Error message

  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/common.inc).
  • Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in menu_set_active_trail() (line 2405 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/menu.inc).

Feed aggregator

New forum topics

Microsoft refreshes Windows Hello to make signing in with your face (or fingers) much more pleasant with Windows 11

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:35

Windows Hello, Microsoft’s biometric authentication feature that enables Windows 11 users to sign into their devices and apps using facial recognition, their fingerprint, or a PIN, is getting a new look in a fresh Beta Channel preview build that’s now available to members of the Windows Insider Program.

The upgraded Windows Hello has a more visually appealing sign-in experience, better matching the design style of Windows 11’s modern look in a bid to make signing in and authenticating via Windows Hello feel easier and more seamless.

You’ll be able to see Windows Hello’s updated visuals in places like the Windows 11 sign-in screen, when using passkeys (another password-free sign-in method that makes use of Windows Hello), and in the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is also adding a new Windows Hello credential experience for passkeys. With Windows Hello allowing you to authenticate passkeys more easily, you can switch between authentication methods and choose which passkey or device you’d like to log in with.

(Image credit: Microsoft) More changes and fixes in this Beta build

If you use Windows Hello, you’ll also have more options when choosing how you log in and authenticate permissions on your device, and there are other feature updates you can read more deeply about in the changelog for Beta Channel Preview Build 22635.4440 (KB5045889).

Other changes this upgrade brings include overall tweaks and fixes aimed at improving the overall experience of Windows 11, temporarily disabling a new game controller keyboard to address issues (after which, the feature will be included in a future update), and bug fixes.

These developments are currently being tested and monitored for feedback from members of the Windows Insider Program, which any Windows user with an eligible device can enroll in. You can join if you’re keen to experience Microsoft’s freshest features, albeit sometimes prone to glitches, or you can wait a little while longer until these changes and features are included in a future update after being fully tested.

I hope Microsoft gets Windows Hello and passkeys right g, as I would probably use something like this. Like almost every device user on Earth, I’m sick of having to remember multiple complex passwords. Something like Windows Hello has the potential to make a lot of people’s lives a little easier and steps like this redesign could open up the possibility to more people than before.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...
Categories: Technology

Windows 11’s feature to allow typing with your Xbox controller has vanished in a blow for owners of handheld gaming PCs

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:34

Windows 11 users who were keen to get the new gamepad keyboard layout – to facilitate easy typing using an Xbox controller on your PC via the on-screen keyboard – will be disappointed to learn that the feature has been put on hold.

That probably includes a fair few handheld owners, who were doubtless excited to see this functionality appear in testing back at the start of September 2024, before it started to roll out with the latest Windows 11 update for 24H2 at the end of October (we should note that this is a preview update).

However, PhantomOfEarth, a well-known leaker on X, noticed that the mention of the gamepad keyboard layout has been removed from this preview update for 24H2, and that it’s being disabled on PCs which have already installed that update.

Heads up: the new Gamepad keyboard layout isn't rolling out to stable/retail anymore.It's no longer mentioned in the release notes for KB5044384 (26100.2161) and KB5044380 (22631.4391), and is being disabled on devices with that update installed.November 1, 2024

Neowin reports that Microsoft actually mentioned the rollout has been paused in a recent Beta channel preview build, informing us that: “We have temporarily disabled the new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that began rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel with Build 22635.4145 to address some issues. This feature will be roll out again in a future flight.”

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Patience is a virtual keyboard

In theory, with the gamepad keyboard appearing in last month’s preview update for Windows 11 24H2, the full rollout should have kicked off next week – with the release of the finished November patch 24H2. However, Microsoft appears to have taken the feature back to the drawing board for now, as clearly there are problems here – though Microsoft doesn’t drop any hints as to what these stumbling blocks might be.

What this means is that it’ll probably be a fair bit longer before the feature actually rolls out to Windows 11 users outside of testing. After all, Microsoft seemingly has a lot of fixing to do with Windows 11 24H2, which has encountered more than its fair share of bugs so far – and this appears to be another hitch to throw on the growing pile.

So, you’ll have to be patient for the feature to come to fruition, most likely, and we’ll be keeping an eye on the test channels to see when the controller keyboard layout returns into the mix with Windows 11 preview builds.

The gamepad on-screen keyboard allows you to type swiftly with the controller, and includes shortcuts to use buttons for functions like backspace, or pressing the spacebar (which Microsoft calls ‘button accelerators’). The keyboard also benefits from a tweaked layout that’s optimized for typing with your gamepad.

It’ll doubtless be a useful addition for those who regularly game with their controller on their PC, or indeed owners of Windows 11-powered handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X.

You may also like...
Categories: Technology

Thousands of People Are Cloning Their Dead Pets. This Is the Woman They Call First

WIRED Top Stories - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:30
“I try to prepare customers not to expect the same pet all over again. The new pet is not going to know who you are right off the bat.”
Categories: Technology

Okta fixes a rather embarrassing, but very serious, password flaw

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:28

Okta has fixed a concerning security vulnerability which could have allowed cybercriminals to log into people’s accounts simply by creating a long username.

In a security advisory, the identity management firm said it inadvertently introduced a bug in its product in July 2024 which allowed people with usernames longer than 52 characters to log in without providing the right password.

“On October 30, 2024, a vulnerability was internally identified in generating the cache key for AD/LDAP DelAuth. The Bcrypt algorithm was used to generate the cache key where we hash a combined string of userId + username + password. Under a specific set of conditions, listed below, this could allow users to authenticate by providing the username with the stored cache key of a previous successful authentication,” the security advisory reads.

Multiple conditions

Having a username of 52 characters or longer is just one of the conditions, the company noted, as users would also need to have Okta AD/LDAP delegated authentication, not apply MFA, and would need to have been previously authenticated, creating a cache of the authentication.

“The cache was used first, which can occur if the AD/LDAP agent was down or cannot be reached, for example, due to high network traffic,” the advisory concluded.

So far, there is no evidence that the vulnerability was abused by anyone, and while it may sound like a stretch, exploiting it might actually be quite easy, as users could have their email addresses and their organization’s website domain as their username, making guessing the username a simple thing.

As a result, Okta is now warning its users to go through the logs for any suspicious logins.

More from TechRadar Pro
Categories: Technology

Everything new on Paramount Plus in November 2024

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:27

In my opinion, Paramount Plus remains as one of the most forgotten about platforms for movies and shows, despite it having been inducted as one of the best streaming services. For Paramount Plus' second-to-last catalog shift of the year, there are over 125 movies arriving on the first day, which puts it up there with Prime Video as one of the services adding the most new content this month.

It's clear that Paramount Plus is preparing for the holiday season, and now that Halloween 2024 is over and done with for another year, it's finally an appropriate time to start watching the best Christmas movies.

As well as holiday movies Bad Santa (2003) and A Christmas Carol (1999), Paramount Plus will be welcoming a new wave of titles with high Rotten Tomatoes scores to its lineup of best Paramount Plus movies, including dramas and comedies that are perfect for when you need a break from the Christmas movie overload.

Everything new on Paramount Plus in November 2024

Arriving on November 1

'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy (movie)
3:10 to Yuma
(movie)
48 Hrs.
(movie)
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
(movie)
A Christmas Carol
(1999) (movie)
A Night At The Roxbury
(movie)
A Thin Line Between Love And Hate
(movie)
A Thousand Words
(movie)
Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights
(movie)
Alfie
(2004) (movie)
All I Want For Christmas
(movie)
All the World Is Sleeping
(movie)
Another 48 Hrs.
(movie)
Bad Santa
(movie)
Bad Santa 2
(movie)
Billionaire Boys Club
(movie)
Black Snake Moan
(movie)
Blades of Glory
(movie)
Blinded by the Light
(movie)
Catch and Release
(movie)
Chloe
(movie)
Christmas Eve
(movie)
Cloud Atlas
(movie)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
(movie)
Daddy Day Camp
(movie)
Death at a Funeral
(movie)
Deck The Halls
(movie)
Double Jeopardy
(movie)
Eat Pray Love
(movie)
Election
(movie)
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas
(movie)
Ernest Saves Christmas
(movie)
Everybody's Fine
(movie)
Faster
(movie)
Fences
(movie)
First Shift
(movie)
Five Feet Apart
(movie)
Flashdance
(movie)
Flight
(movie)
Free Birds
(movie)
Friday Night Lights
(movie)
Go
(movie)
Good Will Hunting
(movie)
GoodFellas
(movie)
Hacksaw Ridge
(movie)
Happy Christmas
(movie)
Head of State
(movie)
Home For The Holidays
(movie)
Hook
(movie)
Hotel for Dogs
(movie)
Ida Red
(movie)
Identity
(movie)
Inglourious Basterds
(movie)
Insomnia
(movie)
Joyeux Noel
(movie)
Just Mercy
(movie)
Last Man Standing
(movie)
Last Vegas
(movie)
Leap of Faith
(movie)
Letters from Iwo Jima
(movie)
Like Crazy
(movie)
Looper
(movie)
Luce
(movie)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
(movie)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
(movie)
Magnolia
(movie)
Michael Clayton
(movie)
Morning Glory
(movie)
My Cousin Vinny
(movie)
My Fair Lady
(movie)
My One and Only
(movie)
No Strings Attached
(movie)
Noah
(movie)
Oliver!
(movie)
Once Upon a Time in America
(movie)
Out of Sight
(movie)
Paddington
(movie)
Pet Sematary
(movie)
Pet Sematary II
(movie)
Rounders
(movie)
RV
(movie)
Santa Stole Our Dog!
(movie)
Scrooge
(movie)
Shaft
(movie)
She's All That
(movie)
Siberia
(movie)
Snatch
(movie)
Super 8
(movie)
Surf's Up
(movie)
Taps
(movie)
Taxi Driver
(movie)
The 12 Days of Christmas Eve
(movie)
The Age of Adaline
(movie)
The Baby-Sitters Club
(movie)
The Dead Don't Hurt
(movie)
The Dead Zone
(movie)
The Duchess
(movie)
The English Patient
(movie)
The Fighting Temptations
(movie)
The Good Liar
(movie)
The Guilt Trip
(movie)
The Honeymooners
(movie)
The Hurt Locker
(movie)
The Infiltrator
(movie)
The Kite Runner
(movie)
The Long Kiss Goodnight
(movie)
The November Man
(movie)
The Prince and Me
(movie)
The Prince Of Tides
(movie)
The Smurfs Christmas Special
(movie)
The Social Network
(movie)
The Stepfather
(movie)
The Terminal
(movie)
The Tuxedo
(movie)
Those Who Wish Me Dead
(movie)
Top Five
(movie)
Tremors
(movie)
Two for the Money
(movie)
Unforgiven
(movie)
Urban Cowboy
(movie)
Vacancy
(movie)
Wayne's World
(movie)
We Were Soldiers
(movie)
What Lies Beneath
(movie)
What Women Want
(movie)
While You Were Sleeping
(movie)
Yours, Mine & Ours
(movie)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
(movie)
Zookeeper
(movie)

Arriving on November 6

My True Crime Story season 2

Arriving on November 8

Dream Horse (movie)

Arriving on November 13

Baby Shark's Big Show! season 2 (TV show)
Inside the Factory season 7 (TV show)
Pele: Birth of a Legend (movie)

Arriving on November 17

Landman (TV show)

Arriving on November 19

The French Montana Story (movie)

Arriving on November 20

Jersey Shore Family Vacation season 7 (TV show)

Arriving on November 22

Mr. Brooks (movie)

Arriving on November 26

Pig (movie)
Transporter 3
(movie)

Arriving on November 28

Chef (movie)

Arriving on November 29

The Agency (TV show)

Arriving on November 30

Clouds of Sils Maria (movie)
The Lovers
(movie)

You might also like
Categories: Technology

Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens for 2024

CNET News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:16
You'll never know when you need a air fryer toaster oven, so why not grab the best? As tested and vetted by our experts here at CNET, check out the very best air fryer toaster ovens.
Categories: Technology

This iPhone 17 display rumor is the biggest reason yet to skip the iPhone 16

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:13

If you’ve been humming and hawing over whether or not to buy the iPhone 16, the latest intel from the iPhone 17 rumor mill suggests that waiting for next year’s model could be the best course of action.

According to Korean news site ET News (which cites “industry sources”), every model in the iPhone 17 lineup will come equipped with an LTPO screen. Why is this a big deal? Well, LTPO panels support variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz, meaning Apple’s 2025 standard models could finally ditch their predecessors' 60Hz refresh rates in favor of Apple’s ProMotion and always-on display technology (these features have been exclusive to Pro and Pro Max models since their introduction in the iPhone 13 Pro).

Indeed, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this rumor. Another Korean news site, the Elec, also reported that the entire iPhone 17 line could get LTPO panels back in February, while more recently, well-known industry analyst Ross Young likewise claimed that the standard iPhone 17 will be getting a ProMotion display. By all accounts, then, this feature is a shoo-in for next year’s iPhone lineup – and we couldn’t be more relieved. 

Apple’s continued commitment to 60Hz displays on its non-Pro iPhones has proved a major bugbear for both Apple fans and industry commentators. “I really hope this iPhone 15 rumor isn't true, you deserve better,” TechRadar’s former Senior Phones Editor, Alex Walker-Todd, wrote ahead of the iPhone 15 launch back in 2022, while our Managing Editor for Mobile Computing, Roland Moore-Coyler, echoed a similar sentiment in August 2023: “Please, Apple – don’t do this to the iPhone 15.” Both pieces referred to the lack of a 120Hz refresh rate on Apple's 2023 standard model.

The disappointment continued this year, too. Staff Writer Jamie Richards recently described the omission of a ProMotion display on the iPhone 16 as “another example of Apple’s worst habit.” He continued: “In the world of Android, 120Hz is the new normal for flagship and high-end phone displays, while budget options are commonly equipped with 120Hz or 90Hz displays. These days, 60Hz displays are the preserve of tablets and the cheapest budget phones. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are, by modern standards, complete oddballs.”

For those unfamiliar, refresh rate refers to the number of times per second your phone can display a new image. A 120Hz display feels smoother and more responsive than a 60Hz display, and the improved efficiency of the former brings battery life improvements. too.

Tactical gatekeeping

Refresh rate refers to the number of times per second your phone can display a new image (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

There is, of course, a big reason why Apple has continued to keep its standard models in the display-related dark ages. As a company, it makes business sense to equip your best iPhones with the best features, irrespective of whether those features are deemed the bare minimum by others in the industry. If you want an iPhone with a 120Hz refresh rate, Apple's more expensive Pro models are ready and waiting to be bought (indeed, the Pro Max models are regular best-sellers).

There’s an argument to be made, too, that 60Hz-using iPhone users don’t care all that much about the supposed benefits of a smoother display (though that sentiment likely stems from a lack of exposure to the other side).

In any case, it seems Apple’s position on this controversial subject has finally changed. Every iPhone 17 looks set to arrive with a 120Hz display, which you can bet your bottom dollar means that Apple has a plan in place to differentiate the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in other ways. That’s right: expect more than an extra camera lens next year.

You might also like
Categories: Technology

Backblaze cloud backup review

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:10

Backblaze is one of the best cloud backup services that we've tested, providing unlimited storage with no file size limits for a very reasonable price. The company started in 2007 as a way for a developer to backup a friend’s computer online. Fast forward to the present, and it is used by over 500,000 customers.

Get Backblaze for free with every ExpressVPN purchase
ExpressVPN, TechRadar's #1 best VPN provider, is offering free unlimited cloud backup courtesy of Backblaze for a whole year with its annual subscription. Secure, business-grade online backup for everyone, no strings attached.View Deal

If you're just looking for an ultra-simple high capacity backup service, then Backblaze is a must-see, especially as with only a single payment tier and unlimited storage, you're always paying just the same amount, not matter how much you upload.

Backblaze is entirely focused on backups, which means there's no file syncing, no clever collaboration tools, and only the simplest of file sharing options. This can be a positive or negative, depending on your requirements. 

Alternatively, if you need a VPN to protect yourself online, you can get Backblaze completely free for a year when you sign up to our #1 favorite, ExpressVPN (and you get three extra months of ExpressVPN protection, too).

Backblaze: Plans and pricing

You can try Backblaze for free for 15 days without providing any payment card information. As expected, there's no free tier since you get unlimited cloud backup. Personal plans cost $9 monthly, $99 a year, or $189 every two years. There is also a $2 monthly charge to upgrade file version history from 30 days to one year, which, in our opinion, is a must.

Business customers get similar pricing. However, you should contact Backblaze directly for quotes for backing up multiple computers and servers and storing more data in the cloud for long-term storage. This is especially useful if you're replacing tape backups. It's refreshing to see this sort of flexible pricing, but it does make it more challenging to compare Backblaze against competing services.

(Image credit: Backblaze)

(Image credit: Backblaze) Backblaze: Features

Backblaze doesn’t bother you with the details of your backup plan, just that it is occurring: when you initially install the desktop client, it doesn’t require you to select files and folders, but rather just grabs all the files and folders it considers important and starts transferring them to your Backblaze cloud backup.

By default, Backblaze copies all data except ISOs, DMGs (Mac disk image), virtual drives, system files or executables. Backblaze also won't backup files created by other backup utilities like Time Machine.

You have the option to exclude other file types if you wish, but unless exclusively told to ignore them, it will include everything except the file types listed. During our testing, we found it very simple and straightforward, and you can rest easy that your entire computer can be recovered if needed.

(Image credit: Backblaze)

The tool is a "set-it-and-forget-it" solution. It's there to help you recover data such as if your hard drive catastrophically fails or your laptop fails to boot.

However, Backblaze is not designed for syncing files between computers, or getting at your music and video files in the cloud. You can include external hard drives and portable SSDs and, on a business plan, servers in your backups, although networked drives can't be included. While file sharing is possible, the feature can only be accessed through the web interface.

Backups can be continuous and this is a default option. They can also be configured to occur once a day, or just when you initiate them manually. Some extra variety with those timescales would be nice, but we expect the majority of users will leave it set to continuous backup mode. Although you can backup an unlimited amount of data, you are restricted to one computer for each Backblaze account, and mobile devices aren't included.

The fact that you can't select files or folders to backup individually can be an inconvenience if you only want to back up certain files. For instance, your Documents folder may contain irreplaceable data but your Pictures might not. You also can't fine-tune which folders within these directories are backed up. On the plus side, there's little chance of anything valuable being missed during backup.

(Image credit: Backblaze)

As standard, unlimited versions of files are kept, though only for a period of 30 days. This can be somewhat restrictive, especially as weeks can pass before you realize that you are missing an important document. Given the reasonable price for the standard plan, combined with the fact that an unlimited amount of storage could hold thousands of folders filled with documents, images and videos, we think the extra $2 a month (or $14 a year) for extended file history is a no-brainer. This extends it to one year. For an extra $2 per month and $0.005/GB per file, Backblaze can also store file versions forever.

While only one computer is supported per license, totally unlimited data storage with no file size limits means that Backblaze should never be the restricting element to your backing-up needs. This makes it a hugely valuable tool that is also affordable compared to rivals such as Polarbackup, LiveDrive, and Carbonite, all of which offer unlimited storage plans that are currently more expensive.

Because there are no subscription tiers, every account benefits from otherwise premium features. Uploading and downloading when using the desktop client is unthrottled, which means superquick backups up to the maximum speed of your ISP and router.

Backblaze has built-in safeguards to limit the amount of bandwidth consumed. The Control Panel settings list the latest upload speed and the amount of data backed up per day on average. In order to give users more control, manual throttling can limit the amount of bandwidth used by the app in order to prioritize other tasks. This can be useful for workers who often find themselves on video calls, as it allows backups to continue automatically in the background while providing optimal speeds for your workload.

Backblaze: Interface and use

The Backblaze desktop client targets simplicity over power. The options of the Backblaze package are limited, so the software doesn't have to do much except focus on the job at hand - to make sure that your files are getting continuously backed up in the background.

There is an option to exclude certain files and folders from a Backblaze backup, but we found it could be more straightforward. Considering you get an unlimited amount of space in the cloud, it's easier to just let Backblaze backup everything, just in case. 

Transferring data from an entire computer to the web is potentially a lengthy process, but the speeds Backblaze managed were impressive. You can also choose to pause or throttle the upload process if you think Backblaze is taking up too much bandwidth to override the automatic throttling.

(Image credit: Backblaze)

We like its integration within the operating system that helps to simplify the backup process - or at least, for those rare events that users need to modify controls. In this case, Backblaze sits neatly in System Preferences within macOS for instance. The Backblaze control panel can also be launched via a handy system tray icon in Windows.

Like the desktop client, the web interface is also cut down and minimal, letting you review backed up files and restore them if needed. There's also a mechanism for sharing stored files to others that is exclusive to the web interface. Unfortunately, in terms of web functionality, Backblaze falls short of Dropbox, Google Drive, or Apple iCloud when it comes to sharing files. However, it is ultimately a different proposition so this comparison is, perhaps, slightly unfair.

In the event of a system failure or loss, files can be downloaded for free, or Backblaze will put them on a USB hard drive for $189 and ship your data to your door. While it may not do much beyond suck up all the files on a computer and let you restore them, Backblaze does these core jobs very well. The almost $200 spent on backing up your files should be seen more as a holding fee for the value of the large hard drive (up to 8TB), as when the restore is complete you can return it by mail and receive a full refund.

Backups are limited to PCs and Macs, however alongside the web interface there are iOS and Android apps that allow you to access your data from anywhere. Backblaze Mobile 6.0, released in December 2022, has a new feel to it with authentication improvements for both platforms plus many tweaks and updates.

Backblaze: Security

Backblaze gets high marks from a security perspective: as you can enable two-step authentication on your account. 

The company behind the tool also claims that backed up files on your machine are protected with AES 128-bit encryption, the key for which is generated randomly for each backup session. Also worth noting is that users can pick between EU and US data centers.

The data is sent securely via an SSL connection to avoid your data being intercepted as it travels through the internet. Backblaze also says it uses OpenSSL for generating the necessary encryption keys to do this. While it's not full end-to-end encryption, it's certainly safe enough for most users. But if you do want end-to-end encryption, you can also set up a private encryption key, known only to you, which adds an extra layer of protection to your data. 

The downside of this is that Backblaze can’t help you if you forget the key, and you need to share it with Backblaze if you ever need to restore your data.

Backblaze: How we tested

We performed three primary tests for Backblaze, focusing on sync speed, file recovery, and versioning.

These tests were carried out on a Windows 11 virtual machine using the Backblaze desktop client. The virtual machine was connected to the internet via a fiber broadband connection with a VPN server. Throughout our speed tests, we consistently recorded an average upload speed of 70 Mbps.

Test 1 - Sync speed 

Our typical approach for evaluating cloud storage providers involves copying a 589MB folder containing various file types, such as PDFs, JPGs, Microsoft Word documents, and more, and then assessing the desktop client's synchronization speed. However, Backblaze primarily functions as an all-or-nothing backup solution. Therefore, for this particular test, we were compelled to allow the utility to back up everything in the home folder, including the test files.

Although Backblaze is designed for backups rather than traditional cloud storage, it is possible to use backed-up files for cloud storage purposes indirectly. Nevertheless, there is no straightforward method to selectively back up only a specific folder as we usually do for our standard cloud storage service tests. Consequently, we allowed Backblaze to back up all the folders in the test machine's home directory, including our test files.

This resulted in a data volume slightly exceeding 6GB, and the upload to Backblaze's servers was completed in less than 10 minutes. Therefore, our test files took just over a minute to upload. This performance is commendable, especially when considering that our average upload speed was 70Mbps, significantly faster than what many other cloud storage providers offer.

(Image credit: Future)

Test 1 - File Recovery

During our second test, we purposefully placed the test folder containing our files in the Recycle Bin and then manually triggered another backup. Once the backup was complete, we accessed the online Backblaze Control Panel through the desktop client and selected the Restore Options. Locating the test folder was straightforward, and upon choosing to Restore, we received a message stating that further instructions would be sent to us via email. 

Upon checking our inbox, we found an email containing a link to download a ZIP file of the folder. We were also given the option to install the Backblaze Downloader app. Upon extraction, we discovered that the folder was organized within a directory structure mirroring our device. For example, the main folder was 'C,' and we found another folder named 'Users,' and so forth. Despite this multi-step process, we successfully recovered all the files.

Test 3 - Versioning

Versioning is an important feature when working on documents as it allows you to revert back to previous versions of the file. When Backblaze backed up all the files in the home directory, it included the original version of our test document. We opened this in Wordpad, deleted all the text except the intro, saved and closed the file, and then ran another backup. 

After selecting "Restore Options" from the desktop client, we were able to recover the file from the first backup in the same way as we did for the deleted test folder. We chose to download the document as a ZIP file. Once extracted, the document opened without any issues.

Backblaze: Final verdict

Backblaze should be near the top of your shortlist if you want a comprehensive, unlimited, secure backup of all of the data from your home or business computers.

Backblaze isn't a simple cloud storage solution so much as a comprehensive cloud backup solution-rather than allow for some files and folders to be backed up it will simply grab everything. This means if you only want to sync individual files and folders this could prove tricky. 

Additionally, when it comes to restoring deleted/modified data, we can't see any logic in offering a separate downloader app when this code could be integrated into Backblaze itself.  

Still, Backblaze has a large user base, and it’s easy to see why – if you want to back up everything from one computer and its external drives, simply and securely and without spending too much, then the service is hard to beat. We appreciate, too, that there are no limits on file sizes and no limits on the amount of data you can send to the cloud.

Just be certain you know exactly what Backblaze is before you sign up. It's not for syncing files between computers or getting easy access to your files through a web browser. It's a comprehensive, set-and-forget cloud backup solution for protecting your data should the worst happen, and at that task it provides a great solution. With stellar performance in that regard, Backblaze is one of the best backup software solutions thanks to its unlimited storage at a reasonable cost, aided by its array of restoration methods and ease of use. 

We've featured the best free cloud storage.

Categories: Reviews

Mario & Luigi: Brothership review: a vibrant new era for Nintendo’s dynamic duo

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:01
Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Available on: Nintendo Switch
Release date: November 7, 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an excellent return to Nintendo’s otherwise languishing role-playing game (RPG) spin-off series, packed chock-full of charm, wit, and whimsy, plus pleasingly detailed combat mechanics that will deliver hours of fun.

In their latest gander, the mustachio'd brothers are whisked away to the land of Concordia and on a quest to reunite its fragmented lands following the destruction of the Unitree that once connected them. It’s a tale with a strong narrative theme; that the bonds between friends, family, and even foes have innate power. In classic Nintendo style, every possible aspect of the game centers itself around its morals to charming effect.

To go with its delightful tone is a robust combat system, largely following suit of its series predecessors but with the added flair of Luigi Logic, new Bros Attacks, and a power-up system called Plugs. It’s silly and fun, offering a moderate challenge as you time your attacks and counters between the two brothers. However, later in the game, the sheer number of enemies can become a bit repetitive, and you’ll likely end up skipping your fair share of battles. Overall, though, it’s very rewarding, and there’s a great variety of enemies and interesting bosses to tackle, making it a standout Nintendo Switch game of 2024.

However, like other recent releases such as The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Brothership also suffers from occasional performance issues. These are particularly prevalent when there are several enemies on screen or heavy particle effects, affecting even the island navigation map later in the game when more areas are unlocked.

It’s an unfortunate issue, as the game is so beautifully visualized that you want to lavish on every detail. The new 3D sprites for its cast of characters are a welcome visual upgrade, adding new depth of emotion and gesture both in and out of combat. Its lush and well-detailed overworld offers a reasonable amount of exploration, though some of the earlier levels feel underdeveloped when you revisit them towards the end of the game.

While it’s not exactly a contender for game of the year, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Brothership. The game is great fun, but it’s also warm and inviting, blending some of the franchise's most beloved Mushroom Kingdom friends and foes with charming new Concordian companions to create a rich world filled with love and connection. There’s a real resonance in how Mario & Luigi: Brothership delivers its moral lesson, but entwined with bonny Nintendo flair and slapstick nonsense that makes the game feel truly special.

(Image credit: Nintendo) You can make me whole again

Once transported to Concordia, Mario and Luigi and their new guides Connie and Snoutlet sail the open seas in search of fragmented islands from the former continent of Concordia with a mission to reconnect them to the new Unitree. Each island bears a distinctive theme; from the dance and rhythm-crazed populace of Twistee Island to the rival fire and ice villages of Heatfreeze Island and the desert dwellers of Allsand Island.

The game’s main hub, Shipshape Island, also teems with life, populated by side characters like three gossipy hens that’ll give you clues for side quests as well as equipment and resource shops for stocking up between islands. Along the way, the crew of adventurers grows to welcome a plethora of new characters, with my personal favorite being a band of kids going by the moniker of the IDLE group. As with all of the new companions, Brothership relishes in exploring the bonds they share and create, and there’s a wealth of relations explored through the lens of Concordia. From parental to sibling, found family and friendship to rivalry, and even bonds of love, Nintendo deftly toes the line of cheesiness, keeping the game firmly in the realm of fuzzy feelings.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

It’s not just Concordians that decorate the storyline; throughout the game, you’ll encounter familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom, from predictable appearances like Princess Peach, Starlow, and Bowser to welcome surprises like Birdo and even a first-time Mario & Luigi appearance for Dorrie.

This does, however, mean the game can be pretty wordy, often splicing the action with extended character development and conversation that can make the game drag a little at times. In saying that, I did find it hard to breeze through some of the dialogue where I truly enjoyed watching the story play out, especially thanks to its quirky comedy and hyperanimated style. The volume of characters also means there’s a little pressure on some of the characters to condense their personality. Starlow, for example, is a little subdued compared to previous entries in the series, especially when it comes to her love-hate relationship with Luigi.

(Image credit: Nintendo) Land, Ho!

The main quest line is pretty extensive, totaling around 40 hours if you skip every side quest, based on my total game time which was 50 hours after completing a vast majority of optional quests. Occasionally, there are split decisions thrown into the narrative that slightly alter the means or order of storyline progression, but overall it’s pretty linear.

Using Shipshape Island, Mario and Luigi navigate through channels across the oceans of Concordia to scope out the dispersed islands and connect them to the Unitree. The duo then unceremoniously launch themselves upon these islands’ shores, punctuated by an excellent running gag of Luigi never quite sticking the landing, before venturing to solve an ongoing issue for the island’s population or rescue missing Concordians.

Exploring each island is fun, and the game’s new Bros Moves add new dimensions to exploration, especially when boosted later in the game. The first move unlocked, UF-Bro, is easily my favorite; it’s ridiculous but comes in pretty handy and allows for creative level design. There are some pacing issues in level development, however, and it's especially noticeable later in the game when you hop between more complex levels and the fairly basic initial islands. Plus, a lot of time is spent running around thanks to the sparsity of teleportation pipes and very simple maps.

Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Nintendo)

With the main quest completed and balance restored, the pair must activate each island's lighthouse, thus tethering the entire land mass to Shipshape Island. Especially towards the end of the game, it’s delightfully silly to see Shipshape lug around an entire continents-worth of islands.

There’s also a wealth of side quests to enjoy, an abundance of puzzles, a respectable level of collect-a-thon objectives, and bundles of items and equipment to hoard. Many quests see the mustachio’d bros reconnect or resolve issues between loved ones, with progressively more memorable and interesting missions as the game develops. Some quests need to be completed before the main story progresses, unlocking fun easter egg interactions and unique items that make them feel worthwhile.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Birdo isn’t in the game an awful lot, but there are some great moments in there for the flirtatious pink dinosaur. In particular, one side quest sees an admirer smitten by Birdo’s beauty seeking Mario and Luigi’s help to unite with her. It’s a fun and ever-so-random jaunt that’ll give franchise fans a chuckle.

Occasionally, you even get the opportunity to remote-control Luigi, either by stationing him strategically while using Mario to move around the level or even fully controlling him - though there are only a handful of moments where you get full Luigi action. The main mechanic for giving Luigi some autonomy is Luigi Logic, which triggers when there’s an interactive object or puzzle mechanic he can help with. Broadly, it’s great fun, and can also save time when it comes to farming coins and items, but there are quite a few times when Luigi will get left behind off-screen, which causes Mario to stop in his tracks, turn about-face, and find his stranded sibling. It’s not frequent, but the separation anxiety can be a bit irritating at times.

Otherwise, the main areas to explore are in the game’s dungeons; the Great Lighthouses, and later in the game, various enemy strongholds. The level design for dungeons is pretty consistently well-balanced throughout the game, offering a decent level of challenge and platforming fun while still incorporating a healthy dosage of combat opportunities; though perhaps a little too healthy in places.

(Image credit: Nintendo) Timing is everything

Combat in Mario & Luigi: Brothership is fun and engaging, leveraging the same timed attack and counter mechanic as previous games in the series with the added twist of power-up Plugs and Luigi’s Logic as well as inventive new Bros Attacks to mix things up.

Plugs offer a solid level of variety and dynamic gameplay to battles and become pretty much essential as the baddies scale. Certain combos create enhanced attack, defense, and support abilities during combat, which you can bolster further with clever choices in equipment and leveling bonuses - though you can easily make most compositions work if your timing is solid and your stats are balanced.

Some of the Bros Attacks are more satisfying than others. For example, in Flash Clock, Mario & Luigi dash across a monochrome battlefield where time stands still, taking turns to wallop the enemy if you hit their corresponding attack buttons in good time. That’s eminently more engaging than Mix Tornado, in which you frantically lob orbs of Mario’s fireballs and Luigi’s ice into a spinning tornado in the hopes you complete it enough to whip the enemy into a frenzy.

Image 1 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 2 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 3 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 4 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 5 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 6 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 7 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 8 of 8

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Every story must have a villain, but Mario & Luigi: Brothership has several; the most prominent of which being Bowser and the mysterious Zokket. We all know and love Bowser and his modus operandi, and Brothership conveys it with wonderful whimsy. Zokket’s forces, however, are slightly more sinister.

Co-captained by Ecks, Ten, and Shun (AKA the Extension Corps), Zokket’s army is on a quest to harvest and spread ‘Glohm’ throughout Concordia and sever the connections between its denizens. Both monsters and the Mario brothers alike can be inflicted by this gloom, which is designed much like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s malice. In battle, it serves as a new gameplay element that prevents the infected brothers from working together on high-damage attacks and Bros Attacks.

There’s a wide range of enemies in the game, with each offering a fairly distinct move set, and the bosses are pretty fun across the board. The slapstick style and expressive animations keep combat light and fun, but later in the game, the grind becomes a little excessive. Especially as I’d leveled well, I ended up skipping a fair few encounters, even with newer enemies I hadn’t yet tired of, but I still enjoyed pretty much all of the key boss fights.

Bursting with life - literally

While the character design maintains the stylistic simplicity of the wider Mario universe, its aesthetic value is high, which really brings the Mario & Luigi franchise into the modern era of gaming following the ten years of its absence.

Brothership brings the world of Concordia to life with exuberant color and sound. It’s bright, well-stylized, and lush, and the 3D sprites massively expand the depth of emotion and motion possible for the various characters. Combat animations are punchy and energizing, and the music perfectly accents the on-screen action to keep you locked in.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

That does mean, however, that it’s even more of a disappointment to see frame rate drops, which get progressively worse as the game progresses. Towards the end of the game, even the island navigation screen drops frames significantly due to the volume of cubic sparkle effects on screen, and some of the wonderfully animated cutscenes heavily feature the same particle effects and thus suffer the same fate.

When there are many enemies on screen or a series of consecutive graphically intense attacks, combat can also suffer - which is less than ideal when there are timed attacks to tackle. I didn’t experience an unforgivable level of performance issues, and hopefully, at least some of these can be fixed in a later patch. Still, it’s always disappointing to see, especially when the game is so lovely to look at.

Otherwise, animations are broadly smooth. I gladly sacrificed a few turns and counters during combat to enjoy every detail of enemy attack animations, and the cutscenes are just delightful. I even nearly shed a tear during a few, though I’m especially soppy when it comes to a good tear-jerker.

(Image credit: Nintendo) Should I play Mario & Luigi: Brothership? Play it if…

You want a modernized Mario & Luigi RPG
While Brothership does well to capture what made earlier games popular among fans, it's added in a good amount of depth and aesthetic appeal to make the game feel contemporary.

You want a moderate challenge, but a lot of heart
It's no Baldur's Gate 3, but Brothership takes an earnest swing at combat. It's pretty approachable, and will give you the option to dial down the difficulty of combat, but only after you've given it a good go.

Don’t play it if…

Performance issues grate on you
It's far from a poor performance, but the occasional frame rate drops are disappointing, and especially when you're trying to enjoy the beautifully animated world of Concordia.

Accessibility

There are no dedicated accessibility settings on Mario & Luigi: Brothership. There’s one difficulty setting, but if you lose a combat or time-based mini-game a few times, you’re offered an easy mode to help you overcome the challenge. This is particularly disappointing when combat is so heavily based on timed and held button inputs, and where there are multiple times that visual cues are delivered by color. Players with congenital red-green color blindness, in particular, would have great difficulty in performing many Bros Attacks and puzzles.

(Image credit: Nintendo) How I reviewed Mario & Luigi: Brothership

I played over 40 hours of Mario & Luigi: Brothership on Nintendo Switch OLED. During that time I completed the main story and played in a combination of both handheld and docked mode. While docked, I played on a 1080p monitor and used a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. In handheld mode, I played using the standard Joy-Con controls.

To draw comparisons, I've reflected on my experience with other series entries such as Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story as well as other turn-based RPGs like Octopath Traveller, alongside different games from the wider Mario franchise such as Super Mario: Odyssey.

First reviewed November 2024.

Categories: Reviews

Mario & Luigi Brothership: Nintendo's Latest Mario RPG Is New, and Deserves a Switch 2

CNET News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:00
A familiar-feeling series gains some new twists, but the Switch's age is showing.
Categories: Technology

It’s Election Week. Brace Yourselves

WIRED Top Stories - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 06:00
The United States will choose between two drastically different futures in the coming days. Here’s what you can expect from WIRED.
Categories: Technology

In Pews Across America, Evangelicals Are Told That God Wants Donald Trump

WIRED Top Stories - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:30
The weekend before the election, one Pennsylvania pastor told congregants that hosting Elon Musk weeks earlier was “phenomenal.” In Nevada, another dressed as a garbageman while urging his flock to vote Trump.
Categories: Technology

UK set to raise taxes on giant warehouses used by Amazon and other ecommerce giants

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:23

The UK Government has announced plans to help high street retailers by applying a higher rate of tax to large distribution warehouses used by ecommerce retailers such as Amazon.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced the plans in the recent budget, targeting properties with a ‘rateable value’ of over £500,000, which is based on an assessment of the property’s annual rent estimate.

The intention of the plan is to introduce permanently lower multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties.

Small businesses will still struggle

Physical shops have seen a steady decline since COVID, with the equivalent of 38 stores per day closing so far in 2024, so this tax aims to ‘level the playing field’ by easing the burden of business rates on property-intensive sectors.

The reaction from the retail sector has largely been one of disappointment, with many pointing to the new 40% relief to RHL properties, which is actually a cut from the current 75% rate.

“Freezing the small business rates multiplier was a sensible move but the loss of the retail, hospitality and leisure relief will still see bills for shopkeepers rising. Business rates remain intolerably high for shops and the multiplier must be lowered to an affordable rate for all.” said Chair of the Shopkeepers Campaign Vivienne King.

Online retailers have seen a huge boom in sales since the pandemic, even continuing to see profits soar when physical stores reopened after lockdown. This has meant growth for brick and mortar stores has struggled, finding it difficult to compete with the convenience and low costs of online shopping.

Amazon, one of the UK’s largest retailers, reported a $33.6 billion revenue in 2023, and benefits from the current tax rate that favours stores with smaller physical presence, or whose land is often in cheaper areas outside of town centres.

Via Bloomberg

More from TechRadar Pro
Categories: Technology

Remember iPod clickwheel games? This new project is racing to save them from extinction

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:18
  • 54 games were made for the old-school click wheel iPod
  • Those games have been impossible to play in recent years
  • A new project aims to make the games available for any iPod fans to play

These days, the iPhone is one of the most popular gaming platforms on the planet. But before all that, there was a brief period when the iPod had its moment to shine as a gaming destination. With the death of the iPod and Apple’s draconian DRM keeping old-school iPod games trapped on ancient devices, though, those days are long gone … or are they?

Not if a determined group of iPod enthusiasts has anything to say about it. A combination of nostalgia for the long-lost games and the unique gameplay mechanics of the click wheel has led to the creation of an iPod games preservation project that aims to make these titles available for anyone with a compatible device (via Ars Technica).

For a few years, Apple partnered with firms like Sega and EA to launch iPod games specifically for clickwheel models at $7.49 a pop. But when Apple gave up on the idea in 2011 and removed the titles from the iTunes store, fans of the games started backing up the compressed IPG files to various online archives. However, the problem is that the DRM on each IPG file ties it to both the iTunes account that it was registered to and the identifier of the machine that ran that instance of iTunes.

While those games will work fine with the devices they were originally synced with, the DRM means it’s very difficult to get them working on newer hardware (or a newer iTunes installation). To get it to work, you’ll need the original IPG file and the iTunes account that made the original purchase. If your IPG file wasn’t backed up, you’ll struggle to get the game working again.

Making them click

(Image credit: Andres Urena / Unsplash)

However, a bunch of iPod enthusiasts have managed to find a workaround of sorts. If you have a clickwheel iPod loaded up with games, you can reauthorize your account through Apple’s servers, even with a secondary installation of iTunes. But if several iPod owners reauthorize their accounts to the same iTunes installation, that iTunes instance becomes a “master library” containing verified copies of the games from every account that is connected to it.

Once that’s done, the iTunes account in question can be used to distribute those games to any number of iPods. Better yet, this method doesn’t require any kind of online check with Apple’s servers, meaning people with working click wheel iPods can access the games without the painful hurdles.

Now, Reddit user Olsro has set up the iPod Clickwheel Games Preservation Project. The idea is to create a virtual machine that anyone can connect to and sync games to their iPod. Once you’ve set up the virtual machine on your computer, you should be able to access Olsro’s library of games and download them to your iPod.

It’s not without risk, though. Apple could disable its servers for reauthorizing clickwheel iPods – something that might happen at any time. While Olsro has 47 iPod games in their library, they’re a few short of the full 54 titles that Apple released. That means the clock is potentially ticking on their efforts to complete the library for other iPod gamers.

It’s a world away from the modern M4 MacBook Pro and Apple’s renewed focus on bringing games to its platforms. But if you’re interested in a curious chapter in the history of Apple’s gaming efforts – or you just want to relive the days of playing on your iPod – it’s a fascinating story.

You might also like
Categories: Technology

MacBook Pro M5 next year might be disappointing as rumor suggests the real fireworks are coming with MacBook Pro M6 with OLED in 2026

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:15

Apple’s MacBook Pro for next year isn’t going to be particularly groundbreaking, at least not compared to the fully revamped version due in 2026, rumored to come complete with that major OLED screen upgrade, and a serious uplift for performance with the M6 chip, too.

Mark Gurman’s latest instalment of ‘Power On’ is the source of this juicy MacBook rumor, but if you check the online newsletter at Bloomberg, you won’t see the speculation, as only subscribers get to peruse the answers to Gurman’s post game Q&A at the end of the piece.

One of the questions pitched to the leaker is: “Should I wait for next year’s MacBook Pro to upgrade?” And the short answer is that if you’re expecting a revamped model for 2025 after a relatively modest overhaul for the 14-inch and 16-inch flavors this year – mostly based on the new M4 SoC – you may be disappointed.

Gurman replies to the question to note that “the MacBook Pro probably won’t get another true overhaul until 2026,” with Apple looking at a five-year cycle for redesigns of the laptop (rather than four years as has been the case in the past).

The MacBook Pro 2026 will likely be the move to OLED (finally) and a thinner chassis.

So, Gurman tells us that he believes the MacBook Pro for next year will be “mostly about the chip (again)” except in this case, we’ll obviously be looking at the M5 and its Pro and Max versions. Apparently, development of those CPUs is already nearing completion, the leaker informs us.

With the M6 chip in 2026, Apple will shift to a 2nm process, and we can expect a major boost from that, whereas the M5 will represent a modest uplift in performance compared to the M4.

In short, then, the MacBook Pro 2026 is the laptop to watch, possibly toting a full redesign, thinner body, new OLED screen, and M6 processors which are much more powerful than their predecessors.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) Analysis: OLED and thin-for-the-win

So, if you’re not tempted by the MacBook Pro M4 models that are about to be unleashed – perhaps because you have an M3-powered laptop already, and the new flavors won’t be a huge difference – then the laptops for 2025 likely won’t persuade you to pull the trigger on an upgrade either. At least if Gurman is right – and there’s an element of caution in his writing, with qualifiers like ‘probably’ and so on – you’ll be waiting for 2026, and there’s other evidence on the grapevine that this is likely the case.

In fact, for some time now, the rumor has been that Apple is looking at 2026 to bring OLED to the MacBook Pro, and some of the regular leakers on all things Apple have recently said that they expect the 2025 model of the MacBook Pro to stick with Mini-LED. (As MacRumors points out, they include reliable display-related leaker Ross Young).

An OLED screen will help to ensure the MacBook Pro is more svelte, and so it makes sense that we’ll be getting a thinner laptop as part of this full redesign, too – especially given Apple’s renewed focus on thin-for-the-win. Gurman has already predicted that thinner MacBooks are in the works, after Apple released its ‘thinpossible’ iPad Pro (with OLED).

We should note that the MacBook Pro M4 does make improvements with the display – and some quite nifty ones – and doubtless the MacBook Pro M5 next year will not be a complete fizzle either. However, there’s already a consistent level of buzz on the grapevine to suggest that the real fireworks are coming with the MacBook Pro M6 in 2026.

The suggestion, then, is that if you can’t wait until 2026, you may as well upgrade now rather than seeing what next year brings.

You might also like
Categories: Technology

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart's PS5 Pro trailer emphasizes "performance and fidelity in one package"

TechRadar News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:09

A new 'PS5 Pro Enhanced' trailer for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart emphasizes not needing to choose between fidelity and performance on the upcoming mid-generation refresh console.

The trailer, uploaded to the official PlayStation YouTube channel, features about a minute and a half of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart footage running on PS5 Pro, interspersed with commentary from staff at developer Insomniac Games.

Principle engine programmer Jahrain Jackson says: "You're basically getting both performance and fidelity in one package. There's no fear of missing out on something by choosing one or the other."

He adds that PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) "is really exciting," describing it as a "game changer for bringing our visual fidelity up to the next level." PSSR is exclusive to PS5 Pro and is Sony's proprietary upscaling tech. It acts similarly to Nvidia's DLSS or AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution - boosting resolution and image quality with seemingly little to no impact on performance.

At just over a minute and a half in length, the trailer doesn't go into particulars about what exactly playing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PS5 Pro entails, aside from the mention of PSSR and the allowance for both high fidelity and performance in one package.

It does, however, showcase the game running in 4K resolution at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second. As such, it's looking likely that PS5 Pro will be the best way to experience the 2021 action platformer.

PS5 Pro is due to launch this Thursday, November 7 worldwide. If you've yet to put down a PS5 Pro pre-order, you can still do so with stock available at PlayStation Direct and multiple other retailers. The upgraded console will set you back a rather eye-watering $699.99 / £699.99 though, and it doesn't ship with either a disc drive or a vertical stand - worth keeping in mind if you're considering the upgrade.

You might also like...
Categories: Technology

Slitterhead review: a refreshing curiosity that’s not without its hurdles

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:01
Review info

Platform reviewed: PlayStation 5
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: November 8, 2024

Slitterhead is a weird horror game. The combat is a bit stiff, it reuses environments (and sometimes missions), and lacks voice acting outside of the occasional fully-voiced scene. Yet it’s probably the most refreshing game I’ve played in a while, and is far more than the sum of its parts. Behind that veneer of rust and dirt is a compelling storyline that uses its horror elements to craft a brilliant mystery that had me rethinking the entire story constantly.

You play as Hyoki: a lost spirit in the fictitious town of Kowlong with the ability to possess human beings (as well as the occasional dog). However, Kowlong is plagued with Slitterheads: monsters who assume the form of human beings in order to feed on them. Among these humans are Rarities, beings who have a unique connection with the spirit and are able to retain their consciousness while possessed, while having their own combat abilities to boot.

Visions of an impending apocalypse lead Hyoki to team up with a young woman named Julee and a mysterious man named Alex to destroy the Slitterhead populace to change their fate. However, the spirit discovers it is able to go back in time while retaining memories; however, this reveals another layer, as each time they go back, things aren’t as they once were. One aspect I loved about this tale is that it tackles the hypocrisy of a spirit that takes over the consciousness of people, battling evil beings that take over the consciousness of people. This led to me getting invested in the lives of those on both sides of the story.

Head like a haunted house

(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studios)

Despite being directed by horror royalty Keiichiro Toyama (creator of Silent Hill and Siren), horror is more of a backdrop in Slitterhead, as the game plays out like a detective story. You’ll be trying to figure out just what is happening in Kowlong while simultaneously figuring out who in the crowded city is secretly a monster. The main gameplay loop is heading into a mission, investigating, before running into a Slitterhead who you’ll need to take out.

As the adventure progresses, you’ll run into more and more Rarities who join your cause. Between missions, you’ll be able to chat with them a la Persona’s social links and learn more about each of them. These range from people of all walks of life, doctors, a high school student, the homeless, and even an elderly woman. Despite some having more screen time than others (the story is mainly focused on Julee and Alex), I loved learning about the characters I was taking into battle.

The regular humans have a club and two unique skills (as well as two slots for your rarities bonus skills), while you can bring two Rarities out on a mission with you, who have their own unique skill sets based on their personalities. Edo – who lived as a boxer before being forced to live on the streets – is a fast-paced, hard-hitting character with a moveset designed around getting in the opponent's face and wearing them down. Meanwhile, Julee – who is compassionate and has reservations over human lives being used by Hyoki in service of Slitterhead destruction, has abilities to avoid damaging non-player characters (NPCs) and reviving a number at once.

Combat isn’t the most in-depth in terms of combos. You have a standard combo and a heavy attack alongside four unique skills depending on which Rarity combo you take into the field. But where the combat really shines is in the possession mechanic; switching about from host to host is near-mandatory and adds an extra layer of strategy to what could’ve been a barebones beat 'em up. This is complemented by a For Honor-esque parry system, which can send you into a slow-mo state to really while on your enemies.

Who can it be now?

(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studios)

The biggest issue the game faces is also in part due to the time loop mechanic. The missions mostly take place in the same few city blocks, which can lead to a bit of repetition, and while the mandatory mission replays will have new tricks, you are still replaying parts. This becomes an issue later in the game as you’ll play the same two missions multiple times in a row to progress the story.

The other problem is that sometimes the objective of the game is unclear. It’s easy to get lost in the city, and without a map system, it’s a bit of a pain to navigate when there are no waypoint markers. This gets especially rough at a point in the middle where you need to find two hidden Rarities to progress, where I combed through the same missions a few times before cracking it.

Best bit

(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studios)

One of Slitterhead’s most investing moments is investigating the Echoes of Love Society. While these missions are slower-paced, this storyline opens up some interesting questions about the nature of Slitterheads and the ethical issues surrounding your mission.

Visually, the game is a bit of a mixed bag; the neon-soaked streets of Kowlong are gorgeous, and the character models for the main characters look great, but the human fodder characters is a bit less polished, which really stands out if you take them into a cutscene. Meanwhile, the creature design from Siren designer Miki Takahashi is nothing short of phenomenal. The different breeds of Slitterhead are disgusting and impressive bits of body horror to boot. While the game isn’t too scary, these monsters are unsettling, especially when you see them transform.

Slitterhead also reunites Toyama with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka – which is all I should need to tell you to let you know the music and sound design are fantastic. The soundtrack ranges from the oppressive industrial sounds Yamaoka is famed for to some nice lo-fi beats that make the menus a joy to navigate. And the titular monsters sound just as gross as they look.

Still, Slitterhead is not without its problems, but these are mostly relegated to the gameplay. While the combat is fun and engaging, it could do with a bit more combo variety. Meanwhile, the reused missions and environments don’t necessarily feel like padding, but they can be grating at certain points. However, it’s more than worth moving past those flaws to find one of the most unique and interesting horror experiences in a long time.

(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studios) Should you play Slitterhead? Play it if...

You’re after a unique experience from a horror legend
Slitterhead does take inspiration from Toyama’s previous games, like Siren’s Sightjacking mechanic. But Slitterhead is a unique beast that’s more about detective work and intense combat than straight-up horror. Plus, the time loop mechanic adds an extra layer to an already interesting story.

You like strategically focused combat encounters
Slitterhead’s possession mechanic is a cool thing in many ways, from traversal to just seeing who and what you can take control of. However, it adds an extra layer to combat as you’ll be constantly switching between hosts to flank enemies, while careful consideration of what rarities is a must.

Don't play it if...

You’re after a highly polished AAA game
I rarely encountered glitches in Slitterhead, but it’s not as polished as your usual AAA affair. While the Rarities, cutscenes, and environments look lush, NPC character models are a bit lackluster, and the awkward use of voice acting is an unfortunate flaw.

You can’t stomach body horror
Slitterhead’s grotesque horror is tough to stomach; you’ll constantly see human heads explode into viscera as their Slitterhead forms burst out. This is even worse for the bosses, as you see the transformation even slower and in more detail as their necks extend and contort.

Accessibility

The accessibility features in Slitterhead need some work. While the option to fully rebind your controls is a welcome addition, outside of multiple language options, subtitles (without closed captioning), and difficulty options, there’s not much else to talk about here unfortunately.

(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studios) How I reviewed Slitterhead

I played Slitterhead for around 18 hours completing the game’s main storyline (including the true ending) and unlocking all of the rarities and a majority of the costumes. In my playthrough, I played on Hard difficulty for the majority before switching to Medium when the level replays were introduced.

I played the game on my PlayStation 5 Slim on a DualSense wireless controller (although it felt wrong to play with the Astro Bot Controller). For my screen, I used a Samsung Q65T 50-inch QLED 4K TV, and for my audio, I switched between the PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless headset and a Samsung HW-T450 Soundbar.

First review November 2024

Categories: Reviews

WIRED'S 2024 US Election Live Blog

WIRED Top Stories - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:00
Join us to keep up to date on everything related to the US presidential election.
Categories: Technology

Inside the Massive Crime Industry That’s Hacking Billion-Dollar Companies

WIRED Top Stories - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 05:00
When you download a piece of pirated software, you might also be getting a piece of infostealer malware, and entering a highly complex hacking ecosystem that’s fueling some of the biggest breaches on the planet.
Categories: Technology

Homeowners Face Higher Refi Rates: Current Refinance Rates on Nov. 4, 2024

CNET News - Mon, 11/04/2024 - 04:51
Several benchmark refinance rates climbed this week, but rates are still well below last year's highs.
Categories: Technology

Pages

Subscribe to The Vortex aggregator