Items tagged with Beta
Sometimes making it into a beta test for a new service seems as unlikely as hitting the lottery. Some folks may have thought when Google announced Project Stream earlier this month and invited people to sign up for a chance at the beta test for the service, the odds of getting in on a Google beta for a completely new service were slim. As it turns out, it appears that Google invited everyone who signed up for the beta. If you signed up, check your email because you probably have an invite sitting there. Inside the welcome email is a setup code unique to each user. To play you go to the Project Stream website, where you enter your setup code, agree that you are 17-years old or older, and agree...
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Apple has rolled out the very first public beta of its upcoming iOS 12 software for iPads and iPhones. This marks the first time that people outside the Apple developers community have had access to iOS 12. Apple fans can download the new software and use it now. Naturally, with the word "beta" attached to the software, there are caveats to it with the big one being that there will be plenty of bugs present. That is the purpose of a beta; to let users find bugs that Apple can squash. Among known bugs in iOS 12 as a beta product are incorrect data in Map and other apps, CarPlay crashes when side and backup cameras are used, and dropped calls can occur in FaceTime if you are multitasking. If you...
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Google released the first developer preview for Android Pback in early March, but at the time, we didn't know what Google would call the mobile operating system. Well, today at Google I/O, the tech giant spilled the beans on some of the new features that will be included in the operating system, but we still don't have an official name yet... bummer. Google isn't attempting to reinvent the wheel with Android P, but it is making a big push for artificial intelligence (AI) on the platform. By allowing more processing to take place on-device, you don't have to rely so much on the cloud, and your data stays secure on your smartphone. The company worked with its DeepMind division to use...
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PUBG gamers have a new map to look forward to that is in testing right now. That new PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds map is called Codename: Savage and it is notably different in setting and size than other maps available for the game. The Savage map is much smaller than other maps measuring in at 4km x 4km compared to the 8km x 8 km size of other maps in the game. It's also set in a tropical jungle location. PlayerUnknown himself, Brendan Greene, has said that the smaller map will give gamers a "much more intense and faster paced Battle Royale experience." The test of the map is running on a server right now that requires a key to try, but PUBG has said that hundreds of thousands of more keys are...
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It might be time to look at a different web browser if you have been set in your ways with how you navigate the internet. A brand new beta version of Firefox has just landed and while technically it would be Firefox 57, the changes are so big that it's getting new branding and is called Firefox Quantum. Nick Nguyen from Mozilla wrote, "Engines are important, both in cars and in browsers. That’s why we’re so revved up this morning – we’re releasing the Beta of a whole new Firefox, one that’s powered by a completely reinvented, modernized engine. Since the version number – 57 – can’t really convey the magnitude of the changes we’ve made, and how much faster this new Firefox is, we’re calling this...
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Battlefield 1 opened to public beta testers back on August 31st, and it’s been a whirlwind ride for gamers, developer DICE, and publisher Electronic Arts. The reviews for the beta have been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying that it harks back to the original Battlefield 1942 title, and first and foremost emphasizes having fun over managing intricate weapon load outs or battling it out in future dystopian lands. The back to basics approach has paid off, as DICE says that the Battlefield 1 beta was the “biggest beta in EA’s history”. A number of impressive stats were tossed out via an infographic including that over 13.2 million gamers took part in the beta. The most popular class during...
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Hardworking iOS app developers are finally getting a reprieve from busybody app reviewers thanks to a policy update from Apple. Up until this week, users running beta versions of iOS software have been able to leave reviews for apps in the App Store with reckless abandon. It doesn’t take long to see why this has been a problem. Developers that have created apps for an existing, stable platform (i.e., iOS 8) have been penalized by beta testers leaving negative reviews for their apps running on beta versions of the operating system (i.e., iOS 9). It’s common sense that beta testers might experience app irregularities, crashes, and general wonkiness when running beta software, but developers shouldn’t...
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When Apple announced OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in early June, it promised to make available public betas of both operating systems this summer. True to its word, Apple opened the floodgates today by giving everyday consumers a taste of test versions of both operating systems, which will be released this fall. Apple has offered a public beta of OS X Yosemite last year, but this the first time that the company has offered a wide-scale public beta of its iOS operating system. In order to take advantage of the public betas, you will first need to register via the Apple Beta Software Program website. In the case of the El Capitan beta, Apple suggests backing...
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Before the official retail release of OS X 10.10 Yosemite, Apple opened up a public beta, which gave customers an early preview of what was to come with the retail release (and gave Apple more data points to scour over when it came to bug reports). According to a new report from 9 to 5 Mac, it looks as though Apple will begin extending public betas to future releases of iOS. Given the recent reports of quality issues with OS X and iOS, Apple could definitely use some more eyes to watch out for glaring bugs or stability issues. According to 9 to 5 Mac, “Apple intends to release the upcoming iOS 8.3 as a public beta via the company’s existing AppleSeed program in mid-March… This release will match...
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Congratulations to those of you who've spent the weekend playing Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth -- it sure beats raking leaves or any other chores that are typically reserved for the end of the work week. Want to make your gaming experience even better? If you own an AMD graphics card with the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture, there's a beta driver available to enable the Mantle API in Beyond Earth. AMD Catalyst 14.9.2 is now available to download, and in addition to bringing Mantle to Beyond Earth, it also includes dual graphics optimizations for KritiKa an SheDiaoZeroe, and a Project Cars profile update. The rest of what's included in the driver package are a bunch of fixes for...
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Back in April, Rockstar Games announced that Grand Theft Auto V would be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms. One thing many fans of highly anticipated games look forward to is the beta access. Getting the opportunity to play, test, and provide feedback on the game is one that many enjoy participating in. But, as usual, there are those that try to take advantage of a consumer’s enthusiasm and Rockstar Games is warning fans not to fall for any beta scams. Considering the popularity of GTA V, which was able to generate $800 million in sales within the first 24 hours of release, it is no surprise that scammers would try to capitalize on that success and anticipation of...
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On Android, given that it's built by Google, consumers already have access to what is arguably the best routing/navigational app in the known universe: Google Maps. But if for some reason that doesn't appeal to you, there's another major player coming to Android at long last. The HERE team is announcing this week that a beta of its mapping app is now ready for Android users, so long as you're using a Samsung device. Thanks to a licensing agreement with Samsung, it'll be available for free, exclusively for Samsung Galaxy smartphones like the Galaxy S5. What makes HERE special is that it'll work without an Internet connection. If you have a solid GPS signal, you're in business, even when it comes...
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Leap Motion has making a bit of noise in the computer industry, snagging a partnership with ASUS to bundle its controller with PCs, getting it onto Best Buy shelves, and embedding its technology into some HP PCs, but the company is still building up to its July 22nd release, when it will bring a polished version of the controller to consumers. A host of compatible apps will accompany the release, it seems. Developers in the Leap Motion Controller beta program will be able to get busy working with the device for the next month or so. Leap Motion says that the number of developers is in the thousands, and they’ll be testing the controller and their software on Windows and Mac operating systems...
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It’s time to throw on your best hauberk and head to Tamriel. That’s right, The Elder Scrolls Online is taking names for a public Beta. Gamers who have been debating whether the online fantasy game will live up to the hype will finally have the chance to find out for themselves. What sets The Elder Scrolls Online apart from related Elder Scrolls game is that it’s an MMORPG, in the vein of World of Warcraft. Of course, The Elder Scrolls strives to be different than the MMORPGs already on the market, and it already has one clear structural difference: one server to rule them all. That’s right, all players will be playing in the same realm, which means that ZeniMax Studios...
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