Saturday, October 31, 2020

Black Friday preview at Best Buy: last day to shop early deals on TVs, laptops, and more

Best Buy is kicking things off early with a three-day Black Friday sale that ends today. The retailer is offering incredible early Black Friday deals on its best-selling items, including TVs, laptops, headphones, appliances, and smart home devices. To help you sort through all the bargains, we've rounded up the top offers from the Best Buy Black Friday sale.

Our top Black Friday deal picks include this 70-inch 4K TV that's on sale for $529.99 (was $749.99), the best-selling Powerbeats Pro marked down to a record-low price of $199.99, and the Amazon Echo Dot back to its Prime Day sale price of $18.99.

Best Buy's early Black Friday sale also includes big discounts on popular appliances like a $60 price cut on the Keurig coffee maker and the iRobot Roomba robot vacuum on sale for only $299.99 (was $499.99).

Shop more of the best bargains from the Best Buy three-day sale and keep in mind these incredible Black Friday deals end today. 

Best Buy Black Friday deals:

Amazon Echo Dot 3rd generation: $39.99 $18.99 at Best Buy
 The 3rd generation Echo Dot is back down to its lowest ever price right now, with Best Buy's Black Friday deals bringing the smart speaker back down to $18.99. We first saw this price last week over Prime Day, but you've got another couple of days to pick up this excellent offer this week.
View Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote: $49.99 $29.99 at Best Buy
 Stream your favorite content in 4K resolution with HDR too with the 4K Fire TV Stick that's on sale for $29.99. The streaming player includes an Alexa voice remote so you can use your voice to control your TV.
View Deal

Keurig K-Select Single-Serve coffee maker: $129.99 $69 at Best Buy
 A great gift idea, the best-selling Keurig coffee maker, gets a massive $60 discount at the Best Buy early Black Friday sale. The single-serve coffee maker can brew a 12-oz. cup in less than one minute and features a strength control so you can make your coffee exactly how you like.
View Deal

Insignia 32-inch Smart HD Fire TV: $169.99 $99.99 at Best Buy
 Best Buy's early Black Friday sale has the Insignia 32-inch HD TV on sale for just $99.99. The smart TV has the Fire TV experience built in, which allows you to seamlessly stream your favorite movies and shows from the home screen of your set.
View Deal

Ring Video Doorbell 3: $199.99 $139.99 at Best Buy
 You're not getting a $10 Echo Show like the bundle below here, but you are saving $60 on the Ring Video Doorbell 3, and picking up the smart doorbell for its lowest price yet no less.
View Deal

Powerbeats Pro true wireless earbuds:  $249.99 $159.99 at Best Buy
 For those looking for fitness-inspired wireless earbuds, you can snag the Powerbeats Pro on sale for just $159.99 at Best Buy. You're scrapping noise cancellation in favor of fantastic comfort and an ear grip design that ensures your buds will never slip out during even the most intense of workouts.
View Deal

Toshiba 50-inch 4K UHD smart TV: $379.99 $259.99 at Best Buy
 If you'd prefer to get your hands on an Amazon eco-system enabled TV, check out this $120 saving on a Toshiba 4K TV at Best Buy this week. Fire TV is built-in with this Toshiba, as is Amazon Alexa, and you're even getting some pretty advanced features here like Dolby Vision HDR.
View Deal

Sony WH-1000XM4: $349.99 $278 at Best Buy
 The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have dropped down to $278 in Best Buy's Black Friday deals this week. That's an excellent discount on the industry-leading headphones that only hit the shelves in August. Plus, it's the cheapest we've seen so far. Hurry, though, this offer will expire on Sunday.
View Deal

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15-inch Laptop: $449.99 $299.99 at Best Buy
 Save $150 on this core i3 laptop from Lenovo, perfect for personal use or light professional requirements. With up to 7.5 hours of battery life, you can relax and enjoy your time browsing without the stress of keeping a charger to hand.
View Deal

iRobot Roomba 960 Robot Vacuum: $499.99 $299 at Best Buy
 Tired of vacuuming the floors? So were we until we got a robot vacuum. The Roomba features a compatible app so you can clean your floors from anywhere, and it's on sale for just $299 in this early Black Friday deal.
View Deal

Samsung 70-inch 6 Series 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV: $749.99 $529.99 at Best Buy
 A fantastic price for a 70-inch 4K TV, you can score a massive $229 discount on this premium Samsung 70-inch smart TV. This stunning set features a voice remote and the picture is engineered to reduce glare and enhance color, providing a vibrant picture no matter where you sit.
View Deal

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (128GB): $959 $599 at Best Buy
 You're getting a Black Type cover worth $129 by itself bundled into this awesome tablet deal on a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 at Best Buy today. That means you're not only getting a great Windows tablet here, but also full laptop functionality if you choose. It's also a decent price on this spec - a 10th gen Intel Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD to be precise.
View Deal

More Best Buy Black Friday deals

See more early offers with our guide to the Best Buy Black Friday and Walmart Black Friday sale events. 

Looking for more Black Friday deals? You'll find all the lowest prices from around the web right here, with offers available in your region.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3mIoBZ5
at No comments:
Labels:

League of Legends RPG is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X

Riot has announced that League of Legends will be headed to consoles for the first time ever (sort of), with the release of spin-off game Ruined King: A League of Legends Story.

Set in the world of Runeterra, Ruined King will be a singleplayer RPG with turn-based combat.

You'll venture through two regions of Runeterra – Bilgewater and the Shadow Isles – and form an unlikely party of beloved League of Legends champions like Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Braum, Yasuo, Ahri, and Pyke.

The game will launch early 2021 and it will be available on Switch, PS4, Xbox and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. 

Ruined King will also be available on PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S systems, allowing players who bought it on the older consoles to upgrade their version for free.

Here's a trailer:

Head of Riot Forge at Riot Games, Leanne Loombe, explained in a press release that "Ruined King is a great way to expand the world of Runeterra for brand new players as well as our dedicated League of Legends (LoL) fans.”

Developed by Airship Syndicate (Battle Chasers: Nightwar and Darksiders Genesis), it will be the first game published by Riot Forge.

“We couldn’t resist the chance to work with Riot Forge to expand the epic world of Runeterra,” said Joe Madureira, CEO of Airship Syndicate, and comic book artist of note. “These are some of our own favorite champions, and we can’t wait for players to see how we brought the characters, creatures, and environments of Runeterra to life.”

Image 1 of 4

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

(Image credit: Riot Forge)
Image 2 of 4

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

(Image credit: Riot Forge)

Pyke's character art

Image 3 of 4

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

(Image credit: Riot Forge)

Illaoi's character art

Image 4 of 4

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

(Image credit: Riot Forge)

Miss Fortune's character art

Riot Forge will have more to say about Ruined King: A League of Legends Story in December. We'll keep you updated on it.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3jKN6CW
at No comments:
Labels:

Apple will now replace your faulty AirPods Pro earphones for free

Crackling problems with the Apple AirPods Pro have been reported by users for a few months now, and the issue is apparently widespread enough for Apple to take action – it just launched a free replacement program for the premium earphones.

Apple offers these free repair or replace programs from time to time, when it identifies that there's a genuine manufacturing problem that impacts the performance or reliability of its hardware, but this is the first we've seen for the AirPods line.

According to the AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues support page, "a small percentage" of AirPods Pro models are experiencing audio glitches. Any units manufactured before October 2020 might be affected.

Apple says "crackling or static sounds" might appear in your ears and increase in loud environments, while you're exercising, or while you're talking on the phone. In addition, the Active Noise Cancelation feature may malfunction by losing bass or increasing background noise.

Two-year window

As usual with these sort of programs, you can return your AirPods Pro to an Apple Store or a repair shop officially authorized to carry out Apple repairs. After examination, your earphones will be replaced if they're found to be faulty.

You might get one or both of the earphones replaced if they've developed a problem, but apparently the AirPods Pro case isn't affected, so you won't need a new one of those. Any replacement doesn't affect your warranty.

Your AirPods Pro are covered by the program for two years after you bought them, so bear that in mind if you're not hearing anything untoward at the moment but something develops later. For instructions on getting replacements, see the support document.

The mention of October 2020 suggests Apple has identified the problem and fixed it, though it isn't sharing any technical details with the wider world. Still, it's reassuring to know you can get your earphones swapped if a fault does emerge.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3mDnMAt
at No comments:
Labels:

Here's the first glass-free 3D holographic videoconferencing system

A UK-based tech start-up has unveiled a new solution that delivers a videoconferencing experience like no other. Holoxica has created an immersive 3D videoconferencing system that uses off-the-shelf components so that bespoke glasses are not required. 

The solution is likely to prove popular for business meetings or even virtual socialising.

Holoxica’s system combines a depth camera with Looking Glass light field 3D display technology to create video versions of holographic images. And the best bit is, neither viewer has to put on a headset in order to enjoy the 3D communication.

3-D videoconferencing

You can now enjoy a high-five with your video call (Image credit: Holoxica)

“During the global pandemic the business world has turned to videoconferencing to conduct meetings and conversations, but many people are currently suffering from ‘Zoom fatigue,’” Wendy Lamin, director of Holoxica, said. 

“This is not only caused by the sheer volume of meetings but also because it takes more effort to process someone’s non-verbal cues in 2D than 3D. Holoxica won an Innovate UK Grant to create a 3D teleconferencing solution that did not rely on headsets, but delivered a more natural, face-to-face experience.”

Virtual get-togethers

In order to develop the technology, Holoxica made use of a £50,000 grant from Innovate UK and is now exploring ways to commercialize the solution. Plans are in place to make the 3D teleconferencing system available starting at less than £1,000.

Video conferencing has taken off hugely since the coronavirus pandemic forced many businesses to close their offices and adopt remote working policies. However, organizations have found that digital technologies cannot completely take the place of face-to-face communication.

Holoxica’s new 3D teleconferencing solution may prove appealing to businesses that are finding communication and collaboration difficult with standard video calls. And at the very least, the novelty of a 3D call should alleviate ‘Zoom fatigue’ for a little while.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2GdWv8f
at No comments:
Labels:

Wales vs Scotland live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby anywhere today

The last weekend of the 2020 Six Nations kicks off on Saturday with this clash between Wayne Pivac's Wales and Gregor Townsend's Scotland at the Parc y Scarlets. With the home side disappointingly nestled in fifth in the table, and the visitors one place above, its mainly pride at stake, however the Scots will be looking end a hoodoo that has seen them fail to register a victory on Welsh turf since 2002. Follow our Wales v Scotland live stream guide to tune in to the Six Nations clash no matter where in the world you are right now.

Wales v Scotland live stream

Today's Wales vs Scotland match kicks-off at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli at 2.15pm local time (GMT). That makes it a 3.15pm CEST start for rugby fans in Europe, a 1.15am AEDT for those tuning in Down Under, and a 10.15am ET whistle int he US. The great news is that you can watch the match for free on BBC1 and Welch language nation S4C - and you can still tune in from abroad with a VPN. We explain how below.

With the news on Thursday of death of Wales and Lions star JJ Williams, there's likely to be extra motivation for the hosts to get a win in honour of the legendary winger. The match should also see Alun Wyn Jones notch up his 149th International appearance and surpass former All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw’s Test record.  

Scots coach Townsend has made four changes to the starting line-up from last weekend’s comfortable 48-7 win over Georgia, with the creative Finn Russell drafted in at stand-off, skipper Stuart Hogg named at full-back, Jonny Gray in the second-row and Scarlets star Blade Thomson in at No 8.

Wales coach Pivac has meanwhile handed Cardiff Blues back-row Shane Lewis-Hughes his first test appearance in a back-row alongside Lions stars Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau, with Wasps star Will Rowlands also set to make his international debut.

The great news is that this match is free-to-air in the UK, so you can tune in to a free Wales vs Scotland live stream if you're there. For details of how to do that and all your other Six Nations live stream options, read on.

free six nations live stream Wales vs Scotland

How to live stream Wales vs Scotland in the UK for FREE

Wales vs Scotland kicks off at 2.15pm BST and is being shown live on BBC1. Coverage begins at 1.45pm.

If you would prefer to use your laptop, phone, iPad or other device to watch the match, you can use the BBC iPlayer app to stream Wales vs Scotland instead - where the show will also be available in its entirety on-demand following the live broadcast. Best of all, it's FREE provided you hold a valid TV license.

Welsh language channel S4C will also be showing the match live on its linear TV channel and via its app and S4C Clic streaming and catch up service. Coverage begins at 1.45pm BST.

If you're from the UK but not at home right now, you can get your rugby fix by grabbing a VPN.

How to live stream Wales vs Scotland from outside your country

For broadcast and streaming details in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US, we have all the information you need on this page.

But if you try to watch your domestic coverage from somewhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for sports fans all over the world. Fortunately, there's an easy solution in the form of a VPN.

Use a VPN to watch a Six Nations live stream from anywhere

ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
 We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features.

It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.

Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

Wales vs Scotland live stream six nations australia

Live stream Wales vs Scotland in Australia

If you fancy watching Wales vs Scotland Down Under, you'll need to be a subscriber to beIN Sports.

If you're a Foxtel customer, you can add beIN to your package for an extra fee. No worries if you aren't though, as you can also subscribe to beIN as a standalone subscription that can be watched on your laptop, desktop computer or mobile device. That costs $19.99 per month after you've taken advantage of a FREE two week trial.

That said, sports streaming specialists Kayo Sports includes beIN in its package. The Basic plan costs just $25 a month and lets you stream on two screens, while Premium is a mere $35 a month for simultaneous viewing on up to three devices. 

Of the two, Kayo Sports Premium represents the best value as it offers multi-screen support - which means you can effectively split the price of a monthly subscription between friends or family and pay less.

Kayo also lets you watch a load of other great sports, and most enticingly, there's even a free 14-day Kayo Sports trial on offer, so you can check it out for yourself without committing a penny Its app works across PCs, Macs, smartphones, tablets, select smart TVs and more.

Wales vs Scotland kicks off at 1.15am AEDT in the early hours of Sunday morning.

six nations Wales vs Scotland live stream

Live stream Wales vs Scotland in New Zealand

The official broadcaster for Wales vs Scotland in New Zealand is Sky Sport, which costs $31.99 per month and includes channels dedicated to football, rugby, cricket and golf. 

For mobile streaming, you can tune in via the Sky Go app, and if you're away from New Zealand right now you can use a VPN to catch your home TV coverage.

The match kicks off at 3.15am NZDT on Sunday morning.

six nations live stream Wales vs Scotland

Live stream Wales vs Scotland Six Nations rugby in Canada for FREE

Streaming service DAZN holds the broadcast right for Six Nations rugby in Canada, and is showing every game live on its online platform, including Wales vs Scotland, which kicks off at 10.15am ET/7.15am PT.

If you're not already a DAZN subscriber, then you can take advantage of its 30-day FREE trial and enjoy the match without paying a cent.

Wales vs Scotland live stream six nations rugby

How to watch an Wales vs Scotland Six Nations live stream in the US

NBC is the official US broadcaster for the 2020 Six Nations, and is showing every match between linear TV coverage and new streaming service, Peacock.

Ireland vs Italy is being shown on both NBCSN and Peacock, with kick-off set for 10.15am ET/7.15am PT.

You'll need to sign up for the Peacock Premium tier, but it costs just $4.99 a month, offers a FREE 7-day trial.

Best of all, signing up for Peacock Premium is easy - it only takes a few seconds and some basic details to get up and running, even accepting internationally recognized payment platform PayPal for added convenience.

Peacock Premium replaces the NBC Sports Gold Rugby Pass as NBC's Six Nations streaming option, while games that are aired on linear TV can also be watched affordably without cable - courtesy of great value over-the-top streaming service Sling, and better still there's a FREE trial option.

If you subscribe to this or any other streaming service and find yourself unable to access it because you're out of the country, remember that you can use a VPN to tune into your usual coverage just like you would at home. Of the many options, we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2HRCSTQ
at No comments:
Labels:

Virtual hopes dashed: Sony has no plans to make PSVR compatible with PS5 games

For the second time in 24 hours, Sony has crushed the hopes of PSVR fans hoping for new VR experiences on the upcoming PS5 console.

After suggesting that the PSVR 2 is at least a couple of years away, Sony has now confirmed that upcoming VR releases for Hitman 3 and No Man's Sky will only be available if you buy and play the PS4 version of the games. 

Speaking with UploadVR, a Sony rep said that PSVR on the PS5 is only backwards compatible, and that “We have not announced PS5 titles for PS VR.” 

Sony is currently giving away a free adaptor that, according to Sony's FAQ page, "allows the use of PlayStation VR when playing supported PS4 games on a PS5 console". It makes no mention of playing PS5 VR games on the console. Evidently,  none of the upcoming PS5 exclusives will get a PSVR version anytime soon. 

We know that Hitman 3's IO interactive plans to give gamers a free PS5 upgrade if you buy the PS4 version digitally, and Hello Games recently announced the same offer for No Man's Sky. 

In this case, however, we wonder if the developers will also offer PS5 buyers a free downgrade to PS4, so they can try out the VR mode. PSVR owners may want to buy the last-gen version of these games, even if they only own the PS5, just to be certain they'll get access to both ports of the game.

A patent showing a potential PSVR 2 controller

(Image credit: Sony / LetsGoDigital)

The future of Playstation VR

Sony is allegedly hiring engineers for the PSVR 2, and we recently spotted a patent showing potential new PSVR Move motion controllers. So it's clear that the company is hard at work on a VR successor, even if it's years away from fruition.

Until the company finishes producing this new headset, it clearly doesn't want to muddy the waters and let current PSVR owners enjoy next-gen PS5 VR experiences – not until they've bought a new VR headset first.

This disappointing news brings up new questions. Another recent rumor suggested that Resident Evil 8: Village would, like its predecessor, have a PSVR version. However, we've heard no word that Capcom intends to make Resident Evil 8 compatible with the PS4. So does this mean that Capcom will make a PS4 port specific to PSVR, wait until the PSVR 2 launches to sell its port, or is this rumor false?

We'll have to wait to find out more information in the coming months. 



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/35P7Q7z
at No comments:
Labels:

iPhone 12 Camera Module Can’t Be Replaced by Third-Party Technicians: Report

https://ift.tt/2iVP4oo 12 reparability test by iFixit reveals that the camera module on the latest Apple offering is not swappable. If the iPhone 12 camera module is transferred to another iPhone 12, it becomes entirely unusable. iFixit says that Apple may be looking to come down hard on third-party repairs with this iPhone 12 camera issue.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2TFaN4Z
at No comments:
Labels:

How Age of Empires III deals with its own complicated history

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition was released on October 15 on Steam, Windows Store, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and Microsoft Xbox Games Studios have given us a more than just remastered classic.

From visual updates to changes to civilizations, there's a lot to get your teeth into for both old fans and newcomers. There are many new changes, including two new civs, and changes to the user interface and voice lines and animations. However, some of these changes have been controversial, namely those to the original's sometimes problematic depictions of its civilizations.

In case you're new to Age of Empires, it is a real-time strategy game franchise originally developed by Ensemble Games. It includes Age of Empires, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (AoE2), and Age of Empires III (AoE3). Age of Mythology is also part of the series, set during the same time period of Age of Empires, but in a mythical world.

In each of them you must destroy your opponent's city while building an economy, city, and army to lead you to victory. There is a single player campaign, player vs AI, or PVP skirmishes.

AoE3 was much like its predecessors but in other ways quite unlike them. It was the first in the series to be in 3D, and had vastly improved graphics from its predecessors.

It split the community, with some feeling its changes to units and the economy made it too far removed from the franchise's original style and gameplay, but it was still very successful despite this.

Age of Empires III

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Joining Microsoft

In 2001 Ensemble Studios was acquired by Microsoft and later disbanded in 2009. Microsoft, through its Xbox Games Studios division, then partnered with Forgotten Empires, Tantalus Media and Microsoft subsidiary World’s Edge Games Studios (formed specifically to focus on AoE) and began work on the franchise.

The Definitive Editions are remastered versions of the originals, improving on things like the graphics and UI, as well as adding new content, while maintaining the essence of the classic games that we know and love.

We spoke to Adam Isgreen, studio Creative Director for World’s Edge, about the evolution of the franchise.

"It's been an amazing journey going through all of the games that we've done so far, really diving into each of the different communities," he told us. 

"[They] can be very different for each game. Everyone loves some of the games, specific games, and it was fun to try to understand what each of them really loved and wanted in a modern Age of Empires."

Age of Empires III

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Unwelcome changes

However, Age of Empires III had its fair share of controversies upon its original release. It introduced the Home City, which allowed for more strategy and customization to your civ. Farms and mines now infinitely produced products without any player input, a feature that would partially make its way to AoE2: Definitive Edition in how it allows you to toggle farms to automatically rebuild after they become fallow.

Military units were different, and the unique civ bonuses along with the specific civ’s content meant you had to learn entirely different approaches to each game based on which one you played. The infinite food and gold meant you could concentrate on military power without having to worry about running out of resources.

For some, it was a turn-off. They felt it made the game easier, while still being unnecessarily complicated. Ensemble simply wanted more innovative gameplay, while not losing the core of the game. Some feel it did not achieve that, but it didn't mean it wasn't a good game in its own right.

AoE3 is in fact a great game, but it just didn't feel an authentic enough Age game for some of the fans, and even now is beaten by AoE2 in popularity.

Many of the Definitive Edition's changes can be toggled off. In fact, there are "default", "definitive" and "classic" options to choose from when customizing hotkeys and UI. There are accessibility options that allow you to customize colors, especially handy for color blind players.

Bert Beeckman, co-founder of Forgotten Empires, says: "We wanted to add a lot of things to the game, a lot of new UI options and every time we were like, OK, we have the old version working; let's just keep that in and make it an option. Then people have the choice. For every option we added, there was a legacy option. If you've had the same hotkeys for fifteen years, you don't just relearn them."

Age of Empires III

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Past mistakes

Age of Empires 3 also caused controversy with its RTS-style-campaign plot, which ignored dark and shameful aspects of the time period it covered, like the transatlantic slave trade. This was something that the team behind the Definitive Edition felt they needed to address.

Let's look at the representation changes. In the Native American tribes, the Sioux have been renamed the Lakota, the Iroquois the Haudenosaunee. The Discovery Age is now called the Exploration Age, and the Colonial Age is now the Commerce Age – this last change being one of the most controversial. 

The Firepit has now been renamed to the Community Plaza and the dances performed on them are now referred to as ceremonies and have had a visual and animation adjustment.

"Well, colonialism was a policy," Adam says. "The age had always been referred to as Age of Discovery or Age of Adventure. This is where we have to walk a line between what do we think makes sense and what do we think is the right thing to do for a broader spectrum of people? I mean, bad things happened during colonial times. South America and the Americas just got decimated by these other civilizations coming in. 

"At one point we were like, we don't wanna sugarcoat it. But we wanna make sure it's open for people that are playing where those cultures were, and it doesn't feel like we're punishing them for playing the game. So, yeah, this is where we're gonna keep walking that line."

Flags, units, and buildings have been renamed or tweaked to be historically considerate and accurate. So, plantations are now being named estates, and the German flag is now actually the German flag, rather than Prussian, as it was in the original game. These are welcome changes, but it's still unclear why some flags and civilizations have been changed while others haven't.

But, some fans feel the changes are a political move or an example of 'political correctness gone wrong' tyranny. AoE3 takes place during the colonial age, and, ultimately, the aim of the game is colonization, so why rewrite history?

"How are we going to talk about things that are really hard to talk about?"

Adam Isgreen, Creative Director

“What we really wanted to do was set the studio off on the right foot,” says Adam, “because we knew we're dealing with history and there are some really bad things that have happened throughout all of the different eras that humans have been around. There's been wonderful good balanced with really bad things and we knew we were going to run into them. We were like, how are we going to talk about things that are really hard to talk about? I mean, how are we gonna make sure that we're accurate?”

Many of the depictions of civilizations, historical leaders, and other characters from the original game have dated badly, to say the least. It would be fair to say the depiction of the Native American tribes were particularly offensive and really couldn’t fly in the more culturally conscious society we live in today.

“As we started digging into it,” says Adam, “and really embracing the idea that we were going to respect the cultures, we were like, you know all of the Native Americans, there's something wrong here. We just can't do it, it doesn’t look right. There came a point where we were actually considering not shipping it. We were like – we're just not, we're not gonna ship this Definitive Edition, because we were so worried about the portrayal of the cultures.”

"There came a point where we were actually considering not shipping [the game]... because we were so worried about the portrayal of the cultures"

The time in which AoE3 was made was indeed a different one, and what was socially acceptable or could be ignored then would be considered wilful ignorance today. The depiction of native tribes in AoE3 was straight out of an old Hollywood Western – not the best point of reference for any type of historical accuracy; more an advert for what not to do.

“We talked about it a lot,” says Adam, “and [we decided] that the right thing to do is represent these cultures as accurately as we can. We're failing ourselves and we're failing our fans if we don't do this. There's so many people who’ve come up to me through the years at Gamescon and E3 … and they're like – oh my god – ‘I learned history from Age of Empires.’ And I'm like, oh boy. OK, we need to be a lot more serious about this.”

Age of Empires III

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Setting the record straight

When you first get into the game, you’re met with a message from the dev team, which we reproduce in full:

To learn from the power of our own stories is uniquely human. At World’s Edge, we value authenticity and respectful representations grounded in truth. The original release of Age of Empires III took liberties with the depiction of Indigenous civilisations, as well as the depiction of events and personages from American history. As we developed the Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, we collaborated with Native American and First Nations consultants to correct these errors.

We are immensely grateful for the time, patience, and faith shown to us by the members of the Lakota and Haudenosaunee Nations. We have replaced inaccurate or stereotypical depictions, created new voiceover using authentic speakers, and addressed problematic and harmful mechanics and storylines. We hope that you, the Age III DE player, will join us in celebrating the rich and vibrant cultures represented in the game. We have increased our resolve going forward to live out the values of “Gaming for Everyone” – a commitment to a journey, not a destination.

Despite this heartening message, some fans feel this is still unforgivable and is not sticking with history, arguing that Xbox Game Studios should not try to rewrite it, while simultaneously asking it to leave the cultural inaccuracies in because, well, it’s a game and it’s not meant to teach you history. That’s definitely a pretty sticky predicament to be in.

Age of Empires III

(Image credit: Microsoft)

But, in the original game, native tribes danced around a fire pit to strengthen their army and gain power, while the Western civilizations used logistics and technological advancements to gain theirs. That’s clearly an unacceptable representation of the native tribes that’s both inaccurate and offensive. It was clear that the team had to change this.

“When we were working on Killer Instinct, doing Native American characters there, there's like 3,000 people left in that first tribe that would understand what we could do with our characters that we put in that game. So sometimes there's a timing element to making sure that we are accurate in history. You'll see this more as we do other games, especially Age of Empires 4, where we take a lot of steps to not only embrace the cultures but to use historians and representatives from those cultures in order to actually get them as authentic as we can get them.”

We think Age of Empires III has indeed got a troubled past, and the Definitive Edition has tried to right some of those wrongs, an almost impossible task when trying to consider the often contradictory interests and desires of its community as a whole.

But the willingness to work on creating a more accurate representation of civilizations and its history – even going as far as to have direct input from individuals of these cultures – is certainly a step in the right direction. Developers can’t get everything right, and often they’re damned if they do, damned if they don’t.

But what is truly important is that they’re earnestly striving to balance being culturally sensitive and delivering a great game that maintains the Age of Empires legacy. So far, we think Xbox game studios and its partners have managed to do just that.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2TCTzFk
at No comments:
Labels:

6 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and Shudder this weekend

Wondering what's new on Netflix and other streaming services this weekend? What's arguably the biggest TV show of the year began this past Friday, as The Mandalorian returned to Disney Plus for its second season. The first episode is a healthy 54 minutes long – so make that the first thing you stream this weekend if you're a fan of the Star Wars movies. 

Still, Baby Yoda aside, most of the major streaming services have cool stuff to check out this weekend. Truth Seekers, Amazon's first series from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, is now available to watch, while Netflix has quietly dropped one of the most acclaimed original horror movies of the year to stream. Scroll down to read more about it.

If you're looking for more spooky recommendations this Halloween weekend, we can help with that. Check out our list of the best horror movies of the last 10 years and how to stream them, as well as the best horror movies on Shudder, and you'll have plenty to watch from home.

Below, we'll talk you through some recommendations of what's worth streaming this weekend.

His House (Netflix)

Featuring 100% positive Rotten Tomatoes reviews, His House is exactly what you're looking for if you need a new Netflix horror movie for this weekend. It's about a couple from South Sudan who move into a grim-looking British housing estate – but something supernatural and malevolent is at play within the property. His House clearly has something thematically deeper going on below the surface, in how it examines the refugee experience, a subject that's never not timely in the UK. Add it to your watch list – it's only 93 minutes long.

Now streaming on Netflix

Blood of Zeus (Netflix)

From the same animation house as Castlevania, Blood of Zeus is a welcome new take on the gods of Greek myth – even if it doesn't quite get to the video game adaptation's heights in terms of the depth of its characters. It follows Heron, a commoner with deeper links to the gods, and who must help defend humanity from an encroaching army of demons. It's nonetheless worth a look if you're waiting for Castlevania season 4 – read what we thought of Blood of Zeus here.

Now streaming on Netflix

Truth Seekers (Amazon Prime Video)

Counting Shaun of the Dead pair Simon Pegg and Nick Frost among its creators and stars, Truth Seekers is about a group of homebrew-style paranormal investigators who start to crack a larger conspiracy. An ideal choice this Halloween if you want a horror-themed series that's not so scary it genuinely ruins your life, but brings a few laughs, too. Check out our interview with Nick Frost and Truth Seekers' other stars to learn more about it.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video

The Mandalorian season 2 (Disney Plus)

The Mandalorian season 2 has finally begun, giving you a reason to check out Disney Plus that doesn't involve Hamilton, old animated movies or Simpsons reruns. Disney is just releasing one episode per week, as with last year – but the good news is The Mandalorian season 2 episode 1 makes a phenomenal first impression of what's to come in the next seven episodes. We won't spoil it, but if you're deep into Star Wars lore, you'll get a kick out of this first chapter, which looks about twice as expensive in terms of visual effects as anything they did in season 1.

Now streaming weekly on Disney Plus

The Creepshow Halloween Special (Shudder)

This is the time of year that even casual horror fans are surely thinking about trying horror streaming service Shudder. As well as having an impressive array of movies released throughout 2020 – most notably Zoom horror picture Host – its range of original shows are worth a look, too. 

Creepshow is an animated anthology series continuing on from the two movies of the same name, and it comes from horror gore maestro Greg Nicotero (he's responsible for the decaying zombies on The Walking Dead). Two new stories just dropped in this Halloween special: one based on Stephen King's short story 'Survivor Type', while another is based on his son Joe Hill's 'Twittering From The Circus of the Dead'. Expect to hear the voice of Kiefer Sutherland in the former.

Now streaming on Shudder

Holidate (Netflix)

Holidate looks like about 400 other original Netflix romcoms, all of which have names like The Holiday Plumber or Christmas Headteacher (the most acclaimed of these types of movies is Set It Up, which is worth a watch). Still, there's no doubt that this sub-genre is popular as we approach the holiday season – this one is about a couple of strangers who vow to be each other's 'holidate', to get their respective families off their backs. Who knows: maybe these crazy kids who seem to have little in common (except hating the holidays) will ultimately end up hitting it off.

Holidate hasn't garnered much positive attention from critics, but it does star Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, and you can stream it now if you can tolerate the idea of thinking about the holidays this early.

Now streaming on Netflix



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3mIbhUz
at No comments:
Labels:

AMD’s new Big Navi GPU benchmarks suggest Nvidia could be in more trouble than we thought

AMD has shared some fresh benchmarks for its incoming Big Navi graphics cards, and they’ll likely have Nvidia worrying even more about the RX 6000 series.

The new benchmarks shared on AMD’s website are drawn from 10 games, and show performance at both 4K and 1440p, with the full PC spec provided. The testbed rig was powered by a Ryzen 9 5900X processor (in an X570 motherboard) with 16GB of DDR4-3200 system RAM.

It should be noted that AMD Smart Access Memory was enabled, a technology which allows RX 6000 GPUs to work in tandem with Ryzen 5000 CPUs for a performance boost. So that’s a slight extra edge over Nvidia which those folks who haven’t upgraded to Ryzen 5000 won’t have.

The benchmarks themselves are seriously impressive for AMD, particularly at 1440p resolution, and of course 4K resolution remains a very niche proposition anyway (in fact, the vast majority still game at 1080p going by the Steam hardware survey).

At 1440p, the flagship Radeon RX 6900 XT beats out Nvidia’s RTX 3090 in every game, except for two: Wolfenstein Youngblood, where the 3090 is champ, and Doom Eternal which is pretty much a dead heat.

Interestingly, the 6800 XT even outguns the RTX 3090 in Borderlands 3 – and by some way – and the vanilla RX 6800 is a match for the RTX 3080 in this game at 1440p.

The 6800 XT also owns the 3090 at Gears 5. And in Battlefield V, both the 6800 XT and vanilla 6800 beat out the RTX 3090, with the same being true (to an even greater extent) in Forza Horizon 4.

Further note that the RX 6800 easily bested Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti across all the benchmarks (which AMD was using for testing in lieu of an RTX 3070, apparently, because performance levels are about on par, as we observed in our review).

Remember that the 6800 XT is pitched at $649, which is less than the RTX 3080 which costs $699 – and of course the RTX 3090 is a staggering $1,499, with the RX 6900 XT way undercutting that at $999.

4K battleground

As for the 4K benchmarks, the RX 6900 XT beat the RTX 3090 in five of the benchmarks, meaning that Nvidia won the other five – it was effectively a draw.

AMD’s RX 6800 XT, however, beat the RTX 3080 in six benchmarks, with the Nvidia graphics card only winning in three instances – Shadow of the Tomb Raider was a draw. Indeed, the RX 6800 XT edged out the 3090 in Borderlands 3, Gears 5 and Forza Horizon 4 at 4K.

So, worrying stuff for Nvidia? It would seem so, although we must bear in mind that these are internal AMD benchmarks, so a bit of cherry-picking could be going on (and as we’ve already mentioned, Smart Access Memory tech is also being used to give the RX 6000 cards an upper hand).

The other point of concern for Nvidia right now must be its failure to get anything like a sufficient number of RTX 3000 graphics cards out there, a situation which apparently won’t change until 2021.

AMD has already hinted that inventory levels of RX 6000 graphics cards will be better than Nvidia managed, but then again, we have recently heard rumblings on the grapevine that Big Navi could have its own stock issues.

Nvidia can also take comfort in the fact that AMD isn’t talking about ray tracing, although purportedly work is underway at AMD on a similar tech to Nvidia’s DLSS to help with frame rates when it comes to turning on all the ray-traced bells and whistles.

Via Tom’s Hardware



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/34IjxgR
at No comments:
Labels:

Six Nations live stream: how to watch Super Saturday 2020 online from anywhere today

The longest tournament in Six Nations history draws to a close end today - and 2020's prolonged competition certainly has a dramatic finale in store for us on Super Saturday. England, Ireland and France all still have a shot at being crowned this year's Six Nations winner, so read on as our guide explains how to watch a Six Nations live stream - including for FREE in many places!

Watch a free Six Nations live stream

The 2020 Six Nations will go down as the longest in the tournament's storied history, stretching from February to this October and today's final round of fixtures. Every match is 100% FREE to watch in the UK, with coverage spread across the BBC, ITV, and S4C - and with the help of a good VPN, you can watch you preferred coverage from anywhere in the world right now.

While England have already won the Triple Crown, defeat at the hands of France in their opening match back in February means that Ireland are masters of their own destiny heading into this Saturday's final round of fixtures, following a bonus point win over Italy last weekend. 

Another five points in Paris would send Andy Farrell and his team back to Dublin as this year's Six Nations champions, regardless of how ruthless England in their afternoon match against Italy, but if England win and Ireland lose, the trophy is headed to Twickenham this evening.

Should both teams finish level on points, various tie-breakers come into play, while if France beat Ireland and England (almost inevitably) triumph in Rome, this year's Championship will also be decided by razor thin margins. Scroll down for all the possible Six Nations 2020 permutations explaining who can win and how.

Wales vs Scotland is the first match of Super Saturday today, before one of the most tightly contested Championships in recent memory gets decided later in the day, so follow our guide as we explain all the ways to get a Six Nations live stream this Saturday - starting with how to watch the Six Nations for FREE in the UK.

six nations live stream free

How to watch a Six Nations live stream FREE in the UK today

It's great news for UK-based rugger fans as every Super Saturday fixture is being shown on free-to-air British television today. A bit further down this page, yu'll find specific details of who's showing what, but coverage is shared between the BBC and ITV, with S4C also stepping in to offer Welsh-language coverage of the Wales/Scotland game.

If you're trying to watch online (either live or on catch-up) then this means you can easily get a free Six Nations live stream on the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub websites or mobile apps. Alternatively, just head to an online streaming TV service such TVPlayer.com, which has all of the UK's freeview channels (including the BBC and ITV) in one place. This means you can catch the match on TV, computer, tablet and smartphone for free if you're in the UK - or subscribe to TVPlayer Plus if you want to record it and watch later.

Not in the UK for the final 2020 Six Nations fixtures? No worries - just download and install a VPN and use a UK location to watch live as if you were back home. Full instructions of how to do this are below.

How to live stream the Six Nations when you're not in your country

If you're outside your country of residence - whether that be the UK or anywhere else - and try to start streaming the rugby via your native broadcaster, you'll soon discover that you can't as it is location restricted. But there's a way you can watch anyway.

By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage without having to find an illegal stream - assuming you comply with the broadcaster's fine print, of course - specifically its terms and conditions.

Use a VPN to watch Six Nations rugby from anywhere

ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
 We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

Six Nations 2020 fixtures: Super Saturday TV schedule and kick-off times

For clarity, home teams are listed first and all matches take place on Saturday, October 31.

  • Wales vs Scotland, 2.15pm GMT kick-off on BBC One and S4C (coverage starts 1.45pm)
  • Italy vs England, 4.45pm GMT kick-off on ITV (coverage starts 4pm)
  • France vs Ireland, 8.05pm GMT kick-off on BBC Two (coverage starts 7.45pm, match moves to BBC One at 9pm for second-half)

Divider

six nations rugby live stream usa

How to watch Six Nations free online and live stream rugby in the US today

NBC once again has the rights to show Six Nations rugby in the US, which used to mean coughing up the best part of $80 for an NBC Sports Gold Rugby Pass.

No more. NBC's Rugby Pass has been dissolved into it's new streaming platform, Peacock, which makes rugby more accessible to US fans of the sport and ex-pats living in the States than ever before.

For starters, Peacock costs just $4.99 a month for a service that gets rugby fans not only the final weekend of Six Nations games but also features Premiership Rugby and Heineken Champions Cup coverage as well (plus loads more premium sports coverage, TV shows, and movies).

Coverage of all three of this weekend's matches is available both live and on-demand, and best of all, Peacock even offers a FREE 7-day trial you can take advantage of.

If you've already hopped on the Peacock bandwagon but find yourself abroad for this Saturday's big matches, don't forget that you can still tune-in like you at home with the help of a good VPN.

six nations live stream australia

How to watch a Six Nations live stream in Australia 

If you don't mind the late nights/early mornings, then subscription service beIN Sport is showing every game of the 2020 Six Nations in Australia.

If you're a Foxtel customer, you can add beIN to your package for an extra fee. No worries if you aren't though as you can also subscribe to beIN as a standalone subscription that can be watched on your laptop, desktop computer or mobile device. That costs $19.99 per month after you've taken advantage of a FREE two week trial.

Foxtel's streaming-only platform, Kayo Sports, also usually airs Six Nations matches - but its listings for this weekend don't currently include any mention of Super Saturday games, though this could change. The service offers a FREE 14-day trial, so check back closer to the weekend and you may be in luck.

Not in Australia for the rugby? Don't forget to take advantage of the VPN option as detailed above to make sure you can watch your domestic coverage anyway.

watch six nations live stream

How to get a 2020 Six Nations live stream in New Zealand

beIN Sport is also the place to be for rugby fans in New Zealand looking to watch all the prime European action this weekend.

Sky subscribers can add beIN to their package at an additional cost or, like in Australia, you can subscribe to a standalone package that can be watched on laptop, desktop or mobile app. It costs $19.78 per month after you've taken advantage of the FREE two week trial.

how to watch six nations rugby canada

Live stream the 2020 Six Nations for free in Canada today

DAZN is a streaming service available in a select few countries including Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Luckily, it has secured streaming rights for the Six Nations rugby.

You can even watch for free as DAZN offers a 30 day FREE TRIAL.

Super Saturday permutations: who can win the Six Nations today and how? 

Ireland have their fate in their own hands going into Super Saturday, with a bonus point win sending them back to Dublin as 2020 Six Nations champions regardless of how England fare in Rome earlier in the day.

Should Ireland win but fail to get the extra point awarded for scoring four tries or more against France, then an England bonus point win would see them finish the tournament level with Ireland on points earned, and the Championship would come down to points difference. 

Heading in, Ireland stand at +38 on points compared to England +15, so Eddie Jones' men would need to beat Italy by 24 or more points to win. In the unlikely event England and Ireland end up level on both points and points difference, the next tie-breaker is tries scored, where Ireland currently hold a significant advantage (14 to 9). 

France, for their part, are level on points with England, so their hopes of winning the 2020 Six Nations starts with beating the Irish at Stade de France. Assuming the unthinkable doesn't happen and England beats Italy as expected, then this year's Championship would be decided on points differential - England currently with +15 and France with +13, so the French would need to beat the Irish by 3 or more points than the English beat the Italians.

 Should things end even on that , then it's down tries scored as before and the French enter Super Saturday with an advantage of 13 tries scored to England 9. 

Six Nations 2020 results: what's happened so far?

Little has separated England, France and Ireland in the 2020 Six Nations, which is why it all comes down to such razor thin margins on Super Saturday. 

The three teams have traded blows throughout, with France topping England 24-17 on the opening weekend all the way back in February, England earning a deserved 24-12 victory over Ireland in the third round of fixtures, and Scotland stunning France 28-17 in week 4 in March, just before the tournament was postponed due to coronavirus.

With victories over Wales and Scotland as well, England have won the Triple Crown yet may fail to win the tournament itself, while Italy have already added another wooden spoon to their collection with zero points to their name so far.

There have been plenty of headline-making moments through, most infamously hot-headed England prop Joe Mauler earning a (frankly pathetic) two-game ban and £20k for grabbing Welsh captain Alun Wyn Jones by the genitals in an ill-tempered match that also saw Manu Tuilagi red carded.

Elsewhere, Scotland's victory over France by a score of 28-17 was another match packed with drama and bad manners, French prop Mohamed Haouas being red carded for punching Scotland's Jamie Ritchie square in the face.

What is the format of the Six Nations?

Taking place each year from the beginning of February and usually concluding by the end of March, the tournament is contested by the international sides of France, England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Each Six Nations team plays the other five once per season with home advantage in alternate seasons, giving a total of 15 matches per Championship. A win earns that team four points, while a draw earns both teams two points. A losing side receives no points, however a bonus point can be picked up by a team regardless if they won, lost or drew if they score four or more tries in a game. Losing sides can also still pick up two bonus points if they score four tries or more in the process and lose by a margin of seven points or fewer.

The team with the most points at the season wins the Six Nations Championship Trophy. If the winning team has defeated all five other Unions, it is given the title ‘Grand Slam Winner’. No one will win the honour this year, though, following Scotland's victory over France. However, England has already won the 'Triple Crown', which is when one of the 'home nations' (England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland) defeat all the others in a single tournament.

Who are the favourites to win the 2020 Six Nations?

Beaten World Cup finalists England started the Six Nations as favourites with most bookies and are still fancied to take the title back to Twickenham, given they face the tournament's weakest side, Italy, so a bonus point win is regarded as a likely outcome.

Current leaders Ireland face a tough task away against France and are therefore only second favourite heading into Super Saturday, as winning let alone earning a bonus point in Paris is no easy task.

France have the longest odds of the three sides in with a chance of winning this year's Six Nations Championship.

What happened in the 2019 Six Nations?

Regarded as outsiders at the beginning of the tournament, Wales clinched their first grand slam in seven years, with a clean sweep of victories against their five opponents.

Who has won the most Six Nations championships?

England lead the pack with six championship wins, their last in 2017. Wales and France are both close behind on five.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3jsaqFm
at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)