- Apple Plans Major Changes to its App Store for European Users In the face of upcoming European Union regulations, Apple is gearing up to introduce sideloading support in the App Store within Europe, as stated by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This move is an effort to comply with the stipulations of the impending Digital Markets Act (DMA), due by March 7. This change will mark a significant deviation from Apple's current practice, as outside App Store installations have not been supported previously in any region. Gurman, in an exclusive edition of the weekly Power On newsletter, reveals Apple's intention to divide the App Store into two separate versions in the coming weeks. This... Continue reading
- Google Introducing More Real-Money Games to Play Store Google has unveiled plans to expand its support for real-money games (RMG) on the Play Store. With this, the tech behemoth plans to allow additional varieties of games in this category while adhering to local laws. The program is scheduled to launch in India, Brazil, and Mexico in June, with further plans to extend its reach to other countries. In addition to this, Google is pondering a modified service fee model for app subscriptions and in-app purchases. Though they have not disclosed specifics regarding the percentage they would be taking from developers, they have expressed their intention to remodel their service... Continue reading
- Microscale Version of the Lesser-known Atari Computer with 25 Pre-installed Games Makes a Comeback Noted microconsole creators, Retro Games Ltd., are gearing up to co-launch with Plaion the "THE400 Mini" console worldwide on March 28, 2024. Mimicking the landmark Atari 400 microcomputer, they've shrunken the device for a modern audience while preserving classic Atari games. Previously, Plaion's collaboration with Retro Games Ltd. on the Atari 2600+ made a significant impact in the market. Pre-orders for THE400 Mini, priced at $119.99 / £99.99 (around AU$179), are currently open. THE400 Mini sports a handy, HD-ready design. It easily connects to a television or computer screen via HDMI, delivering a 720p image. Users can choose between 50Hz or... Continue reading
- Samsung Enhances Smart Home Experience with Innovative SmartThings Platform Features At the CES 2024 event in Las Vegas, Samsung unveiled a series of updates to its SmartThings home automation ecosystem, indicating a push towards a more cohesive and interactive smart home environment for users of Samsung devices. As part of its announcements, Samsung introduced Now Plus, a new feature destined for a selection of Samsung television sets. Designed with convenience in mind, the Now Plus dashboard activates as users approach, presenting information about the status and readings of smart home gadgets, including details like the ambient temperature inside. Adding to the user-friendly appeal is a new "quick panel" that provides easy access... Continue reading
- RAID: Shadow Legends Joins Forces with Monster Hunter for Exclusive Character Event RAID: Shadow Legends, the popular role-playing game from Plarium Games, has embarked on another ambitious crossover, this time partnering with the Monster Hunter franchise. The alliance serves as the latest move in the game's strategy to diversify its character lineup, which in the past has included the likes of the streamer and gamer Ninja as a playable character. Since the game's launch in early 2019, RAID: Shadow Legends has employed an aggressive marketing approach, harnessing the power of YouTube sponsorships and compelling gameplay to attract a massive player base. Revelations from the Israeli developers indicate that their gacha RPG has been... Continue reading
- WhatsApp Enhances User Experience with Fresh Updates in December As a leader in encrypted messaging, WhatsApp consistently refines its platform to enhance user communication and privacy. With its finger always on the pulse of users' needs, December witnessed a slew of updates that unveiled new features and improvements, particularly in the app's beta iterations. From more secure chat locks to the ability to pin important messages within conversations, WhatsApp's evolution continues to redefine the messaging landscape. One of the most significant updates introduced a novel way to secure private chats. This feature broadens the scope of security by enabling users to set unique passwords, including emojis, directly within the chat... Continue reading
- Navigating Player Frustration: Fortnite's Battle Pass Exclusive Cosmetics Debate Fortnite's Battle Pass has continually offered an extensive array of unique skins and cosmetic items, drawing on everything from beloved comic book characters to iconic movie franchises. Over the seasons, players have had the opportunity to don the attire of their favorite cultural symbols through dedicated Battle Pass content. Although this model has been lucrative for Epic Games, it has generated some frustration within the player base. The approach Fortnite has taken regarding its Battle Pass-exclusive content, such as collaboration cosmetics, has recently become a point of contention amongst its community. Players who enjoy embodying their favorite characters from other media... Continue reading
- In Sonic Superstars, Sonic Dons A Festive Santa Costume Sonic Superstars ranks as one of the year's most delightful platformers, delivering an archetypal Sonic escapade filled with side-scrolling excitement and breakneck speeds, complemented by the option for cooperative play. As the festive season approaches, we believe numerous players will find joy in this game over the Christmas break. Enhancing the holiday spirit is now easier with the offering of complimentary DLC. This design echoes the festive bonus from the previous year found in Sonic Frontiers, presenting a charming little extra that we firmly recommend you seize the opportunity to enjoy. Continue reading
- Own A Piece Of Breathtaking The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Artwork Today During The Game Awards, the spectacle extended beyond the premiere of new game trailers and Simu Liu's surprising five-minute discourse on his foot. The event also unveiled exclusive artwork from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as a homage to its victory in the Best Action/Adventure category. For those with a Nintendo account, there's a treat awaiting on the My Nintendo Rewards program. You can claim this artwork for personal use, available as wallpaper for either your phone or desktop. Plus, it's completely free, requiring no Platinum Points to download. However, North American fans should note that obtaining this piece... Continue reading
- Addressing the Surge in Invalid Traffic: The Hidden Threat to Advertising Efficacy As the advertising landscape navigates a period of slow growth, down by 5.3%, a new challenge looms large: the rise of invalid traffic (IVT). This issue not only drives up ad waste but also disrupts budgeting and revenue predictions within the industry. The Advertising Community is Alarmed by a 33% Increase in Bogus Traffic Efficiency experts at Lunio have indicated a potentially dire fiscal impact for the year 2024: a whopping $71 billion might be spent on non-genuine or invalid traffic, marking a 33% uptick from the previous year. Their comprehensive analysis, encompassing 2.6 billion paid advertisement clicks and 104 billion impressions... Continue reading
- Google Investigating Vanishing Files on Google Drive, Advises Users to Hold Off on Edits Google Drive users have been experiencing an alarming issue with their files disappearing from the cloud storage service. Reports on Google's Support forum have been accumulating, with users voicing concerns about losing access to files they've uploaded. Notably, on YCombinator’s Hacker News forum, a user from South Korea detailed a perplexing situation where their Google Drive no longer showed any files uploaded after May 2023. They encountered a complete absence of new files in both their folders and the trash, alongside a mysterious reversion of their folder structure to the way it was in May 2023. This individual, who confirmed... Continue reading
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Enhances PC Gaming With NVIDIA DLSS 3 Update Sledgehammer Games has deployed a fresh update for the renowned Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, advancing it to version 1.33. The update not only addresses numerous bugs but also introduces a collection of balance adjustments thoroughly cataloged for gamers to review. A highlight of this update is the extended support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 (Frame Generation) technology, now available for all gaming modes for PC players. Prior to this patch, the Frame Generation feature was exclusive to the single-player campaign. Marc-Alexandre Milot, the Design Director at Beenox, expressed that in the high-stakes realm of Call of Duty, every frame matters.... Continue reading