Whatever you think of Death Stranding as a game, it was apparently a commercial success. Kojima Productions publishing head Jay Boor told GamesIndustry.biz in an interview that the sci-fi courier game has sold five million copies across PS4 and PC.
That's not as strong as Metal Gear Solid V, which moved six million copies in just the first few months after its September 2015 debut. However, Death Stranding was also a brand new franchise that leaned mainly on Kojima's reputation (plus some big-name actors) to reel players in. Five million sales is no mean feat in that context, especially when other legendary game developers have sometimes struggled without the support of their best-known development teams.
The timing for these figures isn't a coincidence. The studio is using the sales numbers to build hype for the Death Stranding Director's Cut coming to the PlayStation 5 in September. At the same time, they suggest Kojima Productions isn't going away any time soon — at least, so long as Kojima's fan base (and his keen eye for cinematics) remains intact.
Microsoft's Surface Duo drew flak for delivering outdated specs at top-tier prices (among other missteps), but that might not be true for the sequel. Windows Central has shared a Tech Rat leak purporting to show images of the Surface Duo 2, and they suggest Microsoft is dragging its dual-screen Android phone into the modern era. Most notably, there's a conspicuous rear camera bump with three sensors — you wouldn't have to use a single camera for everything. WC understood these were standard, telephoto and ultra-wide shooters.
The leak also shows the Surface Duo 2 in a stealthier black color, and suggests Microsoft has pulled the fingerprint reader from its original spot and moved it to the power button.
There's little to see of the two screens or the internals, although WC and previous leaks point to a much-needed jump to modern hardware. Microsoft will reportedly outfit the Surface Duo 2 with a Snapdragon 888 chip, 5G and NFC. No more using year-old parts with glaring omissions, to put it another way.
WC claimed Microsoft will launch the Duo 2 sometime in September or October. It's not certain what the price would be, but Microsoft lowered the original's price from $1,399 to $999 just a few months after release, and it's available for $650 as we write this. The company is clearly aware that the first Surface Duo's steep price scared would-be buyers, and it likely won't want to make that mistake again.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a good way to spice up your regular racing competitions. It brings the virtual-racing action into the real world with tiny karts that zoom around your home on tracks you create yourself. A single set is fairly expensive at $100 — especially considering you need a Nintendo Switch to use it at all — but now you can grab either than Mario or Luigi set from Amazon for only $75. That's a return to the game's all-time-low price, so now's the time to grab it if you've had your eye on it for a while.
Both Home Circuit sets come gates that you set up around your home to build your own racetrack, plus a camera-equipped kart operated by either Mario or Luigi. However, one set only comes with one car, so you will need to sets if you want to race IRL with your friend or family member (a single-player mode is supported as well). You will need a bit of space to set up your track — approximately a 10 x 12 foot area — but once the track is place, you can use the Joy-Cons of your Switch to control the kart.
You can switch up your track simply by moving the gates around, but the game will make things more challenging by making you race underwater, in an 8-bit world and more. The in-game obstacles will affect your very real kart by making it slow down or speed up, so you'll likely run into new challenges very time you race even if your IRL track stays the same. And like in traditional Mario Kart, you'll collect items as you zip around the track. Home Circuit is a compelling add-on for diehard Mario Kart fans, but also those that want a new way to experience the game.
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Spotify is introducing a feature to notify people when their favorite artists and podcast producers have a new release to check out. Taking the form of a bell icon you’ll find at the top of the app’s home interface, the What’s New panel collects new releases from bands, musicians and shows you follow on the platform. Spotify says the feature will update in real-time, with a blue dot overlaid on top of the bell icon indicating when the panel has been refreshed with new content. Spotify plans to roll out the feature to all Android and iOS users over the coming weeks.
Spotify
In intent, What’s New is similar to Spotify’s existing Release Radar playlist. They’re both designed to surface new content for you to add to your Spotify library, but the way they go about that task is different. Like Discover Weekly, Release Radar uses a mix of human curation and software to highlight the songs you’re most likely to enjoy from a new album, EP or single. What’s New, by contrast, forgoes curation in favor of comprehensiveness. It also has the advantage of a dedicated interface element. As a playlist, it’s easy for Release Radar to get lost among all the other playlists you can add to your Spotify library.
The original Circuit groovebox developed something of a cult following thanks in large part to Novation’s relentless updates. So it was no surprise that the company decided to give it a proper sequel earlier this year. What was a surprise, though, was that along with the Circuit Tracks, Novation also announced the Circuit Rhythm, an entirely sample-based instrument. The Rhythm combines the simplified, screen-free workflow that made the Circuit so popular with a full-featured sampler and performance effects that clearly were inspired by the SP-303 and SP-404. The big question is whether or not what makes the Circuit so compelling when playing and sequencing synths translates to chopping up loops and capturing oneshots.
Physically, the Circuit Rhythm and Circuit Tracks are nearly identical. The faceplate is light gray instead of black, and some of the labels on the controls are different, but they’re built on the same core platform. The front has the same 32 RGB velocity sensitive pads, along with 28 buttons for switching views and tracks, plus eight endless encoders for changing various parameters, and two knobs dedicated to volume and the master filter. Around back you’ll also find five-pin MIDI In, Out and Thru ports; USB-C for power and connecting to your computer; a 3.5mm sync jack for connecting Volcas and the like; a headphone jack; and ¼-inch stereo ins and outs. Oh, and of course there’s a rechargeable battery that Novation says should last up to four hours. In my testing I haven’t quite hit that mark, but I haven’t been too far off either — about three to three and a half hours.
Then the core of the Rhythm is its eight monophonic sampler tracks. And, even though there are only eight tracks you can use “sample flip” to place multiple samples on a single track. For instance your kick and snare, so long as they don’t overlap.
All of this is pretty impressive considering the Circuit Rhythm’s $400 price tag and portable size. But what seems great on paper doesn’t always translate to the real world.
That being said, Novation did do a lot right. For one, it’s important that the company saw fit to build an actual sampler and not just a sample-based groovebox, like Elektron’s Model:Samples. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Model:Samples. But if you’re looking to spontaneously sample something you’ve been jamming on, or to chop up soul loops, it’s not gonna help you. The actual workflow for sampling and then doing basic editing, chopping, etcetera is pretty easy to wrap your head around too. In fact, I’d go so far as to call it fun. I’ve definitely been in a creative rut recently and stepping out of my comfort zone to slice up samples from YouTube and make some lo-fi and boom bap-inspired beats has helped me get back to enjoying making music again, even if what I’m making is objectively not good.
The 32-step Circuit sequencer also remains a strong suit. It’s simple, intuitive and deceptively powerful. You can program a beat manually or play it in “unquantized” (in reality this is simply quantized to the microsteps — of which there are eight per step, but it gets close enough in most cases). You can automate most of the parameters across a pattern, then chain patterns together to create longer progressions. Beyond that there are scenes, which consist of different pattern chains, which can themselves be chained together to create full arrangements.
When creating patterns you can also introduce variation and unpredictability by using the probability parameter. This sets the chance that a particular step will be played. It’s not quite as robust as Elektron’s trig conditions, but it can keep things from getting too stale. And, if you’re feeling a bit stuck, you can “intelligently” remix a pattern with the Mutate function. It scrambles up your sequence to make something new, though the results aren’t always great and there’s no undo, so make sure to duplicate your pattern first. In general the Mutate felt more useful on the synth-based Circuit Tracks than on the Rhythm, but anything that can introduce a bit of randomness is good in my book.
While obviously the whole point of a sampler is to record and perform with your own samples, I do have to give Novation credit for the stock sound selection. Most of your bases are covered from acoustic drums, to 808s, to guitar licks, electric piano and synth pads. And they sound good too, which is not something you could say about the presets on the Circuit Tracks. Basically, no matter what genre of music you make, there should be enough here to get you started.
While the basic workflow of the Circuit Rhythm and Tracks are basically identical, there are some differences. There are specific pages for recording and processing samples, for instance, and a page dedicated to what Novation calls “Grid FX”, which are basically punch-in effects like repeat, gate and vinyl simulation that give you basic tools for manipulating your beat.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
But, just like the Tracks, some of the more advanced features aren’t always immediately obvious and having the manual handy is a must while you’re finding your bearings. I’m sure that eventually I’d be able to commit most functions to memory, but after a few weeks I’m still having trouble remembering how to turn threshold on and off when recording samples, it took me forever to figure out how to manually place slice points, and I still haven’t figured out how to set a count-in for unquantized recording. (I’m not even sure you can.)
The effects are also something of a mixed bag here. The delay, reverb and sidechain effects are all the same as on the Tracks. They’re charmingly lo-fi, but the line between barely noticeable and over the top (especially on the sidechain) is extremely thin. And the Grid FX are pretty mediocre. The vinyl sim is passable, but the beat repeat and gate effects always felt slightly out of sync. It’s entirely likely that I just haven’t mastered performing with the Rhythm yet, but I don’t struggle nearly as much with the same effects on Teenage Engineering’s PO-33.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
There are some features that would be super useful too that I’m hoping to see Novation add in a future firmware update. For one, the ability to swap or adjust Grid FX from the device itself would be huge. You can load up to 16 of them, but they’re all presets, so you can’t change the depth of the flanger, for instance, without connecting to the Components app on your computer. This also means that if you start a new “Pack” on the Circuit (Novation’s term for a collection of projects and samples) you’re stuck with the default effects.
Fine-grained control over the tempo is also a must that’s currently missing. I spent well over an hour trying to line up a sample from “Stridulum Theme” off the soundtrack to The Visitor, but no matter what I did I couldn’t quite get it to loop cleanly. The actual BPM of the sample is somewhere between 85 and 86 BPM, but the Rhythm will only deal in whole numbers. (It doesn’t help that without a screen, trimming a loop to the perfect length is a giant PITA.)
The Circuit Rhythm is far from perfect, but definitely offers a lot of compelling features at a decent price. The question, ultimately, is what features are most important to you?
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
The Model:Samples is $100 cheaper at $299 and its sequencer blows the Circuit out of the water, if you ask me. But it’s not as finger-drum friendly, plus it doesn’t have built-in sampling capabilities or a battery. (You have to pay $50 for a special handle that you stick AAs in.) Korg’s Electribe Sampler feels a lot sturdier than the Circuit and can use single-cycle waveforms to essentially become a synth. But it costs $70 more, its sequencer feels a little outdated and, in my limited experience, it’s just not intuitive.
You could of course go for a Roland SP-404, from which the Rhythm is clearly takes inspiration. The modern version, the 404A, costs $550 — quite a bit more than then Circuit. It’s workflow might also feel a tad archaic if you’re used to more modern equipment. That being said, the SP-303 and SP-404 have legions of fans for a reason: They’re undeniable classics.
Then, of course, there’s the other giant of hip hop production: the MPC. As the cheapest option, the MPC One is still pretty expensive at $699, while the new touchscreen workflow has earned plenty of detractors. If you want an old-school beat-making experience you won’t find it here, and the prices for vintage MPCs are out of control.
If you’re looking for the cheapest and most portable device with sampling ability though, I can’t recommend the $89 PO-33 enough. It’s not nearly as capable as any of the other devices listed here, but it can feel like a stripped-down SP-303 that fits in your pocket once you master its quirks.
The Novation Circuit Rhythm is a strong contender for best entry-level sampler. The learning curve is a bit steeper than some might have you believe, but once you’ve figured it out, finding your way around is simple enough. It’s not the cheapest and it doesn’t beat the competition on pure features, but it does strike an admirable balance. If you’re looking to add a sampler to your setup on the cheap, or want to get started making hip hop or house music without the need for a PC, this should definitely be on your short list.
Apple lovers who constantly lose their keys got a new way to keep track of them with the launch of AirTags. But despite how easy they are to set up, Apple’s tiny Bluetooth trackers have one critical flaw — no built-in keychain hole. That means anyone who buys AirTags will have to buy holders or cases to attach them to their stuff.
Despite how backwards this seems, it’s a very Apple way of milking as much money out of a new product as possible since many will simply buy Apple’s own AirTag holders. But those aren’t the only options available — plenty of accessory companies have already made AirTag cases. However, since the trackers are still quite new, third-party options are a bit slim. But those that are available right now are almost all cheaper than Apple’s own cases, so they’re worth considering regardless of if you intend to have one or many AirTags shadowing your valuables.
If you already bought an AirTag or two, you probably know where you want to put it. The most common place is attached to your keys, but AirTags are small enough to strap to backpacks and luggage, to slip inside a wallet or even attach to your pet’s collar. Where you want to put the thing will help determine the kind of case you should get for it.
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Let’s start with key-friendly cases, specifically Apple’s own $35 Leather Key Ring. Like most Apple accessories it’s basic, yet attractive. The AirTag nestles into the perfectly-shaped leather circle and snaps shut, and since the leather extends slightly over both sides of the tracker, there’s very little chance it will pop out unexpectedly.
But unless you simply must have all Apple everything, you can get similar leather (or faux-leather) key holders for less. I liked Spigen’s AirTag Case Valentinus because it has an almost identical design and comes with an easy to use carabiner-style key ring. It’s made of pleather but doesn’t feel cheap and its snap closure is just as secure as Apple’s — plus, it’s $15 cheaper.
Two other all-purpose key rings that stood out were Elago’s AirTag case ($9 for a pack of two) and Caseology’s $14 Vault. The former is quite minimal — it’s a soft-touch silicone circle that’s larger than the AirTag itself, which gives you a better grip on the tracker. One side of the gadget is completely covered by the case, as is the whole circumference. But that leaves one side visible, which means you can show off any emoji engravings you emblazoned on your AirTag. Elago’s case is the best no-frills option that I found when it comes to design and price.
But if you want something a bit more elevated, Caseology’s Vault is a great option. It’s a textured oval made of flexible plastic into which you pop in the AirTag on one side. The other side has a smaller opening that attaches to the included carabiner, which is one of the best clips I came across in my testing. It’s pretty basic as far as carabiners go, but it’s better than a standard key ring — especially if you want to easily attach your AirTag to something other than your keys like straps on a backpack, or even a pet collar. Overall, the Caseology Vault is one of the most attractive holders I tested and it will be a solid buy for anyone that doesn’t need to have leather.
AirTags can also help you keep track of larger bags and luggage, and you could easily slip one into an interior pocket and call it a day. But if you’d rather hook the tracker to the outside, you’ll need something a bit larger and more flexible than a standard key ring. Apple has Loop holders in leather and polyurethane that attach similar to luggage tags, but they’re just as expensive as AirTags themselves starting at $29.
A more affordable option is Belkin’s Secure Holder with Strap, which comes in at only $13. The case opens up into two pieces, allowing you to sit the AirTag inside the circle and twist and snap the two halves together to lock it in. You can then attach the AirTag to your luggage handle, water bottle or other item with the strap, which lacks any give and feels quite strong. I appreciate the unique design of Belkin’s Secure Holder, although it was hard to twist open when the AirTag was inside of it. But that’s a good thing for daily use — your AirTag isn’t going anywhere when in the Secure Holder. I also liked its slightly raised edges, which provide extra protection against impacts and bumps.
You may also want to slip an AirTag in your wallet, and you could do so without a case on the tracker at all. But unlike Tile’s slim and flat locators, AirTags are slightly rounded in the middle, so they won’t lay flat in the folds of your wallet. If that’s going to bother you, Amazon has a bunch of listings for credit card-sized AirTag holders which keep the tracker secure in a circular cutout while also keeping your wallet at a relatively uniform thickness.
I wasn’t able to try any of these so I can’t vouch for their quality, but I will say they are a tailored solution to a very specific problem — these cases are designed for in-wallet use and that’s basically it. For more flexibility, you could opt for a thinner pocket for your AirTag like Moment’s $20 Stretch Fabric Mount or the $16 Cyrill Shine case, the latter of which also doubles as a key ring holder.
Unsurprisingly, companies followed the same track with AirTags accessories as they did for AirPods accessories — there are many cute and custom options available. Casetify has a limited selection of customizable AirTag holders that you can emblazon with hearts, butterflies, peace signs and even the initials or name of the owner. But they’ll cost you $35 a pop — even pricier than a single AirTag. Amazon and Walmart also have silicone cases shaped like paw prints, Hello Kitty, kawaii avocados and more, and you’ll be hard pressed to find one of those costing more than $10. Plus, they may make it easier to convince your young child to hook an AirTag onto their backpack.
The emergence of virtual productions like those popularized by Disney's The Mandalorian have given display giants a new niche for their massive screens. Sony, which boasts a movie production arm, is already using its modular crystal LEDs to provide backgrounds for shoots. Now, Samsung is getting in on the act through a new partnership with Korea's CJ ENM, the entertainment group best known for the Oscar-winning social satireParasite.
The pact will see Samsung provide its massive MicroLED TVs, known as The Wall, to the studio's virtual production facility when it opens in Paju, Gyeonggi Province later this year. CJ ENM previously struck a deal with Fortnite maker Epic Games to use its Unreal Engine game engine — which also provided the digital backdrops for The Mandalorian — for future projects.
Virtual productions are gaining traction in global filmmaking. The technique involves the use of LED stages, game engines and VR to create and control computer-generated backdrops. Currently, the massive investment has limited the tools to blockbuster shoots, but industry insiders believe that could change as people realize the savings they bring on crew travel and physical sets and infrastructure. As a result, virtual production is expected to become the norm in filmmaking within five years, according to an industry report by the Göteborg Film Festival.
Samsung says its latest screens will deliver improved visuals thanks to their support for HDR 10+ and optimized frame rates such as 23.976Hz, 29.97Hz and 59.94Hz. The company will install an oval-shaped main display at CJ ENM's new complex with a diameter of 20 metres and a height of seven metres or more. Samsung says its massive screen measures over 1,000 inches and supports up to 16K high-resolution content.
But, the Korean company hasn't embraced virtual production quite like Sony. The Japanese conglomerate previously paid $250 million to acquire a minority stake in Epic Games. It also bought virtual production software maker Nurulize in 2019 and integrated it into Sony Innovation Studios, the state-of-the-art facility located on the Sony Pictures Studios lot.
One problem with our electric vehicle future is the need for ubiquitous, easy-to-use charging points all over the world. After all, the only way to avoid range and lines-at-the-charger anxiety is to make sure you can get power whenever you need it. That’s what makes a project, started by Indiana’s Department of Transport, so exciting: It’s working on a road that can charge your EV as you drive.
Backed by the National Science Foundation, and in partnership with Purdue University, the team will test concrete embedded with magnetized particles. This magnetized cement, or Magment, will be produced by a German company (also called Magment). The idea will, if early tests prove successful, see Indiana’s DOT build a quarter-mile track of Magment to see if it can charge a heavy duty truck while it trundles along.
A number of countries, including the UK and Sweden, are currently testing road-based charging. If it works, we won’t need to reorder our lives to accommodate an EV. Better still, permanently available power may make it easier to build cars with smaller batteries, knowing you’re never more than a few inches from your next set of electrons.
Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld console, brings PC gaming to your morning commute. The open question, of course, was how such a wee device would cope with the demanding, graphically intensive titles of the last few years. Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais explained that the console will ship with an option to limit the frame rate. This Frame Limiter, which has a lower limit of 30 frames per second, was tested on Portal 2, which lasted four hours without it, and six with. It seems like Valve is at least aware its handheld is more than a little ambitious and is making every effort to ensure it actually works. Continue Reading.
China has unveiled its design for a “clean” nuclear reactor, which is at less risk of meltdown and doesn’t require water for cooling. This reactor, which uses thorium and molten salt, is a bit of a holy grail for our clean energy future, at least until something better comes along. Tests should begin later this year, and there’s hope of seeing the first working commercial reactor in the early 2030s. Developed by the US in the early ‘60s, thorium and molten salt reactors are comparable to current uranium reactors. Why was the technology mothballed? For a couple of reasons, most notably because, unlike uranium, the technology didn’t work for weapons. Continue Reading.
Ingenuity, NASA’s Mars helicopter, has now covered a mile of distance flown while studying the surface of the Red Planet. On its latest jaunt, the 10th so far, it zoomed around taking pictures of the Raised Ridges region of the Jezero Crater. They will help mission commanders determine if the Perseverance rover can make it over the rough terrain. Continue Reading.
The 2020 Summer Games, before all of the running and jumping and swimming started, was a feast for the more nerdily inclined. The opening ceremony featured a light show, with a fleet of 1,824 drones taking center stage. Initially forming the shape of the five rings, the craft then recombined to create a 3D globe in the air, while a rendition of Imagine, re-orchestrated by Hans Zimmer, rang throughout the stadium. And the geeky festivities didn’t stop there: The athletes walked out to orchestrated versions of classic video game songs. Continue Reading.
LG may be through with smartphones, but it's still making gear you can use with your mobile. The Korean company has unveiled its new range of LG Tone Free wireless earbuds, and this time the germ-killing UV tech isn't the highlight. Of the three newcomers, the high-end FP9 model has a charging case that plugs into a headphone jack to work as a Bluetooth dongle. The feature could be handy during flights and in other wired environments.
The trio, including the mid-range FP8 and low-end FP9, also come with active noise-canceling and two new spatial audio upgrades. That means you should hear musical elements as if they're positioned in different spaces in a 3D soundstage. The results are supposed to be more "lifelike," according to LG, but we'll have to test them before offering a verdict.
LG
In fact, spatial audio is becoming a more common feature in general. It recently arrived on Apple Music and has long been available through Sony's 360 Reality Audio format. While Verizon claims that its spatial audio format, Adaptive Sound, doesn't even require specific headphones, earbuds or speakers.
The big departure in the Tone Free's design is the shorter stem, which LG reduced by 4.4 millimeters. All three also pack a trio of microphones and a new voice calling feature, dubbed Whispering Mode, that lets you hold the right earbud close to your mouth as a dedicated mic.
UV auto-cleaning is back, too, but limited to the FP8 and FP9. It can get rid of 99.9 percent of germs in five minutes when the buds are placed inside the case, which features wireless charging on the FP8. Both the mid- and high-end earbuds also pack more battery life than the low-end- FP5: 10 hours of playback time compared to 8 hours between charges, and 24 hours with the case compared to 22 hours.
LG says the LG Tone Free FP series will be available starting this month in colors including charcoal black and pearl white, with the FP8 and FP9 also offered in haze gold. We've reached out for pricing info and will update this article accordingly.
We've seen helmets and AI that can spot brain tumors, but a new hard hat can actually treat them, too. As part of the latest neurological breakthrough, researchers used a helmet that generates a magnetic field to shrink a deadly tumor by a third. The 53-year-old patient who underwent the treatment ultimately passed away due to an unrelated injury. But, an autopsy of his brain showed that the procedure had removed 31 percent of the tumor mass in a short time. The test marked the first noninvasive therapy for a deadly form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma.
The helmet features three rotating magnets connected to a microprocessor-based electronic controller operated by a rechargeable battery. As part of the therapy, the patient wore the device for five weeks at a clinic and then at home with the help of his wife. The resulting magnetic field therapy created by the helmet was administered for two hours initially and then ramped up to a maximum of six hours per day. During the period, the patient's tumor mass and volume shrunk by nearly a third, with shrinkage appearing to correlate with the treatment dose.
The inventors of the device — which received FDA approval for compassionate use treatment — claim it could one day help treat brain cancer without radiation or chemotherapy. “Our results...open a new world of non-invasive and nontoxic therapy...with many exciting possibilities for the future,” said David S. Baskin, corresponding author and director of the Kenneth R. Peak Center for Brain and Pituitary Tumor Treatment in the Department of Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist Neurological Institute. Details of the procedure have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Oncology.
