Surprise: Internet connection not required to play 'Xbox 720' games

There’s been no shortage of Xbox rumors as we move closer to the console’s unveiling next month -- well, technically, that’s also a rumor. Although I was hoping to steer clear of further hearsay until official details were shared, I couldn’t help but bring to your attention an updated Xbox roadmap posted by VGLeaks with new details about the hardware lineup and a clarification about the whole “always connected” madness.

If you recall, VGLeaks was previously responsible for credible leaks revealing Durango’s specs as well as a hardware overview describing an “Always On, Always Connected” design.

Never mind that the latter was mentioned in the context of being able to download updates in the background, most sites still reported it as proof or confirmation that Microsoft would be implementing online checks to block used games, even though there was no mention of this in the documents or by VGLeaks. To be fair, reputable sites like Kotaku and Edge were told as much by their own separate sources, but we remained unconvinced.

Always on, always online is not what you think

Now VGLeaks is clarifying that Durango will indeed be always online “like any other device”, but it will not be a requirement to play local content and it will not prevent playing used games. In other words, this is meant for downloading stuff like game or social network updates in the background when a net connections is available, but you will still be able to play Xbox games if your broadband is down or you take your console elsewhere.

That’s more in line with what we’ve been saying all along although it’s worth noting it’s all still unconfirmed.

The site notes that the “always online” rumors likely stemmed from development kits with components requiring network connections to be present all the time, which could explain what some inside sources were saying.

Two-SKU strategy: The Xbox Mini

In addition to making this minor but important clarification, the updated roadmap also points to a separate console with a more limited feature set known as the “Xbox Mini” -- we’ve heard about this before but it was referenced to as “Xbox TV”. In a nutshell, this is a repackaged and reoriented Xbox 360 unit to access the platform’s entertainment apps (think Apple TV competitor) and play games downloaded from Xbox Live.

Microsoft is aiming at a $150 price tag for this smaller Xbox unit and will possibly design it to be stackable atop the full-fledged “Durango” console. It will most likely lack an optical drive but it can be networked with its bigger brother to provide backwards compatibility for 360 games. The next-gen Xbox will not support older games on its own as it’s based on a different architecture than its predecessor.

Taking over your TV signal

A separate report from The Verge also claims Microsoft will introduce a feature that lets its next-generation console take a cable box signal and pass it through to the TV via HDMI, allowing it to overlay a UI and features on top of an existing TV channel or set-top box. Microsoft is reportedly seeking partnerships with content providers for this. Apparently the functionality will be tied to the full-fledged Xbox rather than the Mini version.

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Hacker demonstrates how to hijack an airplane using an Android app

A security consultant by the name of Hugo Teso claims he has created an Android app called PlaneSploit that would allow him to remotely attack and hijack commercial aircraft. He recently presented his findings at the Hack in the Box security conference in Amsterdam where, among other things, he exposed the fact that a number of aviation and aircraft systems have no security in place.

Teso, a trained commercial pilot for 12 years, reiterated that the Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is unencrypted and unauthenticated which can lead to passive attacks like eavesdropping or active attacks such as message jamming and injection. Furthermore, the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) – a service used to send text-based messages between aircraft and ground stations - also has no security.

With these vulnerabilities in mind, he used virtual planes in a lab to demonstrate his ability to hijack a plane rather than attempting to take over a real flight as that was “too dangerous and unethical.” He used ACARS to gain access to the plane’s onboard computer system and uploaded Flight Management System data.

Once in, he demonstrated how it was possible to manipulate the steering of a Boeing jet while it was in autopilot mode. The security consultant said he could cause a crash by setting the aircraft on a collision course with another jet or even give passengers a scare by dropping down the emergency oxygen masks without warning.

A pilot could thwart an attack by taking the plane out of autopilot although he pointed out that several newer systems no longer include manual controls. Some systems could be updated to patch the vulnerabilities but many legacy systems would be difficult, if not impossible, to update.

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Apple nearing deal with labels for Pandora-like music streaming service

Speculation about a music streaming service from Apple has been going on for quite some time. The rumored addition would presumably complement the company’s download model on iTunes, but apparently one thing holding it back all this time is Apple’s stringent demands as well as labels’ unwillingness to play ball after feeling short-changed on their previous dealings. That could change soon, according to Cnet.

A new report cites “two people familiar with the negotiations” claiming Apple is very close to striking a streaming deal with Warner Music and Universal Music. The company would still would have to sign a deal with Sony but snagging two major music labels might be enough for their launch target of summer 2013.

The new streaming service would go up against the likes of Spotify and Pandora, although Cnet’s sources say it most closely resembles the latter since Apple won’t offer on-demand listening. That said, they will throw in a few unique features compared to Pandora, such as the ability to jump back to the beginning of a song.

As far as fees are concerned Apple is flexing its muscles as the dominant player in the music business. The report claims they’re negotiating a per-stream rate that's half of what Pandora currently pays labels, with the promise of new revenue channels to make up the difference. This includes a quick way for consumers to buy a song they hear -- where Apple also takes a cut per sale -- and incorporating audio ads into the free service.

Apple and the labels are still hammering out what the revenue split for ads would be, but labels are reportedly pressing for 35 to 45 percent in order to agree to the lower per-stream revenue.

If everything comes into place, Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which is expected to take place in June, could be the ideal stage to announce the new service within the rumored summer timeframe.

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Microsoft rumored to be working on a Google Glass competitor

Microsoft could be working on a connected device similar to Google’s Project Glass that would debut sometime next year according to a note to investors from analyst Brian White. What’s more, he believes that Google has made significant breakthroughs around software applications as it relates to Glass which will help usher in a new industry of wearable electronics.

The software giant filed for a patent for a wearable glasses device late last year although the device appeared to be more of an entertainment accessory to enhance the experience of sporting events and the like rather than a daily personal assistant of sorts like Google Glass.

Google Glass is by far the most anticipated wearable device this year simply because we know it exists and is coming later this year. We don’t have an exact release date but Google has said that it will be ready by the end of the year for less than $1,500.

Another hot topic in the field of wearable electronics is Apple’s rumored wristwatch, dubbed the iWatch. As usual, Cupertino hasn’t officially announced anything on the subject but most industry insiders believe the product is under development with an unveiling imminent. Samsung has also confirmed they are working on a smartwatch, too.

While gadgets like Google Glass are a hot topic among tech enthusiasts, it remains to be seen whether or not the average consumer will have any interest in wearable electronics.

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Microsoft creative director on always-on console: #dealwithit (Update)

Update: Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has issued an official statement on behalf of the company.

"We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach we take to our products or how we would communicate directly with our loyal consumers.  We are very sorry if this offended anyone, however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."

-- Original story below.

We’ve been hearing for some time now that Microsoft’s next generation game console could require an always-on Internet connection and that games must be installed to the hard drive. We’ve been skeptical of such a requirement as recent as late last month but based on a recent tweet by Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth, the rumors could very well be true.

Orth took to the microblogging platform to publically proclaim that he doesn’t get the drama around having an always-on console. He points out that every device now is always-on and it’s simply the world we live in. The executive wraps up the post with #dealwithit.

As you can imagine, his post stirred up quite a bit of controversy in the Twittersphere but Orth stuck to his guns. One Twitter member said he knew of five people that didn’t have Internet access. Orth’s said those people should get with the times and get the Internet because it’s awesome.

When asked if he learned anything from Diablo III and SimCity (referring to their constant connection requirements) and that the Internet goes out occasionally, Orth shot back with a couple of analogies about electricity going out and poor mobile reception as reasons not to buy a vacuum cleaner or a mobile phone, respectively.

Microsoft has yet to publically comment on the Xbox 720 which makes Orth’s tirade especially interesting. Last we heard, Redmond was preparing to unveil their next console at a special media event next month or perhaps at E3 in June.

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Ubisoft readies Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon game 'set in the future'

When Ubisoft started teasing Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon earlier this week many just assumed it was an elaborate April Fools hoax. The website for the game, which is reminiscent of the old Geocities days with brightly colored animated gifs and a couple of visitor counter applets, depicted a dystopian future set in 2007 as envisioned sometime around the ‘80s complete with an overall B-movie feel. Well, apparently it was no joke.

Today a number of screenshots have trickled online courtesy of the official Xbox.com website. If that’s not enough proof EuroGamer also points to several other recent leaks and hints, such as the fact that the game has already been rated by the Brazilian and Australian game classification boards, and a list of achievements for the game that surfaced last week describing 400G’s worth of objectives.

The game’s narrative doesn’t appear to hold many parallels with the original Far Cry 3 besides the mention of a distant island. And the visual elements… well, it’s a dramatic departure that switches the shanty towns for futuristic neon-lit laboratories. Judging by the game’s box art you can also expect cyborgs and laser-firing dinosaurs to make an appearance too. Here's the synopsis from the official website:

The year is 2007. It is the future. Earth has been ravaged by a nuclear war and new paths for peace must be found. A U.S. cyborg army may have found a solution: a powerful bioweapon on a distant island. A Mark IV Cyber Commando, Sergeant Rex Power Colt has been sent over to gather information and figure out what the hell is going on.

Awesome? Cheesy? Awesomely cheesy? We’ll have to wait a little longer to make final judgement on that. The aforementioned game ratings suggest Blood Dragon will be coming to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, although it’s unclear if it will come in the form of a traditional expansion or as a standalone digital download.

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