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'Console Wars' documentary arrives on CBS All Access on September 23rd
Console Wars details the battle between Nintendo and Sega in the 90s, focusing mostly on the Genesis and SNES era.
CBS All Access adds 70 shows from BET, Comedy Central, MTV and more
ViacomCBS adds over 3,500 episodes from 70 shows to CBS All Access.
Microsoft's next-gen Xbox promise was trouble from the start
Microsoft has, since the launch of the Xbox One X in 2017, been able to claim that it sells “the most powerful console.” It’s a claim that will extend into the next generation, as the Xbox Series X’s CPU and GPU are, in terms of raw compute, stronger than the PlayStation 5’s. For the Xbox One X, this has meant that cross-platform games almost always look or run better than they do on the PlayStation 4 Pro.
After Math: The rule of threes
While the Sonic movie was busy running rings around its box office competition last week, a mysterious triplicating pattern began to emerge across the internet among seemingly innocuous and unrelated events. Uber resumed operations in Columbia after a three-week ban, Westworld is returning to HBO for Season 3 in the third week of the third month, and Amazon listed the PS4 for -- you guessed it -- $300. Whether it's coincidence or conspiracy, only you can decide.
CBS will massively expand All Access’ streaming library in 2020
ViacomCBS' rumored new streaming service isn't a new service, it's a massive expansion of CBS All Access instead. In the company's most recent earnings presentation, CEO Bob Bakish outlined his plan to conquer the streaming market. Essentially, his plan is to throw the weight of ViacomCBS' content library onto CBS All Access to create a true streaming heavyweight.
Lyft's new monthly subscription is cheaper, but doesn't cover ride costs
Last year, Lyft tried to get users to pay $299 per month for its All-Access Plan. That included 30 "free" monthly trips (as long as they were under $15), but people were, understandably, shocked by the price tag. Now, Lyft is trying a new approach. It's Lyft Pink membership offers a 15 percent discount on all car rides, and it's just $19.99 per month, less than 10 percent of the monthly All-Access fee.
Lyft's $299 All-Access service is available across the US
Lyft's fledgling subscription service is no longer an experiment. The ridesharing company's All-Access Plan is now widely available in the US, potentially saving you money if you regularly hail cars to get from A to B. In its finished form, the plan has you paying $299 per month to get 30 'free' trips of any type worth up to $15 each (you pay the difference above that), with a 5 percent discount on additional journeys. You can sign up for the plan starting today, and it should be available to every American customer by the end of the week.
Lyft tests 'all-access' subscriptions for riders
The next development in ride hailing services could be subscriptions, as Lyft recently emailed a number of riders invites to its "All Access" program. While the specific plans offered to each person varied, the idea is that by paying a weekly or monthly rate they could pre-buy a number of rides. For people using the service as a substitute for car ownership it could be appealing at the right price, but there's the rub.
Google Play Music now lets you store 50,000 songs in the cloud
Even if you're not paying for All Access or YouTube Music Key, Google Play can be a useful way to stream your personal music collection. With its free "locker" service, you can store thousands of tunes online and stream them from the web, as well as your favorite Android and iOS devices. By keeping them in the cloud, they're quickly accessible across a range of hardware and won't clog up your precious onboard storage. Until now Google has set a limit of 20,000 tracks per user, but today it's raising that amount to 50,000. It's a significant increase, and one that might appeal if you have a mammoth music library full of EPs, remixes and B-sides that aren't available from the major streaming services.
EverQuest: The Darkened Sea officially launching on November 11th
While All-Access members are currently enjoying EverQuest's newest expansion, The Darkened Sea, non-subscribers are still twiddling their thumbs waiting to get in on the fun. The good news is that the wait will be over soon, as the expansion will officially launch on November 11th for all who purchase it. To help drum up excitement, SOE posted a brief story dev diary to set the scene for the expansion. "The Darkened Sea hides many secrets," the team teased. "A coral castle, enchanting sirens, watered-down dwarves, and even dinosaurs! On a remote island in the vast ocean is a mysterious city with an intricate citadel floating above it." For a full grasp on what The Darkened Sea has to offer, check out our in-depth look into the game's 21st expansion.
Shazam now lets you buy or stream tagged music via Google Play
Hey, we love Shazam; it's been propping up our spotty musical knowledge for years. But, until now, if you wanted to grab that rare In Flagrante groove for your personal collection direct from the app, you had to go with Amazon's music store. No bad thing per se, but we're all about options. Today Android users (iOS is incoming) can also buy direct from Google Play -- if that's your virtual record store of choice (or, where you have the most frictionless checkout experience, perhaps). What's more, Shazam and Google's hookup goes a little deeper, as Play is now one of the options you'll find for streaming the full track after you've tagged it. You'll need an All Access subscription, but those that don't can snag a month's free trial to test the waters first.
Google snatches up streaming service Songza
Google has just purchased music streaming service Songza and, while the exact terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, it reportedly involves what financial experts refer to as "a boat load of money." Apple boosted its streaming music presence by picking up Beats. So it only makes sense that Google would have to fire back with an acquisition of its own. Like Beats, Songza relies pretty heavily on actual human curation to build playlists. The newest member of the Mountain View family uses contextual data about you to decide the best playlist for you at any given time. These lists are put together by DJs, musicians and music critics rather than some algorithm that looks at meta data like genre or BPM. These lists can get you pumped for a work out or just get you through a slow work day, but what they're not is a Pandora style infinite radio station.
SOE's revamped All-Access membership plan is finally live
After a brief delay this month, SOE's Mark Tuttle announced today that the refreshed All Access membership plan is now live across all of the studio's core games (and some of its future titles), including EverQuest, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, Landmark, PlanetSide 2, and eventually, EverQuest Next and H1Z1. For $14.99 per month (or less if you purchase multiple months at a time), players can now have top tier access to all participating SOE games. This means if you want to take a break from sneaking around Auraxis in your Stalker Cloak and test your mettle against the dragon, Nagafen, or The Joker in DCUO, you can do so with all member benefits. And since your Station Cash wallet is good in all SOE games, you can drop some coin on a snazzy new outfit in EQII to announce, "Yes, I have arrived!" To continue the awesome, as a member players get 10% off the Marketplace price of that item! Go ahead, splurge for the spikey hat and the bunny mount! Tuttle reminds players that station cash must be manually redeemed via the claim button within a game's marketplace and that a discounted package deal (12 months for $99.99) is also available. Addendum: Tipster Joshua points out that PlanetSide 1 will also be partly supported by the new plan. SOE explained, "We will offer PlanetSide 1 as free to play game for everyone when the new program rolls out, on or about April 29th, 2014 (or sooner!). Please note that PS1 has no Marketplace and will not see further game development. We know that a large number of people have played it in the past, and we hope you'll enjoy it again, on us."
EverQuest II producer's letter outlines All Access changes
On April 23rd, big changes are coming to Sony Online Entertainment's All Access membership. The latest producer's letter for EverQuest II outlines how those changes will affect players as well as what updates are around the corner. All Access players in EverQuest II will have seven available character slots, a boost to both coins earned and mount speed, and doubled gain rates for alternate currencies earned in-game. There will also be early access to content and promotions available for members. The first bit of early access content will be the contested version of the High Keep dungeon, exclusive to members for two weeks and sporting all-new story and characters therein. There are also plans to create a more reliable resource to look up what's being updated in the game's near future, a necessity as the updates switch to a weekly schedule. Take a look at the full letter for more details on exclusive member perks as well as the immediate agenda for updates.
Landmark will be included in SOE's All-Access program; latest EQ Next roundtable video now live
SOE has today updated the FAQ for its multi-MMO All-Access Program. Among the update highlights is the news that EverQuest Next Landmark will be included in the All-Access program, but not in time for April 16th. What else do you need to know that you didn't know before? Every participating game will clearly show players when they've received their monthly 500 Station Cash. Multiple-month memberships will not grant all of their bonuses at once. Existing silver memberships in EverQuest and EverQuest II will be grandfathered but no longer available to newcomers. Separate accounts for different SOE games will remain separate. Multiple game memberships on a single account will be merged into a single All-Access membership reflecting total game time and rated on the oldest membership. In EverQuest Next news, SOE has posted up its latest roundtable video, this time discussing whether a single character should be able to do ALL THE CRAFTS. We've embedded it below!
SOE cancels previous subscription changes, rolls out a bigger all-access pass
When Sony Online Entertainment first announced its changes to the way subscription benefits would work from February on, players weren't happy. One of our columnists explained the reasons why the changes were a bad idea in great detail. SOE listened, stepped back, and according to a post on Reddit by John Smedley, is revising the plans again to better fit player needs. The subscription reward will still be in the form of Station Cash on a monthly basis rather than a single free item worth up to 2000 SC. Under the new system, subscribing to the company's all-access pass will be priced at $14.99 a month, and subscribing to any PC title makes you an all-access member automatically. You still get 500 SC every month, and you can still stockpile it as before, but you will need to claim that benefit on a monthly basis rather than see it automatically dropped into your account. For more of the fine details on children's games with subscriptions and console games, take a look at Smedley's full post.
Google Play Music now available for iPhone
Hold onto your hats, music lovers, 'cause things just got a little crazy out there. Google just released Google Play Music for iPhone (free), an app that lets you "discover, play and share the music you love, anywhere." It actually surprises me a bit that Apple allowed this app onto the App Store, since it's a direct competitor to the company's own iTunes Music Store and iTunes Radio. Google's All Access service (US$9.99 per month) for Google Play will allow music buffs to listen to unlimited songs; create custom radio stations based on songs, artists or albums; get recommendations on music based on your tastes; and use playlists created by Google music experts. The free standard service provides a way to add up to 20,000 songs from your personal music library from Mac, Windows or Linux computers; listen through the app or Google's web player; and save favorite tunes to your device for offline playback. All of this is ad-free, and available in a variety of countries. But wait, there's more! Google is also offering a free month of All Access in order to (hopefully) get you hooked on the service. And if you have a Chromecast device, you'll be able to beam your music wirelessly to it thanks to built-in compatibility in the Google Play Music app.
Google Play Music comes to iOS with a free month of All Access
We knew it was coming, and it might have taken a little longer than expected, but Google Play Music for iOS is finally here. The long-awaited iPhone app hits the App Store exactly six months after it was announced for Android and the desktop, and like its counterparts, offers free access to 20,000 of your uploaded tracks, lets you create playlists and also share songs with friends. However, you might be tempted to grab a free month's trial for its All Access streaming service (normally $9.99 a month), which gives you access to over 20 million tracks, offers custom radio stations and helps you discover new music with its smart recommendation features. 9to5mac reports that Google is working to deliver an iPad version of the Play Music app and aims to bring its "I'm feeling lucky" feature and improved playback features in the near future.
Google will launch a native Google Music iOS app later this month
If you've been against trying Google's Play Music All Access streaming service for lack of an official iOS app, it may soon be time to change your tune. Sources aware of Google's plans have let slip to Engadget that not only is the company currently testing a native Google Music iOS app internally, but that it'll launch later this month. We're told that while employees have been invited to test the app, Google still needs to fix a few bugs before it's ready for release. Google currently lets users in more than 19 countries sign up for its Standard and All Access music services, allowing offline and streaming access. Some users have made do with unofficial iOS apps in addition to a limited web app, but Google is said to be including the same custom radio and smart recommendation features found in the Android app. The company had previously closed the door on iOS users because Flash was needed to enforce DRM restrictions set by music labels. Now, Google appears to have overcome that issue and is nearly ready to launch. Editor's Note: The image above is only a render.
The Daily Roundup for 05.15.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
