‘World of Final Fantasy’ coming to PS4 and Vita this October
World of Final Fantasy, the upcoming RPG from Square Enix, is coming to PlayStation 4 and Vita this October. The worldwide releases are almost simultaneous: October 25th in North America, October 27th in Japan and October 28th in Europe.
If you’re unaware of what World of Final Fantasy is, or why Cloud Strife looks so damn cute in the image above, it’s essentially a chibi-fied take on the Final Fantasy games. It’s being pitched at both long-term fans of the series and youngsters, blending kid-friendly visuals and storytelling with classic Final Fantasy combat.
World of Final Fantasy is set in Grimoire, a mysterious world that has sucked in both the new protagonists and various characters and creatures from the series. Visually, everything is cute and approachable, and the game feels much closer to the Final Fantasy titles of old than new. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, it sounds like there’s a lot to pique your interest here. But then again, with a release date less than a month after Final Fantasy XV, you might already have your hands full.
Source: PlayStation
The UK gets its first driverless car insurer
As cars have gained more assistive driving features, questions have been raised over how driverless vehicles will be insured. If someone has an accident while being piloted by an autonomous car, is the driver or the car itself to blame?
While governments, car makers and search giants attempt to figure that out, specialist UK insurer Adrian Flux has today launched what is believed to be one of the world’s first dedicated driverless vehicle policies. It’s done so to allow drivers to place more faith in assistive controls and force policymakers to implement changes around how and when driverless cars could be held liable.
The insurance company’s policy is basically a standard agreement with four additional areas of coverage for autonomous vehicles. The first covers owners if they are involved in an incident that is the result of an update or security patch not being applied with 24 hours of it becoming available, while another will indemnify a policyholder if those systems then fail altogether. Should a car fail to relinquish control in the event of a manual override or the car gets hacked, Adrian Flux says it will cover that too.
Right now, the policy is designed for people who already utilize driverless features in their existing car, things like automatic braking or assistive lane changing. The company also notes that it would also cover drivers utilising Autopilot in the Tesla Model 3.
Last month, the UK government announced the new Modern Transport Bill during the Queen’s Speech. Ministers said that while a Code of Practice already exists for the public testing of autonomous cars, new laws must be passed to help integrate driverless cars on public roads. This includes figuring out how they are insured and will cover passing liability from the driver to the car itself (and possibly the manufacturer).
US regulators already consider Google’s self-driving car to be its own driver, even if it has a human passenger. This small win could help the search giant, and many other car companies, push through red tape that is currently slowing down the roll out of autonomous vehicles. Volvo is hopeful: it says that by 2020, “no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car.”
Adrian Flux accepts that as the UK’s autonomous landscape shifts, it will have to amend its policies to keep pace. But it’s not the only company working in this space. Global insurer AXA has already partnered with two of the UK government’s three self-driving car projects to understand the unique challenges faced by driverless cars and their owners and adapt existing models to fit them.
While we’ll likely see cheaper premiums for people who drive autonomous cars, there are still a number of boxes left to tick. Adrian Flux insists its policy will “help drivers use the autonomous technology in their cars with more peace of mind and protection,” but the extra publicity won’t hurt either.
Via: Computer Weekly
Source: Adrian Flux
Online gaming was his gateway to professional racing
When Nicolas Hamilton was born, two months premature, his family was told he would never walk. He had a form of cerebral palsy that would cause a constant stiffness in the lower half of his body. By the age of 11 he was restricted to a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to become a race car driver. He had direct exposure to a Formula One world champion in the family: His elder half brother, Lewis Hamilton, went from casual karting on the weekends to winning three F1 championships.
Over the years, he fought to regain motion in his legs. The odds of his ever driving a race car were stacked against him. But that started to change when he encountered the world of simulated racing. Unbeknownst to him, spending hours in the virtual world was laying the foundation for his professional career. He stayed and succeeded in the online world for years, moving through the cycles of sim-racing championships, before he got behind the wheel of a real car. He made his race debut in 2011 with Britain’s Renault Clio Cup and moved on to the European Touring Car Cup two years later. Most recently, he became the first driver with a disability to compete in the British Touring Car Championship.
Hamilton’s transition from a wheelchair to a race car has inspired many. While he continues to push past his physical limitations, he has also been working behind the scenes as an adviser for Project CARS since 2012. The powerful racing simulator, from London-based Slightly Mad Studios, was built on an unconventional crowdfunding model, and it got rave reviews for its handling of the cars, the accuracy of its racetrack ambience and its elaborate control options. A year after its much-anticipated launch, the independent developer recently released a Game of the Year edition, with new cars and circuits, to keep the hype alive.
For the sequel to Project CARS, which is currently in the making, the studio continues to work with Hamilton to build an authentic racing experience. I gave Hamilton and Stephen Viljoen, the game director at Slightly Mad Studios, a call to find out more about their ongoing collaboration and the ways in which simulated racing can prep a driver for the real circuits.
When did you first get interested in simulated racing?
Nicolas Hamilton: I have to say 2007-ish is when I got actively into it. GTR was the first game I tried in terms of simulation. It was cool, and it just developed from there. When I looked around on the internet, I found that there were championships for online gaming, and I got heavily into it. I decided online sim gaming could be something I could do for fun and learn about the sport at the same time.
In a recent Project CARS video, as you recap your journey beyond the sim world, you say, “Us being Hamiltons, we’re all or nothing.” What was it like growing up? How closely did you follow your brother’s motorsport career?
Hamilton: I grew up with a condition, but I was around motorsport constantly. There’s eight years between Lewis and myself. When I was growing up, he was getting into his motorsport career. It started out as a hobby at first; we went kart racing every weekend. But the better Lewis did and the more serious he got, the more serious the whole family got about it. As a family, when you’re dedicated to motorsport, you eat, sleep and breathe the career. With us, we are all or nothing to the point that when we do something, we do it to the best or don’t do it at all. That’s [the approach] I’ve had throughout with my condition. If I’m going to try to achieve something, regardless of how tough it might and the obstacles I face, I grit my teeth and go for it or I don’t do it at all. It’s about reaching the goals you’ve set with the opportunities you’ve been given.
How did online gaming become a gateway for professional racing? At what point did you decide to move from the virtual world to the real races?
Hamilton: It wasn’t really my decision. [At one point] my brother turned around and said, “You’re pretty good online — why don’t you try it for real?” For me it was a big shock, because on the sim side I wasn’t using pedals; I was always using buttons on a steering wheel because of my condition. I didn’t know what was possible, whether it would be easy to make a transition. The biggest [concern] was the use of my legs. It was the hardest thing to overcome.
F1 champion Lewis Hamilton (left) with brother Nicolas (right). Photo credit: Mark Baker, AP.
Tell me about your first experience driving a car on a real circuit.
Hamilton: The first car I drove was a BMW M3. I drove it around a circuit close to my house. We just wanted to go and have some fun and didn’t think it was going to be competitive in terms of lap times. But I ended up being faster than the instructors that day. It was a big shock for everybody. My dad was pretty surprised that I could do it for real. Then, to make sure it wasn’t a fluke, we went back a couple of weeks later to see if it was just as good as before, which it was. It turned into something more from there. We made the decision to get me into racing for real and think of a championship to go into. We chose the [Renault] Clio Cup.
What was your biggest challenge at the time?
Hamilton: I only had a couple of days’ practice in the car before my first race. I was very inexperienced. There were a lot of things I had to overcome in my head. It was very daunting to start with — I felt very uncomfortable being in that position, because I felt like I wasn’t prepared enough for a race where I was [competing] with people who had been racing for 10 or 15 years. It was very nerve-racking. But once [I started driving], my nerves disappeared and it was all about learning on each lap. I focused on improving and making sure I kept pushing forward.
What kinds of modifications were made to the car you drove?
Hamilton: If I was going to race, I wanted to make sure the car wasn’t heavily adapted. I didn’t want to use hand controls; I wanted to use my legs. When I drove a car for real, I had to make sure I could accelerate and brake with no issues. So we changed the pedals in the car to make it easier to accommodate my legs. In a standard car, there are clutch, brake and accelerator pedals. The first thing we did was we took the clutch out and put it on the back of the steering wheel, so I had a little paddle instead of the [foot] pedal. We also adapted the accelerator and brake to make it wider so I had more area to put my feet between speeding and breaking. We raised the seat up to make sure I could see, and that was pretty much it. It was minimal, and that’s what I wanted.
You’ve been involved with Project CARS for a while. How did the collaboration with Slightly Mad Studios come about?
Hamilton: I’ve always wanted to be involved in the development of games. I had this idea for a game where you start with go-karts and move through the world of motorsport. At the time, around 2012, there wasn’t a game out there where you could start at the beginner level and work your way through. I called someone I knew in the gaming industry and they said, “Have you heard of Project CARS?” I hadn’t. It was pretty much everything I had in terms of a concept. I got an introduction, they agreed to get me on board and I’ve been working with Slightly Mad Studios as a handling consultant since November that year.
Stephen Viljoen: Nic first got into simulation racing with one of our previous simulators, so it’s an interesting full circle that he’s now on board and working with us. His role is that of a physics adviser, if you will. We have people like him on board to help fine-tune games and make the racing experience as authentic as possible. On a very basic level, when we’re ready for feedback, we put a car in the simulation. Nic takes it out and drives it and give us feedback on how the tire felt and how the handling felt, literally as if he were driving a real car. We go back, iterate and make tweaks until he says the car is pretty much at the place where the real car would be. He’s also invaluable in nailing the experience of being a motorsport driver. There’s so much to it when you’re not on track — how things work with contracts and promotions and sponsorships. It’s information that we find very useful and try to implement as far as possible into the design of the game. To simulate what it’s like to be a motorsport driver, you have to simulate what it’s like in its full spectrum.
Does the immersive world of sim racing prepare drivers for the real world?
Viljoen: Some drivers that we’ve worked with have claimed that it has helped them improve their position in the race. For example, for the Le Mans 24-hour race, we have the simulated track and the entire light cycle in Project CARS. So you can choose to race on, say, 26th June 2016 at 8 AM and our meteorological simulation will put the sun in the exact place where it will be at that time. So you can practice how it will affect your vision. [German racer] René Rast said when he did the real race, he knew exactly how the sun was going to rise, and being prepared for that helped him. Then we have drivers who feel that their car is so accurately simulated that they can actually use it to practice for a race offline so when they get into the real car they have that familiarity.
With other sports like golf and tennis, you can pick up the clubs or a racket and go practice. With motorsports, it’s very expensive to go practice, unless you’re in the top level of the sport and have a team that can pay for you to do it. A proper motor simulation can add a lot to a driver’s practice time, especially during off-season, when you can’t get access to a track. There’s no doubt that it helps.
“Originally this was my dream, and it was about me and having a goal for myself, but then I started to realize how many people I could inspire and reach out to. Now I carry them with me. It’s not just about me anymore.” — Nicolas Hamilton
Hamilton: I think gaming taught me all the basics I needed to know. In the sim world, I learned how to push myself to qualify and make changes to the car, but when it comes to actually preparing a [real] car, warming up the tires, the brakes and the feeling you get when you drive is completely different. You start to see how the temperatures of the circuit really affect the car in different ways. It’s not until you get to a circuit and start driving for real that you learn more than what the game can give you.
Despite the differences, do you believe your interest and success in online gaming influenced your professional career?
Hamilton: If it wasn’t for computer games, consoles and gadgets, I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today. I started with PC games and consoles like Playstation 1 and 2 and eventually got the Xbox. My dad always said that I wouldn’t make a career out of playing games. He wanted me to focus on business or read a book. But I followed what I wanted to do, and to be honest, if it wasn’t for playing games, then I wouldn’t have my career. I don’t know if I’m one of the lucky ones or a lot of people do this, but for me it’s all about following what you want to do. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but it means you have to try harder. The number of times I’ve been knocked down and had to get up is crazy.
Nicolas Hamilton (center) at Slightly Mad Studios with creative director Andy Tudor (left) and CEO Ian Bell (right).
What is it about racing that keeps you going?
Hamilton: I always wanted to race and pretty much always got turned down. My dad didn’t want me to do it. He didn’t think it would be possible with my legs. And since it’s seen as a dangerous sport, he didn’t want it to be dangerous for me. Now, the fact that I can do it makes me want to do it even more. Motorsport has been my life; it’s all I know. I wouldn’t say it’s the adrenaline, but the desire to do it as best as possible. It’s the desire of wanting to stand on top of the podium. It’s what makes me feel good. Originally this was my dream, and it was about me and having a goal for myself, but then I started to realize how many people I could inspire and reach out to. Now I carry them with me. It’s not just about me anymore.
Outside of your motorsport career, do you still stay involved in the development of Project CARS?
Hamilton: I have my career and I’m enjoying my racing, but I’m also knuckle-down at Slightly Mad [Studios] creating the second Project Cars right now. I’ve always wanted to work in the game industry regardless of racing or not. I’m sort of living the dream right now.
What can be expected from the simulated sequel?
Viljoen: There will be some significant changes. We’ll be taking you to new surfaces through rally and ice racing and the various aspects that go into simulating the systems and how you get to the championship. We’ll have a lot of new cars, even brands that we couldn’t have before. Now that we’re on the map, people recognize us. They’re more willing to come to the table and agree on prices that we can actually afford to pay for some of these brands.
We’ll have multiplayer enhancements and more support for VR. We’ll be polishing features for more authentic experiences. For instance, with the first Project CARS we had the ability to do a 24-hour light-cycle simulation; now we will also be doing season simulations. You’ll see snow in the winter or different leaf colors for autumn and it will dynamically change so you can set it to go through the seasons. It has such an impact on racing. For freezing temperatures on the racetrack, you want visual cues to know the effects it has on the car. Same with rainfall: It happens in various stages, so we’ll now have it sunny in one part but there might be a rain cloud a few corners away. It will have realistic puddles and how they affect the handling of the car. And it won’t be pre-generated art; it will be simulated to the scenes. The slope of the track will determine where the puddles fall. This is all in addition to it sounding and looking better.
Engadget giveaway: Win audiophile-quality headphones courtesy of Sennheiser!
Sennheiser has been a well-known brand in the “audiophile” headphone world for years and now its new closed back HD 630VB lets you take high-end quality on the road. The company built these closed ear cans with on-the-fly controls for controlling volume, skipping through tracks and dialing in low-end frequencies with its variable bass control. High resolution audio files should also get plenty of wiggle room with a 10 to 42,000 Hz frequency range. The exterior is crafted from light-weight aluminum, folds down to a compact size for portability and includes replaceable ear pads. This week, Sennheiser gave us a set of its HD 630VB for one lucky reader’s ears to cozy up with. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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- Winners will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) set of Sennheiser HD 630VB headphones ($499.95 value).
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Vizio takes on Sonos with Google Cast-friendly soundbars
Vizio teased us with Google Cast-friendly soundbars back in March, and now the audio gear is up for sale. The company had already put the tech inside its TVs, so allowing you to beam tunes and other audio from a mobile device or computer is a logical addition. The SmartCast lineup starts at $180 for a 38-inch 3.0 Sound Bar and goes up to $500 for the 44-inch 5.1 Sound Bar and 45-inch 5.1 Slim Sound Bar options at the top end. That 45-inch model is the flagship of the group, ticking the tape at 2 inches tall by 2 inches deep to work alongside a 47-inch display.
The 45-inch Slim Sound Bar also comes with two speakers for a surround sound setup and a 3-inch tall subwoofer that lies flat or stands vertically depending on where you want to put it. Inside, custom drivers crank out up to 104dB Sound Pressure Level (SPL) and 30 Hz of bass. There’s also a dedicated center channel to ensure any spoken dialogue remains crisp and clear. Unfortunately, Vizio didn’t go into much detail for the other models. All of the soundbars feature Google Cast though, making it easy to stream tunes from the library of apps that support the tech. There’s also a Vizio SmartCast app that controls the gear from an Android or iOS device and pulls in audio content from all of the services you like to employ.
Like Sonos, Vizio’s SmartCast soundbars feature WiFi connectivity for streaming directly from the internet and offer multi-room options if you own more than one model. In addition to better audio quality, that WiFi connection also means that calls, texts and other notifications won’t interrupt whatever is playing over the speakers. Should the need arise, there’s Bluetooth connectivity on Vizio’s soundbars, too. The pricing is more affordable than Sonos and other Cast-friendly gear, arriving in a range of sizes to fit the TV you likely already have in your living room.
The 2.1 setups are a soundbar and wireless cube subwoofer while the 3.1 options include the wireless slim sub we mentioned above with the flagship unit. 5.1 options include both the flat subwoofer and a pair of satellite speakers in the pricing. If you’re just after the soundbar itself, the 38-inch 3.0 option is the only one that doesn’t come with a sub or extra speakers. Here’s how the SmartCast lineup stacks up:
- Vizio SmartCast 38-inch 3.0 Sound Bar: $180
- Vizio SmartCast 38-inch 2.1 Sound Bar System: $220
- Vizio SmartCast 38-inch 3.1 Sound Bar System: $270
- Vizio SmartCast 38-inch 5.1 Sound Bar System: $300
- Vizio SmartCast 40-inch 3.1 Slim Sound Bar System: $380
- Vizio SmartCast 40-inc 5.1 Slim Sound Bar System: $430
- Vizio SmartCast 45-inch 3.1 Sound Bar System: $450
- Vizio SmartCast 44-inch 5.1 Sound Bar System: $500
- Vizio SmartCast 45-inch 5.1 Slim Sound Bar System: $500
Source: Vizio
Twitter’s Android app gets the Material Design treatment
What was once a test is now official. Twitter is rolling out a new version of its Android app which adheres to Material Design, the paper-like visual language developed by Google. The app is now split into four tabs — Home, Moments, Notifications and Messages — which you can move between by tapping the icons at the top of the screen, or using a horizontal swipe. Dragging across from the left-hand edge will reveal a side menu with shortcuts to your profile, lists and Twitter highlights. The drop-down arrow at the top of the menu will let you switch accounts, meanwhile.
The visual revamp isn’t a huge surprise given how keen Google is for developers to embrace Material Design and its various principles. What is notable (but no less surprising) is the placement of Moments inside the new app. The feature is truly front and center now — an attempt by Twitter, no doubt, to make the news-centric hub more popular with users. What was once known as “Project Lightning” has had little effect on Twitter’s stagnant user numbers, but CEO Jack Dorsey will be hoping that can change now that it holds such a prominent place in the Android app.
Via: Twitter (Blog Post)
Source: Twitter (Android)
Juno: An inside look at NASA’s mission to Jupiter
Juno is going where no spacecraft has been before. Launched five years ago, NASA’s solar-powered ship was sent on a mission to study Jupiter, the largest gas globe in the solar system. Now, after almost a couple of thousand days on course, it is going to arrive at Jupiter on the evening of July 4th to scan, measure, study and photograph the planet. On a recent trip to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) headquarters in Pasadena, I caught up with lead project scientist Steve Levin for a rundown of the mission and the specific event that could potentially uncover the mysteries of the entire solar system.
In the event, formally known as Jupiter Orbit Insertion (JOI), the 8,000-pound spacecraft will slow down as it approaches the planet so that it’s pulled into its orbit. Once inside, it will start circling Jupiter’s poles for insight into the composition of the planet and its magnetic fields. The tricky maneuver will bring Juno close to about 3,100 miles above the clouds, making it the ship that gets the rarest up, close and personal look at the massive planet.
Juno being built at Lockheed Martin in 2011. Photo credit: Andy Cross via Getty Images.
On the outside, the spaceship, built by Lockheed Martin, has a fan-like appearance with three solar panel extensions protruding from its main body. Inside, it’s loaded with gadgetry for the scientific mission. There’s a Gravity Science instrument that will map the planet’s gravity and magnetic fields. The Microwave Radiometer will check on how much water is on the planet. There’s also a JunoCam to photograph the planet.
The information from the instruments will help scientists learn how the massive planet was formed. Does it have the same composition as the sun? Or is it made up of large chunks of ice? Firing up the sensors at a planned precise moment will reveal the answers next month.
The best dishwasher
By Liam McCabe
This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.
After putting in 70 hours of research over the past two years, we’ve learned that pretty much any dishwasher can get your dishes clean when you use it properly. But we think paying a bit more for a machine that’s practically inaudible and easier to load is a worthy investment. That’s why we think the Bosch 500 Series is the best dishwasher for most people. One of the most affordable dishwashers with a third rack, it offers as much capacity and loading flexibility as models that cost a few hundred dollars more.
How we picked
An example of cheap racks. You get no variation in the spacing or angling of tines on the bottom rack, and no adjustable elements anywhere. Photo: Amana
We sought out models with the most flexible and intuitive racking options, as well as whisper-quiet operation and a reputation for reliability. The sweet spot for price is around $800 to $900. Dishwashers in this range are quiet, efficient, effective, and easy to load with lots of dishes of all shapes and sizes. Higher-end models don’t have many practical advantages over midrange dishwashers. Yes, expensive models are quieter, but midrange models are barely audible anyway.
Going into this guide, we knew we wouldn’t be able to test any dishwashers firsthand because we don’t have a testing facility. So, instead, we relied on reporting. We talked with a handful of experts from different parts of the industry. User reviews and comments were also a big part of our research.
We also got some hands-on time with a few models at appliance showrooms in the Boston metro area, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, and Yale Appliance + Lighting. This process helped us get a feel for each machine’s loading flexibility. To confirm our findings we consulted Reviewed.com and Consumer Reports—two entities that conduct extensive in-house performance testing—for published reviews of our favorite models.
Our pick
Minimalist design, minimal noise levels, and maximum capacity and versatility make the Bosch 500 Series our pick for the second year running.
The Bosch 500 Series is the best dishwasher for most people because it has the most flexible, capacious, and easy-to-load racks for the money; it also runs so quietly that you can barely hear it, and the company has a years-long track record for reliability, with a better-than-average warranty and service network. This model is both water- and energy-efficient, and it cleans as well as any top-tier dishwasher. The feature set is right on the sweet spot, as every feature is helpful, without any bloat to drive up the price.
Runner-up
Winning features of the KitchenAid KDTM354ESS include its no-maintenance filter system and traditional heat-dry option.
The KitchenAid KDTM354ESS is another quiet, efficient, and overall excellent dishwasher, yet it was made in a different style than our top pick. The main differences include a heat-dry option, a self-cleaning filter, and a power-washing zone that’s handy for loading large pans and casserole trays. In some situations, this model might be better at cleaning sticky, starchy food deposits, too. Its drawbacks? This KitchenAid dishwasher lacks a third rack, so it fits fewer dishes. It’s also a newer model, so we don’t have a clear picture of its reliability.
Budget pick
The Maytag MDB4949SDx has an all-stainless steel tub that helps it run more quietly than competing models at its price. It also has a fantastic average user rating across more than 10,000 reviews.
If you’re on a tighter budget, or if you prefer a more traditional American-style dishwasher with a heated dry cycle and a food grinder, the Maytag MDB4949SDx is the way to go. It’s one of the few dishwashers at such a low price with a stainless steel tub, which helps the machine keep the volume down and dry dishes more efficiently than dishwashers with plastic tubs. It has some of the best user ratings of any dishwasher at any price, including positive notes about reliability. Compared with our main pick, this Maytag holds fewer dishes, uses more energy, runs louder, and takes longer to finish its cycles. But it’s an excellent choice for the money.
For smaller kitchens
If your kitchen can’t fit a standard 24-incher, but you still want a built-in dishwasher, check out the Bosch 800 Series SPE68U55SS, essentially an 18-inch version of our main pick. Obviously it can’t hold as many dishes as its larger cousin, and it has no third rack. But the racking system is as flexible as you’ll find in this category, and it cleans well and runs quietly.
How to use your dishwasher the modern way
The 500 Series (as well as most other dishwashers today) captures food waste in a mesh filter. You should rinse it once a month to clear any built-up gunk.
If your new dishwasher isn’t working well or seems to be giving you trouble, try to tweak your habits before blaming the machine. Dishwashers and detergents don’t work like they used to, and old methods don’t always do the trick nowadays.
Modern dishwashers work only when they have dirty dishes in them. You don’t need to prerinse your dishes anymore. Seriously, you shouldn’t prerinse. Enzymes in detergents are basically inert until they come into contact with organic matter—that is, the dried marinara, globs of mustard, and bits of spinach stuck to your plates, bowls, and forks. So when your dishes are dirtier, more of the detergent activates faster, and the process of actually cleaning the dishes (rather than just getting them wet) begins sooner. But if your dishes are mostly clean at the start of a cycle, the detergent may not fully activate, and any residue may stay stuck on the dishes.
Next, you need to load the dishes in the proper parts of the racks. If you position dirty surfaces away from the wash arms or nest them too closely together, they won’t get clean. If that doesn’t solve your problems, try switching detergent or using a different amount. And always use rinse aid. Every new dishwasher has a rinse-aid dispenser because rinse aid is essentially mandatory if you want your dishwasher to work well these days, according to every industry person we talked to.
You’ll need to do a bit of low-effort upkeep a few times a year, such as cleaning the filter, to maintain the machine’s washing performance and prevent odors, too. (More on this in our full guide.) The good news is that once you get your new routine dialed in, you should be putting less effort into using your dishwasher than ever before.
This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
‘XCOM 2’ arrives on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One September 6th
XCOM 2 hit PCs earlier this year, and in September you’ll be able to play it on those current-gen consoles. After some indications that the game wouldn’t make the leap to PS4 and Xbox One, 2K is set to release the title in North America on September 6th with a global launch to follow on September 9th. Two DLCs have already been released for the PC version, including a truckload of new gear for the soldiers and the addition of three new Ruler alien enemies. If the PC-only comments had you down, don’t fret: you’ll be able to take command at the end of the summer on the console of your choice.
We are deploying to a new battlefield, Commander. #XCOM2 is coming to #XboxOne and #PS4 on September 6.https://t.co/Y55NIcn4vR
— XCOM (@XCOM) June 7, 2016
Source: XCOM (Twitter), PlayStation Blog
Infiniti wants to bring highway self-driving to new models
Nissan’s luxury Infiniti brand has its sights set on self-driving. Speaking at an automotive conference in China this week, Infiniti president Roland Kreuger announced plans to integrate highway self-driving in newer models, Reuters reports. At this point, only the Q50 sedan has the necessary steering technology to enable the feature, but Kreuger says the company plans to bring it to new cars on an individual basis. “Whenever we are launching the next cars with such a steering system or the next generation of these systems, then of course we would offer those features to our customers,” he said.
When it comes to delivering autonomous driving outside of highways, Kreuger says they’ll have to wait for new infrastructure and approaches to regulation. While some luxury car brands already allow for some assisted driving features, like lane-correction and automatic breaking, only Tesla offers autonomous driving on highways at the moment.
Source: Reuters
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