Apple : MacBook Pro 16-inch laptop gets sick $200 discount at Best Buy |
- MacBook Pro 16-inch laptop gets sick $200 discount at Best Buy
- Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next
- Diablo Immortal: everything there is to know about Blizzard's mobile RPG
- When is Star Trek: Picard episode 4 released?
- Star Trek: Picard episode 3 recap: we're left with more questions than answers
- BioShock 4: everything we know about the new BioShock
- Why should you give a damn about movies with high frame rates in 2020?
- Many businesses still haven't patched Citrix flaw
- Best blogging platforms of 2020
- Cloud computing spending breaks all records in 2019
- These true wireless earbuds are cheaper than the AirPods – and longer lasting, too
- Save £100 on a OnePlus 7 Pro from John Lewis as it drops to near-Black Friday prices
- Oscars 2020 live stream: how to watch the Academy Awards online from anywhere
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- Scotland vs England live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere
- PS5 rumors roundup: the most (and least) likely PlayStation 5 rumors from this week
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- Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the next Xbox
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| MacBook Pro 16-inch laptop gets sick $200 discount at Best Buy Posted: 07 Feb 2020 02:03 PM PST When Apple launched the 16-inch MacBook Pro late last year, it finally brought a wealth of improvements that we've been requesting for years - though it came with a hefty price tag. But, if that gargantuan price made you think twice about adopting a MacBook Pro with a competent keyboard, we've got good news: it's slightly cheaper right now at Best Buy. If you're a My Best Buy member, you can save up to $200 on a MacBook Pro 16-inch with an Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. That brings the price down from $2,799 to $2,599 which is, well, still expensive. However, that's kind of just the way of things when it comes to the best Macs. This one, however, is genuinely the best MacBook that's been made in years, at least since the MacBook Pro was redesigned back in 2015. That 8-core, 16-thread Intel Core i9 processor paired with 16GB of RAM will make this laptop absolutely demolish any computing workload you could think to throw at it. This is definitely an expensive laptop, but you genuinely won't find a more capable portable machine running macOS Catalina - unless, of course, you count the wheels on the Mac Pro.
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| Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next Posted: 07 Feb 2020 01:40 PM PST Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets. And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience. So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and community events are still going strong. Plus we have some more themed events and brand new Gen 5 Pokémon to catch! But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.
Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates
Pokémon Go Battle League Niantic has rolled out the long-awaited Pokémon Go Battle League to trainers of Level 10 and above. At the moment, the League is in Preseason, the time before competitive play really begins. Niantic is using this as a kind of testing period in which they can "optimize and balance" the new feature as well as decide on things like season lengths and ranks. Trainer Battles within the GO Battle League will rotate between three leagues and players will be able to rank against fellow Trainers, earning rewards for ranking. For preseason, the GO Battle League is beginning with the Great League, which will be followed by the Ultra League then the Master League. Even though preseason isn't competitive, players can still rank but it will be partially reset when Season 1 properly starts. Rewards for battling and winning can also be earned during preseason. Entering the Battle League isn't possible until a player has walked 5km (although in preseason this requirement is waived). They'll then unlock five online matches up to three times a day by doing this. Players can earn Stardust depending on rank and number of battles won as well as items like Rare Candies and TMS as well as the chance to get exclusive Pokémon encounters. Other rewards will include Pikachu Libre and exclusive avatar items inspired by it. Niantic has also announced that it's turning Premium Raid Passes into Premium Battle Passes. The pass will have a double function, allowing players to enter Raid Battles or the premium track in the Go Battle League. Winning using the Premium Battle Pass could yield better rewards and will lower the number of wins needed to earn a Pokémon encounter. The Great League is currently underway and will rotate to the Ultra League on Monday, February 10, before going into the Master League on Monday 24 February. Things will go back around to the Great League on March 9. Niantic has promised more details on when Season 1 of the Go Battle League will officially begin soon. Woobat debut Woobat is making its debut in Pokémon Go through the February Research Breakthrough. From February 1 until March 1 the psychic-flying type from Unova will be available as an encounter in Research Breakthroughs with bonus Candies.
What's the next Pokémon Go Event?Celebrating the Sinnoh Region There will be a Sinnoh Celebration event from February 7 until February 10 during which Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region will appear more often in the wild and in Raids. 7km eggs will also exclusively hatch some Pokémon from the region such as Budew, Combee and Bronzor. There'll also be a chance to encounter Shiny Riolu or Shiny Hippopotas. Celebrating Valentine's Day Hot on the heels of the Sinnoh Region event, there will be a special Valentine's themed event running from February 14 to February 17. During this event, pink Pokémon will appear more often in the wild, in raids, in Eggs, and as rewards for Field Research encounters. As part of the event, Audino, the Hearing Pokémon, and Alomomola, the Caring Pokémon, will also be debuting in the game. As rare Pokémon they won't appear all that often. In addition to these Pokémon, Lure Modules will last for six hours and there'll be a double Catch Candy bonus. On February 15 there'll be a special Raid Day from 2pm to 5pm starring Lickitung. The pink Pokémon will appear in four-star Raids with the move Body Slam in its repertoire. There's also a chance of encountering a shiny Lickitung. Live Events Niantic has announced that Pokémon Go Live Events will be coming to Taiwan, the US and the UK this year. The event in Taiwan will celebrate the Lantern Festival and will be free-to-enter while the others will be ticketed at a cost of $12/£12 for General Admission and $18/£18 for Early Admission.
When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?
The votes are in and Niantic has confirmed that Rhyhorn is going to be the starring Pokémon for February's community day with the special attack Rock Wrecker. Then, the Community Day will take place on February 22, running from 11am to 2pm on the Northern Hemisphere and 3pm to 6pm on the Southern Hemisphere. Pokémon Go update: what's next?GO Battle League Niantic has announced that a new feature called GO Battle League will be coming to the game in early 2020. It will build on the current trainer battles system and will encourage players to get out and explore. According to Niantic, players will walk to earn entry into the Battle League. Once they're in they'll be able to battle players from around the world through an online matching system. Win and lose, they'll rise and fall in the ranks of the worldwide league. We'll keep updating with more information on Battle League as it's announced.
Pokémon Go Plus dealsWant to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below. (Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Diablo Immortal: everything there is to know about Blizzard's mobile RPG Posted: 07 Feb 2020 01:19 PM PST Click. Hack. Click. Slash. Click. Loot. Repeat. Welcome, you're in the world of Diablo now. For the uninitiated, Diablo is the world’s premier action RPG series. It's a game that's effectively spawned many an imitator, but few have managed to come close to the original's addictive, dungeon-crawling, gear-gathering grind. Blizzard, the developer of Diablo, managed to blow away the competition on the PC and finally won over console gamers with Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition. And now they're making a move that's a bit unexpected, and has ruffled a few feathers: they're setting their sights on your smartphone, with plans to bring the demon-slaying franchise to your palm with Diablo for smartphones, which will be called Diablo Immortal. However, the move from PC to console to smartphone has been a controversial one, and already seems to be dividing the game's hardcore fanbase. We're not sure where we stand yet. But we do think that Diablo Immortal could be a genuine antidote to all the horrible Diablo clones that plague mobile game stores, right? Blizzard has remained largely quiet about Diablo Immortal since its controversial reveal, dropping the occassional update, and instead focusing on Diablo 4 at Blizzcon 2019. But we're still excited to see Diablo hit mobile devices, so here's everything you need to know about Diablo Immortal. [Update: It's been confirmed there are Alpha Tests coming for Diablo Immortal. Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase – Diablo on phones
Diablo Immortal release date
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment Diablo Immortal doesn’t have an official release date yet beyond a “coming soon” placeholder. We had been expecting a 2019 release, but a statement in February of 2019 from Blizzard CFO Dennis Durkin, aimed at easing investor expectations, stated that the company had no major releases planned for 2019. It's possible that we could see Diablo Immortal release this year, as the game seems to be fairly far along in development, but we'll have to wait for news from Blizzard on an official release date. Diablo Immortal trailersBlizzCon 2019 brought a gameplay and development update trailer for Diablo Immortal which shows some new character classes, gameplay mechanics and locations. Check it out below: Two trailers were revealed for Diablo Immortal during Blizzcon 2018 – one a relatively extensive look at gameplay, the other a cinematic focusing on the story. Feast your eyes on both below: Diablo Immortal gameplay and story
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment It may be a mobile game, but for the most part this is going to be the same Diablo you already know and love, albeit with controls designed to make the most out of a phone touchscreen rather than a mouse or controller. Developed cooperatively between Blizzard and Chinese devs at NetEase (the company which co-operates Overwatch, Diablo 3 and Warcraft in China), the game will be set five years after the events of Diablo 2, and will explore what happened after the Worldstone was destroyed in that game, and the path taken to the dismal world of Diablo 3. The likes of Tyrael, Malthael, and Leah and Deckard Cain will all feature in the story, as will the demon hunters Valla and Josen who appeared in Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm. In terms of foes, expect appearances from Diablo’s buddy Baal and Skarn, the Herald of Terror. Story beats will be dished out via non-playable characters, with additional storylines landing through updates to the game.
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment Built from the ground-up, Diablo Immortal will introduce new abilities and techniques not yet seen in a Diablo game. While six familiar classes will be present (Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Necromancer, Crusader and Wizard – with the Witch Doctor notably absent at this stage), they’ll be able to work together in all new ways. Abilities will be able to be combined to make cross class co-operative play more exciting. A Wizard for instance will be able to freeze a foe with ice crystals before firing a beam called the Ray of Frost into the crystal. When used individually, the Ray of Frost and ice crystals can only take down one baddie, but if the ray is fired at the crystal, it fragments the beam so it can hit multiple enemies. Players will be able to use Ultimate Abilities (charged through repeated basic attacks) and Legendary items in order to enhance their powers and unleash well-timed devastating attacks that could give them the edge in a difficult battle.
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment Projectile and melee attacks will also be more clearly directional now—many attacks will include a a directional cone within which to fire them off, which will likely be handy when attempting to trigger the combo moves described earlier. The other big change for the game will be the amount of players who can team up together. Previously, this has topped out at four for Diablo 3. But footage of Diablo Immortal shows as many as ten players banding together to battle foes. Early reports indicate that these large scale battles will be locked to open world areas, with instanced dungeons (and the boss specific loot they offer) instead tied to four-player maximum parties. There also seems to be a greater emphasis on environmental and platforming obstacles in Diablo Immortal. The gameplay clip showed levels in which players had to abseil down a chasm while battling the forces of darkness, and another where they travelled along what appeared to be a river in a raft, taking on baddies along for the ride.
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment Those changes aside, expect Diablo Immortal to be very similar to previous Diablo games. You’ll fight enemies, levelling up to acquire new skills while dearly wishing that the next felled foe will drop a more powerful weapon, armour piece or accessory to make your coming battles easier. It’s one of the most addictive loops in all of gaming, and what has made Diablo one of the most revered franchises in all of gaming. Diablo Immortal reception and controversyDiablo Immortal’s announcement was met with, at best, a mixed reception. It’s been several years since Blizzard released a mainline Diablo game, and so the trailer seemed a tease for those expecting a full PC or console release. As such, the backlash was immediate, with some accusing Blizzard of cashing in on fans’ goodwill, and that the game was merely a reskin of co-developers NetEase’s previous mobile ARPG titles. Blizzard has looked to allay fears, saying that it’s taking as much care with Diablo Immortal as any of its titles, and assuring fans that it’s an all-new game worth their time. In an interview with GamesBeat, Blizzard president J. Allen Brack defended the decision to create a mobile game stating that while Blizzard would like its core fanbase to give the mobile release a chance, it's understood that "every game is not going to be for every person". Brack added that as a mobile title, Immortal will, of course, be "different" and that it's not trying to replicate the PC experience" but promised "it’s going to be a good, authentic experience for the Blizzard games we bring to that platform." However, so great has been the animosity that Blizzard has had to show its hand for further titles earlier than expected. Diablo 4 was officially announced at Blizzcon 2019 but, previous to this, Blizzard revealed that Immortal was not the only Diablo game currently in the works. In another interview with IGN, Brack said that the fan reaction to Immortal's reveal had taught Blizzard "a huge number of lessons". Brack acknowledged concern that Blizzard was moving away from PC releases in favor of mobile but said that this mobile release "doesn’t mean we’re not going to be continuing to make awesome PC games and awesome console games like we have in the past".
Image Credit: Diablo Immortal/Blizzard Entertainment Diablo Immortal pricing and in-game purchasesJust exactly how Blizzard will be selling Diablo Immortal is yet to be revealed. While many fans are hoping for a one-off, single payment, that seems unlikely given how the lucrative mobile gaming market has been established. We’d imagine that Diablo Immortal will be free to play, and will include some sort of in-app purchases, be that access to additional classes or, more likely, stat buffing items and cosmetic adornments for your heroes. In an update from BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard said it's still "too early" to reveal how it plans to monetize the game but assured fans that it's “taking the time to get it right”. “We want to make a Diablo game players love and to support it for years to come,” the post explains, “We plan to achieve that by creating an ecosystem that accounts for and welcomes every type of player—from our most die-hard Diablo veterans to those who’ll be exploring Sanctuary for the first time.” Diablo Immortal news and rumorsAlpha Tests During a recent investor call, Activision announced that there are plans for Diablo Immortal Alpha Tests later in 2020. Although there's no solid final release date just yet, Activision reported (via Seeking Alpha) good progress on the game and "encouraging" results from internal play tests. For the next stages Activision is planning to hold regional alpha tests in order to garner more "invaluable" feedback. There's been no exact region or date confirmed for when these tests will happen but it's expected to be in mid-2020. Rod Fergusson is overseeing the Diablo franchise Fergusson officially made the announcement on Twitter, revealing that he will be joining Blizzard in March where he will, no doubt, join the team in developing the upcoming Diablo 4 and Diablo 4 Immortal. Check his tweet out below: Image Credits: Blizzard Entertainment This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| When is Star Trek: Picard episode 4 released? Posted: 07 Feb 2020 01:17 PM PST Wondering when Star Trek: Picard episode 4 is available to stream? The latest show in the illustrious Star Trek series releases every Thursday on CBS All Access in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime Video in international territories, which includes the UK and Australia. By now you've seen episodes 1, 2 and 3 of Picard, and Picard finally has a damn spaceship! After a slow burn start to season 1, it feels like the show is finally ready to leave the fields of grapes on Earth behind for a little while. There are 10 total episodes in Star Trek: Picard season one that will release weekly, and a season 2 has already been confirmed. Below, we'll explain when you can watch Star Trek: Picard episode 4, and when we expect the reason of season one to arrive on CBS All Access and Amazon Prime Video. When is the next episode of Star Trek: Picard?Star Trek: Picard releases every Thursday on CBS All Access in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime Video internationally. CBS All Access released Star Trek: Picard episodes 1, 2 and 3 at midnight PT, so we expect Star Trek: Picard episode 4 to be released on February 13 at midnight PT / 3AM ET. In international territories where Star Trek: Picard broadcast rights are owned by Amazon Prime Video, Star Trek: Picard is released the day after. So expect to see episode 4 on February 14. That said, Twitter users reported seeing the first episode drop at 11PM UK time on the Thursday, so it's possible you'll see each episode a little earlier. Star Trek: Picard release scheduleThe show will release every Thursday throughout the next three months. We've listed US dates followed by international dates below, and while they're subject to change, there's no reason to believe the schedule will be altered.
Star Trek: Picard season 2 is coming, tooStar Trek: Picard was renewed for a second season before the show even aired. Whoopi Goldberg will return as Guinan from The Next Generation for season 2, but otherwise we won't know what the producers have planned until season one is over. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Star Trek: Picard episode 3 recap: we're left with more questions than answers Posted: 07 Feb 2020 01:09 PM PST Spoilers follow. At Starfleet HQ in San Francisco, Picard talks to Raffi, the woman he met in the desert at the end of the previous episode. This is a flashback, and they're both still members of Starfleet. The official explanation for the synths going rogue on Mars was a fatal error in their OS, but Raffi thinks that's bullshit. She suspects the Tal Shiar. Back in the present day, at her home by the famous Vasquez Rocks, Picard asks her to help him find Bruce Maddox. She's angry, blaming him for her losing her job at Starfleet. But she knows a good pilot, Rios. At the Romulan reclamation site, a derelict Borg cube, the executive director of the project, Hugh, praises Soji for her work. They meet with a Romulan woman, Ramdha, who is recovering from Borg assimilation. Soji is confused that she suddenly knows everything about the woman; that she was on the last ship to be assimilated by the cube. And she's even more confused when the patient says she knows Soji, that she remembers her "from tomorrow." She calls Soji "Seb-Cheneb, the Destroyer" and angrily asks which sister she is.
At the Daystrom Institute, Jurati is approached by Starfleet Commodore Oh – who was revealed to be an undercover Zhat Vash agent last week. She wants to talk to Jurati about her recent visits with Picard. In a starship orbiting Earth, Picard meets with his roguish new pilot, Rios. He once served as XO aboard a Federation ship, the Ibn Majid, but for reasons yet to be revealed, Starfleet erased all records of it. Later, Rios's Emergency Navigation Hologram, who looks just like him, recounts Picard's many achievements. "Arbiter of Succession for the Klingon Empire. Chief contact with the Q Continuum. Saviour of Earth from Borg Invasion." Well, at least someone remembers. Just as Picard is saying his goodbyes at the vineyard, ready to head off into space to find Bruce Maddox, more of those black-clad Zhat Vash assassins appear. But, luckily, Laris and Zhaban are there – former members of the Tal Shiar, the Romulan secret police – and they fight the killers off with relative ease. One survives and they tie him to a chair and interrogate him. He refuses to talk, but when Picard asks why they killed "the girl", Dahj, the assassin says she's no girl. She's not what he thinks she is, he says. She's the end of all, the Destroyer. Before they can ask any more questions, the assassin gruesomely kills himself.
Back at the cube, Narek tells Soji he's falling in love with her. But we know from last week that he's playing her, secretly working with the Zhat Vash. He meets with Narissa Rizzo, who says Soji is an "extraordinary piece of machinery." Narek says she doesn't know what she is yet, and that it might be best to keep that information from her for now. Maybe he really is falling for her? Back on Rios's ship, the La Sirena, Jurati joins Picard, saying she'll be an asset to the mission. We also see that Raffi has come aboard, and has located Maddox in a place called Freecloud. As Picard gives his first engage order of the series, the ship warps away from Earth, out into the stars. Verdict: After a fast-paced first two episodes, things have slowed down. We learn a little more about the Romulan reclamation project, but the introduction of the mystery patient, and her knowledge of Soji, raises a lot more questions. Picard finally gets a ship, but we've yet to see him back where he belongs, in space. This is a good episode, but feels like a build-up to something more exciting next week. Extra data
Star Trek: Picard is available to watch on CBS All Access every Thursday in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime Video internationally. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| BioShock 4: everything we know about the new BioShock Posted: 07 Feb 2020 12:47 PM PST There's officially a new BioShock game in the works. While we don't know if it's called BioShock 4 or something entirely different, publisher 2K Games has announced that it's definitely on the way in a tweet announcing Cloud Chamber Studios (the game's developer) and restated again on Cloud Chamber's own website. While this may be your first time hearing about a new Bioshock, the first substantial rumors emerged in April, 2019 in an article about the current goings on at Mafia 3 development studio, Hangar 13, where Kotaku reported that there’s a studio located right next door and the team within is working on the early stages of the next BioShock game, codenamed Parkside. Turns out that the rumors were true and, according to another Kotaku article, this new game "has been in the works for years". Kotaku couldn't point to a release date, unfortunately, but 2K Games has stated BioShock 4 will be "in development for the next several years" - so don't pack your HYPOs just yet. As Andrew Ryan once said: “There's two ways to deal with mystery: uncover it, or eliminate it.” We're choosing to uncover it - well, kind of. We've gathered together all the news and rumors about BioShock 4 below, alongside our hopes for the next BioShock game. [Update: Bioshock 4 got a small mention in Take-Two's recent financial report. Read on to find out more.] BioShock 4 release date
While we're certainly excited for the next BioShock game, it looks like it'll be a while before we actually get our hands on it. In a tweet officially announcing a new BioShock is in the works, publisher 2K Games stated that work has begun on the next iteration of the BioShock franchise but that the game "will be in development for the next several years". It may not be the most welcome news, but this does give us an idea about what platforms BioShock 4 will release on. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X releasing later this year, we'll almost certainly be seeing a new BioShock releasing on those platforms (and probably on PC too). Whether the title will also release on current generation consoles is less certain, it kind of depends on when the sequel releases. BioShock 4 news and rumors
Take-Two financial report Take-Two Interactive recently published a financial report which makes a mention of Bioshock 4. A very small mention but a mention nonetheless. According to this report it'll be quite a while before we see Bioshock 4 as it "will be in development for the next several years". This is pretty much as expected—although it was reported that the game has been in the works for years, it was also noted that its development has been rebooted in that time so it's unsurprising that it's going to be a few more years before we get to play it. Nonetheless it's always good to manage expectations. Job listings Cloud Chamber Studios is working on the next BioShock title and the some job listings (via GamesRadar) the studio has posted can give us small insights into BioShock 4, or at least what the development team is working to bring to the game. One listing for a Senior AI Engineer mentions "high ambitions" for tying AI and storytelling together in this "strongly narrative and systemic game". The game will have "several AI systems" for this person to work on including an "urban crowd system and the systemic tribal ecology of a sometimes hostile AI". Another listing for a Lead Combat/AI Designer tells prospective applicants they'll be working on developing "an FPS combat paradigm that is accessible, satisfying, and allows for a high degree of player expression and experimentation within a highly reactive world" and that they will have to think "beyond direct conflict, accommodate various play-styles and design encounters that can be resolved through player ingenuity." It's not a huge amount to go on but it does suggest an ambitious approach is being taken with BioShock 4 and that the game will continue, and potentially even enhance, the flexible approach taken by previous instalments. In the works for years "What 2K didn’t say is that this project has already been in the works since at least 2015, although it’s been rebooted since then," writes Kotaku's Jason Schreier. Official announcement While there's no indication of where the game might be set, and its connection to the existing characters and environments established in previous titles, we do know that 2K is setting up a whole new development studio – "Cloud Chamber, purveyors of fine videogames" – to work on the unnamed Bioshock title, which will be "in development for the next several years". Initial rumors - confirmed BioShock 4: what we want to see
Return to Rapture Perhaps BioShock 4 could see us returning to a new Rapture, one that society has tried to reclaim and spruce up following the events of the previous games. If not, then we would love another wonderfully atmospheric city in a similar vein. Big Daddies and Little Sisters Explore the lore more New Vigors
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| Why should you give a damn about movies with high frame rates in 2020? Posted: 07 Feb 2020 11:55 AM PST When it was first suggested that 2012's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey might release in a 48 frames per second format in theaters rather than the traditional 24fps we're used to, there was a backlash. High frame rates are celebrated in games, but in movies and TV shows, it's the sort of thing we associate with our parents' TVs when they've messed with the settings – but that's an interpolation effect, rather than a film actually being presented at a high frame rate. So how do you fight that stigma? It'll take time, and, honestly, more movies being released in higher frame rates than we see right now. The latest to try it was the Ang Lee-directed Will Smith movie Gemini Man, which released in cinemas last year. You probably know it as the action movie where young Will Smith fights present day Will Smith. Smith plays the older Henry Brogan, and 'Junior', a cloned assassin sent after the original. The Junior version is a CG creation made by effects company Weta Digital, based on mo-cap from Smith himself, and featuring semi-procedurally modeled skin for realism at a microscopic level. Filmed in 4K, 3D and 120fps (though most cinema screens showed it in 60fps), the film attracted some positive notices for the technology behind the movie, though reviews were mostly negative. One critic described HFR as making "actors, objects and even the air somehow flimsy and weird and fake". We spoke with the movie's technical supervisor Ben Gervais, who worked with director Lee on this film, about how higher frame rates can offer improvements to the viewing experience. "Typically, not just in the action genre but in films in general, it's a voyeuristic third-person kind of experience, and [Ang] really wanted the moviegoing experience to be much more intimate," Gervais says.
"So as a result of that, one of the things that we've been exploring is high frame rate, and what we've found is that the more detail you give to a viewer, the more their eyes like it. The more they forget it's a regular movie screen, and the more they get pulled in to the story." While it's not what audiences are used to, it can't hurt that some filmmakers want to challenge tradition, when every other film they see is released in the standard 24fps. "It becomes much more of a first-person type of experience, which in turn gives [Ang] more tools to tell a story, make a viewer feel involved in what's going on, both in the action and the drama, and to really give you this sense of immediacy. That something is happening right now opposed to you just being a passive observer."
Fighting tradition'Intimacy', as Gervais puts it, is arguably one advantage of presenting a film at a higher frame rate, then. But what else is in it for the viewer, to make it worth challenging their traditional notions of what movies are supposed to look like? "In addition to the intimacy part of it, there's excitement to be had in the action scenes that we have. There's definitely this level of excitement you can get there that you don't get in the same way in a regular action film." Gervais says it means that typical moviemaking techniques like slow-mo have a different function when you're showing a film at 60 or 120fps – there aren't many slow-mo shots in Gemini Man as a result. "There's a few shots in slow motion, but the fundamental difference is, the reason you're usually using slow motion [in an action movie] is because you want the audience to see something they wouldn't be able to see at 24 frames, because it's just too blurry. We don't have that problem, because you see everything. People can still see things in real time, and it'll actually have that same effect."
"Slow motion essentially becomes a different tool for us. It actually becomes a tool to extend a moment – and that's what Ang uses it for in Gemini Man. As opposed to showing the audience detail that they would otherwise miss, because they see all the detail anyway, it's really [because] Ang likes the moment where Henry and Junior's faces are right up against each other while they're grappling in the catacombs. He wants that shot to last longer, so that's why we shoot it in slow motion, as opposed to just so that people can see what's going on." We wouldn't necessarily agree that slow-mo is only used in traditional action movies because of blurriness – it's surely as much about extending the moment or looking cool in those instances, too. But it's an interesting point about visual clarity being an upside of higher frame rates. We ask Gervais what it'll take for audiences to accept the idea of films being presented this way. "Definitely there's an audience adjustment that needs to happen in terms of getting over the way that it feels, but then there's also an adjustment on the side of the filmmaker in adjusting to a new tool. And somewhere they meet in the middle, and that's where the sweet spot is going to be.
"I think we've definitely seen a progression from The Hobbit movies to Ang's last film before this, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. [With] Gemini Man, we've definitely had a better reception among certain segments of the population to how the high frame rate looks, particularly with younger audiences, especially the under-30 crowd that's spent a lot of time playing videogames and trying things like VR. They have a little more of an open mind over what this technology can mean." Gervais suggests interest in the format also differentiates based on local history with cinema. "Also in developing markets, like China and places like that, we're seeing they've got a little less – I wouldn't call it baggage – but they've got less of a history with cinema, and so they're a little more open to playing with conventions and things like that. So over time, I think we'll see more and more acceptance of it." Gemini Man's 4K, 3D and 120fps format made it easier for the effects team to craft the movie's entirely CG co-lead, too. "At 24 frames in 2D, you can frequently do something like this, but the problem is it looks a little bit wrong and people talk about the uncanny valley a little bit and things like that. But the problem is, when you're at the 2K 24fps, 2D, you can't put your finger on what the issue is. You know it's wrong, but you don't know why it's wrong – because of the motion blurring, because of the low resolution. "So the 120 and the 3D and the 4K actually helped the visual effects team because every frame was sharper. They could compare it to all the old reference they've got of Will. They pulled tons of reference from press appearances, Will's old movies, Fresh Prince, you name it. So they would have these references for pretty much every look that young Will would give, and then they could look and [go], 'oh, when he starts to frown the corner of his lip does this thing that it shouldn't be doing!' Things like that. So that was very helpful for them."
We ask if the perception of higher frame rates in Hollywood has changed since Gemini Man's release. "I think there is. There's a little bit of pushback, too. I think what people are starting to see is that it can be a legitimate tool. There's definitely some wariness, because there is pushback from certain people. I like to say that critics in particular have a fierce respect for the history of cinema...[laughs]. And it manifests itself in people being a little bit defensive, perhaps. But this is really just a filmmaker using a different tool. "Ang is really trying to say, with digital cinema in this period, that we have this hundred years of glorious history of celluloid-based cinema, and we've made some great art in that time. And Ang has made some of that great art. But up until this point, it's really been about digital cameras being used to just reproduce the look of celluloid cinema and all the restrictions that that had. [One] of those restrictions that this technology brought on us was 24 frames, and that was the speed we needed to make a soundtrack work. So that's what we used. It wasn't a creative decision, that 24 was better than 25 or 23. It was just the number people settled on." Gemini Man is available now on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD on 17th February, from Paramount Home Entertainment.
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| Many businesses still haven't patched Citrix flaw Posted: 07 Feb 2020 11:44 AM PST Despite the fact that Positive Technologies released an overview of a critical vulnerability in Citrix software that put 80,000 companies in 158 countries at risk, one out of every five companies have yet to take action to patch the flaw a month and a half after its disclosure. The firm's Mikhail Klyuchnikov first discovered critical vulnerability CVE-2019-19781 in the Citrix Application Delivery Controller and Citrix Gateway in December of last year. At the end of 2019, the highest number of potentially vulnerable organizations are in the US as well as in Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Australia according to Positive Technologies data. In January of this year, an exploit was released that allows a potential attacker to carry out automatic attacks against any company that failed to fix the vulnerability.
Director of Positive Technologies' Expert Security Center, Alexei Novikov explained that organizations must patch their software immediately to avoid falling victim to the exploit in a press release, saying: “The Citrix developers planned to resolve the issue on January 27 through January 31, but released a series of patches for various product versions a week before that. The necessary update must be installed as soon as possible. Until then, follow the security recommendations by Citrix, available since the information about the vulnerability was released.” Time to patchFor the most part, this Citrix vulnerability is being fixed quickly though 19 percent of companies are still at risk. The countries with the greatest number of vulnerable companies currently include Brazil (43%), China (39%), Russia (35%), France (34%), Italy (33%) and Spain (25%) according to Positive Technologies. Organizations in the US, Great Britain and Australia are protecting themselves at a faster pace but they each have 21 percent of companies that are still using vulnerable devices without any protection measures. If the vulnerability is left unpatched and exploited, an attacker could obtain direct access to a company's local network over the internet. As this attack doesn't require access to employee or admin accounts, it can be performed by any external attacker. In addition to patching affected Citrix software, Positive Technologies recommends that businesses use application firewalls to fend off any potential attacks.
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| Best blogging platforms of 2020 Posted: 07 Feb 2020 11:20 AM PST The popularity of blogging (which originally derives from ‘personal web log’) continues, whether for profit, or just to have a voice on the web, since over a decade ago when it first captured the internet as the ‘next big thing’. Some blogs are standalone sites, but others are a more personal section that fits into a larger, corporate web site. In order to blog, a blogging platform is required, which takes care of formatting the content in the form of text and images, and provides a framework for getting it onto a website. The blogging platform also makes it easier for a search engine to categorize the blog entries, and to be able to take advantage of marketing and advertising opportunities. So before you start cranking out posts, and welcoming your virtual visitors from around the world, you need to choose the best blogging platform to suit your needs. Check out these great options.
Blogger Ask any old-time blogger about what platform they started their blog with, and chances are they'll answer that it was Blogger. To this day, Google’s offering in the blogging space still retains several advantages, including that your existing Google account already means you have a Blogger account. A broke startup blog will appreciate that it is free to use, and it will even provide the blogspot.com domain name, as well as the option for a custom domain name. It is also one of the easier platforms to use, and provides a choice of templates that can be flexibly modified. As it is a Google offering, it easily integrates with other Google products, including Google Analytics that can provide information about your website’s visitors that should be used to help grow traffic. Also, your blog can be integrated with Google’s Adsense, that will analyze your content, and display relevant ads to monetize your blog, so you can pay for the coffee as you sit in Starbucks and blog into the night. With all that going for it, is there any reason not to use Blogger? Well, the problem is that as your blog grows, its simplicity means that you may outgrow Blogger at some point. In addition, it can be difficult to transition from Blogger to another platform.
WordPress WordPress is a popular blogging platform which is used on a claimed 30% of web sites, that offers an excellent balance between ease of use, and more powerful options. They can handle all the details, and take care of the domain name, the security and the hosting for a one stop shopping option. WordPress offers hundreds of themes, with flexibility in fonts and options for a custom look. They also offer expert support, and credit card payments can be accepted via an available plugin. Pricing starts at the Personal plan for $4 (€3.6, £3.1) monthly billed annually, which removes all WordPress advertising. There is also a free tier available, which is suitable for a noncommercial blog as there is WordPress advertising and no way you can monetize it.
Jekyll The latest version of Jekyll (4.0.0.) is a “simple, blog-aware, static site generator.” Content gets created in TXT files, which get placed into folders. Then you build your site via Liquid language templates. Jekyll then merges the content and the template together, and voila, a website is generated that can be uploaded to a server. For those that need a host, there is integration with Jekyll to host the website for free on GitHub. While there is a comprehensive ‘quick-start guide’ on the Jekyll website, it hardly offers the simplicity of some competing blogging platforms that can do this all from a web interface. However, the benefits that Jekyll offers are the advanced features, which include options for paginating posts, available plugins, templates, and community maintained themes. It also supports blog migration from other platforms. The plus here is that there is no cost to the platform, but the downside is that there is only community support, and the work takes place in the Ruby development environment, so many newbies will be put off.
Tumblr While some blogs are well developed, and blur the line between a blog, and a full fledged website, at the other end of things we have Tumblr. It seems to be doing something right as it claims a staggering 450+ million different blogs. It focuses on the more concise end of the spectrum, with an emphasis on shorter content, like just an image, or link, that can appear as more of an alternate social media platform. Content is definitely more short-form, with posts consisting of a variety of material, for example, pics, jokes, quips, Spotify tracks, and video (just remember that adult content is no longer welcome). Like a social media platform, you can also follow other blogs, and republish posts you like to your own blog. The pro is that Tumblr is quite simple to use, costs nothing, and is ideal for use on a mobile device. However, this is not ideal for a more developed blog, as the content remains in the Tumblr ecosystem, and there is no way to monetize it.
Typepad Typepad is a fully developed blogging platform, designed for the professional blogger. It offers a ton of flexibility, including the ability to publish from email, a web browser, or mobile. It also easily integrates with Google Analytics, and has its own affiliate plan. Typepad supports design customization with a Theme Builder for a custom look, and the option for creating your own custom template or modifying a theme with custom CSS. Typepad is also fully hosted, and has support available. After the initial 14-day trial, plans start at $8.95 (£8) per month for up to four blogs with unlimited storage.
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| Cloud computing spending breaks all records in 2019 Posted: 07 Feb 2020 10:29 AM PST Organizations worldwide spent a record $107bn on cloud computing infrastructure services last year according to a new report from Canalys. Spending on cloud computing infrastructure services was up by 37 percent compared to the previous year and a third of this year's spending went to Amazon's cloud computing division, AWS. As industries continue to digitize, businesses have increased how much they spend on infrastructure as a service (IaaS) as well as their investments in servers, storage, compute and other cloud-based services. According to experts at Canalys, this uptick in spending will likely continue over the next five years and the firm's report estimates that total spending on cloud infrastructure services will reach $284bn in 2024.
In a press release, chief analyst at Canalys, Alastair Edwards credied this increase in cloud computing infrastructure spending to the fact that many organizations outside of the tech space are now transitioning to become technology providers, saying: "Organizations across all industries, from financial services to healthcare, are transitioning to being technology providers. Many are using a combination of multi-clouds and hybrid IT models, recognizing the strengths of each cloud service provider and the different compute operating environments needed for specific types of workloads." Cloud spendingAccording to Canalys' report, organizations spent $34.6bn on AWS' cloud infrastructure which is up from $25.4bn the previous year. At the same time, Amazon's market share increased slightly from 32.7 percent in 2018 to 34.6 percent last year with an annual growth rate of 36 percent. While AWS took the top spot, Microsoft Azure came in second with customers spending 18.1bn last year up from 11bn in 2018. Azure's market share also increased from 14.2 percent to 16.9 percent in 2019 and Microsoft's cloud computing division saw an annual growth rate of 63.9 percent. Google Cloud surpassed Alibaba Cloud and other cloud providers to earn the third spot with $6.2bn spent by its customers during 2019. The search giant's cloud computing division saw spending almost double from the $3.3bn spent in 2018 and it also saw an impressive 87.8 percent increase in annual growth. Edwards also highlighted the role that channel partners will play in the future of cloud computing, saying: "The role of channel partners will become more important, as cloud use increases, in terms of defining application strategies, integration into business processes, optimizing user experiences, governance and compliance, as well as securing data and workloads."
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| These true wireless earbuds are cheaper than the AirPods – and longer lasting, too Posted: 07 Feb 2020 10:08 AM PST The Apple AirPods may be popular, but they don't offer the best battery life in the world – and they're pretty pricey to boot. SoundMagic's latest true wireless earbuds, the TWS50, could prove a compelling AirPods alternative, with a longer battery life and a cheaper price, coming in at $89.99 / £79.99 / AU$135.
For comparison, the Apple AirPods cost $159 / £159 / AU$249 with the standard charging case, and $199 / £199 / AU$319 with a Wireless Charging Case bundled in. While the new TW50 True Wireless Earbuds don't come with wireless charging, SoundMagic claims that they offer a better battery life than the AirPods, coming in at 30 hours in total – that's six hours from the buds themselves and around 24 hours provided by the charging case. Don't sweat itThey also come with an IPX7 waterproof rating – that means they can handle being submerged underwater for 30 minutes, at a depth of up to one meter. That's more that enough to withstand a little sweat from your workout, potentially making them ideal running headphones – if the fit is secure enough, of course. Support for the latest wireless standard, Bluetooth 5.0, means that these buds should offer good connectivity as well as a 'Dual Listening' mode – this allows the left and right earbuds to connect to different devices, so you could presumably share your buds with a friend in a pinch. Touch-sensitive controls on the outer housings of the SoundMagic TWS50s allow you to control your music playback, answer and reject calls, and summon your smartphone's voice assistant, whether you use Siri or Google Assistant. Each bud contains a 6mm Neodymium driver – that's a little smaller than the 10mm drivers found in the SoundMagic E11BT Wireless Headphones, which we awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars in our review, thanks in part to their impressive sound. Hopefully the use of smaller drivers won't negatively impact the sound quality offered by these earbuds, but if they're anywhere near as good as their neckbud predecessors, they could be a fantastic cheaper alternative to the AirPods and other pricier true wireless earbuds. Via What Hi-Fi? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Save £100 on a OnePlus 7 Pro from John Lewis as it drops to near-Black Friday prices Posted: 07 Feb 2020 09:30 AM PST With so many top handsets from the likes of Apple, Samsung, Google, Huawei and more, it can be easy to forget about another big name - OnePlus. But with a recent discount from John Lewis, that name is back in our minds. Giving the imposing OnePlus 7 Pro a £100 price slash, John Lewis just shot past the competition to drop the cheapest deal around on this handset. That means you'll now be paying just £599 to get it SIM-free. Considering we saw this device drop to its lowest of £575 over the Black Friday period, £599 is looking about as good as it's going to get for a while. And then to top it off, John Lewis will even throw in a two-year guarantee on the contract.
This wonderful OnePlus 7 Pro deal in full:So what's so good about the OnePlus 7 Pro?Sporting a novel pop-up camera, the OnePlus 7 Pro possibly has the closest screen to 'infinity' currently on the market. Its 6.67 AMOLED screen, offering a 90Hz screen refresh rate, is uninterrupted by teardrop cameras or hole punches like its competitors. Inside the phone, you'll find a immensely powerful Snapdragon 855 processor and a 4000mAh battery, easily getting you over a days battery life. All of that paired with the powerful triple camera lens set-up and fast charging abilities makes this a top choice for any big phone fans. Not in the UK? Check out the best OnePlus 7 Pro prices in your region below:
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| Oscars 2020 live stream: how to watch the Academy Awards online from anywhere Posted: 07 Feb 2020 09:19 AM PST The tuxes have been carefully selected, the haute-couture ball gowns have been sent and the red carpet has been prepared - and we'll tell you how to get an Oscars live stream from anywhere in the world. Whether you're tuning in to the Academy Awards to watch the best dressed celebs, or you've got your fingers crossed that Joaquin Phoenix wins Best Actor or that - the Oscars is truly a must-see spectacular occasion. Whether you're tuning in to the Academy Awards to watch the best dressed celebs, or you've got your fingers crossed that Joaquin Phoenix wins best actor or Renée Zellweger picks up her second ever award - the Oscars is always a must-see spectacular occasion. Following last year's fashion, the Oscars 2020 will be going host-less and will most likely lean on its presenters, especially after the success that it was last year. Not to mention, it has been confirmed that the one and only Billie Eilish will be performing. She joins a wide range of artists that have previously performed at the awards ceremony, including Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Queen and Adam Lambert last year. The Oscar nominations in the best director category is especially tough, with a selection of some very talented individuals. Amongst them are Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Todd Phillips (Joker). We may also see Scarlett Johansson bag two trophies - one for best supporting actress and the other for best actress. Want to catch all the action as it happens? Follow our guide to make sure you can get a 2020 Oscars live stream from absolutely anywhere in the world.
How to watch a 2020 Oscars live stream from outside your countryKeep scrolling if you want to know your viewing options in the US, Canada, UK and Australia (pssssst, it's absolutely FREE Down Under!). But it's worth noting that if you're away from your country this Oscar night and were hoping to watch your home coverage on your laptop or mobile, it will inevitable be geo-blocked. Annoying but this easily fixed, with a VPN you can change your IP address to a location back in your own hometown or country that will then allow you to stream the event as if you were sat back at home.
How to watch the 2020 Oscars: live stream in the USA
How to stream the Oscars live in Canada
How to watch an Oscars live stream in the UK for FREE
How to live stream the Academy Awards for FREE in Australia
How to watch an Oscars live stream in IndiaBest Picture nominees at the 2019 Academy AwardsThe big prize of the night is the Best Picture award - we still don't know why they don't just call it 'best film'. There are eight nominees competing for it this year... Black Panther BlacKkKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody The Favourite Green Book A Star Is Born Vice
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| Cheap games on sale now: grab the latest Xbox, PS4, and PC games for less this weekend Posted: 07 Feb 2020 09:13 AM PST Get ready for a weekend full of cheap games, because we've been busy scouring the web for the latest PS4, Xbox One, and PC game deals from all your favorite retailers. That's right, plenty of the best recent games are available now for far less than their original price tags - excellent news if you've just picked up a new console, or you're looking to fill some blanks in your library. These cheap PS4, PC, and Xbox One game deals are offering some brilliant prices ready and waiting for your weekend gaming. There are some stunners available for even more surprising price tags right now, including titles like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Rage 2, Gears 5, and The Outer Worlds all reduced in cheap game deals. With the console generation coming to an end, the savings are already pouring in to satisfy those late adopters with a flurry of amazing titles sitting at great prices this week. Cheap Xbox One games and often cheaper PS4 games are hitting storefronts across the US and UK, where you can find excellent deals on some of 2019's best titles. We've found cheap game deals on Sekiro Shadows Die Twice, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and The Outer Worlds among others. Whatever flavor you're after, we've found PC, PS4 and Xbox One games deals on some of the best games of 2019 so you can rest assured you're picking up quality at a great price this week. A note about CDKeysA few of the cheap games deals below feature excellent price from CDKeys, a retailer specialising in digital game codes. If you're unsure about using CDKeys, rest assured that the process is simple and the retailer holds a four and a half star Trust Pilot rating. Simply purchase the game of your choice through PayPal and you'll receive an email with a code to redeem on your PC and console, after which your game will begin to download. Top cheap game dealsMore cheap game deals
Top game deals in the UKMore PS4, Xbox One, PC game deals
If you're yet to pick up the console of your choice, you might want to check out our best Xbox One deals or our top PS4 bundles roundups for the lowest prices around. Or, if you're after something a bit more portable, why not check out the best Nintendo Switch deals we've found this week. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Scotland vs England live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere Posted: 07 Feb 2020 09:06 AM PST Last year's Six Nations meeting between these two teams was easily the most entertaining of the 2019 tournament, with honours even in a thrilling 38-38 draw. It's all set to be a cracking Week 2 match and you can watch all the action as it happens with our Scotland vs England live stream guide. With both England and Scotland experiencing disappointment in the opening games of this campaign, expect this to be another hard fought Calcutta Cup showdown. Scotland gave a decent account of themselves in their 19-12 defeat against Ireland in Dublin last weekend. They ultimately found it hard to break down a strong defence but will rue a costly dropped ball by skipper Stuart Hogg when the game was delicately poised. Coach Gregor Townsend has largely kept faith with the same set of players, with only Nick Haining being switched out in favour of back-rower Magnus Bradbury. While England showed some fight to drag themselves back into the game in the second half, having trailed 27-0 at one point, Eddie Jones and his players will have to dig deep to rectify their shoddy first-half showing. Jones has rung the changes with with Willi Heinz, Lewis Ludlam, Mako Vunipola and George Kruis all coming into this side for this crucial face-off in Edinburgh. It looks set to be a cracking Calcutta Cup clash and you can watch this Six Nations match in its entirety - in some cases for free - by following our Scotland vs England live stream guide below.
How to live stream Scotland vs England in the UK for freeHow to watch a Six Nations live stream when you're not in your countryIf you're away from home and outside of your home country, then you're going to run into problems when trying to stream coverage of the Six Nations from your native broadcaster as its likely to be location restricted. Thankfully, you'll still be able to watch all the action - all you need to do is make use of a VPN. Simply download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there. These will spoof your computer into thinking that you're in your home nation, allowing you to enjoy your regular broadcaster's coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs). So no need to scourer the internet for a link to a dodgy stream from a suspect website.
Live stream Scotland vs England in Australia
Live stream Scotland vs England in New Zealand
Watch the rugby union in Canada via a live stream for FREE
How to watch an Scotland vs England live stream online in the US
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| PS5 rumors roundup: the most (and least) likely PlayStation 5 rumors from this week Posted: 07 Feb 2020 08:45 AM PST It can be hard to keep track of all the PS5 rumors flying about right now. It seems like every day there's a leak, Reddit post or tweet claiming to have information about the upcoming PlayStation 5. While all rumors should be taken with a big ol' pinch of salt, there are some that are more believable than others - not to mention the legit information that sneaks in between.
With that in mind, here at TechRadar, we've decided to put together a weekly roundup of the latest PS5 rumors (and some legit news) that will hopefully make things a bit more digestible for you. We've also ranked them from the "most likely" to the "least likely", based on our own expert knowledge. So, what's the rumor mill churning out this week? Well, PS5 pre-orders may open as early as March, the console may be delayed by coronavirus, and a local Gamestop employee knows the ins and outs of Sony's launch plans. The PS5 price is still undecided - confirmed
In the only confirmed news of the week, Sony has revealed that it hasn't set a price for the PlayStation 5 yet. In an earnings call (via Spiel Times), Sony's chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki revealed the company still hasn't nailed down the PS5 price. "What is not very clear or visible is because we are competing in the space, so it’s very difficult to discuss anything about the price at this point of time, and depending upon the price level, we may have to determine the promotion that we are going to deploy and how much costs we are prepared to pay," Totoki explained. Check out the full story here. PS5 official website is now live, suggesting a reveal isn't far behind - most likelySony has quietly launched the PS5's official website ahead of the next-gen console's release in late 2020. Initially spotted on Reddit (via GamesRadar), the website offers fans the chance to sign-up "to be among the first to receive updates as we announce them, including news on the PS5 release date, PS5 price and the upcoming roster of PS5 launch games". The launch of the official website suggests that an official PS5 reveal event is just around the corner. So, despite the website launch being confirmed, the idea of an imminent reveal event is a pretty likely rumor. You can read the full story here. PS5 pre-orders start in March - maybe
According to a tweet by @PSErebus, Sony's next-gen console will be revealed at a PlayStation Meeting in March, with pre-orders opening soon after. The user's original tweet claiming pre-orders will start in March was posted back in December, however the user has been retweeting it and doubling down in the face of doubters who claim the PS5 reveal will be in February. While @PSErebus previously correctly leaked The Last of Us 2's initial release date, we're still skeptical of the validity of this rumor. However, as we're rocketing through February, a reveal event this month does seem less and less likely. So maybe a March reveal is possible? Especially given that Sony hasn't given any indication of an event yet, despite us expecting a reveal to be imminent. You can read the full story here. PS5 will be delayed by coronavirus - unlikelyA report claims that the PS5 and Xbox Series X release dates could be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. But we don't think its very likely. Financial services company, Jefferies Group (via Business Insider), published a note this week which claims that, because of Sony and Microsoft manufacturing their consoles and accessories in China (which has been hit hardest by the virus), the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X releases may be delayed. We didn't think this seemed likely - especially given the panic that's currently surrounding coronavirus. So we decided to ask games industry analyst, and managing director of Equity Research, Michael Pachter to weigh in on the report. While Pachter emphasized that it's hard to know how long the coronavirus outbreak will last, he also pointed out that, while the mobile industry may be disrupted by the outbreak, console manufacturers are a different kettle of fish. You can read his response to the rumor, and the full story, here. A lady in Gamestop knows the PS5 launch plan - most unlikelyFinally, we got a 'tip off' this week that a Gamestop employee had been clued in by their Sony rep on the PS5's launch plan. Apparently the PS5 reveal event will be at the end of February. This feels more like an educated guess than a legit leak, so we're not inclined to believe it. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You can buy the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X today - if you have the cash Posted: 07 Feb 2020 08:42 AM PST When AMD announced the Threadripper 3990X back at CES 2020, we were awestruck by the sheer amount of performance it promised, performance that put it out of reach of most people, but was amazing nonetheless. And now it's finally out. Starting today, you can buy the monster processor at either Micro Center or Newegg in the US, along with a bunch of prebuilt PCs from the likes of Origin PC and Maingear. If you want to get your hands on this gigantic chunk of silicon, you're looking at a price of $3,990 (£3,699, AU$6,499).
Obviously with a price like that, even the best gaming PCs likely won't be rocking a chip like this. Instead, AMD is specifically targeting 3D designers and film studios with the Threadripper 3990X. While we haven't got the processor in for review, we've seen some leaks that show the Threadripper 3990X crushing dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8280s - a configuration that is exponentially more expensive than the 3990X, no matter how expensive AMD's HEDT all-star is. So, if you're one of the few people that could put a processor of this caliber to use and you have the budget for it, you might want to jump on this processor. After all, when you're a creative professional time saved is money saved, and that $3,990 (£3,699, AU$6,499) price tag may very well be worth it.
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| Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the next Xbox Posted: 07 Feb 2020 08:32 AM PST Xbox Series X is the next-generation Xbox, releasing in late 2020. Previously known by its codename 'Xbox Project Scarlett', the Xbox Series X was officially revealed at The Game Awards 2019 with a trailer that showed off the next Xbox in all its glory. So far we know when the next Xbox will release, its official name, a few of the specs on offer, as well as what it's going to look like. It seems like Xbox Series X will be a bit of a departure both design-wise and name-wise from its predecessors, sporting a blockier style that's similar to that of a small gaming PC. More importantly, the specs Microsoft has revealed so far suggest the new Xbox going to be an absolute powerhouse. But Xbox Series X will not be the only next-generation hardware on offer from Microsoft. The company has confirmed that the next-generation family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within that family. Sony's PS5 may be launching in the same late 2020 window as the Series X, but Microsoft looks like it's going to put up one heck of a fight in the next-gen console wars, with the Series X apparently boasting twice the power of the Xbox One X. Plus, Series X can take center stage at E3 2020 now that Sony has confirmed it won't be attending. So what exactly has Microsoft got to offer? Let's break down everything we know about the Xbox Series X. [UPDATE: A new Assassin's Creed could be one of the first major PS5 and Xbox Series X games. Read on to find out more.]
Expect to see the Xbox Series X console launch in the 'holiday' window of 2020. That's between October and December of this year, and just in time for Christmas. We're thinking a November release is most likely, as that's when Microsoft has previously launched its consoles. It's exactly the same sort of launch period we're expecting Sony to have for its PS5, too. Santa's going to be a busy guy this year. However, there have been rumors that the coronavirus may cause the Xbox Series X's release date to be delayed. But we don't think that's likely. Also keep in mind that rumors pointed to there being two new Xbox consoles on the way, codenamed Anaconda and Lockhart, the former being high end and the latter being a cheaper, streaming-focused solution. While the former, Anaconda, appears to be the Xbox Series X, Microsoft hasn't spilled anything about the latter, Lockhart, console. Whether Lockhart will also launch within this window is still to be confirmed - as is the console itself (read on below for further details).
Microsoft won't be pinned down on a price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out. Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the console will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition. After all, Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that". Price will at least in part be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Scarlett is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that will likely mean we're looking at an even higher price tag. There were also concerns that a US trade tariff on Chinese imports of electronics would hike up the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, however the tariff has now been halted, meaning we shouldn't have to deal with next-gen consoles being even more expensive.
Xbox Project Scarlett components. (Image credit: Microsoft) We now know what Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's shaping up to be an absolute beast of a console. The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one. "I think the area that we really want to focus on next generation is frame rate and playability of the games," Spencer explained in an interview with Gamespot. "Ensuring that the games load incredibly fast, ensuring that the game is running at the highest frame rate possible." Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". "This generation, we've really focused on 4K visuals and how we bring both movies through 4K Blu-ray and video streaming," Spencer explained. "And with Xbox One X allowing games to run at 4K visuals, we will make really strong visual enhancements next generation." Despite 4K being the aim, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X has 8K capability. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer even changed his Twitter profile photo to what appears to be a picture of the next-gen Xbox Series X's processor. It says 'Project Scarlett' on there, and it's marked with '8K' (pictured below) suggesting Microsoft plans on doing more than simply talking the talk when it comes to 8K. Not only will games look better, they could be bigger. In an interview with PCGamesN, Samsung revealed that it's talking with Microsoft and pushing the gaming behemoth to adopt ultrawide support for the Xbox Series X.
An SSD will come as standard in Series X, as with the PS5, which will give it the option of using its storage system as virtual RAM, as well as lifting load time performance by a factor of 40x. That'll let developers stream in far more detailed worlds around a player. In terms of 'standard' RAM, the console will use GDDR6. While GDDR6 is usually used as memory for graphics cards, the Series X could use it as super-fast system RAM instead. In addition, benchmark results have appeared online for an AMD ‘Flute’ system-on-a-chip (SoC), leading some to speculate that this could be the hardware that will power Xbox Series X. The benchmark results were spotted by a Twitter user, and while we’re not sure what the purpose of the chip is, we know that Microsoft is working with AMD to produce a custom SoC that combines a processor and graphics card for the next Xbox – in the same way that Sony is working with AMD on its custom Gonzalo SoC for the PlayStation 5. If these benchmark results are real, and the AMD Flute SoC is indeed going to power the Xbox Series X console, then it gives us an idea of the console's specifications and potential power level – something Microsoft has been rather cagey about so far. According to the benchmark results, the AMD Flute SoC will come with eight Zen 2 cores, 16 threads and SMT capability. Interestingly, the base clock speed of the Flute SoC is just 1.6GHz, which is pretty low these days, with a maximum boost of 3.2GHz. This suggests that the Flute SoC will be a low-power part for use in compact systems – such as a games console, and is similar to AMD’s Jaguar SoC which powered the Xbox One. While on paper the Flute SoC’s processor doesn’t sound too impressive – especially when compared to modern desktop PCs’ CPUs – it looks like the Flute CPU will be at least two times faster than previous-generation Jaguar SoCs, and will be a big upgrade over the dated 28nm Jaguar SoCs found in the original Xbox One and PS4. The Flute SoC is also expected to be 7nm, which will also bring power benefits. As a system-on-a-chip, the AMD Flute looks like it comes with a graphics processing unit (GPU) as well, though clues about the graphics capabilities are harder to find. Apparently, it will be based on ‘NAVI 10LITE’ – which has been mentioned before when unreleased AMD Navi GPUs showed up in a Linux driver. It’s possible that this is a ‘Lite’ version of the Navi 10 GPU, which will have reduced or limited specs compared to the full version, including lower CU (compute unit) counts. Having a lower CU count means the GPU will be less power-hungry, again suggesting that the AMD Flute SoC, if it does exist, is designed for a device where power efficiency is important – such as a games console. Finally, the benchmark results also suggest the engineering sample uses 16GB of memory – though the type of memory is not mentioned. It could mean that the Flute SoC shares 16GB of GDDR6 memory between the CPU and GPU, in a similar way to how the Xbox One X shares GDDR5 memory. So, does this mean we have a better idea of what the Xbox Series X's specs will be? Well, there’s some compelling evidence, but remember that this is from a leaked benchmark, and we’re not sure if the AMD Flute SoC is going to be used in Series X – if the SoC even exits. It’s also worth noting that this AMD Flute is apparently an engineering sample, which means this may not be its final specifications – and that could change if (and it’s a very big if) it ends up in the next Xbox when the console launches late 2020. If you're less bothered about the specs and more concerned about whether you can still play physical games on the next Xbox, then you'll be pleased to know that Xbox Series X has a physical disc drive. Microsoft has also confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Series X, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker. That means that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 that launched in November 2019 will be forward compatible with Series X, but Microsoft is also launching a next-generation wireless controller to accompany the new console.
Xbox Series X has a completely different design to its predecessors. For a start, the next-gen console has an upright tower design - similar to that of a gaming PC. However, Microsoft has confirmed Series X can sit horizontally or vertically. From what we seen in the Series X reveal trailer, the console is black with slightly indented cooling vent on the top (with what seems to be a green light inside). The Xbox logo sits small on the top left hand corner of the console and there's still a disc drive - which is placed vertically on the left hand side also. Windows Central estimates the console is 31cm x 16cm x 16cm, making it a tall cuboid. The Xbox One measurs 30cm x 24cm x 6cm, making the Series X considerably larger (volume wise) than its predecessor. Unfortunately we haven't officially seen the back of the console yet so really we're taking the Series X on 'face value'. But, thanks to leaked photos that surfaced online, we may have some idea of the next-gen console's ports. Shared on forum site Neogaf, the photos seem to show a prototype of the next Xbox console, which will likely have been shared with devs working on titles for the Xbox Series X. The image below shows off the rear vents of the console, as well as ports for USB, HDMI, S/PDIF, power and Ethernet. There's also a mystery port of some sort (but we'll come back to that). While, the second leaked image shows a single USB port on the front of the console. Will this be the console's final design? It's unlikely and, like any leaked information, we're treating these images with suitable skepticism.
While these images have been circling for a while now, we still weren't entirely sure what that mystery port was - until now. Thurrott claims that sources "familiar with the company's plans" have identified the port as being for storage expansion. Microsoft hasn't confirmed it this is the case, but we wouldn't be surprised if it was seeing as external storage was supported with the Xbox One - but whether we see it included in the final Series X product is still uncertain. This wouldn't be the first time we thought we got a look at the Series X's ports. At AMD's CES 2020 showcase, the company offered what appeared to be our first legitimate look at the upcoming Xbox Series X's rear-mounted ports, showing off dual USB Type-C and HDMI ports (indicating either HDMI passthrough or a dedicated HDMI port for audio out), along with USB 3.0, Ethernet and SPDIF digital audio ports. However, all of this tantalizing Xbox Series X connectivity information has now been officially retracted, with an AMD representative confirming to Stevivor that the "imagery used during the AMD CES press conference was not sourced from Microsoft and does not accurately reflect the design or features of the upcoming console.” Oh well. Guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for an official look.
Microsoft is releasing a next generation controller to accompany its next generation console. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will apparently be more accessible to everyone, as Microsoft has made an effort to refine the size and shape. This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that's been following the tech giant, as it's been making waves for accessibility in gaming for a while now with products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Along with enhanced accessibility, we'll also be getting a dedicated share button (finally) that will let you share screenshots and videos with your friends. However, apart from these details, we don't know exactly what other new features the new Xbox Wireless Controller will boast quite yet.
During the Xbox Series X's official reveal, Phil Spencer said Series X games will be "more lifelike, immersive and surprising" and that the Xbox Series X will "lead us into the future of gaming". He also stated that 15 Xbox Game Studios are building a huge next-generation library that includes Hellblade II: Senua's Saga. Halo Infinite has been confirmed to be an Xbox Series X launch title, bringing back the Master Chief for the franchises' first outing since 2015. It will have been five years at that point since a new mainline Halo game, so fans will be chomping at the bit for fresh Halo action. Not a Halo fan? Don't worry, Xbox Series X will be capable of three generations of backwards compatibility. Microsoft has stated that Xbox Series X will support backwards compatibility from launch, with the company stating it wants the"thousands of games that run on Xbox One" to eventually become playable on Xbox Series X. In addition, Microsoft will avoid siloing by taking a cross-generation approach to its first-party games. Talking to Stevivor, Phil Spencer said Microsoft wants to create a console that utilizes Xbox Play Anywhere so you can move seamlessly between devices: "Our goal for our first-party games is that your entitlements will be cross-generation and your Achievements will move effectively with your save game because that’s where they stand.” Speaking of first-party games, Microsoft has been promising that it's investing in first-party studios in order to make a more competitive offering. As far as third-parties are concerned, we already have confirmation from Ubisoft that its upcoming titles Watch Dogs: Legion, Gods and Monsters and Rainbow Six Quarantine will be coming to Xbox Series X and PS5 after delays were announced during a financial call - there's also rumors that a new Assassin's Creed and Far Cry will be coming to the platforms. It's likely that we'll see the likes of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 coming to Xbox Series X too. In addition, not only has EA has said that Battlefield 6 will be coming to Xbox Series X, but the company has sung the praises of the incoming next-generation machines during an investor call. "The power of the new consoles is gonna be substantially greater than existing consoles," said EA CFO Blake Jorgensen. "We can do a lot more [with PS5 and Xbox Series X]. Things we’re doing will blow people’s minds." There's plenty to look forward to and now that next generation announcements are coming in, we'll be holding our breath waiting for updates from other publishers.
However it seems, at least for now, that game developers are more interested in creating games for the PS5 than Series X. That's according to GDC's State of the Game Industry 2020 survey, which surveyed 4,000 game developers on a variety of industry topics ahead of GDC 2020 in March. And, of course, the next-gen consoles were top of the agenda. When asked which platform they planned to launch their next project on, 23% of those surveyed said the PlayStation 5, while 17% said the Xbox Series X and 19% said the Nintendo Switch. When it comes to the platform devs are most intrigued by, the PS5 once again leads the pack when it comes to consoles, with 38%, but the Switch only just behind on 37%. Again, the Xbox Series X is seriously lagging behind, piquing the interest of just 25% of devs. The survey also revealed that 10% of developers are currently working on a game for the next-gen consoles. While there's more interest in the PS5 now, Microsoft could potentially shift the scale as it reveals more details on Series X. Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass is also gathering more and more steam, bringing players (and devs) back to the Xbox platform. We're also hoping that, by the time Series X launches, Microsoft's game-streaming service Project xCloud may be out of public testing and we should hopefully be able to enjoy Series X games on-the-go. For those who aren't quite sold on upgrading to Series X quite yet, but still want to check out the best upcoming games, Microsoft has stated that there won't be Xbox Series X exclusive games for at least a year and, for the foreseeable future, new games are planned to work across the Xbox family of devices. That means you'll still be able to play them on Xbox One. In an interview with MCV, head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, has said that as “content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices.” The plan is that “if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.” It makes sense considering Microsoft's aim to slowly transition players to the next-generation.
In an interview with TechRadar, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty said that the launch of Xbox Series X certainly won't mean the end of the rest of the Xbox family and that they'll be able to live alongside one another, maybe even in the same house: "Perhaps we feel confident about our content pipeline so that we feel like we don't have to save everything up for [Series X]. But then I will also say that, really for any device these days, when you launch a new device you are not eliminating all of the devices in that family. "When [Series X] launches there will still be the Xbox One S out there, there will still be Xbox One X, and we really need to approach that family of devices, the same way we approach PC - content scales to meet the device. I think that's going to be the case for anybody. We will absolutely lean in on the power of [Series X], we think is going to be the best way to play and it will be the best thing you can put in your living room, but we also want to understand that there will be a family of Xbox devices out there."
The Xbox Series X will not be the only console in Microsoft's next generation lineup. While we were all pretty excited when Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox (formerly known as Xbox Project Scarlett) at the Game Awards 2019, it appears that the upcoming console's name isn't quite what we thought - and it will belong to a family. While we assumed that the next generation console is called 'Xbox Series X', Microsoft has clarified that, in fact, the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within the family. We know, it's a bit confusing. Speaking to Business Insider after the reveal, a Microsoft representative tried to clear up any potential confusion. "The name we're carrying forward to the next generation is simply Xbox," the representative told Business Insider. "And at The Game Awards you saw that name come to life through the Xbox Series X." "Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name 'Xbox Series X' allows room for additional consoles in the future," the representative continued. This clarification from Microsoft serves to further fuel rumors that another next generation Xbox console is on the way. Rumors have circulated for some time about a lower-cost next-gen Xbox console that would sit just below the high-end Xbox Series X. The most solid information on this (so far) had come from a report by Kotaku’s Jason Schreier, who claims there is indeed a lower-specced console in the works from Microsoft that will still play all the next-gen games. Project Lockhart will be disc-less console - a trait that it will carry forward from the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition - but Kotaku's sources believe it will be substantially more powerful than Microsoft’s current disc-less box, and will come with both a solid-state hard drive and a faster CPU than any current game console. The report goes on to say that Microsoft told developers to shoot for a 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second frame rate with Project Lockhart and 4K/60 with Project Scarlett, and those same developers have likened the performance of the lower-end console to the PS4 Pro. It seems Project Lockhart will primarily see use as a digital gateway for both Microsoft’s game-streaming service, Project xCloud, and its Xbox Game Pass service. From what we know, it will sit below Series X and be a less powerful - but more affordable - option.
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and S10 Lite deals are here - this is where to pre-order Posted: 07 Feb 2020 07:46 AM PST So...Samsung's been busy! We've been so geared up for the release of Samsung Galaxy S20 deals that we almost forgot about Samsung's pile of affordable devices launching before that. When we say pile, we do mean it quite literally with four devices being launched at the same time. That's the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy Note 10 Lite, A51 and A71. As you've probably guessed from the names, these devices break into two categories - the Lite devices and the 'A' series options. While they all operate within some impressively low price brackets, it's really an option of budget or mid-range. For those preferring something a bit more powerful, Samsung's Galaxy S10 Lite (£579) and the Note 10 Lite (£529) are taking the best of Samsung in 2019 and condensing the cost right down, landing you some amazing specs at a much better price. The two 'A' devices on the other hand are a continuation of Samsung's efforts to infiltrate the affordable phones market. And considering the giant batteries, HD screens and army of cameras on board, we're really quite amazed with the prices they've hit of £329 for the Galaxy A51 and £419 for the Samsung A71. You won't be surprised to learn most retailers and networks have jumped on this launch - it's Samsung after all! But we've listed the main names below. However, with all of the devices still in pre-order period, it will be a while until you receive it.
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, A51, A71 and Note 10 Lite deals:If you want pre-order any of these hand then you can do so from any of these retailers: Samsung phone contracts: - Carphone Warehouse - Amazon Galaxy Lite or Samsung 'A' series - which new handset should I buy?This is the ultimate question. The one thing all of these handsets have in common is that they're all affordable, some just more than others. If you want something with a bit more power, similar to what was on offer last year then the two Lite devices will be for you. The Note 10 Lite featuring its unique 'S' pen and some impressive camera specs while the S10 Lite focuses on battery, processing power and having a high quality screen. The Samsung Galaxy A51 and A71 are fully pointed towards being affordable. Despite being surprisingly cheap, they hold up quite well in the specs department, offering decent sized batteries, tonnes of cameras and good looking screens, they just fall slightly short in the processing power department. Read more:
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