Xiaomi 12 will be 'available soon' with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset - TechRadar

The Xiaomi 12 is coming soon, and the company's CEO has confirmed it'll be the first smartphone announced that will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset (previously anticipated to be named the Snapdragon 898).

Lei Jun, Founder and CEO of Xiaomi, appeared in a video during Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 event where he confirmed the phone's name and the fact it'd feature the new chipset.

Jun also said the phone "will be available soon". He didn't confirm a launch date for the Xiaomi 12, but a recent leak has suggested the company will be revealing its new phone in China on December 16.

The first with Qualcomm's latest

Previously, Xiaomi has introduced its flagship phones in China first and then brought them to other markets (including the UK) at a later date. We expect it to be a similar sitatuon here, although that has yet to be confirmed.

This is the first phone manufacturer that has confirmed it'll be using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in its next flagship phone. Motorola has also confirmed its upcoming flagship device will also sport the chipset. 

We expect to see more manufacturers confirm over the coming days and weeks.

Xiaomi previously confirmed it would be dropping the Mi branding from its future smartphones, so the company has just opted to call this device the Xiaomi 12 to streamline the naming structure.

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Gift Guide: 15 gift ideas for gamers when the next-gen consoles aren’t an option - TechCrunch

Welcome to TechCrunch’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! Need help with gift ideas? We’ve got lots of them. Looking for our other guides? Find them here!

The giving season has arrived, but an ample supply of next-gen consoles has not. Between chip shortages and resellers/bots, the chances of someone getting their hands on a PS5 or Xbox Series X without a whole lot of effort(/luck) are slim to none. It can be done! But you might not want to bet the holiday on it.

If it’s just not gonna happen this year, there’s still plenty of stuff that should make the gamer in your life happy — accessories and nice-to-have extras that any gamer will appreciate and make their current setup a bit comfier while Sony/Microsoft/et al. catch up with demand.

This article contains links to affiliate partners where available. When you buy through these links, TechCrunch may earn an affiliate commission.

Headphones

Every gamer needs a good pair of headphones — skimping on this is a one-way ticket to a headache. In many of today’s most popular games, bad audio is a distinct disadvantage.

Trying to decide between wired and wireless? Wired could be fine if they’re gaming at a desk; for couch gaming, wireless will help ’em be more comfortable and less tangled.

Here are some recommendations for each platform

For Xbox or PlayStation: SteelSeries 7X and 7P

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey

I’ve played pretty much every PS5 game with these. They’re just fantastic and much better than Sony’s own PlayStation-branded headsets. Comfortable, amazing sound, good battery life and quick connecting.

They’re not the cheapest but they’re definitely not the most expensive either — there’s a new version that doesn’t change much, so the (still great) last generation is on sale. Note: The 7X is for Xbox consoles and the 7P is for PlayStation — sadly there isn’t one version that works for both. Fortunately if you want something like that, it’s the next thing on the list.

Price: SteelSeries 7X (Xbox), $133 from Walmart | SteelSeries 7P (PlayStation), $150 from Best Buy

For Switch, multiple consoles or for a budget: SteelSeries Arctis 1

Image Credits: SteelSeries

These aren’t as cushy or expansive-sounding as the 7 series but they’re solid, comfortable and (because they’re wired) are compatible with everything under the sun: all major consoles plus phones, and the price is definitely right. If this list seems SteelSeries heavy, it’s just because they really got it right this generation.

Price: SteelSeries Arctis 1, $50 from Amazon

For PC: Razer BlackShark V2 or V2 Pro

Image Credits: Devin Coldeway

This headset is understated in design, sounds great and plenty comfortable. I’ve had nothing but compliments for the sound of the mic.

To be honest I’m not sure it’s worth the extra cash for the wireless (Pro) version, since PC gamers tend to be within three feet of their computers. If you can get the wireless one on sale go for it, but the wired version is a great option when money is tight.

Price: Razer BlackShark V2 (Wired), $75 from Amazon | Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (Wireless), $140 from Amazon

Maybe a mechanical gaming keyboard?

Image Credits: Catherine Shu

This is a tough one. I was originally going to do a roundup of a bunch of keyboards … but, like next-gen consoles, many of the best ones are very hard to find right now.

If your PC-gaming loved one has a keyboard they like, you can sneak a look and get them a new one or an upgraded one of the same brand. But if you hear them talking about what “color” of mechanical switch they like or they’re talking about building their own … maybe back down. Once they go down that rabbit hole, the choices are very individual and it’s hard to get right as a gift. Maybe go with a gift card or something.

Console accessories

Maybe your loved one was lucky enough to get a Series X or PS5 already, or they have one coming soon. Maybe they just want to upgrade their current-gen console. Either way, they’ll probably still want a little extra gear.

PlayStation:

Media remote

Image Credits: Sony

If someone uses their PlayStation 5 as the primary way of watching Netflix, Plex and so on, it gets old pretty fast using the rather large, heavy, easy-to-bump-off-the-couch DualSense gamepad for it. Snag one of these remote controls and no one has to learn whether “O” or “X” means cancel, or whether to use the bumpers, triggers, D-pad or analog sticks to rewind and fast forward. Honestly, this thing should probably come in the box. Super easy and convenient gift for combination gamers/cord-cutters.

Price: $30 from Amazon

A big hard drive expansion

Image Credits: Samsung

On a PS4, you can just buy a big ol’ external USB hard drive and plug it in. You can do the same with a PS5, but there are … limitations. For the most part, it’s better to upgrade the internal storage.

Any reasonably tech-confident person should be able to install this expansion drive for PS5s, which they’ll probably want eventually since games these days are flippin’ huge. This is a one-time purchase and install that will extend the life of the console and make things simpler, especially if they have the “digital” version without a disc drive. The major brands (Samsung, PNY, Kingston) all have PS5-compatible options; just make sure it’s one of those and you’re good. One detail that’s easy to miss: Some models note that they need a heatsink to work with a PS5 but don’t actually include one in the box. THANKS.

Xbox:

Elite controller

Image Credits: Microsoft

This is a bit of a splurge since the vanilla Xbox controllers are pretty excellent … but if the Xbox has been your loved one’s main gaming platform for years, you might be able to help them up their game a bit. The improved ergonomics, sweet D-pad, rear paddle triggers and other improvements can be game changers — no joke. You can do things with those rear paddles that would require ridiculous hand contortions to pull off otherwise. Xbox One-era controllers are compatible with Xbox Series X consoles, so this one is an investment that should work for years regardless of what gen they’re on right now.

Price: $160 from Amazon

Series X storage expansion card

Image Credits: Seagate

Same deal with the PlayStation: External USB drives work well enough on the last-gen Xboxes, but there are limitations when using them with the next-gen consoles.

Not that installing the PS5’s expansion card is particularly hard, but with the Xbox Series X you literally just plug it into the back. That’s it. $220 for 1 TB seems a bit expensive to me, but it’s up to you.

Price: $150-$400, depending on capacity

Switch:

Pro Controller

Image Credits: Nintendo

The only thing better than having a Pro Controller is having two Pro Controllers. These things are excellent and the best way to play most games if you’re on the couch. With the Switch’s focus on multiplayer it can lead to bitterness when one person gets a sweet ergonomic Pro and everyone else is on the tiny Joy-Cons.

Pro tip: While they’re not quite as hard to get as next-gen consoles, first-party controllers are also in short supply this year! Order early to make it happen.

Price: $70 from Nintendo

8BitDo SN30 Pro SNES-style controller

Image Credits: 8BitDo

Nintendo has an ever-expanding library of retro games on its console (if you pay the monthly fee for them) and it just feels better to play them on the original controllers. However, Nintendo seemingly only makes about 50 of those per year and they’re constantly out of stock. Grab an SN30 — they’re wireless, they work with other platforms and they add analog sticks to the SNES layout so you can play any game with ’90s flair. By “you” I mean your loved one, obviously.

Price: $49 from Amazon

A monster microSD card

Image Credits: SanDisk

The Switch can run out of space fast if you’re not careful, and it’s pretty much mandatory to grab a microSD card to expand its storage. Fortunately, expanding the Switch’s storage is easy and relatively cheap! Grab a 256 GB or 512 GB microSD card and banish storage worries once and for all.

Don’t bother paying any markups for a microSD card with Mario on it or whatever — once it’s in the console you never see it anyway.

Price: Varies by capacity/speed. 512 GB microSDXC, as pictured above, is $75 from Amazon

Subscriptions and digital goods

These days most gamers need to subscribe to one thing or another — on the consoles, for example, most of the online multiplayer requires a subscription. Figure out what their subscription of choice is and get ’em set up with a few more months, and you know it’s a gift that’ll go to good use.

Xbox: Game Pass or Live Gold

Image Credits: Microsoft

You’ve got options here. If they just want to play online, Xbox Live Gold starts at around $10 a month. If you also want to give them all-you-can-eat access to a surprisingly solid collection of games, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs around $15 a month and includes Xbox Live Gold.

Price: Varies

PlayStation: PS Plus or PS Now

Image Credits: Sony

Sony also has two different plans: PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. Plus ($10 a month, or $5 per month if you pay by the year) is what you need for online multiplayer; Now (same pricing) gets you access to hundreds of games. Know that these are two separate subscriptions.

Price: Varies

Switch: Nintendo Switch Online

Image Credits: Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Online is pretty bare bones, but if they want online play in Smash Bros or Mario Kart it’s a must. And, as an added little bonus, it comes with access to a bunch of NES and SNES games.

Wondering what the more expensive “Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack” is? The short version: For more than double the price, they’ll throw in access to a bunch of N64 and Sega Genesis games, plus the Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise expansion. Maybe worth it if Animal Crossing is their thing, maybe not otherwise.

If you’ve got a bunch of family members who want online access, the Family plan lets you add up to eight users to one $35-per-year account, which works out to about $5 per user per year. That’s cheap!

Price: Varies

Paid battle pass/in-game currency

Image Credits: PixelChoice (opens in a new window) / Getty Images

Are they super into a specific game? Fortnite? Apex? Halo Infinite?

This is kind of hard to explain, but maaaany games these days have a system — generally called a “battle pass” — that rewards you with in-game things (think character skins or dances you can do to taunt your enemies) for logging in and playing. Some of those systems have paid tiers that offer more rewards. Buying those premium upgrades can feel like a bit of a luxury — making it, potentially, a solid gift for the person who can’t/won’t splurge on themselves.

One catch? Depending on the game, gifting the battle pass can be tough! The trick, in most cases, is to gift them some of the game’s respective in-game currency (you want to buy it as a code or card from a trustworthy retailer, generally; there are scams aplenty in these waters), which can generally be used to buy the premium battle pass. In most cases battle passes expire with each in-game “season” — so if they’ve already got that season’s pass, they can save it for the next one or just use the currency on in-game skins or something else they’ve been eyeing.

Price: Varies

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Microsoft is selling ugly Windows sweaters again, and this time, it’s Minesweeper - The Verge

Microsoft has launched a new Windows software-themed ugly sweater on its Xbox Gear Shop dedicated to the infamous Windows game Minesweeper.

It’s well done: not only is the whole Minesweeper level shaped like a Christmas tree, but it’s also got mines masquerading as snowflakes and “buttons” to minimize the window or exit the game if you so desire, plus the classic wavy Windows logo that hearkens back to Windows 3.1. (If you’re wondering why the sweater has “1990” remaining mines, that’s a reference to the year Minesweeper first came out.)

This is Microsoft’s second year of Windows-themed ugly sweaters. Last year, the company released three ugly sweater designs, including one garment based on the timeless MS Paint application, which humorously looked as if it were designed in that very app. In 2020, Microsoft donated a portion of the proceeds from each sweater to Girls Who Code; this year, the company appears to be giving a lump sum of $100,000 to the AbleGamers charity for gamers with disabilities.

Microsoft is selling the Minesweeper ugly sweater for the explosive price of $74.99 — $5 more expensive than last year’s designs. The sweaters sold out in 24 hours last year with a late December restock, so if you want to look like a pro at flagging mines this holiday, then get one soon.

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Halo Infinite Dev Responds To Concerns About Cheating - GameSpot

As instances of cheating and hacking continue to grow in Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta, the developer has released a statement explaining what it's doing to combat bad behavior. Community manager John Junyszek said 343 cannot eradicate cheating completely--no game can do this--but promised that the studio is committed to doing everything it can to keep the battlefield clean.

"Unfortunately, cheating is a natural part of supporting a F2P PC game and it's one we anticipated," he said on Twitter. "It'll never go away entirely, but we're prepared and committed to releasing consistent improvements to our game’s systems and taking action on bad actors."

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Junyszek said players can report suspected cheaters using this website. Halo Infinite doesn't currently have a "report player" button in the game, but Junyszek said the studio understands that this is something people want. He also advised players who report bad actors to include video evidence to help the enforcement team. Whether or not Halo Infinite ever adds an in-game player-reporting feature remains to be seen.

Halo Infinite players have called on 343 to allow them to opt out of cross-play to help avoid cheaters, but as of yet, this has not happened.

In other news, Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta is getting some more XP changes to help players progress faster in the battle pass.

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GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition: New patch fixes dozens of visual bugs - Polygon

Rockstar Games and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition developer Grove Street Games released a major update for the remastered collection of GTA games on Tuesday. Title update 1.03 for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition seemingly fixes numerous visual bugs, including misspellings on textures and store signage, indoor and underwater rain, and Cesar’s notorious “hot dog” fingers.

The infamously upscaled nut on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ Tuff Nuts donut shop, which was erroneously altered to not be nut-shaped, has also been fixed, Rockstar said in patch notes for the title update. San Andreas’ sky will also look more natural, thanks to newly added cloud cover. (The remastered version of San Andreas previously offered an unnatural, crystal-clear and unobstructed view of the entire landmass.)

The full list of changes, which also address gameplay, camera, and crashing bugs, can be seen below.

Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in early November, but the launch did not go as expected. Fans quickly and vigorously complained about the quality of the remastered ports of Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, citing numerous visual bugs and questionable visual upgrades.

Rockstar apologized days after the games’ launch, saying, “The updated versions of these classic games did not launch in a state that meets our own standards of quality, or the standards our fans have come to expect. We have ongoing plans to address the technical issues and to improve each game going forward. With each planned update, the games will reach the level of quality that they deserve to be.”

The first major update for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition launched the same day as Rockstar’s apology to players, and that update also included a long list of gameplay-related bug fixes.

---

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Title Update Notes 1.03

General - PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

• Stability improvements
• Added the cinematic camera, which can be toggled by cycling through the camera modes when in game
• Fixed a number of misspellings on texture art/signage
• Fixed a number of instances where rain would appear indoors during cutscenes

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition

• Adjusted the rain during the Give Me Liberty intro cutscene so it matches what is visible during gameplay
• Improved the resolution of the signs on taxi front doors
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside the mansion during the cutscene to the mission Cutting the Grass
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside Donald Love’s apartment during the cutscene to the mission Liberator
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside Luigi’s Club during the cutscene to the mission Don’t Spank Ma Bitch Up
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside Joey’s Garage during the cutscene to the mission Cipriani’s Chauffeur
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside during the cutscene to the mission Bomb Da Base: Act I
• Fixed an issue where the rain appears under water when falling
• Fixed an issue where grass could be seen inside Joey’s garage during the outro of the mission Drive Misty For Me
• Fixed an issue where a wall texture near the hospital in Portland appeared incorrectly while driving
• Fixed an issue where pink or black textures would appear on the floor of the Turtle Head Fish Co.
• Fixed an issue in the audio menu where the Dialog Volume slider did not adjust the sample audio being played
• Fixed an issue where UI would overlap the timer when doing taxi or vigilante missions
• Fixed an issue with missing object collision on walls below the Callahan Bridge in Chinatown
• Fixed an issue where the player was able to stretch a two-seater vehicle using the car crusher
• Fixed several camera issues when playing RC missions
• Fixed an issue where misaligned text would appear after delivering to the Import Garage
• Fixed an issue where the mission title would linger on screen too long at the beginning of any mission
• Fixed an issue with texture display on the Staunton Pay ‘n’ Spray sign
• Fixed an issue where the wheels were not connected to the vehicle being worked on by Joey
• Fixed a spelling error on the Deli and Pizza storefront on Staunton Island

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition

• Ad banners added to the sides of the Rumpo, Coach, Benson, and Boxville vehicles
• Fixed an issue where the cutscene at the end of the mission Shakedown would hang as it transitioned back to gameplay
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside during the cutscene to the mission Publicity Tour
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside during the cutscene to the mission Alloy Wheels of Steel
• Fixed an issue where rain could be seen inside the limo during the cutscene to the mission Two Bit Hit
• Fixed an issue with Tommy’s hands when wearing the Havana Outfit in the mission Shakedown
• Fixed an issue in the mission Cop Land where the mission would fail when the café would blow up
• Fixed an issue where the Diaz mansion had missing textures during the outro to the mission Rub Out
• Fixed a crash at the end of the mission Checkpoint Charlie
• Fixed a crash encountered during the Bloodring Arena Event
• Fixed an issue where texture corruption could be seen on the roads during extended play sessions
• Fixed a 10 second pause when listening to the radio station V-Rock
• Fixed a 15 second pause when listening to the radio station Wildstyle Radio
• Fixed an issue during the cutscene for Supply and Demand where ambient characters were present during the cutscene
• Fixed a hole in the game world near Café Robina
• Fixed a spelling error on the Welcome to Vice City billboard near the airport
• Fixed an error with the Shaft Hot Dog stand logo
• Fixed several texture issues that appeared on island walls
• Fixed an issue where crates could not be destroyed during the mission Gun Runner, preventing game progression
• Fixed an issue where the flamethrower was damaging items behind Tommy
• Fixed a hole in the game world when standing on Tommy’s wardrobe in the Ocean View Hotel
• Fixed an issue where the ramped Packer vehicle textures would corrupt while Tommy is standing in close proximity
• Fixed an issue where corrupt textures would appear on the road if failing the mission Hog Tied
• Fixed an issue where corrupt textures would appear on the road if failing the mission Boomshine Saigon
• Fixed an issue where glass particles would appear oversized when shattering the windows of the Gash Store
• Fixed several texture corruption issues that appeared on the Enforcer police van
• Fixed an issue where the barrel of the minigun did not spin when fired
• Fixed an issue where the main rotor speed of helicopters did not match the rear rotor speed
• Fixed an issue on the mini map where the swimming pool shaped like the Rockstar Games logo was incorrectly reflected on the mini map for Starfish Island
• Fixed a texture corruption issue on traffic lights and foliage when raining on the mainland
• Fixed an issue where the sign was not properly animating on Hyman Memorial Stadium
• Fixed a spelling error on the Mavis Bookstore window
• Fixed a spelling error when the player is busted during the Paramedic missions
• Fixed an issue where Tommy appears small while standing in front of buildings in Little Havana
• Fixed an issue where Lance would be duplicated after restarting the mission Copland
• Fixed an issue where the open graves behind Funeraria Romero were not visible

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition

• Introduced cloud cover at high altitude
• Added alternate walking and running animations when CJ is at Max Fat or Max Muscle
• Fixed several issues with grass textures that did not display properly
• Fixed a white outline in Cesar’s hairline during the cutscene to the mission King in Exile
• Fixed an issue with CJ’s body in the cutscene to the mission The Meat Business
• Fixed an issue with CJ’s body during the opening cutscene to the mission Supply Lines
• Fixed an issue with Cesar’s fingers during the end scene of the mission Cesar Vialpando
• Fixed an issue with Cesar’s fingers during the end scene of the mission Wu Zi Mu
• Fixed a save game issue at the end of the mission Blood Bowl
• Fixed a crash that occurred during the mission Dam and Blast
• Fixed a texture corruption issue that occurred after prolonged gameplay
• Fixed an issue where CJ and Big Smoke would get stuck near the end of the mission Just Business
• Fixed a crash that occurred when drowning near the Ocean Beach end of South Bridge
• Fixed an issue where CJ’s face would obscure the camera when looking behind him while riding a quad bike
• Fixed an issue where CJ’s face would obscure the camera when looking behind him while piloting the Hydra in first person view
• Fixed a crash experienced when retrying a checkpoint during the mission Ice Cold Killa
• Fixed a spelling error on a Mexican food advertisement
• Fixed a spelling error on a guitar store shop front
• Fixed an issue where players were able to purchase cornrows at the barbershop without sufficient funds
• Fixed a missing bridge in the Shady Creeks section of the map
• Fixed a bug where the burger on the Burger Shot sign was not spinning
• Fixed a spelling error on the FleischBerg factory sign
• Fixed multiple issues in cutscenes where CJ’s arms clip through his body while at Max Fat
• Fixed a lighting issue in the Rockshore West Safehouse
• Fixed an issue where the Wasted or Busted screen could be seen when loading an autosave file
• Fixed graphical corruption on CJ’s head and body during the motel sequence of the mission Reuniting the Families
• Fixed an issue where window panes are translucent at the Dillmore gas station during the mission Tanker Commander
• Fixed an issue where tattoos would project out of CJ’s lower arm when he has a muscular body type
• Fixed an issue where rain drops did not appear on the water surface
• Fixed an issue where various map icons, such as mission blips, would pop in and out of the radar while panning and rotating the camera
• Fixed an issue where NPC’s who wear numbered jerseys no longer had a random number overlapping the number 7
• Fixed an issue where the rain was not displayed corrected when flying during rainy or stormy weather conditions
• Fixed an issue with the audio not playing properly when using the changing room at any of CJ’s properties
• Fixed an issue where CJ’s forklift would not act as intended during the mission Robbing Uncle Sam
• Fixed an issue with the shape of the Donut and Nut props at the Tuff Nuts donut shop
• Fixed a spelling error with the storefront Sayonara
• Fixed an issue where the Dodo plane had an inverted nose cone
• Fixed an issue where boat propellers did not spin properly
• Fixed an issue where the minigun barrel did not spin when fired
• Fixed an issue where the incorrect police station sign did not appear in Las Venturas
• Fixed an issue where the wrong prices were appearing on the Burger Shot’s outside menu
• Fixed an issue where CJ appeared too dark when in the 69 Cent store
• Fixed an issue where haircuts would be swapped out with the Caesar haircut anytime CJ wore a hat
• Fixed an issue where the radar would disappear after getting caught in the mission Home Invasion
• Fixed an issue where police cars could clip through the ground
• Fixed an issue where the UFO prop did not rotate at the Lil’ Probe Inn

Xbox One – All Titles

• Fixed an issue where the game would not respond for several seconds after exiting certain interiors
• Fixed an issue where the player was unable to unlock achievements that other users on other accounts (linked to the same Social Club account) had previously unlocked

PC – All Titles

• Fixed a bug where players were unable to highlight or select Cancel or Confirm using a controller on the Mission Failed! screen
• Fixed a bug where players with special characters in the PC account name were unable to save gameplay progress
• Fixed the in game layout when playing with an ultra-wide screen monitor
• Fixed an issue where options were not being properly highlighted when hovering a mouse over them
• Fixed an issue where clicking sections in the game menus too quickly would prevent those menu options from being displayed
• Fixed an issue where the player was unable to select a UI element with a controller if the mouse cursor is already hovering over it
• Fixed an issue where, when in Fullscreen, changing the Resolution setting would briefly show the old resolution value
• Fixed an issue where graphics settings were not saving after restarting the game

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Rocket League’s mobile spinoff is now available worldwide - The Verge

Rocket League Sideswipe, a mobile version of the popular car-based soccer game, is now available on iOS and Android. The game started rolling out on November 15th in Oceania, but is now available worldwide, albeit in a “pre-season” mode ahead of Season 1’s kickoff at an unannounced later date, according to 9to5Google.

The free to play game, which was first announced in March, is a simplified version of the original Rocket League released in 2015. The biggest change is that the mobile version is played in 2D, rather than offering a fully three-dimensional stadium to drive around. You control your car with a virtual joystick on the left side of the screen, while buttons on the right handle jumping and boost. with touch controls.

Unlike in regular Rocket League, the car’s boost auto-regenerates, so there’s no need to seek out recharging pads, and teams are limited to a maximum of two players per side. Available game styles include the game’s standard soccer mode as well as a basketball-style “Hoops” version.

If that sounds tempting, you can download Sideswipe on iOS and Android now.

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The latest Quest update brings cloud backups and a mixed reality view - The Verge

Meta has delivered a new batch of features for Quest headsets in an update rolling out today. The changes include cloud backups, a mixed reality camera mode, and other settings that round out the Quest’s already impressive feature set.

I’m most excited about the cloud backups feature, which gives you a way to restore user-specific data to your apps, including game saves and headset settings, if you need to replace, update, or reset your Quest. This is one of those things that I’m surprised the Quest didn’t support already, and I found out the hard way that it didn’t a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, I’m glad that it’s here now. It can be activated within the “Device” tab in the settings menu.

The mixed reality camera also seems really cool. Unlike the Live Overlay feature that arrived in v29 that imposed your body over a first-person view of a game or app, the new feature lets you see yourself interacting in the game world from a third-person perspective, as seen through your phone’s camera. The GIF provided by Meta that we’ve embedded shows what the end result can look like. You’ll be able to see yourself in Beat Saber, for example, striking blocks and dodging obstacles. Meta says that a dozen apps support the feature, including Pistol Whip, Superhot VR, and Synth Riders, but a total of just six were listed at this page at the time of publishing.

To use the mixed reality camera, you need an iPhone XS or newer, running iOS 11 or higher. Strangely, though, the iPhone 11 Pro, the 12 Pro, and the SE (2020) phones aren’t compatible. Support for Android phones wasn’t explicitly mentioned in Meta’s latest blog post, but its support page for the feature mentions that all Android phones and tablets are supported. We’ve reached out to Meta to clarify its support for this feature on Android.

The new software also changes where you’ll enable multiuser support, the feature that lets you add multiple Facebook accounts to the headset, and app sharing, which lets you share paid apps among those profiles. They were previously nested within the “experimental features” settings tab, but both are moving to the “Accounts” section of the settings menu. This new v35 software also lays the groundwork for using Messenger to make voice calls while you have the headset on, as well as adding new cosmetic items that can be used in Horizon Workrooms, Meta’s take on a VR office.

The last note in Meta’s blog on the latest Quest software is that it now has a public test channel for its upcoming software. You can sign up for it here if you want to test new features earlier than the rest of us — although Meta says that you won’t be able to leave it after you join until a new public software update is released.

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Android Auto is finally gaining dual-SIM support - Android Police

Google added dual-SIM support on its Pixel phones way back in 2019 with the release of Android 10. However, it took the company two years to get around to announcing multiple SIM card support in Android Auto. A couple of months later, the feature finally seems to be rolling out to Android Auto users.

If you have dual SIM cards on your phone, you will get an option to select the SIM card from which the call should be made when using Android Auto. This was not the case previously, as Android Auto defaulted to the primary SIM for making calls. The rollout seems to be a staged one from Google, with a Reddit user who first spotted the feature getting it on app version 7.1.614554 as a part of the beta program.

Image via u/abhi060291

For some users, the same version is showing up as the release build of Android Auto on the Play Store. Whatever the case might be, it should only be a matter of time before Android Auto gains dual-SIM support on your device. You can also check for and install any updates to the Android Auto app to see whether it adds the functionality or not.

Almost all major Android smartphones sold nowadays feature either two physical SIM card slots or have eSIM support for dual-SIM functionality. Given how popular Android Auto has become in recent years, it was about time Google added this capability.

Minecraft Caves & Cliffs Part 2 is out for Android with new and improved biomes

The update to 1.18.0 brings new cave generation too

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Rajesh Pandey (84 Articles Published)

Rajesh Pandey started following the tech field right around the time Android devices were going mainstream. He closely follows the latest development in the world of smartphones and what the tech giants are up to. He loves to tinker around with the latest gadgets to see what they are capable of.

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Xbox Cloud Gaming Is About to Look Clearer on Browser... But Only on Microsoft Edge - IGN - IGN

Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting an upgrade as it rolls out a new feature to improve the sharpness when used in Microsoft’s Edge browser.

The new feature, called Clarity Boost by Xbox, lets players sharpen the image output when streaming a game. The idea is to make browser streaming clearer and sharper as a result.

“This feature uses a set of client-side scaling improvements to improve the visual quality of the video stream,” said Xbox Program Manager, Milena Gonzalez in an official statement. The goal is “providing the optimal look and feel while playing Xbox games from the cloud.”

Microsoft Edge's Clarity Boost before and after. (Image credit: Xbox)

These new “client-side scaling improvements” mean that Microsoft Edge has a bit more to do – handling extra processing on your end to improve the quality of the stream.

However, this new feature is only available for those using Microsoft Edge Canary – an experimental version of the popular browser which allows users to try out new features before they’re bundled into the main Edge releases.

Obviously, this means not all Microsoft Edge users will get access to Clarity Boost. At least, not straight away. But Microsoft assures users that Clarity Boost will roll out to all Microsoft Edge versions by 2022. “Clarity Boost will be available to all Microsoft Edge users by next year,” said Gonzalez.

If you want to try out this new feature, it couldn’t be simpler. First, make sure you’re using Microsoft Edge Canary and make sure you’re up to date, using version 96.0.1033.0 or later.

Then, simply head to the Xbox Game Pass website and start a game you want to play. Open up the more actions (…) menu, then enable Clarity Boost. You should see a difference in the way Xbox Cloud Gaming streams the game, with examples showing a much sharper picture.

It’s certainly one way to make Microsoft Edge more relevant – especially since Microsoft announced that Internet Explorer for Windows 10 will be discontinued next year. Microsoft also revealed that it plans to move Xbox beyond consoles by making its games playable on nearly any device.

Xbox Cloud Gaming for consoles recently launched in beta, allowing Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players to stream a selection of top titles – as long as you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

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DJI Mavic 3 drone review: Cinematic power at a price - Engadget

Image Credit: Samuel Dejours/Engadget

The larger sensor also delivers better low light performance, more detail, improved dynamic range and a more cinematic look in general. At the same time, the variable f/2.8 to f/11 aperture makes the camera more flexible in different lighting conditions. If you shoot in really bright sunlight a lot, however, I’d recommend getting the neutral density filter kit.

Shooting at ISO 1600 and 3200, we got clean footage with some noise in shadows and dark areas. However, the noise is well controlled and organic, so it’s not bothersome and can be tamped down with some mild noise reduction. Noise levels start to get excessive at ISO 6400, but that setting is still usable for night scenes if you don’t need a lot of shadow detail.

DJI boosted the H.264 data rate significantly from 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps, and introduced H.265 capture at up to 140 Mbps. That’s an important update, as aerial footage captured by drones can have detail that confounds long-GOP (MP4) compression. As a result, quality is improved under most circumstances, and noticeably so for detailed shots.

That begs the question of whether you even need the ProRes option and 1TB SSD, considering the high price difference. I’d say that it’s a valuable feature for broadcast shooters, as it pushes the drone into professional territory. For others like YouTubers or industrial users, the H.264 quality is easily good enough.

Taken with the Mavic 3 main camera.

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

The Mavic 3 uses Hasselblad’s color profile that’s supposed to deliver accurate hues. In general, it performed well across the color spectrum, whether we were shooting in cities, coastlines or countryside. Skin tones are warm, and while you might not think that’s terribly important for a drone, the Mavic 3 could see a lot of use in weddings, documentaries and even movies. It’s so smooth that it can replace a crane or dolly for certain shots.

To max out dynamic range and editing flexibility, you can shoot 10-bit D-Log footage. Shooting directly into the sun and other tricky situations, I found that it allowed me to retain dynamic range and bring out extra detail in highlights and shadows.

One of the key new features of the Mavic 3 is the 162mm equivalent telephoto camera with a half-inch sensor. I’ve seen some confusion about zooming on the Mavic 3, so here’s how it works.

Shot with 7X telephoto (MP4).

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

The main camera with no digital zoom is equivalent to a 24mm full-frame lens, or what DJI calls a 1X zoom. To zoom in further, you flip the drone into explorer mode on the Fly app. From there, you can either select discreet zoom settings (1X, 2X, 4X, 7X, 14X and 28X) or use a slider for in-between settings. Zooming up to four times is done digitally with the main camera, but the 4X zoom is very pixelated and not usable for any production work.

The 161mm, 12-megapixel f/4.4 telephoto camera kicks in at a 7X zoom, offering 4K video at up to 30 fps. It can digitally zoom up to 28X, but again, quality suffers. For the best-looking footage, you’ll need to stay between a 1X and 2X zoom, or go up to 7X exactly.

The Mavic 2 (not pro), by contrast, has a 28mm lens with a 2X zoom. The Mavic 3’s 7X zoom is more extreme, but does open up some interesting creative possibilities. However, the optical quality on that camera isn’t amazing given the smallish sensor size. In terms of professional use, then, it has limited value.

Photo shot with DNG and retouched in Lightroom.

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

On the subject of JPEGs, it’s also a solid photo drone. I was a bit disappointed when I heard that the Mavic 3 had the same 20-megapixel sensor and less dynamic range than the Mavic 2 Pro (12.8 stops compared to 14 stops claimed). However, the larger pixels more than make up for that with improved light sensitivity and lower noise levels.

That said, you’ll want to make sure your footage is properly exposed. The Mavic 3 generally nails the exposure in automatic shooting modes, but it can get tripped up if you’re shooting into the sun. It helps to shoot using RAW DNG files, which give you much more latitude to adjust images in Lightroom.

Photo quality using the telephoto lens was better than the video quality, delivering crisp photos with good color accuracy, but with one key caveat. You can only shoot JPEGs and not RAW files, which limits your ability to adjust shots in post. Again, that makes the telephoto lens less useful for professionals. On the other hand, it could be extremely handy for other types of work, like inspections, search and rescue, bird spotting and so on.

Steve Dent/Engadget

The Mavic 3 is DJI’s easiest drone to fly, thanks to improved obstacle avoidance, and other features. It offers three flying modes: Cine, a slow flight mode for capturing smooth footage, Normal and Sport, the fastest setting.

The Mavic 3 works with DJI’s simplified Fly app, rather than the Go 4 app used with the Mavic 2 Pro. Camera settings like shutter, ISO, video resolution and so on are adjusted on the main flying screen at the bottom right. The record button and various video/photo settings (QuickShot, Hyperlapse, etc.) are found on the right side. For more advanced settings like Safety, Control, Cameras and Transmission, you have to dive into the three dot menu.

Once you fire up the app and connect your smartphone to the RC-N1 controller, you’re ready to turn on the drone. It plays a jaunty three-note tune on startup and is ready to go in less time than the Mavic Air 2S or 2 Pro.

When you take off, it remembers your home position for the RTH (return to home function). It maneuvers flawlessly, helping pilots easily capture smooth footage under manual control. It’s not quieter than the Mavic 2 or 2 Pro, but it has a slightly lower tone that’s less likely to disturb people or wildlife.

Steve Dent/Engadget

It’s also faster, hitting speeds of up to 42 MPH in sport mode. Just remember that obstacle avoidance is disabled in that mode, so you’ll need to be careful to avoid (high-speed) crashes.

The Mavic 3 is covered with omni-directional sensors on the front, back, top and bottom. The app shows potential obstacles to help you avoid them, while the APAS 5 system lets you program the Mavic 3 to either stop when it encounters an obstacle or go around it.

We ran it through a gauntlet of hazards, including gnarly trees, power lines and more. It either stopped or dodged them, depending on the option we set. It did skim a leaf once while descending in RTH mode, though it didn’t phase the drone. However, it could indicate potential issues with the lower sensor array of the drone. The obstacle avoidance feature can be disabled in all modes, if you dare.

Steve Dent/Engadget

The RTH feature brings the drone back when the battery runs low, choosing the most efficient route possible. We found that it worked in all circumstances, even around tricky terrain and from miles away. The only drawback is that it doesn’t bring the drone back at a great speed, so many pilots may prefer to return manually in normal or sport mode.

One key feature that’s unfortunately not coming until January is ActiveTrack 5. As with DJI’s previous tracking systems, it’s designed to follow you around while you bike, windsurf and do other activities. The latest version is designed to track subjects no matter which way they’re moving and continue tracking even if they move out of frame. As this is an important feature, I may update this review later once I get a hold of it.

Other missing features include QuickShots to do fancy camera maneuvers like circles and boomerangs, along with MasterShots, designed to produce quick video clips for social media users. It also lacks the popular Panorama mode to create stitched photos, and QuickTransfer for rapid WiFi video and photo transfers. 

This missing features aren't ideal, but delaying them at least allowed DJI to release the drone. Cameras from Sony, Canon and others often have key features added after the fact with firmware updates, so DJI isn't alone in doing this. Buyers will likely forgive the delays, but only if the updates arrive in January as promised.  

Steve Dent/Engadget

With its starting $2,200 price tag, the Mavic 3 is designed to take great videos and photos for professional and prosumer users. It strongly delivers in that regard, thanks to the pro-level sensor that delivers stunning image quality, along with stabilization that allows for insanely smooth shots. The ProRes video and 1TB internal SSD are also huge features for pro shooters.

It’s not perfect, though. Those same users may find the telephoto camera to be somewhat useless because it doesn’t deliver even close to the same level of quality as the main camera. They may also wonder why the standard model comes with a basic controller and limited Fly app, considering the relatively high price. The missing features like ActiveTrack 5 are a bummer, but once they arrive, everyone will quickly forget that they weren’t there at launch.

In terms of competition, DJI doesn’t have any peers when it comes to image quality (its tagline for the Mavic 3 is “Imaging Above Everything”). In other words, it’s laser-focused on cameras, as it recently showed with its crazy, amazing Ronin 4D. Other companies like Skydio, however, arguably offer better flying drones with superior obstacle avoidance.

Should these factors impact your buying decision? I’ll leave the final word to Samuel, the professional photographer and certified pilot who owns multiple DJI drones and assisted in this review.

“I am definitely interested in buying it, because it has a sensor that’s larger and performs at a high level so it’s a big step up in terms of image quality. The extra battery life also makes planning easier, and the drone is extremely stable, even in wind, so you feel like you have a ‘tripod in the sky.’ It has some flaws for sure, but for me, those are outweighed by the image quality benefits.”

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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The best Samsung Cyber Monday deals you can still get on Galaxy phones, watches, TVs and more - USA TODAY

Truecaller drops the biggest update in a while - PhoneArena

Truecaller, one of the older messaging apps for mobile, has just received major update that significantly enhances the calling experience. Although the app is available on both iOS and Android platforms, this specific update is aimed at those who use smartphones running Google’s operating system.

The highlight of the update is the addition of Video Caller ID, which allows users to set up Truecaller to show a video to their contacts whenever they call them. Additionally, the team behind the app announced that Call Recording is making a comeback. More importantly, the feature is now available for free to everyone using Android devices.

Since users have been asking for it, Truecaller is bringing back separate Calls and Messages tabs in the latest version of the app. Another interesting new feature is reserved to Premium users: the ability to announce your calls. It will allow Truecaller to automatically check whether a call is from a friend or a scammer.

Last but not least, Truecaller Ghost Call is another feature for Premium users, which allows them to schedule a time for a call. Simply open the Premium tab and choose the Ghost call setting option. Then, set a name and number you want to appear on the screen along with the time.

Also, you’ll be able to choose an existing contact in your phonebook using the “pick a contact” option. Finally, tap the “schedule call” and at the set time, your phone will ring and show the usual calling screen on your phone. The feature is meant to get you out from weird situations, or you can use it for fun.

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