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Microsoft teases a classic Start Menu for Windows 8.1 with built-in Live Tiles
As a part of its Build 2014 announcements, Microsoft showed off an interesting twist on its classic Start Menu. Coming to Windows 8.1 in a future update, it has the look of the Start Menu Windows users have experienced for years, but adds the Live Tiles Microsoft has been pushing as a part of Windows 8 and Windows Phone. Terry Myerson made the announcement as part of an example of how universal Windows apps will be able to run in a window (and on Xbox), although users craving something familiar will probably just be happy to see their old Start Menu again. We didn't hear any more details on exactly when to expect the update, but you can follow along with our liveblog for all of the information as it happens. Update: Myerson has posted a few more thoughts after Day 1 of Build over on the Windows Blog, calling the demo a way Microsoft "could enable more productivity for customers working in desktop mode, while building smart bridges to the new modern user experience."
The Daily Grind: What originally got you into MMOs?
Do you remember where you were when you first heard about the idea of paying $15 a month for a video game? How about when you finally accepted that it's actually cheaper than most of your other hobbies? Or how about when you signed up for your second concurrent subscription? Most of us have changed our game-playing (and paying) habits because of MMOs, and the beginning of that wasn't too far back. The transition usually started with a trusted developer (Blizzard, Sony) or IP (Ultima), but not all of us started at the very beginning. So that's where your stories come in. Tell us how you first got into MMOs. Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Start8 download resurrects the start button on Windows 8, niche satiated
Some people just can't say goodbye.
TomTom Start wants to democratize GPS navigation: smartphones point, laugh
Paradoxically, most of the fuss surrounding TomTom of late has been associated with a certain smartphone -- a class of devices that signals the end to the dedicated SatNavs TomTom builds. Still, TomTom hasn't given up the fight yet as they've just announced the TomTom Start, a Є129 entry-level GPS navigator with 3.5-inch display and choice of six StartSkin covers costing €15 per -- you know, so you can change the look of your GPS unit every time you reupholster your car's interior. The device cost climbs to Є149 for a European map pre-load instead of the base, regional offering. Start features TomTom's IQ Routes and Map Share technology to find the fastest route benefiting from the aggregated map correction data fed by the hoards of local TomTom-ers. Look for it in the UK and Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway... someday, TomTom doesn't say when.
Sony spends £82 million in new European marketing campaign
£82 million. €94 million. $135 million. Any way you put it, that's a large amount of money. The new ad campaign, which focuses on the redesigned, slim PS3 and new PSN services, is the first major campaign from SCEE since the highly criticized "This is Living" campaign from the system's launch over two years ago.The first of the "Start" series of ads focuses solely on entertainment services offered on PS3, like VidZone and the included Blu-ray player. However, future ads will also talk about the bread and butter of the system: games. But before Sony continues with the campaign, we'd recommend the company fix its Google search recommendation. Right now, the ad ends telling viewers to search "PS3 Start." Unfortunately, this pops up as one of the first results for that search term. Ouch.
Terminal Tip: Enable half-star ratings in iTunes
Do you like giving ratings to songs in iTunes? If so, then you've probably noticed that you are only able to rate songs on a full-star basis, not enough granularity for some music fans... there's a longstanding AppleScript hack to enable half-stars, but now there's an easier way around this issue. Macworld's Rob Griffiths found a work around, involving a simple Terminal tip to enable half-star ratings. To enable half-star ratings, close iTunes, and open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities). Once you have Terminal opened, type the following command and press enter: defaults write com.apple.iTunes allow-half-stars -bool TRUE When you reopen iTunes and rate a song, you will be able to give half-stars. That simple. If you wish to make things normal again, open Terminal and type the same command, replacing "TRUE" with "FALSE."
Where to begin? (Poll)
Do you remember the night that Burning Crusade came out? I waited in the cold outside Game Stop with about 30 other people. We boasted about our accomplishments and I nearly came to blows with a decidedly orcish young woman who played a Gnome Warrior (with pink pig tails). I rushed home to install the expansion and couldn't wait to get in. First, I ran my character into Orgrimar to get the PvP version of the Hawkstrider. I was disappointed that it didn't exist so I bought a Skeletal Warhorse and trotted on to the Dark Portal. There was a raging PvP battle in Blasted Lands. The ground was covered in skeletons. I ran the gauntlet as quickly as I could, grabbed the quest and zoned in. Through the portal I found the worst monster I've ever encountered in WoW: lag. With everyone starting in Hellfire Peninsula it was like my character was swimming to sand. While there was an uneasy, unspoken truce between the factions quest mobs were hard to come by. It was reminded of Black Friday at Fry's. I still stayed up until seven the next morning.
Forum post of the day: No more newbies?
Malkavius of Korialstrasz posed an interesting question in the General Forums. Is it too late in WoW's life for new players? She told a tale of how a friend got frustrated soon after purchasing the game because of inflation and an inability to find groups. The responses were split. Vylaria of Ch'gall believes that it's not too late for a rookie to get their start. Gathering skills help to boost the personal pocketbook, and even veteran players that reroll face the same problems with finding a group. Cptobvious of Bonechewer believes that it is easier for folks that have played other MMOs than it is for online gaming virgins.
Season 4 does not begin June 17th
There has been a rumor going around for a few days that arena season 4 will begin on June 17th. I actually heard this in Alterac Valley this weekend when I was plowing through the place with a few friends and tanking Drek and two of his generals.While lots of folks wish it was different, season 4 will not be starting on the 17th. Drysc said as much today in a blue post, and went on to reiterate that they will still be giving a two week notice of any upcoming season.Personally, I expect season 4 to start sometime in late July or early August. That gives it about four months of activity until the supposed release of Wrath of the Lich King in November. But even the release of WotLK in November is unconfirmed, and that's just my guess which is no better than any rumor you hear in a battleground. The only official word will come from Blizzard, which we'll have carried here as soon as we hear it.
Secret "Simple Start" Wi-Fi connection? [Update 1]
File this one under "What the hell?" Some astute gamer has discovered a hidden feature inside the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection setup menu, and one that certainly leans itself toward DS-to-Wii connection theory. The video gives an extremely detailed explanation, so check it out....now. Go ahead.Done? All right. The system asks for the player to press a "Simple Start Wi-Fi Button", something that clearly doesn't exist on any existing Nintendo hardware. So, is this how the Wii and the DS will sync up? Before you run off wildly screaming the news throughout your house, we offer these two bits of counter-evidence. First, regading the Wii, we've seen essentially every button and switch on the damn thing, even inside the "mysterious" front flap; no "Simple Start" or even remotely related button has been seen or reported. Second, accessing this mode by hitting the absolute upper-left pixel on the touch screen is ridiculous; in certain cases the stylus can't even reach the pixel, and a toothpick or other thin, prodding device must be used.We've seen no reason why "DS Download Play" would fail to properly pick up and sync with a Nintendo Wii console, so we'll chalk this up as a feature that will fade, like the legendary city of Atlantis, into one of the unexplained mysteries of the past.[Update 1: The internet, it seems, will brook no mysteries. Save Atlantis. Click here for an extremely detailed explanation of this feature, and as speculated, it has nothing to do with Wii connectivity.][Thanks, Super-Jesse-Mario!]
"My Mac Won't Start!" pocket guide
For their 100th QuickTips email newsletter, Seattle area mac support agency CreativeTechs has published a handy little troubleshooting guide that fits neatly in your shirt pocket. The "My Mac Won't Start!" pocketmod tiny guide is available as a free PDF download, and covers basic troubleshooting steps such as starting up in safe mode, single user mode, booting from an external device, and attempting to view the machine using target disk mode. The QuickTips newsletter is something I've been subscribed to for a few months now, and it never fails to bring new insight into the way I use my Mac. Although aimed at creative professionals, the mailer has tips that are applicable to almost everybody, no matter their profession.
Remapping Key Combinations
Some people may think I am pro-*nix, but actually I really just like getting information out there for all our readers. Today I came across a great tip on Switch about Windows-like key bindings. If you don't dig the way Apple has the start and end key combos mapped in OS X, you can change them by creating the file ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict with the following contents: /* ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict - Home/End keys more like Windows */{"\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLine:"; /* home */ "\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLine:"; /* end */"$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLineAndModifySelection:"; /* shift home */"$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLineAndModifySelection:"; /* shift end */"^\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfDocument:"; /* control home */"^\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfDocument:";/* control end */} I personally tested this key binding hack in 10.4.4 and it does work. To test it be sure to quit out of your text application first. Also note that you will have to create a KeyBindings/ directory in your ~/Library/ because it is not there by default. To reverse the key bindings back to normal, just delete the DefaultKeyBinding.dict file you created and restart your text application. If there is a simpler GUI way to create these modifications please post about it in the comments for our readers.If on the other hand you live in Terminal like me, the start of line and end of line key bindings are Control-A and Control-E respectively. This should feel comfortable to people accustomed to the normal Emacs mode in a shell in other *nix based operating systems.[via Switch and comments on Ask Slashdot]
