Profile: 1110e570...
NASA will soon announce whether Starliner's astronauts are coming back on a SpaceX vehicle
On August 24, NASA will finally announce how Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts that flew to the ISS aboard Boeing's Starliner, will be coming home. Earlier this month, the agency said it was already in talks with SpaceX about the possibility of giving the astronauts two seats aboard an upcoming Crew Dragon mission. While NASA was making sure that the option was available, it continued asking Boeing for data to prove that the Starliner is safe to ride back to Earth. The Starliner's batteries won't last forever, though, and the agency needs to make a decision soon.
In its announcement, NASA said that on August 24, its leadership will make a final examination of the data Boeing gathered through various ground tests and simulations by engineers with help from Williams and Wilmore. An hour later, at around 1PM Eastern time, it will hold a news conference to broadcast its official decision. You can watch the event on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube and the agency’s website, but we'll also keep you updated.
The Starliner's first crewed mission blasted off the space in June on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket after several delays. It was only supposed to stay docked to the ISS for eight days before making its way back home with both astronauts. During its flight to the orbiting lab, however, five of its maneuvering thrusters had failed. The helium leak that caused Boeing and NASA to scrub its launch also came back and had even worsened. Over the past few months, engineers conducted tests and simulations on the ground to provide NASA with the data it wanted. "We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, back in June.
If NASA does decide to go with its backup plan of making Wilmore and Williams hitch a ride on the Crew Dragon, then the Starliner will be coming back to Earth without a crew onboard. It's still unclear when the Starliner is making its way back to the planet, but it likely couldn't come soon enough for the company. Aside from the fact that the Starliner's batteries are running out, Boeing reported earlier this month that it took another $125 million in losses due to the spacecraft's delayed return. Wilmore and Williams will then be coming home as part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, the same mission that had to be delayed because Starliner was still taking up one of the two slots on the ISS that can accommodate astronaut capsules. The Crew-9 capsule won't be flying back to Earth until February 2025, though, so the astronauts' supposed eight-day trip will turn into an eight-month stint.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-will-soon-announce-whether-starliners-astronauts-are-coming-back-on-a-spacex-vehicle-120049271.html?src=rss
The Morning After: Is Google’s Pixel 9 worth buying?
There’s a lot of power in the notion of the default: The obvious, sensible choice you won’t get picked on for making. Until now, the default choice for an Android flagship is whatever model of Galaxy Samsung is stamping out this year. Sam Rutherford has been using Google’s new Pixel 9 as his daily driver, and he feels the winds of change are blowing. This may be the first time a Google handset has well and truly taken the lead as the default choice.
What has pulled the Pixel 9 out from under Samsung’s shadow is the better industrial design, with its utterly gorgeous look and feel. That, combined with class-leading cameras, a great display and all of Google’s newfangled AI smarts, makes it a winning handset. You’ll have to read the full review to find out just why it’s worth your cash, but the list of downsides is so short you’ll have to make an effort not to buy one right now.
— Dan Cooper
The biggest stories you might have missed
The first 22 seasons of Pokémon will return to streaming
Cruise’s self-driving cabs are coming to Uber next year
Instagram copies... Myspace?
You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
Snap is reportedly working on a new pair of augmented reality Spectacles
We may see them launch on September 17
Snap
Snap is reportedly gearing up to launch its fifth-generation pair of Spectacles with some more augmented reality features. The last pair released, in 2021, had limited availability and only lasted 30 minutes on a charge. It’s thought the latest pair has addressed many of the hardware issues inherent in the last model, but it still may not be ready for wide sale.
Continue Reading.
Peloton to ruin the secondhand market by charging a $95 ‘used equipment activation fee’
In the battle between common sense and money, the latter wins.
Photo by Jamie Rigg / Engadget
Peloton’s financial doldrums mean the company is looking for any and every way to get more cash in the door. Even if that means further alienating users it could otherwise rely upon for some of that sweet, sweet subscription revenue. Like insisting on charging a $95 activation fee for users who buy a used Peloton before they can get riding. Don’t you just love the smell of being nickeled-and-dimed even when you’re buying second-hand?
Continue Reading.
Neuralink says it may have fixed its brain implant problem
The second patient saw less thread retraction.
Neuralink says the second patient in its human trials has had a more successful implant experience than the first. The company claims it observed no thread retraction — connective threads pulling away from the brain — in its latest test. It’s hoped this will, if successful over the long term, offer more communication and connectivity for patients with accessibility needs.
Continue Reading.
British tech billionaire Mike Lynch confirmed dead after yacht sank
The founder of Autonomy and Darktrace was 59.
Mike Lynch, founder of Autonomy and Darktrace, was confirmed dead after a days-long search and rescue operation. Lynch was with his family on a yacht that capsized on Monday in a violent storm.
Continue Reading.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-is-googles-pixel-9-worth-buying-111528828.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-is-googles-pixel-9-worth-buying-111528828.html?src=rss
The best smartphones to buy in 2024
You might have an idea of which smartphone you want to buy next. But there are more options than ever before that are solid — plenty of companies are making stellar handsets nowadays, at similar prices, all with comparable feature sets. That said, the choice isn’t always cut-and-dry. If you know you want an iPhone, your decision-making process is a bit easier. If you’re an Android person, you have even more options to choose from and more questions to answer before you spend any money. At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years; so far for 2024, our top picks are currently Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and Google's Pixel 9 Pro. Whether you’ve had your eye on them, one of Samsung's Galaxy S24 phones or another device, we’re here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year.
Android or iOS?
When you're searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms.
As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform.
Cameras
Since your cell phone often pulls double duty as your primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every mobile phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device.
Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the latest iPhones, while Google’s Pixel 9 Pro comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and Action Pan modes.
Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7?
The good news is that in 2024, most phones have at least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and support for some kind of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds possible, it’s going to cost you a little extra. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing on less expensive devices.
On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much right now if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 7, which is available on some high-end handsets like the Galaxy S24, but harder to find on cheaper devices. Wi-Fi 7 also requires you to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone.
Other features to consider
Because not everyone agrees on what makes the best phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or the Apple iPhone 15 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches.
Other smartphones we've tested
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
For its latest super-premium phone, Samsung gave the S24 Ultra a more durable titanium frame, faster performance thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a much longer battery life. The company also tweaked its longest telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom so it's more usable in a wider range of situations. But the biggest upgrade is a new full suite of AI tools, which includes the ability to proofread texts, edit images and transcribe recordings. And when you tack on the best display available on a phone today and a built-in stylus, you have a very compelling flagship handset. Unfortunately, starting at $1,300, the S24 Ultra is a bit too expensive to recommend to anyone without deep pockets.
OnePlus 12
While the OnePlus 12 wasn’t able to unseat the latest Pixel, it’s worth mentioning because it offers powerful specs for the money. It features a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a big and bright 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED screen and the best battery life we’ve seen on any phone to date. OnePlus also brought back support for wireless charging for the first time in several generations, along with a good (but not great) IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. And even though its huge camera module looks a bit ungainly, its photos are surprisingly sharp. But the best thing is that, with a starting price of $800, the OnePlus 12 costs $200 less than its biggest competitors.
FAQs
How do I know which smartphone is the best for me?
While choosing the best smartphone can be challenging, it mostly comes down to how you plan on using the device. All of the best phones available now get the basics right — you’ll be able to make calls, text and access the internet without many hiccups. If your smartphone is your most used gadget, you may want to consider paying for a device on the higher end of the price spectrum. That will get you better overall performance, higher-quality cameras and a phone that will last for many years. If you don’t use your phone for everything, you may be able to compromise on performance and extra perks and spend less on a still-capable handset.
How much is a smartphone?
Smartphones range in price from $300 to over $1,500. The best budget phones available now will usually compromise on overall performance, design, camera prowess and extra features to keep costs down. On the flip side, the most expensive phones will have powerful processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most people will find a phone that fits their needs somewhere in the middle of that wide price range — we’ve found that most of the best smartphones available right now cost between $500 and $1,000.
What can you do on a smartphone?
Smartphones are essentially small, portable computers that let you do things like check email, browse social media, follow map directions, make contactless payments and more. This is all on top of the basics like making phone calls and texting, which we’ve come to expect in all modern cell phones. Smartphones have also mostly replaced compact cameras thanks to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the fact that most smartphones today as just as portable, if not more so, as compact cameras.
How long do smartphones last?
Smartphones can last years and people are holding on to their phones longer now than ever before. Software updates and battery life are two of the biggest factors that can affect phone longevity. Apple promises five years worth of software updates for its latest iPhones, and Google promises the same for its Pixel phones. Samsung phones will get four years worth of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your phone can deteriorate over time as you use and recharge your phone on a regular basis.
Recent updates
August 2024: Updated to include the Google Pixel 9 Pro.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-smartphones-140004900.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/best-smartphones-140004900.html?src=rss
The best gaming handhelds for 2024
Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, the success of the Nintendo Switch and a string of ever-improving processors have brought an eruption of devices that let you play all sorts of games anywhere you want. Because new models seem to arrive every week, however, figuring out the best gaming handheld for you can be complicated. You already know that the Switch is great, but depending on what else you want to play, the right handheld could range from a $100 emulation machine to a $700 portable PC. To help you narrow things down, we’ve researched the best handheld gaming consoles, tested the major contenders and laid out a few top picks.
Table of contents
Best gaming handhelds for 2024
What to know about the gaming handheld market
Gaming handheld honorable mentions
Other gaming handhelds we tested
Best gaming handhelds for 2024
Gaming handheld honorable mentions
The Lenovo Legion Go.
The Lenovo Legion Go is a capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X if you want a Windows handheld with a larger display. It costs $700, runs on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and offers a similar set of performance modes, but it has a mondo-sized 8.8-inch panel with a sharper 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and a higher 144Hz refresh rate. It also borrows some ideas from the Switch, including detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand for playing games in a “tabletop” mode. Those controllers have touchpads to make navigating Windows a little easier, something the ROG Ally X lacks.
But it’s still a Windows handheld, and Lenovo’s software tweaks aren’t as mature (yet) as what ASUS has done with Armoury Crate, so the UX often feels half-baked. The jumbo design is bulkier and a half-pound heavier than the ROG Ally, so some will find it too fatiguing to hold. Its fans are louder, too, and the display lacks VRR. Still, it's not a bad choice if you’re dead-set on Windows.
The Miyoo Mini Plus is much more affordable than the Retroid Pocket 4 and comes with a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $60 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to and it can emulate consoles up to the original PlayStation without much issue. It runs Linux, so it’s extensively customizable, though it can require a bit of tinkering to get it working optimally. Since it’s from a smaller Chinese firm and isn’t available at major retailers, however, it can be difficult to actually buy.
The Playdate.
The Playdate, from app developer and Untitled Goose Game publisher Panic, is a tiny yellow box with a 2.7-inch monochrome display, two face buttons, a d-pad and a physical crank built into its side. We called it a “cross between a Game Boy and a business card” in our review, and it is indeed incredibly small at roughly three inches tall and 0.18 pounds. It has a dedicated game library that largely consists of oddball indies, most of which focus on one or two core ideas instead of trying to stuff in as many mechanics as possible. A couple dozen of those games are bundled with the device, while others are available via a built-in store or sideloading from shops like Itch.io. It’s generally well-built, and its battery life is decent at six to eight hours per charge.
At $200, it’s hard to call the Playdate a great value when it’s only designed to play a selection of niche games. Its display isn’t backlit, either. But in a sea of devices that try to be everything for everyone, the Playdate is admirably focused and low-key. If you’re into smaller-scale fare and have some money to play with, it’ll be a fun toy.
The Anbernic RG405M is a good Android handheld if you like the idea of the Retroid Pocket 4 but want something more compact. This device has a 4-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which means you won’t have to deal with black bars as much for retro games (though it can feel crunched with newer systems and cloud streaming). It also has a more substantial metal frame. But its chipset is weaker for PS2 or GameCube emulation than the Pocket 4, which costs only a little bit extra.
We’ll also note the Retroid Pocket 2S, another 4:3 handheld that's available for $90. It’s a nice compromise if you’re on a tighter budget, but that lower cost brings a smaller 3.5-inch display, a slightly slower chip and less premium build quality than the RG405M.
Other gaming handhelds we tested
The Ayaneo Flip DS.
The MSI Claw is one of the only Windows handhelds to run on an Intel chip. It’s built well enough and has a decent 7-inch 120Hz display, but its performance can’t hang with AMD-based handhelds like the ROG Ally X and Legion Go. Its central software hub, MSI Center M, needs work, too. At $700 to $800 depending on the configuration, there just isn’t much reason to consider it. You can read our review for more details.
The Ayaneo Flip DS is a cool concept: a powerful Windows machine with a clamshell design and dual displays, sort of like a supercharged Nintendo DS. It feels sturdy, it performs roughly on par with the other Ryzen 7 7840U (or 8840U) handhelds in this guide, and its 7-inch top display is sharp, fast and bright. The second screen makes it a natural fit for emulating Wii U or 3DS games, but you could also, say, look up a guide or play a YouTube video without having to close whatever you’re playing. Unfortunately, this is more of a neat idea than a fully thought-out product. The folding design means that the joysticks have to be short and recessed, while the face buttons and d-pad are uncomfortably flat. The whole thing is overly thick and heavy, plus it runs very hot. Battery life tops out around two hours, and actually managing two displays on a Windows handheld is about as clunky as you'd expect. With prices starting above $800, the Flip DS is hard to recommend unless you’re (oddly) desperate for a handheld Wii U emulator. We're always happy to see more weird hardware, though.
The Ayaneo Kun.
The Ayaneo Kun is among the most decadent Windows handhelds we’ve tested. With a sharp 8.4-inch display, a powerful Ryzen 7 7840U chip, up to 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a huge 75Wh battery and a whopping 54W max TDP, it’s both a gaming beast and a feasible replacement for a desktop PC. But it starts at well over $1,000, with a top-end config priced at an eye-watering $1,800. It’s also huge, and it suffers from the usual Windows-related issues. It’s a super device if money is truly no object, but it’s more handheld than most need.
The Ayaneo 2S is another high-power Windows handheld with a sharper display, larger battery and more configuration options than the ROG Ally X. It uses the same chip as the Kun as well. But it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and costs a few hundred dollars more.
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus.
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is another wallet-friendly vertical handheld. For about the same price as the Miyoo Mini Plus, it offers a faster chipset, more RAM and a bigger battery alongside a similarly impressive design. Its stock OS is sloppy, however, and the third-party firmware customizations you can flash to it aren’t as user-friendly or easy to set up as those available for Miyoo’s handheld. Also, while its stronger processor is nice, its small screen and lack of analog sticks means you won’t want to emulate much beyond the PS1 anyway. Our reservations over the software also apply to the RG35XX H, a newer variant of the Plus that puts the same chip in a more traditional design.
The Logitech G Cloud would be a great Android pick if it cost about $150 less. Its 7-inch 1080p display is bright, vibrant and generally more pleasing to look at than the panels on the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro or AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts a good 10 to 12 hours per charge and its design is comfy to hold for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud typically sells for $300, which is just too much when the Odin 2 offers far more power for the same price.
The PlayStation Portal.
The PlayStation Portal is a baffling device that can only stream games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so emulation isn’t possible, and it can’t tap into the cloud streaming service available with a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. Because it’s entirely dependent on the quality of your home Wi-Fi, we can’t guarantee how well it’ll actually perform for you. It doesn’t work with Bluetooth earbuds, either. Its 8-inch display is fine and the DualSense-style controls are great, so Sony diehards who want a second screen for local PS5 streaming may see the appeal. But there’s nothing here that you can’t do with a smartphone and a mobile game controller, so most people are better off saving their $200.
What to know about the gaming handheld market
You can break down the gaming handheld market into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally X. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on the Linux operating system, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released PC games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you’d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. They’re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold, however, and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they’re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.
Further down on the price spectrum are "mobile handhelds" like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These devices often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC, and you can still use them for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many gamers actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. One lawsuit from Nintendo recently led to the shutdown of the most prominent Switch and 3DS emulators, for instance. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, though, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics — provided you don’t want to just use your phone.
We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.
Recent updates
August 2024: We’ve replaced the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior pick for the best Windows gaming handheld, with the new and improved ROG Ally X. We’ve also checked to make sure all availability and pricing details noted throughout the guide are accurate.
June 2024: We’ve updated this guide to ensure all of our recommendations are up to date, adding a note on ASUS’ upcoming ROG Ally X in the process. We’ve also included details on two new handhelds we’ve tested since our previous update: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on top of this market is a tall task, but we’re currently looking at recent noteworthy releases like the PSP-esque AYN Odin 2 Mini, the GBA-style Anbernic RG35XXSP and the Anbernic RG Cube as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss
The best gaming handhelds for 2024
Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, the success of the Nintendo Switch and a string of ever-improving processors have brought an eruption of devices that let you play all sorts of games anywhere you want. Because new models seem to arrive every week, however, figuring out the best gaming handheld for you can be complicated. You already know that the Switch is great, but depending on what else you want to play, the right handheld could range from a $100 emulation machine to a $700 portable PC. To help you narrow things down, we’ve researched the best handheld gaming consoles, tested the major contenders and laid out a few top picks.
Table of contents
Best gaming handhelds for 2024
What to know about the gaming handheld market
Gaming handheld honorable mentions
Other gaming handhelds we tested
Best gaming handhelds for 2024
Gaming handheld honorable mentions
The Lenovo Legion Go.
The Lenovo Legion Go is a capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X if you want a Windows handheld with a larger display. It costs $700, runs on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and offers a similar set of performance modes, but it has a mondo-sized 8.8-inch panel with a sharper 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and a higher 144Hz refresh rate. It also borrows some ideas from the Switch, including detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand for playing games in a “tabletop” mode. Those controllers have touchpads to make navigating Windows a little easier, something the ROG Ally X lacks.
But it’s still a Windows handheld, and Lenovo’s software tweaks aren’t as mature (yet) as what ASUS has done with Armoury Crate, so the UX often feels half-baked. The jumbo design is bulkier and a half-pound heavier than the ROG Ally, so some will find it too fatiguing to hold. Its fans are louder, too, and the display lacks VRR. Still, it's not a bad choice if you’re dead-set on Windows.
The Miyoo Mini Plus is much more affordable than the Retroid Pocket 4 and comes with a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $60 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to and it can emulate consoles up to the original PlayStation without much issue. It runs Linux, so it’s extensively customizable, though it can require a bit of tinkering to get it working optimally. Since it’s from a smaller Chinese firm and isn’t available at major retailers, however, it can be difficult to actually buy.
The Playdate.
The Playdate, from app developer and Untitled Goose Game publisher Panic, is a tiny yellow box with a 2.7-inch monochrome display, two face buttons, a d-pad and a physical crank built into its side. We called it a “cross between a Game Boy and a business card” in our review, and it is indeed incredibly small at roughly three inches tall and 0.18 pounds. It has a dedicated game library that largely consists of oddball indies, most of which focus on one or two core ideas instead of trying to stuff in as many mechanics as possible. A couple dozen of those games are bundled with the device, while others are available via a built-in store or sideloading from shops like Itch.io. It’s generally well-built, and its battery life is decent at six to eight hours per charge.
At $200, it’s hard to call the Playdate a great value when it’s only designed to play a selection of niche games. Its display isn’t backlit, either. But in a sea of devices that try to be everything for everyone, the Playdate is admirably focused and low-key. If you’re into smaller-scale fare and have some money to play with, it’ll be a fun toy.
The Anbernic RG405M is a good Android handheld if you like the idea of the Retroid Pocket 4 but want something more compact. This device has a 4-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which means you won’t have to deal with black bars as much for retro games (though it can feel crunched with newer systems and cloud streaming). It also has a more substantial metal frame. But its chipset is weaker for PS2 or GameCube emulation than the Pocket 4, which costs only a little bit extra.
We’ll also note the Retroid Pocket 2S, another 4:3 handheld that's available for $90. It’s a nice compromise if you’re on a tighter budget, but that lower cost brings a smaller 3.5-inch display, a slightly slower chip and less premium build quality than the RG405M.
Other gaming handhelds we tested
The Ayaneo Flip DS.
The MSI Claw is one of the only Windows handhelds to run on an Intel chip. It’s built well enough and has a decent 7-inch 120Hz display, but its performance can’t hang with AMD-based handhelds like the ROG Ally X and Legion Go. Its central software hub, MSI Center M, needs work, too. At $700 to $800 depending on the configuration, there just isn’t much reason to consider it. You can read our review for more details.
The Ayaneo Flip DS is a cool concept: a powerful Windows machine with a clamshell design and dual displays, sort of like a supercharged Nintendo DS. It feels sturdy, it performs roughly on par with the other Ryzen 7 7840U (or 8840U) handhelds in this guide, and its 7-inch top display is sharp, fast and bright. The second screen makes it a natural fit for emulating Wii U or 3DS games, but you could also, say, look up a guide or play a YouTube video without having to close whatever you’re playing. Unfortunately, this is more of a neat idea than a fully thought-out product. The folding design means that the joysticks have to be short and recessed, while the face buttons and d-pad are uncomfortably flat. The whole thing is overly thick and heavy, plus it runs very hot. Battery life tops out around two hours, and actually managing two displays on a Windows handheld is about as clunky as you'd expect. With prices starting above $800, the Flip DS is hard to recommend unless you’re (oddly) desperate for a handheld Wii U emulator. We're always happy to see more weird hardware, though.
The Ayaneo Kun.
The Ayaneo Kun is among the most decadent Windows handhelds we’ve tested. With a sharp 8.4-inch display, a powerful Ryzen 7 7840U chip, up to 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a huge 75Wh battery and a whopping 54W max TDP, it’s both a gaming beast and a feasible replacement for a desktop PC. But it starts at well over $1,000, with a top-end config priced at an eye-watering $1,800. It’s also huge, and it suffers from the usual Windows-related issues. It’s a super device if money is truly no object, but it’s more handheld than most need.
The Ayaneo 2S is another high-power Windows handheld with a sharper display, larger battery and more configuration options than the ROG Ally X. It uses the same chip as the Kun as well. But it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and costs a few hundred dollars more.
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus.
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is another wallet-friendly vertical handheld. For about the same price as the Miyoo Mini Plus, it offers a faster chipset, more RAM and a bigger battery alongside a similarly impressive design. Its stock OS is sloppy, however, and the third-party firmware customizations you can flash to it aren’t as user-friendly or easy to set up as those available for Miyoo’s handheld. Also, while its stronger processor is nice, its small screen and lack of analog sticks means you won’t want to emulate much beyond the PS1 anyway. Our reservations over the software also apply to the RG35XX H, a newer variant of the Plus that puts the same chip in a more traditional design.
The Logitech G Cloud would be a great Android pick if it cost about $150 less. Its 7-inch 1080p display is bright, vibrant and generally more pleasing to look at than the panels on the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro or AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts a good 10 to 12 hours per charge and its design is comfy to hold for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud typically sells for $300, which is just too much when the Odin 2 offers far more power for the same price.
The PlayStation Portal.
The PlayStation Portal is a baffling device that can only stream games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so emulation isn’t possible, and it can’t tap into the cloud streaming service available with a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. Because it’s entirely dependent on the quality of your home Wi-Fi, we can’t guarantee how well it’ll actually perform for you. It doesn’t work with Bluetooth earbuds, either. Its 8-inch display is fine and the DualSense-style controls are great, so Sony diehards who want a second screen for local PS5 streaming may see the appeal. But there’s nothing here that you can’t do with a smartphone and a mobile game controller, so most people are better off saving their $200.
What to know about the gaming handheld market
You can break down the gaming handheld market into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally X. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on the Linux operating system, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released PC games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you’d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. They’re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold, however, and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they’re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.
Further down on the price spectrum are "mobile handhelds" like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These devices often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC, and you can still use them for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many gamers actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. One lawsuit from Nintendo recently led to the shutdown of the most prominent Switch and 3DS emulators, for instance. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, though, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics — provided you don’t want to just use your phone.
We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.
Recent updates
August 2024: We’ve replaced the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior pick for the best Windows gaming handheld, with the new and improved ROG Ally X. We’ve also checked to make sure all availability and pricing details noted throughout the guide are accurate.
June 2024: We’ve updated this guide to ensure all of our recommendations are up to date, adding a note on ASUS’ upcoming ROG Ally X in the process. We’ve also included details on two new handhelds we’ve tested since our previous update: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on top of this market is a tall task, but we’re currently looking at recent noteworthy releases like the PSP-esque AYN Odin 2 Mini, the GBA-style Anbernic RG35XXSP and the Anbernic RG Cube as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss
DC's antitrust case against Amazon comes back to life
An appeals court has revived an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon filed by the Attorney General of Washington, DC more than three years ago. The online retailer must now face allegations that it illegally raised prices for consumers.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 and cited Amazon’s practices related to third-party sellers on its platform. Specifically, it called out a provision in the company’s agreements with third-party sellers that allowed it to punish businesses that offered its products at lower prices on non-Amazon platforms. Karl Racine, the AG at the time, said these agreements allowed the company to “impose an artificially high price floor across the online retail marketplace.” Racine later expanded the case to include Amazon’s pricing tactics for wholesalers.
Amazon has disputed those allegations, and the case was dismissed in 2022. But an appeals court has now reversed that decision. “Viewed as a whole, the District’s allegations about Amazon’s market share and maintenance of its market power through the challenged agreements plausibly suggest that Amazon either already possesses monopoly power over online marketplaces or is close to a ‘dangerous probability of achieving monopoly power,’” the judge wrote.
The reversal adds to Amazon’s antitrust woes. The company is also facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and more than a dozen states. The UK’s antitrust regulator has also opened an investigation centered around the company’s $4 billion investment into Anthropic.
In a statement, DC's current AG Brian Schwalb noted that the district “was the first jurisdiction to take antitrust enforcement action” against the company. “Now, our case will move forward, and we will continue fighting to stop Amazon’s unfair and unlawful practices that have raised prices for District consumers and stifled innovation and choice across online retail.”
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/dcs-antitrust-case-against-amazon-comes-back-to-life-194314355.html?src=rss
The first 22 seasons of Pokémon will return to streaming
Get ready, trainers: the original Pokémon anime will soon be getting a new home. The Pokémon Company has partnered with Canadian company WildBrain to be the distributor for a single-IP free ad-supported television channel that's all Pokémon, all the time. The deal covers the first 22 seasons of the animated tales of Ash Ketchum and his electrifying buddy Pikachu.
The FAST channel will arrive first in the US, followed by launches in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. WildBrain has existing relationships with several TV platforms, including Samsung, LG, Roku, Tubi and Pluto, but it didn't share any specific dates or likely homes for the future Pokémon channel. The company specializes in children's programming. It operates FAST channels for game franchises Sonic and Super Mario as well as kid-focused titles such as Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake and Caillou.
Fans should be pleased to have this new development from the Pokémon Company after its Pokémon TV venture was shuttered earlier this year. If you're looking for other Pokémon content, stateside viewers should be sure to catch up on the Netflix exclusive Pokémon Journeys before the show leaves in September. You've also got the latest show, Pokémon Horizons, which landed on the streaming service in February.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-first-22-seasons-of-pokemon-will-return-to-streaming-225513118.html?src=rss
Google Essentials will house all Google services in a single Windows app
If you buy a new Hewlett-Packard laptop in the next few weeks, then you’ll notice a new app on the “Start” menu called Google Essentials. On Thursday, Google announced that the new app will bundle some of its core services like Google Photos, Google Drive and Google Messages.
The Google Essentials app will not only house shortcuts to its most used services but it will also centralize your Google account information and saved materials such as documents, photos and saved games for titles from Google Play Games. Eligible subscribers will also receive a two month trial of Google One cloud storage with 100GB.
The blog posts says that Google Essentials will only be available on Windows PCs starting with new Hewlett-Packard (HP) laptops including models like the Spectre, Envy, Pavilion, OMEN and Victus. Google says it plans to make the Essentials app available on more Windows PC brands in the future.
The concept of a bundled Google services app sounds very similar to the old Windows Live Essentials. The collection of Microsoft applications allowed Windows users a quicker way to access apps like Mail, Movie Maker, Messenger and Writer. An archived version of the Windows Live Essentials installer is available on the Internet Archive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-essentials-will-house-all-google-services-in-a-single-windows-app-223824942.html?src=rss
Cruise's self-driving cabs are coming to Uber next year
General Motors’ robotaxi service Cruise has inked a multi-year deal with Uber. The deal will let Uber customers hail a Cruise self-driving taxi from their smartphone starting next year, according to TechCrunch. This means that Cruise’s self-driving taxis will be back on roads for the first time since striking a pedestrian in San Francisco in October 2023.
Neither GM nor Uber gave a specific date or city for Uber’s rollout of Cruise’s robotaxis. A spokesperson told the website that the new partnership between Cruise and Uber would follow Cruise’s re-launch of its own driverless taxi service in 2025.
Cruise is currently testing cars with human drivers on roads in Dallas, Phoenix and Houston with plans to expand to more cities. Uber also has a partnership with the self-driving car fleet Waymo that’s currently operating in Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Cruise also just reached an agreement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) following an investigation that started in December of 2022 over three rear-end crashes involving its autonomous driving vehicles. The company was under another investigation following an accident in October in San Francisco when one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian who was thrown into its path by a human-driven vehicle and dragged 20 feet causing further injuries.
A third-party report released by Cruise found that executives knew about the incident but failed to disclose it in meetings with city officials and federal agencies. Cruise fired nine of its executives at the end of last year following a probe. The company also agreed to pay a fine to the California Public Utilities Commission allowing Cruise to restart its operations in the state.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/cruises-self-driving-cabs-are-coming-to-uber-next-year-214734509.html?src=rss
First trailer for Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim shows an anime-styled Middle-earth
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has been in the works for about three years now, but with its release date fast approaching we now have our first trailer. It's one of the more unusual and intriguing projects under the Lord of the Rings franchise, an anime-style standalone movie that covers events in the kingdom of Rohan some 200-ish years before the War of the Ring.
The trailer starts with some iconic footage from the '00s Lord of the Rings films focused on Rohan before diving into the animation. It's immediately obvious that this project is connected to Peter Jackson's films, as the designs for key areas like Edoras and Helm's Deep clearly reference those earlier movies despite the distinctly different style. As for characters, we're introduced to King Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Hera who, judging by the trailer, will likely be our main protagonist. It looks like an attempt to marry her off goes south, angering the family of suitor Wulf — things get decidedly more tense after that, with plenty of action and Oliphaunts and, naturally, some teases of ring-related events to come.
The film is directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who has been a writer and director on various anime including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East. He's also directed episodes of Star Wars: Visions and Ultraman. Most of the cast is still under wraps, but we know Brian Cox is voicing King Hammerhand, while Gaia Wise is voicing his daughter Hera. Miranda Otto is also reprising her role from the Lord of the Rings films as Eowyn, who will serve as the narrator for the story.
The movie is set to be released on December 13, and it's the first of several Lord of the Rings films in development — Andy Serkis, perhaps best known for his performance as Gollum in Jackson's Middle-earth films, is directing a new film tentatively entitled The Hunt for Gollum. While that movie is years away, fans can also catch Middle-earth on-screen in a week when season two of Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-shows-an-anime-styled-middle-earth-202139240.html?src=rss
DC's antitrust case against Amazon comes back to life
An appeals court has revived an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon filed by the Attorney General of Washington, DC more than three years ago. The online retailer must now face allegations that it illegally raised prices for consumers.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 and cited Amazon’s practices related to third-party sellers on its platform. Specifically, it called out a provision in the company’s agreements with third-party sellers that allowed it to punish businesses that offered its products at lower prices on non-Amazon platforms. Karl Racine, the AG at the time, said these agreements allowed the company to “impose an artificially high price floor across the online retail marketplace.” Racine later expanded the case to include Amazon’s pricing tactics for wholesalers.
Amazon has disputed those allegations, and the case was dismissed in 2022. But an appeals court has now reversed that decision. “Viewed as a whole, the District’s allegations about Amazon’s market share and maintenance of its market power through the challenged agreements plausibly suggest that Amazon either already possesses monopoly power over online marketplaces or is close to a ‘dangerous probability of achieving monopoly power,’” the judge wrote.
The reversal adds to Amazon’s antitrust woes. The company is also facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and more than a dozen states. The UK’s antitrust regulator has also opened an investigation centered around the company’s $4 billion investment into Anthropic.
In a statement, DC's current AG Brian Schwalb noted that the district “was the first jurisdiction to take antitrust enforcement action” against the company. “Now, our case will move forward, and we will continue fighting to stop Amazon’s unfair and unlawful practices that have raised prices for District consumers and stifled innovation and choice across online retail.”
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/dcs-antitrust-case-against-amazon-comes-back-to-life-194314355.html?src=rss
The Epic Games Store's latest freebies are The Callisto Protocol and the revived MOBA Gigantic
The best thing about the free games that the Epic Games Store offers is they're genuinely yours to keep forever. They're not locked behind a subscription of any kind. The only form of payment you provide is a little personal information in the form of your email address and whatever else is required to create an Epic account. It might be worth signing up if you haven't already, as this week's free games are pretty notable.
First up is The Callisto Protocol, a 2022 survival horror game from Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield. It's cut from the same cloth as Dead Space, but — stellar visuals aside — we didn't like it much. (In fact, a Dead Space remake that arrived shortly afterward was much more warmly received.) Still, it can be yours for absolutely zilch right now.
What a week for FREE games!
Whether you're up for Gigantic: Rampage Edition's 5v5 MOBA action or The Callisto Protocol's futuristic take on pulse-pounding survival horror, now's the time to claim them both.
Just go here: https://t.co/HtftoaoJlW pic.twitter.com/zM7yGcbFe8
— Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) August 22, 2024
The Callisto Protocol hit Epic's free game lineup just as the studio behind it announced a spinoff called [REDACTED]. The upcoming title from Striking Distance, which is no longer led by Schofield after he stepped down last year, is a stylized, roguelike dungeon crawler in which you play as a prison guard.
You must try to survive the threat of infected inmates and escape a penitentiary on Callisto, an icy moon of Jupiter. [REDACTED] will arrive on October 31 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
This week's other Epic Games Store freebie is interesting too. It's a MOBA-hero shooter hybrid called Gigantic that has a long and convoluted history. To keep things brief, the game debuted in 2017, was killed in 2018 after failing to gain enough traction and revived under a different studio this year. I played it for a bit and found the matches to be fun and chaotic.
The original Gigantic was free-to-play. While the revival — dubbed Gigantic: Rampage Edition — typically costs $20, it has zero microtransactions. So you won't have to worry about being nickel-and-dimed after claiming this one.
You'll have until August 29 to snag those two games. There's some good stuff to look forward to on the Epic Games Store next week as well. Starting on August 29, you can claim a Fallout bundle that includes Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics for free, along with an arcade-style football game called Wild Card Football.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-epic-games-stores-latest-freebies-are-the-callisto-protocol-and-the-revived-moba-gigantic-192403774.html?src=rss
DeepMind workers urge Google to drop military contracts
Google DeepMind workers have signed a letter calling on the company to drop contracts with military organizations, according to a report by Time. The document was drafted on May 16 of this year. Around 200 people signed the document, which amounts to five percent of the total headcount of DeepMind.
For the uninitiated, DeepMind is one of Google’s AI divisions and the letter states that adopting military contracts runs afoul of the company’s own AI rules. The letter was sent out as internal concerns began circulating within the AI lab that the tech was allegedly being sold to military organizations via cloud contracts.
According to Time, Google’s contracts with the United States military and the Israeli military allow access to services via the cloud, and this reportedly includes AI technology developed by DeepMind. The letter doesn’t linger on any specific military organization, with workers emphasizing that it’s “not about the geopolitics of any particular conflict.”
Reporting since 2021 has slowly revealed the scope of tech supplied by Google (and Amazon) to the Israeli government via a partnership known as Project Nimbus. This is far from the first instance of Google employees openly protesting their work being used to support politically fraught military aims — the company fired dozens of staffers who spoke out against Project Nimbus earlier this year.
“Any involvement with military and weapon manufacturing impacts our position as leaders in ethical and responsible AI, and goes against our mission statement and stated AI principles,” the DeepMind letter says. It’s worth noting that Google’s slogan used to be “don’t be evil.”
The letter goes on to ask DeepMind’s leaders to deny military users access to its AI technology and to set up a new in-house governance body to prevent the tech from being used by future militaries. According to four unnamed employees, Google has yet to offer a tangible response to the letter. “We have received no meaningful response from leadership,” one said, “and we are growing increasingly frustrated.”
Google did respond to Time’s reporting, saying that it complies with its AI principles. The company says that the contract with the Israeli government “is not directed at highly sensitive, classified or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.” However, its partnership with the Israeli government has fallen under plenty of scrutiny in recent months.
Google purchased DeepMind back in 2014, but under the promise that its AI technology would never be used for military or surveillance purposes. For many years, DeepMind was allowed to operate with a good amount of independence from its parent company, but the burgeoning AI race looks to have changed that. The lab's leaders spent years seeking greater autonomy from Google, but were rebuffed in 2021.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/deepmind-workers-urge-google-to-drop-military-contracts-190544509.html?src=rss
Don't freak out, but Nintendo is killing off Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will cease to exist on November 28, but players' saves should be getting a new home. Since its global launch in 2017, Pocket Camp has offered the core Animal Crossing experience on smartphones, including limited time special events.
Sales of Leaf Tickets, the in-game currency for speeding up access to camp accessories, will stop on November 27. The company is also ending its subscription plans for the Pocket Camp Club, which provides additional in-game cosmetics each month. New plans will not be accepted after October 28 and existing subscriptions will not renew after that date.
But all is not lost for those of us who have invested a lot of hours into building pint-sized communities. Nintendo cushioned the blow with the news that a new app is in the works where existing players can continue their save files. The new take on the game will be a paid purchase with no in-app purchases, as opposed to Pocket Camp's freemium approach. The team promised more information on the new app this October.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/dont-freak-out-but-nintendo-is-killing-off-animal-crossing-pocket-camp-181640622.html?src=rss
Snap is reportedly working on a new pair of augmented reality Spectacles
Snap is getting ready to show off a new pair of augmented reality glasses, according to a new report in The Verge. The glasses would be the fifth-generation of Spectacles, and the second pair to have augmented reality capabilities. CEO Evan Spiegel will reportedly unveil the glasses at the company’s upcoming Partner Summit event on September 17.
The company last introduced a pair of AR glasses in 2021. The glasses were only ever made available to a small handful of creators and developers, who came up with some interesting experiments that combined Snapchat’s lenses with the AR displays. But, as I noted in my hands-on with AR-enabled Spectacles that year, the device was still pretty limited. It had an extremely narrow field of view and only a 30-minute battery life. The glasses were also much bulkier and boxier compared to earlier generations of Spectacles that looked more like regular sunglasses.
Snapchat's fourth-generation Spectacles that had AR displays.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Now, it sounds like Snap has made some improvements to the underlying tech. The Verge reports that the latest glasses will have a wider field of view and better battery life. However, it seems the Spectacles are still being positioned as more of a developer device than something any Snapchat user will be able to buy. Each pair reportedly costs “thousands of dollars to build” and Snap is planning on making “fewer than 10,000” of them.
Still, it suggests that Snap hasn’t entirely given up on its hardware ambitions. Its last new product was the $250 Pixy selfie drone, which it abandoned just four months after launch in 2022. The company recalled the device earlier this year after a reported battery fire.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snap-is-reportedly-working-on-a-new-pair-of-augmented-reality-spectacles-173024510.html?src=rss
How The Crush House turns procedural generation into social manipulation
This is a story about serendipity and probability.
Nicole He met Arnaud De Bock while waiting in line for the bathroom at a GDC developer party in 2019. She was giving a talk on voice technology in art and games based on her work as a creative technologist, her portfolio filled with interactive projects like the True Love Tinder Robot, Garden Friends, ENHANCE.COMPUTER and Soylent Dick. De Bock was working on the Reigns series and Card Shark for Nerial, and finishing up Pikuniku on the side.
Technically, He wasn’t invited to this particular party, but Ape Out co-creator Maxi Boch snuck her in.
“There in the bathroom line, I met Arnaud,” He told Engadget. “We started chatting, and we were sort of mutual fans of each other's work, and we talked about potentially collaborating on something. A few months later, we were trying to work on this other idea that he had with his collaborator Rémi [Forcadell] from Pikuniku. That idea never really worked out into anything. But at the same time, Arnaud and I were both obsessed with this reality show called Terrace House.”
Devolver Digital
Terrace House was a Japanese reality series that aired from 2012 to 2020, featuring a rotating cast of six strangers, mainly young professionals, as they lived together for months at a time. Episodes followed the participants as they navigated work and relationships, and the entire thing had a soothing, quiet kind of vibe, even during explosive arguments about eating someone else’s steak. Though cast members often ended up dating each other, you could call Terrace House very demure and very mindful — especially in comparison to Western reality shows like Love Island or Too Hot to Handle, which are built around the themes of bikinis, lust, betrayal and neon-lit product placement.
Inspired by Terrace House and 1990s reality shows like The Real World and Room Raiders, He and De Bock started creating a game called The Crush House. Nerial jumped on board: The studio was finishing up Card Shark and co-founder Francois Alliot saw this reality TV project as an opportunity for his team to flex their narrative muscles.
“At some point, we made a major pivot as far as the writing goes, just ramping it up from this chill Terrace House style, slice-of-life relaxed thing, to be trashy, essentially,” He said. “Like, the dialogue needs to be a lot more engaging. It needs to be funnier and raunchier, more over the top.”
Devolver Digital
That’s when shows like Love Island and The Ultimatum entered the production conversation. In its final form, The Crush House falls in the space between Terrace House and Love Island. It’s set in a bright seaside mansion (with an infinity pool, of course) and it stars four characters at a time as they form strategic friendships, have fiery arguments and make out with each other between ad breaks.
The Crush House is set in 1999, before smartphones enabled a call-and-response relationship with viewers, but the audience still plays a critical role. Players are the on-site producer and videographer, and they have to respond in real-time to demands from different categories of viewers, like drama queens, foodies, fish freaks, divorced dads and butt guys, while also appeasing advertisers and the mysterious network overlords. Capturing the correct footage, playing ads at the right time and placating the suits makes for a surprisingly intense gameplay loop. There’s a sprint button here for a reason.
One of the most intriguing aspects of The Crush House is its replayability. There are 12 cast members to choose from at the start of every run, and they have distinct personality traits that play off of each other in unique ways. There are classic reality-TV archetypes, like the himbo, the naive girl and the pretentious one, and their interactions are driven by procedural generation.
“Everything that you see on the screen, the dialogues, are generated,” Alliot said. “We have a system called rigmarole, which is a system that matches the traits of a character with what we call sagas, which are like models of stories. For example, if you got a love triangle, you have a number one, number two, number three, they will have different traits that we will match to the characters. If we have a match, we play that story and then it unfolds like that, with possible outcomes that may be different depending on the character that you picked. And this system allows us to have a very broad or very narrow type of narrative.”
He and the developers at Nerial wrote about 50,000 lines of dialogue for the Crush House rigmarole system. With 12 characters to choose from and four characters in each playthrough, there are 495 total possible cast combinations in the game. Essentially, The Crush House had to be procedurally generated.
“We have things that are logical, but it's never 100 percent super structured,” Alliot said. “It's a bit loose, a loose narrative that fits very well with reality TV. And so you can play the game basically forever, matching different characters, and it will still surprise you.”
The Crush House was a jumble of random dialogue and code for a long time before its procedural generation systems had enough information to produce a rational, powerful experience, He said. Alliot warned her this would be the case, and encouraged her to be patient and watch out for the moment when everything would snap into place. Eventually, that’s exactly what happened.
Devolver Digital
“It's kind of a mess for a long time,” He said. “But when we reached the point where actually it all came together — we had enough writing, we had the technical stuff working out, and the animations playing and all this stuff happening. It's like there's something that clicks and it kind of becomes magical.”
The Crush House still surprises He, even after years of studying its code and iterating on its outputs.
“I had this experience even yesterday playing the game, where there was a very sweet, romantic scene between Veer and Alex, and then the next scene, Veer says something that's really cruel to him,” He said. “And I was struck by that. I mean, I can see through the veil of it, I know how everything works, but it's really awesome to have that effect.”
The Crush House is available on Steam for PC, developed by Nerial and published by Devolver Digital.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/how-the-crush-house-turns-procedural-generation-into-social-manipulation-160020111.html?src=rss
Peloton to ruin the secondhand market by charging a $95 ‘used equipment activation fee’
Peloton is in something of a financial rut lately, and we all know what companies do when that happens. They take it out on consumers. To that end, the exercise machine maker just announced it will be charging a $95 “used equipment activation fee” to anyone who buys one of its machines on the secondhand market, according to a report by CNBC.
The company made this announcement in its Q4 2024 shareholder letter. The fairly exorbitant fee will apply to any machine bought directly from a previous owner, meaning anything purchased via Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or, heck, even a neighbor down the street. Without tithing $95 to the church of Peloton, the machine won’t have access to any of the classes or features the company has become known for.
The company says this activation fee is just to ensure that new members “receive the same high-quality onboarding experience Peloton is known for.” In a recent earnings call, however, a company representative was more transparent, calling the fee a “source of incremental revenue and gross profit,” according to The Verge.
Users who pay this fee will be treated to a “virtual custom fitting,” in the case of the Peloton Bike and Bike Plus. They will also receive a summary of the hardware which will illustrate exactly how much the machine was used by the original owner, just in case the seller tries that whole “I only used it once” thing. Peloton also says that these second hand buyers will get discounts on accessories like shoes, mats and spare parts. So it’s not all bad.
Also, the $95 fee doesn’t apply to those who buy refurbished machines directly from the company or from any of its third-party distribution partners. It’s only those who sell or buy via traditional used equipment channels who gotta pay the troll toll.
Buying a preowned Peloton machine was one of the great joys of being a consumer. The standard Bike, for instance, sells new for nearly $1,500, but you can pick up a used one online for $300 to $500. Now, that price goes up to $400 to $600. Peloton also requires a monthly membership fee to access content, which is around $44.
This isn’t the only move that Peloton has recently made that could be seen, through a cynical lens, as nickel and diming consumers. It upped subscription prices for those who use the company’s app with third-party machines. There’s still a free tier, but it doesn’t offer access to any live classes.
However, the recent earnings call did offer a bit of good news for Pelo-heads (I just made that up). Shares have risen 15 percent this quarter and losses have been narrowed to $30 million, down from $241 million year over year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/peloton-to-ruin-the-secondhand-market-by-charging-a-95-used-equipment-activation-fee-155230509.html?src=rss
The best couch co-op games for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox
A million different online multiplayer games seem to arrive each week, but good games you can play on the couch with a buddy aren’t as common. If you’re looking for a suggestion, we’ve rounded up a selection of our favorite couch co-op games below, from 2D platformers and lengthy RPGs to chill puzzlers and intense shooters. Just be aware that we’ve limited our selection to genuine co-op experiences, not games like Mario Kart or a Jackbox Party Pack that may be playable on one machine but are largely competitive by nature.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-co-op-games-for-pc-nintendo-switch-ps-4-and-more-141542259.html?src=rss
Ring's new pan-and-tilt security camera drops to $60 in its first discount
Home security devices can give us peace of mind, but they don't always come cheaply. That's why we're excited to see Ring's Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera finally go on sale. The device, which launched at the end of May, is down to $60 from $80 — a 25 percent discount. The only catch: the sale is just available on the black and white models, leaving the Blush, Charcoal and Starlight options at full price.
Ring's Pan-Tilt Indoor Camera offers all the basics with two-way talk and motion alerts but is also the company's first foray into a motorized base, with the device providing a 360-degree look at what's happening inside your home. Plus, it has a tilt range of 169 degrees and displays its view in color HD video. If you're staying in a home with one in it or have visitors, you can activate the built-in hardware kill switch and slide a shutter over the camera — this should also disable any audio.
Right now, you can also get the Ring Video Doorbell for 40 percent off, down to $60 from $100 — just shy of its record low. The doorbell lets you hear, see, and speak with anyone at your front door, with the camera displaying a 1080p HD visual on your computer or phone. It comes with a rechargeable battery and is available in Satin Nickel or Venetian Bronze.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/rings-new-pan-and-tilt-security-camera-drops-to-60-in-its-first-discount-141551723.html?src=rss
Instagram copies...Myspace?
If there's one thing that's guaranteed in the world of social media, it's that platforms are going to copy each other's features. However, the newest iteration of this is still surprising, to say the least. Instagram has announced a new music feature that allows you to attach a song to your profile a la Myspace.
Instagram has copied MySpace, a platform that peaked long before Instagram ever existed, and arguably was thrown into decline by the rise of Instagram's parent company.
So, how does this new feature work? You can choose a song by going to edit profile and clicking "Add music to your profile." You can then choose a song or search in the For You section. From there, pick the 30 seconds of the song you want to feature and it will remain on your profile until you pick a new one or decide Myspace features are better left in the past. Don't worry if you're scrolling in public as songs won't start playing now the second you go on someone's profile — click the play button to hear it.
Instagram teamed up with singer Sabrina Carpenter to promote the feature, with fans able to hear a clip of her new song "Taste." exclusively on her profile (though the album comes out tomorrow). Earlier this year, Instagram's parent company, Meta, teamed up with another pop star, Taylor Swift. She created a Threads account alongside the release of her new album, The Tortured Poet Society, in April. The first group of people to share her post received a customized badge on their profile.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-copiesmyspace-140049134.html?src=rss
https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-copiesmyspace-140049134.html?src=rss