Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

Microsoft just released a bunch of software updates for the ROG Xbox Ally

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Microsoft just released a spate of software updates for ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handheld consoles. Perhaps the most notable feature is the introduction of default game profiles, which are available in a beta mode starting today.

These are performance profiles tailored to specific games so they run perfectly on the handhelds. Once enabled, the software will automatically balance the frame rate and power consumption to strike the perfect balance. This means that players won't have to head into the settings to make manual adjustments.

These profiles are currently available for 40 of the more popular games on the platform, including Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Microsoft says that using the default game profile while playing Silksong, for instance, will add an hour of battery life. To that end, the profiles are only used when playing on battery. I hope this becomes a regular part of the Ally experience and comes to many more titles.

There's a new search filter that lists games by how they perform on the device, which is sort of a riff on Valve's "Steam Deck Verified" badge. Microsoft also boasts that gamepad responsiveness has been improved and that game libraries will now load quicker. The company says this is especially noticeable for "players with large game libraries."

The cloud gaming page should now load quicker and be more responsive. Finally, there's the usual array of bug fixes and performance enhancements. This is a nice little batch of upgrades, just in time for the holidays.

For the uninitiated, the ROG Ally and Ally X are handheld gaming consoles that run an Xbox-adjacent version of Windows 11 and can play pretty much any Xbox game. We praised the "top-notch performance" in our official review. These handhelds are the real deal, and consumers agree. Sales have been so robust that ASUS recently began ramping up production.

The success of these consoles should ensure more software updates down the line. Microsoft has already committed to adding game save indicators for crossplay. It also plans on improving sleep and wake reliability and upgrading the formatting options for microSD cards. The more powerful Ally X is getting AI upscaling next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-just-released-a-bunch-of-software-updates-for-the-rog-xbox-ally-164802697.html?src=rss

Skate Story grinds its way to PlayStation Plus on December 8

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It's been a long road to get here, but the surreal skateboarding sim Skate Story will actually be available to play on December 8. The title will also be a day-one Game Catalog release for PlayStation Plus subscribers, which is a great perk for Sony fans. It'll be available on other platforms, like Steam and Nintendo Switch, but those versions cost $20. The PS5 version is free for PS Plus subscribers and it's not currently coming to Xbox.

For the uninitiated, Skate Story can only be described as a Lynchian take on skateboarding. Players control a glass avatar and they perform tricks to, well, swallow the moon and defeat the devil. It was announced all the way back in 2020. We got to play it last year and came away impressed. The game was made by Sam Eng, who was behind the indie shooter Zarvot.

It's also being published by Devolver Digital, a company that knows its way around unique gameplay concepts. It published the utterly sublime Cult of the Lamb and one of our recent favorites, Ball x Pit. The former lets you feed poop to cult followers, which makes performing kickflips as a glass-bodied demon seem downright normal.

Looking to see what all of the fuss is about? There's a demo right now on Steam. The game's also available for purchase on the PS5, for those who don't wanna pony up for a PS Plus subscription.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/skate-story-grinds-its-way-to-playstation-plus-on-december-8-193034939.html?src=rss

Pocket Casts rolls out playlists, so users can sequence episodes of their favorite shows

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There are millions upon millions of podcast episodes out there and it can be tough to figure out what to listen to and when. The popular podcast service Pocket Casts is rolling out a playlists feature to help users make sense of it all.

This is being advertised as a "new way for listeners to organize, sequence and customize episodes across all their favorite shows." The idea of a playlist isn't new by any stretch, but it's not typically an option on podcast apps. As a matter of fact, Pocket Casts says this was one of its most-requested features.

The platform says this tool is great for "building a morning news lineup, curating interviews to study a topic or creating a queue for a long flight." There's a manual option but also an automatic Smart Playlists feature that gathers episodes together based on pre-determined rules.

The playlists feature.
Pocket Casts

For instance, episodes can be collected and sorted by release date, duration and other factors. This replaces the pre-existing filters tool. I can absolutely see this being useful on a road trip when you don't really wanna fiddle with a phone and would rather just let the podcast episodes flow into one another to create a Conan O'Brien-induced driving zen state.

The playlists tool is available right now. This is just the latest move by Pocket Casts. The service recently added a free tier for accessing its web player and desktop app. We love it when things get cheaper, don't we folks?

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/pocket-casts-rolls-out-playlists-so-users-can-sequence-episodes-of-their-favorite-shows-170046666.html?src=rss

The OnePlus 15R smartphone is budget-friendly, durable and coming next month

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OnePlus just revealed a trio of products, including the long-anticipated 15R smartphone. This is a redesign of the OnePlus 15, which is a device we rather enjoyed. The 15R will presumably be a budget-friendly version of the flagship 15, based on past releases, but we don't have a price just yet. It is, however, being referred to as "the ultimate value high quality flagship device."

The company hasn't dropped any real specs just yet, but we do know that this handset prioritizes durability. As a matter of fact, OnePlus says the 15R has "the industry's most complete durability ratings of IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K." This phone should take a licking and keep on ticking.

A durable phone.
OnePlus

It'll be available in two colors. There's a black one and a mint green design. The phone launches on December 17, which doesn't leave OnePlus a lot of time to provide specs and pricing information. Only customers in Europe, India and North America will be able to buy the handset at first.

Three tablets.
OnePlus

OnePlus also just revealed the Pad Go 2, which looks like a decent enough mid-range tablet. It boasts an anti-glare finish and is available in both black and purple. This will be the first tablet from the company to offer 5G connectivity. It comes with an integrated stylus, which has been "designed to enhance productivity and precision for note-taking and creative work." It also drops on December 17 in Europe, India and North America.

A watch.
OnePlus

The OnePlus Watch Lite is a budget-friendly version of its flagship smartwatch, offering top-tier "health and fitness features to an even more accessible price point." We don't have that price point just yet. This will only be available in a silver finish and also drops on December 17, but just in Europe. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-oneplus-15r-smartphone-is-budget-friendly-durable-and-coming-next-month-163000244.html?src=rss

Google is testing ads in AI Mode

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We now know what Google's ongoing tests for AI Mode ads look like. An SEO consultant named Brodie Clark spotted the company inserting ads into query results from its AI Mode. These ads show up in the bottom of search results in the Gemini-powered AI Mode. They are labeled as "sponsored" content, but otherwise look similar to other links whipped up by the chatbot.

Despite Clark's claims that this was "the first time ever," a Google spokesperson says the result shown is akin to similar tests it's been running this year. "People seeing ads in AI Mode in the wild is simply part of Google's ongoing tests, which we've been running for several months," the spokesperson said. The push to start offering ads in AI Mode was announced in May. The company also told 9to5Google that there are no current plans to fully update AI Mode to incorporate ads. Those are nice words, but AI has to make money somehow and ads seem to be a good way to do that.

For now, the software seems to be prioritizing organic links over sponsored links, but we all know how insidious ads can be once the floodgates open. AI presents an especially slippery slope here, as these chatbots are often advertised as personal assistants. I don't really want a personal assistant barking ads at me 24/7.

Incidentally, there doesn't seem to be any way to hide the aforementioned sponsored links. Google Search lets users hide sponsored results once they scroll past them.

It sure looks like our free ride is already coming to an end, as AI companies are really speedrunning through that whole enshittification thing. X recently announced that it would be incorporating ads into query results. 

There are also rumors that OpenAI has been hiring people to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform. That company's recently-launched AI social media slop factory Sora reportedly burns through $15 million a day generating videos of Sam Altman eating pizza in space or whatever.

Update, November 21, 5PM ET: This story was updated after publish with comment from Google clarifying the ads in AI Mode are part of an ongoing test and there are no plans to roll ads out to more users at this point.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-starts-testing-ads-in-ai-mode-192800265.html?src=rss

Apple teamed up with another artist to make this iPhone grip and stand

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Apple has teamed up with an artist named Bailey Hikawa to make an iPhone grip and stand thingamajig. The appropriately-named Hikawa Phone Grip & Stand is a MagSafe compatible device that snaps onto an iPhone. The grip can be "removed with ease" and also doubles as a stand.

To that end, it supports two different viewing angles, both vertical and horizontal. Apple says the ergonomic form factor was "designed with accessibility in mind from the ground up" and that Hikawa was given "direct input from individuals with disabilities affecting muscle strength, dexterity and hand control."

A grip.
Bailey Hikawa/Apple

It's also intended to be a work of art, as it was "inspired by modern sculpture." This is what likely ticks the price up. The grip is available in two colorways, both of which cost $70. Generic grips cost around $10 on Amazon or big-box retailers, but Hikawa has been making noteworthy phone cases for years. She also makes eye-catching toilet seats.

That leads us to the knitted elephant in the room. Apple introduced a bizarre knitted sleeve last week intended to hold iPhones. This, uh, phone sock starts at a whopping $150 and goes all the way up to $230. The idea of spending $150 on a little knitted bag for a smartphone has, quite obviously, irked some consumers and sparked internet outrage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-teamed-up-with-another-artist-to-make-this-iphone-grip-and-stand-163508039.html?src=rss

Ooni Black Friday deals: Get 20 percent off pizza ovens this holiday season

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Ooni is having a Black Friday sale and there are some serious deals here for fans of homemade pizza. The Karu 2 pizza oven is on sale for $359, which is 20 percent off. The typical asking price here is $449.

The Karu 2 didn't make our list of the best pizza ovens, but most of the list is populated by Ooni products. The company makes good stuff. The Ooni Karu 16 topped our list and the Karu 2 is basically a smaller version of that one.

This is a 12-inch multi-fuel model that can cook with wood or gas. It's intended for outdoor use and it's on the lighter side, at 33 pounds. This should make it easy when moving it around the backyard or when taking it to a friend's house for an impromptu pizza party. To that end, the company sells a luggage-like cover for the oven.

The interior reaches temperatures up to 950F. This can cook a pizza in around a minute. The only downside here? This is an oven that's only for outdoor use and, well, winter is coming. Ooni has discounted plenty of its other models for Black Friday, but not the indoor Volt 2 pizza oven. These deals last until December 2. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ooni-black-friday-deals-get-20-percent-off-pizza-ovens-this-holiday-season-130544525.html?src=rss

reMarkable E Ink tablet bundles are up to $70 off for Black Friday

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E Ink tablets are a great purchase for anyone looking to get some distraction-free writing done, and reMarkable is selling some of our favorite models for up to a $70 discount for Black Friday. A bundle comes with an E Ink tablet of your chosing, plus a folio case to cover the screen and a rechargeable Marker stylus.

The reMarkable 2 and the reMarkable Paper Pro are available in the deal, and you'll find both on our list of the best E ink tablets. The reMarkable 2 in particular offers a great grayscale reading and writing experience, with support for Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox. It's easy to use and the screen makes text look crisp.

The battery lasts around two weeks, which is one of the benefits of this type of display. It supports Wi-Fi and can integrate both PDFs and ePub files. It's also easy to create your own notebooks that keep track of handwritten notes. To that end, there are eight brush types here to mark up documents and take notes.

The only major downside of the reMarkable 2 is that it doesn't ship with the company's newest Marker Plus stylus. However, this sale lessens that concern. A bundle with the tablet, the Marker Plus and the most simple case costs around $458, whereas the tablet by itself typically costs $399.

There's a similar discounted bundle available for the Paper Pro tablet. This knocks $50 off the asking price.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/remarkable-e-ink-tablet-bundles-are-up-to-70-off-for-black-friday-125523431.html?src=rss

Oura Black Friday deals: Smart rings are up to 30 percent off right now

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Smart rings are becoming more ubiquitous and a more subtle way to track your everyday activity than fitness trackers or smartwatches. For Black Friday, you can save on Oura ring models. Arguably the most noteworthy deal is on the Oura Ring 4, the latest model, which is down to $249.

The Ring 4 actually topped our list of the best smart rings, and with good reason. It's comfortable to wear for long periods of time, which is always nice. It's a visually striking ring. We also appreciated the size options, as it fits fingers from size 4 to 15.

As for functionality, this smart ring tracks a number of health and fitness metrics. The affiliated app will send out notifications when it thinks you need a rest or to remind you to exercise. It keeps an eye on sleep, heart rate, stress, body temperature, menstrual cycle and a whole lot more. The battery lasts around a week, which is always nice when taking a quick vacation.

The only downside here, and this applies to all Oura rings, is that many features are locked behind a subscription paywall. This costs $6 a month or $70 per year.

The company is also selling the gold version of the Ring 4 for $349, which is a discount of $50. The water-resistant Stealth Oura Ring 4 is down to $299, which is a discount of $100.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/oura-black-friday-deals-smart-rings-are-up-to-30-percent-off-right-now-123010598.html?src=rss

Total Chaos, which started life as a Doom II mod, is now out for Xbox, PS5 and PC

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The survival horror game Total Chaos has been in development for years and it's finally available for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC. Incidentally, this a Game Pass release if you're hankering to spend $30 a month. The launch announcement was made during a recent Xbox Partner Showcase.

This is an interesting title for a number of reasons. First of all, it's absolutely dripping with style. The art direction seems plucked right out of the Alan Wake universe. It also seems to have something akin to an insanity mechanic, which reminds me of recent games like Dredge and not-so-recent games like Eternal Darkness. It's a survival horror title set in a creepy old fort, so that tracks.

The developer also made Turbo Overkill, which was a well-liked FPS with retro vibes. Total Chaos actually started its life as a Doom II mod, so releasing as a standalone title on gaming consoles is a legit flex. The soundtrack was composed by Akira Yamaoka, who made the music for many of the Silent Hill games. It's likely to include some terrifying bangers.

The game is available on the Xbox Store, the Microsoft Store for PC, PlayStation and Steam. It costs $25, but there are some introductory sales right now. Again, it's also playable on Game Pass.

Update, November 20, 4:20PM ET: This story was updated after publishing to include information on the game’s launch on PS5.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/total-chaos-which-started-life-as-a-doom-ii-mod-is-now-out-for-xbox-ps5-and-pc-194508861.html?src=rss