Category: Technology

The critically-acclaimed cat-based adventure gameStray is getting an actual animated movie. Even cooler? The title’s original publisher Annapurna is making the flick, after it scored a surprise hit on Netflix with its first animated feature Nimona. The creative team is still under wraps, but Annapurna Animation head Robert Baird told Entertainment Weekly that the film is in active development and that it’ll be the “greatest hopepunk movie that’s ever been made.”

Baird defines “hopepunk” as a narrative concept that deems optimism as a form of resistance against tyranny. That just about describes the emotional tenor of the game, so Annapurna’s on the right track. Additionally, it’s been confirmed that the game’s companion drone B-12 will be a large part of the film, with Baird stating it’s a “buddy comedy about a cat and a robot” going on to cite the pair’s “hilarious dynamic.”

The original game was released last year and put players in control of a curious cat in a cyberpunk landscape. There’s plenty of platforming, stealth-based traversal and, uh, meows. The title was praised for giving players a cat-level perspective on the world and has been a huge hit on just about every platform.

As for Annapurna, the Stray movie is only a single step in its plans for Hollywood domination. The animation arm of the company announced a few more films and teased plenty more. Chris Wedge, the creator of Ice Age, is directing a movie called FOO, short for fish out of water, and Nimona’s co-director Nick Bruno has signed on to helm an unnamed project that’s only been described as “high concept” and “Spielbergian.”

The company also teased that other games under its umbrella could receive the movie treatment, stating that Stray was chosen as the first adaptation due to it being “wildly popular.” Other titles in the publisher’s roster include the time-loop thriller Twelve Minutes, starring Daisy Ridley and James McAvoy, the Starfield-before-Starfield sci-fi romp Outer Wilds, the narrative mystery Kentucky Route Zero and many more. Each of these would make for a decent movie.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cyberpunk-adventure-game-stray-will-be-adapted-as-an-animated-movie-174606306.html?src=rss 

Microsoft is set to launch its abusive-voice reporting feature for Xbox consoles. Announced in July, it lets gamers submit inappropriate remarks heard while playing multiplayer titles. The system captures a 60-second clip saved to the console; you then have 24 hours to complete the report. The feature arrives this week in the September update for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. However, it’s initially limited to the “select English-language markets” of the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Microsoft says it tailored voice reporting to balance ease of use with minimal gaming interference. “Our feature is designed so that only you, the player, can initiate the capture of the last 60 seconds of gameplay activity that occurred for content moderation purposes,” the company wrote. It works similarly to capturing standard gameplay clips, but content recorded for moderation review is only used for that purpose. “They will not appear in your recent captures, and clips cannot be downloaded, modified, or shared,” Microsoft wrote.

The company stressed that the console won’t save or upload any clips unless you start the reporting process. After capturing a clip of spoken chat that you believe breaks Xbox’s community standards, the sample will remain on your console for “24 online hours,” and you can choose to submit it immediately or wait for your gameplay session to end. In addition, your Xbox will alert you as a final reminder to send the report if the 24-hour period is about to expire. Finally, you’ll receive a notification later telling you whether the company took action against the perpetrator.

Also included in the Xbox September update is the ability to quickly stream Xbox gameplay to Discord. After updating your console, you can link your Discord account and join voice channels on the platform directly from the console. You’ll find the activation controls in the Xbox guide by navigating to Parties & Chats and choosing Discord.

The September update also lets users toggle the console’s variable refresh rate (VRR). You can now turn the feature off or back on by navigating to General > TV & display options > Video. You’ll see options to leave VRR “always on,” switch it to “gaming only” or disable it altogether.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xboxs-reporting-system-for-abusive-voice-chat-arrives-this-week-175806184.html?src=rss 

You might be in for a lengthy wait if you were planning on catching a United Airlines flight today. The company has issued a nationwide ground stop because of a “computer issue,” according to ABC News.

The nature of the problem is unclear as yet. Engadget has contacted United for comment. “United Airlines asked the FAA to pause the airline’s departures nationwide,” the Federal Aviation Administration told Engadget.

United has grounded flights following a similar issue in the UK just last week. An air traffic control glitch led to the cancellation of a fifth of UK departures and 27 percent of flights that were due to arrive into the country last Monday, when the issue occurred. 

This story is developing, please refresh for additional updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/united-airlines-has-grounded-all-flights-due-to-a-computer-issue-174007552.html?src=rss 

Android 14 is fast approaching. But before Google publicly releases the next big version of the mobile operating system alongside its latest Pixel devices, the company has revealed a refreshed Android logo.

In a blog post, Android consumer brand management director Jason Fournier wrote that the company wanted the bugdroid to “appear as dynamic as Android itself.” By overhauling the full-body look of the mascot, the hope is that it will be easier for the bugdroid to look consistent across both digital and real-world environments. The refreshed bugdroid and updated logo will start appearing on Android devices and elsewhere later this year.

Along with the rebrand, Google has revealed the details of the quarterly Android feature drop. The headline feature is a new widget called Assistant At a Glance. The aim of this is to bring helpful information such as weather alerts, event reminders and travel updates. The widget uses AI to surface these details.

There’s a very useful-sounding accessibility feature coming to Android imminently. It’s called Image Q&A on Lookout. You’ll be able to use voice commands or type questions to find out more details about AI-generated audio descriptions of visual content. Google designed the feature with blind and low-vision people in mind.

You’ll soon be able to add passes with barcodes and QR codes (such as your library and gym cards) to Google Wallet to save you having to carry those around. There will be the option to add Fitbit/Google Fit activity and sleep data to personal routines to help you keep track of your wellness goals. Meanwhile, Google has redesigned the Personal Safety app with the goal of making it easier for users to share their live location, record surroundings and call 911.

Last but not least is an Android Auto update. Webex and Zoom support is coming soon. You’ll be able to join conference calls via audio and view meeting schedules on the car’s display. We’ve seen automakers bring meeting apps to their infotainment systems, but Android Auto support may mean that there’s no escape from a conference call.

These features, which Google will roll out gradually, will start arriving today on Pixel 5, Pixel 5a and Pixel 4a. They’ll land on Pixel 6 and Pixel 7-series phones as well as Pixel Fold over the next few weeks. You can expect all of these features on the latest batch of Pixel devices that Google will announce next month too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-android-logo-gets-a-new-look-and-a-3d-bugdroid-170037292.html?src=rss 

The classic survival horror series Alone in the Darkrecently announced a reboot set to release in October, but it just got delayed to January. This push isn’t for the usual reasons. The game doesn’t need more polish or anything like that. It’s simply a matter of finding an audience in the bustling gaming month of October, given the flood of titles coming in the next several weeks.

The new release date is January 16, with publisher THQ Nordic noting that the game’s “eerie embrace of solitude” would be “impossible to achieve in a gaming month as busy as October.” The company isn’t blowing smoke, as October sees the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Forza Motorsport, Spider-Man 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Detective Pikachu Returns, Sonic Superstars, Alan Wake II and, well, the list goes on and on. It’s certainly a wallet-busting month.

This is in addition to September’s crowded release schedule, so the January launch of Alone in the Dark will give gamers more time to finish Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, Mortal Kombat 1 and a fresh round of Cyberpunk 2077 DLC. It’s interesting to note that none of these September or October releases are survival horror games, though Alan Wake gets close, so the title could have found a niche anyways.

So what is Alone in the Dark? The original title is considered the first 3D survival horror game, beating Resident Evil to the punch by four years. Since the 1990s, there have been sequels, spinoffs and even other attempts at rebooting the franchise. This latest installment is the first mainline entry since 2015 and the first game in the series developed since THQ Nordic bought the license from Atari back in 2018.

The reboot’s story is written by Mikael Hedberg, the mind behind the survival games Soma and Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Creature designs are being handled by long-time Guillermo del Toro collaborator Guy Davis. THQ Nordic has stated that the new Alone in the Dark is a completely original game, but will feature playable characters from the 1990s titles. It’ll release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on January 16, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/alone-in-the-dark-reboot-delayed-to-the-oh-so-spooky-month-of-january-161346620.html?src=rss 

Anker makes a wide range of useful devices, from charging gear to USB hubs and beyond. You can save on many of the company’s products right now as a sale is taking place on Amazon. One device that’s worth paying attention to if you have too many gadgets and not enough ports to plug them into is the Anker 332 5-in-1 USB-C hub, which is 49 percent off at $18. At the time of writing, there’s also a $2 coupon you can apply to save a bit more.

This hub has a 4K 30Hz HDMI port, two for USB-C (which unfortunately don’t support video output), one for USB-A and a 100W PD-IN port. There’s passthrough charging support for up to 85W. You can use the hub to snappily move files between devices as well, since Anker says the three USB ports support data transfer rates of up to 5 Gbps.

Another product worth considering is the GaN II 735 Charger, which supports 65W charging. It has dropped by 15 percent from $40 to $34. It can top up your phone, tablet and laptop batteries simultaneously. Alternatively, you can connect a single device with support for 65W fast charging to juice up the battery at maximum speed. We reckon this is the best 65-watt fast charger you can buy. It’s probably smaller than the charger you’re using for your laptop.

In addition, you’ll be able to snap up the 313 wireless charging stand for $15.19, nearly a quarter off the usual price. This is our pick for the best budget wireless charging stand. Don’t expect fast charging here — Anker’s device tops out at 10W (and just 5W for iPhones). But you can position your phone in landscape orientation while it’s charging and that price is tough to beat.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-chargers-and-accessories-are-up-to-49-percent-off-right-now-154836694.html?src=rss 

It’s fairly evident that Meta has been losing interest in dealing with news links and discussion across its platforms for some time and now the company is doing away with Facebook’s News tab in a few countries. It will remove the dedicated section in the UK, France and Germany in early December.

Unlike in Canada, where the company has blocked news content to protest a law that would compel it to pay publishers in the country, Meta says news organizations can continue to post links, Reels and so on to Facebook in those three territories. Users shouldn’t have any issues with accessing news content there either.

Meta says it will honor existing Facebook News deals with publishers in the UK, France and Germany. However, it won’t renew those pacts or enter into new ones in those countries. Moreover, the company doesn’t “expect to offer new Facebook products specifically for news publishers in the future.”

Meta says the Facebook News shutdown in the three countries is part of its efforts to funnel resources toward services and products users care more about. News accounts for less than three percent of what people see in their Facebook feeds, and the company claims folks are more interested in short-form video, connecting with other people and finding opportunities, interests and passions.

The decision doesn’t undercut Meta’s commitment to providing users with access to reliable information across its platforms, the company said. It added that it remains committed to working with third-party fact checkers to clamp down on misinformation.

Still, the shuttering of the tab is part of a trend of Meta depreciating the importance of news across its platforms. For one thing, it switched from human curators to relying on algorithms to place stories in the News tab earlier this year. When it debuted its latest platform, Threads, it said news wouldn’t be a priority there. That’s despite the company designing the service as a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter), where news and real-time events drove much of the discourse for over a decade.

Meta’s decision to nix news content in Canada entirely has been a contentious one. Many parties criticized Meta for limiting access to reliable information related to serious issues such as the wildfires that have raged across the country this summer.

Last week, the Canadian government said that to comply with its Online News Act and continue to offer users in the country news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta would need to pay publishers there around $62 million CAD ($45.5 million) per year. Meta, which generated over five times that amount in revenue per day last year, didn’t budge on its stance.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebooks-news-tab-is-going-away-in-the-uk-france-and-germany-142243544.html?src=rss 

The United States has made continual efforts to limit China’s chip production, but it might not do much good. China plans to launch a fund in hopes of bolstering its semiconductor industry, Reuters reports. The state-backed endeavor is the third from the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund and aims to raise 300 billion yuan ($41 billion). The previous two funds raised 138.7 billion yuan ($19 billion) in 2014 and 200 billion yuan ($27 billion) in 2019.

About 60 billion yuan ($8 billion) is expected to come from China’s finance ministry. The other contributors aren’t yet known, though past backers included China Telecom and China National Tobacco Corporation. Much of the fund itself will specifically focus on creating instruments for chip manufacturing.

The news comes only a few days after Huawei, a Chinese electronics company, announced its new smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, complete with homegrown chips. Huawei partnered with chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to create a new Kirin 9000s chip, according to a report from analysis firm TechInsights. SMIC’s high-level 7nm technology appears to provide the Mate 60 Pro with download speeds beyond those seen in typical 5G phones.

The entire Mate 60 Pro announcement and subsequent proof of its power stands in direct contrast to the efforts made by the US, Japan and the Netherlands to restrict China’s chip access and limit their production abilities. As recently as August, President Biden signed an executive order further limiting investments in Chinese firms working with technology like semiconductors. Previous restrictions have specifically targeted Huawei, including a January ban on licenses for exporting US tech to the Chinese company.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/china-plans-40-billion-fund-for-its-chip-industry-112119881.html?src=rss