Technology News

Three reasons why Epic Games can give away $17.5 billion worth of games for freeBy Jay PetersThe Verge 3 hours agoThe Epic Games Store gives away free every games every week — often good ones — and yet the company has never explained how it’s managed to dole out 749 million copies without going bankrupt. Until now. New documents published as part of the legal discovery process for Epic’s major antitrust lawsuit against Apple were published last week, and between those and a series of tweets from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, we’re getting our best look yet at how the company’s not quite throwing billions of dollars away.www.theverge.com

Is Sony planning to put PlayStation Games on Mobile?By Carmelo Favie IIIPosted by ClutchPoints 40 minutes agoNo one can ever deny Sony’s position in the console market. The game developer established itself as a pillar of game consoles ever since the launch of the PlayStation. However, the company’s success undoubtedly took a massive hit with Microsoft’s advances with the next-generation Xbox. Now, rumors floating on the internet point towards Sony’s alleged plans to make some of its library available on mobile. Video game consoles continue to be a massive player in the games market but the mobile platform remains an untapped market for Sony.clutchpoints.com

Galaxy S22 might sport sensor-shift camera stabilizationBy JC TorresPosted by SlashGear 1 hour agoSamsung’s premium flagships have always been up there when it comes to camera performance but there are areas that could still use some improvement. Last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra was criticized for its autofocus problems and stabilization in smartphones is still undergoing constant evolution. The latest trend, started by Apple’s iPhone 12 no less, seems to be shifting away from the once highly-popular OIS towards a sensor shifting strategy, a technology that Samsung is now rumored to be planning for its Galaxy S22 flagship next year. In the past, OIS or Optical Image Stabilization has been used as a bragging right by smartphone makers. Significantly better than EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization), the technology does have some unavoidable costs in terms of additional components and, consequently, build costs. A more efficient and more cost-effective alternative is always ideal and the next generation of high-end phones might be using sensor-shift technology instead. Instead of moving the lens to compensate for unwanted movement, sensor-shift actually moves the entire image sensor. This system has been employed for quite a while now in digital cameras where interchangeable lenses may not have OIS available. More recently, however, Apple introduced the technology to the smartphone world via last year’s iPhone 12 Pro Max. GalaxyClub’s sources indicate that Samsung is working on exactly that technology for next year’s big Galaxy but it has also heard rumors that might tickle some photography enthusiasts’ fancy. There are whispers that Samsung is working with Olympus, a camera maker known for its expertise in sensor-shift stabilization, for this particular component. Unfortunately, the site is unable to verify those claims and refuses to put confidence in them for now. It will definitely be interesting how this technology will develop in Samsung’s hands. The company has definitely been stepping up its imaging game, not just for its own smartphones but for the ISOCELL products that it sells to other smartphone makers. It definitely needs to start making strides as the likes of Xiaomi, Vivo, and OPPO start catching up to the bigger and more expensive smartphone brands.

Google is killing off Play Movies and TV, but your purchases will live on YouTubeBy Napier LopezThe Next Web 1 hour agoNapier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in (show all) Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in his free time. Follow him on Twitter.thenextweb.com

Mac sales are surging thanks to Apple’s new M1 processorBy Yoni HeislerPosted by BGR.com 2 hours agoJust when most everyone thought that the days of impressive Mac sales growth were behind us, Apple late last year unveiled its ARM-based M1 processor and, in turn, generated newfound interest in the Mac. According to recent market research from IDC, overall PC shipments during the first quarter of 2021...bgr.com

Pentagon unveils microchip that senses Covid in the bodyBy Graeme MassiePosted by The Independent 3 hours ago Pentagon scientists have invented a microchip that once inserted under the skin will detect if the patient develops Covid -19. And they have also developed a revolutionary filter that can remove the virus from the patient’s blood through a dialysis machine. Researchers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) say they have been working for years on ways to prevent and to end pandemics. Their work on the microchip was revealed on 60 Minutes on CBS on Sunday night. Retired Colonel Matt Hepburn, an army infectious disease physician leading DARPA’s response to the pandemic, showed off the technology on the show. The idea for the invention came after 1,271 infections were recorded on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier in 2020. The microchip, which does not track movements, is carried in a tissue-like gel and is designed to continuously test the patient’s blood. “You put it underneath your skin and what that tells you is that there are chemical reactions going on inside the body, and that signal means you are going to have symptoms tomorrow,” explained Col Hepburn. And he added: “It’s like a ‘check engine’ light. “Sailors would get the signal, then self-administer a blood draw and test themselves on site. “We can have that information in three to five minutes. As you truncate that time, as you diagnose and treat, what you do is you stop the infection in its tracks.” Col Hepburn also told the show that his team had invented a filter that if placed on a dialysis machine would remove the virus from blood. He said that the four-day treatment had been given to “Patient 16”, the spouse of a military member, who was in organ failure and septic shock. “You pass it through, and it takes the virus out, and puts the blood back in,” said Col Hepburn. And he said that within days of the treatment the patient had made a full recovery. The treatment has now been approved by the FDA for emergency use and has been used to treat almost 300 sick patients. The body was originally known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency and was created in 1958 by president Dwight Eisenhower in response to the Russian launch of Sputnik the year before. More than a quarter of the 4,800 member USS Theodore Roosevelt tested positive during a high-profile outbreak on the nuclear powered ship last year. The carrier’s commander, Captain Brett Crozier, raised the alarm and sent a fiery letter to Navy leaders about the spread of the virus on the ship. When it was leaked to the media he was relieved of his command, but kept his rank. In video that was posted to social media hundreds of crew members cheered his name from the hangar deck as he left the ship. A Navy inquiry later found that Captain Crozier, and his boss onboard the carrier, Rear Admiral Stuart P Baker made poor decision about the spread of the virus on the ship.

Aussie Deals: $1M In-Game Bucks for Free and Cheap Gaming Gear!By IGN AUIGN 1 hour agoOne million dollars for next to no effort expended. That's enough to make us raise a pinky to our mouth in Dr. Evil glee. Better yet, it's also just the tip of today's discounted deals iceberg. If you're after dirt cheap peripherals and the latest and greatest games for a whole lot less than usual, scroll on downward...www.ign.com

Android Heads Up feature aims to prevent distracted walkingDigital Trends 1 hour agoIf you often walk along the street glued to your smartphone, then a new tool from Google is aimed at you. Reportedly coming to Pixel phones first, the “Heads Up” feature for Android prompts you to stay aware of your surroundings if it detects you’re using your handset while walking.www.digitaltrends.com

Fortnite update 16.20 arrives tomorrow with big Creative and car changesBy Brittany A. RostonPosted by SlashGear 3 hours agoIt’s that time of the week — Epic is about to release another Fortnite update. The game update version 16.20 will arrive in the early hours tomorrow morning, bringing some welcomed bug fixes in addition to some big changes. Though we still aren’t getting patch notes for the updates, Epic has teased a few of the tweaks it has planned. Fortnite update 16.20 will arrive tomorrow, April 13, at 2 AM EST (0600 UTC); you’ll be able to play once you install the patch. Once installed, the update will bring a few notable changes, according to Epic, including an exciting change for players who prefer Creative mode: 50-player matchmaking. In addition, Epic teases that players will get the chance to ‘sharpen those bow skill and focus up,’ though it’s unclear whether that refers to the Duos Cup it has planned or if there will be a new LTM focused on the bow weapons. Beyond that, Epic also notes that update 16.20 will enable players to choose wheel designs for vehicles. It’s unclear how this change will take place as the company didn’t elaborate. Presumably, the new wheel designs will be offered at cosmetics similar to the vehicle wraps players can currently unlock and purchase. Though Epic didn’t detail any other changes beyond these three things, we know the next update will bring a number of bug fixes, as well. The company recently posted on its Trello board a note that fixes for multiple Quest tracking issues will arrive in the next update, among other things.

The 41 best games on Nintendo SwitchBy Mark SerrelsCNET 3 hours agoThere's honestly never been a better time to get stuck into Nintendo Switch games. First off, there's a choice between the original Nintendo Switch and the brand new Nintendo Switch Lite. That's good. Second of all, a huge number of us are homebound. There's never been a better time to...www.cnet.com