casting
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YouTube mobile app now lets you search with your voice while casting
You can now search for videos with your voice on YouTube mobile even while you're casting to a bigger screen. The Google-owned platform has announced the feature, which works on both iOS and Android devices, along with the revelation that it's now possible to watch YouTube in HDR on the PS4 and the PS4 Pro. YouTube's post also talked about the other capabilities it rolled out over the past year. Those include "Who's Watching," a feature that lets you switch between the profiles linked to the device you're watching on, as well as YouTube's debut on Amazon Fire TV devices.
Google streamlines music transfers between Home and Nest devices
Moving music between different Google Home and Nest devices has been a convoluted process for a while now, but Google is at long last making it easier to do just that. The company is introducing a new feature called stream transfer that allows you to ask Assistant to move music and podcasts between different Chromecast, Google Home and Nest devices. One example the company gives is, "Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker."
Amazon's Fire Stick TV 4K supports Miracast screen mirroring
With its latest update, Amazon has brought a blast from the past to its modestly-priced Fire TV Stick 4K. The $50 streaming stick now supports Miracast, letting you mirror programs to supported smartphones, tablets and PCs as if they were attached displays, according to AFTVnews. Amazon had dropped Miracast support with Fire OS 6 on the Fire TV 3, but has now re-introduced it with the Fire TV Stick 4K.
Oculus Go now casts your VR sessions to other devices
As promised, it's now easy to share your Oculus Go sessions with everyone else in the room. Oculus is rolling out beta support for casting Go experiences to phones and tablets using the Oculus app. So long as both the Go and the mobile device are on the same WiFi network, friends and family can watch you grapple with a VR game or marvel at a 360-degree video. You can't yet share VR to a TV, but it beats having to describe what you're seeing to curious onlookers.
Netflix's 'The Witcher' series casts Henry Cavill as Geralt
Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher has landed a big name for the leading role. Henry Cavill will don the guise of monster slayer Geralt of Rivia in the eight-episode series. The show, which replaces a planned movie, is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's novels and short stories -- they also inspired CD Projekt Red's series of The Witcher games.
Director Tony Kaye puts out a casting call for robots
For one of his next films, director Tony Kaye (American History X, Lake of Fire) needs a robot, but rather than using computer-generated effects to depict one, as filmmakers have done in the past, he wants to cast an actual AI robot. Deadline reports that Kaye and producer Sam Khoze came up with the idea for the upcoming film 2nd Born, a follow to the soon-to-be-released 1st Born.
Plex adds offline podcast playback
Plex is shifting podcasts out of beta to make them a fully fledged part of its media streaming suite. The move brings a few more features too, including offline listening, which is essential for any podcast service. You can set the number of episodes you'd like to hoard on your device, and automatically delete episodes once you've heard them. Plex also lets you listen to podcasts through Sonos speakers, Android Auto and Chromecast devices. The new additions complement existing features, including cross-device playback and marking episodes you've listened to.
Stream from your Android device to an Apple TV with an $8 app
Non-Apple-device Airplay streaming to Apple TV effectively died when Apple pushed tvOS 10.2 into the world. But the folks who enabled it in the first place, doubleTwist, have returned to fix that. "We went ahead and added support for Apple's new pairing process in the latest doubleTwist Pro release because we believe the era of walled gardens is long gone," a post on the developer's blog says. Meaning, if you didn't already have the premium app, all it'll cost to get FLAC files from your Android device to your Apple TV is a spare $8/£8. Handy!
Plex's Xbox One update brings music, playlists and more
There are a host of new features coming to Plex's Xbox One app. In addition to the standard fare of navigation tweaks, added SmartGlass functionality and bug fixes, the media organizer/caster now allows users to play music through their Xbone. Plex also now offers playlist support for both songs and videos. Plus, there's no longer need to convert videos either, the service can play back video in Xbox's native MKV file format. But arguably the coolest new feature is that you'll finally get real, honest-to-goodness trailers prior to watching your films. It's as close to the theater experience you can get without having to pay for IMAX and stale popcorn.
Google is bringing Chromecast to Mexico for 699 pesos
We've been enjoying Google's HDMI dongle for awhile here in the US, and now the Chromecast is making its way south. That's right: Mountain View's streaming stick will soon be available in Mexico for 699 pesos (around $50) at Best Buy, Liverpool and Linea stores, as spotted by Android Central. The gizmo costs a bit more there than it does in the States but at least Mexico can finally try out one of our favorite features -- beaming Google Play Music to a home theater system with a few taps on a smart device. If you have any playlist recommendations, leave 'em in the comments below, yeah?
Star Trek Online announces more Voyager cast members in Delta Rising
When you're out exploring the Delta Quadrant, you want people around you who have been there before. It's a big, unfriendly place, after all. Star Trek Online players will have a bit more help than they had previously expected, though. In addition to Tim Russ (Tuvok) and Garret Wang (Harry Kim) reprising their roles from Star Trek: Voyager, Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), and Robert Picardo (The Doctor) will be making appearances in the game. No details on these appearances have yet been revealed, although Neelix is likely still in his role as ambassador, and the game's backstory has Seven of Nine working with the Daystrom Institute. It's likely that more lore will be uncovered as the expansion approaches its release this fall. [Source: Cryptic Studios press release]
Mobility and disparity
We know that change is coming to cast on the move. Let's talk about it, and why I think it's necessary. Casters want melee mobility reduced in PvP so that they can turret down melee. Melee want caster mobility in PvP reduced so they can avoid being kited. Ranged want cast on the move mechanics to remain in PvE because without them, they have to stop casting when fights force movement. Melee want those mechanics gone because they're part of why ranged are brought to raids over melee - melee can't DPS on the move nearly as effectively, between having to stay in range of bosses and having a positional requirement ranged don't have. If the boss drops fire on himself, the ranged don't care, but the melee have to either stop DPS or die. We know some or all of these things are going to be addressed in Warlords. The perennial fight between ranged and melee in PvP (ranged want to stay the heck out of melee range, melee desperately need to get into that range) and the constant tug of war that is raiding (where balancing between ranged and melee tends to always favor ramged - most raids bring twice as many ranged players if at all possible) will be affected by the expansion's sweeping changes. To quote CM Lore's twitter feed: PSA: There are a lot of interconnected changes happening in Warlords. Item squish, health rebalancing, spell scaling, CC disarmament, etc. - Lore (@CM_Lore) February 12, 2014 So let's look at one proposed change and discuss how it will affect the game, namely, the trimming down of cast on the move mechanics.
Chromecast stand-in CheapCast now beams browser tabs to your display
CheapCast is a great way to get some of Chromecast's functionality for free, sure, but it's been lacking a few of the Google dongle's features since the app launched. If you've been hankering to beam browser tabs to your TV (via an HDMI-or-WiFi-connected mobile device, of course), CheapCast's latest update enables just that. Android Police notes that this seemingly only works with tabs and not fullscreen casting, while DRM'd services like Netflix and Google Play Movies "actually might never work." However, this should make it easier to play Vimeo or other Flash-based video content on your flatscreen -- right where it belongs.
Rumor: Colin Farrell and Paula Patton to lead World of Warcraft film
Here's one from the rumor mill: The long delayed World of Warcraft movie, set to finally start filming in January of 2014, might just have its first two high-profile cast members. According to industry buzz, Paula Patton (Mission Impossible: The One Where Tom Cruise Hangs from a Building) and Colin Farrell (Scrubs) are on deck for leading roles, with Patton already in the contracting phase. Other names have cropped up in relation to the film; Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels), and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) are all on the rumored shortlist for parts. Whatever your thoughts on potential actors, the fact that casting is actually getting done seems to indicate that the WoW movie might actually get made this time around. Moon director Duncan Jones is set to steer the project, which is aimed at a 2015 release.
Which race has the best animations?
When I was struggling not too long ago over what race to make my new caster, the collected wisdom of Twitter seemed to distill into one simple principle: Choose whatever race you think has the best casting animations. Ultimately, I made my choice based on a corollary, choosing a race whose casting animations carried whiffs of a nostalgically sweet time in my WoW life. Objective achieved: What I see over and over while I play makes me happy. Here's your chance to represent with your favorites. Casting animations, melee animations, resting animations -– cast your vote in multiple polls after the break.
Steve Jackson's Sorcery! gamebook coming to the App Store
Steve Jackson's Sorcery! is an old series back from the early 1980s where you "played" through a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure-style story, except that instead of just flipping pages, you actually cast spells, fight in combat and do other fantasy-based activities. These books were reprinted back in 2002, but it's been announced that they're coming to iOS soon, as fully interactive books to play with. Most interactive books on the App Store are either meant for children or show off only a limited amount of interactivity, but these seem different -- they're heavily dependent on text, but they do offer some nice interactive touches from the original books. There's even some fun procedural stuff: When you do combat in the game, the book creates custom-made text for you to read about the outcome of the battle. It all looks very cool, and it's a nice throwback for those of us who played with these books all those years ago. Steve Jackson's Sorcery! is set to be submitted to the App Store right away, so we should see it for ourselves very soon.
The Daily Grind: Are you for or against casting while moving?
With the new guard of MMOs this year comes an unexpectedly interesting shift in game design: the removal of movement restrictions from casting. Titles like The Secret World and Guild Wars 2 have thrown out this age-old tradition in favor of a more mobile casting environment. All of the sudden, spellcasters have found their "game legs" -- but is this a good thing? And do you want to see it spread across the MMO industry? Those in the traditionalist camp might say that allowing casters to discover the joys of bipedal locomotion will greatly unbalance games as we know them. They claim that it's a necessary weakness to counterbalance the massive ranged damage and abilities that such classes are capable of doing. And there is the possibility that it is another spot of erosion on the uniqueness defining these roles. Let's give it up to you to decide today: Are you for or against casting while moving? 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!
Hitman: Absolution villain Dexter voiced by Dexter's Keith Carradine
Square Enix announced another member of the Hitman: Absolution cast in Keith Carradine, known for his roles in Dexter, Deadwood, and last year's Cowboys and Aliens. Carradine stars in Absolution as unscrupulous weapons manufacturer Blade Dexter, as opposed to his role in Dexter as good guy FBI agent Frank Lundy.The news follows the rather more scrutinized return of David Bateson, who was officially confirmed as Agent 47 last month. However complicated or simple their castings were, Hitman: Absolution's actors and actresses come to TV screens near you on November 20.
Defiance beefs up its TV cast with big-name stars
Next month the pilot for Syfy's Defiance will commence filming, and the station has announced several additional cast members joining lead star Grant Bowler in the sci-fi post-apocalyptic series. As the show and Trion World's upcoming MMO will share the same world and influence one another, it's quite possible that gamers could be running into virtual versions of these characters. Four new actors have been announced for the show. The first is Julie Benz (Dexter, Angel), who will be playing Mayor Amanda Rosewater, a leader of a small mining town. Stephanie Leonidas (MirrorMask) is Irisa, an alien warrior who's adopted by the lead's character and raised as his bodyguard and daughter. Finally, Tony Curran (Gladiator, Blade II) and Jaime Murray (Warehouse 13, Dexter) are coming on as an alien husband-and-wife team fleeing the destruction of their home world. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Wings Over Atreia: Daevas of Our Lives casting call
It's ironic: The topic I detest experiencing most in Aion is actually the most fun to write about. Whenever I think back to my favorite columns, the almost-too-surreal-to-believe antics of the drama-impaired (or should I say drama-addicted?) always rank near the top of the list. Perhaps chronicling these antics for the amusement of others is simply my choice form of therapy when I'm confronted with them. They say laughter is the best medicine, and who can't help but laugh when reading over the train-wreck that is drama? Seraphim Lords know that living through it is torture and avoidance truly is the best policy, but something about it can be simply fascinating... from a distance. Over the past couple of years, Wings Over Atreia has provided the opportunity to witness Aion's drama vicariously without the danger of involvement or having any splatter on you Gallagher-style. During this time, different episodes of Daevas of Our Lives have offered glimpses of the various cast members. But what about a deeper look into the psyche of these seemingly unreal -- yet based on reality -- characters? This week offers a more detailed introduction to the current members of the cast as well as a new addition. So whether you run away screaming at the first hint of impending drama in game or grab a giant bowl of popcorn and settle in for the show, this handy guide can help keep the who's-who straight for you when you're viewing future (or past) episodes. And if you're a perpetrator of said drama, don't be surprised if your antics are broadcast on the next episode of Daevas of Our Lives.
