Dotemu, the developer behind beat-em-ups like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge and Streets of Rage 4, is back with another slice of side-scrolling retro goodness. This time, however, the companys eschewing a tried-and-true franchise in favor of an original IP. Absolum is a fantasy beat-em-up thats being co-developed by Guard Crush Games and Supamonk.
The game looks to retain the core beat-em-up mechanics the developer has become known for, but with some flourishes. Dotemu boasts of "branching paths to explore," which is giving me Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse vibes. The developer has also implemented roguelike mechanics of some kind, with it going so far as to describe the game as a "rogue-em-up." We dont know the details of these mechanics just yet.
We do know that Absolum will be playable as a solo campaign or in a co-op mode, offering both local and online play. Gamers will be able to choose from four different fantasy-themed characters. Also, the animation looks pretty dang gorgeous. Itll be available for Switch, PlayStation and PC later this year.
Just because Absolum is a brand-new IP, doesnt mean that Dotemu has given up on reviving classics for modern audiences. The company is also publishing Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a game thats actually set during the events of the NES original.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-dev-behind-tmnt-shredders-revenge-is-making-an-original-beat-em-up-180518331.html?src=rss
After weeks of teasers from Activision and Tony Hawk, the video game publisher has officially announced that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 will be available on July 11. Iron Galaxy Studios remade the old skateboarding games from the ground up to create an updated version of the classics. The remake includes the original games' content, along with cross-platform online multiplayer for up to eight skaters. Activision says it picks up from where Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 + 2 left off, but it didn't mention whether the new title would also come with local multiplayer like its predecessor does.
The new game was developed by a different studio than the one that remade the first two games even though Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 + 2 was pretty well-received. Hawk previously revealed that Vicarious Visions, the studio that developed the first remake, was supposed to work on the third and fourth installments, as well. However, that plan was scrapped after the studio got absorbed into Blizzard. The new game will feature new skaters, tricks and brand-new parks. Its skater selection will include legends in the sport though Bam Margera was notably absent in the roster we were given as well as newer names, like two-time Olympics champion Yuto Horigome.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 will be available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. For the PC, it can be purchased through Steam, Battle.net and Microsoft Store. Finally, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will be able to play it at launch through the game streaming service. Pre-orders will be available starting today, and those who do purchase in advance will be able to access the Foundry Demo in June. Those willing to pay extra and pre-order the Digital Deluxe and Collector's Editions will be able to access the game earlier on July 8. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with extra content, while the Collector's Edition comes with a full-size Birdhouse skateboard deck and a printed Tony Hawk autograph.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tony-hawks-pro-skater-3--4-arrives-on-july-11-180029571.html?src=rss
Google has just announced the four latest features of its Android 15 operating system.
First up, Google Messages now uses AI to detect scam messages in real time. Scam Detection will notify you if it detects suspicious writing patterns from the messages you're receiving and will give you the option to report and/or block the conversation. For the privacy-minded, Scam Detection runs locally on your device, keeping your messages safe from prying eyes.
Find My Device can now let you share your location live with your friends, and you can see each other on a map while trying to meet up. Its a handy feature for those who want to watch their loved ones, ensuring they end up where they should be. This feature was already part of Google Maps (and Apple's own Find My app) but is now rolled into Find My Device.
New games are coming to Android Auto, including Candy Crush Soda Saga, Angry Birds 2, and Beach Buggy Racing. After downloading them to your phone, you can play them in your car while parked. The Chrome app for Android will also now track price comparisons for products and potentially send you alerts when an item is on sale.
You can click here to learn more about the latest Android updates. Pixel smartphone owners can also check out the newest features exclusive to these devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-latest-android-update-includes-live-scam-message-detection-170040545.html?src=rss
The latest Pixel feature drop is here with Google rolling updates across its family of smartphones and wearables. If you're a Pixel 9 owner in the US, you'll soon have access to a new version of Pixel Studio capable of creating stickers and images of people. As a refresher, Pixel Studio is an AI image app that is exclusive to Pixel devices. "Just type a description of a person or scene youd like to see, or choose the style you want, like 'video game' or '3D cartoon,'" Google says of the new feature. The approach Google taking here is similar to the one Apple currently employs with Image Playground. Photorealistic images are off the table so that you can't use Pixel Studio to confuse your friends and family.
Beyond Pixel Studio, Google is bringing other AI features to the Pixel family in the US and beyond. Most notably, the company's live scam protection, which Google brought to testers last fall, is expanding to more devices, with additional functionality for those with Pixel 9 handsets in the US.
If you own a Pixel 9, it will start screening English calls to protect you from scams. On the Pixel 6 and newer, Google is expanding the availability of scam text detection, with the feature rolling out to phones in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 Pro users in Japan can look forward to a large portion of the brand's AI suite, including Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio, rolling out to their devices. Similarly, Google is making many of those same features available to Pixel 9 users in Germany.
Google
If AI features aren't your thing, this month's Pixel drop won't leave you disappointed. To start, Google is updating its Find My Device app to allow users to send and receive the location of friends and family, "so you can rest easy knowing where they are, or that they got where they were going safely." This is rolling out to recent Pixel devices, and more broadly the wider Android ecosystem. One other nifty new feature allows Pixel 9 owners to connect their phone to a recent GoPro camera or another Pixel phone to stream video from multiple angles.
Google hasn't forgotten about Pixel Watch users. If you're running the latest model, the company has obtained clearance from the FDA to offer its Loss of Pulse Detection feature. "This first-of-its-kind feature can detect when you've experienced a loss of pulse," Google explains. A loss of pulse can occur due to a cardiac arrest, a respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose or poisoning. Whatever the case, the Pixel Watch 3 will automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive.
Google is also rolling out on-device menstrual tracking to the Pixel Watch 3, and the entire Watch family will start tracking steps with greater precision and accuracy. This is due to the fact Google has made the underlying algorithm better at recognizing when you deviate from your usual walking pattern to go do something like push a shopping cart or wheelchair. "The improved algorithm ensures that not only are your steps accurately counted toward your daily goal, but that you'll get reliable insights into your daily activities."
The March Pixel drop is starting to roll out today. As usual, it may take a few days before the update is available to download on your device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-pixel-studio-can-now-generate-images-and-stickers-of-people-170032821.html?src=rss
Acclaim was one of the biggest gaming brands in the '80s and '90s, but the company ran into trouble in the the early 2000s. It filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and it was sold off in parts. Now, more than twenty years later, a group of industry veterans has revived the publisher with the aim of supporting indie developers and revitalizing its own gaming franchises.
The company will help indie studios on the funding, marketing and PR fronts. That's very welcome news, especially at a time when funding is tougher to come by.
Acclaim's plan to revive its own catalog of gaming IP is pretty exciting too. The company, which was founded in 1987, published the console and PC versions of the NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat series, as well as a string of licensed games, including WWF titles, The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare, Spider-Man games, Alien 3, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Space Jam and many more. Acclaim also published the first games in the Burnout and Turok franchises.
CEO Alex Josef said in a press release that Acclaim has already signed some indie games and it plans to reveal those soon. But here's hoping the publisher gives the people what they really want: a modern take on NBA Jam.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/acclaim-is-back-from-the-ashes-to-support-indie-games-and-revive-its-own-classic-franchises-165005620.html?src=rss
Shure just revealed the MoveMic 88+ wireless direct-to-phone microphone with four selectable polar patterns. The company says this is the first-ever microphone of its type to offer this feature. For the uninitiated, polar patterns dictate where a microphone picks up sound. Most of the mics in this category offer just an omnidirectional polar pattern, which records equally from all sides. Some companies swap that out for a cardioid pattern, which picks up audio from a single direction.
The MoveMic 88+ offers access to both of the aforementioned polar patterns, in addition to bi-directional and raw mid-side. Why does any of this matter? It increases the versatility of the microphone. The cardioid pattern is perfect for, say, a TikTok video or an acoustic performance. The bi-directional pattern would be the go-to choice for a two-person interview and the omnidirectional pattern is the one to select for a field recording.
The microphone also offers a bevy of mounting options. It attaches to most popular tripods and mic stands with included mic clips and can be used as a handheld microphone. It pairs directly with a mobile phone via Shures MOTIV app, without the need for the companys MoveMic Receiver. It can, however, integrate with the receiver if you want to use it with a regular camera or a computer.
The app also gives users controls over the audio signal, with settings like gain, EQ, high pass filter and more. The wireless range maxes out at 100 feet and the battery lasts around eight hours per charge. The MoveMic 88+ is available right now for $299 and comes with a cold shoe mic clip, 5/8 mic clip and USB-C charging cable.
Shure
Shure introduced another wireless direct-to-phone microphone last year, but that one didnt feature selectable polar patterns. It also recently unveiled a pretty nifty condenser mic that includes a built-in two-channel audio interface.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/shures-movemic-88-is-the-first-wireless-direct-to-phone-microphone-with-selectable-polar-patterns-164052767.html?src=rss
Late last year, Australia passed a law banning social media for all people under 16 years old. Now, some of those companies namely Meta, TikTok and Snap are not happy at one exception: YouTube. Australia has deemed YouTube as a critical education tool and is allowing use, despite an original assumption that the Google-owned platform would be included, Reuters and The Guardian reports.
This follows last month's report from Australia's eSafety Commissioner, which found that YouTube is the most popular platform with 13 to 15-year-olds with just under three-fourths of that age range using it in 2024. Notably, anyone under 16 needs to be part of a family account that offers parental supervision rights to use YouTube.
Remarks from big tech were pointed. "It is illogical to restrict two platforms while exempting the third. It would be akin to banning the sale of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola," said TikToks director of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, Ella Woods-Joyce. Meanwhile, Meta called out the Australian government for failed transparency and making "a mockery of the governments stated intention, when passing the age ban law, to protect young people."
Snap reiterated its fellow platforms' concerns, stating, "There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard." At the same time, Snap is arguing that it's a messaging service and thus shouldn't be part of the ban.
Australia's ban on social media for under 16-year-olds should go into effect towards the end of this year. Time will tell whether big tech's outrage will change its impact on YouTube. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-tiktok-argue-youtube-should-be-included-in-australias-under-16-social-media-ban-160220248.html?src=rss
The independent adult entertainment makers at Erika Lust have launched what they claim is the first-ever erotic immersive experience. Dubbed House of Erika Lust, the installation integrates digital art, audiovisual storytelling and virtual reality to explore human sexuality in an interactive setting. Held in a 1,000-square-meter secret venue in the Barcelona neighborhood of Poblenou, disclosed 24 hours before visitors arrive, the exhibition spans four themed rooms, including a 20-minute VR segment with varying levels of explicitness. Running in Barcelona through April 2025, tickets start at EUR 24 (USD 25), with plans for touring to London and Berlin.Immersive experiences have gone from novelty to expectation. House of Erika Lust expands those expectations by applying them to erotic content and transforming the traditionally private and often secretive into a shared experience. Redefining where and how eroticism can be explored, it's creating a safe, inclusive space where visitors can engage with sexuality on their own terms. The experience is designed to encourage curiosity without discomfort, making room for a broader audience to take part, for example, by allowing visitors to choose between an explicit and an erotic tour. The rooms also reflect a growing demand for representation and inclusivity in adult content, moving beyond mainstream narratives and stereotypes to present a more diverse and nuanced view of sexuality.By framing erotic content within a curated, branded environment, House of Erika Lust challenges social stigmas while establishing clear boundaries that prioritize psychological safety. For other companies navigating taboos and cultural sensitivities, the experience offers a blueprint for balancing openness with control for brands, opportunities abound in reshaping how people engage with complex topics.
Repairing your iPhone without shelling out lots of money to Apple has long felt impossible. But, with recent Right to Repair laws in the likes of Colorado and Oregon, the new iPhones are a bit easier to repair without ever setting foot in an Apple store. This shift includes Apple's latest product, the iPhone 16e, which debuted last month. It received a provisional 7/10 rating from iFixit thanks to features like a new repair guide for the USB-C port and its easy-release battery adhesive.
The charging port repair guide is a big deal and something even the other iPhone 16s don't offer. However, that's not to say it's a simple process. First, you have to remove the back glass, selfie camera, top earpiece speaker, battery, Taptic Engine and the list goes on. Then you have to lift up the logic board to access the port replacement bit. So, it's still a bit of a mess, but at least you now know you're taking the right steps as you go along it.
The iPhone also offers the same electrically released battery adhesive as its fellow iPhone 16 models. It replaces the stretch-release adhesive which never worked as well as you'd hope. This is also the first time an iPhone has Apple's C1 modem after a decade of rumored development. iFixit got down and dirty with the logic board to explore the C1 modem. The team went so far as to run the C1 through a CT scanner, which revealed that there's not a trace of Qualcomm tech in the package.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ifixit-tears-down-the-iphone-16e-now-with-repairable-usb-c-charging-port-151558784.html?src=rss
The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E is now 50 percent off at $99. Thats a whole $100 off, and if youve been eyeing a Wi-Fi upgrade, now might be the time.
Google claims this mesh router can provide coverage up to 2,200 square feet, and the signal wont lose strength even at the edge of that area. You also have lower latency than Wi-Fi 6, so your internet usage will be smoother overall. Because Wi-Fi 6E offers three bands compared to the two Wi-Fi 6 and older has, the network can divide the burden across more bands and reduce interference.
This sounds complicated, but Google designed the Nest Wi-Fi Pro to be a more straightforward device you can set up and then forget. Besides receiving regular security and software updates, the router can adjust the networks performance and fix simple problems. Plus, it integrates well with Google services and smart home devices. Just make sure youre using the latest Nest Wi-Fi and Google Wi-Fi devices.
The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E is on our best mesh Wi-Fi systems list due to its ease of use. Its admittedly lacking in the customization department, but the simplicity makes up for it if the former isnt a concern.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-the-nest-wi-fi-pro-6e-while-its-50-percent-off-150954369.html?src=rss
