Month: March 2020
QuakeCon canceled for the first time in 25-year-history over coronavirus
QuakeCon, the annual fan convention and tournament dedicated to the legendary first-person shooter game, has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The convention has been held every year for the past 24 years in Dallas, Texas, making the official 25th anniversary celebration the first QuakeCon to be canceled…
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Video conferencing apps saw record downloads in just one week
Demand for video conferencing apps for both business and personal use has grown tremendously during the coronavirus outbreak but according to a new report from App Annie, business conferencing apps hit their biggest week ever in March. Between March 14 and 21, video conferencing apps for business were downloaded 62m…
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The National Emergency Library is offering free ebooks — but is it lending or piracy?
Last week, the Internet Archive launched a “National Emergency Library” offering access to 1.4 million free books during the coronavirus pandemic. The library aims to serve people who can’t access a normal classroom or public library, and it’s open worldwide until June 30th or whenever the US ends its national…
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FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021
The FCC announced today all carriers and phone companies must adopt the STIR/SHAKEN protocol by June 30th, 2021. The regulatory requirement is designed to combat robocalls, specifically those that try to hide their phone numbers by allowing carriers… Source
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How Valve brought ‘Half-Life’ to VR
It's hard to believe that a new Half-Life game is actually here. Half-Life: Alyx is everything I've ever wanted from a flagship VR game. It takes full advantage of the immersiveness of virtual reality, and while it might not be the sequel many gamers… Source
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FCC requires anti-robocall tech be used by June 2021
Phone providers will be required to implement call verification technology by the end of June 2021 under rules approved today by the Federal Communications Commission. The technology, known as STIR/SHAKEN, allows phone providers to verify that a call is coming from a real number, letting people know they should pick…
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