Sony’s PlayStation VR 2 is barely a year old, and it appears it’s not catching on like thePS5 when it launched in 2020. There are so many PSVR2 headsets unsold that Sony put the production of new units on hold, according to a Bloomberg report Monday.
YouTube sensation Dunkey, aka videogamedunkey or Jason Gastrow, has added game publishing to his resume. Last year, he started a company called Big Mode which is releasing its first title on May 9. Animal Well is a sidescrolling Metroidvania platformer that will show up on the PS5, the Nintendo Switch and PCs. There’s a trailer that’s absolutely oozing with retro-gaming goodness.
Now, Dunkey didn’t make this game. Big Mode is a publisher and not a developer. A company called Shared Memory is behind Animal Well, which is just a solo dev named Billy Basso. He’s been working on the game for seven years and his hard work show from the trailer.
Animal Well looks to lean a bit into psychedelia. There’s a blistering color palette, a synth-heavy soundtrack and, of course, a giant white cat that takes up the whole screen. There also looks to be tough platforming sections and the kinds of power ups that populate the Metroidvania genre. In any event, this looks like yet another delicious appetizer before Hollow Knight: Silksong eventually releases in the year 2087.
While Basso hasn’t released any games on his own yet, the developer did work on Octodad: Deadliest Catch and Bugsnax, among others. As for Dunkey, he’s a YouTuber, but one with pretty good taste. He knows his stuff and loves trashing bad games. If you’ve ever seen a meme taking the piss out of the beleaguered PlayStation mascot Knack, Dunkey probably had something to do with it.
Animal Well is the first game published by Big Mode, but not the last. The company has major plans for the future, including a bullet hell shooter called Star of Providence. Big Mode is also accepting submissions from developers, though not if the game includes “NFTs, crypto or blockchain.” If only Starbucks had such discerning taste.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtuber-dunkeys-publishing-company-is-releasing-its-first-game-on-may-9-152519368.html?src=rss
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 tops our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, and right now Amazon has the noise-canceling pair on sale for a new low of $49. That’s a buck less than the previous low we saw around the holidays last year. Anker sells the earbuds for $100, though they’re often available for less than that; for the last two months, they’ve typically gone for $59 on Amazon. This offer is sold by Anker directly and comes a couple days ahead of Amazon’s wider “Big Spring Sale” sales event.
We like the Space A40 for blending pleasant sound with strong active noise cancellation (ANC) and most of the features you’d find on more expensive earbuds. That ANC isn’t quite as powerful as higher-end pairs like Sony’s WF-1000XM5, especially when it comes to muting voices and other treble-range sounds, but it still punches well above its price range. It’ll automatically adapt to the noise level of your surroundings by default, though you can manually set it to different intensity levels as well.
While this isn’t the most detailed-sounding set of earbuds you can buy, it’s a more pleasant listen than most budget-level options we’ve tested. It boosts the upper-bass range out of the box, but it doesn’t come off as bloated or sloppy. If you don’t like the default sound profile, you can pick from one of several EQ presets or customize the EQ curve yourself through Anker’s companion app.
The actual earpieces are light and comfortable, with an IPX4 water-resistance rating that’s enough to survive most workouts. They last around eight hours per charge, with another 40-ish hours available through a compact case that supports wireless charging. They can also connect to two devices at once. There are still some trade-offs: The mics are mediocre for phone calls; the touch-based controls are a little limited; and there’s no wear detection, so your music won’t pause automatically when you take out an earbud. But at this price, the pros should outweigh the cons.
This discount comes as part of a wider sale on Anker headphones that includes the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, the runner up in our guide, on sale for $80. That’s a $20 discount. The Space A40 is a better value, but that pair offers most of the same benefits for those who prefer a more AirPods-style design. Other in-ear and over-ear models are also discounted.
Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-141811885.html?src=rss
An interesting study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation unveils a promising solution to combat bacterial infections, particularly those encased in stubborn biofilms, without relying on traditional antibiotics. Led by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University, the study introduces sugar-coated gold nanoparticles as a novel approach to both diagnose and eradicate biofilms that contribute to dental decay and delayed wound healing.
Biofilms, formed by bacteria like Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus, pose a significant challenge as they protect microbes from antibiotic treatment and impede tissue recovery. The newly developed nanoparticles, encapsulating gold spheres within larger cage-shaped structures, offer a dual function: efficient photothermal therapy to kill bacteria and photoacoustic imaging for precise visualization of biofilms.
The study utilized near-infrared lasers to heat gold nanoparticles administered to infected teeth and skin wounds, effectively eliminating biofilms. (Image: Hajfathalian, et al.)
The nanoparticles, coated in dextran to attract bacteria, demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in preclinical trials. When applied to infected teeth and wounded skin of rats and mice, the nanoparticles swiftly eliminated biofilms in as little as one minute, surpassing the performance of conventional antimicrobial agents like chlorhexidine and gentamicin.
The key advantage of this approach lies in its antibiotic-free nature, offering a crucial alternative for individuals allergic to antibiotics or facing resistant strains of bacteria. Moreover, the rapid and targeted action of photothermal therapy ensures minimal damage to surrounding tissue while effectively eradicating biofilms.
Lead researcher Maryam Hajfathalian highlighted the cost-effectiveness and simplicity of the treatment, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize infection management. Future studies will explore the preventive and therapeutic capabilities of this innovative strategy, aiming to address issues like cavity prevention and accelerated wound healing.
Gold Nanoparticles Promise Antibiotic-Free Bacterial Eradication
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Better weather is coming and that means more time outside using your phone — and making sure it doesn’t die while capturing all the beautiful blooms. Fortunately, Amazon is running a sale on Anker, one of our favorite portable charger brands. A range of the company’s products are currently on sale, including the Anker Prime Power Bank, down to $125 from $180. The 31 percent price cut makes one of our best power banks for 2024 picks much more accessible.
Anker’s Prime Power Bank is a great choice if you’re sick of guessing how much juice your power bank has left. This premium portable charger digitally displays its battery percentage. The device can charge your iPhone to 75 percent in 47 minutes and to 100 percent in an hour and 48 minutes. An iPad clocks in at 54 percent after 47 minutes and 100 percent after two hours and 11 minutes. The charger has a sleek look for a high price point but the screen seems easily scratched.
Notably, the Prime Power Bank’s sale doesn’t include the charging base (that will cost you $235 for both), but it’s not necessary. You can fully recharge the power bank in 37 minutes with a USB-C cord at 140W — faster than the base’s 100W charging capabilities.
Other notable power banks included in Amazon’s sale are Anker’s 622 Magnetic Battery and 737 Power Bank. The 622 touts the largest discount of the group with a 43 percent cut bringing it’s price to $40 from $70. It snaps right onto the back of an iPhone and provides up to 17 hours of battery life. The device, which is available in blue, also comes with a PopSockets attachment.
The Anker 737 Power Bank is a bit more expensive, with a 38 percent discount dropping its price to $80 from $130. However, it offers three charging ports (two USB and one USB-C) and works with laptops, iPhones and Androids. USB connections have 18W of power while the USB-C provides 60W.
Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/anker-power-banks-and-wireless-chargers-are-up-to-43-percent-off-for-the-amazon-spring-sale-132737485.html?src=rss
What’s your favorite way to listen to music? Maybe you prefer a quiet room with some headphones or listening on vinyl. One thing is for sure, you don’t want to hear some compressed MP3 on your phone, right? Apple, Amazon, and Tidal offer “lossless audio,” claiming users can “hear the exact same thing” an artist…
Respawn, the EA-owned studio behind Apex Legends has postponed the North American Finals tournament after hackers broke into matches and equipped players with cheats. The developer posted to X, formerly Twitter, that the delay has been caused due to the “competitive integrity of the series being compromised.” Footage of the hacks, available available on Twitch, gave players the ability to see their opponent’s location while notable player ImperialHal was handed an aimbot which artificially improves their aim while playing.
Due to the competitive integrity of this series being compromised, we have made the decision to postpone the NA finals at this time.
We will share more information soon.— Apex Legends Esports (@PlayApexEsports) March 18, 2024
Cheating has been a continual issue for EA — and one that players claim the company is doing little to mitigate. Frustrated posts on EA’s general discussion page include statements like “If EA gonna ban all the cheaters it wouldn’t be enough players to play the game,” and “The real issue lies in the process of banning/suspending players.” Other grievances include a focus on profits over experience, such as bumping up the price of skins.
Furthermore, EA laid off five percent of its workforce — about 650 people — at the end of February. Respawn’s in-progress Star Wars first-person shooter game was canceled alongside the terminations. At the time CEO Andrew Wilson told employees that EA was “streamlining our company operations to deliver deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere.”
A new time for the North American Finals of Apex Legends hasn’t been announced, but the X post stated that it would “share more information soon.” In the meantime, EA and Respawn have to determine how to block the hacker’s current access and how to reopen qualifications without risking further hacks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hackers-gave-pro-players-cheats-during-eas-north-american-finals-of-apex-legends-122102739.html?src=rss
Yeah, it’s not just Nintendo prepping new console hardware for 2024. Insider Gaming reports details for the PS5 Pro come from documentation Sony recently sent to third-party developers.
Hold onto your skepticism. Based on the reports, the PS5 Pro will offer a more consistent frame rate (fps) at 4K and a performance mode for 8K resolution. It’s also expected to render games up to 45 percent quicker and have ray tracing capabilities two to three times faster than current PS5 consoles.
The report says Sony may target a holiday release for the PS5 Pro, to target those heightened sales. Can it make Baldur’s Gate 3 look pretty like it does on PC? Please?
— Mat Smith
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At the end of last week, the FCC raised the speeds required to describe internet service as “broadband” for the first time since 2015. The agency’s annual high-speed internet assessment concluded that 100 Mbps downloads and 20 Mbps uploads will be the new standard. The FCC’s report also broke down several areas where the country’s online infrastructure falls short, with broadband not being deployed quickly enough, especially to those in rural areas and those living on Tribal lands.
The FCC can’t force ISPs to boost their speeds, but it can prevent them from marketing their services as “broadband” internet if they don’t meet these new thresholds.
LinkedIn may soon offer puzzle-based games to give its users something to do besides networking. App researcher Nima Owji posted a series of screenshots on X this weekend showing some games. Employees’ scores will reportedly affect how the companies they work for rank in the games, which suddenly sounds stressful.
Starbucks is pulling the plug on Odyssey, its Web3 rewards program that gives members access to collectible NFTs. The company updated its FAQ on Friday to let members know the beta program is closing on March 31 and they have a little over a week to complete any remaining activities (called journeys). Those will shut down March 25.
Don’t worry, Nifty Gateway will continue to host the priceless Stamps (Starbucks’ NFTs). And they will remain priceless. I mean… worthless.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-ps5-pro-rumors-release-date-111511204.html?src=rss
If you’re not interested in a midrange smartphone but don’t want to pay flagship prices either, Qualcomm has a possible solution. The company just unveiled the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor that offers flagship features, but performance just below the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
It’s built using a 4-nanometer (nm) process with a 1+4+3 core setup (one prime ARM Cortex X4 at 3.0GHz, four performance cores at 2.8Ghz and three 2.0GHz efficiency cores. That compares with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s 1+5+2 setup, so the “s” model swaps a performance core for an efficiency core. The prime core on the flagship chip also runs a bit faster at 3.4Ghz.
The chip uses a previous-gen X70 5G modem, though it still offers Wi-Fi 7 support. You also get hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic gameplay.
There’s on-device multimodal generative AI that can run large language models (LLMs) with up to 10 billion parameters, meaning it’ll support model’s like Gemini Nano, along with AI assistants. However, it lacks some AI features found on the 8 Gen 3 chip. It also comes with the always-sensing ISP introduced with the last-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.
The new chip adds another sub-category to Qualcomm’s lineup, particularly if you count the last-gen chips still used in devices like the OnePlus 12R. The chip will appear in Honor, iQOO, Realme, Redmi and Xiaomi smartphones announced later this month — so it’ll be interesting to see how they’re priced compared to the flagship models.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomms-snapdragon-8s-gen-3-chip-is-a-notch-below-its-flagship-processor-075258397.html?src=rss
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