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- Apple tweaks third-party dating app payment rules to comply with Dutch regulator's order
- Telegram founder confirms paid features are coming soon
- Meta lawyers are reportedly investigating Sheryl Sandberg's use of company resources
- Lightyear’s very pricey solar-powered car will go into production in late 2022
- Meta's Horizon Home social space will arrive on Quest 2 headsets next week
- Dell XPS 15 review (2022): Still the best 15-inch Windows laptop
- Afterlife game 'Spiritfarer' is coming to mobile through Netflix
- 'Downwell' creator debuts new game 'Poinpy' on Netflix
- 'Monument Valley' studio's next game is a Netflix mobile exclusive
- 'Alto’s Odyssey' studio Snowman's next game is bound for Netflix
- A Dragon Age animated series is coming to Netflix in December
- Long-awaited RTS 'Homeworld 3' is delayed until 2023
| Apple tweaks third-party dating app payment rules to comply with Dutch regulator's order Posted: 11 Jun 2022 08:51 AM PDT Apple has announced a handful of changes to its rules related to dating app payments in order to comply with orders from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). If you'll recall, the regulator had ordered the tech giant to allow third-party payments in locally available dating apps by January this year. A Reuters report from March said the company had yet to adhere to the orders in a way that truly complies with what the regulator wanted, though — until now, that is. In its announcement, Apple said it has made adjustments to the user interface for third-party payments. As part of its efforts to comply with the ACM, it started showing a warning whenever someone tries to pay with a third-party payment option, warning them that they'll have to contact the developer for a refund. As Reuters notes, that warning originally came with a button that made it easy to back out of using an external payment system. The ACM reportedly didn't approve of that button, so Apple had to remove it. Apple also clarified in its post that even developers already paying lower cuts are entitled to the discounted commission rates it takes from third-party payments. Back when the company said it was going to comply with the ACM's demands, it revealed that developers paying a 30 percent cut would only be charged 27 percent. It wasn't clear, however, whether developers already paying lower rates for meeting certain criteria, such as earning less than a million a year, will also get to enjoy the 3 percent discount. Apple has clarified in its announcement that they will indeed pay lower commissions for third-party payments, so those only being charged 15 percent will only have to hand over 12 percent to the company. In a statement posted on its website, the ACM said that with these changes, "Apple will meet the requirements that the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) set under European and Dutch competition rules." The regulator also revealed that Apple had to pay fines totaling €50 million for failing to satisfy the ACM's conditions for compliance over the past few months. Apple said, however, that it doesn't believe some of the changes it had to implement are in the best interests of its users' privacy or data security. "As we've previously said," the company added, "we disagree with the ACM's original order and are appealing it." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Telegram founder confirms paid features are coming soon Posted: 11 Jun 2022 04:22 AM PDT Those unlockable Telegram features that showed up with the app's beta version in May will soon be available for paying users. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has confirmed that the app is launching a subscription plan called Telegram Premium sometime this month. While Durov didn't discuss the specific benefits that come with the plan, he said it will give paying users extra features, speed and resources, as well as first access to the app's latest offerings. Durov explained that a lot of people have been asking the service to raise the limits on its chats, media and file uploads. However, doing so for everyone would lead to massive traffic and server costs beyond what it could afford. Telegram apparently came to the conclusion that the only way it could give its "most demanding fans" more while keeping its existing features free is to offer those raised limits as a paid option. The service's founder has also assured users in his announcement that Telegram will still be releasing new free features despite having a paid tier. Further, even free users will be able to enjoy some of the Premium option's new futures, including being able to view larger-than-usual documents, media and stickers sent by paying members. A previous report by tech publication Beebom says Premium subscribers will have the capability to upload files up to 4GB in size and will enjoy up to twice a non-paying users' limits when it comes to the number of channels they can join, among other things. Beebom also says a Premium subscription will cost $5 a month, though we won't know for sure until the option launches. Durov ended his announcement with:
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| Meta lawyers are reportedly investigating Sheryl Sandberg's use of company resources Posted: 10 Jun 2022 01:26 PM PDT Meta's lawyers are investigating outgoing COO Sheryl Sandberg amid claims she misused company resources, The Wall Street Journal reports. The paper says the investigation goes back "several years" and is scrutinizing Meta employees' work on Sandberg's personal projects. When Sandberg first announced her departure from the company, The Wall Street Journal reported the company was examining whether she had improperly used company resources in planning her upcoming wedding. Now, WSJ has shed a little more light on the investigation. Meta lawyers are reportedly looking at Facebook staff's involvement with Sandberg's foundation Lean In, and their work to help her promote her most recent book, Option B. The company is also investigating reports that Sandberg used Facebook staffers in an attempt to kill a negative story about her former partner, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. The company could be looking to head off regulatory concerns that could arise if such work wasn't properly disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sandberg eventually "could be asked to repay the company for employee time spent on her personal work," according to the report. Meta declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal. The investigation is indicative of just how much Sandberg's status within the company has changed in recent years. As The WSJ points out, both Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg's personal lives have been closely tied to the company. Meta spends millions of dollars every year on their personal security and travel expenses, and both executives have tapped Facebook employees to help with personal projects. That Sandberg is now facing scrutiny for these actions shows how much her influence has waned. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Lightyear’s very pricey solar-powered car will go into production in late 2022 Posted: 10 Jun 2022 12:32 PM PDT EV startup Lightyear debuted its first solar-powered vehicle this week, a sleek sedan called the Lightyear 0. The company gave us a peek at a production prototype of Lightyear 0 in 2019, and at first glance, not much has changed. The car is essentially an unconventional hybrid equipped with both a conventional 60-kilowatt-hour EV battery pack and solar panels on its roof, hood and hatch. The solar panels on the Lightyear 0 will charge automatically whenever the car is exposed to the sun — it doesn't matter if it's parked or driving. The Lightyear 0 isn't as much solar-powered as solar-assisted. In order to drive for long distances, the vehicle has to tap into its battery reserve. The car's solar panels can provide 44 miles of range per day in a sunny climate, whereas its EV range is 388 miles. But for drivers with exceptionally short commutes or those who need their vehicle infrequently, the Lightyear 0 could allow them to no longer spend money on gas or charging. The company claims that those with a daily commute of 22 miles can drive the Lightyear 0 for two straight months in the Netherlands summer without needing to charge. Drivers in sunnier climates can go for longer. Lightyear claims that the sun can provide the Lightyear 0 with anywhere between 3,700 to 6,800 miles of range annually. It's important to note that Lightyear 0 owners will need to drive for a significantly long time in order to justify the vehicle's purchase as a cost-saving measure. The Lightyear 0 will cost €250,000 (which amounts to roughly $263,262 USD), and the company only plans on making 946 units. But a more reasonably-priced vehicle is on the way. Lightyear recently also unveiled a prototype of a $33,000 solar-powered car, which is scheduled to go into production by 2025. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Meta's Horizon Home social space will arrive on Quest 2 headsets next week Posted: 10 Jun 2022 11:33 AM PDT Starting next week, Meta will add a more social-oriented home space to Quest 2. Horizon Home, which the company announced at Oculus Connect last year, will appear when users slip on the virtual reality headset. They can invite friends to come over and hang out, watch videos and play games together. It's part of Meta's vision of the metaverse, a shared virtual space where folks can do all kinds of things together, along with Horizon Worlds and Horizon Workrooms. One of those, as demoed in a video shared by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is the option to watch 360-degree footage with friends. Zuckerberg showed off the feature with climber Alex Honnold of Free Solo fame. They watched The Soloist VR, a film that features Honnold free climbing the Dolomite Mountains. If you thought Meta's torso-only avatars looked strange on the virtual ground, just wait till you see two of them floating 1,000 feet above northern Italy. Quest 2 users can check out Horizon Home and its miserable-looking virtual home office starting today if they are comfortable using the Public Test Channel. Meta will roll out the v41 Quest update, which includes Horizon Home, more broadly next week, a Meta spokesperson told Road to VR. We'll likely learn more details about Horizon Home then. Meta will add more customization options for the home space later. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dell XPS 15 review (2022): Still the best 15-inch Windows laptop Posted: 10 Jun 2022 11:00 AM PDT How can Dell improve on its already excellent XPS 15? By adding the latest hardware from Intel, whose new hybrid chips promise far better multitasking performance than before. We loved the XPS 15's updated design when it debuted two years ago, and last year, Dell added an OLED screen option, which led us to call it "practically perfect" in our review. At this point, we're running out of superlatives. Still, it's worth noting that the XPS 15 continues to be the 15-inch notebook that every PC company aspires to make. A big reason for that is the XPS 15's recent redesign, which dramatically narrowed the bezels and gives the entire computer a more modern look. You can practically date laptops by the thickness of their ugly display borders. Even though I've seen it in various forms over the last few years, I still love the way the screen just flows into the lower keyboard area. And while it sounds like a cliche, those razor-thin borders truly make the screen look like it's floating. Every other aspect of the XPS 15's case also feels like it's honed to perfection, from the aluminum exterior to the smooth carbon fiber around the keyboard. I'm sure Dell will eventually give us an XPS 15 Plus that takes design cues from the newer XPS 13 Plus, but the standard model still has a level of polish that goes beyond most Windows laptops. The big selling point for the XPS 15 this year is Intel's new 12th-gen hybrid processors. Thanks to their combination of high performance and efficient cores, they're far more capable than last year's when it comes to juggling a bunch of work. And those low-power cores come in handy for saving battery life. Together with NVIDIA's 45-watt RTX 3050 Ti GPU (which was also in the model we covered last year), the XPS 15 is now even more of a genuine powerhouse.
Our review machine, equipped with a Core i7-12700H, 16GB of RAM and that NVIDIA GPU, scored 17 percent higher than last year's model in the PCMark 10 benchmark and 40 percent faster in Cinebench's multithreaded test. In the real world, those scores mean that the XPS 15 could end up saving you hours when it comes to editing huge video files or rendering 3D projects. The new CPU also gave the XPS 15 a slight leg up in some complex games like Halo Infinite. I reached a steady 60fps while playing in 1080p with medium settings, whereas the last XPS 15 struggled with complex shooters while using the same GPU. (It was fine for a low-impact game like Overwatch, but that was about it.) The XPS 15's 3.5K OLED display remains a knockout, with excellent color reproduction, black levels and all of the bonuses you'd expect. Still, I'd love to see Dell push this display further, especially after both Apple and Microsoft squeezed high refresh rate screens in competing notebooks. Having that extra bit of smoothness while scrolling through websites (and taking on the occasional enemy Spartan in Halo Infinite) would make the already great XPS 15 experience even better. (Not to mention more future-proof.) Everything else we loved about the XPS 15 last year remains intact. The keyboard feels comfortable and responsive, the trackpad is luxuriously smooth and large, and the quad-speaker system sounds great. The XPS 15 also has most of the ports you'd need to get some serious work done. That includes three USB-C ports (two of which support Thunderbolt 4), an SD card reader and a headphone jack. There's a USB-C to HDMI and USB Type A adapter in the box, but you'll still need additional dongles (or a USB-C mini-hub) if you want Ethernet and multiple Type-A ports. Devindra Hardawar/Engadget I'm glad Dell is sticking with the SD card slot, which will make it easy to offload photos and video. It's also nice to see the XPS 15 make some battery life improvements. In our benchmark, it lasted 13 hours and 12 minutes, a huge improvement from last year when it clocked under 10 hours. Despite my gushing, there's still some room for improvement. While the keyboard, trackpad and wrist rest feel great, they also look a bit gross after light use. I'd love to see some sort of oleophobic coating that doesn't need so much wiping down. And of course, having more useful ports wouldn't hurt either. Devindra Hardawar/Engadget The XPS 15 starts at $1,449 with a Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, but as usual, we'd recommend bumping up those specs a bit. You'll want at least 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a Core i7 CPU to make this computer last for several years. Our review unit came in at $2,253 – a relatively modest price given the hardware you get. Still, I'd spend a bit more to squeeze in a larger SSD and potentially more RAM, especially if you're constantly juggling large files. Devindra Hardawar/Engadget At this point, the XPS 15 is the closest Dell has come to delivering a near-perfect workhorse machine. It's beautiful exterior hides tremendous power for serious tasks, but it can also handle games when you need some downtime. And on top of that, it packs pretty much every feature we'd want in a modern laptop, especially if you opt for that gorgeous OLED display. Just like Apple, Dell proves that a good design can last for years. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Afterlife game 'Spiritfarer' is coming to mobile through Netflix Posted: 10 Jun 2022 10:47 AM PDT You'll have to sign up for Netflix if you want to play the award-nominatedSpiritfarer on your phone. The streaming service has announced that the death management game will be available on mobile through its platform sometime "soon." It's not clear what (if anything) will change in this version, although it's safe to presume you'll find touch-optimized controls. Spiritfarer revolves around Stella, a ferrymaster who befriends the dead and brings them to the afterlife. You need to build a boat, of course, but you'll also craft items and harvest materials to help you explore the landscape and take care of the deceased. Think of it as Stardew Valley or Terraria with a message — it's as much about developing a healthy attitude toward death as it is refining your resource management skills. The debut comes alongside other high-profile Netflix game launches, such as ustwo's Desta and a deluge of show-related titles. The company is determined to become a home for much-loved (if not always new) games, and Spiritfarer might tip the balance if you're either a fan eager to play on mobile or a newcomer curious about all the buzz. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Downwell' creator debuts new game 'Poinpy' on Netflix Posted: 10 Jun 2022 10:33 AM PDT Netflix users can check out yet another mobile game as part of their subscription starting today. Poinpy is the latest title from Ojiro Fumoto, the creator of indie classic Downwell. It's another vertical scrolling game, but this time around, you're moving up instead of descending into a well. Fumoto and Team Poinpy have eschewed the pixelated look of Downwell for an art style that's much more cute and colorful. You'll bounce your way up the screen and avoid or take out enemies. Players will need to collect food to feed a blue beast that's chasing them. As you progress, you'll unlock more abilities that could make future runs easier. Poinpy is one of three games from Devolver Digital (which also published Downwell) that are coming to Netflix. Also on the way is Reigns: Three Kingdom, which is the fifth game in Nerial's Reigns series. The latest entry takes place in the latter years of the Han dynasty. You'll swipe cards to carry out negotiations, marry to bolster alliances and accrue more power. Netflix says players will "uncover the many secrets of a vast storyline and a host of unexpected mini-games." Reigns: Three Kingdom is scheduled for release later this year. Nerial/Devolver Digital The other Devolver title that's bound for Netflix's games service is Terra Nil. It's billed as a reverse city builder that centers around the climate crisis. You're tasked with restoring a barren wasteland by converting it into an "ecological paradise complete with different flora and fauna." Terra Nil is being developed by Broforce studio Free Lives. It's said to be coming soon, but no release window was announced. Free Lives/Devolver Digital | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Monument Valley' studio's next game is a Netflix mobile exclusive Posted: 10 Jun 2022 10:30 AM PDT You'll need a streaming subscription if you want to try ustwo's upcoming Desta: The Memories Between. The Monument Valley developer has announced that its turn-based, sports-influenced roguelike will be a Netflix exclusive on mobile when it debuts sometime later this year. The game is coming to other platforms, but Netflix is promising that there will be no in-app purchases or "extra fees" in its version. Desta revolves around a twentysomething who returns home after their dad's death. You help them deal with their past in dreams and reality by solving puzzles and talking to the people they left behind. As you might have guessed, the hybrid mechanics promise a considerably more varied experience than in titles like Monument Valley — ustwo is borrowing cues from games like Hades and Into the Breach. The exclusive further signals Netflix's commitment to gaming. While it's clearly serious about games with show tie-ins and a rapidly growing catalog, it's increasingly courting major mobile developers like ustwo. In that regard, Netflix is competing as much with Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass as it is Amazon and Disney — it's hoping to reel in customers willing to pay a flat fee for access to a library of quality games without surprise costs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Alto’s Odyssey' studio Snowman's next game is bound for Netflix Posted: 10 Jun 2022 10:26 AM PDT As part of its Geeked Week event, Netflix is spending the day announcing a bunch of titles that are coming to its games service. One of those is the latest effort from Snowman, the studio behind Alto's Odyssey and Alto's Adventure. Lucky Luna will be available to Netflix subscribers on mobile devices this summer. It's a vertical scrolling platformer in which you'll explore temples and dungeons while learning about the past of protagonist Luna. One key quirk is that there's no jump button. You'll fall from one platform to the next and use creatures and parts of the environment to help move around. Snowman is making Lucky Luna without the core development team behind Alto's Adventure. Lead artist and developer Harry Nesbitt, programmer Joe Grainger and composer Todd Baker opened another studio in 2020 called Land & Sea. That team is making "folk" games centered around "artful, hand-crafted experiences." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| A Dragon Age animated series is coming to Netflix in December Posted: 10 Jun 2022 10:22 AM PDT The next Dragon Age game is still a long ways off, but that isn't stopping BioWare from expanding the fantasy RPG's reach. Netflix has unveiled a six-episode anime series, Dragon Age: Absolution, premiering sometime in December. The teaser trailer (below) doesn't reveal much, but you can expect a "new saga" in Tevinter that appears to center on a special ring — and, of course, plenty of magic and bloody swordplay. Red Dog Culture House (which created an episode for Love, Death & Robots) is producing the limited-run project. Guardians of the Galaxy series producer Mairghread Scott is serving as the showrunner. This certainly isn't a novel project for Netflix. There are already game-related anime shows either available or in the works at Netflix, ranging from Castlevania through to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 series. However, it's notable that this production is coming in the run-up to a new game (Dreadwolf) for a long-dormant franchise. Absolution is effectively a bid to revive interest in Dragon Age, not to mention court an audience that might not have heard of the games until now. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-awaited RTS 'Homeworld 3' is delayed until 2023 Posted: 10 Jun 2022 09:58 AM PDT Homeworld 3 won't be coming out this year after all. Gearbox Publishing and developer Blackbird Interactive have delayed the sci-fi real-time strategy sequel until the first half of 2023, meaning it will arrive 20 years after Homeworld 2. "Delivering Homeworld 3 at the highest quality is the top priority for Gearbox Publishing and Blackbird Interactive because we recognize the special place this series holds in the hearts of players," a statement posted on Twitter reads. "This passion from players fuels the work and the additional time will allow us to make good on our commitment to quality in a healthy and sustainable way for all those involved." While the delay might come as a disappointment to fans, it seems the team is looking to avoid crunch (i.e. nudging developers to work long hours) by taking a few more months to polish the game to the expected level of quality. Blackbird took other steps to improve the work-life balance of its team members earlier this year when it permanently adopted a four-day work week.
You can expect to learn more about Homeworld 3 in the not-too-distant future. Gearbox and Blackbird have promised to show off "the deepest look yet" at the game during Gamescom in August. Some members of the Blackbird team previously worked at Relic Entertainment, the studio behind the original Homeworld games. Rob Cunningham, a Relic co-founder and art director on the first two entries, is among them. Blackbird previously made Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, a prequel to 1999's original Homeworld. |
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