download
Latest
Showtime's streaming apps can download video for offline viewing
A day after trumpeting that it's coming to cord-cutting Sling TV, Showtime is helping out another neglected group: Offline viewers. The premium network announced that its Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps now let users download content to watch later in both standard and 720p high definition format (or up to 1080p on tablets).
Offline Netflix belatedly hits Windows 10 PCs
Android and iOS users have been able to download content from Netflix since late last year, but the service's Windows apps conspicuously lacked the feature. Well, that's starting to change. Windows Central reports that the Netflix app for Windows 10 PCs now has the ability to download certain titles for offline watching — just hit up the Windows Store and get that update going.
German law urges parents to rat out kids' illegal downloads
When it comes to piracy, institutions typically go after individual offenders and platforms, especially illicit ones. But Germany's highest court just ruled that children aren't just on the hook for illegally downloading music or movies -- their parents are, too. And if they don't rat out their kids, they'll get stuck with the court-decided fine.
Fox tests auto-downloading movies onto your phone
Wouldn't you like it if newish movies trickle-downloaded onto your phone when you weren't looking so you could watch them later? That's the concept behind an experiment being carried out by 20th Century Fox over the next month. The studio has partnered with Australian mobile network Telstra and Ericsson to test a mobile app that quietly pulls down flicks for watching, offline, later on. Assuming, at least, that you pay the requisite fee to unlock the film that's quietly occupying space on your smartphone.
Play both 'Banner Saga' games for free via Twitch Prime
Now here's an offer from Twitch and Banner Saga creator Stoic you can't refuse. Twitch Prime members (that is, anyone on Amazon Prime) can download the original Banner Saga for free right now, and on March 2nd, also get Banner Saga 2 gratis. But wait, there's more: For everyone who downloads and plays either game through the Twitch launcher, Amazon will donate a dollar to the Banner Saga 3 game currently in funding on Kickstarter.
Find out when you can download 'Super Mario Run' on Android
If you've been staring wistfully at the many iOS folks who are playing Super Mario Run on your commute, wondering when your Android gizmo could get in on the action, maybe stop doing that. First up, it's a little creepy and, secondly, soon enough you'll be able to play on your own device. To find out exactly when, you can pre-register for the app via Google Play and be alerted as soon as the download is ready. Precisely when that is isn't clear, but hopefully the gap will be shorter than it was between announcement and availability on Apple's mobile OS -- a month.
Xbox One update boosts download speeds up to 80 percent
A big part of current-gen gaming we just have to live with is spending time we could be playing waiting for things to download. Microsoft is looking to ease that burden with an update to Xbox One. With the latest version of the console's operating system, the company says it increased download speeds 80 percent if you're internet connection is faster than 100Mbps. If you're on a slower connection that's less than 100Mbps, the update should still boost game and app downloads by 40 percent.
Amazon's 'Grand Tour' is the most pirated show ever (update)
Amazon's The Grand Tour, a reboot of the BBC's hit show Top Gear, has been an unmitigated success, with fans with its first episode alone garnering "millions" of views. It's also a hit with pirates who, instead of paying the annual $100 fee for Amazon Prime, have downloaded the first three episodes at unprecedented rates.
4K gaming has a video service to do it justice
The problem with this Ultra HD future we're moving toward is that we're in a weird in-between spot where the most convenient media delivery method (streaming) can't hold a candle to the quality of the source material. The tech-minded folks at at Digital Foundry are acutely aware of this. As such, rather than relying on YouTube's lossy and compressed method of hosting videos, DF has struck out on its own for offering source-quality downloads for its game-tech analysis videos.
Google Maps for Android lets you save maps to an SD card
After testing it in a limited rollout, Google has officially unveiled "WiFi only" mode for Maps on Android. When enabled, it will keep the app in offline mode, blocking it from using expensive or spotty cellular data. At the same time, messaging and other apps can still connect to mobile networks. That will help travelers cut down on roaming charges, as navigation is often the only reason you need data on a trip. It will also be a big help to folks with limited data plans.
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' digital downloads come to the UK
If you've ignored regional loopholes and a plethora of dodgy websites waiting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become available in the UK, your patience has finally paid off. The latest instalment in the franchise is now available for digital download from online stores like iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.
Video game downloads now help the UK measure inflation
Helped by the rise of console and PC marketplaces, game downloads are now popular enough that the UK is using them to help calculate inflation rates. Office of National Statistics (ONS) announced today that it's added digital game sales and computer software, like Microsoft Office, to its "basket of goods" -- a list of products and services that helps it measure what consumers are spending their money on.
'Xbox Fitness' no longer requires the Kinect
The Kinect, once such an integral part of Microsoft's Xbox One story, just lost a big toehold. You no longer need the depth sensor for Xbox Fitness, a key non-gaming app. The device brings gamification to workouts and forces you to think about form, so the app is more like a streaming service without it. However, dropping the requirement certainly opens it up to more users. Folks who compete with friends might also be disappointed to know that non-Kinect rivals still get a score just for watching the videos. Kinect users can score higher, though, and new workout titles will continue to support the camera. There's no word on whether Microsoft might offer smartphone body tracking like it does with Just Dance Now.
OS X El Capitan is now available for download
By now, you're likely read about the new version of Apple's OS X more than once. Today's the day you can get your hands on the final version. El Capitan is now available for download via the App Store on your Mac, delivering arrives new features like split-screen multitasking, speedier performance, handy tabs in Safari and updates to apps like Mail and Notes. If you gave the public beta a spin, you already have an idea of what to expect. However, if you weren't feeling adventurous, take a gander at our review for some in-depth impressions of all the changes.
iOS 9 is now available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
As promised, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system is now available for download. iOS 9 is yours for the taking, and with it comes an improved Siri, split-screen multitasking on the iPad, those newfangled Live Photos, transit info in Maps, News app and more. All of which will be welcome additions for folks who who didn't get an early peek during the public beta. If the update hasn't already hit your device, you can take a gander at our initial impressions while you wait.
TiVo owners can finally download recordings on Android
About a year ago TiVo added video streaming to its Android app, and now the app can also download recordings for offline viewing. It's something TiVo DVR owners with iOS have been able to do for nearly two years, but better late than never (we guess). As noted by Dave Zatz, if you have a Roamio Pro or Plus, the necessary hardware to convert TV shows and movies (that aren't flagged by your cable company to prevent transfers) is built-in, while owners of a Roamio Basic, Roamio OTA or Premiere box will need a TiVo Stream add-on to make the magic happen. We tried it and it worked without a hitch, and you can even choose what quality to download the recordings in, if you need to keep an eye on available storage space. The only bad news, is that if your space is mostly on an SD card, there's no way to select a different download location at this time. [Thanks, Dan]
Amazon beats Netflix to offline movie and TV show streaming
For years, Netflix subscribers have asked for the ability to download movies and TV shows offline. The company says it's "never going to happen" -- so Amazon has taken the initiative and added exactly that to its rival streaming service. If you're signed up to Prime Video, or have an Amazon Prime account, you can now store titles covered by your subscription on almost any mobile device. It's supported in both the iOS and Android app -- although the latter will require you to download the app through the Amazon Appstore. The regular Amazon app in Google Play, which also supports Prime Video, doesn't seem to have the feature just yet, however. The feature first debuted on Fire tablets in 2013, but this expansion is significant -- if you're a frequent flyer, for instance, you no longer have to break your Transparent binge-session or purchase the full series if you're on an iPad.
LinkedIn brings back contact export feature after user backlash
LinkedIn has discovered that folks really don't like waiting for their contact info. A couple of days ago, the company removed its CSV and VCF file export tool, supposedly to discourage third-parties from "scraping" user data. You could still get the data by requesting an archive from the company, but that process took up to 72 hours. LinkedIn's business-oriented community was not thrilled, so the company quickly backpedaled, saying "we've heard you loud and clear... effective immediately, we have turned the CSV download link back on." However, once it gets the wait time for archival requests down to "within minutes," the feature will be turned off again.
Police face-scanned 90,000 people at Download music festival
Unbeknownst to Download attendees, Leicestershire Police were using facial recognition software last weekend to identify known crooks. Roughly 90,000 people descended on the music festival, and strategically placed cameras were used to scan their faces and cross-reference them with a European database. Privacy advocates weren't best pleased when Police Oracle first revealed the police's plans, and now the force has come forward to defend its actions. It says the cameras didn't take or store anyone's photograph, and that the software only compared faces against a list of people known to commit crimes at festivals. In addition, all of the data was destroyed at the end of the weekend.
'Vidity' 4K movies you can download are coming later this year
At CES the long-brewing alliance to push Hollywood movies you can legally download, store and play across different devices finally surfaced, and now its system has a brand name: Vidity. As we learned in January, this is the doing of the Secure Content Storage Association -- a team up behind movie studios (Fox, Warner Bros.) and storage manufacturers (Western Digital, Sandisk) to create a system where users can download movies in the highest possible quality like 4K Ultra HD and HDR. Samsung was the first to announce its Ultra HD TVs with the M-Go app will use the spec, but other big names like Vudu, Kaleidescape, LG, Universal, Comcast and Sprint are on board too. So far 4K movies have generally been all about streaming, but now between Ultra HD Blu-ray and Vidity there are a couple of new options coming.
