Twitter favourites: October 2014

Monday, 27 October 2014

Tweet from Jaz Rignall (@JazRignall)

	Jaz Rignall (@JazRignall)
27/10/2014 19:33 How the Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire made me see the light. usgamer.net/articles/pokem… pic.twitter.com/OHXdZIDktn

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Sunset Overdrive: Finally, a Reason to Buy Xbox One | WIRED

www.wired.com/2014/10/sunset-overdrive-review

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Sunday, 26 October 2014

Hands-on with the Xbox One's TV tuner [feedly]

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Hands-on with the Xbox One's TV tuner
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/22/hands-on-with-the-xbox-ones-europe-only-tv-tuner/?ncid=rss_truncated
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New video shows Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions in action on PS4 [feedly]

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New video shows Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions in action on PS4
// PlayStation.Blog.Europe

The storied Geometry Wars series is set to make its long-awaited return (and its PlayStation debut) this Autumn as Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions, released under the reawakened Sierra brand.

It's not easy to live up to the Geometry Wars pedigree, but a recent hands-on run of one of the game's earlier stages was all the assurance I needed that the spirit of Geometry Wars is thriving, guided by the neon, wireframe hands of Lucid Games: a studio founded by former Bizarre Creations staffers.

"Geometry Wars" has never been more apt as a title, featuring three-dimensional geometric battlefields that bend and flex under the force of your shape-shattering armaments. The level I played was shaped like a peanut: two spheres connected by a flared, narrow bridge. Fans of Geometry Wars 1 and 2 may find themselves instinctively looking for corners to lead errant enemies into to set up high-scoring opportunities, but the continuous nature of Dimensions' playfields means veterans will need to readjust their habits accordingly.

We recently spoke with Peter Cesario, Producer of Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions about bringing the beloved series to PlayStation for the first time, what kinds of new weapons players can get their hands on, and combining its classic gameplay with more modern ideas. Check out the video above.

The post New video shows Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions in action on PS4 appeared first on PlayStation.Blog.Europe.

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SDR Radio for Raspberry Pi [feedly]

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SDR Radio for Raspberry Pi
// retrotext

Just wanted to share my Software Designed Radio running on Raspberry Pi, the dongle costs less than £10 on eBay and transforms your PC into a receiver capable of listening or Watching all types of frequencies.

The Device has plenty of potential, to be on the safe side I will Blog this as a neat way of listening to Commercial Radio Stations, you can web search to reveal how to listen to the ISS and other cool things.

I this forum thread on the Pi forums to debug and install what I needed. Please be aware that listening in to other frequencies and processing the info may be illegal in some countries and territories.

Cool radio though!

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Saturday, 25 October 2014

A Complete C64 System, Emulated on an STM32 [feedly]

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A Complete C64 System, Emulated on an STM32
// Hackaday

c64

The Commodore 64 is the worlds bestselling computer, and we're pretty sure most programmers and engineers above a certain age owe at least some of their career to this brown/beige keyboard that's also a computer. These engineers are all grown up now, and it's about time for a few remakes. [Jeri Ellisworth] owes her success to her version, there are innumerable pieces of the C64 circuit floating around for various microcontrollers, and now [Mathias] has emulated everything (except the SID, that's still black magic) in a single ARM microcontroller.

On the project page, [Mathais] goes over the capabilities of his board. It uses the STM32F4, overclocked to 235 MHz. There's a display controller for a 7″ 800×480 TFT, and 4GB of memory for a library of C64 games. Without the display, the entire project is just a bit bigger than a business card. With the display, it's effectively a C64 tablet, keyboard not included.

This is a direct emulation of the C64, down to individual opcodes in the 6510 CPU of the original. Everything in the original system is emulated, from the VIC, CIAs and VIAs, serial ports, and even the CPU of the 1541 disk drive. The only thing not emulated is the SID chip. That cherished chip sits on a ZIF socket for the amazement of onlookers.

You can check out some images of the build here, or the video demo below.

Filed under: ARM, classic hacks
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IGN Gets some Hands-On Time With Smash Bros Wii U Stage Builder [feedly]

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IGN Gets some Hands-On Time With Smash Bros Wii U Stage Builder
// My Nintendo News

Online gaming publication IGN has managed to get some hands-on time with the recently announced Stage Builder mode for Super Smash Bros on Wii U. Creating stages appears to be a very simple process thanks to the intuitive interface. Be sure to check out the informative video, above. Smash Bros Wii U launches November 21st.

Thanks, Sim

Filed under: Nintendo, Wii U Tagged: Nintendo, Stage Builder, super smash bros, wii u
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Friday, 24 October 2014

IT’S OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY!! Thanks to everyone who’s... [feedly]

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IT'S OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY!! Thanks to everyone who's...
// dubble

IT'S OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY!!

Thanks to everyone who's been using dubble to create phenomenal images with other people!

—-»For the next two days our in-app purchase will be free so you can now chose to mix with your favourite dubblers or yourself«—-

Lots of love from the dubble team and check our blog for some awesome completions —-»life.dubble.me #dubbleapp #dubble #doubleexposure #news #weareone #party

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Tweet from Lifehacker (@lifehacker)

	Lifehacker (@lifehacker)
24/10/2014 19:29 Yosemite opened up some cool features to apps. Here are the best ones to take advantage of it: lifehac.kr/Bh6Mrak pic.twitter.com/sU0kJuAYAE

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Favorite tweets

Sorry i forgot to upload the drawing!! Today's @Sketch_Dailies topic #Frankenstein #inktober #sketch_dailies http://ift.tt/1uOBwWQ
— ᔕhihab ᗩldeen ©™ (@shihabaldeen) October 23, 2014

from Twitter http://ift.tt/1uOBxd6

October 23, 2014 at 05:00AM
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Thursday, 23 October 2014

Nintendo Unveils Over 50 Features For Super Smash Bros Wii U (Nintendo Direct Roundup) [feedly]

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Nintendo Unveils Over 50 Features For Super Smash Bros Wii U (Nintendo Direct Roundup)
// My Nintendo News

Nintendo has unleashed a deluge of information about Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, including an eight-player mode, special offers for fans who get both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions and a variety of options and surprises exclusive to the Wii U version. Nintendo revealed these and many more details in a live-streamed video announcement named Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: 50 Must-See Things

Some of the topics covered in the video include:

Eight-Player Mode: In a first for the series, a special mode lets eight players fight simultaneously in local multiplayer. This option appears only in the Wii U version, and lets players compete on special, larger stages to accommodate all the characters.
amiibo Figures: Once a player touches an amiibo figure to the NFC touchpoint on the Wii U GamePad, the character joins as a "Figure Player". The amiibo figures can gain levels to become stronger as they gain experience through battling and are fed equipment by the player. Players can also have amiibo fight each other, and amiibo will bring you presents from the battles they fight in.
Online Multiplayer: This time it's possible to team up locally with a friend to compete "With Anyone" online, amongst other options. In the future, players will be able to set up customised Tourneys and there will also be Official Tourneys. Voice Chat with Friends through the GamePad before and after battle, on the Fighter Selection and Results screens.
Custom Stage Creation: The touch screen of the Wii U GamePad makes it easier than ever for players to build their own stages and, after a future update, share them with friends and other players around the world.
Controls: The Wii U version features more controller options than any other game in the series, such as the Nintendo GameCube Controller through the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, amongst others. In addition, players who own the Nintendo 3DS version of the game can use their Nintendo 3DS or 2DS systems to control the action on the TV screen in Smash Mode on the Wii U version.
Importing Fighters: Fans of the Nintendo 3DS version of the game can immediately benefit from the fruits of their smashing labours. Players can import custom Nintendo 3DS fighters (including Mii Fighters) to the Wii U game, along with their customised equipment, costumes and hats.
Special Soundtrack Offer: Everyone who registers both the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U versions of Super Smash Bros. on Club Nintendo during the promotional period will receive a two-disc soundtrack of music from the games.
Mewtwo: This veteran fighter will be made available as free downloadable content in Spring 2015 for anyone who registers both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game with Club Nintendo during the promotional period*.
Modes: The Wii U version of the game offers many new modes and different ways to play that keep players coming back for more, including:
- Smash Tour: A fighting party game that looks like a board game. Players use items, spin a wheel and advance around the map. Up to four players can compete at once as they navigate the board and gain fighters and power-ups they can use in a final battle.
- Special Orders: In Master Orders, the more difficult the order from Master Hand you undertake, the higher your reward – but you only get to try once. In Crazy Orders, you pay to enter and battles get harder the longer you survive. Will you know when to stop and reap your rewards?
- Special Smash Mode: Players can customise battles and play any way they like.
- Coin Battles: Players compete to collect coins from other players.
- Stamina Matches: Players fight until their hit points reach zero.
- Classic Mode: One or two players fight through a series of battles and advance as long as they survive. Many random events can shake things up, and players can adjust the intensity settings. The more difficult the game, the greater the rewards.
- All-Star Mode: Unlike in the Nintendo 3DS version, opponents appear in reverse chronological order, and two players can battle through this mode together.
- Event Mode: One or two players take on set character and theme-based battles. Clearing stages helps players see the way forward.

Masterpieces: This menu gives players a peek into the past lives of some of the Super Smash Bros. characters. Players can play cut-down versions of selected characters' greatest games.
Stages: The Wii U game offers more stages, with more variety, than any game in the series. There is now an expanded version of the original Battlefield stage named Big Battlefield. The Great Cave Offensive, based on the underground labyrinth found in Kirby Super Star, challenges players to avoid potentially lethal danger zones – or throw their opponents into them. The Jungle Hijinxs stage, based on Donkey Kong Country Returns, features dual-plane battles with a foreground and background, and blast barrels that shoot players from front to back and vice versa. After launch, a new Miiverse stage will feature players' posts from Miiverse, where posts will appear in-game to cheer on the fighters.
My Music: The game includes hundreds of songs and jingles that players can listen to, as well as settings to customise what music plays during gameplay. Players add songs to their library by collecting CDs that appear while smashing or after completing challenges.
Movies: When players clear Classic or All-Star Mode, they'll be treated to a brief movie featuring whichever fighter they used. Every fighter has a movie, so it'll be a challenge to view them all. Additionally, HD versions of the new fighter introduction videos are available to watch.
Ridley: Fans have been clamouring for Ridley to appear in a Super Smash Bros. game for a while and now they're getting their wish – but true to form, Ridley appears in an unexpected way. Players will find him in the Metroid series-inspired Pyrosphere stage, but he does more than just hassle players. If one player attacks Ridley enough, Ridley will join that fighter's side and attack others. Players (including the one on Ridley's side) can KO Ridley to earn the point for match results. If Ridley consumes the energy to the side of the ledges, he will become Meta Ridley – and all the more vicious!
Characters: The Wii U version offers players 40 characters plus Mii Fighters from the start. Each character's moves match those found in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, so players who hone their skills in the portable game will have an edge over opponents in the console version of the game.

Filed under: Nintendo, Wii U Tagged: Nintendo, nintendo direct, smash bros, wii u
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Monday, 20 October 2014

Electric Bubblegum Board [feedly]

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Electric Bubblegum Board
// Hackaday

Electric Bubblegum Boards

The Mini Maker Faire in Atlanta was packed with exciting builds and devices, but [Andrew's] Electric Bubblegum Boards stood out from the rest, winning the Editor's Choice Award. His boards first emerged on Endless Sphere earlier this summer, with the goal of hitting all the usual e-skateboard offerings of speed, range, and weight while dramatically cutting the cost of materials.

At just over 12 pounds, the boards are lightweight and fairly compact, but have enough LiFePO4's fitted to the bottom to carry a rider 10 miles on a single charge. A Wii Nunchuck controls throttle, cruise control, and a "boost" setting for bursts of speed. The best feature of this e-skateboard, however, is the use of 3D-printed parts. The ABS components not only help to keep the cost down, but also permit a range of customization options. Riders can reprint parts as necessary, or if they want to just change things up.

[Andrew's] board is nearing the 11th hour over at his Kickstarter page, so swing by to see a production video made for potential backers, or stick around after the break for some quick progress and demo videos.

Filed under: 3d Printer hacks, transportation hacks
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Amazon Kindle Voyage review: The best e-reader is also the priciest [feedly]

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Amazon Kindle Voyage review: The best e-reader is also the priciest
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/20/amazon-kindle-voyage-review/?ncid=rss_truncated
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XBMC4Xbox 3.5 is released [feedly]

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XBMC4Xbox 3.5 is released
// EurAsia News

[source: xbmc4xbox.org.uk] After more than a year's work since v3.3, we are very pleased to announce XBMC4Xbox version v3.5. A large number of new features and improvements have been made since v3.3, including the integration of Python 2.7, improved video playback, updates to the skinning engine, scraper fixes, and plenty of bug fixes.

Key improvements:

Python 2.7 & API improvements

Python support in XBMC4Xbox has been overhauled, with the out of date Python 2.4 replaced with Python 2.7. This update, along with the addition of some missing API functions brings much better compatibility with Kodi (Formerly XBMC) plugins. The Addons4Xbox installer has also been updated, allowing many plugins written for Kodi to work right out of the box. The Python 2.7 update also brings performance improvements, and comes with fully working libraries for sqlite3, and SSL amongst others.

DVDPlayer updates

DVDPlayer (The main video player in XBMC4Xbox) has received numerous changes, including having the FFMpeg core libraries updated to v1.2.8 which brings a variety of new codecs, bug-fixes, and optimisations from the previous 0.10.x version. The libraries used for DVD navigation have also been updated which should bring better compatibility with problematic DVD menus.

Scraper fixes and clean-ups

We had a lot of broken and unmaintained scrapers with the previously version of XBMC4Xbox. With the 3.5 release only a few are included, but they are all maintained and working. We have scrapers for themoviedb.org, thetvdb.com as well as theaudiodb.com for music. Please do support and contribute to these open database projects, as the content and results are only as good as the information people have contributed.

PAPlayer updates

PAPlayer (the core audio player in XBMC4Xbox) has received some updates since the last version of XBMC4Xbox. DVDPlayer's FFMpeg libraries are now used for decoding of some audio formats which means some of the old out of date libraries we used previously are no longer needed. This simplifies maintenance, and brings with it better performance and compatibility. The FFMpeg libraries are now used for OGG, FLAC, AAC, AC3,and DTS.

Skinning improvements

A variety of improvements have been backported from Kodi for the skin engine. This allows skins and features for Kodi to be more easily implemented. Thanks to the skin developers who requested changes/features and helped with testing. We currently ship with the same selection of skins as with v3.3 – Confluence Lite, Confluence, Project Mayhem III, and the PM3HD skin, but more can be found on the skin development section of our forum (such as the excellent Xbox Extended skin from Dom).

New branding

Thanks to SwedishGojira we now have our own project branding – our new XBMC4Xbox logo is used on our project site as well as for the XBMC4Xbox boot-up splash. Since the renaming of XBMC to Kodi, there has been some discussion regarding our name. I can confirm we are keeping the name XBMC4Xbox for our project. Changing it now would just introduce more confusion.

Transifex integration

Thanks to Kodi and their useful tools for handling translations, we are now using the on-line service Transifex to manage translations for the project. This means anyone who wants to help improve translations can now go and sign up over at https://www.transifex.com/organization/xbmc4xbox and start translating the software to their favourite language via the easy to use web interface. The updated translations can then be merged back into the XBMC4Xbox code base by us.

Bug fixes

There have been many bug fixes around the software with around 44 issues on the bugtracker resolved/fixed as well as more reported via the forum. Thanks to all those that have reported bugs, provided fixes & patches, and helped with testing.

Thanks

As well as the key features above, many other changes have been made with a lot of backported features and fixes from Kodi. Thanks to Team Kodi for creating our favourite media center software :) Thanks also to all those who help and contribute to our project and forum.

If you enjoy using XBMC4Xbox and want to show your support for the ongoing development please consider making a donation to the project. Please also do join in the discussions over at our Forum.

Obtaining XBMC4Xbox

See the development page for links to the source code and the SVN repository. For binary builds, read the information on the download page. For those that want to build from source, 3.5 is tagged here: https://svn.exotica.org.uk:8443/xbmc4xbox/tags/3.5/.

NOTE: EurAsia members, download the binary release here.
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How To Get Started in Web Design [feedly]

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How To Get Started in Web Design
// CSS-Tricks

Here's an answer to how to get started building websites that I fully endorse and isn't vague. This is going to cost a little money, just like learning to play the guitar requires buying a guitar and some accessories. This is also going to require a little time and mostly isn't directly about the coding itself. It's about getting you to a place where you're doing web design for real and you can't help but learn!

I'm going to mention specific company names without linking to them, just to be clear this article isn't an affiliate marketing thing. Googling them should bring them right up.

1. Buy a domain name

Buy a domain name from Hover. Buy something useful, like your-name.com or buisness-idea.com. Or buy something silly that you will actually do something with.

2. Buy some web hosting

Buy the cheapest hosting plan at Media Temple. Tell them you already have a domain. I think it's preferable to separate your domain buying company and your hosting company¹.

Once it goes through, you'll get a service activation email.

3. Point the nameservers of your new domain to your new hosting

The link in that service activation email will take you to Media Temple's guide with all kinds of information in it you need to finish setting this up. Under the DNS section, you'll see Media Temples nameservers. We need to change the nameservers for our domain over on Hover so that the domain properly points over to Media Temple.

When we're changing these nameservers, we're changing DNS information. Whenever you change DNS information there might be some time involved. This information needs to propagate it's way to routers all around the world that power the internet. That's how the internet works!

Just know that it might take a little time for this to start working (for your website we're about to put up to actually show up).

4. Get some FTP Software

FTP is for transferring files. We're going to use it to transfer files from your computer to the web hosting server computer. We'll talk about those files in a minute, but for now we're just setting it up.

If you're on a Mac, get Coda. Coda is an FTP client, but it's also a code editor, and when you're just starting out as you are, that's mighty convenient.

I'm not as familiar with PC software, but googling "FTP client for PC" brings up plenty of stuff. I'm sure there are some nice ones.

5. FTP into your Web Hosting

That Media Temple guide area will also include FTP information, meaning a:

hostname
username
password

Enter the FTP credentials from the email into the FTP client (create a new Site).

Connect to the server.

6. Add the Domain to the Hosting

When we bought the hosting, we told them we had our own domain. So let's set that up in there. This will certainly vary from hosting company to hosting company. Here's how it worked on Media Temple:

7. Find the web root through FTP on your server

There is always a particular folder on your server that is the "web root". For example, if you put an index.html file there, that is what displays when you go to your-name.com, or if you make a folder there called "cool" and put an index.html file in that folder, that is what displays when you go to your-name.com/cool/

8. FEEL THE POWER COURSE THROUGH YOUR VEINS

Whatever you put in that web root is live on the internet!

If you put an index.html file there, that's what shows when you go to your domain in a web browser.

9. Go find a nice template to download, and upload it to your server

Go download a template. Google something like "Free HTML templates", or even find a paid one you like and buy that. There is nothing wrong with templates. Eventually you'll be good enough to not need one or make educated choices about when to use one, but for now, it's best to kick things off with a nice looking site that you can tweak and make yours. Kinda like how it's more fun (and easier to get better) learning an instrument by playing a song you like rather than learning scales.

10. Congrats

You've now built a website. You absolutely have the ability to edit those files and make things happen. Without any further training at all, you are smart enough to find words that you want to change and change them in HTML and see the results. You are smart enough to find color values in CSS and change them to see the results. You are smart enough to figure out the connections between HTML elements and CSS selectors.

That's how the vast majority of web designers started out. I know I did.

Now, everything else you learn you can learn in context of a actual site you're working on. You can imagine how the things you learn might apply to your real website. And the more you do it, the better you get. Wanna get better? Just build websites!

Alternatives

I wanted to be very specific in this article. Nothing vague. But that doesn't mean this is the only path. Let's talk similar but alternative paths in the comments.

Leveling Up

After feeling pretty comfortable with this process, there are lots of ways to level up. Some of those might include

Install a CMS like WordPress (video series), Kirby, Perch, Ghost, or the like.
Working on your design skills in general, by designing more.
Learning some jQuery (video series) to add advanced functionality and interaction.
Learning about a version control system like Git.
Learn about running a web design business effectively.

There are a million ways to get better. You'll likely discover most of them organically.

¹ - For example, if you buy your domain from your hosting company, and then decide to change hosting companies, the hosting company is disincentivized to help you with your domain.

How To Get Started in Web Design is a post from CSS-Tricks

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Tweet from Chris Kohler (@kobunheat)

	Chris Kohler (@kobunheat)
20/10/2014 21:19 So if you haven't heard, RETRO magazine is using Kickstarter to do Year 2 subscriptions: kickstarter.com/projects/socal…

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Hacker gains access to New 3DS [feedly]

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Hacker gains access to New 3DS
// "Spot The Differences: Party!" to hit NA/EU Wii U eShop on September 5th | GoNintendo - What are YOU waiting for?

i mean, relatively speaking... pic.twitter.com/MzsvgKEBKt
— smea (@smealum) October 16, 2014

This is the same hacker that is creating a hack that'll allow homebrew, but it won't allow for play of dumped ROMs. The same hack should also allow for games of any region to be played. In other words, this hack is something we can all look forward to, as it doesn't allow for pirated ROMs, but gives us other features we'd love to have!

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Sunday, 19 October 2014

Tweet from Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147)

	Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147)
20/10/2014 07:35 New - a Doctor Who game that introduces children to computer programming bbc.co.uk/news/technolog…

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Saturday, 18 October 2014

Logan Square Free Wall by Melon [feedly]

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Logan Square Free Wall by Melon
// The GRAFFITI NATION Pool, with geodata

wiredforlego posted a photo:

projectlogan.tumblr.com

Sleep is the Cousin of Death.

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WIZ [feedly]

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WIZ
// The GRAFFITI NATION Pool, with geodata

Wiz Art posted a photo:

Torre Boldone (BG) , 2014

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Disney rendered its new animated film on a 55,000-core supercomputer [feedly]

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Disney rendered its new animated film on a 55,000-core supercomputer
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/18/disney-big-hero-6/?ncid=rss_truncated
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Favorite tweets

My friend playing some pre-bbq 1943 on #pcengine. A great version! http://ift.tt/1CD9kKD
— Eric Nelson (@duhproject) October 18, 2014

from Twitter http://ift.tt/1lZpNTf

October 18, 2014 at 11:41PM
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iOS 8.1 Features: Here’s Everything New Coming To Your iPhone And iPad On Monday [feedly]

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iOS 8.1 Features: Here's Everything New Coming To Your iPhone And iPad On Monday
// Redmond Pie

When Apple announced its new iPads and the impressive iMac with Retina 5K display it was also wise enough to be candid about the problems that iOS 8 has faced so far, with bugs galore having apparently managed to squeak their way through Apple's in-house quality assurance. The new iOS 8.1 update has been in beta testing for a little while now, and while developers have been able to work with the software already, mere mortals will be able to install the important update from this coming Monday.

With bug fixes arguably some of the most important additions to iOS 8.1, it's also going to be bringing some notable additions to iOS 8′s feature set and some of those are actually pretty awesome. Here we'll take a look at the most interesting while counting down the hours until the update goes live.

iOS-81-iPhone-6

Instant Hotspot

Instant Hotspot

If you use your iPhone to tether regularly, then you're going to enjoy what iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite have to offer, because following installation of the two new versions of Apple's big software updates will be able to remotely activate an iPhone's Personal Hotspot feature whenever their handset is within range. Excellent stuff.

SMS Relay

A great Continuity feature which we've been waiting for since iOS 8 made the headlines back in June, SMS Relay will finally let users send and receive SMS from their Macs running Yosemite, iPads and iPod touches.

iCloud Photo Library

iCloud photo library

Apple's supposed answer to the problem of keeping all of our photos and videos safe, iCloud Photo Library will go live as a public beta come Monday's release of iOS 8.1. The idea is that iCloud will keep all of the media that people generate and then seamlessly make it available on any device that's signed into that account. That means iOS devices, Macs and the iCloud website.

We're waiting for the OS X Photos app to arrive before we throw all our eggs into that particular basket, but the promise is there already. Let's hope iCloud is up to the job.

Apple Pay

Screen Shot 2014-09-10 at 1.21.21 am

Launching in the U.S. initially, Apple Pay is Apple's answer to mobile payments. Using NFC and Touch ID, Apple's smartphones will be able to initiate Apple Pay transactions once iOS 8.1 has been released – assuming a customer's retailer of choice supports it.

Camera Roll

The Camera Roll will be making a dramatic entry with the release of iOS 8.1, and has been something that has left many users on the sore side of the fence.

These are the main new features arriving in iOS 8.1, but the addition of bug fixes should not be underestimated. Apple has suffered a black eye with iOS 8 already, and 8.1 needs to do the business with as little fuss as possible.

So no bricked phones this time around, please.

Favorite tweets

Oh yeah, and I got a set list. #PJMoline #wooooohooooo http://ift.tt/1rMcjtM
— Ryan (@hconnickjr) October 18, 2014

from Twitter http://ift.tt/1rMckOB

October 18, 2014 at 08:47AM
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Favorite tweets

Yes, please! Ralph Steadman illustrates Breaking Bad http://t.co/5BFoKjBRdK http://ift.tt/1y0ZHoe
— Maria Popova (@brainpicker) October 18, 2014

from Twitter http://ift.tt/tT00D5

October 18, 2014 at 03:32AM
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Game & Watch [feedly]

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Game & Watch
// Retro Gamer

Year Released: 1980

Original Price: $30

Buy It Now For: £5+ (depending on model)

Why The Game & Watch was great: The range offered true portability for the first time in the history of the videogame industry. The units were small, durable and the cell batteries lasted for ages before they needed to be replaced. Forced to work within the confines of the crude LCD technology, Nintendo succeeded in crafting some truly mesmerising gaming experiences, the vast majority of which stand up to scrutiny even by today's standards.

When you look back on the history of videogames it's not uncommon to discover amusing anecdotes regarding defining moments in the industry. For example, rumour has it that Namco's Pac-Man was conceived when the game's creator Toru Iwatani glanced at a pizza with one slice missing, and there's an equally famous tale that suggests that Nintendo's renowned Mario was named after the landlord of the company's American offices, who happened to bear an uncanny resemblance to the Italian plumber. Whether or not these stories are actually true is a moot point but it's impossible to deny that they lend our hobby a sense of wonderment and it's remarkable to think that these toweringly popular ideas can be born from such humble beginnings.

The genesis of Nintendo's Game & Watch series is recounted in an equally whimsical tale. According to legend, Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi came up with the concept after observing a bored Japanese salary man absent-mindedly fingering his pocket calculator while travelling to work. If the story is true then this seemingly innocuous encounter ultimately gave birth to portable videogaming as we know it today. Yokoi was tragically killed in a roadside incident in 1997 and although he would gain worldwide fame and adoration as the creator of the Game Boy, many view his earlier LCD legacy with the most fondness.

Yokoi started working at Nintendo in 1965, assuming the modest role of an assembly line engineer. The Nintendo of that era was a very different beast to the one that we know today; the main focus of its business was 'Hanafuda' playing cards. According to yet another of those irresistible yarns, Yokoi created an extendable arm in order to amuse himself during the long working hours and this device happened to catch the eye of company president Hiroshi Yamauchi, who was inspecting the factory at the time. Yamauchi was on the lookout for a product that could turn around Nintendo's fortunes; the playing card market had slumped badly in the mid-Sixties and the president had tried all manner of different tactics to turn a profit.

Yamauchi was instantly intrigued and tasked the young Yokoi with turning his extendable arm into a bestselling product. It was a risky move that was by no means guaranteed to succeed, but the re-christened 'Ultrahand' proved to be a runaway success, shifting more than 1.2 million units worldwide and would prove to be the first in a long line of popular toys to spring from the mind of Nintendo's new star employee. These novel creations would eventually earn Yokoi his very own department within the company, known as Research and Development 1 Group.

Towards the end of the Seventies, Nintendo started to disregard toys in favour of videogames and it was during this time that Yokoi had his aforementioned chance meeting with the bored businessman and his calculator. It was ideal timing; LCD technology was cheap and videogames were big business. However, up to this point quality gaming was restricted to either the arcade or the home. Several companies had already produced portable games, but they were usually rudimentary LED-based units with uninspiring gameplay and were too bulky to be deemed truly mobile. Yokoi watched the efforts of companies like Mattel and Tomy with interest; he had his own ideas for the portable gaming industry.

It was during the development of the Game & Watch that Yokoi laid down principles of hardware design that would echo through Nintendo's history right up to the present day, dubbing it 'Lateral Thinking of Withered Technology'. Freelance journalist and all-round Yokoi admirer Lara Crigger explains: "Essentially, Lateral Thinking of Withered Technology boils down to using mature technology in novel or radical applications. At the time of the invention of the Game & Watch, LCD technology was everywhere. It was a well-understood process and because prices for individual components had dropped so much, integrating LCD into a product was relatively inexpensive. Some people at Nintendo wanted to use fancier technology in the Game & Watch, technology that would have reduced battery life and raised costs, but Yokoi insisted that affordability was key and that the player cared more about fun gameplay over flashy technology." Yokoi would later apply this philosophy to the production of the Game Boy, and Nintendo has taken a similar stance with recent hits such as the DS and Wii.

Yokoi faced a tricky conundrum when it came to deciding upon the best interface for his new product. He quickly decided that a conventional joystick would impede on the Game & Watch's portability, so he began looking for solutions that would take up less space. Many of the early machines simply possessed a couple of buttons with which to control the game, usually corresponding to simple actions such as moving left and right or jumping, but 1982's Donkey Kong Jr changed all that. Although it was actually four buttons arranged in a cross shape, with each one corresponding to up, down, left and right, it would later evolve into what we now know as the direction pad, or 'D-pad' for short. This was a development of truly seismic proportions, as Crigger acknowledges: "The entire portable games industry wouldn't exist if it weren't for the invention of the D-pad. It was that first, necessary invention that made all portable gaming devices possible. It comes down to basic ergonomics; the D-pad eliminates the need for a joystick, thus streamlining the controller interface and facilitating portability. A controller with a D-pad simply takes up less physical space." Compared to other methods of control available at the time, this new interface presented undeniable advantages. "The D-pad is a more intuitive method of controlling gameplay, compared to the alternatives," continues Crigger. "Look at a joystick: to manipulate it, you have to use the sides of your thumbs and fingers – or in some cases, your palm or whole hand. That takes more manual effort than just pushing buttons with a thumb tip."

There was also an element of convergence with this new range of handhelds. Although it seems like a trifling addition in today's technologically advanced world, the inclusion of a digital clock in each game (therefore giving rise to the name 'Game & Watch') was a major selling point back in the early-Eighties. Although LCD watches were commonly available they were outside the reach of most children, so the Game & Watch was a useful device as well as a source of entertainment. A handy alarm feature was also available – possibly to wake up the owner after a particularly heavy night of LCD-gaming.

Arguably the most vital piece of the hardware puzzle was the choice of power source that would bring these tiny games to life. Yokoi opted for 'button cell' batteries, previously seen in digital watches and calculators. Not only were these cheap to replace, they were also small and therefore fitted snugly within the machines without breaking the sleek, straight lines of the casing or adding any additional weight that might hinder portability. Yokoi's desire to ensure his products would be inexpensive to run and not require a constant supply of fresh batteries played a vital part in ensuring the success of the range – a fact he was sure to remember when he came to create the Game Boy almost a decade later.

But there was much more to the appeal of the Game & Watch range than just mere interface design and long-lasting power. Because LCD technology granted the developers a very limited amount of on-screen real estate in which to place their action-packed gaming experiences, the games themselves tended to be extremely focused. "There was little room for design screw-ups," says Crigger. "If the game mechanic wasn't simple enough, or addictive enough, then the game failed. It couldn't hide behind flashy FMVs or intricate storylines. It was just player and mechanic, and that's it." The experiences offered by the Game & Watch may seem primitive by today's standards, but that very same simplicity was a major factor in the ultimate success of the lineage and it's a testament to the concept that the games are still eminently playable even today. "They're appealing for the very same reason that Tetris will never really die: simplicity is addictive," comments Crigger. "People love activities that are easy to learn, but hard to master."

The first Game & Watch title was the simplistic Ball. Released in 1980 this endearingly basic game showed only faint glimmers of the kind of depth later Game & Watch titles would possess; the screen was completely blank, the gameplay was unsophisticated and the LCD characters somewhat crude – clearly a case of the developer finding its feet with new technology. Sales weren't astonishing but the game seemed to strike a chord with consumers and this was enough to persuade Nintendo that it was worth creating further titles. Ball marked the first release of the 'Silver' series of Game & Watch titles, so called because of the colour of the metallic faceplate. The next step was the 'Gold' series, which was fundamentally the same machine but with a different faceplate and a smattering of static colour on screen to make the games seem a little more vibrant. This range spawned a mere three titles before it was superseded by the 'Wide Screen' variant in mid-1981. As the name suggests, the display was a whopping 30 per cent larger than the one seen in the Silver and Gold range. Nintendo's range of popular handhelds were certainly going places, but would it last?

Four great Game & Watch Games

Balloon Fight

Donkey Kong Jr

Mario The Juggler

Mickey Mouse

Read the full feature in Retro Gamer issue 55, on sale digitally from GreatDigitalMags.com

Retro Gamer magazine and bookazines are available in print from ImagineShop

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Tweet from Maria Popova (@brainpicker)

	Maria Popova (@brainpicker)
18/10/2014 03:32 Yes, please! Ralph Steadman illustrates Breaking Bad buff.ly/1tAArHh pic.twitter.com/QTeXNncBwy

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Thursday, 16 October 2014

Shovel Knight For Wii U & 3DS Launches In Europe And Australia This November - Nintendo Life [feedly]

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Shovel Knight For Wii U & 3DS Launches In Europe And Australia This November - Nintendo Life
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/10/shovel_knight_for_wii_u_and_3ds_launches_in_europe_and_australia_this_november
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Wednesday, 15 October 2014

You can now watch Vine videos on Xbox One, because why not [feedly]

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You can now watch Vine videos on Xbox One, because why not
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/14/vine-xbox-one/?ncid=rss_truncated
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Monday, 13 October 2014

PlayStation 4's video editing app has a few new clip-splicing tools [feedly]

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PlayStation 4's video editing app has a few new clip-splicing tools
// Engadget

Have you or someone you know actually used the PlayStation 4's SHAREFactory app to make fancy-looking highlight reels of gaming exploits? We ask because despite it being out for awhile now, unlike photo-mode images, we still haven't run across any...
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Donkey Kong Virtual Console Games Coming To European Wii U & 3DS eShop From October 16 [feedly]

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Donkey Kong Virtual Console Games Coming To European Wii U & 3DS eShop From October 16
// My Nintendo News

Classics and discounts abound in the #DonkeyKong Country Weeks on Nintendo eShop on #3DS & #WiiU from 16/10 to 6/11 pic.twitter.com/2GrpXda3Wl

— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) October 13, 2014

Nintendo has delighted fans with rather appealing deals this week for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Tropical Freeze as seen in the European download report earlier today. But the publisher has also announced new Donkey Kong virtual console games coming to both the Wii U and 3DS eShops over the next few weeks. Fans of the Banana King can have a blast with retro titles previously seen on the Wii's virtual console library from October 16. And the best bit is you can have your banana and eat it, with new retro games coming each week until October 30.

From October 16:

Donkey Kong Country (Wii U)
Donkey Kong Land (3DS)

From October 23:

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Wii U)
Donkey Kong Land 2 (3DS)

From October 30:

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble (Wii U)
Donkey Kong Land 3 (3DS)

Filed under: 3DS, eShop, Nintendo, Wii U Tagged: donkey kong country, donkey kong land, European eShop
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Ubisoft Announces Tetris Ultimate Release Date For Nintendo 3DS [feedly]

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Ubisoft Announces Tetris Ultimate Release Date For Nintendo 3DS
// My Nintendo News

Ubisoft confirmed today that Tetris Ultimate, the latest iteration of the world's most loved puzzle game, will be available for the Nintendo 3DS from November 11, 2014. In addition to delivering six exciting modes, Tetris Ultimate for Nintendo 3DS also includes an exclusive single-player Challenge mode.

Available digitally through the Nintendo eShop (11^thNovember) and in as a boxed edition in retailers (14^th November in the UK), Tetris Ultimate for 3DS offers exciting modes, fun features and unique visuals that allow 1–4 players to face off in seven different game modes:

Marathon – Complete level 15 and rack up as many points as you can.
Endless – Keep clearing lines until your stamina runs out!
Ultra – Race to score as many points possible before time runs out in this three-minute challenge.
Sprint – Clear 40 lines as quickly as you can.
Battle – Go head-to-head to knock out 1-4 challengers.
Battle Ultimate – Be the last person playing after using crazy power-ups! Go on the offensive with Carouseland make your opponent's Well shift to the left after each move, or trigger Let it Rain and dump garbage down on top of them. Buzz Saw helps you out by clearing away a number of your lines, especially useful when you're in a spot of trouble.
Challenge – With four mode variants, be prepared for a variety of challenges that will put any player's determination to the test:
Master – The Tetriminos drop instantly and appear at the bottom.
Rotation Lock – The orientation of the Tetriminos are random and you cannot rotate them.
Escalation – As the game levels up, you'll have to clear more lines
Invisible – The Tetriminos become invisible as they drop to the bottom.

Tetris Ultimate will also be available for digital download this winter for the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation Vita handheld entertainment system, and Windows PC.

Filed under: 2DS, 3DS Tagged: nintendo 3ds, tetris ultimate, ubisoft
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Looks As Though A Web Version Of The Nintendo eShop Could Be Coming [feedly]

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Looks As Though A Web Version Of The Nintendo eShop Could Be Coming
// My Nintendo News

NeoGAF member L-A has done a bit of digging and it looks as though a web version of the Nintendo eShop is currently in development at Nintendo. It isn't too surprising considering Microsoft and Sony have similar offerings where you can pre-purchase content online and download it to your console. There aren't any hints as to when this is coming, but it could be announced in a Nintendo Direct.

Thanks, Kallum and TheDuke4711

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Tetris Ultimate Dated for 3DS, Will Cost Less on the eShop - 3DS News @ Nintendo Life [feedly]

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Tetris Ultimate Dated for 3DS, Will Cost Less on the eShop - 3DS News @ Nintendo Life
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/10/tetris_ultimate_dated_for_3ds_will_cost_less_on_the_eshop
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New screens from LEGO Batman 3 at NYC Comic Con [feedly]

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New screens from LEGO Batman 3 at NYC Comic Con
// Wii U

LEGO Batman 3 01

This past weekend NYC's Comic Con was underway, with Warner Bros. Interactive showcasing several new screenshots from LEGO Batman 3. Other announcements at Comic Con included the fact that celebrities like Conan O'Brien and Kevin Smith would feature in the game as playable characters. Both of these characters in the game will be voiced by their real-life counterparts. There are over 150 playable characters in the game, so it's not surprising to see a star-studded roster.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will be available in North America on November 11 and November 14 everywhere else.