zeus
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DOJ charges two Russians with using malware to steal millions
Officials are offering a $5 million reward for information that leads to the capture of Maksim Yakubets of Moscow. Yakubets is one of two Russian nationals charged with cybercrimes that resulted in tens of millions in losses. The $5 million reward is the largest amount offered for a cyber criminal's capture to date.
Social media's biggest stars are launching a streaming service
Three of the biggest social media stars (with a combined 70 million followers across platforms) are launching their own video streaming service, reports Variety. Dubbed "Zeus," the upcoming VOD outlet is the brainchild of Andrew "King Bach" Bachelor (who was Vine's most-followed personality, before the video-looping app went kaput), along with fellow digital celebs Amanda Cerny, and DeStorm Power.
Russia used a cybercriminal's botnet for a spying campaign
It's no secret that the lines between state-sponsored hacking and cybercrime are fuzzy. After all, relying on professional crooks offers plausible deniability if the intruders are ever caught. However, it's now apparent that those lines sometimes disappear altogether. The New York Times reports that Russian intelligence 'piggybacked' on criminal hacker Evgeniy Bogachev's now-defunct botnet, GameOver ZeuS, to conduct spying campaigns in the US and abroad. Between 2011 and 2014, infected computers were asked to search for documents that clearly reflected Russian political interests, including US support for Syrian rebels, Ukrainian operations and English searches for "top secret" and "Department of Defense." Those last queries suggest that there were at least some American government or contractor systems that had been compromised, and they're definitely not what you'd expect from an outfit siphoning bank accounts.
370-inch TV costs more than the mansion you'd need to house it
What will Panasonic make of this, then? The Japanese manufacturer's enormous 152-inch 4K set has been superseded by a rival giant -- the "Titan Zeus" -- which is more than four times the size and triple the price. At a cost of £1 million sterling ($1.6 million), the Zeus also promises a full 4K resolution, but this time stretched out across a 370-inch (8m by 5m) panel that is said to be suitable for both indoor and outdoor domestic use. We can't really comment on the design or image quality, however, because there are no photos or video showing the mythologically-confused TV in action. The company tells us this is because its first and only private customer for the Zeus has asked for their installation to be kept confidential. Then again, similar sets from Titan have been widely used at public events (such as the Xbox gathering shown above). You'll also be able to see a second Zeus on show at the Cannes film festival this year, put up by Curb Media in order to display World Cup action at the size of an actual football goal.
Volition's canceled Xbox One, PS4 game was a post-apocalyptic Western
Saints Row series developer Volition was creating a post-apocalyptic, open-world action game for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 until it recently pulled the plug on the project, senior producer Greg Donovan revealed during a panel discussion at GDC last week. The game, codenamed "Zeus," was to take place in Rio in the wake of an apocalyptic disaster. Players would control a gunslinging Western-style hero, and gameplay would largely take place on-foot, contrasting the superheroic traversal powers featured in Saints Row 4. Donovan cites a lack of time and resources as the reasons behind the project's cancellation. "Right or wrong, we know we could've made this game," he said. "But it would've taken too long. It wouldn't have been the responsible thing to do." Currently, the studio is developing a "top-secret" project built on its early experiments with Zeus. [Image: Volition]
Zeus copy machine hits Kickstarter with all-in-one 3D printer, scanner and fax
For all the wonders we've seen 3D printers extrude, traditional copy machines still have something to lord over products like the MakerBot Replicator: convenience. Users hoping to duplicate real world objects need multiple devices and specialized software expertise to scan in items, tweak their parameters and print up a copy -- and sharing objects remotely isn't much easier. That's where AIO Robotics comes in. The company's Zeus 3D copy machine promises to scan, print fax and copy 3D objects with a touch of a button. The all-in-one device was announced late last month, but just launched on Kickstarter today, pricing the complete kit at $2,500 for US backers. The setup is designed to make 3D printing, scanning and sharing easy, automatically calibrating the scanning elements with the printing elements and allowing all functions to be easily performed from a single touch sensitive control panel. The device is supposed to be so easy to use, a child could use it -- and sure enough, the project's demo video contains an adorable clip of a child faxing is Play-Doh creations to his Dad. We're still a long way off from picking up user friendly replicators at Office Depot, but Zeus could be a step in the right direction. Check out the Kickstarter page for yourself at the attached source link.
Kickstarter-bound Zeus copy machine prints, scans and faxes 3D objects
As the god of gods, Zeus has a tremendous list of assets at his disposal. A 3D printer that can also scan and transmit objects, however, has until now been out of reach. AIO Robotics is gearing up to introduce the Zeus of the modern world, an all-in-one machine that duplicates 3D objects, even when they're not nearby. The device, which will make its Kickstarter debut on September 4th, will function in much the same way as a traditional all-in-one printer, with the obvious advantage of being able to create three-dimensional objects. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the creators expect Zeus to cost less than a Makerbot Replicator and Digitizer combo. It's also forecasted to be "the most reliable and usable 3D printer so far," according to a RepRap forum post. Time will tell.
See Zeus, Isaac Clarke throw down in PlayStation All-Stars
Sony will release downloadable characters Zeus and Isaac Clarke for PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale on March 19, along with a new stage that is a cross-over of MediEvil and The Unfinished Swan. According to a post on the PlayStation Blog from newly appointed Sony lead game designer Seth Killian, the stage will be free to play in online ranked matches, $1.99 to own.Both Zeus and Isaac are being offered gratis to those who purchase God of War: Ascension, available through an included voucher; or you can buy each combatant for $4.99 through PSN on March 19. Above, you can see Isaac battle back the madness – hop past the break if you want to see Zeus choke Sackboy.%Gallery-180147%
PlayStation All-Stars gets Isaac Clarke, Zeus, and an Unfinished stage next month
PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale will get DLC stage based on PSN's abstract The Unfinished Swan on March 19, according to an IGN feature, along with playable Zeus from God of War and Isaac Clarke from Dead Space.Isaac uses a variety of weapons in combat, with a style most similar to Jak, Drake, or Radec in IGN's estimation, while Zeus is more of a "powerhouse." The Unfinished Swan stage also crosses over with MediEvil.To see more of these new All-Stars and their new playground, you can watch 27 minutes of gameplay and commentary with Sony Santa Monica lead game designer Seth Killian.
New Mytheon trailer features the wrath of Zeus
The marketing for UTV True Games' Mytheon MMO is building to a simmering boil, much like the Greek god Zeus' slow-burning anger over the ungrateful disobedience of his mortal children. Mytheon developer Q&As, closed beta announcements, and class trailers are all present and accounted for, and today they're joined by the latest video sneak peek: a new trailer featuring the thunder god himself. Mytheon is an action MMO that mixes strategy with classical mythology, so it's only natural that Zeus take center stage in both the game and its public awareness campaign. The new trailer lacks gameplay footage and focuses entirely on CG elements, but the stage is nonetheless set for what appear to be epic battles between Zeus and his errant spawn (i.e., Mytheon players).
Exclusive: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (PlayStation Phone) preview
Oh yes. After all the unbearable teasing since we unveiled the first ever photos of the PlayStation Phone, we've finally managed to get hold of the real deal for an in-depth preview. Honestly, we couldn't wait any longer with this thing floating around in China; we'd otherwise have to wait until MWC, where we expect the phone to be launched as the "Xperia Play" (and we shall refer to this name henceforth). Before you pop the cork for us, do bear in mind that what we're seeing here is subject to changes, so don't be alarmed by any missing features or exposed cables in our preview. When you're ready, head right past the break to find out what Sony Ericsson's cooking up. %Gallery-115003%
Sony's PlayStation Phone finally gets Xperia, PlayStation logos
We've heard of the mysterious, still-totally-unofficial PlayStation Phone running Android 2.2 in the past, but we'd also heard it could run 3.0 -- thing is, that was back before we knew Gingerbread would be 2.3, so it's possible that those 3.0 rumors ended up materializing as 2.3. Capiche? Anyhow, this is the first time we're seeing the Xperia Play (or Zeus Z1, or whatever it'll end up being called) running 2.3 in the wild, doing its thing next to a white Xperia X10 to give you an idea of scale. The lucky poster actually has two of the phones available, so they seem to be leaking out of factories in sufficient quantities now to suggest that it'll likely be announced soon -- or so we hope, anyway. CES? MWC? We'll know soon enough. Follow the break for the 2.3 evidence up close. Also notable: these appear to be new hardware builds that feature refined touch surfaces -- notice the engraved circles -- along with PlayStation-themed and Xperia logos at the bottom (notice the telltale square, triangle, X, and circle shapes). The screen shots call out a model number of R800i, which has previously been associated with the Zeus... so this is definitely lining up nicely. [Thanks, Sze] %Gallery-112492%
Japanese paper pegs PlayStation Phone for spring launch
In case you needed any more evidence that Sony is ramping up to launch a gaming system on a phone in the next few months, here you go: Japanese rag Asahi Shimbun says that the PlayStation Phone -- which could be known as the Zeus Z1, Xperia Play, or something else altogether by the time it's on store shelves -- is expected in the spring of 2011 for a North American and European release. That lines up with virtually everything we've been hearing lately, and it's also fortuitous timing considering that both CES and MWC are right around the corner; we don't know what Sony Ericsson might have on tap for CES, but we definitely know they're planning some new Xperia-branded models for MWC. There are many questions left unanswered -- how (and if) any of this ties into the standalone PSP2, how gaming titles will be purchased, and how many models will be available that support the platform, just to name a few -- but hopefully Sony can clear all that up here within the next few weeks.
Sony's Kaz Hirai talks up virtues of touch controls, weighs in on PlayStation phone
The PlayStation phone keeps popping up time and again, and still no one at Sony is going to flat-out admit anything -- but that hasn't stopped playful speculation. Even SCE chief Kaz Hirai is joining in the fun. "We don't want gamers to be asking, what's the difference between that [a PS phone] and a PSP... we have to come up with a message that users will understand," he told The New York Times. "It would have to be a product that keeps the PlayStation's strengths intact." So that's the issue, then, differentiating a new PSP and a variant with phone capabilities -- nothing a good marketing campaign can't fix, if you ask us. But enough about the phone, what of the PlayStation's portable brand in general? Hirai seems to fancy touch controls, actually. "Depending on the game, there are ones where you can play perfectly well with a touch panel," he said, adding that "immersive games" -- the ones he think are Sony's focus, vs. the more casual fare offered by Apple and Android -- do well with physical buttons, and that some games work well with the two. We can't help but notice he said touch panel and not touch screen, which reminds us of the touchpad we saw on the PS phone leaks, but we wouldn't want to harp too much.
Exclusive: PlayStation Phone 'Zeus Z1' prototype benchmarked on video
We can't get enough of Sony Ericsson's PlayStation Phone (also known as Zeus Z1), and we're guessing neither can you. We were just sent a new video of the device in action, only now it's running Qualcomm's Neocore benchmark app. As you can see, the device managed 24.4 frames per second on average. That doesn't seem like much -- our Nexus S, for example, just pulled off 55.6fps -- but bear in mind, this isn't the final software (or hardware probably), so there's no conclusions at all to draw from this benchmark right now. Just think of it as another nice view of the phone as we inch closer to a finish line we still can't make out over the horizon. Sorry, no slide-out gamepad, but you saw that last week -- don't be greedy. Video after the break.
Sony Ericsson's Zeus Z1 PlayStation phone contributes sample shots to Picasa
At this point, does it really surprise anyone that a new phone is leaking by way of a photo sharing site? We totally understand the conundrum: when you're logged into a phone that you're testing and you're taking pictures, it's so easy to upload 'em. And hey, you need to test the sharing functionality at some point anyway, right? At any rate, we love it, so we're not going to complain that a few photos with Sony Ericsson Zeus clearly called out in the EXIF data have started showing up on Picasa. The four appropriately-labeled pictures all clock in at 5 megapixels, so we hope you weren't expecting an N8-beating resolution here... but then again, when you're heads-down in PlayStation-branded games for hours on end, do you really have time to be taking decent pictures anyway?
PlayStation Phone 'Zeus Z1' caught on video again, this time you can actually see it (update)
Wow guys, we just spotted a new video of the PlayStation Phone, codenamed Zeus Z1, and this time we get a long, loving look at the entire device -- a refreshing contrast to last time's blurry tease. In addition to appreciating just how fat this phone is, and just how real it is, you can clearly see a "PlayStation" icon, which should hopefully put to rest any doubts that this phone will actually play PlayStation games. Check out a close-up of the icon after the break. Oh, and by the way, there's no audio on the video, your computer is not broken. [Thanks, Sha] Update: There's another video! Check out a brief look at the PlayStation app after the break...
PlayStation Phone espied in Greece, said to have Gingerbread and 4-inch screen (video)
It's quite fitting for a device that's purportedly codenamed Zeus to make its first video appearance somewhere in the wilds of Greece. What we have here is the apparent full motion debut of Sony Ericsson's big crossover device, the PlayStation Phone, one half portable gaming console, one half Android smartphone. Unfortunately, we never see it flexing out its slider to reveal that delicious control pad, but judging from its curves and little design details, it does indeed look to be the real deal. Techblog.gr reports that it's dubbed the Sony Ericsson Z1 and comes with Gingerbread on board -- something that meshes well with earlier indications that some Zeus devices in the wild are already running Android 2.3 (and above) -- while the screen is a 4-inch panel that apparently offers great touchscreen responsiveness. See the mythical creature for yourself after the break.
Sony earnings call entertains PlayStation Phone, reveals tablets are on the radar
Earnings calls aren't usually that interesting, and that's doubly true when trying to listen via official translators. Still, we couldn't help but give an ear to Sony's fiscals, and sure enough, someone asked about our (still real) PlayStation Phone leak. We're not sure who answered since it's through interpreter, either Executive VP / CFO Masaru Kato or Senior General Manager of Investor Relations Division Gen Tsuchikawa (we're assuming the former). Citing the aforementioned device, the curious party asked if such a product would come out of Sony or of Sony Ericsson, and no, it wasn't a complete denial. Instead, we're told just how such a device would happen, that a gaming phone would be planned and prototyped under the (recently restructured) Network Services umbrella. We're also told how SCE's move to Sony City headquarters now puts them closer to the planning and engineering group, meaning the company "can better incorporate all these capabilities better... so when the timing is right we can probably announce to you the new product we have." Ericsson is later cited as a resource "on smartphone and for the games devices," although this might be something peculiar with translation. Again, that's far from a confirmation, but they're certainly entertaining the notion in a very, very detailed response. But that's not all; there's also apparently a tablet brewing in the background, one that would obviously fall somewhere in between PC and Sony Ericsson's efforts. There isn't much else said, but if you're up for psychoanalyzing executive commentary, we've transcribed and placed the full quote after the break.
PlayStation Phone prototype further detailed, codenamed 'Zeus'
Continuing coverage of the PlayStation Phone leak, Engadget has now posted details about the unannounced gaming slash celly device. Apparently the phone is currently known as "Zeus" internally and isn't running Android 3.0 firmware just yet (it's said to be running on 2.X for now). Additionally, Engadget reports, citing "multiple, trusted sources ... and we're not just talking good tipsters -- some of our information comes from people much more closely connected to the project," that the "rumor" nature of the device is no longer in effect: "The PlayStation Phone in the photos we ran last night, and the device reported on back in August is most definitely real. We're not saying that because we want to believe or because we're gingerly trying to nab pageviews: we're saying it because we know it to be true."Meanwhile, SCEE's original statement regarding the device -- "These images are definitely fake" -- has turned into: "Sony doesn't comment on rumour or speculation" (as has Sony Ericsson's statement). When contacted, SCEA counterparts similarly told us, "We do not comment on rumors or speculation." Unfortunately, suggesting to Sony that the PlayStation Phone doesn't appear to be either "rumor" or "speculation" didn't elicit further comment.
