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The top 12 tablets you can buy right now
Whether you're looking to replace your laptop or just find something to keep you entertained, there's a tablet out there to suit you. But with an ever-increasing array of slates crowding the market, narrowing down the list can be a chore. So we've sorted through the pile and picked out some of our favorites for both power users and media consumers. Our complete buyer's guide is always just a few clicks away, but feel free to cruise through the gallery below for a quick rundown of the best tablets you can buy today.
Leaderboard: How much time do you spend customizing avatar outfits?
OK, I'm spending entirely too much time customizing my avatar outfits in Star Wars: The Old Republic. I originally re-upped my sub in order to polish off my last couple of class stories, but now I've gotten sucked into crafting and, by extension, the substantial outfit collection minigame. Which is bizarre because in meatspace my fashion sense boils down to the first pair of jeans and corresponding t-shirt/sweatshirt that tumbles out of my closet. What about you, Leaderboard readers? How much time do you spend customizing your MMO avatar outfits? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Yo and the app hype machine
Yo is a notifications app where all it does is send the word "Yo" to your friends. That's it. Just "Yo." Of course, silly single-purpose apps like these are a dime a dozen -- remember those fart apps of old? -- but the thing that sets Yo apart is that it's actually attracted a whole lot of attention. More than a million dollars' worth, in fact. Yep, this seemingly frivolous app has recently raised around $1.5 million in funding, giving it a valuation close to $10 million. It's also apparently been downloaded more than 2 million times since its tongue-in-cheek April Fools' Day debut. Crazy? Well, yes, perhaps. But it's not entirely unusual. In case you need a refresher (and probably a laugh or two), here's a look at some of the more overhyped apps in the past few years. Have any other ideas? Leave a comment and let us know of any apps we've missed.
Samsung's curved, 105-inch 4K TV can be yours for just $120,000
There were so many TVs on display back at CES, that you'd be forgiven if they all blended together. So allow us to give you a recap: The Samsung UN105S9W was, in the company's own words, the "world's first, largest and most curved 105-inch curved UHD TV." Well then! Sounds like an expensive piece of kit, huh? You have no idea. Sammy just put its flagship TV up for pre-order and it's kind of a doozy. The whole thing costs $120,000 -- also known as a mortgage. For the money, you get 5,120 x 2,160 resolution on an unusually large screen, with an unusually wide aspect ratio of 21:9. Additionally, you'll receive a visit from one of Samsung's "Field Engineers" to walk you through all the features, if that's any consolation. It's also a Smart TV, with all the usual built-in apps, and the ability to separate the screen into four quadrants for watching live TV and surfing the web at once. Honestly, though, we'd be offended if a TV this expensive didn't do that. You can pre-order now if you like, but let's be real: Most of you are probably saving $120,000 for your future child's college tuition.
Why Tesla Motors can't sell cars in most of the United States
Tesla Motors makes beautiful, quality electric automobiles. Don't just take it from us; Consumer Reports rated the Tesla Model S the "best overall" car in its 2014 Top Picks report (which includes all non-electric cars as well). Yet, despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk's ongoing effort to expand his EV empire, state after state in the United States is pushing back. Not because those states are against electronic vehicles, Musk or even Tesla; it's about the way Tesla wants to sell its cars. Specifically, it's about money.
Choose My Adventure: The crafty side of life in ArcheAge
After last week's exciting dungeon and boating adventure, Massvely's MJ was ready to settle into the quiet life of crafting in ArcheAge. And crafting can definitely be a whole way of life, taking all your time, attention, and funds. If you want to specialize in multiple crafts, it can gobble up that much more! Since you voted for MJ to try all the crafting, she's been trying to dabble in everything. However, getting all the various materials necessary for all the different professions turned out to be quite the undertaking, so she's been paying special attention to armor (which tied for first in votes) and housing items (which came in second). Join us live at 7:00 p.m. to see the crafty side of life in ArcheAge and help direct MJ's two-hour adventures during this CMA Live. Then don't forget to vote and direct next week's (and this weekend's) adventures! Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, July 16th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Leaderboard: Which ArcheAge race will you pick for your main?
I am so damn excited for ArcheAge! And with closed beta starting this week, it seems like an opportune time to translate that excitement into a Leaderboard poll. I'd like to ask which class(es) you plan to play, but that might prove a bit cumbersome since there are over 100 choices. Instead, let's talk about the game's four races. Which one will you roll as your main? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Tesla's $35,000 car will be called the Model 3
Tesla hasn't quite delivered its new Model X SUV yet, but at least we have a name for its first electric vehicle pointed at the mainstream. In an interview with AutoExpress, CEO Elon Musk (pictured above with an old Model S prototype) revealed it will be called the Model 3 (with three bars to represent it), after Ford put the kibosh on calling it the Model E. Musk has repeatedly targeted 2017 as the release window for a smaller $35,000 vehicle. He's said it will be the third generation after the original Roadster and Model S, and in the interview claims it will have a range of over 200 miles per charge, probably using batteries built in Tesla's planned Gigafactory. Musk also told the mag about a range boost upgrade coming for the original Roadster that will give it a modern battery capable of going up to 400 miles on a charge, "which will allow you to drive from LA to San Francisco non-stop." [Thanks, Weapon] [Image credit: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma]
Lab-grown 'real' cheese made without milk
Real vegan cheese. An oxymoron, but maybe not for long. A group of biohackers, which is a thing now, reckon they can make cheese without milk. Better still, it apparently tastes like proper, legitimate cheese, and not some vegan-friendly substitute mess. The SF-based iGEM group say it's made from baker's yeast. The team is able to make cheese proteins using genetic sequences found in mammals, inserting the DNA blueprints into the aforementioned yeast, and it's all vegan-compatible because it doesn't need animal products to make the proteins.
Choose My Adventure: Adventuring in ArcheAge
Although ArcheAge has many different things to do, you decided that Massively's MJ should continue her adventures with quests, so that's what she's been doing. After showing off her favorite spot in game and brilliantly demonstrating death by jellyfish, she's been running to and fro delivering notes, assembling statues, and killing whatever vermin are bothering the locals. And there's certainly no lack of vermin! During those questing adventures MJ has come across a dungeon, and she's looking forward to taking you inside. Hopefully she'll find other in-game companions to enter with her as well, else she'll surely experience death in a new and spectacular way! If she's alone, will you still have her enter? Join us live at 7:00 p.m. to decide her fate live! And don't forget to participate in the next vote to decide which crafting profession MJ should pursue next week. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, July 9th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Dead Island 2 collector's edition contents up for public vote
Deep Silver is polling Dead Island series fans to determine the contents of the Dead Island 2 Collector's Edition prior to the sequel's multiplatform launch next year. Available options range from standard fare (art books, character figurines, digital content) to the unexpected (back scratchers, beer coolers, alarm clocks, character-themed maneki-neko) to the outright impossible ("a real zombie"). Dead Island: Riptide's controversial torso statue is not an option, unsurprisingly. Voting ends July 14, so make sure you vote for the "real zombie" option before then. Assuming their bio-technology is able to keep up with production, Deep Silver could make a real-world zombie apocalypse happen, and you can help. [Image: Deep Silver]
Leaderboard: What should I play for fun?
Holy cow, folks, I have a problem! Admittedly it's a first-world problem, but it's a problem nonetheless. See, I have limited time. And there are just too many interesting games either out right now or coming out later this year or releasing meaty updates in the near future, etc. Even if I retired tomorrow, I wouldn't have time to scarf up all of this awesome gaming goodness. Maybe you can feel my pain in this regard and maybe you can't. Regardless, you can click past the cut and boss me around narrow my focus for the remainder of 2014. Care to help a brother out? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Netflix is looking to pay someone to watch Netflix all day
Ploughing through your new favourite series on Netflix is something you probably enjoy doing after a working day, but what if it was your working day? You see, Netflix has a fancy recommendation engine that suggests movies and shows you might like based on your prior viewing habits. To do that successfully, it needs information from a special group of humans that goes beyond the basics like genre and user rating. "Taggers," as they're known, analyse Netflix content and feed the recommendation engine with more specific descriptors if, for example, a film is set in space or a cult classic. In short, these people get paid to watch TV all day, and Netflix is currently hiring a new tagger in the UK. There's obviously a little more to the job than binge-watching House of Cards, but with perks like working from home, flexible hours and a free Netflix subscription, you'd be mad not to throw your hat into the ring. [Image credit: keirstenmarie/Flickr]
Choose My Adventure: Forever Firran in ArcheAge's alpha
Welcome to the first official all-stream version of Choose My Adventure, where Massively's MJ will delve deeper into ArcheAge on two-hour adventures that you help direct. She's continuing to explore the world as the feline Firran as directed by the last round of voting. But now the adventures are ramping up and she's picking up the pace, so what direction shall she go? There's no need to only quest if you want XP; you can also gather, craft, and farm. You can focus on land adventures or brave the high seas. There's plenty of choice involved, and the choice is yours. Join us live at 4:00 p.m. EDT and help decide what MJ does, then vote in the poll to determine next week's leveling path! The polls closes at 11:59 P.M. Monday, June 8th. Game: ArcheAge Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Friday, July 4th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below.
Microsoft wearable rumors suggest more fitness tracker, less smartwatch
You may want to dial back your expectations for Microsoft's oft-rumored smartwatch. According to sources speaking to the historically well-informed Paul Thurrott, the wearable isn't intended as a watch -- it's a Gear Fit-style health tracker that happens to deliver phone notifications and timekeeping. The tipsters also back earlier rumors, suggesting that there will be a host of fitness sensors along with support for Android, iOS and (naturally) Windows Phone.
Leaderboard: Will you be trying ArcheAge?
ArcheAge's closed beta is coming in a couple of weeks, and if Trion stays on schedule, the long-awaited sandpark's western launch will happen some time prior to year's end. The only real question, then, is will you be playing. There's clearly a lot to like about the game in terms of features, but there's also the specter of open PvP, which has traditionally hamstrung MMO sales and retention figures in the West. So, how about it, Massively readers? Will you be trying ArcheAge despite (or perhaps because of) its PvP? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
How to Disappear (almost) Completely: a practical guide
Maybe you've seen Into the Wild, or (gasp) have actually read it. It's the true story of an ordinary person who, one day, decided to abandon society, pack some rice and a rifle into a bag and head off into the wilderness never to return. It's the sort of drastic move you rarely hear about in our modern life. But in next week's final installment of How to Disappear, we'll meet some people who've literally done just that: gone "off the grid." For now, though, let's take a (tongue-in-cheek) look at how you can take some first steps toward undoing the digital ties that bind, and get a little closer to the exit door.
Google kills Orkut to focus on YouTube, Blogger and Google+
Google's long suggested that Orkut, its other social network, was living on borrowed time, but today it's finally confirmed that the end is coming. The search giant said today that it'll shut down the service on September 30th in order to shift its focus to bigger projects like YouTube, Blogger and Google+. Although users in the US never really took to it, Orkut remained popular in Brazil and India for the better part of a decade (it's been maintained by Google Brazil since 2008). However, with Facebook and Google+ continuing to enjoy global growth, Google's decided the time is right to pull the plug on the service that was originally built as a "20 percent" project. While the company is now blocking new signups, current users can continue to contribute to the site until October. Once the deadline passes, they'll be able to export their profile data, community posts and photos using Google's Takeout tool for up to a year after it closes its doors.
Facebook explains why it briefly toyed with users' emotions
Ever since word got out that Facebook had briefly manipulated some users' News Feeds to see how their feelings changed, a number of questions have popped up: just why did the company feel compelled to experiment in the first place? How noticeable was it? And was it worth the effort? As of today, we have some answers to those riddles. Study co-author Adam Kramer explains that Facebook was worried people would stop visiting the social network if they saw too many emotional updates -- a lot of negative posts could scare some people off, while a surge of positive vibes would leave others feeling left out. That's not what happened, however, and Kramer stresses that the company "never [meant] to upset anyone."
What you need to know about Uber, Lyft and other app-based car services
For the first time last month, I requested a car using a smartphone. The app correctly guessed my location using GPS, gave me a ballpark arrival time with a real-time map and even estimated the fare. A polite driver arrived on time and whisked me to my destination. When I tried to pay and tip, he explained that the payment was already taken (I'd receive a receipt by email soon) and that the service (Uber) forbade tipping. Wait, what? No haggling, luggage fee, credit card refusal, time wasted on receipts or even tipping? This was an epiphany! But professional taxi drivers who pay thousands of dollars for a license are understandably not thrilled about these services. Neither are many cities (and regions) that collect those fees and say that Uber/Lyft/etc. are dangerous or improperly insured. The result of this clash, thus far, is chaos: bans, mass demonstrations and even violence. Despite all that, ridesharing poster child Uber was recently valued at $17 billion. So, will app-driven car services gain traction or be run out of town?
