Pelican Press

Western Digital PS5 SSDs On ***** For Great Prices At Amazon For ****** Friday Western Digital PS5 SSDs On ***** For Great Prices At Amazon For ****** Friday The WD ****** SN850X can hit speeds of up to 7,300MB/s, significantly faster than the required 5,500MB/s sequential read speed for full support on PS5. The 1TB model that’s on ***** includes a preinstalled heatsink, which is needed for installation in the PS5’s open M.2 slot. At face value, a 1TB SSD sounds like doubling your PlayStation’s storage space, but it’s actually an even more meaningful increase. The original PS5 has roughly 667GB of usable storage, while the PS5 Slim has about 850GB. If you want an even ******* upgrade, Amazon has the 2TB SN850X on ***** for $130. The only downside with this deal is that it doesn’t. come with a heatsink, so you will need to buy one separately and install it yourself. Thankfully, it only takes a few minutes, and heatsinks are cheap, including this $9 model. Anything above 2TB is probably overdoing it for most PS5 users, but the SN850X is also one of the best SSDs for PC, a platform where storage gets consumed by more than just games. Amazon has the 4TB SN850X with a heatsink on ***** for over $100 off. For a slightly cheaper 1TB option, check out Corsair’s MP600 for $80. This one also comes with a heatsink, and while it’s not as popular as the SN850X, it’s still plenty fast enough for PS5 users, with speeds up to 7,100MB/s. Source link #Western #Digital #PS5 #SSDs #***** #Great #Prices #Amazon #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MPs raise questions about Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ CV MPs raise questions about Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ CV PA Media Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s CV came under the spotlight at Prime Minister’s Questions, following claims she had embellished some of her past achievements. Reeves has previously said she worked as an economist at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) before entering politics. However, her profile on the networking site LinkedIn has been changed to say the role at HBOS was in retail banking. Reeves worked as an economist for the Bank of England before joining HBOS and in a 2011 interview with the Independent she is described as working for HBOS’s retail division. In the same year, the biography on her Labour web page said: “Rachel spent her professional career as an economist working for the Bank of England, the British Embassy in Washington and at Halifax Bank of Scotland.” Tory MPs Graham Stuart and Alex Burghart – who was standing in for opposition leader Kemi Badenoch at the weekly Commons session – and Reform ***’s Lee Anderson all made reference to the row when putting questions to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Rayner was standing in for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who is in Brazil for a G20 summit meeting of the world’s richest countries. Burghart raised a laugh on the Tory benches with a jibe about “real economists”, as he accused the government of “stoking” inflation. “This morning we had City economists, real economists, saying that next year inflation would hit 3%,” he told MPs. Later in the session, Anderson, asking about changes to inheritance tax for farmers, said: “Does the deputy prime minister agree with me that this decision should be thrown in the trash can along with Rachel from accounts’ CV?” Rayner deflected the question with a joke about Anderson’s own career. “He talks about CVs, it’s good to see [Anderson] doing well on his – once a Labour councillor then a Tory MP and now Reform chief whip,” she said. “Every time he switches party, he gets a promotion.” A few minutes later, ************* Graham Stuart said all MPs “recognise the authenticity” of Rayner’s back story including her time working as a carer. Stuart then referenced recent cases where people had got into trouble for lying about their experience and achievements. In June, Nick Adderly, the chief constable of Northamptonshire Police was sacked for exaggerating his naval rank and length of service. And last month, a woman was jailed for five years after lying about her experience and qualifications to get a job as a senior nurse in a unit for ***** and ********** *******. Stuart asked if Rayner agreed that “serious consequences are right and just in such cases”. “I know where he is trying to go with this,” replied Rayner before going on to defend Reeves. “Our chancellor in the last four months has shown more competence than the last four chancellors he had,” she said. *** Parliament/ PA The questions continued after PMQs, as reporters sought to put the prime minister’s official spokeswoman on the spot. Asked if Sir Keir expected ministers to tell the truth on their CVs, she said the row “relates to the chancellor’s time before she was the chancellor”. But she added: “The prime minister is very clear that what is most important is having a chancellor who is able to balance the books and who is able to be straight with the public and restore the public finances.” And that was what Reeves had done, she told reporters. Asked if the PM was committed to Reeves remaining chancellor for the rest of the Parliament, she said: “It’s never for me in my position to speak to cabinet appointments, but the chancellor very much ******** the chancellor.” Reeves has often sought to underline her economic credentials by pointing to the roles she held before becoming an MP. However, the chancellor is facing claims that her role at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) had more to do with administration and IT than economics. Reeves studied philosophy, politics and economics Oxford University and did a master’s degree in economics at the London School of Economics. Source link #MPs #raise #questions #Chancellor #Rachel #Reeves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Methods 4: The Best Detective continues the quirky battle of the brains, out now on iOS and Android Methods 4: The Best Detective continues the quirky battle of the brains, out now on iOS and Android Methods 4: The Best Detective continues the Methods series of ****** thriller visual novels This part ups the ante as we head towards the conclusion Enjoy the fourth part of this quirky ****** thriller, out now on iOS and Android When it comes to solving ******* it takes the finest minds imaginable, the most experienced of criminologists, forensic pathologists and analysts imaginable must apply deductive reasoning to figure out whodunnit, whendunnit, and whydunnit. Or you can just collect 100 weirdos in the same building and hope for the best; unrelated, but Methods 4 is out now! The fourth instalment in the Methods series of visual novels, it continues the tale of one hundred detectives in the competition of a lifetime. You have to solve ******* perpetrated by the most fiendish ********** on the planet. Win, and the detectives receive a million dollars, lose and the ********** get the same; alongside parole no matter their ******. Part four of the Methods series continues the story, bringing you into further conflict with the masters of this bizarre game. You’ll need to continue to utilise simple deductive reasoning, examining ****** scenes and answering questions to determine the method and motive. Just one more thing- Methods follows the unusual release strategy of splitting a single release into multiple parts. Although with each being very reasonably priced at only $0.99, it’s hard to argue with the approach, since it means you can give this series a go with no strings attached. And with only one more part to go, things are definitely heating up. Offering a rather bizarre art style and gameplay seemingly influenced by ******-thriller visual novels like Danganronpa, Methods also comes to us on mobile from the same studio behind titles like Brotato. Quite the departure to go from bullet heaven to this, eh? If you want to figure out if Methods is right for you, check out Jack Brassel’s review of the first part of Methods: Detective competition and see what they thought of this quirky mix of ****** thriller and visual novel. Source link #Methods #Detective #continues #quirky #battle #brains #iOS #Android Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Un-***********': anti-******* graffiti ******* slammed 'Un-***********': anti-******* graffiti ******* slammed The prime minister and other leaders have called out a spate of vandalism in Sydney’s east after cars were graffitied with anti-******* slogans. Source link #039UnAustralian039 #antiIsrael #graffiti #******* #slammed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cloud streaming comes to the PlayStation Portal in new test Cloud streaming comes to the PlayStation Portal in new test Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends Sony is about to introduce more ways to use your PlayStation Portal. The company announced that it’s releasing a cloud streaming feature in beta that will let users stream certain games to the device without needing a console. This is part of a larger PS Portal update that will also bring along audio fixes and be available starting Wednesday. PlayStation hasn’t noted how long cloud streaming will be in testing for, but it’s looking for user feedback and is expected to change features over time. There are some limitations to be aware of, according to the PlayStation Blog post. This will only be available to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers ($160 per year when you buy 12 months upfront), and wuill feature only 120 PlayStation 5 games in the PlayStation Plus catalog. A partial list includes Dave the Diver, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Ghost of Tsushima. This only applies to the PS5 versions of those games. That’s still a huge list of games to test, and when streaming, you can access all DualSense controller features like haptic feedback. Cloud streaming will also only support up to 1080p and 60 frames per second. This might seem small considering the PS5 Pro can stream games in up to 4K resolution, but there are always concessions with cloud streaming since it’s all over an internet connection. To get 1080p, you’ll need a minimum of 13 Mbps. There also won’t be some features available, such as the ability to stream games you already own, game trials, party voice chat, and 3D audio. This is only for streaming games in the PS Plus library to your PS Portal. The PS Portal is a unique device in the growing sea of gaming handhelds. You can get it for $200, which is relatively low compared to other options, but it only supports streaming, so its audience is pretty niche (although the people who love it really love it). At launch, it only allowed you to stream if your PS5 was on, but with this beta feature, you’ll be able to access PlayStation’s servers to stream games, much like how Nvidia GeForce Now works. Source link #Cloud #streaming #PlayStation #Portal #test Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New York City Will Get Some Rain, but Not Enough to Ease Its Drought New York City Will Get Some Rain, but Not Enough to Ease Its Drought New York City was expected to receive some rain on Wednesday night. That would be a partial respite after weeks of abnormally dry conditions led the authorities to declare the city’s first drought warning in over 20 years, but not enough to ease the crisis. About 2.2 inches of rain was forecast to fall in the city, and slightly more in parts of New Jersey, between Wednesday night and Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The heaviest deluge was expected overnight and into Thursday. The rain in the city will start to ease the unusually dry conditions that led Mayor Eric Adams to declare a drought warning on Monday and urge residents to conserve water. Such a warning is the last step before a drought emergency, which would include mandatory water restrictions. Officials have said the rain will not be enough to fully replenish the city’s reservoirs, which are at about 60 percent of their total capacity, down from the usual 79 percent. It is “not a drought buster, but it will help, especially with ongoing ***** weather issues,” the Weather Service’s New York office said on social media. The extraordinarily dry fall in New York City and the Northeast has sparked wildfires across the region and brought some of the worst drought conditions in decades. Parts of southern New York State, including New York City, have been in a severe drought for about a week. About a quarter of New Jersey has been in an extreme drought for two weeks. A severe drought is the second level of a four level scale, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, and an extreme drought is the third. The highest level is an exceptional drought. Moderate to heavy rain was expected to fall in the region overnight and into Thursday, before becoming lighter, the Weather Service said. Strong winds, with gusts of up to 30 miles her hour, were also expected overnight and into early Thursday. The Northwest is also expected to see its first snowfall of the season this week. About 2.5 inches were forecast to fall in West Milford, New Jersey, between Thursday and Saturday. Source link #York #City #Rain #Ease #Drought Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 6 best OLED TVs for 2024 The 6 best OLED TVs for 2024 This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, Digital Trends and Yahoo Inc. may earn a commission. Digital Trends Editor’s note: The biggest shopping day of the year — ****** Friday — is almost here, and there are already TV deals you can grab. You can get Samsung’s 65-inch S90C for only $1,000. It’s a deal that we think makes it the best OLED to buy right now. You can save on more than just TVs on ****** Friday. Check out our other ****** Friday deals for more sales on headphones, streaming devices, phones, and more. If you’re on the hunt for the best TV for whatever you’re into — movies and TV, sports, or gaming (check out our list of the best gaming TVs) — sitting at the top of the TV pyramid are OLED TVs. In lieu of traditional LED backlighting, OLED TVs use millions of self-emissive pixels (that create their own light and are not backlit) to create rich colors, inky *******, and zero light blooming — in short, arguably the best picture in the business. Over the last several years, LG has been the predominant manufacturer of OLED TVss, but now the company competes with Samsung and Sony in the OLED marketplace. With numerous models and sizes to choose from, three of the best TV brands make OLEDs, and they’re all worth considering. To help you hone in on the best TVs, we’ve created this list of the best OLED TVs for 2024. Zeke Jones / Digital Trends Best overall OLED TVLG OLED Evo G4 LG G4 OLED Review ***** Unprecedented flexibility Awesome gaming performance ***** LG has done it again folks. One of our favorite TVs of 2023 was the amazing LG G3 Series, and now that set has been ousted from its throne… only to be replaced by the LG G4. Much like its older brother, the G4 leverages Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology to achieve the kind of brightness levels we’d expect from an LED-LCD. We’ve put the G4 through several picture tests and were absolutely blown away by its peak luminance, breathtaking colors, and next-level HDR performance. LG has long been a TV brand one gravitates toward for picture accuracy, and thanks to features like Filmmaker Mode on the G4, that reputation continues. As part of LG’s Gallery (what the “G” in G4 stands for) lineup, this OLED is designed to look like a piece of artwork when mounted to a wall. And if you purchase the 77-, 83-, or 97-inch version of the G4, the low-profile wall mount comes in the box (the 55- and 65-inch versions come with a tabletop stand). Each of the TV’s four HDMI ports are 2.1 certified, with resolution and refresh rate capped at 4K/120Hz. Action movies, sports, and gaming will look particularly great on the G4, and lower-res sources get the 4K upscaling treatment. While webOS 24 and the included LG Magic Remote may not be for everyone, we have no doubt that if you’re looking for the best OLED picture that money can buy in 2024, you’ll be hard-pressed to do better than the LG G4 Series. LG OLED Evo G4 Best overall OLED TV LG C4 OLED Douglas Murray / Digital Trends Runner-upLG OLED Evo C4 ***** Great ****** levels and ****** accuracy Stellar HDR highlights and vibrant colors Solid gaming optimizations ***** Lackluster off-angle viewing One of our favorite things about LG is that even though brands like Sony and Samsung have started getting very competitive with models like the A95L and S95D (these are QD-OLED TVs), LG hasn’t gone back to the drawing board to attempt to come up with picture tech that’s bolder and better. Instead, the company is sticking to its OLED roots, which leads us to the LG C4 OLED Evo. Available in sizes ranging from 42 to 83 inches, the LG C4 is a great TV for everything from movies and shows to video games. And thanks to features like Brightness Booster Max, spectacular highlights and HDR colors really stand out on this set; even in a brightly lit room. We do recommend watching from as centered of a seating position as possible though, as there’s a bit of a green overcast to the image when viewing off-angle. Calling all gamers: Not only does the LG C4 have four HDMI 2.1 ports and 144Hz refresh rate capabilities, but features like VRR support lead to some of the best response times and lag-free performance we’ve ever seen on an OLED. The LG C4 is also equipped with LG’s webOS 24 for accessing streaming service apps like Netflix and Disney+, or streaming tunes via AirPlay 2. Historically, OLED TVs have always looked the best in dark rooms, so if your living room is often bathed in sunlight, the C4 Series may not be the best fit for your home. For that, have a look at our list of the best QLED TVs instead. LG OLED Evo C4 Runner-up Zeke Jones / Digital Trends A wire-free flagshipLG M3 Wireless OLED LG M3 Wireless OLED Review ***** Gorgeous OLED picture quality Low-latency wireless for gaming Solid wireless signal connection ***** Wireless box needs true line of sight It was only a matter of time before a TV company decided to go wireless, at least in terms of AV connectivity. Sure, Samsung’s One Connect tech is great for consolidating wire clutter, but the LG M3 Series goes a step further by eliminating cable leads altogether. That’s right: The M3 Series wirelessly beams picture and sound to the TV via its Zero Connect Box. A line-of-sight peripheral that should be placed no further than 30 feet away from the M3 Series, you’ll be able to connect everything from streaming devices to gaming consoles to the Zero Connect. Caleb Denison, our editor-at-large, has had the privilege of seeing this bad boy in action, and reported that there is no discernible picture difference between a tried and true HDMI cable and the M3’s wireless tech. As for overall picture quality, the LG M3 is simply a ******. As we’ve come to expect from the kinds of OLED, LG’s M3 Series delivers excellent ****** and contrast, on top of class-leading brightness for an OLED display. LG’s phenomenal a9 AI Processor Gen 6 is responsible for the TV’s image upscaling, and it does a terrific job at further enhancing visuals for each and every frame. The M3 is also optimized for next-gen gaming, with resolution and motion clarity topping out at 4K/120Hz. You’ll be able to grab this model in 77-, 83-, and 98-inch sizes, and even though this is LG’s first foray into wireless TV tech, the ********** is already excellent and we can’t wait to see what future iterations of the M3 Series will look and sound like. LG M3 Wireless OLED A wire-free flagship More Zeke Jones / Digital Trends The best OLED for videophilesSony XR A95L Sony Bravia A95L Review ***** Outstanding ****** accuracy and brightness Excellent contrast and luminance Gorgeous game mode picture quality Incredibly good upscaling ***** Some deep features not available at launch We finished our review of the Sony XR A95L as very happy campers. In fact, we awarded the latest Sony QD-OLED flagship a perfect five out of five stars. This TV is seriously good, and because we’re dealing with a QD-OLED display, there’s plenty of brightness, colors, and contrast perks thanks to those onboard quantum dots. But we’re really just scratching the surface with those highlights; so let’s take a look under the hood. As we’ve come to expect from most Sony sets, the formidable A95L is equipped with the company’s Cognitive Processor XR (CPXR) as the main brains behind the picture. As it handles everything from frame-to-frame improvements and 4K upscaling, we’ve always been major fans of Sony’s picture engine, but when you combine the CPXR with the A95L’s native panel tech and XR Triluminos Max, you get movies, shows, and video games that look like they could leap right off the screen. This is also the first of Sony’s QD-OLEDs to be equipped with the Pentonic 1000 HDMI chipset, which allows for Dolby Vision gameplay at up to 120Hz. That’s on top of other gaming features like VRR support and HDMI 2.1 connectivity. As for the latter, only two of the TV’s four ports support the latest HDMI standard, and as our own Caleb Denison points out in his review, one of these ports is also the TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port. This may pose a little trouble for those who may want to use the eARC connection for Dolby Atmos or HDMI CEC purposes, but one can always invest in an HDMI switcher if push comes to shove. Beyond that one minor hitch, the Sony A95L lives right on the cutting edge of TV tech, and other manufacturers should definitely be taking notes. If you’re in the market for a 55-inch model, you can take advantage of Best Buy’s $200 price cut on the Sony A95L. Sony XR A95L The best OLED for videophiles More Digital Trends A runner-up Sony OLEDSony Bravia 8 Series ***** Unbeatable ****** levels and rich colors Fantastic HDR performance Low input lag and fast response time ***** HDMI 2.1 is limited to two ports Not as bright as other OLEDs For 2024, Sony decided to part ways with the medley of random letters and numbers that generally make up its TV models. Instead, we’re getting simplified Bravia 3, 7, 8, and 9 Series labeling, and only one of these models is a 2024 Sony OLED: the Bravia 8 Series. And unlike the flagship Sony A95L QD-OLED, the Bravia 8 uses a WOLED panel. While this doesn’t really affect the TV’s contrast performance, the loss of quantum dots does make for a less vibrant image overall. But OLED TVs aren’t renowned for brightness to begin with (that’s where the best QLED TVs come into play); although the Bravia 8 does bring exceptional SDR and HDR brightness to the table. The Bravia 8 does an excellent job at standing up to ambient lighting and has a wide viewing angle, so every seat in the living room is the right seat. We’re also glad to see that Sony included a few gaming optimizations on the Bravia 8 too, including VRR support and an automatic Game Mode. In fact, the only drawback for gamers is that HDMI 2.1 is confined to two of the TV’s four HDMI ports. Available in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes, the Bravia 8 has a 50-watt, 2.1 speaker system, which produces a surprising amount of audio for a TV. As for all things apps, games, and smart home, Google TV is the OS and streaming hub for the job. Indulge in Netflix, cast media using AirPlay 2, or call upon Google Assistant to dim your smart lights. The Sony Bravia 8 Series may not be the best TV for every Sony fan, but it’s still one of our favorite OLED sets of the year. And if you go with one of the smaller sizes, there’s a good chance you’ll find this TV on our list of the best TVs under $1,000 eventually. Sony Bravia 8 Series A runner-up Sony OLED Zeke Jones / Digital Trends Best Samsung OLEDSamsung S95D QD-OLED Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV Review ***** ***** Anti-glare treatment is polarizing ******* may appear lifted in bright rooms While we couldn’t help but leave the Samsung S95C in our roundup for the time being, 2024 has given us the incredible Samsung S95D. This is the third generation of Samsung’s QD-OLED technology, combining quantum dots and self-emissive pixels to deliver a TV with plenty of picture detail — especially when it comes time to dig into its ****** palette. At one time, brightness was a major concern when buying an OLED TV, but sets like the S95D lay those worries to rest. In our own picture tests, editor-at-large Caleb Denison clocked 1,450 nits for peak brightness performance. While this isn’t exactly on par with QLEDs like the Hisense U8N, this type of brightness is a huge step forward for all OLEDs, not to mention the TV’s anti-glare matte screen, which helps to cut down on how much ambient lighting interferes with your picture. The S95D is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 inputs, and supports 4K/144Hz with Variable Refresh Rate. Whether you plan on hooking up your console or gaming PC, you’ll get near-instant response time and super-low input lag with this Samsung QD-OLED. We were also quite impressed by the S95D’s built-in speakers, which brought far ******* sound to the table than we’re used to from any modern TV. Available in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, the Samsung S95D QD-OLED is further proof that Samsung knows exactly what it’s doing with OLED technology. Samsung S95D QD-OLED Best Samsung OLED Frequently Asked Questions What is an OLED TV? OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and its signature characteristic is that each pixel on the screen of an OLED TV emits its own light and ****** and can be turned completely off to deliver true ****** ******. OLED versus QLED: which is better? Be sure to check out our QLED versus OLED explainer. In general, OLED TVs produce a higher-quality image than QLED TVs, but there are caveats. QLED TVs get brighter, and so they’re the better choice for brightly-lit rooms. Is OLED better than 4K? Trick question! OLED is a description of a kind of TV display, whereas 4K refers to a TV’s native resolution. Like LED and QLED TVs, you can buy 4K and even 8K OLED TVs — the choice is yours. What should I look for in an OLED TV? If you’re a gamer, make sure your OLED TV supports HDMI 2.1 at the least, and in an ideal world, it should have Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, too. If you’re a cinephile or video maven, find a model with the best picture processing. Is OLED the best TV technology? We think OLED TVs still currently produce the best overall image quality, but upcoming new formats such as QD-OLED, microLED and mini-LED-based QLED TVs are starting to threaten OLED TV’s crown. Do OLED TVs have HDR? Yes, all OLED TVs are compatible with at least HDR10 — the most common HDR format — while most offer support for HLG and Dolby Vision, too. Do OLED TVs have problems with *****-in? For the vast majority of buyers, *****-in will not be a problem, but it can happen. When it occurs, it’s usually because someone has set their OLED TV to show a TV channel or a video game that has on-screen graphics that don’t move much or at all and left it there for many hours each day, for many days in a row. Who makes the best OLED TV? We believe that LG Electronics makes the best overall OLED TV: the G4 Gallery Series. That said, Sony’s image processing is slightly better, so if image perfection is your main yardstick, a Sony OLED TV is a great way to go. While you’ll be hard pressed to find an OLED on our list of the best TVs under $500, this is a perfect example of getting what you pay for (at least when it comes to TV technology). Is an OLED TV worth it? Yes. OLED TVs are definitely expensive when compared to some other options, but their ****** levels, contrast, and ****** make for an awesome viewing experience. How do we test TVs? We’ve tested a lot of TVs. A lot. Our editor-at-large and resident TV expert, Caleb Denison, has been covering the TV and home theater space for decades. He’s one of the best int he business. But rather than trying to detail his reviewing process here, he’s ***** it all out in this excellent explainer on how he tests TVs. Glossary of terms Here’s a rundown of some of the most common terms associated with today’s TV technology. 4K Ultra HD This refers to a display resolution that is four times that of 1080p HD. A 4K Ultra HD TV’s pixel resolution is a 3,840 x 2,160 grid in a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in nearly 8.3 million pixels. This increase in density adds striking detail and realism to an image and allows larger screens to be viewed from closer distances without individual pixels becoming visible. High dynamic range (HDR) High dynamic range is probably most familiar to people through the HDR mode on their digital cameras. It’s designed to deliver a picture that has greater details in the shadows and highlights, plus a wider range of colors. HDR in televisions pursues the same goal. The ****** palette is wider, ******* are deeper, and ******* are brighter. Presently, there are two major HDR formats: HDR10 and Dolby Vision, with a third — HDR10+ — beginning to show up on new models, particularly those from Samsung. The first is the HDR standard, but Dolby Vision offers a premium experience. Consider a TV that supports both. HLG (hybrid log gamma) is another recent addition to the HDR collection, which supports over-the-air (OTA) broadcast content with HDR. Full-array local dimming (FALD) This refers to an LED TV’s backlighting system. A FALD display contains an array of LEDs spread out in a grid behind an LCD panel, rather than just at the edges of the TV. This LED array is broken up into zones that can be dimmed when necessary to achieve better ****** levels. Another benefit is more uniform brightness across the screen. Wide ****** gamut (WCG) These are the expanded ****** reproduction abilities of a 4K Ultra HD TV, which are closer than ever to what we see in a digital cinema. By approaching (or sometimes exceeding) the Digital Cinema Initiative’s (DCI) P3 ****** specification, a 4K UHD TV can produce billions of more colors than a 1080p HD TV. Quantum dots A layer of film loaded with tiny nanocrystal semiconductors is placed in a TV’s display panel to help produce a more accurate array of colors. Quantum dots work by producing a purer form of white light from a TV’s backlighting system, which helps the TV’s ****** filter perform more accurately. Phosphor-coated LED An alternative to Quantum Dots, phosphor-coated LEDs have a chemical coating to alter the light’s output. When used in a TV, this results in a purer backlight that’s more easily manipulated by a TV’s ****** filter, resulting in a wide ****** gamut and increased ****** accuracy. HDMI 2.1 The latest version of the HDMI spec. It offers new enhancements for video games like variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low-latency mode (ALLM) and the ability to pass 4K signals to the TV at up to 120Hz, for ultra-smooth motion. HDMI 2.1 is a requirement for 8K video sources like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. For most non-gamers, HDMI 2.1 is a nice way to future-proof yourself but it’s nowhere near a necessity yet. HDCP 2.3 The latest version of the High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection technology, which provides copy prevention specifically of 4K Ultra HD and 8K content. Any source device that requires HDCP 2.3 will require a TV with an HDCP 2.3-compliant HDMI port for a compatible connection. HEVC (H.265) Stands for “High-Efficiency Video Coding.” A compression technology developed to make large 4K UHD video files smaller and, therefore, easier to stream over broadband Internet connections. HEVC is said to double the data compression ratio over H.264, the predominant encoding technology used today for 1080p videos while retaining the same video quality. A smart TV or streaming set-top box must be able to decode HEVC to playback 4K Ultra HD video from sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. VP9 An alternative to HEVC developed by Google and used predominantly for encoding 4K Ultra HD YouTube videos. For a smart TV or streaming set-top box to play 4K Ultra HD YouTube videos, it must be able to decode VP9 videos. Source link #OLED #TVs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Day of the Devs livestream will showcase indie titles a day before the Game Awards Day of the Devs livestream will showcase indie titles a day before the Game Awards On December 12, The Game Awards will reveal some of the biggest upcoming games and honor the industry’s achievements yet again. The day before it’s set to take place, however, a Day of the Devs event will put a spotlight on indie developers and titles in a livestream that fans everywhere can watch online. This Game Awards Edition showcase will feature quite a lengthy list of developer partners, including Heart Machine, which is best known for 2D action role-playing game Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash, a 3D platformer set against a neon-******** landscape. Panic, the developer behind Untitled Goose Game, will also participate in the event, along with Annapurna, a publisher whose games include What ******** of Edith Finch. There’s also Riffraff Games that debuted its first title, Sleight of Hand, a “noir stealth sim” game about a former occult detective who must track down and defeat her former coven earlier this year. The event will showcase 19 indie titles in all and will feature seven world premieres, title reveals and release date announcements throughout. Indie games fans can watch it on the official Game Awards YouTube and Twitch channels on December 11, starting at 9AM PT/12PM ET. The Game Awards recently announced this year’s nominees, with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Astro **** leading the pack with seven nominations each. Metaphor: ReFantazio, a fantasy ********* RPG from the same team behind Persona 5, got six noms. Silent Hill 2 and the poker/roguelike game Balatro aren’t far behind, each with five nominations. All of those games, aside from Silent Hill 2, are shortlisted for Game of the Year, along with ****** Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Source link #Day #Devs #livestream #showcase #indie #titles #day #Game #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Adani Group shares nosedive after chairman Gautam Adani charged with ****** in New York Adani Group shares nosedive after chairman Gautam Adani charged with ****** in New York Signage of Adani Group at Adani Defence and Aerospace booth during the Aero India 2023 at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru, India, on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images India’s Adani Group saw shares of its companies plunge Thursday after its billionaire chairman Gautam Adani was indicted in a New York federal court over his alleged involvement in an extensive bribery and ****** operation. The 62-year-old billionaire and the seven other defendants have been accused of paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts that could generate more than $2 billion in profits. The Indian group’s flagship firm Adani Enterprises fell 10%, while the company in the eye of the storm Adani Green Energy tanked 17.28%. Adani Energy fell 20%. Adani Power lost 13.81%, Adani Port’s share price dropped 10%, while the group’s retail arm Adani Wilmar shed 7.87%. The benchmark NSE Nifty 50 Index slid 0.63% in its first hour of trade. Adani, along with two executives from Adani Green Energy Limited — his nephew Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain — have been charged with misleading U.S. and international investors about the company’s adherence to antibribery and anticorruption standards while raising over $3 billion to finance energy projects. The five-count indictment in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn also accused Ranjit Gupta and Rupesh Agarwal, former executives of the renewable energy firm Azure Power Global, along with three former employees of the ********* institutional investor Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec — Saurabh Agarwal, Cyril Cabanes, and Deepak Malhotra. CDPQ said it is aware of the charges filed. “Those employees were all terminated in 2023 and CDPQ is cooperating with U.S. authorities,” the investor said in an email. This comes after the conglomerate spent the bulk of last year attempting to move beyond the allegations of accounting ****** and “brazen stock manipulation” made by shortseller firm Hindenburg Research. “Since releasing our January 2023 report identifying Adani as the largest corporate **** in history, we have never wavered in our view, nor has Adani ever refuted our findings,” Hindenburg said in a statement to CNBC on Thursday. The conglomerate had rebutted the claims, adding that it has “always been in compliance with all laws.” These charges do not change the “strong underlying fundamentals” of India’s market or the country’s growth trajectory, said Raymond James’ head of advisory solutions and market strategy, Matt Orton. “Once the dust settles, there will be even better opportunities for long-term investors in India,” he said. —CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this report. Source link #Adani #Group #shares #nosedive #chairman #Gautam #Adani #charged #****** #York Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

After Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Dev Wants To Do Final Fantasy 6 Next After Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Dev Wants To Do Final Fantasy 6 Next Square Enix doesn’t sound like it will slow down the HD-2D remake treatment going forward. Though nothing is official, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake producer Masaaki Hayasaka offered up his preference for the team’s next project: Final Fantasy VI. Speaking with Inverse, Hayasaka was asked what could be next from Square Enix after remaking Dragon Quest III and Live A Live before that. “It’s not that we have concrete plans for this, but personally I would have to say Final Fantasy VI,” said the producer. “Octopath Traveler–the first HD-2D title–was developed while referencing [Final Fantasy VI], as it had the highest-quality pixel art. I would love to see how the game we referenced would look with the HD-2D art style.” You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake – 7 Minutes Of Playstation 5 Gameplay | Trailer Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake just launched last week, while the first two games in the RPG franchise will get the same treatment next year. Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii believes playing the Erdrick trilogy from 3 to 1 to 2 will be fun for players. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VI is not only thought of as one of the best RPGs in that series, but overall as well. The game originally launched on SNES in 1994 but is currently part of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection. For more, check out GameSpot’s Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake review. Source link #Dragon #Quest #HD2D #Remake #Dev #Final #Fantasy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Archegos founder Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison Archegos founder Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison Former Wall Street investor, Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in a massive ****** case that cost banks billions of dollars. The sentence comes after Hwang was found guilty of ****** and market manipulation in a case linked to the ******** of his investment fund Archegos Capital Management in 2021. “The amount of losses that were caused by your conduct are larger than any other losses I have dealt with,” US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said before announcing the sentence, in quotes cited by Reuters news agency. The prison term was slightly shorter than the 21-year prison sentence sought by prosecutors, but is still unusually long for a white-collar ******. Prosecutors had also been seeking a restitution payment but the judge has not announced his decision on the matter. The sentencing hearing is set to resume on Thursday. Hwang was found guilty of lying to major investment banks as he secretly amassed large bets on several companies. When Archegos was unable to repay its lenders, it prompted a mass sell-off of stocks and the fund quickly collapsed in less than a week, making it one of the largest hedge fund collapses since the 2008 financial crisis. Among the major banks that suffered huge losses as a result of Archegos’ implosion were Credit Suisse, which has since become a part of UBS, Japan’s Nomura and Morgan Stanley. Hwang’s lawyers had called for him not to be punished, citing his ********** ****** and his donations to charity. They also said his wealth, which at one point was valued at an estimated $30bn (£23.7bn), had fallen to an estimated $55m. The judge called the requests for leniency “utterly ridiculous” due to the money involved and compared Hwang to the disgraced founder of FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, who received a 25-year sentence for ****** last year, according to Bloomberg. Hwang’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC. Hwang’s deputy at Archegos and co-defendant, Patrick Halligan, who was also found guilty on three ********* charges at the same trial, is set to be sentenced at a hearing scheduled for 27 January. Source link #Archegos #founder #Bill #Hwang #sentenced #years #prison Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

“Albion Fashion Week” The First Descendant Devs Plan to Add a User-Created Skin Contest “Albion Fashion Week” The First Descendant Devs Plan to Add a User-Created Skin Contest With the opening of the official Q&A channel on TFD Discord, the devs are keeping the fans up to date with all the news and their plans for the game while answering tons of questions. And, when they announced that “Shared Skins” were coming to the game, a lot of fans were worried that would increase their price tag. Source link #Albion #Fashion #Week #Descendant #Devs #Plan #Add #UserCreated #Skin #Contest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

***’s longest-serving MPs unite to oppose assisted dying bill ***’s longest-serving MPs unite to oppose assisted dying bill The ***’s two longest-serving MPs have ******* to oppose the assisted dying bill, which is due to be debated in Parliament next week. In a ****** article for the Guardian, Labour’s Diane Abbott and the ************* Sir Edward Leigh have said their politics “could not be more different”. However, they say they share concerns that the proposed legislation would put “vulnerable minorities” at risk. They also argue that the process for bringing the bill to Parliament has been “rushed” and that scrutiny of its contents “is being limited”. The bill has been proposed by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who argued it would help stop people experiencing “very harrowing” deaths. She also said it contained the “strictest safeguards anywhere in the world”. The bill – named the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – would give someone expected to **** within six months the right to choose to end their own life. The legislation would require two independent doctors and a judge to determine whether the person satisfies the criteria to take their own life – including expressing a clear wish to do so, free from coercion. Expressing their fears about the bill, Abbott and Sir Edward said: “Evidence from elsewhere suggests those most at risk when assisted ******** is legalised are vulnerable minorities. “Such people, unlike privileged elites who are used to exercising autonomy over every part of their lives and who can afford good-quality social and palliative care, are most likely to resign themselves to an assisted ****** against their will because they are unable to access the support they require. “Imagine the pensioner whose children cannot afford houses of their own watching her limited savings, earmarked for those children, disappearing on social care and so feeling a ‘duty to ****’. “Or consider the elderly widow who has been hospitalised and worries she is taking up a valuable bed in an NHS under significant strain and would be better off *****.” They acknowledged such incidents would be “relatively rare” but said it would be “simply not possible to avoid such scenarios if assisted ******** were to be made legal”. As the longest-serving female and male MPs in Parliament, Abbott and Sir Edward hold the titles of Mother and Father of the House. The two MPs – who between them have nearly 80 years of parliamentary experience – also objected to the timetable for debating the bill. They noted that in 2015, the last time a similar bill was introduced, MPs had seven weeks to read the bill before debating it in the House of Commons, whereas Leadbeater’s bill had been published just 18 days ahead of the first debate. “The inadequacy of this timescale is heightened by the unprecedented number of new MPs,” they said. “Parliament will have sat for just 12 weeks by the time MPs vote on what is, quite literally, a matter of life and ******.” “Many MPs are still relatively unfamiliar with normal parliamentary procedure, let alone for private members’ bills, of which this will be the first in this Parliament.” Private members’ bills are pieces of legislation proposed by backbenchers, rather than the government. Following debate of the bill, MPs will get a free vote, meaning they will not have to follow any party line. If the bill passes its first vote, it will received further scrutiny from MPs and peers. In order to become law it would need approval from both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Earlier this week, former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman insisted the bill would get “as many days as necessary”. She said the “only time constraint” was that, in order to pass, the bill needed to complete all its stages by November 2025. “I don’t think the government is showing any signs of wanting to restrict debate.” Source link #UKs #longestserving #MPs #unite #oppose #assisted #dying #bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Squid Game: Unleashed’s release date unveiled alongside new trailer Squid Game: Unleashed’s release date unveiled alongside new trailer Squid Game: Unleashed, the upcoming adaptation exclusive to Netflix Games, now has a release date It debuts alongside a new trailer showing off the gory carnage that you can expect Squid Game: Unleashed drops for iOS and Android on December 17th When it comes to adapting their most famous original series, Netflix has been a little hit or miss. Sure, there are pixel-art adventures like Stranger Things, but I’m not sure how well Too Hot to Handle is doing with the kind of people who find dating shows fascinating, no offence. But for those looking for a bit more action and *********, the reveal that Squid Game: Unleashed is set to hit Netflix on December 17th will be a welcome one! Pitting you against your friends and strangers, Squid Game: Unleashed throws you into the iconic, chilling ****** contest, although this time with a bit more of an amusing veneer. Whether that’s good or bad depends on your perspective on the show, but it certainly looks to capitalise on the popularity of Hwang Don-hyuk’****** series. Taking you through iconic scenarios from the show, with a few new ones dropped in for good measure, Squid Game: Unleashed could be the big hit Netflix has been waiting for. Dropping right before season two of the show appears on December 26th, you can pre-register for Squid Game: Unleashed right now! Calamari There’s definitely something to be said for the irony of a show about the dehumanisation of people and the use of their deaths for amusement being turned into a multiplayer battler. Yet at the same time from a purely detached perspective, it makes sense, and it looks as if Netflix has finally caught onto the fact that drawing in a dedicated multiplayer audience could keep fans coming back to their service even if they bounce off some of their streaming fare. Still, while you wait why not check out some other new releases? Our own Jack Brassel has given a glowing review to Honey Grove, a calming gardening sim. Source link #Squid #Game #Unleasheds #release #date #unveiled #trailer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Elephant kicking your heart’: Man recalls horror moment he was stung by world’s deadliest fish during Aussie holiday ‘Elephant kicking your heart’: Man recalls horror moment he was stung by world’s deadliest fish during Aussie holiday A young paramedic has recalled his suspected run-in with the world’s most venomous fish while holidaying in Australia. Source link #Elephant #kicking #heart #Man #recalls #horror #moment #stung #worlds #deadliest #fish #Aussie #holiday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is struggling to take off after launch Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is struggling to take off after launch Xbox Game Studios Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launched this week on Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass, but players are reporting a lot of performance issues, including long ****** times or not being able to play at all, with some players stuck at 97% when loading in. In a video posted Wednesday, Asobo Studios apologized for the launch, explaining that it “underestimated” the demand on its servers. “We knew the excitement was high for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but frankly, we completely underestimated how high, and it has really overwhelmed our infrastructure,” series head Jorg Neumann said. “We’re really sorry, we want to apologize.” The game’s X support account recommends thazt players reboot the game if they get stuck above 90%, and that check the Xbox Status page for any updates. It also mentions that the waiting ****** problems have been resolved. A lot of the issues come down to new features added to this new entry in the series. To cut down on how much of this gigantic game needs to load in (assets, maps, etc.), Asobo Studios implemented cloud storage technology so that it only needs to load what’s in your flight path. The game makes a request from the server, and is able to pull assets from a database. That request can take a while to fulfill, so a lot is stored in the cache. This was tested before launch with simulations of 200,000 users. In the video update, Asobo CEO Sebastian Wloch explained that the long loading times and many of the performance issues are due to strain on the servers’ caches. The large amount of requests has caused that cache to be “saturated.” Wloch said the team tried restarting the services, throttling the number of players, and increasing the ****** size for higher speeds, but that only worked for a little while before collapsing due to the sheer number of requests. It also results in many elements not loading in, like default aircrafts that are deemed “optional.” “We’re trying to investigate, doing our best, and going as fast as we can to make sure everybody goes in,” Wloch said. It’s not uncommon for a game as large as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to have launch problems. It’s incredibly taxing, requiring 64GB of RAM to run at recommended settings on PC. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 pushed people to buy more RAM and upgrade their PCs. These problems go much further, and players have noticed. The Steam version has an “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating right now. Source link #Microsoft #Flight #Simulator #2024is #struggling #launch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

North Carolina GOP lawmakers vote to strip incoming Democratic leaders’ powers North Carolina GOP lawmakers vote to strip incoming Democratic leaders’ powers North Carolina *********** lawmakers voted to strip the state’s incoming Democratic governor and attorney general of key powers, passing a sweeping bill before the GOP most likely loses its veto-proof supermajority in the Legislature next year. The legislation would grant the authority to appoint members to the state’s election board, which oversees the voting process in North Carolina, to the state auditor, an office that will be held by *********** Dave Boliek after he defeated incumbent Democrat Jessica Holmes in the Nov. 5 election. That power currently ***** with the governor’s office, which will remain in Democratic hands after Attorney General Josh Stein defeated *********** Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Republicans have long sought control of the State Board of Elections, which is historically controlled by the same party as the governor, but the courts have foiled their past efforts. The legislation would also shorten the time for voters to fix ballot errors and require counties to count ballots more rapidly. The changes are just one part of a massive, 131-page bill that includes hurricane relief funding and would advance a spate of other *********** legislative priorities. The law was written behind closed doors and introduced as a committee substitute Tuesday morning, replacing a long-discarded bill about dental practices. Both GOP-controlled chambers passed it over just two days, though three Republicans opposed the measure in the House on Tuesday. After the Senate passed the bill Wednesday, it heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. “State Board staff were not consulted about this significant piece of legislation that transfers authority of the State Board of Elections and makes substantial administrative changes that may make it impossible for the county boards of elections to adequately ensure every eligible ballot cast is counted, especially in high turnout elections,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. The bill also proposes prohibiting the attorney general, an office Democrats also kept control of in this month’s election, from taking legal positions contrary to those of the Legislature. That would prevent the state’s incoming attorney general, Jeff Jackson, from refusing to defend laws the Legislature has passed, as Stein did with the state’s new ********* law last year. The new bill would also strip the governor of some of his power in filling judicial vacancies and creating new Superior Court positions nominated by legislative leaders. Republicans are on track to lose their supermajority in the Legislature pending the result of a recount in a state House race, in which the Democrat currently leads in the GOP-held district. That means they would be unable to override any future vetoes from Stein without Democratic support. Stein is succeeding Cooper, whose administration repeatedly clashed with the ***********-led Legislature in the battleground state. In a post on X on Tuesday, Stein said that “instead of stepping up, the Republicans in the General Assembly are grabbing power and exacting political retribution.” This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Source link #North #Carolina #GOP #lawmakers #vote #strip #incoming #Democratic #leaders #powers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 13 best retro gaming gifts for the 2024 holidays The 13 best retro gaming gifts for the 2024 holidays The stream of new video games seemingly never ends but, for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local game shops for old cartridges to add to your loved one’s collection, we’ve got some other gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life — from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork. Best retro gaming gifts for 2024 Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Using old controllers is a big part of retro gaming’s charm, but sometimes there’s a fine line between classic and antiquated. For those who like the original PlayStation or PS2, but aren’t crazy about Sony’s earliest gamepads, the 8BitDo Retro Receiver for PS lets a variety of modern controllers work with those consoles wirelessly. The adapter supports Sony’s PS4 and PS5 pads, Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S controllers (including the Xbox Adaptive Controller), Nintendo’s Wii U Pro and Switch Pro controllers and most of 8BitDo’s own gamepad lineup. It won’t add analog control to every game, nor will it replicate the pressure-sensitive face buttons supported by a handful of PS2 titles, but it pairs simply, supports rumble and doesn’t add any significant lag. Most importantly, it makes it easier to play Vagrant Story or Klonoa 2 from the couch. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter $25 at Amazon Pressman If you’ve never ***** of dysentery, have you truly ever lived? In the world of retro gaming, Oregon Trail holds a special place in the collective memory. Not just because it was possibly one of the first games people ever played, but it was likely how many of us learned about the struggles of our forefathers — including dysentery. The original game is available online, but for your vintage-game loving giftee, the Oregon Trail Card Game packages all the fun (and *********) into a format that can be shared (or forced) upon friends around the dinner table. Whether your recipient sees themself as a Banker from Boston or a Farmer from Illinois, all of the game’s classic dynamics are here, preserved in infinite-battery life board game format. Two to six people can play together and they’ll have to work to overcome the many challenges that faced travelers on the trail. The game is rated for players ages 12 and above, which we presume won’t be a problem for someone into a game from the ‘70s. — James Trew, Former Editor-at-Large $15 at Amazon GameSir You don’t need a dedicated handheld to use emulators — your smartphone can work just as well. That said, few retro games were made with touch controls in mind. With a mobile gamepad like the GameSir G8 Galileo, that’s no longer an issue. It’s on the larger side, but the bulk makes it feel closer to a traditional console controller than most other options in this space. All of its buttons, triggers and joysticks feel good and responsive on top of that, and it works immediately with a wide range of phones over USB-C — no fiddling in Bluetooth menus required. You’ll probably need to remove your phone case any time you want to use it, and a smaller pad like the Backbone One is easier to pack for the road. But for settling into a game or two for hours at a time, the G8 should cause less hand cramping. — J.D. $80 at Amazon RetroTink Collecting vintage consoles can be a blast, but most of those systems were designed for old CRT TVs, not modern flat screens. Yes, some newish TVs have legacy inputs for older devices, and it’s possible to use a basic HDMI adapter — but those can introduce significant lag and blur, making older gear hard to enjoy. For a cleaner, more faithful image, an external video upscaler like the RetroTink 5X-Pro is the way to go. It’s a little ****** box that can connect to a wide range of retro consoles and instantly make them look sharp on modern HD displays. It can output up to a 1440p resolution, yet keeps latency low enough that only the pickiest players will notice. It has a host of inputs and settings for fine-tuning a console’s image, including multiple forms of deinterlacing and different fake yet fairly clean scanlines that create a more old-school look. But the beauty of the RetroTink is that it does most of its work behind the scenes, so your giftee won’t have to spend forever tinkering to make games look good. Just plug a console in, and everything’s pretty much good to go. It goes without saying that this is a device for ********* collectors and, at $325, the 5X-Pro is definitely a splurge. — J.D. $325 at RetroTink Will Lipman Photography for Engadget There are almost as many ways to play retro games these days as there are games to play. Or at least, it can feel that way sometimes. In our humble opinion, one of the very best of those is the Analogue Pocket handheld console. Unlike other emulators, the Pocket has a cartridge port and can play any Game Boy, Game Boy ****** and Game Boy Advance title natively. There is also an adapter for ***** Game Gear games, and options for the Atari Lynx, TurboGrafx-16 and Neo Geo Pocket ****** are supposed to be available in time for the holidays. We loved the Pocket when we reviewed it, and not just for its faithful reproduction of classic games on a fantastic modern display. We also loved that the Pocket has music-making software built right in and can easily be played on a TV via a dock (though, that costs extra). If your giftee wants to play games from other systems than those mentioned here, know that there’s a thriving community of Pocket fans that have expanded the range of games it can emulate to include digital backups from systems such as the NES, SNES and Genesis. — J.T. $220 at Analogue Engadget If the Analogue Pocket is a bit too pricey and your loved one has no problem with emulators, the Retroid Pocket 4 is another commendable handheld. As an emulation-focused device, it takes more legwork to set up but it can run games up to the PSP and Dreamcast range without much issue. Its Switch Lite-style design is built well and easy to fit in a bag, while its 4.7-inch display is sharp and bright. Since it runs on Android, getting around its software shouldn’t feel totally unfamiliar either. We highlight the Pocket 4 here since it’s fairly affordable at $149, but it’s worth noting that Retroid sells other models with faster chips, OLED displays and different display sizes if you’re willing to splurge. — J.D. Read more: The best gaming handhelds $149 at Retroid Engadget If there’s one thing that retro gamers love, it’s a “top 100” list to disagree with. What makes this book the perfect (if slightly cruel) gift is that there’s no comment section in which for them to voice their opinions. But in all seriousness, this hardcover book covers 100 of the most important games ever made, complete with behind the scenes stories and interviews from the developers. Alongside the historical insights are full ****** box art prints and tons of screenshots that are dripping in nostalgia. Whether your lucky giftee agrees with the list of games or not, it’ll look fantastic on their coffee table or, more likely, perched behind them on a shelf during a Twitch stream. — J.T. $29 at Amazon Engadget For ***** fans who don’t want to go through the hassle of securing an original Genesis (or downloading a library of ROMs), the ***** Genesis Mini 2 is a more accessible way to enjoy some blast processing nostalgia. It comes with a library of 60 Genesis and ***** CD games that weren’t included on the first Genesis Mini, including hits like Sonic CD, Streets of Rage 3, Herzog Zwei and Phantasy Star II. (Plus decidedly non-classics like Night Trap.) The emulation from retro specialists M2 is on point and while it only includes one controller, it’s the superior six-button Genesis pad, not the three-button model that came with the previous mini console. Perhaps most importantly, it’s one of the last mini emulation consoles you can actually still buy, though you’ll have to import it through Amazon Japan. — J.D. $188 at Amazon Engadget Perhaps the simplest way to give someone access to a large number of retro classics is through a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The Mario maker’s online service comes with a number of emulated essentials from the NES, Super NES and Game Boy, all of which support instant save states and rewinding in case the going gets too tough. Upgrading to the Expansion Pack adds a range of N64, Game Boy Advance and ***** Genesis titles. The N64 and GBA libraries aren’t quite as comprehensive as the other systems and, yes, it’s a bummer that the Switch doesn’t let you fully own these decades-old games. (The N64 app doesn’t support rewind either.) But if your loved one wants to experience some of Nintendo’s foundational titles for the first time or just take a stroll down memory lane, this is an accessible way to make it happen. — J.D. $20 at Amazon Will Lipman Photography for Engadget We’re reluctant to peddle in stereotypes, but if you have a friend or family member that loves retro games, there’s a high chance they’d also appreciate the vintage clickety-clack of a mechanical keyboard. 8-Bitdo, a company known for its popular retro-focused game controllers (recommended elsewhere in this guide) has expanded into console-themed PC accessories, and the Retro Mechanical Keyboard is the perfect gift for the Mario-maniac in your life. Importantly, this isn’t just a solid keyboard for Windows, Mac and Android (although it is that). It’s also not just a great tribute to the design of the Nintendo Entertainment System (although it is also that). The Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a “tenkeyless” (TKL) style keyboard that includes a volume knob, Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz wireless modes and USB connectivity. Best of all, though, are the included, oversized red A and B buttons that your giftee can assign to whatever keyboard feature they like. — J.T. $88 at Amazon Bitmap Books Game Boy: The Box Art Collection is a quality coffee-table book that does exactly what its title promises: present the box art for more than 300 different Game Boy games in bold, vibrant colors. The selection includes essentials (Super Mario Land, Balloon ****) and less-remembered fare (Bubble Ghost, Jelly Boy) alike, sprinkling in both Western and ********* covers along the way. Each title gets a full page layout, with brief write-ups for both the game and actual art accompanied by a handful of screenshots. It all makes for a breezy yet illuminating trip down memory lane for collectors and video game historians. If your giftee isn’t super passionate about Nintendo’s original handheld, publisher Bitmap Books has several other retro-themed works worth checking out, from a history of Metal Slug to a visual compendium for the Nintendo 64. — J.D. $50 at Amazon Mossmouth There are tons of old games you could hunt down for your loved one, so it’s worth checking in with them first and seeing if one is high up on their wish list. If you’re after something new that should appeal to a vintage game lover, though, it’s hard to think of a more fitting pick than UFO 50. This is a compilation of 50 all-new games — not mini-games, but complete things — that are designed with 8-bit sensibilities at heart but, for the most part, aren’t totally beholden to pastiche. All of them are unlocked from the start, and together, they present a remarkable breadth of experiences, from a point-and-click horror adventure to a first-person dungeon crawler to a sports game best described as “Windjammers with katanas.” More than that, they speak to what makes good old games so appealing in the first place: uncompromised ideas, distinct styles and a willingness to play with form. For a collection that’s designed to look old, UFO 50 plays like a breath of fresh air. — J.D. $25 at Steam Grid Studio A frame from Grid Studio should fit well into any dedicated game room. These pieces deconstruct classic gadgets and tidily showcase their components as wall art. The gaming selection includes several handheld consoles and controllers, from the Wiimote, to the Xbox “Duke”, to the ***** Game Gear. Some collectors may wince at the idea of destroying old devices instead of preserving them, but if there’s a particular system your loved one is fond of, this is a classy way to show it off. — J.D. From $179 at Grid Studio FAQs Why do people buy retro games? Because they’re fun! Or because video game companies have generally had a spotty record of preserving their own history — and (legally) saving art, even in a minuscule way, is important. Or because, deep down, collectors just want to stave off the ceaseless march of time and hang onto any way to relive their youth before it dissipates for good. Or because they’re jaded with modern game design and crave shorter, more distinct or altogether different experiences that aren’t being served by today’s market. Or because they want to flip the games they collect for a quick buck on eBay. Or because… well, you get the idea. — J.D. Why is retro gaming so expensive? To put it simply: supply and demand. Companies aren’t making old games and consoles any more, yet a growing number of gaming enthusiasts want them. And as retro game collecting has grown more popular, sellers have become more acutely aware of how high they can price their goods. Not every retro game costs an arm and a leg, however: Popular games from relatively recent consoles are usually more affordable than lesser-selling titles for older hardware, and you can still find a good bargain every now and then by digging through local yard sales, individual eBay sellers and the like. — J.D. Are retro games a good investment? It depends on how you define “good.” Is it a good idea to buy a bunch of old games in the hopes that their value will skyrocket and make you a tidy profit? No, there’s little rhyme or reason to determining exactly which games will ****** up in value and by how much. There are much safer ways to invest if all you care about are financial returns. Is it a good idea to drop a bunch of cash on 40-year-old video games if you have pressing financial responsibilities? Probably not! But hey, it’s your life. If collecting retro games makes you happy, and you can budget for them within reason, that’s a good thing. Have fun. — J.D. What qualifies as a retro game? There’s no set definition for when a video game becomes “retro.” Personally, I think of it as any game that’s at least 10 years old and was originally released on a console that’s two or more generations old (or, for PC games, during that generation). But many others would stretch the timeline back farther, and the growing advent of “live service” games has complicated things. For instance, Grand Theft Auto V was released in 2013, while World of Warcraft arrived in 2004 — are those “retro games” when millions of people still play them today? Maybe not. With games from the ‘90s or earlier, though, the distinction is clearer. — J.D. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. Source link #retro #gaming #gifts #holidays Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Redmi Note 14 5G Series India Launch Set for December 9: Expected Specifications Redmi Note 14 5G Series India Launch Set for December 9: Expected Specifications Xiaomi will launch the Redmi Note 14 5G series in India next month, the company confirmed via its social media channels on Thursday. It will succeed the Note 13 series, which debuted in January, and may comprise three models: a base, a Pro, and a Pro+ variant. Xiaomi’s sub-brand already debuted its latest Note 14 series in China in September and the phones’ global launch, including India, is now expected to follow suit. Redmi Note 14 Series Launch Date Xiaomi India’s official X (formerly Twitter) account teased the arrival of the Redmi Note 14 5G series in India via a post which redirected to the company’s Instagram broadcast channel, where the official announcement was made. The phones will be launched in India on December 9. While no specifications of the upcoming smartphones were revealed, Xiaomi India hinted at the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and camera-centric features. The announcement message read: “The wait is over… and it’s worth staying up for! The much-awaited Redmi Note 14 Series is finally here! Bringing advanced AI features and game-changing camera innovations. Get ready to capture, create, and explore like never before. This is just the start of something big. Stay tuned, because the era of Note is here to redefine everything! Launching on 9th December.” It is not yet known if the Indian variants of the Redmi Note 14 5G series will have similar specifications to their ******** counterparts. As part of the lineup, Redmi Note 14 5G, Note 14 Pro 5G and Note 14 Pro Plus 5G are expected to make their debut in India. Redmi Note 14 5G Series Specifications Previous reports suggest all models in the Redmi Note 14 series may sport a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pro and Pro+ variants are said to be powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and Dimensity 7300 Ultra chipsets, respectively, while the base model has MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra SoC under the hood. Both the Redmi Note 14 Pro and Note 14 Pro+ are speculated to feature a triple rear camera setup, sharing a 50-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Note 14 Pro+ may get a 50-megapixel portrait telephoto camera, while the Pro model is said to get a 2-megapixel macro camera. The former packs a 6,200mAh battery with 90W fast charging support, while the latter is backed by a 5,500mAh battery with 44W fast charging capability. Source link #Redmi #Note #Series #India #Launch #Set #December #Expected #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This lithium stock is an under-the-radar turnaround story, according to the charts This lithium stock is an under-the-radar turnaround story, according to the charts On the day that Nvidia is reporting earnings post-close, there isn’t much attention on anything else, especially not chemical companies. We’re going to change that, at least temporarily: Albemarle (ALB) has been showing signs of technical life lately, and it should be on our radar screens from both the short-term and long-term perspective. Momentum check First, the bad news: ALB, which is a leading provider of lithium, has been making lower highs and lower lows since topping out in November’22, giving few signs along the way that it’s finally ready to reverse its long-term downtrend. There’s no use in trying to bottom fish a stock that continues to make new lows… until it actually shows a marked change of character. And over the last few months, ALB has been beginning to turn the corner. Thus, said change of character now has materialized. In recent days, the stock has been flirting with its 200-day moving average, which it has had trouble touching (let alone staying above) since early 2023. The 50- and 100-day moving averages have begun to turn higher, as well, with both of them now acting as support over the last two months. The 50-day line is trading at its biggest distance above the 100-day line in nearly two years, too. This is a constructive development. The stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (which measures momentum) also has stayed in the upper half of the range since September, which is one of the longest such stints over the last two years. This is another positive trait and a prerequisite for any major shift to possibly play out. Bullish pattern breakout All of this has resulted in the construction of this potential five-month bullish inverse head & shoulders pattern. Again, ALB has tried and ******* to stay above the formation’s neckline over the last two weeks, thus, we need a better effort this time. If the stock can, in fact, see an upside follow through soon, then the measured move target would be up at $138. The MUCH ******* picture From the November 2022 top to the August 2024 low, ALB cratered 80%. While that’s the biggest peak to trough move over the last 20 years, the stock has endured three other big multi-year declines, totaling -70% (2007-09), -50% (2014-15) and -70% (2017-20). When those monstrous downturns ended the last three times, ALB has rallied strongly over the next number of years and made new all-time highs each time. The resulting percentage up-moves speak for themselves: +370% (2009-11), +250% (2015-17) and +600% (2020-22). Again, this isn’t a short-term phenomenon. It very well could take years once again for ALB to get back above its last high at 334. Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but patterns have the tendency to repeat – both over the short-term and long-term. For this process to continue now, ALB must first extend from its latest daily pattern breakout. DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #lithium #stock #undertheradar #turnaround #story #charts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Wars Outlaws Gets First Big Discount At Amazon For ****** Friday Star Wars Outlaws Gets First Big Discount At Amazon For ****** Friday Star Wars Outlaws is available at big ****** Friday discount at Amazon, making now a good time to hop into Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars adventure. Developed by Massive Entertainment, the game is now on ***** for $50 (was $70) on both PS5 and Xbox Series X. This is the first major discount offered since Star Wars Outlaws launched on August 30. And since you’re getting Amazon’s Limited Edition, you’ll get a few exclusive cosmetics. $50 (was $70) This deal is for physical copies of the Amazon-exclusive Star Wars Outlaws Limited Edition, which includes the based game and The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack with extra skins for playable character Kay Vess and her critter companion Nix. This deal is for physical copies of the Amazon-exclusive Star Wars Outlaws Limited Edition, which includes the based game and The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack with extra skins for playable character Kay Vess and her critter companion Nix. Unlike most Star Wars games that cast you as Force-using Jedi and the Sith, Star Wars Outlaws lets players fulfill their dreams of being an interstellar smuggler. The game stars Kay Vess, a young upstart scoundrel taking on dangerous jobs for various factions, including organized ****** cartels and even the Galactic Empire. The game isn’t perfect–although some of its more annoying issues have been addressed in patches–but if you can overlook its flaws, this is a Star Wars game that fans of the franchise will appreciate. For a few more ****** Friday game deals, take a look at Amazon’s video game deals section. You can also hop over to GameSpot’s ****** Friday deals hub to see the latest promotions from even more retailers. Source link #Star #Wars #Outlaws #Big #Discount #Amazon #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Redmi Note 14 5G Series India Launch Set for December 9: Expected Specifications Redmi Note 14 5G Series India Launch Set for December 9: Expected Specifications Xiaomi will launch the Redmi Note 14 5G series in India next month, the company confirmed via its social media channels on Thursday. It will succeed the Note 13 series, which debuted in January, and may comprise three models: a base, a Pro, and a Pro+ variant. Xiaomi’s sub-brand already debuted its latest Note 14 series in China in September and the phones’ global launch, including India, is now expected to follow suit. Redmi Note 14 Series Launch Date Xiaomi India’s official X (formerly Twitter) account teased the arrival of the Redmi Note 14 5G series in India via a post which redirected to the company’s Instagram broadcast channel, where the official announcement was made. The phones will be launched in India on December 9. While no specifications of the upcoming smartphones were revealed, Xiaomi India hinted at the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and camera-centric features. The announcement message read: “The wait is over… and it’s worth staying up for! The much-awaited Redmi Note 14 Series is finally here! Bringing advanced AI features and game-changing camera innovations. Get ready to capture, create, and explore like never before. This is just the start of something big. Stay tuned, because the era of Note is here to redefine everything! Launching on 9th December.” It is not yet known if the Indian variants of the Redmi Note 14 5G series will have similar specifications to their ******** counterparts. As part of the lineup, Redmi Note 14 5G, Note 14 Pro 5G and Note 14 Pro Plus 5G are expected to make their debut in India. Redmi Note 14 5G Series Specifications Previous reports suggest all models in the Redmi Note 14 series may sport a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pro and Pro+ variants are said to be powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and Dimensity 7300 Ultra chipsets, respectively, while the base model has MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra SoC under the hood. Both the Redmi Note 14 Pro and Note 14 Pro+ are speculated to feature a triple rear camera setup, sharing a 50-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Note 14 Pro+ may get a 50-megapixel portrait telephoto camera, while the Pro model is said to get a 2-megapixel macro camera. The former packs a 6,200mAh battery with 90W fast charging support, while the latter is backed by a 5,500mAh battery with 44W fast charging capability. Source link #Redmi #Note #Series #India #Launch #Set #December #Expected #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

England v Japan: Marcus Smith getting ‘better and better’ England v Japan: Marcus Smith getting ‘better and better’ Fly-half Marcus Smith is improving the way he dovetails with the rest of England’s *******, says assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge. Smith, 25, has been one of England’s standout performers in three Autumn Nations Series defeats against New Zealand, Australia and South *******. However, despite Smith’s creativity in ******* and accuracy from the kicking tee, England are still on their worst run since 2018 after five straight defeats. “I have found Marcus really open to discussions about the game,” Strawbridge told BBC Sport. “He is getting better and better at having a deeper understanding of the game and his role in it.” Since his Premiership debut for Harlequins as an 18-year-old, regular eye-catching performances left many calling for Smith to be England’s long-term option at fly-half. Now capped 38 times, he has started six Tests in a row for the first time since 2022, but five have resulted in defeats – four of which came down to the final play. England’s opening try on Saturday against South ******* came when Smith opted against a drop-goal, darted to the blindside and set up Ollie Sleightholme for a run into the corner. Strawbridge says that England’s ******* allows for such improvisation, and is also confident Smith’s game management is improving. “In some environments I have been in we put all the pressure on the 10 like a quarterback in ********* Football – they make all the decisions, the calls and the plays. That isn’t the case here,” he added. “We are spreading the decision-making and we are trying to sharpen that edge. Marcus’ decisions are within that structure.” Source link #England #Japan #Marcus #Smith Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review | 1-up Geeks Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review | 1-up Geeks RiseNShine2d ago I think you’re missing a few things, 1) DBSZ was released almost a month before Veilguard, so of course it’s numbers are low currently. 2) DBSZ it’s a 10-15 hour game, so lots of people have already finished it, meanwhile Veilguard numbers are crashing barely 15 days after release and for a game that can take 30-40 hours to complete, and can reach 70-80 hours 3) We can’t measure how many of Veilguard Steam numbers are from people that got the game for free with the Geforce Now bundle promotion, meanwhile all DBSZ number reflect direct sales. 4) We know DBSZ is a hit because they announced the game sold over 3 million copies within 24 hours. meanwhile we have zero info on Veilguard sales half a month after release, which obviously adds to the suspicion that it’s not selling very well. Source link #Dragon #Age #Veilguard #Review #1up #Geeks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man arrested over alleged gunpoint abduction Man arrested over alleged gunpoint abduction An armed offender has been arrested after allegedly abducting a man in an outback town and forcing him to drive 275 kilometres to a nearby town. Source link #Man #arrested #alleged #gunpoint #abduction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]