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Samsung US boss apologies on video about Note 7 issues
If there's one thing you can say about Samsung over the Galaxy Note 7 battery problems, its global recall and then the intervention of the US government with an official recall, is that the company is handling it in a great way.
Samsung Electronics America President and COO, Tim Baxter, recently took to a video apologizing about the battery problems on the Note 7 smartphone. The video reiterates all of the issues, and that Note 7 owners should immediately stop using their smartphone, turn it off and return it.
Baxter notes that new Note 7 without the battery fault will be in stock "no later than September 21", which is next Wednesday. Personally, I'm still using my Note 7 like usual with no change, and it's fine. It's a damn good phone, and I really don't want to have to return it. Sigh.
Continue reading: Samsung US boss apologies on video about Note 7 issues (full post)
Religion in US worth more than Google, Apple combined
We all know religion is big business, but did you know that the mostly tax-free religion industry in the US is an absolute profit monster? According to the latest numbers, there are around $1.2 trillion (yes, that's trillion with a 't') in religious "healthcare facilities, schools, daycare and charities; media; businesses with faith backgrounds; the kosher and halal food markets; social and philanthropic programmes; and staff and overheads for congregations".
The report comes from The Socio-economic Contribution of Religion to American Society: An Empirical Analysis, co-authored by Georgetown's Brian J Grim and Newseum's Melissa E Grim, and published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. The authors say that the $1.2 trillion estimate is "conservative", noting that religion as a whole has been declining in the US, and that spending on religious "social programs" has tripled since 2001, to a huge $9 trillion.
The report notes: "Grim and his co-author Melissa Grim of the Newseum Institute in Washington came up with three estimates of the worth of US religion. The lowest, at $378bn, took into account only the revenues of faith-based organisations. The middle estimate, $1.2tn, included an estimate of the market value of goods and services provided by religious organisations and the contributions of businesses with religious roots".
Continue reading: Religion in US worth more than Google, Apple combined (full post)
Witcher 3 won't support PS4 Pro 4K enhancements
CD Projekt RED is completely devoted to Cyberpunk 2077 and doesn't have the time to upgrade Witcher 3 for the PS4 Pro.
Sony and a smattering of third-party devs have embraced the PS4 Pro, and are busily upgrading their games to support upscaled 4K HDR, higher frame rates in 1080p, boosted environmental lighting effects, and super-sampling techniques. But PS4 Pro owners won't get to play one of the best games of era in 4K: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Curious Redditor govind1262 actually emailed CDPR to see if Geralt's last adventure would get upgraded on the PS4 Pro, and the devs actually responded, saying that Cyberpunk 2077 and Gwent have their full attention right now: "I'm afraid that we have no plans to release the PS4 Pro edition for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Our teams are currently working very hard on our upcoming projects such as GWENT: The Witcher Card Game and Cyberpunk 2077. We want to be entirely focused on the development of these projects."
Continue reading: Witcher 3 won't support PS4 Pro 4K enhancements (full post)
Sony: Most of PS4 Pro's games will be upscaled 4K
Sony has confirmed what tech enthusiasts already knew: most of the games played on Sony's new PS4 Pro will be upscaled to 4K resolution, not native 3840 x 2160p 4K.
Sony is marketing its new high-end PS4 Pro towards "hardcore" gamers, offering a "premium" 4K HDR gaming experience. The truth is, however, that the PS4 Pro's highly customized Polaris GPU--while a massive improvement over the original PS4--isn't capable of hitting true 4K resolution in every game.
Developers use "streamlined rendering techniques" like Checkerboard Rendering to multiply native 1080p textures at the PS4's original High preset four-fold to simulate 4K resolution on the PS4 Pro. Sony President Andrew House has now admitted that the majority of games upgraded with the PS4 Pro--including both old and new PS4 games--aren't rendered in native 4K, so you're not going to get a full 4K experience with every title.
Continue reading: Sony: Most of PS4 Pro's games will be upscaled 4K (full post)
Smart strap lets you take calls through your fingertip
If you want to add more spy/cyberpunk-esque gadgets to your life, Sgnl has you covered. A "smart strap", it replaces the current strap on your watch and allows you to answer calls by placing your fingertip on your ear and speaking through the microphone on the strap. It's also said to allow for outbound calls. To put it another way, it's a much cooler take on the "traditional" Bluetooth headset.
Sgnl -- created by Samsung spin-off Innomdle Lab -- is discrete in that audio is directed into your ear directly through bodily vibrations, and noise canceling capabilities means you'll be able to hear whoever's on the other end clearly.
It's not hard to imagine a smartwatch company will design a product with this functionality built in before long, especially if Sgnl takes off (and it may very well, with $834,308 raised on Kickstarter in about a week, far above its $50,000 ask). If you don't want to wait, $99 will get you the tech before long.
Continue reading: Smart strap lets you take calls through your fingertip (full post)
Sony blames Hello Games for No Man's Sky PR failure
No Man's Sky will go down in history as one of the biggest blunders in recent gaming, but who's to blame for all the misleading advertisements, trailers, and footage? Not Sony, of course: it's all Hello Games' fault.
Despite signing a deal with Hello Games to publish No Man's Sky, promoting a massive advertisement campaign built on misdirection and misleading content, and putting out an actual TV commercial for the game, and promoting almost a dozen misleading trailers for the game, Sony pretty much shrugs off all accountability for No Man's Sky's massive PR failure.
"It wasn't a great PR strategy, because he didn't have a PR person helping him, and in the end he is an indie developer," Sony Worldwide President Shuhei Yoshida told Eurogamer in a recent interview. "But he says their plan is to continue to develop No Man's Sky features and such, and I'm looking forward to continuing to play the game."
Continue reading: Sony blames Hello Games for No Man's Sky PR failure (full post)
BioShock Collection streaming problems begin
BioShock streaming is not avaliable! Yes, that's right - 2K has posted on their support boards confirming this to be the case, but has not explained to gamers as to why the content is unavailable.
For those wanting to stream from their console, no date or time frame has yet been given to users as to when it will be back online. With this weeks release of BioShock: The Collection for PS4 and Xbox One, which have all three Bioshock games and content included, the unavailability of streaming may create frustration for gamers wanting to stream, as neither console supports the ability to do so.
2K support did release this for customers: "Unfortunately, streaming BioShock: The Collection isn't an option right now. We will update this article should this situation change".
Continue reading: BioShock Collection streaming problems begin (full post)
Rainbow Six Siege Starter Edition is just $15 on Uplay
The Rainbow Six Siege Starter Edition is back! After being released for a limited time in June this year, the latest in the Tom Clancy's franchise has returned, with explosive features not available in the Standard Edition. The offer will be valid from September 15 to October 11.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Starter Edition is available through Ubisoft's Uplay store. The title will be sold for PC and comes with the multiplayer perk , allowing users to team up against rival teams.
The new release does differ from the Standard Edition of the game, in which players will be given 4 original Operators, already unlocked for play. The exclusive also enables players to have full game access and content, including weapons, maps, game modes, characters and more.
Continue reading: Rainbow Six Siege Starter Edition is just $15 on Uplay (full post)
Logitech acquires Saitek, with a tease of VR peripherals
Logitech has announced that it has acquired Saitek for $13 million, taking the company away from competing peripheral maker MadCatz.
Logitech G gaming brand boss Ujesh Desai said that the acquisition of Saitek allows the company to build peripherals that Saitek are known for, including joysticks and customized wheels for racing games and sims. But it was the tease of VR peripherals that is the bigger news in a way here.
Desai said that Logitech G could jump into the VR market with input devices, and with Saitek concentrating more on game-specific peripherals like Star Citizen with themed controllers, Logitech G now owns Saitek and could do this in a much bigger way in the VR market. Saitek will also enjoy the success Logitech has built over the years, solidifying itself with more support and money to continue development on even better products under Logitech G.
Continue reading: Logitech acquires Saitek, with a tease of VR peripherals (full post)
T-Mobile warns iPhone users to not upgrade to iOS 10 yet
Samsung has its own problems with the US government recalling Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, but now Apple has hit a snag with iOS 10, with some users reporting their iPhones and iPads were being bricked after the new OS upgrade.
T-Mobile has now warned its customers against upgrading to iOS 10 on their current iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone SE models. T-Mobile took to their website saying that the iPhone could "lose connectivity [to the T-Mobile network] in certain circumstances" by upgrading to iOS 10.
You can get around this issue, but it's a headache: you'll need to totally power down your iPhone and restart it. Apple is expected to push out an update for this issue in the next 48 hours.
Continue reading: T-Mobile warns iPhone users to not upgrade to iOS 10 yet (full post)
IMAX VR experiences: Doctor Strange, new Star Wars movie
IMAX Entertainment boss Greg Foster has revealed some details on the next leap in storytelling, with the company teasing they are working on IMAX VR theaters.
Foster teased details on the future of IMAX:
SlashFilm reports that the first six of these new IMAX VR theaters will open later this year, with some big movies opening in IMAX that could be used in the new IMAX VR experiences, these include:
Continue reading: IMAX VR experiences: Doctor Strange, new Star Wars movie (full post)
Quantum Break dev working on coop multiplayer games
Now that Remedy is over the Quantum Break mess on Xbox One and Windows 10, the developer is beginning to tease its future games, with a post on the official Remedy website.
Creative Director and the face of Max Payne, Sam Lake, with Game Director Mikael Kasurinen teased their future goals, and their decisions on various games. They said: "As announced last July, we're busy working on CROSSFIRE 2 story mode with Smilegate, as well as building something totally new with a second (as of yet unannounced) game project. This includes working on the long-term roadmap for Northlight, our proprietary game engine and tools".
Continue reading: Quantum Break dev working on coop multiplayer games (full post)
Samsung to release Gear 360 Pro alongside Galaxy S8
The US government has announced an official recall of Samsung's troubled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, but now there's positive news that the company could release its new Gear 360 Pro camera alongside the new Galaxy S8 smartphone.
SamMobile has an exclusive report, where they've said: "we've received information that the company is working on a new 360-degree camera. Dubbed Gear 360 Pro, the camera might be announced alongside the Galaxy S8 early next year".
What would the new Gear 360 Pro do? It would have improved image and video quality, alongside new features. Samsung is also working on iOS compatibility for its current crop of 360-degree cameras, which should arrive soon.
Continue reading: Samsung to release Gear 360 Pro alongside Galaxy S8 (full post)
US government gets involved with Galaxy Note 7 recall
Samsung has hit a new speed bump with its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone recall, with the US government now stepping in and putting its foot down through an official recall by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Samsung is also rumored to release the Galaxy S8 early, to help with the PR disaster caused by the Note 7 recall.
With an official recall program with the CPSC, we should see Note 7 replacements happening in larger numbers, with over 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones needing to be replaced. The CPSC has already warned consumers that they shouldn't use, or charge their Note 7 smartphones.
There are reports that Samsung will soon push an update for the Note 7 that will cap the battery at 60% charge, which should prevent anymore fires and explosions. The CPSC posted on its site, saying: "Consumers should immediately stop using and power down the recalled Galaxy Note7 devices purchased before September 15, 2016. Contact the wireless carrier, retail outlet or Samsung.com where you purchased your device to receive free of charge a new Galaxy Note7 with a different battery, a refund or a new replacement device. Go to www.samsung.com for more details".
Continue reading: US government gets involved with Galaxy Note 7 recall (full post)
Destiny's microtransactions are no longer 100% cosmetic
Destiny's microtransactions are no longer purely cosmetic: starting with the next expansion, Bungie will let gamers buy in-game items that allow you to unlock items sooner.
Along with a host of new content, Destiny's new Rise of Iron expac will introduce paid reputation boosts that can be purchased with Silver in the in-game Eververse Trading Co. microtransaction storefront. IGN reports that these rep boosts are a time-saving convenience feature that will raise your standing with PVP and PVE factions. Reputation levels are needed to buy specific Legendary items from main faction handlers like the Crucible's Lord Shaxx, Vanguard's Commander Zavala, or Variks at the House of Judgement.
These reputation boosts can also be unlocked regularly without the Silver microtransaction currency in Sterling or Radiant Treasure Boxes that are likely strewn throughout Rise of Iron and given as quest, Strike, and Crucible rewards.
Continue reading: Destiny's microtransactions are no longer 100% cosmetic (full post)
Sony unveils first 4K UltraHD Blu-ray player
When the expected inclusion of a 4K UltraHD Blu-ray drive in the forthcoming PlayStation Neo didn't come to pass, Sony execs blamed lack of demand for its exclusion. But that hasn't stopped the company from announcing plans to release a stand-alone 4K player early next year.
According to Digital Trends, Sony's UBP-X1000ES maiden 4K UltraHD Blu-ray player will be positioned as a high-end device capable of playing HD Blu-ray, DVD, CD and SA-CD discs and will play friendly with custom installations. Sony Electronics director of home entertainment systems Yukio Ishikawa said the player was "specifically designed to deliver the highest quality video and audio possible and will excite the most demanding A/V enthusiasts", but a more comprehensive set of specifications, including whether the player will be one of the first to hit the market equipped with Dolby Vision playback were not immediately forthcoming.
Sony's UBP-X1000ES is due to hit the market in the first quarter of 2017.
Continue reading: Sony unveils first 4K UltraHD Blu-ray player (full post)
Delorean owner summoned to court for driving over 88MPH
We all know what happens when you drive a Delorean over 88 miles per hour - you see some serious shit. Well, at least in the 'Back to the Future' universe. But that hasn't stopped one owner of the classic vehicle from testing it out for himself. Except he had the long arm of the law on his tail.
According to the Daily Mail, Nigel Mills from Essex was clocked by a police speed gun travelling at 98MPH, but while the man is a self-confessed fan of the time travel series which the Delorean famously appeared in, he told media that he "was not trying to time travel." While Nigel was summoned to appear in a Magistrates' Court for his alleged crime of speeding, luckily for him the case was thrown out when the two police officers who clocked his vehicle didn't make an appearance.
The reconstituted DeLorean Motors factory announced plans earlier this year to take the car back into limited production using vintage parts.
Continue reading: Delorean owner summoned to court for driving over 88MPH (full post)
Tesla suing oil executive for impersonating Elon Musk
Tesla Motors is suing an oil company executive said to have impersonated its CEO Elon Musk in order to obtain financial information on the company.
The lawsuit names Todd Katz, CFO for Quest Integrity Group, and claims he used a similar email address to Musk's (elontesla@yahoo.com) to achieve his goal. Quest is partnered with BP, Chevron, and ExxonMobil, among other notable companies.
"The point of this action is that this was perceived as an effort to gain inside information, non-public information," said LA attorney John Hueston, representing the car maker. "Although it was caught here, Tesla is worried about this happening in some other form. This could have resulted in highly valuable information being improperly disclosed."
Continue reading: Tesla suing oil executive for impersonating Elon Musk (full post)
Metro 2033 devs tease new sci-fi FPS game
4A Games, the studio that brought us the excellent Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light games, has teased a look at their next project...and it looks like a futuristic FPS.
We know that 4A Games was working on "two exciting new projects," and now the devs have given us a glimpse at what they have in store. 4A shared two different images on their Facebook and Twitter streams that are obviously pieces from the same image, showing what appears to be the first-person HUD of a high-tech shooter like Halo or even Crysis.
While I originally thought the devs were working on Metro 2035, these images completely nix that theory. There's just no evidence of a post-apocalyptic world. 4A Games is on the cusp of something interesting, and it could very well be a fresh new original IP that taps the impressive FPS foundation they've worked so hard to cultivate in the Metro games.
Continue reading: Metro 2033 devs tease new sci-fi FPS game (full post)
New indie Dark Flame mixes Castlevania and Dark Souls
Ever wondered what would happen if you mixed Dark Souls with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? You get this nifty indie platformer, Dark Flame.
I've been on a big Castlevania kick lately, so any game that remote resembles an awesome Metroidvania style side-scroller has caught my attention. So when I came across Dark Flame earlier today, I squeed with delight.
Dark Flame is a love-letter to anyone who's entranced by the macabre style and relentless platforming hack-and-slash chaos of the Castlevania series. One look instantly conjures up nostalgic memories playing Symphony of the Night on PlayStation, getting lost in Dracula's winding castle and battling bit-style foes. Although I haven't played it (I hope to remedy that very soon!) Dark Flame checks all the right boxes: giant boss battles, that classic gothic eeriness infused with delicious retro visuals, a pretty dynamic RPG system with weapons, armors, and abilities, and more.
Continue reading: New indie Dark Flame mixes Castlevania and Dark Souls (full post)








