Apple Debuts New Streaming Service, Apple Music
It was just a year ago when we were all surprised and excited by Apple's purchase of Beats by Dre. As I speculated back then, the purchase wasn't exclusively for Beats by Dre's hardware, but the software within their streaming service, Beats Music. After a year of wondering, the curtain has finally been pulled back at this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.
Simply known as Apple Music, Apple's streaming service is scheduled for a June 30th release on Apple devices in more than 100 countries with an Android release scheduled sometime in the fall. Price plans for the service come in $9.99/month and $14.99/month for six-person family plan. A three-month subscription is also offered for free for new subscribers. While Apple Music boasts more than 30 million songs on the service, much of this library can be found on Spotify on other services.
Apple is banking on exclusive releases (similar to Tidal's offerings) to justify the price tag. Other features Apple Music has over Spotify is full functionality with Siri, "Connect," a social network aspect of the service that allows artists to directly release songs and interact with fans, and Beats 1, a 24/7 radio station broadcast from London, New York, and Los Angeles that will be curated by various artists.
It'll be hard to justify a subscription price when Spotify has a free version. Or, you know, we can go back to the days of actually playing music from our iTunes libraries. Nevertheless, shots have been fired as Apple does everything in their power to monopolize every nook and cranny of the entertainment industry. Are you on board with Apple Music, or will your blood forever bleed Spotify green?
FAA Proposes Major Restrictions on Commercial Drone Usage
If you haven't watched any episodes from this season of South Park, I highly recommend doing so. South Park has always been a bastion of consistently entertaining satire, but the quality has elevated even more this season with well-thought out social commentary on topics such as the gender binary, existentialism, and privacy. It's this last theme that brings the rest of this article full circle. As South Park is wont to do, they poked fun at UAVs (re: unmanned aerial vehicles or drones) in relation to privacy, voyeurism, and self-policing. Beyond the humor and entertainment of the episode, it did pose a question over whether or not personal drone use is as safe for those being captured by video without their consent.
Recently, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) suggested their proposal to regulate drone usage with limitations and restrictions. Namely, they want to require valid pilot's licenses for commercial drone users, or those who intend on making a profit from the footage their drones capture. Other regulations include only allowing drone usage during the day, stay under 400 feet in altitude, and ensuring drones are always in sight of their users for all drones weighing 55 pounds or less.
The FAA plans on making an official proposal by the end of the year, but is keen on input and suggestions to help formulate an ideal decision that would make sense for both consumers and their agency. Again, it should be noted that the regulations would apply to commercial use of drones only, but where is the line drawn between commercial and private use? How will that be tracked and regulated? I'm sure answers to these questions and many others will be clarified over the ensuing months when the proposal is made public.
[via Engadget]
PlayStation Vue is Sony's Venture into Cloud-Based TV Streaming
Slowly but surely, we're all cutting the cord (very literally) when it comes to TV. It's bad news for service providers like DirecTV and Comcast, but many networks are embracing the new wave of offering subscription-free online services, like HBO recently embraced when they announced HBO Go for all users in 2015. For those that still insist on cable/satellite subscriptions, they can point to the robust On Demand offerings their providers have, something I've sorely missed for years once my family made the switch from Comcast to DirecTV. Needless to say, we all enjoy our TV, no matter how we take it in.
Sony is tapping into that need with their announcement of a cloud-based TV streaming service called PlayStation Vue. The service, which will begin rolling out in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles through the rest of the year, will offer both live TV, On Demand content, and temporarily-stored TV episodes through an initial offering of 75 channels per market via the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and iPad with more devices gaining accessibility later on. The networks Sony has already partnered with include CBS, Discovery Communications, Viacom, Fox, NBCUniversal, and Scripps Networks Interactive with more to come. The biggest network not listed (just yet) is Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN.
No pricing has been announced, but Sony has been very up front about not offering contracts - instead, the service will be a month-to-month, pay-as-you-go service with no cancellation fees, which should definitely come as a breath of fresh air to anybody who's had to go through the hassle of canceling their cable or satellite services.
You can read Sony's entire press release below.
SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (SNEI) and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today unveiled PlayStation™Vue, a pioneering new cloud-based TV service that reinvents the television experience.
"Everyday TV is about to become extraordinary with our new cloud-based TV service, PlayStation™Vue," said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Group Executive in charge of the Network Entertainment Business. "PlayStation™Vue reinvents the traditional viewing experience so your programming effortlessly finds you, enabling you to watch much more of what you want and search a lot less. PlayStation™Vue brings the best of live TV and a robust catalog of the latest content, always keeping you connected to what's popular, new and trending. Today's announcement builds on the historic success of PlayStation®4 and demonstrates what our company is capable of when we embrace disruption and stay true to gamers."
Removing Barriers between Viewers and Content
PlayStation™Vue leverages the power of the cloud to combine the live, on-demand, and catch-up TV content viewers love with a powerful user interface that delivers unprecedented personalization and simplicity.
- PlayStation™Vue immediately connects viewers to the content they want to watch, helps them easily access their favorite shows and channels, and recommends movies and shows based on their viewing habits and what's trending.
- Discovering content is both simple and powerful with PlayStation™Vue. The smart "Search" feature narrows down results quickly and intuitively, and the powerful "Explore" function allows viewers to filter the entire catalog of live and on-demand content by type of program, genre, ratings, popularity, length and more.
- PlayStation™Vue delivers catch-up and on-demand TV, freeing viewers to watch TV on their own schedules. The service makes the past three days of popular programming available without the need to schedule recordings.
- Viewers can save their favorite shows to the cloud without storage restrictions or scheduling conflicts. Once viewers tag a favorite show, they will automatically have access to episodes of that show for 28 days so that they can watch on their own time.
- PlayStation™Vue is simple to navigate and intuitive to use. By leveraging the power of the PlayStation® platform and controller, viewers are always one click away from quick access to watching, finding, and discovering content.
The Best Content on TV
During the invite-only beta, PlayStation™Vue will initially offer around 75 channels per market from the following major programmers, including local broadcast stations, so that viewers can enjoy their favorite movies, TV shows, and sports programs.
The following is a list of our current network partners, with additional partners to be announced in the future:
- CBS – At launch, PlayStation®Vue will offer the live linear signal from CBS Television Network's owned-and-operated TV stations in select leading markets in addition to on-demand prime-time programming.
- Discovery Communications – Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Family Channel and 11 more brands.
- Fox – Fox Networks Group's portfolio of national entertainment programming services, including - FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD. Additionally FOX Sports' national and regional programming services - FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, BTN, Fox's regional sports networks, including YES Network and Prime Ticket. The agreement also covers Fox's owned and operated television stations.
- NBCUniversal – All local offerings from NBC, Telemundo and regional sports networks as well as Bravo, CNBC, E!, NBCSN, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, USA Network and more.
- Scripps Networks Interactive – HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network and Cooking Channel.
- Viacom – BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, PALLADIA, Spike, VH1 and more.
Transparent Pricing with No Commitments
Pricing and packaging details will be revealed at commercial launch but PlayStation™Vue is changing the rules for how people pay for subscription TV.
- What you see is what you pay – fair and competitive price that is transparent with no hidden fees or charges.
- No contracts – maximum flexibility as PlayStation™Vue will be offered on a month-to-month basis without any penalty or customer service hassles for cancellation.
- No equipment or installation charges – with broadband internet service and a PlayStation®4 system or PlayStation®3 system, there's no need to install or rent any additional equipment.
Availability
PlayStation™Vue will begin an invite only beta preview during November for select PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 owners, with a phased rollout starting in New York followed later by Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. The service will also become available on iPad® shortly thereafter, and later on more Sony and non-Sony devices.
PlayStation™Vue will launch commercially during the first quarter of 2015.
About Sony Network Entertainment International LLC:
Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (SNEI) founded in April 2010, drives the vision, strategy and execution for network services across Sony Group, to offer consumers compelling, connected entertainment experiences across a variety of network enabled devices. Headquartered out of San Mateo, California SNEI's operations span globally across San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego,London, Tokyo and more. Through PlayStation®Network and Sony Entertainment Network, SNEI offers a bevy of exciting services including PlayStation®Store, PlayStation®Plus, PlayStation™Vue, Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and more. With over 56 million active viewers registered to our network and FY13 revenues exceeding 200 billion yen, SNEI is a core Sony business which continues to grow at breakneck speed as a leading provider of cutting edge digital entertainment experiences.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.:
Recognized as a global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufactures, distributes, develops and markets the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system, the PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. SCEI has revolutionized home entertainment since it launched PlayStation® in 1994. PlayStation®2 further enhanced the PlayStation® legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP broadens the entertainment experiences into the portable arena. PS3 is a computer entertainment system that incorporates the powerful Cell Broadband Engine and RSX processors. PS Vita is an ultimate portable entertainment system that offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity. PlayStation®4 redefines rich and immersive gameplay with powerful graphics and speed, intelligent personalization and deeply integrated social capabilities. PSNSM, that includes PlayStation®Store, delivers unparalleled online gaming experience to PlayStation viewers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI, along with its affiliated companies, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and its division company, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia, develops, publishes markets and distributes hardware and software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in their respective markets worldwide.
"PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "PS4" and "PS3" is a trademark of the same company.
iPad® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
President Obama Wants to Reclassify the Internet as a Utility
As a 27-year-old, I'm part of the last generation that knew what life was like before the internet took over our everyday lives. To bring some context to this, MySpace was only rising in popularity during my Senior year of high school in 2004-2005. Since then, we've entered a huge renaissance where the internet has become a near necessity in our lives. As such, companies have monetized and commercialized our access to the service, but in a way that was standard for everybody, whether you're an online entrepreneur or a web surfer.
Back in January, the FCC ruled against the "net neutrality" provision, which paved the way for certain internet service providers (ISPs) to enter in business deals with various websites/services to provide premium speeds/prices dependent on your provider. If this comes off a bit confusing, imagine it like DirecTV with a premium channel package or Comcast making certain sites load faster than others because they offered to pay more. As I detailed back then, this meant larger sites like Google would load quicker when compared to a competitor like Bing... perhaps depending on your ISP, Bing wouldn't even be accessible. Net neutrality allows an even, level playing field for all ISPs, websites, and online services. It shouldn't matter if you access the internet through a laptop or smartphone, whether you have Comcast, AT&T, SBC Global, etc., or whether you like to visit larger sites like Complex or VICE or smaller sites like Ruby Hornet and the like.
Earlier today, President Obama officially sided in support of net neutrality, and officially made a request to reclassify the internet as a utility. By doing so, the reclassification would ensure all ISPs follow a standard set of rules across the board, which include the following:
- No blocking. If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it. That way, every player — not just those commercially affiliated with an ISP — gets a fair shot at your business.
- No throttling. Nor should ISPs be able to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others — through a process often called “throttling” — based on the type of service or your ISP’s preferences.
- Increased transparency. The connection between consumers and ISPs — the so-called “last mile” — is not the only place some sites might get special treatment. So, I am also asking the FCC to make full use of the transparency authorities the court recently upheld, and if necessary to apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet.
- No paid prioritization. Simply put: No service should be stuck in a “slow lane” because it does not pay a fee. That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth. So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect.
Watch the brief video President Obama released indicating his support of net neutrality and urging of the FCC to classify the internet as a utility below.
[youtube id="uKcjQPVwfDk"]
[via White House]
TIME Photographer Ashley Gilbertson Experimented with The Last of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode
Photos by Ashley Gilbertson.
The Last of Us was one of last generation's greatest video games and one of Sony's most successful and critically-acclaimed PlayStation 3 games, so it only made sense for Naughty Dog to develop an HD Remaster of the game for the PlayStation 4, right? Released earlier this summer, the game featured updated graphics, new modes and maps for the game's multiplayer section, and an amazing Photo Mode. When turned on, gamers can easily pause the game and adjust aperture, framing, composition, filters, and more to create some awe-inspiring "photos" of Joel and Ellie within the game's universe. Naughty Dog even held a photo contest that recently ended that saw gamers share their photos with the rest of the community. Nevertheless, would an actual photographer feel the same taking screen shots in a video game's photo mode the same way they would in the field?
TIME tasked one of its war photographers, Ashley Gilbertson, to create some photos from The Last of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode and write about his experience. From Gilbertson himself:
I initially played the game at home. But after a short time playing it, I noticed I was having very strong reactions in regards to my role as the protagonist: I hated it. When I covered real war, I did so with a camera, not a gun. At home, I’d play for 30 minutes before noticing I had knots in my stomach, that my vision blurred, and then eventually, that I had simply crashed out. I felt like this could well be my last assignment for TIME. [...] So, I moved to the TIME offices where Josh Raab, a contributing photo editor at Time.com and a former gamer, could take the controls and fight his way through the different stages for me. Josh developed a particular style of clearing levels – sneaking up on infected people, strangling them for a while and then stabbing them in the neck. I’d then retake the controls, letting me act more like a photographer. That’s when I started to make better images – the whole experience resembled an actual embed, with someone doing the fighting and me taking photographs.
It's interesting to read about Gilbertson's experience with the game, one in which I absolute adore and would be playing right now if Destiny hadn't just come out last week. You can find more of Gilbertson's The Last of Us: Remastered photos and his full experience on TIME's website.
[via TIME LightBox]
SanDisk is Making a 512GB SD Card
While I'm usually on top of clearing my SD card after every time I shoot, there have been a few times where I'll just upload photos to my computer, but then forget to clear them out before the next event. Of course, I'll be a few photos in before I realize that I'm near capacity. Sure, I bring back-up SD cards, but they're all of different sizes and speeds and not very practical ways of shooting photos... but I digress. The fact of the matter at hand is this: SD cards can get ridiculously pricey for storage options that aren't even all that much when taking into account shooting RAW photos and videos. Especially with the growth and ease of creating video content, the typical 256GB card isn't gonna cut a full day of photo and video.
SanDisk understands the struggle and will be releasing a 512GB SD card very shortly. The new cards also boast a faster upload speed, topping out at 95 MB/s, making file transfer just that much faster when you're on the go. With SD cards having a theoretical capacity of 2TB, 512GB brings us a quarter of the way to that limit. Unfortunately, the new cards will retail for roughly $800.
[via PetaPixel]
Apple Officially Announces Apple Watch
Apple confirmed rumors today by officially announcing the existence of the Apple Watch. Much like similar wearable tech gadgets like Samsung's Galaxy Gear, the Apple Watch must be synced to an iPhone to work. As just announced, it'll be compatible with the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but also with the last generation of iPhones (iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C). The Apple Watch will start at $349 and will be available in early 2015.
As stated, the Apple Watch will work as a complementary device to users' iPhones. The Apple Watch has a built-in gyroscope to help with GPS and movement detection, a heart rate sensor for fitness fans, and a new "Taptic Engine" that will allow the watch face to read gestures, allow movement through screens and menus, and more (such as drawing quick doodles to send to friends).
The watch itself comes in two different sizes, three different finishes, and six different straps to further customize the device for users (some of which can be seen in the gallery below). Honestly, I see no point in wearable tech that are required to sync to phones; why not just pull your phone out of your pocket? Granted, using your watch to do things is pretty cool and secret agent-like, but really... is it worth the extra $350 on top of the $200+ you're spending on a new iPhone 6? We'll be hearing more about the Apple Watch from now until the device's release in early 2015.
[Images via Mashable]
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Ship on September 19
During Apple's keynote speech today, they officially announced the upcoming iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as the successors to last year's iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. With a proper numerical upgrade, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are Apple's best iPhones to date. The biggest change to the iPhones are the sizes. Whereas the iPhone 5S had a 4" screen, the iPhone 6 features a 4.7" screen, with the iPhone 6 Plus going even bigger with a full 5.5" screen. The new iPhones are also thinner than ever, going from the 5s's 7.6mm to the iPhone 6's 6.9mm and iPhone 6 Plus's 7.1mm. The new iPhones also feature stronger cameras with 8 megapixels, 2.2 apertures, and new sensors that allow better focusing.
The iPhone 6 starts at $199 for 16GB, $299 for 64GB, and $399 for 128GB with a two-year contract; the iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299 for 32GB, $399 for 64GB, and $499 for 128GB with a two-year contract. We'll be back for more from Apple's speech today, including their official reveal of the Apple Watch.
[Images via Mashable]
