Complete a few activities in Spider-Man before The Heist DLC drops

Say goodbye to the Sinister Six and hello to Black Cat.

After you complete Spider-Man’s main campaign, you may be itching for more content. Insomniac has already detailed the game’s post-launch content called The City That Never Sleeps, which will be comprised of three chapters. The first chapter, The Heist, releases October 23 and focuses on the character of Black Cat. Here’s everything you’ll want to do in the game before this DLC drops.

• Complete all of the Black Cat stakeouts
• Complete the main campaign
• Pay attention to the little details

You can pick up the complete package of The City That Never Sleeps for $24.99 on the PlayStation Store.

See at PlayStation

Complete all of the Black Cat stakeouts

While Black Cat doesn’t play an important role within the game’s main story, you do find yourself performing activities across the city at her behest. Black Cat has left clues to her whereabouts and Peter believes that if he can piece together her targets he can figure out what she’s after and why she’s back in New York City.

These activities take the form of stakeouts, of which there are 13 total. Once you reach a stakeout location denoted by its own icon on the map, you’ll look through your camera and search the surrounding areas for a miniature Black Cat toy.

After completing each stakeout you’re finally given the location to Black Cat’s hideout, where you can unlock and obtain the Dark Suit. This little side adventure unfortunately ends there without a confrontation, but it looks to set up a meeting between Spider-Man and Black Cat in the DLC. If anything, it’s put Black Cat on his radar again.

Complete the main campaign

This might go without saying, but it’s always a good idea to finish up the game first. Not only will you unlock an outfit that can only be obtained through completing the main campaign and will have unlocked more gadgets to use at your disposal, but New York City won’t be under immediate threat anymore.

Insomniac has not revealed whether or not The Heist DLC has a recommended starting level to it or whether you need to beat the game in order to access it. Since the studio has not stated one way or the other, I’m inclined to believe that you don’t necessarily need to finish the main campaign, but it’s a good idea to anyway.

Pay attention to the little details

According to Spider-Man lead writer Jon Paquette, fans will want to explore New York City to its fullest in order to find all of the little hidden details that the team put in to create the most authentic game possible.

“They should be focused on a lot of the storytelling we do in the open world,” said Paquette in an interview with Polygon regarding what fans should do to prepare themselves for The Heist. “There’s probably things that you haven’t discovered yet unless you’ve got the platinum (trophy) already, in which case, congratulations. But the team worked really hard to build this amazingly authentic city that is so much fun to play in. So just keep looking for hidden things.”

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Cortana beta debuts major UI overhaul and more on Android and iOS

The Cortana version 3.0 beta brings “conversational experiences,” new connections for music and podcasts, and much more.

Microsoft is gearing up to release a major update to Cortana on Android and iOS, and beta testers are getting the first shot at it. Cortana version 3.0 is rolling out now to beta users on both platforms, bringing an overhauled UI focused on conversational experiences, new music and podcast connections, and the ability to join Skype and Teams meetings by speaking with Cortana.

Here’s the official look at all of what’s new:

• An update to the UI enabling conversational experiences with Cortana and a new place to manage and set up your Cortana devices
• Listen to music and podcasts on the go. Just ask Cortana to play your favorite tunes and podcasts with Spotify, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn on your phone or through a paired Bluetooth device
• Stay organized and on task. Set reminders, timers and create meetings with your voice
• Join your next Skype or Teams meeting by simply asking Cortana. You can also manage your calendar or send a quick email by voice

Additionally, references to syncing notifications to your Windows PC have been removed.

Cortana 3.0 beta

Though Microsoft has announced the update to beta testers, we’re not seeing it just yet, so it may be part of a slow rollout. However,if you want to get in line to test out everything that’s new, you can register to become a beta tester for Cortana on Android at Google Play. Cortana users on iOS will have to be enrolled in the limited TestFlight program to take part.

For everyone else, you’ll have to wait until all of the kinks have been worked out with beta testers to see the new features in the release version of Cortana. For now, you can give the current release a shot by picking up the Cortana app on Google Play and the App Store.

Thanks, Ryan T., for the tip!

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The first Wear OS smartwatch with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 costs $995

The Summit 2 is our first look at the next generation of Wear OS.

Back in September during Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 event, it was announced that the very first smartwatch to use the new chipset would be the Montblanc Summit 2. A little over a month later, we now have exact specs and pricing details for it.

The Montblanc Summit 2 features a 42mm case that was “designed for both men and women.” There’s a 1.2-inch circular AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 and a heart rate sensor that uses an “improved” algorithm for monitoring your ticker throughout the day.

There’s built-in GPS for mapping your runs even when you’re not connected to your phone, NFC for Google Pay, and 5ATM water resistance. The Snapdragon Wear 3100 is, of course, powering the Summit 2, and as such, you can expect vastly improved battery life (up to a week’s worth of use in the Time Only Mode).

You can purchase the Montblanc Summit 2 starting today, but with a price tag of $995 and up depending on the style you choose, it’ll likely only appeal to our most fashionable readers.

See at Montblanc

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Kuo Predicts ‘Better Than Expected’ Replacement Demand for iPhone XR, Raises Shipment Forecasts

Demand for the iPhone XR will be higher than demand for the iPhone 8 last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated in a note to investors this morning.

Kuo is predicting better than expected replacement demand for iPhone XR along with improved supply starting in October, leading him to revise his predicted shipment estimates.

Apple is now expected to ship 36 to 38 million iPhone XR units in the fourth quarter of 2018, up 10 percent from an original estimate of 33 to 35 million units.

As he said last week in a note about the XR driving upgrades in China, Kuo is expecting the iPhone XR to outsell the iPhone 8 because of its larger display, longer battery life, dual-SIM support, and new form factor design.

With the revised XR shipment expectations, Kuo believes Apple will ship a total of 75 to 80 million iPhone units during 4Q2018.

iPhone XR shipments are also expected to be up in the first quarter of 2019, a historically slow quarter for Apple. Quarter over quarter decline is expected to be at 25 to 30 percent instead of 45 to 50 percent for iPhone 8.

We expect XR shipments to beat low seasonality in 1Q19. We forecast that XR shipments in 1Q19 will decline 25-30% QoQ to 27-30mn units, and we attribute the lower XR shipment QoQ decline, compared with general consumer electronics and smartphones’ 30-40% QoQ decline, to better replacement demand and production delay. Also, XR’s shipment QoQ decline in 1Q19 will be better than the iPhone 8 series’ 45-50% in 1Q18.

Total iPhone shipments in the first quarter of 2019 are expected to grow by 10 percent year-over-year to 55 to 60 million units thanks to the strength of the iPhone XR. Shipment allocations of XS, XR, and legacy models will be at 35 percent, 50 percent, and 15 percent respectively.

Apple’s iPhone XR will be available for pre-order at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 19, with an official launch to follow on Friday, October 26. Apple’s colorful new iPhone will be priced starting at $749 for the entry-level model.

Related Roundup: iPhone XRTag: Ming-Chi KuoBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XR (Caution)
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Kuo: Apple to Maintain Same iPhone Mix in 2019 With 5.8 and 6.5-Inch OLED iPhones, 6.1-Inch LCD

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often accurately predicts Apple’s future device plans, believes the company will continue to offer three iPhones in 2019 with the same general lineup seen in 2018.

In a note to investors about Apple supplier Luxshare’s predicted market share released this morning, Kuo included a chart that suggests Apple will continue to offer 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones in 2019, along with one 6.1-inch LCD model.

That’s the same lineup used this year, which consists of the 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhone XS and XS Max and the 6.1-inch iPhone XR.

Rumors about the 2019 iPhones have been circulating for a few months now, but this is the first time that we’ve heard specific details on the number of devices we can expect to see in 2019 and their screen sizes.

Given that 2018 is sort of an “S” upgrade year with no major changes to the iPhone X design introduced in 2017, there was a possibility that Apple could condense its iPhone lineup or introduce new screen sizes, but it looks like we may be sticking with the current lineup for at least another year.

Other 2019 iPhone rumors have suggested the upcoming iPhones will adopt faster, more efficient A13 chips from TSMC, triple lens rear camera systems, revamped front-facing TrueDepth camera systems, and perhaps support for the Apple Pencil.

Details about all of the rumors we’ve heard about the new devices so far can be found in our 2019 iPhones roundup.

Related Roundup: 2019 iPhonesTag: Ming-Chi Kuo
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Apple Teams Up With Zimmer Biomet for Clinical Study on Joint Replacement

Zimmer Biomet, a company that develops joint replacement products, today announced that it is working with Apple to improve patient experience with Apple Watch and iPhone following knee and hip replacements.

A new Zimmer Biomet mymobility app uses the Apple Watch to “facilitate a new level of connection” between patients and their doctors as they recover from major joint replacement surgery. Through the app, patients will be provided with “support and guidance” while preparing for and recovering from surgery, with surgeons able to use the data to “optimize care.”

In addition to collecting activity data and allowing surgeons to see recovery progress, the app can be used to send education and therapy reminders directly to patients.

Zimmer Biomet is launching a clinical study to determine the Apple Watch app’s impact on patient outcomes and overall costs for joint replacement patients. Knee and hip replacements are common surgeries with more than a million occurring each year in the United States.

As part of the study, which will enroll up to 10,000 people, Zimmer Biomet says that patients will use the mymobility app on the Apple Watch as they progress through the hip or knee replacement journey. Patient reported feedback will be combined with health and activity data from the Apple Watch to see how the mymobility app impacts care.

Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams said that with the Apple Watch and Zimmer’s app, patients will be able to participate in their own care in ways not previously possible.

“We believe one of the best ways to empower consumers is by giving them the ability to use their health and activity information to improve their own care,” said Jeff Williams, Chief Operating Officer, Apple. “We are proud to enable knee and hip replacement patients to use their own data and share it with their doctors seamlessly, so that they can participate in their care and recovery in a way not previously possible through traditional in-person visits. This solution will connect consumers with their doctors continuously, before and after surgery.”

Several facilities are participating in the new mymobility Apple Watch clinical study including academic centers, hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers.

Tag: health and fitness
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Dell Introduces World’s First 49-Inch Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor With 5120×1440 Resolution

Dell today introduced what it claims is the world’s first 49-inch curved monitor with an ultra-wide 32:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 5,120×1,440 pixels.

The UltraSharp 49 is equivalent to two Thunderbolt Displays or other 27-inch Quad HD displays side by side. The expansive screen space can be used to display one desktop, or two with a picture-by-picture mode that displays two different Mac or PC sources side by side using the same keyboard and mouse.

The monitor is compatible with the latest 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, with connectivity via a single USB-C cable that delivers up to 90W of power. Other connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, five USB 3.0 downstream ports, and two USB 3.0 upstream ports.

The 3800R curvature of the screen enables a panoramic, immersive experience with a consistent focal length across the screen for eye comfort, according to Dell. The monitor has a viewing angle of 178° both vertically and horizontally.

The monitor has an IPS panel and LED backlight, with a 1000:1 contrast ratio and a peak brightness of 350 nits. DCI P3 isn’t supported, but it does show 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut. The monitor comes with a height-adjustable stand that tilts, swivels, and is compatible with VESA mounts.

The UltraSharp 49 has a 60Hz refresh rate when driven by a Mac or PC with powerful enough graphics, but it lacks Nvidia G-SYNC or AMD FreeSync technology, so it isn’t the best option for gamers. Instead, Dell is primarily marketing the monitor to those who work in fields related to finance and data analysis.

Anyone who could benefit from a massive amount of uninterrupted desktop space will likely find value in the UltraSharp 49, but the luxury comes at a cost. Dell says the monitor will be available Friday, October 26 in the United States, starting at a pricy $1,699.99. Its model number is U4919DW.

Tag: Dell
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third update and a month after releasing the tvOS 12 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded over-the-air.

We’re not yet sure what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it’s likely to focus on bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12. No new features were discovered in the first three tvOS 12.1 betas.

Apple’s tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what’s new, but we’ll update this post should any changes be found in the fourth beta.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third watchOS 5.1 beta and a month after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 5.1 includes support for the Group FaceTime that’s also available in iOS 12.1 and macOS 10.14.1, with Group FaceTime calls able to be answered in an audio-only capacity on the Apple Watch. Group FaceTime allows you to chat with up to 32 people at one time.

The watchOS 5.1 update brings a full-screen new “Color” watch face option for the Apple Watch Series 4, with users able to choose between multiple shades. There’s also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

No other new features were discovered in the first three betas of watchOS 5.1, but should we find something new in the fourth beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of iOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third beta and a month after releasing iOS 12, a major new version of the iOS software.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.1 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

iOS 12.1 includes several new features that Apple promised would come to the iPhone XS and XS Max. The beta introduces support for the eSIM, which is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from a carrier without the need to use a physical SIM card.

Carriers will need to implement support for eSIM, which is likely to happen after iOS 12.1 launches. In the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will support eSIM.

The iOS 12.1 update brings a new real-time Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Right now, in iOS 12, Depth Control is only available for post-capture editing.

If you tap on the “F” icon at the top of the screen while capturing a photo you use Depth Control to adjust the amount of background blur in an image.

In addition to these iPhone XS and XS Max features, iOS 12.1 reintroduces the Group FaceTime feature that was removed from iOS 12 during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime was present in many early betas but was ultimately removed because Apple needed more time to test it.

Group FaceTime is designed to let iPhone and Mac users conduct video and audio chats with up to 32 participants at one time, with new camera effects features included.

The update also adds more than 70 new emoji to iPhones and iPads, with options that include red hair, gray hair, curly hair, cold face, party face, face with hearts, mango, kangaroo, peacock, lobster, cupcake, and tons more.

As for bug fixes, iOS 12.1 addresses a charging problem that could cause iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12 to fail to charge when connected to a Lightning cable while the screen is off and it fixes a bug that caused iPhone XS and XS Max models to prefer 2.4GHz WiFi networks to 5GHz networks, resulting in perceived slower WiFi speeds. Both of these bugs have also been addressed in the iOS 12.0.1 update, released yesterday.

If any additional new features are found in the fourth iOS 12.1 beta, we’ll update this post with details.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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