A German court has ruled that the Wikimedia Foundation is responsible for content contained in Wikipedia articles, which any third-party can alter. Though the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart has held the foundation liable in its ruling, it does not require Wikimedia to fact-check articles before they are made live, which would have resulted in […]
Folks in the Land of the Rising Sun will be pleased to know that there’s now another option where they can rent or buy movies and TV shows. Today, Amazon announced the arrival of its Instant Video service in Japan, bringing with it a selection of more than 26,000 series and films from local and international studios — such as Shochiku, Toho, TV Asahi, TBS and Warner Bros., to mention a few. Of course, this means viewers will have access to Amazon Instant Video on a number of different platforms, including PCs and the company’s Kindle Fire line of tablets. So what are you waiting for? Start building out your very own Watchlist right about now — and we’d definitely recommend placing Pacific Rim in there.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Amazon
Via: The Verge
Source: Amazon
The Wikimedia Foundation positions Wikipedia as a hub for unfettered knowledge, but it’s now obligated to police that content in the wake of a newly published German ruling. Stuttgart’s Higher Regional Court has determined that the organization is liable for Wikipedia articles. While Wikimedia won’t have to screen content, it will have to verify any disputed passages and remove them if they’re known to be false. The court isn’t telling Wikimedia how to handle this verification, although the legal presumption of innocence will still apply. We’re not expecting a chilling effect on Wikipedia given that takedowns will only be necessary in a handful of circumstances. However, it gives Wikimedia’s moderators an extra level of responsibility — they’ll now have to pull some content quickly to minimize the chances of lawsuits.
Updated: Wikimedia has clarified the ruling. The court sees Wikimedia as a service provider that, on a basic level, isn’t liable for content. However, the site will only maintain its immunity so long as it pulls any content that allegedly violates German laws. If it declines, it risks opening itself to legal action.
Filed under: Internet
Via: PCWorld
Source: Juris.de (translated)
Rumors of a YouTube-based music service just got some credibility thanks to an Android Police teardown of the Android app’s most recent code. The site has found references to a Music Pass that would let subscribers listen to “millions of songs” ad-free, even with the app running in the background. Customers could also pin content to the device for offline listening, although it would expire if the device stayed offline for too long. There’s no guarantee that Google will launch the Music Pass soon (if at all), but don’t be surprised if the YouTube app becomes your personal jukebox in the near future.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Google
We already knew Microsoft was working to bring its Xbox Video service to the web, and today it’s finally live. If you go to video.xbox.com, you’ll be able to watch TV shows and movies, including items you may have already purchased from another Windows device. The only catch is that you won’t be able to stream in HD, as you can with the Windows 8.1 and Xbox One versions of the app. (Note: the forthcoming Windows Phone 8 app won’t support HD either.) Check it out now at the source link below — and remember that you’ll need to have the Silverlight plug-in installed before you start streaming.
Filed under: Internet, HD, Microsoft
Via: The Verge
Source: Xbox Video
Skype use in China was especially risky for a while — when a local company (TOM Online) was processing data with no real safeguards, it virtually guaranteed the presence of government monitoring. Now that Microsoft has teamed with Guangming Founder on a new China-specific Skype build, there’s a chance that your chats are more secure. GreatFire.org has noticed that the updated app encrypts all data and sends it directly to Microsoft, making it harder to censor or spy on any communications. Don’t be too quick to discuss taboo topics, though. It’s not clear that the Chinese software is free of back doors; Microsoft says it’s following local regulations, which aren’t exactly open-minded. Even so, anyone already using Skype in mainland China will likely want to upgrade if they value some semblance of privacy.
Update: Guangming Founder was created by Guangming Daily, a government-backed newspaper; while Skype’s new approach is still more secure, the association casts extra doubt on the privacy that users can expect.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Via: The Next Web
Source: GreatFire.org
Having spent over 2,000 hours working on the enormous — and enormously impressive — Skyrim mod “Falskaar,” Alexander Velicky was dead set on getting a design job in the game industry. ” I set my sights on a professional design job pretty early, I lowered my head, charged forward, and rarely looked back,” he said in a recent forum post. Though you might expect his Skyrim chops would land him at Bethesda Softworks, the studio behind the beloved first-person RPG, he’s just accepted a job at Bungie Studios working on Destiny.
Velicky spent much of the last four years working on modding, first getting his start in Bethesda Softworks’ Fallout 3. When Skyrim launched in 2011, he continued working with Bethesda’s modding tools, only this time he created a massive game with “20 – 30 hours” worth of exploration and questing — he even recorded new voiceover work and a unique soundtrack.
That whole cloth approach to modding assuredly helped land Velicky the new gig at Bungie, and it’s not the first time we’ve seen as much. Armed Assault 3 modder Dean Hall created Day Z, which is now being published as a standalone project. Take that as a lesson, y’all: dreams do come true! At least if you work incredibly hard at them.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, HD
Via: Geek
Source: Bethesda Forums
A prepaid gift card may not be the proper substitute for a well-chosen present, but at least the beneficiary will have an easier time using it online this Christmas. That’s because PayPal now supports such cards, meaning they can be used at any online emporium signed on to its Checkout platform — and that’s quite a few, we’re told. PayPal says prepaid cards with no associated billing address sometimes create problems when that part of the payment form pops up, which its new service avoids (on PayPal-friendly sites, anyway). Maybe you can just persuade your Grandparents to send their gift via bank transfer and keep it digital in the first place. It’s the money thought that counts, after all.
Filed under: Internet
Via: TechCrunch
Source: PayPal
There is some work being done in the US to improve broadband speeds. Google for instance is working on installing fiber internet service in some areas that is fast and inexpensive. However, the vast majority of the US is left with some of the slowest broadband internet speeds in the world. The US ranks 31 […]
Verizon’s subscription streaming TV service, Redbox Instant, now supports Apple’s AirPlay thanks to a new version 1.4 iOS app update — with some caveats. For starters, though you’ll be able to play streaming content on your iOS 6 device, the app doesn’t support downloaded material as yet. Also, your viewing may be broken off if you receive texts and certain notifications, if you lock the device or if you quit Redbox to use another app. Meanwhile, AirPlay Mirroring, which lets you play from your device with your TV as a second screen, will still work just fine. Other tweaks include the usual bug fixes and improvements to the recommendations engine. So, if you’ve got Apple TV and want to give it a whirl, hit the source — just make sure to tell your pals not to contact you mid-film.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, HD, Apple, Verizon
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