PlayStation partners with Major League Gaming

PlayStation partners with Major League Gaming:
Sony’s PlayStation division will be partnering with the leader in competitive gaming for a new round of video game battling platform known as the MLG Spring Fighting Arena. Claiming that there are “thousands of dollars on the line,” Sony said the PS3 will be the official console used in the new Major League Gaming battle royales. The games that will be included are Mortal Kombat and SoulCalibur V.


In an official blog post on the PlayStation Blog, MLG Community Manager Carlos Arvelo wrote, “The amount of history behind these matches is unprecedented: CDjr the reigning Mortal Kombat champion will be navigating a gauntlet of players that all have his name on a checklist of people to beat, including some of his own brothers. Over on Soul Calibur 5, the Champion Keev, from France, will look to do the same after a successful event at the MLG Winter Championships.”
Gaming fans are able to tune into live streams of the action, with an HD all-access pass available for $4.99. In addition to the live video content, users can also get access to exclusive tips, exhibition matches, and other bonus content. There are also giveaways and action to keep any gamer entertainment. “This isn’t something any fan is going to want to miss,” Arvelo wrote.
[via PlayStation Blog]


PlayStation partners with Major League Gaming is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google releases FCC's Street View report, reiterates claims that data collection was 'inadvertent'

Google releases FCC's Street View report, reiterates claims that data collection was 'inadvertent':






Google has released the FCC report into its Street View service to the Los Angeles Times. Following heated debate with the FCC over what information had to be redacted, the document only has personal names removed. The report blames a single rogue engineer for the privacy breach, with his colleagues and managers denying any knowledge that the software collected personal data (also known as payload data) as it logged open Wi-Fi networks. The engineer, who has not been named, declined to speak to the FCC during its investigation.
The report describes how the engineer told two other coders that the software would collect this payload data, as well as including it in a document distributed to the entire Street View team. However, managers...
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Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations

Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations:

Two years ago, Google drove its way into a fair amount of hot water when it accidentally (as was claimed) scooped up private data over WiFi while collecting Street View and location data. Now, the Justice Department has cleared the prolific mapsters of the wiretapping violations. The DOJ made its decision not to push for prosecution based on reports from employees and investigating key documents reports Wired. The Wiretap Act (which is the relevant one here) was argued to only pertain to "traditional radio services," by US District Judge James Ware, but neither the DOJ or FCC said they could find any evidence that Google accessed the date it snared. In an extra move of openness, the search giant has also released the entire FCC report on the Street View investigation (redacted to protect identities) which can be found in the more coverage link. So, next time you see the famous camera-topped wagons roll around, you can leave your tin hat in the closet.

Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“Nokia Lumia 900 and better phones” to come to Saudi Arabia in October

“Nokia Lumia 900 and better phones” to come to Saudi Arabia in October:

In a small adjunct to out story yesterday about Nokia Saudi Arabia talking about “windows 8” coming to Nokia Lumia phones, it is of note that this was not the only forward-looking statement Nokia KSA had been making.
A day earlier there was the following exchange:

Bashayear: "When will the Lumia 800 be available in KSA"
NokiaKSA: "It wont be launched in Saudi Arabia, we will however bring the Lumia 900 and better phones in October- god willing"

Of note is that the tweet appears now to have been deleted, as well as yesterday’s Windows Phone 8 tweets, replaced with the statement :"Nokia phones and Windows system in Saudi Arabia would be supportive of the Arab, and the date of announcement of details of a Windows system is not determined yet”
Of course it is a relatively foregone conclusion that Nokia will be launching a high end Windows Phone 8 handset, and October is also the traditional launch date for new generations of Windows Phone handsets. Having this confirmed, if only briefly on twitter, is however always nice, and it simply leaves us to speculate about the specs and features of this newly rumoured handset.
Via aligonemobile.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks q8phantom and AQMNB for the tip.

Oracle announces direct Java support for OS X, Mac to get security updates the same time as Windows

Oracle announces direct Java support for OS X, Mac to get security updates the same time as Windows:






Earlier this month, Apple released an update to Java version 1.6.0_31 for OS X — but not before an estimated 600,000 Macs had been infected by malware taking advantage of exploits in a prior version of the software. The Apple update lagged almost two months behind Oracle's own .31 update, providing time for malware like Flashback to take hold, but that kind of delay will soon be a thing of the past: Oracle has announced it will be updating Java for the Mac directly, on a concurrent release schedule with the other platforms it supports. In a blog post, Oracle's Henrik Stahl announced the availability of the Java Development Kit 7 and JavaFX Software Development Kit 2.1 for OS X, which kick off the company's expanded support for the Mac.
...
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AT&T “sick of taking orders from Apple”, Nokia Lumia 900 marketing “to go into high gear in May, June.”

AT&T “sick of taking orders from Apple”, Nokia Lumia 900 marketing “to go into high gear in May, June.”:


According to AT&T employee Jeffery Brown, AT&T and Nokia are kicking Nokia Lumia 900 marketing into high gear over the next two months. AT&T will also be requiring AT&T reps to sell at least one Nokia Lumia 900 by the end of April.
The initiative may be reflecting the idea that AT&T “is sick of taking orders from Apple” and are looking for a new third player to play off against Apple and Google.
Vision2Mobile reports on a comment by Katie Lewis, Yankee Group associate analyst.
"Mobile operators are sick of taking orders from Apple but that’s not the only reason carriers like AT&T and Verizon are backing Windows Phone," she wrote.
"The success of the third mobile ecosystem would put control over the U.S. smartphone market back into the hands of mobile operators – backing Windows Phone is AT&T And Verizon’s chosen method of self-preservation," she continued.
Apple demands huge operator subsidies for their smartphones, in the order of $400 or more, double the cost of a comparable Android or Windows Phone. They also cut out the carriers from any additional revenue stream from post-market devices. The cost of adding an iPhone subscriber can also be up to 40% higher than other phones.
In a research note earlier this month analysts with BTIG Research said they anticipate that phone carriers will slow the pace of phone upgrades this year. Such upgrades have significantly pressured margins at AT&T and other carriers, financial analysts have said.
"We expect wireless operators to try even harder to promote alternatives to Apple. As Android’s initial popularity continues to fade because of its uneven and fragmented performance and BlackBerry falls further into oblivion, there is renewed hope that Microsoft and Nokia will be able to produce a viable alternative to Apple," wrote Walter Piecyk, BTIG Research analyst, in research note April 9. "These two giant companies and former industry leaders will clearly be putting significant resources behind any new product launched. We expect wireless operators to join in that investment as they increasingly fear Apple’s stranglehold on their margins."
Hopefully Windows Phone has enough of a consumer appeal to allow buyers to respond to the additional marketing efforts.  Given the response to the Nokia Lumia 900 so far, this does seem quite likely however.
Via WPCentral.com

Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again

Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again:

Cast your mind back to January if you will. Head full of steamy CES action? Of course, but you may also remember Google teased us about a new tilt-and-roll Maps game. Well, it looks like the creators may have missed the original February deadline, having finally snuck it out this week. The browser-based game is a series of maze challenges, that'll take you through the streets of San Francisco, downtown Tokyo and beyond. All atop Google's iconic 3D textured maps, naturally. Eight levels in total are on offer, making it an ideal lunchtime -- or if the boss is away -- afternoon time kill. Roll down to the source link below to give it a spin, nudge and roll.

Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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