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Netflix is cracking down on proxy users
The practice of using VPNs to spoof one's location to the Netflix servers has long allowed those outside the US to watch American content that was not available locally. But in the wake of the launch of Netflix Everywhere, the company's new global service initiative, that practice is kaput. Netflix announced on Thursday that it is cracking down on users that use VPNs to get around the company's geographic content restrictions.
Spotify gets serious about its country music curation
Country music fans are flocking to streaming services and Spotify's latest hire shows the company is taking that segment of its audience seriously. The streaming service nabbed SiriusXM's John Marks to head its curated playlists for the genre. If you'll recall, Spotify, and other services, have made a big push with playlists built by both the artists themselves as well as notable personalities in the biz. While you may not recognize the name, Marks has a knack for discovering new talent and budding acts before they make it big time. For example, he was spinning tunes from artists like Florida Georgia Line, Brandy Clark, Chase Rice and others before they became popular. Spotify already has deals in place for exclusive country releases and to promote emerging acts, as it's already posted content from artists like Hunter Hayes that can't be streamed on-demand anywhere else. If you look to curated playlists to find new music, just know that Spotify's country collections are now in capable hands. [Image credit: ABC via Getty Images]
The Daily Grind: Does a studio's home country impact your faith in an MMO?
I've been cautiously excited about the development of Skyforge, although something's really been holding me back from gushing too strongly about it: the fact that its dev team (well, one of them at least) is located in Russia. Maybe it's silly and even a bit nationalist, but I am somewhat less trusting of MMOs that hail from other regions than my own. Maybe it's a fear of making payments to studios in countries across the world. Maybe it's a fear that the studio won't have my own best interests in mind in operating that product. Maybe I've been let down by too many titles that were developed overseas but never made the transition to my home shores. Does a studio's home country or region impact your faith in an MMO? A reminder: Let's keep the discussion free of nation-bashing, please! 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!
FCC to dole out up to $300 million to help carriers expand service in rural areas
It seems like almost every day that we receive a press release announcing Verizon or AT&T is planning to expand its LTE coverage to three, five, eleven new markets. But in some remote pockets of the country, you'd be lucky to latch onto even a solid 3G signal. In a bid to make sure those folks in the boonies get their due, the Federal Communications Commission is establishing a fund to encourage carriers to roll out 3G and 4G service in sparser areas. All told, the agency plans to award up to $300 million to mobile operators, with funds going to the providers offering the lowest rates. The winners will be decided in a sealed, single-round auction, which opens June 27th and is set to close July 11th. As a condition for receiving the funds, carriers must agree to cover at least 75 percent of the road miles within a given census tract. While it's unclear at this early stage which mobile players will take the bait, the FCC's already signaled which parts of the country will be first in line for upgraded service -- namely, Rocky Mountain states like Utah and Idaho, along with Maine, Appalachia and upstate New York.
Rock Band Weekly: A lotta country music
Next week's Rock Band DLC is a whole heapin' of tracks previously found on the retail-only Rock Band Country Track Pack 2. The songs are available individually, in random groupings, or the whole thing can be downloaded for $20.
Rock Band's country DLC on sale through June 21
Having Skeeter and the fellers over this weekend and sick of doing the same old, same old? Well, Harmonix is slashing prices on all of its country-themed Rock Band DLC through June 21 -- tracks including artists such as Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash, Brooks & Dunn and even Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler." Hit the jump for the full list.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Why GPS?
Normally readers write directly to Aunt TUAW using our tips line or feedback form. But today, we're switching things up a bit. Instead, Auntie is responding to a comment left on her last post about whether you should buy the Wi-Fi only iPad or wait for the 3G version. That's because Aunt TUAW has a bug up her sleeve about GPS and its role on the iPhone, the iPad, and its tie to social media. Without further ado, here's today's "letter" and Auntie's response. Dear Aunt TUAW, I'm on Facebook, but why do people need to read Facebook updates when they're traveling? Whatever happened to looking out the window at new places? And geez, how about a simple paper map?!? If I have to go somewhere new, I print out a Google map before the trip or bring the old Rand-McNally. I may be weird, but look at all the dough I saved. :-) I live in northern New Mexico with wilderness available just a few miles outside of town. We hike and walk everywhere, assuming the MUD isn't so bad. I've never used an iPhone or a GPS device of any kind. What I'm wondering is, just why do people have those things? Seriously. Is it just a game? I take hikes in the backcountry with a compass and a topo map, just like in the old days with the Boy Scouts. :-) I can look at a hillside and point to where it is on the map. I almost always know where I am. So what is it about living in a city, forgodssakes, that makes one addicted to GPS??? Aren't there street signs? If you didn't have GPS, would you just sit down on the curb and have a nervous breakdown?!? Sincerely, John Hamilton Farr
Rock Band Weekly: Chesney, Gentry, Flatts, Evans, Adkins & Willie Nelson
Next week's Rock Band Weekly update puts country stars on the road again, yup, they just can't wait to get on the road again. So, this is the part where I confess that I know little to nothing about the artists featured in the next update. Honestly, the closest I get to country is driving in my friend's pick-up along the forest-filled back roads of Connecticut. Check out the full pricing and track details for the console releases after the break.
Rock Band Weekly: A little bit country (plus A Beatle: Rock Band in January)
Rock Band DLC is taking some time off for the holidays, with no tracks scheduled for release until December 29 on Xbox 360 and Wii, and January 7 on PS3. Take the time to reflect on the tracks you do have, and appreciate time spent with them this holiday season. When Rock Band DLC does return, it''ll bring a seven-pack of songs from the Rock Band: Country disc, followed by a three-pack of live Paul McCartney songs from his performance at New York's Citi Field. Check the list after the break, and then you can forget about all that other garbage you've downloaded!
Uruguay becomes first nation to provide a laptop for every primary school student
Uruguay's been a huge fan of the One Laptop Per Child initiative for quite some time, and while we're still unsure if it's the entity's biggest customer, the aforesaid nation is certainly doing some serious business with Nicholas Negroponte and Company. After the first swath of youngsters received their green and white XOs back in May of 2007, the final smattering of kids have now joined the proud group of laptop-toting tots in the country's circuit of primary schools. You heard right -- every last pupil in Uruguay's primary school system now has a laptop and a growing love for Linux, and we're told that the whole thing cost the country less than five percent of its entire education budget. So, who's next?[Via Digg, image courtesy of oso]
Rock Band: Country Track Pack debuts 13 new songs for franchise
The Rock Band track packs have been rather unexciting for the many of us that have internet access (read: you). The previous packs compiled already-available DLC onto a single disc at a slightly discounted price making it attractive exclusively to those that -- for one reason or another -- can't buy songs from the in-game music store.Looks like things will change for the upcoming country music Track Pack. Available July 21st on every platform, the Track Pack will offer exclusive songs that are new for the Rock Band franchise. In fact, 13 songs will be brand new, making the Track Pack a much more exciting purchase for country music-lovin' Rock Band aficionados.The $29.99 disc will feature 21 songs from the Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban, Kenny Rogers, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson and more. You can read the entire track listing after the break.
Estonia to allow citizens to vote via cellphone by 2011
Brutal honesty here: on election day this past November, the entire Engadget staff (well, those of us with US passports) collectively agreed that casting our vote via SMS or some other incredibly simple method would be infinitely more awesome than trudging out in the streets and waiting in hour-long lines. Clearly, some higher-ups in Estonia are on board with that concept, as its Parliament has approved a law that will likely make it the first nation on Planet Earth to give citizens the right to vote by phone in something that matters (American Idol notwithstanding). 'Course, those who choose to take advantage must first obtain a free authorization chip for their handset, which sort of kills the whole "not having to leave your house" aspect of all this. Ah well, at least we're moving in the right direction.
Report: Yee-haw! Country Rock Band DLC on December 16
Well, we reckon it's almost official now. According to Country Music Television's (CMT) blog, the previously mentioned Rock Back country music pack is coming on December 16th to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The report claims five songs will be part of the pack, and names Bentley, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and the Dixie Chicks as the artists. If Rock Band sticks to tradition, we'll get an official press release Dec. 11th or 12th.We're going to take the moment to re-demand "Jolene" (let's compromise and ask for the White Stripes version), "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass" and "The Gambler" for some point in the future.
Orange says unlocked iPhones are, in fact, unlocked
Some hubbub across the 'nets the past few days suggested that the unlocked iPhones being offered by Orange in France were -- of all things -- country locked, a rather unusual (but still perfectly valid and real) form of SIM lock that would require that the SIM of a French carrier be installed in the phone. Now, by our calculation, this would've been about the crappiest thing Apple and Orange could've done and still be within the boundaries of French law requiring that phones be offered unlocked. We certainly wouldn't put it past the terrible twosome, but fortunately, it looks like the fears were a little overblown; iLounge is claiming that they've confirmed with Orange that the unlocked units are not country locked. We imagine it's not a big deal for the domestic market there either way, but for the good folks in surrounding countries, it makes the sitch a little easier.
VC gift feature takes region-locking a step further
Many sources are reporting that the new gift feature that allows Wii owners to send Virtual Console games to their buddies is, unsurprisingly, region-locked. That we expected; after all, VC games release on different schedules around the world. But what is surprising is that the function seems to be country-locked as well. Posters at NeoGAF are reporting being unable to send Virtual Console games between Canada and the United States, though no one has yet -- to our knowledge -- tested sending VC games between two European nations that both use the euro as currency. We don't know yet what the lock is based upon; it could be currency or just blanket national lines. We'll keep you updated as we learn more, but for now, reconcile yourselves to only sending gifts to people who live under the same flag.
