Pandoras Box
Latest
Will we be able to control the killer robots of tomorrow?
From ship-hunting Tomahawk missiles and sub-spying drone ships to semi-autonomous UAV swarms and situationally-aware reconnaissance robots, the Pentagon has long sought to protect its human forces with the use of robotic weapons. But as these systems gain ever-greater degrees of intelligence and independence, their increasing autonomy has some critics worried that humans are ceding too much power to devices whose decision-making processes we don't fully understand (and which we may not be entirely able to control).
Death by text: How the Michelle Carter case will impact free speech
Words can kill, a Massachusetts Juvenile Court judge decided last Friday, when he found 20-year old Michelle Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 suicide of her then-boyfriend, Conrad Roy III. This decision, with its broad interpretation of the manslaughter statute, could potentially pose long-lasting consequences for how we speak to each other online and how cyberbullying is addressed by social media platforms.
Dish adds Pandora to Hopper Whole-Home DVR system
Tired of walking from room to room, bringing your Entourage with you via your minty fresh Dish Hopper? Well, now you can sit down, relax and enjoy a hot cup of your favorite tunes from the same box. Dish has introduced the popular Pandora music service into its Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR System. So, you'll be able to pull up tracks, create playlists and all the usual recommendation delights you've come to expect from the personal radio service. We'd normally make Pandora's Box about this time, but we're already knee deep in the Jane's Addiction back catalog...
Daily Mac App: Pandoras Box
I enjoy integrating Pandora into my music rotation along with my iTunes library and Spotify, but doing so on the desktop either means keeping another web browser window up or downloading Pandora's desktop client for OS X. Pandoras Box does a good job in condensing the service down to a menu bar app, but there are a few caveats. Pandoras Box is a recent arrival to the Mac App Store, but the first version turned away many potential users by requiring both a paid account for Pandora and downloading the desktop client. However, a recent update eliminates both those requirements, turning it into a more useful utility for casual and power Pandora users. It's easy to give a thumbs up/thumbs down rating from the app, or undo it, and toggle among your pre-established stations. However, creating a new station involves using an existing official Pandora client or the website. You can tweet what you're listening to in Twitter and links are provided to iTunes and Amazon for purchases. There is the option to match songs with those in iTunes to increase play count there. Other options include integration with Last.fm, using keyboard media keys, enabling Growl notifications and launching at login. US$4.99 might be a little high for Pandoras Box. Similar apps run around $2.99, and I think that's a fair amount to charge for features that it has.
The Game Archaeologist and the Forbidden RuneScape: Words with Paul Gower
The Game Archaeologist is a lazy adventurer-slash-professor who dons his trademark cap for a weekly expedition through some of the most famous MMOs of the past few decades. Each month he chooses a different title to examine its highlights, talk with its developers, and invite its fans to share their experiences. Some of you may be old enough to remember comedian Rodney Dangerfield's classic line, "I don't get no respect!" Double negatives aside, Dangerfield's catchphrase resonated with many people -- perhaps even the team behind RuneScape. Despite being one of the most popular MMOs in the world, it's battled a perception of being "that" MMO that's not quite a full-fledged member of the Big Boy's Club. Lord knows that browser-based titles have struggled against such negativity ever since their inception, and RuneScape is no different. But as I stated last week, perhaps it's high time we get over our exclusion of RuneScape from the discussion whenever MMOs are brought up and start giving the game its due. My inbox's spent a busy week receiving all manner of testimonies about RuneScape, and I saw a common theme of fondness for what was many players' first MMO. Next week I'll let these testimonies out of Pandora's Box (if you haven't already, send me your own RuneScape story via email!), but today I've invited Paul Gower, one of RuneScape's founders, to share his perspective on making and running a gaming phenomenon. Hit the jump to level up!
God of War 'Ultimate Trilogy Edition' coming to Europe
Dear Europe, We're really sorry you weren't able to get God of War Collection this year. But we wanted to let you know that it's not you, it's us. Yeah, you really wanted it, but we thought you would want EyePet instead! To make up for the delay, we're making you an Ultimate Trilogy Edition of God of War III. Not only will it include a fancy box and a copy of God of War III, but it will also include God of War Collection, so you can have all three games in one garish box. We're also throwing in an art book and postcards, along with a lot of digital extras that America is also receiving. Does this make you feel better, baby? Love, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
