There are plenty of password managers out there to choose from – services that can remember all the passwords you use online – and some browsers, like Google Chrome, have this feature built into them. But most of them have a flaw that 1Password hopes to fix.
When you sign up for something, you can take one of two routes. There is the typically longer process where you provide the site with your email address, a password, and possibly some other data to create an entirely new account. Alternatively, you can choose to sign up using your account details from another service, a generally faster option. Unfortunately, the second option will not be remembered by your password manager.
Sometimes it’s easy to remember which account you signed up with. If you have the option to sign in to a service with your Google or Apple account, you probably signed up using the one linked to the smartphone you use every day (Android or iPhone, respectively).
But other sites might force you to remember if you used Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Steam, or one of several other options. Only one of them will log in to the desired account, while the rest will set up a new account.
1Password wants to end it confusion (opens in new tab) (through On the edge) (opens in new tab). When you sign in to a service using your Google account (or one of many others) New 1Password beta feature (opens in new tab) remember that this was the option you chose. The next time you log in, 1Password will remind you which account you used and you can authenticate your data just as easily with a normal password and email logins.
If you want to try out 1Password’s new tool, there’s a downside: you’ll have to pay for the service. a basic personal signature (opens in new tab) costs $2.99 per month when billed annually and a Families Plan (opens in new tab) costs $4.99 per month for five people when billed annually. If you want to try it out first, there’s a 14-day free trial. This will give you a sense of how much more useful the updated 1Password is compared to the free options before you spend anything on it.
With the latest Back 4 Blood update comes the first expansion, Tunnels of Terror, bringing a whole new host of horrors to Fort Hope. There are new cleaners, new weapons, new cards, and more, as well as changes to balance and a slew of bug fixes.
Back 4 Blood’s new expansion is a well-needed shot in the arm for the co-op shooter and good news for anyone looking for their zombie fix. Released on April 12, that’s available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The base game is on Xbox Game Pass too, but you’ll need to buy the DLC separately to play the new content.
Grab a weapon, kick open the safe room door, and prepare yourself for the newest undead monstrosities. There are three new Ridden mutations, the undead enemies you face, there’s the Urchin, Shredder, and Ripper. They’re all part of a new class called the ‘Warped’.
There is also new PvE content called ‘Ridden Hives’, horrible tunnel systems underneath the Evansburgh streets. The entrances to these tunnels look straight out of a Junji Ito painting, they’re all rotting flesh and twisted sinew. The promise of unique loot and rewards is a good lure, giving you plenty of reason to jump into the creepy underground mazes.
Here’s everything you need to know about what came with the Tunnels of Terror expansion.
Back 4 Blood update: new characters
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
Showing up to help the original cast are two new cleaners, each with their own abilities to dismantle the Ridden hordes. They’re welcome additions that bring the total roster of Back 4 Blood characters up to 10.
Heng is a former restaurant owner and immigrant who seems to have bottomless pockets full of items that fall out when Mutations hit him.
Sharice is a tough former firefighter who brings armor plates and trauma resistance to the fight, plus her trusty fire axe.
Back 4 Blood update: new weapons and attachments
(Image credit: Turtle Rock Studios)
A new class of Back 4 Blood weapons has arrived. Legendary weapons can only be found in Ridden Hives, and they’re designed to pack a massive punch if you can get your hands on them. Alongside these new weapons are new Legendary attachments, enhancing the capabilities of your normal weapons.
The Tenderizer – a giant melee hammer that dismembers enemies and deals explosive damage in a large area when it hits.
Damnation – a shotgun with incendiary rounds that light up Ridden
Prototype 378 – a submachine gun with electrical rounds that slow enemies.
Back 4 Blood update: new enemies
Because parasite-zombies and mutated-parasite-zombies weren’t enough, we now have to deal with really-mutated-parasite-zombies in the form of the new Warped Ridden. They’re showing up in the new Ridden Hives, but they are also available in the PvP Swarm mode.
Urchin
(Image credit: Turtle Rock)
A variant of the Hocker/Stalker/Stinger family which can lay land mines, and really looks like he’d be at home at a punk concert on the weekends.
Shredder
(Image credit: Turtle Rock)
A variant of the Exploder/Reeker/Retch family, the Shredder seems like he wants to bring both brains and brawn.
Ripper
(Image credit: Turtle Rock)
A variant of the Bruiser/Crusher/Tallboy family and apparently they skipped left-arm day.
Back 4 Blood update: new cards
(Image credit: WB Games)
There are six new cards introduced with Tunnels of Terror. They bring some seriously interesting stuff to the table such as the Weaponsmith card, allowing you to remove weapon attachments outside saferooms for Copper and the Bodyguard card has you take hits for your teammates. So, you can become a bit of a tank.
Bodyguard (Talent) – When a teammate within 5 meters is attacked, you instead receive 50% of that damage. Can trigger once every 3 seconds.
Weaponsmith (Ability) – Allows the ability to unbolt attachments from weapons outside of Saferooms. Team Effects. Unbolting attachments costs 400 Copper. Additional copies played reduce its cost by 100 Copper.
Pumped Up (Stat) – Your Temporary Health decays 20% slower. 1 additional Pain Meds spawns in each map. +5% Health.
Fit as a Fiddle (Stat) – Team Effects. +25% Bolstered Health. +5 Team Health.
Magician’s Apprentice (Talent) – You have an additional 10% chance to not consume accessories when used.
Bravado (Talent) – When a teammate within 15 meters receives Trauma Damage, gain 10% of that amount as Trauma Health.
Back 4 Blood update: new achievements
Tunnels of Terror is bringing 12 new achievements for the collectors out there. You can read more about how to snag them, and any you missed in the original game, in our Back 4 Blood achievements guide.
Newly-sighted strains of Ridden guard incredible treasures in their underground labyrinthine lairs. Raze Ridden Hives and take these powerful weapons and items for yourself… if you survive!Empty list
2 New Cleaners: Heng and Sharice
Two new Cleaners join the fight! Craft Makeshift Armor as the stalwart Sharice, or pick the ever-resourceful Heng to provide additional supplies along with visibility on obscured items and Prepper Stashes. Accessible in both Campaign and Swarm PvP for DLC owners, and unlockable in Swarm PvP for non-DLC owners.
3 New Warped Ridden in Campaign and Swarm PvP
Skull Totem Supply Lines
Find Skull Totems within Ridden Hives and exchange them for all-new items and cosmetics, available in Skull Totem Supply Lines.
7 Legendary Weapons
13 Legendary Attachments
12 New Achievements and Accomplishments
New Difficulty: No Hope
Relentless Ridden forces will tear you apart in a new, hair-raising difficulty: No Hope. Cleaners who conquer the highest difficulty mode will reap significant rewards and prove their place amongst the best of the best.
12 New Player cards
5 New Director cards, 2 of them Ridden Hive specific
New character skins
New weapon skins
New banners, sprays, and emblems
Unbolting Weapon Attachments
In the Safe Room, Cleaners can unbolt their weapon for 500 copper. Once unbolted, they may freely swap or remove weapon attachments.
With the new Weaponsmith card, the price is lower and unbolting weapon attachments outside of Safe Rooms becomes available.
Quickplay Supply Point Incentives
Joining through Quickplay will grant a flat SP bonus per map.
Recruit: 10 SP
Veteran: 20 SP
Nightmare: 30 SP
Back 4 Blood on Steam Deck, Linux PCs with WINE/Proton
Developer Note: We have made an experimental change that we believe will make the game playable on Proton platforms such as the Steam Deck, SteamOS, and Linux. While this is not yet official support and has had limited testing, if you are a player interested in playing on these platforms, you should no longer be prevented from doing so and should join us on our Discord to discuss bugs specific to this platform.
Campaign Updates
General
Improved environment reflections throughout the game.
Added various minor improvements to water visuals.
Added improvements to Flashlight visuals.
Pinged waypoints are now color tinted to represent item’s tier.
Reduced number of Alarm Doors on Campaign Maps.
Players can no longer take damage before saferoom doors open.
Added an additional Life to Nightmare difficulty and Swarm in preparation for Mom’s passive ability adjustment.
Removed timed objectives.
Move Speed buffs/debuffs no longer affect Sprint Speed.
Catch-up weapons now roll with attachments based on Act progression.
Rescaled Attachment spawn rates to better synergize with the new Weaponsmith functionality.
All standard player card purchase costs normalized to 500 copper.
Global Temporary Decay rate reduced to 1.75 from 2.
Tallboys and their variants can no longer cause cars to explode.
General card updates
Vendors now have stat cards that can be purchased.
Amped Up
Now gives team 20 healing instead of 25 temporary health.
Basic Ammo
Now has 1% damage increase.
Reduced to 5% from 10%.
Basic Stamina
Now has Stamina Regen of 2.5%.
Fixed an issue that caused players to gain 20 instead of 10 stamina.
Basic Fortune
Card increased to 50 from 25.
Berserker
Now gives 5% Sprint Speed.
Bomb Squad refactored
25% team explosion damage.
20% team explosion resistance.
1 Frag grenade spawn per map.
Money Grubbers
Card can only be triggered 25 times in a given map.
Developer Note: This is in response to adding the Cost of Avarice card.
Numb
Numb to 10% damage resistance from 20%.
On Your Mark
Now gives 10% of max ammo from 15%.
Reduced Reload Speed to 15% from 25%.
Run Like Hell
Now gives 15% Sprint Speed.
Spikey Bits
Spikey Bits to 20% damage resistance from 10%.
Life Insurance
Life Insurance fixed to properly stack trauma reduction.
Corruption card updates
Blighted Ridden
Reduced chance to apply to 33% from 50%.
Reduced pool duration to 6 seconds from 8.
Refactored Biohazard
Ridden deal 25% extra damage.
3 temporary Health per kill.
100% Bolstered Health.
200% Increased Temporary Health Decay.
Silence is Golden
Cleaners can no longer roll both the silence is golden objective and Gloom/Lockdown Director cards.
Balance updates
Doc Stat Updates
Doc’s Team Trauma Resist reduced to 20% from 25%.
Bonus healing efficiency reduced to 15% from 20%.
Mom Ability Refactor
Mom’s team passive is now +100% team revive speed.
20% slower team temp health decay.
+1 Team lives removed.
Quick Revive ability removed.
Added a new ability, Mom grants her team 25 temporary health when a teammate is incapped.
Team Stamina
Stat purchase changed to +10 from 15%.
Now has 5% stamina regen.
Cost reduced to 1,000 from 1,500.
Team Health
Reduced to 1,000 from 1,500.
Team Ammo
Reduced to 1,000 from 1,500.
Grenade Accessory
Damage decreased to 650/800/1000/1250 from 650/1000/1250/1550.
Price increased to 175 from 150.
Barbed Wire Accessory
Reuse increased to 5/7.5/12.5/15 from 0/10/15/20.
Price increased to 250 from 200.
Flash Bang Accessory
Flash duration rescaled to 6/7/8/9 from 6/8/10/12.
Flash bonus damage increased to 15%/20%/25%/30% from 10%/15%/20%/25%.
Painkillers Accessory
Temporary Health rescaled to 35/45/55/65 from 40/50/60/70.
Price increased to 150 from 125.
Weapon Updates
Added improvements to the Flash Bang screen effects.
Cleaners can now throw gas can and propane tanks 25% farther.
Added Cleaner Self-Flash for Flash Bang Accessory
Spawning Updates
Increased Roaming Special Spawn cooldown by 45 seconds.
Roaming Specials now have a 45 to 75 second cooldown after a horde is triggered.
Wandering Specials now have a 12 to 18 second cooldown after a horde is triggered.
Roaming Specials are now limited to 2 of any type.
Wandering Specials are now limited to 2 of any type.
Bot Updates
Improved lockpicking ping behavior for bots.
Ridden AI Updates
Various Ridden pathing and collision improvements made to multiple Campaign maps.
Charred Ridden now have fire sound effects.
Reduced the Charred Ridden’s fire effect to 1.75 meters from 2.65 meters.
Reeker stumble resistance decreased by 25%.
Reeker Base health reduced to 400 from 500.
Monstrous Stinger Predator attack reduced speed buff to 30% from 50%.
Volatile Ridden No longer trigger death effect when killed by bots.
Swarm PvP updates
General
There may now only be one of each Special Ridden variant at a time in Swarm Mode.
Developer Note: We received feedback from the Swarm PvP community regarding stacked Ridden selection strategies becoming too strong. This is to encourage diverse Ridden selections when playing.
Playable Stinger and variants are no longer able to shoot projectiles while in the air in Swarm PvP.
Retch’s Vomit effect outline now remains centered on reticle.
Multiple cards added to Swarm PvP decks.
Several cards removed from Swarm PvP decks.
Balance Updates
Increased 2D (XY) min spawn distance for Special Ridden from 7.5 meters to 10 meters.
Common “Ferocious” Mutation health buff decreased to 25% from 40%, damage buff decreased to 30% from 40%.
Common “Monstrous” Mutation health buff decreased to 50% from 80%, damage buff decreased to 60% from 80%.
Common “Evolution” Mutation order to: Armored, Charred, Blighted, Festering.
Reduced range of the Charred Common DOT/fire effect from 2.65 meters to 1.75 meters.
Updated per-variant health regeneration rates for Special Ridden.
Burst Bonus Mutation effects updated for Tallboys.- Outgoing damage buff reduced to 25% from 50%. Incoming damage buff reduced to 25% from 30%.
Stinger’s Kill Frenzy Mutation effect reduced to 5 seconds from 10 seconds.
Bruiser frenzy damage increased to 12.5 per hit.
Bruiser damage increased to 17.5 from 15.
Bruiser Frenzy now deals 12.5 base damage per hit regardless of range.
Tallboy Burst Bonus Mutation outgoing damage buff reduced from 50% to 25%, incoming damage buff reduced to 25% from 30%.
Crusher Initial Damage increased to 8 from 12.
Crusher Crush Dot Frequency decreased to .5 from 1.
Crusher Crush Min Damage decreased to 2 from 3.
Crusher Crush Max Damage decreased to 5 from 7.
Crusher Crush Trauma damage increased to 50% from 40%.
Smelling salts Card to 200 from 150%.
Accessibility updates
Text to Speech added for tooltips in the Options Menus.
Text to Speech added for Muxy Game Link options.
Copper and Mutation Point text color now change based on colorblind settings.
Cleaner retching sound effects now have their own option in the Options menu, and can be turned off at any time.
Performance Improvement: Changed Text to Speech voice to the male option temporarily, as we are investigating issues with the female voice.
UI/UX Updates
Added a visual pulse to the Card Draw menu’s “Ready” button.
Increased speed of Card Draw and Pre-Round menu animations.
Various new perk icons added.
Revive Healing icon updated.
Burn Card selection button now pulses on the Active Card menu when Burn Cards selection is available.
The Party Leader will now see a UI notification indicating they are the host after Cleaners use the Stay Together feature.
Bug fixes
Matchmaking
Fixed an issue causing Quickplay players to not have access to vendor purchased item upgrades upon joining.
Fix for rare issue causing an extra idle Cleaner to appear in the match after player reconnection.
Fort Hope Shooting Range
Fixed an issue where the Tallboy’s Smash outline stayed on the map after changing to a cleaner during its Smash attack.
Fixed an issue where Cleaners remained pinned after the Stalker pinning them was killed in the Fort Hope Shooting Range.
Cards
Ammo For All – Fixed an issue where this card did not grant a damage buff. It now grants 1% team damage.
Antibiotic Ointment – Fixed an issue where healing accessories did not grant temporary health after their first use with this card equipped. Fixed an issue where Antibiotic Ointment was locked in Swarm.
Basic Stamina – Fixed a bug to now give 10 Stamina instead of 20.
Bomb Squad – Fixed an issue where no Team Effects box was present on the card.
Bounty Hunter – Fixed an issue where the Bounty Hunter card does not have its effect applied after a team wipe if the Cleaner killed 30 mutations during a previous run.
Buckshot Bruiser – Fixed an issue where the temp health decay timer reset each time temp health was added to the player.
Down In Front – Cleaners will no longer say their friendly fire lines when the Down in Front card has been played.
Dusty’s Customs Burn Cards – Fixed issue where Dusty’s Customs Burn Cards will trigger every time the player is rescued from a rescue pod.
Fortune – Fixed an issue where this card did not grant enough copper.
Hired Gun – Fixed an issue where this Burn Card did not grant copper after taking over a bot.
Life Insurance – Now properly stacks trauma reduction.
On Your Mark – Fixed an issue causing On Your Mark to grant more ammo than intended.
Power Reload – Fixed an issue where this card did not work with some shotguns.
Shooting Gloves – Removed the duplicate Shooting Gloves card in the Swarm Deck Manager.
Silver Bullets – This card now correctly gives 10% bullet damage.
Slippery When Wet – Fixed an issue with this Burn Card getting removed after a Player is rescued from a Rescue Pod.
Well Fed – Fixed an issue where Health gets reduced after a team wipe when boths have the Well Fed talent card active.
Campaign
Fix for Cleaners becoming invisible after being revived very quickly with a defibrillator.
Fixed an issue with most chainlink fences allowing players to stand on top of them.
Fixed an issue where the player could buy Team Upgrades multiple times from the Vendor in Saferooms.
Fixed an issue where Evangelo’s team effect was not affecting sprint speed.
Fixed an issue with Cleaners hanging in the air before being knocked into a ledge hang from an Ogre’s tumor toss.
Weapons
Fixed an issue where Molotovs bounced too much.
Fixed an issue where Ammo Packs dropped the same amount of ammo on all tiers.
Fixed an issue where melee weapon attacks could bypass the Breaker’s armor.
Bots
Fixed an issue where bots stopped reliably pinging Special Ridden after being grabbed or pinned.
Fixed an issue where bots could stand idle after equipping their healing item instead of pathing to the player to heal them.
Fixed an issue with bots not losing health while incapacitated.
Fixed an issue where bots reverted back to Tier 1 weapons after transitioning into the next Chapter when late-joining.
Fixed an issue where bots can get stuck on ladders during combat.
Fixed an issue where the bot version of Jim frequently did not engage with Ridden.
Fixed an issue where bots did not use first aid cabinets.
Fixed an issue where Bot Jim is continuously dropping barbed wire.
Fixed an issue where Bot Mom does not revive her teammates even though her revive dialogue is played.
Offline
Fixed an issue in Offline mode where the weapon gained from Dusty’s Customs Burn Cards is kept after a team wipe.
Ridden
Fix for Ridden sometimes becoming immune to stumbles.
Fixed an issue where Ridden would occasionally glitch with certain animations.
Fix for Hag screen effects persisting on screen after breaking free.
Fixed issue with Sleeper alert music playing more frequently than intended.
Fix for Breaker standing still or pivoting in place after using his melee attack.
Hag runs at a faster speed while in her flee state.
Fixed issues with various sleeper pod spawning locations so they are less likely to show up layered on top of each other or in unusual locations.
The Devil’s Return: The Crossing
Addressed issues with ledge hang in various locations.
Fixed an issue where NPCs in the jeep were highlighted throughout the Mission.
Plan B: Hinterland
Fixed an issue where Special Ridden and the Hag could get stuck in the garage interior.
Plan B: The Clog
Fix for teammates’ health bars being permanently hidden when The Fog is played.
Dr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: Cabins by the Lake
Fixed an issue where Cleaners standing in front or on top of the moving ferry take damage.
Remnants: A Friend in Need
Fixed an issue where a group of birds were always alerted when Cleaners approached the Crematorium.
Remnants: The Body Dump
Fixed issue where the mission objective “Kill Ogres” is not completed when the second Ogre is killed after a team wipe.
The Abomination
Fix for issue resulting in Bot not shooting the Abomination’s mouth weakspots.
Swarm PvP
Fixed an issue with Cleaners getting stuck on the spectator screen while in the second round of a Swarm match.
Fixed an issue where a team swap in Swarm would result in the Cleaners having zero ammo.
Fixed issue causing accessory count to be reduced to 1 when there is a Map transition.
Job 10:22: Heralds of the Worm, Part 2
Fixed issue with continuous Ridden spawning in Swarm Match.
Ridden
Fixed an issue where Ridden Common upgrades were missing in the Mutation Screen Upgrades tab.
Fixed an issue where the Stinger Ability Damage was incorrectly listed as 15% instead of 20%.
Supply Lines
Fixed an issue where multiple of the same Burn Card showed up in Roving Merchant Supply Lines.
Fixed an issue where players need to back out of Supply Lines to continue buying cards if they reach a Burn Card in the track.
Fixed an issue where players could re-purchase Burn Cards from the same Roving Merchant line before it was marked completed.
Fixed an issue with the Supply Line ‘Complete’ screen not appearing, or appearing in the wrong Supply Line after purchasing all products in the line.
Fixed an issue where the ‘Supply Line Available’ notification showed up repeatedly if a player bought a duplicate item in both a regular Supply Line and a Roving Merchant Supply Line.
Fixed issue where purchased products in the Supply Lines UI did not update properly.
Fixed an issue where the Supply Line tiles flicker every 5 seconds in the UI.
Accessibility
Fixed an issue where Copper and Mutation Points did not properly update after changing Color Blind Modes.
Fixed an issue where text-to-speech skips text when opening the Deck Menu for the first time
UI/UX
Fixed an issue where the speaking player’s Online ID during cutscenes, matchmaking menus, and loading is too close to the edge of the screen.
Fixed issue with Audio tab options being misaligned.
Fixed an issue where the kill feed did not mention when a teammate or bot was revived with the defibrillator.
Fixed issue with improper color grading when running in HDR on Windows.
Fixed an issue where the Burn Card select button did not work after selecting a Burn Card on the card loadout screen.
Fixed an issue where players late-joining a party during the post-round screen could break stats.
Playstation Platforms
Fixed an issue with campaign activity invites not working while the players were in a voice chat party.
Xbox Platforms
Fix for flashing lights on the edges of the screen while in Fort Hope.
Fixed issue where users could select a completed Supply Line in Fort Hope.
The God of War Ragnarok release date would be revealed today. But there was a change in plans.
That’s according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who says a God of War Ragnarok update was on the cards for today. according to one tweet (opens in new tab) he released earlier today, “very recently, there was indeed a release date announcement planned for Thursday, June 30th.”
This is according to sources who are reportedly familiar with the situation. But game director Cory Barlog said otherwise in twitter (opens in new tab). Something Schreier recognizes in his tweet.
dear all, if it were up to me i would share all the information when i know about it. but it’s not up to me. so please be patient. I promise things will be shared asap. We make games for you. we can make games because of you. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aw7dje5XxFJune 29, 2022
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God of War Ragnarok is delayed
Barlog has unequivocally confirmed that no, God of War Ragnarok has not been delayed. In the worst case, the release date announcement, which could have been for today, has been delayed. This Twitter exchange between Barlog and a fan sums it up for you.
It’s on track for its 2022 release, so for God’s sake, be patient. And stop asking developers about the release date, that’s Twitter’s lesson today. They don’t like to be harassed.
Sony must have its fingers crossed that God of War Ragnarok is released before the end of the year. While we expect big releases for the Xbox Series X, especially after Starfield’s 2023 delay, in Sony’s latest State of Play you really feel like the PS5 was treading water.
Some wounds never heal. Just ask Apple, the new champion of the spiteful.
As we were all celebrating the 15th anniversary of the original iPhone, Apple took a moment during a rather extensive and fascinating interview with Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal to once again call out rival Samsung for allegedly copying iPhone technology.
Apple’s current head of marketing Greg Joswiak, an amiable guy I’ve had many pleasant and sometimes incisive conversations with, is one of the highlights in Stern’s video, which cleverly details the history of the iPhone through the eyes of someone who was born on the same day.
However, when she asks Joswiak about the rise of the big-screen Android phone and Samsung’s stake in it, Joswiak’s smile fades and he calls it “annoying”.
Okay, I understand this. Apple was on top of the world with an industry-changing device that came in exactly one flavor. There were no Pros or Maxes or screen size variants. You’re 3.5 inches and that was the end of it. Then Samsung arrives with devices like the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S4, all of which have screens at least an inch larger. Worse still, its icon-based designs and home screens were a little too familiar.
Yeah, I think I’d be upset too.
But Joswiak is not finished. “They were annoying because, as you know, they stole our technology.” Wow. so we go there. Warming up to the topic, Joswiak continues: “They took the innovations we created and created bad copy and just put a bigger canvas around it. Yeah, so we weren’t too pleased.”
Huh. It is as if the wounds are still fresh, although they are not, even from the point of view of litigation.
Apple vs Samsung
Already in 2011, Apple sues Samsung (opens in new tab) for patent infringement, alleging that Samsung copied the look of its iPhone 3GS. Later, Samsung counterattacked, claiming that Apple was copying them.
Yet here is Joswiak, opening that old wound as if the companies weren’t even partners.
That’s right, for all the pieces of technology that Apple seeks to build (including, now, Apple Silicon), it still relies on component manufacturers for various iPhone parts and technologies. In recent years, Qualcomm (another enemy) and Broadcom have both provided wireless chips and Samsung is often the provider of OLED screens in most modern iPhones.
It’s true that Apple insists on bespoke components from many of its partners, which means that whatever, say, Samsung might build for its own phones and other companies, Apple likely asks it to make various tweaks to satisfy it. its own stringent requirements.
Even though Apple and Samsung were never partners, Joswiak’s new enmity is striking. It’s as if he’s not aware that the entire cellphone industry is inexorably slipping into the middle. All smartphones are alike and even though Samsung hadn’t “copied” some of Apple’s design elements and functionality, there was a clear path for all smartphones:
bigger screens
biometric security
thinner bodies
Longer battery life
On-screen apps and app management
Better and more cameras
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it’s also how development works. Unless you are inventing something that no one has ever seen before, your product and design will inevitably build on what has come before.
Of course, Samsung (and other third-party Android smartphone designers Apple also ended up suing (opens in new tab)) everyone saw the seemingly ubiquitous iPhone and used them for a while. They had to understand this phenomenon. Even if they didn’t do teardowns and reverse engineering (many probably did), they would be influenced by the iPhone just the same.
It could be argued that the creation of another platform option and some aspirational design decisions made by Samsung (like bigger screens) really helped Apple, leading them to expand the iPhone options from one model to the current five options (iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone SE (2022)).
Typically, when you ask a tech executive about the competition, even from a historical perspective, they refuse and talk about how the competition has led to growth and innovation for them.
Joswiak, however, made it clear that Apple is still angry.
On reflection, though, maybe this isn’t a bad thing. That means Apple is as hungry as a young company. He can still feel the disrespects of the early days and uses them as fuel to drive new innovations.
Maybe it’s even a sign that Apple is preparing to, after all these years, strike back at Samsung where it hurts the most – in the market. And what better way to do that than with Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Imagine how Samsung will feel when that arrives.
Wear OS 3 is the biggest update to Wear OS smartwatches yet. Built in partnership with Samsung, it offers faster app load times, fitness tracking powered by Fitbit, a redesigned interface and more.
It’s a major update that could breathe new life into the operating system – if consumers and smartwatch makers alike adopt it.
Below you’ll find full details of everything Wear OS 3 offers, along with information on when, where and how you can get it.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The latest version of Google’s smartwatch operating system
When do you leave? Now – but currently only for select wearables
How much does it cost? It’s free
Wear OS 3 release date
Wear OS 3 was announced at the Google I/O developer conference in May 2021 and first became available in August 2021 or so. It’s available now, but only on an extremely limited number of smartwatches. Full details of the wearables that are available now and coming soon can be found below.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was one of the first watches to run Wear OS 3 (Image credit: )
Wear OS 3 compatibility
Despite being available since 2021, there are currently very few smartwatches that actually run Wear OS 3. In fact, at the time of writing, you can only get it on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and the – very expensive – Montblanc Summit 3.
No previously available smartwatch has received a software update to Wear OS 3, but some will; with the Fossil Gen 6, Michael Kors Gen 6, Skagen Falster Gen 6, Razer X Fossil Gen 6, TicWatch Pro 3, TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, and TicWatch E3, all theoretically being updated before the end of 2022.
Some of the current vintages of the best smartwatches may also be updated, but no other devices have been confirmed yet.
We also expect new smartwatches to be released with Wear OS 3 soon, including the Google Pixel Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 range.
Please note that in order to use a Wear OS 3 watch, you also need a supported operating system on your phone. In theory it works with iOS and Android, but at the time of writing only the Montblanc Summit 3 includes iOS support – the Galaxy Watch 4 line does not, and neither the Pixel Watch nor the Galaxy Watch 5 line should.
The Montblanc Summit 3is a way to get Wear OS 3 (Image credit: Montblanc)
Wear OS 3 features
There’s a lot to see in Wear OS 3, but it’s worth noting that not all features will be available on all watches. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 lineup runs One UI Watch on top of Wear OS, which changes the look and feel of the UI.
Below you’ll find a rundown of Wear OS 3’s stock features – functionality you can expect to find on the Pixel Watch and any other Wear OS 3 wearables that haven’t been extensively customized, like Samsung’s current Galaxy Watch series, where you can expect to find more variation.
Faster and longer lasting
Google partnered with Samsung to build Wear OS 3, and the result is a combination of Wear OS 2 and Samsung’s Tizen-based wearable operating system; with some new features included for good measure.
Key improvements resulting from this collaboration include up to 30% faster app load times (than Wear OS 2) and longer battery life. This latest improvement makes it more feasible to do things like run your heart rate monitor all day or track your sleep without needing a charge first thing in the morning, every morning.
An updated interface
There are many more Tiles available in Wear OS 3 (Image credit: Google)
Wear OS 3 also brings UI changes, with Google focusing on making it faster and easier to operate your wearable. Nobody wants to spend a lot of time scrolling through menus on a relatively small clock screen, so there’s a focus on shortcuts and gesture controls; along with the ability to use Tiles (basically, mini widgets) to customize your watch’s home screen carousel in more ways than ever before.
You’ll also get quick access to smart home controls on Google Home and be able to quickly switch between apps in use with a new task switcher.
A custom overlay
Samsung uses its own interface with Wear OS 3 (Image credit: Future)
Just like Android smartphone makers can add a custom interface on top of stock Android, smartwatch makers can now do a similar trick with Wear OS, so the platform doesn’t necessarily look or behave identically across all smartwatches. .
This should give shoppers more options and more opportunities to find an interface and features they really love.
One UI Watch, found in the Galaxy Watch 4 line, is an early example of this; offers several Samsung apps and services in addition to Google’s, and draws more parallels with Samsung’s smartphone interface design.
New and Improved Google Apps
Google took this opportunity to redesign and improve Google Assistant and Google Maps, as well as adding support for more countries in Google Pay (soon to be replaced by the return of Google Wallet) and bringing YouTube Music to your wrist.
Fitness powered by Fitbit
(Image credit: Google)
Since Google now owns Fitbit, it’s no surprise that part of the latter company’s experience has made its way to Wear OS 3. That includes features like wrist goal celebrations and various tools to track your health progress throughout the day.
The exact fitness tracking features will depend on the hardware your smartwatch offers – most, but not all, include GPS and heart rate monitors, for example – and there are less common features like ECGs and blood oxygen monitors.
Best third-party apps
(Image credit: Google)
Google is also pushing for better support for third-party apps in a few ways. On the one hand, the company is making it easier for developers to build great apps in the first place; with tools like a new Tiles API and a clock face design editor.
In addition, Google also intends to reward developers for high-quality apps – and penalize low-effort ones – by adjusting their Play Store search ranking.
Google has guidelines on what good Wear OS apps should do, such as ensuring they are formatted for square and circular screens, having clear, easy-to-read text, and making the app work without a smartphone or tablet.
All the top smartwatch things you’d expect
Above, we’ve detailed the ways in which Wear OS 3 deviates from and improves on Wear OS 2, but also retains all the core functionality of that earlier platform, like notifications, timers, alarms, and more.
It was only recently that a user of Chinese tech giant Baidu reportedly revealed Intel’s latest NUC mini PC, and now new rumors have surfaced about its full specs. And from what we can see, these leaked specs show just how powerful these mini PCs will be compared to standard gaming PCs.
The NUC 12 Enthusiast, codenamed ‘Serpent Canyon’, is a continuation of the NUC 11 ‘Beast Canyon’ which will apparently use the 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake CPU and the latest Arc A7 series GPUs.
All three will reportedly use Intel Arc laptop GPUs rather than The Nvidia GeForce GPUs that the NUC 11s were equipped with. The 16GB variant points to the Arc A770M, while the 12GB and 8GB will likely be the Arc A730M and Arc A550M.
The NUC 12 Extreme also surfaced in the rumor mill – which, unlike the Enthusiast, which supposedly uses discrete GPUs, is said to use full-length discrete graphics cards.
Analysis: Can Intel be competitive in the GPU market?
It makes sense for Intel to break free from the shackles of its competitor Nvidia and use its own internal GPU for the NUC 12, especially in China where budget GPUs are more prevalent due to the popularity of internet cafes.
However, considering the rocky benchmark performances for the Arc A7 and the high starting prices on desktop Arc A380, there seem to be problems with Intel’s debut. In fact, Intel’s high-end GPU benchmarks lag behind Nvidia’s RTX 3060 in early tests, which is even worse.
There is also the fact that Intel has limiting your release of desktop Arc GPUs for China, which is resulting in delays for the rest of the world. And looking at the reasoning behind this decision, it’s clear that Intel is simply not ready for Arc GPUs to be released elsewhere.
“All these issues cast a huge shadow over Intel’s success in the GPU market, so we’ll have to wait and see how well the tech giant does when it fully releases products that use its lineup of GPUs, like the NUC 12. in the near future.”
The first non-promotional image of Sony’s PlayStation VR 2 has been released, showing us just how streamlined the upcoming VR headset is.
Developer Bit Planet Games uploaded a photo of a PSVR 2 system on Twitter. Although the studio was quick to delete the post, likely for breaking an internal NDA with Sony, the image was reuploaded to reddit (opens in new tab).
It shows the headset alongside two PSVR 2 controllers – Sense controllers, which are designed to replace the original system’s Move gamepads. It also shows two opaque plastic bags, which appear to be just the right size to hold a USB charging cable or controller wristbands.
While the image itself doesn’t show the VR headset in action, it certainly clarifies the direction Sony is taking with the next system. The PSVR 2 feels just as slim and streamlined as its predecessor, and a very portable package.
Sense controllers may be bulkier than PlayStation Move sticks, but they’re not big. Even its plastic orbs look pretty thin, and the headset itself doesn’t feel bigger than the original PSVR, despite its stronger specs.
The PSVR 2 is lighter than its predecessor, and should weigh less than 600g. That puts it just above the Oculus Quest 2 (now called the Meta Quest 2), which comes in at half a pound, but far below the Valve Index of 800g.
All this means that the PSVR 2 looks like a very mobile VR console with a small form factor. That’s good news for anyone planning to move the system around their home or were worried that Sony would replicate the massive size of the PS5. Add in the rumors that it will be backwards compatible and things are looking up for PSVR 2.
Meta continues to improve upon parts of Facebook that have been in need of an update for some time, with Groups being given a new sidebar to help users find their favorite groups more easily on iOS and Android.
The days of posting statuses that would begin with ‘is’ on Facebook are long gone, with a bunch of users seeing the social platform as a way of sharing memes, or keeping in touch with family, or simply being in groups to post and share content.
Meta is keenly aware of this, and recently, has taken steps to make admin rights more powerful to easily decline posts and more.
In this new update that’s in testing (opens in new tab) for a select pool of users, you can take part in audio channels, or channels about certain topics, similar to Slack, which could make managing a group much easier in the future.
Analysis: copying from other apps is nothing new
(Image credit: Facebook)
Some of these features copied from Slack make a lot of sense for Facebook Groups.
We all know that one friend or family member who spends all their time on the social network in certain groups – it could be about the neighborhood or a future event, for example. Yet it’s easier than posting a status requesting something, as if you’re throwing a net into an ocean, hoping to catch a relevant comment.
These new features look to make it easier for these users, especially if they’re part of more than five groups. As things stand right now, when you go onto Facebook and select a group it can be confusing to find the right post or to start the right topic.
It’s another good decision from Meta here in these new features. Hopefully, there are even more coming to this part of Facebook that can give members and admins even more power over what they share, and how they can report abuse as well.
After turbulent development and multiple delays, Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones could be gearing up for release next November.
Twitter user Alumia_Italia claims to have found details about the game’s release in an Xbox Store listing, eurogamer reports. Per the tweet, the listing makes mention of a pre-order bonus, additional missions, a “Smuggler Pass Token”, a digital soundtrack and art book, and a premium bonus pack. More importantly, also includes a possible release date (opens in new tab): November 8, 2022.
Skull & Bones’ announcement is imminent. The Xbox Store listings are ready, some examples: 1) SKULL AND BONES™ PRE-ORDER BONUS2) Bloody Bones Legacy Quest3) Ashen Corsair Quest4) Smuggler Pass Token5) Digital Soundtrack and Artbook6) Premium Bonus…June 28, 2022
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This release date discovery was later corroborated by well-known whistleblower and leaker Tom Henderson, who simply tweeted a green tick in response.
Alumia_Italia suggests that the game’s listing on the Xbox Store means that an “announcement of Skull and Bones is imminent”. In fact, Tom Henderson claimed earlier this month in a report to TryHard Guides (opens in new tab) that, according to their sources, Ubisoft is planning to re-reveal the game in early July and that the re-reveal will include a release date confirmation.
Skull and Bones does not currently have an official release date, although earlier this year Ubisoft said in a financial briefing (opens in new tab) who expect the game to release this financial year, so before April 2023. November 8 would certainly fit that goal.
Of course, any leaked release dates should always be taken with a pretty sizable pinch of salt. We won’t know the release date for Skull and Bones for sure until we officially hear from Ubisoft.
Analysis: is it likely?
It’s safe to say that Skull and Bones is a game that comes from a long time ago. First revealed in 2017, it has had its release date pushed back several times amid reports of a mid-development reboot.
In the September 2020 update, Ubisoft Singapore Creative Director Elisabeth Pellen said that the game was being made with a “new vision”, and in February 2022, Ubisoft stated that Skull and Bones is now a “multiplayer” game. first”, suggesting that mentions of single-player elements made in the first E3 presentations no longer apply.
Despite these issues and delays, however, over the last few months, it seems increasingly likely that the game could finally be gearing up for release, because this leak is certainly not the first.
Even more recently, in May the game was evaluated in South Korea and it was just a few days ago that it received its ESRB rating (opens in new tab) from ‘M’ to mature.
With all these things considered, it seems possible that Ubisoft is gearing up for a Skull and Bones announcement. A November release date – or should we say November-arrr – doesn’t seem out of the realms of possibility either. If it’s not going to be a month where you can really lean towards the ‘arrr’ sound then really what’s the point?
Sony has just released a range of PC-centric monitors and headphones that PlayStation console owners will definitely want to get their hands on.
Say hello to Inzone – Sony’s new brand of PC gaming peripherals. The collection currently consists of two rather stylish gaming monitors and three headphones. It’s not a total surprise, as news of the headphones leaked last week, while the monitors’ existence leaked to the world just before the press release was released.
All the hardware is compatible with the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but the white and black colors will look great alongside Sony’s console. In fact, both monitor stands look like tiny mini versions of the PS5. Adorable.
There’s an ad that, in true Sony fashion, shows almost nothing related to the product. We have a few seconds of a player getting ready for a session, adjusting his lovely new monitor, before wandering through a CGI landscape. With only a piece of the Inzone kit in sight. Take a look:
The cat is a cute addition, but I’m not a big fan of these types of commercials. Especially when they feature a good dose of nightmare fuel. Imagine this monstrosity falling on you in the middle of the night.
(Image credit: Sony)
All three headphones will be available from July at various retailers, while the monitors have a more vague release date of ‘summer 2022’ for the Inzone M9 and ‘winter 2022’ for the M3. The latter is still waiting for a price as well.
On the display front, it’s worth noting that the Inzone M9 has a 144Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution. It’s a rarity, but it will gladly fit into our roundup of the best 4K 144Hz displays, I’m sure. Now for the specs and prices!
Sony Inzone headphones price and release date
(Image credit: Sony)
Pictured above, from left to right, are the Inzone H3 wired headset, the Inzone H7 wireless headset, and the Inzone H9 wireless noise canceling headset. We’ve listed the details of each below.
Inzone H3 wired gaming headset
Release date of: july 2022
Price: $99.99 / £89 / AU$149.95
360 Spatial Sound
Flexible flip-up microphone with mute function
Left side controls
Housing ducts to optimize low-frequency sound for punchy bass
padded headband
Ergonomic ear cushions to minimize pressure on the ears
Pictured above, from left to right, are the Inzone M3 and Inzone M9 gaming monitors. They look incredibly similar, but I promise they are two different product photos. It’s also worth noting that while the headphones are on Sony’s Australian website, the monitors aren’t. Therefore, there is no pricing or release date information for this region at this time.
Inzone M3 gaming monitor
Release date of: winter 2022
Price: To confirm
Screen size: 27 inches
Screen ratio: 16:9
Panel type: IPS LCD
Update rate: 240Hz
Resolution: Full HD
VRR: Yea
response time: 1ms GtG (gray to gray)
Low latency auto mode: Yes (HDMI 2.1)
Backlight: LED on edge
HDR: HDR10, HLG
Brightness peak: 400cd/m2
viewing angle: 178°
picture modes: Standard, FPS game, Cinema, Game 1, Game 2
The Inzone M3 and Inzone M9 are very similar models, so the choice comes down to whether you want to fork out a 144Hz/4K monitor.
While Sony is targeting PC gamers with its Inzone-branded collection, PS5 owners should definitely look into peripherals. The colors are begging to be matched with your black and white monolith.
Everything is available for pre-order now, with the exception of the Inzone M3, but you can bookmark it and come back to see when they open.
