Eric David
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Facebook launches “Lite” Android app for emerging markets
Facebook Inc. quietly launched a new app over the weekend called Facebook Lite, which targets low-end Android phones in developing countries. Facebook Lite launched simultaneously in several developing countries over the weekend, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Facebook has yet to make an official announcement regarding the launch of ...
Dota banned in a district in the Philippines due to violent fans
Of all the games that people might expect be banned for inciting violent behavior in players, Defense of the Ancients (Dota) would be pretty far down the list, but that is exactly what has happened in a small district in the Philippines. Salawag, located about 20 miles south of the Philippine capital of Manila, has passed a law banning Dota ...
Twitter asks power users to stop sharing Instagram pics
Twitter Inc. is getting tired of users sharing Instagram photos instead of using Twitter’s image features, so it is pleading with the most popular “verified” users to stop. The prompt went out to actors, athletes, and other popular accounts with the hope that if a few high-profile accounts stopped using Instagram, the effect would trickle ...
Will Planetside 2 find new life on the PS4?
The first round of beta codes for Sony Online Entertainment’s PlayStation 4 version of Planetside 2 has been sent out as the game prepares to move to the console two years after its release on PC. Will a new platform breath new life into the game’s shrinking user base, or will it be the last hurrah for ...
WhatsApp finally launches desktop version, but it’s missing iOS support
The Facebook Inc.-owned instant messaging app WhatsApp has finally launched a desktop version so you can chat with your friends instead of working, but the service is rolling out without iOS support. Since its launch in 2009, WhatsApp has grown to be one of the most popular messaging apps on mobile devices, and at last ...
Should publishers expect consumers to pay for unfinished games?
There has been a growing trend over the last two or three years where video game publishers offer alpha or beta test access to players who purchase the game months or even years before it is released. This sounds like a sound business strategy for the game makers, as it is guaranteed sales from day one, but ...
How social media has changed the State of the Union
The format of the State of the Union has changed little over the last few decades, but the way it is both broadcasted and discussed has rapidly evolved from year to year, especially with the recent widespread adoption of social media. These changes have complicated the already difficult field of politics, and presidents and senators ...
Steam Broadcasting and FPS counter are out of beta—Here’s how to use them
Valve Corporation has officially released new Steam Client features that add native support for livestreaming, as well as an easy to use framerate counter for the game performance geeks. Valve first began testing out Steam Broadcasting in the Steam beta client back in December, and now the feature has been officially rolled out to everyone. Steam Broadcasting allows ...
Facebook’s hiring spree adds nearly 1200 jobs
After a big year in 2014 and the acquisition of several technology startups, Facebook Inc. is looking to fill 1,159 new jobs across a wide range of positions. “We are an ambitious company run by an ambitious CEO,” Sheryl Sanders, Facebook’s chief operating officer, told Reuters. “Our users are growing and our business is growing and ...
Man dies in Taiwan after 3-day game marathon
A 32-year-old man has died in an internet cafe in Taiwan after a three day gaming binge, marking the second game-related death in Taiwan within the last month alone. The man, referred to as Hsieh by the Taiwan police, was a frequent patron of the Kaohsiung City internet cafe. Hsieh was found slumped in his chair, and other ...