In context: In the early 2000s, when Valve's primary income came from developing games, the studio almost went under. If it had not been for the actions of a summer intern, Valve would have gone belly up, and Steam would not have existed. The story of this pivotal moment in gaming history was recently recounted in Secret Tape's Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Documentary. The trouble began after multinational conglomerate Vivendi acquired Sierra Entertainment. Sierra had a long-time relationship with Valve, producing and distributing Half-Life and all of its spinoff games, including Counter-Strike. The conflict began when Vivendi began licensing Counter-Strike to Korean internet cafes. Vivendi did this without Valve's consent.According to Gabe Newell and COO Scott Lynch, it went against their distribution agreement, which they had hammered out with Vivendi during the Sierra acquisition."Sierra, by that point, had become acquired by Vivendi, [which] had worldwide distribution rights, but only for retail package products," Valve lawyer Karl Quakenbush explained (below).At the time, Valve didn't think it was a big deal and simply asked Vivendi to acknowledge it had broken its licensing agreement. Valve wasn't even asking for any compensation for the internet cafe licensing. However, Vivendi refused, saying it had the right, so Valve filed a lawsuit. Even though the proceedings were going to court, the company still only wanted recognition of the breach of contract and reimbursement of the modest legal fees, which were in the tens of thousands of dollars range at that point.Vivendi did not take the filing lightly. Instead, it went "World War III" on Valve, filing multiple countersuits. The counterclaims were not minor either. Vivendi's legal actions included canceling Valve's agreements, seizing ownership of the Half-Life IP, and blocking the development of Steam. Not only that, Vivendi filed lawsuits against Newell and Lynch, making the matter personal. // Related Stories"And so it was kind of like, 'Well, we're gonna put Valve out of business, and then we're gonna bankrupt the two of you,'" Lynch recollected. "I think that was a lot of what they felt like was their path towards winning this fight."Although Valve was quite successful as a game studio at the time, it was no match for Vivendi's seemingly unlimited resources. It was a true David versus Goliath fight, except that in this instance, all Goliath had to do was run out the clock.Newell admitted that there came a point when the company was nearly bankrupt. He asked Lynch if he should put his house on the market to cover legal expenses and finish Half-Life 2."Yeah, I think it's time where you put the house on the market if we want to keep going," Lynch recalls telling Gabe.Ironically, Valve finally got a break because of a "bullsh** move" that Vivendi pulled. In an act of malicious compliance, the conglomerate turned over millions of pages of discovery, all in Korean. Vivendi was confident that Valve could never go through the sheer volume of documentation, let alone translate it, without running out of money first.Little did the Goliath know that Valve just happened to hire a summer intern named Andrew, who was not only a language studies major but also a native Korean speaker. Andrew combed through the discovery and stumbled upon the needle in the haystack.In the reams of documents, which even Vivendi hadn't read, which would become apparent later, was an email from a Korean Vivendi executive discussing orders from higher up, instructing the destruction of documents pertaining to the case. This discovery completely flipped the script. David's stone had struck Goliath right between the eyes.When confronted with the evidence, Vivendi had no choice but to settle favorably with Valve, covering its now considerable legal fees and giving Valve full ownership of its Half-Life IP. With the victory in hand, Valve launched Steam and released Half-Life 2, propelling it into the gaming powerhouse it is today.Without Andrew's timely intervention (and luck), Valve may have faded into obscurity, known only for Half-Life and its three spinoff titles. We would have no Portal, Left 4 Dead, or Dota. Counter-Strike's esports legacy might never have existed. Perhaps most importantly, there would be no Steam.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Beats This story is part of the Digital Trends Black Friday coverage 2024 Update 11/19/24: Black Friday is still over a week away, but you can already start your shopping with the Black Friday deals under $100 that weve gathered here. Theres a possibility that these affordable items get even bigger discounts when the sale officially launches, but we wont blame you if youre already tempted by todays prices.ContentsBlack Friday will start on November 29, but if youve already got the itch to shop, check out the early Black Friday deals under $100 that weve gathered here. The offers cover smart home devices, laptops, TVs, kitchen gadgets, and so much more, so if you want to start enjoying discounts without blowing your entire budget for the shopping event, take a look at our favorite bargains below.For larger potential purchases, you can also take a look at our Black Friday deals across all retailers. If youre already willing to spend a lot to avoid the chaos of the holiday season, weve got a lot of other roundups for you to browse, including Black Friday TV deals and Black Friday gaming laptop deals. You should hurry with your transactions though, as theres a chance that stocks run out even before Black Friday begins.Related$40 55% offAmazonThe Amazon Echo Pop is the most affordable entry in its line of smart speakers that are powered by Amazons Alexa. Its a great way to access Alexa without spending too much cash, says our guide on which Amazon Echo should you buy, and it offers pretty decent sound for its price. You can get it at 55% off, for a discount of $22.$60 33% offSamsungThe Samsung Galaxy A03s is an inexpensive smartphone thats currently even more affordable with this 33% discount that brings its price down by $20. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ screen, octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. This smartphone is locked to Straight Talk though, which will be fine if you want a prepaid plan for it anyway.$60 25% offMicrosoftThe Microsoft Xbox Core wireless gaming controller isnt just for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S its also compatible with the Xbox One X and the PC, as well as mobile devices running on Android or iOS. It features Bluetooth technology for wireless connections, a 3.5mm port for headsets, and up to 40 hours of battery life. Its on sale at 25% off, for savings of $15.$85 41% offHPThe HP DeskJet 2755e is an affordable wireless color inkjet printer thats on sale with a 41% discount, slashing its price by $35. It can print up to five pages per minute, and it can also function as a copier or scanner. The printer also comes with three months of HPs Instant Ink, a program that will send you ink when your cartridges are running low so there will be no interruption to your printing schedule.$89 34% offNinjaThe Ninja AF100 air fryer will let you cook fried food using little to no oil, so you and your family wont consume too much grease. This air fryer, which is down by $30 following a 34% discount, comes with a basket offering a capacity of 4 quarts, a wide temperature range of 105 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and easy cleaning as the basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe.$150 53% offKeurigThe Keurig K-Select coffee maker is a great choice for making single-serve beverages using Keurigs K-Cup pods, which come in a wide range of flavors. You can brew cups of 6 ounces, 8 ounces, 10 ounces, and 12 ounces with this coffee maker, and all it takes is a single press of a button. It will be yours for less than half-price following a 53% discount, which translates to $80 in savings.$140 46% offAmazonThe Amazon Fire HD 10 is the tablet that you want to buy if you want to maximize Amazons Alexa, as the device supports voice commands for the digital assistant. It features a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Full HD resolution, a battery life of 13 hours, and 32GB of storage that you can expand by up to 1TB through a microSD card. The tablet is on sale at 46% off, for savings of $65.$299 73% offASUSChromebooks are generally more affordable than Windows-based laptops, and the Asus CX1700CK Chromebook is the perfect example with its 73% discount that further reduces its price by $218. Inside are the Intel Celeron N4500 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 630, and 4GB of RAM, and its 17.3-inch Full HD screen is big and sharp for its cost.$130 31% offInsigniaYou dont have to spend a lot if you want a smart TV, as the 32-inch Insignia F20 Series HD TV, which runs on Amazons Fire TV platform, is even less expensive: $40 after a 31% discount. The TV also comes with an Alexa Voice Remote for voice commands to Amazons Alexa, and it also supports Apples AirPlay so you can stream videos, photos, and music to the TV.$200 50% offSimon Cohen / Digital TrendsThe Beats Solo 4 were just released earlier this year, but theyre already on sale at 50% off, so you can enjoy savings of $100. These wireless headphones dont offer active noise cancellation or Bluetooth multipoint, but theyre lightweight and comfortable to wear, and provide fantastic sound quality while also supporting spatial audio. They can last up to 50 hours from a full charge, and a quick 10 minutes of charging will replenish 5 hours of usage.There are so many Black Friday deals under $100 that its going to be tough to narrow down your choices, but were here to help you out. You should begin by thinking about what you really need you wouldnt want to make a purchase just because its affordable. If you want easier access to your favorite digital assistant, get a smart speaker; if you want entertainment for your children in their room, get an affordable TV; and if you want to cook more recipes, get kitchen gadgets like an air fryer.Youre going to have to be vigilant when shopping Black Friday deals that are selling for less than $100, as some of these products sacrifice quality for low prices. We highly recommend sticking to trusted brands so that you wont find yourself regretting your purchases for the shopping event. It may also help to set your maximum budget before you start looking at these Black Friday deals under $100, so that you wont go overboard.Its a given that Black Friday deals under $100 will be affordable, especially for the huge discounts that knock down the prices of certain products from more than $100. For our recommendations above, we focused on the bargains that will give you the best value for your money, whether that means getting a helpful device for next to nothing or taking advantage of huge savings.These Black Friday deals under $100 may be available from more than one retailer, but we assure you that the prices that we have here are the lowest for the shopping event. Well keep looking for better bargains until the end of Black Friday, and well update this page whenever we find them. You may want to leave a bookmark so you can stay tuned whenever we find lower prices or add even more deals.Editors Recommendations

One of Googles upcoming big projects could be a high-end laptop slated to be the next rival of the MacBook Pro.An internal email obtained by Android Headlines detailed that Google has greenlit a project for a device codenamed Snowy. The email suggests the device is a laptop with premium specifications similar to the Dell XPS, Microsoft Surface Laptop, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, and the brands largest competitor, Apples MacBook Pro. With the project past the concept phase, it would likely be quickly expanded into a viable product under the Pixel line.Recommended VideosGoogle already has a long history of Pixel laptops. It introduced the first Chromebook Pixel in 2013, followed by a second generation in 2015. The brand released the more cost-effective Pixelbook in 2017 and Pixelbook Go in 2019, before taking an extended break from laptop development. At the time, these were two of the best Chromebooks ever made, though they certainly were priced higher than what typical Chromebook shoppers were used to. Notably, the company hasnt been completely out of the market as it has been providing ChromeOS to its hardware partners and developing its Gemini AI system as an on-device feature for third-party laptops.Rumors about Google developing a new Pixel Laptop have surfaced at an interesting time as there is also speculation that the brand is considering unifying its ChromeOS and Android operating systems. This is also expected to be a strategy to compete against Apple in the tablet market.GoogleReports suggest that the hybrid Android and ChromeOS systems could be used for both Android tablets and Chromebook laptops to make both products entertainment and productivity powerhouses. With Google collaborating with varying partners in addition to releasing its own Pixel devices, it could be a solid strategy to use the merged system to eat at Apples iPad iOS market share.So far, there is little known about the Pixel Laptop. If Google doesnt use a unified ChromeOS and Android system for the coming laptop, it will likely run ChromeOS, similar to the original Pixelbooks. There are a number of components available that could be potential features on the Pixel Laptop, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, T3 noted.We also keep in mind Google has its Tensor in-house SoC series, which could be a contender as hardware for the laptop. Many rumors already suggest Google already has plans to use upcoming Tensor chips in future tablets and wearables and could likely be configured for laptops. However, nothing can be confirmed about the Pixel Laptop at this time.In terms of competition with Apple, analyst reports also suggest that the brand wont release its next major overhaul of its MacBook Pro line until 2026, which could feature an OLED display and M6 chip based on the 2nm process. This could give Google some time to truly flesh out its product.Editors Recommendations

Artificial intelligence has the potential to hold down prices for a host of complex and more-expensive services

The Competition and Markets Authority said it wouldnt open an in-depth investigation into Googles investment in the AI startup.

Led by Kirill Petrenko, the orchestra brought a rich sound and forceful vision to works by Rachmaninoff, Korngold, Dvok and Bruckner during the New York leg of its American tour.

The singer-songwriter blends the styles of the 70s and Tin Pan Alley on this collection of character studies, which often puncture the pretensions of his own persona.

Just you wait A year after ditching waitlist, Starlink says it is sold out in parts of US SpaceX's Starlink doesn't have enough capacity for everyone who wants it. Jon Brodkin Nov 19, 2024 5:11 pm | 32 The standard Starlink satellite dish. Credit: Starlink The standard Starlink satellite dish. Credit: Starlink Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe Starlink waitlist is back in certain parts of the US, including several large cities on the West Coast and in Texas. The Starlink availability map says the service is sold out in and around Seattle; Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; Sacramento, California; and Austin, Texas. Neighboring cities and towns are included in the sold-out zones.There are additional sold-out areas in small parts of Colorado, Montana, and North Carolina. As PCMag noted yesterday, the change comes about a year after Starlink added capacity and removed its waitlist throughout the US.Elsewhere in North America, there are some sold-out areas in Canada and Mexico. Across the Atlantic, Starlink is sold out in London and neighboring cities. Starlink is not yet available in most of Africa, and some of the areas where it is available are sold out.Starlink is generally seen as most useful in rural areas with less access to wired broadband, but it seems to be attracting interest in more heavily populated areas, too. While detailed region-by-region subscriber numbers aren't available publicly, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said last week that Starlink has nearly 5 million users worldwide.Capacity problemsIt's been clear for a while that Starlink has enough capacity in much of its network and capacity problems in other areas. This was reflected in pricing as Starlink has a $100 "congestion charge" and used to offer lower monthly prices in areas with excess capacity. The SpaceX division offers broadband from over 6,600 satellites and is frequently launching more.It's still possible to order in waitlisted areas, but it's unclear how long people will have to wait. A message in the checkout system says, "Starlink is at capacity in your area. Order now to reserve your Starlink. You will receive a notification once your Starlink is ready to ship." A $99 deposit is required.PCMag notes that users can "bypass the waitlist by subscribing to the pricier Starlink Roam tier." However, they could run into performance problems in congested areas with Roam, which is marketed for use while traveling, not as a fixed home Internet service. Starlink could also block Roam service in specific areas.Roam costs $599 up-front for hardware and $50 a month for 50GB of data, or $165 for unlimited service. Residential Starlink has a hardware price of $349 and monthly service price of $120.Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 32 Comments Prev story

Musi, come back Musi fans refuse to update iPhones until Apple unblocks controversial app Musi doesnt risk extinction over App Store removal, Apple says. Ashley Belanger Nov 19, 2024 4:24 pm | 38 Credit: nicoletaionescu | iStock / Getty Images Plus Credit: nicoletaionescu | iStock / Getty Images Plus Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn more"Who up missing Musi?" a Reddit user posted in a community shocked by the free music streaming app's sudden removal from Apple's App Store in September.Apple kicked Musi out of the App Store after receiving several copyright complaints. Musi works by streaming music from YouTubeseemingly avoiding paying to license songsand YouTube was unsurprisingly chief among those urging Apple to stop allowing the alleged infringement.Musi was previously only available through the App Store. Once Musi was removed from the App Store, anyone who downloaded Musi could continue using the app uninterrupted. But if the app was ever off-loaded during an update or if the user got a new phone, there would be no way to regain access to their Musi app or their playlists.Some Musi fans only learned that Apple booted Musi after they updated their phones, and the app got offloaded with no option to re-download. Panicked, these users turned to the Musi subreddit for answers, where Musi's support staff has consistently responded with reassurances that Musi is working to bring the app back to the App Store. For many Musi users learning from others' mistakes, the Reddit discussions leave them with no choice but to refuse to update their phones or risk losing their favorite app.It may take months before Musi fans can exit this legal limbo. After Apple gave in to the pressure, Musi sued in October, hoping to quickly secure an injunction that would force Apple to reinstate Musi in the App Store until the copyright allegations were decided. But a hearing on that motion isn't scheduled until January, making it appear unlikely that Musi will be available again to download until sometime next year.Musi claimed Apple breached its contract by removing the app before investigating YouTube's claims. The music-streaming app is concerned that the longer the litigation drags on, the more likely that its users will move on. A mass exodus of users "risks extinction," Musi argued, telling the court the app fears a potentially substantial loss in revenue over allegedly unsubstantiated copyright claims.But Apple filed its opposition to the injunction last Friday, urging the court to agree that because Musi fans who still have the app installed can continue streaming, Musi is not at risk of "extinction.""Musi asserts that its app is still in use by its preexisting customer base, and so Musi is presumably still earning revenue from ads," Apple's opposition filing said. "Moreover, Musiprovides no evidence relating to its financial condition and no evidence that it is unable to survive until a decision on the merits in this case."According to Apple, Musi is not being transparent about its finances, but public reporting showed the app "earned more than $100 million in advertising revenue between January 2023 and spring 2024 and employs 10 people at most."Apple warned that granting Musi's injunction puts Apple at risk of copyright violations. The App Store owner claimed that it takes no sides in this dispute that's largely between Musi and YouTube. But to Apple, it would be unreasonable to expect Apple to investigate every copyright notice it receives when thousands of third parties send notices annually. Thats partly why Apple's contract stipulates that any app can be removed from the App Store "at any time, with or without cause." Apple further claimed that Musi has not taken serious steps to address YouTube's or any other rights holders' concerns."The public interest in the preservation of intellectual property rights weighs heavilyagainst the injunction sought here, which would force Apple to distribute an app over the repeated and consistent objections of non-parties who allege their rights are infringed by the app," Apple argued.Musi fans vow loyaltyFor Musi fans expressing their suffering on Reddit, Musi appears to be irreplaceable.Unlike other free apps that continually play ads, Musi only serves ads when the app is initially opened, then allows uninterrupted listening. One Musi user also noted that Musi allows for an unlimited number of videos in a playlist, where YouTube caps playlists at 5,000 videos."Musi is the only playback system I have to play all 9k of my videos/songs in the same library," the Musi fan said. "I honestly don't just use Musi just cause its free. It has features no other app has, especially if you like to watch music videos while you listen to music.""Spotify isn't cutting it," one Reddit user whined."I hate Spotify," another user agreed."I think of Musi every other day," a third user who apparently lost the app after purchasing a new phone said. "Since I got my new iPhone, I have to settle for other music apps just to get by (not enough, of course) to listen to music in my car driving. I will be patiently waiting once Musi is available to redownload."Some Musi fans who still have access gloat in the threads, while others warn the litigation could soon doom the app for everyone.Musi continues to perhaps optimistically tell users that the app is coming back, reassuring anyone whose app was accidentally offloaded that their libraries remain linked through iCloud and will be restored if it does.Some users buy into Musi's promises, while others seem skeptical that Musi can take on Apple. To many users still clinging to their Musi app, updating their phones has become too risky until the litigation resolves."Please," one Musi fan begged. "Musi come back!!!"Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 38 Comments

The social media giants acquisition of WhatsApp is facing growing antitrust scrutiny over data sharing between its other applications.