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Disney registers some Star Wars Attack Squadron domains
Disney's LucasFilm recently registered two dozen domains related to an as-yet-unannounced project called Star Wars Attack Squadron. Among the domains registered are StarWarsAttackSquadrons.com, AttackSquadrons.com and the ever-elusive StarWarsSquad.us. It's unknown if Star Wars Attack Squadron will wind up being a game, film or both, but Fusible points out that Electronic Arts also registered AttackSquadron.com and AttackSquadron.net domains recently. Unless EA is squatting on these domains and plans to sell them to Disney, it's hard to imagine it's not involved in the project, given that EA obtained an exclusive license to make Star Wars games in May.
Microsoft files to claim Xboxone.com, .net from UK resident
It's difficult to register a domain without it quickly becoming a matter of public record, which may be why Microsoft has waited until now to try and secure ownership of Xboxone.com and Xboxone.net, according to Fusible. The megalithic company has filed a dispute (case #1501205) with the National Arbitration Forum – the company that resolves reports of domain squatting and trademark infringement in URLs, in order to gain control of the two address that have, until now, been controlled by an unnamed resident of the United Kingdom. In order for Microsoft to win its dispute, it'll need to prove to the NAF that the domains are identical and/or confusingly similar to a trademark that Microsoft owns, that this random person in the UK has no rights to the Xbox One trademark and that the domains in question were registered in bad faith.
EA registers 'Plants Vs Zombies Adventures' domains
EA recently registered domain names related to its undead botanical tower defense series with the name "Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures." Domain squatters lost out on registering PlantsVsZombiesAdventures.com, PlantsVsZombiesAdventure.com and pvZadVentures.com before EA got to it, as each URL was registered on March 6.As usual, domain names mean nothing without an actual game announcement to accompany them. Plants Vs. Zombies 2 was announced back in August 2012, with a late Spring 2013 release window. Whether the "2" is replaced with "Adventures" in the game's title remains to be seen.
Twitter to give users fewer characters to tweet with when URLs are involved
The shock! The horror! The genuine nightmare of losing two more valuable character spaces per tweet! Such a scenario is indeed going to play out, as Twitter has just announced a subtle change in its t.co wrapper that'll go into play this coming February. The firm will be extending the maximum length of t.co wrapped links from 20 to 22 characters for non-https URLs, and 21 to 23 characters for https URLs. It's announcing the change now in order to give developers time to tweak their apps to handle things with poise, though it's not going so far as to clarify why the change is being made. Enjoy those shortened links while you can -- that whole "140 characters" thing will soon be gaining yet another asterisk.
Three handy Mac tools for working with QR Codes
You might not think about them much. When you do, it might be to decry the invasion of robot vomit onto every ad, billboard and poster. Still, the humble two-dimensional QR Code -- originally developed by a Toyota subsidiary to assist in automotive manufacturing -- has become ubiquitous. QR Codes can deliver almost any kind of digital data, as long as it fits within the code's capacity; the densest versions of the barcodes can hold more than 4,000 ASCII characters, but most of the codes you see in public are much less info-packed. They're ideal for short URLs, vCard contact info, SMS or phone call "triggers" for mobile phones, and plenty of other cool tricks. I've used them on name badges for customized scoring forms and on stickers in out-of-the-way corners as scavenger hunt targets. Unfortunately, some marketers seem to think that putting the codes on highway billboards (where you can't really pull out your phone to scan them as you're driving by at 55 MPH) or on subway platforms (the underground thing, not so much with the 3G data) is helpful and clever -- it's not. You need to put them where people have the luxury of time and the benefit of bandwidth; otherwise they're just clutter. Although iOS devices don't natively handle QR Codes yet, there are plenty of third-party apps to enable code scanning. Over at our sibling site TechCrunch, Brenden Mulligan suggests that the best way to help QR Codes make the final leap from curiosity to mainstream tech would be to have the built-in Camera apps on iPhone and Android optionally set to "always looking for QR Code" mode while running. If there's a code in the field of view, says Mulligan, the app should prompt you to process the code. I can think of a couple of ways this would be annoying (what if you're actually trying to take a picture of an advertisement, versus scanning the code?) and potentially harmful (QR Codes can point to malware sites, so automatically decoding them isn't always the best plan). Still, integrating QR scanning capability into the built-in apps is a natural next step if handled gracefully. On the Mac, however, you don't often think of scanning barcodes unless you're cataloging your book collection. Suppose you're testing a new code or looking at one in a PDF or on a website; wouldn't it be nice to confirm where it's going and what it's doing? Enter the $2.99 QR Right, available in the Mac App Store. QR Right, from Ripe Apps, behaves like a camera pointed at your screen, except without the camera. When you run QR Right, you click the dock icon or the menubar icon to "scan" your Mac screen. Any detectable QR Codes or 1D barcodes are highlighted, with the decoded data right below them. If it's a URL, one more click will open that page in your default browser. QR Right is fast and accurate, and if you need the feature, $2.99 is a bargain. At the moment, the app is suffering from a cosmetic bug on the Retina MBP where it renders codes at 4x the correct size; that's not uncommon for apps that have to deal with the screen bitmap, and the disconnect between display elements and raw pixels is causing some issues for screenshot tools as well. [Side tip: if you're a Retina MBP user, the indispensable €14 utility SwitchRes X should be on your shopping list. Not only does it give you granular control over all the Retina-friendly HiDPI screen configurations, it lets you force your screen into non-Retina versions of the standard resolutions when needed. Apps such as QR Right that are skittish with Retina behave just like they should when you dodge back to a straight 1440x900.] The more "normal" side of the QR Code process would be the part where you hold a code up to a camera (or a camera up to a code) to read/act upon the content. That's where the free QRreader app comes into play. This free utility uses your Mac's iSight/FaceTime HD camera to scan printed codes; it promptly opens them in your default browser. Unfortunately, since QRreader is built with Adobe's AIR framework, it's susceptible to outside factors that might break functionality; in this case, the latest version of AIR (3.3) doesn't allow QRreader to work properly. If you're still running v3 of AIR, though, it does the trick. For making your own codes on the fly, there are plenty of free and premium online tools; if you'd like to integrate QR Codes into your database projects, however, I recommend the CNSBarcode plugin for FileMaker Pro. This $85 plugin enables instant creation of QR Codes (plus scores of others), and also enables barcode scanning within FileMaker. Codes can be calculated from any data fields, making it simple to programmatically generate codes for URLs, contacts and more. CNS Barcode also makes a $9.99 iOS app that can scan and create QR Codes and other codes, even allowing third-party apps to send URI requests for code creation.
Google+ expands custom URLs to 'thousands more' pages and profiles
If you're lacking the mental perspicacity to memorize that bizarre string that constitutes your Google+ profile (or business page) we've got some good news -- Google's continuing its roll-out of custom URLs to its most popular social network pages. You'll have to make sure that you stake a claim to your pre-approved URL when the box appears on your page -- fortunately it's pretty hard to miss, sticking out along the top of your well-known profile / page. Lesser known brands and 'personalities' will have to wait a little longer, but Product Manager Saurabh Sharma says that the custom URLs will continue to trickle down the system "in the future." Update: Our freshly customized +Engadget page is now up and running.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Where did Preview's link annotation go?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I recently upgraded Lion to Mountain Lion. Such a beautiful and fluid OS. For a particular assignment, I wanted to convert a document into a PDF which Apple's Preview does it effectively. The problem arose when I wanted to annotate a hyperlink in the PDF. In Lion, I could do this simply by clicking Tools and then Annotate-Add a link. Apparently Mountain Lion has removed this important function! Its like taking 3 steps forwards and 2 steps backwards. Do you know of any other cost effective/free ways of incorporating hyperlinks within the PDFs. Adobe Acrobat is expensive!! Aunt, please help!! Your loving nephew, Zav Dear Zav, Auntie has some rather sad news for you. Although Preview apps stun easily, it appears that their URL annotation feature is not dazed but rather definitely deceased. Its total lack of presence is not due to being tired or shagged out following a prolonged Mountain Lion catnap. It's not coming back to life, no matter how much you or how hard you HIT THE SCREEN. It may be a remarkable app, with remarkable features, but Auntie knows a dead feature when she sees one. It is an EX-FEATURE. Oh what the flaming goose wattles. Auntie suggests you run, not walk, to Apple's OS X Feedback page and give Apple a bit of what you're thinking. Auntie uses Acrobat herself -- not the solution cost effective/free solution you're looking for. If you have the money, PDFPen on the Mac App Store costs US$30, or US$60 direct from the vendor's site. Buying from the vendor adds a 90-day money back guarantee. (A pro version of the app is $50/$100) The developer shot Auntie over a promo code so she could give PDFPenPro a go. It did allow her to add linkies to a PDF in a workmanlike manner. Auntie is sure the app is full of many worthy features beyond this, even if she found the URL option a little hard-to-locate (tap-and-hold the second button in The tools group), that it didn't quite operate as expected (it adds a URL field, regardless of what text has been highlighted, and not centered around that highlighted material), and that the icon is pretty ugly. If you need the feature, well, there it is, and you'll only be out thirty bucks. Hugs, Auntie T. P.S. - Got another app replacement suggestion for Zav? Leave it in the comments!
Google+ offers custom URLs for verified accounts, other profiles to come 'over time'
Do you happen to be David Beckham or Toyota? Well, congratulations -- you now have a Google+ vanity URL. The rest of us looking for the football star or car manufacturer need only type "google.com/+davidbeckham" or "google.com/+toyota" to reach those respective pages, enabling easy access to that must-see picture in front of a private jet, or a vehicle recall notice. Sadly, you're probably not eligible for a custom shortcut of your own -- here's the word from Google: At first, we're introducing custom URLs to a limited number of verified profiles and pages. But over time we plan to offer custom URLs to many more brands and individuals, so please stay tuned! So, for now, you better get comfy with "plus.google.com/108326689306432447266," or whatever the good Goog has granted.
Ubisoft registers 'Just Dance Floor' domains
Ubisoft's big pre-E3 press conference is roughly 48 hours away, and while common sense dictates that the announcement of a new Just Dance game is as likely as tomorrow's rising sun, nothing official has happened quite yet. There are intriguing clues, however, such as JustDanceFloor.com and Just-DanceFloor.com, two new Ubisoft-owned domains uncovered by the intrepid detectives at Fusible.The trouble with URLs is that they generally divulge very little in the way of context, especially when it comes to titles. Are these addresses for Just Dance: Floor, or Just DanceFloor? Just Dance: Floor would be a really terrible play on words, since the next Just Dance game in the series would be the fourth one. But, if it's Just DanceFloor, why is "Floor" capitalized?Okay, now the word "floor" just looks weird.
Smattering of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Vita domains registered by Sony
Hey, in case you didn't know, that Smash Bros.-esque PlayStation 3 game, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, is very likely also heading to PlayStation Vita. How likely? Pretty freakin' likely, especially considering the recently discovered group of domain registrations from Sony Computer Entertainment of America tied to URLs like "PlaystationAllStarsVita.com," "PS-AllStarsVita.com," and "PSAllStarsBattleRoyaleVita.com."As with so many of these discoveries, Superannuation spotted the URLs – URLs that pretty clearly identify a Vita-based version of the brawler. We'll be saying this a lot this week, so get used to it: we've reached out to Sony for more info, but only got "we don't comment on rumor or speculation" in return. We expect more info next week during E3.
Square Enix registers domains for 'Just Cause 4' despite lack of Just Cause 3
Just in case the Just Cause series is successful enough to get a fourth entry, Square Enix wants to make sure it can employ any necessary URLs. As such, the company registered URLs in a variety of countries for "JustCause4" via URL proxy registrant Corporation Service Company, as discovered by Fusible.Neither Square Enix nor Avalance Studios have said much about the Just Cause series as of late, though Avalance studio head Christofer Sundberg told Develop in early 2010 that a third entry in the series is very likely. It's also rumored that Avalanche has been working on a Mad Max-based game; we haven't heard about that project since September 2010. Beyond Avalanche's Stockholm-based studio, the privately owned Swedish company opened a New York City office in 2011 to work on an unannounced game only known as "Project Mamba."Regardless, with just a few weeks left until E3, it's likely we'll hear more about whatever Avalanche is working on sooner, rather than later.
Ubisoft registers domains for 'Rayman Legends'
There's nothing we like more than a good, mysterious domain registration. This latest batch of URLs with undisclosed purposes comes courtesy of Ubisoft, which has registered both RaymanLegends.com and Rayman-Legends.com.This maneuver – spotted by Fusible – follows rumors that Ubisoft has already been pitching a sequel to last year's 2D platformer, Rayman Origins, in an online marketing survey. According to leaked concepts, the game might see Rayman tussling with legendary creatures like ghosts and dragons. Ubisoft, of course, is opting not to comment on "rumors or speculation."
Activision registers ActivisionNews.com, trying to put us out of work
With begrudging loyalty to our duty, we have to inform you that Activision registered the domain name "ActivisionNews.com." While we'd point out that you could always get your Activision news from, say, this handy tag, it looks like Activision may be interested in serving up said news to you directly – that is, beyond social media manager Dan Amrich's current outreach.As Fusible points out, the URL doesn't resolve a site just yet, and it may never (the URL grab could be little more than a "just in case" action). We've reached out to Activision for clarification, but we're a bit worried that the answer could pop up on ActivisionNews.com first.
MLG moves more than 100 domains in opposition of SOPA
SOPA's presence continues to loom, darkening e-skies across the nation and weighing heavy on the minds and hearts of tech-savvy Americans everywhere. The average citizen, in an attempt to effect what little change they can, has taken to moving their business away from companies that support SOPA; companies such as domain registrar GoDaddy. This movement, spearheaded by Reddit's Move Your Domain Day initiative, has influenced the business operations of at least one major player in the gaming world; Major League Gaming has announced the transfer of over 100 domains from GoDaddy to rival registrar Namecheap, saying that the gaming organization is "firmly against both the specifics of SOPA and the philosophy behind the bill." They go on to urge everyone curious about the subject to read up and draw their own conclusions, which sounds like a good idea to us.
EA unable to gain rights to SSX.com
EA, in an attempt to gain ownership of SSX.com ahead of the series' February relaunch, challenged Abstract Holdings International LTD's claim on the address, saying that the URL was registered in "bad faith." A panel at The National Arbitration Forum, however, has determined that EA's argument was insufficient. "The EA allegations of bad faith in part are based upon the lack of due diligence conducted by retailers of domain names like Respondent," the Forum determined. "EA would seem to require that entities like Respondent conduct an international search for relatively obscure trademarks in order to determine whether a name is a registered mark. The Panel is not willing to go so far." In this case, EA's claim of "bad faith" hinged on the fact that SSX.com briefly contained video game-related advertisements. Since these advertisements are now gone, there's nothing inherently malicious or misleading about the site, negating EA's ability to claim any misuse. For now, SSX.com remains the property of Abstract Holdings, although we imagine several zeroes and a few commas written on EA letterhead would change their minds.
Carrier IQ issues lengthy report on data collection practices, sticks to its guns
After having already tried to explain itself with metaphor, Carrier IQ is now taking its floundering PR campaign back to basics, with an ostensibly thorough primer on its practices and a slightly less convoluted defense of its privacy standards. This morning, the controversial analytics firm released a lengthy, 19-page document that attempts to explain "what Carrier IQ does and does not do." In the report, titled "Understanding Carrier IQ Technology," the company explains the benefit it offers to its clientele of network operators, many of whom rely upon Carrier IQ's diagnostic data to make sure their infrastructure is up to snuff. It also provides a breakdown of how it collects data, as well as a defense against Trevor Eckhart's findings, though, as you'll see, these arguments likely won't put this saga to bed anytime soon. Read more, after the break.
Quickly share website addresses to your iPhone with AirLink
Last week, Erica and Victor shared a hack for transferring the URL of an open webpage from your computer to your iPhone via the intermediary of a QR code. It's easy and quick, but as is often the case our astute commenters pointed to a slew of alternative solutions to tackle the same problem. The suggestions were wide-ranging and clever. There's Ansible, Handoff and MyPhoneDesktop; there's NotesForLater, SendTab and SiteToPhone. All are worth checking out, and depending on how you like your content shared (in an app, in email, with or without push notifications, using a browser extension or via a bookmarklet) you'll find a solid fit. But the one that specifically caught our eye -- and had the most commenter recommendations -- was the AirLink bookmarklet. AirLink is dead simple to set up and use. Just visit the site to install; you'll get a pair of bookmarklets, one for your desktop browser and one for your device. These bookmarks are 'twinned' to each other permanently, so at any time thereafter all you need to do is activate the bookmarklet (on either side) to send the active URL to your device or to your computer. On your iPhone, you can bookmark the URL or add it to the home screen for instant access. It's free, it's easy and it works great. The AirLink bidirectional bookmarklet is the work of the young German developer Phillip Schmitt. You can follow the ongoing development of AirLink on the tool's Twitter feed. Photo: Flickr CC via Cliff1066™
UK court orders ISP to block Newzbin 2 filesharing site within two weeks, Hollywood smiles
Pirates just can't catch a break these days. Way back in July, a British judge ordered telecom company BT to block its subscribers from visiting a site called Newzbin 2, on the grounds that the ISP had "actual knowledge" of customers using the platform access copyright infringing content. An appeal was soon filed, but yesterday, it was shot down by a high court. Under the order, BT will have 14 days to seal off access to Newzbin 2, and will have to do so on its own dime -- something the provider was aiming to avoid. The decision marks the first time that an ISP has been forced to block access to a filesharing site, something the Motion Picture Association heralded as "a win for the creative sector." BT, meanwhile, didn't have much to say about the ruling, stating only that "it is helpful to have the order now and the clarity that it brings." Less certain, however, is the impact this order will have on future copyright lawsuits and web censorship, in general. Find the ruling in its entirety at the coverage link, below.
Google files trademark for 'Spot,' programming language to follow?
It looks as though our old pal in Mountain View might have its sights set on developing another programming language. Avid coders probably recall the company's Go offering that was announced last year. Now, Google is looking to stake its claim on the trademark for "Spot." Sorting through the USPTO mumbo jumbo, it's clear that the project centers on a coding language and its related computer programs. Also of note: the internet powerhouse gobbled up four case-related domains including spotlang.com, spotlanguage.net, spot-lang.com and spot-lang.net. For those looking to See Spot Run, perhaps you'll be able to sprint over to the aforementioned URLs in due time. [Photo credit: brionv]
US judge won't return seized URL to Rojadirecta.com, absolutamente no
Welcome to the homepage of popular sports streaming and p2p site Rojadirecta.com. Why all the birdy logos and harsh words about going to prison? Well, it's a convoluted story, which began when a whole bunch of sports sites -- including Rojadirecta -- were summarily seized by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, based on "probable cause to believe" they'd been involved in copyright infringement. Awkwardly, the Spanish owners of this particular site had already been cleared of any wrongdoing by courts in Spain, but this counted for nada because their .com URL was American. So, their one hope was to convince a US judge that the seizure violated the First Amendment and should be overturned. This case won support from freedom of speech activists like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but on Thursday it finally failed. The presiding judge ruled that no rights had been violated, because Rojadirecta could easily set up shop at a non-US address and continue to function. Bad news indeed for the Spaniards -- maybe they should move to the UK, where due process takes a whole lot longer.
