NASA targets late August to early September launch for Artemis 1 Moon mission

NASA has set an aggressive launch target for its Artemis 1 Moon mission following the successful June 20th “wet dress rehearsal” fueling test of the SLS rocket that will carry the flight to space. In an interview with Ars Technica, Jim Free, associate administrator with the agency’s Explorations Systems Development program, said this week NASA is working toward an August 23rd to September 6th launch window for Aretmis 1. "That's the one we're targeting," Free told the outlet. "We'd be foolish not to target that right now. We made incredible progress last week."

For those keeping track, NASA recently announced the earliest it could get Artemis 1 in space following a successful fueling test of the SLS was between July 26th and August 10th. Instead, NASA selected the second earliest launch window it had open to it.

Before the flight can get underway, technicians must complete final preparations on the SLS rocket, including replacing a seal that led to a hydrogen leak during its June 20th test. NASA began rolling the SLS back to the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building, where staff will work on the launch vehicle, on July 1st. "I don't think we're stretching ourselves to get there,” Free said. “We're probably pushing ourselves a little bit, but we're not going to do something stupid."

Once Artemis 1 is finally underway, it will carry an unmanned Orion module on a trip around the Moon to study how the flight might affect the human body. Artemis II will later take four astronauts to the satellite ahead of a planned lunar landing sometime in the second half of the decade.

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PS5 Players Have Until July 22nd to Claim Free Six Months of Apple TV+

Sony’s free six-month PS5 Apple TV + offer is due to end on July 22nd, exactly a year after it was first announced. So if you haven’t already, right now is the time to claim the free trial, at the end of which you can choose to continue your subscription for $4.99/month until cancellation. PS4 users can also claim a free trial, but unlike PS5 players, last-gen owners are only offered three months of free service.

How the PS5 Apple TV offer works

Create an Apple ID, if you don’t already have one, then follow these steps outlined by Sony:

1. Find the Apple TV app from your PS5 console’s search bar, or find it under “All apps” in Media home.
2. Download and open the Apple TV app and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Sign in with your Apple ID or create an Apple ID if you don’t already have one.
4. Enjoy your extended trial of Apple TV+.

All PS5 and PS4 models are eligible to claim the offer. You cannot use a PC or mobile device. Those who already have Apple TV+ or are currently undergoing a trial need not worry as they can still claim the extended trial via Sony. As for where you can watch the content, in addition to the PS5 and PS4, you can watch Apple TV+ on all smart TVs and streaming devices that support the official app. You can also go straight to tv.apple.com.

For a full list of participating countries, head over to the official PlayStation webpage. The offer is valid in numerous countries around the globe.

In other news, a new report claims that the PSVR 2’s cable can be detached and replaced unlike the PSVR 1’s cable, and leading eye tracking technology firm Tobii has officially partnered with Sony for PSVR 2 eye tracking.

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Twitch's latest test lets you preview channels without watching ads

Twitch has begun testing a new feature that could introduce you to great streamers you haven't seen before. Channel Switcher shows random channels as a carousel at the bottom of the screen. When you click on any of them, you'll be able to watch a one-minute preview of the streamer's content, enough to give you an idea of what they offer. The previews have no ads either, so you can channel surf undisturbed until you find something to watch. As Twitch explains, the feature will make it easier to figure out if you like a specific channel before committing.

A Twitch spokesperson told The Verge that "only a small percentage of [randomly selected] users who are logged in" will get the chance to test out the feature. The company plans to end the test in July and then analyze its results. While it's unclear if Channel Switcher will get a wide release at this point, the spokesperson told the publication that Twitch intends to roll out future iterations and is thinking of offering it as an opt-in discovery solution. 

No more pogoing.

Introducing a new experiment - the Channel Switcher. pic.twitter.com/WrB33TH6Mq

— Twitch (@Twitch) June 30, 2022

Alongside Channel Switcher, Twitch also launched Guest Star, which allows up to five guests to join a host in a stream. It works similar to Clubhouse in that streamers can include other streamers and viewers in their broadcast, but it of course supports video and not just audio conversations. 

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Report: PSVR 2 Cable Can Be Detached and Replaced

YouTuber Bryan Paul of channel PSVR Without Parole, who’s got a pretty good track record when it comes to PSVR news and leaks, has claimed to have heard that the PSVR 2 cable can be detached and replaced. As we’ve previously learned, the end of the cable that goes into the PS5 console is USB-C while the other end that goes into the headset uses a propriety port. If Paul’s report is correct, players will be pleased to note that if the wire stops working, they can simply replace it rather than having to send in the entire headset for a simple job.

How the PSVR 2 cable differs from PSVR 1 cable

In the video above, Paul explains how the PSVR 2 cable differs from the PSVR 1 cable. The PSVR 2 cable can be seen connected into a small socket on the headset. Unlike the original headset, this one allows users to unplug the cable. Paul is confident that his sources have delivered accurate information and given that he’s been spot on thus far, we’re leaning towards the report being true. It certainly makes sense for Sony to add a detachable cable.

Recently, a developer tweeted out a photo of a PSVR 2 headset and bundle contents, which gave us an idea of the cable’s length. It certainly looks longer than the 4.4m cable that the original system came with.

We’re still awaiting further information about the PSVR 2. Sony has been releasing information in short spurts alongside showcasing some PSVR 2 games. However, we still don’t have a release window or a price. If rumors are true, the PSVR 2 will skip the holiday 2022 season and will release sometime in Q1 2023.

In other news, Santa Monica Studio has decried toxicity surrounding God of War Ragnarok news, and Sucker Punch has denied reports that a new inFamous and Sly Cooper are in development.

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Santa Monica Studio Releases Statement Decrying Toxicity Surrounding God of War Ragnarok

Toxicity and backlash stemming from the lack of God of War Ragnarok news became bad enough that Santa Monica Studio had to release an official statement on the matter. Over the last two days, the game’s developers have been taking to Twitter individually to denounce abuse from the gaming community when June 30th came and went without the rumored release date news. Some platforms like ResetEra ended up locking down new threads to curb the backlash, which continued through Friday, prompting Santa Monica Studio to address the situation late in the evening.

Official statement regarding lack of God of War Ragnarok news

The statement reads:

Our fans inspire us, and we understand the passion and desire for more information. But that passion should not be toxic nor come at the expense of any human being’s dignity. Let’s celebrate our community by treating each other, every gamer and developer alike, with respect.

A number of industry professionals and development studios rallied behind Santa Monica Studio in a show of solidarity. When users suggested that insiders are to blame for “getting people’s hopes up,” executive Cory Barlog immediately rebutted that no one is to blame for toxic behavior except those who engage in it.

From what we’ve learned so far, God of War Ragnarok is expected to release sometime in November. According to Barlog, the game has not been delayed. The rumored announcement that was due last Thursday would have contained a release date and pre-order information. However, a gameplay reveal has reportedly been set for a later date, perhaps in September when Sony is expected to hold a major State of Play-like event.

In other news, we’ve got the full list of PS Plus Premium games as well as PS Plus Extra games for July 2022, and Phantasy Star Online 2 is headed to the West in August.

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Recommended Reading: Google's biggest hardware flop

Google’s worst hardware flop was introduced 10 years ago today

Chris Welch, The Verge

Ah, the Nexus Q. The $300 media player Google never release to consumers fetched poor reviews from nearly every outlet that tested it. The Verge recounts all that went wrong with the device, which was nearly everything aside from an eye-catching design. 

A brief history of (unintentionally) unbeatable games

Kyle Orland, Ars Technica

The Switch version of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II has a glitch that makes it impossible to complete the game. There's a plan to fix it with a patch, but that's not always possible when games carry unintentional flaws. Ars Technica provides a brief history of other titles that fall into this unfortunate category.

The rise of the 0.5 selfie

Kalley Huang, The New York Times

Taken with the ultra-wide lens on the back of a phone at 0.5x on the camera, a new selfie trend is a far cry from the meticulously curated self-portraits we typically see splattered across social networks. 

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GM is ramping up Hummer EV production to address huge order backlog

General Motors has only been producing up to a dozen electric Hummers a day in its Detroit factory, according to The Wall Street Journal, and that's far from ideal when the automaker has over 70,000 reservations. As The Drive notes, it would take GM 17 years to be able to fulfill all its orders at that pace. A GM spokesperson told The Journal, though, that the company's output will increase sharply in the second half of the year. They said production has been slower than usual for the vehicle, because it was developed from scratch and was built on top the company's new Ultium EV platform. The global supply chain shortage that's been affecting the tech and auto industries may have also contributed to the issue. 

In the coming months, the automaker expects to fulfill deliveries at a much faster pace, particularly after it switches from using outsourced LG battery cells. GM aims to start manufacturing its own battery cells later this summer in its new factory in Ohio built in partnership with LG. The company has been building multiple Ultium factories in the US over the past year, including one in Tennessee and another in Michigan in addition to its Ohio plant, as part of its efforts to achieve its goal of making more than a million EVs in the US every year by the end of 2025. One of its short-term goals, however, is likely being able to supply the batteries its Hummer EVs need. That battery makes up a third of the vehicle's weight, The Drive says, and is made up of materials that are high in demand. 

The spokesperson said:

"Our ability to satisfy that demand is only going to improve as we bring on vertical integration of battery cell production. You can expect to see hundreds of deliveries grow to thousands later this year."

GM didn't give out exact numbers, so those at the bottom of the waiting list may have a long wait ahead of them still. That said, they're not alone in waiting for their new EVs and hybrids to be delivered. Ford recently told customers who reserved a hybrid Maverick for 2022 that it's experiencing product delays due to the supply chain shortage and that they could convert their reservation into one for the 2023 model if they wish. The automaker also decided to invest more money and to close `orders for all F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E EV models due to the massive demand for them. 

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