Following the news of Michael Gambon’s passing, look back on all the actors who have played the part of Albus Dumbledore on stage and screen.
Following the news of Michael Gambon’s passing, look back on all the actors who have played the part of Albus Dumbledore on stage and screen.
Joy-Cons are the Switch’s weakest feature. The two itty-bitty controllers have caused a plethora of issues for players — and Nintendo itself — since the Switch first came out in 2017, tarnishing the sheen of an otherwise fantastic hybrid console. Stick drift was the main problem and it became such a widespread phenomenon that Nintendo faced a class-action lawsuit over it, and the company is still offering free repairs for all busted Joy-Cons, even outside of warranty terms.
The left Joy-Con on my Switch went wonky about a year ago, but I also had a Switch Lite and a few Bluetooth controllers, so I never bothered to get it fixed. And now, I never have to. The Nitro Deck is a handheld frame for the Switch screen, complete with Hall Effect thumbsticks and incredibly clicky buttons. It’s so, so much better than the standard Joy-Con setup.
The Nitro Deck comes from CRKD, a new company founded at Embracer Group’s Freemode incubator lab. The Nitro Deck is a simple idea executed well: Slide your Switch screen into the frame and it acts as a self-contained, beefed-up gamepad. It feels like the offspring of a Switch Lite and a Steam Deck, and it comes in black, gray and white as default colorways. Limited edition styles include mint, GameCube purple and an SNES-y gray. (The hottest versions come from a collaboration with Limited Run, but these transparent lovelies are sold out).
The Nitro Deck includes a stand for Bluetooth play, but it really shines as a handheld. The D-pad is responsive and face buttons are crisp. They have a satisfying weight and pop back up quickly after each press. The shoulder buttons are clicky, the triggers are buttery-smooth, and though I haven’t actually found a use for the four back-panel buttons, I’m happy with their positioning and the way they feel.
The analog sticks are the star, though, simply because they’re such an upgrade from the standard Joy-Con experience. Hall effect joysticks mean there’s no chance of drift and they offer a wide, accurately tracked range of motion. The Nitro Deck carry case kit includes two spare sticks with different textures, and it’s incredibly simple to pop one out and replace it with a new one.
As evidenced in my Steam Deck review, my hands are on the smaller side, and the Nitro Deck fits just fine in my palms. I have a touch of anxiety over the distance between the right thumbstick and the face buttons directly above it, but it hasn’t actually affected my ability to play any games. Tiny Hands Gang, I think this one’s OK.
The most jarring aspect of the Nitro Deck is its rumble function. The rumble on this thing isn’t particularly powerful in terms of physical feedback, but it’s certainly loud. This was especially noticeable while playing Mario Kart 8, which activates rumble with every drift, crash and off-track tire touch, sometimes for seconds at a time. The noise generated is obscene. It sounds like a ghost with a cold groan-screaming into your hands, and it doesn’t offer any subtlety. That said, it’s easy enough to turn off the rumble completely. That’s what I did, and I didn’t miss it.
Hades is the game I’ve spent the most time with on Switch and Switch Lite, and playing it on Nitro Deck was a refreshing experience. The Nitro Deck supports a larger screen than the Switch Lite and its inputs are much better than the classic Switch, making the game look and feel like something new. I’ve been playing with a traditional Switch screen, but the Nitro Deck also supports the OLED model.
While I’ve been putting off getting my weird Joy-Con fixed for free, this device might be the final push I need to actually drop some cash on an OLED Switch. With clearer visuals, a slightly bigger screen and updated controls via Nitro Deck, the complete package would feel like a brand-new, end-of-cycle refresh.
The Nitro Deck costs $60 on its lonesome, or $90 with the carry case. The case itself is worth the extra $30, in my opinion: It’s sturdy and thick, and it comes with two swappable thumbsticks, a screen wipe and an eight-foot USB-C charging cable. Nitro Deck pre-orders placed before September 18 are currently shipping, and any units purchased from now on should be sent out this week or next (more detailed information can be found here).
The Nitro Deck improves the Switch in ways I didn’t know I wanted. Truthfully, I may never connect the Joy-Cons to my Switch again. This is simply my Switch’s final form: bulbous, purple, loud and, more than anything, satisfying to play.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/crkd-nitro-deck-review-the-switch-has-never-felt-this-good-130041763.html?src=rss
Joe Jonas spent time with his two daughters in New York City after reaching an interim agreement with Sophie Turner over where their kids will live amidst the divorce.
Joe Jonas spent time with his two daughters in New York City after reaching an interim agreement with Sophie Turner over where their kids will live amidst the divorce.
The Irish actor, best known for playing Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, has passed away.
The Irish actor, best known for playing Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, has passed away.
The first black hole humanity has ever imaged has also provided us with what researchers are calling “unequivocal evidence” that black holes spin. An international team of scientists headed by Chinese researcher Dr. Cui Yuzhu analyzed 22 years of observational data gathered by more than 20 telescopes around the world. What they found was that the black hole at the center of galaxy M87, which is 6.5 billion times more massive than our sun, exhibits an oscillating jet that swings up and down every 11 years. This phenomenon confirms that the black hole is indeed spinning.
Black holes gobble up huge amounts of gas and dust, which they attract with their massive gravitational pull. A small fraction of those particles that don’t fall into the black hole get spewn out and travel close to the speed of light, showing up as narrow beams along the axis. These beams are called “jets.” The telescopes’ observations show that M87’s jet oscillates by 10 degrees in a recurring 11-year cycle, just as predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
So, what causes the M87’s jet to swing back and forth? The researchers’ analysis indicates that the black hole’s spin axis doesn’t perfectly align with the rotational axis of its accretion disk. This disk-like structure is typically found surrounding a black hole, because it’s made of materials that gradually spiral into the void to be consumed. That misalignment between the rotating mass and the matter that swirls around it causes “a significant impact on surrounding spacetime,” which affects the movement of nearby objects in what the General Theory of Relativity calls “frame-dragging.”
This is a significant discovery that massively improves our understanding of the mysterious region of spacetime — aside from proving Einstein right, of course. Scientists have yet to find out the size of M87’s accretion disk and how fast its black hole is spinning, though, and that entails further observation and analysis.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-confirm-that-the-first-black-hole-ever-imaged-is-actually-spinning-105041168.html?src=rss
Meta’s big product showcase for 2023 focused on its new headset, the Quest 3, which Mark Zuckerberg claims is “the first mainstream mixed reality headset,” hurting the feelings of the Quest 2, which preceded it.
The Meta Quest 3 has full color passthrough on its external cameras, able to blend augmented reality elements into your surroundings. It’s also the first consumer device that runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, and Meta claims it delivers double the performance of the Quest 2. Expect higher resolution and a larger depth of field, thanks to upgrades to the screen and lenses. Meta has also revamped the Quest controllers, ditching the weird tracking rings and letting new sensors handle tracking instead.
Meta teased a handful of new games and experiences — mostly underwhelming — with an extra push towards fitness apps and upgrades. (You know Zuckerberg is hench now, right?) That said, Xbox Cloud gaming is coming to the Quest 3 in December, unlocking a bigger range of (admittedly non-VR) games with no need for a TV or monitor.
The event also revealed next-gen Ray-Ban smart glasses, AI updates and more – read on for those.
— Mat Smith
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The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses might actually do what you want smart glasses to do. They’re less clunky than the original Ray-Ban Stories, and now pack a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p 60 fps video — the bare minimum in 2023 — although they are restricted to 60 seconds. For longer things, you can now livestream footage while tethered to your phone, although Meta will calibrate video quality based on your connection speed.
Another major change is the addition of a second frame called the Headliner, alongside Wayfarers. As well as the shiny and matte black frames, there are three new semi-transparent colors: jeans, caramel and a smoky Rebel Black. There’s also the option to add polarized lenses or even prescription glass.
Former Microsoft executive Panos Panay will take over as the head of Amazon’s Devices and Services division, the company confirmed. He’ll start his new role at the end of October, CEO Andy Jassy said. It emerged last week that Panay was leaving Microsoft after a 19-year run, most recently as the chief product officer, where he oversaw Surface devices and Windows 11 development. Rumors quickly suggested Panay would move to Amazon to lead the Alexa and Echo teams.
Logitech has introduced a $299 cockpit chair for racing sims. It worked with Playseat to release the Playseat Challenge X, a fold-up chair with room for pedals and even a gearshift mount. While the chair doesn’t include the actual accessories to play racing sims, it is compatible with Logitech’s G wheels and driving force shifters. I am also fully aware it looks like a baby seat.
Disney+ will restrict its Canadian users from sharing accounts with people outside their households unless they’re willing to pay more, starting November 1. The company sent out an email to subscribers notifying them of the change, which Disney CEO Bob Iger foreshadowed in an earnings call back in August. Disney specifies a household includes only “the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence,” used by the people who live there.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-meta-unveils-ai-personalities-meta-quest-3-and-new-smart-glasses-111526119.html?src=rss
Apple has quietly launched a new iPhone Wallet feature in beta that lets UK users see their current account balance, along with recent deposits and payments, 9to5Mac has reported. It’s powered by the UK’s Open Banking API, and follows Apple’s purchase of Credit Kudos, a company that uses Open Banking to give users a snapshot of their financial health and creditworthiness.
The new feature, which also shows users their balances after purchasing something with Apple Pay, arrives as part of the iOS 17.1 developer beta. Users must first authorize it through the Wallet app, then authenticate using their bank’s app or website. All banking data will be stored strictly on users’ devices and not on Apple’s servers. Supported banks in the beta launch include Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, Monzo and Starling.
The Wallet addition is a rare Apple feature that premieres in a territory outside the US. Apple doesn’t even have its Apple Card available in the UK yet, so it’s a relatively minor player in the region so far. At the same time, its purchase of Credit Kudos gives it major connections in Open Banking. The latter company’s API taps into the UK’s open banking platform to analyze bank account data, aiming to help banking providers make faster and better decisions for people seeking loans or other financial services.
Open Banking — which forces the United Kingdom’s nine major banks to to release their data in a secure, standardized form — is unique to the region and doesn’t exist in the US (though the government is working on it). Europe introduced a similar system called PSD2 back in 2020. The two are similar, so Apple could feasibly bring the same features to Europe, where it effectively dominates smartphone-based payment systems with Apple Wallet.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-wallet-can-now-show-uk-users-their-bank-account-balances-113554313.html?src=rss
X has cut over half its election integrity team including the head of the group, according to a report from The Information at least partially confirmed by Elon Musk in an X post. That’s despite X recently promising to expand the team ahead of 2024 US elections, and in the face of criticism from the European Commission that X has a major disinformation problem.
X reportedly cut all four Dublin, Ireland-based members of the team, including leader Aaron Rodericks. Yet only yesterday, CEO Linda Yaccarino said X was planning to expand its safety and election teams around the world, according to The Financial Times. And less than a month ago, the company was planning to hire a civic integrity and elections lead focused on combatting disinformation. “If you have a passion for protecting the integrity of elections and civic events, X is certainly at the center of the conversation,” said Rodericks in a LinkedIn post.
Rodericks was subsequently suspended for liking posts critical of X, Musk and Yaccarino. After The Information published its story and it was quoted by X News Daily, Musk responded: “Oh you mean the ‘Election Integrity’ Team that was undermining election integrity? Yeah, they’re gone.”
Yesterday, the EU released its first report on social media platforms’ handling of disinformation as part of the Digital Services Act (DSA), finding that X had much higher levels of mis- and disinformation than its peers. X said in a series of posts that it disputed the “framing” of the data and remained “committed to complying with the DSA” despite pulling out of a voluntary Code of Practice on disinformation. In a statement accompanying the report, European Vice President Vera Jourova said that “my message for Twitter/X is you have to comply. We will be watching what you do.”
However, since Elon Musk purchased X (née Twitter) last October, the company has cut more than 80 percent of its staff, and the company already had challenges staying on top of disinformation prior to his tenure. Under the DSA, X must comply with the stricter laws or face fines up to 6 percent of its annual global revenue — though to date, Musk has faced very little pushback for all that’s happened with X.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-reportedly-cuts-half-of-its-election-integrity-team-091135783.html?src=rss
The Vivaldi browser, which has been in beta testing for iOS devices over the past few months, is ready for a public release. Vivaldi for iPhones and iPads is now available for download from the App Store, bringing with it the features Android and desktop users have been enjoying for a while. One of the features that sets the browser apart from its peers on mobile is its desktop-style Tab Bar, which is enabled by default. It shows tabs lined up at the top of the interface, similar to how they’re displayed on a computer.
Since mobile devices have smaller screens, though, the browser does come with a Tab Switcher that will show users a snapshot of all the open tabs. The active tab will be highlighted in the switcher with a border around its thumbnail, and users can close or choose other tabs from there. Vivaldi also has a built-in Notes feature, which can automatically save text users highlight on websites if they long press on it and choose the “Copy to note” option. And if a user wants to save pages to read later without clogging the Tab Bar, they can save them to the browser’s Reading List instead.
Similar to other iterations of Vilvaldi, the browser for iOS has built in ad and tracker blocker. Users will have to enable the option under Privacy in Settings, where they can also customize it and manage blocking levels per website.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vivaldi-browser-arrives-on-iphones-and-ipads-070035712.html?src=rss
It’s been four years since Raspberry Pi 4 was released, and since then, the company has only rolled out minor upgrades, including doubling the RAM for the base $35 version. Now, the company has officially launched Raspberry Pi 5, which is the first full-size computer from the brand that uses silicon it built in-house. It offers double or even triple the CPU performance of Raspberry Pi 4, with better graphics capability, thanks to its 800MHz VideoCore VII GPU. The company describes the new model’s processor as a 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU, with cryptography extensions, 512KB per-core L2 caches and a 2MB shared L3 cache.
The device has dual HDMI ports, with each one having a 4K display output at frame rates of up to 60 fps, as well as support for HDR. It also comes with “state of the art” camera support using a rearchitected Raspberry Pi Image Signal Processor. Raspberry Pi has more than doubled its aggregate USB bandwidth to enable faster transfer speeds, gave it the components needed to be able to better handle any combination of up to two cameras and displays, doubled its peak SD card performance and provided support for high-bandwidth peripherals.
Raspberry Pi 5 is expected to be available for purchase before the end of October and to remain in production until January 2035. The 4GB variant will cost enthusiasts $60, while the 8GB one will set them back $80.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-raspberry-pi-5-uses-the-companys-own-chip-designs-061316561.html?src=rss
