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British instrument manufacturer Unidentified Dancing Objects (UDO) has released pricing and availability information for its upcoming Super Gemini synthesizer after first teasing the device at Superbooth 2023. The Super Gemini is an absolute beast, with 20 voices, dual-layer polyphony, and a bi-timbral analog hybrid sound engine. This means you can play 20 notes at once, but the dual-layer polyphony lets you combine sounds, making ten “super” voices that deliver unique sound design combinations to the left and right stereo channels.

If you’re thinking this is a fantastic option for comprehensive sound design, well that’s the point. The stereo binaural signal path is equipped with effects processors, gate arrays and pedal connectors to allow for “glittering frequency” and “shattering harmonics”, with the company boasting that the instrument is great for creating both familiar and discordant soundscapes. There’s 256 performance and patch slots and a whopping 64 interchangeable waveforms to start your sound design journey. Sound design options include wave morphing, cross mod features, bi-directional sync and, of course, an all-analog signal path.

The sequencer stores 16 editable patterns and the exterior is equipped with dual control schemes that let you simultaneously sculpt sounds across both channels. The Super Gemini is sturdy with an exterior built from aluminum and steel, with UDO noting that the knobs and levers received the same attention to detail. The 61-note keybed is semi-weighted and boasts polyphonic aftertouch and the custom-engineered panel includes a ribbon controller for individual note articulation.

The Super Gemini follows the company’s well-received Super 6 synth, though improves upon it in nearly every way. The only downside here? This is a professional synth with high-grade components, so it’s gonna cost you. UDO’s Super Gemini costs $4,200 and preorders are available now at various music retailers, though it won’t ship until October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/udo-details-super-gemini-synthesizer-a-20-voice-beast-perfect-for-sound-design-184500613.html?src=rss 

Almost three years into the Xbox Series X/S lifecycle, Microsoft says it is no longer making games for the Xbox One. While the company will continue to support ongoing previous-generation titles like Minecraft and Halo Infinite, no Xbox Game Studios teams are working on new titles for the older console. “We’ve moved on to gen 9,” Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty told Axios, referring to the Xbox Series X/S consoles. The company also makes its games for PC.

This move had to happen at some point to avoid newer and more complex games being hamstrung by the hardware limitations of the decade-old Xbox One. Still, it’ll be possible for those clinging onto an Xbox One to play Series X/S titles such as Starfield and Forza Motorsport through Xbox Cloud Gaming. “That’s how we’re going to maintain support,” Booty said.

The news comes in the wake of a strong showing for Xbox at its big annual showcase last weekend. It announced new titles such as Compulsion’s South of Midnight and InXile’s Clockwork Revolution, while providing fresh looks at the likes of Fable, Avowed and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.

The move away from Xbox One will free Microsoft’s teams from the shackles of the previous generation. However, some third-party developers have raised concerns that the Xbox Series S, which is less powerful than the Series X, is holding them back too.

Booty conceded that making sure games run well on the Series S requires “more work.” Still, he noted Microsoft’s studios (particularly those working on their second games for this generation of consoles) are now able to better optimize their projects for the Series S.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-no-longer-making-new-games-for-the-xbox-one-174452073.html?src=rss 

Twitch is giving livestreamers a considerably stronger incentive to grow their audiences. The service plans to roll out a Partner Plus program that will give more successful creators a 70 percent share of their net subscription revenue instead of the usual 50 percent, up to a $100,000 threshold in the calendar year. A partner will qualify by holding on to at least 350 recurring paid subscriptions (gifts and Prime don’t count) for three months. If they meet that standard, they’ll get that 70 percent cut for the next 12 months regardless of whether or not they stay above the 350-subscription mark. This can extend indefinitely.

Partner Plus launches October 1st, and will automatically include anyone who meets the requirements for the three prior months. The program will be available worldwide, and doesn’t offer anything beyond what Premium Partners (major creators who’ve negotiated special deals) receive.

This effort comes months after Twitch announced plans for an identical cap for Premium Partners. Twitch president at the time (now CEO) Dan Clancy claimed in September this wouldn’t affect 90 percent of relevant streamers, and that increased ad payouts would help make up the difference. However, that might still irk major streamers who depend on Twitch for a living — they’re effectively taking a pay cut. There’s a risk this may prompt other streamers to jump to YouTube and other platforms if they receive more lucrative terms.

Not that Twitch is necessarily concerned. Partner Plus increases the practical income for many more streamers than Premium, encouraging them to stick to the service — particularly if they’re in the early stages of a livestreaming career. That theoretically increases the overall number of available channels, and keeps viewers from drifting to rivals.

Twitch has faced some difficulties in recent months, including a backlash over the Premium revenue split and the impact of parent company Amazon’s mass layoffs. Partner Plus isn’t guaranteed to solve matters, but it does suggest Twitch is willing to significantly alter its strategy in response to these problems.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-will-give-smaller-streamers-a-bigger-cut-of-subscriptions-180903534.html?src=rss 

Cocoon is a game that makes perfect sense while you’re playing it. That would be an unremarkable achievement if it wasn’t also a game that forces you to use its levels to solve themselves. At Summer Game Fest 2023 I had around half an hour to play through the game’s opening, and it has stuck with me more than anything else I saw at the show.

Cocoon is the debut game from Geometric Interactive, a studio founded by former Playdead employees Jeppe Carlsen and Jakob Schmid. Carlsen was the lead gameplay designer of the award-winning puzzle platformers Limbo and Inside, and Schmid the audio programmer of Inside. The pair also collaborated on 140, a minimalistic indie platformer, and have been working on Cocoon with a small team in Denmark for over five years.

As in Limbo, Inside and 140, controls and interactivity in general are pared back to a minimum. On an Xbox controller, that means movement with an analog stick and interactions confined to a single button. The complexity comes from the environment, the narrative from exploration. It’s reminiscent of Tunic or Hyper Light Drifter in its lack of dialogue and tutorials.

Orbs are everything in Cocoon. They’re assets that open doors, trigger switches, reveal hidden paths and solve puzzles, but they’re also levels themselves. Remember that scene in Men In Black where there’s an entire galaxy in a little marble on a cat’s collar? Geometric Interactive has taken that idea and made it a core mechanic. Each orb is a distinct world with its own vibe, original puzzle mechanics and a boss fight. You can hop in and out of these worlds by placing an orb into sockets dotted around the game, and can even bring orbs into other orbs, which, given the abilities they unlock, will likely be critical to finding paths forward.

I say there’s a “boss fight” in every orb, but there is no conventional combat in Cocoon – there is just a single interaction button, after all. You defeat bosses by using something in the environment like a water spout or an exploding mine. These fights are also forgiving: I took a “hit” once, and it revealed a delightful mechanic: Instead of dealing damage or killing me, the boss booted me out of its world. I then had to traverse back to the fight to finish it off. Defeating the two bosses I found granted new powers of sorts, in classic Metroidvania style, which allowed progression to new areas and the discovery of more orbs.

There were other simple environmental puzzles to solve. One involved ascertaining the order in which to hit some switches, another had me pulling towers around to open a door. A slightly trickier one involved some doubling back to navigate a hidden path. Given this was the very start of the game, I’m sure the complexity will ramp up significantly. By the end of my playthrough, I was already jumping in and out of worlds in order to get orbs to where they needed to be. 

A colleague who was watching my demo said that they could tell I’ve “played a lot of these types of games” — thing is, I haven’t. Cocoon is a game where everything makes sense, but you can’t explain why. I’m sure, as in other puzzle adventures, I’ll get stumped in some places, but exploring this world felt completely natural. After a while I stopped being surprised that everything I tried just worked. Solving puzzles became a flow state as I giddily wandered around carrying my precious orbs.

Cocoon is firmly at the top of my wishlist already, and it’s tough imagining anything overtaking it. It’s being published by Annapurna Interactive, and will come to Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation and Xbox consoles later this year.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cocoon-is-worth-getting-excited-about-181529189.html?src=rss 

Rockstar Games co-founder and former creative director Dan Houser has a new company. Absurd Ventures says it will build stories, characters and worlds across different mediums — including but not limited to video games. The 49-year-old left Rockstar Games in 2020.

“Storytelling. Philanthropy. Ultraviolence.” That’s the tagline for Absurd Ventures, which launches with the two-minute video below that shows more than it tells about the company’s creative, abstract and edgy vibe. However, a press release does provide a more tangible description, describing Absurd as “building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a diverse variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.”

It would be a vast understatement to say Houser was a central figure during his 22 years at Rockstar, one of gaming’s all-time great success stories. He co-founded the legendary studio in 1998 with his brother Sam Houser, Jamie King, Terry Donovan and Gary Foreman. As Rockstar grew, he remained an integral part of the company’s creative works, including producing five Grand Theft Auto games and serving as a writer for every GTA installment to date (including Grand Theft Auto V) and both Red Dead Redemption titles. In addition, he did voice work in Grand Theft Auto III and its two standalone expansion games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rockstar-games-co-founder-dan-houser-has-a-new-studio-183054769.html?src=rss 

Gifting can be difficult at any time, but it’s been particularly hard over the past couple of years. You may still be working with a tight budget, but you also want to give that grad in your life something that can help make the transition to post-school life a bit easier (and more fun). The tech gift ideas that come to mind immediately — iPhones, smartwatches, game consoles and the like — are not exactly budget-friendly. But there are handy gadgets out there that won’t drain your wallet. Here’s Engadget’s list of the best tech gifts under $50 for new graduates.

Anker Nano Pro 20W

Anker’s latest 20W charger will be a handy gift for any grad. More often than not, the new gadgets we buy today don’t come with AC adapters, so having an extra on hand can’t hurt. The Nano Pro can fast-charge the latest iPhones to 50 percent in only 25 minutes, plus it’s smaller than Apple’s own 20W adapter. It also has advanced features like a Dynamic Temperature Sensor, which keeps the charger from overheating, and a power tuner chip, which adjusts power output depending on the connected device. It may not be the trendiest graduation gift, but it’s one that your grad will likely take with them to work, on vacations and elsewhere.

Blink Mini

New graduates moving out into a new apartment will feel a certain peace of mind knowing they can keep an eye on their abode while they’re out all day. That’s especially true for any that have pets patiently waiting for them at home. A Blink Mini security camera has all of the features they’d need to check in every once in a while, and it’s footprint is so small that they’ll easily be able to find a place for it. The camera will record 1080p video when it senses motion, and it’ll send an alert to your grad’s phone so they can view the footage. It also supports two-way audio, so they can comfort their furry friends with their voices as needed. And while Blink does have a subscription plan that lets you store video clips to the cloud, it’s not necessary if you’re just using the camera as a second pair of eyes. Plus, you can download any video clips you want to save to your phone for safe keeping.

8Bitdo Pro 2

We’ve been fans of 8Bitdo’s affordable, multi-platform controllers for quite some time, and the $50 Pro 2 is no exception. You can use it with the Nintendo Switch and on Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi, and you’re able to map functions to buttons using its companion smartphone app. The Pro 2 also adds new bumper buttons under each arm, something the previous version did not have. In general, 8Bitdo’s controllers are more ergonomic than, say, relying on a keyboard and mouse when playing PC games. They’re also a dramatic improvement over the Switch’s Joy-Cons which, if we’re honest, aren’t the most comfortable controllers to use for long stretches of time. The Pro 2 charges up via USB-C, but you can also remove the battery pack and replace it with AA batteries if you know you won’t be able to charge up frequently.

Cosori Stainless steel electric kettle

Multitaskers are crucial in the kitchen, especially when you’re fighting with your countertops for space. One of the best kitchen gadgets with many uses is an electric kettle, and you don’t have to spend a ton to get a decent one. Cosori makes a few good models, including this stainless steel one that comes in at only $40. It has a six-cup capacity and claims it can boil water in less than three minutes, which means new graduates won’t have to wait long to make a cup of coffee or tea, cook some ramen noodles or get broth ready for soup. We also like that it has an automatic shutoff safety feature that powers down the machine 30 seconds after water comes to rolling boil.

Chipolo One

Help your grad keep track of their things by getting them a gadget like the Chipolo One. This Bluetooth tracker is one of our favorites because its separation alerts are top-notch. What that means in practice is if your grad leaves their keys or wallet with the One attached to it somewhere, say at a coffee shop, they’ll get a notification to their phone quickly after they leave, telling them they left something behind. Chipolo’s tech will even give you directions via your maps app to the precise location of your lost stuff, in the event that you miss the original notification. The Chipolo One is also a good pick for anyone, really, since it works on iPhones and Android devices.

Anker 511 Power Bank

The Anker 511 Power Bank is something everyone should keep with them at all times, but new graduates will find it particularly useful. The last thing they want to worry about is their phone dying on them in the middle of a busy day of job interviews, side hustle work and adulting chores. Only slightly larger than a tube of lipstick, the 511 Power Bank will slide easily into most bags and backpacks, and they could probably get away with sticking it in their pocket if they’re rushing out the door. It has a 5,000mAh capacity that can easily top up a phone that’s inching closer and closer to zero-percent battery life. Plus, it has a built-in foldable plug for use as a power adapter if they happen to be near an outlet. They’ll have to provide their own USB-C cable for charging, but they probably have one of those lying around already anyway.

Yeti Rambler water bottle

Everyone needs a good water bottle they can take with them almost everywhere and Yeti’s 18-ounce Ramber will be a good gift idea for most people. It has a simple design made of 18/8 stainless steel, plus double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for longer. It’s shatter resistant so it can take an accidental beating, and it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleanup and care. We like the “chug cap” that comes with it — it’s best used with cold drinks, so maybe that will encourage your grad to use this Yeti for all-day hydration instead of all-day caffeination. This Ramber also comes in more than a dozen different colors, so you should be able to find one that fits in with the rest of your giftee’s stuff.

Baggu Standard Set of 3 reusable bags

Reusable tote bags are handy to have whenever you leave the house. New graduates may find themselves in need of one when they stop to get ingredients to make dinner on their way home from work, or when they unexpectedly buy something while out with friends. Baggu’s reusable totes are some of our favorites, not only because they come in a ton of fun colors and designs, but also because they’re durable and machine-washable. They’re made from ripstop nylon that’s easy to fold up into a small square and toss into any backpack or purse, so there’s really no excuse not to keep one with you at all times. Plus, each bag can hold up to 50-pounds worth of stuff, so they shouldn’t buckle under the weight of a week’s worth of groceries.

Logitech Signature M650 Mouse

We generally recommend Logitech mice to most people and the Signature M650 is a great one for a new graduate to toss in their bag to use both at home and work. It has a relatively small profile along with a precision scroll wheel and buttons that are quieter than those on other mice. Whether they’re working in an office with an open floor plan or next to their roommate at their WFH desk, they won’t distract anyone with the sounds of constant clicking or scrolling. This model has two customizable side buttons that allow them to really make the accessory their own, plus it connects to computers via Bluetooth or USB receiver. But the best part is that it should last up to two years on one AA battery before they need to change it; one less gadget they need to remember to recharge regularly is a great thing.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

New grads are pretty cash-strapped, so most of them are not going out to buy a new TV immediately after getting their diploma. Regardless of if their old set is smart or not, you can give it a refresh by gifting them a streaming device like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K. This one in particular gives them access to Roku’s operating system, which is easy to use. Not only does it provide access to all the heavy hitters — Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+ and others — but Roku also has its own channels that let you watch some news, movies and TV shows for free. The Streaming Stick 4K supports 4K content, as its name suggests, plus HDR10+, long-range WiFi, AirPlay and input from a few voice assistants.

Lyft gift card

You may not want to think about all the nights your grad has been out until 4am, but it’s likely they’ve clocked a few of those by now. Giving them an easy way to get home in the form of a gift card will not only be a welcomed convenience, but also a safety measure. Hopping in a Lyft or an Uber as soon as they’ve made the decision to bounce will make it so they don’t have to wait for public transit that may not arrive on time (or at all), or beg a friend of a friend for a ride. Not to mention, they’ll feel a huge sense of relief knowing that, the next time they go out, their ride home is already taken care of.

Repel Windproof Double Vented travel umbrella

Hear us out — a good umbrella is an unexpected yet invaluable gift. Few things are worse than getting stuck in a downpour on your way to work, especially if you use public transit to get there. Repel’s windproof travel umbrella is just the right size — not too big or too small at 11.5 inches in length — and its nine reinforced fiberglass ribs prevent it from being blown inside-out easily. We also like its single-button design, allowing you to open or close it with one hand. Repel’s umbrella is one of those practical gifts that your grad will be glad to have at the most crucial times, and they’ll save money in the long run by not needing to buy a new, cheap umbrella every time the skies open up.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

We wanted to give a nod to the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 here even though it’s normally priced at $60 (but you can find it on sale for around $50). The portable speaker world is vast and that can make it hard to pick a decent one as a gift for a graduate that you may not fully understand their listening habits. The Micro 2 is a good all-around pick because it’s small enough to toss in most bags and it packs a ton of volume. Whether they are hosting a party at home or listening with friends outside, the Micro 2 has enough volume for all types of settings. We like its onboard controls as well, along with its rubbery rear strap that makes it easy to attach to things like belts and bike handlebars.

Instant Vortex Mini air fryer

While technically priced at more than $50, we wanted to include the Instant Vortex Mini with the other gift ideas here in part because it’s often on sale for around $45. Also, it’s a powerful little air fryer that any new graduate should be able to fit into even the most cramped of kitchen setups. It has an easy to use touchscreen with a few different cooking modes, but we expect most graduates will use it to cook snacks like mozzarella sticks and reheat leftovers to crispy perfection. We recommend checking out our air fryer guide if you want to give them something a little bigger that can cook more food at once — but if you’re only looking out for your grad and maybe their partner or favorite roommate, the Instant Vortex Mini will feed them well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-grads-under-50-114506320.html?src=rss 

It’s never fun when you buy a concert ticket for $30, only to find out it actually costs three times that after an endless series of amorphous fees. This has been at the heart of consumer revolt against companies like Ticketmaster for decades, and now things actually may be changing.

Ticketmaster and Live Nation are pledging to give US consumers the actual price of a ticket before they make a purchase, and not the fairyland price they use to lure in customers. President Biden is expected to officially announce the move during a meeting with live entertainment industry leaders later this afternoon, as originally reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Biden has made this a crucial element of his “kitchen table” economic agenda since announcing he’d be putting pressure on companies to eliminate hidden fees and surcharges during February’s State of the Union address. Live Nation Entertainment, the company formed via a merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, has officially committed to making these transparency changes by September.

Though Live Nation/Ticketmaster has committed to the change, promising a “clear, total price”, Biden is heading up a roundtable discussion later today at the White House to encourage other companies like SeatGeek, Airbnb, DICE and many more to do the same. It’s expected that most companies attending the roundtable will make some kind of commitment toward consumer transparency. Airbnb has been especially unfriendly toward consumers in this respect, with all of those mysterious cleaning fees, but began addressing the issue of transparency late last year.

“Today’s voluntary actions demonstrate that companies both big and small recognize the importance of providing consumers with honest, up-front all-in pricing, rather than tricking them with surprise fees at the end of checkout. It is also just a first step towards addressing junk fees in the economy,” the White House said in a statement.

While these changes don’t eliminate junk fees (corporations gonna corporate) they do give consumers vital information that allows them to make informed purchase decisions, which is a start. Back in February, Biden proposed legislation called the Junk Fee Protection Act to actually reduce the presence of these hidden fees, including excessive charges when purchasing digital tickets to concerts and sporting events. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced similar legislation in Congress, but it hasn’t come up for a vote.

Ticketmaster recently came under fire after running into a host of issues when selling Taylor Swift tickets for her “Eras” tour, leading to customers experiencing website outages, a preponderance of bots and extreme wait times. The company eventually canceled the sale altogether, due to not having enough supply to fill demand. This lead to a Senate hearing addressing the company’s perceived monopolistic behaviors.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/live-nation-and-ticketmaster-to-start-showing-hidden-ticket-costs-170552346.html?src=rss