Here’s the latest action:
The VentureBeat site today: So what happened was… We switched to a new web host, and due to a number of technical issues, the changeover was not especially smooth. In fact, if you were either trying to read our site or our RSS feeds, you probably didn’t see any of the many posts we were publishing throughout the day. The good news is that everything is in order now. So we’ll see you tomorrow, same time, same place. Thanks for bearing with us.
Microsoft launches a promising service to help you avoid traffic jams — The company’s online and mobile mapping service, maps.live.com, is launching a new feature that doesn’t just show you traffic problems on highways and major streets (which Dash Navigation and other companies can already do). The service also shows you what’s happening on side streets, meaning that you can see if your plan to take an obscure shortcut around highway traffic is actually worth the effort. It uses software algorithms that model traffic behavior on all-sized streets in cities around the country. It can calculate the traffic generated on side streets by other highway drivers trying to find shortcuts, as well as other factors, like weather, time of day, and major local events. More here.
Brazilian government pressures Google to police its users — Google’s social network, Orkut, has been a hit in Brazil. So much so, that some users have been using the site to distribute child porn, hate-speech and other inflammatory material. The Brazilian government has been trying to get Google to crack down on its wayward users. Google at first resisted, citing the free speech laws that protect it in the US. But now, Google says that it will introduce specialized filters to identify abuses, and track users for up to six months — and turn lawbreakers into the Brazilian government.
The FCC begins program to send text message disaster alerts to citizens — Since so many people carry cell phones and send text messages to each other, this is welcome news — as long as ill-doers don’t hack the system and send out false alerts.
Blockbuster working on set-top box for streaming movies to TV sets — The product, which the company hasn’t confirmed, would be connected to Movielink, according to The Hollywood reporter. Movielink lets you watch licensed films on your computer, and was purchased by Blockbuster last year.
Report: Google forced DoubleClick employees to sign non-compete clauses, then fired them — The agreement stipulated that DoubleClickers must not work with any competitor for a year, meaning those who were fired now have to look for work outside of the ad industry. Valleywag has a copy of the clause’s text, here.
Three years on, Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom turns out to just be a “promotion,” after all — The site was originally launched in 2005 to help promote the company’s 50th anniversary. It proved popular enough that it was kept running. Until now. After having started other virtual worlds like Toontown and Pirates of the Caribbean Online — and after having shelled out hundreds of millions for virtual world Club Penguin — Disney clearly would rather funnel its VMK users to these properties. But serious VMK users are not happy.
4 Comments
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Mike said:
I’m kind of surprised that the Brazilian government is pressuring google in that manner. It doesn’t seem like the type of country you would normally see associated with that type of activty.
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Robin Wauters said:
For some reason, I see your URL as your IP address: e.g.:
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Bopper said:
VMK Users are not happy at all!
Tens of thousands of players of Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) are heart broken when the http://www.vmk.com website proclaims that VMK will be shut down in May. This Massively Multiple Player Online Roleplaying Game allowed your avatar to live in a virtual rendition of Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
For many players, this is their chance to feel normal. Real the heartwrenching letters to Disney about VMK closing down and you will find letters from kids recovering from cancer, autistic kids, families…all having fun in a non-violent supportive COMMUNITY.
The VMK website now states that VMK was only supposed to be a promotion for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, but that was never told to the players. It was never stated that this would be a limited time game.
In any virtual world, be it Webkinz, Club Penguin, or VMK, you have the opportunity to play games to earn credits for virtual items. You can decorate your rooms with these items. Many VMK players have been doing this for three years now.
However, Disney has abruptly announced the end to this FREE (their emphasis) game. But how many people spent money at Disney parks or Disney Travel or Disney Merchandise to obtain virtual items over and above the ones you can only get in the game?
This reporter spent money on the following Disney items in pursuit of VMK virtual items and never bought anything off of ebay or any secondary markets.
1) Trips to Walt Disney World. I remember in 2005 when my husband I were talking about where to go on vacation, I immediately suggested Disneyworld as I wanted to do some of the in-park quests that allowed you to get park-specific virtual items for VMK.
2) Stays in the Disneyland hotels. My husband had some business trips to the L.A. area, and he went early and stayed in a Disneyland Hotel just to get the virtual “Stitch” items for VMK. They are still very rare in the VMK economy.
3) Disney Movie Rewards. We bought a few more Disney DVDs than we would have to get Disney Movie Rewards to get exclusive items for VMK.
4) Pins: I feel really stupid now, but just on Monday April 7th 2008, hours before I saw the announcment that VMK was closing I went to Epcot as I was in town for a business trip. I bought some of the real-life VMK pin sets for both the pins and the virtual codes to get more VMK items.
5) In park merchandise. With purchase of real items, you get some virtual items. I have a set of gold ears. I also have a set of virtual gold ears! I have some pins, and virtual “Penny Press” that I got with the purchase. I have a Splash Mountain Photo, and the virtual “Wanted Poster”. I have some magic tricks, and a “Magic Mirror.” Would I have bought all that without the VMK bonus? No, I wouldn’t have. Those magic tricks are sitting in my closet.
Is it silly to spend real money for virtual items? Maybe, but that is what all games have you do via purchasing items ala Webkinz, or subscribing to it like World of Warcraft or Club Penguin.
Many players feel betrayed as they have made the investment in Disney merchandise/travel, but are having their virtual rewards taken away.
No option has been given by Disney to have this change to a pay for play site.
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ForeverWDW said:
Since it’s announcement there has been a crying out from the kids and adults to allow the site to remain open. There has been an out cry from the over 250,000 active members as both young and old have bonded together in a common cause to save the site from being closed down. Online petitions have had over 6,700 signatures in the short time since the announcement. Countless e-mail and phone calls to Disney have remained unanswered or been told there is nothing that can be done. It has been said that adults have gone to CNN and tried to get them to run a short story about it but when Disney refused to comment CNN saw no point in trying to run it. Fan based sites are buzzing with activity trying every possible angle to help. There is an article written by Virtual World News http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/04/disneys- virtual.html that contains the story and also comments left by some of the members of VMK. I ask that you please take a moment of your time to read the article and comments. If the real life stories there don’t break your heart, nothing will. Disney is doing more then just simply shutting down a project. They are destroying children’s hopes and dreams. They are taking away the one place where children of all ages can be free to explore, learn, communicate, grow, imagine, heal, flourish, and DREAM.
You see VMK is more then a simple online game. VMK is a community of friends and yes even family that enjoy the magic Walt Disney inspired. Yes there are games to play but for the most part this has been an escape from the real world troubles many of us seek refuge from. Here nobody is judged for their appearance, disabilities, race, or age. We are friends all seeking support, love, and understanding. We help each other in times of need. We share in the simple joys life can bring us. We care for each other. So while yes this is a game, Disney fails to realize it has grown way beyond that. Shutting the doors is absolutely heart-wrenching for all of us.
As an adult who suffers from severe depression, anxiety attacks, and post traumatic stress this is the one true place I can forget my troubles. Here my friends unknowingly have provided the love and laughter I needed to make it through my darkest hours when I had nowhere else to turn to. When closing comes each night and we’ve danced our final dance of the day, exchanged out hugs with wishes of sweet dreams, I sit back and dream. No nightmares for me then.. I dream. Dream of what surprises await me the next day, maybe designing a new room to share some fun in with my friends, dream of the fun times we have had and more that have yet to come. Those dreams came to an end this week.
I am a mom of 2 wonderful boys who both enjoy playing VMK as much I do and have been playing a little over 2 years now. I held my oldest child tonight as he cried while saying goodbye to a long time friend I heard him say words that broke my heart to pieces. “I hate Disney. I hate them! I never want to be CEO of a place that makes kids feel like this!” My son has had one simple dream to be when he grew up. His one dream was to someday be CEO of the place he loves so very much, Disney. He has had this dream since he was 7 and now almost 6 years later, until last night, he has held fast to that dream. Gone are the days we would sit and chat about what he wanted his office to look like. Goodbye to the wonderful dreams he had to make sure every child could experience the magic that he knows is there. Farewell to our special moments we could sit and talk about things he wished to build in the parks. As I sit and hold them while they sob at each goodbye to friends they will never have a chance to talk to again I wonder why? Why is Disney doing this to all the countless children around the world. Are their hearts that cold that they don’t hear these kids screaming out? Do they not understand the anguish they are putting these kids through? So many broken hearts, so many countless tears shed, and all to blame on Disney. The one place in this world where dreams are supposed to come true. My kids dreams never included this much heartache. Tomorrow will be another day of tears and sadness. Another day of hugging them while they sob on my shoulder. All I can do is try to tell them that it will all be ok, while inside my own heart breaks in two.
Disney fails to realize the importance of this game to so many people worldwide. They fail to realize the tremendous amount of agony they are putting these kids through. They fail to realize what it is that they have done. Our family’s hearts are saddened. There is no joy here now. No buzz of excitement as a special host event time draws near. Now our home is filled with quiet dread. Each of us knows that tomorrow will bring more sadness but still we sign on to be there for our friends. To share in the last remaining few happy moments, to quietly sit with our friend knowing that they are shedding tears of heartache, to dance our last dances with dear friends we will never meet.
Disney I beg and plead of you, please change your mind. Please bring back the happiness and dreams of countless children both young in body and at heart. Don’t turn your backs on us. Cant you hear us crying?
If you need more information please see the links below to some of the many fan based web sites and petitions.
Dis Boards - http://disboards.com/forumdisplay.phps=86a0c1644c1d9d4ccc8fbabb37c30b1e&f=95
VMKMagic - http://vmkmagic.com/vbulletin/
VMKForums - http://www.vmkforums.com/
Save VMK Today Petition - http://savevmktoday.com/main.html
Save VMK Petition - http://savevmk.com/phpPETITION/results.php
