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12 Jun 16:31

Microsoft Exec: If You Don’t Want To Always Be Online, Keep Playing Xbox 360

by Chris Morran

(gongus)

(gongus)

Following Sony’s crowd-pleasing announcement that its upcoming PS4 gaming console will not require the user to constantly be online, one might have hoped that Microsoft would ease up on that continually connected model for its Xbox One device. But no, the company is sticking to its guns, basically telling anyone concerned about this issue to kiss off.

In the video below, Microsoft’s Don Mattrick tells Game Trailers that once users get their hands on the Xbox One they will see and finally appreciated what the company is trying to do with connecting gaming, entertainment, and online content.

Which is all well and good until he makes the off-handed comment of, “fortunately we have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity, it’s called Xbox 360… if you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device.

“I mean, seriously, when I read the blogs, and thought about who’s really the most impacted, there was a person who said ‘Hey, I’m on a nuclear sub,’ and I don’t even know what it means to be on a nuclear sub but I’ve gotta imagine it’s not easy to get an Internet connection.”

What Mattrick is either completely missing out on or completely trying to gloss over is that many of the people concerned about the online verification requirement — in which Xbox One users will need to regularly connect to the Internet, perhaps as frequently as once per day — are not worried about being able to play their Xbox Ones in cabins in the woods or at their arctic Fortresses of Solitude. Instead, these people simply don’t want to be required to be online when they are not actively playing a game online or otherwise accessing online content.

It remains to be seen how many of these people will allow their concerns to prevent them from buying an Xbox One or push them to purchasing a PS4. We’ll get a better idea of that come the holiday shopping season when both consoles fight for consumers’ dollars.

[via Endgadget]


07 Jun 21:37

Build a Cheap, Great Looking iPhone 5 Dock Out of Lego

by Thorin Klosowski

Build a Cheap, Great Looking iPhone 5 Dock Out of Lego

Just because Apple doesn't make an iPhone 5 dock doesn't mean you have to spend a bunch of money on one. The designers over on the Daily Brick show you how to build your own dock using nothing but Lego, and it actually looks pretty solid.

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06 Jun 03:33

Summer Entertaining Essential: Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting

by Regina Yunghans

If you're planning an outdoor wedding or other celebration this season, chances are that you're scouting ideas for outdoor lighting. Whether you're adding sparkle to your celebration with strings of twinkle lights, pendants hanging from tree branches, or intimate table lamps on your guests' tables, we've rounded up the best and brightest here (without an electrical outlet in sight). 

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04 Jun 14:21

Huge Labs Launches Honey, A Reddit-Like Message Board For Sharing News In Your Company

by Ryan Lawler
Honey_montage

Want a way to communicate with your team, and are tired of doing so over email? Honey is a new communications platform that allows employees to have an internal message board for sharing interesting news stories or conversations, and access them any time.

Honey provides a SaaS-based tool for internal communications between employees within companies. The platform looks kind of like Reddit, in that users are shown a list of topics or links, which they can comment on or upvote to raise the profile of a discussion. But while Reddit is, of course, designed to allow anyone to communicate with other member of the Internet, Honey is positioned as an application for internal teams.

In part, the idea is to move communication outside of email and make it available for all to view. Employees can create, join, and invite others to participate in conversations with one another. Teams can congregate around particular topics, so a team can create a topic for their own communications, which won’t be viewed by the company as a whole. Users can set up notifications, so they receive emails when new comments are posted on their stories, or when they get upvoted.

While it was being developed, Honey was tested by members of Huge, who used it for internal communications. Users share links, upload files and post updates about the company on the platform. It’s designed to be collaborative, but also to enable users to search the archive of information shared — which is a way to keep every one up to speed, or refer new hires to the happenings within an organization.

Honey is the second startup to come out of Huge Labs, which is an internal incubator within digital agency Huge Inc. The first Huge Labs startup to launch was Togather, a platform for the book publishing industry that is designed to help authors connect with their fans and help them arrange various speaking opportunities.


02 Jun 14:36

Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon

Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon-photo SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS6 strips bacon
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
5 heads romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise, rinsed and dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS1. Heat bacon in a 12" skillet over medium heat, and cook, turning once, until crisp and fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate, reserving 2 tbsp. drippings, and let cool; crumble and set aside. Transfer reserved drippings to a bowl, and add oil, vinegar, and Worcestershire; whisk until smooth, and set dressing aside.

2. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Working in batches, if necessary, place romaine halves cut-side down on grill, and cook, turning once, until charred and slightly wilted, about 4 minutes.

3. Transfer lettuce cut-side up to a serving platter, and season with salt and pepper; drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with reserved bacon and blue cheese.

Get the recipe >>
    


31 May 20:58

Move Between Gmail's New Tabs with Keyboard Shortcuts

by Whitson Gordon

Move Between Gmail's New Tabs with Keyboard Shortcuts

Gmail's new interface may be a bit controversial, but in traditional Gmail fashion, it's got a lot of shortcuts and tricks built-in. Here are a few you might want to know.

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31 May 20:55

Jenny's Collection of Best Possible Parts Home Studio — Lifework

by Gregory Han

We see a lot of thoughtful workspaces from the creative community in Portland, Oregon — and our latest tour is no different. Step inside this home office of freelance illustrator, designer, and maker Jenny Tiffany for a dash of inspiration.

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31 May 16:51

Turning The Viper Into An Alfa Romeo Was The Best Idea Ever

by Máté Petrány

Turning The Viper Into An Alfa Romeo Was The Best Idea Ever

This is the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato. It's been around for two years, there's a Viper ACR-X under its skin, and it remains the best thing that can happen to an old Dodge.

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