Atari 2600 fans get the revival console they deserve

If you want to play retro Atari 2600 games, you’re not short of options. There’s eBay for the original console of course. You can play some on mobile, or buy one of those “Flashback” all-in-ones, or splurge on the ultimate man/woman-cave table. But for those that have the original cartridges, but don’t want to keep an old console on permanent life support, or tinker with modifications under the hood, your options aren’t so good. Enter the RetroN 77 — the 2600 reimagined for the modern age. Importantly, it plays most, if not all of the original game cartridges in glorious 1080p, at a modern aspect ratio right out of the box.

It’s pretty hard not to get misty-eyed while playing Pac Man off the original cart, complete with faded, battle-worn label. The experience is even better when it plays in full screen on a modern TV, without having to jump through any hoops. The company behind the hardware — Hyperkin — has a long history of making modern versions of classic consoles (the SNES, Genesis in particular). You can be sure there’s attention to detail too, with the RetroN 77. I’m reliably informed that those who remember moving the cart in their original Atari (and causing the game to glitch), might get the same experience here (if you want).

Really, though, the RetroN 77 is about fun, and keeping the Atari legacy alive — and given the recent reveal of Ataribox, it’s something lots of people are passionate about. Yes you can use original joysticks, but also there are USB options too, if going full authentic with vulnerable hardware is a step too far. Hyperkin wouldn’t commit to a price, but suggested the RetroN 77 should retail somewhere around $80, landing just in time for the you to get one (for your kids, of course) over the holidays.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Algorithm predicts when someone is at risk of suicide with 92 percent accuracy

Why it matters to you

This suicide risk-predicting algorithm could quite literally save lives.

Sometimes people experiencing suicidal thoughts may alert others in a cry for help. In other instances, suicides can offer tragically few tell-tale clues that would have allowed friends, family, or other individuals to act differently.

That is where a new piece of research from Vanderbilt University Medical Center comes into play. Researchers there have developed a machine learning algorithm designed to predict the likelihood of an individual attempting suicide. In trials, it has proven 80 to 90 percent accurate at forecasting whether a person will attempt suicide in the next two years. This extends to an astonishing accuracy of 92 percent in predicting whether a person is likely to attempt suicide in the following week.

To make its calculated guesses, the algorithm uses a range of different data, such as previous hospital admissions, age, gender, zip codes, prior diagnoses, and medication. When combined, these different risk factors can lead to behavioral insights which may not be so evident just by looking at one or two data points.

The algorithm was trained using data on 5,167 patients admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with signs of self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Since then, it has been further trained and tested on 12,695 randomly selected patients with no documented history of attempted suicide. The work surrounding the algorithm’s creation was described in a paper published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science.

Since it was published earlier this year, Professor Colin Walsh is testing his algorithm using a dataset from another hospital. After this phase of the project is complete, the next goal will be the most crucial one: To work out how to use it to intervene and, hopefully, save lives.

While there is still a way to go before this is used as a clinical tool by physicians, with suicide being around the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., this algorithm could prove to be an incredibly important advance. It could, quite literally, be a lifesaver.

Forget ambulances — Sweden is testing defibrillator-equipped first responder drones

Why it matters to you

A drone equipped with a defibrillator could greatly increase the chance of survival during cardiac arrest.

While most drones are designed for recreational purposes, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden are adding a welcome dose of medical functionality to their list of uses. In a recently-launched pilot program, the researchers tested a drone equipped with a defibrillator to provide more immediate aid to people who experience cardiac arrest.

More than six million people die annually as a result of cardiac arrest, making it the leading cause of death worldwide. Only one one in ten people survive a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, and time is key to increasing these odds. In fact, each minute a cardiac arrest goes untreated without CPR or defibrillation, it decreases an individual’s chance of survival by 10 percent. With this is mind, researchers are coming up with clever ways to decrease the time it takes to treat cardiac arrest victims.

Jacob Hollenberg and his colleagues at the Karolinska Institute analyzed cardiac arrest records for areas outside of Stockholm lacking adequate nearby emergency medical resources. Analysis of this data determined that the median response time for the area was nearly 30 minutes, with a survival rate of zero.

The team then tested the amount of time it would take for a drone carrying a defibrillator to reach these areas compared to an ambulance. To do this, they dispatched a prototype defibrillator drone to locations in the area where cardiac arrests had recently occurred. During 18 trial flights, the drone arrived at the scene about five minutes after it was launched. It took the ambulances an average of 22 minutes to arrive at the same locations. The defibrillator has a speaker to relay instructions for using the device to individuals at the scene allowing for faster medical treatment.

“If we can decrease the time in cardiac arrest from collapse to defibrillation by a few minutes, hundreds of lives would be saved each year,” explained Hollenberg

Hollenberg and his team are currently working with local emergency services to optimize this defibrillator drone program and hopes the system will be ready to implement within the next two years.

Solar-powered Roomba-style robot drives around your garden pulling weeds

Why it matters to you

Hate pulling up weeds in your yard? This gardening robot is here to help.

The tech company that developed the enormously popular Roomba Robot Vacuum isn’t content simply to keep your house looking spotless. With a new Kickstarter campaign, the Massachusetts-based Franklin Robotics is back with a new Roomba-style product — and this time it wants to clean up the weeds in your backyard.

“We’ve developed Tertill, a solar-powered weeding robot for home gardens,” Franklin CEO Rory MacKean told Digital Trends. “Tertill is a small robot that lives in a vegetable or flower garden, and every day it will charge itself up in the sunlight, and when the battery gets full, it wanders around the garden, avoids plants and obstacles, and takes care of the weeding. By addressing one of the more frustrating aspects of gardening, we see Tertill as a way of encouraging people to start a garden, or to continue to enjoy the activity.”

In terms of features, Tertill sports capacitive sensors for identifying what it’s passing over. If it determines that that is a weed (you can put special protective collars over growing plants which may appear weedlike in stature), it then disposes them using a spinning string trimmer.

Simply put, [this is for] gardeners — but there are lots of people who garden,” MacKean continued. “We think it’s particularly interesting to people who are interested in growing food organically, as well as people who find weeding both frustrating and painful, and would otherwise give up gardening, an activity they love.”

If you’re among those folks, you can currently pre-order a Tertill weeding robot on Kickstarter for just $225. Shipping is expected to take place in March 2018.

If Tertill can sell a fraction of the 15 million units that Roombas have sold since their debut, Tertill could prove to be an enormously popular smash hit. Provided you’re not a weed, that is!

Want to live-stream 10,000 feet in the air? Honeywell’s inflight tech will let you

With the growth in the internet of things (IoT), there is rarely a moment when we aren’t connected. Air travel used to be a time when we had to turn our tech off, but no more: planes, too, are becoming a node in the IoT.

However, if you’re a frequent traveler you’ve likely experienced the pain that is inflight Wi-Fi. You get in the air, find out there’s internet access, pay the unworldly fee, and you’re supposedly good to go. We say supposedly because inflight Wi-Fi is famously slow and spotty, and while some are advertised as high-speed, you are restricted from using streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, and HBO Go. Although it’s definitely a feat of engineering that there’s internet in a plane at all, it could use some work. And that’s where Honeywell is stepping in.

Last week, in San Francisco, we had the opportunity to check out what Honeywell has been working on in the way of in-flight internet connections, and we were pleasantly surprised. The company is conducting a worldwide tour on a 757 “Connected Aircraft,” and it’s demonstrating its satellite-based inflight Wi-Fi concept in partnership with Boeing and GX Aviation (the Wi-Fi services arm of satellite communications company, Inmarsat, which counts Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways as customers).

“You’ve got to be able to connect in-flight, even through conditions that are tough on a satellite receiver.”

Using satellites for broadband internet isn’t new — the concept dates back to 2000 when Boeing launched its now-defunct Connexion service, and, today, it can be found on planes serviced by GX Aviation, Gogo, Panasonic Avionics, Global Eagle, and Viasat, among others. To date, most airlines in the U.S. connect to the internet through air-to-ground (ATG) connections (Gogo is largest service provider in this front). Switching over to satellites helps alleviate many of the issues associated with air-to-ground connections, primarily a constant connection that covers a wider area, including over large bodies of water. And what early satellite technology lacked in speed, the newest equipment, such as Honeywell’s JetWave (the onboard product used by GX Aviation to connect to three existing Inmarsat Ka-band satellites), aims to improve that.

With its Connected Aircraft, Honeywell is demoing just how its hardware delivers on said performance. And, because the JetWave uses two receivers instead of one, it results in speeds that are up to 100 times faster when compared to existing global connectivity solutions today. According to Honeywell, the simultaneous beams to the satellite allows for seamless switching, and it’s how it achieves a consistent experience, whether over land or water – one beam allows users to stay connected, while the second receiver acquires the new spot beam as an aircraft moves from one beam to another. GX users use one beam at a timeThe JetWave equipment can be installed in new planes prior to delivery to airline partners, but Honeywell says older aircraft could easily be retrofitted with JetWave.

And just how fast is it? Honeywell is advertising speeds of up to 30Mbps, which isn’t bad at all and is just enough to allow for live-streaming purposes. When Honeywell invited us to take part in the flight, it specifically encouraged us to try live-streaming. During the test flight, we were able to conduct a Facebook Live broadcast on the Digital Trends Facebook page, and even though that live video was a little choppy, the fact that we could conduct one at all shows that this is an improvement over previous implementations.

We also verified those speeds with a speed test — it actually surpassed the 30Mbps range, although it’s highly likely that results will be slightly less impressive on a standard commercial flight compared to Honeywell’s fully decked out test flight. Even if an airline chooses to use that bandwidth for other purposes instead, it could, for example, offer improved entertainment streaming in lieu of installing seatback displays, which could help a plane fly lighter and use less fuel.

A better connection opens the gateway for a slew of new tools for pilots and ground control.

“Satellite technology has come a long way,” said Honeywell’s VP of Connected Aircraft Kristin Slyker, in an interview with Digital Trends. “You’ve got to be able to connect in-flight, even through conditions that are tough on a satellite receiver.”

Now, we know what you’re thinking: More reliable and faster Netflix! And that’s true, but that’s really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the advantages of a connected aircraft. And ultimately, many of those advantages could have seriously positive effects on the overall flight experience.

For starters, a better connection opens the gateway for a slew of new tools for pilots and ground control, essentially allowing planes to communicate in real-time. According to Honeywell, instead of a pilot having to spend a few hours before the flight sifting through data that they have and having to file a flight plan, pilots can get can update their flight plan in real-time if, for example, unforeseen bad weather is ahead. That can make for a faster flight that’s better on fuel efficiency, and more comfortable for passengers who might otherwise be flying through spotty weather patterns.

A connected experience also makes for better maintenance management. Different components of Honeywell’s test plane had sensor in them that could detect when those components might wear out or break based on terabytes of previous data, using predictive analytics. That could ultimately save a lot of money for airlines, which wouldn’t have to take a plane out of use for a few weeks for repairs, instead being able to quickly and efficiently replace worn-out parts as they come up in Honeywell’s system.

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

These services are available to flight operators through Honeywell’s GoDirect suite of apps, which include apps for weather, flight planning, ground control, and so on.

Of course, Honeywell isn’t alone. As the biggest service provider of inflight broadband Gogo is making serious moves of its own. The company is transitioning from its ATG infrastructure in favor of its satellite-based systems, called 2Ku, which should make for a much better customer experience than ATG. But what Gogo doesn’t necessarily have, according to Honeywell, is Honeywell’s experience in aviation and its ability to help pilots — not just the customers sitting in the cabin. Honeywell also isn’t selling connectivity directly to passengers — it’s selling to airlines who will, in turn, handle pricing and connectivity for passengers, including how much of that bandwidth is allocated to passengers and how much goes to pilots and the connected plane.

According to Honeywell, within the next 18-24 months we’ll see a much wider adoption of its JetWave technology, including on domestic flights in the U.S. Regardless of which company is delivering the connection, the flying consumer can get ready for better inflight Netflix.

Sprint wants you to ditch your carrier, offers free year of unlimited data

Why it matters to you

If you’re planning on switching your mobile carrier for a cheaper plan, Sprint’s free year of unlimited data could be the right fit.

Sprint is trying out new tactic to reel in customers, judging by its latest promotion. The deal offers a year of free unlimited data service for up to five lines if you switch carriers by June 30, according to the company’s website.

Normally, Sprint’s unlimited plan for a family of five will cost you about $190 per month. When comparing it to the other three major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile — it’s the cheapest plan you’ll find.

But the perks of this plan, like no overages and unlimited text and data (at a slower speed) in almost 180 countries, might not trump the better service you’ll experience on your devices using other carriers. In last year’s OpenSignal report, Sprint came in last for 4G latency, network coverage, and download speed, trailing behind Verizon and AT&T.

It’s clear Sprint needs to create a strong value proposition for consumers in order to make up for what it’s lacking in overall service and coverage, and this new promotion could be it.

If you make the decision to switch over from your carrier to Sprint, you have to make sure your phone can be used on its network. If it can’t be, you can trade it in toward a new or pre-owned Sprint phone. The eligible phones listed on the site include Apple iPhones (some being exclusive to Verizon only), the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S8, as well as the Google Nexus phones, among others.

The unlimited plan includes features such as HD streaming — with video speeds up to 1080p and music at up to 1.5mbps, 10GB of high-speed data to use toward a mobile hot spot, Peer-2-Peer usage, and VPN, along with unlimited talk and text.

For international services, the plan includes data up to 2G speeds, text messaging in over 165 countries within Sprint’s list of “Global Roaming” countries at no charge, and calling for $0.20 a minute.

The plan is not completely free since you’ll have to pay for a SIM card, additional fees and taxes, and a $30 activation fee up front that’s waived after two billing cycles. You’ll also be required to sign up for Sprint AutoPay billing and eBill — which, if you decide to cancel before the year is up, will result in being charged per month.

Once the contract ends on July 31 of next year, customers will be charged $60 per month for the first line, $40 per month for the second line, and $30 per month for lines three through five.

Microsoft updates keep Windows protected against state-sponsored attacks

Why it matters to you

This serves as yet another reminder to turn on automatic updating on your Windows machines and get them updated to Windows 10 as soon as you can.

The WannaCry ransomware attack that eventually infected more than 200,000 machines worldwide and caused numerous organizations some real headaches demonstrated just how vulnerable our systems can be. It also showed just how important it is to keep our systems updated because fully patched Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 systems were not affected by the attack.

Now, Microsoft is taking some steps to help protect Windows against cyberattacks perpetrated by government organizations. Known as nation-state actors, these groups can be some of the most competent in breaking into systems and stealing sensitive data.

Microsoft’s first steps in addressing these concerns are to issue a number of additional security updates to go along with its usual Update Tuesday release. All versions of Windows, including older versions, will receive these updates, a step that Microsoft is taking due to “the elevated risk for destructive cyber attacks” that exists today. As Microsoft describes the new updates:

“Today, as part of our regular Update Tuesday schedule, we have taken action to provide additional critical security updates to address vulnerabilities that are at heightened risk of exploitation due to past nation-state activity and disclosures. Some of the releases today are new, and some are for older platforms under custom support agreements, that we are making publicly available today. Customers with automatic updates enabled are protected and there is no additional action required. For customers managing updates, or those on older platforms, we encourage them to apply these updates as soon as possible.”

In order to receive these updates, you need to make sure your Windows machines are configured for automatic updates. At least, head over to Windows Update on all of your machines and run the update process periodically if you don’t have automatic updating turned on.

Microsoft has provided additional details on these updates at its Security Response Center blog. It also provides more information on how to determine which version of Windows you are running and additional details on how to enable Windows Update. As usual, the company recommends that anyone running a very old version such as Windows XP update to Windows 10, which will bring a host of additional security advantages in addition to the most up-to-date features.

The best Xbox One games to look forward to in 2017-2018: Crackdown 3, Forza Motorsport 7, Sea of Thieves, Ori 2 and more

The big news from E3 2017 was that the extra-powerful Xbox One X console – formerly Project Scorpio – will launch worldwide on November 7 2017. That means true 4K HDR gaming is imminent.

But it wasn’t just hardware that Microsoft was showing off at its E3 conference. It was games too. Plenty of exclusives, others which will run better on the One X than any other platform. Exciting times.

We’ve included release dates where possible and a trailer for each of the best upcoming Xbox One games. We’ll also update this round-up throughout E3 2017 and the rest of the year, so there’ll always be something to come back for.

Crackdown 3

Release date: November 7 2017Xbox One exclusive: Yes (also on Windows)Publisher: Microsoft Studios

First revealed at E3 2015, it’s been a fairly long wait for this Microsoft exclusive. But we can see why: the game is due to launch alongside the Xbox One X console, with full 4K graphics at 60fps, so there’s surely been tuning going on to get that right. Plus actor Terry Crews plays the lead. Yep, Terry Crews – he’s both hilarious and brilliant in that casting, as you can see from the trailer above.

Forza Motorsport 7

Release date: October 3 2017Xbox One exclusive: Yes (also on Windows)Publisher: Turn 10

Forza is one of the Xbox’s mainstays. So it was no surprise to see Motorsport 7 announced for 2017. Interestingly it’ll arrive more than a month before the Xbox One X, but will support the fullest graphical fidelity to make that on- and off-road racing look all the more elegant.

Beyond Good And Evil 2

Release date: 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

It’s been almost 15 years since the original game, so when Ubisoft pulled this one out of the bag at its E3 2017 pre-show conference it was one of those fuzzy stomach happy moments. The game’s other-world setting – where multiple species communicate and interact – is quirky, cheeky and stunning. Think The Fifth Element in video game form and you’re half way there.

Sea of Thieves

Release date: 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Rare

• Sea of Thieves preview: Turning you into a software pirate

With more than a little pepper of Britishness – the trailer was voiced by Simon Pegg doing his try-hard Scottish accent – Sea of Thieves, a treasure hunting pirate game, produced by Rare, is one of those slightly out-there online games that’s probably going to divide opinion. We played it in 2016 and loved it, however, because its co-op multiplayer brings a fresh approach to the usual hack and slash.

Skull & Bones

Release date: TBCXbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

If there’s a game to starkly contrast the jovial pirates of Sea of Thieves (above) then, well, Ubisoft has hit the nail on the head with Skull & Bones. This multiplayer takes you to the seas where you’ll need to use co-operative play to sink your competitors’ ships and get the best loot possible. With Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag already under its belt, Ubi is no stranger to the world of pirates – which gives us more than an inkling that this is going to be one very well received game indeed.

Ori and The Will of the Wisps

Release date: TBCXbox One exclusive: Yes (also on Windows)Publisher: Microsoft Studios

The visual style of the original Ori was simply gorgeous, a trait which is carried forward into the sequel, The Will of the Wisps. Also: that owl, it makes us want to cry.

Metro: Exodus

Release date: 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Deep Silver

The follow-up to Metro: Last Light proves that we can’t keep our gaming hands off the post-apocalyptic future. First shown at the E3 2017 Xbox pre-show conference, Metro: Exodus looks stunning – while ensuring its fair share of frightening scares too.

Anthem

Release date: 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: EA / BioWare

Perhaps the first “wow” game to be unveiled at E3 2017, the new IP from BioWare mixes robots and monsters together in a third-person mission-based adventure which looks like a mixing pot of Fallout 4, Titanfall 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Mass Effect. And we mean that in a good way. Just watch the trailer and try to keep your jaw closed.

State Of Decay 2

Release date: 2018Xbox One exclusive: Yes (also on Windows)Publisher: Undead Labs

State of Decay has its work cut out more than ever, especially in the face of Sony’s zombie onsluaght in its exclusive Days Gone and The Last of Us 2. But if you like open-world and the undead then it still looks like a top drawer title.

Cuphead

Release date: September 29 2017Xbox One exclusive: Yes (also on Windows)Publisher: Studio MDHR

Years in the making, Cuphead, the side-scrolling platformer, finally has a release date. Hurrah.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Release date: October 27 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Bethesda

We loved the original Wolfenstein reboot when it landed in 2014. Three years on, it’s time for round two in The New Colossus. Bethesda introduced the game at E3 2017 at its pre-show press conference (in quirky style, with a live action video that looked like something between Lassie and Terminator), showing the Nazi future and the American resistance.

Destiny 2

Release date: September 8 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Activision

• Destiny 2 release date, screens, formats and everything you need to know

The follow-up to Activision’s massive multiplayer online first-person shooter is sure to be a big hit with its hardcore fans. And there’s not long to wait, either, with the game arriving this September.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

Release date: November 17 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: EA / DICE

The first game we played at E3 2017 was at EA’s pre-show showcase, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 looks set to please fans of the original game – while grabbing yet more thanks to a brand new solo campaign mode. The game is even said to have a storyline that “helps bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Fore Awakens”. Interesting stuff.

Strange Brigade

Release date: TBCXbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Rebellion

With its lick of British charm, Strange Brigade introduces an “exotic safari” of forgotten lands in a way that only publisher Rebellion could deliver. It’s tongue-in-cheek 1930s-style trailer shifts direction not long in, introducing a rosta of enemy types – from the undead to armoured minotaurs – which look like they’ll ensure it’s no picnic.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins

Release date: October 27 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Ubisoft

After a year off the boil, the Assassin’s Creed series is back in business for 2017. And this time it’s set in ancient Egypt.

Far Cry 5

Release date: February 27 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Ubisoft

After the more stripped back sticks ‘n’ stones Far Cry: Primal, the forthcoming outing in the series, Far Cry 5, looks to be a far more current political missile. Set in a fictional United States, the story follows a preacher whose rise to prominence is more gang-like in style than religious. Throw in the usual array of hunting, shooting, flying and general disarray and it looks to be a return form for the series.

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm

Release date: August 31 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Square Enix

One of our favourite choice-based games of recent year’s, which went under the radar of too many players, Before The Storm is effectively Life Is Strange 2. Judging by the trailer it’s going to delve into life’s big questions, with its share of quirks. Here’s hoping it matches up to the mastery of the original.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Release date: October 17 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4 and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

• South Park: The Fractured But Whole preview
• You can pre-order South Park: The Fractured But Whole here

If you’re a South Park fan then you’ll love The Fractured But Whole, which looks almost exactly like a live episode of the animated adult comedy show. If you’re a turn-based role-playing game fan then you’ll love the game too, if you can get beyond its childish fart jokes and humour. Love both? Then you’re in for a treat.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Release date: 2018Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Rockstar/Take-Two

• You can pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 here

We already had an inkling Red Dead Redemption 2 was on the cards before the official reveal at the end of 2016. A slew of rumours about the game circulated in summer 2015 – specifically around E3 time. A map was leaked on NeoGaf, alleged to be a design guide. And Take-Two previously said that Red Dead Redemption was as important a franchise as GTA. Considering there have only been two games in the series so far, which originally came out in 2004 and 2010 respectively, we’re certainly due another one.

The Evil Within 2

Release date: October 13 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also on PS4Publisher: Bethesda

Like having the bejeezus scared out of you? Say hello to TEW2, the follow-up horror that will almost certainly make your skin crawl. And with Resident Evil 7 now played to death by most horror fans, the Friday 13th release date in October makes for perfect timing.

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite

Release date: 2017Xbox One exclusive: No, also for Xbox One and PCPublisher: Capcom

The crossover beat-em-up is back, with Capcom characters – such as the Street Fighter gang and Mega Man – taking on superheroes from the Marvel Universe. Not much else is know for now, but you can expect a mighty of cast of fighters to control.

Far Cry 5 gameplay preview: A politically charged, unflinchingly brutal return to form

Far Cry is back with a bang. The fifth game in the main series is a politically charged and unflinchingly brutal first-person game, set in fictional present-day Montana.

And it’s rather brilliant.

That’s perhaps no surprise, as when Far Cry is at its best, it’s one of those unstoppable games. The sheer unpredictable evil of lead villain Pagan Min in Far Cry 4 will live on in our minds for years to come. And with only Far Cry: Primal to sate appetites in 2016, it felt as though that raw, evil core always at the heart of Far Cry’s bad-guys had been somewhat washed away.

In Far Cry 5 it’s a return to form: the setting alone, “Hope County”, has political resonance in modern day America. It’s been overrun by a cult, The Project at Eden’s Gate, led by the so-called Father, who is hell-bent on using his political facade to rule.

You play Joseph Seed, one of the resistance, whose job it is to liberate the local community from the cult; a group that will stop at nothing, it seems, to pursue power. The forced baptisms (slash drownings) and litany of bodies are clear evidence of that.

• Best Xbox One games to look forward to in 2017 & 2018
• Best PS4 games to look forward to in 2017 & 2018

Our game begins with the goal of overthrowing a town. Before diving into first-person combat – patriotic stars ‘n’ stripes baseball bat in hand – we get to select from one of three support characters: Nick, a pilot who can rain down a hail of bullets; Grance, a sniper who can be positioned for long-stance head-shots; and Boomer, a dog, who can wander the town undetected, tag enemies on the fly and be used as an attack dog too. We choose Nick, having watched the previous two players use the other two characters.

Ubisoft

From the off, Far Cry 5 goes to show how play style affects the game. Stealth is a real important factor in the game. Although, try as we might to crack skulls and stay out of sight, it’s not long before we’re seen and all hell breaks loose. Then it’s a change of tactics: run, shoot like mad, lob dynamite and cross fingers that you’ll be able to hide out of sight successfully until things settle. Backup rolls into town in cars, so we aim our sights onto an explosive gas tanker and get Nick to fly in and watch the fiery results with glee.

Far Cry 5 is one of those games that is wide open to play styles. Mastering its stealth, but being quick enough to engage its combat system to remain undetected is the best way. But if you’re feeling nutty, then a bit of body armour, some fast legs and heavy weaponry can get the job done in extra loud fashion. Or, if you’re feeling particularly heinous then a ride-on combine harvester can take your foe down in, well, a bloody horrible mess.

• E3 2017: All the games and major announcements that matter

Of course, we’ve only seen a smidgen of the expansive world on offer – something that fans have been calling into question, given real Montana’s relative flatness. Not to worry: in this fictional world there are planes to fly, cars to drive, mountains to traverse and plenty more secret nuggets besides, we’re sure. The usual character building will strengthen your ability to progress too.

Ubisoft

After some hectic running around, making the most of rooftops, lots of healing when in the bushes, and melee attacks, we managed to overthrow the town. It’s rewarding to play the beacon of hope in such a messed up world… a message that, we’re sure, will resonate with many in today’s twisted world.

A pan shot finishes off our experience, passing the Spread Eagle bar. So long as you know what  you’re fighting for, eh? God bless America.

Far Cry 5 will be released on February 27 2018 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Instagram adds archiving: How to hide your old, heavily filtered photos

Remember when you first started using Instagram?

You probably loved to play around with several filters, maybe add a border, then sprinkle in a vignette effect, and top the whole thing off with a dozen hashtags before pushing out your photo for all to see. Now, five years later, you think that creation is anything but pretty. Most of us prefer little to no filter. Sometimes we’ll use tools like Boomerang. But that’s it. Instagram even ditched borders a while back.

If you’re anything like us, you regret those old ‘grams. But it’s not like you want to permanently delete them. So, what are you going to do? Well, Instagram has finally introduced a simple solution for us all: Archive. It essentially lets you hide old photos – whether they’re ugly, embarrassing, or whatever. Here’s everything you need to know about Instagram’s archiving feature, including how it works.

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What is Instagram Archive?

In May, Instagram began trying out a new feature that allows users to hide old photos. Then, in June, it rolled out that feature to all Instagram users. Called Archive, Instagram described it as a tool that lets you “move posts you’ve previously shared into a space that’s visible only to you”.Your profile is a representation of who you are, Instagram explained, and it should evolve with you over time.

Now, with Archive, you should have more flexibility and control over your profile. You can remove unsightly memories so that they’re not sitting on your profile, mucking up your theme or online vibe, while also still preserving those moments for the future. Think of archive as a sweet spot between leaving those photos on your profile for everyone to see and deleting them from your life forever.

It allows you archive photos that you don’t want on public display, but it will retain all likes and comments and still make the photos available for you – and only you – to access. You also can restore archived photos back to your public profile, if you want. The Washington Post said that teens are regularly deleting their old Instagrams in bulk, so we’re assuming this feature has been released for them.

How do you hide or archive photos?

Archive a photo

To archive a post you’ve shared, tap the “…” icon at the top of the post and choose “Archive”. Archived posts will retain their likes and comments from your followers.

View your archived photos

Tap the Archive icon in the top right corner of your profile to view all your archived photos.

Restore archived photos

If you change your mind about a post you’ve archived, tap “Show on Profile” to make it show up in its original spot.

When will archiving be available?

This new feature is apart of Instagram update 10.21. It is now available for both the iOS and Android versions of Instagram.

Want to know more?

Check out Instagram’s blog post for more details.