Media

Microsoft revealed specs and features for the Xbox One today at an event in Redmond, Wash. This finally gives us a chance to directly compare the new Xbox One with the PlayStation 4.

From the initial specs released from Microsoft and Sony thus far, it would seem that from strictly a specs standpoint, the two are extremely similar, so expect the vast majority of games to look similar across the two platforms.

The buying decision between the two consoles will seemingly come down instead to services and features, such as live TV on the Xbox One.

Check below for the … Read more

Yahoo on Monday increased the amount of storage Flickr users get by 70-fold, and at the same time quietly introduced a new pro tier that costs users 20 times as much as the one it replaces.

That plan, dubbed the "Doublr," bumps the 1 terabyte of photo and video storage up to 2 terabytes, and costs $499.99 per year. By Yahoo's calculations, that takes the theoretical limit from 537,731 photos, up to just over 1.07 million full-quality shots. This top of the line program joins a $49.99 per year plan that gets rid … Read more

We like to give advice to the less perfect here, principally because the perfect tend not to feel they need advice.

When it comes to those who rob, pilfer, or otherwise break the law, we tend to suggest that they don't taunt the police. Another suggestion is to turn off your phone.

This latter suggestion might have been useful for two men who stand accused of taking things that weren't theirs from a car.

Police in Fresno, Calif., say that a 911 operator received a call. No one was on the other end.

However, the dispatcher decided to keep listening and then, as KJRH-TV reports, voices were heard.… Read more

In recent years, we've seen people dabble in bringing a narrative film experience to mobile phones. It makes sense -- there's an interactive personal screen in your pocket that allows you to pick up content wherever you go. But neither the interactive film "Tender Loving Care" (starring John Hurt) nor the Dutch film "App," which interacted with your iOS or Android device during cinematic screenings, picked up much traction.

"Haunting Melissa," by film producer Neal Edelstein, might have what it takes. Available globally as a free app on iOS, the film is accessible, and it's using the flexibility of mobile devices to experiment with the genre. … Read more

WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg said his company saw a major uptick in Tumblr defections after news of the $1.1 billion acquisition by Yahoo came to light.

Writing on his personal blog Sunday evening, Mullenweg said that WordPress usually imports 400 to 600 blog posts per hour from Tumblr. After news of the deal surfaced, the number of imported posts jumped to more than 72,000 blog posts in an hour.

Mullenweg updated his own blog post on Monday morning. "Some people are reading too much into the import numbers -- I don't think there will be an … Read more

Microblogging service Tumblr is being acquired by Yahoo.

Yahoo announced the deal early Monday, along with a "promise not to screw it up." The Internet pioneer is paying $1.1 billion for Tumblr, "substantially all of which is payable in cash," Yahoo said.

The news had been expected. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the Yahoo board had approved the deal.

Under the terms of the deal, Yahoo will allow Tumblr, which has over 300 million monthly unique visitors, to operate as a completely separate entity that retains "the same Tumblr irreverence, wit, and … Read more

I am drawn to pain like Einstein to thought.

So when I heard that Yahoo had allegedly bought Tumblr for $1.1 billion, there was only one thing to do. (Editors' note: Shortly after this story was published, Yahoo and Tumblr officially announced the acquisition.)

Wrap myself in foil, log on to Tumblr and survey the posts tagged "Yahoo."

I tried to let my eyes waft at random in the hope of finding fair balance or at least something more than purple haze.

The first thing I saw was a post from someone called "world-peace-not-war." I … Read more

Satellite TV provider DirecTV is thinking about buying all or parts of streaming-video site Hulu, according to news reports Friday.

An unnamed source told The Wall Street Journal that Hulu's owners, which include Walt Disney Company and Comcast, are considering several options for the site's future, including selling it.

Other unnamed sources told Bloomberg that DirecTV is still in preliminary discussions regarding Hulu and that it's not clear if DirecTV will buy some or all of Hulu.

Hulu is an attractive platform for TV providers like DirecTV because it would let them tap into online audiences. DirecTV … Read more

Yahoo's board of directors is meeting this weekend to consider buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion in cash, AllThingsD reported Friday.

Unnamed sources told ATD that the deal is entirely in cash, which means Yahoo isn't offering up any stock options for the hip blogging site. The sources also said Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer -- who has been trying to turn the large, struggling company around -- thinks buying Tumblr is key to her vision of a new Yahoo.

Yahoo sent out an invitation to the press Friday for a product event in New York taking place on … Read more