It’s Monday, which means that it’s a brand new week where PS5 restocks can happen. Both US and UK retailers have stock incoming, according to reputable sources. This should hopefully mean some of our readers will be able to get in on the next-gen action. Read on for all of the latest info in this PSLS PS5 Restock Update for February 28, 2022.
Which US stores have PS5 stock for today, February 28?
US PS5 Console Restock Update
For today, February 28, 2022, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop are the retailers expected to be dropping PS5s next. Tracker_RY reports that all three retailers “and others” will be restocking soon.
All of the Sony “PS5 Treat Codes” have been found, along with their questions and some best guesses at the answers. These can all be used for the best chance at winning a PS5. The list of codes and instructions on how to redeem them are available here.
PSN members can sign up for a chance to buy a PS5 directly from the PlayStation Store. Get all of the details here and then watch out for the important email.
The last PS5 drop was on February 24 when Walmart restocked.
Best Buy – Drop expected soon!
Walmart – Drop occurred on February 24.
Amazon – Expected restock overdue. Could be a drop at any moment!
Target – Drop expected soon!
BJs – Bundle restock happened on January 19.
PS Direct – PSN users can register here for a chance to buy.
GameStop – Restock on February 16 was for PC components.
AntOnline – Bundle restock happened on January 27.
While it’s still very tough to find a PS5 console, peripherals and other accessories continue to be reliably in stock at Amazon. Check out the links above for our top picks.
Which UK stores have PS5 stock for today, February 28?
For February 28, those shopping for PS5s in the UK have the best chance of grabbing one from BT. Those with a BT Broadband account can head here for the product page.
As for the rest of us non-BT members, Game is the next retailer to watch. @PS5StockAlertUK, which has proven very accurate about drops in the past, reports that Game will be restocking PS5 consoles between March 15-18. Expect the drop to occur between 9-11:30 AM on one of those days.
Lenovo is coming to Mobile World Congress 2022 with a small flood of IdeaPad tablets, including one of the relatively few Windows tablets on the market. The IdeaPad Duet 5i (shown above) mates a 12.3-inch Surface-style detachable tablet with Windows 11 and Intel's 12th-gen Core ultraportable chips. It won't have the 13-inch 120Hz display of the Surface Pro 8, but the size and refresh rate might be worth the tradeoff if you're more interested in CPU power or portability.
The Duet 5i supports up to a Core i7-1255U chip, 16GB of LPDDR4x memory (sorry, no DDR5 here) and 1TB of SSD storage. The two USB-C 3.2 ports, 11 hours of claimed battery life and 5MP front and rear cameras won't stand out, but you might appreciate the color-accurate 1600p screen, optional pen input and a relatively light 1.8lbs body.
The Windows tablet won't ship until July, but it will start at $750 with a keyboard cover included. Even with baseline specs (a Pentium 8505, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage), it may represent a better value than some Windows slates.
IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook
Lenovo
There are plenty of choices if you prefer Google-powered devices. Lenovo is trotting out three Chrome OS IdeaPad devices, including the 14-inch Flex 5i Chromebook (middle), 15-inch Flex 3i Chromebook and 11-inch Duet 3 Chromebook. The Flex 5i convertible is a clear step up from past models with up to 12th-gen Core processors, a 16:10 ratio full HD display, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a 1080p webcam. The more modest Flex 3i peaks with a Pentium N6000 chip, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of eMMC storage and a 720p camera. And the Duet 3 detachable may be worth noting if you're looking for an upgrade from its predecessors — you'll find a Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip, up to 8GB of RAM and as much as 256GB of eMMC storage.
The Flex 3i and Duet 3 Chromebook models will arrive in May, both of which start at $400. Wait until June and you can buy the Flex 5i Chromebook starting at $500.
There is one Android model in the mix. The third-generation Tab M10 Plus you see below is a solid budget Android 12 tablet with either a Snapdragon 680 (with 4GB or 6GB of RAM) or MediaTek G80 (3GB or 4GB of RAM), a 10.6-inch 2,000 x 1,200 pen-optional display and up to 128GB of expandable storage. You'll also find 8MP front and rear cameras and a lone USB-C 2.0 port. It doesn't ship until June, but the $190 entry price could make it a relatively easy choice.
Tab M10 Plus
Lenovo
Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022right here!
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Lenovo has refreshed its ThinkPad lineup once again with the latest version of its beefy X1 Extreme laptop. The performance-focused ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is powered by a 12th-gen Intel Core i9 H-Series processor up to i9 and supports NVIDIA's latest GeForce RTX laptop GPUs.
Vapor chamber cooling and integrated liquid metal thermal paste deliver up to a 10 percent performance boost, Lenovo claims. The system can have up to 64GB of DDR5 memory and up to 8TB of SSD storage. In other words, this isn't exactly an entry-level laptop.
There's Dolby Voice noise canceling support, along with a Dolby Atmos speaker system. Some of the display options include Dolby Vision support. There's a 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio panel option with a refresh rate of 165Hz and low-blue-light tech. Other options have features such as touch input, factory color calibration and up to 600 nit brightness with 4K resolution.
Lenovo
In addition, the laptop comes with a 90Wh battery, WiFi 6/6E and 5G connectivity, a Full HD front-facing camera and a SD Express 7.0 card reader. Like other current ThinkPad X1 Models, Tile's tracking tech is built in. You'll be able to track the laptop for up to 14 days, even when it's switched off.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 will be available in June. It starts at $2,049.
On top of that, Lenovo has revealed new business-centric ThinkPad T series laptops. The company is largely moving that lineup to panels with a 16:10 aspect ratio and low-blue-light tech. As with the X1 Extreme, there are Full HD camera options and support for Dolby Audio, Dolby Voice and WiFi 6E.
Lenovo
There's a new 16-inch ThinkPad T16 alongside the 14-inch ThinkPad T14s Gen 3 and T14 Gen 3. The business-focused laptops will run on either 12th-gen Intel Core or AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 Series processors. Opting for an Intel-powered model means you can add a NVIDIA GeForce MX 550 or RTX 2050 GPU. Otherwise, the systems will use integrated graphics. There are two battery options for each device too, as well as built-in Tile support.
The ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 and T16 will be available in April, starting at $1,399 and $1,419, respectively, for Intel models. AMD-powered versions of either size start at $1,299. Timing and pricing for the ThinkPad T14s Gen 3 are a bit different. Intel models will arrive in June, starting at $1,529, while AMD versions will be available in May from $1,399.
Lenovo
Meanwhile, Lenovo says the ThinkVision M14d monitor is the world’s first 14-inch mobile display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It has an IPS 2.2K panel with a resolution of 2240 x 1400. There's power passthrough support, so you'll only need one USB-C cable connected to a computer or tablet. There's a second USB-C port to which you can connect certain peripherals, such as an external storage drive or a phone.
The ThinkVision M14d, which comes with a protective sleeve, weighs less than 1.3 pounds (600 grams) and has a 60Hz refresh rate. It will ship in July and cost $299.
Lenovo also announced the ThinkBook 14s Yoga Gen 2 and ThinkBook 13s Gen 4, which have dual-tone color highlights and an anodized aluminum exterior design. They run on 12th-gen Intel Core processors and have Thunderbolt 4 and WiFi 6E connectivity. The 2-in-1s will be available in April, starting at $849 for both the 13-inch and 14-inch variants.
Lenovo
Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022right here!
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A lot of Engadget readers – and to be honest, Engadget editors – are obsessed with e-ink devices. Whether they’re productivity workhorses or digital canvases, the tech has slowly continued to inch beyond the one-handed e-readers of the last decade.
The latest addition is a substantially-sized e-ink tablet from Huawei. The MatePad Paper has a 10.3-inch grayscale screen with an anti-glare, reflective display to aid low-light use. The Paper can reproduce 256 shades of greyscale to display text and images – and even video — although I'm not sure why you'd want B&W video.
You probably already noticed it’s got surprisingly small bezels for an e-ink device. Huawei says it’s honed the tablet down to an 86.3 percent screen-to-body ratio, with a book spine-inspired design ensuring there's something for you to hold. All that e-paper, coupled with the size of the thing, sets it apart from pretty much every other e-ink device we’ve seen so far. (The Kindle DX was a long time ago.)
Alongside 32 levels of backlighting, the device is also compatible with Huawei’s M Pencil, which usually launches alongside its more typical tablets. This means you can scribble, annotate and edit your documents and books, which is a very useful tool when it comes to e-ink devices. Notably, Huawei has been able to refine the sensitivity of the textured screen to 26ms. It might not be quite as super smooth as an S22 Ultra – or even Huawei’s other tablets, but it's notable on a matte e-ink surface. Is this the perfect digital note-taking device?
Continuing Huawei’s push to connect all of its devices as seamlessly as possible, you can connect the MatePad Paper to the company’s laptops, PCs, tablets and phones. Huawei says the tablet will appear like a USB drive, and you can drag and drop your notes and annotated PDFs across to your laptop. This is possible thanks to the company's propriety operating system, HarmonyOS.
Huawei product announcements come with the usual proviso, however. The hardware is exciting – and tempting for anyone who works with lots of books, documents and digital paperwork — but you’ll be constrained by HarmonyOS.
The company says it's still growing out the ecosystem, but the onus remains on app creators and companies as to whether they’ll offer support. For example, There are a few ways I could check out my Kindle books on the MatePad Paper – maybe I could use the web-based reader? – but it won’t be as seamless as Amazon hardware. Then again, the MatePad Paper is also capable of more than a simple Kindle.
Huawei didn’t announce the availability and pricing of the MatePad Paper ahead of its MWC presentation. We’ll update this report when we hear more.
Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022right here!
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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the next two games in the mainline Pokémon series, are coming to Nintendo Switch later this year, The Pokémon Company announced during today’s Pokémon Presents.
Huawei’s top laptop series has gone through a few iterations, but the company has made some notable upgrades to its 2022 MateBook X Pro, without losing what we’ve liked from these laptops over the last few years. Yes, it’s still slim, yes it’s still understated. Yes, we don’t know if it’ll ever appear in the US.
The 2022 model will land with 11th gen Intel U series processors (a spokesperson added that 12th-gen MateBooks would arrive later this year), and a bigger screen. Huawei has expanded the screen up to 14.2 inches from the 13.9 inches of its predecessor, while simultaneously making the body even slimmer. Above the 3,120 x 2,080 display, there’s a HD micro camera – fortunately Huawei hasn’t moved it back to the peek-a-boo webcam keyboard button.
This is also Huawei’s first laptop to support the P3 color gamut and over 1 billion colors and reaches refresh rates of 90Hz too. And for those into touch displays, there's 10-point multitouch compatibility too.
Inside the new wedge design, there are now triple air intakes, up from a single intake last year, including one built into the keyboard. Huawei says this results in 60 percent more airflow through the device. And it might be put to use. The new MateBook X Pro has a new 'performance mode' — accessed through a keyboard shortcut. Huawei says this boosts the CPU's thermal design power (TDP) to 30W for a "performance uplift".
The MateBook X Pro comes with a 90W SuperCharge function that can give 3 hours of use on just a 15-minute charge. (And this all comes from a tiny 180-gram charger that looks more like a phone charger.)
Plug a phone into one of the four USB-C ports and you’ll get up to 50 watts of charge, too. Huawei has also upgraded the sound in its latest laptop, with six speakers dotted around the MateBook X Pro. That's a lot. There are also four mics dotted around the perimeter to improve audio recording and conference calls.
These are the big changes, but a lot is staying the same. There’s still a large trackpad (with some new “free touch” gestures, including one for swiftly scrobbling through video), a chiclet keyboard and Huawei’s Mobile App engine (for running Huawei’s mobile… apps on your laptop).
Huawei
Alongside a new e-ink device, Huawei is also launching a new OLED hybrid PC. The 2-in-1 MateBook E comes with two keyboard options — alas likely to be sold separately or bundled with the PC, depending on region.
Alone, the 12.6-inch MateBook E weighs just over 700 grams (1.5 pounds) and is a slender 7.99mm thick. It will run on 11th-gen Intel Core processors with Intel's embedded Iris X graphics. Huawei's second-generation stylus will also work with the hybrid — the first time it's been compatible with the MateBook series — supporting 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and 2ms responsiveness. A magnetic keyboard folio, seen above, will allow you to adjust the view of the 2-in-1 while working, while a new Glide keyboard peripheral, adds an extra USB port to the device and will, according to Huawei, allow you to hold it in one hand. For spreadsheets on the go?
The company is holding onto other details – including, crucially, price – for its big MWC reveal. We’ll update this story when it’s streamed this weekend.
Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2022right here!
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Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama has said that he would like to make a psychological horror game in the vein of Silent Hill again some day. Toyama now runs his own development company, Bokeh Game Studio, where he’s making action adventure game Slitterhead with other former Silent Hill, Siren, and Gravity Rush developers. He made his remarks during a video interview published by Bokeh.
What Toyama had to say about a new Silent Hill type game
“I want someday to do something with some classic psychological horror themes like I did with Silent Hill,” Toyama said. “However, I’d rather do that when working with really limited resources, such as budget or having to focus on one individual. Right now, we have staff with the ability to work on action.” He added that he wants to utilize his staff’s skills to go in a different direction but desires to make something “more personal” someday.
Toyama revealed that, in a way, Slitterhead is a compilation of his past experiences including Silent Hill. But since it’s an action game, it takes more notes from Gravity Rush than any other franchise that he’s worked on. When asked if Slitterhead will have some kind of experimental downloadable content like Gravity Rush, the team at Bokeh didn’t confirm or deny anything and said that it’s focusing on the main game first.
Opinion: We’ll probably never see another Silent Hill
Zarmena writes… I think it’s time to accept that Silent Hill is gone and Konami has no intention of doing anything with the franchise other than pachinko machines. Just yesterday, a ResetEra user discovered that the publisher seems to have let go of the Silent Hill domain, which now displays a tweet by artist Masahiro Ito, regretting designing Pyramid Head. Go figure…
A recently-published patent by PlayStation architect Mark Cerny suggests that Sony Interactive Entertainment is looking to “accelerate” ray tracing performance in video games. The patent, which was originally filed in August 2021 and published last week, was found by a Twitter user and reported by Video Games Chronicle as a PlayStation 5 patent. However, Digital Foundry disputes this, and believes that the filing describes hardware that isn’t currently in the PS5. Nevertheless, Sony’s looking to improve how ray tracing works on PlayStation platforms in the future.
What the patent says about PlayStation ray tracing
The patent is for a method for graphics processing that “includes executing, on a graphics processing unit (GPU), a shader program that performs ray tracing of a 3D environment represented by an acceleration structure.” It involves “using a hardware-implemented ray tracing unit (RTU) within the GPU that traverses the acceleration structure at the request of the shader program, and using at the shader program, results of the acceleration structure traversal.”
There’s understandably a lot of technical jargon in the filing, but the gist of it is that Sony believes its new method will “significantly” improve ray tracing speed as “the shader program is only performing hit testing.” “It is not performing acceleration structure traversal or managing the corresponding stack,” the filing concludes.
Opinion: PS5 Pro or no?
Zarmena writes… Since a Digital Foundry member mentioned on ResetEra that this patent discusses hardware that isn’t used in PS5 consoles at presents, a number of users have speculated that Sony could be toying with a PS5 Pro of some sort. Numerous PS4 Pro related patents were discovered by internet sleuths shortly after the PS4 launched, so this isn’t outside the realm of possibility. I personally wouldn’t be surprised if we see an updated PS5 a year or so from now. What do our readers think?
Known modder and YouTuber Speclizer has managed to datamine information pertaining to The Last of Us Part II‘s multiplayer. Naughty Dog hasn’t officially talked about the standalone experience yet but assets left in the game’s files, which may or may not be placeholders, give us an idea of what the developer has been toying with. What the files describe as level 1 armor is police armor of sorts, level 2 armor looks like swat armor, and level 3 sees the player camouflaged. Since multiplayer doesn’t exist yet, Speclizer applied the outfits to Ellie in the single-player mode in the video below.
The Last of Us 2 multiplayer may have a class system
Dataminers also uncovered six “backpacks” labeled assault, melee, sniper, stealth, support, and tactical, which suggests that The Last of Us 2’s multiplayer will have a class-based system. However, Speclizer wasn’t able to load those assets into the game. If possible, they’ll show off the backpacks as well.
A third interesting finding reveals that Naughty Dog created a model for a jetpack. Speclizer has theorized that multiple armor levels as well as the jetpack support previous reports that The Last of Us Part 2’s multiplayer may feature a battle royale mode.
Found a model named “jet-pack” in TLOU 2. Multiplayer armour with levels and now a jetpack? this is looking more and more like a battle royale. pic.twitter.com/dmWuuOmvXf
The only thing Naughty Dog has officially confirmed is that The Last of Us 2’s multiplayer is still in development alongside other projects and it’ll be shown off when it’s ready. In the meantime, this is all we have to go by. We’ll update our readers when we have more information.
In other news, 2002 action RPG Enclave is being re-released this summer, and Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart grabbed four trophies at DICE Awards 2022.
The market around children’s cardboard continues rocketinginto uncharted territory. Earlier this week, auction outfit Goldin announced a holographic “Illustrator” Pikachu Pokémon card from 1998 sold for $900,000. No one knows who bought it for that much, or why, but the winning bid shattered the previous record…
Enclave HD, an enhanced version of Starbreeze Studios’ 2002 action role-playing game, will re-release in summer 2022. Publisher Ziggurat Interactive previously planned to release Enclave HD last fall but decided to push the launch to an unspecified date this summer. Nevertheless, it’ll be the first time Enclave releases on a PlayStation platform. Following its Xbox launch 20 years ago, the game made its way to PC and Nintendo Wii.
Enclave HD will feature upgraded visuals
Starbreeze has promised a visual makeover, new soundtrack, “and more.” For the uninitiated, Enclave is played in third-person and features medieval-style combat. Hundreds of years have passed since a wizard saved the people of Calenheim from the evil Dreg’Atar and his armies by creating a rift that separates good and evil. Unfortunately, the rift is about to close and players must become the hero that people need. “Will this aspiring adventurer succeed in his quest to fight for the Light and slay the demon king Vatar, or will a minion of the Darkness take Celenheim for the forces of evil?” That’s up to players to decide because Enclave gives them the option to choose between the forces of Light or Darkness in two separate campaigns.
Regardless of whether you choose Light or Darkness, you’ll have six character categories to choose from in each faction but they’ll be different for both. For instance, the Light faction will feature Knights, Wizards, and Druids and the Darkness faction will feature Berserkers, Assassins, and Goblins. Players will have swords, magic, and bows among a plethora of weapons at their disposal. Enclave HD boasts 25 “unique” missions as well as bonus content, a variety of challenging boss fights, varied weapons and consumables, three difficulty settings, and numerous “surprises.”
In other news, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart won four trophies at DICE Awards 2022, and Gran Turismo Sophy AI will be added to Gran Turismo 7 in a future update.
Winners of the 25th Annual DICE Awards have been announced by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, with Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two dominating the show. Ratchet’s first PlayStation 5 outing took home the most number of awards, winning four of the eight categories that it was nominated under. Meanwhile, co-op adventure It Takes Two won yet another Game-of-the-Year trophy. It was a good night for publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment in general as it also picked up two awards for Housemarque’s PS5 game Returnal. Kena: Bridge of Spirits was nominated in numerous categories, but unfortunately, didn’t win any of them.
DICE Awards 2022 winners list
Full list of nominees and winners (highlighted) is as follows:
Game of the Year
Deathloop
Inscryption
It Takes Two
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Returnal
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Deathloop
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil Village
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Deathloop
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil Village
Outstanding Achievement in Character
Deathloop – Colt Vahn
Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Kena
Life is Strange: True Colors – Alex Chen
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Rivet
Resident Evil Village – Lady Dimitrescu
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
Deathloop
It Takes Two
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Psychonauts 2
Returnal
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
Forza Horizon 5
Halo Infinite
It Takes Two
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Returnal
Outstanding Achievement in Story
Before Your Eyes
Inscryption
Guardians of the Galaxy
Psychonauts 2
The Forgotten City
Outstanding Technical Achievement
Battlefield 2042
Forza Horizon 5
Moncage
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Returnal
Action Game of the Year
Deathloop
Halo Infinite
Metroid Dread
Returnal
The Ascent
Adventure Game of the Year
Death’s Door
It Takes Two
Guardians of the Galaxy
Psychonauts 2
Resident Evil Village
Family Game of the Year
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise
Cozy Grove
Mario Party Superstars
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Warioware: Get it Together
Fighting Game of the Year
Guilty Gear Strive
Melty Blood: Type Lumina
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
Racing Game of the Year
F1 2021
Forza Horizon 5
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Role-Playing Game of the Year
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Shin Megami Tensei V
Tales of Arise
Wildermyth
Sports Game of the Year
FIFA 22
Mario Golf: Super Rush
NBA 2k22
Riders Republic
The Climb 2
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
Age of Empires IV
Gloomhaven
Griftlands
Inscryption
Loop Hero
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
Lone Echo II
Puzzling Places
Resident Evil 4 VR
Song in the Smoke
Yuki
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
Demeo
I Expect You To Die 2
Lone Echo II
Resident Evil 4 VR
Song in the Smoke
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
Death’s Door
Inscryption
Loop Hero
Sable
Unpacking
Mobile Game of the Year
Behind the Frame
Fantasian
League of Legends: Wild Rift
Moncage
Pokémon Unite
Online Game of the Year
Back 4 Blood
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Halo Infinite
Knockout City
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
Deathloop
Inscryption
It Takes Two
Loop Hero
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Deathloop
Inscryption
It Takes Two
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
The Artful Escape
In other news, Horizon Forbidden West’s PS5 version proved to be more popular in the UK despite a higher price tag, and PlayStation has been listed among top ten brands in the U.S.
When Sony announced that Horizon Forbidden West‘s PlayStation 5 version would cost $10 more than the PS4 version, backlash ensued because the company had initially promised that first-party games in PS5’s launch window would offer free upgrades, and Horizon Forbidden West was originally part of that lineup. Fans felt that the game’s delay wasn’t a good excuse to pull that offer, pushing Sony to backtrack on its decision. Turns out, majority of the UK players paid more to purchase Horizon Forbidden West on the PS5. According to data shared by Games Industry, 68 percent of the game’s physical copies sold in the UK were PS5 discs and 67 percent of its download sales were for the PS5 version.
Why Horizon Forbidden West PS5 is more popular in the UK
Let’s get the obvious reason out of the way first. A good proportion of the gaming population doesn’t necessarily keep up with all sorts of video game news and discourse happening on social media. There’s a high chance that they either didn’t know or didn’t care about the price difference. Secondly, as we’ve reported before, the way Sony advertised both versions of Horizon Forbidden West didn’t really make it clear that players had the option to buy the cheaper PS4 version (disc or digital) and claim the PS5 upgrade for free – something that irked one games industry lawyer, who claims that Sony can be sued for this “deceptive” tactic.
Opinion: Some players just don’t care about the price difference
Zarmena writes… I follow video game news for a living yet I forked out extra money for the physical PS5 version of Horizon Forbidden West, simply because I neither have the patience nor the time to faff about with 100 GB downloads just to save a little bit of money. A good chunk of the gaming population still has to deal with data caps and poor download speeds so it makes little sense to buy a disc only to pop it in and start a massive download. I can’t speak for those who bought the digital version, but if they accessed the PS Store from their next-gen hardware, they would have seen the PS5 version only. I can’t wait to see NPD data and find out what version U.S. players opted for.
The US government has imposed harsh export restrictions against Russia designed to drastically limit its access to both low- and high-tech goods from overseas. As first reported by Reuters, the Commerce Department has posted a list of expanded licensing policies and requirements implemented in response to Russia's further invasion of Ukraine.
Under the expanded sanctions, US suppliers that want to ship to Russia will have to obtain licenses for goods that didn't require one in the past. Those goods include microelectronics, telecommunications items, sensors, navigation equipment, avionics, marine equipment and aircraft components.
In addition, the US is adding companies designated as "military end users" due to their alleged ties to the Russian military to the entity list. Any company seeking to ship products made abroad to those military end users will have to obtain licenses from the United States if they're using US-made tools, technology and software for their products. The government says these sanctions should "significantly impact Russia's ability to acquire items it cannot produce itself."
The new rules state that license requests will be reviewed "under a policy of denial," which means the Commerce Department will deny almost all of them. The administration will only approve licenses in rare exceptions, such as applications related to aviation and maritime safety, as well as humanitarian needs. Smartphone exports to Russia are also allowed, so long as they're not shipped to Russian government employees and state-owned enterprises.
Former Commerce Department official Kevin Wolf told Reuters that the rules are so complex, many companies might simply stop dealing with Russia completely to avoid mistakes despite the carveouts. However, Cordell Hull, another former official, predicted that the rules would be difficult to enforce.
During a speech announcing the new measures, President Joe Biden said partner countries are adopting or have expressed intent to adopt similar sanctions. The list of partner countries includes 27 members of the European Union, such as Italy, France and Germany, along with Canada, Australia, Japan and the UK, to name a few. "Between our actions and those of our allies and partners, we estimate that we will cut off more than half of Russia's high-tech imports," he said.
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The UK government is introducing a bill that will require Facebook, Google and other tech platforms to verify the identities of users. The measure is part of the government's Online Safety Bill announced last year and is ostensibly designed to help users block anonymous trolls online.
“Tech firms have a responsibility to stop anonymous trolls polluting their platforms,” said UK digital Minister Nadine Dorries in a statement. “People will now have more control over who can contact them and be able to stop the tidal wave of hate served up to them by rogue algorithms.”
Tech firms would need to decide how to carry out the checks when users create social media accounts. Some options proposed by the government include facial recognition via profile pictures, two-factor authentication and government-issued ID. The UK's media regulator Ofcom would be in charge of laying out the rules.
Tech firms have a responsibility to stop anonymous trolls polluting their platforms.
The government has also proposed measures that would force companies to filter out "legal but harmful" material. That would allow parents, for instance, to apply settings stopping their kids from receiving search results about certain topics, or putting "sensitivity screens" over them.
Tech firms in violation could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global annual revenues, which could be in the billions with companies like Google and Facebook. The government could also block services from being accessed in the UK under the proposed rules, which would need to be approved by parliament to become law.
“We are reviewing the details of the new proposed duties,” a Twitter spokesperson told CNBC. “Our focus remains on a safe internet for all — whether or not someone is able to or chooses to verify themselves.” It add that it sees anonymity as “a vital tool for speaking out in oppressive regimes."
The UK government said it would introduce online safety rules back in 2018, and the idea has gained impetus following recent racial abuse of Black England soccer players by anonymous trolls. On top of that, a petition in favor of the idea has gained nearly 700,000 signatures. However, critics of identity verification have said that anonymity can help protect LGBTQ+ and other oppressed minorities, whistleblowers and critics of oppressive regimes.
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VTuber (Virtual YouTuber) agency Hololive Production has nixed its agreement with popular virtual streamer Uruha Rushia for allegedly violating her contract and leaking private information.
HTC has teamed up with a company called Holoride to let you use its Vive Flow VR headset to transform your car into an amusement park — without making you carsick. The idea is that when you don the headset, you'll appear inside a roller coaster or other experience, but the motion will match up perfectly with the movement of the car.
Holoride is backed in part by Audi with the aim of creating "an entirely new media category for passengers by connecting Extended Reality (XR) content with data points from the vehicle in real time," according to the press release. The Vive Flow, meanwhile, is a lightweight (189 gram or 0.42 pounds), $499 VR headset built specifically for entertainment and wellness.
It's not just amusement parks you'll be able to visit virtually, but also "virtual worlds" along with 2D content on a "virtual, motion-synchronized cinema screen," Holoride notes. In other words, it sounds like it'll also let you watch movies or other content without barfing as you normally might on a regular screen.
Holoride is not exactly reinventing the wheel here, as I had a similar experience back in 2017 with Renault's Symbioz concept EV, that drove me 80 MPH while I wore a VR headset. The experience was surprisingly seamless, even back then, as the virtual environment matched up perfectly with the vehicle's movement on the autoroute (freeway) — keeping me from feeling sick. Audi, Volvo and other automakers have also played with VR headsets that synchronize visuals with vehicle movement. We previously tested out Holoride on a larger VR headset (above).
Holoride will operate on what is perhaps a more practical and lightweight headset, though it's not exactly cheap at $499. It offers decent visuals with two 1.6K, 75 Hz displays with a 100-degree field of view. However, one downside for this purpose is that it doesn't have as many motion sensors as more classic VR headsets, so it requires a mirror-mounted dongle to help track vehicle motion.
A headset also isn't very social, but it could be useful on long trips if you or the driver want to take a conversation break. There's no word yet on when the experience might arrive, but Holoride will be showing it off at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona from February 28th to March 3rd.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/7oDmsx3
Those still hunting for a next-gen PlayStation console will be happy to hear about PS5 Treat Codes. These are 14 codes that offer 14 opportunities for users to enter and win a PlayStation 5 system directly from Sony. The catch is that these codes can be tricky to find. Happily, we’ve compiled a list of all discovered codes below, as well as the questions and some of our best answers. This has been updated for February 25, 2022.
Note: The answer portion for each question has not been revealed by Sony, so we’ve listed guesses our team is confident in until the official answers are confirmed. When the official answers are revealed, we’ll update this post with the new information.
Question: During December 2021, how many hours did players use “Spotify” and “Apple Music” apps globally? (PS5 and PS4)
Answer: 3000000
How to redeem PS5 Treat Codes
To redeem PS5 Treat Codes, players must:
Go to this website and sign in with the PlayStation account.
Click “Enter Code” and read the Terms and Conditions.
Enter a code from the list above.
Answer the question with your best guess. (Or use our best guess as a guide.)
Congratulations, you are now entered for a chance to win!
There will be more codes revealed as the weeks go on. This post will be updated with more codes as and when they are discovered.
Best of luck to all that are entering!
For more chances to get a PS5, check out the Restock Update post here for the latest information on retailers that are reported to be dropping consoles soon.
OnlyFans is facing a pair of lawsuits over claims it conspired with Facebook to disable adult entertainer accounts by placing their content on a terrorism database, the BBC has reported. One was launched earlier this week by a rival platform called FanCentro, and the other is a class action lawsuit made on behalf of three adult entertainers. Both Facebook and OnlyFans were named as defendants in the latter complaint.
The class action suit claims performers' content was placed on the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) website despite not being terrorist in nature. That reportedly led to a decline in traffic to websites that compete with OnlyFans. Similar claims were made by FanCentro in its lawsuit. Both say that the problem is happening on Instagram more than any other platform.
OnlyFans told the BBC that the legal claim has "no merit," while Facebook parent Meta said "these allegations are without merit and we will address them in the context of the litigation as needed." A GIFCT spokesperson said: "We are not aware of any evidence to support the theories presented in this lawsuit between two parties with no connection to GIFCT."
OnlyFans is best known for hosting pornography, but it was in the news last summer after saying it would ban "sexually explicit conduct." It said the request was made by "banking partners and payout providers," but it subsequently backtracked after receiving "secured assurances" required to support its adult creators.
However, the move shook the trust of some sex workers and other OnlyFans creators, since a potential ban threatened a key source of their income. Some likely decided to move to rival sites, only to now be allegedly facing a shadow-ban on social media.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/NuW549y
Oppo’s latest phone looks and sounds like an expensive, powerful flagship. With a 6.7-inch WQHD+ screen that can hit 1,300 nits of brightness, adaptive refresh rates, and a new AI chip, made in-house to amp up low light camera performance – even at 4K. There are also two 50-megapixel primary camera sensors, a new (but familiar-sounding) Hasselblad collaboration and, well, just look at this beautiful thing.
So far this year, Oppo already announced its MariSilicon X neural processing unit (NPU), its intriguing attempt at foldables, but not a new flagship phone. But that’s where MWC comes in, which so far is shaping up to be a relatively quiet mobile show. It’s good news for Oppo. Barring any leftfield surprises (Samsung and Huawei both have press events this week) it can take center stage. Fortunately, Oppo has provided a device ahead of the public reveal, so I’ve got some early impressions and thoughts to add to proceedings.
The Find X5 Pro borrows heavily from the Find X3 Pro’s shape and style from last year, but I think it looks even better. The camera unit now has a diagonal slope at the bottom, so it should fit in your hand better. There’s no space-age, hyper-reflective silver color option this time, just glossy black or ceramic white. It was a bit much.
Mat Smith/Engadget
This black one picks up fingerprints and smudges with a little too much ease, but I didn’t fear scratching it before I had to film this preview or grab photos for my story. Oppo says the ceramic body is actually nanometer microcrystalline ceramics. The material takes 168 hours to produce but Oppo says results in a phone that can resist scratches over 1200 HV – Vickers Pyramid number that registers hardness. For comparison, stainless steel scores 200 HV, while diamond reaches around 10,000 HV. In summary, you might not need the protective case that also comes in the box. There’s also Gorilla Glass Victus on the screen.
I think it looks great. And while it might not be quite as unique as the Pixel 6’s cyclops look, it at least looks different to the army of phones with their squarish camera arrays. There’s a little originality to the design here. There are also some (reliably?) familiar specs. It’s another phone arriving with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip – arguably the most powerful Android phone chip available in phones at this moment. There’s also a 5,000mAh battery – bigger than the one found in its predecessor. Bigger batteries are always better in my opinion.
Cameras seem to be Oppo’s focus with the Find X5 Pro. The company has made changes across camera hardware, processing, user interfaces and everything in between. Like its last Find X device, the X5 Pro has dual 50-megapixel primary sensors, but each has a few different specs, lens layouts and even materials.
The ultrawide camera, at the top of the Find 5X, includes a freeform lens. Oppo says this should reduce image distortion – that weird stretched effect at the edges of an image – when putting those wide angles to use. It has a f/2.2 aperture and can cover a 110-degree field of view. It’s a 50-megapixel sensor, which uses pixel binning techniques to offer what Oppo says is “2um binned pixel size”.
Just below it, the second 50MP camera taps into the same pixel binning techniques but has an f/1.7 aperture with a glass and resin combination lens. Using glass in just a part of the lens array should improve color accuracy up to 77 percent, according to Oppo. This camera also features five-axis optical image stabilization to boost your chances of a clear shot, and improve imaging performance across low-light settings. All of those axes of stabilization mean this sensor takes up a lot more space inside the Find X5 Pro, but there was still room for a 13-megapixel telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture and a new 13-channel spectral sensor. Last year’s Oppo flagship had a mere 5-channel sensor, but this upgrade will improve color accuracy and the precision of white balance settings.
Mat Smith/Engadget
On the front, there’s a 32-megapixel selfie cam, with a new RGBW sensor that should offer, again, more accurate color capture and improved dynamic range. The selfie camera will also monitor whether you’re looking at your phone, keeping the screen lit if you’re still watching or reading.
That’s half the hardware story. Oppo is debuting its Marisilicon X NPU chip in its new phone. During my briefing, the company walked through how the chip enables a new “night-mode” video recording, even at 4K resolution with HDR enabled. There’s a barrage of specs and numbers to explain what Oppo’s homemade NPU is adding, but a lot of it distills down to better and faster signal processing and even improved power efficiency, which could be important if you’re capturing a lot of 4K content.
I briefly tested out 4K Ultra Night Video, Oppo’s take on low-light video recording. While it does certainly help to amplify detail in the dimmest situations, at least when I’ve used it so far, the NPU hasn’t translated to 4K video notably better than its competition.
I tried filming last night with the Find X5 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro, and Google’s footage seemed more natural and less harsh than what Oppo’s processing produced. Foliage detail was a little too excessively blown-out to the point of turning gray – it appeared to tune out the green.
But for the sake of consistency, let’s go over what Hasselblad is adding, aside from cachet.
The phone’s Pro mode offers users some Hasselblad-seasoned fine-grain controls. That means a big orange shutter button and three Hasselblad approved filters for stills and videos. I can’t explain why, but I really liked what each of these ‘special’ filters did to my video and photos. You even get Xpan Mode, where you can shoot video in 65:24 ratio. If you don’t care to do the math, it’s just a very wide, cinematic aspect ratio. For reasons I can’t fully explain, I loved this too.
Mat Smith/Engadget
Now OnePlus and Oppo are more tightly aligned, it’s not surprising to see software overlap like this. Yes, you also get Hasselblad’s natural color solution, where the company has tried to replicate the color accuracy of its very expensive cameras into these smartphone camera sensors.
Oppo saved a little bit of spectacle for its MWC show, namely prices and launch dates. In the UK and Europe, the device will land on March 24th, priced at £1,049 or €1,299, roughly $1,400. However, you’re unlikely to see the Find X5 Pro in the US – something you may hear several times during Europe’s big mobile show.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/qgBjHfF
The proprietor of retro game shop Alive Yokkaichi Tokiwa Store in Mie, Japan was put into police custody for allegedly selling a fake Pokémon card for around 2,200 yen ($19).
The store’s 48-year-old owner Yukinori Harada was arrested for allegedly violating Japanese copyright law.
Elden Ring has officially lived up to the hype by becoming one of the highest-rated video games in recent years. Over on Metacritic, the game has garnered an aggregate score of 97 on the PlayStation 5 based on 45 critic reviews, placing it at no. 15 in the list of highest-rated games of all times. Elden Ring has joined the ranks of hits like The Legend of Zelda: Breadth of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, and the 2000 Dreamcast version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, among many others. But that’s not all. On OpenCritic, Elden Ring shares a spot with Super Mario Odyssey as the highest-rated game on the website.
Devs respond to Elden Ring review scores
FromSoftware’s Yasuhiro Kitao took to Twitter to thank fans on behalf of the studio for their support throughout Elden Ring’s development. “Thanks so much to all who have kept Elden Ring in the discussion and helped to boost excitement in your own unique ways,” he wrote. “The development team couldn’t have pulled through without the motivation you provided. Thank you.”
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Paulmichael Contreras praised the game for its approach to open-world design and its addicting adventure. Writing for our sister site GameRevolution, Jason Faulkner said that Elden Ring lives up to expectations and offers a world that’s exciting to traverse and explore. Reviewers unanimously agree that Elden Ring has set the bar high for open-world games.
Thanks so much to all who have kept Elden Ring in the discussion and helped to boost excitement in your own unique ways. The development team couldn’t have pulled through without the motivation you provided.
Thank you.
Twitter has admitted that it mistakenly removed accounts sharing Russian military activity in the midst of the Ukraine invasion. As TechCrunch notes, the deleted accounts, which have since been reinstated, included an aggregator of user-generated posts from Ukraine and accounts owned by people doing open source intelligence investigation (OSINT) to debunk fake news and claims.
While users first blamed mass reporting for the account deletions, Twitter Head of Site Integrity Yoel Roth said it wasn't a factor at all. Instead, the removals were a result of errors made by human moderators who are proactively addressing manipulated media on the website.
In a statement, a Twitter spokesperson explained to TechCrunch:
"We've been proactively monitoring for emerging narratives that are violative of our policies, and, in this instance, we took enforcement action on a number of accounts in error. We're expeditiously reviewing these actions and have already proactively reinstated access to a number of affected accounts."
In addition to proactively monitoring manipulated media coming from the region, Twitter has also responded to the Ukraine crisis with tips on how to secure accounts. Ukraine's websites have been hit by cyberattacks over the past few weeks, and social media accounts, especially those sharing news and images from the country, might also be targeted.
Twitter Safety has posted a series of tweets in Ukrainian with tips on how to protect accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. It also included links to its support page for those whose accounts had been compromised and for those who got locked out. Twitter has linked users to instructions on how to disable location info and how to remove it from previous tweets, as well. Finally, it's advising users to deactivate their account if they feel that the safest option is to delete it completely.
Користуючись Твіттером у зонах конфлікту або інших зонах підвищеного ризику, необхідно знати про способи керування профілем і цифровою інформацією.
Кожна ситуація є індивідуальною, тому слід враховувати деякі моменти:
In a recent financial report, Square Enix revealed that Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy launch sales were lower than expected. However, with later sales initiatives such as store discounts, the company was able to increase sales numbers for the title. Furthermore, Square Enix stated that the company intends to continue expanding sales in order to make up for the game’s slow start.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy ‘undershot’ initial expectations
The news comes from Square Enix’s Outline of Results Briefing, which was held on February 4, 2022. During the meeting, CEO Yosuke Matsuda commented on the launch of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, in addition to other heavy-hitter titles from 2021 such as Final Fantasy XIV, Outriders, and NieR Replicant. Despite high praise and positive reviews across the board (including our own review in which we gave the game an 8/10), Matsuda revealed that the title from Eidos Montreal failed to meet sales expectations. In fact, HD game sales at Square Enix were lower in general compared to the previous year.
That being said, the game wasn’t a complete write-off for the company. Later sales initiatives that started in November 2021 such as store discounts resulted in higher sales numbers, though Square Enix still seems keen on pumping those numbers up in the near future. It seems a familiar pattern for the company, who back in November 2021 implied that developer Crystal Dynamics was a “poor choice” due to the disappointing performance of Marvel’s Avengers.
Opinion: Games don’t necessarily have to sell
Andrew writes… I know we might be past the whole “games are an art form” discourse, but it’s rhetoric worth repeating: Games don’t have to appeal to everyone, and in a lot of cases, trying to appeal to everyone could end up doing more harm than good. At the end of the day, Square Enix is a company like every other publisher out there and is looking out for its bottom line. But if every game tries to appeal to everyone, all games are going to end up looking the same. And who wants that?
In other news, 2K Games has signed a partnership with LEGO to produce several new sports games. Guerrilla Games also stated that it is currently prioritizing fixing graphical issues in its latest title, Horizon Forbidden West.
It’s Wednesday, which has historically been a very good day when it comes to PS5 restocks. For both US and UK hopefuls looking to get their hands on the next-gen Sony system, there’s some great news. Retailers in both regions are busy restocking PS5s and drops are imminent. Read all of the latest information in this PSLS PS5 Restock Update for February 23, 2022.
Which US stores have PS5 stock for today, February 23?
US PS5 Console Restock Update
For today, February 23, 2022, both Best Buy and Target should be the focus for those in the US. Imminent drops are expected from both, with PS5s being restocked ready for big drops. (via Tracker_RY)
Walmart is also going to be having a PS5 drop tomorrow at 12 PM ET. The Walmart+ membership will be needed to make the purchase. (via @Jake_Randall_YT)
The Sony “PS5 Treat Codes” competition is still on. There are now 13 confirmed codes available for players to redeem for a chance at winning a PS5. Get the list of codes and learn how to redeem them here.
The last PS5 drop was on February 10 when Target restocked online.
PS Direct – PSN users can register here for a chance to buy.
GameStop – Restock on February 16 was for PC components.
AntOnline – Bundle restock happened on January 27.
BJs – Bundle restock happened on January 19.
Walmart – Drop scheduled for February 24 at 12 PM ET.
Best Buy – Surprise drop occurred on January 20. More expected soon!
Amazon – Expected restock overdue. Could be a drop at any moment!
Though it’s still very tough to find a PS5, accessories for the next-gen system are a lot more common. Check out the Amazon links above for some top picks.
Which UK stores have PS5 stock for today, February 23?
For February 23, Amazon was the one to watch. Yesterday’s post warned about the imminent drop and, as predicted, both PS5 disc and Digital Edition consoles were briefly available at around 8 AM GMT.
The next retailer to watch is Game. Stock-Checker.com claims that the UK retailer changed its PlayStation 5 bundles page, which often means a drop will be happening soon.
Most Apple Stores in the US won't require customers to wear masks anymore. The tech giant has dropped its mask mandate and is also preparing for the return of in-person classes at its stores, according to Bloomberg. Apple has reportedly told employees about the changes in its mask requirements this week, and it has also updated its website to note each store's rules.
There are a handful of locations that still require masks, particularly those in areas where stricter guidelines remain in place. Apple changed the rules for stores in locations that had already dropped their mask mandates, though, including Kansas, North Carolina and Ohio. Most New York locations don't require customers to wear masks anymore, so long as they've been fully vaccinated. Even so, Apple recommends wearing masks and will provide them to customers who ask for one. Store staff members will also continue wearing them.
As for Apple's in-store classes for those who want to get tips on how to use its products from the company's employees, Bloomberg says some stores will start offering them again within the week. However, most stores are preparing to resume classes in March.
Apple first lifted its mask requirements in the US in November 2021 but reinstated it in December following a resurgence in COVID—19 cases across the country. Based on data from Johns Hopkins, the US is now reporting fewer than 100,000 cases a day, down from a record high of 1.36 million cases on a single day in January. Several states have started lifting their mask requirements, and the changes in Apple's rules merely reflect the shift in local regulations.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/jHgqWJm
Those still hunting for a next-gen PlayStation console will be happy to hear about PS5 Treat Codes. These are 14 codes that offer 14 opportunities for users to enter and win a PlayStation 5 system directly from Sony. The catch is that these codes can be tricky to find. Happily, we’ve compiled a list of all discovered codes below, as well as the questions and some of our best answers. This has been updated for February 23, 2022.
Note: The answer portion for each question has not been revealed by Sony, so we’ve listed guesses our team is confident in until the official answers are confirmed. When the official answers are revealed, we’ll update this post with the new information.
Question: During December 2021, how many times did players log into their PS5 console globally?
Answer: 2500000000
PS5 Treat Code 14
Code: TBD
Question: TBD
Answer: TBD
How to redeem PS5 Treat Codes
To redeem PS5 Treat Codes, players must:
Go to this website and sign in with the PlayStation account.
Click “Enter Code” and read the Terms and Conditions.
Enter a code from the list above.
Answer the question with your best guess. (Or use our best guess as a guide.)
Congratulations, you are now entered for a chance to win!
There will be more codes revealed as the weeks go on. This post will be updated with more codes as and when they are discovered.
Best of luck to all that are entering!
For more chances to get a PS5, check out the Restock Update post here for the latest information on retailers that are reported to be dropping consoles soon.
