Google will stream the “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” video game to play directly from the Chrome web browser for its experimental game streaming service, called Project Stream. You’ll be able to play the game from Chrome much like you would with a console or PC, except the visuals for the game and your controller inputs will be transmitted over the internet. Better yet, it will be free. The catch: There are a limited number of spots for Project Stream. Google will let people play “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey,” one of the most-anticipated video games of the year, straight from the Google Chrome web browser for a new experimental service called Project Stream, the company announced on Monday. The game will be free-of-charge to play for the duration of the Project Stream test, which will end in mid-January. Normally, “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” requires an Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or reasonably powerful gaming PC to play. … [Read more...] about Google will let some people play one of the biggest video games of the year for free, right from the Chrome browser — even if you have a lousy PC
Google’s game-streaming plan answers none of our questions
Google’s long-rumored game-streaming plan–or part of it, at least–is now official. Starting October 5, Google will let a small number of Chrome users play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey directly within the web browser as part of “Project Stream.” Instead of requiring a powerful gaming PC, Google will render the game on its own servers and then stream the video and audio to lower-cost laptops and desktops over the internet. Game-streaming technology is nearly a decade old and was pioneered by startups like OnLive (whose assets were acquired by Sony in 2015) and Gaikai (which was also bought by Sony in 2012). Sony, Nvidia, and several startups continue to offer game-streaming service today, and Microsoft is working on its own version now. But it’s unclear how Google intends to stand out or solve the latency and reliability issues that have kept the concept from going mainstream. Google’s blog post says nothing about technology, pricing, or … [Read more...] about Google’s game-streaming plan answers none of our questions
Someone bought an unreleased Chromecast from a Best Buy store nearly a week before Google’s big hardware event
A Reddit user bought an unannounced and unreleased Chromecast streaming device from Best Buy over the weekend. The new Chromecast wasn’t in Best Buy’s system yet, but it was listed to release on October 9 at the same price as the current model, so the store sold it to the Redditor as a current-generation Chromecast. The Redditor wasn’t able to set it up, as it required an update to the Google Home app on their smartphone. A Best Buy customer bought an unannounced and unreleased model of Google’s Chromecast media streaming device on Saturday, according to Android Police, which first spotted the customer’s post on Reddit. The Redditor said the Best Buy cashier at first wasn’t able to scan the device because it wasn’t in Best Buy’s system yet. It showed a release date of October 9 – the same day as Google’s upcoming event, where the company is expected to announce its Pixel 3 smartphones. The new Chromecast appeared to have … [Read more...] about Someone bought an unreleased Chromecast from a Best Buy store nearly a week before Google’s big hardware event
EU regulators receive second Google report on shopping case
By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Google <GOOGL.O> has provided a second report detailing the effects of its proposal to allow more price comparison rivals to bid for ads on top of its search page, EU antitrust regulators said on Monday. Alphabet unit Google came up with the offer after being hit by a fine for 2.4 billion euros (2.14 billion pounds) in June for using its search engine market power to boost its own comparison shopping service. It is required to provide periodic reports on the proposal. The European Commission in June said competition was improving after the world's most popular internet presented a first report which showed more competition for ads at the top of a search page. Rivals however have disputed its claim of creating a level playing field and want more regulatory action. Antitrust enforcers could slap fines of up to 5 percent of Google's average daily worldwide turnover for failing to comply with its order but have not indicated they would take … [Read more...] about EU regulators receive second Google report on shopping case
Google Maps wants to make your commute less taxing (and more musical)
At first blush, using Google Maps to navigate your way to work and back might sound unneccessary: It’s probably the single route you know most intimately. But Google is giving its Android and iOS mappings app a bunch of features designed for commuters. They include: A new tab with live information about delays that might impact your trip. A mixed-mode feature that helps you plan multiple legs of a trip: driving, public transportation, and walking. The real-time location of buses and trains plotted on a map (in 80 cities) and a heads-up about how crowded they are (in Sydney, with more locales to come). Integration with Spotify, Google Play Music, and Apple Music, which lets you control music and podcasts within Maps rather than shuttling off to another app. … [Read more...] about Google Maps wants to make your commute less taxing (and more musical)