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Snapchat is the latest app to add dual camera functionality. The app is launching the “Dual Camera” recording feature it previewed during its Partner Summit earlier this year. The update enables users to snap photos and video using their phone’s front-facing and rear cameras simultaneously. It’s available now on iOS for iPhone XS and newer (Snap says Dual Camera won’t be available on Android for several more months.)

The company first teased the feature in April, when it said the new video option would be part of a suite of more advanced features for creators called “director mode.” But while director mode hasn’t yet launched — Snap says it’s expected in the coming months — the company opted to roll out Dual camera as a standalone feature in the main Snapchat camera.

Capturing content with both device’s cameras at once isn’t a new concept — the briefly popular app Frontback experimented with it nearly a decade ago — but the concept has become more popular in recent months with the rise of selfie app BeReal. However, Snapchat’s take on the feature is a bit different than those apps, which were more focused on selfies.

With Snapchat’s Dual Camera enabled, users can record video using both cameras at once, and can change up the layout of the two clips. There’s a split-screen version, which places each camera on one half of the screen; a picture-in-picture style; and a cutout mode similar to the effect you might get with TikTok’s green screen. Dual Camera mode also supports Snapchat's signature augmented reality lenses, though for now the effects can only be applied after the fact. 

Snap isn’t the only company experimenting with dual-camera-recording. Instagram is also testing a dual camera setup called Candid Challenges, which the company confirmed last week is currently an “internal prototype.” For now, that feature sounds more like a straight copy of BeReal, but it’s not difficult to imagine the feature could one day make an appearance in Reels as well

If the foldable phone life isn't for you yet but you still like Samsung gadgets, you can pick up one of the company's other flagships for some of the best prices we've seen. Amazon has discounted the entire Galaxy S22 lineup ahead of Labor Day, so you can get the Galaxy S22 Ultra for $930, the S22+ for $750 or the standard S22 for $650. Those are new record-low prices for the Ultra and the S22, and a return to its best price ever for the S22+.

Aside from the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has all of the most advanced features Samsung has to offer right now. Its a hybrid device that marries features from both the S and Note families, with the result being a handset with a 6.8-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen that supports 120Hz refresh rates, a peak brightness of 1,750 nits and S Pen input. The stylus is built into the phone, so Note loves will be able to doodle, take notes and more wherever they may be.

The S22 Ultra also has a formidable triple rear camera system, consisting of a 108-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide shooter and two 10MP telephoto lenses. We were impressed by the photos taken with the smartphone, plus improvements like better auto-framing and new features like Adaptive Pixel make it a great system for mobile photographers.

Overall performance is solid as well. The S22 Ultra runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 12GB of RAM, and the base model has 128GB of storage. It handled everything we threw at it, and we rarely felt it get warm even under stress. While we wish the S22 Ultra's battery life was a bit longer, it's still enough to get you through the day.

Getting all of that for less than $1,000 is a great deal, but if you're on a tighter budget, either the Galaxy S22+ or S22 handsets would make great choices. Both earned a score of 87 from us thanks to their slick designs, lovely displays and strong overall performance — and if you spring for the S22+, you'll get additional perks like a longer battery life, faster WiFi speeds and support for UWB and WiFi 6E.

Smartphones aren't the only Samsung gadgets on sale at Amazon right now either. A bunch of Galaxy tablets are up to 30 percent off, so you can pick up the Galaxy Tab S7 FE for $500, or $180 off its usual price, and the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite for $300, or $130 off the normal rate. All of those deals expire today, though, so you'll have to decide soon if you want to pick one up. Also, the Galaxy Buds Pro are $60 off and down to $140, while the Galaxy SmartTag+ is $10 off and on sale for only $30.

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Sony is making a push into mobile gaming with the launch of "PlayStation Studios Mobile" and acquisition of Savage Game Studios, it announced. Sony said the new studio will be "providing more ways for more people to engage with our content, and striving to reach new audiences unfamiliar with PlayStation and our games."

Savage Game Studio doesn't appear to have produced any games yet, but its co-founders had a hand in mobile franchises like Clash of Clans and Angry Birds. It will join PlayStation Studios Mobile, which will operate separately from its console division and create "new experiences" based on PlayStation IP and franchises. Savage is also currently working on a "new unannounced triple-A mobile live service action game," though it didn't offer any more details. 

As a console maker first and foremost, Sony has a delicate balancing act with mobile, much as it did when it jumped into PC gaming with titles like Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. To that end, it was sure to note that any efforts beyond console "in no way diminish our commitment to the PlayStation community." 

At the same time, Sony no doubt felt pressure to enter the very lucrative mobile space. Michail Katkoff, CEO and Co-founder of Savage Game Studios, said that Sony's PlayStation Studios "respects our vision for how we can best operate and succeed," and will let them "tap into PlayStation’s amazing catalog of IP." In that sense, Sony might take the same course Nintendo did when it brought Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem and other franchises to mobile. 

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Following months of tests and troubleshooting, NASA hopes to launch its long-awaited Artemis 1 Moon mission. Before today, the plan was for the agency's next-generation Space Launch System rocket to blast off sometime after 8:33AM ET. However, during the night a lightning storm moved close to the Kennedy Space Center, forcing NASA to delay the start of propellant loading. The agency later discovered a hydrogen leak and had to troubleshoot through a communications issue with the Orion spacecraft the SLS is supposed to put on a trajectory toward the moon. It's unclear if those issues could delay the launch.     

If the mission doesn't get underway today, it could blast off later this week. The current launch window is open until September 6th. If the rocket is delayed beyond that date, the earliest we could see NASA attempt to put Artemis 1 in space again would be between September 19th and October 4th. Whatever happens over the next few hours, you can watch it all unfold on NASA's official YouTube channel.      

Once it's underway, Artemis 1 will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a trip beyond the moon. If all goes according to plan, the capsule should return to Earth after spending 39 to 42 days in space. The mission is mostly designed to test NASA's latest hardware before a planned crewed spaceflight sometime in 2024.

Released in 1992, a few years after the Super Nintendo console, Super Mario Kart was an odd proposition: Nintendo mascot Mario, his friends and enemies all get in go-carts, racing around flat, pseudo-3D tracks. It all seemed so silly, but Super Mario Kart was a critical and commercial hit, and became a formative gaming experience for many of us. 

Nintendo

As we shake our heads in disbelief that it’s already been 30 years, we're sharing some of our memories of a game that’s now older than a lot of our readers – and even some of our writers.

– Mat Smith

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US theaters will sell $3 movie tickets on September 3rd

More than 3,000 cinemas across the country are participating.

On September 3rd, to coincide with a newly announced National Cinema Day, more than 3,000 theaters across the US - including chains like AMC - will offer discounted $3 tickets. All the major film studios are participating, as well as more than 30,000 screens. The promotion comes at a time when the movie industry is still dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19. The pandemic saw movie studios like Universal significantly shorten theatrical windows, and many chains, including Regal Cinemas, struggled to stay open.

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Netflix with ads could cost between $7 and $9 per month

The new tier may arrive in some markets as early as this year.

Netflix’s incoming ad-supported tier could represent a significant discount on some of the company’s existing plans. According to Bloomberg, the streaming giant is considering a monthly price between $7 and $9. The company’s current “Basic” plan starts at $10 per month. Bloomberg reports that Netflix wants to avoid many of the complaints that frequently come up with other ad-supported streaming services.The company plans to show only about four minutes of ads every hour of streaming, while other reports suggest it won’t show ads during kids’ content.

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You can bend Corsair’s new OLED gaming monitor into a curved display

Probably for a lot of money.

Corsair

When it comes to gaming monitors, you have to decide between a flat or curved display. Usually. Now Corsair is developing a monitor that can be manually bent and straightened. The Xeneon Flex is a 45-inch prototype with a pair of handles on its sides that allow you to adjust the curvature of its display panel up to a maximum of 800R. For now, the monitor doesn’t have a release date or price tag.

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Xbox Game Pass leak hints at support for account sharing among friends

It looks like the tier will carry a 'Friends and Family' branding.

Microsoft’s forthcoming Xbox Game Pass Ultimate family plan could allow you to share the subscription with your buddies. Frequent Microsoft Store leaker Aggiornamenti Lumia shared an image that indicates the tier will carry a “Friends and Family” branding. In the two regions where Microsoft is currently testing Game Pass Ultimate family plans, you can share your subscription with up to four other people, as long as they’re in the same country.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review

Its best buds yet.

The $230 Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are Samsung’s best earbuds yet, and it’s not even close. Thanks to a huge improvement to sound quality, better noise cancellation and a host of handy features, this is the most well-rounded true wireless product from the company so far. But even with all of its gains, the best is still reserved for the Samsung faithful, which means these are only a truly great option if you already own a Galaxy phone. Read on for why.

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Apple may again be looking to nail down "Reality" trademarks ahead of the launch of its much-anticipated AR/VR headset, Bloomberg has reported. Applications were filed for the names "Reality One," "Reality Pro" and "Reality Processor" in the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay. While Apple didn't directly request the trademarks, they were filed by law firms that it has previously used to claim brand names. 

Clues emerged in February that Apple may be using "Reality" branding for its headsets, when the term was spotted in GitHub open source code and App Store upload logs. Then in May, trademark applications were spotted for "realityOS" at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Those were filed by a company called Realityo Systems, but evidence suggests that's a shell company created by Apple to cover its tracks.

With realityOS as a potential name for the operating system, Reality One and Reality Pro could be naming options for the actual headsets. "Reality Processor” could be an M2-based chip designed for the headset that reportedly includes 16 gigabytes of memory, along with graphics technology designed for high-resolution VR and AR images.

There are similar clues with the new filings. The three "Reality" trademarks were filed by a shell company called Immersive Health Solutions LLC incorporate in February, according to Bloomberg. That was registered by another shell corporation (Corporation Trust Co.) often used for filings by firms who want to avoid publicity. Trademarks filed in other countries like New Zealand, meanwhile, were made by law firms that Apple has used in the past. 

Apple's development of AR/VR headsets has been rumored for years, after it purchased VR company VRvana in 2017. The most recent rumor from Bloomberg suggests that the headset will be delayed until 2023 . It may include VR versions of apps like Maps and FaceTime along with collaboration features that will help it compete with Meta. It may also let users watch movies and other content, while offering health-related functions. 

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For all the conveniences of streaming, there’s still something to be said about venturing out to see a film at a movie theater. Sure, there isn’t an endless amount of choice, and you can’t pause when something else requires your attention but seeing a compelling film on the silver screen is its own treat.

On September 3rd, US cinemas will make it more affordable to enjoy that experience. As part of a newly announced National Cinema Day, more than 3,000 theaters across the US, including chains like AMC, will offer discounted $3 tickets. With all major film studios and more than 30,000 screens involved, there’s a good chance a theater near you is participating.  

“After this summer’s record-breaking return to cinemas, we wanted to do something to celebrate moviegoing,” said Cinema Foundation president Jackie Brenneman. “We’re doing it by offering a ‘thank you’ to the moviegoers that made this summer happen, and by offering an extra enticement for those who haven’t made it back yet.”

While people are returning to theaters to see films like Dune and Top Gun: Maverick, the promotion comes at a time when the industry is still dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19. The pandemic saw movie studios like Universal significantly shorten theatrical windows, and many chains, including Regal Cinemas, struggled to stay open amid strict lockdown measures in the US and other parts of the world.

Anker chargers aren’t the only thing on sale at Amazon this weekend. The retailer has also discounted the Echo Show 10. After a 20 percent price drop, the device is $200, down from $250. Both the Charcoal and Glacier White colors are included in the company’s latest promotion. We saw Amazon discount the Echo Show 10 to $180 during Prime Day in July, making this the best price we've seen since then.

Alongside the Echo Show 15, The Echo Show 10 is one of the more unusual products in Amazon’s smart display lineup. Engadget awarded the device a score of 83 in 2021. The rotating screen is an interesting feature that can make it easier to glance at information and participate in video calls while completing other tasks. It also sounds and looks great, and can double as a security camera. However, the problem with the Echo Show 10 is that it’s significantly more expensive than the Echo Show 8. When they’re not on sale, the former is double the price of its more affordable sibling. The Echo Show 10 also takes up more counter space. Amazon’s latest sale won’t help with that last point but a $50 discount does make it a more reasonable purchase.

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