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Matchstick's Firefox OS-based TV dongle is dead
Bad news if you backed Matchstick's crowdfunded, Firefox OS-powered TV adapter: it's not going to happen. The team has cancelled its would-be Chromecast rival after realizing that implementing copyright protection will require "significantly more" work than expected. It wouldn't be fair to leave people hanging when there's no way to "reliably predict" when you could play Netflix or other locked-down content, the company says. If you plunked money down, you should be getting a full refund within the next 60 days.
Matchstick delays its Firefox OS media stick to offer Netflix streaming
I hope you weren't in too much of a hurry to snag Matchstick's Firefox OS-based streaming media dongle. The fledgling company has delayed its namesake device to August in order to not only upgrade the hardware (to a quad-core processor and better WiFi), but to add support for anti-piracy protection. As the team explains, Netflix and other "premium" services won't work unless you have some kind of digital rights management (DRM) -- it's hard to sell a media stick that can't deliver the most popular content. The setback won't please you if you're an early backer (or see DRM as a blight on open standards), but it will make Matchstick's $25 device more useful to viewers who'd otherwise pick up a Chromecast to get their online video fix.
Engadget Daily: Windows 10, the $200 laptop you've been waiting for, and more!
It looks like Microsoft's new OS will be called Windows 10. Who'd have thunk it? Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours -- we go hands-on with Here maps for Android, break down Facebook's battle with drag queens and more.
Matchstick's Firefox OS adapter sends media to your TV for $25
Looking for a streaming media stick that's more accessible than Google's Chromecast? You might have found it. After a few teasers, Matchstick has revealed the first Firefox OS-based media sharing adapter. The self-titled gadget lets you "fling" video, websites and other content from Firefox (naturally), Chrome and supporting apps to your TV. While the hardware should be a bit more powerful than Chromecast, the real allure is a completely open platform -- you can tinker with the software and even build your own hardware if you're the entreprenurial sort. A low price will help, too. Matchstick hopes to sell its stick for $25 this February, and that's assuming you don't back the upcoming Kickstarter project -- get in early and it will cost $18. Even if Matchstick doesn't get as much app support as Google's device, it may be worth a look.
Grace Digital's MatchStick speaker dock for the Kindle Fire hits Amazon
We heard back in March that Grace Digital's FireDock for the Kindle Fire would be available in July, and it turns out that was at least partly true. The device is now shipping from Amazon (at a $30 discount of its $130 list price), but it's been rebranded with the even more Kindle-esque name of MatchStick. It remains unchanged otherwise, though, packing the same rotating cradle designed specifically for the Fire (despite the silver-framed device in the press image above), an aux input for other devices, a pair of 3-inch speakers with a 16 watt class D digital amplifier, and an optional lithium-ion battery pack that will be available in August.
Matchstick puzzling hits Europe next year
Ignoring the fundamental silliness of paying $20 or more for a game that can be played with a fifty cent box of matches, we're actually quite looking forward to Matchstick Puzzles by DS. Which is a good thing, really, as publisher Mercury Games has just confirmed that its puzzler is on its way to Europe next February, for a wallet-pleasing budget price of £19.99 / €24.99.No news on a U.S. version just yet, though a European release bodes well for those who bought a DS to rearrange little pieces of virtual wood. There's a video of the game in action past the jump, and the first English language screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-11690%
Matchstick puzzles headed to the DS
Do you ever catch yourself thinking, "Gee, the only thing missing on the DS is matchstick puzzles! Wouldn't it be nice if I didn't have to carry around all these matchsticks?" No? Well, if you were that guy (or girl), then this could be the best day ever. But even if the idea of shifting matchsticks (without using any actual matches) doesn't thrill you to the core, odds are that you'll find this at least oddly interesting. While we wonder just how many matchstick puzzles there are -- and we're sure they all fit within this one DS game -- this could certainly be worth checking out as a rental at least. If nothing else, simple puzzles are pretty good for pick-up-and-play, and matchstick puzzles always seem to go well with alcoholic beverages. Matchibo Puzzle DS is due for the end of the month in Japan, and we're actually half-hoping this one makes it across the ocean, just to see.
