Author: alex

PlayStation State of Play — Sep 24 (5PM ET) Sony is hosting a PlayStation State of Play livestream on Wednesday, September 24 at 5PM ET. The show will run for roughly 35+ minutes and will be broadcast on PlayStation's State of Play page (also available on YouTube and Twitch). What to expect Housemarque’s Saros — A fresh look with nearly five minutes of PS5 gameplay is confirmed by PlayStation. This is the first major gameplay reveal for the studio behind Returnal. Third‑party & indie titles — Sony says there will be new looks at anticipated third‑party and indie games. PlayStation Studios updates — Expect updates from some internal teams; community speculation includes a possible glimpse of Marvel’s Wolverine (Insomniac) and, separately, attention is on The Last of Us Day later…

Kojima Productions' OD — First Gameplay Trailer & Major Partnerships Kojima Productions has released the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming horror game OD, the three-minute clip titled "Knock". The project is developed in collaboration with director Jordan Peele and published by Xbox Game Studios. Kojima has said OD will use Microsoft’s cloud gaming tech in new ways, and the trailer gives off strong vibes reminiscent of the playable teaser P.T.. Trailer highlights First-person footage starring a photoreal Sophia Lillis lighting candles (some with babies on them) while ominous knocks are heard. Trailer ends with Lillis’ character being grabbed by an unseen (and unfriendly) presence. Tone and mystery recall Kojima’s P.T. work, suggesting a similarly tense, psychological horror approach. Notable partnerships & extras Jordan Peele is involved, bringing his horror…

Taxi fixed prices expand in Germany — Munich, Berlin, Duisburg, Hannover Since autumn 2023, Munich has offered passengers the option to agree a fixed price for taxi rides that are prebooked by phone or app. Berlin introduced a similar regulation a few months later. More recently, Duisburg and Hannover have implemented comparable fixed-price schemes, making these cities early adopters of a model designed to provide fare transparency and to make taxis more competitive with ride‑hailing platforms like Uber. What changed Fixed prices are available for rides ordered by phone or app (prebooked). The goal is to give passengers upfront price certainty and to limit seasonal or event-driven price spikes. Some implementations allow fares within a regulated margin around the official tariff (e.g., a set percentage above/below), to balance transparency and…

Meta expands Llama access to more governments — what it means Meta has announced that it will make its Llama AI models available to additional governments and multinational organizations, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and organizations associated with the European Union and NATO. This follows earlier steps to provide Llama access to the US government and allied countries. Key points Governments will be able to use Meta’s off‑the‑shelf Llama models or fine‑tune them with their own sensitive national security data. Models can be hosted in secure, classified environments and deployed on‑device for field use. Meta highlights that Llama’s open‑source nature enables secure downloads and local deployment without transferring sensitive data to third‑party AI providers. Why this matters This move aims to give governments greater control, customization, and security…

Apple invests in California reforestation with The Conservation Fund Apple has announced a reforestation and floodplain-restoration project in Northern California in partnership with The Conservation Fund and other conservation agencies. The initiative aims to restore native forest and floodplain ecosystems, support salmon migration, improve water resilience, and benefit regional communities. Key facts Location: Northern California (river confluence and floodplain areas). Partners: Apple, The Conservation Fund, River Partners, CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, CA Natural Resources Agency, CA Wildlife Conservation Board, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Goals: Restore hundreds of acres of floodplain and native forest, plant native species, improve habitat connectivity for Chinook salmon, increase flood and drought resilience, and conserve freshwater resources. Context: The project aligns with Apple’s broader Restore Fund and nature-based carbon removal investments to help meet…

Anker Nano 5K MagGo Slim — Thin MagSafe Power Bank on Sale ($46) Looking for a truly pocketable MagSafe power bank? The Anker Nano 5K MagGo Slim has gone on sale, dropping from $55 to $46. It’s one of the thinnest MagSafe-compatible 5,000 mAh banks available and is ideal for users who want fast, cable-free top-ups without lugging a chunky brick. Key details Sale price: $46 (was $55). Colors: Black and white (blue also listed at some retailers). Thickness: ~0.3 inches (about one-third of an inch). Capacity: 5,000 mAh (MagGo Slim). Compatibility: MagSafe-compatible phones and magnetic cases (optimized for iPhone models including iPhone 15). Charging performance: Around 2.5 hours to charge an iPhone 15 from 5% to 90%; about 40% in under 1 hour. Supports Qi2-certified magnetic wireless charging up…

Google Play is becoming an "experience" — what’s new Google announced several updates to Google Play aimed at turning the app store into more of an "experience" than just a download source. Many changes use AI and focus on discovery, content sampling and personalization. Key updates You Tab — A new profile/For You hybrid for app and content recommendations, gaming profiles and curated deals. Regional content sections — The Play Store will surface region- or season-focused hubs (examples: Cricket Hub in India, Comics in Japan, Entertainment hub in Korea). Some content can be sampled directly in Play (webcomics, short-form dramas). Guided Search — Gemini-powered searches that organize results by goals (e.g., "buy a house") to make discovery more task-focused. Ask Play — Expanded availability of AI Q&A on app pages…

GoPro Lit — Compact action cam with built-in LED (Pre-order $270) GoPro has introduced the Lit Hero, a compact entry-level action camera that borrows the Hero form factor but adds a built-in LED for on-camera face lighting. With improved video capability and a price between the standard Hero and the high-end Hero 13, the Lit could be a great option for vloggers and creators looking for a small, rugged B-cam. Key features Built-in LED light for better face illumination in low light or shadows — useful for vlogging and on-the-go streaming. 4K video at up to 60 fps (allows 2x slow-motion at 4K), plus 4:3 capture for easy vertical/social resizing. Social-ready 12MP 4:3 photo mode. Waterproof to 16 ft / 5 m and rugged for action use. Uses GoPro’s Enduro…

Google Play Games Sidekick + Gemini Live: AI in Your Games Google is rolling out Play Games Sidekick, a new movable overlay for Android games that integrates Gemini Live to provide real-time, in-game AI assistance. Sidekick appears as a small, movable tab you can slide open while playing and offers tools like quick screenshot and screen-recording buttons, a YouTube live shortcut, achievement and stat summaries, plus swipeable game tips powered by Gemini. What it does Moveable overlay for games downloaded from Google Play. Quick access to screenshots, screen recording and streaming to YouTube. Gemini Live integration for swipeable tips, strategy suggestions and live conversational help (can use screen-sharing to understand context). Available only in select games at launch — Google cited partners like EA and NetMarble (e.g., Star Wars: Galaxy…

GoPro Max 2 — Review summary and key specs GoPro’s Max 2 is the company’s new 360 flagship ( MSRP ~$500). It focuses on practical improvements: a meaningful resolution bump to what GoPro calls “true” 8K with 10-bit color, replaceable lenses, improved user experience, and stronger Quik editing tools aimed at both casual creators and pros. Quick highlights "True" 8K 10-bit 360 (8K/30), 5.6K/60 360, 4K/90 in 360 mode; single-lens 4K/60 Top bitrate 120Mbps (300Mbps via experimental Labs firmware) Replaceable lenses, heat-sink style redesign, six-mic directional array, Bluetooth mic/AirPods support No onboard storage (use microSD). Battery: 1,960mAh Enduro cell — good real-world endurance Improved Quik editing with new presets, AI tracking, 8K timewarps, HyperView (180 ultrawide) Design & build Max 2's shape is similar to the original Max but with…