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Beam's next update makes game livestreams more interactive
Seven months after snapping up Twitch competitor Beam, Microsoft is unveiling a major update to its interactive tools for video game streamers. Called Interactive 2, the new system is "built from the ground up" to improve interactive features for both game streamers and the folks who watch them, starting in March of this year.
Indie devs can publish on Xbox without Microsoft's help
It wasn't too long ago that Microsoft released an update that turned every Xbox One into a software development kit. Now, hobbyist developers will have a platform for publishing their wares on the console. It's called the Xbox Live Creator's Program.
Now Microsoft's Twitch competitor has an Xbox One app
Microsoft bought livestreaming service Beam last August to fold its advanced viewer interactions with its gaming services on Windows 10 and Xbox. They finally opened testing up to select users at the end of January, but today, they're taking the next step in competing against Twitch by launching the Beam app for Xbox One. As with the previous trials, only certain members of the Xbox Insider Program get first crack at it, but you'll now be able to watch our favorite streamers right from your console.
Beam, Windows 10 Game Mode tests start tomorrow on XB1 and PC
Starting tomorrow, Creators Update features coming in for testing are integrated support for Beam streaming on both platforms, Cortana updates on Xbox One, and for PC gamers, the new Game Mode and gaming settings section. With Snap Mode on the way out, it's time to see what the sacrifice will bring to the table.
Microsoft's Twitch competitor, Beam, gets a major update
Microsoft said it was about to supercharge Beam, and it's quickly following through on that promise. After a few weeks of beta testing, the livestreaming service's big 2.0 overhaul is now available to everyone. The most conspicuous change is what you'll see the moment you hop in. There's a revamped home page that can feature multiple streams and show more info about a broadcaster's communities. Also, you'll notice a revamped, HTML5-only player that touts better video-on-demand controls, playback at higher bitrates (up to 10Mbps) and higher resolutions (1440p at 60 frames per second, anyone?). However, some of the biggest improvements are under the hood.
Windows 10 is about to get a high-performance Game Mode
Microsoft made a big fuss out of the Windows 10 Creators Update's gaming features, and it's nearly ready to start delivering on them... including some that have remained mysterious. The company has revealed that it'll start trotting out a largely unknown Windows 10 Game Mode as part of Insider previews "this week." The improvement won't be fully functional until later releases, but Microsoft has at last shed some light on what it is: it'll fine-tune your PC to speed up gaming performance. This mode should help both legacy Windows games (Win32) and modern titles (UWP), so you won't have to be picky about what you're playing to notice a difference. You should "soon" hear a lot more about how it works, Microsoft says.
Microsoft updates Beam streaming to better compete with Twitch
Microsoft is getting its newly-acquired Beam livestreaming service ready for Xbox and Windows with a big new update rolling out today in beta. Beam's low-latency tech lets you rapidly interact with your favorite streamers, and even play along, compared to the more passive Twitch experience. It's improved the already-quick latency by five times, increased the max bitrate to 10 Mbps and now supports 60 FPS render speeds at up to 2,560 x 1,440 resolution.
NASA says the ISS' inflatable module is doing great
It's been almost six months since the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was attached to the ISS, and NASA now has some early data to share. According to BEAM Manager Steve Munday, it's been doing well and performing as expected after the installation hiccup that prevented it from unfolding the first time. To start with, NASA Langley scientists didn't find any sign of large debris impact that could affect the module's ability to protect inhabitants. The folks over at NASA's Johnson Space Center didn't detect abnormally high radiation levels inside the habitat, as well -- in fact, it exhibited levels similar to the rest of the space station's.
Beam's interactive livestreaming hits Windows, Xbox this winter
In early August Microsoft announced its acquisition of Beam, a videogame livestreaming service that separates itself from the competition by using tech that allows for low latency and interactive features. Now, Beam has announced it will launch on Microsoft's gaming platforms (Windows 10 and Xbox One) this winter. That's not a very specific window, but it will be interesting to see what happens once the parts come together. Currently, Amazon-owned Twitch is the most popular livestreaming service, but Beam's hook is the ability for viewers to influence the streamer's gameplay and broadcast.
Microsoft acquires Beam livestreaming service
Microsoft has just announced its acquisition of the livestreaming service Beam, a platform that allows viewers to interact with streamers during broadcasts.
ICYMI: Baggage bot, sea plastics become fashion and more
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A baggage handling robot is being tested at the Geneva Airport to both carry your luggage and print out tags. Adidas made athletic shoes that are almost entirely recycled; with gill nets making up the stitching on the outside. It joins clothing designer and entertainer Pharrell Williams in upcycling sea garbage (much of which kills sea creatures) to make their garments. If you're interested in the Zero Electricity Air Cooler, the video is here. You can learn more about PARLEY, the group that helps collect plastic and other waste from the oceans, here. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Astronauts climb into BEAM for the first time
Earlier, a couple of ISS crew members floated into BEAM to check on its condition for the first time ever. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka collected air samples and downloaded data from the sensors inside the expandable module. The duo said that while it's quite cold inside, they didn't find any condensation -- but you don't have to take their word for it. They captured the inside of the module on camera, and you can see what it looks like in the video after the break.
Virgin Trains has its own free on-board streaming app
The beauty of the English countryside is so overrated. Luckily, the next time you journey on a Virgin train, there's a chance you won't have reason to look up from your phone or tablet at repetitive foliage for even a second. Today, Virgin debuted Beam, a new app-powered entertainment service available initially on West Coast Pendolino and East Coast routes, with all Voyager trains catching up by September. Through the Beam Android and iOS apps, passengers can access roughly 200 hours of TV and film for free during their journey, from Captain America: Winter Soldier to House of Cards, or Peppa Pig for the littluns.
NASA successfully puffs up its inflatable space habitat
Second time's the charm. Following a less-than-successful initial test run, NASA and Bigelow Aerospace have successfully inflated the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module attached to the International Space Station. It took several hours (the team didn't want any movement that could destabilize the station), but the experimental pod now extends nearly 5.6 feet out and 10.6 feet across. That's not the full size (it'll ultimately be 7 feet long), but it's hopefully smooth sailing from here on out.
NASA's first expandable habitat test on the ISS defeated by friction
NASA hopes that expandable habitats could dramatically expand livable space on the space station and Mars, but yesterday's first test on the ISS failed. Today, NASA and habitat builder Bigelow Aerospace announced the cause of the problem. After being packed away for an extended time, friction between fabrics increased pressure to unpredicted levels, endangering the habitat.
The ISS' first expandable habitat didn't unfold as planned
The ISS was supposed to have an expandable module attached to the Tranquility node by now -- alas, things didn't go well for NASA and Bigelow Aerospace. Space station crew member Jeff Williams spent two hours pumping air into the module through a small valve, but some unknown issues prevented BEAM from expanding to its full size. The space agency announced on Twitter when the attempt failed that it's working with Bigelow Aerospace to figure out what happened. It also said that it may try again later today (May 27th), but that might not push through. According to a follow-up tweet, they're holding a presscon at 12PM Eastern time today to update us space geeks on what they've found out and what their next steps are.
ISS' expandable module has a shield that protects it from debris
You had a lot of questions when we wrote about NASA gearing up to inflate BEAM on the ISS. Does it inflate like a balloon? What if it gets hit by micrometeoroids then? Does it protect against radiation? While there are many things we won't know for sure until the end of BEAM's two-year testing, NASA's and Bigelow Aerospace's Reddit AMA and Facebook Q&A could answer some Q's floating around your head. To start with, the team clarified that BEAM isn't an "inflatable." Its walls don't stretch like a balloon -- they're incredibly stiff and are "several times stronger per weight than metals commonly used in space applications." When the ISS crew expands the module on Thursday, the process could be more accurately described as "unfolding" rather than "inflating."
Watch NASA inflate the space station's expandable habitat
It's almost time for the ISS crew to begin testing the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). On Thursday, May 26th, BEAM will be inflated to reach its full size, and you can watch it live on NASA TV, starting at 5:30AM EDT. BEAM was ferried to the ISS aboard a SpaceX flight, which became famous for being the first time the company landed a reusable rocket at sea. It was folded during transport to save space and attached to the station sometime in April, but now it will be expanded to add a 10-x-13-foot area to the ISS.
Watch NASA attach the first inflatable habitat on the ISS
On April 16th, the ISS will become just a wee bit bigger after astronauts install the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module. BEAM hitched a ride aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule during its latest (and historic) resupply mission. Astronauts will use the robotic Canadarm2 to unload it from the capsule and move it to position, before unfolding and expanding it to add a 10-x-13-foot area to the station. If all goes well, BEAM will look like a small protrusion from outside the ISS, as you can see at the top center of the image above. The space agency will televise the installation live on NASA TV, so you can watch it go down... if you can wake up at 5:30AM (Eastern time) on a Saturday.
Watch SpaceX launch a Dragon supply ship for the ISS today
SpaceX will send another Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station today at 4:43PM EDT from its base in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The weather is looking good so far and you'll be able to watch the launch live on the SpaceX webcast.
