Tag Archives: Consumer Discretionary

Seagate’s 2TB Xbox expansion card is down to a record-low price ahead of Black Friday

Posted on by

While Activision has been striving to shrink its notoriously huge Call of Duty games so they take up less storage space, you may still need more room on your console. That's true even if you have the new Xbox Series X with 2TB of built-in storage. Games can quickly fill an internal SSD and if you're an Xbox Series X/S gamer, Seagate's expansion card is perhaps the way to go.

The 2TB variant is on sale at the minute. It has dropped to an all-time low of $200. That's $160 off the regular price.

Look, proprietary storage stinks, but the choice for Series X/S owners looking for more space is largely between Seagate's Storage Expansion Card and WD's Black C50. It's possible to store Series X/S games on a regular external drive, but you'll need to move them to internal storage or an expansion card anyway to actually play them. If you don't want to deal with shifting large files around and waiting for transfers to complete, or you don't want to delete and download games more than is necessary, an expansion card is the way to go.

Seagate's version is one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. The 2TB version should give you ample space — at least until you start filling it up with all of the huge Call of Duty games that have started hitting Game Pass.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/seagates-2tb-xbox-expansion-card-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-ahead-of-black-friday-210647959.html?src=rss

Seagate’s 2TB Xbox expansion card is down to a record-low price ahead of Black Friday

Posted on by

While Activision has been striving to shrink its notoriously huge Call of Duty games so they take up less storage space, you may still need more room on your console. That's true even if you have the new Xbox Series X with 2TB of built-in storage. Games can quickly fill an internal SSD and if you're an Xbox Series X/S gamer, Seagate's expansion card is perhaps the way to go.

The 2TB variant is on sale at the minute. It has dropped to an all-time low of $200. That's $160 off the regular price.

Look, proprietary storage stinks, but the choice for Series X/S owners looking for more space is largely between Seagate's Storage Expansion Card and WD's Black C50. It's possible to store Series X/S games on a regular external drive, but you'll need to move them to internal storage or an expansion card anyway to actually play them. If you don't want to deal with shifting large files around and waiting for transfers to complete, or you don't want to delete and download games more than is necessary, an expansion card is the way to go.

Seagate's version is one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. The 2TB version should give you ample space — at least until you start filling it up with all of the huge Call of Duty games that have started hitting Game Pass.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/seagates-2tb-xbox-expansion-card-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-ahead-of-black-friday-210647959.html?src=rss

Here are all of the enhancements for Baldur’s Gate on PS5 Pro

Posted on by

Today’s the day. Those with an extra $700 can go pick up a shiny new PS5 Pro. There are already over 50 enhanced games to coincide with the console’s launch, and one of them is the exquisitely delightful Baldur’s Gate 3. Developer Larian Studios just announced all of the various features available for those who are on the fence about Sony’s latest gadget.

The Quality and Performance modes have both been tweaked to “achieve crisp console visuals without sacrificing smooth performance.” Quality mode can now run at native 4K at 30 fps while Performance mode upscales 1440p to 2160p at 60 fps, thanks to Sony’s proprietary PSSR upscaling technology.

The company has also massively improved the split screen multiplayer experience, which might be worth the price of admission for some. Split screen mode will now allow players to choose from 30 fps or 60 fps, depending on if Quality or Performance mode is engaged.

This update for the PS5 Pro even includes some minor tweaks for the regular PS5 version of the game. For instance, Larian has fixed an issue that prevents people from downloading or subscribing to mods when loading into another player’s multiplayer game with mods enabled.

For the uninitiated, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic RPG that prioritizes player choice above all else. It’s as close a video game has ever come to duplicating the feeling of sitting at a table playing Dungeons and Dragons. Also, you can have sex with a bear.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/here-are-all-of-the-enhancements-for-baldurs-gate-on-ps5-pro-194530443.html?src=rss

Here are all of the enhancements for Baldur’s Gate on PS5 Pro

Posted on by

Today’s the day. Those with an extra $700 can go pick up a shiny new PS5 Pro. There are already over 50 enhanced games to coincide with the console’s launch, and one of them is the exquisitely delightful Baldur’s Gate 3. Developer Larian Studios just announced all of the various features available for those who are on the fence about Sony’s latest gadget.

The Quality and Performance modes have both been tweaked to “achieve crisp console visuals without sacrificing smooth performance.” Quality mode can now run at native 4K at 30 fps while Performance mode upscales 1440p to 2160p at 60 fps, thanks to Sony’s proprietary PSSR upscaling technology.

The company has also massively improved the split screen multiplayer experience, which might be worth the price of admission for some. Split screen mode will now allow players to choose from 30 fps or 60 fps, depending on if Quality or Performance mode is engaged.

This update for the PS5 Pro even includes some minor tweaks for the regular PS5 version of the game. For instance, Larian has fixed an issue that prevents people from downloading or subscribing to mods when loading into another player’s multiplayer game with mods enabled.

For the uninitiated, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic RPG that prioritizes player choice above all else. It’s as close a video game has ever come to duplicating the feeling of sitting at a table playing Dungeons and Dragons. Also, you can have sex with a bear.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/here-are-all-of-the-enhancements-for-baldurs-gate-on-ps5-pro-194530443.html?src=rss

Amazon is making a Mass Effect television show

Posted on by

BioWare had told Mass Effect fans to expect a quiet N7 day without any updates on the new game in the works, but there is still some exciting news for the franchise today. Variety reports that Amazon MGM Studios is developing a TV series based on the sci-fi universe. Rumors first emerged about the tech company's interest in a Mass Effect show back in 2021, but now it's official.

Daniel Casey will be the series' writer and executive producer. He has action credits on the screenplay for F9: The Fast Saga and made contributions to sci-fi films Kin and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Variety noted some of the other executive producers, but there have been no details shared yet about the cast or plot of the project. Since a large part of the original Mass Effect games' appeal was players making their own choices about Commander Shepard's moral compass and love life, it seems likely that a show would want to tell an original story within that universe rather than retreading the same path as the trilogy.

Amazon had a huge win with its TV adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, and it seems the company is going to continue mining video games for source material. After some stumbles, Amazon is also reviving its plans for a live-action God of War show. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/amazon-is-making-a-mass-effect-television-show-185111285.html?src=rss

Amazon is making a Mass Effect television show

Posted on by

BioWare had told Mass Effect fans to expect a quiet N7 day without any updates on the new game in the works, but there is still some exciting news for the franchise today. Variety reports that Amazon MGM Studios is developing a TV series based on the sci-fi universe. Rumors first emerged about the tech company's interest in a Mass Effect show back in 2021, but now it's official.

Daniel Casey will be the series' writer and executive producer. He has action credits on the screenplay for F9: The Fast Saga and made contributions to sci-fi films Kin and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Variety noted some of the other executive producers, but there have been no details shared yet about the cast or plot of the project. Since a large part of the original Mass Effect games' appeal was players making their own choices about Commander Shepard's moral compass and love life, it seems likely that a show would want to tell an original story within that universe rather than retreading the same path as the trilogy.

Amazon had a huge win with its TV adaptation of Fallout earlier this year, and it seems the company is going to continue mining video games for source material. After some stumbles, Amazon is also reviving its plans for a live-action God of War show. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/amazon-is-making-a-mass-effect-television-show-185111285.html?src=rss

Sega will delist a bunch of its classic games from major storefronts next month

Posted on by

Sega is delisting a bunch of its classic games for modern devices. The company posted an FAQ on its website (via Eurogamer), breaking down the Sega Classics games each platform will lose next month. The collection includes some of the publisher’s golden oldies, like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe and Altered Beast.

Over 60 Sega Classics games will be delisted on Steam, Xbox, Switch and PlayStation on December 7 at 2:59PM ET. In addition to the above-mentioned titles, departing ones include (among many others) Virtua Fighter 2, Streets of Rage, the Golden Axe trilogy, Ecco the Dolphin and the most ’90s game ever, Toejam and Earl.

The '90s game characters Toejam and Earl in front of a groovy '90s background (loud yellow and blue patterns).
Sega

The Sega Genesis Classics bundle will also be delisted on Switch and PlayStation on the same day. However, the FAQ notes that “select individual classic titles” will still be playable with a Switch Online membership. And if you own any outgoing games (or snag them before the cutoff date), they’ll remain playable in your library. But don’t expect any bug fixes or other software updates moving forward.

Sega hasn’t stated a reason for delisting the games. But it’s a strange choice, given that the company is rebooting Crazy Taxi (as a multiplayer AAA game), Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Keeping their nostalgic forerunners available to spark memories for older players and introduce the franchises to younger gamers seems like a marketing opportunity that would have outweighed the potential confusion of listing multiple games with similar or identical titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-will-delist-a-bunch-of-its-classic-games-from-major-storefronts-next-month-172823328.html?src=rss

Sega will delist a bunch of its classic games from major storefronts next month

Posted on by

Sega is delisting a bunch of its classic games for modern devices. The company posted an FAQ on its website (via Eurogamer), breaking down the Sega Classics games each platform will lose next month. The collection includes some of the publisher’s golden oldies, like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe and Altered Beast.

Over 60 Sega Classics games will be delisted on Steam, Xbox, Switch and PlayStation on December 7 at 2:59PM ET. In addition to the above-mentioned titles, departing ones include (among many others) Virtua Fighter 2, Streets of Rage, the Golden Axe trilogy, Ecco the Dolphin and the most ’90s game ever, Toejam and Earl.

The '90s game characters Toejam and Earl in front of a groovy '90s background (loud yellow and blue patterns).
Sega

The Sega Genesis Classics bundle will also be delisted on Switch and PlayStation on the same day. However, the FAQ notes that “select individual classic titles” will still be playable with a Switch Online membership. And if you own any outgoing games (or snag them before the cutoff date), they’ll remain playable in your library. But don’t expect any bug fixes or other software updates moving forward.

Sega hasn’t stated a reason for delisting the games. But it’s a strange choice, given that the company is rebooting Crazy Taxi (as a multiplayer AAA game), Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Keeping their nostalgic forerunners available to spark memories for older players and introduce the franchises to younger gamers seems like a marketing opportunity that would have outweighed the potential confusion of listing multiple games with similar or identical titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-will-delist-a-bunch-of-its-classic-games-from-major-storefronts-next-month-172823328.html?src=rss

Nikon’s Z50 II targets creators with a dedicated film simulation button

Posted on by

Camera companies are starting to get the hang of marketing entry-level cameras with features that help beginners take great photos right away. Nikon's $910 Z50 II mirrorless joins that trend with a dedicated "Picture Control" button that produces fun, social media-ready looks. The new model also promises faster shooting speeds than the five-year-old Z50, improved autofocus and better-quality video. 

There's no question that the Z50 II is aimed at the creator crowd with a host of new features borrowed from Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic. That starts with the Picture Control button (not a dial) that offers 31 presets like Denim, Toy Camera and Carbon, for both photos and video. It also lets you download "Imaging Recipes" from the Nikon Imaging Cloud, with custom presets for color, brightness, hue and more, à la Panasonic's S9. On the video side, it now offers a Product Review Mode that immediately focuses from a creator's face to a product they hold up, exactly like Sony's Product Showcase feature.

Nikon's Z50 II takes a page from Fujifilm with a dedicated film simulation dial
Nikon

At the same time, the Z50 II is surprisingly powerful. You can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps (JPEG only) in electronic mode or 11 fps (RAW/JPEG) with the mechanical shutter. Autofocus has been overhauled to be more responsive and now includes 3D tracking with AI modes for animals, birds and vehicles — along with an auto mode that selects the subject for you. 

Video is also much improved. It offers oversampled 4K 30p (no crop) and 4K 60p (1.5x crop), compared to just 4K 30p before. Better still, it now offers N-Log 10-bit shooting compared to just 8-bit with no log on the Z50. That should greatly improve dynamic range and give video shooters more room for creativity in the edit suite. 

Nikon's Z50 II takes a page from Fujifilm with a dedicated film simulation dial
Steve Dent for Engadget

One downside to this camera is the resolution, which is on the low side in this price range at 20.9 megapixels. It also lacks in-body stabilization, so you'll need to rely on electronic stabilization for video (which adds a small crop) or purchase lenses with built in stabilization (VR, as Nikon calls it). I'm also not a fan of the boring body, but I imagine that Nikon will be releasing a Zfc II later with the same features in a retro design. 

Other features include a built-in flash, flip-out display, brighter 2.36-million dot EVF (now 1,000 nits), a single UHS-II card slot, mic and headphone jacks, a tally lamp, waveform display, USB streaming support and a wider ISO range up to 512,000. The Nikon Z50 II is now on pre-order for $907 (body only) or $1,050 with a Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-z50-ii-targets-creators-with-a-dedicated-film-simulation-button-133037492.html?src=rss

Rideshare drivers in Massachusetts can unionize without being full-time employees

Posted on by

Massachusetts has passed a statewide ballot initiative that gives rideshare drivers the opportunity to unionize while remaining independent contractors. The initiative was brought forward by the Service Employees International Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. It passed with a narrow margin of about 54 percent of the vote.

The measure will allow the state's 70,000 rideshare drivers to form unions and leverage collective bargaining power, which is not permitted for independent contractors under the National Labor Relations Act. These workers can unionize if they receive signatures from at least 25 percent of active drivers in Massachusetts. The initiative also creates a hearing process so that drivers for companies such as Lyft and Uber can bring complaints about unfair work practices to a state board. However, the ballot initiative does not contain language about strike protections. It also does not extend to food delivery drivers.

Uber and Lyft did not actively campaign against the Massachusetts measure, but they have raised concerns about the specific language. Some labor advocates also opposed the initiative, cautioning that it could hamper efforts for rideshare drivers to win recognition as full-time employees. "We're not against unionization," Kelly Cobb-Lemire, an organizer with Massachusetts Drivers United, told The New York Times. "But we don't feel this goes far enough."

Independent contractors often are not protected by federal or state labor laws because they aren't full-time employees. The Massachusetts ballot measure could create a precedent for other states to offer unionization options for gig workers. California has been a battleground for labor protections for gig workers who drive for Uber and Lyft for several years. Most recently, a court allowed California drivers to retain independent contractor status.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/rideshare-drivers-in-massachusetts-can-unionize-without-being-full-time-employees-212202426.html?src=rss