Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

Ubisoft is deleting The Crew from players’ libraries, reminding us we own nothing

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Ubisoft’s online-only racing game The Crew stopped being operable on April 1. Some users are reporting, however, that things have gone a bit further. They say that the company actually reached into Ubisoft Connect accounts and revoked the license to access the game, according to reports by Game Rant and others.

Some of these users liken this move to theft, as they had purchased the game with their own money and received no warning that Ubisoft would be deleting the license. When attempting to launch the game, these players say they received a message stating that access was no longer possible.

On its face, this sounds pretty bad. People paid for something that was snatched away. However, there’s one major caveat. The Crew is an online-only racing game, so there really isn’t anything to do without the servers. Those servers went down on April 1 and the game was delisted from digital store fronts. Also, this move only impacts the original game. The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest are both still going.

When Ubisoft announced that the servers would be taken offline, it offered refunds to those who recently purchased the The Crew. The game’s been around a decade, so this refund likely didn’t apply to the vast majority of players. Some of these people said they had planned to set up private servers to play the game, an option that is now impossible.

This isn’t the biggest deal in the world, being as how The Crew is not operable, but it does highlight a major problem with the purchase and use of digital goods. We pay money for these products. We think we own them, but we don’t own a damned thing. Read the terms of service from Ubisoft or any other major games publisher for proof of that. Philippe Tremblay, Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, recently told Gamesindustry.biz that players will become “comfortable with not owning” their games. I’m not so sure we’ll ever be comfortable with the idea that stuff we paid for can disappear on a dime, even if it becomes standard practice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-is-deleting-the-crew-from-players-libraries-reminding-us-we-own-nothing-165328083.html?src=rss

Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok

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Taylor Swift’s music has returned to TikTok after a ten-week hiatus, according to a report by Variety. Her tunes left the platform after negotiations broke down between the social media app and Swift’s label, Universal Music Group.

It’s unclear what kind of deal Swift struck with TikTok to allow her to return to the platform, but we know one thing. The deal did not include provisions for fellow UMG artists, so Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and Drake, among others, are still missing from TikTok. Taylor Swift, being the most popular musician on the planet, likely worked some magic here. 

She’s not alone in her return to TikTok. Some songs by other UMG artists have begun appearing on the platform, ready for use in short-form videos. These artists include Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello. Variety suggests that their music was put up either by fans or representatives from the artists. We don’t know if they struck their own deals like Swift may have.

The return could also be a promotional move for her upcoming album. The Tortured Poets Department comes out on April 19 and will likely have plenty of tracks that will be perfect for TikTok singalongs. It’s worth noting that she partnered with the platform to promote Midnights, her last album of all-new material.

This all started when UMG threatened to pull songs from the platform after contract negotiations fell apart, with the label writing in an open letter that TikTok wanted to pay a “fraction” of the rate paid by other social media sites. "As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth,” the company wrote. “TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”

TikTok went full “fake news” in response, writing that “despite Universal's false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.” It’s worth noting that TikTok’s rebuttal did not mention artist payments, but did say that it has been able to reach agreements with other musicians and publishers.

Whatever the reason for Swift’s return, the nation’s teens are no doubt rejoicing at once again being able to lip sync to "Cruel Summer" and "You Belong With Me." UMG and TikTok, however, are still battling it out, so this is likely not the last we’ll hear about all of this.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/taylor-swifts-music-is-back-on-tiktok-184726589.html?src=rss

Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok

Posted on by

Taylor Swift’s music has returned to TikTok after a ten-week hiatus, according to a report by Variety. Her tunes left the platform after negotiations broke down between the social media app and Swift’s label, Universal Music Group.

It’s unclear what kind of deal Swift struck with TikTok to allow her to return to the platform, but we know one thing. The deal did not include provisions for fellow UMG artists, so Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and Drake, among others, are still missing from TikTok. Taylor Swift, being the most popular musician on the planet, likely worked some magic here. 

She’s not alone in her return to TikTok. Some songs by other UMG artists have begun appearing on the platform, ready for use in short-form videos. These artists include Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello. Variety suggests that their music was put up either by fans or representatives from the artists. We don’t know if they struck their own deals like Swift may have.

The return could also be a promotional move for her upcoming album. The Tortured Poets Department comes out on April 19 and will likely have plenty of tracks that will be perfect for TikTok singalongs. It’s worth noting that she partnered with the platform to promote Midnights, her last album of all-new material.

This all started when UMG threatened to pull songs from the platform after contract negotiations fell apart, with the label writing in an open letter that TikTok wanted to pay a “fraction” of the rate paid by other social media sites. "As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth,” the company wrote. “TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”

TikTok went full “fake news” in response, writing that “despite Universal's false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.” It’s worth noting that TikTok’s rebuttal did not mention artist payments, but did say that it has been able to reach agreements with other musicians and publishers.

Whatever the reason for Swift’s return, the nation’s teens are no doubt rejoicing at once again being able to lip sync to "Cruel Summer" and "You Belong With Me." UMG and TikTok, however, are still battling it out, so this is likely not the last we’ll hear about all of this.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/taylor-swifts-music-is-back-on-tiktok-184726589.html?src=rss

Apple TV+’s Dark Matter series takes on one of Blake Crouch’s best books

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Apple just dropped a trailer for another of its never-ending cavalcade of sci-fi shows. Dark Matter stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly. It also happens to be based on a fantastic book by author Blake Crouch, which we recommended in 2021 after publication. The show premieres on May 8 with two episodes.

I’ve read the book, and love it, but there will be no real spoilers here. Dark Matter follows a physicist as he gets involved with some serious sci-fi shenanigans. The trailer gives a bit of the plot away, enough to understand that these particular sci-fi shenanigans are of the multiversal variety. Again, the book is a rip-roaring page turner, so the show should follow suit. The rest of the cast includes Jimmi Simpson, Alice Braga, Dayo Okeniyi and Oakes Fegley.

Crouch is actually the showrunner here, which is a first for the author. This isn’t, however, the first TV show based on one of his books. Wayward Pines ran on Fox for two seasons and was based on a series of novels. Good Behavior, also pulled from a book series, aired on TNT back in 2016. The writer has penned a bunch of novels that haven’t been turned into TV shows. We heartily recommend Upgrade, which made our list of the best books of 2022.

Dark Matter joins an absolutely stacked collection of sci-fi shows on Apple TV+. There are the heavy hitters like Severance, For All Mankind and Silo, but also a bunch of lesser-known programs like Invasion and the recently-released Constellation. I’m not done. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters put Kurt Russell up against Godzilla and Hello Tomorrow is set in a retro-future wonderland. I’m still not done. See, Schmigadoon and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey all have sci-fi elements. Finally, there’s that fantasy show about an American college football coach who somehow becomes a soccer sensation in the UK without actually knowing anything about the sport.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-tvs-dark-matter-series-takes-on-one-of-blake-crouchs-best-books-174636542.html?src=rss

Apple TV+’s Dark Matter series takes on one of Blake Crouch’s best books

Posted on by

Apple just dropped a trailer for another of its never-ending cavalcade of sci-fi shows. Dark Matter stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly. It also happens to be based on a fantastic book by author Blake Crouch, which we recommended in 2021 after publication. The show premieres on May 8 with two episodes.

I’ve read the book, and love it, but there will be no real spoilers here. Dark Matter follows a physicist as he gets involved with some serious sci-fi shenanigans. The trailer gives a bit of the plot away, enough to understand that these particular sci-fi shenanigans are of the multiversal variety. Again, the book is a rip-roaring page turner, so the show should follow suit. The rest of the cast includes Jimmi Simpson, Alice Braga, Dayo Okeniyi and Oakes Fegley.

Crouch is actually the showrunner here, which is a first for the author. This isn’t, however, the first TV show based on one of his books. Wayward Pines ran on Fox for two seasons and was based on a series of novels. Good Behavior, also pulled from a book series, aired on TNT back in 2016. The writer has penned a bunch of novels that haven’t been turned into TV shows. We heartily recommend Upgrade, which made our list of the best books of 2022.

Dark Matter joins an absolutely stacked collection of sci-fi shows on Apple TV+. There are the heavy hitters like Severance, For All Mankind and Silo, but also a bunch of lesser-known programs like Invasion and the recently-released Constellation. I’m not done. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters put Kurt Russell up against Godzilla and Hello Tomorrow is set in a retro-future wonderland. I’m still not done. See, Schmigadoon and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey all have sci-fi elements. Finally, there’s that fantasy show about an American college football coach who somehow becomes a soccer sensation in the UK without actually knowing anything about the sport.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-tvs-dark-matter-series-takes-on-one-of-blake-crouchs-best-books-174636542.html?src=rss

Pick up one of our favorite Anker USB-C hubs for only $40

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One of our favorite Anker USB-C hubs is on sale for $40 via Amazon. The Anker 555 is typically $50, so this is a discount of 20 percent. This is one of the best hubs money can buy, even at its original price. It made our list of the best MacBook accessories, but it’s a mighty fine addition to any PC.

The Anker 555 USB-C hub gives you eight ports to connect just about anything under the sun. There’s two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, SD and microSD card slots, one Ethernet jack and two USB-C ports. One of the USB-C ports provides 85W of power to charge various devices, including laptop computers.

It can handle up to 10 Gbps file transfers and can connect to a 4K/60Hz monitor via the HDMI slot. It’s also extremely portable, making it easy to just throw in a bag until you need it. To that end, it ships with a nice little travel pouch. We wrote that the Anker 555 “has enough power and versatility to be the only laptop hub you need.”

The sale extends to other Anker hubs, if the 555 doesn’t do it for you. The simply-named Anker USB C Hub also costs $40, which is a discount of 15 percent. It comes with 10 ports, including 4K HDMI, 1080p VGA, USB-C, USB-A, Ethernet and a 100W USB-C charging port. There’s also a slot for SD cards. The transfer speed is a bit slower here, however, at 5 Gbps.

Finally, there’s the Anker 565. This hub costs $59 as part of this sale, which is a massive discount of 41 percent. It kicks things up a notch, with 11 available ports. These include a 10 Gbps USB-C data port, a 10 Gbps USB-A data port, a 4K HDMI port, a 4K DisplayPort, a 100W USB-C input port for charging devices, two 480 Mbps USB-A data ports, an Ethernet port, an AUX port and microSD card slots. It also allows for multi-monitor setups, thanks to the aforementioned DisplayPort and HDMI port options.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pick-up-one-of-our-favorite-anker-usb-c-hubs-for-only-40-162451076.html?src=rss

Pick up one of our favorite Anker USB-C hubs for only $40

Posted on by

One of our favorite Anker USB-C hubs is on sale for $40 via Amazon. The Anker 555 is typically $50, so this is a discount of 20 percent. This is one of the best hubs money can buy, even at its original price. It made our list of the best MacBook accessories, but it’s a mighty fine addition to any PC.

The Anker 555 USB-C hub gives you eight ports to connect just about anything under the sun. There’s two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, SD and microSD card slots, one Ethernet jack and two USB-C ports. One of the USB-C ports provides 85W of power to charge various devices, including laptop computers.

It can handle up to 10 Gbps file transfers and can connect to a 4K/60Hz monitor via the HDMI slot. It’s also extremely portable, making it easy to just throw in a bag until you need it. To that end, it ships with a nice little travel pouch. We wrote that the Anker 555 “has enough power and versatility to be the only laptop hub you need.”

The sale extends to other Anker hubs, if the 555 doesn’t do it for you. The simply-named Anker USB C Hub also costs $40, which is a discount of 15 percent. It comes with 10 ports, including 4K HDMI, 1080p VGA, USB-C, USB-A, Ethernet and a 100W USB-C charging port. There’s also a slot for SD cards. The transfer speed is a bit slower here, however, at 5 Gbps.

Finally, there’s the Anker 565. This hub costs $59 as part of this sale, which is a massive discount of 41 percent. It kicks things up a notch, with 11 available ports. These include a 10 Gbps USB-C data port, a 10 Gbps USB-A data port, a 4K HDMI port, a 4K DisplayPort, a 100W USB-C input port for charging devices, two 480 Mbps USB-A data ports, an Ethernet port, an AUX port and microSD card slots. It also allows for multi-monitor setups, thanks to the aforementioned DisplayPort and HDMI port options.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pick-up-one-of-our-favorite-anker-usb-c-hubs-for-only-40-162451076.html?src=rss

Sony’s new ULT Bluetooth speakers are bringing back the ’90s bass boost button

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Sony just announced a trio of new speakers in a new line of audio products called the ULT Power Series. This is an attempt by the company to reduce some of the clutter involved with its naming conventions, so say goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products. Both lines are being wrapped up into the ULT Power Series branding. To suit this new branding, each of the following speakers include something called the ULT button, which provides a bass boost.

The ULT Field 1 is your standard portable Bluetooth speaker. It’s compact and comes in a variety of colors, including black, white, gray and orange. The battery lasts around 12 hours per charge and the casing is IP67 water resistant, dustproof and shockproof. Like many of these ultra-portable Bluetooth speakers, the design lets users stand it on its end or lay it on its side, to make use of space. There’s also a built-in mic for hands-free calling. This speaker costs $130 and will be available later this spring at major retail outlets.

Two Sony speakers.
Sony

The ULT Field 7 is basically a beefier version of the Field 1. It’s bigger, though still portable, and includes two dedicated ULT buttons. One provides deeper bass in the lower frequency range and the other brings a powerful, punchy bass. There’s also plenty of ambient LED lighting that synchronizes with the music.

The battery lasts 30 hours, which is a fantastic metric, and includes quick-charging capabilities. It’s also being advertised as a karaoke machine, thanks to the built-in microphone port. Finally, Sony says people can string together up to 100 of these things to make a cacophony of noise that’ll really annoy the pants off of their neighbors. Those neighbors, however, are likely to live in a glorious mansion, as just one Field 7 costs $500. They go on sale later this spring.

A Sony speaker.
Sony

The ULT Tower 10 is, as the name suggests, a Bluetooth tower speaker intended for living spaces. This speaker wirelessly connects to stereo systems and TVs for enhanced audio and includes the same two ULT bass boost buttons found with the Field 7. There’s also a sound optimization feature that detects local noise and adjusts the settings to accommodate the surroundings.

The speaker boasts omni-directional synchronized lighting, which Sony says “makes listeners feel like they are at a music festival.” There are two microphone inputs for belting out karaoke duets and the speaker actually ships with one wireless mic. Listeners can also connect up to 100 compatible speakers at once, including the Field 7. This is one expensive tower speaker, however, so it’ll set you back $1,200 when it releases later in the season.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-new-ult-bluetooth-speakers-are-bringing-back-the-90s-bass-boost-button-160056401.html?src=rss

Sony’s new ULT Bluetooth speakers are bringing back the ’90s bass boost button

Posted on by

Sony just announced a trio of new speakers in a new line of audio products called the ULT Power Series. This is an attempt by the company to reduce some of the clutter involved with its naming conventions, so say goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products. Both lines are being wrapped up into the ULT Power Series branding. To suit this new branding, each of the following speakers include something called the ULT button, which provides a bass boost.

The ULT Field 1 is your standard portable Bluetooth speaker. It’s compact and comes in a variety of colors, including black, white, gray and orange. The battery lasts around 12 hours per charge and the casing is IP67 water resistant, dustproof and shockproof. Like many of these ultra-portable Bluetooth speakers, the design lets users stand it on its end or lay it on its side, to make use of space. There’s also a built-in mic for hands-free calling. This speaker costs $130 and will be available later this spring at major retail outlets.

Two Sony speakers.
Sony

The ULT Field 7 is basically a beefier version of the Field 1. It’s bigger, though still portable, and includes two dedicated ULT buttons. One provides deeper bass in the lower frequency range and the other brings a powerful, punchy bass. There’s also plenty of ambient LED lighting that synchronizes with the music.

The battery lasts 30 hours, which is a fantastic metric, and includes quick-charging capabilities. It’s also being advertised as a karaoke machine, thanks to the built-in microphone port. Finally, Sony says people can string together up to 100 of these things to make a cacophony of noise that’ll really annoy the pants off of their neighbors. Those neighbors, however, are likely to live in a glorious mansion, as just one Field 7 costs $500. They go on sale later this spring.

A Sony speaker.
Sony

The ULT Tower 10 is, as the name suggests, a Bluetooth tower speaker intended for living spaces. This speaker wirelessly connects to stereo systems and TVs for enhanced audio and includes the same two ULT bass boost buttons found with the Field 7. There’s also a sound optimization feature that detects local noise and adjusts the settings to accommodate the surroundings.

The speaker boasts omni-directional synchronized lighting, which Sony says “makes listeners feel like they are at a music festival.” There are two microphone inputs for belting out karaoke duets and the speaker actually ships with one wireless mic. Listeners can also connect up to 100 compatible speakers at once, including the Field 7. This is one expensive tower speaker, however, so it’ll set you back $1,200 when it releases later in the season.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-new-ult-bluetooth-speakers-are-bringing-back-the-90s-bass-boost-button-160056401.html?src=rss

A new Prince of Persia game is coming from the studio behind Dead Cells

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Prince of Persia fans are really feasting this year. We've already seen the release of the well-received Metroidvania Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, but Ubisoft just announced another game in the franchise. The Rogue Prince of Persia is a team-up with Evil Empire, the developers behind the iconic roguelite Dead Cells. It comes to Steam early access on May 14.

It’s a sidescrolling roguelite, just like Dead Cells. As you can see from the trailer, the graphics also recall the widely-acclaimed and highly addictive action-platformer. You play as, wait for it, the Prince of Persia, who has been equipped with a mystical device that allows him to resurrect after death. You try your best. You die. You buy upgrades in the hub world. This is the roguelite formula and I am absolutely here for it.

Despite looking eerily like Dead Cells, the moveset looks to be pulled straight from the Prince of Persia franchise. Players will have access to the iconic wall run and related acrobatic skills to maneuver through the procedurally generated levels. To that end, there are a variety of colorful biomes, each inspired by Persian architecture.

There are also plenty of weapons to choose from, to suit different playstyles. These include twin daggers, spears, broadswords, axes and more. Additionally, players can equip secondary weapons, like bows and grappling hooks, making each run a unique gameplay experience. Ubisoft says the game will receive numerous updates once it receives player feedback from early access purchasers, promising “new levels, bosses, weapons, enemies and upgrades.”

The title was unveiled at the Triple-i Initiative event, an indie-themed gaming showcase. Evil Empire is very much an indie developer, but the same cannot be said of Ubisoft. This isn’t the only time Evil Empire has dipped its toes into a long-standing franchise. The developer once made a Castlevania expansion for Dead Cells.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-new-prince-of-persia-game-is-coming-from-the-studio-behind-dead-cells-184040223.html?src=rss