On The Radar

1. Upgrade... then start all over.

   Wii U Virtual Console “upgrades” will leave save files trapped

   New features come at the expense of previous in-game progress.

   by Kyle Orland - Jan 29, 7:35 pm UTC

2. time to iterate

   Successor to Google’s Nexus 7 may bump display up to 1080p

   The tablet is a modest success, and it appears Google will stick with Nexus.

   by Casey Johnston - Jan 29, 7:25 pm UTC

3. BOB WILL BE FINE

   “Bob is having a cardiac arrest!”: Surgeon Simulator 2013 may be the best game ever

   Poor Bob fell off his toilet, resulting in urgent need for a heart transplant.

   by Lee Hutchinson - Jan 29, 7:13 pm UTC

4. End of an Epic

   Disney closes Epic Mickey creator Junction Point Studios

   Warren Spector-led studio shuttered after disappointing sales for sequel.

   by Kyle Orland - Jan 29, 5:36 pm UTC

5. Demanding answers

   Congressmen want answers from Aaron Swartz prosecutors

   Why did prosecutors seek 50 years in prison and $1 million in fines?

   by Jon Brodkin - Jan 29, 4:20 pm UTC

6. Staff Blog

   

   Going to Macworld/iWorld? Come see Jacqui talk—twice

   Ars' Apple Editor is doing Tech Talk on January 31 and a panel on February 1.

   by Jacqui Cheng - Jan 29, 4:10 pm UTC

7. EMCEE XB

   New XBMC version 12 features HD audio support

   Android and Raspberry Pi users are also included in the update.

   by Florence Ion - Jan 29, 3:30 pm UTC

8. Yes, it's true

   128GB iPad: From myth to reality in 24 hours

   Apple has announced it's expanding its existing line of fourth-generation iPads.

   by Chris Foresman - Jan 29, 2:05 pm UTC

9. Ars Editor’s Picks The web worth reading.

   1. The Quest to Create a Bionic Eye Gets Clearer Wall Street Journal
   2. Twitter's speech problem: Hashtags and hate New Yorker
   3. Chinese Graduates Say No Thanks to Factory Jobs New York Times

10. 70 percent

    US law enforcement puts pressure on Twitter with more intensity, frequency

    Twitter's second "Transparency Report" shows increasingly aggressive tactics.

    by Cyrus Farivar - Jan 29, 12:45 am UTC

11. Pirates of the Caribbean

    World Trade Organization approves new site full of “pirated” material from US

    America's ongoing dispute with Antigua and Barbuda created bizarre situation.

    by Cyrus Farivar - Jan 29, 12:10 am UTC

12. Size matters

    HP piles on with its own 14-inch Pavilion Chromebook

    A leaked spec sheet says that HP's Chromebook will be the largest yet.

    by Andrew Cunningham - Jan 28, 8:25 pm UTC

13. The Week's Top Stories

    1. How Newegg crushed the “shopping cart” patent and saved online retail
    2. Why was Earth bombarded with high-energy particles in the year 774?
    3. Yes, that PC cleanup app you saw on TV at 3am is a waste
    4. Google stands up for Gmail users, requires cops to get a warrant
    5. Microsoft fails to notice the death of the PC, posts record revenue figures instead
    6. Saturn V “moon rocket” engine firing again after 40 years, sort of
    7. Smartphone too big? Get a smaller phone for your smartphone
    8. Ubuntu considers “huge” change that would end traditional release cycle
    9. Hydrogen made with muons reveals proton size conundrum

14. I heart my haters

    Owner of “gaymer” trademark says he's an underdog, not a bully

    Vizzini says he took "a word that meant hate and turned it into something good."

    by Joe Mullin - Jan 28, 8:05 pm UTC

15. Pair a keyboard

    Apple TV update brings iTunes in the Cloud, Bluetooth keyboards

    It also updates support for iTunes 11's Up Next feature.

    by Chris Foresman - Jan 28, 7:50 pm UTC

16. People's Republic of Gaming

    China's game console ban may soon come to an end

    Hardware stocks rise as cultural ministry hints at easing of 2000 console ban.

    by Kyle Orland - Jan 28, 7:40 pm UTC

17. Can I get some tix, Siri?

    iOS 6.1 goes public with Fandango support, ad tracking reset, and more

    The update also benefits iTunes Match users who download songs from iCloud.

    by Jacqui Cheng - Jan 28, 7:00 pm UTC

18. JAVA FIX UNDONE

    Java’s new “very high” security mode can't protect you from malware

    Fix that was supposed to make malware attacks harder can be easily circumvented.

    by Dan Goodin - Jan 28, 6:55 pm UTC

19. New dog, old tricks

    DRM-free music, next-day downloads for TV on tap for BlackBerry World

    RIM releases full list of BlackBerry World content partners

    by Florence Ion - Jan 28, 6:12 pm UTC

20. Feed me Seymour!

    Starved brains kill memory-making to survive

    Forming long-term memories are too costly when resources are at a premium.

    by Allie Wilkinson - Jan 28, 5:00 pm UTC

21. Hoc paciscor sugit

    The Dealmaster: Vacuum away your cares with your own friendly robot

    Let your robot work for you while you relax in a trio of office chairs!

    by Lee Hutchinson - Jan 28, 5:00 pm UTC

22. round one: fight!

    Kindle Fire nabs 33% of Android tablet market, Nexus 7 just 8%

    We loved Google's 7-inch tablet, but it lacks Amazon's official backing.

    by Casey Johnston - Jan 28, 4:44 pm UTC

23. All the gigabytes

    128GB iPhones and iPads may be coming sooner than later

    iOS beta shows support for 128GB flash drives, despite the current 64GB limit.

    by Chris Foresman - Jan 28, 4:35 pm UTC

24. Sudo apt-get install Angry Birds

    Ubuntu phones to come with a terminal—prepare your command line skills

    Yes, this is definitely a Linux phone.

    by Jon Brodkin - Jan 28, 4:03 pm UTC

25. you can expand, but you can't hide

    NASA to help build telescope that will study Universe's dark past

    NASA has joined ESA's mission to photograph two billion galaxies.

    by Casey Johnston - Jan 28, 1:00 am UTC

26. 4/10 ain't bad

    Anti-piracy site claims small, 40 percent victory in anti-Mega campaign

    StopFileLockers.com wanted Mega resellers to withdraw PayPal processing.

    by Nathan Mattise - Jan 27, 8:30 pm UTC

27. MOAR MUZAK

    Nokia will enter the mobile music subscription game with Music+

    With Spotify, Rdio, et al.—do we need another (even one with Karaoke-style lyrics)?

    by Nathan Mattise - Jan 27, 7:10 pm UTC

28. JUSTICE MOONSHARK

    US Sentencing Commission site down, Anonymous claims responsibility (Updated)

    Group says it will release information on Supreme Court Justices if reforms aren't made.

    by Megan Geuss - Jan 26, 9:00 pm UTC

29. Week in Review

    Medieval warriors in Maryland: 12 stories you may have missed this week

    Step into our 500-person LARPing feature.

    by Ars Staff - Jan 26, 3:00 pm UTC

30. Closed Door

    Appeals court to activists: Nope, you can’t see what else the Feds have on you

    Fourth Circuit says additional "2703(d) orders" need not be disclosed.

    by Cyrus Farivar - Jan 26, 12:10 am UTC

31. Bezels-B-GONE

    “iPad 5” rumor suggests new form factor similar to iPad mini

    "iPhone 5S" is expected to have an upgraded camera and flash, too.

    by Jacqui Cheng - Jan 25, 9:15 pm UTC

32. yo dawg

    Smartphone too big? Get a smaller phone for your smartphone

    If your phone is too cumbersome or embarrassing, this accessory saves face.

    by Casey Johnston - Jan 25, 9:00 pm UTC

33. Lockdown

    Unlocking new cell phones to become illegal on Saturday

    Switching carriers without permission could run afoul of the DMCA.

    by Timothy B. Lee - Jan 25, 8:45 pm UTC

34. Deutschland FTW

    German court rules users can be compensated for Internet outages

    But the plaintiff demanded to be paid back at $67/day, which he likely won't get.

    by Cyrus Farivar - Jan 25, 8:30 pm UTC