- Diablo 4's Microtransaction Prices Revealed, And They Aren't Cheap GameSpot
- Diablo 4 Is The Greatest Game You'll Be Scared to Love Den of Geek
- Diablo 4 review: The gothic action-RPG enters its open-world MMO era Polygon
- Diablo 4 review-in-progress: The transition to live service buries what makes it great PC Gamer
- Diablo 4 Review - Mother Knows Best GameSpot
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Diablo 4's Microtransaction Prices Revealed, And They Aren't Cheap - GameSpot
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Computex 2023: MSI prezintă un laptop Stealth 16 realizat cu Mercedes AMG
Computex 2023 e în plină desfăşurare şi MSI a adus la acest reputat shwo tech un laptop de gaming realizat în parteneriat cu Mercedes AMG. E vorba despre MSI Stealth 16, un laptop de gaming cu un design, materiale şi culori inspirate de Mercedes.
Numele complet al produsului este MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes AMG Motorsport. Avem de-a face cu o ediţie specială de Stealth 16, care vine cu un logo al scuderiei pe capac şi pe alimentator. Zona de ventilaţie e inspirată de logo-ul AMG, iar butonul Power gri are inscripţia „Start engine”. Nu uităm de modele speciale cu inspiraţie auto pe diferite elemente ale laptopului, inclusiv bara space sau balamaua.
Şasiul acestui laptop vine pe nuanţa unică Selenite Gray şi implică un aliaj de magneziu cu aluminiu. Laptopul cântăreşte sub 2 kilograme şi măsoară sub 20 de mm în talie. Avem şi iluminare per key RGB, iar tastatura e una cu tehnologie Steelseries. Laptopul are şi un ambalaj special, cu mouse şi mouse pad branduit Mercedes, drive USB, pouch, cabluri.
Cât despre specificaţii, laptopul adoptă un procesor Intel Core i9-13900H, cu 14 nuclee şi 20 de fire de execuţie. Poate atinge până la 5.4 GHz şi puteţi face rost de dispozitiv cu o placă grafică până la NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. Încă nu e clar ce TGP are placă, dar e probabil una de 150W.
Laptopul se va lansa în a doua jumătate a anului, dar nu îi ştim preţul.
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Monday, May 29, 2023
Should Mods Be Paid For? Valheim's Developers Don't Think So - Kotaku
- Should Mods Be Paid For? Valheim's Developers Don't Think So Kotaku
- Valheim developer believes paid mods are 'against the creative and open spirit of modding' PC Gamer
- Valheim Explains Stance on Mods GameRant
- Valheim developers issue official statement about paid mods DSOGaming
- Should Mods Be Paid For? Not In Valheim Kotaku Australia
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Sunday, May 28, 2023
Saturday, May 27, 2023
Friday, May 26, 2023
Google's Magic Compose beta is here — but it sends your messages to Google - The Verge
- Google's Magic Compose beta is here — but it sends your messages to Google The Verge
- Magic Compose comes to Google Messages in beta to supercharge your conversations Android Police
- AI-based Magic Compose in Messages is fun (but maybe not accurate) Android Authority
- How to use Magic Compose in Google Messages Android Central
- Google Messages Magic Compose beta starts rolling out 9to5Google
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Microsoft Clarifies That a Dozen PlayStation Showcase Games Will Also Come to Xbox - IGN Daily Fix - IGN
- Microsoft Clarifies That a Dozen PlayStation Showcase Games Will Also Come to Xbox - IGN Daily Fix IGN
- Ignore the social media complainers, the PlayStation Showcase 2023 was fantastic Tom's Guide
- Sony's lack of first-party focus left PlayStation Showcase feeling like a letdown Eurogamer.net
- The Xbox Showcase Needs to Strike While the Iron is Hot GameRant
- PlayStation Showcase 2023: Everything Announced IGN
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Virgin Orbit gets stripped for parts as the company shuts down
Once-successful Virgin Orbit has been sold for parts at auction after the company declared bankruptcy in April. In a $16.1 million deal, Rocket Lab USA, a small satellite launch provider and aerospace manufacturer, bought Virgin Orbit's 144,000 square foot Long Beach headquarters and a variety of on-site machinery and equipment.
Rocket Lab USA is currently developing Neutron, a larger launch vehicle, from its headquarters, conveniently also located in Long Beach. In a statement about the purchase, Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's CEO and founder, said adding Virgin Orbit's lease "provides co-located engineering, manufacturing and test capabilities for our Neutron team."
The now-defunct Virgin Orbit started in 2017 as an off-shoot of Virgin Galactic, billionaire Richard Branson's space tourism venture. Its goal was to use a modified Boeing 747 aircraft, known as Cosmic Girl, to deploy small satellites into low Earth orbit, but only four of its six flights since its first in 2020 have been successful. The company attempted to save money through methods like going public in 2021 and, most recently, furloughing its 750 or so employees. However, they weren't enough, and the company reported a $191.2 million net loss for 2022. In April, Virgin Orbit officially declared bankruptcy and laid off most of its employees.
In total, Virgin Orbit has earned just over $36 million from bankruptcy sales, CNBC reported. Cosmic Girl sold for $17 million to Stratolaunch, creator of the world's largest plane. A small satellite transport business, Launcher, paid an additional $2.7 million for Virgin Orbit's launch site in the Mojave Desert — about a six-hour drive from their south Los Angeles headquarters. Launcher is owned by Vast, a company attempting to launch the first private space station.
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The Morning After: Dyson claims its next-gen robot vacuum has twice the suction of rivals
Dyson's first robot vacuum, the 360 Eye, was a tallish robot vac that brought several new tricks to automated floor cleaning, for a price. Now, the UK company is trying again with the 360 Vis Nav robovac, which just launched in Australia and should come to the US later this year.
The motor speed has increased from 78,000 RPM on its predecessor to 110,000, which supposedly delivers six times the suction of other robot vacuums. It also has a "triple-action" brush bar for optimal cleaning on different surfaces. Namely, it uses soft nylon for hard floors, anti-static carbon fiber filaments for fine dust and stiff nylon bristles for carpets.
The company has also added an arm that pops out and redirects suction, picking up dirt at the edges. With all that suction power, it can clean for up to 50 minutes before automatically going back to the dock to charge. There's no word on pricing or US availability yet, but the 360 Vis Nav just launched in Australia for $AUD 2,399 (about $1,590), more than the 360 Eye was at launch ($1,200) and much more than many high-end rivals.
– Mat Smith
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
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Netflix starts charging for account sharing in the US
You'll need to pay $8 per month for users outside your household.
Netflix is now notifying American customers they need to pay $8 per month for viewers outside of the household who want to share the account. As in other countries, you can add one extra member with the Standard plan, and two with the Premium tier. You can still watch outside your home, but you'll have to establish the household's boundaries either manually through a smart TV app (which looks for devices on the same WiFi network) or automatically (based on IP addresses, device IDs and activity).
Microsoft’s Panos Panay sees Windows and AI as an ‘opportunity’
Windows Copilot is just the beginning.
After debuting its AI-infused Bing search engine and Microsoft 365 Copilot for Office apps, Microsoft is making the inevitable next step: making AI an integral part of Windows 11. The new Windows Copilot tool lives in the Windows sidebar and, just like Bing's AI chat, you can use it as a super-powered search engine by typing in general questions. But true to its name, it's also deeply integrated with Windows. In an interview with Engadget, executive vice president and chief product officer Panos Panay told us: "AI is going to be the single largest driver of innovation for Windows in the years to come. It's going to change the way you work.” Windows Copilot will be available to preview in June.
NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti (8GB) review
Better 1080p ray tracing for $399
We loved NVIDIA's RTX 3060 Ti. It was the ideal balance of price and performance. So with its RTX 40-series cards skyrocketing to pricey new heights, is NVIDIA drifting away from affordable GPUs? Fortunately, the $399 RTX 4060 Ti proves NVIDIA can still deliver plenty of value under $500. We put it to the test.
Amazon's latest Fire tablet is a $230 Android-powered 2-in-1
The total cost comes up to $330 with a keyboard case and stylus.
Amazon
Following Google's official launch of the Pixel Tablet last week, Amazon has unveiled a new Fire tablet called the Max 11. For just $230, the Fire Max 11 offers an 11-inch LCD screen, slim aluminum frame and smart home controls courtesy of Alexa. While the company's previous slates have found a niche as affordable, kid-friendly mobile entertainment devices, the Max 11 is going for a more grown-up audience. The Fire Max 11 seems solid value. It's certainly cheaper (when you include the price of the keyboard case) than the Galaxy Tabs, Surfaces and iPads that have long dominated the tablet market. Expect our full verdict in the coming weeks.
Adobe adds generative AI editing to Photoshop
Generative Fill arrives in beta today.
Adobe
Adobe announced a new Generative Fill feature is coming to its photo-editing software later this year, and it’s available to play with in beta now. The company promises “a magical new way to work” as the Firefly-powered feature lets you add, remove and extend visual content based on natural-language text prompts. Adobe says the feature matches the original scene’s perspective, lighting and style, so you can alter images with minimal effort.
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The EOS R100 is Canon's cheapest R-series mirrorless camera yet
Canon has unveiled its cheapest R-series camera yet, the $480 EOS R100 that's similar to the old EOS M50 II with a new mount. It's "designed for new, first-time mirrorless camera or existing interchangeable camera users who previously enjoyed EOS Rebel or EOS M cameras," the company said. For that price, though, it's missing some key features that you'd expect on a modern mirrorless camera.
The EOS R100 has a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, and and offers slowish 6.5 fps burst speeds and Dual Pixel AF with face and eye detection. To frame your subjects, it offers a basic but respectable 2.36 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder.
Canon
The 1.04 million dot rear LCD display is where Canon really cut corners to make that price point, though. It doesn't even tilt, let alone articulate, and is a non-touch screen. That means you'll need to set the focus point using the D-Pad and navigate menu choices via the buttons. The EOS M50 II, by contrast, had a fully articulating touch display for $120 more at launch.
Like the M50 II, you can shoot 4K video at up to 24 fps, though it has a significant crop and you only get contrast-detect autofocus at 4K. 1080p can be shot at up to 60fps and does use the Dual Pixel AF system. Canon didn't specify the crop, but it's a significant 1.5X on the M50 II.
Other features include support for a single SD-UHS I memory card, microphone and HDMI micro inputs, Bluetooth/WiFi and a tiny 356 gram (12.56 oz) weight.
As Canon mentions, the main advantage compared to a smartphone is the ability to use multiple lenses. To wit, the company also unveiled a new pancake lens, the full-frame $300 RF28mm f/2.8 that should be great for tourism and street photography. If fixed to the R100, the latter would still be lighter than most mirrorless cameras at about 480 grams.
The R100 is as basic as it gets, but if you're looking for a new mirrorless camera, it's the cheapest one by far at $480. What's more, you can get it in a kit with the RF-S18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens for $600, still cheaper than the EOS R50, or $829 with that lens and the RF-S55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM. Neither has stellar quality, but would give beginners a solid range of focal lengths plus the R100 for less than the price of most camera bodies. That being said, if you can afford $200 more, Canon's EOS R50 is a much better choice.
Canon
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Sony says it sold 600,000 PS VR 2 units in six weeks
Apparently, the PlayStation VR2 sold way better than its predecessor in the weeks after it became available. During a business presentation, Sony has revealed (PDF) that it sold almost 600,000 PS VR2 units within its first six weeks of availability. That's around 8 percent more than its PS VR sales for the same time window. As PushSquare notes, that number only covers sales until the beginning of April, so Sony has most likely already crossed the 600,000 threshold. Especially since the headset is now available at retailers after being exclusively sold for two months at Sony's website.
In addition to announcing PS VR2's successful launch, Sony has also shared some information on its future plans. Apparently, the company intends to put more and more money into developing new franchises for the PlayStation over the next few years. By fiscal year 2025, it's aiming for a 50-50 split of PlayStation Studios investments' between old and new IPs. Based on the graph it presented, it's mostly been focusing on well-known franchises for the console, such as God of War and Horizon, these past years. In 2019, for instance, it only put 20 percent of its investments on the development of new properties. For fiscal year 2023, its focus is still on current IPs, though not by much: 40 percent of its PlayStation Studios investments will go towards new franchises.
One other area that Sony intends to put more money in is live service games like Destiny 2 and MLB: The Show. By fiscal year 2025, it expects 60 percent of its PS5 investments to go towards live services and 40 percent towards traditional games. Further, the company expects sales from add-on or downloadable content to keep growing in the future. Sony has also revealed that it expects the PS5 to overtake the PS4 on all key metrics very soon. It believes the PS5 would have more monthly active users playing more hours on the newer console by February 2024. To note, Sony sold more PS5 units than it predicted for fiscal year 2022 after it solved its supply chain crisis to release more consoles.
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Logitech's Pro X 2 gaming headset promises longer battery life
If you’ve been looking to get a new gaming headset, or your very first, Logitech has a few new options. The company is today updating its Pro gaming headset with a few notable changes that not only makes it a better gaming headset, but potentially a great set of all-purpose headphones.
First and foremost, the new Pro X 2 headset features a new 50mm Pro-G Graphene audio driver. Why is that important? Graphene drivers are typically more power efficient, which is likely why Logitech claims the new headset nets up to 50 hours on a single charge. That’s over twice the battery life compared to the outgoing model’s 20 hours.
The headset is more versatile as well. In addition to Logitech’s own proprietary Lightspeed wireless codec, the Pro X 2 now supports Bluetooth audio and a wired connection over the standard 3.5mm audio connector (previously, you had to choose whether you wanted a wired or wireless headset, not both). The headset also now supports the standard DTS headphone:X 2.0 spec, for an immersive surround sound experience.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a headset if we didn’t talk about microphones. The Pro X 2 features a detachable 6mm cardioid microphone with Logitech’s own Blue “VO!CE” filters to help reduce background noise for crisp and clear vocals. The filters are available via the same G Hub software as the original headset.
The Pro X 2 features an aluminum and steel frame with swappable earpads. The earpads are made out of both leather and velour, making them a great choice for long term use. Swappable earpads are great as it makes it super easy to replace them if they’re starting to peel.
The Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed retails for $249 and will be available starting today in the US and Canada.
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SpaceX wants to join the FAA as defendant in environmental groups' Starship lawsuit
While SpaceX completed the first fully integrated flight test for its Starship vehicle in April, the event wasn't exactly a complete success. The company blew up the spacecraft on the launch pad due to a separation failure, and that caused debris to shoot out across hundreds of acres of land that contained sensitive habitats. It also started a 3.5-acre fire on state park land. In response, environmental and wildlife nonprofit groups filed a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), accusing the agency of failing to assess the Starship program's environmental impact around SpaceX's Texas launch site in Boca Chica. And now, SpaceX has filed a motion in court, requesting to be allowed to join the agency as a defendant.
If you'll recall, the groups suing the FAA claimed that the agency had violated the National Environment Policy Act when it allowed SpaceX to launch its super heavy-lift vehicle without conducting an environmental impact statement (EIS) assessment. The FAA did conduct an environmental review of SpaceX's launch site and asked SpaceX to make more than 75 changes, but it didn't push through with an EIS assessment, which is a much more involved and in-depth process that could take years to finish.
In its motion, SpaceX detailed the lawsuit's potential impact on the company. The plaintiffs, after all, are requesting for its launch license to be revoked and for the FAA to push through with an EIS assessment. SpaceX said "further licensing of the Starship/Super Heavy Program could be significantly delayed" by the lawsuit, which could also damage "substantial national interest." SpaceX has existing contracts with NASA and the military, and a Starship variant is expected to take Americans to the moon.
The company also argued that the FAA "does not adequately represent [its] interests," so it has to step in and defend itself. According to the CNBC, the plaintiffs aren't opposed to SpaceX joining the fray, as it is "standard and expected for the applicant to intervene in a case where their permit is at issue."
During a subscriber-only Twitter chat over the weekend, company chief Elon Musk reportedly said regarding the explosion: "To the best of our knowledge there has not been any meaningful damage to the environment that we're aware of." SpaceX has been preparing for more tests before Starship's next launch attempt and recently rolled out the vehicle's latest prototype to a suborbital pad at Starbase in Texas for an upcoming static fire test.
Ship 25 moved to a suborbital pad at Starbase for an upcoming static fire of its six Raptor engines pic.twitter.com/5pPGl0SlkV
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 18, 2023
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Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Skullcandy's latest cheap earbuds cost just $20
Skullcandy is well known for offering decent, affordable audio gear and the brand's latest earbuds are even less expensive than the $25 Dime from 2021. The Smokin’ Buds True Wireless Earbuds will set you back just $20.
The company is promising plenty of bells and whistles with these earbuds, such as "clear, full range sound backed by impressive bass depth." In addition, Skullcandy says users can expect "expertly tuned" drivers.
There are EQ modes designed to help you get the most out of music, movies and podcasts. Each earbud has a microphone, so you can wear either one at a time. There are touch controls for volume, calls and EQ modes, and you'll be able to activate a voice assistant by tapping either earbud.
Skullcandy says the Smokin’ Buds have a comfortable, noise-isolating fit thanks to an ergonomic, oval design. IPX4 sweat and water resistance should help make them durable. What's more, Skullcandy claims you'll get up to eight hours of use on a single charge and an extra 12 hours from the charging case. The brand also says a rapid charging feature can add two hours of playtime after just 10 minutes of charging. Bluetooth 5.2 support should help the earbuds to pair with devices swiftly too.
Skullcandy
On top of all of that, Skullcandy says the Smokin' Buds are "environmentally conscious." They're made with 50 percent certified recycled plastics, a consolidated part count and smaller, "more efficient" batteries, while the packaging is completely recyclable. “With 25 percent of earbud sales happening in the under $30 price range, we aimed to provide a better option that would mitigate the environmental impact of this popular, high-volume category,” Jason Luthman, Skullcandy's director of global product management, said.
Given the price, it's hard to imagine that the Smokin' Buds will truly compete against the very best earbuds on the market in terms of audio quality. Still, they check a lot of the right boxes at this price range (don't go expecting active noise cancellation for 20 bucks) and they could be a handy backup pair or a viable option for workouts instead of using fancier earbuds when you're working up a sweat.
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Netflix makes it easier to find titles you've added to your list but haven't watched yet
Netflix's latest updates to its mobile app make it easier to search through bookmarked content in the "My List" feature, TechCrunch has reported. New filters let you sort titles by movie, series, release date, alphabetical order, and date added.
The most interesting are the "Started" and "Haven't Started" filters, though. A lot of folks bookmark content, start watching it and then don't finish for whatever reason. Now, if you're looking for something you added to "My List" but have yet to start watching, you can see all of it at once, rather than needing to painfully look through everything.
Netflix
Netflix added the My List feature nearly 10 years ago, but until now, there have been no filters — the only way to find things was to scroll through the list. As such, this will be a welcome improvement for those who habitually bookmark content. The new feature will come to Android devices first, and hit iOS over "the next few weeks," Netflix said.
Along with that update, Netflix is adding a "Coming Soon" row to its TV apps. The idea is to provide a preview of any upcoming content, and you can set a reminder when upcoming shows are available. That will put future content front and center, as it was previously hidden in the "New & Popular" tab.
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Warner Bros.' Max streaming service launches with new $20 4K tier
HBO Max is completing its transformation into Warner Bros. Discovery's "Max" streaming service today, and it's launching with a new tier especially made for 4K ultra HD viewing. The Ultimate Ad-Free tier will set you back $20 a month or $200 if you're paying for a whole year, making it the service's most expensive subscription option yet. A subscription will give you access to over 1,000 4K movies and TV show episodes, which is nearly eight times more than previously available 4K content. It will also give you the ability to stream on up to four devices at the same time and to store up to 100 offline downloads.
Ultimate Ad-Free's arrival, however, could spell the end of 4K availability for regular ad-free subscribers. While Warner Bros. didn't say it outright, the company included a line in its announcement to reveal that "existing HBO Max subscribers will still have access to their current plan features for a minimum of six months following launch." We've asked the company for clarification. To note, Warner Bros. raised its subscription prices in January, so you now have to pay $16 a month for the ad-free tier and $10 for the ad-supported one.
For the Ultimate Ad-Free tier, Dolby Atmos and Vision will also be available for select content and devices. The company plans to keep growing its 4K library every month going forward, but for now, the ultra HD shows and movies you can stream with a subscription include Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon,The Last of Us, the Harry Potter movies, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy and The Matrix films. Further, all Warner Bros. movies released this year and in the future will be added to the tier's 4K library when they arrive on Max.
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Dyson says its 360 Vis Nav has 'twice the suction' of any other robot vacuum
Dyson's first robot vacuum, the 360 Eye, was not a great success in the US as it was quickly pulled from the market shortly after it went on sale. Now, the UK company is trying again with the 360 Vis Nav robovac, which just launched in Australia and is expected to come to the US later this year. While it lacks features like self-emptying, Dyson is promising "twice the suction" of any other robot vacuum, a new vision/navigation system and more.
The motor speed has increased from 78,000 RPM on the last model to 110,000, which supposedly delivers six times the suction of other robot vacuums. It also offers a "triple-action" brush bar that allows for optimal cleaning on different surfaces. Namely, it uses soft nylon for hard floors, anti-static carbon fiber filaments for fine dust, and stiff nylon bristles for carpet.
The 360 Vis Nav has a top-mounted fish-eye lens and looks for recognizable landmarks to navigate its way around using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) tech. It promises better low-light performance than the last model by using eight LEDs around the lens to better spot landmarks, particularly in dark locations like underneath your couch. It also uses 26 sensors to detect obstacles so it won't get stuck in tight spots like under a chair.
Dyson
Perhaps the niftiest feature is an arm that pops out when the 360 Vis Nav is cleaning against a wall. It gets right to the edge and redirects suction, picking up dirt that eludes most robovacs and ensuring you don't need to finish the job with a hand vacuum.
With all that suction power comes a bit less battery life than other models, however. It can clean for 50 minutes before automatically going back to the dock to charge, but it does pick up right where it left off when charging finishes. You can schedule and monitor cleaning using Dyson's app, and it will clean more efficiently over time as it creates dust maps of your home.
There's no word on pricing or US availability yet, but the 360 Vis Nav just launched in Australia for $AUD 2,399 (about $1,590), considerably more than the 360 Eye was at launch.
Dyson
Along with the 360 Vis Nav, Dyson launched the latest versions of its famous cordless vacuums, the Gen5detect and Gen5outsize. Using the fifth generation of Dyson's Hyperdymium motors, they're "smaller, faster and more powerful" than past models and even capable of "capturing viruses from your home," Dyson promised.
Dyson
Meanwhile, the Dyson Submarine is the company's first ever wet vacuum cleaner. It has a wet roller head that attaches to the new V15s Detect Submarine and V12s Slim submarine vacuums (but not any older models). It can not only remove dust and stains from hard floors, but even handle spills like ketchup. Finally, Dyson has introduced the Big+quiet Formaldehyde, a new air purifier designed for large homes. It can purify air over a 32 foot range, removing pollutants (including formaldehyde, of course), dust and more. Again, there's no word yet on US pricing or availability.
Dyson
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The new Ableton Push is an MPE-enabled standalone music production powerhouse
Rumors have been swirling around Ableton’s Push 3 for years. Arguably the best hardware controller for one of (if not the) most popular DAWs (digital audio workstation), the Push 2, was released in 2015. And nearly eight years later it’s still head and shoulders above much of the competition. But there are some modern amenities that it’s lacking. And Native Instruments changed the game in 2020 when it released the Machine+, a controller for its desktop suite that could also function as a standalone music production box thanks to an Intel Atom CPU and 4GB of RAM.
Considering the long lead times required for product development, it’s safe to assume that Ableton was already hard at work on its new controller when Maschine+ was announced. But I’d also venture to guess that the company watched the reaction to Native Instruments’ box closely and tweaked its plans accordingly.
The result is the Ableton Push – not Push 3, not Push+ – just Push. And it makes a hell of a first impression. It comes in two configurations, a basic controller for $999 and with a processor for $1999. With a processor it can function as a fully standalone instrument, like the Maschine+. But it still also offers tight integration with Ableton Live 11 when connected to a computer. It has 64 MPE enabled pads, that pair perfectly with Live’s latest updates. It has a built-in battery for truly untethered creation. And, in a pleasant surprise, even if you stick with the controller only variant to start, you’ll be able to upgrade it with a DIY kit later this year for full standalone operation.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
But let’s start with the hardware. Physically the new Push and the Push 2 are very similar. They’re both hulking black slabs that seem like they were ripped out of the control panel of an alien spaceship. The screen appears to be exactly the same. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s a large, reasonably high resolution LCD with excellent viewing angles. It refreshes fast enough that you actually watch your MIDI notes scroll by in real time as you record them. The UI itself is simple and intuitive but attractive. There’s no unnecessary graphics or anything, just clean lines and text.
The knobs, buttons and pads all feel great. One of the new additions to the controls is a large jog wheel to the right of the screen that is a delight. It’s reminiscent of the one on Polyend’s Tracker, but more noticeable detents. (Another fun feature Push borrows from Tracker is auto generated project names, which comes in handy.) And the pads. Well. They’re the first I’ve encountered that truly give Akai’s a run for their money. I think I still have a slight preference for the feel of an MPC’s larger pads but, those aren’t MPE capable so, Ableton wins? My only complaint about the hardware really is that the pads might be too sensitive. But that can easily be fixed by going into the settings. Which you should probably do anyway to tweak the responsiveness to your liking since MPE can be fickle and unforgiving at times.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Around back you’ll notice you’ll find a bunch of new connections too. There’s USB-C for connecting to a computer to control Live, a 12v DC connector, and two jacks for connecting sustain pedals just like on a Push 2. But those pedal jacks can also send CV now, so you can control modular gear. There’s also a USB-A port for connecting class compliant MIDI controllers, so if pads aren’t your thing you can connect a keyboard, or play one instrument with the keyboard while knocking out drum tracks on the Push directly. You’ll also find ⅛” MIDI in and out ports.
More importantly, there are two audio ins and two audio outs, plus a headphone jack and two ADAT jacks for connecting to other audio gear. See, the new Push – even without a processor in it – is also an audio interface. Granted it only has ¼” jacks (switchable between balanced and unbalanced), so not ideal if you’re recording vocals and need an XLR jack with phantom power. But if you’ve got another audio interface already with ADAT you can connect it to the Push and then suddenly you’ve got eight or 12 or however many inputs to work with. It is truly capable of being the centerpiece of a recording studio now.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
If you opt for the Push with a processor you’ll find an 11th Core i3 inside, with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB hard drive. That might not sound like much, but it’s plenty of power to handle most audio processing, especially without the overhead of trying to handle a windowing system and security software and those 16 Firefox tabs you haven’t closed in about three months. In fact, I noticed far less latency working with live audio on the Push directly than I do on my XPS 15 with a 8th gen Core i7 CPU, 32GB of RAM and a second generation Focusrite Scarlett interface. If you’re concerned about your $2,000 MIDI controller / groovebox becoming obsolete though, Ableton says it expects to make processor upgrades available in the future.
That Intel NUC Compute Element does chew through the battery pretty quickly, though. Ableton estimates that Push can get two to two-and-a-half hours out of the battery, which lines up with my anecdotal experience so far. The Push is kinda big and heavy at 8.7 pounds, I wouldn’t exactly call it portable. But it’s actually been great to sit down on my couch at night, after the kids go to bed and chip away at this review without an elaborate setup or being tied to an outlet.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Hardware is all well and good, but what is really going to make or break the experience here is the software and, well, so far so good. A few intriguing things to note at the top, the Push is running Linux. Which means that, technically, Ableton Live 11 has been ported to Linux. I don’t think you should get your hopes up about an official port being made available for that Mint box you’ve been building, though. I’ve also been told that VST support on Push is technically possible, though obviously that would require getting developers on board and converting their plugins.
There is one way of getting third party instruments on Push though – Max for Live, a development platform inside the DAW. Support for Max is huge as it can really open the possibilities of the Push as a standalone instrument. Ableton even recently released a pack of building blocks and tutorials to encourage people to build their own Max for Live devices. And there’s companies like Fors that build incredible commercial products that run on Max. Support right now can be spotty since the controls need to be properly mapped for Push. And even some of Ableton’s own Max devices like the Inspired by Nature series don’t work properly at the moment.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
But don’t worry, Ableton’s built-in devices are excellent. And while I might be sad not having access to my favorite softsynth in standalone mode, you can easily build a complete and highly polished track using nothing but the default Live instruments and effects. But if you do need more variety, you can install Ableton sound packs directly over wifi. You can also drag over your own sample library using the Continuity feature in Live 11. You’ll see Push showup in the sidebar when connected to the same wifi network. Though, oddly, you can’t transfer over USB.
In addition to dragging over samples you can pull over presets, collections and favorites. I highly recommend, by the way, that you use the Collections in Ableton to organize your goto sounds, effects, et cetera. While the jog wheel is certainly an improvement, it can still be a bit of a slog navigating through long lists of presets and samples. Organization – not my strong suit – is clearly key to getting the most out of Push as a standalone instrument.
One incredible feature of continuity though, is being able to connect to your Push and pull a project you started in standalone mode into the desktop app for final arrangement. Which is kind of essentially because, while Push seems great for jamming, live performance and sketching out ideas, you can’t do fine tuned arrangement editing or mix down to audio.
Photo by Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Obviously the price is going to be an issue, though. The standalone configuration costs $1,999, while the controller only variant will set you back $999. The DIY upgrade kit is expected to ship later this year for $1,049. That's a lot for a MIDI controller, even one as nice as this. And while I'm fairly certain there aren't any DAWs in a box as powerful as what Ableton has put together, they're also not nearly as expensive. Even Maschine+ is only $1,199.
I’ve only had Push for about a week and am still coming to grips with the workflow. So this is really more of an extended hands-on than a full review. While Ableton is my DAW of choice and I own a Push 1, the differences are significant. Plus there are still some software kinks to iron out. I’ve encountered a handful of bugs, especially when trying to edit MIDI notes in the piano roll. And once the entire unit froze up on me. But the Push is currently running prerelease firmware and requires a beta version of Live 11 to take advantage of Continuity. I plan to continue testing Push and revisit it for a longterm review.
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Amazon's Kindle Scribe updates include support for direct on-page writing
We were enamored with the Kindle Scribe when we reviewed it, but we weren't blind to its shortcomings, including its limited editing capabilities. Now, Amazon has rolled out an update for the device, which solves some of the issues we had with it and makes it a much better option for note-taking. One of the new features is the ability to write directly on page. It's still not available for every book, but the Kindle Store on the Scribe now has a new section called "Write-on Books" where you can find titles that support the feature.
At the moment, the selection of books with direct on-page writing is mostly made up of guided journals, as well as games like crossword and sudoku. In other words, books that don't make sense on a device where writing on them is not supported. If you're checking out titles on a laptop or a phone, you can also see if they support the feature by looking for "On-page writing" under their product details section. For books that don't support on-page writing, you'll still have to create a sticky note and write within a designated rectangle. You'll have to keep your fingers crossed for the ability to doodle and take notes on the margin of a book if that's something you've been wishing for.
If you want to share or upload notes you've written on the Scribe, the update also gives you the capability to easily convert them to text. You'll find a new option that reads "Convert to text and quick send" in the share menu and another that says "Convert to text and email." Both options share your handwritten notebooks as a .txt file, but for the latter, you'll be given the the chance to review and edit the converted text before sharing them via email to five addresses.
There's also a new lasso select tool to move your notes and doodles around. You simply have to circle your handwritten text or drawings with it to resize them, drag them to another location or to cut, copy and paste them within a sticky note, a notebook or a PDF. Speaking of PDFs, files with the format uploaded through Send to Kindle are now more customizable. You can crop their margins to make their text easier to read, select text to highlight it and add text notes. You'll now also be able to look up the definitions, translations and Wikipedia results for text found in PDF files, as well as switch between portrait and landscape view.
These features will roll out to all Kindle Scribes in the coming weeks, but you can manually download the latest software update to get them right now.
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Monday, May 22, 2023
The Morning After: Meta could launch a Twitter competitor next month
Meta has long been rumored to be building a platform to rival Twitter. After months of speculation, there are finally some details on how it might turn out, according to digital media marketing expert Lia Haberman, who has heard about the app through content creators approached by Meta.
Haberman says the app could launch as early as the end of June, branded as Instagram’s text-based spin-off. The decentralized app is said to work with current Instagram parameters, like usernames and passwords. So if you already have an Instagram account, you should be able to sign right up and automatically sync with your current followers. Your handle, bio and verification should all carry over from IG. Haberman says even blocked Instagram accounts and hidden words transfer to the new platform.
It appears to be very Twitter-like, with its own versions of likes, replies and reposts.
– Mat Smith
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
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Disney’s pricey immersive Star Wars hotel is shutting down
It was $1,200 per person per night.
Allen J. Schaben via Getty Images
Less than 19 months after opening Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Disney will close the hotel's doors. Star Wars fans willing to splurge have until the end of September to try the two-night experience. As a reminder, a two-night stay for two people at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser starts at $4,800. For a group of three adults and one child, the rate is $6,000.
The hotel opened at Walt Disney World in Florida in March 2022, and it promised fans a one-of-a-kind jaunt. Guests live out a Star Wars story. They choose to join the light side or the dark side, then, as passengers on a starcruiser, they encounter a First Order officer and stormtroopers, who board the ship to find Resistance spies. Disney told CNBC it “will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”
NASA picks Blue Origin to build the Artemis V Moon landing system
But it’s not the only company involved in future Moon landings.
Blue Origin
NASA has chosen Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin for its third crewed Artemis Moon landing. The company will build the landing system for Artemis V, which is currently set to launch in September 2029. While they didn't mention the choice of vehicle, the company is already working on a Blue Moon lander. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Draper are among those involved in the NASA project. The space agency has already chosen SpaceX's Starship for the first (Artemis III) and second (Artemis IV) human landings.
All the big tech accessibility-related products announced last week
In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
For Global Accessibility Awareness Day or GAAD last week, major tech companies are taking this week as a chance to share their latest accessibility products. This includes major products like iOS 16 and the latest game controllers for the PS5. Engadget’s Cherlynn Low rounds up the biggest announcements and products.
Apple rejected 1,679,694 App Store submissions in 2022
So many third-party chatbot apps?
Apple has published an App Store transparency report. It reveals several interesting tidbits about the App Store, including that, as of 2022, there were 1,783,232 apps on the storefront. Apple also says it rejected 1,679,694 submissions last year, out of 6,101,913 submissions. It’s the first report published on the App Store and forms part of the company’s $100 million settlement with App Store developers.
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Meta hit with $1.3 billion fine over Facebook's EU-US data transfers
The EU has issued a record-breaking €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) fine to Facebook owner Meta over data transfers. After a lengthy investigation, officials found the social network’s practice of moving EU citizens' data to US-based servers was in violation of the bloc’s key digital privacy rules. In a statement, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said that while Meta had attempted to address potential legal hurdles, “these arrangements did not address the risks to the fundamental rights and freedoms of data subjects” in the Union.
This is the latest chapter in a saga that has now run for more than a decade examining how EU citizens’ private data is handled by Big Tech. Put simply, European privacy law is thought to be a lot tighter than its American counterpart, especially with a focus on individual rights. But any big tech company with servers all around the world has the ability to move data from one server to another without much effort. That means that an EU citizens’ data could be sent to the US, where such stringent privacy laws don’t apply, opening the door for unnecessary surveillance.
It’s something that the EU, often pushed into action by Austrian lawyer and privacy activist Max Schrems, has been working to address. Schrems found the existing Safe Harbor provisions to be insufficient, something that the Court of Justice of the European Union agreed with. So, the bloc worked with the US on the EU-US Privacy Shield, which was meant to tighten data controls when information was pushed between the two territories. Naturally, that was similarly ruled invalid by the European Court of Justice, leading to further contortions as Facebook and others said that their businesses, for reasons known only to them, wouldn’t function without this data transfer.
As part of the decision, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has ordered Meta to suspend any future data transfers of EU citizen data to the US within the next five months. It will also have to work to bring its operations “into compliance” with the GDPR, including any processing of EU citizens’ data on US servers, within the next six months. This will likely, however, be appealed and held up as a consequence of a wider political negotiation between the EU and the US as they look to agree a new framework to permit these data flows in a safe(r) way.
Sir Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, has written in his usual style that the company will appeal the fine, and the decision, saying that Facebook acted in good faith. He added that cross-border data flows are vital for many businesses, not just his own, and that he is “disappointed to have been singled out when using the same legal mechanism as thousands of other companies looking to provide services in Europe.”
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Sunday, May 21, 2023
Meta reportedly wants to license Magic Leap’s AR technology
Meta could turn to Magic Leap for help to stay ahead of Apple and other new entrants in the soon-to-be crowded AR space. According to the Financial Times, the two companies are in talks to sign a multi-year IP licensing and manufacturing pact. Details on the negotiations are few, but according to the outlet’s sources, a potential partnership is not expected to produce a jointly developed headset. Instead, a deal could see Magic Leap provide Meta with access to some of its optical tech. The partnership could also see the startup assist with manufacturing Meta devices, thereby allowing the tech giant to produce more of its VR headsets domestically at a time when there’s more pressure for US companies to lessen their dependence on China.
Meta did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request. Magic Leap told the Financial Times partnerships were becoming a “significant line of business and growing opportunity for Magic Leap.” Additionally, in a blog post titled “What’s Next for Magic Leap,” CEO Peggy Johnson said late last year the company had “received an incredible amount of interest from across the industry to license our IP and utilize our patented manufacturing process to produce optics for others seeking to launch their own mixed-reality technology.”
The timing of the report is notable for a couple of reasons. Meta is under pressure from investors to show something for all the money it has spent pursuing CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the future of computing. The company does not expect to make a profit from all of its metaverse projects for another few years. At the same time, it is burning about $10 billion annually on its Reality Labs division. Separately, Apple is widely expected to enter the AR headset market next month when the company holds its WWDC developer conference.
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Watch Axiom Space’s second private flight to the ISS with us at 5PM ET
In less than two hours, private space firm Axiom Space is set to launch its second all-civilian flight. At approximately 5:37PM ET, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to carry the four-person crew, including former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, to the International Space Station. You can watch the mission as it unfolds from the Kennedy Space Center starting at 5PM ET. NASA will stream the launch on its website and YouTube channel. You can also watch the flight on Axiom Space’s website and right here.
Ax-2 is the follow up to Axiom Space’s first private space flight, which successfully carried a crew of civilian astronauts to the ISS last year. In addition to Whitson, the crew of Axiom Mission 2 is made up of entrepreneur John Shoffner and Saudi astronauts Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi. After the Ax-2 team arrives at the ISS early Monday morning, they will spend the next eight days assisting the space station's crew with a handful of experiments. Axiom Space plans to fly another mission to the ISS later this year.
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Beijing bans Chinese companies from using Micron chips in critical infrastructure
China’s cybersecurity regulator has banned Chinese firms from buying chips from US memory manufacturer Micron Technology. Per Reuters, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said Sunday it found that the company’s products pose “significant security risks” to critical Chinese information infrastructure, including state-owned banks and telecom operators. The ban comes after China announced a review of Micron imports in late March in a move that was seen at the time as retaliation for sanctions Washington has imposed on Chinese chipmakers in recent years.
Idaho-based Micron is the largest memory manufacturer in the US. The Chinese market accounts for about 10 percent of the firm’s annual revenue, though the majority of companies importing Micron products into China are manufacturers making devices for sale in other parts of the world. According to The Wall Street Journal, the CAC’s ban does not apply to non-Chinese firms in China. “We are evaluating the conclusion and assessing our next steps,” Micron told the outlet. “We look forward to continuing to engage in discussions with Chinese authorities.” The CAC did not say what Micron products would be affected by the ban, nor did it share details on what security concerns it had with the company's chips.
The ban is the latest development in an escalating feud over semiconductor technology between the US and China. In recent months, the Biden administration has moved to restrict its rival's access to advanced chipmaking equipment. In January, US, Dutch and Japanese officials agreed to tighten export controls on lithography machines from ASL, Nikon and Tokyo Electron. As The Journal notes, China has been trying to find ways to hit back at the US. Micron was an easy target given that most Chinese companies can turn to suppliers like South Korea’s SK Hynix to make up for any shortfall left by a ban.
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Here’s a first look at ‘System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition’
With its long-awaited System Shock remake slated to arrive later this month, Nightdive Studios has shared a first look at System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition. The game doesn’t have a release date yet, but those who pre-order System Shock will get a copy of the remaster at no extra cost when it’s released by publisher Prime Matter.
On Friday, Nightdive said System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition features updated cinematics, textures, character and weapon models. The developer also partnered with Systemshock.org so that it could integrate the best community-made patches and mods into the remaster. Thanks to the fact Nightdive brought the game’s original source code over to its in-house engine KEX engine, System Shock 2: Enhanced Edition will be available on current generation consoles. Judging from the teaser trailer, the studio did a commendable job of preserving System Shock 2’s art style and atmosphere while increasing the quality of the game’s assets. Here's hoping Nightdive can avoid a repeat of Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition.
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