Category: Technology

Flip phones are back, with the early 2000’s trend inspiring a new range of advanced mobile devices from Samsung that provide alternative functionality, and have already caught on with many new fans.

And with this, Instagram is looking to move in line with the trend, with the addition of new hands-free creation options on Samsung Flip phones.

As explained by Instagram:

“Alongside other Meta apps that are improved to work with these devices, Instagram will now adapt to and provide you with the best experience on these phones when you flip them. With FlexCam on Galaxy Z Flip4, you can fold the phone and place it on a freestanding surface to record hand-free videos. Now you can create Stories and Reels without a stand or tripod.”

As you can see from these images, the new flip phone functionality provides another way to capture IG content, with the flip display enabling easier set-up for still shots, by essentially including an in-built stand that can sit on flat surfaces.

Of course, users are able to utilize hands-free recording on IG already, with a ‘Hands Free’ mode built into the app’s camera tools. So functionally, it’s not a major advance, but it does provide another option for flip phone users, which could be of value for those that regularly record IG video, and want an easier way to create better, more stable shots at all times.

Instagram additionally notes that it’s working to further enhance its Android features, with improved load times and support for higher resolution videos. Those updates are still in development – ​​but if you’re super cool and already have a new Samsung flip phone, you can start using this new hands-free functionality straight away.

Samsung’s 1TB T7 Shield SSD is back to its all-time low price of $100, or $60 less than what it usually sells for on Amazon. The last time it was listed for $100 on the website was on Prime Day in July — if you missed the chance to get one at the time and now need a rugged SSD for whatever reason, you may want to head on over to its product page . The T7 Shield is a tougher version of its standard counterpart, one that’s encased in a rubber casing to give it the durability needed to survive up to 9.8-foot drops. That rubber exterior with its Dynamic Thermal Guard also prevents overheating so it suffers no performance drops even while transferring massive files. In addition, the T7 Shield is resistant to water and dust.

Buy Samsung T7 Shield 1TB at Amazon – $100

When it comes to performance, the T7 Shield has sequential read speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s, which Samsung says are the fastest transfer speeds available today based on the USB 3.2 Gen2 standard. It employs the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard so it can keep your data secure in case you lose it. And while it only has one USB-C port, it comes with a USB Type C-to-C and a Type C-to-A cable.

Take note that the model on sale for $100 right now is the 1TB version, but you can also get the 2TB variant at a discount. The larger capacity SSD is currently listed for $200, which is $90 less than its normal price. Both versions are available in blue, black and beige.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

The apex of independent game publishers, Devolver Digital, has released Cult of the Lamb, produced by Massive Monster, and it already appears to be the next big hit for them, know its release date and game pass status

In this incredibly stylish roguelike game, your role as a possessed lamb is to raise a flock of adherents and exterminate the skeptics.

Here is all the information you require regarding Cult of the Lamb’s impending release, including its release date, timing, price, and Xbox Game Pass eligibility.

Cult Of The Lamb Release Date, Time, Countdown, Trailer, Gameplay, Steam Price, Game Pass

As a really small development team, we’ve come so far with Cult of the Lamb.

It barely feels real that so many of you are looking forward to our game and we can’t wait for you to play. pic.twitter.com/qMXKcnGqZH

— Cult of the Lamb 🐑 August 11 (@cultofthelamb) August 9, 2022

quick doodles of Tempura and Cult of the Lamb
(I don’t know the game well I just think they’re cute-) pic.twitter.com/ppfe4LRrbU

— 🌸✨SAE_1307✨🌸👑🐷🎗 (@CrownedSaeraph) July 28, 2022

RELEASE DATE & TIME FOR CULT OF THE LAMB ON PC, PS4/PS5, AND NINTENDO SWITCH

On August 11, 2022, Cult of the Lamb will be available on all platforms. Its release window appears to differ for each platform, therefore we’ve made it clear right here:

Cult of the Lamb will launch on PS4 and PS5 at the following times, per the game’s page on the online PlayStation store:

• 9 a.m. PT
• 11 a.m. CT
• 12 p.m. ET
• 5pm BST
• 6 p.m. CEST

As a really small development team, we’ve come so far with Cult of the Lamb.

It barely feels real that so many of you are looking forward to our game and we can’t wait for you to play. pic.twitter.com/qMXKcnGqZH

— Cult of the Lamb 🐑 August 11 (@cultofthelamb) August 9, 2022

Cult of the Lamb According to the Steam page, the game will go live in one day and six hours at the scheduled time:

• 7 a.m. PT
• 9 a.m. CT
• 10 a.m. ET
• 3pm BST
• 4 p.m. CEST

Release dates for the Nintendo Switch operate significantly differently. The UK Switch eShop claims:

“Content will usually be available at 14:00 GMT (15:00 CET) on the day of release.” However, it adds, “some third-party titles may not be not available until 17:00 GMT (18:00 CET) on the game’s release date.”

On the day of release, “Digital-only products will typically be accessible at 9:00 am Pacific Time, while some third-party titles really aren’t available until 12:00 pm,” according to the US eShop.

The cost of Cult of the Lamb varies slightly depending on the platform from which it is purchased in the UK, however, it is always the same in the US. Prices are listed below:

• PS4/PS5 – £19.99/$24.99
• Steam – £19.49/$24.99
• nintendo switch – £22.49/$24.99
• Xbox – £20.99/$24.99

Cult of the Lamb will not be available to Xbox Game Pass customers who want to use their subscription to play the game.

ALSO READ: Qatar WC to start a day earlier to give hosts opening game: Reports

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Spotify has apparently unveiled a new website to sell concert tickets to consumers. Spotify Tickets is the mysterious new feature from the streaming company that could chip away at sites like Ticketmaster and StubHub.

Ask any concertgoer about their experience buying tickets, and they’ll likely bring up a certain company’s name with a shudder: Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster is known for refusing refunds, and peddling outrageous prices and fees, all because it is the company to purchase concert tickets. While apps like Dice have entered the fold to disrupt Ticketmaster’s looming hand, it appears that music and podcast streaming service Spotify is looking to get in on the action too. Tickets.spotify.com is a new, barebones website that appears to be the company’s attempt at testing a way to provide music fans with a new way to purchase tickets. While promising this test is almost as vague as Spotify’s comment to Gizmodo, which reads:

At Spotify, we routinely test new products and ideas to improve our user experience. Some of those end up paving the path for our broader user experience and others serve only as important learnings. Tickets.spotify.com is our latest test. We have no further news to share on future plans at this time.

Fair enough! While Spotify is tight-lipped on future plans for the rollout, a spokesperson did point me to MusicAlly’s coverage of Spotify Tickets. MusicAlly argues that Spotify Tickets is a pre-sale option for a select amount of tickets from a show’s broader pool of available tickets. Spotify has experimented with concert integration in the past — namely a list of upcoming concerts on artists’ profiles as well as a feature that sends ticket pre-sale codes out to active fans — but this would be a more direct attempt by the company to sell tickets. Artists currently listed on Spotify Tickets include Limbeck, Annie DiRusso, Dirty Honey, Crows, TOKiMONSTA, Four Year Strong, and Osees, with concerts ranging from September to December of this year.

I’m a relatively avid concertgoer and I’ll support anything that makes purchasing tickets even just a little bit less of a headache. I’m also a devoted Spotify user, and the company’s decision to target people like me is a smart move.

As we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s semiannual Unpacked announcement events, for its August 2022 launches the company delivered news about its latest phones, watches and earbuds: the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. The Galaxy ZFlip 3 will get one of our favorite last-gen perks, at $100 price cut.

Among its new product announcements, Samsung brought us up to speed on its sustainability initiatives, including incorporating recycled fishing nets in its latest foldables. Plus we got to see a new promo featuring Korea’s other major global star: BTS.

All the products are expected to ship on Aug. 26.

Want a play-by-play, detailed summary? Check out our archived live blog of the event.

Now playing:
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Galaxy Z Flip 4: Samsung’s Flip Phone Gets New Software,…

4:23

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Like the Z Fold 4, the Flip 4 gets the bottom-screen trackpad feature in its Flex Mode and the nighttime photography improvements that were launched with the S22, including night portrait-mode photos. You’ll also be able to send quick replies to texts, make calls and shoot portrait-mode photos from the cover screen.

You’ll also be able to get a Bespoke Edition like the Flip 3.

Refreshed components include:

• A brighter wide lens and larger pixels in the 12-megapixel cameras
• Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor
• Battery boost to 3,700mAh

Readmore:

Now playing:
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 First Take: Bigger Cover Screen,…

5:43

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a wider cover screen that makes apps look more like they’re intended and that’s designed to make it look like a typical phone when it’s closed. A new Flex Mode feature, also coming to the Flip 4 lets you use the bottom half of the screen as a trackpad.

Samsung claims it’s more durable than its predecessor, notably the internal tablet-sized display. We were treated to a discourse on the upgraded hinge, the new screen-layer architecture and shock-absorbing sponge. The company also Samsung also says the inner screen is brighter, and will have a less noticeable under-screen camera. It inherits the nighttime photography improvements launched with the S22 line, including night portrait-mode photos.

Samsung says this is the first device with Android 12L, the version of Android optimized for tablets. 12L brings a new task bar for streamlining app switching.

Refreshed components include:

• 50-megapixel main camera and a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom in addition to the existing 12-megapixel wide-angle lens
• Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor

Readmore:

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

In addition to the existing Watch sizes, there’s a new, larger and heavier Pro model with a more durable titanium build. Samsung says both Watches have longer battery life over earlier models thanks to higher-capacity batteries (590 mAh in the Pro), an infrared skin temperature sensor and a more durable sapphire crystal for the watch face instead of Gorilla Glass. Plus, there will be new faces available.

There’s a larger surface area for sensor contact on your wrist, which Samsung says will provide more accurate results, and a smaller combined sensor size.

Samsung’s offering some trade-in discounts on preorders: $75 off the Watch 5, or $125 off the Pro if an “eligible” watch is traded in, along with a $50 credit for accessories.

Readmore: Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Now Includes a Pro Model and Better Battery Life

Richard Peterson/CNET

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have beefed up surround and hi-fi audio — as long as they’re connected to a Galaxy phone running Samsung’s One UI 4.0 or later. Samsung’s also eked out another two hours from its battery.

Later in the year, Samsung will be updating the Buds 2 Pro with better 360 LE audio.

Readmore:

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto is now the sixth highest-selling video game franchise ever, with over 380 million copies sold. Surprisingly (or maybe not), GTA 5 is responsible for almost half of this, making it Rockstar’s most popular title ever.

GTA 5 was released in 2013, but has still managed to top the global sales charts on multiple occasions over the years. It is also the second highest-selling video game of all time – beaten only by Minecraft.

RELATED: Falling Back In Love With Grand Theft Auto 5

In a recent earnings report (via Wccftech), Take-Two Interactive revealed that GTA 5 has sold close to 170 million copies as of Q3 2022. Additionally, it has also generated a $1 billion revenue through retail sales, and has also been the best -selling game in the US for the past decade. The developer also reported a loss of around $100 million owing to the Zynga takeover, but will recover soon thanks to a great Q3 2022 start.

In the same report, CEO Strauss Zelnick recently said that the development of GTA 6 is ‘well underway’ and will set ‘creative benchmarks’ for the franchise. So far, we have only seen reports of what GTA 6 could be like. The most recent one suggested that the game will get its first female protagonist. Furthermore, it is claimed that the game will be set in a Miami-inspired area and will feature one of the biggest maps ever. Additionally, there is also talk of the game adding more cities post-launch. The same report also claims that Rockstar is going through an extreme makeover, where it moves away from the ‘crunch’ and the ‘frat boy’ culture. This is also one of the reasons the development of GTA 6 has been slow.

Rockstar prioritizing GTA 6 also meant that the development of other projects would be hindered. Apparently, this was the reason Red Dead Redemption and GTA 4 remasters were shelved.

There is still a long way to go for GTA 6 despite reports saying it has been in development since 2014. Until then, GTA 5 has a lot of time to break the 200 million unit sales mark and challenge Minecraft for the top spot.

NEXT: Grand Theft Auto 6 Needs To Ditch The Scripted Missions

Engineers at SpaceX have performed the first static fire test of Booster 7, a prototype of the Super Heavy first stage. The test, in which just one of the booster’s 33 Raptor engines was ignited, moves the company closer to its first orbital test of the revolutionary Starship system.

The test happened on August 8 at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, according to a company tweet. Ground teams completed a single Raptor engine static fire test as the 69.19 m-tall (69 meters) booster stood vertically at the “Mechazilla” launch tower. Booster 7 is equipped with 33 Raptor engines, but SpaceX, in a rare moment of caution, chose to ignite just one.

Team at Starbase completed a single Raptor engine static fire test of Super Heavy Booster 7 on the orbital launch pad pic.twitter.com/16R7eE985V

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 9, 2022

Encouragingly, a pair of spin-prime tests conducted earlier in the day did not result in an explosion. SpaceX avoided a repeat of the July 11 incident in which a gaseous mixture of methane and oxygen was accidentally ignited, causing a significant explosion directly beneath the booster.

Spin-prime tests, in which propellants are pumped through the engines without igniting them, are typically done in preparation of static fire tests (static fire tests involve engine burns without an actual launch of the rocket). They’re done to test the plumbing, but the gasses produced during the July 11 spin-prime test got ignited by an unknown source. The resulting explosion damaged the prototype booster, sending it back to the Starbase factory for repairs.

Booster 7 returned to the launch pad on August 6 following the re-installation of 20 of the rocket’s 33 Raptor engines, according to Teslarati. On August 8, “clearly indicative of a much more cautious second attempt at engine testing, SpaceX ‘primed’ just one of those 20 Raptors by flowing high-pressure gas through the engine to spin up its turbopumps without igniting its preburners (used to generate the gas that powers the turbopumps) or main combustion chamber,” as Teslarati reports.

Later that day, SpaceX ignited the lone Raptor engine. The company has performed a static fire test of a Starship booster prototype before, but this marks the first static fire test of Booster 7, even if limited in scale. The test appeared to go smoothly, with the engine firing and shutting down following a four-second burn. Not content to stop there, SpaceX also performed static fire tests of two Raptors on an upper stage, namely the prototype Starship 24.

Static fire test of two Raptor engines on Starship 24 pic.twitter.com/NNpViztphI

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 10, 2022

It’s a small step for Starship, but a potentially big leap for SpaceX, as it works to develop its revolutionary heavy launch system. The booster is the first stage of the fully reusable two-stage rocket, with the Starship spacecraft serving as the upper stage. SpaceX envisions Starship as a platform for delivering passengers and cargo to deep space, including future missions to Mars. It’s also NASA’s current first choice to serve as the human landing system for Artemis 3, scheduled for no earlier than 2025.

Both Starship stages are powered by Raptor engines, which are more powerful than the Merlin engines used on the company’s Falcon 9 rockets. The Starship upper stage has already completed a series of suborbital tests, including a successful vertical landing on May 5, 2021. A launch of the fully stacked system has yet to take place, but SpaceX expects to perform an orbital test at some point this year . CEO Elon Musk expects this test will fail, saying a successful orbital test could happen at some point within the next 12 months.

The sight of a single Raptor engine burn is impressive, making it hard to imagine what it’ll look like when all 33 Raptor engines are set to go-mode. The successful test on August 8 suggests a full-fledged static fire test of Booster 7 is closely approaching.

More: Gigantic Crowds Expected for Inaugural Launch of NASA’s Mega Rocket.

Tower of Fantasy’s in-depth anime character creator lets you share your own avatar and vote on the creations of others, and it also includes a Smash or Pass-style roulette reminiscent of the bottomless pits of dating apps.

I discovered this tidy little feature for myself while poking through the preload client ahead of the Tower of Fantasy launch times scheduled for tomorrow, August 10. To the surprise of no one, the most popular Tower of Fantasy custom characters are Genshin Impact lookalikes, but the Smash or Pass tab – technically Like or Pass, but that’s just splitting hairs really – is a much more varied free-for-all.

Keen to spruce up the gamer peripheral market, Logitech G – the company’s gaming brand – has launched the Aurora Collection, a range of colorful equipment far removed from the industry’s obsession with many shades of grey.

The Aurora Collection consists of a new headset, two keyboards, a mouse, and various accessories aimed at customizing your preferred aesthetic. Primarily aimed at women, the range is also for anyone wanting something different from the norm.

Logitech G735 Wireless Gaming Headset

Out of the box, the G735 Wireless Gaming Headset is the first Logitech G headset to include new customizable tech from microphone brand Blue. It means you can modulate your voice and save audio settings via the G Hub software and directly on the headset.

In keeping with the Aurora Collection’s ethos of catering to women gamers, the headset is designed to better fit smaller head sizes. It comes in a Mist White finish, which can be customized with accessories, and features RGB lighting. According to Logitech, you can expect more than 56 hours of battery life when the lighting is off, so it should stand up to marathon gaming sessions. The G735 headset connects wirelessly to PCs via a USB dongle using its low-latency Lightspeed technology. Plus you can connect to a Bluetooth device simultaneously and control the audio levels of both sources.

The G735 Wireless Gaming Headset is up for pre-order through Logitech G and other retailers for $399.95.

G715 and G713 Mechanical Gaming Keyboards

One wireless and one wired, both keyboards are tenkeyless options made to take up minimal space on your desk. Similar to the G735 headset, the G715 keyboard has both Lightspeed and Bluetooth wireless connectivity – up to 25 hours via a rechargeable battery. Meanwhile, the G713 is for those who prefer a wired connection.

Each Aurora Collection keyboard comes in the standard White Mist finish, replete with RGB lighting. Importantly for mechanical keyboard users, they each offer three different switch types: Tactile, Clicky, and Linear. Again reinforcing the range’s focus on aesthetics, each keyboard comes with a cloud-shaped palm rest.

Available for pre-order, the G715 Mechanical Wireless Gaming Keyboard retails for $349.95, while the wired G713 version sits at $269.95.

Fast clicking, pretty microphones, and Aurora Collection accessories

Rounding out the Aurora Collection is the G705 Wireless Gaming Mouse, and a special edition Blue Yeti microphone release. Made for smaller hands, the G705 is a slender 85 grams, built to contour to users’ hands. It also uses both Lightspeed and Bluetooth wireless technology, lasting up to 40 hours with a USB-C rechargeable battery. Minimalist in comparison to other gaming mice, the G705 has a DPI button for quickly changing mouse sensitivity. It’s available to order for $149.95.

Made with content creators in mind, the special edition Blue Yeti USB microphones come in either Pink Dawn or White Mist. In addition to voice modulation, EQ, and Nvidia Broadcast Noise Removal features through G Hub, both mics also include exclusive Aurora Collection stream overlays in Streamlabs. Both mics will retail for $199.95.

As part of the Aurora Collection, you can also kit out the peripherals with eight new accessories. These range from keycaps, mouse pads, and earpads – many available in either white, pink or green.

I really dig the look of the Aurora Collection, although you’re paying a premium for the privilege. More accessories and color options are a fun way to show a bit of personality through the gear you use. However, many stylish tech options tend to be for those who can afford them.

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