Xbox is changing its process for forming connections on the gaming platform. Its new method works like, well, just about every other social platform, where you'll send a friend request that is either accepted or denied.
That sounds like the obvious way for this feature to function, but Xbox adopted a more passive approach to friends for the recent console generation. The way it works in the current system is that anybody can add another Xbox account to their follow list. When two accounts followed each other, they were upgraded to friends.
Microsoft
The change shouldn't yield much of a difference in players' social tab. If you're already friends, you'll stay friends. If you aren't mutuals, you'll continue following the account. That means you can still keep an eye on updates from individuals, clubs and games within the Xbox ecosystem.
Xbox is also launching new privacy and notification options to help manage the return of friendship, so players can set who is able to follow them or send them friend requests. The blog post didn't give a release date for when the new friends system will get a public rollout, but it is available starting this week as a preview for people in the Xbox Insiders program.
Today's announcement is the latest in a wave of Xbox news in the past month. The company also introduced the Game Pass Standard plan and opened pre-orders for the all-digital Xbox Series X.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/friend-requests-are-returning-to-xbox-220614785.html?src=rss
It’s easy to forget that there’s another social network besides Threads for people tired of Elon Musk’s totally normal X platform. Bluesky is a fine alternative, as it definitely “feels” like Twitter. However, it has been lacking some of the features that made Twitter such an internet hotspot back in the day. Well, we just got a big one. The company just announced that users can now upload video content.
There are some caveats. First of all, the videos have to be under a minute. That’s a fairly huge hurdle for just about every piece of content other than TikTok-style shorts. As a comparison, Meta’s Threads allows for five minute videos. Also, the videos autoplay by default, though that can be handled in the settings. Finally, there’s a hard limit of 25 videos per user each day, though the company says it could tweak that in the future.
The platform supports most of the major video file types, including .mp4, .mpeg, .webm, and .mov files. Users can also attach subtitles to each video, which is a nice little bonus. There are some guardrails in place to protect against “spam and abuse.” Only users who have verified their email address can upload videos and illegal content will be “purged” from the infrastructure. There’s also a way to submit reports to the moderation team. Additionally, each video will be scanned for CSAM by Hive and Thorn.
Update to version 1.91 of the mobile app to get started, though it also works via the desktop client. Not every user will be able to access this feature right away, as version 1.91 will be a gradual rollout to “ensure a smooth experience.”
Bluesky recently added direct messages into the mix, which is something Threads doesn’t have. The platform may be a distant third, when compared to X and Threads, but it’s certainly growing. A massive influx of Brazilian users recently joined the social media site after X was banned in the country.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-now-lets-you-upload-videos-but-there-are-some-caveats-185702403.html?src=rss
Ultimate Ears has a history of building loud and rugged portable Bluetooth speakers with features to simplify the listening experience. Whether it's a party mode that supports over 100 speakers at once, or the ability to remotely power off the unit with your phone, the company’s devices have consistently been among the best. Enter the Everboom ($250), a new option from UE that sits in the middle of its lineup in terms of size and power. Those handy Ultimate Ears features return, but so does the company’s lack of clarity and fidelity.
Design
The Everboom is slightly smaller than the midpoint of Ultimate Ears’ Bluetooth speaker lineup. The compact Wonderboom and cylindrical Boom 4 and Megaboom 4 are the smaller options, while the Epicboom and Hyperboom are larger. The Megaboom 4 is actually taller than the Everboom, but the latter is wider, making it bigger overall.
Aesthetically, the Everboom is most like the Epicboom: an oval-shaped, cylindrical device with a rubber base. Where the two differ, other than size, is that the Epicboom has an attached strap around back while the Everboom has a loop. You use the included carabiner or opt for a clip or hook. And, like all recent UE speakers, large “+” and “-” buttons are part of the look, putting the volume controls right on the face of the speaker. Up top, there are buttons for power, Bluetooth, Outdoor Boost and play/pause. That last control also skips tracks with a double (forward) or triple press (back).
Like most recent UE speakers, the Everboom is plenty rugged. The IP67-rated unit can survive being fully submerged, but you probably won’t have to worry about that because it also floats. While UE highlighted this aspect in the announcement, I should point out that the Wonderboom also floats. The company says it drop-tested the Everboom at heights up to one meter (about three feet), so the occasional stumble shouldn’t be an issue beyond scuffs or scratches.
The UE Boom app and features
Billy Steele for Engadget
In order to use the Everboom's advanced features, you’ll need to access them in the UE Boom app. Once the speaker is connected, the main interface displays battery status above controls for power, Outdoor Boost and a megaphone tool. There’s a volume slider too, as well as a media player and tabs for PartyUp and EQ. The megaphone allows you to make announcements via your phone’s mic and Partyup is Ultimate Ears’ nomenclature for pairing multiple speakers together. You can actually sync up to 150 units in the same setup, so long as they’re either Boom, Megaboom, Epicboom or Hyperboom models.
A dive into the detailed settings menu reveals even more handy tools. There’s the option to add playlists from either Amazon Music or Apple Music so you can start them directly from the Everboom’s play/pause button (long press). You can add as many playlists as you want and cycle through them without picking up your phone. When one collection is playing, you’ll also have access to playlists from the media player inside the app.
There are a few more items in the settings that I’ll point out. You can enable so-called Sticky PartyUp to keep speakers grouped if you change locations and you can also disable the ability for other people to add your device to their PartyUp arrangement. Bluetooth Standby is on by default, and it’s how the app can remotely turn the speaker on or off. But it impacts battery life, so the company gives you the option to extend play time by disabling it.
Sound quality
Billy Steele for Engadget
One of the best things about the Everboom is that the driver arrangement beams sound 360 degrees. You can clearly hear music when you’re sitting on the side of the device, although the tuning there favors treble over bass. My main gripe with Ultimate Ears speakers is that it always seems like the company favors volume over fidelity. The speakers typically sound fine, and the Everboom is more of the same, but there’s a lack of overall depth and detail that other Bluetooth speakers muster.
Songs consistently sound compressed, noticeably lacking in the mid range, despite punchy highs and rumbling bass. There’s just a lack of overall clarity on bluegrass tunes from Nickel Creek and the open, atmospheric instrumentation on Phantogram’s “Come Alive.” Vocals always cut through clean, but the sound stage is confined to the two high and low extremes. Saosin’s Live From The Garden Amphitheater is one of the better-sounding live albums I can remember, but the Everboom subdues the energy of the show with a lack of dynamics in its tuning.
Of the EQ presets, Bass Boost is the only one that improves things, but not dramatically. Unlike most bass-heavy profiles, this one doesn’t further muddy the audio quality. However, for some genres, like the brooding alt-rock of Balance and Composure, the added low-end makes the constant, rhythmic bass lines overbearing.
In wide open spaces, Outdoor Boost can help improve the listening experience. According to the company, this increases the volume by one decibel (from 90dB to 91dB), and that’s it. However, if you happen to activate it indoors, you’ll be able to hear that the tuning also changes slightly. Outside though, all you’ll notice is slightly louder, better-projected sound. The feature makes an obvious difference when you’re no longer in a confined space, addressing a problem that typically plagues Bluetooth speakers when used outdoors.
Battery life
Billy Steele for Engadget
The Everboom has enough juice to keep the tunes going for a good long while. Ultimate Ears promises up to 20 hours on a charge, more than enough for a full day’s worth of music. After my tests, I can confidently say that the speaker will outperform that, unless you’re running it at full volume for hours on end (you won’t, trust me). After 12 hours, the UE app was still showing 70 percent battery remaining. These trials were mostly conducted indoors where a volume around 40 percent is plenty loud. Also, I didn’t notice that the Bluetooth standby mode for turning the speaker on with the app had any impact on battery life like the company warns.
The competition
As I already mentioned, there are plenty of alternatives in the Ultimate Ears lineup if you’re looking for similar features in a slightly different package. However, my recommendation is the Marshall Middleton ($250), a selection from our best portable Bluetooth speakers list for a speaker at this price and size. Right now you can get it for the same cost as the Everboom and it has several handy features the UE speaker doesn’t offer.
First, there’s a joystick control knob up top, with a visual indicator for battery and volume levels. You can also make bass and treble adjustments on the device and there’s a 3.5mm jack for wired input. Of course, you get all of the stylings of the iconic Marshall guitar amps and a Stack Mode allows you to use multiple units as a more robust setup. The Middleton is rated IP67 for water-resistance and offers 20 hours of battery life. Both of those specs are the same as the Everboom.
Also, don’t sleep on the new Beats Pill ($150). Sure, it's a smaller speaker, but it still delivers a big sound. The bass performance can vary depending on the album or genre, but overall there’s nice low-end tone from the compact unit. What’s more, angled drivers project sound better than previous versions and you have the option of lossless tunes via wired USB-C connection. And perhaps best of all: you’ll save $100.
Wrap-up
Ultimate Ears are typically a solid bet for the price, even though the best value lies with the company’s smaller speakers. The mid-sized Everboom brings the UE’s best features to yet another new design, maintaining its robust dust, moisture and drop protections. All of the conveniences are offset by a sound profile that’s deafeningly loud, but lacks the polish for detailed, immersive listening. For all of the punchy highs and deep bass, the overall sonic effect is murky and subdued in the absence of mids. Still, the fact that the speaker floats and the dedicated outdoor sound boost makes this a decent option for adventures. And one that will certainly annoy the people in the next campsite.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/ultimate-ears-everboom-review-a-floatable-outdoor-speaker-that-packs-a-punch-161532961.html?src=rss
September is here and, like clockwork, so are new iPhones. Apple unveiled its latest iPhone models at an event in Cupertino today, and as expected, the iPhone 16 handsets are largely iterative of last year's models. While the smartphones, standard and Pro versions, took center stage, Apple also showed off the new Apple Watch Series 10, two new pairs of AirPods and detailed hearing aid features coming to the second-generation AirPods Pro. The company also went into detail on its latest mobile chipsets that power the new iPhones, and reminded folks what they can expect when iOS 18 launches later this month with Apple Intelligence. If you weren't able to catch the announcements live, Engadget has you covered; here's everything announced at Apple's iPhone 16 event.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
Apple
Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus at the event, which feature a water- and dust-resistant design and new colors including ultramarine, teal and pink. The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. Both of those can achieve up to 2,000 nits of brightness, and can go all the way down to 1 nit in the dark. The Action button has found its way to this series of iPhones as well, and it's just as customizable as the one we saw on last year's Pro-model iPhones.
There's also a new easy-access camera control "button" of sorts, which allows you to quickly control the camera with a slide of your finger. This tool can also tap into Visual Intelligence, an AI-powered feature coming in iOS 18 that can tell you more about anything you point your camera at. It appears similar to Google Lens, and can do things like add live event dates to your calendar after you point your camera at a flyer you see on the street. The camera array on the standard iPhone 16 models includes a 48-megapixel main Fusion camera, a 12MP telephoto lens and a new ultrawide camera with autofocus. This array will also be able to capture Spatial Photos that can be viewed on Apple's Vision Pro.
We confirmed in our hands-on text of the iPhone 16 that it has the same style of camera control button as the more expensive iPhone 16 Pro. It's a physical button, but haptics add another layer of feedback for when you make a "light press" rather than fully pressing the button down.
Both standard iPhone 16 models run on the new A18 chip, which has a 16-core neural engine optimized for generative models. The internals feature a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU, both of which will be crucial for powering all of the new Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS 18.
According to Apple, both the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have larger batteries than their predecessors, and when combined with the efficiencies added from the A18 chipset and iOS 18 improvements, should make for a much longer-lasting battery lives overall (although Apple did not provide an exact estimate). Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are available for pre-order today starting at $799 and $899, respectively, and will be widely available on September 20.
The Pro series of iPhones includes the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max this year, which have 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch ProMotion, always-on displays, respectively. Both are made with Grade 5 Titanium, which Apple claims to be even lighter than stainless steel. These handsets will be available in four new colors: black, white, natural and desert, the latter of which resembles a dusty gold color.
According to the company, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence, being able to take full advantage of all the new features coming in iOS 18. These handsets run on the new A18 Pro chipset, which takes advantage of 3nm transistors and is even faster and more efficient than the standard A18 chip found in the regular iPhone 16 lineup.
The rear camera array on both models includes a 48MP Fusion camera, 48MP ultrawide shooter and a 12MP telephoto lens. The main camera's improvements allow for 4K, 120fps video and slow-motion recording. Both phones also have the new camera control button that provides easier access to the camera and all of its tools, both for capture and editing. There are also four studio-quality microphones built in to both smartphones for improved audio capture, and they allow for Spatial Audio recording, too.
Both the iPhone 16 Pro series and the standard iPhone 16 handsets supports Qi2 wireless charging, and Apple will come out with new MagSafe charging cases that account for the new camera control button. The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will be available for pre-order on Friday, September 13, starting at $999 and $1,199, respectively. They'll be widely available on September 20.
AirPods 4 launched today during the iPhone 16 event, as rumors suggested. These have a redesigned bud shape that's suppose to fit more ear shapes and be more comfortable overall. They have the H2 chip inside, which will provide improved audio quality and enable features like Personalized Spatial Audio. The charging case has a USB-C port, and it's the smallest AirPods charging case to date.
In addition to the regular AirPods 4, there will be a second model that includes support for active noise cancellation and Transparency mode. Conversation Awareness will also automatically lower your media volume level when the buds detect you talking to someone. The standard AirPods 4 cost $129 and the AirPods 4 with ANC cost $179; both are available for pre-order today and will be widely available on September 20.
Apple didn’t reinvent the wheel with the updated AirPods Max. Instead, they’ll be available in a few new colors (midnight, blue, purple, orange and starlight) and support USB-C charging. The new colors can be pre-ordered today for $549 and will be widely available on September 20.
AirPods Pro new hearing aid features
Apple announced new features coming to the second-gen AirPods Pro that are designed to help prevent (and increase awareness around) hearing loss. A feature called "Hearing Protection" will be turned on by default, and users will be able to take a clinically-validated hearing test to see if they already have some hearing loss. On top of that, AirPods Pro will have a clinical-grade hearing aid feature built-in as well, which will work with a hearing profile created after a user takes the hearing test.
Apple Watch Series 10
Apple
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 10 today, the natural successor to last year’s Series 9. It has the biggest display and thinnest design ever on an Apple Watch, and the wide-angle OLED display is even a bit larger than that on the Apple Watch Ultra. The case has more rounded corners and a wider aspect ratio, both of which, combined with the larger screen, should provide more space to interact with graphics and text on the Watch. Apple claims the screen is 40 percent brighter when looked at from an angle, and it'll show a second hand ticking away even when your wrist is down.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is powered by the new S10 SiP chip, which Apple claims is built for performance, power efficiency and intelligence (i.e. Apple Intelligence). One example of Apple Intelligence at work on the Series 10 is the new Photos watch face, which will curate the best photos from your library and serve them up to you automatically.
When it comes to fitness features, Apple announced that the latest version of watchOS will allow the Series 10 to detect signs of sleep apnea, provided you're wearing your Series 10 to sleep regularly. Apple claims it's awaiting FDA clearance, and it expects the sleep apnea detection feature to launch in more than 150 countries. Elsewhere in the activity sphere, the Series 10 will have scuba tracking features and it will support the new Tides app in watchOS 11.
Another new feature is the ability to play audio directly from the Watch's speaker, which could be helpful if you don't have AirPods or another pair of Bluetooth earbuds handy. The Apple Watch Series 10 be available in a new polished, jet-black aluminum finish and new polished titanium finishes. It's available for pre-order today and will be widely available on September 20.
While there have been a bunch of swirling rumors about the next iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra, the company did not reveal the third generation sportswatch today. Instead, Apple revealed a new finish for the Apple Watch Ultra 2: satin black. There are also new Hermes finishes, and a new Milanese band to accompany the new satin black finish.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-apple-revealed-at-the-iphone-16-launch-event-apple-watch-series-10-airpods-4-ios-18-and-more-170346723.html?src=rss
It's always exciting when one of our favorite items goes on sale. This time, it's our choice for the best budget Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+. The device is down to $170 from $220 on Samsung — a 23 percent discount. This model includes 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM and is also available for the same price on Amazon. In fact, this deal brings the tablet's price to only $20 more than its Prime Day offer.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab A9+ is an 11-inch tablet with 1900p x 1200p resolution. The LCD screen has a 90Hz refresh rate and 480 nits. The device also has quad speakers that are powered by Dolby Atmos and a 7,400 mAh battery. Plus, it has optional 5G connectivity.
If you want a bit more storage (and power), check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That model is currently down to $220 from $270. There's also the Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition, which is available for $230, down from $270 and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
October Prime Day 2024 is around the corner, serving as Amazon’s (un)official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. If you’re eager to snag some early holiday deals for those on your list (or yourself), here’s what we know so far about the next Prime Day shopping event.
When is October Prime Day 2024?
Amazon has not announced the dates of fall Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it will be returning sometime in October.
What is October Prime Day?
October Prime Day is an extension of the regular Prime Day sale held annually in July. It features exclusive deals on Amazon for Prime members, although not quite on as big of a scale as the main summer Prime Day.
How long is October Prime Day?
In years past, October Prime Day has been two days long, just like Prime Day in July.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-samsung-tablets-is-back-on-sale-for-close-to-its-prime-day-price-141030465.html?src=rss
It's always exciting when one of our favorite items goes on sale. This time, it's our choice for the best budget Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+. The device is down to $170 from $220 on Samsung — a 23 percent discount. This model includes 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM and is also available for the same price on Amazon. In fact, this deal brings the tablet's price to only $20 more than its Prime Day offer.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab A9+ is an 11-inch tablet with 1900p x 1200p resolution. The LCD screen has a 90Hz refresh rate and 480 nits. The device also has quad speakers that are powered by Dolby Atmos and a 7,400 mAh battery. Plus, it has optional 5G connectivity.
If you want a bit more storage (and power), check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That model is currently down to $220 from $270. There's also the Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition, which is available for $230, down from $270 and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
October Prime Day 2024 is around the corner, serving as Amazon’s (un)official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. If you’re eager to snag some early holiday deals for those on your list (or yourself), here’s what we know so far about the next Prime Day shopping event.
When is October Prime Day 2024?
Amazon has not announced the dates of fall Prime Day 2024 yet, but we do know it will be returning sometime in October.
What is October Prime Day?
October Prime Day is an extension of the regular Prime Day sale held annually in July. It features exclusive deals on Amazon for Prime members, although not quite on as big of a scale as the main summer Prime Day.
How long is October Prime Day?
In years past, October Prime Day has been two days long, just like Prime Day in July.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-samsung-tablets-is-back-on-sale-for-close-to-its-prime-day-price-141030465.html?src=rss
Americans utilized more wireless data last year than ever before, using over 100 trillion megabytes throughout 2023, Reuters reports. This record number represented a 36 percent or 26 trillion MB boost from 2022, according to an industry survey. The number of wireless connections also grew in 2023 to 558 million — a six percent jump over 2022.
Interestingly, these increases were fuelled more by new advancements than traditional outlets. Americans spent about 100 billion fewer minutes talking on the phone than the year prior and maintained a similar amount of text messaging. Instead, technology such as drones, space missions, self-driving vehicles and precision agriculture seemed to have moved the needle.
However, in the US, there is continued uncertainty over how to find new spectrum for wireless communication. According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) CEO Meredith Attwell Baker, "to continue to meet the insatiable demand for wireless, drive innovation, and support America's economic competitiveness, the wireless industry needs access to more full-power, licensed spectrum." In November 2023, the White House established the National Spectrum Strategy to improve spectrum access and management.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/americans-used-100-trillion-megabytes-of-wireless-data-last-year-123025183.html?src=rss
Americans utilized more wireless data last year than ever before, using over 100 trillion megabytes throughout 2023, Reuters reports. This record number represented a 36 percent or 26 trillion MB boost from 2022, according to an industry survey. The number of wireless connections also grew in 2023 to 558 million — a six percent jump over 2022.
Interestingly, these increases were fuelled more by new advancements than traditional outlets. Americans spent about 100 billion fewer minutes talking on the phone than the year prior and maintained a similar amount of text messaging. Instead, technology such as drones, space missions, self-driving vehicles and precision agriculture seemed to have moved the needle.
However, in the US, there is continued uncertainty over how to find new spectrum for wireless communication. According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) CEO Meredith Attwell Baker, "to continue to meet the insatiable demand for wireless, drive innovation, and support America's economic competitiveness, the wireless industry needs access to more full-power, licensed spectrum." In November 2023, the White House established the National Spectrum Strategy to improve spectrum access and management.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/americans-used-100-trillion-megabytes-of-wireless-data-last-year-123025183.html?src=rss
Oh, this week isn’t just new Apple product announcements. No. Sony has elbowed its way in to officially introduce the long-awaited PS5 Pro, with more power and seemingly less compromise.
Sony wants to narrow the gap between the fidelity and performance modes players are accustomed to choosing between — either high frame rates or high resolution, and you could switch between the two in most AAA games on the PS5.
To do that, the PS5 Pro’s GPU has 67 percent more compute units and 28 percent faster RAM than the standard PS5. According to the console’s lead architect Mark Cerny, the new console will deliver up to 45 percent faster graphic rendering. Ray-tracing performance could be up to three times as faster — often an optional feature toggle on games as it can also hamper frame rates.
Meanwhile, Sony’s AI-upscaling tech (i.e., its take on the likes of NVIDIA’s DLSS) is called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR, which should sharpen up in-game assets without the need to remake them. The new console includes a game boost tool to improve the performance of more than 8,500 backward-compatible PS4 games.
The PS5 Pro is the same size as the not-small original launch model, but there’s no disc drive model. That’s another paid extra, on top of that $700 price. The good news is it does have a decent 2TB of storage built in.
Interested? Pre-orders start on September 26, and it will arrive on November 7.
— Mat Smith
We're having some issues with new subscriptions to the newsletter version of TMA, but our form should be back online soon! Thanks for reading!
The government hasn’t determined an age limit yet.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to introduce legislation that would prevent children under a certain age from using social media. Reuters reported that Albanese issued his statement in a TV interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp. The Australian government would start by testing age verification technology sometime this year. He also didn’t state a specific age limit but estimated he’d like the ban to be for children younger than 14 to 16 because “we know that social media is causing social harm.”
Huawei’s flagship foldable, the Mate XT, is the first triple-fold phone to hit the market and will debut in China, starting at 19,999 yuan (approximately $2,800). That’s enough to buy an 11-inch iPad Pro, M3 MacBook Air and an iPhone 16. The device folds up accordion-style, with one hinge bending outward and the other inward, leaving one panel available to use as a 6.4-inch exterior display. Unfolded, it creates a 10.2-inch screen, more like the tablets we use. It’s technically impressive but financially prohibitive.
Oh, this week isn’t just new Apple product announcements. No. Sony has elbowed its way in to officially introduce the long-awaited PS5 Pro, with more power and seemingly less compromise.
Sony wants to narrow the gap between the fidelity and performance modes players are accustomed to choosing between — either high frame rates or high resolution, and you could switch between the two in most AAA games on the PS5.
To do that, the PS5 Pro’s GPU has 67 percent more compute units and 28 percent faster RAM than the standard PS5. According to the console’s lead architect Mark Cerny, the new console will deliver up to 45 percent faster graphic rendering. Ray-tracing performance could be up to three times as faster — often an optional feature toggle on games as it can also hamper frame rates.
Meanwhile, Sony’s AI-upscaling tech (i.e., its take on the likes of NVIDIA’s DLSS) is called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR, which should sharpen up in-game assets without the need to remake them. The new console includes a game boost tool to improve the performance of more than 8,500 backward-compatible PS4 games.
The PS5 Pro is the same size as the not-small original launch model, but there’s no disc drive model. That’s another paid extra, on top of that $700 price. The good news is it does have a decent 2TB of storage built in.
Interested? Pre-orders start on September 26, and it will arrive on November 7.
— Mat Smith
We're having some issues with new subscriptions to the newsletter version of TMA, but our form should be back online soon! Thanks for reading!
The government hasn’t determined an age limit yet.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to introduce legislation that would prevent children under a certain age from using social media. Reuters reported that Albanese issued his statement in a TV interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp. The Australian government would start by testing age verification technology sometime this year. He also didn’t state a specific age limit but estimated he’d like the ban to be for children younger than 14 to 16 because “we know that social media is causing social harm.”
Huawei’s flagship foldable, the Mate XT, is the first triple-fold phone to hit the market and will debut in China, starting at 19,999 yuan (approximately $2,800). That’s enough to buy an 11-inch iPad Pro, M3 MacBook Air and an iPhone 16. The device folds up accordion-style, with one hinge bending outward and the other inward, leaving one panel available to use as a 6.4-inch exterior display. Unfolded, it creates a 10.2-inch screen, more like the tablets we use. It’s technically impressive but financially prohibitive.