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Google Calendar is getting better at weeding out spam invites
Google Calendar has released a new update for an issue that it promised to fix three years ago.
ZeniMax sends out more Elder Scrolls Online beta invites
Curious about Elder Scrolls Online but stuck in the dark because the game is still, for some reason, blocked by a ridiculously limiting NDA despite being less than three months from launch? Today might be your lucky day. ZeniMax Online has announced that another round of Elder Scrolls Online beta keys have been sent out, so take a look at your email inbox to see if you've earned yourself a ticket into the party. If you didn't get an invite, don't fret; ZeniMax will be sending out more in the near future. Don't forget to check your spam folder and Gmail's "Promotions" tab, just to be sure. [Thanks to Mortis13th and Balsbigbrother for the tip!]
Google wants you to join the party, announces Google+ Events (video)
At the tail end of today's Google I/O keynote, the company demoed Google+ Events, which, as you might imagine, let's you invite your virtual buds to an in-person hangout. You've probably already guessed that there's some pretty tight integration with Mountain View's other virtual properties, including Calendar, which means that sending your friends or coworkers a "save the date" to brunch or brainstorming no longer requires clunky email, or a phone call. That's not to say that your contacts need to opt-in to the search giant's social networking site to join the fun -- email invites are still available by typing your friend's address alongside your circles, or individual friends should you wish to plan an awkward inter-group soiree. You can choose from a variety of themes for your e-vite, which integrate motion or static banners. Once the fun begins, you can hop into Party Mode from your mobile, and photos you shoot during the event will appear beside the invite -- friends can add pics to the page as well, which you can later download. For now, please accept our invitation to jump past the break, where a Google demo video awaits. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub! %Gallery-159279%
Another 100,000 Mists of Pandaria beta invites arriving tonight
Blizzard's developers are like monks. They are on a roll today! Earlier this evening, they fired out 100,000 beta invites after last night's set of 100,000 invites. Several minutes ago, Bashiok announced that yet another 100,000 invites have just been sent out. We heard you like invites so we put an invite in your invite so you can beta while you beta. This is a short but sweet update that we're sending an additional 100,000 invites out tonight, for a total of 200,000 Mists of Pandaria invites being sent out today. Again, it will take a while for the invites to process so we recommend keeping an eye on your games list through Battle.net Account Management, as we expect invites to continue going out into the wee hours of the night and into tomorrow. For more information on the invite process as a whole, please refer back to today's earlier announcement. source Keep an eye on your Battle.net Account Management and be wary of any email scams! Good luck on your invites! It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Next wave of 100,000 Mists of Pandaria beta invites sent out
If you remember yesterday's mass invite of 100,000 beta testers, well, welcome to déjà vu -- because Bashiok just announced another wave. Yes, that's right. In addition to yesterday's 100,000 beta invites, today has another 100,000 on the way for a grand total of 200,000 beta invites this week. That's pretty darn amazing, in my opinion. Remember to check your account management page directly to avoid email scams. Yesterday's 100,000 Annual Pass-holder beta-test invites ran through the night, and we're still in the process of notifying the invitees by email. Those selected for yesterday's wave of invites should all have the Mists of Pandaria beta client available for download through Battle.net account management, and they should all receive the email notification by end of day today. If the beta client shows up for you in Battle.net account management, you don't need to wait for the email in order to download the client and begin testing. We're off to a solid start with the beta test, and things are looking good in terms of realm stability, so we're ready to invite another wave of Annual Pass holders. A second wave of invites is going out to 100,000 more Annual Pass holders today, starting right now. If you're added in this or any subsequent wave, access to the beta client will show up in Battle.net account management as discussed above. Please check there today and tomorrow, as today's wave of invites will be processing throughout the day and likely into early tomorrow morning. Notification emails will also be going out, but again, no need to wait for the email if the beta client is available to you through Battle.net account management. source Good luck to everyone -- and if you get in, wave at the tauren warrior, or the worgen warrior, or the night elf warrior, or the draenei warrior, since he or she might be me. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
3 time-saving WoW keyboard shortcuts you may not know
I think we all like to save time in game when doing mundane things so that we can get back to the fun stuff. I also find that World of Warcraft is unable to read my mind and know that I really meant "armor" when I typoed "amror." So out of necessity, I've discovered some tricks to let WoW know what I really mean in a timely fashion. Shift-clicking a crafting material in your inventory with the appropriate craft box open will search for patterns that include that mat. I can never remember if my jewelcrafter has already leveled past some gem or other, but with this trick I can easily check. Also, if I pick up some meat and don't know if I have a recipe for it, shift-click searching lets me know. You probably already use this trick for searching in the Auction House, as well. Shift-clicking the icon for a letter in your mailbox will put all items from that letter into your inventory. I find this invaluable for sending items to my bank alt. Note: This will delete the letter from your mailbox if there is nothing written in the letter itself.
Star Wars: The Old Republic increases invitations to this weekend's beta test
While Star Wars: The Old Republic's beta test weekends thus far have been small and intermittent, BioWare hopes to make it up to anxious fans by kicking off a much larger beta event. The studio posted that it is in the process of inviting "more players into testing than [it's] ever invited before in a single weekend" over the course of today in preparation for this weekend's test. This next beta weekend will take place from October 7th through the 11th and is separate from the ongoing closed beta. BioWare also asserts that players who aren't accepted into this test will have future opportunities in the additional beta test weekends before the launch. SWTOR beta test invitations will come straight to players' emails and can be verified by logging into your account to see whether the beta client is available for download. [Thanks to everyone who sent in this tip!]
Google's Music Beta gives users two invites, keys to the cloud for their best mates
We probably all know at least one person who is bummed they missed out on the initial round of invites for Music Beta by Google. Well friends, you can be the bearer of good news for those troubled souls (who haven't moved on to other online music pursuits, of course), as we discovered through a fellow music enthusiast. Members of the cloud-based service are now the proud owners of two invites handed down from the Goog, to be passed out only through a thorough application and interview process. Ok, not really... but perhaps you do have the power to make two of your friends, or soon-to-be friends, pretty happy. That is, until they realize how long it will take them to upload that music library they've been curating since 8th grade. [Thanks, Ralph]
Google+ users can now send email invites, brag about being into the service before it was cool
Google's exclusive little club just got a little less exclusive. As promised, the search giant's shiny new social network Google+ has opened up, giving users the ability to invite friends via email. (If it's not working on your system yet, trying logging out and then logging back in.) Existing users, it's time to start building out those Circles to avoid the sort of accidental social networking shenanigans Google is working so hard to curb. Everyone else, we're sure you'll be getting one in your Gmail inbox soon enough. In the meantime, how about prepping yourself by reading our detailed hands-on? Update: Looks like they've been shut down again. It was fun while it lasted! [Thanks, Ryan]
Google Music Beta invites start rock 'n rolling out
Been on pins and needles since Google unveiled its long awaited Music Beta service at I/O? Good news: it seems that the non-Xoom owners among us are finally getting a crack at the thing. We've received reports from numerous tipsters that El Goog has finally started delivering invites to those who signed up through the site, letting even more users upload 20,000 of their favorite jams to its cloud-based storage locker. If you're one of the lucky ones, please sound off in the comments below -- and if not, be sure to read our hands-on review of the service while you wait. [Thanks everyone who sent this in]
Music Beta invites now flying to Xoom owners, Google's server farms seen weeping in the distance
After 5000 music-lovin' I/O attendees warmed up Google's servers, it appears that the company has now finished its presumed installation of four zillion exabytes of new hard drive capacity. We're exaggerating, obviously, but probably not by much -- we've received a flood of tips today (as well as an invite amongst ourselves) noting that Music Beta is finally being opened up to Earthlings in the "real world." Specifically, Motorola Xoom owners. In case you've forgotten, that entitles you to free (for now) access to a cloud storage locker where 20,000 of your hits can be saved and streamed. Curious to know if it's worth the time to upload? Have a peek at our in-depth preview right here, and be sure to let us know if your invitation has come through in comments below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
GamersFirst looking to expand APB Reloaded closed beta
Things are ramping up in APB-land, and it's not just because GamersFirst has released its second dev blog of the week (as opposed to its traditional one-entry-per-week modus operandi over the past few months). Bjorn Book-Larsson writes that another 2500 souls have been admitted into the ongoing closed beta test, and thus far the GamersFirst hardware is holding its own under the new player onslaught. The beta test was approaching 1000 concurrent users as of Thursday afternoon, and though a few server restarts were required, the engineers have since nailed down a stable configuration that seems to be lag-free (aside from distance-related issues). Book-Larsson says that if all goes as planned, Friday evening will see another batch of invites, so keep an eye on your inboxes if you're itching to get back to San Paro. While you're waiting, check out our exclusive APB Reloaded GDC coverage or the recently released Vehicle Showcase video here or behind the cut.
APB Reloaded welcomes first 2500 beta testers
The APB Reloaded blog has updated and there's good news in store for anxious fans looking to dive back into the city of San Paro. The initial wave of beta invites has officially been sent, and GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson informs us that the first batch was targeted at American players (primarily on the west coast) who met certain minimum requirements. Book-Larsson also notes a memory allocation issue that cropped up after the influx of players (approximately 2500 in this wave), but says that as long as the system remains reasonably stable, GamersFirst will begin inviting new players on a daily basis. "The current plan is to slowly increase the CCU count (simultaneously connected players) from a few hundred (what it is now) to just over 2,000 simultaneous players this week -- which means close to 20,000 actual invitees," Book-Larsson says.
Hulu Plus hits 2010 BRAVIA HDTVs, coming to all PS3 users next week
Sad, dreary day at your place? Fret not, as the Boob Tube is just about to get even better. Hulu has just revealed a movement to get Hulu Plus stocked with more content and onto more devices, STAT. Making sure those words aren't empty, we're learning that all 2010 Sony BRAVIA HDTVs will today have access to the subscription programming service, with it bleeding over to Sony's various Blu-ray players, home theater systems, network media players and even the Dash -- yeah, that Dash -- in due time. In related news, Hulu will be soon yanking the invite requirement to get Hulu Plus on the PlayStation 3, and as of next week, any ole PlayStation Network member (as opposed to PlayStation Plus, as it stands today) will be able to grab it. 'Course, even those freeloaders will be forced to pony up $9.99 per month if they're interested in using it, but hey, it's not like Raising Hope is financed with pixie dust, right? [Thanks, Brian]
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm press beta invites going out
The wave of Cataclysm class changes being announced this week seems to be a harbinger of things to come -- it appears we'll be skipping the normal semi-public Friends & Family Alpha phase completely and moving right on to open beta! Blizzard PR has sent out several pre-invites to members of the media for the Cataclysm beta. These are confirmed not to be phishing emails -- they're definitely the real deal. In the pre-invite email, Blizzard says that they're gearing up for the Cataclysm beta, and that a Battle.net account is required to participate. Members of the press with a BNet account who received the email can then sign up for the invite pool. What we don't know: when it's happening. Press registration for the beta is open until April 15th, but Blizzard specifically states that they have no start date ready to announce. We'll keep you updated with more information, including the beta launch date and any new info that comes out of the beta, as soon as it becomes available. Right now, if you are not a member of the press and get one of these, it is likely a scam. Practice safe browsing. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.
Drama Mamas: It's not you - it's them
Dodge the drama and become that player everyone wants in their group with the Drama Mamas. Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are real-life mamas and experienced WoW players -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your server. We're taking your questions at DramaMamas (at) WoW (dot) com.You can't fix other people. "Good Intentions" discovered that hard truth last week, after writing in for help coping with the fallout of a BoP misloot that rendered him a social pariah. When it's other people's issues, attitudes and behavior that are causing the problem, sometimes the only alternatives are to grit your teeth and endure or to cut the line and move to another fishing hole.This week, we hear from a newly 80 player who can't seem to gear up fast enough for everyone around him. We also revisit the unfortunate scarcity of a particular WoW netiquette basic that continues to set one incensed player's teeth on edge. On to the drama!
PSA: Xbox 360 Dash Preview invites in the mail [Update]
Update: According to the comments in this story, the Xbox 360 Dashboard Preview has begun to roll out now.If you were quick enough on the draw to sign up, you may notice an email from Microsoft in your inbox today inviting you into the new Xbox 360 Dashboard Preview. The public preview -- which opened up for selected press and MVPs earlier last week -- is not fully live just yet, but Microsoft is notifying users if they were accepted into the program. Unaware of what to expect when the new dashboard hits this August? Joystiq has a lengthy guide with a plethora of videos to show you the ropes for the "New New Xbox Experience." Those guys are swell.
Get your friends and go to WAR: Mythic offers recruit-a-friend program
When Christmas comes and you want to find the very best present, let your friends and family go to WAR with you! Warhammer Online has just thrown open the gates to its own recruit-a-friend program, letting current subscribers send out free 14 day trials to anyone they wish. The only catch to the program is that you get a limited number of invites. Initially you get three for being a subscriber and then you receive one new invite each month to a maximum of six.If your buddy converts his trial account to a full account by buying the game, then you get the standard 30 days free. Mythic's notice has already promised more rewards for recruiting in the future though, so it seems the program will expand beyond the scope of free game time. Although, honestly, none of us are arguing against free game time. It's the gift that keeps on giving, until someone steals your keep. Note: This may sound familiar. Holiday oops.
Yet another batch of Home invites go out
Yep. Looks like the Home "closed beta" isn't really too closed anymore. Today marks yet another massive update for the long-awaited PSN service. Check your e-mail as you may have received a code for the beta. Once again, Sony appears to be stress-testing the servers. Join tonight at 8PM-10PM (5PM-7PM PST) to partake in the stress test. Considering the rapid expansion of the beta, we wouldn't be surprised if Sony really did open Home to everyone by year's end.[Thanks, Jason!]
PTR forums up, more beta invites going out
As a few of our readers have noted (thanks Nicholas!), the Public Test Realm Forum is back up and running, apparently in anticipation for the impending test cycle of patch 3.0.2, the pre-Wrath content patch set to release in the next few weeks or months. As of this writing, Blizzard hasn't posted anything in there yet, but considering Blizzard apparently likes to break open servers right before the weekend, we could have access to 3.0.2 as soon as tomorrow evening.And more folks are getting into the Wrath beta as well -- we've heard from quite a few people on our tips line, and there's been lots of murmuring on the forums that new beta invites are going out. Looks like Blizzard is ratcheting up testing of the new content in a big way. That doesn't mean that we'll move our expectation of the release date up, as there's still a lot of work to be done on what we've seen in the beta. But if you've been waiting patiently for your chance to check out some of the new content, it could be right around the corner.
