Technology

Kingdom Hearts 4 needs to be a reset. There was a time when news of a new Kingdom Hearts entry would have sent me into paroxysms of joy. But the announcement that Kingdom Hearts 4 is in the works barely inspired a “huh, that’s neat.” I’ve been a faithful devotee of the Church of the Keyblade from the moment I heard Hikaru Utada’s “Simple and Clean.” Kingdom Hearts and KH2 were my games, one of the foundational texts at the core of my identity as a gamer. But the spinoffs began to fragment across consoles I didn’t own, and the story devolved into a quagmire of characters and plot points (Aqua got ‘norted!) that even I, with my years of training in the gladiator pits of weird-ass World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy lore, could not untangle. Kingdom Hearts lost me, culminating in me dropping ...

Our collection of deals today proves that Mondays don’t have to be all bad. Our headlining deal on the 13.5-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 4, for instance, brings the laptop down to its lowest price to date on Amazon. Normally, this configuration would cost $1,299.99, but it’s currently on sale for $949.99. This discount currently applies to the black, silver, and beige colorways, but the blue model is also on sale for $969.99. This configuration includes an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of built-in storage. The 13.5-inch touchscreen features a maximum resolution of 2256 x 1504 and is powered by an Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU. The 8GB of RAM is a bit paltry by modern standards, but the 512GB of storage can still be expanded thanks to the laptop’s ...

Our collection of deals today proves that Mondays don’t have to be all bad. Our headlining deal on the 13.5-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 4, for instance, brings the laptop down to its lowest price to date on Amazon. Normally, this configuration would cost $1,299.99, but it’s currently on sale for $949.99. This discount currently applies to the black, silver, and beige colorways, but the blue model is also on sale for $969.99. This configuration includes an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of built-in storage. The 13.5-inch touchscreen features a maximum resolution of 2256 x 1504 and is powered by an Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU. The 8GB of RAM is a bit paltry by modern standards, but the 512GB of storage can still be expanded thanks to the laptop’s ...

Weeks ago, facing pressure internally to speak out against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Disney CEO Bob Chapek took a surprising approach: he did nothing. His silence angered employees and advocacy groups to such an extent that he eventually backpedaled. But when Chapek finally did condemn the legislation, he provoked politicians and set off a weeks-long bad-faith crusade against Disney by right-wing media. The ensuing chaos is just the latest in a series of public missteps that threaten to overshadow Chapek’s tenure leading one of the most powerful entertainment companies in the world. Chapek replaced beloved Disney boss Bob Iger as the company’s CEO in 2020 — just before the pandemic would shut down Disney’s parks and theaters. Under Chapek, a longtime Disney executive, problems emerge...

Meta is delivering a new virtual office environment for all of you out there who work in VR. As part of the v39 software update coming to Meta Quest and Quest 2 VR headsets, you can be transported to the “Mountain Study” environment, which positions you within a house in a valley surrounded by mountains. There are a few other small improvements and changes arriving in the update that is rolling out gradually over the next few weeks. You’ll be able to send content from a share sheet on an iOS device to a Quest headset, giving VR users an easier way to access content. Similar support for Android users was already added in early 2022. To use this feature, ensure that your headset’s Bluetooth function is switched on. Select Oculus within the iOS share sheet.Image: Meta Lastly, the multitasking...

As Activision Blizzard continues to struggle under the weight of multiple PR disasters regarding sexual harassment and union busting, the company has appointed Kristen Hines as its new diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. “I’m excited to join a company that is prioritizing its commitment to DEI and making progress on the ambitious goals it has set for itself,” Hines said in a press release. The company needs all the DE&I help it can get. Last year, Activision Blizzard acknowledged that its ongoing legal troubles have impacted its ability to recruit and retain employees while a breakdown of the company’s representation data revealed women make up 24 percent of the company. Add to that the high-profile departure of Blizzard co-CEO Jen Oneal after only three months amid reports she w...

A report from Bloomberg details the obstacles hampering Amazon’s efforts to get its delivery drone program off the ground, citing a high employee turnover rate and potential safety risks. According to Bloomberg, there were five crashes over the course of a four-month period at the company’s testing site in Pendleton, Oregon. A crash in May took place after a drone lost its propeller, but Bloomberg says Amazon cleaned up the wreckage before the Federal Aviation Administration could investigate. The following month, a drone’s motor shut off as it switched from an upward flight path to flying straight ahead. Two safety features — one that’s supposed to land the drone in this type of situation and another that stabilizes the drone — both failed. As a result, the drone flipped upside down and m...

Vivo has revealed its first folding phone. Entitled the X Fold, the phone features two screens that allow users to have two apps open at the same time, according to GSMArena. The X Fold reportedly has a 6.53-inch (166 mm) outer display and a larger interior 8.03-inch (204 mm) screen. Connecting the screens is a floating wing hinge, which allows the phone to close or be propped open at angles between 60 and 120 degrees. The phone’s screen is certified for up to 300,000 folds, Android Authority reported. This would equate to folding and unfolding the phone 80 times per day for ten years. The device also contains a flagship processor and cameras. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the X Fold has a 4,600mAh battery that can be totally recharged at 66W via a cable, taking up to 37 m...

The Batman, the new Batman movie starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, will be available to stream on HBO Max starting April 18th, WarnerMedia announced Monday. The film first debuted in theaters on March 4th. The quick turnaround shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. While WarnerMedia did release all of its 2021 movie slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, the company has moved to a more traditional theater-first release cycle for many films in 2022, though with a shorter 45-day theatrical exclusivity window. If you’re interested in seeing The Batman when it hits streaming, you might want to check out my colleague Charles Pulliam-Moore’s review first — he says the Batman franchise has “seen better days.” But given that the movie will be included with an HBO Max su...