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Fans of the long-dormant Armored Core series can look forward to the franchise’s return before long, as FromSoftware announced today that Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon launches on August 25th. In addition, there is a new trailer and fresh story / gameplay details that shed more light on the upcoming mecha-based title.

Announced at The Game Awards 2022, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is the franchise’s first mainline game in over a decade. Fresh off the success of the acclaimed Elden Ring, FromSoftware had previously said the new entry is a reboot that will take advantage of the developer’s expanded resources to make the Armored Core game it always “wanted to make” while honoring the 26-year-old franchise’s roots, according to president Hidetaka Miyazaki. “What we are aiming to create with AC6,” game director Masaru Yamamura toldXbox Wire, “is a new mech action game as a product of what the current day FromSoftware can output.”

Armored Core VI’s story is set on the planet Rubicon, where a precious but dangerous resource called Coral is discovered. Having previously been turned to ash by a massive disaster (thanks to Coral), Rubicon is a world of “hollowed-out industrial ruins” only barely concealed beneath a corporate “shiny shell of state-of-the-art mining constructs encasing the planet.” Whether the game flies or not, that’s a fun premise with plenty of opportunities for staggering set pieces (which you can see in the trailer) and real-world metaphors with present-day relevance.

FromSoftware / Bandai Namco Entertainment

“It’s an intricate and multi-layered world, brimming with mega-structures and enormous underground facilities built by its former inhabitants. These structures cover a planetary surface wracked with extreme cold and contamination in the aftermath of the great disaster, and the player will be exploring these various environments as they proceed,” game director Masaru Yamamura explained toPlayStation blog. 

New gameplay features include the new Assault Boost, a button-triggered skill that lets you instantly switch between long-range shooting and melee. “Assault Boost is an offensive action that helps close the gap between enemies and lets you quickly go from long distance to close range,” Yamamura said. “Say you activate Assault Boost to make your approach while using machine gun fire and a missile salvo to stagger the enemy, then use your pulse blade to score a direct melee hit once you’re up close.”

The developer says it’s building on and fine-tuning the franchise’s familiar customization. “The main thing we focused on in AC6 was to make sure that this customization element is not just about the parameters going up and down and numerical values; we want to reflect these changes in customization in the way the game and action feel as much as possible,” said Yamamura. “For example, you obviously you have the head, core, arms, and leg parts of the AC. The leg parts in particular control the mech’s movement and so these will change the basic behavior of the AC depending what type they are. Like, tank-type legs will be able to perform drift turns. Weapons will differ in terms of how they fire, how much recoil they have, and how the projectiles behave. We’ve been conscious of how this all affects the game feel and the individuality of different builds.”

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon launches on August 25th, and you can pre-order it now (in a $60 standard edition or $70 deluxe edition) for PlayStation 5 / 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One and PC.

Lyft had warned of impending layoffs last week, and now it's taking action. The ridesharing company is cutting 1,072 jobs, or about 26 percent of its employees. It's also scaling back hiring and will scrub 250 open roles. The decision will carry severance and benefits costs of up to $47 million in the second quarter, but Lyft believes the savings will help with 'improvements" for drivers and passengers. More details are coming during an earnings call on May 4th.

The firm had already laid off 13 percent of its team in November last year. This latest decision also follows just weeks after co-founder Logan Green stepped down as CEO following a rough earnings call. Green said the company would have to boost spending to remain competitive with Uber. While neither Lyft nor Uber has turned a profit on an annual basis, Uber was profitable last quarter thanks to investments in other businesses.

New Lyft chief (and former Amazon executive) David Risher, who started this month, has called for streamlined business and a renewed focus on the "needs of riders and drivers." He's part of a broader executive shakeup that sees president and co-founder John Zimmer move to the board of directors, where Green still has a role.

Lyft is far from alone. Numerous tech giants have laid off staff in 2023, in many cases due to a rough global economy. However, its rival Uber has so far avoided severe cuts in recent months. Layoffs.fyisays Uber laid off about 60 engineers in Lithuania last fall, and 150 Uber Freight workers in January. This doesn't guarantee that Uber will avoid trouble, but it suggests the ride hailing giant is feeling less pressure than Lyft.

The well-reviewed, yet pricey, PlayStation VR2 headset is making its way to retailers after a two-month stint of exclusivity at Sony’s Direct consumer storefront. The company shared the news on Twitter, but has not set an official date or even announced what lucky retailers would get their mitts on the PS5-adjacent headset. Sony tells customers to check with local retailers for availability information.

UK retailer ShopTo has suggested that the VR headset will be in stock starting May 12th, though it remains to be seen if that date holds for every online and brick-and-mortar retail location out there. It is worth noting that May 12th is when a little mom-and-pop video game called The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases on Switch, so get ready for crowds if you head into a store looking for just a VR headset.

Beyond making it easier to score a PSVR 2 headset, wider availability will almost certainly lead to sales and discounts. At $550, the PS5 accessory is more expensive than the actual PS5. Sony has not disclosed any sales numbers for the headset but it did halve sales expectation numbers ahead of the February launch due to fewer-than-anticipated preorders. Having the headset locked behind an exclusive web portal likely did it no favors.

The PSVR 2 has been praised for its fantastic visuals, updated controllers and haptic feedback abilities, though the games library is on the anemic side (right now). Here is to hoping increased availability will bring the headset into more homes, hastening mainstream adoption and giving the Meta Quest platform a true run for its money. This could only be a good thing for VR in general.

Elon Musk may have to answer detailed questions regarding a fatal 2018 Tesla crash where Autopilot was involved. Judge Evette Pennypacker has ordered Musk to give a three-hour deposition in a lawsuit over the crash, which killed Apple engineer Walter Huang when his Model X plowed into a highway median south of San Francisco. Attorneys for Huang's family want to grill the tech CEO over statements he made about Autopilot's capabilities in the years before the incident.

Most notably, the plaintiffs point to a 2016 Code Conference interview (shown below) where Musk maintained that Tesla cars with Autopilot could already drive with "greater safety than a person." They're also concerned about a 2016 self-driving demo video that engineers testified was staged to show features that weren't ready. The implication, of course, is that Huang was falsely led to believe he could trust his Model X to drive down the highway without being ready to take over.

Tesla says Autopilot was engaged at the time of the crash, but also maintains that Huang ignored three car warnings to put his hands back on the steering wheel. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says Huang was playing a phone game at the time. Tesla tried to resist the deposition by claiming Musk couldn't remember the associated statements, and that his popularity could prompt the creation of AI-based deepfake videos. Pennypacker rejected this argument as a "deeply troubling" tactic that could effectively shield any well-known person from responsibility for their statements.

The order is officially tentative, and a hearing is slated for today (April 27th) to make a final decision. However, Reuters notes California judges usually finalize these rulings with few changes. The lawsuit is slated to reach trial on July 31st.

Tesla has faced mounting criticism over its Autopilot safety claims, including concerns that over-reliance on the system has led to crashes. Politicians have called for the automaker to improve safety and use more accurate naming. However, the company has also had a few victories as of late. The NTSB in February ruled out Autopilot as a factor in a deadly 2021 crash in Texas. Just days ago, Tesla thwarted a lawsuit from a Los Angeles driver who faulted Autopilot for swerving her Model S into a median. There will be lingering concerns, then, whether or not Tesla survives the Huang lawsuit.

After a string of delays and a scrubbed launch attempt, SpaceX finally conducted the first test flight of its Starship spacecraft earlier this month. While the vehicle got off the ground, it seems federal agencies will be dealing with the explosive fallout of the mission for quite some time.

Federal agencies say the launch led to a 3.5-acre fire on state park land. The blaze was extinguished. Debris from the rocket, which SpaceX said it had to blow up in the sky for safety reasons after a separation failure, was found across hundreds of acres of land. “Although no debris was documented on refuge fee-owned lands, staff documented approximately 385 acres of debris on SpaceX’s facility and at Boca Chica State Park,” the Texas arm of the US Fish and Wildlife Service told Bloomberg.

The agency noted it hasn’t found evidence of dead wildlife as a result of the incident. Still, it’s working with the Federal Aviation Administration on a site assessment and post-launch recommendations, while ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

Soon after the launch and Starship’s explosion, the FAA said it was carrying out a mishap investigation. Starship is grounded for now and its return to flight depends on the agency “determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety.”

Starship’s approved launch plan included an anomaly response process, which the FAA says was triggered after the spacecraft blew up. As such, SpaceX is required to remove debris from sensitive habitats, carry out a survey of wildlife and vegetation and send reports to several federal agencies. “The FAA will ensure SpaceX complies with all required mitigations,” the agency told Bloomberg.

Even if SpaceX can sate federal agencies' concerns swiftly, it may be quite some time until the next Starship launch. The super heavy-lift space launch vehicle destroyed its launch pad, sending chunks of debris into the air. Footage showed the shrapnel landing on a nearby beach and even hitting a van hundreds of yards from the launch site. Fortunately, no one was hurt, according to the FAA.

It’s a strange and wonderful time to buy a camera. Since smartphones have gutted the casual photography market, manufacturers are focusing on building technological marvels designed for very specific uses. Mirrorless cameras continue to improve in terms of autofocus, video and more. Action cams provide sharp, fluid video, compact cameras are targeted to both tourists and vloggers, and DSLRs are available at some of the best prices we’ve seen. With so much choice, though, you may need some guidance to find just the right camera – and that’s where we come in. Whether you’re a creator looking for just the right vlogging camera, an aspiring wildlife photographer or an adrenaline sports junkie, we’ll help you find the perfect model to match your budget and needs.

What to consider before choosing a camera

There are a lot of reasons to choose a camera over a smartphone. The larger sensors in mirrorless cameras let more light in, and you have a wide choice of lenses with far superior optics. Where smartphones have one f/stop, cameras have many, which gives you more exposure control. You also get natural and not AI-generated bokeh, quicker shooting, a physical shutter, more professional video results and so on.

With that extra quality comes a lot of extra factors to consider, however. The first thing is sensor size. In general, the larger the sensor size, the better (and usually more expensive) the camera.

Full frame is available on models like Sony's new ZV-E1, the Canon EOS R6 II and Panasonic S5 II. At a size equivalent to 35mm film (36 x 24mm), it offers the best performance in terms of image quality, low-light capability and depth of field. It's also the most expensive and finicky. While bokeh looks incredible at f/1.4, the depth of field is so razor thin that your subject's nose might be in focus but not their eyes. This can also make video shooting difficult.

The next size category is APS-C (around 23.5 x 15.6mm for most models and 22.2 x 14.8mm for Canon), offered on Fujifilm's X Series lineup, Canon’s R10 and R50 and the Nikon Z50. It's cheaper than full frame, both for the camera body and lenses, but still brings most of the advantages like decent bokeh, high ISOs for low-light shooting and relatively high resolution. With a sensor size the same as movie cameras, it's ideal for shooting video, and it’s easier to hold focus than with full-frame cameras.

Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13mm), a format shared by Panasonic and Olympus, is the next step down in sensor size. It offers less bokeh and light-gathering capability than APS-C and full frame, but allows for smaller and lighter cameras and lenses. For video, you can still get reasonably tight depth of field with good prime lenses, but focus is easier to control.

The other common sensor size is Type 1 (1 inch), which is actually smaller than one inch at 12.7 x 9.5mm. That's used mostly by compact models like Sony’s ZV-1 vlogging camera. Finally, action cameras like the GoPro Hero 11 and DJI’s Osmo 3 have even smaller sensors (1/1.9 and 1/1.7 size, respectively).

For photographers, another key factor is autofocus (AF) speed and accuracy. Most modern mirrorless cameras have hybrid phase-detect AF systems that allow for rapid focus and fast burst speeds. The majority also feature AI smarts like eye-detect AF for people and animals. However, some models are just a bit faster and more reactive than others.

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) and rear display are also key. The best models have the sharpest and brightest EVFs that let you best judge a shot before taking it. For things like street photography, it’s best to have as bright and sharp a rear display as possible. You may also want a screen that flips out rather than just tilting.

DSLRs and mirrorless cameras let you change lenses, but you're stuck with what's built into a compact camera. While that's great for portability, a single lens means you're going to sacrifice something. Fujifilm's X100V, for instance, has a fast but fixed 35mm-equivalent f/2.0 lens and no zoom. Sony's RX100 V has a 24-70mm zoom, but it's slower at the telephoto end (f/2.8) and less sharp than a prime lens.

When it comes to video, there are other factors to consider. Does your camera do “pixel-binning” for video recording or read out the entire sensor? Better cameras tend to do the latter. Another key factor is sensor speed, as slower sensors tend to have more rolling shutter that can create a “jello” effect that skews video.

In addition, how’s the battery life? How do you like the handling and feel? How long can you shoot video before the camera heats up or stops? Does it support 10-bit HDR video? Is there a microphone and/or a headphone jack? (if you do a lot of interviews, it's preferable to have both.) How's the video autofocus? All of these things play a part in your decision – so now let’s take a look at the best models.

The best cameras

Best mirrorless cameras

Mirrorless is far and away the biggest category of cameras these days, so it’s the best way to go if you’re shopping for a modern camera with the most advanced features. Both Canon and Nikon recently announced they’re discontinuing development of new DSLRs, simply because most of the advantages of that category are gone, as I detailed in a recent video. The biggest selling feature of a mirrorless camera is the ability to change lenses depending on the type of shooting you want to do.

The key features are sensor size, resolution, autofocus, shooting speeds and video specs. If you’re primarily a sports or wildlife photographer, you’ll likely want fast shooting speeds and accurate autofocus. Portrait and landscape shooters will likely favor large sensors and high resolution to maximize image quality. And content creators will want to look for things like flip-out displays, high-end video specifications and good in-body stabilization. Price is of course a major factor as well.

Mirrorless cameras under $2,000

Best mirrorless camera under $2,000: Canon EOS R50

My top budget camera pick is Canon’s brand new 24.2-megapixel R50, which is a great model for both photographers and content creators. It can shoot bursts at up to 15 fps in electronic shutter mode, and offers 4K 10-bit at up to 30p with supersampling and no crop. It has a fully articulating display, and unlike other cameras in this price range, an electronic viewfinder. It uses Canon’s Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition mode, and even has a popup flash. The only drawback is the lack of decent quality lens that’s as affordable as the camera itself, and a lack of in-body stabilization.

Runner up: Canon EOS R8

Full-frame cameras generally used to start at $2,000 and up, but Canon’s brand new EOS R8 is priced at just $1,500. It offers Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition AI, and can shoot bursts at up to 40 fps. It's equally strong with video, supporting oversampled 10-bit 4K at up to 60 fps. The R8 also offers a flip-out display, making it great for vloggers. The main drawback is a lack of in-body stabilization.

Another good option: Panasonic Lumix S5 II

Content creators should take a hard look at Panasonic’s full-frame S5 II. It’s the company’s first camera with hybrid phase-detect AF designed to make focus "wobble" and other issues a thing of the past. You can shoot sharp 4K 30p video downsampled from the full sensor width, or 4K 60p from an APS-C cropped size, all in 10-bit color. It even offers 5.9K 30p capture, along with RAW 5.9K external output to an Atomos recorder. You also get a flip-out screen for vlogging and updated five-axis in-body stabilization that’s the best in the industry. Photo quality is also good thanks to the dual-gain 24-megapixel sensor. The main drawback is the slowish burst speeds.

Mirrorless cameras over $2,000

Best mirrorless camera over $2,000: Sony ZV-E1

Equipped with the same backside-illuminated (BSI) 12-megapixel sensor as the A7S III, Sony’s ZV-E1 offers excellent low-light performance, 4K at up to 120p and a host of new AI features like auto framing. It also comes with an updated in-body stabilization system aimed at vloggers that can smooth out even jolting movements like footsteps. The $2,200 price tag makes it enticing for vloggers as it offers features found on the $3,500 A7S III for considerably less money.

Runner up: Fujifilm X-H2S

If you’re OK with a smaller APS-C sensor, check out the Fujifilm X-H2S. It has an incredibly fast stacked, backside-illuminated 26.1-megapixel sensor that allows for rapid burst shooting speeds of 40 fps, along with 4K 120p video with minimal rolling shutter. It can capture ProRes 10-bit video internally, has 7 stops of in-body stabilization and a class-leading EVF. Yes, it’s expensive for an APS-C camera, but on the other hand, it’s the cheapest stacked sensor camera out there. The other downside is AF that’s not quite up to Canon and Sony’s level.

Another good option: Sony A7R V

For the ultimate high-resolution camera, check out Sony’s A7R V. With a 61-megapixel sensor, it shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter. If you don’t need the video, however, Sony’s A7R IVa does mostly the same job, photo-wise, and costs a few hundred dollars less.

Best action camera

The most important features to look for in an action cam are image quality, stabilization and battery life. GoPro has easily been beating all rivals over the last few years in all those areas, but DJI made some strides last year with the Osmo Action 3. At the same time, GoPro’s latest models are more expensive than rivals.

Best action camera: GoPro Hero 11 Black

GoPro didn’t change the design on its latest model, but it has a larger sensor that enables a couple of cool features – Horizon Lock stabilization and Full Frame mode that makes it easier to shoot for, say, TikTok and YouTube at the same time. It also offers a new wider, though slightly distorted Hyperview field of view.

Otherwise, the Hero 11 Black offers better video quality than ever (up to 5.3K 60p), Hypersmooth stabilization that’s still the best in the business (by far), battery life that’s improved by 40 percent over the last model, and more. It’s easily the best action camera on the market, but you pay for that: it’s $400 with a one year subscription ($500 without it), compared to $329 for the DJI Osmo Action 3 and $300 for the Insta360 RS 4K bundle. If you’re serious about filming extreme sports, though, it’s worth it.

Runner up: DJI Osmo Action 3

After experimenting with an oddball modular design on the Action 2, design has gone back to a more classic action cam design on the Osmo Action 3. It also comes with a slick new magnetic quick-release mount that lets you connect the camera directly to a GoPro-style mount with or without the case. Video quality and stabilization are quite good, but fall short of the Hero 11 Black (the Action 3 tops out at 4K 120p resolution compared to 5.3K 60p on the GoPro). While it’s not quite as good as the Hero 11, it’s considerably cheaper.

Best compact camera

This category has fewer cameras than it did even a few years ago and many models are older, as manufacturers focus instead on mirrorless models. However, I’m still a big believer in compact cameras. They’re a big step up from smartphones quality-wise, and a lot of people will take a compact traveling or to events when they’d never bother with the hassle of a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Compacts largely have type 1-inch sensors, but a few offer larger options, particularly Fujifilm’s XF-100V. Another popular model, Sony’s XV-1, is primarily aimed at content creators looking to step up. In any case, desirable qualities include image quality, a fast lens, relatively long zoom, flip-out display, good battery life, a high quality EVF, decent video and good pocketability.

Best compact camera: Fujifilm X100V

The X100V is the latest in Fujifilm's famous fixed-lens X100 camera series. Like other models in the lineup, it has an APS-C sensor and a 23mm f/2.0 lens, equivalent to 35mm on a full-frame sensor. You also get the same hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, mechanical dials, film simulations and good looks as before. But the X100V is the most significant advancement in the series' history. It has Fujifilm's latest 26.1-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor compared to 24.2-megapixels on the last model and a new, sharper lens to handle that extra resolution.

A new tilting rear display makes "shooting from the hip" street photography much easier, as does the fast 11 fps/20 fps shooting speeds in mechanical/silent shutter modes. You also get a better hybrid phase- and contrast-detect autofocus (AF) system with more AF points along with face and eye detection. Finally, it now has the same 4K video-shooting features as the X-T30. It doesn't come cheap, but the X100V is the ultimate camera if you're into street photography – assuming you can find one.

Runner up: Sony ZV-1

The ZV-1 is Sony’s first RX100-series camera designed specifically for vlogging. It does that job well thanks to a lightweight body, built-in high-quality microphone, flip-out display, best-in-class autofocus and excellent image quality. The 24-70mm lens is sharp, but it needs to be wider because of the 25 percent crop when using electronic stabilization. It also lacks a true touch display and a headphone port. That nitpicking aside, if you’re looking to step up from a smartphone or just want something simple, it does the job nearly perfectly.

Another good option: Panasonic ZS-200

For a value compact camera, the best option is Panasonic’s 20-megapixel ZS-200. It offers a lot of features for the price, like a 1-inch, 20.1 megapixel sensor, 5-axis stabilization, 4K, 30 fps video and more. Its main claim to fame, though, is the 24-360x lens that offers incredible reach for travel and more. Though it dates back to 2018, it’s actually one of the more recent compact models.

Best DSLR camera

With mirrorless cameras taking over the interchangeable lens market, but DSLRs still give you the ability to change lenses at relatively cheap prices. The defining feature is the reflex mirror that lets you look directly through the lens at your subject with no electronics in between. Most also have very fast autofocus thanks to a dedicated phase-detect sensor, and very fast battery life. However, many lack features you’d expect on modern mirrorless cameras like subject tracking, eye-detection and more.

Best DSLR camera: Nikon D850

Nikon's full-frame (FX) D850 is the best deal on a high-end camera and arguably the best camera for photography. With a 45.7-megapixel sensor and max 102,400 ISO, it gives you the best quality for the money, whether mirrorless or DSLR. It can also shoot fast, at up to 7fps, which is very good for such a high-res camera. In addition, the battery life (1840 shots on a charge) puts any mirrorless option to shame, and there’s a massive number of FX Nikkor lenses to choose from. Nikon has upped its video game as well with the D850 by introducing 4K internal recording. If you’d still rather have a live optical rather than an electronic view, the D850 is the best option available.

Runner up: Canon EOS Rebel SL3

Another one of the best cameras for photography is Canon’s 24-megapixel APS-C EOS Rebel SL3, which has a great blend of features, build quality and value. It offers features like a vari-angle touchscreen, 4K video (albeit with a crop) and Dual Pixel autofocus technology in live mode. You get shooting speeds of up to 5 fps, 1600 shots on a charge and an ISO range up to 51,200 (expanded). It also offers guided screen options for beginners. Best of all, it offers excellent picture quality for the price thanks to Canon’s skin-friendly color science.

Just about one year ago Arturia launched the first entry in its Augmented series of hybrid instruments, Augmented Strings. Since then it's grown to include Augmented Voices and Grand Piano. Now the family is getting bigger still with Augmented Brass.

Just like the other installments Augmented Brass combines samples of its namesake — brass instruments — with advanced synth engines and effects to create something wholly new. The core concept isn't terribly different from what Output has with its Analog series, but the results generally hew closer to the real world instruments that inspired them. 

From a surface level, not much has changed. There are some minor workflow and visualization tweaks, but you still get the same main interface with a large morph knob in the middle that generally lets you dial in the balance of organic and synthetic sounds you're looking for. Around that are seven macro knobs for tweaking the timbre, dialing in effects levels, and adding delay and reverb. 

Arturia

There is also the advanced tab for those that what to dig in deep on the sound design. Here still, the UI is clean, easy to navigate and unintimidating. But there is a lot of power to be found under the hood. Here you can freely choose your four different layers of synths and samples, customize your filter selection and the effects, and even add complex modulation. If you do dive into the advanced tab, don't overlook that modulation section where you'll find two LFOs, two function generators, two random generators and you can customize things like aftertouch and velocity effects. 

If you never bother to mess with the advanced options, you'll still have a pretty large palette to work with. Augmented Brass comes with hundreds of presets that cover everything from '80s slasher film scores, to early aughts hip hop horns, to sci-fi dirges. If you've read any of my reviews in the past, it should come as no surprise that I was immediately drawn to the nostalgic warbles of the Muted Tape Orchestra preset. But I loved the Full Brass Orchestra patch which was clearly made for scoring endless Game of Thrones spinoffs. 

Arturia's been pretty busy recently, having also just launched Rev LX-24, a plugin that aims to recreate the revered (and insanely expensive) Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb. Like most of the company's plugins, the LX-24 visually tries to hew pretty close to the hardware it's based on. That means a few sliders and buttons, and not much more in the default interface. But, as usual, there's an advanced tab here that allows you to add modulation, ducking and generally make use of the amenities you've come to expect from modern music software. Of course, the LX-24 is still based on a late '70s digital reverb, so expect crust, grime and maybe some gated snares. 

Augmented Brass is available now at an introductory price for existing Arturia customers, but will go up to the regular price of $99 on May 11th. REV LX-24 is also available now for $99, though chances are it will make its way into the next version of Arturia's FX Collection.

If you hate breathing in pollutants and don't mind being stared at, then your time might have come: The Dyson Zone headphones are finally available to buy in the US. They mark the company's first foray into wearable technology and it's certainly making a statement with them. The headphones include a sizeable (but detachable) visor that stretches across your mouth to provide cleaner air. 

The visor's ectrostatic filter is designed to remove up to 99 percent of pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and ozone. It works in tandem with the ear cups — as they draw in air, it gets filtered. Then two purified streams of air flow into your mouth and nose — so, be prepared to feel that air if you use it. You can change the speed with a button on the left ear cup. The filter lasts for up to 12 months and, notably, it doesn't protect against COVID-19. A mask can be worn with it, but the product alone is not designed to block the virus.

The Dyson Zone headphones last up to 50 hours with "isolation" or "transparency" noise cancelling options. You can control this and the airflow speed through the MyDyson app. It will also let you know how much nitrogen dioxide is in the air. 

When we tested the Dyson Zone headphones, they were surprisingly comfortable — though it did take some time to figure out how to snap the visor in properly. The breeze of the air felt nice, almost like a personal air conditioning. The visor merited some stares when on a quick walk outside, so it could be more lowkey to use on an airplane. 

The headphones come with one filter, a USB-C charging cable and a visor cleaning brush and sleeve. They can be bought in satin silver and ultra blue or prussian blue and ultra blue. These two colorways have a 'Quarter Turn' hard case to keep them safe.  

They're available on Dyson Direct in prussian blue and bright copper. This model comes with two filters, explorer case, in-flight adaptor kit and soft pouch. These unique headphones don't come cheap, though, starting at $949, they might merit trying them for yourself before going all in.

Deconstructeam creates games that feel like a new kind of noir, each one draped in pixelated shadows and filled with philosophical innuendo, short and slow-burning. The studio is known for Gods Will Be Watching and The Red Strings Club, two narrative titles that play with concepts of morality and manipulation in harsh futuristic environments. These games ask players to dictate the fates of friends, lovers and enemies, and then they provide languid scenes of rumination as the violence and betrayal unfolds. Deconstructeam’s latest project, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, elevates these concepts to a grander plane.

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood begins with a witch who lives on an asteroid. Her name is Fortuna, and she was exiled from her coven after her prediction of doom angered the witch in charge; the game begins on year 200 of Fortuna’s 1,000-year sentence. Fed up and lonely, she summons an ancient Behemoth to help her escape the space rock and enact revenge on her former sisters. It all plays out in classic Deconstructeam style, with densely detailed, vibrant pixel art.

Deconstructeam

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood feels bigger than previous Deconstructeam experiences, layered with divergent gameplay styles, characters and narrative branches. A main mechanic in its first hour involves building a deck of divination cards, choosing the backgrounds, main symbols and supporting elements based on a rich grimoire of the combinations and their interpretations. 

Designing the cards can be as tedious a process as you want, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking my time to create a deck that I found to be beautiful (and creepy) as well as powerful.

At its core, Cosmic Wheel is a visual novel with narrative paths dictated by the player’s choices. The immortal Behemoth, Ábramar, is Fortuna’s main companion in the demo — but our little witch is actually fairly social for someone who's supposed to be exiled. As Fortuna rebuilds her deck with Ábramar, she reads the fates and fortunes of visitors that find her asteroid, and players are able to dictate, to an extent, what each card will reveal. These moments give Fortuna an upper hand, even in interactions with the massive god peering through her window, and they nicely supplement the standard flow of conversation.

Ábramar suggests multiple times that Fortuna’s decisions in conversations will “dramatically” affect her fate, and even in just an hour of playtime, I saw evidence of this feature. At one point, there’s an opportunity to lie to an authority figure in charge of auditing Fortuna’s sentence — the deception doesn’t fit with statements Fortuna has already made, but in games like these, often the “(lie)” option is the correct one, regardless of logical flow. That’s not the case in The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. The lie is immediately spotted, much like it would be in a real-life conversation with a member of a parole board.

In another instance, Fortuna is given the option to destroy her coven — but the choice is provided before we’ve met any other witches involved, when the sisterhood is a vague entity filled with faceless enemies in the player’s mind. Only after this decision, Cosmic Wheel introduces players to some of Fortuna’s former friends in a camping-trip flashback, allowing ample time for any guilt and regret to fester. The conversations these friends have, pre-asteroid and pre-coven, are amusing and authentic, and the information they provide is relevant to future tasks.

Pay attention to the details in The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. Lie only when you’re sure you can get away with it, listen to your companions’ stories, build a beautiful divination deck, and go ahead, seduce an immortal god of gods (that last one is less gameplay advice, more wicked encouragement). The demo comes to a close after that camping trip, with three friends watching the stars appear above a tranquil lake, laughing about life and making plans. The weight of the choices you’ve already made, more than 200 years in the future, linger in the chill air. Above it all, Ábramar waits.

Deconstructeam

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is due out in 2023 for PC and Nintendo Switch, developed by Deconstructeam and published by Devolver Digital.

I’ve developed an odd fascination with body-measuring technology, especially as it relates to the fashion world. Many companies are working on infrastructure that will hopefully one day let us buy clothes custom-tailored for the exact contours of our bodies. That should make people like me, who feel very under-served by the traditional fashion industry, a lot happier. It should also help to reduce the waste generated by the overproduction of clothes nobody wants to buy, which is a problem both for businesses and the planet. So, when Zozofit, makers of the Zozosuit, asked if I wanted to try its skin-tight body-measuring outfit, which has now been repurposed as a fitness tool, I agreed, albeit with my usual degree of trepidation.

The Zozosuit isn’t new, but its makers are using this year as a form of soft relaunch, with a new focus on breaking into the US. It was actually set up back in 2018 by Japanese high-end fashion retailer Zozo as a way of launching a custom-clothing line. Users bought the suit, scanned their bodies and then could order clothes that, on paper, were tailored to better suit their bodies. And while the clothes weren’t custom-made, the idea was that the outfits would be a better fit for them than the usual mass-produced stuff. But that idea, great in theory, didn’t necessarily shake out that well in practice.

Fashion Network said that the cost and complexity involved in launching the suit ate away at the company’s otherwise healthy profits. QZ reported that while people bought the suits, which were sold at a deep discount, few went on to purchase the custom threads as Zozo had planned. It got worse, as many reporters who tested the system found the clothes they had ordered, like Gizmodo’s Ryan F. Mandelbaum and the Economist’s Charlie Wells, didn’t actually fit. A better suit with higher-resolution dots for imaging was developed, but the project was subsequently put on ice.

Since then, Zozo has tried to open up its technology to third parties, but has now pivoted the technology toward something more fitness-focused. Since it already had the tech to make a body-measuring suit, it might as well be put to good use, or so the thinking goes. A number of health and fitness professionals advocate that, for people looking to get fitter, measure their bodies instead of stepping on the scale. So it makes sense for this to be offered as an elegant alternative to wrestling with a tape measure on a weekly basis.

Buying a Zozosuit is easy enough, just give it your weight in pounds, as well as your height in feet and inches, and cough up $98 plus tax. Not long after, you’ll get a slender package which contains a skinsuit made out of polyester and spandex. It looks very much like a motion capture suit commonly used in the production of visual effects, and functionally does the same job. Coming in two parts, the app will give you guidance on how to wear it, making sure that the waistband is pulled up high and covered by the top. You’ll need to try and keep everything as flat as you can, since visible creases will prevent you from taking an accurate scan.

Zozofit

As a 5’11”, 231-pound man, I did wonder if Zozo would have a suit large enough to cater for my body shape. The website has images of much more athletically-adept models wearing its clothing and you may be concerned there’s no option for bigger-sized folks. The suit I tried on was tight, as intended, but didn’t feel restrictive, and I don’t think you should be nervous that the company can’t accommodate your needs. Other users in a similar situation have documented a similar experience, including YouTuber The Fabric Ninja, who produced a “Plus-Size Review” in 2020. That said, I don’t think I could pull this off as some form of athleisure fashion statement, for all of the reasons you can probably presume.

Inside the package is a cardboard phone stand, which you’ll need to pop out and fold into place to prop your smartphone onto. The Zozofit uses your handset’s primary camera, and so you’ll need to stand it on a table and then stand six feet or so away from it. Once activated, you’ll get voice guidance talking you through the setup and measurement process, and you’ll be asked to hold your arms slightly away from your body. The coach will then ask you to turn to every position on the clock, taking 12 images as you shuffle around in a circle. Once completed, you’ll be notified that you can pick up your phone and then wait 30 seconds-or-so for the model to process.

And you’ll get a headless 3D-mesh model of your body with various measurements labeled off the sides. These include measurements for your upper arms, chest, waist and hips, upper thigh and your calves. After you’ve pawed at your vital statistics, you’ll be invited to set some fitness goals based on those initial measurements. Interestingly, these are capped, I suspect to keep you picking smaller, more sustainable goals and avoid becoming disappointed. It measured my waist at 46.6-inches, and you can only set the goal at inch-wide increments down to 41.6-inches or up to 51.6-inches. This will change in a later update, but I appreciated the more realistic form of goal-setting it promises.

You’ll also get the app’s rough calculation of your body fat percentage, which it clocked at 35.6 percent. Not long after, I jumped on my smart scale and it registered me as having 31.6 percent, and I suspect, too, the imaging might struggle to be as accurate when you’re dealing with such big figures. I’d wager, too, that body fat percentages might not be so easily calculated by sight alone, and perhaps Zozo could look to remove those measurements which aren’t as reliable. It may also dent the PR braggadocio the company is putting out, claiming that this setup is the “world’s most accurate at-home 3D body scanner.” (It says it has compared its results to several rivals on the market, as well as professional hand-measurements.)

Zozofit / Daniel Cooper

Now, the company says that its body fat measurements use the US Navy Body Fat system, which calculates your body fat based on a series of body measurements. That method was developed to create a quick-and-dirty measurement to determine if someone was fit for service. (In the process of researching this, I learned that personnel describe it as the “rope and choke,” which isn’t relevant, but thought you’d appreciate the slang.) The company’s representatives added, to me, that it has found that curvier bodies are more likely to see less accurate results than thinner ones, and that it is working on its algorithms to improve this situation.

With any health-and-fitness technology, there’s a question of how much you can rely upon the accuracy of its measurements. Few consumer-level devices offer the same level of data quality you can get from a much more expensive clinical tool. Straight after my first scan, I ran a second, to see the sort of variation you can expect from an imaging-based measurement. The margin is fairly small, only a few tenths of an inch difference between each scan, which seems fair to me. I’d say, too, that what matters more with these sorts of tools is the trend and direction of travel, rather than obsessing over the pinpoint accuracy of each individual measurement.

And, to test that, as soon as I’d run my second scan (and changed back into normal clothes), I asked a friend to help measure me with a tailor’s tape. And there was a wider delta than I think some people might expect, especially if they’re in need of millimeter-perfect measurements. For instance, the app measured my chest at 43.4-inches, while the tape clocked it in at 44. My upper arms measured 14.5-inches, compared to 14.2 and 14.3-inches inside the app. With my waist and hips, the app said they were 44.6 and 45.3-inches, respectively, while the tape measure clocked them in at 44.5-inches and 47-inches.

Partially, I think these divergences are because computer imaging, even with help, isn’t going to hit as perfectly as a tape measure. Not to mention that the suit pulls you in a little compared to normal clothes, which are far baggier by comparison. I’m sure, too, that the garb sits less well on a larger body compared to a smaller one, where there are fewer issues with terrain. Maybe I’m grading on a curve, but it’ll depend on what exactly users want to get out of this system.

The other question, and a likely more relevant one, is if squeezing into a Zozosuit is easier and less time-consuming than using a tape measure. It’s nice to have an automated process, and to have that data tracked over time, but nothing the app does could qualify as essential. That’s a fairly neat way to sum this up – if you’re a dedicated gym-goer looking for a more elegant way to monitor your vital statistics, then you may find some value here. I’m not sure how compelling this would be, however, if you’re expecting this to be the sum total of your fitness universe.