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US government will investigate fake net neutrality comments
In December, a number of US Representatives sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) asking it to investigate fraudulent comments submitted to the FCC's proposal to repeal net neutrality. Multiple groups found evidence that millions of the comments submitted during the FCC's public comment period were linked to fake email addresses, were fraudulently posted under others' names and addresses and were even attributed to people known to be dead. Congressional leaders, attorneys general and even FCC commissioners called for the FCC to delay its vote on the proposal while the extent of the fake comments could be properly investigated, though as we well know, the FCC went ahead with the vote anyway. Now, Ars Technica reports, the GAO has agreed to investigate the issue.
Microsoft's now letting developers respond to app store critics
If a Windows Phone app disappoints you, it's probably right that you call out its failings and warn others to steer clear. Don't be surprised, however, if the minds behind the software start responding to your gripes directly. Microsoft is slowly rolling out a program whereby developers can comment on your reviews of their handiwork. Fortunately for you, however, the devs won't get access to your personal details, and, if they overstep the mark, you can report them for poor conduct. Still, the notion that coders will now get the chance to openly gain feedback from users seems like a step in the right direction -- just as long as everyone remains civil.
Ask Massively: No one loves blog comment systems
Welcome back to Ask Massively! Today, let's beat our heads against some totally valid emails relating to Massively's adorable comment system, which we lovingly call "Hey, Livefyre is down again!" Chris wrote, "Is there some way to create an ignore list? I'm irritated by a few people in certain articles who try to make the comments entirely about themselves. I primarily read this site at work, and the work network is garbage, which means that the browser freezes up when I try to load more comments. Is there some way to filter out certain users' posts?" This is a good idea!
Ask Massively: The one where we talk about our 2012 awards
Welcome back to Ask Massively. Here's your present: an edit button! What? You say you didn't get us anything? Awww. Well, let's get back to the important things, like your telling us how wrong our opinions are. thatchefdude (and zaithnoc and cbv1020) asked: How can Guild Wars 2 be your game of the year and also runner-up for biggest disappointment of the year? I understand no game is perfect, but I would expect game of the year to not have enough disappointments in it to warrant it a place as runner-up for disappointment of the year. Because voting. OK, also because of a few other things.
Massively's comment system gets an upgrade: Yes, you can has edit button [Updated]
As several of you have noticed, the Joystiq network's tech team has just pushed through the latest version of the Livefyre comments system. The update comes with a comment edit option with a timeout, meaning that yes, you can finally edit your posts (if you're quick -- it's apparently six minutes). Woot! The new features also include formatting tools like bullet points, bolding, italics, and embeds for links, images, and videos. There's also a little floaty widget to help you stay on top of the busiest threads. We're still digging through the update and chronicling the cool stuff and the bugs ourselves. Let us know what you like and don't like so we can pass it on to the tech guys and gals! [Update 12/21/2012: Readers have alerted us to the fact that the comment system is not functioning for users of older versions of Internet Explorer -- specifically, 8 and 9. Chrome and Firefox appear to be working well. Upgrade to IE 10 if you can! Tech is aware of the problem and investigating a fix, but we have no ETA.]
Ask Massively: Yes, we have heard of your game
Welcome back to Ask Massively, the place where Bree dispenses random thoughts about the sitemeta because you guys are cheaper than a shrink. About 20 people asked: Hey have you guys heard about Pathfinder Online and also why aren't you writing more about Pathfinder Online. P.S. Your coverage of Pathfinder Online is inadequate to my needs. And have you heard about Pathfinder Online?? Yes, we have heard of your game.
Welcome to the new Engadget commenting system, Livefyre
Greetings readers and commenters. We here at Engadget are always working hard to provide you with the best reading experience we possibly can. To do this, we're making a clean break from our old commenting system -- starting anew in the interests of elevating the discourse that occurs in our comments. Yes, we know that change can be inconvenient at best and scary at worst, but fear not, dear readers, for Livefyre is here to improve your Engadget commenting experience. All you have to do is create a Livefyre account or login using your existing Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or OpenID credentials. And before you ask, no, your Disqus account cannot be ported to the new system. Everyone needs a fresh start sometimes, okay? This is one of those times. Eager to learn more? Want to help make our comments better? The answers you seek are after the break.
Woz: Apple Maps flaws 'not that severe'
Steve Wozniak, aka Woz, was in Sydney Australia when he noted that, while Apple's Maps were "disappointing," he felt the problem has been blown out of proportion. Of course, Sydney happens to have flyover support, whereas London does not. It should also be noted that Woz carries more than one phone with him at a time, so if Apple fails him his Android devices pick up the slack, which seems to be exactly what happened when he tried to get somewhere and Maps on his iPhone 5 failed.
Ask Massively: There are better things to complain about than pandas edition
I'm going to go right ahead and say that I really don't like the Pandaren in World of Warcraft at all. But it's not because they're pandas. It's because they're the definition of an in-joke taken to ridiculous levels, like an entire race dedicated to Steve Carrell saying, "I love lamp." If you want to be upset about Mists of Pandaria, please, do so about the things that are actually worth being upset over. The existence of ailuropoda melanoleuca is not on that list. You want a list of what is worth being upset over? Sorry, but this week's installment of Ask Massively isn't about that; it's about the onrushing specter of the Guild Wars 2 launch and the continual scourge of the comment system bugs. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, send it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.
Commenting on Engadget: a refresher, and how you can help
It's been far, far too long since we've had an excuse to run that rad picture of dinosaurs with laser guns. It's also been some time since we offered up a gentle reminder about the delicate dance that is the Engadget comments system -- and since things seem to have gone off the rails a bit lately, we've found a good way to accomplish both tasks. After the break, you'll discover everything you need to know in order to become a valued member of the world of Engadget commenting. As ever, we reserve the right to delete those comments that we deem to be trollin' or hatin' -- and to ban repeat offenders. We don't like banning people, and we realize that haters do have to hate, but we do want to encourage active and open debate. This is the best way for us to do that. Of course, to keep things on track we need some assistance, and while a few, proud comment moderators have been helping out for months now, it's time to invite a few more into the fold. More information on how to become a member of the elite moderating forces after the break.
Global Chat, November 13-19, 2011
Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat! This week's Global Chat is about our love of games, even those we didn't think we'd be so crazy for, and that ever-interesting topic: what we spend our gaming funds on. Hit the jump and see what our readers had to say last week!
Global Chat: October 23-29, 2011
Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat! This week's Global Chat -- just like the news and stories on Massively last week -- is a combination of the fun and the somber. Our readers had plenty to say about both, so jump past the cut and take a look!
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 22, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 15, 2011: Phone Releases Fido launched the Samsung Galaxy Q, also known as the Gravity Smart in the US, on Thursday. [via MobileSyrup] The BlackBerry Curve 9360 can already be purchased on Telus for $50 with a three-year contract, and the Torch 9860 will be available on August 30th. [via IntoMobile and CrackBerry] SouthernLINC Wireless announced the immediate availability of the Motorola Titanium, offered for $150 with a two-year commitment. T-Mobile released the Samsung Gravity TXT, a basic messaging phone that's on sale for $10. [via UnwiredView] Cricket has begun offering a new messaging phone called the Samsung Comment, which offers a full QWERTY keyboard, stereo bluetooth, a microSD slot and 1.3MP camera. It can be had for $90 with no commitment required. [via PhoneScoop] Other news The government of South Korea, in reaction to Google's planned acquisition of Motorola, now intends to form a consortium of local companies that will work together in building a brand new mobile operating system. [via IntoMobile] Randall Milch, Chief Counsel for Verizon, is so frustrated with the patent wars going on that this week he filed an appeal to President Obama, asking for him to provide assistance in the matter. [via PhoneScoop] The Motorola PRO is expected to debut in the UK in mid-September, though pre-orders are already taking place at select authorized resellers. [via UnwiredView] Leaked posters indicate the BlackBerry Torch 9850 will be offered by Verizon and screenshots show the same phone going to US Cellular, though we're still unsure of the release date or pricing. [via CrackBerry(1) and (2)] Last week we reported on the rumored Sony Ericsson Nozumi, a smartphone that will likely feature a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm S2 CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, and 4.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution. At the time, it was assumed to be only selling in Japan; however, there's a good possibility the Nozumi will end up available globally instead. [via XperiaBlog] Pantech's LTE phone on Verizon may actually end up being called the Breakout (rather than the "Apache"), according to a leaked screenshot. When released, it'll feature a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM, dual cameras, and will be preloaded with Gingerbread. Not much to write home about at this stage in the game, considering these are incredibly similar to the specs of the LG Revolution. However, it would be the first 4G phone on Big Red that has a 4-inch display. [via AndroidCentral] T-Mobile may be planning to throw a data pay-per-use feature onto any smartphone that currently has its internet access blocked. If this happens, it will affect current customers as well as new ones. [via TmoNews] Dish has petitioned the FCC for permission to use 40MHz of allocated spectrum to begin building out an LTE-Advanced network. [via PhoneScoop]
Commenting on Engadget: a refresher
Hey there, it's time for yet another refresher on the wonderful world of Engadget comments. After the break you'll find our "human's guide" to commenting, a sort of care and feeding guide for your Disqus account. If you've been here for awhile (hello, you) it should be mighty familiar but, since the flow of the commenters has hugely increased lately, we're going to be more strict for awhile, deleting any comments we deem to be trollin' or hatin' and banning repeat offenders. We don't like banning people, and we realize that haters do have to hate, but we love encouraging active and open debate down there. This is the best way for us to do that. Read on for some guidelines to keep in mind.
In Iceland, constitutions are written on Facebook
Ah, Iceland -- home to the Blue Lagoon, Sigur Rós and, most recently, crowdsourced constitutionalism. With its economy still reeling from the 2009 financial crisis, the country has begun hammering away at a brand new constitution, and is asking its online citizenry for help. The draft is being prepared by a democratically elected, 25-member council, but any Icelanders with an internet connection can add their own suggestions, engage in online debates, or follow the proceedings in real-time on Facebook. All suggestions are moderated to weed out the really dumb ones ("FEWER VOLCANOES"), and those approved by the board will be directly added to the draft, due to be completed at the end of this month. It's a fascinating social experiment, but one that could probably only happen in a place where nearly 90 percent of all households have a broadband connection, two-thirds of the entire population is on Facebook -- meaning their politicians are always within poke's reach.
Global Chat: Hidden gems
Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat! Plenty of players were hearing and reading about things that they hadn't been aware of previously -- or even things that didn't exist! Follow along after the jump to see what's new (and new to you) this week in Global Chat!
FCC opens floor for public comment on AT&T / T-Mobile deal
Since the world's engineers haven't yet come up with a way to read minds over the internet (or at all, last we checked), we're not sure what you think about the proposed marriage of T-Mobile to AT&T. We're pretty sure you do have an opinion of some sort, though, and if you want it to be heard, now's the opportunity to let the Federal Communications Commission read your thoughtful, reasoned take on how a GSM monopoly in the United States might or might not work. (Speak now or forever hold your peace, in other words.) To comment, simply visit the source links below, where the FCC has some handy forms -- one for short comments, one for long comments (where you have to attach a PDF document) and one with the magic number of the related proceeding, which is 11-65. Let 'em know just how you'll be impacted if the deal goes through, for better or for worse. [Thanks, Jeff]
Engadget's comments policy: what you need to know
It's been a little while since we took the time to remind you folks how comments work here -- not that long in human years but, since we've had some changes since then, we thought it was time for a reminder. After the break you'll find our "human's guide" to commenting, a sort of care and feeding guide for your Disqus account. If you've been here for awhile (hello, you) it should be mighty familiar but, since the flow of the commenters has hugely increased lately, we're going to be more strict for awhile, deleting any comments we deem to be trollin' or hatin' and banning repeat offenders. We don't like banning people, and we realize that haters do have to hate, but we love encouraging active and open debate down there. This is the best way for us to do that. Of course, to keep things on track we need help, and while a few, proud comment moderators have been doing us service for months now it's time to invite a few more into the fold. Click on through and, at the bottom, you'll see how to apply.
Global Chat: Branching out edition
Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat! This week is all about trying new things. Burnout, new platforms, and game updates were story topics that provoked a lot of talk, both good and bad. Ready to see what everyone had to say? Hit the jump and let's discuss!
Kodak adds Quick Comment option, activity sensor to refreshed Pulse digiframe
We've been talking a lot about second generation hardware at CES this year, but it's not just Intel and AMD who are unveiling their next iterative step toward consumers' pockets. Kodak has disclosed plans to update its Pulse digital photo frame -- you know, the one that can receive images via its very own email address -- with a new Quick Comments feature plus an activity sensor that switches the display off when no humanoids are moving about in front of it. It doesn't seem like you'll be able to author your own comments when responding to the sender of your latest pic, though you will be able to communicate via a selection of gorgeous pre-canned proclamations like the always popular "OMG!" and the ever-versatile "LOL!" The new Pulse will be arriving in the spring, costing $130 for the 7-inch variety or $200 for its 10-inch SKU. Skip past the break for the full press release.
