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Destiny 2 replaces major subclasses and abilities
Destiny 2's new subclasses don't actually add anything extra to the game, they replace some of the most interesting abilities and classes that the original had to offer.
As a Destiny player, I'm excited about Destiny 2. But I have one very, very big problem with the sequel: Defender Titans are now dead, being replaced with the new Sentinel class. Now I've only ever played as a Titan in Destiny, and as soon as I saw the Defender subclass tree, I knew I wanted to be a support character based on replenishing shields and protecting my fireteam. This was all facilitated by one of the most enjoyable abilities in any shooter: the Ward of Dawn "bubble shield." That won't be in Destiny 2, and neither will the Warlock's potent resurrection spell from the Sunsinger tree.
I had a strong feeling that Destiny 2 would replace classes, and make no mistake, these new subclasses simply wipe out their respective elemental forerunners: Titan's void-based Defender is now replaced with the shield-bearing Sentinel subclass; Hunter's arc-based Bladedancer is now replaced with the spear-bearing Arcstriker subclass; and Warlock's beholden solar-based Sungsinger is now replaced with the fire-sword bearing Dawnblade. Apart from wiping out some of Destiny's favorite classes, the sequel dramatically changes the skill tree to make things much more consolidated.
Continue reading: Destiny 2 replaces major subclasses and abilities (full post)
Far Cry 5 isn't a Western, set in modern day Montana
Ubisoft today released a teaser trailer for Far Cry 5, confirming a modern-day setting for the sequel.
Despite speculation, Far Cry 5 won't take place in the old west, but it will take place in Montana. Ubisoft today made good on its promise of Far Cry 5 news "coming very soon" by launching a live-action teaser clip for the game. The clip is made from the footage recorded from production company Nightcall's captures of Montana's great prairie.
The clip gives us many clues about the game itself, and directly corroborates the rumors of tje religious cult gone wrong theme. The opening sequence shows a man running in fear, and then armed security sounding a bell with a dead man's head. This highly suggests that the religious followers in the game's fictitious setting of Hope County, Montana are kept prisoner by armed force, and anyone who tries to escape is summarily executed--and humiliated.
Continue reading: Far Cry 5 isn't a Western, set in modern day Montana (full post)
Apple could launch the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S this year
Lately, we've heard more and more rumors about Apple's upcoming flagship. While we still don't actually know whether or not Apple will call their new phone the iPhone 7S or iPhone 8, a new rumor has appeared claiming that it might not be a matter of 'or' but 'and.'
The latest report claims that Apple will, as usual, announce the S series of the last year's devices - the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus, and an iPhone 8 for the iPhone's tenth anniversary. While we can't confirm this at the moment, the report comes with an image of alleged iPhone molds showing those devices lined up next to each other.
It appears that the iPhone 7S Plus will be the biggest device, while the iPhone 8 is between the 7S Plus and 7S in terms of size.
Continue reading: Apple could launch the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S this year (full post)
Lenovo confirms smaller battery for the Moto Z2 Play
Earlier this month, Evan Blass leaked the specs of the upcoming Moto Z2 Play, the successor to the Moto Z Play announced in August last year.
The report claimed that the device would come with a smaller battery than the original phone. The Moto Z Play had a 3,510 mAh battery, while the Moto Z2 Play is expected to feature a 3,000 mAh one.
Although the Moto Z2 Play hasn't been launched yet, Lenovo has confirmed that the device would indeed come with a smaller, 3,000 mAh battery. The company revealed this info on their official Twitter profile.
Continue reading: Lenovo confirms smaller battery for the Moto Z2 Play (full post)
First images of Nokia's upcoming flagship leak
Nokia's Snapdragon 835 powered flagship has been rumored for a while, and it is believed that the device will be named the Nokia 9.
Nokia recently announced the modern version of the Nokia 3310 and three smartphones, but their flagship has yet to arrive.
Now, the first images of Nokia's upcoming flagship have leaked. Unfortunately, the phone is locked in an enclosure so we can't get the full image of the phone, but it is enough to confirm some previous leaks.
Continue reading: First images of Nokia's upcoming flagship leak (full post)
Rare Apple-1 computer from 1976 auctioned for $130,000
Apple only made 200 of its Apple-1 computers back in 1976, something that was built in Steve Jobs' garage, and was just auctioned in Germany for a huge $130,000. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak designed, and marketed the Apple-1 in 1976.
John Dryden, the original Californian software engineer who owned the Apple-1, admitted it was hard to sell. He said: "(The Apple 1) was one of the first opportunities for someone to possess a real computer. I'd been working with computers for a while but they were huge".
Dryden sold the Apple-1 computer with the original receipt for the motherboard and cassette recorder, an operating manual, and something that would be amazing to see in person: notes of telephone conversations between Dryden and Wozniak from 1977. Apple never made an external housing for the Apple-1 computer, with the company selling the power supply, keyboard, monitor, and cassette recorder separately.
Continue reading: Rare Apple-1 computer from 1976 auctioned for $130,000 (full post)
Facebook rolling out 'Order Food' option
There are some people that use Facebook so much that they might not have many other apps installed on their phone, and for the people who want an even easier food delivery service with their phone will soon be able to tap the 'Order Food' button on Facebook.
TechCrunch is reporting that the new Order Food button will be made available on the Facebook app for mobile, as well as the desktop. It will be accessed by the main navigation menu, where it will be found at the bottom, with a hamburger icon. The ordering process itself is smooth, with Delivery.com and Slice powering it. You can type the specific location or general area you're in, where you'll be greeted to a list of available restaurants.
The options of restaurants and outlets won't be large at first, but it will continue to grow as the service expands with more users and businesses signing up. As TechCrunch said in their article, it seems like Facebook is building itself into a much larger ecosystem, where you will not need to leave Facebook at all, even if you're hungry.
Continue reading: Facebook rolling out 'Order Food' option (full post)
27-year-old gamer without eyes still plays games
I've always thought that you would need eyes to play most games, but there is a 27-year-old gamer that has pumped countless hours into games over his life, all without eyes.
Toby Ott is 27 years old, and was born with a rare condition called bilaterial anophthalmia, which means he was born without eyes. In the documentary Gaming Through New Eyes, they explain it hasn't stopped Toby from playing games since he was a young child. Toby has played through games that millions of other games, including myself, have played - like fighting games with Injustice, and even RPGs like Final Fantasy.
Toby says he plays Final Fantasy for its story and characters, as well as its gameplay. But how the hell does he play the game without seeing, is something that anyone would ask - with Toby having a friend help him through the structure of the game's menus, where Toby will memorize how many button presses to get to a specific menu or action.
Continue reading: 27-year-old gamer without eyes still plays games (full post)
Xbox One S now streams 4K video from Amazon
There's one thing that makes the Xbox One S purchase worth it: its 4K video content abilities with its built-in 4K Blu-ray drive and 4K streaming capabilities.
With a new update for the Xbox One S, it will now work with Amazon Video and 4K content. Microsoft has said that with the latest Amazon Video app for the Xbox One, it will provide 4K streaming support. With top-rated Amazon original shows like Man in the High Castle, Sneaky Pete, and The Grand Tour, the new 4K streaming feature on Xbox One S is going to be a big deal.
Xbox One S can now stream 4K video from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon - as well as the growing library of 4K Blu-ray discs. Not too bad at all for a console, even the PC finds that hard to do as you require a Kaby Lake-based processor from Intel, and the use of Microsoft's own Edge browser in Windows 10.
Continue reading: Xbox One S now streams 4K video from Amazon (full post)
Ghost Recon: Wildlands Update #4 arrives
If you're still playing Ghost Recon: Wildlands, you'll be pleased to know that Ubisoft has pushed out their new Update #4 for the game, including HUD and UI improvements.
The new patch will fix issues with gamers seeing through walls, and certain spots of the map where you would get stuck or fall through the map. Ubisoft has also polished up the aim consistency when shooting from behind cover, and they've also introduced a new short time to kill alerted enemies to avoid failing the mission (in the stealth missions of Wildlands).
There are also some PC-specific fixes, with the Steam and Uplay versions of the game being automatically updated, so you won't need to worry about any manual updates.
Continue reading: Ghost Recon: Wildlands Update #4 arrives (full post)
Resident Evil movies are being rebooted
Resident Evil is the highest-grossing film series of all time that's based on a video game, raking in over $1.2 billion worldwide, and now the series is being rebooted.
Constantin Film owns the movie rights to the Resident Evil franchise, with Chairman of the Board of Constantin Film, Martin Moszkowicz, confirming with Variety at the Cannes Film Festival that the studio is working on a Resident Evil film reboot. The reboot will have another 6 movies in the series, after the 6 movies that we've experienced over the last decade.
We don't know who will star, direct, or write the new Resident Evil movies, but with $1.2 billion in box office profits - it's no wonder it's being rebooted this quickly.
Continue reading: Resident Evil movies are being rebooted (full post)
Facebook announces it will live stream eSports events
Facebook is stepping into the world of gaming and eSports streaming, announcing it has teamed with ESL to stream eSports content on Facebook.
The social networking giant will be streaming exclusive eSports events and content in six languages, all within the elite Rank S CS:GO competition. ESL will be bringing 5500 hours of eSports content to Facebook, as well as offering 1500 hours of exclusive eSports content for Facebook.
Facebook won't just have the Rank S CS:GO matches, but we will also receive ESL One and Intel Extreme Masters events as well - all livestreamed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. The social networking giant will also be making an original 30-minute Facebook Live series that will look back at previous CS:GO match highlights, showcasing top players as well as up and coming players.
Continue reading: Facebook announces it will live stream eSports events (full post)
Xander Cage is back in our 'xXx' Blu-ray giveaway
To celebrate this week's release of the explosive 'xXx' sequel 'The Return of Xander Cage' on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and digital, we have 15 Blu-rays to give away thanks to our friends at Universal Sony Home Entertainment.
There are no more patriots, just rebels and tyrants. Extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) comes out of self-imposed exile, thought to be long dead, and is set on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang (Donnie Yen) and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora's Box. Recruiting an all-new group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself enmeshed in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments.
To go into the running to win a prize, simply correctly answer the following question:
Continue reading: Xander Cage is back in our 'xXx' Blu-ray giveaway (full post)
Qualcomm demonstrates dynamic wireless vehicle charging
At an event in Versailles, France during the same week as the Formula E race in Paris, Qualcomm showed off their big secret of the past few years. Their wireless charging technology for electric cars also known as Qualcomm Halo is capable of not only static charging but also dynamic charging.
Currently, there aren't any vehicles on the road with wireless charging, but it's inevitably going to become popular among electric vehicles as they become more autonomous. Tesla's robotic charging arm is far more expensive and complex than just using wireless charging.
Mercedes is expected to be the first with wireless charging this year with Qualcomm Halo as the enabling technology.
Continue reading: Qualcomm demonstrates dynamic wireless vehicle charging (full post)
Valve gives you a VR social space with SteamVR Home
Valve and HTC want you to be more social in VR, leading Valve to announce their new beta testing of SteamVR Home.
SteamVR Home will see players finding their avatars and wearables in a new space, with virtual environments being in high resolution that "support animations, sound, games, and interactivity".
If you happen to find a new VR home that you like, you can choose to open it up to the public - or keep it for yourself, and invite friends for some VR hangs. In order to opt into the Steam VR beta, you'll need to :
Continue reading: Valve gives you a VR social space with SteamVR Home (full post)
Microsoft Research shows off prototype AR technology
Microsoft Research is making strides in its augmented reality technology, with the company showing off new prototype AR glasses.
The new AR glasses currently feature an 80-degree field of view, and will correct for the wearer's astigmatism, which allow virtual objects to be viewed through AR glasses, all without additional corrective lenses.
The team wrote in a research paper on the prototype: "In future work, we plan to integrate all these capabilities into a single hardware device while expanding the exit pupil to create a practical stereo display".
Continue reading: Microsoft Research shows off prototype AR technology (full post)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845: 10nm, LPDDR4X, due in Q1 2018
Qualcomm will reportedly be shifting over to the Snapdragon 845 processor very soon, with some new details on what the inside of it will look like, thanks to new rumors from MyDrivers.
The upcoming Snapdragon 845 isn't expected until Q1 2018, but it will be based on the 10nm Low Power Early (LPE) FinFET process compared to the second-gen Low Power Plus (LPP) process from Samsung. In April, Ryan Lee, Vice President of Foundry Marketing at Samsung Electronics said: "With our successful 10LPE production experience, we have commenced production of the 10LPP to maintain our leadership in the advanced-node foundry market. 10LPP will be one of our key process offerings for high performance mobile, computing and network applications, and Samsung will continue to offer the most advanced logic process technology".
Snapdragon 845 is expected to rock four unannounced Cortex A57 cores alongside four low-power Cortex A53 cores, joined by Adreno 630 graphics. Qualcomm's super-fast Snapdragon X20 LTE modem will be used, offering 1.2Gbps speeds on Cat 18. Qualcomm will reportedly include support for UFS 2.1 storage, as well as the faster and more power efficient LPDDR4X RAM.
Continue reading: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845: 10nm, LPDDR4X, due in Q1 2018 (full post)
ASUS teases AMD Ryzen powered ROG gaming laptop
AMD hasn't powered a high-end gaming laptop in what feels like forever, as Intel's more power efficient CPUs have been perfect - at least until now, in gaming laptops.
ASUS is now teasing with its new trailer for 'Something Has Awakened' on its ROG channel on YouTube, with what should be a new Ryzen-powered gaming laptop in its growing ROG line up of gaming products. The company teases #Computex2017 - so we are only a week away from seeing it in action.
Now, will ASUS use a new, unannounced APU powered by Ryzen, or will it be a high-end Ryzen 7 1700X/1800X with a dedicated GPU. If it's rocking a dGPU, will it be an AMD Radeon RX 580, unreleased Radeon RX Vega (that will be showcased on May 31 during AMD's Computex 2017 keynote) or one of NVIDIA's many GeForce graphics cards.
Continue reading: ASUS teases AMD Ryzen powered ROG gaming laptop (full post)
Audi set to manufacture three all-electric cars by 2020
Audi's first all-electric vehicle, the Audi e-tron SUV, is coming next year, followed by its recently announced e-tron Sportback in 2019.
The company has now confirmed that they plan another all-electric vehicle for 2020. This means that Audi will have a new electric car each year for the next three years.
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, said:
Continue reading: Audi set to manufacture three all-electric cars by 2020 (full post)
PlatinumGames teases new IP under new director
At this year's BitSummit 2017 indie event in Kyoto, Japan, PlatinumGames producer, executive vice president and studio head Atsushi Inaba confirmed the studio is working on a new IP, and that it'll be made by a new game director.
PlatinumGames is known for making high-quality games in series it doesn't actually own; for instance, SEGA owns Bayonetta, and Square Enix owns the NieR franchise, and PlatinumGames has made stalwart games in both line-ups. The developer wants to change that by making a wholly-owned IP of its own so it has more creative control over the IP's direction, content, and sequel possibilities. However, this new IP will be directed by a brand new game director, not the studio's well-known games-makers.
According to Inaba, PlatinumGames' new IP is "formless and shapeless" right now, but he did hint that the studio will look at new abstract technologies for ideas. "One thing we want you to really be aware of is that there's a new formless, shapeless IP, but we can't talk about that right now. But it's really important to us," PlatinumGames exec Atsushi Inaba said during BitSummit 2017's keynote speech (stream here).
Continue reading: PlatinumGames teases new IP under new director (full post)






















