Google Working On Cookie Alternative

Google Working On Cookie Alternative Posted: 19 Sep 2013 04:19 AM PDT Google is working on an alternative ad tracking system that could potentially replace cookies. Cookies are used by advertisers and web sites to track your web history, so that they can tailor adverts based on your possible shopping interests. Google is working on a system called “AdID”, which would allow them to abandon the cookie system completely. It is currently the only browser that allows all cookies as the default setting. Rival companies to Google’s Chrome have all taken a stand against cookies, with Microsoft’s default setting in Internet Explorer being “do not track” and Apple’s Safari browser blocking third-party cookies altogether. For browser makers, maintaing a robust cookie environment offers little financial reward, whereas keeping users happy yields better financial incentives. If Google can prove that its new AdID system is more useful for advertisers and more private for users than cookies, then Google could be on to a winner. Apple has its own cookie alternative called the “identifier for advertisers” or IDFA. AdID could be the thing that helps Google compete not just with Apple but with all its rivals.

Valve Launches Steam Family Sharing Posted: 19 Sep 2013 03:30 AM PDT The family that games together…stays together? Have fun together? Engage in massive competition against each other, for sure. If your household is into gaming, and you use Steam heavily, then you will be happy to know that Valve is launching family sharing for the platform. Sharing is always a good thing, especially when it comes to gaming and accounts, and Valve’s Steam Family Sharing is certainly going to make a lot of people happy. With the capability of sharing game libraries with other accounts on up to 10 devices, there is a lot to look forward to. If, for example, you share a gaming computer at home, you can also benefit from Steam Family Sharing. Using that authorized computer, individual members of the family can play their games all the while making sure that the game saves and achievements are attributed to the proper account – all thanks to the Steam cloud. Now, if you have a tendency to snoop, and you see that someone in the family has already downloaded a game that you want to play, you can also request access via Steam Family Sharing. All that family member has to do is to authorize your computer to gain access to the game in question. There are limitations worth taking note of, though. One, not all Steam games will be available for sharing. Two, rather obviously, only one person can play a shared game at a time. If a game is currently in use on another computer, and you want to play, the borrower will be given time to quit the game. Right now, Steam Family Sharing is still not out, but in the very near future (they say mid-September, though we’re slightly past that point), Valve will start the private beta. There’s no need for me to point out that you should (try to) sign up for that beta NOW, is there?

Big Screen Gaming From Tiny GameStick Console Posted: 19 Sep 2013 02:34 AM PDT The GameStick console will be the latest release from PlayJam, the UK based interactive casual games network. The tiny 2 inch console is part of PlayJam's vision to provide easy big screen gaming solutions for the whole family at affordable prices. GameStick is an easy to use, highly portable plug and play console that allows users to bring their games directly to the big screen. How it Works The GameStick console will plug straight into a free HDMI port on the TV, powering up from the Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) if there is one. If another powers source is needed, there's a power adapter and micros USB port on the stick. The controller connects to the stick via Bluetooth. Specs: Processor – Amlogic 8726-MXS Memory – 1GB DDR3 / 8GB FLASH Content Download Manager w/ cloud storage for games. WiFi – 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth – LE 4.0 O/S – Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Controller – Bluetooth 1080p HD video decoding Expandable memory (up to 32GB) via microSD card slot Support for iOS and Android mobile devices to be used as controllers Console Competitionhttp Healthy competition between console manufacturers is good for everyone. GameStick is being compared by many to the Ouya games console which was released in June 2013. Both consoles have backers on Kickstart and both had similar release dates at first. In an interview with Gamasutra, PlayJam's CEO Jasper Smith says this about being second to release the product: "There's a lot to be said for letting others go first and learning from it" How To Get A GameStick Anyone who loves the idea of this microconsole can get their hands on one from the 29th Octobeer 2013 from Amazon or Gamestop for a very affordable $80. Included with each package as standard is: Gamestick console x 1 Bluetooth control x 1 Power adapter x 1 Necessary cables Pre-installed Game x 2 You can also opt to purchase a docking station that can charge both the controller and console.

Mercedes Benz Self-Driving Car Makes Cross Country Trip Posted: 18 Sep 2013 11:05 PM PDT At the Frankfurt Motor Show (Sep 10-22) onlookers were told by several auto giants that the birth of fully autonomous cars was going to be soon. A mere 7 years in fact. What better to prove this theory than an announcement that the Mercedes Benz self-driving car had actually completed its first ever cross country trip without any help from a driver at all. Out On The Open Road Mercedes Benz S500 Intelligent Drive drove through Germany from Mannheim to Pforzheim, which is approximately 100km. During the drive the autonomous car negotiated roundabouts traffic lights and jams and pedestrians comfortably on its trip. The success of this test compared to other manufacturer's autonomous tests is all the more impressive due to the fact that the self-driving car negotiated its way through roads that were open to the public. Mercedes was able to get a clear picture of how the car would cope in the real world. Other tests that have been completed in the past have been in controlled environments on closed roads. Futuristic Technology? Perhaps the most surprising nugget of knowledge is the fact that Mercedes say the technology used in the S500 Intelligent Drive is not a far cry from the technology seen in the current S-Class. Partial self-driving technology is already out there with the likes of lane control etc. however drivers are still required to have control of the car. Hands must be left on the wheel at all times or full control of the car is returned to the driver. In the future, the driver won't have to pay attention at all but be available in case of emergencies. So you can read behind the wheel but you won't be able to nod off. According to Mercedes, Nissan and other companies, this technology should be available in 2020. In fact, the Mercedes Benz self-driving car is the closest anyone has actually got to the dream of autonomous cars. Mercedes say they could have released the finished product at the end of next year but the question of whether the technology could cover all eventualities and prevent accidents stopped them short. Then there is the future of self-driving cars; Google wizards have been focusing on producing their own self-driving vehicles with a view to using them in a robo-taxi service. These cars will need no driver at all and be fully autonomous. What will the roads look like with driver-less cars?