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Bicycles, dinner tables & umbrellas could soon become pocket-sized
Have you ever wondered if it would be possible for you to pick up your bicycle, fold it into itself and then place it in your pocket? Well, this new super-compressible material could do just that.
Researchers at TU Delft have used artificial intelligence to create a new supercompressible but strong material. According to Miguel Bessa, assistant professor in materials science and engineering at TU Delft, the idea originiated when he was at the California Institute of Technology in the corner of the Space Structures Lab. Bessa noticed that a satellite structure could open long solar sails from an extremely small form-factor.
This observation drove Bessa's inspiration to create a supercompressible material that could be compressed into a fraction of its volume, but still remain strong. "If this was possible, everyday objects such as bicycles, dinner tables and umbrellas could be folded into your pocket." Bessa and his team used artificial intelligence instead of the traditional trial-and-error process to explore new design possibilities with metamaterials. This reduced experimentation to the absolute minimum, and after some time Bessa fabricated two designs that converted once brittle polymers into lightweight, recoverable and super-compressible metamaterials.
Continue reading: Bicycles, dinner tables & umbrellas could soon become pocket-sized (full post)
Blizzard cancels Overwatch on Switch event in NYC -- thanks, China
In a hugely surprising move (maximum sarcasm enabled), Blizzard has cancelled its Overwatch Switch launch party that was about to kick off at Nintendo in New York City. Overwatch launches on the Nintendo Switch later today, October 15.
Overwatch is about to launch on the Nintendo Switch, with its NYC-based launch event taking place at NintendoNYC on October 16 abruptly cancelled by Blizzard. Nintendo NYC explained in a tweet that the event had been "cancelled by Blizzard" and that it apologizes for "any inconvenience this may cause".
Blizzard has been in super-hot water over its treatment and silencing of professional Hearthstone player 'blitzchung' who voiced support for the protests going on in Hong Kong. Activision-Blizzard banned him from the game, and took his prize money -- then started throwing out 1000-year bans to anyone talking about Hong Kong and China on its forums.
Continue reading: Blizzard cancels Overwatch on Switch event in NYC -- thanks, China (full post)
This 100,000 times thinner guitar string 'nano-string' plays by itself
Scientists have managed to create a nano-electronic circuit that can vibrate and play guitar notes without any external force.
The scientists from the Lancaster University and University of Oxford have used a tiny suspended wire that is positioned much like a guitar string to showcase their experiment that reveals how a simple nano-device can generate motion by itself. Researchers used a carbon nanotube, a wire with a diameter of about 3 nanometers or to put it into a musicians perspective - about 100,000 times thinner than a normal guitar string.
Researchers mounted the nanotube onto metal supports at each end and then cooled it down to 0.02 degrees. Researchers then passed an electric current through the wire and measured its change in electrical resistance. Much like a normal guitar string when its plucked, the nanotube wire vibrated when the electric current passed through it, what was the surprising part was when the researchers stopped forcing the voltage and the wire continued vibrate by itself.
Continue reading: This 100,000 times thinner guitar string 'nano-string' plays by itself (full post)
Only in Japan: Mega Man collection for Nintendo Switch drops on Dec 19
Mega Man fans will be first excited, and then disappointed with the news of this massive Mega Man collection for the Nintendo Switch... as it's only available in Japan.
The huge Mega Man collection includes Mega Man 11 booklet, a 30th-anniversary art piece, and copies of Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 + 2, Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2, and Mega Man 11. Yeah, that's a lot of Mega Man -- and unless you're in Japan, you'll be missing out.
The new Mega Man collection for the Nintendo Switch is listed on Amazon Japan right now for ¥10,989 which works out to around $100. The huge box set will be available on December 19, right in time for Christmas.
Continue reading: Only in Japan: Mega Man collection for Nintendo Switch drops on Dec 19 (full post)
Overwatch 'Halloween Terror' event kicks off October 15
It's that time of the year again for Blizzard to unleash Halloween-themed goodies and a new dab of paint into Overwatch with the upcoming Halloween Terror 2019 event kicking off.
The official Twitter account for Overwatch tweeted the news, with the Halloween Terror 2019 even running between October 15 and November 4. We know that we'll expect a bunch of Halloween-themed skins, a limited-time loot box bundle to grab them, and the continued story of Dr. Junkenstein.
Blizzard is riding the new Overwatch event alongside the exciting release of the game on the Nintendo Switch, which funnily enough the Nintendo Switch version of the game in physical form actually not including a physical disc inside of the packaging.
Continue reading: Overwatch 'Halloween Terror' event kicks off October 15 (full post)
Razer Blade 15 Advanced has light-based optical mechanical keyboard
Razer has always been at the forefront of technology when it comes to its gaming laptops, but the latest Blade 15 Advanced really takes things to the next level with an optical mechanical keyboard.
The new Razer Blade 15 Advanced and its optical mechanical keyboard uses light sensors in place of physical switches, with the light sensor-based keyboard technology finding a better home in a gaming laptop that needs a thin, but precise keyboard.
Razer says that because the new Blade 15 Advanced's optical mechanical keyboard has no "bounce back issues" compared to other keyboards, with N-Key rollover also here to get away from ghosting issues when you're slamming your fingers into the keyboard typing or during those hectic gaming sessions.
Continue reading: Razer Blade 15 Advanced has light-based optical mechanical keyboard (full post)
Microsoft's xCloud game streaming preview online in the US, UK, Korea
Microsoft has officially launched its cloud streaming platform Project xCloud in certain countries (at least for now) with Project xCloud now live in the United States, the UK, and Korea.
Right now Microsoft is inviting people into the beta of Project xCloud which will see limited testing of Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Killer Instinct, and Sea of Thieves. Microsoft cloud gaming boss Kareem Choudhry, explains: "Public preview is a critical phase in our multi-year ambition to deliver game streaming globally at the scale and quality of experience that the gaming community deserves and expects".
He continued: "It's time to put Project xCloud to the test in a broader capacity, with a range of gamers, devices, network environments and real-world use-case scenarios".
Continue reading: Microsoft's xCloud game streaming preview online in the US, UK, Korea (full post)
Qualcomm teams with 30+ OEMs to use Snapdragon X55 5G modem in 2020
Qualcomm has announced that it has teamed with over 30 OEMs to get its super-fast Snapdragon X55 modem inside of devices and your homes in 2020 and beyond, paving the way for non-5G devices to get super-fast speeds.
The new solution will see Qualcomm teaming with companies to get its 5G chip as well as Wi-Fi 6 tech to power Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) home gateways, where the Snapdragon X55 modem and Networking Pro 1200 platform will support sub 6-GHz networks and throw down the gauntlet for long-range communication with ridiculous speeds.
34 companies have signed up to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem and RF system, with these products to make their way to market in 2020. They will be called 5G FWA CPE (because normal non-tech and non-up-to-date people will love saying that out aloud) and should replace normal wired cable modems but they will deliver when it comes to super-quick speeds.
Continue reading: Qualcomm teams with 30+ OEMs to use Snapdragon X55 5G modem in 2020 (full post)
CD Projekt RED is aware it needs to finish its stories sooner
We all know every single keyboard and mouse is being tapped and prodded right now getting Cyberpunk 2077 for its big release in 2020, and that it's pretty much established fact that developer CD Projekt RED needs to get their stories ready for each game ahead of time.
In a recent interview with GameSpot at PAX Australia, CDPR staffer John Mamais said: "Something that we need to do better, from my perspective, is finish story sooner. Story is so important to the process for the games we make. We iterate on it quite a long time. Since everything else revolves around the narrative, the sooner it's brushed up the better it is for the development of a game".
He added: "It's a catch-22, you don't know [how good the story is] until you get it in the game and start playing quests and see how it feels. If something doesn't feel right, you have to change it again. So it's kind of a tug of war. The more you can get done up front, conceptually, and locked in, the better off you are".
Continue reading: CD Projekt RED is aware it needs to finish its stories sooner (full post)
Gears 5 rage quitters receiving 640-day bans
Sorry, The Coalition -- you ain't no match for the ferocity of Activision-Blizzard with their 1000-day bans on the Blizzard forums with your 640-day bans... but it is still a serious ban.
Yeah, the developer is banning Gears 5 gamers for leaving a multiplayer game without a reason, which would leave the remaining players annoyed. So, the developer is throwing out a huge 640-day ban which equates to close to two years banned from the game. By then, the game will be long forgotten and gathering dust in the halls of no-longer-played multiplayer games.
GameRevolution noticed the 640-day ban in Gears 5 after The Coalition had slammed players for leaving games, with The Coalition's Director of Communications Dana Sissions tweeting: "Gears 5 quit penalties are active. You've been warned".
Continue reading: Gears 5 rage quitters receiving 640-day bans (full post)
GeForce NOW drops on Android, APK can now be downloaded
NVIDIA's cloud streaming service GeForce NOW Has jsut launched on Android devices, with the APK now available to download and play around with yourself.
You won't find GeForce NOW through the traditional methods of simply downloading it from the Google Play Store, but you can download the APK (which weighs in at under 30MB) from APKMirror. You will need an Android device with at least 2GB of RAM and Android 5.0 or later, with NVIDIA recommending a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection with at least 15Mbps of internet bandwidth, and a Bluetooth gamepad to get the optimal experience out of GeForce Now.
You'll have to have access into NVIDIA's GeForce NOW beta, which should be replaced by a subscription-based plan in the coming weeks and months as GeForce NOW goes official.
Continue reading: GeForce NOW drops on Android, APK can now be downloaded (full post)
Pixel 4 price will reportedly start at $799, Pixel 4 XL at $899
We are hours away from the official unveiling of Google's new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones, with leaked pricing pointing to the fact that Google will continue the same price points as the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
Google will kick off the Pixel 4 pricing at $799 according to the new leaks, while the larger Pixel 4 XL begins at $899. We should assume these are for the 64GB models, which I'm sure Google will offer 128GB (and hopefully beyond) models when they officially unveil the new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones.
I'm hoping for 128GB and 256GB variants as shooting 4K video and snapping a bunch of photos all day on these beautiful new cameras chews up storage space. But in saying that, Google traditionally gives you unlimited storage for high-res photos and videos on Google Photos (which if you don't use, you really should because Google Photos is freaking awesome).
Continue reading: Pixel 4 price will reportedly start at $799, Pixel 4 XL at $899 (full post)
Here's a list of everything coming to Disney+ on November 12
Disney has just announced everything that will hit its new streaming service Disney+ on its launch in the US on November 12, which is going to be a lot -- enough that you could stream 24/7 through to Christmas Day and not run out of things to watch. Disney has a huge Twitter thread (over 300 tweets) with all of the announcements starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Check it out:
Disney+ will include everything from the earliest Walt Disney Animation Studios movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs right through to the latest and super-hot Star Wars series 'The Mandalorian'. There will be everything in between including Disney Afternoon classics, Marvel movies (of course), Pixar movies (again, of course), and Disney Channel Original Movies.
Don't expect absolutely everything overnight as there are distribution rights and issues that will stop movies like Iron Man 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming from hitting Disney+ right away. Disney is hard at work on getting the rights to those titles (and many others) so expect there to be a constant flow of new (well, older) content coming to Disney+ as those issues are sorted out and the rights returned to Disney.
Continue reading: Here's a list of everything coming to Disney+ on November 12 (full post)
Exclusive: PlayStation 5 launching in December 2020
I have been covering the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett for what feels like forever, and was one of the first to confirm that AMD would provide semi-custom designs using Zen 2 and Navi technologies inside of the PS5... but the exact month of release has eluded me, until now.
Sony itself has confirmed the new PlayStation 5 console will be out in Holiday 2020 but according to my industry sources we are to expect a firm December 2020 release. This makes sense as it would be a huge seller over the Black Friday/Thanksgiving holidays leading right into Christmas 2020. Sony will need as many of those 7nm chips that AMD and TSMC can make between now and then, in the order of millions and millions of new PS5 consoles.
My sources stated that Sony's next-gen PS5 will release "in December" but didn't provide an exact date. I would dare say it would be early December, but I also feel like December is too late. Releasing the PlayStation 5 in October would make more sense for Sony to ride the huge sales of November and right into the Christmas sales of December... but also whetting gamers' appetites with a huge December release would be equally as significant.
Continue reading: Exclusive: PlayStation 5 launching in December 2020 (full post)
PUBG Mobile earnings up 652% to $496 million
PUBG Mobile made a ridiculous amount of money in three months, raking in $496 million from global microtransaction earnings.
Chinese juggernaut Tencent typically reigns mobile gaming with Honor of Kings, but this time one of its newer games takes the lead. Analyst firm Sensor Tower finds PUBG Mobile was the top-earning mobile game in calendar Q3 2019, seeing its earnings rise astronomically by 652% to nearly $500 million. That means Tencent's BR shooter pulled in 3% of global Q3'19 mobile earnings and helped the segment rise to $16.3 billion.
It's worth noting the cutoff was just days before Call of Duty Mobile rolled out to conquer 100 million downloads.
Continue reading: PUBG Mobile earnings up 652% to $496 million (full post)
Zoe Kravitz cast as Catwoman in The Batman
While there's no sign of Henry Cavill confirmed as Superman in any future DCEU movies, The Batman has just scored its Catwoman with 'Big Little Lies' star Zoe Kravitz to star as the possible love interest of Batman.
Kravitz joins Robert Pattinson who will play Batman in Matt Reeves' upcoming take on the caped crusader, with pre-production on the movie expected to begin in the summer. Insider sources of Variety add that The Batman could be filming as soon as later this year or early-2020 with the movie to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.
Kravitz stars in Big Little Lies on HBO which is just finishing up its second season, and will be found in 'High Fidelity' which will be on Hulu later this year. The last time we saw Catwoman on screen was in The Dark Knight Rises back in 2012 under the direction of Christopher Nolan, with Anne Hathaway playing the character. Before that, we saw Michelle Pfeiffer in the iconic role back in 1992's 'Batman Returns'.
Continue reading: Zoe Kravitz cast as Catwoman in The Batman (full post)
InWin actually releases the new Alice chassis, is this the future?
InWin has always been known to push the limits of what is a PC case. At Computex, they showed an admittedly strange concept in 'Alice,' and today you can buy it.
A plastic frame, reminiscent of a laundry hamper, or a small DIY storage shelf is what I see when I first laid eyes on the Alice concept. Looking closer, you can see metal plates affixed to the plastic frame of the Alice chassis.
Inwin offers what could be considered an infinitely customizable chassis as it can be used as an open frame test bench. With some fabric, Alice can be made to look like pretty much anything you can think of. If you or someone you know is good at sewing, I imagine you could make your own outer fabric. Ensuring this is a chassis that can genuinely be made your own without the need for paint or modding skills.
Continue reading: InWin actually releases the new Alice chassis, is this the future? (full post)
AMD's Zen 3 could bring 8%+ IPC gains and another 200MHz in 2020
AMD not too long ago launched the new Ryzen 3000 series, which is the first appearance of Zen 2 and their 7nm chiplet design for the consumer space.
However, it did not take long for rumors to start popping up around Zen 3. AMD is rumored not to follow the same cadence of a new manufacturing tech followed by an optimization cycle. Instead, it is said that AMD will have Zen 3, the next step in Ryzen parts in 2020, and the refresh could make for some significant optimizations and performance jumps.
The block diagram above may be for the server platform, but as we have seen, it can be very telling about the direction and changes we will see from the consumer parts. Simplified this means that unlike the refresh we observed from Ryzen 1000 to 2000 series, we could instead see a jump more akin to the Ryzen 2000 to the Ryzen 3000 lineup. AMD is said to be optimizing the cache hierarchy, along with optimizations for the Infinity Fabric and the clock mesh, which will all come out to over 8% IPC uplift.
Continue reading: AMD's Zen 3 could bring 8%+ IPC gains and another 200MHz in 2020 (full post)
Fortnite chapter 2 season 1 has boats, medals, fishing and more
Fortnite 1.0 is dead and gone, sucked up by a vast black hole. So what's next? A new leaked Fortnite Chapter 2 trailer reveals tons of info.
Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1 brings a lot of nifty changes to Epic's massively popular BR sensation. Boats are being added, and it looks like four players can ride in a boat and duke it out over open water.
Epic is also adding a bunch of new ways to level up and progress with its new medal system, which rewards you however you play, whether it's singleplayer or multiplayer. You'll get extra EXP for completing challenges like opening chests, chopping down trees for materials, and of course pulling off sweet kills in battle. Players can also level up by doing small leisure tasks like fishing.
Continue reading: Fortnite chapter 2 season 1 has boats, medals, fishing and more (full post)
Google Stadia game streaming set to annihilate data caps, study says
Google's new Stadia game-streaming service will smash through data caps with ease and could end up costing more than consoles in the long run.
The major selling point of Stadia is playing high-end games without actually owning a console or a PC. You'll be able to launch a game in a Chrome browser on a laptop, or through your Chromecast Ultra, all without downloading anything. But Stadia is totally reliant on your internet connection, so you'll need a decent connection (at least 20mbps for 1080p 60FPS gaming, and 35mbps for 4K). And if you have a monthly data cap, that cost could be pretty high.
According to a new study, over 6 million people would destroy their monthly data caps while using Stadia. The platform beams games wirelessly to devices like Pixel smartphones, laptops, desktops, and Chromecasts Ultra using the cloud, but that data adds up fast. Especially if you're doing any kind of 4K gaming. Most consumers only stream in 1080p even if they own 4K TVs so they don't go over their allotted data limit.
Continue reading: Google Stadia game streaming set to annihilate data caps, study says (full post)





















