Bandai Namco announces the first Elden Ring expansion is in development - Ars Technica

Enlarge / Welcome back.

Publisher Bandai Namco has officially announced the first expansion content for Elden Ring, just over a year after the game's initial release earned it Ars' 2022 Game of the Year honors. "Shadow of the Erdtree" is "currently in development," according to a tweet from the game's official account, and promises "new adventure in the Lands Between."

While the announcement is extremely light on details, we do get a single image of what looks like a long-haired woman on horseback, looking over a misty and wheat-filled moor with a few ruined arches poking up here and there. There's already some rampant speculation that this figure is Miquella, the previously unseen twin of the infamous and frustratingly difficult Elden Ring boss Malenia.

Elden Ring became an immediate bestseller after its launch last February, selling 12 million copies in just 17 days, according to Bandai Namco. The publisher recently announced that the game had surpassed 20 million sales in its first year, putting it in the rarefied realm of mega-sellers like Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Grand Theft Auto series.

Rise, Tarnished, and let us walk a new path together.
An upcoming expansion for #ELDENRING Shadow of the Erdtree, is currently in development.
We hope you look forward to new adventures in the Lands Between. pic.twitter.com/cjJYijM7Mw

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) February 28, 2023

The announcement comes after the December release of the game's first DLC content in the form of a free multiplayer-focused update that offered new locations for duels and free-for-all battles.

In December, Elden Ring developer FromSoftware also announced it was working on the first new entry in the Armored Core mech battle franchise in over a decade. That game is planned for a 2023 release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One/Series, and Windows.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( Bandai Namco announces the first Elden Ring expansion is in development - Ars Technica )
https://ift.tt/Sq5vXZn
Technology

Lenovo's Rollable Concept Screen Seems Almost Like Magic - CNET

Motorola has already impressed us with its rollable concept phone at this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but parent company Lenovo is getting in on flexible displays too with its mind-boggling concept laptop featuring a screen that grows taller at the double-tap of a button. 

Having seen it in person, it's almost like magic.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Seen on its stand at the mobile trade show, the concept device appears mostly as a regular laptop with a keyboard, trackpad and 12.7-inch display. That display is flexible, however, and actually slides in and out of the body of the laptop. A double-tap of a button on the side and the full length of the screen begins to slowly work its way out, resulting in a much larger 15.3-inch display with an 8:9 aspect ratio. 

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

This tall screen format could be great for working professionals because it offers a lot more real estate for scrolling down web pages or for working on large documents or spreadsheets. 

It's similar in principle to the tech used in Motorola's rolling concept phone, which also features an extendable screen that provides a larger surface for watching 16:9 videos. Like the phone, Lenovo's laptop is purely a proof of concept and there are no plans to put it into production or even to use the technology on future devices. 

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

However, with clearly a lot of time, effort and money gone into the development of this laptop, it wouldn't come as a surprise if we see this tech in some form on sale a few product generations down the line. 

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( Lenovo's Rollable Concept Screen Seems Almost Like Magic - CNET )
https://ift.tt/NAIZ2dx
Technology

Some Pixel phones are crashing after playing a certain YouTube video - The Verge

/

A video of a tense scene from Alien is crashing some Pixels. Extra spooky.

Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

A specific YouTube video is causing some Pixel phones to crash, as reported by Android Authority. When those who are affected by the problem try to watch the video, their phone instantly reboots. Some, including Android Authority, have also said their phones present cellular network issues afterward. (Android Authority said those issues were fixed after another reboot.)

In a Reddit thread, some users report running into the issue with their Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6A phones, and one Verge staffer’s Pixel 6 crashed when they tried to watch the video. However, the issue doesn’t seem to be affecting everyone; Android expert Mishaal Rahman says it didn’t crash his Pixel 6 Pro, while others in the Reddit thread say their Pixels can watch the video as well.

The video itself, which is two years old, is a scene from the classic sci-fi horror film Alien that’s available in 4K HDR. While we don’t recommend watching it if you’re on one of the potentially affected phones, here is the link to the video. It’s unclear what’s causing the crash, and we’ve reached out to Google for comment. However, some have speculated it comes down to the way the Pixels handle color, which is what apparently caused a certain wallpaper to crash some Android phones.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( Some Pixel phones are crashing after playing a certain YouTube video - The Verge )
https://ift.tt/O2U79L0
Technology

You can now fly the largest aircraft ever built in 'Microsoft Flight Simulator' - Engadget

One year ago today, the largest aircraft ever built was destroyed during the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now, the Antonov An-225 Mriya is once again taking to the skies — albeit in Microsoft Flight Simulator. What's more, if you buy the add-on, you could help restore the only real-life Mriya that was ever completed.

The Ukraine-built Mriya was an ultra-heavy lift jet transport aircraft with six engines. It was the heaviest aircraft ever built and it had the largest wingspan of any plane at 290 feet. The Mriya, which had its first flight in 1988, was used to transport things like Soviet space shuttles, tanks, diesel locomotives and dozens of cars at a time.

Stringer . / reuters

A second Mriya was in the works, but it was never finished. There are plans to reconstruct the plane by using parts of the destroyed Mriya and pieces from the unfinished airframe. The project is expected to cost over $500 million.

The Microsoft Flight Simulator version of the Antonov An-225 Mriya is available in six liveries, including an Xbox Aviators Club one. It's in the in-game marketplace on PC today and will be available for the Xbox Series X/S and cloud versions later this month. The Mriya costs $20, with all proceeds going to the Antonov Corporation's Mryia reconstruction efforts. Meanwhile, iniBuilds, the team behind the virtual Mriya, has released a manual and other details about the plane on its forums.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( You can now fly the largest aircraft ever built in 'Microsoft Flight Simulator' - Engadget )
https://ift.tt/DscuRBT
Technology

Google is bringing a bunch of new features to Android and Wear OS - Engadget

The advent of MWC is always an opportunity for Google to shine a light on some smaller, but still useful, tweaks to its ecosystems. This year, the Android giant is unveiling a raft of minor additions to Android and Wear OS designed to further smooth the bumps in your digital life. That includes a new widget for Google Keep that’ll let you check-off to-do lists from the comfort of your home screen. You’ll also get the ability to, with a compatible watch, let you dictate notes and to-do list items from your wrist.

Another more notable change is improved noise cancellation in Google Meet when used on some Android devices. The company says that, much like the feature as it already exists, you’ll find the noise of nearby construction or other distractions will be crunched to oblivion while you chat. And, on the audio front, Google says that you’ll soon be able to use Chrome OS' Fast Pair feature to connect new Bluetooth headphones to your machine with a single tap.

Less notable additions include the ability to mash together different emoji to offer a more topic relevant response. In the example, you can merge the Basketball emoji with the Heart Eyes, to give you either a heart-shaped basketball, or add a basketball-like texture to those same heart eyes. Similarly, Android handsets will get new tap-to-pay animations to bring some cartoonish cheer to balance out the misery of spending money on things.

And, on the accessibility front, Chrome on Android will now let you zoom the size of content by up to 300 percent while preserving page layout. Wear OS 3+, meanwhile, will offer Mono-audio for those who might be distracted by stereo, as well as grayscale and color-correction modes for your watch display for easier viewing. If you’re interested in learning more about this, you can check out Google’s full and comprehensive work-up of all the features over at its blog.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( Google is bringing a bunch of new features to Android and Wear OS - Engadget )
https://ift.tt/IFji14z
Technology

OnePlus’ gaming concept phone has glowing liquid cooling - TechCrunch

The days of a cautious OnePlus release cycle appear to be behind us. In January, the Oppo-owned mobile brand unveiled its new flagship, the OnePlus 11. Earlier this month, the 11R arrived, focused on the growing Indian smartphone market. These days, the company also offers last year’s 10T and 10 Pro, three budget Nord devices, five earbuds and a tablet. A new mechanical keyboard is on the way, along with some rumored foldables.

As change of pace, the company showcased a product this week at MWC that will never see the light of day – or at least not in its current form. As the name implies, the OnePlus 11 Concept is effectively a remix of the company’s current flagship. The key differentiators, however, point to a company hoping to get more serious about mobile gaming. The gaming phone market has been something of a mixed bag, putting it mildly, and there’s no clear indication that it will ever release such a device.

A more likely approach involves generational advances that make more serious gaming more plausible on the small screen. “We will make a lot of efforts in research and design of the technology,” OnePlus President and COO Kinder Liu told TechCrunch through a translator. “But as for the commercial availability of these technologies, we will further analyze the market and the technology’s maturity.”

Image Credits: OnePlus

Liu explains that gauging consumer interest is one “multiple reasons” OnePlus went the automaker route with the unveiling of a liquid cooled handset. “Also, we want to encourage continuous innovation inside our company,” he adds.

OnePlus calls the new technology, “Active CryoFlux.” A 0.2 square centimeter piezoelectric ceramic micropump moves the coolant up and down a pipeline near the rear of the device and around the massive camera array. The rear of the device is covered in a transparent material, showcasing the process as a kind of light show. It’s a cool effect, and one that invariably shares of comparisons to Phone (1), released by OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei’s Nothing last year.

Given the recent stagnation of broader smartphone innovation, it’s probably inevitable that manufacturers are tweaking product design in new ways. Smartphone sales have slowed pretty much across the board, as well, leaving manufacturers looking for new avenues to jumpstart sales.

“A lot of young people like playing games,” says Liu. “Gaming plays an important role in their digital life, and in the future, we will continuously improve their gaming experience. Currently, we definitely engage with our users about gaming development. We are talking about how to improve the gaming experience, and in the future, we believe we will have more time to talk to them.”

Image Credits: OnePlus

Those conversations are a reference, in part, to the company’s longstanding engagement with its user base. Community was a major factor in OnePlus’ growth from the outset, but many consumers have feared that being rolled into Chinese mobile giant Oppo has caused it to drift from that initial focus. A prime example are the original plans to merge OnePlus’ OxygenOS with Oppo’s Color OS. The company abandoned the move a year ago, following user backlash.

“I think one thing can be improved,” says Liu, “and that’s we need to have better communication with the outside world.”

Is gaming the next frontier for device makers now that the initial 5G adoption bump has long since died out? Companies like ASUS, Nubia and Xiaomi are banking on it with the release of devices that center that experience. Giants like Samsung and Apple, on the other hand, seem content to simply make gaming more accessible on their flagship devices. OnePlus seems more likely to follow the latter path, but the phone maker has certainly surprised me before.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( OnePlus’ gaming concept phone has glowing liquid cooling - TechCrunch )
https://ift.tt/pVATaDe
Technology

Motorola rizr rollable phone concept hands-on: They see me rollin' - Android Authority

While foldable screens are slowly becoming more mainstream, rollable flexible displays are still in their emerging phase. The idea is simple: You take a flexible display panel and instead of just folding it on itself, you use its flexibility to roll it — often hiding it away from view. That’s the idea behind Motorola’s rizr rollable phone concept, which was briefly teased back in October.

At MWC 2023, we were able to get our hands on a working prototype of the Motorola rizr rollable phone and let’s just say that it’s too cool. Rollables are more practical than foldable phones in most situations. The phone keeps its original size and form factor, and is usable as is. But when you need more screen estate, you can get an on-demand larger display that momentarily rolls out, then neatly tucks away when you’re done.

Motorola rizr rollable phone concept: Growing taller

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Motorola opted for a smaller form factor for its rizr rollable. In its compact state, the phone sports a 5-inch 15:9 POLED display supplied by BOE Display. It’s tiny compared to the modern 6-inch-and-above flagships we’re used to, but as the razr series and Samsung Flip series showed us, there’s a lot of demand for smaller and more pocketable phones.

The display wraps all the way around the bottom of the rizr and comes up from the back, covering about a third of the rear side. Just double-tap the power button on the side and the motorized system snaps into action, rolling the display up and up, until most of the rear panel part has made its way to the front of the phone. This takes around three seconds and extends the display to a 22:9 6.5-inch size. The Android interface adjusts: Apps stretch vertically, while icons are re-aligned on the home screen for faster access. Motorola is also making special wallpapers that automatically adapt to this metamorphosis.

Apps stretch and adjust as the phone unrolls from it's 5-inch compact state.

In the taller configuration, the Motorola rizr rollable phone looks and feels much more like the flagships we’ve become accustomed to. And that’s where the similarities — and differences —  with the razr and other clamshell foldables become apparent. The tall, user-friendly display is there, but it’s not hidden inside a largely unusable shell most of the time. Instead, you still have access to two-thirds of that same display in the default, compact configuration. In fact, the design is more akin to the original Motorola rizr series of sliding phones, hence the name.

Double-tap again and the display rolls back down, hiding away from view. It can also drop down a little further to reveal the front-facing camera and speaker grille. Like any other Motorola phone, this one supports Moto actions, so a double flick of the wrist switches to the selfie lens in the camera app.

The main downside of the rizr is its thickness and weight. Despite the smaller height and width, it’s still pretty thick and weighs in at 210g — more than many larger flagships like the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra. But that seems essential to accommodate the display and its mechanism.

Motorola rollable phone: Hot or not?

627 votes

A secondary display and a bigger primary display in one

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

The Motorola rizr rollable phone manages to check several important use cases in one form factor. For one, the display can be set to automatically expand (no double-tap needed) in certain circumstances. Say you’re watching a YouTube video and you turn the phone into landscape mode, then the display starts rolling automatically to give you more screen estate and immerse you in the content. Or if you’re about to type an email, it’ll roll up to let you use Gboard more comfortably, without cramping up the rest of the content on the tiny display.

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

With the phone facing down and the display unrolled, the wrap-around part starts acting like a secondary back display. It can show notifications and dim down to an all-black always-on display with the date, time, and weather.

The coolest use case is within the camera, though. Any time you take a photo, you can tap a button to activate the back display, which then either shows your subject a preview of their photo or a cute smiley animation. Making babies or kids smile with that should be easy.

The rizr can automatically expand when you need it, and tuck itself away when you don't.

We were curious if Motorola would allow you to take “selfie” photos in this mode — i.e., just launch the camera, flip the phone around, and use the main sensor with the rear display to frame your shot. For now, that doesn’t seem to be feasible (though we figure you could do it by setting a timer or using volume buttons as a shutter), but Motorola said it’s considering adding support for hand gestures to snap a shot.

Motorola rizr rollable phone: A cool concept, a lot of questions

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Motorola has a very cool and interesting idea with the rizr rollable phone; unlike other whacky concepts, this one looks cool and seems genuinely useful. But the proof is in the pudding, as they say.

Rollable displays have yet to make it to the mainstream. Besides all the complexities of how a folding screen works, you have to get a tiny, power-efficient, and reliable motorized system to roll them around. For now, the concept Motorola rizr has a 3,000mAh battery, which may be enough for a smaller 5-inch display but would be insufficient in the extended 6.5-inch mode. Not to mention how much the rolling and unrolling mechanism would consume if you extended and shrunk the display multiple times a day.

Ruggedness and durability are other big concerns. Motorola kept its prototype unit encased in a clear plastic case the whole time and this may as well be a necessity with the phone. Without it, the display would be entirely bare on the bottom and back, meaning you couldn’t put it down on a surface without worrying about how many dust particles were on there. Someone as clumsy as me would worry sick about dropping the phone; the mechanism may not be too resilient to floor drops, especially if it falls on the bottom side or corners.

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Even with the case on, the top part of the display is relatively exposed when it rolls up. The hard shell protecting the display is only a couple of millimeters thick and I wouldn’t want to know what happens if you dropped the phone with it expanded.

Rollable phones are a great evolution of foldable displays that feels very futuristic.

And if all of that is solved, the biggest question remains: When? Motorola says this rollable concept phone is part of its 312 Labs division, which is looking a couple of years ahead, but we know the technology is nearly there. LG teased a rollable phone in late 2020 and Oppo had the Oppo X concept in mid-2021. Foldable display technology has evolved a lot since then: hinges are sturdier and displays are less prone to breaking. Despite all the complexities of the rolling mechanism, we should surely be getting closer to commercialization now, and not two or three years away?

Just color us impatient. Rollable phones are just a great evolution of foldable displays and they make the best use of space, keeping the main phone compact and user-friendly, without any real compromise on usability, while still offering the option to switch to a larger display when you need it. And that just feels a bit futuristic to us.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( Motorola rizr rollable phone concept hands-on: They see me rollin' - Android Authority )
https://ift.tt/k7AdPSn
Technology