Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

Steam’s winter sale is live, offering major discounts on thousands of games

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Steam’s annual winter sale is upon us, offering discounts on everything from AAA titles to overlooked indie gems. The bonanza starts today and ends on January 4 at 1PM ET. Steam offers several big yearly sales, but winter is usually the best one. In other words, break out that three-digit card security code and start browsing.

There are literally thousands of titles on sale, so it can be tough to stumble upon exactly what you’re looking for. We are here to help. Here are some of the more tantalizing deals to separate you from your money this holiday season.

The acclaimed Baldur’s Gate 3 gets a teensy discount of 10 percent, bringing the price down to $54. Sure, a $6 price slash won’t set the internet on fire, but this is a GOTY pick for many, and any discount is welcome. Larian Studios chief recently said that the title would never release on Game Pass, so this is the best price you’ll get this season for The Game Awards winner.

Speaking of TGA winners, 2022 GOTY Elden Ring is $36, a discount of 40 percent from the MSRP of $60. Arkane’s Deathloop, which was nominated for nine TGA statues in 2021, is a whopping 80 percent off, bringing the price down to $12. If you haven’t played this unique time-bending masterpiece, now’s the perfect chance.

The once-reviled and currently-beloved Cyberpunk 2077 is half off, at $30, and the same goes for Forza Horizon 5. Recent (ish) Rockstar titles Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V are 67 percent and 63 percent off respectively. Heck, even this year's Star Wars: Jedi Survivor is on sale for $35, though this is the disappointing PC port. As always with Steam sales, you can also pick up The Witcher 3 for the ridiculously low price of $10.

It’s not just AAA games taking the spotlight. If you’ve heard of a recent indie gem, it’s likely currently on sale. Dave the Diver is 20 percent off, at $16, and the same goes for the Stardew Valley meets Pokémon sim Moonstone Island. Stardew itself is, of course, also heavily discounted to $10. The Metroidvania classic Hollow Knight is $8 and the puzzle-platformer Cocoon is $20. The Lovecraftian fishing sim Dredge is 25 percent off and JRPG-inspired Sea of Stars 20 percent off.

Seriously. It’s a lot. Head to Steam and start browsing. If you don’t feel like spending any money, just treat the browsing experience itself as a game. At least, that’s what I do sometimes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/steams-winter-sale-is-live-offering-major-discounts-on-thousands-of-games-190746589.html?src=rss

Beeper says it’s done playing cat and mouse with Apple over its iMessage for Android app

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Beeper versus Apple has been our own little David and Goliath matchup, but it looks like the saga’s coming to a close. The Beeper Mini chat app has issued yet another fix after Apple once again disabled access to the iMessage platform. The company says this will be the last fix released. Beeper wrote in a blog post today that it's done “playing a cat-and-mouse game with the largest company" on the planet. 

“With our latest software release, we believe we’ve created something that Apple can tolerate existing. We do not have any current plans to respond if this solution is knocked offline,” the company wrote.

So what’s the latest workaround? It’s certainly not a simple patch. It involves pairing your current mobile device with a Mac or an old iPhone. Mac users with Beeper Cloud should be able to simply update and reconnect, though not all macOS versions will support the software update. You can also ask a friend with a Mac and Beeper Cloud to share their iMessage registration code, which can be used with the desktop app.

Finally, you can jailbreak an old iPhone (6/6s/7/8/X), install Beeper’s tool to generate an iMessage registration code and update to the latest Beeper Mini app to enter the code and access the service. The company’s also renting and selling jailbroken iPhones for this task. Jailbreaking an iPhone, after all, can be confusing for beginners.

On the upside, the company says these fixes work well and even bring blue phone numbers back to the Beeper Mini experience. However, if you don’t have a Mac or an old iPhone, or access to either, you’re pretty much out of luck. Beeper says it’ll hold onto your chat history if you happen upon an old gadget at some point in the future. 

This has been a month-long battle between the two companies, which started with the launch of the Beeper Mini app. This app offered true iMessage support to Android devices via a software exploit. Just a few days later, the app went on the fritz after Apple blocked the exploit. This led to more complicated fixes on Beeper’s part, with one requiring an official Apple ID and another requiring a Mac computer. Apple found ways around all of them, which actually spurred US lawmakers to call for a DOJ probe.

If Apple blocks this final fix, that’ll be it for Beeper Mini, but the company has made the software open-source for other folks looking to give it a go. Beeper may be giving up on iMessage integration, but it's powering full-steam ahead with its primary chat app. The company promises it’ll work throughout 2024 to turn it into the “best chat app on Earth.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beeper-says-its-done-playing-cat-and-mouse-with-apple-over-its-imessage-for-android-app-182213320.html?src=rss

Beeper says it’s done playing cat and mouse with Apple over its iMessage for Android app

Posted on by

Beeper versus Apple has been our own little David and Goliath matchup, but it looks like the saga’s coming to a close. The Beeper Mini chat app has issued yet another fix after Apple once again disabled access to the iMessage platform. The company says this will be the last fix released. Beeper wrote in a blog post today that it's done “playing a cat-and-mouse game with the largest company" on the planet. 

“With our latest software release, we believe we’ve created something that Apple can tolerate existing. We do not have any current plans to respond if this solution is knocked offline,” the company wrote.

So what’s the latest workaround? It’s certainly not a simple patch. It involves pairing your current mobile device with a Mac or an old iPhone. Mac users with Beeper Cloud should be able to simply update and reconnect, though not all macOS versions will support the software update. You can also ask a friend with a Mac and Beeper Cloud to share their iMessage registration code, which can be used with the desktop app.

Finally, you can jailbreak an old iPhone (6/6s/7/8/X), install Beeper’s tool to generate an iMessage registration code and update to the latest Beeper Mini app to enter the code and access the service. The company’s also renting and selling jailbroken iPhones for this task. Jailbreaking an iPhone, after all, can be confusing for beginners.

On the upside, the company says these fixes work well and even bring blue phone numbers back to the Beeper Mini experience. However, if you don’t have a Mac or an old iPhone, or access to either, you’re pretty much out of luck. Beeper says it’ll hold onto your chat history if you happen upon an old gadget at some point in the future. 

This has been a month-long battle between the two companies, which started with the launch of the Beeper Mini app. This app offered true iMessage support to Android devices via a software exploit. Just a few days later, the app went on the fritz after Apple blocked the exploit. This led to more complicated fixes on Beeper’s part, with one requiring an official Apple ID and another requiring a Mac computer. Apple found ways around all of them, which actually spurred US lawmakers to call for a DOJ probe.

If Apple blocks this final fix, that’ll be it for Beeper Mini, but the company has made the software open-source for other folks looking to give it a go. Beeper may be giving up on iMessage integration, but it's powering full-steam ahead with its primary chat app. The company promises it’ll work throughout 2024 to turn it into the “best chat app on Earth.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beeper-says-its-done-playing-cat-and-mouse-with-apple-over-its-imessage-for-android-app-182213320.html?src=rss

Microsoft is nixing its Windows mixed reality platform

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Windows Mixed Reality is heading to a farm upstate. Microsoft is shutting down the platform, according to an official list of deprecated Windows features. This includes the garden variety Windows Mixed Reality software, along with the Mixed Reality Portal app and the affiliated Steam VR app. The platform isn’t gone yet, but Microsoft says it’ll be “removed in a future release of Windows.”

Microsoft first unveiled Windows Mixed Reality back in 2017 as its attempt to compete with rivals in the VR space, like HTC and Oculus (which is now owned by Meta.) We were fascinated by the tech when it first launched, as it offered the ability for in-person shared mixed reality. The pricey Apple Vision Pro could offer a similar experience when it presumably launches in February.

Microsoft’s platform was ultimately adopted by several VR headsets, like the HP Reverb G2 and others manufactured by companies like Acer, Asus and Samsung. The Windows Mixed Reality Portal app allowed access to games, experiences and plenty of work-related productivity apps. However, it looks like the adoption rate wasn’t up to snuff, as indicated by today’s news.

Despite the imminent end to the platform, it doesn’t look to be impacting Microsoft’s other mixed-reality ecosystem, the HoloLens 2. Microsoft added a Windows 11 upgrade and other improvements for the business-focused headset earlier this year, according to The Verge. It also started shipping them out to the Army for combat tests. Yes. You read that last part right.

However, not everything’s rosy in HoloLens land. Reports indicate that Microsoft has stopped development on the HoloLens 3. A report in 2022 said that the company teamed up with Samsung to make an unannounced mixed-reality device, but Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said that Microsoft remains "committed to HoloLens and future HoloLens development."

Additionally, Microsoft has made sweeping cuts throughout its VR division, leading to layoffs and the discontinuation of the AltspaceVR app. The company is, however, still developing its proprietary Mesh app that lets co-workers meet in a virtual space without a headset.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-nixing-its-windows-mixed-reality-platform-161607566.html?src=rss

Microsoft is nixing its Windows mixed reality platform

Posted on by

Windows Mixed Reality is heading to a farm upstate. Microsoft is shutting down the platform, according to an official list of deprecated Windows features. This includes the garden variety Windows Mixed Reality software, along with the Mixed Reality Portal app and the affiliated Steam VR app. The platform isn’t gone yet, but Microsoft says it’ll be “removed in a future release of Windows.”

Microsoft first unveiled Windows Mixed Reality back in 2017 as its attempt to compete with rivals in the VR space, like HTC and Oculus (which is now owned by Meta.) We were fascinated by the tech when it first launched, as it offered the ability for in-person shared mixed reality. The pricey Apple Vision Pro could offer a similar experience when it presumably launches in February.

Microsoft’s platform was ultimately adopted by several VR headsets, like the HP Reverb G2 and others manufactured by companies like Acer, Asus and Samsung. The Windows Mixed Reality Portal app allowed access to games, experiences and plenty of work-related productivity apps. However, it looks like the adoption rate wasn’t up to snuff, as indicated by today’s news.

Despite the imminent end to the platform, it doesn’t look to be impacting Microsoft’s other mixed-reality ecosystem, the HoloLens 2. Microsoft added a Windows 11 upgrade and other improvements for the business-focused headset earlier this year, according to The Verge. It also started shipping them out to the Army for combat tests. Yes. You read that last part right.

However, not everything’s rosy in HoloLens land. Reports indicate that Microsoft has stopped development on the HoloLens 3. A report in 2022 said that the company teamed up with Samsung to make an unannounced mixed-reality device, but Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said that Microsoft remains "committed to HoloLens and future HoloLens development."

Additionally, Microsoft has made sweeping cuts throughout its VR division, leading to layoffs and the discontinuation of the AltspaceVR app. The company is, however, still developing its proprietary Mesh app that lets co-workers meet in a virtual space without a headset.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-nixing-its-windows-mixed-reality-platform-161607566.html?src=rss

Arturia just released a free unison-based multi-fx plugin

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Arturia just dropped a new multi-fx plugin called Refract and, even better, it's free until January 4. Refract is a unison-based effect that stacks voices to create unique soundscapes, which could be a boon for sound designers or just anyone looking to add a bit of textural pizazz to their tracks.

This is a multi-fx plugin, so the unison effect can be leveraged to create a number of different Mode FX algorithms. It can duplicate a signal up to eight times, each getting its own stereo voice. This allows for movement between “unfiltered stems to a wide and powerful sound.” Arturia says each of the integrated effects can be combined to create “a dispersion pathway that fits your wildest imaginations.” We’ll see about that.

The user interface looks colorful and fun, which is usually the case with Arturia plugs, and you can easily adjust the voices, filters, LFO and other metrics. There’s also a boatload of presets that illustrate the plugin's “multi-effect capabilities.” Some of these presets offer a delay effect, while others go with distortion or a unison-based chorus.

Free plugins are something of a tradition during the holiday season, and it’s always nice to see another one drop. However, don’t sleep on this download. It’s only free until January 4, at which point the price increases to $100.

This has already been a fairly substantial holiday for Arturia, as last week saw the launch of its long-awaited V Collection X synth pack. The MiniFreak hardware synthesizer also got a robust system update earlier in the month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturia-just-released-a-free-unison-based-multi-fx-plugin-160035373.html?src=rss

Arturia just released a free unison-based multi-fx plugin

Posted on by

Arturia just dropped a new multi-fx plugin called Refract and, even better, it's free until January 4. Refract is a unison-based effect that stacks voices to create unique soundscapes, which could be a boon for sound designers or just anyone looking to add a bit of textural pizazz to their tracks.

This is a multi-fx plugin, so the unison effect can be leveraged to create a number of different Mode FX algorithms. It can duplicate a signal up to eight times, each getting its own stereo voice. This allows for movement between “unfiltered stems to a wide and powerful sound.” Arturia says each of the integrated effects can be combined to create “a dispersion pathway that fits your wildest imaginations.” We’ll see about that.

The user interface looks colorful and fun, which is usually the case with Arturia plugs, and you can easily adjust the voices, filters, LFO and other metrics. There’s also a boatload of presets that illustrate the plugin's “multi-effect capabilities.” Some of these presets offer a delay effect, while others go with distortion or a unison-based chorus.

Free plugins are something of a tradition during the holiday season, and it’s always nice to see another one drop. However, don’t sleep on this download. It’s only free until January 4, at which point the price increases to $100.

This has already been a fairly substantial holiday for Arturia, as last week saw the launch of its long-awaited V Collection X synth pack. The MiniFreak hardware synthesizer also got a robust system update earlier in the month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturia-just-released-a-free-unison-based-multi-fx-plugin-160035373.html?src=rss

Blue Origin successfully launches New Shepard rocket after failed 2022 attempt

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Blue Origin’s 24th mission is officially a success. The New Shepard rocket took off as planned this morning and the booster and crew capsule safely separated mid-flight and landed back on this great blue marble we call Earth.

This was an uncrewed mission, but it carried 33 science payloads into low orbit, more than half of them from NASA. The launch allowed for a few minutes of zero gravity in which researchers conducted remote studies on these payloads. For instance, a payload from Honeybee Robotics studied the strength of planetary soils under differing gravity conditions. The manifest also included 38,000 student postcards from the Club for the Future initiative.

To those following this mission, the original launch was scrapped on Monday due to a ground system issue that was, obviously, handled. There were no issues reported regarding today’s flight, though there was a slight holdup of a few minutes added to the countdown.

This mission was basically a do-over of a flight from last year that ended prematurely due to a malfunction of the New Shepard booster’s hydrogen-based rocket engine. This anomaly led to the suspension of Blue Origin launches until an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was completed.

The FAA’s investigation ended in September, freeing up Blue Origin for more launches once it handled a suite of corrective actions mandated by the agency. This included a redesign of the booster’s engine and nozzle as well as some procedural changes. The company hasn’t announced any official plans for future crewed flights, but recently installed an elevator at the launch tower. This is to make future launches “more accessible to people with disabilities, and more people in general,” launch commentator Erika Wagner said during today’s livestream.

To that end, Blue Origin has begun ramping up promotions to attract customers for crewed flights. You can also apply to add a payload to a future launch.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blue-origin-returns-to-form-with-a-successful-rocket-launch-after-being-grounded-for-over-a-year-193948312.html?src=rss

Microsoft Copilot can now make cute little songs on demand

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Microsoft Copilot just rolled out a new feature that creates songs via text prompt, thanks to a partnership with AI-based music creation platform Suno. Microsoft says it gives users the ability to craft personalized songs, “regardless of musical background.” Suno has long been working with various algorithms to create an AI that can whip up entire songs and it looks like the company has struck gold.

When you access this tool, all you have to do is enter a prompt and let the algorithm do the rest. The end result should be “fun, clever and personalized” songs, complete with lyrics and singing voices. You can also make an instrumental tune, if that’s your bag. AI use has been ramping up in the music-making space, but most of those tools are intended to help musicians. This is primarily for non-musicians looking to make a tune for a birthday email or something.

To that end, Microsoft gives prompt examples like “create a pop song about adventures with your family” and “make a song that captures the spirit of growing up.” It looks like the Suno add-on will have access to any personal data accrued by Copilot during use, so these songs could, in theory, get pretty specific.

The feature begins rolling out today, but it’s a tiered release. In other words, it could be a few weeks before it reaches your update box. In the meantime, you’ll have to make do with the thousand other things that Copilot can do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-copilot-can-now-make-cute-little-songs-on-demand-182305372.html?src=rss

TomTom and Microsoft team up to bring generative AI to automobiles

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TomTom just announced a “fully integrated, AI-powered conversational automotive assistant” which should start popping up in dashboard infotainment platforms in the near-ish future. The company has issued some bold claims for the AI, saying it’ll offer “more sophisticated voice interaction” and allow users to converse naturally to navigate, find stops along a route, control onboard systems, open windows and just about anything else you find yourself doing while driving.

The company, best known for GPS platforms, partnered up with Microsoft to develop this AI assistant. The technology leverages OpenAI’s large language models, in addition to Microsoft products like Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Cognitive Services. Cosmos DB is a multi-model database and Cognitive Services is a set of APIs for use in AI applications, so this should be a capable assistant that draws from the latest advancements. 

TomTom promises that the voice assistant will integrate into a variety of interfaces offered by major automobile manufacturers, stating that the auto company will retain ownership of its branding. So this could start showing up in cars from a wide variety of makers. The company hasn’t announced any definitive partnerships with known vehicle manufacturers, but the technology will be integrated into TomTom’s proprietary Digital Cockpit, an open and modular in-vehicle infotainment platform.

This isn’t the first time a company has tried to stuff an LLM inside of a car. Back in June, Mercedes announced a three-month beta program that incorporated ChatGPT models into select vehicles. This tool also leveraged Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service. TomTom is showing off the AI at CES in January, so we’ll know more about how it actually works at that point. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tomtom-and-microsoft-team-up-to-bring-generative-ai-to-automobiles-063002000.html?src=rss