Top news of the week

1. Amazon launched a new product called the Echo, a connected speaker that is always on and always listening for your voice commands, pegging itself as a virtual assistant that can respond to you with information or by triggering a task. But we must be reminded that Amazon is not in the business of telling you what the weather is going to be like. Greg Kumparak called the Echo out for what it really is: a device that makes it easier for Amazon to sell you things.

2. A lot of news has been circulating around Spotify this week, including pop icon Taylor Swift’s decision to revoke her music from the popular streaming service. Ingrid Lunden reported that in Europe, Spotify royalties are taking over iTunes earnings. Streaming-1, downloads-0. Spotify has also updated its Connect feature, now enabling you to use your phone or tablet as a remote control for the tunes playing on your desktop. This #firstworldproblem has been solved.

3. The final founder of The Pirate Bay was found and arrested. So far, we know that Fredrik Neij is facing jail-time and a hefty fine back in his homeland, Sweden. In 2009, he and the two other founders of the file-sharing site were found guilty of copyright infringements and had gone into hiding. Neij is the last of the three to be arrested.

4. Ron Miller gave us a thoughtful analysis of the roll of innovation in the digital transformation. He describes the road block that many companies are facing during this fast-paced digital era, and provides a few case studies and strategies that businesses can draw from to move past this initial panic and become more innovative.

5. Some changes are happening over at Tinder as the social dating app rolls out two new paid features: “Undo” enables users to go back on an accidental swipe left, and “Passport” connects you with matches outside of your general region. Sean Rad was demoted from his CEO title at Tinder, but will remain at the company as president and board member.

6. Microsoft and Dropbox announced a partnership. The deal will see Dropbox better support Microsoft’s Office suite, and a better editing experience of Office docs from the Dropbox mobile app; accessing Dropbox docs from Office apps; sharing Dropbox links of Office apps; and the creation of first-party Dropbox apps for Microsoft’s mobile offerings.

7. Vik Singh, CEO of Infer, gave us an analysis of how LinkedIn is becoming more and more of a sales platform, and what this could mean for companies like Salesforce. He points out that through LinkedIn, you can educate and advocate for your customers rather than just sell to them, while having clear access to valuable information about them. While LinkedIn claims that companies like SalesForce and Marketo aren’t competitors, it is certainly beginning to close in on the space in a way that these other companies cannot match.

8. Danny Crichton breaks down Slack’s sales growth in “Fundraising Acceleration Is The New VC Investment Thesis.” He argues that the company, which has seen some of the fastest growth rates of SAAS companies and is now valued at $1.12 billion, is an embodiment of the fundraising acceleration thesis.

9. More news from Facebook: The social network giant announced that it is open sourcing Proxygen, the C++ HTTP libraries (including an HTTP server) that it uses internally, which could affect a wide range of developers. Mark Zuckerberg held his first public Q&A and answered questions about forced Messenger app downloads, organic page reach, and women in tech. Facebook also launched a new tool called News Feed Settings that shows the friends and Pages that post the most, and allows users to unfollow over-sharing friends without actually unfriending them.

10. It was election week and we addressed the continuing integration of tech and politics in relation to the housing crisis. We heard from David Chiu in a piece where he discussed San Francisco’s short-term rental solution.  Also regarding the housing crisis, Kim-Mai Cutler wrote an article explaining that after geography, the constraints to more housing are largely political. She also provided a helpful guide to the key races to watch during election week.

11. Uber is in the spotlight again, for two incidents. On Halloween, a 26-year-old woman from Baltimore wracked up a $326 Uber bill on a routine ride due to surge pricing, resulting in her inability to pay rent. She raised more than $500 on GoFundMe.com to correct her mistake. Uber and Lyft are also at it again, as Lyft takes its former COO and now Uber employee Travis VanderZanden to court, accusing him of stealing private company documents including confidential strategic product plans, financial information, forecasts, and growth data. VanderZanden replied to the accusations, calling them an “audacious attack on his reputation.”

Computer games can make world better!

Introduction

Few days ago, when my girlfriend was a sleep, I was watching some random videos on Ted. I came across of Jane's McGonical video where she was trying to persuade people that playing games is good for us. She is an online games designer for last 10 years. Her plan for another 10 years is save the world as easy as it possible in the computer games. According to her research we spend about 4 billion’s hours a week playing computer games, but in Jane’s opinion we should spend even more time doing that. She is trying to find the way how to transfers they way being in the computer life to real world.

What exactly gamers are good at?

Urgent optimism:  They are extreme self motivated to keep playing games, because they know that, if they will play and work hard, they can achieve something great, something as Jane said “Epic”. She is a fan on a game World of Warcraft and based on that game experience, says that in World of Wacraft from the beginning we are getting quests on our levels that we can only do it and save the world. After that we get a feedback, which don’t happen in real world, that’s why young gamers prefer spend time online.

Social fabric: Jane McGonical said it’s proven, that after playing computer games with someone else it actually makes us like that person more, it creates a bound between two players and the person gain our respect, because it decides to share their time with us.

Blissful productivity: One of another Jane’s sub arguments is that gamers are actually happier working hard to achieve something that they thought it’s impossible and that give them even bigger satisfaction then even relaxing at home or spending time with their friends.

Epic meaning: World of Warcraft Wiki, with over 5 million users, they mostly cover World of Warcraft. With the amount of the topics than makes this wiki larger than any other in the world, where gamers are sharing their experience, emotions which is absolutely amazing, how people can share their feelings by playing computer games. That was another strong argument for Jane.

 How games saved ancient civilisation.

Jane McGonigal made four really strong arguments. The really interesting one when she start’s to talk about ancient civilisation, which survived by playing dice’s. In the old kingdom Lydia, there was 20 years of starving and to survive their king decided to make a rule. 1st day people can eat, and the 2nd day, they will play dice’s. With that rule they survived 18 years. In the last game, the winner could leave and set up own civilisation. To confirm that theory Jane found a DNA research, which showed that people that started building ancient Rome, where actually people from old kingdom Lydia. Another confirmation of the theory was the geologists founded evidence of global cool in the area for 18 years. 

Non Sequitur.

Even if Jane’s theory about the old kingdom of Lydia might look really convincing or at least worth to analysis and the researches she found to confirm that argument, does not necessary can be actually right. It’s hard to imagine to survive 18 years by just playing dice’s every second day, plus the researches might not be actually accurate and you always be 100% sure that it was Lydia’s civilization’s that was part of those who build Rome, easily anyone could just move their treasures. The same problem is what geologists research, anything could cause hunger in those years, especially when nothing was actually advanced back in ancient kingdom. 

Conclusions.

Jane McGonigal, created three online games about saving to world. Gamers from all over the world could, join together to save the world. Based on Jane’s information, people came up with the great innovation idea’s which should be transferred into really world. By saying that she summarized perfectly all the arguments she said and showed people that if gamers get an interesting challenge an epic challenge, they are capable of amazing things, because for them it’s an amazing journey, not something they have to do. If that would be they way of living in real life, giving each other motivation for make the world better, it could help us to survive few another decades.

Gotham: Penguin Umbrella - Review

It is my first post about Gotham, so first I will just shortly remind what is the show about.

Gotham is a DC Universe TV show, telling us the story of Jim Gordon before Batman. We can see how he fought crime himself and how some of the villains raised in power.

This post contains spoilers

The newest episode of Gotham had few unexpected twists and turns for us, while Gordon was continuing his suicide mission against all evil poising the city he loves.

We all know it's not one of typical movies where a super-cop breaks into mobs house and kill everyone. However it was nice to see Bullock finally helping Gordon is his craziness. Although at the beginning we could it will be other way around.

Again we saw how powerful is don Falcone, when new show Villain Victor Zsasz walked into GCDP and hesitated everyone to leave. Even Captain Essen, did not want to risk, although at first she wanted to stay. But let's face it, we all know what would happen if she stayed.

Gordon left on his own had to face Zsasz and his girls on his own. While he gets injured in the last minute Montoya and Allen show up and save his life.

Gordon decided to arrest Mayor and don Falcone and Bullock promised to help him. When they get to don Falcones house, Falcones reveals that he has Barbara. Of course as always she woman did not listen and tries to help and her help ends up being taken.

After all Falcone spares their lives. However at the end we find out that Penguin and Falcone work together all the time, which brings us to the first episodes.

To summary it was a good episode which kinda leaves us a question

what next?

Gordon will come back to his cashing villains life and Penguin continue grow in strength. For the end I would like say that Penguin is truly a mastermind and looking forward to see his next move!

Top 10 titles for PS4

  While I was going trough google+, I came across PS4 Gaming community and someone asked a question "What will be the best PS4 game released this side of Christmas?" So I decided to do little list of the top 10 PS4 games I am personally interested in, however some of them will be released only in the next year.

FIFA 14

Just like in the last year EA Sports, have not disappointed me at all! The new graphic engine has been rebuild from the basics, the new animation and new AI...makes me wanna say "boy oh, boy". The way you construct you're action its just unreal. So if you're wondering what to do after whole day of stress, just grab your Dual Shock 4 and enjoy the hours of playing. Let's face it, once you start playing it, you will wake up few hours later, saying "ok that's the last one!"



Killzone: Shadow Fall

I have not played this franchise yet, but from what I have seen the new Guerilla Games FPS look really amazing. This one of the most beautiful games I have ever seen. All the lighting effects are showing how powerful/amazing are next - gen games. The story line is a bit floppy, but the various ways of finishing the mission gives us a good hopes for this game.



Need for Speed: Rivals

The powerful tool that EA posses, called Frostbite 3, gives an amazing experience in the new Need for Speed. The franchise is back to a classic Cop vs Racers dynamic, which allows you to pick a side and test your skills in a huge massively multiplayer open-world.





Assasin's Creed: Black Flag

Ubisoft did a fantastic job on a new Assasin's Creed. This time we are stepping in to Edward Kenway's pirate boots and in an amazing open world, we have a chance to feel like a real pirate in the 18th Century Caribbeans. Battleships, sword duel, rum and many more features on an amazing graphic engine! 





Call of Duty: Ghosts

I have lost my faith in this franchise long time ago, but then again, this one of the games you will eventually buy and play. The new Call of Duty: Ghosts is the best looking game from this franchise so far lovely running on 1080p with 60fps. This shows again, that PS4 it's a next-gen console.





Watch Dogs

Another big have Ubisoft prepared for us. This time we will be playing Aiden Pearce a hacker and a former thug. We will be able to hack security cameras, mobile phones to steal personal data to locate the target, control the traffic or even shutdown whole electricity in Chicago. All should help you to bring justice to the city, while doing this we can enjoy amazing graphics in a game!





The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

I am proud to say that this franchise is being developed by the Polish team CD Projekt Red and it's definitely one of the games I am looking most forward to. The Witcher 3 is being introduced as the largest RPG in the history, and it will be 20% bigger than Skyrim. That makes think it might be worth to wait untill 2014.  




Mirrors Edge 2

One of the most amazing and beautiful games I have ever played in my life. I believe the EA will have a nice suprise when we will get a chance to play this game. I'm sure we will not be disappointed!








The Elder Scrolls Online

Since the moment I heard this game is being developed, you can't imagine how exited I am about this game. Since World of Warcraft it's not the same on a PC, this game is giving me a big hopes for another fantastic MMORPG, which will make me spend plenty of hours everyday for the next couple of months!







Battlefield 4

Now cherry on the top of the cake. Battlefield 4 is the game I have been waiting the most for a really long time and I can't wait to play this franchise. The game look amazing, thanks to Frostbite 3, we can enjoy it on PS4 at 1080p and 60fps with no problem. Fans of BF4 will not be disappointed!

10 Interesting stuff about PS4

   We know how PS4 is going to look like and we know already that according to the paperwork the PS4 is faster & stronger than Xbox One.

There are additional information you might not know about Playstation 4:

1. New interface which replaced the one from PS3 is called "Playstation Dynamic Menu". It will sweet social features like video sharing, messaging with the games you are currently playing or perhaps hoping to try soon.
2. PS4 will finally contain HDMI cabel.
3. It's not region locked.
4. New PS4 camera will be shooting in 3D...awesome!
5. The new PS4 camera has 4 microphone for accurate sound detective.
6. PS4 will have unlimited video sharing.
7. You will be able to instantly switch between games and other apps.
8. By using PS app you will be able to use your mobile or tablet as a second screen!
9. The touch pad on Dual Shock 4 is also pressable button!
10. There are currently more than 140 games developed for PS4 and the biggest question is? When I'll find time to play all of them?!

PS4 Basic infromation

Before the PS4 will be luched, we already know almost everything about next-gen console.   

  Price:

The price of the PS4 will be $400, whcih means it will be a $100 cheaper than an Xbox One. However unlike the Xbox One, the PS4 will not include the PS4 Eye Camera in the box. The price of the Playstation 4 Eye Camera will be $60, yet that still makes the PS4 cheaper than an Xbox One.

  Perfomance: 

The PS4's power supply is built-into the system, where the Xbox One still has a massive external power brick, which is kinda annoying. The PS4's oricessir combines an eight-core AMD "Jaguar" CPU with an AMD next-generation Radeon GPU and 8 GB of 5500Mhz GDDR5 Ram. The two consoles have a very similar CPUs but the PS4's GPU is a bit faster. On a paper PS4 holds a little bigger advantage for gaming performance. Even according to Microsoft, Playstation 4 has better performance, but will it be actually faster & stronger? We will find out!

PS4 vs. Xbox One, side-by-side speed test

Only 5 days left for the PS4 release.

   The next generation console is only 5 days away from us! Sony is hoping for PS4 to survive for another decade. Sony has to take a huge credit for the incredible design. We already know most of the stuff about new next-gen console.