The Morning After: Toys ‘R’ Us is shutting down

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Friday is the perfect time to take a photo trip through Shinjuku (both in real life and via Yakuza 6) and consider the appeal of Lyft’s all-access subscription.

Free two-day shipping wasn’t enough?Leaked Amazon figures show TV drives millions of Prime signups

Reuters is reporting that it has obtained leaked documents that, if true, will shed plenty of light on at least one part of Amazon’s business — Prime Video. If you thought Amazon was keeping quiet because its projects were flops, think again, because some of its shows are actually more popular than some of the fare you’ll find on basic cable.

Low lag.What to look for if you’re buying a TV for gaming

Most TV makers (and buyers’ guides, for that matter) assume you’re buying a set for the sake of enjoying movies or shows, and that’s understandable. But what if you’re more interested in playing Monster Hunter World than watching Murder on the Orient Express?

Check this out.‘Yakuza 6’ makes Tokyo’s red-light district virtually real

Richard Lai decided to swing by Shinjuku to see how closely Sega’s realization stands up. With real restaurants, hotels and attractions digitized in high detail, it’s occasionally uncanny.

The empowering short that wasn’t.VR escort film pulled from SXSW amid allegations of misconduct

Two days ago, director Michael Jacobs described his first VR short, GFE (an acronym of “girlfriend experience”), to Aaron Souppouris on camera. The film is a “documentary fantasy,” Jacobs said, with a focus on “demystifying escort work and bringing a sense of empowerment to escorts.” According to the star of GFE, it does the exact opposite.

Above and beyond the software patches.Intel redesigned its 8th-gen processors to patch ‘Spectre’ and ‘Meltdown’ flaws

According to Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, its future chips will have new layers of protection via something called “partitioning.” The changes will start with Xeon Scalable “Cascade Lake” processors and 8th-generation Core chips shipping in the second half of this year.

Grab some coffee — it’s 56 pages.Google’s year-in-review report of Android security

Android may be perceived as “less secure” than iOS, but take a look at the numbers. In 2016, the annual probability of downloading a potentially harmful app was at .04 percent, which is a pretty small number. Google reduced that number by half in 2017 to .02 percent. It’s pretty impressive.

But wait, there’s more…

• Tech giants like Google and Alibaba are working to save endangered species
• Lyft tests ‘all-access’ weekly and monthly subscriptions for riders
• The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid is an agile car with some outdated tech
• Bankrupt Toys ‘R’ Us is closing all US and UK stores
• ‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ arrives on September 14th
• Bali plans to shut down mobile internet for its New Year

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Audi Sport’s e-tron GT will be based on Porsche’s Mission E

Audi’s performance Sport division announced that will introduce a four-door high-performance EV as part of Audi and VW’s grand electrification plans. The E-Tron GT will be based on the Porsche Mission E platform and built alongside the E-Tron Quattro crossover we saw recently at the Geneva Motor Show. “We will lead our high-performance brand Audi Sport into the electric future with models like this,” said Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler. “It proves that electric drive can also deliver high performance.”

Speaking of the e-tron Quattro (below), Audi revealed that it will be priced at 80,000 euros or about $100,000. So far, we’ve seen it only in a disguised form, but we’ll get a much better look when the automaker releases more details in August. It might hit the market fairly soon as a 2019 model, and so far we know that it will be built using a carbon-neutral fabrication process and accept a 150kW fast charge.

As Road & Track points out, Audi has been working on a three-motor system to allow for advanced torque vectoring, but Porsche has already said that the Mission E will use just one motor per axle. That means that while Audi Sport’s e-tron GT might share the Mission E platform, it could use different drivetrain components. Once it arrives, the GT will be Audi’s e-tron flagship car.

Source: Audi

Ubisoft revives ‘Might & Magic’ as a mobile strategy RPG

Might & Magic is back, but not in the way you were probably hoping for. Ubisoft has revived the beloved RPG series as a mobile battler called Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians, chock-full of colorful and chibi-esque creatures to collect. The first batch of screenshots reveal a four-person party and various wave-based opponents to dispatch. Ubisoft is promising a “fast-paced strategic battle RPG” with a Pokémon-style elemental system, monster evolution (from “loyal” to “legendary”) and customizable Glyph equips. In combat, though, it seems each monster is limited to three abilities — pre-battle prep, then, is probably where the real depth lies.

Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians launches worldwide on May 31st for iOS and Android. It will have a single-player campaign centered around an apprentice wizard at the Akadimia school of magic. Set in the year 470 YSD, a century before Might & Magic Heroes VI, you’ll traverse Ashan and “specific locations that were unexplored in previous games.” If you’re new to the franchise, however, it won’t matter as the game has been designed with newcomers in mind. And if you’re the competitive type, Elemental Guardians will have a PVP “Arena” mode with leaderboards and unlockable prizes. If you’re interested, you can pre-register the app now and claim an “exclusive creature” based on your mobile operating system of choice.

Source: Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians

Google Lens Currently Rolling Out to iOS via Google Photos App

Google has announced that its previously Android-only Google Lens feature is now rolling out to iOS users who have the Google Photos app installed.

First unveiled last year at the Google I/O 2017 conference, Google Lens uses the company’s image recognition and machine learning algorithms to identify the subjects of photos and videos and present additional helpful actions and information to the user.

For example, if you take a picture of a business card, Google Lens will offer to save the phone number or address to one of your contacts. Similarly, taking a photo of a book, landmark, building, painting, plant or animal can throw up an option to view more details about the picture’s subject.

A few things to note: Currently Google Lens only works if your device’s language is set to English, and you’re running the latest version (3.15) of Google Photos. You can check what version you’re running in the app’s settings – tap the cog icon and select “About Google Photos” in the menu. Also note that your Google Lens activity is saved to your Google Account if you have Web & App Activity turned on.

Starting today and rolling out over the next week, those of you on iOS can try the preview of Google Lens to quickly take action from a photo or discover more about the world around you. Make sure you have the latest version (3.15) of the app.https://t.co/Ni6MwEh1bu pic.twitter.com/UyIkwAP3i9

— Google Photos (@googlephotos) March 15, 2018

If you still don’t see the Google Lens icon when viewing individual photos or videos, it’s likely the feature hasn’t reached your region yet. Google says the update is being released in batches and all devices should receive it soon.

Google Photos is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tags: Google, Google Photos
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‘ARK: Survival Evolved’ Coming to iOS This Spring With ‘Full Online Experience’

This week, popular console and desktop game Fortnite hit the iOS App Store in beta form, allowing players to access the “same 100-player” Battle Royale mode found on PS4 and Mac computers while on-the-go. Following Fortnite, it’s been announced that another large-scale console title is getting a full game on iOS and Android, called ARK: Survival Evolved and launching this spring (via TouchArcade).

ARK originally released in early access on Steam and Xbox One in 2015, and then the final game launched across most platforms in 2017, including PC, Mac, Xbox One, and PS4. ARK is an action survival game that takes place in a large open world inhabited by dinosaurs, tasking players with building bases and weapons, taming and taking care of dinosaurs, and joining up with other players in tribes.

A few other features coming to ARK on mobile include:

– 80+ Dinosaurs: Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the many dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground.
– Discover: Explore a massive living and breathing prehistoric landscape as you find the means to survive, thrive, and escape on the Ark.
– Craft and Build: Using any means necessary to survive, craft weapons, clothes, and items, and build shelters, villages, or even large cities.
– Survive Alone or With Others: Group up with, or prey on, hundreds of other players in a large-scale online world or choose to go it alone in single-player mode.
– Join a Tribe: The ‘Tribe’ system encourages cooperation, by supporting dynamic parties to share resources, XP, and re-spawn points.

Beta invites for iOS are already open for the game, and mobile game developer War Drum Studios stated that the plan for the smartphone version “is to contain the full online experience as the PC version of ARK.” This includes the game’s 50-person multiplayer environment where players can join tribes to share resources, gain XP, and more, as well as engage in an offline single player experience.

There will also be a few tweaks in the transition to mobile, including faster paced gameplay, a unique user interface, and a “specialized control setup” that was developed specifically for ARK on mobile. The iOS and Android version of the game will offer optional upgrades that players can acquire with “Amber” to progress faster, obtain certain buffs for certain amounts of time, build unique crafting structures, and bring lost dinosaurs back from the dead. The developers said these updates “allow for the ultimate experience on mobile,” while maintaining the true ARK experience as closely as possible.

In a tweet on the new @PlayARKMoible Twitter account, War Drum Studios said that ARK will require 2GB of download space on iOS, and run at 30 FPS on iPhone 7 devices and newer. It “will feature the entire Island map with most of the creatures,” requiring 2GB of RAM on iOS and 3GB of RAM on Android. The developers also put out a trailer for the game, noting that all gameplay footage included was recorded live using an iPhone 8.

ARK will be free-to-play when it launches on iOS and Android widely this spring, but details about any potential microtransactions have not yet been revealed.

Tag: ARK: Survival Evolved
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Mickey and Minnie AR Emoji arrive in time for Galaxy S9 launch

If you think the Galaxy S9’s personalized AR emoji creations are creepy, well, you’re right. But as teased by Samsung at its launch event in MWC a few weeks ago, some familiar Disney faces are joining the robo-avatar party. Both Mickey and Minnie will be available starting today — coincidentally, the day that the S9 and S9 plus go on sale. It’s just the start of Disney’s AR emoji series. Samsung says more will come throughout the year and will include The Incredibles cast and (yes!) Frozen. Ugh, just as long as it’s not Olaf.

Samsung could do with the help. Its AR Emoji are divisive, and aren’t quite as slick as the iPhone X’s Animoji. That said, they’re two very different takes on face-tracking augmented reality. AR Emoji crafts new avatars for every user it scans, while there’s only a limited selection of Animoji to toy with on the iPhone. We’re yet to test it out the Disney additions on our review Galaxy S9, but by the sheer simplicity of Mickey’s design, we’re hopeful for a less creepy outcome.

Source: Samsung

Spotify is finally set to make its debut in India

At an investor presentation, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek revealed that the streaming service will make its debut in India shortly.

There’s no shortage of streaming services in India right now: there are the local players like Saavn and Gaana that offer a myriad selection of regional and international music, and the likes of Google, Apple, and Amazon have also made their foray into the market. Spotify is all set to join that list, as CEO Daniel Ek confirmed during a recent investor day presentation that the streaming service will be making its debut in India shortly:

We are working on launching in some of the biggest markets in the world, including India, Russia, and Africa which has a very rich musical culture.

Spotify made its debut in four new markets earlier this week — Israel, Romania, South Africa and Vietnam — and it looks like that was just the first salvo in a broader expansion into global markets.

Late last year, Spotify hired former Google Business Manager Akshat Harbola to head its India operations, and while the streaming service stated that it had 308 employees scattered over 20 markets, it didn’t divulge a headcount for India. What we do know is that Spotify leased office space in Mumbai last month, so a launch does seem imminent.

Spotify will have its work cut out in India, as the music streaming segment already fields intense competition. Google Play Music is available for just ₹99 ($1.50) a month, and Apple Music isn’t far behind at ₹120 ($1.85) a month — for students, it’s just ₹60 (93 cents) a month.

Amazon Music also made its debut in India earlier this year, with the streaming service bundled into the Prime subscription, which is just ₹999 ($15) a year and includes access to Prime Video as well.

Having used Spotify for over two years, the one thing that it does better than anyone else is curated playlists. But the Indian market is all about value, and it’ll be interesting to see the price point that Spotify will launch at in the country, as that’ll make or break the service.

Pokémon Go players can use Facebook to log in and sync devices

Niantic is making it easier to log into Pokémon Go, perhaps in an effort to prevent you from giving up on the game completely if you don’t play for long stretches of time. You can now link Pokémon Go with your Facebook account, so you don’t have to spend time trying to remember a password you invented on the fly when you signed up. By linking your accounts, you’ll easily be able to access your game and progress across multiple devices. You’ll also be able to continue accessing your game even if you signed up using a university or work email address you might lose access to in the future.

If you log into the game using a Pokémon Trainer Club account, you’ll be able to link your Trainer profile with Facebook and Google. So, in case you’re not a big social media user or have used a school or work email address, you can choose to log in with one of your Gmail addresses instead. Whether this move will help prevent Niantic from losing more players remains to be seen. For now, head to the Settings menu within the game and choose the platform you’d like to link if the feature sounds useful.

Source: Pokémon Go

Ron Gilbert’s ‘Thimbleweed Park’ gets physical collector’s editions

Fans of adventure game classics have a reason to give Thimbleweed Park one more look — it’s about to get a physical release, complete with both standard ($35) and limited collector’s editions ($65) for PS4 and Switch. Made by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick (Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion) the side-scrolling adventure game erupted from a 2014 Kickstarter before its eventual release on PC, consoles and mobile devices.

The collector-ready Big Box Edition includes treats like a poster, newspaper and post-it notes. The PS4 edition has exclusive stickers and a tape cassette, while the Switch version drops those to add stickers and a phone book. In case you missed it, the game’s maker’s promised not just a homage, but a real new point and click adventure investigating strange deaths and other odd events in its namesake town.

New rules have made boxed editions a bit harder to come by, but Limited Run Games is again handling the job for this one. Quantities are limited, and they go on sale March 30th.

An announcement so important, it’s worth breaking my Twitter shunning: Thimbleweed Park is getting physical PS4 and Switch releases via @LimitedRunGames. https://t.co/blBIoC9dYD pic.twitter.com/rwZyuda3SQ

— Ron Gilbert (@grumpygamer) March 14, 2018

Source: Thimbleweed Park, PS4 CE, Switch CE

How to Block Nuisance Calls and Messages on Your iPhone

Unsolicited phone calls and messages can become a regular annoyance and even a cause of stress for many smartphone users these days. Thankfully, Apple provides features in iOS 11 that allow you to block nuisance calls and messages from the same number coming through to your phone, and in this article we’re going to show you how to set them up.

Whether it’s messages from a debt collector looking for the wrong person, a random number from a foreign country that keeps calling in the middle of the night, or just someone in your contacts that you’d rather not hear from again, following the steps below should stop them from bothering you.

How to Block a Recent Caller in iOS 11

If the number you want to block is a recent caller, follow these steps on your iPhone. Launch the Phone app.
Tap Recents.

Locate the number you want to block in the All or Missed calls list.
Tap the information icon (the encircled lowercase “i”) to the right of the number.
Scroll down the Caller ID screen and tap Block this Caller.

How to Block a Number That Messages You

If you’re the recipient of unwanted messages from a specific number, here’s how to prevent them from coming through to your iPhone.
Launch the Messages app.
Navigate to the main messages list if necessary, and tap a message received from the number you want to block.

Tap the information icon (the encircled lowercase “i”) at the upper right of the message window.
At the top of the Details screen, tap the name of the contact or the associated phone number.

Scroll down the Caller ID screen if necessary and tap Block this Caller.

How to Block a Number in FaceTime

If you received a FaceTime call from a number that you want to block, follow these steps.
Launch the FaceTime app.
Tap either the Video or Audio button, depending on the type of FaceTime call you received from the caller you want to block.

Locate the unwanted call you received in the list and tap the information icon (the encircled lowercase “i”) next to it.
Scroll down the Caller ID screen if necessary and tap Block this Caller.

How to Manage Blocked Contacts on iPhone

Follow these steps to add or remove a contact from your blocked list of numbers.
Launch the Settings app.
Tap Phone in the list.
Tap Call Blocking & Identification.

To remove a contact from your blocked list, tap Edit in the upper right corner of the screen, tap the red minus button that appears next to the contact(s) you want to remove, and then tap Done.
To add a contact to your blocked list, tap Block Contact… and select the contact from your Contacts list. All of the numbers in the contact card you select will be added to your blocked list.Note that you can also access and manage your blocked contacts list in the Settings app via Messages -> Blocked and FaceTime -> Blocked.

Try a Third-Party Blocking Solution

If you’re inundated with spam calls from different numbers on a regular basis, then consider one of the many third-party blocking solutions available from the App Store: Several apps like Hiya and TrueCaller use an implementation of Apple’s CallKit to identify and block suspect numbers before your phone even rings.

After installing one of these apps, you can manage their call permissions at any time from within the Settings app, by tapping Phone and selecting Call Blocking & Information.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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