Xbox PC Game Pass subscribers rejoice! Hideo Kojima’s popular open-world action-adventure game Death Stranding will arrive on PC Game Pass on August 23.
According to a recent Xbox Wire post, Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC gamers can expect features like an ultrawide mode, photo mode, high frame rate support, and cross-over content from other franchises in the release. In addition, the PC Game Pass edition of Death Stranding will include the following items, which will unlock as you progress through the story:
Sadly, while Death Stranding is making its way to the Xbox PC Game Pass library, there’s still no word on an Xbox release. As The Verge states, Sony still controls where Death Stranding lands on console, so it’s highly unlikely we’ll see an Xbox version.
While Death Stranding might not get an Xbox release anytime soon, the console supports a massive collection of games across various genres. If you’re not too keen on playing any Sony-exclusive titles and are looking to pick up a new console, you’d be glad to know that Best Buy is currently running a promotion on the Xbox Series S, and you can get a free game with your purchase. Simply follow the link provided below and order one right away!
While you’re at it, you might also want to pick up a 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership at an additional $45. The membership will give you access to over a hundred games and EA Play at no extra cost.
Are you looking forward to playing Death Stranding on your PC? Or would you rather enjoy it on a PlayStation 5? Let us know in the comments section below.
Samsung has introduced the latest iteration of its flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and with it come a number of welcome improvements, including a more durable design and wider cover screen. However, not everything is different with this year’s model. If you were hoping to see the microSD card slot return with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, that’s not the case.
To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a solid amount of storage space out of the box. The base model comes with 256GB of storage, and you can also opt for the larger 512GB variant if you need more. And if that doesn’t suffice, you can go for the 1TB version, which is a number that very few smartphones offer. That’s a lot of space for apps, pictures, videos, and more. There are also cloud storage services like Google Drive or OneDrive that can store your photos if you want to save some space on your phone. USB Type-C flash drives also exist to offload files like photos and videos if you want to free up space.
As to why the microSD card slot is gone, there are a couple of reasons. First is the fact that microSD cards are slow in comparison to the built-in UFS 3.1 storage inside the phone. This could create a less-than-ideal experience in terms of performance, particularly for large apps that could take much longer to load. Of course, part of it is also so Samsung can push users towards more expensive storage tiers.
Another potential reason is free up space inside the phone for other components, such as the battery. This is a reason often given for other ports being removed, like the increasingly rare headphone jack. On that note, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 packs a 4,400mAh battery, along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and other top-tier specs.
If the lack of a microSD card slot doesn’t disturb you – and it probably shouldn’t considering this is very common among flagship phones – you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 using the link below, or check out the best deals you can get on it. You’ll also want to check out the best cases to protect your phone.. There’s no power adapter included with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so it’s something you may have to invest in.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is Samsung's latest flagship foldable, packing high-end specs and up to 512GB of internal storage. You can't expand it with a microSD card, though.
The operating systems we rely on to execute our everyday tasks are far from perfect. After all, they will always contain bugs, glitches, and flaws. As developers patch things up, major new updates introduce new batches of issues for the respective companies to deal with. It’s pretty much an endless cycle of fixing and breaking. Of course, Apple operating systems are no different. Apart from generic bugs and unexpected behaviors, the Cupertino firm patches major security flaws every now and then.
A new report highlights two significant security vulnerabilities that Apple has patched earlier this week. Hackers can target outdated, vulnerable Apple products and gain full device control. The first affects WebKit — the engine that powers Safari and all iOS and iPadOS web browsers. The second is a notably serious one that targets the kernel of these devices — the deepest OS layer. Consequently, hackers can gain admin privileges of the devices, giving them unrestrained access.
According to Apple, hackers have actively exploited both security flaws. So we certainly advise you to update your iPhones, iPads, and Macs to take advantage of the patch. If you aren’t really a known public figure, you likely won’t be targeted by anyone. Though, you should still update your devices nonetheless.
Apple has credited an anonymous researcher (or researchers) for their discovery. Though, the technical analysis of these vulnerabilities seemingly remain unavailable. For the unfamiliar, the company has a bounty program that pays white-hat hackers for their significant discoveries — as long as they abide by its terms. Ultimately, cyber-weapon brokers can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars — so Apple has to compete with that.
As a concerned user, all you have to do is make sure you’re running the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Have you updated your devices to the latest operating system versions? Let us know in the comments section below.
In November last year, MediaTek announced the Pentonic 2000 SoC for flagship TVs offering support for up to 8K 120Hz displays. Built on TSMC’s 7nm manufacturing process, the Pentonic 2000 was the first all-in-one chip for TVs with support for 8K 120Hz displays and the first commercial 8K TV chip with Versatile Video Coding (VCC) H.266 media support. MediaTek claimed that the chip offered the TV industry’s fastest CPU and GPU, coupled with an ultra-wide 6-channel memory bus, UFS 3.1 storage, support for Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail, and support for MediaTek’s new Wi-Fi 6E or 5G cellular modems. MediaTek has now announced the Pentonic 700 chipset for premium smart TVs, which brings some of the new technologies introduced with the Pentonic 2000 SoC down to a more affordable price point.
The all-new MediaTek Pentonic 700 SoC for premium 4K 120Hz smart TVs features a powerful AI processing engine for AI-powered picture quality enhancements, Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail support, integrated 4K 120Hz MEMC, and gaming optimizations. Like the Pentonic 2000, the new chip features an AI processing unit (APU) with support for MediaTek’s AI-Super Resolution, AI-Picture Quality (PQ) Scene Recognition, and AI-PQ Object Recognition technologies for advanced edge smoothing and detail reconstruction. Furthermore, the Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail support on the Pentonic 700 helps enhance picture quality by improving the contrast in bright and dark spots.
Talking about the new chip, Alex Chen, General Manager of MediaTek’s TV Business Unit, said, “MediaTek’s Pentonic series brings more intelligence to smart TVs with a host of AI-powered picture quality enhancements. Smart TV brands can count on Pentonic 700 to deliver incredible experiences whether consumers are watching videos or sports, gaming, or using their TV as a control center for their other smart devices.”
Along with the AI-powered enhancements, the MediaTek Pentonic 700 also features Picture-by-Picture (PBP) and Picture-in-Picture (PIP) support with PQ enhancement, allowing TVs to display content from different sources simultaneously. This feature allows users to stream multiple sporting events at the same time and video chat with friends while watching content together. The PBP and PIP support can also come in handy for professionals by allowing them to display different content streams simultaneously and offering more video conferencing options.
Although the Pentonic 700 is designed for premium 4K 120Hz smart TVs, the SoC also offers Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support up to 144Hz. Thanks to this, OEMs can customize the chipset for gaming applications, allowing users to enjoy games without any screen tearing or stuttering. Other gaming optimizations include HDMI 2.1 support, an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) to minimize display lag, and Dolby Atmos certification for immersive sound.
As mentioned earlier, the Pentonic 700 brings some of the flagship features introduced with the Pentonic 2000 down to a more affordable price point. These include a built-in hardware video decoding engine with support for HEVC, AV1, and AVS3 standards, along with the VVC H.266 standard. In addition, OEMs can pair the Pentonic 700 with MediaTek’s Filogic Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 wireless connectivity solutions to offer high-speed and ultra-low-latency connectivity to users.
MediaTek says that smart TVs featuring the new Pentonic 700 chip should hit the market by the end of this year. At the moment, the company has not shared the names of OEM partners who will offer next-gen smart TVs featuring the new chip.
At the OnePlus 10T launch event earlier this month, OnePlus unveiled OxygenOS 13 — the latest version of its custom Android skin based on Android 13. Now, Oppo has lifted the covers off ColorOS 13, which is pretty much the same as OnePlus’ Android 13 skin.
New features in ColorOS 13
Like OxygenOS 13, ColorOS 13 adopts a new Aquamorphic Design, offering fluid, vibrant, and inclusive UI and animations inspired by the way water acts in nature. It consists of a new system theme palette based on the changing color of light between sunrise and sunset at sea level, an updated font with improved readability, and a card-style layout that displays information in a clear and visually-friendly order.
Oppo’s latest custom Android skin also brings new intuitive animations to the table that offer softer, more natural, and realistic interaction effects. It is powered by an updated Quantum Animation Engine that delivers precise feedback when interacting with the UI. Furthermore, ColorOS 13 includes a new Shadow-Reflective Clock widget that accurately shows the flow of time, new inclusive illustrations, a dedicated IoT device control module, and media playback controls in the updated Control Center.
ColorOS 13 also brings new features to enhance the multitasking experience, including Multi-Screen Connect support for the Oppo Pad Air, a new Meeting Assistant that ensures users get a stable network connection and fewer distractions during meetings, and support for a new sidebar shortcut to take meeting notes.
The multitasking improvements also include better Home Screen Management features that allow users to quickly access the information they need, including a Global Search banner, Large Folder support, and new Home Screen widgets.
Oppo has also updated the Smart Always-On Display (AOD) functionality in ColorOS 13. It now lets users control apps and check additional information without unlocking the screen, and it also offers native Spotify integration. ColorOS 13 further brings new wallpapers to help users easily track smartphone usage, Adaptive Layout support for large-screen devices, and Split Screen support.
ColorOS 13 also brings new privacy and security features to the table, including an Auto Pixelate option that can recognize and blur profile photos and names in chat screenshots. ColorOS’ Private Safe feature has also been improved with an updated UI, and it now encrypts your data using the widely-used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
In addition to highlighting the new ColorOS 13 features, Oppo also shared some details about the software support commitment for its wide range of devices. The company now promises three major Android OS upgrades and four years of regular security patches for its flagship Find X series devices. On the other hand, the affordable Oppo Reno, F, and K series devices will receive two major Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates. Lastly, the budget-friendly Oppo A series will receive one major Android OS upgrade and three years of security updates.
ColorOS 13 Rollout Schedule
Oppo has shared a tentative ColorOS 13 rollout schedule for its portfolio of devices. If all goes to plan, the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro should receive stable ColorOS 13 before the end of this month. The Find X3 Pro and Reno 8 Pro 5G should receive the update next month, followed by the Reno 8, Reno 7 Pro, Reno 7 5G, Reno 7, Reno 6 5G, Oppo F21 Pro, Oppo F19 Pro Plus, Oppo K10, and Oppo A96 in October.
During the second round of the ColorOS 13 rollout in November and December, Oppo will release the update for 33 models. It will be followed by a third round in the first half of 2023, during which the update should reach 25 more devices.
To learn more about Oppo’s latest Android skin and everything it brings to the table, check out our hands-on preview of the ColorOS 13 beta running on the Find X5 Pro.
What do you think of all the new features that ColorOS 13 brings to the table? Did you spot any new features that might come in handy in your day-to-day use? Let us know in the comments section below.
Earlier this month, OnePlus rolled out the first OxygenOS 13 Open Beta build for the OnePlus 10 Pro, giving users a chance to experience the Android 13 release ahead of the stable rollout. The company is now rolling out a fresh OxygenOS 13 Open Beta build for its flagship, bringing several new features, optimizations, and bug fixes.
According to the announcement post on the OnePlus Community forums, OxygenOS Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus 10 Pro brings a new Aquamorphic Design to the device, featuring new theme colors for enhanced visual comfort, updated animations, optimized fonts, and new illustrations. It also includes a new Meeting Assistant, support for large folders on the homescreen, media playback controls in the Quick Settings, and new markup tools for screenshot editing.
Furthermore, the update optimizes earphone connectivity to deliver a more seamless experience, introduces an automatic pixelation feature for screenshots of chats, Private Safe optimizations, and a new Dynamic Computing Engine to improve the system speed, stability, battery life, and app experience. But that’s not all. OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus 10 Pro also packs a host of bug fixes and other improvements. Check out the full changelog reproduced in the section below for more details.
OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 2 changelog:
Aquamorphic Design
Adds Aquamorphic Design theme colors for enhanced visual comfort.
Applies the Aquamorphic Design philosophy to animations to make them natural and vivid.
Adds a Home screen world clock widget to show the time in different time zones.
Upgrades to Quantum Animation Engine 4.0, with a new behavior recognition feature, which recognizes complex gestures and provides optimized interactions.
Applies real-world physical motions to animations to make them look more natural and intuitive.
Optimizes fonts for better readability.
Enriches and optimizes illustrations for features by incorporating multicultural and inclusive elements.
Efficiency
Adds Meeting Assistant to enhance the meeting connection and introduces an option to make notifications more subtle and less distracting.
Adds large folders to the Home screen. You can now open an app in an enlarged folder with just one tap and turn pages in the folder with a swipe.
Adds media playback control, and optimizes the Quick Settings experience.
Adds more markup tools for screenshot editing.
Optimizes Shelf. Swiping down on the Home screen will bring up the Shelf by default. You can search content online and on your device.
Seamless interconnection
Optimizes earphone connectivity to deliver a more seamless experience.
Personalization
Optimizes Bitmoji to offer more Always-On Display animations.
Optimizes Insight Always-On Display, with more personalized Always-On Display settings available.
Optimizes Canvas Always-On Display, with more drawing tools and line colors available.
Security & privacy
Adds an automatic pixelation feature for screenshots of chats. The system can identify and automatically pixelate profile pictures and display names in a chat screenshot to protect your privacy.
Adds regular clearing of clipboard data for privacy protection.
Optimizes Private Safe. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is used to encrypt all files for enhanced security of private files.
Health & Digital wellbeing
Adds Kid Space, providing screen time limit, ambient light reminders, and Eye-protecting display features.
Performance optimization
Adds Dynamic Computing Engine to improve the system speed, stability, battery life, and app experience.
Optimizes Dolby Sound effects with enhanced spatial sound field perception and more accurate sound sourcing.
Gaming experience
Upgrades to HyperBoost GPA 4.0 to stabilize the frame rate and balance the performance and power consumption in key scenarios.
System
Improves system stability for some scenarios.
Fixes an issue where icons would sometimes overlap in Quick Settings.
Fixes an issue where a panel might be automatically pulled down from the status bar in some cases.
Fixes an issue that might cause auto brightness to respond slowly.
Fixes an occasional flicker issue that might occur when your device screen is turned off or on.
Fixes an issue where the Quick Settings background might appear transparent.
Fixes an issue where you might be unable to wake your screen by double-tapping it in Guest mode.
Fixes an issue where your screen might be slow to wake when the Power button is pressed.
Fixes an issue where the “Other” category might take up a huge portion of your device storage.
Camera
Fixes an issue where the Camera would lag.
OnePlus has also highlighted a few known issues in the release, which you should be aware of if you plan on installing it on your device. The known issues in OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 2 include:
RCC cannot work normally in this build. (Re-logging may resolve the problem.)
The carrier version (Zain) in Kuwait is unable to send MMS.
The carrier version (Telecom) in North Macedonia is unable to send IMS.
There is no response when clicking Capture log after switching Multiple users/System cloner/Languages. (You need to switch Multiple users/System cloner/Languages first before capturing the log in the feedback tool).
A dot will display abnormally when pairing Bluetooth.
The photos might be blurred when taking multiple pictures of people with Ultra Dark mode and zoom out at the same time.
The screen will freeze when taking videos in specific scenarios.
The pictures might be black when taking photos in the dark with Night mode. (You may solve the issue by clearing camera’s data.)
A dot displays abnormally in the status bar.
If you wish to try out OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 2 on your OnePlus 10 Pro despite the aforementioned issues, you’ll have to update your device to the latest OxygenOS 12 release (A.15 or A.16). You can then download the firmware update package from the links provided below and flash it by following the instructions highlighted in the announcement post (linked below).
Those who have already installed OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 1 on their devices should receive an OTA update for the latest release in the coming days. OnePlus has also provided rollback packages to make it easy for users to downgrade to OxygenOS 12.
Download OxygenOS 13 Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus 10 Pro
Google recently rolled out the first stable build of Android 13 to Pixel devices. Following in its footsteps, Xiaomi has now released the first stable build of MIUI 13 based on Android 13 for its flagship Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro. The update brings all the new features Google introduced with Android 13 to the devices.
For the unaware, Xiaomi offers users two kinds of stable MIUI releases: “beta stable” and “stable.” There’s a thin distinction between the two builds, with the “beta stable” releases intended for a small fraction of users enrolled in the Mi Pilot beta testing program. This group tests the early release, after which it rolls out to a wider audience.
The MIUI 13 build based on Android 13 currently rolling out to the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro is a “beta stable” release. This means that users who are not enrolled in the Mi Pilot beta testing program will not be able to install it on their devices. If you are a part of the Mi Pilot beta testing program, however, you can install the build on your Xiaomi 12 or Xiaomi 12 Pro by following the links provided below.
Screenshots via feds64 on the Xiaomi Community forums
According to screenshots shared by a user on Xiaomi’s community forums, the Android 13 release for the Xiaomi 12 has the firmware version 13.0.4.0.TLCMIXM and it measures 4.2GB. The release for the Xiaomi 12 Pro, on the other hand, has the firmware version 13.0.4.0.TLBMIXM and it measures 4.3GB. Along with all the new Android 13 features, it packs the Android security patches for August 2022. As shown in the screenshots, the update is meant for the global variants of the devices.
Note that this is not the final stable Android 13 release for the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro, and it has some known issues. Xiaomi states that users might face performance issues and overheating after installing the update, and some third-party apps might not work as intended.
Download MIUI 13 based on Android 13 for the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro
You can download the Android 13 stable release for the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro from the links provided below. If you get an error message during installation stating that the build is for closed beta testers only, you can sideload it using the TWRP custom recovery.
