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Play 'Star Wars: KotOR 2' in 5K, on your Mac
So this whole year of Star Wars thing apparently includes dormant video games too, who knew? Despite the fact that the lesser of the two Knights of the Old Republic role-playing games released all the way back in 2004, it recently got a pretty huge update. Now KotOR 2: The Sith Lords is playable on Mac and Linux, available in the Mac App Store, has achievements, widescreen support and will even run in 4K and 5K resolution. If it's a console-like experience you're chasing, the game supports controllers too, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One gamepads. The title's Steam page teases mod support via Steam Workshop and even a "Force special effects" option in the game's menu. To find out exactly what the latter entails, you'll likely have to download it for yourself. [Image credit: theglobalpanorama/Flickr]
Skype's web chats now work on your Chromebook
As of today, you no longer need a relatively pricey PC to chat on Skype when you'd rather not break out your phone -- a cheap-and-cheerful Chromebook will do the trick. In addition to expanding the Skype web beta worldwide, Microsoft has introduced instant messaging for both Chrome OS and Linux users. It's not the video or voice calling you're looking for, but it means that you can stay in touch with Skype-obsessed family members without having to switch devices or services. The messaging platform is based on the open, video-capable WebRTC standard, so don't be surprised if you're eventually holding face-to-face Skype conversations on that Chrome machine.
Windows will make it easier to remote-control Linux PCs
In case there was any doubt that Microsoft's war against Linux is (mostly) over, the company just offered another olive branch. The company has revealed that its PowerShell team is working on support for the Secure Shell protocol and shell sessions (aka SSH) to make it easier for Windows- and Linux-based PCs to connect to and remotely control each other. While SSH has been an option in the Windows world, Microsoft's Angel Calvo says there have been "limited implementations" so far -- this would simplify things and give you "tight integration" with Windows that wasn't feasible before. It's too early to tell when the feature will be available, but it's at least in the cards.
Carl Sagan's solar-powered spacecraft is in trouble (update: it's alive!)
The test flight of Carl Sagan's LightSail craft is in jeopardy after a computer problem left it unable to communicate with its mission controllers. According to the Planetary Society, the hardware was launched into space with an older version of its Linux-based operating system, which shipped with a serious glitch. As the vehicle circuits the planet, it's meant to send back a packet of data, but over the first two days, this file grew too big for the system to handle. As such, it crashed, although we mean that in the software sense, rather than the coming-back-to-Earth-with-a-bump sense.
CHIP is a $9 Raspberry Pi killer
The Raspberry Pi was definitely a game changer when it hit shelves at only $35. But CHIP is hoping to make the Pi look positively pricey by comparison. The Kickstarter campaign has already blown way past its $50,000 goal. In fact, at the time of this writing its approaching $500,000. Like the Pi, CHIP is a fully functional computer. The tiny board is home to a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, all of which power a full-fledged (if light-weight) Linux desktop. Even more impressive is that there's both WiFi and Bluetooth on board. It's mostly aimed at tinkerers and DIYers, hence the I/O pins waiting for your attention, but you could certainly use it as an inexpensive general purpose computer... so long as you're not particularly demanding.
Latest Ubuntu hits the web with mostly minor refinements
Today's release of Ubuntu 15.04 is yet another installment in the slow and steady march forward from Canonical. The company knows that not every OS release needs to be accompanied by fanfare and dramatic changes to your desktop. And this edition of the popular Linux distro perfectly epitomizes that philosophy. There are basically zero user-facing interface changes, except for the ability to set application menus to always show, instead of only popping up when you mouse over them. Otherwise most of the changes are under the hood. The OS should be faster and more stable, thanks to updates to updates to the underlying system, like the Unity desktop and Linux kernel. The default apps also got some minor version bumps, including Firefox and LibreOffice.
Dell has a Linux version of its sleek XPS 13 laptop
The nearly bezel-less Dell XPS 13 is one of our highest rated laptops, thanks namely to its compact size, attractive design and fast performance. But if Windows just isn't your preferred operating system, now there's another option to choose from: Linux. As part of its commitment to the platform, which took off with the introduction of Project Sputnik, Dell's announced a Ubuntu-based developer edition of its sleek 13-inch laptop. Naturally, you'll have a myriad of configurations to choose from, with prices ranging from $949 all the way to $1,849, depending on how specced out you want your Linux machine to be.
Google Chrome's push notifications are now available to everyone
You no longer have to grab a test version of Chrome to try push notifications for yourself. Google has released the finished version of Chrome 42, which lets websites send you alerts (with your permission, of course) whether or not the browser is open. You can get breaking news, for example, or find out when someone outbid you in that antique auction. The feature will be more than a little familiar to Safari users, but this is platform-independent -- you should see it in Linux and Windows, too. There aren't any other conspicuous improvements to Chrome, but Google is promising lots of under-the-hood performance and security improvements that should make your update worthwhile.
Play 'Minecraft' wherever you go with this kid-friendly wearable
If you're the type to recreate Westeros in Minecraft, the blocky construction game that's practically ubiquitous, keeping it on you at all times might be pretty attractive. The Gameband + Minecraft gives gives you the chance to do just that. The first-gen Nike Fuelband lookalike has Mojang's cash cow built in (you can play directly from the device by plugging its USB 3.0 end into your Linux, Mac or Windows machine), sports a customizable LED display and automatic cloud uploads for your game files. The basic gist is that you can take all of your work with you wherever you go because everything you need to play in Notch's garden is dangling from your wrist. Oh, and it's aimed squarely at kids so if you have a redstone-obsessed youngster in your life, this might be a solid fit for them. The unit prices out at $80 and it's available at Best Buy, GameStop and Target this very instant.
Intel's PC on a stick is now available for pre-order
Like the idea of Intel's Compute Stick turning your TV into a full-fledged Linux or Windows PC? You can finally plunk down some cash to get one. Online stores (including Amazon and Newegg) have started taking pre-orders for the HDMI dongle, which is now expected to ship by late April rather than the originally planned March release. Be careful about jumping in with both feet, though. While Newegg is selling the Windows 8.1 version of the Compute Stick for the expected $150, some retailers are charging over $100 for the Linux model instead of the official $89 -- you'll want to do some comparison shopping first.
Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy remastered for Steam, iOS
The "definitive version" of Quantic Dream's Indigo Prophecy is now available on PC, Mac and Linux via Steam as well as iOS. Crafted by porting specialist Aspyr Media, the updated version of the "supernatural murder mystery game" goes by the name Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered as a nod to the 2005 adventure's European name. Players can download it for $9.99 (€8.99 / £6.99). Aspyr noted in its FAQ that there is "absolutely no cut or censored content in this version" of the game. Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered features updated graphics that can be toggled on and off on the fly and controller support across all platforms. While the Heavy Rain developer's original game was capped at a resolution of 1024 × 768, Aspyr said the remastered version supports native resolutions up to 2880 × 1800. Aspyr claimed it "gave every texture in the game a facelift," giving some elements four times the detail as the original game, but the 2 GB size limit on iOS forced remastered textures to only double in size in the mobile version. While it won't provide a release date just yet, the developer did add that an Android version of Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy is in the works. [Image: Aspyr Media]
Opera's former chief launches a web browser for power users
For a while, Opera was a power user's web browser -- what you chose when other apps just didn't have the right mix of clever tricks and shortcuts. The company's switch to Google-based tech dropped some of those features, however, leaving you in an uncomfortable spot if you were a fan of the old interface. Thankfully, you're not out of luck. Vivaldi, a company co-founded by Opera's ex-CEO, is launching its own browser to appeal to a more demanding crowd. You'll still get Opera mainstays like the Speed Dial page (for fast access to pages you like), but you'll also get customizable keyboard shortcuts, tab stacks and page-specific notes. There are a few nice touches, too, such as a navigation bar that changes color to match the theme of the site you're visiting.
Gravity Ghost swirls through Steam's solar system today
Ivy Games' Gravity Ghost is on Steam today for PC, Mac and Linux for $15, a reasonable price for a trip through the stars. Plus, it's two-for-one, forever – pay $15 on Steam, get two game codes. "Why?" Gravity Ghost Designer Erin Robinson asks in an email. "I'm encouraging everyone to give that second copy to someone special in their life who doesn't play video games. My hope is that it will open the door to this amazing hobby and allow people to share that joy with their loved ones." Gravity Ghost is a physics puzzler with a twist (or a twirl): Players soar around planets, using gravitational pull to gain momentum, alter direction and collect pieces of a shattered galaxy. There's no "fail" state, though there is a rich story with hints of darkness, plus voice acting by Ashly Burch (Borderlands 2), Logan Cunningham (Bastion) and Sarah Elmaleh (Gone Home). The soundtrack comes from FTL composer Ben Prunty. See the story trailer after the break. GRAVITY GHOST IS LAUNCHED I LOVE YOU ALL! http://t.co/69UeajfNCF - Erin Robinson (@Livelyivy) January 26, 2015
Lady Hammerlock joins Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's playable lineup
Lady Hammerlock, sister to researcher Sir Hammerlock and heir to the family's fortune, will add a bit of class to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's playable lineup on January 27. Aurelia is included in The Pre-Sequel's season pass, but a related press release notes that fans who prefer to pick up DLC a la carte can also don her fashionable demeanor for $9.99. Lady Hammerlock's progression branch into Huntress, Cold Money and Contractual Aristocracy skill trees. Huntress focuses on sniping, offering a skill that dishes out critical hit bonuses for each consecutive shot on a target. Cold Money is all about ice damage, as made evident by one of its abilities implementing Cryo damage with any equipped weapon. Contractual Aristrocracy is all about status, as suggested by one of its unlockables reaping Lady Hammerlock bonuses from kills made by her peasant teammates. When firefights call for desperate measures, Lady Hammerlock's Cold As Ice action skill spawns a Frost Diadem Shard that chases down and latches onto targets, dealing constant damage until they finally keel over so that the shard can move onto its next target. If you sat out The Pre-Sequel in hopes of a current-gen port but still want to freeze things to death as Lady Hammerlock, don't fret – Borderlands Handsome Collection will include all season pass DLC when it arrives on March 24. [Image: Gearbox]
Completely open source, high-end laptop gets closer to reality
If you've wanted a laptop where all the software is free and open source (FOSS), you've usually had to settle for mediocre hardware. Even FOSS champion Richard Stallman is making do with a ThinkPad that's several years old. At last, though, it looks like you won't have to compromise your ideology for the sake of keeping up with the Joneses. Purism has successfully crowdfunded the Librem 15, a portable PC that combines modern parts (such as a 3.4GHz Core i7 and an optional 4K display) with software that's accessible from head to toe. The operating system (a variant of Trisquel GNU/Linux), hardware drivers and included apps are all free and open -- Purism is even trying to loosen up the BIOS and firmware.
Ubuntu Linux is now ready to power your appliances and robots
Ubuntu Linux has spread to quite a few platforms in its 10-year history, if not always successfully. Today, though, the open source software is tackling what could be its greatest challenge yet: the internet of things. Canonical has released a version of its stripped-down snappy Ubuntu Core for connected devices like home appliances, robots and anything else where a conventional PC operating system wouldn't fly. It's designed to run on modest hardware (a 600MHz processor will do) and provide easy updates, all the while giving gadget makers the freedom to customize the software for whatever they're building. It promises to be extra-reliable, too -- it only applies updates if the code checks out, so you won't lose control of your smart thermostat due to a buggy upgrade.
How many hours would it take to clear your Steam library?
It's exceedingly easy to let your Steam library spiral out of control when faced with daily deals and seasonal sales, but at least SteamLeft provides a fun estimate of just how many hours you could spend plowing through it all. SteamLeft uses How Long to Beat's crowdsourced averages to estimate a playtime for any Steam library, offering a fairly reasonable argument that maybe we should slow down and spend some of this money on our savings accounts instead. As haunting neat as it is to get a time-based conversion of our libraries, SteamLeft's suggestions for alternative time sinks are probably our favorite part of the experience. For example, we could run 108 marathons instead of spending 493 hours playing through our Steam library. We could also listen to Mulan's "Be A Man" 7,405 times, which we'll just go ahead and get started on now. What's the hour count for your libraries? What ridiculous feats could you conquer if only you were driven mad with devotion to similarly-time consuming tasks? Share your stats with us ... and then join us when we inevitably buy more games we don't have time for during the next seasonal Steam sale. [Image: SteamLeft]
Oddworld: New 'n Tasty on Steam next month; Vita, console ports still underway
Just Add Water, developer of Oddworld: New 'n Tasty, is getting ready to distribute the remaining ports for its revisit of the series' origins, and Steam users are next in line. A cloud save-compatible version of New 'n Tasty will be offered on PC, Mac and Linux via Steam on February 25 for $20 (£15, €20). A 10 percent discount will also be available for those that place pre-purchases, though further details and recommended specs will be shared at a later date. The related press release also notes that PS3 and Xbox One arrivals will follow sometime in early March, and a note from the Oddworld Staff states that the above versions will feature post-launch improvements that have been made to the existing PS4 version, including "old school" control settings. Series creator Lorne Lanning assured fans the remaining ports were being "adamantly worked on" about two months ago. At that time, Lanning also spoke of problematic limitations concerning the Wii U hardware, but the post from Oddworld Staff explains that work "continues on the Wii U and PlayStation Vita versions," adding that "recent progress is encouraging." If you're wondering whether all this waiting and extra development time is really worth it for a remake, consider Sam Prell's review of the PS4 version: "This HD remake is more than a simple reskin of nostalgia, and offers a compelling adventure with contemporary design that will satisfy most anyone's puzzle-platformer appetite." [Image: Just Add Water]
Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity to launch on March 26
Obsidian RPG Pillars of Eternity will launch on March 26, the developer announced on its Kickstarter page. The game entered a backers-only beta phase in August, available in early access form to those that pledged at least $110 to its development. Pillars of Eternity is currently available for pre-purchase on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux, starting at $45. The game earned $3.9 million on the crowdfunding service in October 2012, back when it was known as "Project Eternity." It was originally given a spring 2014 launch window, prior to its name change in December 2013. Pillars of Eternity received two more delays, the first in February 2014, when project lead Josh Sawyer said "virtually nothing good comes from [Obsidian] releasing a date before we're very confident in it." Paradox Interactive agreed to handle the marketing and distribution of the game one month later. Finally, the developer pushed Pillars of Eternity back to early 2015 this past October, noting that "since the very beginning of this project we promised our fans and ourselves that we would release this game only when we knew it would be absolutely ready for the best experience possible." [Image: Obsidian Entertainment]
Hotline Miami 2 refused classification in Australia [update]
Hotline Miami 2 is effectively banned from sale in Australia, following the Australian Classification Board's decision to refuse classification. According to Kotaku and Player Attack, the legislative body's report describes an implicit rape scene featuring "visual depiction of implied sexual violence" as part of the offending content. On its website, the ACB says the ruling is accordance with National Classification Code that refuses classification to games featuring "matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena" that offend accepted standards. The site's listing doesn't note the scene specified in the report obtained by Kotaku and Player Attack. According to both publications, the report notes that it doesn't include a complete list of the content that contributed to the ACB's decision. [Update: Devolver Digital published a response to the ruling this morning, which you can read in full below the break. The publisher says it's "concerned and disappointed that a board of professionals tasked with evaluating and judging games fairly and honestly would stretch the facts to such a degree..." Devolver added it has no plans to officially challenge the decision.]
