Tag Archives: author_name|Anna Washenko

Sony reveals the Death Stranding 2 required PC specs

Posted on by

We're less than a month from the availability of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PC, and today Sony released the required specs. Despite designer Hideo Kojima being known for spectacle in his projects, the minimum specs are quite reasonable.

The low graphics preset runs on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB, and that will give players average performance of 1080p at 30 frames per second, which is rough but at least makes the game available for players who haven’t upgraded in awhile. Intel Core i3-10100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100 are the recommended GPUs for that graphics tier. As is typical for PC gaming, though, the higher end performance options will require beefier internals.

This port of Death Stranding 2 will also boast a few firsts. The title will mark the debut of Pico as an upscaling option on PC. This upscaler was made by Guerilla Games and was also used for the Death Stranding sequel on the PlayStation 5. The game will also be adding support for ultrawide views. The cutscenes can be viewed in a 21:9 aspect ration and gameplay can be displayed at 32:9. This option will be available for both PC and the PS5 versions of the game, and an ultrawide monitor won't be required to enable this view option.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-reveals-the-death-stranding-2-required-pc-specs-184411856.html?src=rss

Apple inks deal for IMAX screenings of live Formula 1 races

Posted on by

Formula 1 has been receiving star treatment from Apple for awhile, and now the racing series will literally be getting even bigger. Apple is partnering with IMAX to show five races from the 2026 season. The Miami Grand Prix on May 3, the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, the British Grand Prix on July 5, the Italian Grand Prix on September 6 and the United States Grand Prix on October 25 will be aired live at select IMAX theaters in the US. 

Apple landed a five-year deal for the US broadcast rights to Formula 1 last fall and there's already a dedicated channel for the car races on Apple TV ahead of the season's start. It also got the rights for a splashy feature film about the racing league, which amassed more than $630 million at the global box office, including with some IMAX screenings. It's unclear if IMAX will be paying to host more live F1 races at its theaters in future years, but it should be a fun way for fans to get the most immersive experience possible short of actually attending the racetrack.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/apple-inks-deal-for-imax-screenings-of-live-formula-1-races-234003582.html?src=rss

Slay the Spire 2 will enter early access on March 5

Posted on by

Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access next month. This sequel to the hugely popular 2019 roguelike deckbuilder hits early access on Steam beginning March 5, 2026. Along with releasing the teaser trailer above, developer Mega Crit shared some details about its goals for this phase ahead of the game's official release.

"Slay the Spire requires a lot of player feedback so we can balance content, add quality of life features, and make sure the game runs without issues," the developers explained. "Early Access is also a chance for us to test experimental features, try exotic designs, identify niche problems, and helps us make sure the game is headed in the right direction." Slay the Spire 2 is expected to be in early access for a year or two, or more generally "until the game feels great."

Mega Crit has also revealed that it will be introducing a new co-op mode where up to four people can team up. This gameplay option will feature some unique cards just for multiplayer as well as some team-wide synergies. 

Some of the characters from Slay the Spire will be returning for the sequel alongside new ones. For anyone who hasn't yet experienced the original game, Slay the Spire is available on iOS, including as part of Apple Arcade. It's also on consoles and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/slay-the-spire-2-will-enter-early-access-on-march-5-210338514.html?src=rss

Google’s $500 Pixel 10a smartphone arrives on March 5

Posted on by

Google debuted the Pixel 10a phone today. Pre-orders are open now and the smartphone will be available starting March 5. Although it's the new 2026 addition to the A series lineup, the Pixel 10a invites many comparisons with last year's Pixel 9a. For starters, the price is identical at $499.

Design-wise, not much as changed. The back of the phone can lay flat, which has become a hallmark of the Pixel A collection, rather than wobbling around on a bulky camera housing. The screen is still 6.3 inches with an Actua display. The phone's insides are also the same; the 10a comes with the same Tensor G4 chip and 8GB of RAM as its predecessor, and buyers have the option to upgrade to either 128GB or 256GB of storage. The phone has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and its display uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.

One of the few areas where the 10a is getting a marked upgrade is on its battery. This version claims more than 30 hours of battery life, or up to 120 under the Extra Battery Saver mode. The 10a also brings the welcome addition of proper fast charging, where a compatible charger can get the device to 50 percent battery in about 30 minutes. This addresses one of the few complaints we had about the 9a. 

For the photo buffs, the Pixel 10a has a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide lens; again unchanged from the specs in the 9a. AI is also present in the new model's photography suite, with the addition of the Camera Coach resource for the first time on the A series lineup. Camera Coach uses Gemini AI models to read the scene and offer tips on getting the desired shot. The 10a also has the Auto Best Take feature for getting everyone's best side in a group shot and the Add Me tool that lets you insert yourself into a photo after the fact.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-500-pixel-10a-smartphone-arrives-on-march-5-150000489.html?src=rss

Samsung teases mobile AI photography tools ahead of Unpacked

Posted on by

Anyone who's been paying even a little bit of attention to tech news lately could have made a reasonable guess that AI will be a big topic at Samsung's Unpacked next week. Ahead of the event, Samsung teased some of what's to come for AI in terms of the Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup's photography tools. 

The S26 phones will feature a new camera system using Galaxy AI that combines capturing, editing and sharing of photos and videos. "Users will be able to turn a photo from day to night in seconds, restore missing parts of objects in images, capture detailed photos in low light, and seamlessly merge multiple photos into a single, cohesive result," a company rep said. The video clips Samsung shared demonstrated the before and after results of using its AI tools, which will all be housed in a single app rather than needing to switch between multiple image editing programs.

Updated cameras are just part of what will be on the schedule for Samsung's big mobile showcase. The expected Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely have a lot of AI-centric features.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-teases-mobile-ai-photography-tools-ahead-of-unpacked-233000358.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Fire TV redesign is rolling out today

Posted on by

During the flurry of CES 2026 news at the start of the year, it might have been easy to overlook Amazon's announcement that the Fire TV user interface is getting a revamp. But that redesign is rolling out starting today for US viewers. It will be available to users as a free update. 

The main visual updates for the streaming device's UI are a lot of rounded corners. But Amazon is also emphasizing speed in this new look, claiming that the improvements will offer 20 to 30 percent faster interactions. This version of the UI also makes more apps visible on the screen at a time, with up to 20 apps able to be pinned to the homescreen compared with six in the prior design. The update also has access to the Alexa+ AI voice assistant if you want to use it to pull up viewing suggestions or to organize your viewing queue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazons-fire-tv-redesign-is-rolling-out-today-150000988.html?src=rss

There’s a dedicated channel for Formula 1 in the Apple TV app now

Posted on by

Apple continues to double down on its Formula 1 programming, following up on the box office success of its blockbuster movie by adding a dedicated channel for the racing league to the Apple TV app. This section of the streaming service hints at some of what may be coming when the F1 season begins with the kickoff event in Australia next month. The F1 channel has placeholders for practices, qualifying and the grand prix as well as a weekend warm-up show.

Although it announced the five-year deal to host F1 broadcasts in the US back in October, we still haven't heard many specifics on how Apple's presentation of the race events will work. The channel has a section labeled "Event Schedule: Sky Sports," which suggests that Apple will show the commentary from Sky rather than providing its own hosts; ESPN took that approach during its tenure with the F1 broadcast rights. In addition to the forward-looking streams, Apple TV also has some videos with highlights from the 2025 season and a recap of the rule changes for 2026.

If you're looking to follow Formula 1 in the 2026 season, some races will be available to watch for free. However, a F1 TV Premium streaming package is now part of an Apple TV subscription, so that's likely to be the preferred ticket for serious fans. F1TV grants access to all the zooming around you could want as well as to behind-the-scenes content like driver cams and live team radios.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/theres-a-dedicated-channel-for-formula-1-in-the-apple-tv-app-now-230904295.html?src=rss

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will go offline on April 17

Posted on by

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will be no more this spring. According to Activision, servers will be taken offline for this mobile battle royale game on April 17, 2026. The shooter will remain available for current players until that date. This mobile port of the CoD battle royale mode has been on its way to a finale for the past year, with the game studio sharing in May 2025 that the title would be delisted and would not receive new content.

For any people who still want to play the military shooter on their phones, there a mobile version of the main game remains available. Call of Duty: Mobile even offers a battle royale experience, so you can get pretty close to having Warzone if you still want it. "Player passion and feedback continue to shape the future of the Call of Duty franchise, and we look forward to delivering meaningful seasonal content and updates to Call of Duty: Mobile," Activision said in announcingWarzone's mobile shutdown. Call of Duty: Warzone is still free to play on Xbox, Battle.net, Playstation and Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-warzone-mobile-will-go-offline-on-april-17-222240967.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Send to Alexa+ feature arrives on Kindle Scribe and Scribe Colorsoft

Posted on by

Amazon is launching a feature that will add a new artificial intelligence layer to its writing tablets. "Send to Alexa+" is rolling out to the current generation of Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft devices. This concept was announced when Amazon first debuted the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft last fall, but the company said that the feature wouldn't be available until this year.

As the name implies, “Send to Alexa+” lets users share their notebooks and documents from their supported Kindle with the Alexa+ AI assistant, making their information accessible on other Amazon platforms, including Alexa.com and the Alexa app. Prime members and Alexa+ subscribers will also be able to reach their Kindle documents on Echo and Fire TV devices. Alexa+ will be able to perform additional tasks such as summarizing notes, creating to-do lists and adding either calendar items or reminders.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazons-send-to-alexa-feature-arrives-on-kindle-scribe-and-scribe-colorsoft-140000093.html?src=rss

Diablo II: Resurrected is adding warlock as a brand new player class

Posted on by

Blizzard announced today that it is introducing the Warlock as a playable character to Diablo II: Resurrected. It brings the first new class in 25 years to this remaster of the original RPG. It’s part of the Reign of the Warlock DLC, which is available today and will run you $25. It also includes some other updates to the base game, including new items and a new pinnacle boss encounter against the Colossal Ancients. For those players who don’t already own the base game, you can also pick up the Infernal Edition of D2R for $40, which includes the new content.

When D2R launched in 2021, it was an impressively faithful recreation of the game that so many Blizzard fans continued to adore over the years. Bringing in a whole new player class is a big win for those players who have stuck with the game in its contemporary era.

If D2R isn't your jam, though, Warlock is also being added to both Diablo 4 in its upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion this April and to Diablo Immortal. So aside from Diablo 3 not getting much love, just about all fans of the franchise will have a chance to get into the demon-summoning groove. Blizzard's 30th anniversary showcase video has all the details about what the other Diablo titles have in store during this year.

Blizzard has been keeping the news and updates rolling over the past few weeks in honor of the company's 35th anniversary. One of the more notable updates came for team hero shooter Overwatch, which lost the 2 in its name, but gained five more heroes in its big update yesterday.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/diablo-ii-resurrected-is-adding-warlock-as-a-brand-new-player-class-000130003.html?src=rss