Technology

The October update for Xbox is arriving this week, bringing with it a taste of the next generation. Microsoft has announced that a new dashboard design is rolling out to Xbox consoles as part of the latest update, and it’ll also run on the Xbox Series X and Series S when they launch next month. This new UX was first shown off back in August. Microsoft says the home screen loads 50 percent faster on boot and 30 percent faster when exiting a game, with 40 percent less memory required on the Series X. It’s not clear if owners of older consoles like the One S should expect performance improvements, though. The layout isn’t hugely different, but there have been tweaks to elements like the Guide and the games library, and visually it’s now a closer match for other Xbox products like the Xbox app...

Chromium-based browser Vivaldi now comes with a built-in game called Vivaldia, a retro side-scroller set in a cyberpunk universe. The game is available with version 3.4 of the browser, and can be played both online and offline across Windows, Max, Linux, and Android. You get to it by visiting “vivaldi://game” using Vivaldi’s address bar, but it can also be accessed via a link on the browser’s start page on desktop and Android. Vivaldia’s gameplay follows a very similar template to Google Chrome’s famous Dinosaur Game, an easter egg which can be accessed whenever the browser can’t connect to the internet. Vivaldia doesn’t automatically appear when you can’t connect to the internet, however, and also features more detailed pixel art graphics as well as enemies that you’re able to shoot at (V...

Microsoft is extending the warranty on its Xbox Elite 2 controller following complaints over hardware issues. “We’ve received claims that a small percentage of our customers are experiencing mechanical issues when using their Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2,” explains a Microsoft support article. “To ensure your satisfaction, we’re extending the warranty coverage period on Elite Series 2 controllers from 90 days to 1 year from the date of purchase.” The warranty extension applies retroactively, meaning anyone who incurred repair costs for the Xbox Elite 2 controller will be issued a refund by Microsoft before October 31st. The extended warranty is a welcome change from the measly 90 days, but it comes after a series of complaints from owners of the new Elite controller have emerged...

Apple’s HomePod is getting a lot more useful as a home cinema speaker for Apple TV 4K owners. Apple has confirmed to The Verge that an upcoming software update will let the speaker output Dolby Atmos audio as well as 5.1 and 7.1 channel audio from Apple’s streaming box. The feature will work best when you have two HomePod speakers paired up, but also works with just one. The new $99 HomePod mini, though, will not support the new home cinema functionality. Dolby Atmos support arrives as Apple is overhauling how the HomePod works with its streaming box. For starters, tvOS 14.2 beta 3 Apple now allows Apple TV 4K owners to set the HomePod as their streaming box’s default speaker output, according to 9to5Mac, meaning it shouldn’t constantly force users to re-select it as their audio output as ...

Nikon has announced its latest full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z6 II and Z7 II, which improve upon their predecessors with faster performance, improved autofocus, and the inclusion of a secondary memory card slot. Otherwise, the second-gen cameras are largely similar to the Z6 and Z7, using the same sensors and with no outward design updates. The electronic viewfinder and vari-angle LCD — it can’t be rotated to face forward for vlogging — are unchanged in both models. But pros will appreciate one new addition when they open the memory card door: Nikon has added a UHS-II SD card slot that joins the lone XQD / CFexpress slot from last time. So if you want immediate backups for your shots and videos, there you go. Other changes are on the inside: there’s now a second Expeed 6 processor in ...

It’s been well over a month since DJI teased its new products, but today it officially announced two new gimbals — the Ronin S 2 and the smaller Ronin SC 2. Both three-axis gimbals come with upgrades you’d expect — stronger motors, heavier payloads, lighter materials, but also some software features we haven’t seen yet. Before we get to that, let’s start with the hardware changes on the RS 2. The more professional gimbal out of the two is now made with carbon fiber and is 1.3lbs lighter than the original Ronin S, weighing in at a total of 2.86lbs. DJI says the RS 2 supports maximum dynamic payload up to 10lbs. It can theoretically hold even heaving rigs, but you probably won’t get ideal performance with that. The gimbal also comes with a small 1.4-inch touchscreen display that sits right a...

We’re in the final day of Prime Day 2020, and there are some stellar Lightning Deals happening. One that’s happening right now is on Sony’s 65-inch A8G OLED 4K television. Normally $1,998, it’s down to $1,500 for a limited time. This deal is set to last until 5PM ET today, but I have my doubts it will remain in stock for that long. $1,500 is a good price for a 55-inch OLED TV, so getting a bigger size for that amount is a steal. And in terms of specs, the A8G is solid. It can be mounted to a wall, and has it Android TV with Cast built-in. In terms of ports, it has four HDMI ports with ARC and CEC support to let the TV work better with your other entertainment devices. Two of those ports support HDMI 2.0. Sony 65-inch A8G OLED 4K TV $1,500 $1,998 25% off Prices taken at time of publishing. ...

By now, you’ve probably read my colleague Nick Statt’s piece about how the iPhone 12’s MagSafe magnetically-attached wireless charging cable opens up a future where iPhones won’t need ports at all. That sounds futuristic! Now, let’s talk about something a little more practical… something legions of people already do with their phones. We stick them in cases — thousands upon thousands of different cases every year — to protect them from damage, attach them to car docks, add fancy lenses and, most of all, reflect our personality and mood. We glue on flashy finger ring holders and PopSockets, slap on stickers, anything to make them look and feel different from the same damn iPhone our friends, family, neighbors and strangers are toting around. The most personal computer Recently, Apple ...

With the pandemic essentially halting travel, Clear — once in the business of streamlining security checks at airports — is now in search of other opportunities. For a company whose bread and butter is biometric identify verification, the solutions lie, well, everywhere, reports Dave Gershgorn for OneZero. Clear sees its future as an identity platform. The company’s recently launched Health Pass service is just the start, an easy way to capitalize on the need for touchless health screenings, Gershgorn writes. The company plans for a wider implementation of Health Pass post-pandemic. Future uses of quick identity verification could serve an integral part of all transactions from sports arenas to retail stores, verifying age, payment information and much more. Clear’s ambitions present aR...

Some PlayStation 4 users who downloaded the latest 8.0 update got an unwelcome surprise this morning: their console informed them that Sony had the right to record their voice for moderation purposes. Here’s a couple examples: So apparently, in case y’all didn’t know this beforehand. But apparently the newest Sony update to the PS4 and will continue onto 5 will be recording your voice while in party chat. pic.twitter.com/T0VIbwIpZe — TSN | Ittarra BooOda : Still recovering (@IttarraOda) October 14, 2020 Initially, the update’s release notes contained no mention of voice recordings. But at some point today, Sony clarified what the messages meant in an update to its official blog post. Here is Sony’s exact language: Following this update, users are seeing a notification about Par...

Have you recently purchased a gaming PC? Are you looking to buy some new equipment for working from home? Amazon’s Prime Day event has a ton of great accessories that will spice up your PC setup. Whether you’re looking to find a new gaming mouse or keyboard for your rig, a hard drive to bulk up your computer’s storage, or an extra-wide monitor for getting work done, the online retailer has you covered. There are even some motherboards on sale for bringing new life to old systems. Check out our main deal post that features several more product categories. Current Lightning Deals Image: Razer Gaming headsets / mice / keyboards HyperX’s Pulsefire Surge wired gaming mouse is $40 at Amazon (usually $55), not the lowest it has ever been but still a good deal on this mouse. The product is also av...

For both aspiring and established creators, T-shirts and hoodies are so passé — the new wave of merchandise is all digital. Teespring, one of the biggest platforms for creator and influencer merchandising and an official commerce partner for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, is rolling out the ability to sell digital merchandise. These include photo filters, e-books, premium content, zines, and other items that creators can sell directly to fans instead of relying on physical merchandise. Teespring decided to move into the digital merchandise space after a few influencers asked if it was something they could offer their fans, CEO Chris Lamontagne and vice president of marketing, Les Green, told The Verge on Wednesday. While Lamonatagne and the team had worked for a while on developing digita...