Entertainment posts - The Download Blog- Page 6

Ochs for Chrome makes NYT better to behold

Now that you only get 10 free New York Times articles a month, why not make the most of them?

Ochs, an extension for Google Chrome that just got updated, streamlines the site for your consuming pleasure. It gets rid of most of the clutter (ads be gone! unnecessary toolbars, adios!) and puts the emphasis right where it should be--on the articles.

The extension makes The New York Times so stylishly minimal it almost could have been created by Apple designer Jonathon Ives.

The latest Ochs update, released last week, automatically replaces the story art with the highest-resolution version of the image available. That means a big, crisp, beautiful image accompanies every story. … Read more

Marvel augments your comics' reality

Marvel Comics unveiled a new way to read comic books today at South by Southwest Interactive that involves an augmented reality app and the physical comic itself.

The app, called Marvel AR, is half of the entertainment company's new push to further integrate digital and print comics, an effort it's calling Marvel ReEvolution. The other half is a digital-only line of comics called Marvel Infinite Comics, which will be available to readers from the standard Marvel Comics app for free when they buy the print comic with a digital coupon, when they buy the standard digital comic, or separately as a 99-cent digital download. The first Infinite Comics story will tie in to Avengers versus X-Men and be written by Mark Waid, with art by Stuart Immonen and colors by Marte Gracia. These are big names in the comics business, so Marvel's clearly not publishing throwaway stories, even if they are digital-only and feel more disposable. … Read more

Why Google is playing games with Chrome's future--literally

SAN FRANCISCO--You think porn drives technology? Think again. Games are what's driving online innovation--just ask Google, which is embracing them as fast as it can.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) held in San Francisco's Moscone Center today, Google showed off advances in its Native Client (NaCl) and Pepper technology for Chrome that it hopes will drive more interest from developers and gamers alike in browser-based gaming. Google is also integrating NaCl games with Google+ to give the nascent social network something to play with.

The company unveiled a handful of NaCl-powered games last December, and now it'… Read more

So, what about Windows 8 on the next Xbox?

I'm about to discuss an idea currently couched in fantasy, but one that's probably occurred to more than one Windows, Xbox, or Windows Phone user already. The cards seem laid out. The coincidences and similarities seem too great to ignore. Also, there's this: we're talking about one company, Microsoft, and its products.

Here we go: could Windows 8 be on the next Xbox?

A new Xbox is likely to be on its way--maybe in just a couple of years--and rumors have flown regarding its capabilities, processing power, and even whether or not it will have physical discs. Of all of these Xbox rumors, one I don't hear discussed at all is the possibility of Windows 8 being the next Xbox's core operating system.

As weird as it sounds, it's a theoretically logical concept. Here's why. … Read more

Disney debuts storybook apps for Lion King, Tangled

How I envy today's parents of young kids. Not too long ago, my family trips always included bulging, back-breaking backpacks stuffed with children's books.

Now, you can pack a 1.3-pound iPad (or an even lighter iPhone or iPod Touch) with enough books to go from here to there and back again.

And not just static reproductions of kids' classics, but animated, interactive titles both new and original. Case in point: Disney Digital Books just introduced The Lion King: Timon's Tale and Tangled: Storybook Deluxe for iOS. They're priced at $4.99 and $6.99, respectively.… Read more

Reckless Racing 2 power-slides into the iTunes App Store

The sequel to one of our favorite iOS racing games is out today, and new game modes, customization options, and car upgrades make Reckless Racing 2 the best in its genre at the iTunes App Store.

When the original Reckless Racing came out, it was a revelation of what a savvy developer could do on an iOS device. With great-looking graphics, ultra-realistic physics, and a retro edge, Reckless Racing demonstrated a new breed of racing game on iOS.… Read more

BitTorrent Live attracts steady stream of interest

What if you took the decentralized, distributed theory that powers torrent technology and applied it to live streaming?

That question, or one similar to it, is what BitTorrent inventor Bram Cohen must've asked himself a few years ago. The answer is BitTorrent Live, and it's currently working its way through a series of weekly real-world tests at the BitTorrent headquarters in San Francisco.

BitTorrent Live is a live-streaming technology that leverages the bandwidth of everybody watching the stream to lighten the stream's network load. It could be applied to everything from family weddings to corporate conference calls … Read more

Apple sets sights on students with iTunes U, iBooks 2

Apple didn't surprise anyone at its New York City event today, but the company did underscore its intention to make its market in education.

The company kicked off its event at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum today discussing the troubles American students are having competing against those in other countries. Apple, vying to be the hero, said it has some solutions to improve educational quality for students.

The first is iBooks 2 for iPad. The offering allows textbook makers to sell their titles to iPad owners for $14.99 or less. In a demonstration, Apple showed how interactivity stands … Read more

Amazon: Time to start programming your e-books

The dividing line between writing books and writing programs just got a big step blurrier.

That's because Amazon has now released tools for creating books using Web technologies. Those tools include Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), used to describe Web pages, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), used for formatting.

"Through the use of HTML5 and CSS3, KF8 allows publishers to create great-looking books in all categories, particularly those that require rich formatting and design, such as technical & engineering books and cookbooks," Amazon announced. Other features are well suited to graphic novels, comics, and kids' books, Amazon said. … Read more

Peel app updates to make TV social

A popular TV show and movie discovery app just got a major update during CES that adds social components to its already full-featured cable listing arsenal.

Peel Personal TV Show Guide (free) is an app that changes the way you watch TV by gathering your personal preferences and giving you recommendations on your iPhone based on the data.

The polished interface of Peel asks you a few questions upon launch so it can deliver the type of shows you'll want to watch and tell you when they will show in your area. On first setup, the app has you choose your cable service, and then lists out several categories like Drama, Comedy, and Kids, and asks you to reorder the list by your personal preference with your favorites at the top. You'll then reorder a list of sports in the same fashion. When you're finished, you'll see the main interface of the app, with recommended shows that are currently playing in your area based on your preferences.

What we really like about Peel is how it lays out movies and shows by category so you can browse based on your mood at the moment.… Read more