Sony promised earlier this year that it would free the PlayStation VR2 from the shackles of the PS5 by letting folks use it with their PC. We’re starting to get a fuller picture of what that might look like, as the company appears to be working on a PC adapter for the headset.
A Korean filing recently unearthed by VR and mixed-reality enthusiast Brad Lynch (as noted by The Verge) indicates that the company has created such a peripheral. There are no details on how the adapter works, what it looks like or how much it will cost, but it lends credence to previous evidence that the headset would have a wired PC connection.
It’s unclear what kind of connectivity Sony is looking at here. Unlike its convoluted predecessor, PS VR2 hooks up to the PS5 with a single USB-C cable. Meta Quest headsets, meanwhile, use a USB 3 connection for PC gaming. Perhaps Sony is looking at tapping into DisplayPort or HDMI ports to improve image fidelity.
The company will be hoping that PC support will help drive sales of its headset, which hasn’t exactly set the world alight. The PS VR2 hardware is actually pretty great, but it's been held back by several factors, including a limited library of games via PS5. Users will have a far larger selection of VR games to dive into on PC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-is-working-on-a-pc-adapter-for-the-playstation-vr2-151529342.html?src=rss
Google is crossing genres with its latest wearable for kids, combining a gaming system and an activity tracker in the Fitbit Ace LTE. The company is pitching this as a “first-of-its-kind connected smartwatch that transforms exercise into play and safely helps kids lead more active, independent lives.” Basically, think of it as a Nintendo Switch pared down into an activity tracker for children aged 7 and up, with a few safety and connectivity features built in.
The main idea here is to get kids up and moving, in exchange for progress on the Ace LTE’s onboard games. But there are also basic tools that let parents (and trusted contacts) stay in touch with the wearer. Through the new Fitbit Ace app (that adults can install on iOS or Android), guardians can set play time, monitor activity progress and send calls or messages. On the watch itself, kids can also use the onscreen keyboard or microphone to type or dictate texts or choose an emoji.
The Fitbit Ace LTE’s hardware: Basically a Pixel Watch 2
Since the Fitbit Ace LTE uses a simplified version of the hardware on the Pixel Watch 2, it’s pretty responsive. One major difference, though, is that the kid-friendly tracker uses Gorilla Glass 3 on its cover, in addition to the 5 ATMs of water-resistance that both models share. Google does include a protective case with each Ace LTE, and it doesn’t add much weight.
There are also other obvious differences because the Pixel Watch 2 has a circular face while the Fitbit Ace LTE has a “squircle” (square with rounded corners) OLED with two large buttons on the right side. The latter’s band is also a lot narrower, and it comes “with technology built in,” according to Google’s vice president of product management Anil Sabharwal. That's just a fancy way to say that the Ace LTE recognizes when you swap in a new strap and each accessory comes with unique content.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The company is calling these straps “Cartridges” — another reminder of how the Fitbit Ace LTE is a gaming console wannabe. When you snap a new one on, you’ll see an animation of all the bonus material you just got. They include new backgrounds and items for your Tamagotchi-esque pet called “eejie.” Separate bands also add unique cartoony strips, called Noodles, that make their way around the edges of the watch's display every day which chart the wearer’s progress towards daily goals, similar to Apple's activity rings.
I’m dancing around the main part of the Fitbit Ace LTE’s proposition, because I wanted to get the hardware out of the way. The most interesting concept here is the idea of a wearable gaming system. The Ace LTE’s home screen looks fairly typical. It shows you the time and the Noodle activity ring around it, as well as some small font at the very bottom showing the number of points collected.
To the left of this page is what Sabharwal called a “playlist” — a collection of daily quests. Like on other iOS or Android games, this is a bunch of targets to hit within a dictated time frame to ensure you’re engaged, and achieving these goals leads to rewards.
Eejie: Like Tamagotchi but less cute
Most of these rewards are things you can use to jazz up your digital pet’s home over on the right of the home screen. Google calls these things “eejies” — that name doesn’t actually mean anything. Some engineers in a room looked at the letters “I” “J” and “I” and sounded them out and thought sure, why not. (No, those letters don't actually stand for anything, either.)
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
According to Google, “Eejies are customizable creatures that feed off daily activity — the more kids reach their movement goals, the more healthy and happy their eejie gets.” When daily activities are completed and each child earns arcade tickets (or when a new watch strap is attached), they can exchange them for new outfit or furniture items for their eejies.
Even though they’re supposed to be “customizable creatures,” the eejies are anthropomorphic and look like… well, kids. Depending on how you style them, they sort of look like sullen teenagers, even. Don’t expect a cute Pikachu or Digimon to play with, these eejie are two-legged beings with heads, arms and necks. I’d prefer something cuter, but perhaps the target demographic likes feeding and playing with a strange avatar of themselves.
When multiple Ace LTE wearers meet up, their eejie can visit each other and leave emoji messages. Of course, how fun that is depends on how many of your (kid’s) friends have Ace LTEs.
Gaming on the Fitbit Ace LTE
Even without that social component though, the Ace LTE can be quite a lot of fun. It is the home of Fitbit Arcade, a new library of games built specifically for this wearable. So far, I’ve only seen about six games in the collection, including a room escape game, a fishing simulator and a Mario Kart-like racer.
The first game I tried at Google’s briefing was Smoky Lake, the fishing game. After a quick intro, I tapped on a shadow of a fish in the water, and flung my arm out. I waited till the Ace LTE buzzed, then pulled my wrist in. I was told that I had caught a puffer fish, and swiped through to see more information about past catches. I earned five arcade tickets with this catch.
I gleefully tried again and caught what I was told was the “biggest pineapple gillfish” acquired that day. Other hauls the Ace LTE I was wearing had acquired included a “ramen squid” and a “blob fish,” and tapping an icon on the upper left brought up my library of things that had been caught.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
I then played a round of Pollo 13, a racing game where I played as a chicken in a bathtub competing in an intergalactic space match against my arch nemesis. There, I tilted my wrist in all directions to steer, keeping my vehicle on track or swerving to collect items that sped me up. Just as I expected based on my prior Mario Kart experience (and also my general lack of skill at driving in real life), I sucked at this game and came in last. Sabharwal gently informed me that this was the poorest result they had seen all day.
I didn’t get to check out other titles installed, like Galaxy Rangers, Jelly Jam or Sproutlings but I was most intrigued by a room escape game, which is my favorite genre.
Google doesn’t want to encourage obsession or addiction to the Ace LTE’s games, though. “We don’t want kids to overexercise. We don’t want kids to feel like they have a streak and if they miss a day, ‘Oh my God, the world is over!’” Sabharwal said.
To that end, progress in each game is built around encouraging the wearer to meet movement goals to advance to new stages. Every two to three minutes, you’ll be prompted to get up and move. In Smokey Lake, for instance, you’ll be told that you’ve run out of bait and have to walk a few hundred steps to go to the bait shop. This can be achieved by walking a number of steps or doing any activity that meets similar requirements. Google is calling this “interval-based gaming,” playing on the idea of “interval-based training.” After about five to 10 sessions, the company thinks each wearer will hit the 60 to 90 minutes of daily required activity recommended by the World Health Organization.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The idea of activity as currency for games isn’t exactly novel, but Google’s being quite careful in its approach. Not only is it trying to avoid addiction, which for the target age group is a real concern, but the company also says it built the Ace LTE “responsibly from the ground up” by working with “experts in child psychology, public health, privacy and digital wellbeing.” It added that the device was “built with privacy in mind, front and center,” and that only parents will ever be shown a child’s location or activity data in their apps. Location data is deleted after 24 hours, while activity data is deleted after a maximum of 35 days. Google also said “there are no third-party apps or ads on the device.”
While activity is the main goal at launch, there is potential for the Ace LTE to track sleep and other aspects of health to count towards goals. Parts of the Ace LTE interface appeared similar to other Fitbit trackers, with movement reminders and a Today-esque dashboard. But from my brief hands-on, it was hard to fully explore and compare.
Though I like the idea of the Ace LTE and was definitely entertained by some of the games, I still have some reservations. I was concerned that the device I tried on felt warm, although Sabharwal explained it was likely because the demo units had been charging on and off all day. I also didn’t care for the thick bezels around the screen, though that didn’t really adversely impact my experience. What did seem more of a problem was the occasional lag I encountered waiting for games to load or to go to the home screen. I’m not sure if that was a product of early software or if the final retail units will have similar delays, and will likely need to run a full review to find out.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is available for pre-order today for $230 on the Google Store or Amazon and it arrives on June 5. You’ll need to pay an extra $10 a month for the Ace Pass plan, which includes LTE service (on Google’s Fi) and access to Fitbit Arcade and regular content updates. If you spring for an annual subscription, you’ll get a collectable Ace Band (six are available at launch) and from now till August 31, the yearly fee is discounted at 50 percent off, making it about $5 a month.
Update, May 29, 3:15PM ET: This story has been edited to clarify that the Fitbit Ace LTE's hardware is a simplified version of the Pixel Watch 2. It is not capable of sleep or stress tracking.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbit-ace-lte-hands-on-wearable-gaming-to-make-exercise-fun-but-not-too-fun-140059054.html?src=rss
My phone always dies on long days out and about, but I'm not a fan of carrying heavy power banks or having cords twist in my bag. The Anker Nano portable charger is the only option I've found that I'll actually use, and I'm excited to report (though with a bit of jealousy) that it's currently on sale for just $12. The charger is typically $26, but a 31 percent discount and a $6 coupon bring the white and black models to a record-low price.
I personally vouch for Anker's Nano portable charger thanks to features like its lightweight, small build, and, like I mentioned above, its built-in lightning plug. You can juice it up through its USB-C port, with the device typically holding one and a half charges for my iPhone 12 Pro (Anker also makes a model for Android, which is our favorite portable option for a partial charge). Plus, the device has four clear dots on its front to indicate how much charge is left.
There are a few downsides to Anker's Nano portable charger, but none that are too much of a hindrance. You need to be careful if using inside a bag as the lightning charger can sometimes move out of the upright position it needs to work. It also isn't great if you're looking to boost multiple batteries at a time or use it for days on end, as it does seem to die before I can get two charges out of it. Overall, though, its convenience is amazing when I know I'll be out all day or traveling.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-anker-nano-portable-charger-for-iphone-is-on-sale-for-only-12-132752711.html?src=rss
My phone always dies on long days out and about, but I'm not a fan of carrying heavy power banks or having cords twist in my bag. The Anker Nano portable charger is the only option I've found that I'll actually use, and I'm excited to report (though with a bit of jealousy) that it's currently on sale for just $12. The charger is typically $26, but a 31 percent discount and a $6 coupon bring the white and black models to a record-low price.
I personally vouch for Anker's Nano portable charger thanks to features like its lightweight, small build, and, like I mentioned above, its built-in lightning plug. You can juice it up through its USB-C port, with the device typically holding one and a half charges for my iPhone 12 Pro (Anker also makes a model for Android, which is our favorite portable option for a partial charge). Plus, the device has four clear dots on its front to indicate how much charge is left.
There are a few downsides to Anker's Nano portable charger, but none that are too much of a hindrance. You need to be careful if using inside a bag as the lightning charger can sometimes move out of the upright position it needs to work. It also isn't great if you're looking to boost multiple batteries at a time or use it for days on end, as it does seem to die before I can get two charges out of it. Overall, though, its convenience is amazing when I know I'll be out all day or traveling.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-anker-nano-portable-charger-for-iphone-is-on-sale-for-only-12-132752711.html?src=rss
The big day is approaching and there’s plenty of pressure for you to hand over a gift that says a lot all at once. It may be called Father’s Day, but this is an event for you to say a loving thank you to whatever person held that special role in your life, irrespective of gender. Here’s a list of the best gifts you can give to show your appreciation for all of the parenting they did, and may even still do.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-fathers-day-gift-ideas-123012557.html?src=rss
If you couldn't access the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine over the past few days, that's because the website has been under attack. In fact, the nonprofit organization has announced that it's currently in its "third day of warding off an intermittent DDoS cyber-attack" in a blog post. Over the Memorial Day weekend, the organization posted on Twitter/X that most of its services aren't available due to bad actors pummeling its website with "tens of thousands of fake information requests per second." On Tuesday morning, it warned that it's "continuing to experience service disruptions" because the attackers haven't stopped targeting it.
The website's data doesn't seem to be affected, though, and you could still look up previous pages' content whenever you could access it. "Thankfully the collections are safe, but we are sorry that the denial-of-service attack has knocked us offline intermittently during these last three days," Brewster Kahle, the founder of the the Internet Archive, said in a statement. "With the support from others and the hard work of staff we are hardening our defenses to provide more reliable access to our library. What is new is this attack has been sustained, impactful, targeted, adaptive, and importantly, mean."
The Internet Archive has yet to identify the source of the attacks, but it did talk about how libraries and similar institutions are being targeted more frequently these days. One of the institutions it mentioned was the British Library whose online information system was held hostage for ransom by a hacker group last year. It also talked about how it's being sued by the US book publishing and US recording industries, which accuse it of copyright infringement.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-internet-archive-has-been-fending-off-ddos-attacks-for-days-035950028.html?src=rss
If you couldn't access the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine over the past few days, that's because the website has been under attack. In fact, the nonprofit organization has announced that it's currently in its "third day of warding off an intermittent DDoS cyber-attack" in a blog post. Over the Memorial Day weekend, the organization posted on Twitter/X that most of its services aren't available due to bad actors pummeling its website with "tens of thousands of fake information requests per second." On Tuesday morning, it warned that it's "continuing to experience service disruptions" because the attackers haven't stopped targeting it.
The website's data doesn't seem to be affected, though, and you could still look up previous pages' content whenever you could access it. "Thankfully the collections are safe, but we are sorry that the denial-of-service attack has knocked us offline intermittently during these last three days," Brewster Kahle, the founder of the the Internet Archive, said in a statement. "With the support from others and the hard work of staff we are hardening our defenses to provide more reliable access to our library. What is new is this attack has been sustained, impactful, targeted, adaptive, and importantly, mean."
The Internet Archive has yet to identify the source of the attacks, but it did talk about how libraries and similar institutions are being targeted more frequently these days. One of the institutions it mentioned was the British Library whose online information system was held hostage for ransom by a hacker group last year. It also talked about how it's being sued by the US book publishing and US recording industries, which accuse it of copyright infringement.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-internet-archive-has-been-fending-off-ddos-attacks-for-days-035950028.html?src=rss
The Apple Vision Pro was marketed primarily as a productivity machine, but as any active VR user can tell you, it’s the games that sell these devices. Apple’s headset offers access to hundreds of games, but mostly as quick and dirty iPad ports that show up as a virtual screen in your field of vision. This, however, is starting to change.
Developer Owlchemy Labs just announced that two of its marquee titles, Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator, are now available for the Apple Vision Pro. These aren’t iPad ports. Both games are fully immersive VR experiences that have been optimized for Apple’s headset. This means that controls have been mapped to hand-and-eye tracking. The AVP’s lack of a dedicated controller would absolutely hamper some pre-existing VR games, but these two should work perfectly.
For the uninitiated, Job Simulator was one of the first “must have” titles in the VR space. It’s a hilarious riff on corporate culture that tasks players with designing a cubicle, making coffee and participating in all kinds of shenanigans. Vacation Simulator extends the tomfoolery to leisure, with a colorful beachside location, the ability to take picturesque hikes and, well, knitting. Players can also relax in a fake hot tub, splash in a fake sea and even get in some fake yoga.
Job Simulator costs $20 and Vacation Simulator costs $30, which are the same prices as rival platforms like the Meta Quest Store and Steam. It’s good to know there isn’t an Apple Vision Pro tax, beyond the initial $3,500.
Interestingly, developer Owlchemy Labs is actually owned by Google, which doesn’t really have a horse in the VR race. As for the Apple Vision Pro, the games and unique experiences are starting to appear. There’s an interactive story based on Marvel’s What If…? that releases on May 30 and the tabletop RPG Demeo hit the platform earlier this week. The sales numbers for the headset haven’t exactly been rosy, so we’ll see if that discourages companies from developing software for the platform.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vr-classics-job-simulator-and-vacation-simulator-come-to-apple-vision-pro-190545280.html?src=rss
In April, Ooni revealed its largest pizza oven yet, but the company was clear that you wouldn't be able to order one until May. Well, the time has come. Starting today, you can pre-order the Koda 2 Max pizza oven for $999. The outdoor beast is scheduled to start shipping in July, which means you'll still have to wait a few weeks to take advantage of this unit's upgrades. In addition to a larger cooking area, the new features include dual-zone temperature controls, improved heat distribution, a new digital display and Bluetooth connectivity to your phone.
None of these items are a surprise as they were part of the initial reveal, but Ooni's full spec sheet for the Koda 2 Max does offer more info on how the Bluetooth feature will work. The company explains that the Digital Temperature Hub takes readings from "various spots" inside the oven and shows them on both the color display and the Ooni app. There are also two meat probes, similar to what you'd see on the best smart grills, that allow you to monitor internal temps during the cooking process. Via Ooni Connect, which is the name the company is using for the wireless setup and the app, you can see an average ambient temperature, individual zone temps and the status of the two food probes on your phone. What's more, the app can send you alerts along the way, just in case you venture away from the onboard display.
Aside from the new smart connectivity, the main appeal of the Koda 2 Max is its size. The 24-inch cooking area is enough for larger, 20-inch pizzas. Of course, you can also bake two smaller ones at the same time to increase your efficiency during a pizza party. And thanks to the dual-zone temperature controls, you can roast meats and veggies side-by-side at different temps to help complete your meal in a timely fashion. This is an Ooni oven after all, which means it can hit temperatures of 950 degrees Fahrenheit and cook certain pizza styles in as little as 60 seconds. As always, there's no final judgement on this making the list of best pizza ovens until several pies are stretched, baked and consumed, which will hopefully happen before the Koda 2 Max starts shipping to backyard pizzaiolos this summer.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oonis-larger-dual-zone-koda-2-max-pizza-oven-is-now-available-for-pre-order-183424519.html?src=rss
In April, Ooni revealed its largest pizza oven yet, but the company was clear that you wouldn't be able to order one until May. Well, the time has come. Starting today, you can pre-order the Koda 2 Max pizza oven for $999. The outdoor beast is scheduled to start shipping in July, which means you'll still have to wait a few weeks to take advantage of this unit's upgrades. In addition to a larger cooking area, the new features include dual-zone temperature controls, improved heat distribution, a new digital display and Bluetooth connectivity to your phone.
None of these items are a surprise as they were part of the initial reveal, but Ooni's full spec sheet for the Koda 2 Max does offer more info on how the Bluetooth feature will work. The company explains that the Digital Temperature Hub takes readings from "various spots" inside the oven and shows them on both the color display and the Ooni app. There are also two meat probes, similar to what you'd see on the best smart grills, that allow you to monitor internal temps during the cooking process. Via Ooni Connect, which is the name the company is using for the wireless setup and the app, you can see an average ambient temperature, individual zone temps and the status of the two food probes on your phone. What's more, the app can send you alerts along the way, just in case you venture away from the onboard display.
Aside from the new smart connectivity, the main appeal of the Koda 2 Max is its size. The 24-inch cooking area is enough for larger, 20-inch pizzas. Of course, you can also bake two smaller ones at the same time to increase your efficiency during a pizza party. And thanks to the dual-zone temperature controls, you can roast meats and veggies side-by-side at different temps to help complete your meal in a timely fashion. This is an Ooni oven after all, which means it can hit temperatures of 950 degrees Fahrenheit and cook certain pizza styles in as little as 60 seconds. As always, there's no final judgement on this making the list of best pizza ovens until several pies are stretched, baked and consumed, which will hopefully happen before the Koda 2 Max starts shipping to backyard pizzaiolos this summer.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oonis-larger-dual-zone-koda-2-max-pizza-oven-is-now-available-for-pre-order-183424519.html?src=rss