General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Office for iPad: Possible to Activate More Than Five Devices with Single Subscription

Posted: 30 Mar 2014 06:04 PM PDT

Office for iPad

Company 'trusts' users to voluntarily stay within bounds

On Thursday, Microsoft took the unprecedented step of launching a dedicated version of its Office productivity suite for the Apple iPad, giving all iPad users the ability to view Office documents on the go for free, and those willing to pay $100 per year for an Office 365 subscription the power to edit and create them. There's a slight problem, though.

Although when Microsoft announced Office for iPad it said that an Office 365 subscription could only be used for a maximum of five tablets (in addition to up to five PCs), it turns out that the limit isn't being enforced strictly at the moment. According to Cnet, which discovered this loophole after "tinkering with numerous devices," a single Office 365 subscription can, in fact, be used with more than five tablets.

"Similar to our commercial use rights, we do not strictly enforce the limit on tablet installations, but trust that our users respect and understand the device limits outlined in the EULA [end user rights agreement]," Microsoft told CNET when asked about the loophole.

So to sum it up, while it is technically possible for you to use a single subscription with more than five iPads, it is something Microsoft would like you to avoid in keeping with the EULA.

Follow Pulkit on Google+

Microsoft Corrects Stance on Email Scanning

Posted: 30 Mar 2014 04:20 PM PDT

Privacy

Revises its email scanning policy again following 'uncomfortable' criticism

Microsoft came under severe criticism after it emerged last week that in 2012 the company had peeked inside the Hotmail account of an employee suspected of leaking Windows 8 trade secrets. Within 24 hours of the revelations, the company thought it behooved it to "provide additional context and describe how we are strengthening our policies." But the
"strengthened" policy did not go down too well with the critics either.

After being heavily criticized for the revised policy that simply required the company to rely on the judgment of "a legal team separate from the internal investigating team" to determine whether reading a customer's email was justified or not, Microsoft has backtracked on the issue. According to a blog post it published on Friday, the company spent the week following the first policy revision "reflecting further on the issue."

Here's the harvest of all that reflection and the talks it held with advocacy groups and other experts: "Effective immediately, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property from Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer's private content ourselves. Instead, we will refer the matter to law enforcement if further action is required. In addition to changing company policy, in the coming months we will incorporate this change in our customer terms of service, so that it's clear to consumers and binding on Microsoft."

"We've entered a 'post-Snowden era' in which people rightly focus on the ways others use their personal information. As a company we've participated actively in the public discussions about the proper balance between the privacy rights of citizens and the powers of government. We've advocated that governments should rely on formal legal processes and the rule of law for surveillance activities," the company said, adding that although it was well within its legal rights to do what it did, it has realized "that we should apply a similar principle and rely on formal legal processes for our own investigations involving people who we suspect are stealing from us."

Image Credit: Flickr (opensource.com)

Follow Pulkit on Google+

Lenovo Recalls About 37K ThinkPad Batteries Over Fire Hazard

Posted: 30 Mar 2014 04:04 PM PDT

Thinkpad Laptop Battery Recall

First laptop battery recall in seven years for the company

Lenovo has recalled about 34,500 laptop battery packs in the States and 2,900 in Canada because of a fire hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Thursday. The affected laptop models, all part of the company's ThinkPad series, were sold between October 2010 and April 2011.

"This recall involves Lenovo battery packs sold with the following ThinkPad notebook computers: the Edge 11, 13 and 14 series, the T410, T420, T510 and W510 series, and the X100e, X120e, X200, X201 and X201s series. The battery packs were also sold separately," reads the recall announcement on the CPSC website. "Recalled battery packs have one of the following part numbers starting with the fourth digit in a long series of numbers and letters printed on a white sticker below the bar code on the battery pack: 42T4695, 42T4711, 42T4798, 42T4804, 42T4812, 42T4822, 42T4828, 42T4834, 42T4840 and 42T4890."

If you are currently using one of the affected batteries, which "measure between 8 to 11 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide and about 1 inch high," CPSC  suggests that you remove it from your notebook PC immediately and contact the vendor for a replacement.

While there hasn't been any official word from Lenovo on the size of the recall outside North America, over 115,000 batteries have reportedly been recalled in China alone. For what it's worth, this is the first such battery recall for the world's largest PC vendor in over seven years; in 2007, the company had recalled about 100,000 Sanyo-built batteries.

Image Credit: CPSC

Follow Pulkit on Google+

Google Now Reportedly Requires ‘Powered by Android’ Logo on Boot-up

Posted: 30 Mar 2014 03:50 PM PDT

Powered by Android Logo

HTC M8 One and Galaxy S5 already comply with new guidelines

Android's customizability is one major reason why the open source mobile OS has managed to endear itself to vendors and users galore. But don't be misled into believing that Google has granted vendors a carte blanche. There are certain rules smartphone makers need to play by if they want their users to be able to access certain Google-developed stock apps considered integral to the whole Android experience.

Enshrined in its Mobile Services agreement, these rules aren't something Google likes to talk about publicly. Nevertheless, it is now being reported that Google has updated the guidelines to add a new requirement. According to reports, all new Android devices are now required to display the words "powered by Android" at the time of boot up. In fact, devices like the recently released HTC M8 One and the upcoming Galaxy S5 already meet this requirement.

"The Android Bootup logotype is always given appropriate clear space in creative. Limited space and media size require slight variations in clear space requirements," read the leaked guidelines. "The Android Bootup logo should always be at the bottom of the screen horizontally centered."

Image Credit: AndroidPolice

Follow Pulkit on Google+

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


One Shots: The kiddie pool

Posted: 30 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

WildStar
What does an insane kinetic interstellar critter do on his or her day off? Why, soak in an outdoor pool and try not to think about why the water suddenly got warmer, of course!

Reader Crazyrabbit63 (probably not his real name) sent in this WildStar picture to kickstart our fun this week: "This is my Chua, BuzzCracker, sitting in his kiddie pool and relaxing after a long day of hunting Exiles across Nexus. After a few minutes in the water, BuzzCracker realized he had too many Spicy Jabbits for lunch!"

If diminutive pools aren't your thing, we've got the excitement of both Hell and singing mushrooms after the break!

Continue reading One Shots: The kiddie pool

MassivelyOne Shots: The kiddie pool originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Mar 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Daily Grind: Do you separate your in-game and out-of-game behavior?

    Posted: 30 Mar 2014 06:00 AM PDT

    Filed under: , , , , ,

    EVE Online Ravens
    CCP recently released an official statement condemning out-of-EVE harassment. In that same statement, though, the company said that in-game bad behavior is not only acceptable but essential to its version of a sandbox.

    The separation between player and player character is a common sentiment among MMO fans, of course, whether you're a griefer, a raider, or a roleplayer. What say you, Massively readers? Do you try to separate your in-game and out-of-game behavior, or are you the sum of your actions in both virtual worlds and meatspace?

    Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

    MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you separate your in-game and out-of-game behavior? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      The best of Massively's MMO Family column

      Posted: 29 Mar 2014 04:00 PM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , , ,

      Pirate101
      While young children aren't Massively's target demographic, we frequently encounter MMOs that appeal to kids as well as MMO gamers with kids. That's why we ran the MMO Family column for over four years. Helmed first by Lisa Poisso and then Karen Bryan, the column reviewed kid-friendly games and offered advice and insight on how to survive as the parent of budding MMO gamers.

      Enjoy our picks for the very best of their collected work in MMO Family.

      Continue reading The best of Massively's MMO Family column

      MassivelyThe best of Massively's MMO Family column originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        Free for All: Will there ever be another setting like Ryzom's Atys?

        Posted: 29 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

        Ryzom map
        Ah, Ryzom. To this day it remains one of my favorite MMORPGs for several reasons. I was reminded just how much I still enjoy the game when I logged in to witness a storm rolling through the land, lightning sizzling from the sky, rain falling straight down on my character's head. The planet that Ryzom players find themselves on is called Atys, and it's no ordinary planet. In fact, it's not a planet at all. Instead, it's a giant rootball that floats in space.

        Yes, a rootball.

        I'm no scientist, but I'm pretty sure that a massive rootball is an impossible thing, but it doesn't matter. The game's original designers were French, and if you follow French MMOs, you know they always seem to come up with something completely unique. In this case, Atys is literally made up of a wad of giant roots and bark. I have to wonder: Why aren't there more unique settings like Atys in gaming today?

        Continue reading Free for All: Will there ever be another setting like Ryzom's Atys?

        MassivelyFree for All: Will there ever be another setting like Ryzom's Atys? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          The Stream Team: Daring to be Dominion in WildStar

          Posted: 29 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , , , , ,

          Last time Massively's MJ headed into the wilds of WildStar, she started life as a new Dominion soldier. Is this faction really as bad as the Exiles make it out to be? By request, MJ will delve deeper into the Dominion and find out the truth of the matter. Which side is in the right? If administering electroshock treatment to subversives is any indication...

          Join us live at 2:00 p.m. as MJ heads down to Nexus in the service of her new Dominion masters (and probably stirs up plenty of trouble on her own!).

          Game: WildStar
          Host: MJ Guthrie
          Date: Saturday, March 29th, 2014
          Time: 2:00 p.m. EDT

          Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

          Continue reading The Stream Team: Daring to be Dominion in WildStar

          MassivelyThe Stream Team: Daring to be Dominion in WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            MMORPG News

            MMORPG News


            General: Ten Ways VR Could Make MMOs More Real

            Posted: 29 Mar 2014 11:52 PM PDT

            Ten Ways VR Could Make MMOs More Real

            At last week's Game Developers Conference, people were lined up to try Sony's new virtual reality tech and from all the hubbub, it appeared VR's become the new (old) brass ring in game development the way the Kinect and the PSMove were a few years ago. But how would throwing VR into the mix improve games beyond the possibility of making them more "real"?

            General: Heroes of Atlan launches on Android Platform

            Posted: 27 Mar 2014 05:58 PM PDT

            Heroes of Atlan launches on Android Platform

            Korean publisher WeMade Entertainment today launched mobile fantasy RPG, Heroes of Atlan on the Android platform, intending to release it within a few weeks on iOS.

            General: World of Diving: SCUBA Without Getting Water All Over Yourself

            Posted: 28 Mar 2014 06:11 PM PDT

            World of Diving: SCUBA Without Getting Water All Over Yourself

            At one time or another, you've probably looked at the Oculus Rift and thought to yourself, "I bet those would make some bangin' underwater goggles." That may not be the exact sentiment expressed by the developers at Vertigo Games, but in our GDC 2014 preview, I was told that the form factor of the new piece of tech did in fact provide the initial inspiration for World of Diving.

            Elder Scrolls Online: The ESO Post-Launch Wishlist

            Posted: 26 Mar 2014 01:25 AM PDT

            The ESO Post-Launch Wishlist

            Yep. We aren't even live yet and I'm already looking ahead to what's next for The Elder Scrolls Online. That's not to say that I feel the game is deficient in launch features, but half the excitement of playing a new MMO is pondering about where it will go next. I've got a couple of things I'd like to see, so let's jump into it.

            Total Pageviews

            statcounter

            View My Stats