Although there are some major gamingshowcasestaking place this week, there are a few big names missing. One of those is E3, which was for a long time the most important gaming trade show on the calendar. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and some other factors, E3 has had a rocky few years and it isn't going ahead in 2022. However, the group behind the expo, the Entertainment Software Association, plans to bring E3 back in 2023 with both in-person and digital components.
“As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach, we also know that there’s a really strong desire for people to convene — to be able to connect in person and see each other and talk about what makes games great," Stan Pierre-Louis, CEO and president of the ESA, told The Washington Post.
The ESA has not announced the dates for next year's planned show. However, the event usually takes place in early June. The 2020 edition was scheduled for just a few months after the onset of the pandemic but it and this year's show werecanceled. (E3 did convene in 2021, albeit as an online-only event.)
Even before all of that, there were signs that E3 might be on the outs. For instance, Sony decided not to take part in the 2019 edition. The company instead adopted the Nintendo approach of holding digital showcases under its State of Play banner. Other publishers have shied away from E3 as well. That gives them the chance to take up a bigger share of the gaming news cycle whenever they host their own events.
Microsoft, on the other hand, seems to still be on board the E3 hype train. It was part of last year's virtual E3 and is hosting a showcase around the time this year's edition would have taken place.
Other issues have impacted E3 over the last few years. In 2019, personal details for thousands of journalists, analysts and content creators were leaked in a data breach. A media portal used for last year's all-digital affair reportedly made some folks' personal details visible to anyone who registered.
There's perhaps still a place for E3 though, if it can bring together enough of the gaming industry in 2023. It still has value as a destination for studios, publishers, press and fans to get together, show off or play brand new games and take part in conferences. For indie developers, trade shows are a great opportunity for them to secure publishing deals that can perhaps turn their promising game into a success on the level of Stardew Valley or Undertale.
Following a test that began in April, Instagram has begun rolling out grid pinning, a new way for users to highlight posts they want others to see. When you pin an image or Reel, it will appear above the photo grid on your profile page. It’s possible to showcase up to three pieces of content in this way. To start pinning, tap on the three dots icon above an individual post and then select “pin to your profile.”
The release of grid pinning coincides with Instagram and Facebook adding new features to Reels. It’s now possible to add interactive stickers to your clips and import your own audio. Meta has also extended the maximum length of Reels to 90 seconds. Speaking to all the changes, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said they would make it easier for creators to engage and share their work with fans. He added the company was looking at more ways to give users control over their profile pages.
📣 New Features for Creators 📣
Some fun, new features built for creators that make it easier to engage and share:
- 90-second Reels - Import audio in Reels - Interactive stickers in Reels - Grid pinning
Waymo and Uber have signed a long-term, strategic partnership to collaborate on long-haul autonomous trucking. They'll blend Waymo's self-driving tech with Uber Freight's network. The idea is to help customers deploy autonomous trucks more efficiently.
Those who buy trucks equipped with the Waymo Driver system will be able to tap into Uber Freight's marketplace technology, meaning they'll be able to deploy vehicles on the latter's network for deliveries. Uber Freight is essentially a version of the regular Uber app designed for shippers, which helps them find truck drivers for on-demand haulage.
Waymo Via — the company's trucking division — plans to earmark billions of miles of goods-only driverless delivery capacity for the Uber Freight network. It will only make that mileage available "when shippers need it most."
The companies will trial the integration on Waymo Via's test fleet at the outset. The timeline for a broader deployment is not clear. The companies say that by letting autonomous systems handle the long-haul aspect of trucking, they foresee a future where drivers will be able to move into short-haul jobs.
Uber and Waymo haven't always been on the same page. In 2017, Waymo owner Alphabet sued Uber over the alleged theft of trade secrets by former employees. The previous year, Uber bought a self-driving truck startup called Otto, which was founded by a number of ex-Alphabet employees, including engineer Anthony Levandowski.
Alphabet claimed Levandowski downloaded more than "14,000 highly confidential and proprietary design files for Waymo's various hardware systems" a few weeks before he quit the company. Levandowski was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2020 and pardoned the following January by outgoing president Donald Trump.
Uber and Waymo settled the suit in 2018. After the companies resolved their differences, it was reported that Uber was open to the idea of collaborating with Waymo.
For the first time in more than 20 years, F1 fans will soon have a new manager-style game to play. On Tuesday, Formula 1 announced it would release the highly anticipated F1 Manager 2022 on August 30th. The organization also shared a new gameplay trailer showcasing various aspects of the upcoming title.
Created by Frontier Developments, a studio best known for its work on the Elite Dangerous series, F1 Manager 2022 puts you in the shoes of a team principal. Instead of driving a single Formula 1 car, you’ll need to oversee an entire team. Naturally, that means not only picking all the components for your vehicles but also recruiting the drivers who will pilot them to victory. With Formula 1 involved, the game models all 22 Grand Prix circuits and includes real-world drivers from the F1, F2 and F3 segments. What’s more, Sky Sports host David Croft and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok recorded commentary and analysis for the game.
F1 Manager 2022 is available to preorder today on PlayStation, Xbox and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Pre-ordering F1 Manager 2022 will get early access to the game on August 25th.
After a months-long delay, DICE and EA are finally ready to premiere the first season of Battlefield 2042. The two have announced that Season 1: Zero Hour premieres on June 9th with a large batch of fresh content. There's a new map set in the Canadian Rockies (Exposure) for the All-Out Warfare and Portal modes. A new character, Ewalina Lis, is well-suited to anti-vehicle combat. You'll need her, too, as there are new stealth helicopters (the Huron and Hannibal) that could provide an unwelcome surprise.
The new season includes a wider range of gear, including a crossbow with multiple round options (including explosive), a mid-range rifle and a smoke grenade launcher. To no one's surprise, EA is also promising more skins and melee takedown animations for Premium Battle Pass buyers.
Zero Hour also builds on the many bug fixes and needed feature additions since launch. You can expect greater stability, better balancing and improved handling for guns and vehicles, among other tweaks. Custom game mode creators can expect a more powerful editor and a new preset, while Portal brings back some vehicles and "experiences."
Season 1 is free for all BF2042 players, and you'll only really want the Premium pass if you insist on having the latest cosmetics. The question is whether or not the update will bring gamers back. While active player counts have levelled out, according to Steam Charts, there's no doubt that interest in the shooter tumbled soon after its November 2021 debut. A rough launch and other frustrations prompted much of the target audience to drift toward other titles. The major content update might encourage users to give the game a second chance, but it's not certain that they'll stick around.
Many students have returned to in-person classes, but that isn't stopping Google from making online education more viable. The company has updated Classroom and Workspace for Education with a host of features that improve life for teachers and students alike. In Workspace, for instance, you can now auto-transcribe Meet calls directly into Google Docs — helpful if you want to quickly produce lesson material or help students catch up when they miss lectures. You can also host polls and Q&A sessions in Meet sessions, livestream public events (think school assemblies) to YouTube and use picture-in-picture to manage class presentations without losing sight of your pupils.
Teachers using Classroom, meanwhile, now have access to previously beta-only add-on support that extends functionality beyond what Google can offer. You can get an EdPuzzle add-on to automatically integrate and grade assignments, while a Pear Deck extension can create assignments using lessons from the Pear Deck library. The Classroom updates also make it easier to add YouTube videos to lessons, export grades and get updates through email notifications. An update later in 2022 will let teachers reply directly to students from Gmail notifications.
Google is expanding access to its Read Along app, too. It's rolling out a beta for a new web version over the next month, so students might not need to lean on their phones as they improve their literacy skills.
The announcements come alongside Chrome OS updates that include improved casting and optimizing educational apps like Figma. Although these updates might not matter much as the pandemic (hopefully) winds down, they could still be useful as schools increasingly rely on internet-based lessons and coursework.
In its ongoing push to corner the education market, Google is introducing new classroom-specific features to Chrome OS. The first of those is Screencast, a new built-in app that allows teachers to build a video library of lessons and demos students can turn to if they miss a class or need help with a homework assignment. Available as of Chrome OS version M103, the software includes tools for trimming and transcribing clips.
Google points out that students can also use the app to create video reports and share ideas with classmates. Additionally, Screencast supports stylus input, allowing both teachers and students to write and draw on their videos. Sharing is done through Google Drive, allowing students to access content their teachers upload both at school and at home.
The other feature Google introduced today is a new cast moderator mode designed to give teachers more control over onscreen presentations and other content shared wirelessly within their classroom. With the help of an access code, the feature gives educators the power to turn off disruptive screencasts. Before making the feature widely available, Google plans to run a pilot program to trial the feature with a select group of schools this summer. Once it’s available, it will work with the company’s Chrome browser, Chrome OS and Google TV devices.
Google
Google also announced today it’s partnering with Figma, a collaborative graphic design tool, to optimize its software for Chromebooks. With the partnership, schools in the US can download a free beta of the software through the Google Admin Console.
Porches, decks, patios, balconies, terraces. Places for dads to find solace from the world around them. Those spots, and backyards overall, are excellent places to cook a meal, have a drink or simply relax. We’ve compiled a list of the best backyard gear for dads this Father’s Day, from smart grills and pizza ovens to fire pits and drinkware. There’s something that can help all dads enjoy a little time outside.
Thermacell E55
Thermacell
If you’re going to be outdoors during the summer, you're going to need some bug protection. If your dad is like me and mosquito spray just doesn’t seem to cut it, Thermacell’s products offer protection from bites. I’ve used the E55 and the Patio Shield, and they both work well. However, I prefer the E55 because it’s rechargeable battery powered where the Patio Shield burns liquid fuel. With the E55, you only have to worry about the repellent cartridge which can last up to 40 hours if you opt for the high-capacity refill. There’s no spray, no mist and no excess smoke – just a 20-foot bug-free zone.
Maybe dad doesn’t need a new grill, but could use some help perfecting his skills or would enjoy monitoring food from afar. Meater+ is a wireless probe that sends food and ambient temperature readings to your phone via Bluetooth. Both sensors are in the same probe, further cutting down on any clutter and giving backyard cooks free access to everything they’re cooking. The Meater software can guide you through the cooking process and provides estimated completion times. And with a rated range of 165 feet, dad can relax and still keep tabs on everything.
Every dad can use a way to keep canned beverages cold on a hot day, but Brumate’s Hopsulator Trio functions as a koozie and a travel mug. There are a few different models, but I prefer the Trio’s 3-in-1 abilities. For 16 ounce cans, it’s an insulated aluminum holder. For 12 ounce cans, the Hopsulator comes with a reusable cold puck for even more efficient cooling. And as I mentioned, it comes with a lid so you can use it as a cup if you want. I use mine year round, but it gets the most work during the warmer months when I’m out at the grill or sitting on the deck.
What do you get the dad that has seemingly everything already? Something to make his life easier. TP-Link’s Kasa line offers a range of smart home products, including smart outdoor plugs. These work well for things like patio string lights and other items you’d rather not venture outside to simply plug in. You can control the outlets via the Kasa app or with your voice via Alexa and Google Assistant. The app gives you the ability to set timers to automate things and the IP64 rating means you won’t have to worry about dust or rain.
When it comes to smart grills, Traeger’s pellet models are among the most versatile. They allow you to do everything from low-and-slow barbecue to hot and fast high-heat searing. The company’s app is a wealth of information, with recipes and step-by-step guidance right on dad’s phone. For 2022, the company completely redesigned its Timberline grills, making them a full-fledged outdoor kitchen with the addition of a side-mounted induction burner. Traeger also made changes for better heat distribution and cleanup. So not only can your dad cook a feast, but he shouldn’t have to spend as much time on maintenance afterwards.
Weber brought its smart grilling platform to its gas grills in 2021, putting a sous chef on every dad’s phone. With the 2022 models, the company made some design tweaks to make the grills more versatile, but Weber Connect remains. Via an app, dad can access step-by-step cooking guidance, estimate completion times and even monitor fuel levels (propane models). Weber’s new line of accessories also expand what you can cook, adding things like a pizza stone, roasting basket and flat-top griddle as optional gear for the new Genesis smart grills.
I’ve had several fire pits since I bought a house in 2014, and none of them can compete with Solo Stove. The company’s products are designed to channel smoke upward, keeping you from being choked out while you’re trying to enjoy some time outdoors. The pits come in various sizes, so you have options if dad goes camping often or just needs a place to chill in the backyard. The interior design of the Solo Stove pits also facilitates proper airflow, so fires always burn nicely.
An essential part of any dad’s backyard setup is the ability to blast some tunes. A portable Bluetooth speaker also gives him the ability to take his yacht rock playlist on the road. UE’s Wonderboom 2 is a compact and affordable option with big sound. It’s also IP67 rated and protected against drops of up to five feet. What’s more, you can pair two units together for stereo audio and an outdoor mode adjusts the mids and highs for better sound in open air.
It’s no secret that Ooni’s pizza ovens can help you make restaurant quality pies at home. They’re well built, easy to use and reach cooking temperatures in just a few minutes. The Karu 16 is the company’s latest model, and it’s also one of the most versatile. You can cook with wood or add a gas burner in order to power your pizza parties. Plus, there’s a viewing window in the front and an ambient temperature display that comes in very handy. The Karu 16 is more expensive than some Ooni models, but it also makes things easier on dad when he’s launching pizzas on the patio.
Few things are better than morning coffee on the back porch. Few things are worse than picking up your cup and taking a swig of cold coffee. Ember’s heated mugs can help dad escape this fate by keeping coffee and other beverages set to a desired temperature. I’ve been using one since I got it for Father’s Day on a near daily basis and I can attest it is much better than microwaving cold coffee. However, the battery life isn’t great: 1.5 hours with the Ember Mug 2 10 ounce and up to 80 minutes with the 14 ounce. I’d love it if those times were a bit longer, but these cups can still get the job done.
This year's Summer Game Fest showcase takes place on Thursday. It's an industry-wide event that will include reveals from a bunch of publishers and studios, but host and producer Geoff Keighley has urged fans not to set their hopes too high in terms of new game announcements.
“What I would say is that a lot of the games we’re going to show you are going to be [already] announced… games are going to show new content to you, like some of the ones I’ve mentioned,” Keighley said in a Twitter Spaces chat, according to VGC. “We’ve got a couple of new game announcements in the show and hopefully some surprises if everything holds. But it definitely is a show that’s primarily focused on stuff that is announced.” Keighley added that it might be best for fans to "definitely manage your expectations in terms of the megaton shocks that you’re expecting."
Still, there's a lot to look forward to. Keighley noted some of the games that will be featured. The stream will include the first full level playthrough of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IIand a gameplay demo for The Callisto Protocol(a survival horror game from Dead Space creator Glen Schofield's new studio). There will also be news on Gotham Knightsand new footage from Cuphead expansion The Delicious Last Course.
Keighley said there will be looks at Xbox and Nintendo exclusives as well. However, he pointed out that Microsoft is likely hanging on to the biggest news for its own showcase, which takes place on Sunday. Nintendo, meanwhile, hasn't confirmed whether its next Direct will take place anytime soon.
I'm getting so excited about #SummerGameFest and our live show on Thursday!
Hope to see you then, streaming live everywhere with lots of updates on games, announcements, and more! pic.twitter.com/hUC7GBDd5Z
The Summer Game Fest showcase will include some guests too, such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who recently started playing a character in Fortnite. Perhaps we'll learn more about the next video game movie he's working on. The event, meanwhile, is set to run for between 90 minutes and two hours.
Trying to manage expectations is a smart move on Keighley's part. Sony has been doing a similarly good job of keeping conjecture in check ahead of its State of Play streams. While there are always going to be some people who are disappointed by events like this, it's better to have lower expectations and be surprised than get too amped up and get deflated if you don't see a game that excites you.
That's not to say there won't be major reveals. It was at last year's edition of Summer Game Fest that fans got their first look at Elden Ring in two years, along with a release date (which was, inevitably, delayed by a few weeks).
Even if you feel like this year's Summer Game Fest showcase is a bust, there are more than a dozen other gaming events over the next week or so, even without E3 taking place. You're bound to find some games that interest you if you dig a little deeper.
Volocopter's drone taxi is one step closer to entering service. The German firm has revealed that its four-seat electric VTOL aircraft, the VoloConnect, completed its first flight in May. The machine's initial trip was brief at two minutes and 14 seconds, but the maneuvers proved that the production-level aerodynamics and performance held up in real world conditions. There have been three flights so far.
The 60-mile range and 155MPH flight speed might not sound like much. However, they promise autonomous commuter flights beyond major urban centers — you could fly to a business meeting from the suburbs. The VoloConnect is effectively a companion to the VoloCity, a shorter-ranged eVTOL flier meant strictly for urban jaunts.
The VoloConnect is expected to serve customers starting in 2026, two years after the VoloCity's projected 2024 rollout. While that's a relatively long way off, Volocopter is unique in having multiple air taxis conducting real-world flight tests. The company is closer to actual commuter trips than competitors, many of whom have one model or an indefinite timeline for service.
