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Doom Reboot Will Have Keycards, Weapon Mods, and More: Report

by onkar April 4, 2024

written by onkar

Doom Reboot Will Have Keycards, Weapon Mods, and More: Report

One of the most popular and influential games of all-time, Doom is set to receive a reboot sometime this year. Details have been scant so far, but the latest issue of video gaming magazine Game Informer and its corresponding podcast have brought respite for eager fans.

Keycards were essential to the original game, and probably a bit overused some felt. They will return to the reboot – in blue, red and yellow colours – but will appear less frequently than before. They will either unlock secrets or lead you to the next section of the level.

We also now know that weapons available in-game will have ‘mods’, and can be equipped with add-ons to give them particular functions. A rocket launcher, for example, could be paired with a remote detonator.

The game’s plot will be explained by an opening video message that details the demons were unleashed as part of a religious cult act. The rest of the story will be unveiled as the player progresses through levels, GI said in their podcast.

It remains to be seen if gamers on Windows PCs will receive a well-optimised port, but the GI articlementions “sliders and multi-sampling options” for the PC version.

John Carmack, John Romero, and Sandy Petersen, three influential game designers who worked on the first two instalments of the franchise, aren’t a part of the upcoming game’s team. While Romero and Petersen left in the 90s to pursue other projects, Carmack was involved with ‘Doom 4’ – as it was called previously – until the game got stuck in ‘development hell’ in 2011.

The new Doom will be available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One at launch. There isn’t any confirmed release date for the first-person shooter game as of now, although reports from last week pointed towards an end of June release. While at the time of writing, multiple e-commerce retailers such as Amazon and Gamestop pointed towards a December 31, 2016 release.

It could turn out to be a long year for fans of the franchise.

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Gadgets News

iOS 9.3 Beta Brings Multi-User Mode, Night Shift, and More

by onkar April 4, 2024

written by onkar

iOS 9.3 Beta Brings Multi-User Mode, Night Shift, and More

Apple on Monday released the first developer beta of iOS 9.3, adding a range of features and capabilities to its mobile operating system – many of which are expected to make it to the general release. The Cupertino-based company with the iOS 9.3 Preview has introduced multi-user mode oniPad for schools, and a night-mode for all that aims to enhance the viewing experience on iPhone and iPad during the night hours.

The Cupertino-based company is calling the night-mode Night Shift. The feature, if enabled, changes the white balance of the screen in accordance with the time and your geographic location to suit your eyes. “[..] it automatically shifts the colors in your display to the warmer end of the spectrum, making it easier on your eyes. In the morning, it returns the display to its regular settings,” the companydescribes. The feature has long been requested by users. Google last month introduced a similar feature to Google Play Books, while Amazon launched the Fire HD 8 Reader’s Edition with Blue Shade, which filtered blue light at night.

The second biggest attraction is the inclusion of multi-user mode on iPad – but, it’s limited to the iOS 9.3 Education Preview. For years, people have asked the company to allow multiple users to sign in with their accounts on the same iPad, and Apple is finally addressing it with “Shared iPad” feature. The feature is only available for the education sector, where more than one person understandably uses the same device. Using this feature, more than one student will be able to log in to the iPad.

The Shared iPad feature, furthermore, will keep a tab on users who regularly sign in to the iPad, and have their content cached so that these students don’t have to download data each time they sign in.

“When a 1:1 student-to-iPad ratio isn’t possible, Shared iPad offers an elegant solution that lets students enjoy the benefits of having their own iPad in whatever classroom they’re in. They simply log in to any iPad, and their content is ready to go,” the company noted.

The feature comes as part of a push from the company in the education front. Apple has also updated the Classroom app using which a teacher will be able to track the apps his or her students are using. Using this app, one can also share their on-screen activities with others. The company has also improved Apple School Manager portal and “Managed Apple IDs.”

Other features introduced in the iOS 9.3 Preview include an updated Notes app, which gets Touch IDpassword protection and better sorting options (date created, date modified, alphabetically). The Apple News app was also updated, with better customisation in the ‘For You’ section, as well as the addition of trending topics and Editors’ Picks. Users will also be able play videos directly in their news feed, the app gets support for landscape view on iPhone, while news updates are said to come faster.

The Health app was also updated in the iOS 9.3 Preview, making it easier for users to find and add third-party apps to their Health dashboard. The Health app also displays data and goals on the Apple Watch. Finally, CarPlay gets Apple Music’s New and For You sections in the Music app, letting users select playlists and albums, and add them via Siri. The recently introduced Nearby feature has come to the Maps section of CarPlay, letting users find gas stations, parking, restaurants, coffee, and more, alongside ratings and price.

[“source-ndtv”]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Gadgets News

LG G5 Tipped to Sport Ticker Display, Dual Rear Cameras, and More

by onkar April 4, 2024

written by onkar

LG G5 Tipped to Sport Ticker Display, Dual Rear Cameras, and More

New details about LG’s next flagship smartphone, the G5, have surfaced claiming several features of the upcoming device including a secondary display.

According to the leak, the LG G5 is said to sport an all-metal body and will takes cues from the recently unveiled LG V10 smartphone. Apart from the build, the G5 is also rumoured to include a secondary display as the ‘ticker display’, first seen the V10.

Venture Beat citing a person briefed on LG’s plan reports that the alleged G5 will pack a 5.3-inch QHD display, which is smaller than the one seen on the LG G4 (5.5-inch). One of the most notable additions on the G5 is said to be in the form of ‘Magic Slot’ which is said to be linked with some kind of hardware expansion. The report adds that the “Ticker display” will sport a screen resolution of 160×1040 pixels, again same as the one found on the V10 smartphone.

It claims that the secondary display will be one of the highlight features for the majority of LG handsets launching in 2016. Some of the other rumoured innards tipped in the report include Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of inbuilt storage.

The report claims that the LG G5 will also pack dual camera setup but unlike the V10, which packs dual lenses on the front, will utilise the setup on the back. An earlier report had also claimed that the G5 may pack a dual-camera setup. The G5 is said to sport a 16-megapixel rear camera with 135-degree wide-angle view.

The two lenses are further said to be separated by a circle with a “quartet of elements in a square configuration,” as per the sources. The elements are said to be two LED flashes (out of which one is for laser autofocus) and also packs a RGB sensor. The front camera on the G5 is likely to be an 8-megapixel camera, same as the G4.

The new report also tips that the fingerprint scanner on the G5 will sit on the back panel just beneath the camera set-up. There have been rumours about the G5 equipping a retina scanner though the new report has no details about the feature. For battery, the G5 is rumoured to include a 2800mAh battery smaller than the 3000mAh battery seen on the G4.

For the launch, the report suggests that the LG G5 may launch in the “first quarter 2016 launch.” To recall, the LG G4 was unveiled in April this year.

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

YouTube to Get Background Downloading, Improved Pause Buffering, and More

by onkar April 3, 2024

written by onkar

YouTube last year rolled out offline feature to its app allowing users to download videos to their devices for later consumption. Now, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced new features targeted at markets like India with connectivity issues.

In his keynote address at the Google for India event in Delhi on Wednesday, Pichai confirmed YouTubewill be receiving two new offline features soon including a new option to configure the time of the download, and background downloading. Both the features are said to be targeted at emerging markets where connectivity is an issue.

Pichai explained that users will be able to configure the time at which videos are downloaded. This will allow users to download videos automatically when data is cheaper. Users will also be able to download videos in the background.

Additionally, announcing improvements to the pause buffer, Eyal Manor, VP Engineering at YouTube, said entire videos will now buffer even if you pause a video – instead of the current method of only buffering a little way ahead. Manor said, “We believe that every person should be able to experience YouTube at its best: in high quality, with few delays and limited buffering.” Users will also be able to switch away from YouTube app and then get an OS notification when the buffering is 100 percent done.

Notably, the pause buffer improvement ties-in with a recent report that hinted some YouTube users were noticing the app showing buffer progress instead of the traditional buffering that showed how much a video was buffered when a playing video is paused.

Unfortunately, as of now there’s no word on when these features will be rolled out to all.

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 3, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Bing for iOS Gets Uber Integration, Barcode Scanner, and More

by onkar April 3, 2024

written by onkar

Not long ago, Microsoft revamped its Bing app for iOS to improve its homepage and add new features. The company has now quietly updated the app to v6.1 to add few more features including Uberintegration, barcode scanner, and support for Gif images.

To start with, Bing now offers real-time data from Uber. Users can tap Get a ride or the Uber icon from within the app and see how many cabs are available in the surrounding area. The integration comes days after Uber released a Universal app of its service on Windows 10, and just a day after Uber integrated with Facebook’s Messenger app for iOS.

Another interesting addition is the barcode scanner. The updated Bing app for iOS can help you find whether the product you’ve scanned is available at a cheaper price at any other store. As of now, the app supports Amazon, Walmart, Target, and some other major retailers.

Microsoft noted that it has added support for animated Gif images files to the Bing app for iOS. A user can swipe left and right to navigate through images. The company says that it has improved video and image search input experience, too and has also enhanced the overall performance and responsiveness of the Bing app.

The update comes a month after the company rolled out Bing v6.0 for iPhone and iPad users. The update came with a redesigned homepage, and also added quick tap options for things like Restaurants, Movies, Images and others. The app is still not available in India, however.

Once exclusively concerned with Windows platform, over the years Microsoft has changed its stance on rival platforms, and is now aggressively releasing its apps and services for users on those ecosystems.
[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 3, 2024 0 comment

Internet

TechTank tracks global Internet freedom report, Google’s Internet balloons, and more

by onkar April 3, 2024

written by onkar

Google co-founder Sergey Brin (R) walks in front of a giant balloon to show "Project Loon" to Indonesian delegates

On October 22, the European Court of Justice issued a ruling that exempts purchases of Bitcoin from a value added tax (VAT). The ruling treats purchases of Bitcoin much like the exchange of traditional currencies rather than the sale of a commercial product. The VAT exemption formalizes Bitcoin’s tax status in the EU, which may have contributed to the slow adoption of the virtual currency. Customers are more likely to make purchases with Bitcoin if they do not have to pay sales tax once to buy the currency and again to buy goods and services with it. However, the announcement will not change the issue of bitcoin’s volatile price, which rose above $300 after the ruling from a low of $177 earlier this year.

The White House sets new rules for federal government IT systems

For the first time in 15 years, The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released new rules for the purchasing, management, and security of information technology (IT) systems used by federal agencies. The rule change attempts to fix problems with upgrading legacy IT systems that are inefficient and have security vulnerabilities. Planning ahead for major upgrades reduces their cost to taxpayers, as does breaking down IT projects into more manageable pieces and using existing services developed by other agencies. In addition to cost savings, the rules mandate a continuous monitoring approach to cybersecurity rather than a periodic review.

Read analysis on federal government IT projects from Brookings fellows Kevin Desouza andNiam Yaraghi.

Global Internet freedom in 2015

Global Internet freedom is essentially the uncensored, unhindered access to the global Internet. A recent report from Freedom House report shows that Internet freedom has been declining for the past five years. In 2015, 31% of the global internet population was deemed“free,” while 34.3% was deemed “not free.” The remainder is “partly free” (22.7%) or not assessed (12%). Governments recognize that blocks and filters are no longer very effective, so they are using other means of deterrence.

China was deemed the least free, with a score of 88 out of 100 (0=best). Iceland scored the best, with a score of 6. The United States scored 19. The topics most likely to be censored include corruption in top government and business officials, conflicts, opposition websites, and satire. Individuals were imprisoned in 40 out of the 65 countries for sharing information online about politics, religion, or society.

Google plans to launch Internet balloons in Indonesia

The study about Internet freedom above looks at individuals who have access to the Internet, however censored it may be. According to UN figures, fifty seven percent of the world’s population does not have any access to the Internet. In Indonesia, that figure rises seventy one percent of the population. Building network infrastructure there is exceptionally challengingbecause the country is made of more than 17,000 islands.

Google has partnered with three mobile network operators in Indonesia to test out providing Internet connections by balloons. This project is called Project Loon, and the test will run for a year. The balloons will fly at twice the altitude of commercial planes, and hundreds will be needed to cover each area. After that, as Mike Cassidy, the project leader of Project Loon, says, the sky is the limit.

[“source-brookings”]

April 3, 2024 0 comment

Uncategorized

Google Now on Tap Gets Support for More Languages, Flight Status, and More

by onkar December 18, 2015

written by onkar

Now on Tap, one of the marquee features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, is getting a range of new capabilities. It now understands a handful of more languages, and can help you quickly track flight and package status. It now also shows an improved interface for related news articles.

Now on Tap is a Google Search feature that triggers when you hold the home button of your device on devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above, fetches and offers contextual information around the topic mentioned in the page you currently have open. Google announced in a blog post on Tuesday that it is updating Now on Tap to add new features. It now supports six new languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Korean. The company says that it is working on bringing support for more languages.

The Google Now on Tap update also lets you easily check flight status without initiating a fresh search. If a friend sends you a flight number via email or SMS, Now on Tap will recognise it and display updated flight status information. The update brings similar functionality to tracking packages. The company noted that tapping and holding on your confirmation email will display tracking info for your package.

Prior to the update, Now on Tap provided users with the option to check under the news tab for any topics they searched for. Now, if the user is reading a news article, users will automatically see related news articles. Google in its blog post also detailed the share button that was spotted with the updated Google app recently. All the above features will roll out to users in phases.

Now on Tap is an extension to Google Now. As we noted previously, however, it occasionally fails to fetch any information and sometimes offer results from your previous searches. It is no doubt Now on Tap is still in its infancy phase, but Google is certainly aggressively pushing new features to make it more capable.

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

December 18, 2015 0 comment