LG reportedly files patent for triple selfie camera on smartphone
LG has reportedly filed a patent for a smartphone with three front-facing cameras, in what may be the next step in the company's selfie camera evolution. However, if the patent turns out to be true, it may come down as just another gimmick for the struggling mobile phone manufacturer.
Epic Games bans more than 1,000 cheaters in 1st week of Fortnite World Cup
Epic Games has already banned more than 1,000 cheaters in the Fortnite World Cup, including one player who was caught using cheat software. The developer is taking the fight against cheating seriously, especially as players are competing for a $1 million prize pool in every week of the qualifiers.
Sony will censor offensive PlayStation Network IDs with temporary usernames
Offensive PlayStation Network IDs reported by players and checked by moderators will be replaced with temporarily placeholders until the owner chooses a new username. Previously, Sony instantly banned the PSN accounts associated with IDs that violated the online network's terms of service.
Pepsi, StartRocket team up to launch satellites for energy drink ad in night sky
Pepsi will be the first client of StartRocket, which will be working with the beverage company to launch an energy drink advertisement into the night sky using miniature satellites. The Russian startup is looking to send its system into orbit in 2021, as it is still raising funds to support the venture.
MPAA: DVD, Blu-ray sales nearly halved in 5 years as viewers shift to streaming
The annual Theatrical Home Entertainment Market Environment Report by the Motion Picture Association of America confirmed that viewers are switching from physical media to streaming services. While DVD and Blu-ray sales are falling, subscriptions to services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime are growing.
Apple Arcade reportedly supported by investments of more than $500 million
Apple Arcade, Apple's upcoming video game subscription service with an unknown price, will reportedly be supported by investments worth more than $500 million. Apple is also said to be offering incentives to developers if they decide to release their games as mobile exclusives for Apple Arcade.
Xbox One S All Digital Edition design, price reportedly revealed by leak
The design and price of the Xbox One S All Digital Edition have reportedly been leaked by German Blog WinFuture. Microsoft is said to be planning to open pre-orders for the discless version of the console this month, start deliveries in May, and then unveil the next-generation Xbox consoles in June.
Final Fantasy XV director working on The Pegasus Dream Tour, a Paralympics RPG
JP Games, the studio created by Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata, is working on The Pegasus Dream Project, the first official video game of the Paralympics. Details on the sports RPG remain scarce, but it will launch with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics on multiple platforms, including smartphones.
Apple adds Confirm Subscription prompt on iOS to prevent accidental sign-ups
Apple added a Confirm Subscription prompt that will appear during the process of signing up for in-app subscriptions. This will help prevent accidental sign-ups for iOS device owners, and will also protect them against shady apps that try to trick users into confirming in-app subscriptions.
New Oculus Touch controllers may have secret messages hidden inside them
Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell revealed that new Oculus Touch controllers will be released to customers with secret messages accidentally hidden inside them. While this has no effect on the performance of the input devices, Mitchell apologized for the mistake and vowed that it will not happen again.
Goodbye, Machinima: YouTube gaming channel pulls the plug after 13 years
Machinima, a YouTube gaming channel that was launched in 2006, has suddenly shut down, with all of its videos set to private. There was no public announcement regarding the move by Otter Media, so the #RIPMachinima hashtag is now making the rounds in social media to reminisce about the channel's content.
There were no good Xbox One exclusives in 2018, according to Metacritic scores
There were no good exclusives, or games that received an average score of at least 75, for the Xbox One in 2018, according to review aggregation website Metacritic. In comparison, there were 13 good exclusives for the PlayStation 4, 10 for the Nintendo Switch, and a whopping 33 for the PC.
How to change your Google Home voice to John Legend
After anxiously waiting to hear the smooth voice of John Legend coming through our Google Assistant-compatible devices, the time has finally come. Here are the steps to change the voice on your Google Home or Google Assistant device to John Legend. But, the Legend voice might not be what you expect.
Army uses modified Microsoft HoloLens 2 for ‘real-life game of Call of Duty’
The U.S. Army gave CNBC an exclusive look at its modified Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented reality headset. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), shows the location of allies and opponents on a map, offers thermal imaging capabilities, and helps soldiers aim by displaying their weapon's reticle.
Samsung Galaxy S10 fingerprint sensor bamboozled by 3D-printed fingerprint
The Samsung Galaxy S10 ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which is embedded into the smartphone's display and supposedly highly secure, was tricked by a 3D-printed fingerprint. The process utilized a picture of the owner's fingerprint on a wine glass, image editing software, and a very accurate 3D printer.
Android TV home screen starts showing unwanted advertisements
Google started a pilot program to display a row of sponsored content on the Android TV home screen. A Reddit user discovered a way to remove the unwanted ads but at the cost of disabling automatic updates, while Sony suggested a different method for its smart TVs powered by the platform.
Netflix for iOS suddenly stops working with Apple AirPlay after 6 years
Netflix for iOS suddenly no longer supports Apple's AirPlay, preventing iPhone and iPad owners from instantly playing the content on their TVs. The feature had been available since 2013, but it has been removed due to technical limitations, according to a document on the official Netflix website.
Fallout 76 players upset again over Bethesda’s broken no pay-to-win promise
Bethesda is again facing backlash from Fallout 76 players due to the upcoming addition of Basic Repair Kits on the Atomic Shop. The issue is not the Repair Kits themselves, but rather the decision to sell the items for Atoms, which is the in-game currency that may be purchased with real-world money.
Tesla Model 3 vulnerability exposed at Pwn2Own; hackers take home the car
A Tesla Model 3 vulnerability was exposed at the Pwn2Own hacking competition, which is run by Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative. The hackers, who were able to display a message on the electric vehicle's internet browser through a JIT bug in the renderer, won $35,000 and took home the car.
Sega Genesis Mini release date and price revealed, along with first 10 of 40 games
The Sega Genesis Mini will finally roll out in September with an $80 price tag, following the retro console trend started by Nintendo and Sony. The device, 55 percent the size of the original console, will come with a pair of wired controllers. The first 10 of its 40 pre-loaded games have been revealed.
Best Buy allegedly leaks what Joker will look like in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Best Buy's weekly ad has allegedly leaked what Joker from Persona 5 will look like in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as its first DLC fighter. The leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts is expected to be added to the Nintendo Switch exclusive this April, and speculation is ongoing as to the exact date.
Atari VCS production-ready design unveiled after another delay
The team behind the Atari VCS unveiled the production-ready design of the retro console, with changes from the original design including the removal of the SD card port and fewer assembly components. The device was recently revealed to have gained a processor upgrade, but at the cost of another delay.
Skyrim Grandma will appear in The Elder Scrolls 6 through photogrammetry
Bethesda will use photogrammetry technology to add the likeness of Shirley Curry, known as Skyrim Grandma, to The Elder Scrolls 6. It will likely be a long while before fans see Curry's character in action though, as the studio's director Todd Howard said that the game will not even be in this year's E3.
Driveclub servers to shut down in 2020: No more multiplayer races, season passes
Sony will shut down the Driveclub servers on March 31, 2020, giving players just one more year to enjoy the racing game's online features. Only the single player and offline modes will remain, which is not ideal for an inherently social game that places a heavy focus on interaction between players.
Valve to fix ‘deep-rooted issues’ with Artifact instead of releasing updates
Valve admitted that there are "deep-rooted issues" in Artifact, and that it will focus on fixing the problems instead of rolling out updates for the digital card game. It remains to be seen, however, if the changes will revive interest in Artifact, which has seen its player count rapidly decline.
Walmart to launch it’s own low-priced tablet, powered by Android 9.0 Pie
Walmart will soon launch its own low-cost, kid-friendly tablet, which will be powered by Android 9.0 Pie. The price and release date for the device has not yet been revealed, but leaked specifications claim that it will be powered by a MediaTek processor, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of expandable storage.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild bug lets Link ignore temperature effects
A newly discovered bug in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild allows players to max out both hearts and stamina. The glitch also disables temperature effects such as the heat of Death Mountain and the cold of Hebra, which means that players may be able to complete the game with Link just in his boxers.
Drunk shoppers spend $48B per year while intoxicated, mostly on Amazon
Drunk shoppers spend more than $400 per year, according to the results of a survey carried out by The Hustle. The drunk shopping industry is apparently worth $48 billion, and Amazon is turning out to be the biggest beneficiary from the purchases of items that customers do not remember.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers to add Dancers and the Hrothgar
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers will add a second set of new jobs and races to the MMORPG, namely Dancers and the Hrothgar. The Dancers use throwing weapons and can buff teammates, while the Hrothgar are a male-only, leonin race in contrast to the female-only Viera that will also be in the expansion.
Sony to launch State of Play videos for PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR
Sony will debut a new video program named State of Play on March 25, which may be watched on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. The first episode will focus on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR games, including new game announcement, though it remains to be seen if Sony will tease the PlayStation 5.
Mortal Kombat 11 to add Shang Tsung, in likeness of 1995 movie actor, as DLC
Mortal Kombat 11 will add Shang Tsung as its first DLC character, and he will be in the likeness of, and voiced by, the actor who played him in the 1995 movie based on the series. Noob Saibot, the ghost-like ninja with the ability to summon a shadow of himself, was also revealed as a part of the roster.
Atlus reveals Persona 5 The Royal, teases mysterious new female character
Atlus revealed that the official title of Persona 5 R is Persona 5 The Royal through a trailer that features a mysterious new female character standing in Shibuya Square. It appears that the redhead, who is also a student at Shujin Academy, will be an antagonist to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
Nintendo Switch controllers will soon be compatible with Google Chrome
Nintendo Switch controllers, namely the Joy-Cons and the Pro controller, will soon be supported by Google Chrome, according to a new commit spotted by 9to5Google. The code is likely related to Google's rumored push into gaming with Project Yeti, which includes the Project Stream game streaming service.