Grooveshark makes a cloned comeback, Skype and Sky face off against each other, GOG Galaxy is now open to all, a reminder to read the small print, why Joss Whedon quit Twitter, and the Apple Watch Hand counters tattoos.

Grooveshark Is Back, Kinda

Grooveshark is back, kinda. The music-streaming site officially shut down last week after almost 10 years spent battling against claims of copyright infringement. After many attempts, the music industry finally got its .com, seizing the Grooveshark domain and patents. But not before someone backed up a significant portion of the site and its contents.

There is now a clone of the old Grooveshark being hosted elsewhere online. The person behind the clone, who goes by the name of Shark, reached out to MakeUseOf via email. They claim to have been "connected to Grooveshark a few years back" and possess "the knowledge and the technological abilities to bring it [Grooveshark] back to life."

Unlike the old Grooveshark, the new Grooveshark claims to be a search engine for music, and offers lengthy defenses against any accusations of wrongdoing. However, this is unlikely to sway record labels from attacking the site with all its might. And it must be noted that we don't actually know who is behind this Grooveshark clone, so anyone using it does so at their own risk.

Skype & Sky Are Too Similar

The European Union (EU) is claiming that the names of two distinct technology companies are too similar. According to the General Court of the European Union, consumers are likely to be confused by the similarity between "Skype" and "Sky". Therefore, Microsoft has been prevented from registering trademarks for the Skype name and logo.

According to BBC News, EU judges ruled, "Conceptually, the figurative element conveys no concept, except perhaps that of a cloud. [That] would further increase the likelihood of the element 'Sky' being recognized within the word element 'Skype', for clouds are to be found 'in the sky' and thus may readily be associated with the word 'sky'."

For those who are confused about the differences between the two, Skype is a communications app owned by Microsoft, while Sky is a telecoms company owned by Rupert Murdoch. Sky could now either force Skype to change its name or pursue Microsoft for a licensing fee. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft is expected to appeal the decision.

GOG Galaxy Now Open To All

GOG Galaxy is now available to all as an open beta, with Good Old Games bringing its Steam alternative to a wider audience. GOG Galaxy works very similarly to Steam, with updates to games and community features. However, unlike Steam, GOG Galaxy is completely devoid of DRM (Digital Rights Management).

You can sign up to join the open beta now on Windows or Mac, with a Linux version coming soon. According to The Verge, the first big game to support GOG Galaxy will be The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, released on May 19. However, there are already more than 1,000 other titles already available through the platform.

Microsoft Owns Your Face

Anyone who uploaded an image of themselves (or others) to the How-Old.net website, which went viral at the end of last week, has inadvertently given Microsoft permission to use that image elsewhere. Because small print. As discovered by The Consumerist, Microsoft included the following passage in the Terms of Use:

[B]y posting, uploading, inputting, providing, or submitting your Submission, you are granting Microsoft, its affiliated companies, and necessary sublicensees permission to use your Submission in connection with the operation of their Internet businesses (including, without limitation, all Microsoft services), including, without limitation, the license rights to: copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate, and reformat your Submission; to publish your name in connection with your Submission; and to sublicense such rights to any supplier of the Website Services.

This is another reminder to always read the small print before actually getting involved. However, Microsoft is extremely unlikely to actually now use your image to advertise Windows 10 or Office 365. That is unless you're extremely photogenic. Which is, let's face it, probably not the case.

Joss Whedon Quits Twitter

Joss Whedon, best known of late for directing The Avengers: Age of Ultron, has quit Twitter. He deleted his account on the social networking site suddenly and without warning just a few days after the movie was released in the U.S.

His final tweet read, "Thank you to all the people who've been so kind and funny and inspiring up in here." However, there is speculation that Whedon ditched Twitter after being flooded with negative messages for his treatment of Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff).

Despite Whedon being known as a strong advocate for women's rights, some people have accused him of playing down Romanoff's role in The Avengers, turning her into nothing more than a love interest for the male characters. Which appears, on the surface at least, to be a valid complaint.

Apple Introduces Watch Hand

And finally, Apple has a solution for potential Apple Watch buyers who have tattoos on their wrists. It turns out that tattoos prevent the heart sensor on the Apple Watch from working, leaving inked owners feeling like the Tin Woodman from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

However, Apple has solved the problem by launching the Apple Watch Hand, an artificial hand on a stick that can wear the Apple Watch instead. Or it could just be Conan O'Brien trolling Apple again. We'll let you make up your own minds. [H/T CNET]

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

How long do you think the new Grooveshark will survive before being shut down? Have you ever got Skype and Sky confused with each other? What do you think are the real reasons for Joss Whedon quitting Twitter?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Image Credit: Pedro Ângelo via Flickr