Category: Technology

Today, Pinterest has released a new app on iOS called Shuffles — a collage-style social app where users can create a digital mood board and collaborate with others on the platform, TechCrunch reports. As of today, Shuffles is available via invite, but you can request to be on the app’s wait list.

In the standard Pinterest experience, users have the option to save their content, create photo libraries of their pins, and also browse. The app has a number of built-in photo editing features like Cut Out to isolate single objects in a particular photo, Collage to overlap photos and mesh your ideas together, and Animate to put visual effects on objects.

grid view

According to TechCrunch, the app hails from Pinterest’s TwoTwenty incubator, which was also behind the Pinterest TV live shopping effort last fall. Shuffles seems like a natural creative spinoff for the app to help users have more control over their ideas outside of just creating “idea pins.” Pinterest isn’t the only one working on the concept lately. In October 2021, Adobe announced its Canvas platform for people to share and collaborate on a mood board in its Creative Cloud suite — with the ability to make changes to each other’s work.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X has brought together a set of features that makes it ideal for content creators and anyone else who wants superior performance.

The Yoga Slim 7 Pro X has a sleek design with rounded comfortable edges and is 15.9mm thick with a weight of just 1.45kg.

But what will really catch your eye is the stunning 14.5-inch Lenovo PureSight 3K display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a resolution of 3072 x 1920.

It has a 92.5 per cent screen to body ratio and that’s even with cameras located above the display in the top bezel Inside a raised notch.

The left, right and bottom bezels are some of the thinnest we’ve ever seen on a laptop.

This means there is no distraction outside this screen.

The screen is bright and sharp so your content, photos, videos and websites look amazing.

And with that aspect ratio of 16:10, it’s a perfect shape to be using applications and browsing the web. It’s quite generous screen real estate.

And being a Yoga laptop this means users can open the screen all the way back so its flat and level with the keyboard.

On this position the fact the laptop has a touchscreen lets you use it more like a tablet.

The premium display is also Dolby Vision HDR certified so it can show bright colors as well as a wide color contrast with real time color and brightness optimization to give you a remarkable viewing experience on the move.

On the audio side, the device has top firing Dolby Atmos certified Harman stereo speakers to give you a three-dimensional surround sound experience.

And in terms of the refresh rate, the user can switch between three different modes including Low mode that varies refresh rate between 30 and 60Hz, High mode which takes things up to 120Hz or Auto mode which can adjust refresh rates dynamically.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim7 Pro X can put its ultra-thin design down to its precision machined aerospace-grade 6000 series aluminum chassis with an all-new comfort edge jewel design.

It has an ergonomically designed TrueStrike keyboard with 1.3mm key travel.

Typing on the Lenovo laptop is smooth, responsive and quiet.

And the touchpad is bigger this time out.

In fact, it’s 20 per cent larger than the previous model and covers an area of ​​13cm by 8cm which is plenty of room to navigate and for multi-finger gestures.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim7 Pro X is powered by the all-new AMD Ryzen 6000 series HS Creator Edition which sits on top of the updated AMD Zen 3+ core.

The result is speeds up to 2.1 times faster than the 5000 series.

And this and 3+ Core also offers greater power and efficiency with the new adaptive power management feature that can adjust performance in milliseconds.

The AMD Ryzen 6000 series of processors have been shown to use up to 30 per cent less power.

And the payoff for that is impressively long battery life.

If it’s graphics performance you’re after, it does come with the RDNA 2 architecture-based built-in graphics.

What the laptop also brings to the table is the Lenovo X Power performance tuning technology which works to maximize performance.

It brings together the hardware and the software.

And when things get serious, it can cool things down thanks to a micron level heat conduction system.

A dual 6mm heat pipe transfers heat away from the processor before bringing in cool air and getting rid of the hot air through two customized turbo fans.

Another feature of Lenovo X Power is Scenario Tuning which lets you fine-tune and optimize applications like Adobe Premiere Pro to maximize performance.

If gaming is more your bag, you’ll be pleased to know there is an onboard NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 which allows you to play the latest games at high quality as well as enhancing your own content creation and conference calls.

On the security side, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X has Smart Login which uses facial recognition to unlock the laptop.

And there’s even a physical camera privacy shutter button to cut off the connection to the camera

When you consider the way we’ve been working during the pandemic over the last two years, it should not come as a surprise that Lenovo has included features to make connecting via video call even better.

These include Lenovo Smart Appearance which can blur your background and enhance your video to the point of adjusting background lighting to give the subject a cleaner look.

It also has smart noise cancellation which uses an array of microphones and AI to eliminate background noise from drowning out your voice.

Connectivity-wise, the Lenovo Yoga Slim7 Pro X has two USB-C and two USB-A ports and a headphone jack.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X comes with 16GB RAM and either a 512GB or 1TB SSD (solid state drive) storage.

The unit is also Wi-Fi 6E compatible so it performs that little bit faster on Wi-Fi 6E networks.

The 70Whr lithium-ion polymer battery provides up to 15.5 hours of video playback.

For our review we took the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X out all day for a normal workday and cruised through the day with plenty of power left in the tank.

But if you are running low, the Rapid Charge Express can add three hours of usage with just a 15-minute charge.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X is an ideal laptop for those users who want to create content and have the power when they need it to power through their work and run more demanding applications.

It is available now and is priced from $2,749.

Apple’s COVID-19 Response Team has sent out an internal e-mail to employees letting them know they no longer need to wear face masks, according to The Verge. Almost three years after the start of the pandemic, Apple is finally offering its employees the choice whether they wear a mask or not, rather than forcing them on people.

In the e-mail, Apple said that given current circumstances, people no longer need to wear masks. While the rule change applies in most locations, the company said there may be a few exceptions, but didn’t elaborate. The company said that employees can still choose to wear masks if they would like. It asked employees to respect each other’s decisions about what they decide to do going forward.

The email reads:

Team,

We are writing to share an update to our current protocols. In light of current circumstances, wearing a face mask will no longer be required in most locations. As always, please check Welcome Forward regularly for specific requirements for your site, including those from local health authorities, or any site you may visit.

We recognize that everyone’s personal circumstances are different. Don’t hesitate to continue wearing a face mask if you feel more comfortable doing so. Also, please respect every individual’s decision to wear a mask or not.

Thank you for all that you do to support Apple’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The COVID-19 Response Team

Despite flare-ups of new COVID-19 variants around the world, the situation today is vastly different from what it was during earlier waves of the pandemic. The fact that most people have had a full course of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as boosters, means many fewer people are developing serious conditions after catching the disease. Typical symptoms for those who catch it now include a sore throat and cough, and an elevated heart rate. The disease usually lasts around 10 days before going away.

In May, Apple decided to slow down its hybrid working plans, where employees would come into work for a few days and work remotely the rest of the time. At this time the company asked employees to wear masks in common spaces such as meeting rooms, hallways, and elevators. With today’s update, these rules are no longer in place.

The video game industry has seen a sharp incline in the past few years, thanks to the franchises who have gifted us some marvels. We have come across some mind-blowing titles that have registered a special place in our hearts. Titles such as the Call Of Duty series, Marvel’s Spiderman, Halo, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Elden Ring, Pokemon, Mario, and many more are the few that belong to this category.

One cannot define the number of titles that have become successful, as every person is entitled to their own opinion. So, with the world moving to the eighth month of 2022, there are a bunch of games dropping to the console stores, as their developers have set out an official release date.

Top games to look out for in August 2022

Spiderman Remastered

The Insomniac-owned title has been in the hype as the franchise announced a PC version of the game. They have partnered with Nixxes Software to create a compatible version for their computer audience. Spiderman remastered will drop on August 12, 2022, for an introductory $60 price. It will feature the iconic Peter Parker on his heroic journey to defend New York from crime.

Cult of The Lamb

Apart from Spiderman, users can also watch out for this indie-developed game, as it has a nerve-ending storyline set for fans. Massive Monster is the mastermind behind this title and has partnered with Developer Digital for publication. The game will drop a day before Spiderman on various platforms. Its developers have set a $24-$30 price range with an August 11 release date.

Thymesia

With a catchy title, Thymesia will be dropping in the second half of the month, August 18, 2022. Initially, the game was to be released in May, but because of certain circumstances, the developers shifted it to August. The game is a “grueling action RPG with fast-paced combat and an intricate plague weapon system.” So, if you’re looking for a unique title, this one’s for you.

Madden NFL 23

Just like Spider-Man remastered, fans will also get access to another big hit, Madden NFL 23. The EA-owned game will drop in the latter half of August, as the franchise has announced an August 15 release date. Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys will star as the icon for this edition, as the franchise has declared the same. As of now, Madden NFL 23 is available on various platforms with an introductory price of $59.99.

rumbleverse

If you are in search of another battle royale game, you should definitely look out for this one. Iron Galaxy is the mastermind behind this upcoming title, as they have partnered with Epic Games to add another free-to-play title to their shop. Rumbleverse will release in the second week of August as the developers have decided the release date as that of Cult of the Lamb. The game will drop on various platforms such as Windows, PS4, PS5, and Xbox.

WATCH THIS STORY – Best Co-op Games to Play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2021

What are your thoughts about this? Are you looking forward to these games or are you waiting for other titles to drop later? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

First Nations People exist. That’s it. That’s the one line that can’t be argued, or shouldn’t be able to be argued. Indigenous Peoples are everywhere in Australia, despite the many attempts at genocide throughout history.

While this isn’t a hard concept to grasp, many video games made and set in Australia fail to understand or represent this. ForzaHorizon 3 Transformed Australia into a racing stage, which is gross, considering the history of sacred Indigenous sites being turned into race tracks or amusement parks.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel represents the moon as Australia. While containing a lot of humorous dialogue referencing the colonial history of Australia, it fails to pay respect or acknowledgment to what happened to First Nations People as a result.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger is a game that succeeds in some ways, and falls short in others. Although it falls into the trappings of being a colonialist video game, ultimately appropriating aspects of Indigenous Cultures in its gameplay elements, it at least makes references to First Peoples mythology, the Dreamtime – albeit in a simplified respect.

The latest game to fail spectacularly at First Nations representation is Dinkumfrom solo developer James Bendon.

Dinkumcurrently an Early Access game, offers an experience similar to stardew valley and Animal Crossing, paying homage to both in design. All while being set in a fictional, and apocalyptic, version of Australia.

So what do you do in Dinkum? Well, it can be summarized in one word:

Colonise.

As you set forth on this land inhabited by Kangaroo, Emu and Crocodiles, you’re expected to tame the land by learning how to farm and hunt, and work on building a settlement. But don’t worry, there’s nobody else here – so it’s all territory for you to claim. That being said, on the land that is being settled, you will eventually find remnants of the past indicating the post-apocalyptic nature of the game. You can dig up things from the ‘modern Australia’, yet this presents an even larger issue to me: The only artifacts of the past are of the colonized Australia with no reference to First Nations People? Also, suggesting that the world’s longest-living culture could not survive a capitalist apocalypse? It all feels so wrong.

On its premise, Dinkum presents’terra nullius‘.

Terra nullius means ‘nobody’s land’ and was a term used by the British to justify the colonization and settlement of what would become known as Australia.

Terra Nullius was not only used as justification for colonisation, but also justified the British beginning 200+ years of genocide: Hunting parties were organized to hunt and kill Indigenous People; massacres were officially registered and conducted; children were stolen; enslavement and blackbirding were prevalent. These are just a few reasons why even the suggestion of Terra Nullius is a big deal.

Dinkum starts with this. This fictionalized view of Australia is empty, belonging to no one, and free to be settled by you.

A recent Twitter thread by @alex_verdant brought many eyes to the problems in Dinkum. In particular, they noticed some extremely troublesome dialogue, and provided screenshots.

Dinkum makes jokes about the trading of children for cutlery. Now, it was actually @alex_verdant’s Twitter thread that pushed me to play the game myself and investigate, however, when I personally came to the same scene, it seemed as though this dialogue was silently changed:

But to write a joke like this in the first place suggests ignorance to First Nations Peoples and their history at best, and malicious intentions at worst.

Here’s why: First Nations People in Australia suffered several genocide attempts, with one attempt becoming known as the ‘Stolen Generation.’

The Stolen Generation refers to Indigenous children who were removed from their families during the early 1900s to around the late 1970s. These children were removed because they were considered mixed-race – born of one Indigenous and one Non-Indigenous parent. As such, they were considered as able candidates to be ‘assimilated’ into Anglo-Australian society.

This assimilation was an initiative to essentially enslave children, and have their ‘Blackness’ forcibly bred out over generations. A genocide attempt. As part of this, many Indigenous children were also traded between colonists for various things – including household goods.

In any other game, a line of dialogue about trading children for cutlery might seem like a lighthearted joke. But with so much of Dinkum clearly rooted in the Australian landscape and culture, this line is anything but. It is weirdly specific and very hurtful. It might come from a place of ignorance, but that doesn’t make it any better.

While investigating the development of this game, I discovered that people had been asking Bendon if Dinkum had First Nations representation, to which he responded: ‘I agree that having elements from the many Indigenous Australian cultures would only make the game better. I don’t identify as an Indigenous Australian, so I thought it would be inappropriate to take elements from their culture.’

Some would say this is fair. But as a First Nations person, I challenge this response and offer the following points for anyone making a game in Australia, or a game that references Australia.

1. When making a game set in Australia, whether a fictionalized version or not, you cannot erase First Nations Peoples. They are the First Peoples of Australia, meaning they are integral to the history, culture, and identity of the country. Erasing them perpetuates the lie of Terra Nullius.
2. You cannot say you felt it would be inappropriate to include things from First Nations Cultures, and then make an inappropriate joke about child trading in the same game.
3. Any game made on Australian land – stolen land – can and should acknowledge First Nations Peoplesimilar to how Untitled Goose Game makes reference to First Nations People in the credits. This is a simple gesture, but goes a long way in terms of acknowledgment and respect.
4. Hire First Nations People as consultants for your video game. And it is. They Exist. If the premise involves a fictional or non-fictional Australia, it is important to hire First Nations People as consultants. Budget for it in the development of the video game. Being a solo developer is no excuse for completely ignoring the history of the country, and the original custodians of the land.

Read: Bringing Indigenous cultural expertise to game development with Broken Roads

With that last point, let’s make this absolutely clear:

First Nations People can and should be consulted on video games set in Australia. To not include First Nations Peoples, Cultures and History is to colonize the reality of what really went on in this country’s bloody history.

It is to perpetuate the myth of Terra Nullius.

And it is to erase First Nations Peoples.

Using some creative parkour skills, an Elden Ring fan makes an interesting discovery about what’s hidden at the base of the Erdtree.

Some players love to find all the secrets hidden in games, and with a title as big as Elden Ring, fans surely have their hands full. Of all the interesting Elden Ring secrets, some require gamers to think outside the box if they are going to be discovered.

One Elden Ring fan by the name of vlad17design shared a video on the Elden Ring subreddit of their recent discovery. After observing the Elden Ring Erdtree for so long, they decided to find out what’s at the roots of one of the game’s most important landmarks. Using some parkour skills, they can safely reach the bottom of the capital using an Ash of War.

RELATED: Elden Ring: What the Fallingstar Beast Looks Like Without Fur

The fact that they could get there alone is very interesting and turns out not too difficult to accomplish. Vlad’s Elden Ring discovery unveiled where the avatar of one of Godfrey’s boss phases is held, and potentially an even bigger secret even further below the tree. A faint white outline that looks like an enemy’s shape, potentially hinting at an unused asset.

At the bottom of the tree, there is Hoarah Loux, Godfrey’s second form for his boss fight inside. This is not too surprising, considering his arena is not too far away from this location. Some game developers do this when stashing assets in games. What is interesting is that going through the wall to the right of Hoarah Loux lies a strange light figure at the bottom of the world. Vlad is not able to get a close enough view of the figure since they die every time they jump off but he has suggested it might be the Pest bug enemy.

To get to the Erdtree foot, Vlad started from the Erdtree Sanctuary in Leyndell and went outside right where the root sticks out of the building. By equipping Malenia’s blade, which can only be earned after beating the Malenia boss fight, they used the Ash of War to propel themselves to the appropriate distance safely. Some fans asked if Vlad could use the telescope to get a closer look at the creature at the bottom or perhaps shoot it with an arrow, but the Reddit user said they could not.

Other Reddit users hypothesized that it is a piece of the Elden Beast since the developers could’ve hidden the field for that below Leyndell. A similar thing was done with the Gael boss fight in Dark Souls 3, where the boss avatar was hidden in a different tower and teleported to the arena after the cutscene. While this does make sense, it’s fun to imagine that this could potentially be a hidden scrapped boss waiting to be discovered if players dig further.

Elden Ring is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Elden Ring: 10 Creepiest Locations In The Lands Between