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You can (legally) download the 'Star Wars' movies starting Friday
While the world waits for the next entries in the Star Wars saga (Episode VII on December 18th, followed by the Rogue One spinoff next year and Episode VIII in 2017), Disney, Fox and Lucasfilm have finally worked it out so you can buy the movies as digital copies. Sure a Blu-ray set came out a few years ago, but if physical media isn't your thing then Friday is the big day (yes, they're still the "special" editions). The movies will be available globally through retailers like Vudu, Xbox, PlayStation, Google Play, iTunes, Amazon and others. If you need a reason to do the digital double-dip, take a peek at the promised new extras, like "Discoveries from Inside" featurettes for each movie, and "Conversations" between key contributors. Vudu is taking pre-orders on the full set for $90 (US) and Google Play shows the individual movies for $20 each -- in case you're wondering, the Blu-ray set is listed on Amazon for the same price.
Sky forced to hand over customer details in file-sharing shakedown
Some Sky Broadband customers could soon receive a letter demanding compensation for films they've allegedly downloaded illegally. As TorrentFreak reports, Sky has been forced by a recent court order to hand over the names and addresses of customers which the company TCYK LLC believes were involved in illegal file sharing. TCYK LLC owns the rights to several movies, including the 2012 political thriller The Company You Keep, and, according to Sky, has identified apparent infringements through IP addresses.
Popular torrent client can steal your CPU cycles to mine bitcoins
If you recently installed or updated uTorrent on your PC, you may have have picked up an unwanted passenger: a bitcoin miner called Epic Scale. If you don't pay attention, that piece of code can be inadvertently installed with the latest uTorrent build (version 3.4.2). It can then use your computer as part of a bitcoin farm (Litecoin, to be exact) to generate revenue for third parties. Users first reported the situation on uTorrent's forums, and it was quickly confirmed by a senior support manager. He said that the app "cannot be installed without permission," but one user claimed that there was "never a warning about it," even though he opted out of other bundled software.
Canada's digital spies are watching what you download
It's not just American and British spies who want to know what you're downloading. Documents leaked by Edward Snowden reveal that Canada's digital surveillance agency, the Communication Security Establishment, has been monitoring the file transfer activity of at least 102 sites, including Megaupload (while it was running), Rapidshare and Sendspace. The effort, codenamed Levitation, is meant to spot foreign terrorists using these file services to conduct their operations. It may only net a user's IP address in many cases, but the CSE can run its findings through databases from allied intelligence agencies (such as GCHQ and the NSA) to get names, email addresses and other personal details.
Samsung will soon let you download 4K movies
The few 4K video services that exist right now typically require that you stream whatever you're watching -- not very practical given the subpar state of broadband in some areas. You won't have to settle for a mere 1080p for much longer, though. Samsung is teaming up with its frequent media partner M-Go to launch a 4K movie-download service that uses the UHD Video Pack hard drive to store those extra-sharp blockbusters and dramas. Supposedly, it'll offer the "highest quality content" that Samsung owners can get. It's all engineered to a spec designed by the Secure Content Storage Association -- a digital DRM team up backed by Western Digital, Fox and Warner Bros -- although what those specs aren't isn't quite clear yet. The company hasn't said when you'll get to try this Ultra HD offering beyond a generic 2015 window, but it'll work with both SUHD and regular UHD sets.
'Game of Thrones' crowned as 'most pirated' show for third-year running
Interactive apps, multiple theme-tune remixes, constant recommendations, memes or trans-Atlantic and server-collapsing debuts are but mild indicators of Game of Thrones' public success. What's the real measure of a show's popularity? It's how many people pilfer it from the internet. In this regard, our friends in Westeros have no need for a drawbridge, an army or one single drop of wildfire -- its crown as the "most pirated" program continues for the third year running. Torrentfreak estimates the show peaked at over 8 million downloads, nearly double that of the second place series: The Walking Dead. Despite increasing ways to legitimately watch TV online, the number of shows being downloaded suggests there's still an appetite for free -- or an unwillingness to wait for shows to legitimately arrive in your territory. We've got a hunch that waiting isn't something GoT fans are particularly good at.
EVE Online speeds up game installation and access
To "get people into the game quicker," CCP is smoothing out the download and installation process for EVE Online. This new method of deployment is scheduled to go into service at the start of 2015. This means that the installation package will go from a 7GB download to a zippy 200MB one instead. Once that game client is up and running, it will then download the rest of the game's resources as needed. "On a fast connection you probably won't notice much of a difference -– load times may be slightly longer at times. As you play more, more resources will be cached and fewer and fewer need to be downloaded. The client will be smart about pre-fetching resources it expects will be needed soon," the team said.
Technics has a hi-fi music download service, too
In order to give its high-end audio wares the proper content to offer pristine listening, Panasonic's Technics brand is building its own hi-fi music store. Launching in the UK and Germany next year, Technics Tracks will serve up a library of 24-bit FLAC audio files, a number of which will boast a 92kHz sampling rate. In addition to the high-resolution selections, a collection of 16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality tracks will be available as well via the service being tooled by 7Digital -- an outfit that operates a high-quality download repository of its own. Of course, Neil Young's Pono service and player are on the way as well, and with Tidal's recent launch, your high-resolution listening habit can now afford to be a bit more selective. When it arrives in Janurary, Android, iOS and desktop apps will be available for shopping and organizing cloud-stored music until you're ready to download.
Performances from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre are available online
If you don't have the cash or time to visit the recreated Globe Theatre and see Shakespeare's plays performed in a near-original setting, you'll at least have access to the next best thing. The playhouse has just launched Globe Player, a store that lets you pay to watch full Shakespearean performances anywhere in the world. You can rent videos for a week (typically £4, or about $6) if you're content to stream through the web; if you just have to keep that copy of Twelfth Night for posterity, buying the video (£8/$13) gives you a download that you can transfer to many modern devices. While the catalog is still thin at present (what, no Titus Andronicus?), there are quite a few classics to get you started. This won't compare to the full experience of seeing two hours' traffic on the stage, but it should do a good job of bringing those Elizabethan era verses to life.
Google Play on Android has its flattest design yet
With how many of Google's core apps are getting updated to the new, flatter Material Design, the release of Android L can't be too much further away. While we wait for that, however, the Google Play redesign leaked not too long ago is available for sideloading right now, as spotted by Droid Life. With it, the "What's New" section's been moved back to the top of the store and you'll now be able to create device-specific profiles (like one for phones and another for tablets) for restoring a custom set of apps per gizmo-type. If you'd rather not wait your turn for the update from Mountain View, DL has the APK, while Android Police has a smattering of screenshots if you want an advance look of what you're getting into. If you haven't started a betting pool for when Android L will hit, now just might be the time.
Thom Yorke's BitTorrent release had over a million downloads in six days
So, how did Thom Yorke's latest music-distribution venture go? Pretty well, it seems. The Radiohead-frontman's second solo album, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, achieved over a million downloads in six days via BitTorrent Bundle, according to the peer-to-peer network's blog. Exactly how the numbers break down is a bit nebulous, though. BitTorrent says that those million downloads also include the freebie single and video as well as the $6 album, noting to Consequence of Sound that precise sales numbers were being withheld at Yorke's request. Still, it's a little exciting to see that Bundles could be a viable way for musicians to earn a living -- especially when streaming services are well-known for less-than-favorable pay-outs and business practices. Let's just hope this success isn't limited to acts with Yorke's inherent star-power. After all, even Trent Reznor went back to a traditional record label after toying with total independence. [Image credit: Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP]
Comcast's cloud DVR starts serving up recordings you can watch anywhere
In the midst of attempting to gobble up its largest counterpart, battle Netflix on net neutrality and face down customer service scandals, Comcast is still slowly extending its new TV platform. The latest addition to its X1 setup is enhancing the cloud DVR feature that CEO Brian Roberts showed off at the beginning of the year. While the 500GB cloud DVR and in-home streaming are already a part of the system in several areas, in the Bay Area and Houston viewers can stream or download recordings to their mobile devices (iOS or Android, PCs can only stream) starting today. Inside the house, the X1 app fulfills Roberts promise of turning any mobile device into a television, with access to live TV streaming, recordings and video on-demand.
Disney Infinity's Toy Box 2.0 offered as standalone download
When Disney formally unveiled Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes in April, the publisher announced that the power discs and base from the first game would be compatible with the one slated to arrive next week. Instead of buying a starter pack for Disney Infinity 2.0 with a new base, returning players will have the option to download the new game's Toy Box mode separately starting on November 4. The Toy Box mode has improved since the first game, offering options for procedurally generated content and themed templates. Priced at $19.99, the standalone Disney Infinity Toy Box 2.0 game will be available for PS4, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U players. The developer opted for a November release date to time the digital launch with its physical 2.0 Edition Play Sets as well as the game's Disney Originals series. North American players that download Toy Box 2.0 will receive both the Stitch's Tropical Rescue and Brave Forest Siege game discs for free, with details on the limited-time offer on the way from Disney Interactive as November approaches. Disney Infinity 2.0 launches September 23 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U. [Image: Disney Interactive]
Toy Soldiers: War Chest brings rainbow doom to the diorama
War is an unrelenting gauntlet of hell, I think, watching a band of heavily armored rainbow ponies spill over a grassy field. Bursts of mortar fire end their horror-trotting advance, but the opposing men can't replenish the ammo quickly enough to stop what's next. A shadow crawls over the European countryside, darkening the prospects of all who look up to see a great, looming doom. It's a castle floating on a cloud, primed to end the war with a devastating slash adorable glitter-nuke.
Game to start selling digital game and DLC codes for the Xbox One and 360
Retailer Game is finally back on stable ground after a few turbulent years its brother-in-arms Gamestation wasn't lucky enough to survive. No doubt last year's console launches begat a healthy cash injection, but beyond the obvious products that keep tills ringing, Game's never shied away from trying new things. After adding Steam vouchers, tablets and Android consoles to its stores, it'll also begin selling digital game and DLC download codes for the Xbox One and 360 from August 15th. Game already sells codes for PlayStation Network titles and DLC, and last month also began stocking full PS Vita game codes. It may seem counterintuitive to visit a shop for something you can purchase direct on-console, but it works for those who want to keep their card details offline, or can only pay with pocket money. And it's not like they take up much shelf space, either.
'Game of Thrones' Season 4 hits Google Play and Amazon just days after the TV finale
The fourth series of Game of Thrones came to its conclusion just a few days ago, but HBO isn't leaving anything to chance. Knowing that single episodes are smashing piracy records on Bittorrent, the company has quickly made the whole season available to download on both Google Play and Amazon. As it stands, Amazon is the best place to get your Lannister fix, pricing the full season at £16.99 for a standard definition copy and £23.99 for an HD download. Google, on the other hand, has it up for £18.49 and £24.49 respectively. If you're after individual episodes, prices start at £1.89 on both services, letting you witness some of the biggest battles (like the one pictured above) the seven kingdoms have ever seen. Update: Tesco is hitting the launch hard too, offering Game of Thrones Season 4 for £17.99 in SD and £23.99 in HD. However, it's also throwing in 1,000 Tesco Clubcard points and a free 10" Finest pizza with every purchase.
Amazon discounts over 1,000 digital PC games
Amazon kicked off its Digital Games Mayhem sale, discounting over 1,000 downloadable PC games. Okay, we didn't count to make sure the retailer had that many games on sale; we were too busy adding the Rockstar Ultimate Collection to our online carts. The bundle features 12 games from the developer at 85 percent off ($25.49), including L.A. Noire, GTA 4 and GTA Vice City. The sale also knocks 75 percent off the Metro Franchise Pack ($12.49), Saints Row Franchise Pack ($18.75) and Batman Mega Bundle ($22.50), the latter of which includes Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Origins in addition to Origins' season pass. As for individual games, Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn is 40 percent off ($14.99), Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut is 55 percent off ($11), NBA 2K14 can be downloaded at 68 percent off ($9.59) and Civilization 5 is 46 percent off ($16.24). All deals in the Digital Games Mayhem sale are good until May 31. [Image: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment]
MLB 14: The Show misses first pitch on PSN for PS4 [Update: Resolved]
MLB 14: The Show was expected to be available on PSN as a day-one digital download for PS4 this morning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern. Those that pre-ordered the game have not been able to download it at all however, as indicated by a 70-page PlayStation Forums support thread. Sony San Diego acknowledged the issue via Twitter, noting it is "aware that some users are unable to download the PS4 game from the PS Store. We're working with the PS Store team to resolve asap." This is the series' first crack at the next-gen console following MLB 14's launch on PS3 and Vita at the beginning of April. "Thanks for your patience, we won't rest until you guys are playing," the developer added in another tweet. We've reached out to Sony for more information on the issue and a timetable for its resolution, and will update as we learn more. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!] Update: Sony added a note to its launch announcement post on the PlayStation Blog, which reads: "Due to unforeseen technical issues, MLB 14 The Show for PS4 is not currently available for download via the PlayStation Store. All parties are working as quickly as possible to remedy the issue. We'll update this post as soon as a resolution is reached. Thank you for your continued patience." Update #2: In another update, Sony says the "PlayStation Store download issue regarding MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has been resolved. We apologize for any frustration this caused, and thank the community for its patience and understanding." [Image: Sony]
Download: Show your friends you're smarter than them with QuizUP
Sometimes you don't need an original idea to make a killer app, as long as you get the presentation right. Take Tinder, for example, which managed to put a whole new spin on internet dating thanks to its slick, simple mobile interface. Now, there are innumerable quiz apps out there for mobile devices, but none quite like QuizUp. Released last month on Android after launching last year on iOS, QuizUp is spreading through this editor's friendship group like wildfire, because what are friends for if not to beat at question-and-answer games and wind them up about it later? It's not just the online multiplayer that makes QuizUp a gem, though -- it's also super easy to use and looks great, too.
Sony pumps up its PS4 update with game pre-loading and SHAREfactory video editor
Sony just announced sales of seven million PlayStation 4 consoles and promised more details on its upcoming software update would follow soon, now here they are. We still don't have an exact timetable for when firmware 1.70 will arrive (update: According to PlayStation Europe's Twitter and this video from Japan, it's April 30th), but now we know more about its new "SHAREfactory" video editor and that game pre-loading is in the update. Many people are familiar with pre-loading via Steam and other PC services, which allows gamers to download pre-ordered games ahead of their release, then simply unlock the digital copy on the day it's "released." All it takes is enabling the PS4's "auto download" feature, and you're done, no more waiting while overloaded servers choke on release day.
