The FTC has privately warned six companies that customers using third party components or servicing can’t automatically void warranties. The companies haven’t been named but are “six major companies that market and sell automobiles, cellular devices, and video gaming systems in the United States.” The move isn’t introducing any new rules but rather warning the […]
A Japanese designer has created a typeface that allows written characters and Braille to appear in the same space to save space. Kosuke Takahasi hopes it will be adopted for signage when Tokyo hosts the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2020. The idea is to get around the problem of a lack of space deterring […]
‘Ridehailing’ services such as Uber are making traffic congestion worse rather than more efficient according to a newly-published study. The results contradict previous studies and forecasts. Bruce Schaller explored data from New York streets over the past four years. He notes that the number of licensed ‘ride-sharing’ drivers is around five times the number of […]
Isao Takahata, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has died aged 82. Alongside colleagues including Hayao Miyazaki, he was a key figure in the development of Japanese animation. While Studio Ghibli began in 1985, Takahata worked on television and movies from the early 1960s and made his name directing 1968’s The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince […]
Valve says its dedicated Steam Machines project is still active, despite the boxes apparently disappearing from its online store. It’s also committing to ongoing work on Linux-powered gaming. SteamOS, a Linux-based system designed specifically for PC gaming, debuted in 2013. It was followed two years later by the first Steam Machines, dedicated computers running the […]
Fireball Island is coming back in a “reignited and restored” form after destroying its Kickstarter target. It’s the latest project from a company that updates classic board games for a modern age. Restoration Games takes out-of-print board games that are fondly remembered but have simplistic or outdated rules that mean they wouldn’t appeal to hobby […]
The man in charge of Overwatch says he’d love to incorporate a battle royale mode. Unfortunately Jeff Kaplan says a couple of major barriers mean it might not happen soon. Calls for such a mode – in which a huge number of players compete in a last man standing clash – have followed the success […]
Google has finally made the Google Home smart speaker compatible with other Bluetooth speakers. It’s a plus for audiophiles and makes the Home Mini much more viable for some users. Until now, if you wanted to listen to music or podcasts with the Google Home’s voice control, you either had to stick with the built-in […]
Sony is cutting the cost of its PlayStation VR technology, with the cheapest package now $299.99. That marks the second major price cut, suggesting Sony has exhausted the market for early adopters paying a premium. The entry package is the Doom VFR bundle, which includes the headset, camera, a game demo disc and Doom. That’s […]
The head of a luxury watch firm says his industry should welcome smartwatches rather than seeing tech firms as a threat. Jean-Claude Biver, head of several watchmaking firms including Tag Heuer was speaking to the BBC at an industry trade event. He said the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung should be invited to exhibit […]