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Considering that GameStop and GameFly both were significantly impacted by Microsoft’s original policies regarding used games on the Xbox One, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that both companies have come out to praise Microsoft for reversing those policies. In response to an inquiry from Polygon, a representative from leading video game retailer GameStop commented on the news, saying that the move is “great news for gamers,” and applauding the company for “understanding consumers and the importance of the pre-owned market.” GameStop’s shareholders will undoubtedly be pleased by the news as well; as of writing, GameStop’s stock has risen just under six percent in after-hours trading. GameStop isn’t the only company pleased by the news, of course. In a statement to Joystiq, Sean Spector, co-founder of game rental service GameFly and SVP of business development and content, also had a few nice words for Microsoft. “I always felt good about the future of GameFly, but I feel better today,” Spector told the site. “Today is a win/win for consumers, as well as GameFly. I think choice is always important and now consumers have more choice. And I give [Microsoft] credit for listening to their consumers.” Spector wasn’t willing to go into any details, but the company had been in talks with Microsoft for some sort of deal. “I think the original proposal would have been detrimental to lots of people’s [business] systems,” Spector said. “Not just GameFly. And, most importantly, gamers. Based on what I’ve read today, which is all I know today, it’s business as usual for Xbox. Their statement is really cut and dry.” Have any thoughts to share on Microsoft’s Xbox One policy reversal? Sound off in the comments section below. GameStop, GameFly Praise Microsoft For Xbox One Policy Changes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Unruly scenes in Kerala assembly over solar scam

Advani meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Delhi

Discounts by retailers and lower interest rates boost spending for a ninth consecutive month, according to figures from the Commonwealth Bank.

As thousands of people remained untraceable in Uttarakhand, the Indian Air Force has resumed air rescue operations after a brief suspension.

Rutgers University in New Jersey will set up the ICCR Chair of Contemporary Indian Studies.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says the Western Bulldogs are playing much better football than when the Tigers thrashed them in round three.

New Jersey school officials have threatened a 12-year-old hearing-impaired girl to stop using sign language to communicate on the school bus or face a 3-day suspension according to The Washington Times. Danica Lesko and her parents have told reporters that sign language is the only way for her to communicate after she lost her hearing in an accident. The Washington Times said that officials at Stonybrook School and district officials in Branchburg New Jersey have said that signing is a safety hazard. “In a statement released through the school district’s attorney, David Rubin, the Branchburg Board of Education insisted it did not violate anyone’s rights and is only trying to protect other students,” ABC News reported. “The Board is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities, and is satisfied that there has been no violation of that policy in this case. “The Board is also committed to assuring the safety of all students who travel on District buses, and will continue to take appropriate steps to accomplish that goal,” the statement said. According to The Washington Times, Mary Ann Lesko, Danica’s mother said, “She has a hearing problem, and now she’s being punished for using sign language. It’s absurd.” Danica’s parents are considering suing over the school’s threat because they claim that the officials are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. Parents are very protective when it comes to their children and their rights and safety. Some recent news regarding children’s safety included the parents that included the Facebook kidnapping prevented by the child’s parents, and there was also the story of the mother who set up her own sting to nab an online predator. Parents are protective over their children, and in the case of Danica Lesko, her parents should be concerned. How accommodating can the school be if they are telling a hearing-impaired girl that she can’t use sign language to communicate? Image via Shutterstock/Pavzyuk Svitlana] Hearing-Impaired Girl Banned From Using Sign Language At School is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a bid to compete with other established instant messaging services, Hike, a free cross-platform messaging app from  Bharti Soft Bank (BSB) , has announced major updates. The 2.2.0 version of Hike adds features like stickers, walkie talkie, offline messaging and support for four new languages. The updates are currently being rolled out for apps on iOS, Android and Windows Phone platform, according to the company blog. First up, the more than 5 million user app has added a walkie-talkie feature which is push to talk service that lets users send quick voice messages to each other. The feature is similar to that of WeChat that allows conversation in real time with your contacts. On opening a chat with a friend, you will notice a little icon that appears in place of the send message button that now allows you to send a voice message. The icon changes back to a message icon as soon as you start typing. Other new features introduced in v2.2 of hike include a mode called Last Seen, which allows users to share with chosen friends when they were last online. Finally, Hike has added ’hike Offline‘ feature which allows users to send offline messages to friends. The message will go as a free SMS to that person. The reply from the offline user comes back into hike for other online users. The latest update also brings support to four new foreign languages- Spanish, French, Russian, and Portuguese. I wonder why it has not added support for Indian languages like Hindi, Gujarati etc. This move suggests that it is targeting global audience. Apart from this, Hike has introduced stickers with different emotions and characters which can be used while chatting. These stickers include  Miley the cat, Snuggles the dog, Expressions, Rage Faces and Bollywood pack. Earlier in April this year, Hike secured  a funding of $7 million from BSB. In May, BSB partnered Nokia to pre-load Hike on its smartphones. According to the company about 60% of hike’s user base comes from India  and the rest global led by Middle East and Europe. The update from Hike is obvious considering the extremely competitive instant messaging market. Hike faces tough competition from apps PlusTxt and GupShup. Although it is way behind the more established ones like WhatsApp, Nimbuzz and WeChat. Looking For A Social Media Agency?? - Contact WATConsult - India's Leading Social Media Agency

If floods are here, could the vultures be far behind via @IndiaToday