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1979: The Game gets another outing, 'baton-pass' narrative goes from translator to student protestor
' What we don't know about 1979: The Game could fill a book. First revealed in a video interview with RT in February, this ambitious open-world game from former Rockstar cinematic director Navid Khonsari has just enjoyed a second, even higher-profile unveiling courtesy of CNN. The CNN piece included detailed descriptions of "levels" in the game; a "baton-pass" narrative will have you playing as an American/Iranian translator before taking the role of a student demonstrator. It's also curiously specific about the game's multiplayer mode, indicating that there are "12 maps planned for release" which, considering how early the game ostensibly is, strikes us as more wishful thinking than actual product description. Khonsari's company, Ink Stories, has done some cinematics work in the past but has never actually made a game, not to mention one containing notoriously expensive (and expansive!) open-world elements. In other words, there's not a lot to show since we spoke with Khonsari in February. But regardless of the game's actual level of production – Khonsari says it's in alpha and "at least a year and a half away from release," though that sounds optimistic – his ideas are worth reading about. He wants 1979 to be a game where there are no good guys, and the moral ambiguity of real-world situations forces players to reconsider what they think they know about the world. In February, Khonsari told Joystiq that the game would be self-published, though he mentioned that the interest from third-parties was "overwhelming." Let's see if 1200 words on CNN adds to that interest.
CNN starts streaming 24 hours of 'news' online and on your iPhone
Still trying to scratch that itch left by the slow fade out of the Casey Anthony drama? Well, good news kiddies, CNN is pointing its 24-hour news hose straight at your face over a little thing we like to call the internet. The OG cable news network is finally returning to the streaming fray (die-hard Blitz-heads may remember a little service called CNN Pipeline) and offering live feeds of CNN and HLN, online and through its iOS apps. Unfortunately, just like HBO Go, you'll need to have a pay TV subscription through AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink or Verizon to access the streams. For the moment Android users are left out in the cold but, that's ok, fans of dessert-themed OS names can pull in Al Jazeera English free of charge.
CNN streaming 24 hours a day to browsers, iPad and iPhone apps
CNN and HLN announced today that they're now streaming programming 24 hours a day on CNN.com, the CNN App for iPad, and the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch. According to the press release (below), CNN Worldwide is the first news organization to stream its channels online and on mobile devices. There's a catch, of course -- you must be a current subscriber to a multi-channel video service to qualify for the streaming. The streaming service is available to about 50 million American households who subscribe to AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink, and Verizon cable or satellite services. Authentication is required through your cable, satellite, or telco provider whether you're watching HD-quality news in your browser or using the iPad and iPhone apps. CNN notes that you can update the apps to version 1.2 for iPhone/iPod touch or 1.1 for iPad through the App Store. Show full PR text CNN.com Unveils New Video Experience to Showcase Live CNN and HLN TV, On-Demand Video, Multi-tasking ATLANTA, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CNN and HLN's complete 24-hour television networks will be streamed live on CNN.com, the CNN App for iPad and the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch beginning today, July 18. CNN Worldwide is the first news organization to stream its linear television channels online and on mobile devices to consumers who subscribe to a multi-channel video service. Simultaneous to this launch, CNN.com has debuted its new video experience, which seamlessly integrates live network TV into a larger and higher-quality video player, capable of delivering HD quality. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110718/CL36665 ) CNN and HLN online and mobile streaming is currently available to approximately 50 million households with subscribers to participating pay TV providers, including: AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink and Verizon. "A principle goal for CNN is to make more of our content available to more people on more platforms, and CNN's participation in the TV Everywhere initiative is another step forward in that effort," said Jim Walton, President of CNN Worldwide. "We have long believed that our growth depends on keeping CNN essential and relevant to consumers wherever they are." To access CNN and HLN online, users can go to www.cnn.com/video, click on the "Live" tab and log-in through their cable, satellite or telco provider with a username and password. For mobile devices, a user can download the CNN App for iPad or the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch (or update their app to version 1.2 for iPhone, 1.1 for iPad), and authenticate in the same way. "CNN is taking a significant step forward by offering live CNN and HLN TV to our audiences whether they are on their couches at home or have their toes in the sand on the beach," said KC Estenson, general manager of CNN Digital. "The 10 million users who have downloaded CNN's mobile apps and the tens of millions of people who get the latest news and information from CNN.com every day will soon be able to watch CNN TV on every device they have." CNN.com video experience CNN.com's new video experience offers a cinematic player that optimizes the video quality for a user based on their Internet connection, with the capability of delivering HD quality. Video can be "squeezed back" to allow a user to browse through curated CNN video collections and TV show clips without leaving the video experience. In addition to the live streams of CNN's networks, the video experience will continue to offer up to four live streams of breaking news and events, original video series and on-demand video clips with related CNN and HLN show information. The CNN App for iPad and CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch are available for free from the App Store or at www.itunes.com/appstore. CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media. For more information, visit www.CNNPressroom.com and follow @CNNpr on Twitter. SOURCE CNN
CNN looks at RIFT's server technology
MMORPGs don't get much virtual ink on the world's top news sites, and when they do, it's usually because someone's died during a grind session. RIFT recently bucked that trend with a lengthy spread on CNN.com, and somewhat predictably, the initial focus is on the "battle" between Trion's upstart and Blizzard's World of Warcraft behemoth. While the first half of the article is devoted to describing RIFT in layman's terms, there are a few interesting snippets focusing on Trion's technology (specifically the fact that RIFT's servers are organized by function rather than by location as per usual with other games in the genre). Producer Scott Hartsman tells CNN that developing the new tech was a challenge that will prove worthwhile in the long run. "Yeah, it was hard, but it was well worth it. We're really just now at the point [where] we're about 25% into all of the things we can do with our technology and we're looking to add more," he explained.
Watch Google's Android event in full: Honeycomb on the Xoom, Android Market website, in-app purchases, and Cee-Lo Green
There was plenty about yesterday's Android event that didn't make headlines but was worth noting. Hardware acceleration of both 2D and 3D UI elements -- shown off to great effect by Google's Hugo Barra, who managed to scroll through three lists simultaneously without inducing any lag on the Motorola Xoom -- should make Honeycomb as delicious to look at as it sounds, while our personal favorite, the new tablet-specific email interface, should be part of Gmail yesterday. The email UI is built out of elements Google calls fragments, which will supposedly be easy to transition down to smartphones, so thumbs up all around. The video above also runs you through the big news of the day, namely that Android Market can now be accessed via a dedicated website and apps downloaded to your device remotely, along with the equally important (for devs) addition of in-app purchases. Finally, Cee-Lo Green pops in for a video chat session from wherever he is on the internets, and we're all treated to an exhibition of lag-afflicted, awkward conversation. What's not to love?
CNN says Apple's "antennagate" biggest tech fail of 2010
CNN has a list of their biggest tech "fails" of 2010, and the number one spot is the iPhone 4 antenna issue, aka "antennagate." Perhaps it was inevitable that the hubris of Apple's past decade would eventually catch up with the company. Antennagate, as you may recall, was the issue around a precipitous drop in "bars" (the apparent reception on your iPhone) when the iPhone 4 was held in the "death grip." I experienced this on launch day and even had a few dropped calls when putting the lower left corner of the phone into my palm. But according to Apple in a rare press event to address the issue, less than 1 percent of iPhone owners actually reported this issue. Nevertheless, CNN also notes that the issue has quietly faded away (after a bumper giveaway and OS update or two), and the phone is still a huge seller. The fail appears to have been a mere blip. It certainly didn't have as widespread an effect as the Gawker media sites being hacked, which came in at number seven.
CNN releases official iPad app
CNN released its first app for the iPad today, and the tablet version is an excellent companion to its iPhone counterpart, just as we predicted. The iPad version duplicates the media-rich experience of the website by including full-length articles, commenting, slideshow support and on-demand audio and video. Ads will be present in the app, and Lexus will be a featured advertiser, so prepare yourself to be distracted by slick images of luxury cars. The app takes advantage of the iPad's screen real estate by offering three different viewing options - broadsheet, list view and slide show. The broadsheet view is for those that prefer to scan the top 350 headlines presented in a simple grid view. List view is self-explanatory, and the slide show view emphasizes the visual side of the news by letting you swipe through the top stories as you would a photo gallery. You will never miss the breaking news as the app supports push notifications and will alert you when a new story is published. Similar to the iPhone app, the iPad version is socially aware and lets you share articles via email, Twitter and Facebook. The iPad lacks a camera, so the iPad app does not include the iReporting features available on the iPhone and current generation iPod touch. Would-be reporters should use their iPad for reading and their iPhone for filming when out and about. The CNN app for the iPad is available for free on the App Store. With this launch, CNN has also dropped the price on its iPhone version, which is now available for free as well. [Via macstories]
Woz flashes fake white iPhone 4 on CNN
You've got to hand it to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Although he hasn't really done anything for the company since 1987, he is becoming quite the TV star. He's been a competitor on Dancing with the Stars, did a cameo on Big Bang Theory, and was recently seen on CNN flashing a white iPhone 4. A white iPhone 4? You mean one of those oft-delayed mythical beasts that may actually appear in the spring of 2011? Well, it turns out that Woz is having the last laugh. The white iPhone 4 is actually a fake. Woz purchased a set of white front and back plates from the young entrepreneur that Apple later shut down, and modded his iPhone 4 with the plates. We think that Woz just wanted to have a white iPhone 4 before "that other Steve" got one.
Mac shipments are outpacing the market 3 to 1
An interesting article over at CNN talks about the growth of Mac inside the worldwide market for personal computers. The original report was created by Charlie Wolf, who pointed out that Apple's growth is three times that of the overall, worldwide market for computers. The article itself is concerned that Wolf might have been too fair to Apple, since Macs only represent about 5% of that total market in the last quarter. The challenge, though, is that Wolf is talking about two things: the overall growth of personal computers against the growth of Macs. Of the two numbers compared, Mac is gaining ground much more quickly than your average PC. Wolf's data isn't meant to be an apples-to-apples argument anyway. The whole point is that "PCs are still getting bigger worldwide. But, of that market, Macs are growing faster than the overall market."
CNN uses augmented reality, iPads to cover midterm election results
Midterm elections are upon us and of course CNN has new technology to deliver every result, after the holograms and multitouch display madness (lampooned brilliantly by Saturday Night Live) of 2008, Wolf Blitzer and crew have gone to iPads and augmented reality. Check the video after the break to see how Ali Velshi uses his tablet to make non-diegetic stats and graphs appear right in the studio with him, Fringe/Panic Room style. We can't imagine life without the yellow first down marker during football games, but watching anchors play hide-and-seek behind bar graphs is either taking things a step too far, or just the thing help us stay interested in politics a little longer.
Roku 'disallows' PlayOn, cites 'possibility of legal exposure'
Bummer. Just a few short days after PlayOn support was apparently added to Roku's stable of set-top boxes, it looks as if the fun has come to an abrupt halt. Based on quotes from both PlayOn and Roku staff members, it sounds like the PlayOn channel will no longer work on those who try to get it installed, but those who managed to slip in early may be in the clear. Jim, a PlayOn staffer, stated that his company was "contacted today by Roku and told that they were going to disallow this channel," and because neither the Roku channel developer nor Roku "are affiliated with PlayOn, [they] have no control over the situation." On the Roku side, one Patrick has confirmed that "while... many of you are excited about a PlayOn-compatible Channel and may be using it, it unfortunately presents the possibility of legal exposure for us; as a result, the current PlayOn channels have been removed and are no longer available to add to your Roku player." If your bubble has just been popped in the worst possible way, we'd probably start looking into that 30-day return policy -- for you early birds, is PlayOn still working on your Roku box? Hit us up in comments below. [Thanks, Brian]
PlayOn now available on Roku: more content for a price
We knew that Hulu Plus was making a beeline for Roku's stable of media streaming boxes, but now owners have yet another avenue to grab online content: PlayOn. For those unaware, PlayOn delivers online material from Hulu, PBS, TBS, ESPN, CNN, MLB.tv and YouTube (among other places), but the catch is that there's an annual fee for having access ($34.99 for the first year; $19.99 each year thereafter). Furthermore, you'll need a PC on the same network as the Roku in order to fetch the content and send it over, but if you're already setup, you can hit the source link for download and pricing details.
Google TV quick tour shows off the service's inner workings, Kenny Powers' dreams (update: Netflix support!)
Considering the level of hype that has surrounded Google TV, freakishly little is actually known about how it'll work. Of course, a lot of that is expected to be cleared up on Wednesday when Logitech unveils its Google TV lineup, but the Big G itself is giving us all a sneak peek beforehand. The company has just launched a new 'quick tour' portal that showcases the most prominent Google TV features, including Search, Web, Apps, Remote (complete with an Eastbound & Down plug), Personal, Dual View and DVR. Frankly, we're pretty jazzed by the look of the user interface, and we can hardly wait to see what kind of punches Logitech and Sony throw in the coming weeks. Hit that source link to draw your own conclusion. Update: Google has elaborated some on its plans, and it's all shaping up quite nicely. We're told that Turner Broadcasting has been working to optimize the websites of TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network and more for viewing on Google TV, and NBC Universal has collaborated with Google TV to bring CNBC Real-Time, an application that allows you to track your favorite stocks and access news feeds while enjoying the best financial news from CNBC directly on the TV screen. HBO GO will also be supported and the NBA has built NBA Game Time, an application that lets you follow game scores in real-time and catch up on the latest highlights from your favorite team in HD. Need more? Amazon Video on Demand will be present, and it sounds like Goog has hordes of other companies just moments away from offering compatible content portals. Hop on past the break for a quick video overview of the Apps segment. Update 2: Whoa, Netflix just confirmed that 'Watch Instantly' will be fully supported on Google TV devices launching later this month. Huzzah!
FiOS' TV Online now includes CNN and HLN
Continuing to extend its lead in the TV everywhere space, FiOS has added CNN and HLN to the list of streaming options for FiOS subscribers. Although it is tied to your FiOS account, you only need your user id and password to access it via any internet connection. The service provides a live stream of the CNN feed by day, and the HLN feed by night and although the quality is far from what we've grown to expect from CNN HD, it is far and away better than most SDTVs available in hotels and airports.
Jace Hall tackles media coverage of WoW addiction
Jace Hall is well-known for his comedy videos, but apparently he can also be a pretty serious dude when he wants to be. In a recent blog entry, the internet funnyman talks about a recent piece on "internet addiction" by CNN personality Campbell Brown. Addiction is a tough topic, and WoW is an easy sell as a scapegoat. Like any activity you love, if you feel passionately about it, you should fight for its proper representation. Jace certainly is. His stance on addiction: "It is my opinion that human beings are capable of creating destructive relationships and associations with almost anything. Seeking pleasure and avoiding pain is a fundamental trait of the human condition. This trait can occasionally direct people toward the use of escapism. Sometimes this can be a necessary mode of survival and very healthy – other times is can lead to counterproductive personal and social behavior. What that means is that, YES, someone can get so involved in watching movies, or reading books, or tweaking their myspace page, or surfing, or playing games, or swimming or drinking, or using drugs, or having sex, or ANYTHING THAT THEY FIND USEFUL TO ESCAPE WITH, that they actually begin to ignore other important aspects of their lives and it becomes a real problem." Hall laments that news organizations and personalities seem eager to paint activities they're unfamiliar with or don't understand, like WoW, as unique and dangerous forces in addiction then countless other activities. Among those with addictive personalities or social difficulties, any activity can become addictive, and this particular report, he says, is pure fear-mongering "based ultimately on conjecture." My personal opinion on these matters is that it's difficult to pin "WoW addiction" on any particular source, and that usually, like Jace says in his article, there are circumstances that extend far outside of the game that can cause these problems.
Chinese players outspend Americans in virtual worlds
Last week we talked about a report outlining MMO consumer spending in the US and Europe. Americans easily outspent Europeans, handing over $3.8 billion to gaming companies in 2009. A similar report came from CNN today , stating that Chinese consumers spent $5 billion on virtual goods last year. An interesting point to note here is that the article says "Research firms estimate the purchase of virtual goods in China reached roughly $5 billion in 2009 -- about five times more than the United States." After some extensive calculations and use of several spreadsheets, we here at Massively determined that $5 billion is not, in fact, "five times" $3.8 billion. So on one hand, it's all about who is crunching the numbers and how they're crunching them, but on the other hand, there is no doubt that the Chinese gaming market is huge. At first glance, the fact that a large percentage of the Chinese population is on a limited income makes it a bit surprising that the MMO market is booming. However, it's this very thing that is helping make it so successful: business models based entirely on microtransactions are the norm there, with individual item purchases hovering in the $1-2 range. Such a small amount makes less of a dent in a thin wallet. The full story is an interesting look at the Chinese gaming community, and well worth a read.
CNN preparing new HD-ready studio for daytime programming
Hopefully the remnants of SD programming in CNN's daytime lineup haven't been too distressing, but now you can go back to merely being freaked out by whatever fear mongering headline is hot today when the network goes HD 24/7 in the next few months. Multichannel News mentions a new studio in Atlanta is located two floors above the current home of CNN Newsroom and other daytime talking head shows, upping the size from 1,500 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft and, of course, ready for HD. With field production trucks already HDTV-prepped only affiliate footage can potentially interrupt our 1080i bliss, but honestly, we're just waiting for the return of the holograms.
CNN jumps on the news app bandwagon
CNN released CNN Mobile [iTunes link], an impressive news app but there are some caveats. The app is loaded with features, including the latest international and US News, local weather and traffic, and the ability to share stories with email, SMS, Facebook and Twitter. You can follow topics that are of interest to you, and they get placed in a special spot you can access with a tap of your finger. You can also shoot video if you have an iPhone 3GS, and send it along to CNN. All in all, it's as full featured a news app as anyone could hope for, and includes live streaming of breaking events. If you turn your phone to landscape mode, you get a kind of cover flow of stories, where you can drag your finger across the screen and explore stories in an interesting way.
CNN: Our iPhone app is "not a hobby"
CNN chatted with our good friends at DLS about the news network's iPhone app (scheduled to hit an App Store near you very soon), and it actually sounds pretty premium: in-app video, breaking news live video streaming, a Coverflow-style way to browse news information, the ability to store news to read later, and social sharing through Facebook, Twitter, and the usual suspects. CNN even says they want to add more to the app in the future, including some iReport-style news delivery functions, so people with iPhones out in the world can send news in as quickly as possible. Ok, CNN, we get it -- you care about this one. It does sound like they're making a major push in terms of making their content interactive on the iPhone, but on the other hand, maybe they're just trying to sell you on the "premium" price: $1.99, with (we're told) non-intrusive advertising included. Obviously, $2 is cheap, but on the other hand, especially with advertising both from the network itself and outside clients, the crankiest of App Store browsers will probably flinch at it a little bit. If you are interested, however, CNN would love to take your money: their app should be available in the App Store as soon as Apple lets it through.
Harmonix founders detail the company's failure-ridden road to success
Believe it or not, things weren't always going so well for Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchise developers Harmonix. Starting out in 1995 as a "music tech" company, founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy took four years of "misstarts and product concepts that never made it anywhere" before they had any success. Talking to CNN Money, the two detail five years of strange, misguided, or ill-informed ideas that eventually somehow lead to The Beatles: Rock Band.First up: "The Axe," something that Rigopulos describes as "a joystick music improvisation system." In so many words, you moved the joystick around and various sounds were produced. Unsurprisingly, only 300 were sold -- "a horrendous failure that led to a painful lesson," Rigopulos says. "You can't really build a business on an entertainment experience that only keeps people entertained for 15 minutes." Second, the two tried breaking into the (at the time) $10 billion Japanese karaoke market ... and met with resounding failure once again. Luckily for us, lessons learned overseas came back with the duo and Harmonix became a game company. Rigopulos and Egozy quickly changed their company's focus from "music tech" to "gaming," creating Frequency and Amplitude soon after. Though the games didn't directly lead to the financial success achieved later with Guitar Hero and Rock Band (GH didn't get off the ground until RedOctane approached Harmonix in the early oughts), both helped the now major developer to get a foot in the door.
