a 10-point capacitive touchscreen set at a 70 degree viewing angle. The Pi attaches to the display via a DSI ribbon cable and is compatible with the following models: Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, Raspberry Pi Model B+, and the Raspberry PI Model A+. In order to use the display all devices need to be running the latest version of Raspberian OS.
The form factor is a slim and lightweight 194mm x 110mm x 20mm, fitting the overall modular DYI theme of the Raspberry Pi and features holes for attaching the Pi to the metal backing. Custom color frames are also available for extra visual flair.
Continue reading: Raspberry Pi gets official 7-inch touchscreen display (full post)
Apple being deliberate about vehicle research, won't rush launch
Anytime Apple is reported to be involved in the development of a product, the rumor mill tends to go into overdrive. It looks like Apple's reported development of a car, which is expected to be semi-autonomous and electric, has created a large buzz.
"We believe the auto industry represents a significant opportunity for Apple, but we also expect Apple to be deliberate as always in its product development and testing," said Gene Munster, an analyst from Piper Jaffray, in a recent analyst note.
It was first predicted an Apple vehicle prototype around 2020, but despite Apple's recent hiring spree, trying to go from concept to real-world prototype in such a short time is rather unlikely. Instead, it could take at least a decade before Apple ends up with a drivable vehicle on the road:
Continue reading: Apple being deliberate about vehicle research, won't rush launch (full post)
Razer's new Orochi is the 'worlds most precise' mini-mouse
If you're a hardcore gamer on the go, Razer has a solution that it believes will suit you perfectly. Enter the Razer Orochi, a notebook gaming mouse which features 8,200 DPI through the help of a 4G laser sensor, Razer Chroma RGB lighting and 60 hours of non-stop battery life.
With added Windows 10 support, this mouse is being released with double the battery life of its predecessor and it has Bluetooth 4.0 partly to thank for this. If you're looking to use it wired or need a charge, there is also an included 3.28 foot braided USB cable on offer.
The mouse measures up at only 3.9(L) x 2.64(W) x 1.38(H) inches in stature and requires two AA batteries to operate.
Continue reading: Razer's new Orochi is the 'worlds most precise' mini-mouse (full post)
ASUS announces the ROG G11 PC, powered by the new Intel Core i7-6700K
Pre-built computer systems are certainly gaining traction in this day and age, seeing companies like iBUYPOWER, CyberPower PC, Alienware, Origin PC and ASUS alike push some high-end products direct to customers, whether they are straight from the factory or out of a building workshop.
Adding to the plethora of recent releases is the ASUS ROG G11, offering up a powerful Intel Core i7-6700 processor, up to 32GB or DDR4 RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 video card coming complete with Windows 10.
With storage space options that include a 3TB hard drive and 256GB PCIe SSD, these releases are certainly catered towards those with a little cash to spare and no time or knowledge about building a system for themselves. Saying that, buying pre-built certainly isn't a totally negative thing, just the same way people spend money on workshops to modify cars - it all depends what you want as a computer enthusiast!
Continue reading: ASUS announces the ROG G11 PC, powered by the new Intel Core i7-6700K (full post)
Metal Gear Solid V has sold 3 million units within the first week
According to a banner on Japanese sites that some members of NeoGAF spotted, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain sales have been quite good: smashing through 3 million units since its release last week.
The hype around the game has been nothing but massive, with Hideo Kojima's very public departure from Konami being a large part of this hype. Not only that, but it has been seven years since the release of Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriot, which was an exclusive to Sony and its console at the time; the PlayStation 3. We also just reported earlier tonight that sales of the PS4 version of the game have been smashing the Xbox One version, nearly 3-to-1.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is available right now for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC.
Continue reading: Metal Gear Solid V has sold 3 million units within the first week (full post)