‘Mass Effect’ failings forced BioWare to reevaluate how it makes games

Developer BioWare is in a much different place today compared to where it was when producer Casey Hudson left. Sure, the studio cancelled its multiplayer game Shadow Realms, but no one knew much about it so it wasn’t a huge blow in terms of public perception. As far as we knew, Mass Effect: Andromeda was still on track to be the awesome space-opera RPG fans had been waiting for since 2012 and everything was on the up and up. Now, of course, we know that wasn’t the case. In a post on the BioWare blog, Hudson apologized for how that game turned out. Specifically, the scuttling of DLC that’d wrap up Andromeda’s Quarian ark storyline.

“That experience ultimately became a defining moment in refocusing BioWare’s mission,” Hudson writes. “We need to delight players with new experiences and innovation, but we must stay focused on the importance of the world, character and storytelling elements that players expect from our games.”

He goes on to say that the studio’s work must “continue delivering new stories and experiences” to players in an “ongoing relationship” in the worlds BioWare is creating. And speaking of which, Hudson says that its upcoming online shooter Anthem will do precisely that.

We haven’t seen or heard much about Anthem since E3 last year, but with 2018’s show mere months away, that’ll almost assuredly change soon. With extra development time, hopefully BioWare can stick the landing.

Source: BioWare

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn is stepping down

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn has announced that she will be stepping down from the commission following a tenure that featured a strong advocacy of net neutrality. Commissioner Clyburn shared her plans to leave the commission during an FCC meeting today. Appointed to the commission in 2009 by Barack Obama, she also held the position of Acting Chairwoman in 2013 prior to Tom Wheeler’s appointment as Chair.

Not only did Commissioner Clyburn support and help author the net neutrality regulations put in place in 2015, she was also vocally against their repeal last year saying during the FCC vote, “I dissent. I dissent from this fiercely-spun, legally-lightweight, consumer-harming, corporate-enabling Destroying Internet Freedom Order.” During a conversation with us at CES this year, she did express hope that we haven’t seen the end of net neutrality just yet. “I am an eternal optimist that the people’s voices and opinions will reign supreme,” she said, “and I’m looking forward to that day.”

During her statement today, Clyburn said, “It’s been the most incredible opportunity for me. In my wildest dreams, if I could have crafted my destiny, I never would have dreamed of this.” She added, “I’ve done my very best and met the most incredible people on the planet in this building. I’ve had the opportunity to make a difference to people who did not believe government was here to serve. So I want to thank all of you for making that possible and more. I want to thank all of your for raising and nurturing me and honestly, some of the lessons I could have done without, but most of them really, really helped me to be the person I’ve become.” She received a standing ovation after her announcement.

Commissioner Rosenworcel said in reply, “You do it in style. I want to say goodbye to a real dynamo at the FCC. Someone who has been my partner in the public interests. Someone I am proud to call a colleague and a friend. And I want you to know that the things you care about, the fights you fought, and the legacy you leave, I consider it a duty of all of us to make sure it stays intact. So thank you.”

Gigi Sohn, co-founder of Public Knowledge and a counselor to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, expressed her support of Clyburn’s work during her time at the FCC. “Mignon Clyburn will go down in history as one of the best FCC Commissioners of all time. For nearly 9 years, she has been a vocal and passionate advocate for the public interest and defender of the most vulnerable in our society,” Sohn said in a statement. “She has traveled the country, listening to ordinary Americans and using their stories to help shape policies that ensure universal access to affordable and open communications networks. From Lifeline to prison phone reform to media ownership and net neutrality, Commissioner Clyburn has been a leader and a model for future leaders of the agency. She will be sorely missed at the FCC, but will continue fighting for the ability of all Americans to benefit from everything broadcasting, cable and broadband enables.”

Chairman Ajit Pai said in a tweet, “You leave behind a rich legacy and many friends. Godspeed and thank you for your public service.” He said during the meeting, “You led with distinction and served with honor.”

Congratulations to @MClyburnFCC on your distinguished tenure at the @FCC, including serving as 1st woman to lead the agency! You leave behind a rich legacy and many friends. Godspeed and thank you for your public service.

— Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) April 17, 2018

Clyburn noted that she hadn’t informed her parents that she would be stepping down today. “I forgot to tell my mom I was doing this so I’m in a lot of trouble,” she said.

Apple Seeds Second Beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the first beta and three weeks after releasing the macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 update.

The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 beta can be downloaded through Apple Developer Center or the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 introduces support for Messages on iCloud, a feature that was previously present in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 betas before being pulled ahead of the release of the update. Messages on iCloud is also available in iOS 11.4.

The update also likely includes bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren’t addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4, but as Apple does not provide detailed release notes for macOS High Sierra updates, we may not know exactly what’s included until the new software is provided to the public.

No major outward-facing changes were found in the first beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.5, but we’ll update this post should any new features be found in the second.

The previous macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 update brought support for external graphics processors (eGPUs) along with Business Chat in Messages and several other bug fixes and smaller feature improvements.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Apple Seeds Second Public Beta of tvOS 11.4 for Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.4 update to its public beta testing group, two weeks after seeding the first beta and three weeks after releasing tvOS 11.3, a minor update that introduced a few smaller features.

The tvOS 11.4 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under “System.” “Get Public Beta Updates” will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.

tvOS 11.4 and iOS 11.4 reintroduce AirPlay 2 features that were included in early iOS 11.3 and tvOS 11.3 betas but were pulled from the update ahead of its release.

AirPlay 2 is designed to let you play the same audio content on multiple devices throughout your home, full a whole-home audio experience. AirPlay 2 works with the Apple TV, the HomePod, and it will work with future speakers that implement AirPlay 2 support.

Following the installation of iOS 11.4 and tvOS 11.4, the Apple TV will once again be listed in the Home app, as it was when AirPlay 2 features were available in iOS and tvOS 11.3 betas.

No other major feature changes were discovered in the first two tvOS 11.4 betas that were provided to developers.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Releases Second Beta of iOS 11.4 for Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming iOS 11.4 update to its public beta testing group, two weeks after seeding the first beta and three weeks after releasing iOS 11.3, the last major update to the iOS 11 operating system. Today’s public beta is identical to the developer beta that was provided to developers earlier this week.

Beta testers who are members of Apple’s beta testing program will receive the iOS 11.4 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.

Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple’s beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. iOS betas are not always stable and should not be installed on a primary device.

The iOS 11.4 beta is much like the iOS 11.3 beta because several key features that were removed from iOS 11.3 ahead of its release have been reintroduced in iOS 11.4.

The update includes support for AirPlay 2 features, allowing you to play the same song on multiple devices and adding the Apple TV and speakers connected to AirPort Express to the Home app.

iOS 11.4 also reintroduces Messages on iCloud. Messages on iCloud was present throughout the iOS 11.3 beta testing period, but it did not make it into release. With Messages on iCloud, your iMessages are stored in iCloud rather than on each individual device, allowing for improved syncing capabilities. Currently, incoming iMessages are sent to all devices where you’re signed in to your Apple ID, but there is no true cross-device syncing.

Messages on iCloud will allow you to download all of your iMessages on new devices, and a message deleted on one device will remove it on all devices. Older messages and attachments are also stored in iCloud rather than on-device, saving valuable storage space.

The most recent beta introduces new (PRODUCT)RED wallpaper on the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and it removes mentions of stereo sound on the HomePod that were present in the first beta.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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How to use Samsung Smart Switch to back up your Galaxy phone

How do I back up my data on my Samsung Galaxy device?

While Google’s services do a great job of keeping your content in the cloud, it gets a bit trickier when trying to back up certain types of local data — things like application data, game saves, and more. It’s not hard to sign back into all of your apps when you get a new phone, but Samsung’s Smart Switch app makes setting up a new phone a breeze.

Simply download the application onto your computer, connect your phone, and before too long you’ll have everything backed up in case you need to transfer your data to a new phone, or restore your phone to an older state.

What is Smart Switch?

Smart Switch is Samsung’s Windows or macOS program that is used for a few things. You can use it to install software updates for your phone, configure email syncing with Microsoft Outlook (handy for corporate users), or the focus of today’s article: back up and restore your content as you move between phones. The Smart Switch mobile application can also be used to move contacts, photos, and messages from an iOS device to your new Galaxy phone.

What can Smart Switch back up?

Smart Switch is used to back up contacts, photos, application data and any other local files on your phone. This makes moving between Galaxy phones a breeze: you can move all of your data to your new phone and pick up right where you left on the old device. The desktop applications take some setting up, but it’s a straightforward process that only takes a few minutes.

• How to install Samsung Smart Switch on your computer
• How to set up Samsung Smart Switch for the first time
• How to back up your phone data with Samsung Smart Switch
• How to restore your phone from a previous backup using Samsung Smart Switch

How to install Samsung Smart Switch on your computer

We’ll show you the process for installation on Windows, but it’s a pretty standard installation process on Mac as well.

Navigate to the Samsung Smart Switch support website.
Click on the download link for Windows or Mac — whichever system you’re using. For this how-to, we’re using Windows
Click to launch the downloaded .exe file (.dmg on Mac).

If you see an error that says The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect…, download and install this Microsoft Visual C++ package.

Click the two check boxes to verify that you accept the terms of the licence agreement.
Click Next.
Click Finish once the installation process is complete. Smart Switch will then launch by default.

Now that we’ve installed Samsung Smart Switch, let’s set it up to connect to your Samsung Galaxy phone.

How to setup Samsung Smart Switch for the first time

Once you’ve installed the Smart Switch application, you’ll need to get it synced up with your phone.

Launch the Samsung Smart Switch application after installation or from the desktop icon on your computer.

Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable to get started. The program should instantly recognize when it’s connected. You may be prompted to allow USB file transfers on your phone.

Switching over to your phone, unlock and swipe down from the top to pull down the notification shade.
Tap the notification for other USB options.

Tap the Transfer files option.

Switching back over to the computer, your phone should now be connected in the Smart Switch application.

How to back up your phone data with Samsung Smart Switch

Once you’ve launched the Smart Switch application and have your phone connected, backing up your data is as easy as pie.

Launch the Smart Switch app on your computer.
Click Backup.
You’ll be required to allow access permissions on your phone.
Pick up your phone.

Tap Allow. If you have a micro SD card in your phone, you will have the option to back that data up as well.

Once the backup is complete, you get a breakdown of all the data that was successfully backed up. Click OK to finish.

How to restore your phone from a previous backup using Samsung Smart Switch

If it’s time to upgrade to a new Samsung phone or something has gone wrong, requiring you to restore your data, it’s super easy if you’ve got an existing Smart Switch backup.

Launch Samsung Smart Switch on your computer and connect your phone via USB.

Click Restore.

Click Select a different backup if you want to restore from an eariler backup, otherwise click Restore now.

You will be prompted to allow access permissions on your phone.

Switching focus to your phone, tap Allow to continue the restore process

Once the restore process is complete, you’ll get a breakdown of the data that’s been restored. Click OK to finish the restore.

Do you use Samsung Smart Switch?

The biggest alternative to Samsung Smart Switch is just using the cloud services that already come on your Galaxy phone. You have Google Contacts for the important people in your life, Google Photos for all your precious memories, and Google Play Games to keep your game progress in sync. Most of Google’s cloud services work on both iOS and every Android phone, so your data won’t be used to lock you to a particular vendor.

But Samsung’s approach with Smart Switch has its benefits. Google’s services don’t backup everything, and you get a nice feeling of control with a local backup. If you’ve been using Samsung phones for years and aren’t looking elsewhere, it’s also a great way to keep your new phone as familiar as your last one.

Do you use Samsung Smart Switch? Let us know down below!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Nokia 1 review: Android Go has a lot of potential

HMD’s most affordable Android phone to date has plenty to offer.

HMD Global set its sights on the budget segment last year, and heading into 2018 the Finnish manufacturer is doubling down with phones targeted at all price points. The Nokia 1 is particularly interesting as it is the first Android Go device from the manufacturer, with the phone featuring Google’s lightweight operating system optimized for low-powered hardware.

The Nokia 1 retails for under $100, and while the hardware on offer isn’t exactly groundbreaking, Android Go promises to offer a lag-free experience that doesn’t make you want to throw the phone out the window. Let’s find out if that is indeed the case.

Nokia 1 What you’ll love

With a screen size of 4.5 inches, the Nokia 1 is tiny by today’s standards. Like budget Nokias of old, the phone is constructed out of plastic, with a removable back that can be customized with Xpress-on shells. The design is vibrant, and the white border along the display contrasts very well with the colorful back covers.

You get two SIM card slots and a dedicated microSD slot once you pop out the battery, and there’s a 3.5mm jack at the top and a microUSB port at the bottom. The power and volume buttons are located on the right, and they have decent tactile feedback. Overall, the Nokia 1 isn’t the most striking phone around, but the playful design and the form factor makes it

The Nokia 1 has a playful design that’s customizable with removable back covers.

The 854 x 480 display is reminiscent of phones from six years ago, as is the design up front. The Nokia 1 has chunky bezels at the top and bottom, and while the screen is decent overall, it is reflective and doesn’t get bright enough under harsh sunlight. What’s of particular interest is that the Nokia 1 comes with an ambient display, allowing you to preview incoming notifications without turning on the screen.

The phone is designed primarily for usability, and in most use cases the display on the Nokia 1 is perfectly serviceable. Under the hood, the Nokia 1 is powered by a MediaTek MT6737M with four Cortex A53 cores at 1.1GHz. There’s also 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, and true to its word Android Go offers more usable storage space out of the box. There’s slightly over 4GB of space available, and you have the option to extend storage via the microSD slot.

On the connectivity front, you get 4G LTE (and VoLTE), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and an FM radio. The Nokia 1’s strong point is Android Go: Google’s lightweight OS does a magnificent job of ensuring that the phone doesn’t feel slow. Granted, there are times when you’re browsing the web or switching between apps that you’ll notice a lag, but it’s thankfully not a major issue.

The lightweight version of Google apps — Gmail Go, Google Go, YouTube Go, and others — also do a great job of retaining most of the features of their full-fledged counterparts while taking up a fraction of the space. The Play Store on Android Go highlights lightweight apps, including the likes of Facebook Lite, LinkedIn Lite, and Messenger Lite.

Android Go does a fantastic job in terms of utilizing the hardware to its maximum potential.

YouTube Go is pretty great, and the fwe videos I watched on the platform played without any hitches. The built-in speaker doesn’t get very loud, but it is detailed and doesn’t get distorted at full volume. The placement at the back is less than stellar though.

If you don’t find a Lite variant of a particular app, you can download the full-sized version and use it as you would on any Android phone. WhatsApp, in particular, works just fine on the Nokia 1. You’ll even be able to install games and move the data files seamlessly to an SD card if you have one installed.

For the most part, the Nokia 1 does a decent job when it comes to performance. You’ll be able to play casual games like Subway Surfers without running into too many issues, but anything more taxing than that and the phone starts to struggle. Again, the main factor here is usability — the Nokia 1 gets the job done for most day-to-day tasks.

Finally, the 2150mAh battery managed to offer over a day’s worth of usage consistently: the low-powered hardware allows you to easily get screen-on-time in excess of six hours.

Nokia 1 What you won’t

The Nokia 1 has a 5MP camera at the back, and a 2MP front shooter. For what it’s worth, the interface itself is identical to what you’d find on the likes of the Nokia 7 Plus, with options for panorama and a beautify mode on offer.

You get an HDR mode as well as 720p video recording, but the shutter lag is immediately noticeable when using HDR and the lack of any stabilization means more often than not, you’ll end up with shaky videos.

You’re not buying the Nokia 1 for its camera.

The rear camera is mediocre, and the resulting photos highlight as much. It took far too long to focus, and as you can make out, there’s little to no detail and a ton of noise. I tried taking several shots of the same scene, but all of them ended up being blurry. You’re definitely not buying the Nokia 1 for its camera.

And as good as the battery life is, there’s no fast charging — it takes well over three hours to fully charge the Nokia 1.

Nokia 1 Bottom line

The Nokia 1 shows that Android Go has a lot of potential, but ultimately it comes down to the price. The Nokia 1 retails for the equivalent of $97 in India (₹5,499), and is set to go on sale in the UK for £79 ($115) sometime next month.

The main hurdle to HMD’s ambitions in India’s entry-level segment is the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, which is available in the country for ₹5,999 ($90). That’s just ₹500 ($7) more than that of the Nokia 1, and you get a full-fledged version of Android and much more robust hardware.

The Redmi 5A features a 5.0-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 425 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 13MP camera, and a 3000mAh battery. Sure, MIUI on an entry-level phone has its share of issues, but the overall experience is better than what you get on the Nokia 1 thanks to the Snapdragon chipset.

If you’re in India, the Redmi 5A is a better bet — you get a much better camera, and the hardware is definitely a cut above what’s on offer with the Nokia 1.

See at Flipkart

For around the $100 mark, the Nokia 1 is still a great choice, particularly in Western markets. HMD hasn’t detailed availability plans for the U.S. just yet, but the phone is set to make its way to the UK in just over a month. In the meantime, if you’re looking for an Android Go phone in the U.S., you’ll have to wait until ZTE’s Tempo Go is back in stock.

See at ZTE

How does Instagram’s new Focus mode compare to your phone’s portrait mode?

We pitted Instagram’s Focus mode against the stock portrait mode on a few popular flagships.

A few days ago, Instagram rolled out a new shooting mode in its Stories camera called Focus, which allows you to take artsy photos of yourself and friends with artificial bokeh and separation from your background. That’s right — it’s basically portrait mode, and it’s rolling out to Android users as we speak. But a lot of phones already have portrait mode, so … what’s the difference, and should you ditch your default camera app and start taking photos with Instagram instead?

The answer may depend on what phone you’re carrying. I gathered some of the most popular phones I had sitting around the office and took some sample shots to compare the strengths and weaknesses of Instagram Focus. Here’s a collection of photos of me looking cold and frustrated at gray skies and flurries in the middle of April, all taken with different phones and shooting modes!

Galaxy S9

Right off the bat, we can see in the sample shots from my Galaxy S9 that Instagram Focus is significantly softer than the selective focus mode in the stock camera app. From my glasses to my facial hair, the logo on my hoodie, and the sleep-deprived bags under my eyes, the S9’s own camera software was simply able to pull in more detail. Samsung’s selective focus also did a much better job at separating my hair from the sky behind me, whereas Instagram Focus seems to have started blurring the image just past my hairline. In Focus’s defense, however, the S9’s selective focus seems to have decided the entire lower half of my torso was on a different focal plane, leading to an unnatural bokeh effect.

Samsung Selective Focus (left) / Instagram Focus (right) — click to view full image.

One thing to keep in mind is that Instagram captures photos in the same aspect ratio and resolution as your display, so while the selective focus shot was captured in 4:3, the photo taken with Focus matches the Galaxy S9’s 18.5:9 aspect ratio, and measures in at 2076×1080. While the aspect ratio isn’t necessarily a big deal, the reduced resolution can be, since the 4:3 shot comes in at a much larger 4032×3024.

Selfies

So about how selfies? Like Instagram, the Galaxy S9’s stock camera app allows for portrait photos with artificial depth from the front camera as well as the rear. Comparing the two again, the difference here is a lot less noticeable. Instagram’s photo actually looks sharper than Samsung’s this time, though it still struggles with hair separation, and the difference in resolution is still in play.

Interestingly, Instagram Focus actually takes a reversed photo by default, which you’ll quickly notice if, like me, you’re wearing a shirt with lettering. I uploaded the original photo as well as a flipped version in case you’d want a closer comparison against the shot taken with Samsung’s default camera app. One thing I didn’t care for with the photo taken with Instagram is how heavily saturated it is, but aside from that I’d call these sample shots pretty evenly matched.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

On to the Mate 10 Pro, my go-to phone for dependable battery life, the differences here are a bit more subtle, with a few standouts for each camera. Yet again, the photo taken with Instagram Focus is less sharp, but by a slimmer margin than on the Galaxy S9. While the Mate 10 Pro’s portrait mode has more detail, I’m happy with the clarity in either photo.

The biggest difference I noticed was color; while the Focus photos were more saturated on the Galaxy S9, I found the opposite to be true with the Mate 10 Pro. The image taken in Huawei’s camera app is much more saturated, particularly in the shadows, and there’s a warmer overall tone than in Instagram’s Focus mode.

Selfies

Just like the Galaxy S9, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro allows you to take portrait mode shots with either camera, as well as within Instagram’s Focus mode. The Mate 10 Pro’s front-facing camera is far from my top pick for taking selfies, but my findings with the rear camera seem to remain true up front, as well. My hoodie is much darker in the shot taken within Huawei’s own camera app, and the grass shows a much warmer characteristic.

I actually prefer the background blur from Instagram’s camera here, though; particularly with the tree behind me, the blur looks considerably spottier in Huawei’s shot.

OnePlus 5T

Finally, we get to the OnePlus 5T, one of my favorite phones of 2017. This one exhibits the most drastic differences between stock and Instagram cameras, mostly because OnePlus’s built-in portrait mode is such a subtle effect. While this sounds like a criticism at first, I actually really appreciate this — it’s a much more natural look, in my opinion, and more closely matches the results you’d see from a dedicated DSLR at f/3.5 or so. There’s no overly heavyhanded background blur in the shot from the 5T’s default camera software, though my right arm (pictured left) falls out of focus around my elbow.

On the other hand, background blur is much stronger with Instagram Focus. I’m completely separated from the brick wall — even the spot I’m leaning against. Separation is noticeably weaker here compared to the Focus shots taken on other phones, with spotty stitching all around me from my hood to my shoulders. My face is also a bit blown out in the Focus shot, and colors are dramatically cooler toned than the photo taken with the OnePlus camera software.

While Instagram Focus still works with the front-facing camera, the OnePlus 5T doesn’t offer portrait mode for the front camera in its own software, so these rear shots wrap up the comparison!

What’s your take?

With a limited selection of phones at my disposal to test and compare, I can’t definitively say that Instagram Focus will be better or worse than your phone’s stock camera software overall. That’ll largely depend on factors like which phone you’re using, how important resolution and aspect ratio are to you, and whether you prefer a more natural look or full-stop artificial bokeh.

Whatever your preference, let us know in the comments below!

What’s the best way to clean your smartphone?

A clean phone is a happy phone.

Thanks to ultra-slim bezels, aluminum frames, and shiny glass backs, our smartphones are now more luxurious than they’ve ever been before. However, as great as they may look when they’re fresh out of the box, just about everyone knows that those good looks can quickly start to fade after a few days of normal use.

Since we take our smartphones just about everywhere, they have a tendency to get really dirty in a short amount of time. It’s important to keep a clean phone, both for its appearance and your own health, but knowing where to start can sometimes be a challenge.

We recently outlined some of our favorite tips for cleaning and disinfecting an Android phone, and we’ve now decided to check in with our forum users to see what their favorite methods are.

Without further ado –

Macklesdaddy
04-15-2018 08:28 PM

“

I use eyeglass cleaner and the cloth I use to wipe my glasses

Reply

rjack22
04-16-2018 06:01 AM

“

Ultraviolet method here to sanitize. I wipe the screen with a lens cloth to remove fingerprints.

Reply

bIOforger
04-15-2018 08:00 PM

“

Just a decent microfibre cloth to polish up the glass.

Reply

tube517
04-16-2018 11:00 PM

“

Damp Microfiber cloth does the trick.

Reply

Now, we want to hear from you – What’s your favorite way to clean your phone?

Join the conversation in the forums!

What to play after you beat Far Cry 5

Feed your wild side with more action-packed open world games

Far Cry 5 is an exciting game, with it being the first in the series’ history to take place in America and giving you so much more to do. Being given free reign to stomp over digital Montana as you control the protagonist of yet another wacky plot is just plain awesome.

So, we wouldn’t blame you for wanting more of it after the experience is over. You could play it again, and you could even play some of the other Far Cry games if you haven’t already. (Far Cry 3 was amazing!)

…Or you could check out a handful of other games which are sure to deliver the same explosive feeling you yearn for. Here are some great games to check out after you beat Far Cry 5.

Just Cause 3

Just Cause 3 is widely regarded as one of the true open world sandbox games on the market. It’s a third-person shooter, so it may be a bit jarring for those coming from the first person perspective offered by Far Cry.

But an insane game awaits you if you can come to grips with that. There are helicopters, jets, jetpacks, guns, destructive buildings, and everything in between. Oh, and there are explosions. Lots and lots of explosions.

Just Cause 3 regularly goes out of its way to keep the action flowing, and there’s a decent story strewn throughout to keep things interesting. Your first assignment upon booting this one up: find a grappling hook, attach yourself to a propane take, and violently take off to wherever it is your heart desires.

See at Amazon

Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto 5 takes us back to a reimagined San Andreas, which itself is a reimagined Los Angeles. While the name of the game is vehicular theft, there’s much more to do in Grand Theft Auto than meets the eye.

You’ll control not one, not two, but three different characters in a story packed with intrigue. You’ll break into government headquarters and military bases, set fire to what we like to call the “alternative agriculture” business, and meet one of the craziest meth heads you’ll ever know. There are also loads of white collar crimes to get into if you’re not one to get your hands dirty.

Bigger than all of that is your ultimate goal: pulling off a million dollar heist that’ll take weeks of careful planning and preparation.

See at Amazon

Ghost Recon Wildlands

Veterans of the Ghost Recon series may be taken aback by its inclusion on this list, but Wildlands is not your typical Ghost Recon game. It’s graduated from tightly-controlled military tactical shooter to a sprawling open world that gives you free reign to approach your missions however you see fit.

While you’re still on the good side of the law, your one and only goal in Ghost Recon is to stop the baddies. How you accomplish that goal is completely up to you. Whether that’s sneaking in and taking them out silently or causing so much of a ruckus that even your most reckless foes will look at you like you’re crazy, the choice is yours. By the way, there’s a lot of Far Cry-like jungle to be had here, so you’ll feel right at home.

See at Amazon

Saints Row 4

You may recall that Saint’s Row is a series that started off with the sole purpose of totally ripping off GTA. THQ was somewhat successful in that endeavor, but somewhere along the way, they decided to stop trying to win that race outright and do their own thing.

And when we tell you that they were going to create the craziest game they could and they couldn’t give a crap who cared, you better believe us. Saint’s Row 4 has killer aliens, purple dildos, human inflation devices, robots, the constant threat of nuclear devastation — are you scared yet? If there’s one sandbox that has a little bit of everything for everyone, it’s Saint’s Row 4.

See at Amazon

Dying Light

A bit of a deviation from the other games on this list, Dying Light takes the over-the-top theme, well, over the top. This one is open world zombie survival at its finest.

While all zombies ultimately fall to the same tactic – remove their heads from their bodies – there are numerous routes to go about doing it. Dying Light has a deep crafting system that lets you make a multitude of cool weapons. A shotgun is always effective, but there’s nothing quite like beheading one of these monsters with an electrocharged katana.

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Mad Max

Who says movie games can’t be fun? Mad Max has always held on strong to its explosive roots, and the 2015 reboot of the gaming franchise is the most compelling entry yet.

The charm of the action-packed Mad Max universe is slotted into a massive open world map. Vehicular mayhem is aplenty here, and once you leave the wheel to approach your enemies head on you’ll find a blissful variety of ways to dispose of them like only Mad Max could.

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What are you playing next?

Here, we tried to give you a stout list of games that have a little bit of what makes Far Cry 5 special, whether that’s vast open worlds, the freedom to do whatever it is you feel like, or just plain wildness. Whether you decide to check any of these games out or go in another (less frightening) direction, let us know what you’ll be getting into next!

Should you buy Far Cry 5?

PlayStation 4

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