Lizard Squad goes after Xbox Live, Twitch
As you're almost certainly aware if you're a PlayStation owner, this weekend saw an attack mounted on the PlayStation Network which took it down for a large chunk of time.
But PSN wasn't the only gaming service to get bombarded by DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks this weekend, and indeed, other attacks are continuing right now -- courtesy of the so-called Lizard Squad, a "hacktivist" group which is enjoying its time in the media limelight. (Though note that another hacker from Anonymous claimed responsibility for the PSN attack, so it's unclear exactly what went on in that case.)
Amazon buys Twitch for almost $1 billion -- Google left empty-handed
To call Amazon a book-seller at this point is simply not accurate. The company has blossomed into so much more; manufacturing smartphones, tablets, e-readers and pretty much selling everything under the sun. Hell, as a retailer, it is a one-stop-shop for anything, such as streaming media, groceries, and hygiene products to name a few.
Yes, Amazon is trying to be all things to all consumers and quite frankly, it is working. Today, the company's tentacles grab yet another endeavor as it acquires video-game-streaming company, Twitch, for close to a billion dollars.
Madden 15 for Xbox One now up for pre-order
Football season has arrived, at least in the form of training camps and practice games. As people's minds turn towards the sport, gamers also get excited about the latest Madden release. To that end, Madden 15 is heading for Xbox One. Beginning now the game can be pre-ordered, and there are some bonuses if you jump through the necessary hoops.
Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, better known as Major Nelson, did the honors of announcing the release. The game can be downloaded, but will not be playable until the official launch date, which is slated for 12:01am PDT on August 26th, so not far off at all.
Flappy Bird creator returns with tricky Swing Copters game -- watch out for rip-offs
The pressure got to him last time, so how will developer Dong Nguyen cope if his new mobile game Swing Copters takes off?
Flappy Bird was downloaded more than 50 million times and was the number one free game in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store charts before Nguyen pulled it in early 2014 sparking petitions, suicide hoax stories and death threats.
Xbox One August update begins to roll out
Microsoft's continued updates of its latest console, the Xbox One, will keep going with a new August feature roll out, that is beginning today. There are many new things included that should keep gamers and entertainment aficionados satisfied.
Microsoft's Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, who's better known as Major Nelson, made the official announcement, along with outlining the benefits for customers.
EA Access brings Netflix-like gaming to Xbox One
Watching a movie via Netflix has never been easier -- well, depending on your ISP, that is. Now EA would like to bring the same experience to playing games on that new Xbox One console sitting in your living room.
Electronic Arts has rolled out Access -- a new game service that works quite a lot like the movie service. Also like Netflix, it will work on a subscription basis, there is no free ride here. However, the games available should make it worthwhile for those wishing to partake.
If you're missing Flappy Bird then try Amazon Fire TV
Flappy Bird quickly hit the level of phenomena, then just as quickly vanished as the developer pulled it from both the iTunes and Google Play stores. He apparently buckled under the weight of customers becoming addicted and sending complaints directly to him. Hard to say anyone would blame him for that.
Now the simple, but also incredibly hard, game is making a come-back, though under the name "Flappy Birds Family". Those who had already installed it on a phone or tablet never lost it, but the folks who found out too late are now in luck. That is, providing they have an Amazon Fire TV box sitting around.
Logitech TogetherWeGame will make you a game developer -- no skills needed
Growing up as a computer nerd, I remember thinking that I would learn how to program, so I could develop my own video games. I think this is a dream that many nerds share. I remember that my dad bought me a huge book on programming and after about 5 pages, I gave up and began reading comic books instead. The moral of this story is not that I'm stupid (although that is debatable), but that not everyone is cut out to be a programmer. My dreams of creating a video game were dead.
Or were they? Today, Logitech announces that it will be crowdsourcing a video game. This means that the direction of the game will be handled by fans on the internet -- pretty cool, eh? The best part is, no technical skills are required. In other words, my dream of contributing to a video game is alive and well.
Logitech reveals the world's fastest gaming mouse -- G402 Hyperion Fury
PC gaming is a really awesome pastime. While some people prefer console gaming, it is strictly a matter of preference. I like both, but I particularly like the gamification of PC gaming hardware. In other words, the actual building of the gaming PC and buying of cool peripherals can be as fun as the games themselves. Hell, it can sometimes be more fun.
One of the most fun peripherals to buy for a gaming PC is the mouse. Unfortunately, far too much emphasis has been put on appearance lately, instead of performance. Don't get me wrong, a gaming mouse should look cool and sexy, but only as a secondary focus. Today, Logitech announces a mouse that meets the needs of performance and appearance-driven consumers, with the G402 Hyperion Fury. The company claims that it is the world's fastest gaming mouse. Is it faster than Speedy Gonzales?
Design fully working model railways with 3D Train Studio
Model railways have been around for a very long time, and enthusiasts will sometimes build huge layouts stretching across hundreds, even thousands of feet.
If you don’t have the space or the money, though, you might prefer 3D Train Studio, which enables you to build complex virtual model railways, with moving trains, working signals, even cockpit cameras to help you monitor what’s happening in your custom world.
SparkyLinux 3.4 GameOver -- a Linux distro for gamers
Historically, Linux and gaming were like oil and water -- it did not mix. For the most part, this was just accepted as a fact of life. Quite frankly, this was OK as users were more interested in maintaining their box and chatting with other Linux users anyway. However, as time went by, jealousy of DOS, and then ultimately Windows, definitely grew as more and more amazing games were released for Microsoft's operating system. Even Linus Torvalds himself dual-booted Linux and DOS to play Prince of Persia.
Gaming is no longer an optional aspect of an operating system -- it is now a necessity. Luckily, Linux has been making huge strides in this regard, particularly thanks to Steam. Today, SparkyLinux 3.4 "Game Over" becomes available and it is very intriguing -- a Linux-based desktop operating system with a focus on gaming.
Three ways to improve your chess-playing skills
Mastering chess can be difficult. Very difficult. Even if you have time, patience and a gift for strategic thinking, you’ll still need to find plenty of challenging opponents to develop your skills.
Still, if you’re running short of real-life candidates then you could always turn to your computer, where there’s plenty of help for players of every level.
Microsoft acquires SyntaxTree -- increases focus on gaming
As much we like to believe that computers are helping the world to connect, and enabling people to learn, let's be honest -- people just want to game. We all convinced our parents at a young age that we needed a PC to write papers and access things like Encarta encyclopedia, but our true desire was Wolfenstein 3D.
It's not just computer users that want to get in on the gaming -- companies want to do it too. A good example is Microsoft. Sure, the company creates some amazing productivity software like Word, Excel and Access, but it also makes the Xbox. In other words, the company likes to work hard and play hard. Today, the company acquires SyntaxTree, which shows a commitment to gaming.
Stella makes it easy and fun to emulate classic Atari 2600 VCS games
When it comes to tapping into our fondness for old computing and gaming platforms, Stella has always been at the forefront. This cross-platform Atari 2600 VCS emulator first saw the public light of day back in 1996, and now -- 18 years later -- it may just have delivered it most significant update yet with the release of Stella 4.0.
Version 4, also available in 64-bit form, sees the emulator ported across to SDL2, which brings many new features and performance improvements.
Tablets more popular with children for gaming than Nintendo 3DS
When it comes to portable gaming, the iPad and whole ensuing tablet explosion saw the start of a shift away from traditional gaming handhelds, and a new piece of research has underlined this with the news that tablets have now outdone the Nintendo 3DS.
The study from Futuresource Consulting posed over a hundred questions to children aged three to twelve across the UK (and also the US, Germany and China). It found that in the UK, tablets are now the most popular personal device owned by kids -- with 44 percent having a slate, meaning that they've overtaken the 3DS as top gaming dog.
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