bbc | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:15:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png bbc | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Rainbow Six Siege cheat maker sued by Ubisoft after appearing in BBC interview https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/rainbow-six-siege-cheat-maker-sued-by-ubisoft-after-appearing-in-bbc-interview/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/rainbow-six-siege-cheat-maker-sued-by-ubisoft-after-appearing-in-bbc-interview/#respond Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:49:13 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=431910 Over the years, we have seen an increasing number of large video game publishers taking legal action against cheat makers for harming the integrity of an online multiplayer game. Recently, the BBC released a video interviewing a masked teenager who claims to have developed cheats for Rainbow Six Siege. Now, Ubisoft has filed a lawsuit …

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Over the years, we have seen an increasing number of large video game publishers taking legal action against cheat makers for harming the integrity of an online multiplayer game. Recently, the BBC released a video interviewing a masked teenager who claims to have developed cheats for Rainbow Six Siege. Now, Ubisoft has filed a lawsuit against them and several other people associated with him.

While appearing in the interview from September, the 17-year old cheat maker left most of his face covered and wore a hat to obscure his identity. He was also interviewed under the alias ‘Lucas' in an effort to further protect his identity. However, that doesn't appear to have helped, as Ubisoft has now filed a lawsuit against him, his mother and other people associated with the cheat project.

We will avoid using full names here but you can view the full Ubisoft complaint filing in PDF form thanks to TorrentFreak. The cheat in question has been known as ‘CheapBoost' and ‘Budget Edition Rainbow Six: Siege Cheat', allowing players to increase damage from shots and use ESP features to see areas that should be obscured.

The lawsuit itself lists two business entities, the individual cheat maker, his mother, alleged support staff for the cheat and resellers. Not all identities are known at the moment, so a few people are listed only by their online alias, with names to be added later after further investigation.

According to Ubisoft's complaint, the cheat here was sold via the business entity ‘Mizusoft' with payment services allegedly handled by Simply San Webdesign. These two entities were allegedly set up to avoid individual legal responsibility for supplying and profiting from the cheat. The cheat itself was very expensive, costing 11.99 euros per day, 29.99 euros per week or 69.99 euros per month.

Currently, Ubisoft is requesting that all profits generated by the cheat be turned over, which could end up being hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ubisoft also makes a claim that it should be entitled to maximum statutory damages of $25,000 per each breach of the DMCA. Beyond that, Ubisoft also wants all legal costs to be re-paid by the defendants.

KitGuru Says: It will be a while before this case makes its way through the court process but this is a pretty big one. Ubisoft was likely aware of the cheat being sold prior to the BBC interview, although that video likely went a long way towards helping the publisher identify defendants for the lawsuit. 

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The BBC has released its complete computer history archive https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/ryan-burgess/the-bbc-has-released-its-complete-computer-history-archive/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/ryan-burgess/the-bbc-has-released-its-complete-computer-history-archive/#respond Wed, 27 Jun 2018 13:30:03 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=377917 Back in the 1980’s, the BBC was at the forefront of bringing computing to the masses. The Computer Literacy Project was a huge undertaking that saw the BBC release its own computer, the BBC Micro, as well as teaching viewers how to program. The BBC is now releasing every single bit of this project to …

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Back in the 1980’s, the BBC was at the forefront of bringing computing to the masses. The Computer Literacy Project was a huge undertaking that saw the BBC release its own computer, the BBC Micro, as well as teaching viewers how to program. The BBC is now releasing every single bit of this project to inspire a generation of youngsters, the same way it did in the 1980’s.

The Computer Literacy Project was big back in the 1980’s and aimed to teach viewers programming techniques to take advantage of this new tech. This project also led to the launch of the BBC Micro, and includes interviews with innovators of the time like Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak.

With the release of the archive, you can now watch the 267 programmes that were released under the project, run 166 of the BBC Micro programmes that were used, as well as learn a bit of history behind the Computer Literacy Project.

The BBC may not be as involved as they once were back in the 1980’s but they have continued to try and offer budding young programmers a way to hone their craft. One such recent example of this is the BBC Micro:Bit mini-computer that was given to one million school children across the UK.

KitGuru Says: This is a fantastic idea from the BBC, whilst it was before my time, it was a hugely important era for personal computers and the archive will offer a lot of forgotten material. Will you take advantage of this new archive?  

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BBC to expand services to many more countries around the world https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-to-expand-services-to-many-more-countries-around-the-world/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-to-expand-services-to-many-more-countries-around-the-world/#respond Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:57:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=311791 Despite ongoing issues with license fees and what is increasingly labelled piracy with people viewing iPlayer content without paying them, the BBC is looking to expand its audience internationally in the coming years. Thanks to a cash investment by the government, the BBC wants its audience to expand to 500 million by 2022 – an …

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Despite ongoing issues with license fees and what is increasingly labelled piracy with people viewing iPlayer content without paying them, the BBC is looking to expand its audience internationally in the coming years. Thanks to a cash investment by the government, the BBC wants its audience to expand to 500 million by 2022 – an increase of some 150 million.

Calling this latest expansion the largest it has undertaken since the 1940s, the BBC is looking to launch its World Service in 11 new languages, including Afaan Ormo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean and many more (thanks TechCrunch). It will also be launching country specific news, entertainment and radio programming in territories like Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

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The total investment from the government includes £34 million for the 2016-2017 period, followed by a further £85 million for the 2017-2018 period and possibly continued annually until 2020, when it will be reviewed once again.

“Today’s announcement is about transforming the World Service by investing for the future. We must follow our audience, who consume the news in changing ways; an increasing number of people are watching the World Service on TV, and many services are now digital-only,” said BBC World Service director, Francesca Unsworth in a statement.

Reporting on the scene will also be improved with the BBC set to hire a number of new journalists to visit locations as stories break around the world. This will be backed up by more localised services for news and bulletins, with an increased social networking presence to help spread the word.

It's not clear how much of this investment will be used to improve national services in the UK, but with all of that extra funding, you would assume some of it would go boosting the BBC at home too.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The BBC is a controversial topic now with less and less people wishing to pay a license fee for access to it. How do you guys feel about the government investing in it instead?

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Just a streamer? Pay up: iPlayer License rules now in force https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/just-a-streamer-pay-up-iplayer-license-rules-now-in-force/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/just-a-streamer-pay-up-iplayer-license-rules-now-in-force/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2016 08:32:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=304800 Whether you watch live TV, or simply catch up on shows using the BBC iPlayer, you're now required to pay for a TV license regardless. Closing what was termed as the “iplayer loophole,” new rules are now in force, that you must own a TV license to view any BBC content – though it's not …

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Whether you watch live TV, or simply catch up on shows using the BBC iPlayer, you're now required to pay for a TV license regardless. Closing what was termed as the “iplayer loophole,” new rules are now in force, that you must own a TV license to view any BBC content – though it's not clear how the ruling will be enforced.

Although the TV licensing authority does acknowledge that most people will pay for licenses or do so already, it claimed that there were a number of “enforcement techniques,” that it could use to find those who skirt the new rule. It also claimed to have prosecuted people watching content without a license on a number of devices, not just TVs.

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Source: Dan Taylor-Watt/Flickr

As it stands however, the only real check for users is that when they go to watch iPlayer content, a small window pops up to remind them that they must have a license to do so legally. However it can be simply clicked away, so it's not much of a deterrent to those who already decided they don't require one.

As the BBC points out, this new rule affects viewing on any device, whether smartphone, TV, laptop or through third party services.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be interesting to see what an effect this has on licensing. I'm sure a few people will pick one up, but I'd like to see how the BBC plans to track people who use its iPlayer services effectively. We've seen movie studios and music labels try to go after people for ‘pirating' content using IP addresses, but in recent years a lot of judges aren't willing to accept that as proof of a download.

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Fastest head tracking in the world: Rio Olympics to broadcast in VR https://www.kitguru.net/components/vr/jon-martindale/fastest-head-tracking-in-the-world-rio-olympics-to-broadcast-in-vr/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/vr/jon-martindale/fastest-head-tracking-in-the-world-rio-olympics-to-broadcast-in-vr/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2016 11:11:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=301675 If you have a virtual reality headset and a few hours during this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, then you might want to give the BBC's coverage a look. The broadcasting organisation has announced that over 100 hours of the Summer games will be broadcast in 360 degrees, letting you feel like you're …

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If you have a virtual reality headset and a few hours during this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, then you might want to give the BBC's coverage a look. The broadcasting organisation has announced that over 100 hours of the Summer games will be broadcast in 360 degrees, letting you feel like you're there.

The coverage begins this Saturday, 6th August, with the opening ceremony and will continue sporadically through the games, showcasing various 360 degree content from boxing, volleyball, athletics and more.

Unfortunately though, Ars is reporting that although the feeds will be 360 degrees, they won't be stereoscopic, so you won't get much of a feeling of presence, but you will get head control, giving you the ability to look at what you like while the events are ongoing.

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That's if the athletes can all avoid becoming sick before it starts… Source: Rio2016

You can have a look at the 360 degree footage in glorious virtual reality on mobile or desktop platforms, though you'll need a VR headset to take full advantage. For mobile users with a Gear VR headset, there's the BBC Sport 360 trial app which will soon be available on iOS and Android. For desktop users, the BBC Taster web portal is where you'll find coverage when it goes live.

Simply watch either of those streams with your VR headset on and you'll have an up-close window on the games.

Moving forward the BBC plans to offer more 360 degree coverage of sporting events. How much effort it puts into future uses of the technology will depend on how much interest events like this receive from the VR community.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I need to remember to check this out. The Olympics isn't something I'm particularly fussed with, but a VR stream should make it more exciting. 

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Children now spend more time online than watching TV https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/children-now-spend-more-time-online-than-watching-tv/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/children-now-spend-more-time-online-than-watching-tv/#respond Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:37:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=282078 In a study that could be titled, “well duh,” research agency Childwise discovered that children in the UK are now spending more time online than they do watching television, and that Netflix alone accounted for more time than traditional TV viewing. These findings have been described as indicative of a “landmark change,” in the consumption …

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In a study that could be titled, “well duh,” research agency Childwise discovered that children in the UK are now spending more time online than they do watching television, and that Netflix alone accounted for more time than traditional TV viewing. These findings have been described as indicative of a “landmark change,” in the consumption of media, a trend that is only expected to accelerate in the years to come.

To acquire its findings, Childwise quizzed 2,000 five to 16 year olds about their media consumption habits. It found that the average time spent online per day for each child was three hours, versus just 2.1 hours of watching television.

Older children showed more stark differences in viewing habits still, with more than 30 per cent not having much interest in TV viewing whatsoever, with no favourite show to speak of. Of those that did enjoy TV, just a quarter of them actually watched it live – the rest use on-demand on catchup services.

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Source: Marcus Kwan/Flickr

In comparison, 50 per cent watch Netflix on a regular basis. Many of them do so on tablets too, with more than 67 per cent of those quizzed now having access to the devices. The iPad was said to be the most popular brand (as per the BBC).

Youtube proved to be the most popular on-line destination among most of those surveyed, with only older children, particularly girls, enjoying a lot of time on social media sites as well. Minecraft was the only online game mentioned with a large scale following.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I haven't watched live TV in years. When you can watch whatever you want online through some service, why would you watch it with adverts instead? Especially on satellite services where you have to pay for the privilege. 

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The BBC is launching a US streaming service in 2016 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-launching-a-us-streaming-service-in-2016/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-launching-a-us-streaming-service-in-2016/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2015 14:00:17 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=268385 It looks like The BBC is planning to expand in the US with its own TV streaming service in 2016. It won't be quite like the free to watch iPlayer that we are used to here in the UK though. Apparently, The BBC's US service will be subscription based and operate more like Netflix. There …

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It looks like The BBC is planning to expand in the US with its own TV streaming service in 2016. It won't be quite like the free to watch iPlayer that we are used to here in the UK though. Apparently, The BBC's US service will be subscription based and operate more like Netflix.

There are some BBC shows already available in the US through licensing deals with networks, while others can be found on the likes of Hulu or Netflix, so The BBC may find it hard to compete until those license deals run out. Particularly without shows like Sherlock or Doctor Who.

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This will bring a new stream of revenue to The BBC, which it needs at this point as the British government is reviewing how the network conducts its business as well as its funding. According to reports, the new streaming service in the US won't just emulate the UK iPlayer, so there will be some changes made.

We also don't know anything about pricing, which shows will be available or when the service will launch just yet.

KitGuru Says: Since I'm not based in the US, I don't know first hand exactly what is readily available to watch from the BBC in that country. However, I do think that the network will have a hard time competing with Hulu and Netflix, which dominate a large portion of the streaming market. 

Via: The Verge

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Rockstar isn’t impressed with The BBC’s GTA TV show https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/rockstar-isnt-impressed-with-the-bbcs-gta-tv-show/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/rockstar-isnt-impressed-with-the-bbcs-gta-tv-show/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2015 08:12:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=267969 Last year it was revealed that The BBC would be making a TV show about the rise of Rockstar and their first game, Grand Theft Auto. It turns out that The BBC never actually got Rockstar on-board with the project, so a lawsuit was filed but still, the show aired anyway. The Grand Theft Auto …

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Last year it was revealed that The BBC would be making a TV show about the rise of Rockstar and their first game, Grand Theft Auto. It turns out that The BBC never actually got Rockstar on-board with the project, so a lawsuit was filed but still, the show aired anyway.

The Grand Theft Auto drama aired on TV last night and Rockstar wasn't too impressed with it. The show is called ‘Game Changers' and it stars Daniel Radcliffe as Sam Houser. After the show aired, Rockstar aired its opinion on Twitter, saying: “@BBC Was Basil Brush busy? What exactly is this random, made up bollocks?”

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Rockstar's Twitter account is usually reserved for news tweets and it is rare to see the company interact with anyone else on the social network, which made these tweets to The BBC standout even more.

Even if The BBC had tried to get Rockstar on-board, the studio is normally very secretive and rarely talks to anyone on the outside so it seems that this project was doomed to be inaccurate from the start. If you haven't seen it yet, you can catch it on BBC iPlayer. 

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Rockstar didn't sanction this project so it's not too surprising that the company wasn't impressed with it. Did any of you catch the Game Changers episode last night? I've still yet to see it myself. 

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The BBC is sending out a mini computer to all Year 7 students https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-sending-out-a-mini-computer-to-all-year-7-students/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-sending-out-a-mini-computer-to-all-year-7-students/#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2015 16:00:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=257822 The BBC has gone ahead and shown off the final design of the Micro Bit, a tiny little computer that the broadcaster intends to send out to all students starting secondary school in the UK this year. Those moving on in to Year 7 this September will be getting one of these Micro Bit computers …

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The BBC has gone ahead and shown off the final design of the Micro Bit, a tiny little computer that the broadcaster intends to send out to all students starting secondary school in the UK this year. Those moving on in to Year 7 this September will be getting one of these Micro Bit computers in October.

This is all a part of The BBC's initiative to get young people in to programming. The Micro Bit features different programmable LED lights and hosts two buttons along with a motion sensor. A prototype of the device was shown off earlier this year without the buttons or the motion sensor, although it did previously have a slot for a thin battery, which has now been removed.

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Image Source: The BBC

The BBC's director general, Tony Hall, hopes that this will help young people learn basic programming skills before leaving schools, something that has become more of a focus point over the last few years: “We all know there's a critical and growing digital skills gap in this country and that's why it's so important that we come together and do something about it”.

Teachers will hopefully begin implementing the Micro Bit in to classes over the next school year and get young students learning basic programming skills in order to control the LEDs and functions of the tiny computer.  The Micro Bit can also be hooked up to other devices like the Raspberry Pi.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This is a pretty decent initiative. Back when I was in school, programming wasn't even touched upon and now it seems to be a major focus, which is definitely important as we become more and more reliant on computers on a daily basis.

Via: The BBC

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PSN’s no refund policy to be investigated tonight on BBC’s Watchdog https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/psns-no-refund-policy-to-be-investigated-tonight-on-bbcs-watchdog/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/psns-no-refund-policy-to-be-investigated-tonight-on-bbcs-watchdog/#comments Thu, 28 May 2015 17:26:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=251535 Not offering refunds on software is one of the most anti-consumer practices used in the digital age of gaming. However, it looks like people are beginning to wise up as The BBC is airing an episode of Watchdog tonight, investigating Sony's PlayStation Network store and its lack of digital refund option. The show will be …

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Not offering refunds on software is one of the most anti-consumer practices used in the digital age of gaming. However, it looks like people are beginning to wise up as The BBC is airing an episode of Watchdog tonight, investigating Sony's PlayStation Network store and its lack of digital refund option.

The show will be airing at 8PM tonight on BBC One. So what kicked off this investigation? Well recently one PS4 owner noticed that a £39.99 purchase was made on their PSN account on a PlayStation 3 console. However, the account owner, John Lappin, does not own a PS3.

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As you would expect, the customer contacted Sony, explained the situation and the company did acknowledge that his PSN account had been stolen and his payment details had been used to make an unauthorized purchase. However, Sony failed to reverse the purchase, citing a ‘no refunds' policy.

Sony's reply to Lappin acknowledged that they could confirm that his account was hijacked by someone else and used to make an unauthorized purchase: “Our investigation concluded that the serial number of the console on which these transactions were made does not match the serial number of the console you provided to us on your original call. Regrettably, as stated in the PlayStation Network Terms of Service, we are unable to offer a refund for purchases made on PlayStation Store unless the content is found to be defective.”

Obviously this is a big problem and Sony's attitude to the whole situation was awful, which prompted Lappin to get in touch with The BBC. Funnily enough, once the Watchdog investigation began, Lappin did get his refund but Sony isn't getting off that easy, the show will still air this evening and will hopefully prompt it to revise its refund policy.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Refunds on digital purchases are definitely possible, Apple does it in the iOS App Store, Origin has managed it for some time now but there are other platform holders, such as Microsoft, Sony or Valve that refuse to give consumers their fundamental right to a refund. Hopefully this report will spark some changes.

Via: Eurogamer

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Take-Two is suing the BBC over Rockstar drama/documentary https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/take-two-is-suing-the-bbc-over-rockstar-dramadocumentary/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/take-two-is-suing-the-bbc-over-rockstar-dramadocumentary/#comments Thu, 21 May 2015 14:50:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=250516 Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, is taking legal action against The BBC, in response to a dramatized documentary that the network has been developing, following the upstart of Rockstar Games and the creation of Grand Theft Auto, supposedly in an attempt to encourage young people to get in to programming. It turns out, that The BBC …

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Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, is taking legal action against The BBC, in response to a dramatized documentary that the network has been developing, following the upstart of Rockstar Games and the creation of Grand Theft Auto, supposedly in an attempt to encourage young people to get in to programming.

It turns out, that The BBC didn't get authorization from Take-Two to use Rockstar's intellectual property. The project was announced back in March, however, Rockstar had not commented until now. In a statement sent to IGN, the studio said: “Take-Two Interactive has filed suit against the BBC for trademark infringement based on their movie currently titled ‘Game Changer’ as it relates to Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto video game series.”

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“While holders of the trademarks referenced in the film title and its promotion, Rockstar Games has had no involvement with this project. Our goal is to ensure that our trademarks are not misused in the BBC's pursuit of an unofficial depiction of purported events related to Rockstar Games.”

Apparently Rockstar had attempted to resolve issues with The BBC but to no avail: “We have attempted multiple times to resolve this matter with the BBC without any meaningful resolution. It is our obligation to protect our intellectual property and unfortunately in this case litigation was necessary.”

The BBC has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Well this is an unexpected turn of events. It will be interesting to see exactly what went wrong here and why it ended up escalating to a lawsuit. 

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BBC DMCA notice demands Top Gear IMDB take down https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-dmca-notice-demands-top-gear-imdb-take-down/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/bbc-dmca-notice-demands-top-gear-imdb-take-down/#comments Mon, 11 May 2015 10:21:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=248862 The BBC appears to have fallen foul of the drag-net effects of automated DMCA takedown tools, as in an effort to curb piracy of the on-hiatus motoring show, Top Gear, it's demanded that the show's own IMDB page be removed, along with other bizarre URL's like the DailyMotion home page. These takedown demands were filed …

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The BBC appears to have fallen foul of the drag-net effects of automated DMCA takedown tools, as in an effort to curb piracy of the on-hiatus motoring show, Top Gear, it's demanded that the show's own IMDB page be removed, along with other bizarre URL's like the DailyMotion home page. These takedown demands were filed along with more than 10,000 other URLs from streaming and file locker websites, many of which have been filed before.

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Removing anything TopGear related is a bit touchy at the moment…

Fortunately for clearly legitimate websites like IMDB, Google seems to have white-listed them, so despite the BBC's demands, they are unlikely to be taken down. The same may not be said for the many other sites that the broadcast company requested, though many have been reported before, so if they haven't been removed by now, they are unlikely to be.

Out of the 10,594 URL's that were requested for removal [via TF], Google took action on 75 per cent of them, leaving just over 2,600 unaffected.

imdb

This request shows the continued cooperation between British companies and FACT, the UK arm of the MPAA, which has been a powerful lobbying group for movie studios in the US and overseas. Despite being UK-centric however, FACT has been one of the biggest DMCA takedown demanders in recent memory. To date it has made 549 requests to Google, which equates to just over 630,000 URL takedown demands. It's worked on behalf of the BBC, as well as ITV and Studio Canal.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It's good to see that Google has systems in place to prevent DMCA notices from influencing legitimate websites. 

Image source: BBC

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The BBC is making a series based on Rockstar and Grand Theft Auto https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-making-a-series-based-on-rockstar-and-grand-theft-auto/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/the-bbc-is-making-a-series-based-on-rockstar-and-grand-theft-auto/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2015 19:00:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=239610 The BBC has revealed that it is making a TV series based on the founders of Rockstar, the Houser brothers, and the creation of Grand Theft Auto. The program is part of an effort to get the UK more interesting in programming and technology overall. There isn't much else known about the documentary at present …

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The BBC has revealed that it is making a TV series based on the founders of Rockstar, the Houser brothers, and the creation of Grand Theft Auto. The program is part of an effort to get the UK more interesting in programming and technology overall.

There isn't much else known about the documentary at present but unnamed sources speaking with IGN have revealed that the show is set to follow the Houser brothers and how Grand Theft Auto was first developed.

Grand Theft Auto V

Rockstar was initially founded in the UK. The BBC is hoping that it can attract more attention by working with the famous studio, in order to get people coding. There is also a plan to give away ‘Micro Bits’ to students.

Micro Bits is similar to a Raspberry Pi, in that it is also a stripped down computer intended for experimentation and learning.

Grand Theft Auto is a hot topic at the moment thanks to the launch of the long-awaited Heists game mode, which gave Rockstar some server issues on launch day. Additionally, the PC version of the game is due out next month on the 14th of April.

KitGuru Says: This isn’t a drama series based on the Grand Theft Auto universe, like some other sites would have you believe from their article titles. It is in-fact a documentary following the birth of the series and its development.

Source: The BBC

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Tim Cook ‘deeply offended’ over labor abuse accusations https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/tim-cook-deeply-offended-over-labor-abuse-accusations/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/apple/matthew-wilson/tim-cook-deeply-offended-over-labor-abuse-accusations/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2014 15:56:45 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=227345 Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has gone on record to say that he is “deeply offended” by the BBC's accusations of poor working conditions at Chinese supply factories. The companies Apple uses for manufacturing have been criticized in the past but despite the firm taking a more proactive approach, the BBC's new Panorama investigation shows that …

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Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has gone on record to say that he is “deeply offended” by the BBC's accusations of poor working conditions at Chinese supply factories. The companies Apple uses for manufacturing have been criticized in the past but despite the firm taking a more proactive approach, the BBC's new Panorama investigation shows that the problem still very much persists.

Under cover reporters hired at Pegatron factories came across an exhausted work force, with many struggling to stay awake on the production line due to long 60 hour work weeks. Other issues included employees being forced to opt in to night shifts and candidates not properly undergoing health and safety tests.

record

Due to the serious nature of the allegations being levied at Apple today, the company was quick to respond. An internal memo sent to Apple employees and acquired by The Telegraph, attempts to discredit the BBC report: “Panorama's report implied that Apple isn't improving working conditions. Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth”.

The letter to employees was written by Apple SVP of Operations, Jeff Williams, who notes that “Tim Cook and I were deeply offended”.

“no other company is doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions, to discover and investigate problems, to fix and follow through when issues arise, and to provide transparency into the operations of our suppliers.”

Apple's own engineers are apparently “constantly” at the factories, overseeing production and often report safety concerns and worker mistreatment.

You can read Apple's full letter to employees, HERE. 

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is not surprising that Apple was quick to respond to The BBC's claims. This is likely the pressure the company needed to put more pressure on suppliers to treat employees properly. Unfortunately, this isn't an Apple specific problem, many Chinese supply firms have issues with over crowding and poor work conditions.

Source: The Telegraph

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Google ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling may extend beyond Europe https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/google-right-to-be-forgotten-ruling-may-extend-beyond-europe/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/google-right-to-be-forgotten-ruling-may-extend-beyond-europe/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2014 15:00:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=222110 The European court has been forcing Google to evaluate and remove search links based on ‘right to be forgotten' applications for some time now. The company has struggled to keep up with demand and it looks like things might get worse as the ruling may now extend out of Europe. On European Google sites, certain …

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The European court has been forcing Google to evaluate and remove search links based on ‘right to be forgotten' applications for some time now. The company has struggled to keep up with demand and it looks like things might get worse as the ruling may now extend out of Europe.

On European Google sites, certain links may be hidden at a users request, giving citizens the option to bury past mistakes or personal information. Since the ruling passed earlier this year, these link remoovals have been limited to European countries but a French court has since ruled that Google should remove links globally and that local subsidiaries can be fined if the company doesn't comply.

google

The French court found an inextricable link between the activities of the local and global search engines. Accordign to The Guardian, Google has been ordered to pay a daily fine of 1000 Euros unless links to a defamatory article are removed.

Google has stated that it is currently considering its options but notes that it already fulfills its duty to European citizens by removing links upon evaluating a request.Google has removed well over 100,000 links so far since the ruling and continues to process more and more right to be forgotten requests every day. However, The BBC plans to create and maintain a master list of every link removed from Google's search pages.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I always wonder why governments and corporations seem to think that Google is duty bound to solve all of their problems. What do you guys think about the right to be forgotten ruling? Should it extend outside of Europe?

Source: The Guardian

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BBC to publish list of removed ‘right to be forgotten’ articles https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/bbc-to-publish-list-of-removed-right-to-be-forgotten-articles/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/bbc-to-publish-list-of-removed-right-to-be-forgotten-articles/#respond Mon, 20 Oct 2014 12:30:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=217436 The BBC is set to publish a list containing all of the articles recently removed from Google Search due to ‘right to be forgotten' requests. The list will be continually updated over time in an effort to always keep it relevant, this way, anything that should be public knowledge will be easy to find despite not …

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The BBC is set to publish a list containing all of the articles recently removed from Google Search due to ‘right to be forgotten' requests. The list will be continually updated over time in an effort to always keep it relevant, this way, anything that should be public knowledge will be easy to find despite not being on the front page of Google Search.

The ‘right to be forgotten' ruling was passed on to Google by the European court of justice, forcing the company to process s barrage of requests, something that the company has self-admittedly been struggling to do, although it seems to have the process ironed out now.

Google began accepting link removal requests in May, 12000 submissions were received in the very first day. It was also recently revealed that around 20,000 UK residents have asked for the removal of 60,000 links.

google-600x3071

The head of editorial policy at the BBC, David Jordan, has said that some of the BBC's articles have been wrongly hidden, something that has also affected The Guardian, which we have reported on in the past.

When applying for a link removal, you must provide all necessary links, the name of your home country, an explanation as to why you want the links removed and a photo ID in an effort to avoid fraudulent applications.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Google seems to have nailed down its process for choosing which links to remove and under what circumstances. However, a list of what is being removed will prove useful to some. What do you guys think of this? 

Source: BBC

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eBay fails to fix security flaw despite consistent reports since February https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/matthew-wilson/password-harvesting-scam-has-been-affecting-ebay-users-since-february/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/matthew-wilson/password-harvesting-scam-has-been-affecting-ebay-users-since-february/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2014 11:00:58 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=212894 eBay hasn't been entirely upfront with its users this year when it comes to site attacks and information being stolen. Some eBay listings have been found to automatically redirect users to malicious websites via cross-site scripting on listing pages using Javascript, a problem that has existed and been consistently reported to the company since February, yet, nothing …

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eBay hasn't been entirely upfront with its users this year when it comes to site attacks and information being stolen. Some eBay listings have been found to automatically redirect users to malicious websites via cross-site scripting on listing pages using Javascript, a problem that has existed and been consistently reported to the company since February, yet, nothing has been done about it so far.

The BBC managed to get its hands on a chat transcript from February, showing eBay user, Paul Castle, explaining the issue: “I was just browsing in Digital Cameras and came across a password-harvesting scam”, he explained. However, upon clicking the listing he found that it “transfers immediately to a password harvest scam page.”

At the time, he stressed that this is a big problem as there could be hundreds of listings doing the same thing. The eBay staff told Castle that the issue had been flagged up with “higher authorities”.

ebay

Upon further investigation, the BBC found a total of 64 malicious listings from the past two weeks alone. An eBay spokesperson gave the following statement on Friday:

“This is not a new type of vulnerability on sites such as eBay. This is related to the fact that we allow sellers to use active content like Javascript and Flash on our site. Many of our sellers use active content like Javascript and Flash to make their eBay listings more attractive. However, we are aware that active content may also be used in abusive ways.”

According to the spokesperson, eBay has a range of security measures in place to detect malicious code and remove listings. However, the company has yet to explain why these measures are failing to catch so many listings out and why it hasn't been upfront about the issue with its users, having known about the security flaw since the start of this year.

As you would expect, security experts have since criticized eBay for not responding to the issue fast enough. Ilia Kolochenko, XSS expert and chief executive of security firm High-Tech Bridge, has noted that while it is difficult for large sites to be completely free of XSS vulnerabilities, companies must do more to plug the security hole, rather than covering up the issue by removing offending posts every so often.

This isn't the first time eBay has had issues with security this year, it had to force all users to change their passwords a few months back after user information was compromised.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The fact that eBay has failed to fix this security issue, despite having known about it since February is alarming. It may very well have automated systems in place to stop malicious code but 64 listings have been posted in the last two weeks, these weren't stopped by the site's automated measures and could have affected hundreds of users. Hopefully now that the word is out, eBay will forced to tighten up its security.

Source: The BBC

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BBC says ISPs should assume all heavy VPN users are pirates https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/bbc-says-isps-should-assume-heavy-vpn-users-are-pirates/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/bbc-says-isps-should-assume-heavy-vpn-users-are-pirates/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2014 13:42:32 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=211123 The BBC has weighed in on recent copyright and piracy talks, suggesting that Internet service providers should monitor network traffic and automatically be suspicious of customers using a VPN while consuming large amounts of bandwidth- assuming that all VPN users are pirates. In a submission to the Australian government, the BBC proposed a co-operative scheme between copyright holders …

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The BBC has weighed in on recent copyright and piracy talks, suggesting that Internet service providers should monitor network traffic and automatically be suspicious of customers using a VPN while consuming large amounts of bandwidth- assuming that all VPN users are pirates.

In a submission to the Australian government, the BBC proposed a co-operative scheme between copyright holders and ISPs to “reduce and eliminate” online piracy. In addition, the broadcaster wants to educate consumers on where to find content legally, while also supporting improved availability of official offerings.

The BBC wants ISPs to implement a notification system but also dish out serious sanctions to persistent downloaders:

ISPs should warn any alleged copyright infringers through a graduated notification system that what they are doing is illegal and, at the same time, educate them about the law, the importance of copyright to funding content and services they enjoy and where they can access the material they want legally. However. if the consumers do not abide by the notifications then more serious action may need to be taken.”

bbc-logo-21217808

Educating consumers and pushing for better availability of content sounds all well and good, but the notification and sanction system that The BBC proposed wouldn't work well if ISPs were to assume that all VPN users are pirates- which is exactly what the company wants providers to do.

“Since the evolution of peer-to-peer software protocols to incorporate decentralized architectures, which has allowed users to download content from numerous host computers, the detection and prosecution of copyright violations has become a complex task.”

“This situation is further amplified by the adoption of virtual private networks (VPNs) and proxy servers by some users, allowing them to circumvent geo-blocking technologies and further evade detection.”

The BBC goes on to state that it is “reasonable” for ISPs to be placed under an obligation to monitor the network traffic of its customers and make note of any activity that could be deemed “suspicious” including the use of IP masking tools in conjunction with large download volumes.

The problem with this is that it would tar all heavy bandwidth and VPN users with the same brush. Some VPN users may subscribe to Netflix every month and binge watch HD TV shows, which can use up to 2.1GB of data per hour. Other VPN users may be downloading a few games on Steam, or playing a lot of multiplayer titles, all things that would consume lots of bandwidth while still being legal.

So far, these methods have only been proposed to the Australian government, but its possible that other countries will seek proposals from media companies in an effort to come up with an effective anti-piracy plan.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I use a VPN service fairly regularly for purely legal means. Some VPN users likely are pirates but its not fair to suspect all consumers- using up large amounts of bandwidth shouldn't automatically point to piracy. If this proposal were to be accepted then we could see VPNs outlawed in Australia, a trend that could spread to other countries if successful. Do any of you guys use a VPN service? Do you think its fair to assume that all VPN and large bandwidth users are pirates? 

Source: TorrentFreak

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Google is starting to forget BBC and Guardian articles https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/google-is-starting-to-forget-bbc-and-guardian-articles/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/google-is-starting-to-forget-bbc-and-guardian-articles/#respond Thu, 03 Jul 2014 13:01:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=201373 Google has begun complying with EU privacy law and is processing “right to be forgotten” requests. However, the process seems to be removing BBC and Guardian news articles from the search engine. The Guardian's James Ball has said that six of the paper's articles have been removed so far and wants publishers to revolt against …

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Google has begun complying with EU privacy law and is processing “right to be forgotten” requests. However, the process seems to be removing BBC and Guardian news articles from the search engine.

The Guardian's James Ball has said that six of the paper's articles have been removed so far and wants publishers to revolt against this and has said that media outlets should set up Twitter accounts to send out links to articles that have been removed.

google-600x3071

Google was ordered to start granting “right to be forgotten” requests at the end of May, since then the company announced that it would start working through requests slowly in order to perfect its process:

This is a new process for us. Each request has to be assessed individually, and we’re working as quickly as possible to get through the queue. We’ll continue to work with data protection authorities and others as we implement this ruling.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: News articles are public knowledge and usually contain important information. Media outlets won't be happy with their links being removed, we'll see how this plays out but hopefully Google won't let news stories continue to slip through the cracks. 

Source: The Inquirer

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BBC servers compromised, auctioned to hackers on Christmas Day https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/bbc-server-compromised-auctioned-to-hackers-on-christmas-day/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/bbc-server-compromised-auctioned-to-hackers-on-christmas-day/#comments Mon, 30 Dec 2013 08:54:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=169592 If you had a few spare sheckles around on Christmas Day and consider yourself a bit of an (anti)security buff, then perhaps you shelled out a portion of that for access to a BBC server? This was all possible thanks to a Russian hacker who on Christmas Day managed to break into the server and …

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If you had a few spare sheckles around on Christmas Day and consider yourself a bit of an (anti)security buff, then perhaps you shelled out a portion of that for access to a BBC server? This was all possible thanks to a Russian hacker who on Christmas Day managed to break into the server and began offering access to others that would pay for the privilege.

Picked up by Hold Security LLC, the hack was supposedly perpetrated by a Russian known as HASH and Revolver, who managed to get into a BBC FTP server, though it's unclear what it's used for. So far the BBC has refused to comment on the news. Likewise it hasn't covered the story on its own news outlets.

bbcnews
As one of the world's biggest media organisations, the BBC is a constant target of attacks

Advertising the hack like this though isn't uncommon. Doing so not only can increase community respect for the hacker responsible, but can lead to collaboration on further hacks, as well as a little side cash generation.

At the moment there's little evidence that anyone has paid up for the server access, though a security consultant from Cylance Inc. was quoted by Reuters as saying that if anyone does, it could just be a stepping stone to gaining further access to BBC assets. Presumably though that will be dependant on the BBC not securing the server or isolating it from the internet.

KitGuru Says: It's interesting that the BBC didn't announce the hack itself. Would make for an easy exclusive. 

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Man throws away hard drive containing $7.5 million worth of bitcoins https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/man-throws-away-hard-drive-containing-7-5-million-worth-of-bitcoins/ Fri, 29 Nov 2013 12:12:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=164995 It turns out that there's a hard drive worth $7.5 million sitting in a landfill site right now. James Howells collected 7500 bitcoins back in 2009 but threw away the HDD containing his fortune earlier this year because it had just been sat in a drawer for years. Unfortunately for him, bitcoins hit a $1000 value …

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It turns out that there's a hard drive worth $7.5 million sitting in a landfill site right now. James Howells collected 7500 bitcoins back in 2009 but threw away the HDD containing his fortune earlier this year because it had just been sat in a drawer for years. Unfortunately for him, bitcoins hit a $1000 value this week making his old collection worth a ton of money.

spending-bitcoins

Hoswells dismantled his PC after spilling a drink on it and then sold most of the working parts as spares but kept his hard drives around for a while before throwing them away:

“I kept the hard drive in a drawer in my office for three years without a second thought – totally forgot about bitcoin all together. I had been distracted by family life and moving house. Fast forward to 2013 which is when I had a clearout of my old IT equipment – I hadn't used this drive for over three years, I believed I'd taken everything off it… so it got thrown in the bin.”

After checking all of his backup files Hoswells went on to search his local landfill site in one last effort to find the drive but when he got there the sites manager didn't have good news:

“The manager explained that things that were sent to landfill three or four months ago could be three to five feet deep.”. If he had the funds, James would be able to hire an evidence search team of around 15 to 20 people with dogs and diggers to help search but unfortunately that's an expensive service with no definite payout at the end of it.

KitGuru Says: The moral of the story here is, if you have some bitcoins- make sure you keep them. The bitcoin market is constantly fluctuating, value will likely go down again at some point but if you wait a while, chances are your coins will be worth something again.

Source: BBC

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BBC Playlister announced https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/online/matthew-wilson/bbc-playlister-announced/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/online/matthew-wilson/bbc-playlister-announced/#respond Tue, 08 Oct 2013 15:43:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=156836 The BBC is launching its new ‘Playlister' service today, which partners with Youtube, Spotify and Deezer allowing you to save songs you hear on the radio to a playlist to listen back to later on one of the partnering services. Last year we suspected the BBC was going to enter the music streaming market and …

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The BBC is launching its new ‘Playlister' service today, which partners with Youtube, Spotify and Deezer allowing you to save songs you hear on the radio to a playlist to listen back to later on one of the partnering services. Last year we suspected the BBC was going to enter the music streaming market and now we know exactly what it is. For now the service is web based but an app is supposed to be coming out in the future.

Playlister is available worldwide starting today, giving the BBC a higher profile internationally. Other potential features are already in the works including recommendations and paid downloads from the BBC's massive back catalogue of songs.

Screen Shot 2013-10-08 at 13.00.30

Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said in a statement:

“BBC Playlister is a wonderful innovation from the BBC that has been designed purely with audience needs in mind. We have a proud musical heritage that dates back to the very beginning of the BBC’s history, and over the years we have found many new ways of bringing fantastic music to our viewers and listeners. Working with partners such as Spotify, YouTube and Deezer, we will once again transform our audiences’ relationship with music and the BBC.”

KitGuru Says: BBC Iplayer is one of the best on demand streaming services, the actual playback and quality of it is much better than that of other networks. It's quite fitting that a music service should follow up, keeping up with the digital age and multiple forms of entertainment. 

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Faux BBC and CNN news emails contain malware https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/faux-bbc-and-cnn-news-emails-contain-malware/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/faux-bbc-and-cnn-news-emails-contain-malware/#respond Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=129361 If you've been getting lookalike news emails from CNN or the BBC in the past few days, you could have been hit by a malware attack and it may well be worth doing a few safe mode scans with popular anti-malware software, if an AVG report on the Blackhole exploit kit is to be believed. …

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If you've been getting lookalike news emails from CNN or the BBC in the past few days, you could have been hit by a malware attack and it may well be worth doing a few safe mode scans with popular anti-malware software, if an AVG report on the Blackhole exploit kit is to be believed.

However the emails should be reasonably easy to spot if you cross referenced them with the actual news sites, since they contain such news stories as “new pope sued for sex abuse.”

The threat was spotted by AVG Web Threats researchers, who said that they had: “found spam from scammers using the Blackhole exploit kit that use the issue of sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church as bait.” They then explained that if a user was to click on the link in the fake story, they would be taken immediately to a page that downloads the exploit kit. It's thought that Java is being used to infect the user's PC.

Blackhole
Pictured: Something way worse than an exploit kit

“The researchers discovered another message that the same malicious individual or group is using in their spam campaign. It reports another user saw a BBC News report on the Cyprus debt deposit tax and thought you should see it,” read the AVG statement (via V3).

KitGuru Says: Of course the easiest way to avoid security problems like this, is to never click on any link in an email – always find the content by searching for it through your preferred engine, or simply go to the site in question and navigate straight to it.

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Leveson says leave KitGuru alone, Queen not so sure https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jules/leveson-says-leave-kitguru-alone-queen-not-so-sure/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jules/leveson-says-leave-kitguru-alone-queen-not-so-sure/#respond Thu, 21 Mar 2013 06:20:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=128777 While the kick off point of the Leveson Report was the hacking of celebrities phones, the final solution to the problem seems to be shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty and contradiction. KitGuru ponders life behind bars for those found to be on the wrong side of at least one law. Lord Justice Leveson's report …

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While the kick off point of the Leveson Report was the hacking of celebrities phones, the final solution to the problem seems to be shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty and contradiction. KitGuru ponders life behind bars for those found to be on the wrong side of at least one law.

Lord Justice Leveson's report specifically ruled out trying to govern internet-only sites on the basis that many of them are one man blogging outfits, so going after them would amount to an attack on one person's point of view – which contradicts the idea of a society which cherishes free speech.

At the other end of the scale, printed publications could find themselves in a world of grief of they step outside their bounds.

No matter what you think about press freedom, it's a case of so far, so good as far as ‘understandability' goes.

Enter the Royal Charter of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (by the grace of god etc). It has a completely different definition. It specifically states that websites should be regulated if they comment on the news.

Exact wording for the Bill arising from the Leveson Report will be made clear at the start of next week, but an analysis from the BBC of the various legislation being prepared at the moment indicates that a website can be lined up and shot if it has:-

  • Multiple Authors
  • Editors who control content
  • Procedures that mean it runs like a newspaper

Guilty as charged your honour.

Nate Dogg and Warren G did a bang up job of regulating - no Royal Charter required

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For the most part, KitGuru can't imagine the Labs doors being blown open at 3 in the morning while heavily armed guards lock us in dungeons/towers for a very long time.

That said, the kind of politically-sensitive commentary we generate around privacy, security and freedom issues could single us out for special treatment at Her Majesty's pleasure.

We are not the only ones to be confused about what is to happen next. Culture Secretary Maria Miller has gone on record as saying (a) she wants the million pound fines etc laid out in Leveson's report, but (b) she does not want to accept Leveson's limitations on who that might apply to. All the time sounding, on camera, as if she is talking about a single thing (Leveson Report + Royal Charter) – which unfortunately does not exist.

What can you do about a girl like Maria? We'd suggest common sense, salads and a little exercise

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KitGuru says: Leveson had no intention of punishing online publications, while the Queen's charter specifically puts sites like KitGuru into the ‘monitor closely' category. Given that Leveson was chosen to set up an inquiry and recommend positive action, we like the idea of following his well-researched advice.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join up over on Facebook (if you're not too afraid to be seen chatting with a known publisher of newsworthy material).

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BBC supports idea of HTML DRM https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/bbc-supports-idea-of-html-drm/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/bbc-supports-idea-of-html-drm/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:02:30 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=125501 The BBC, an organisation that in the past has championed open standards – according to their own blog – has pledged its support for the W3C proposal put forward by big media giants last week, in an effort to have the standards group push for DRM restrictions on HTML. The reason this has got many …

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The BBC, an organisation that in the past has championed open standards – according to their own blog – has pledged its support for the W3C proposal put forward by big media giants last week, in an effort to have the standards group push for DRM restrictions on HTML.

The reason this has got many people annoyed at the proposal, is it would potentially allow companies to lock down content for specific groups of people, restricting who can see what. With the BBC pushing for something like this, it could mean that it restricts access to services like the iPlayer – were it to move to a fully HTML5 setup.

HTML
Even HTML DRM would be better than Lockout. Man did that suck.

As Computer World blogger and open source proponent Glynn Moody writes: “How does the BBC justify using the money paid as a non-optional tax by me and my fellow licence-payers to lock us out from content that we have paid for?”

The BBC is often held up by Brits and those abroad as an upstanding TV service, even if it does have its fair share of drek – it is markedly better in its values and programming than many other broadcasting companies. However, as Moody writes, if the BBC starts circling its digital wagons, how many people will happily continue to pay a license fee if they may not even be able to access the content?

KitGuru Says: Perhaps the reason the BBC wants the DRM via HTML is so that it can prevent those without a license fee from viewing?

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85000 Facebook users begin dating mystery women https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/faith/85000-facebook-users-begin-dating-mystery-women/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/faith/85000-facebook-users-begin-dating-mystery-women/#respond Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:22:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=125216 Genius reporter David Lee, over at the BBC, has uncovered a dating mystery. As KitGuru goes into ‘Roses are Red, Violets are Blue – We can Rhyme and so can You' melt down, we also try and bring you some of the facts. It seems that an organisation called ‘Cloud Girlfriend' can provide lonely souls …

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Genius reporter David Lee, over at the BBC, has uncovered a dating mystery. As KitGuru goes into ‘Roses are Red, Violets are Blue – We can Rhyme and so can You' melt down, we also try and bring you some of the facts.

It seems that an organisation called ‘Cloud Girlfriend' can provide lonely souls with the ‘change in relationship status' that they so badly need and want during this difficult time of year.

In times gone by, when we all went out-and-about a lot more, sad folks might have considered hiring a woman for a romantic meal. Ideally, the escort would be someone who might (just about) be ‘natural' enough to fool passers by into thinking ‘Wow, he's lucky to have her' etc.

The ‘complete win' would be if the artificial couple were spotted by a friend – and word spread that ‘He is doing really well'.

We have gone with a male hirer and female hiree – but it could work the other way around.

Enter the 21st century and the aspiring online world of entrepreneurship that is Facebook.

Cloud Girlfriend allows you to pick your ideal date from a list of possibilities – and then give them the dream-selection of attributes that would make any of your friends jealous.

The intrepid reporter signed up for the service and got his dream date. Status updates were followed by a slew of congratulations and surprise, in equal measure.  It also seems that he didn't need to lie too much about how they met etc, because his friends began filling in the gaps.

It's easy to get fooled online. Be careful out there.

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Facebook is reported as stating that ‘As long as the financial transactions happen elsewhere, there is little they can do to prevent people hooking up, changing status and writing messages'.

Sounds a lot like what Facebook was invented for.

One of the ladies offering this kind of service is also a pro-class singer. She will drop a tune onto your timeline to add realism. Like this.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rATGwQlAN6c']

KitGuru says: With professional services starting from as little as $5 (£3.50), it's easy to see how people who need a little ego boost might be encouraged to take the plunge and pick up a date. It's fast, convenient and guarantees the result you're after – buzz around you and your timeline. In our experience, turning up at a nightclub with 2 or 3 gorgeous ladies almost certainly improves your chances – so maybe this is simply ‘Next-Gen: Fake it until you make it' and it could have a (genuinely) positive outcome – but please be wary of scam artists!

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Youtube is coming to Freesat https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/youtube-is-coming-to-freesat/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/youtube-is-coming-to-freesat/#respond Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:00:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=124968 Freesat users, get ready for a lot more cat videos as Youtube is coming to your service soon. Marking the first time that a dedicated channel for Youtube has been made available on a free to view platform in the UK. This announcement was made as part of a celebration that over three million people …

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Freesat users, get ready for a lot more cat videos as Youtube is coming to your service soon. Marking the first time that a dedicated channel for Youtube has been made available on a free to view platform in the UK. This announcement was made as part of a celebration that over three million people now use the Freesat network.

While a TV channel might suggest that it would be more of a fixed viewing setup, where videos are rotated consistently, it sounds like it'll be more interactive, with streaming options. According to Freesat, the platform will be built using HTML5 and will offer a “visually stunning…viewing experience.”

Freesat’s Managing Director, Emma Scott said: “In just four years we have established ourselves as a real challenger and genuine alternative to pay-TV.  In that time we’ve delivered choice and quality, subscription free. Customer choice has driven every stage of our development; not least the launch of our second generation service, <free time>, in Q3 of last year.  We’re now delighted to add to our already fantastic customer offering with YouTube.  They join Freesat at a time of rapid growth for our business and will offer our viewers an exclusive, first view of their latest version – previously unseen on free to air TV in the UK.”
Freesat
I honestly can't think of a joke to go here. Nice... guitar pick logo?
Youtube echoed similar pleasure at the partnership, saying that it was happy to share its content with Freesat customers.
We were also told as part of the release that in the last quarter of 2012, 55,000 more households signed up to Freesat, which was more than Sky and BT vision put together. Of course the former of those two has a multi-million install base already, so it's uptake is likely to be less impressive.

KitGuru Says: Personally I'm a humble Freeview user. I don't watch much TV any way so no real need for anything more at the moment. Any Freesat users recommend it though? Worth the upgrade?

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Exclusive interview with Biostar’s Head of European Sales https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jules/exclusive-interview-with-biostars-head-of-european-sales/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jules/exclusive-interview-with-biostars-head-of-european-sales/#respond Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:16:32 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=122275 It's hard to know why a young chap who grew up near the German border with Holland would end up speaking Mandarin Chinese and running European sales for a major motherboard manufacturer, but that's exactly what Martin Thyssen has ended up doing. KitGuru was fortunate enough to catch up with Martin and ask him about …

The post Exclusive interview with Biostar’s Head of European Sales first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It's hard to know why a young chap who grew up near the German border with Holland would end up speaking Mandarin Chinese and running European sales for a major motherboard manufacturer, but that's exactly what Martin Thyssen has ended up doing. KitGuru was fortunate enough to catch up with Martin and ask him about Biostar. Pretzels, white beer and sausage anyone?

Founded in 1986, Biostar started life as a purely-mainboard focused manufacturing company. Under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Mingyi Wang, the company has managed to do well in a very tough/competitive market – adding nVidia and AMD graphics cards to its product line up.

In 1999, the company was floated on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and it has a number of interesting ‘firsts' under its belt – including a claim to being the first company to allow end users to modify video card voltages and frequencies. We believe that youngsters call it ‘overclocking'.

Biostar has 5 major offices across the globe. Alongside its HQ in Sindian City (Taiwan), the USA is run out of California (West Coast) and Miami (East Coast) with another office for Latin America. APAC (Asia Pacific) is run from China and Europe from the Netherlands.

Able to find his home town with his eyes shut, Martin Thyssen can sell you Biostar mainboards in English, German & Chinese. Cool.

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We kicked off with a straight question for Martin, it looks like Biostar has been quiet for a while – what's new?

“We just recently launched the ‘Hi-Fi' series of motherboards”, said Martin. “Which is a combination of Biostar exclusive hardware & software that features the very best in audio quality and performance”.

It's an interesting phrase to use, Hi-Fi. Especially by a German, considering how much influence Martin's people had on its definition. The Deutsches Institut für Normung [German Institute for Standards] defined ‘Hi-Fi' in 1966 under the standard DIN45500. It is meant to be ‘the best audio possible’. Nice.

You have just launched a new range of boards targeting gamers, is this a dip in the water or are you going to continue with this?
“We have a dedicated R&D team focused on nothing else but the gamer market”, he said. “We wish to bring users a product that not only has excellent overclocking capabilities, but also provides a truely high quality experience in both visual and sound”.

Talk is cheap. The proof is in the testing. When KitGuru Labs took a close look at the Biostar TZ77XE4 back in April last year, we were pleasantly surprised. What was the focus when designing this board?
Martin told us, “The Intel Z77 series chipset was a big focus for every motherboard manufacturer. We knew it would be competitive, so we pushed hard to create the best design possible. From a purely technical standpoint, the TZ77XE4 uses supreme power design and 100% solid caps to achieve the best overclocking performance. We also optimised performance for CrossFire, SLI and Virtu”.

So what else is new for the gaming motherboard market?

“Well Biostar Puro will be important”, said Martin. “It heralds a new age in audio experience and its goal is to make your PC into a professional media and entertainment centre. Decades of producing a huge array of mainboards has given us a unique insight into the minds of our customers. We know that our Puro Hi-Fi technology will be perfect for both the HTPC and gaming markets”.

“Whatever a user does with a PC, superior audio quality will make a difference”, he explained. “Biostar Puro is something that will positively affect everyone who chooses one of our Hi-Fi enabled mainboards”.

Interestingly, this Hi-Fi technology is also available on low-end mainboards like the company's new FM2 boards.

We keep hearing this expression, ‘Hi-Fi', but what does it mean with Puro?  Can you be specific?

The Puro Hi-Fi technology includes several features, such as high sampling rate, ground-isolation circuit, independent audio power design, built-in amplifier and user-friendly audio software – all of which combine to create a completely different audio experience” said Martin.

He continued, “All the Hi-Fi series motherboards are also equipped with special components to ensure the best possible audio quality consistency – to maintain signal integrity and reduce loss. Through these approaches, audio enthusiasts can experience a variety of digital content, while you, on the other hand can enjoy your favourite music in a professional and affordable way”.

Has the project come to an end we wondered?

“Not at all!”, said Martin. “We have been working hard on Hi-Fi 2 technologies for Windows 8”.

What about the future of the company in Europe?  We haven't seen much activity recently – especially when you consider that Biostar revenues have peaked up around $300 million.

“That will change”, he explained. “Biostar is a global manufacturer, sensitive to trading conditions in each region. In recent times, we have focused more on emerging markets, where growth was stronger. We have enjoyed huge success in China, India and other South East Asia markets. Now we're ready to increase sales in 2013 – and part of that increase will come from traditional Western Markets”.

Given Biostar's experience with embedded systems – and the push from Intel and AMD into this market – maybe we'll see more growth from Biostar in 2013 from the kind of systems that power the world around us, unobtrusively.

Biostar claims that all of these stickers combine to deliver better audio on a Hi-Fi mainboard that you would get from a traditional valve amp. Bold statement.Will be interesting to see how many more stickers are needed for Hi-Fi 2.

KitGuru says: We thank Martin for taking the time to speak exclusively with KitGuru. The few boards we've seen from Biostar so far have all been really interesting. Hopefully the Hi-Fi 2 boards will continue that tradition.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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KitGuru loves the quirky and unusual https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/harrison/kitguru-loves-the-quirky-and-unusual/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/harrison/kitguru-loves-the-quirky-and-unusual/#respond Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:05:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=121560 While we know that most of the world will tread the same path, there are those who will ‘step off the reservation' and do things in a different way. We like those people. But then there are the others. People who stray so far from ‘regular' that, for them, the path is a distant memory. …

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While we know that most of the world will tread the same path, there are those who will ‘step off the reservation' and do things in a different way. We like those people. But then there are the others. People who stray so far from ‘regular' that, for them, the path is a distant memory. You gotta love some quirky in a mundane world. KitGuru explores some of the darkness.

The staff at KitGuru do some interesting hours.

We have folks who contribute from way over in Australia and – similarly – on the West Coast of the USA.

What would you say if we told you that there are more than 3,000 KitGuru readers in the world who spend MORE time on the site each day than we do?  We're talking about people who hit the KitGuru site and stay for more than 3 hours. Impressive.

Quirky, but impressive.

It's a small fraction of the 265,000 visits we received in a 24 hour period from 1st to 2nd January, but it's an important fraction. Hardcore KitGuru fans: We salute you!

Here's another factoid that might make you scratch your head: Here in the UK, you need a license from the government to watch TV. We have more than 13,000 people watching TV using a black and white TV. Monochrome. No joke. With 50″ 3D TVs now around the £500 mark and PCs owned left-right-and centre across the country, more than 13,000 people are still watching shades of grey.

More than 3 hours a day on the KitGuru site and monochrome TV in the living room? Zardon couldn't understand the fuss as he settled in for an evening of his favourite programmes.

KitGuru says: Watching monochrome TV or reading KitGuru for more than 3 hours a day – It's quirky and unusual – but we love it. Wish there was a broadcaster who just ran B&W repeats from the late 1960s.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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BBC documentary brings fresh hope to Facebook addicts https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jules/bbc-documentary-brings-fresh-hope-to-facebook-addicts/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jules/bbc-documentary-brings-fresh-hope-to-facebook-addicts/#respond Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:31:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=118807 You're drawn from your early morning slumber by the repetitive beep of your alarm clock. After doing the ‘toilet and kitchen' thing, you find yourself at once relieved and energised. Where does your thought go next? For hundreds of millions of people across the planet, the next thing that happens is a hand reaches for …

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You're drawn from your early morning slumber by the repetitive beep of your alarm clock. After doing the ‘toilet and kitchen' thing, you find yourself at once relieved and energised. Where does your thought go next? For hundreds of millions of people across the planet, the next thing that happens is a hand reaches for a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone to connect to Facebook. It's almost a textbook definition of addiction. But now there could be hope. KitGuru takes a moment away from poking friends to watch a short BBC video which could help.

Upfront, let us tell you: Don't worry if you don't know where Vermont is, KitGuru has done the Google mapping for you and determined that it's almost half way between Montreal and Boston in the United States of America. Or, if you prefer Apple Maps, it's a suburb of Rio in Brazil.

Vermont Mountain School became the destination for a group of students who were using technology too much. After a survey ran in the States determined that many children were online with sites like Facebook for more than 2 hours a day – and a hardcore of 25% were on there for more than 5 hours (which is quite a lot) – a bunch were selected to go spend some time in an educational institution where the interwibble is hard to come by.

More than 40 of the worst ‘offenders' were shipped off to this backwater location, to see how their approach to life, technology and all other things Facebook changed if they were cut off from the modern world and forced to deal with each other as humans.

Watch the 3:36 revelation over on the Beeb, here. Cool animated GIFs here.

Without Facebook, the children stopped worshipping the PC and went back to being themselves. Er.

KitGuru says: One young lady summed up her Facebook-free existence by saying that it will be hard to be around people who, if they are not 100% engaged by what you're saying, will simply look down at their phones to see if they can join someone else's conversation. Sound familiar?

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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