2K is making NFL games again and the first will be out in 2021 - The Verge

Madden is getting some competition: today publisher 2K and the NFL announced a new multiyear, multi-game partnership for new football titles. No specific titles were mentioned, and it’s not clear which 2K studio will be handling the franchise, but the publisher says that its first NFL game will be out in 2021. The projects are described as being “in early development.”

The big question, of course, is what this means for the juggernaut that is EA’s Madden series. From the sounds of it, not much will change. The 2K partnership is specifically for “non-simulation football game experiences,” which suggests arcade-like games to complement EA’s more realistic offering. (If we’re lucky, that means a spiritual revival of NFL Blitz.) “Expanding the NFL’s presence in the world of gaming has become a focus for the league as we look to grow the next generation of our fanbase and reviving our partnership with 2K was a natural step in that effort,” Joe Ruggiero, the NFL’s senior VP of consumer products, said in a statement.

For EA’s part, the company released a statement assuring Madden fans that its NFL partnership remains in tact:

EA Sports is the exclusive publisher of NFL simulation games, and our partnership with the NFL and NFLPA remains unchanged. Our agreements have always allowed for non-exclusive development of non-simulation games on various platforms. Our commitment to NFL fans, which spans almost 30 years, has never been stronger, and we’re having our biggest year yet. Madden NFL 20 is the most successful game ever in the franchise, and new modes like superstar KO and our Madden NFL esports broadcasts are growing the fan base. We’ll be building on that momentum with more new and different experiences, on more platforms and with new ways to play, in the years to come.

The news marks a return of sorts, as 2K previously made the NFL 2K series, which started on the Dreamcast and culminated with NFL 2K5 in 2004. Visual Concepts, the studio behind the NFL 2K series, was acquired by 2K parent company Take-Two in 2005 and has spent the intervening years in the sports space making games based on the NHL, NBA, and WWE. “We’re thrilled to be back in business with the NFL in a partnership that will span multiple video games centered on fun, approachable, and social experiences,” 2K president David Ismailer said in a statement.

Update March 10th, 8:36AM ET: Added EA’s statement.

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2020-03-10 12:12:31Z
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The Morning After: 'Call of Duty: Warzone' joins the free battle royale trend - Engadget

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

This week, Westworld is back and despite my issues with how season two unfolded, I'm ready and waiting for season three. Aaron Paul and Marshawn Lynch are interesting additions to the cast, and with the robots venturing out of the park for the first time, its incredible visuals should go to another level.

Still, the big question is if this show can offer viewers something more than just another game -- with teasers that reference our current fears about AI, personal data and privacy, the potential is clearly there.

-- Richard

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Recommended: 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.Apple says it's safe to clean your iPhone with disinfectant wipes

No bleach, no soaking and no spraying anything directly on to the display.

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'Fortnite' and all the rest have a new challenger.'Call of Duty: Warzone' is a free battle royale game

If you already own a copy of Modern Warfare, you'll be able to play the game starting at 11am ET on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Everyone else gets to join at 3pm ET. So what does Warzone bring to a very crowded field of free battle royale shooters?

Try having 150 players in a match, a massive map called Verdansk that blends popular CoD maps like Overgrown and Terminal into one area, vehicles and a Gulag mechanic that pits defeated players in 1v1 matchups where the winner rejoins their living teammates. It's even ready for cross-platform play, so it doesn't matter what system your friends are on. If you're interested in playing, make sure you start the download early -- if you don't have Modern Warfare installed, it could take up to 101GB of data to get everything sorted.

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Their last revision came in 2016.Powerbeats 4 leak gives a first glimpse at Apple's new sporty earbuds

Images of the unannounced Powerbeats 4 have appeared online for the first time, and with Apple's new H1 wireless chip, it looks like they're now on par with the Powerbeats Pro.

According to WinFuture, the new earbuds will come with up to 15 hours of battery life and a Fast Fuel option, which will give an hour of playback for just five minutes of charging.

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Many Vince Carters of competitive gaming are in their mid to late 20s.The esports elders defying their age

Depending on the game, retirement age for a pro gamer can arrive around the same time they get access to really nice rental cars. However, with increasing focus on health (mental and physical) as well as changing team roles, esports players are stretching their careers well into middle age. Check out Nick Summers' report on competitors challenging the notion that esports is a young person's game, right here.

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From overpriced accessory to go-to device.Apple's iPad and Keyboard Folio is all I need

Six months ago, Dan Cooper was outraged at the prospect of Apple charging $160 for a keyboard folio add-on to its seventh generation iPad. Then it went on sale for $100 on Black Friday (it's currently available on Amazon for about $144), and he bought one. Now Dan can explain why it's the physical keyboard that "fixes the iPad."

But wait, there's more...

• Google Groups still exists and it's getting a redesign
• Former Nintendo exec Reggie Fils-Aimé joins GameStop's board
• Arlo will require two-step sign-ins for its smart home devices
• Netflix will end 'Lost in Space' with a third season in 2021
• Honda will discontinue its Clarity EV in 2020
• March Madness app streams two games side-by-side on Android TV and Fire TV
• SoulCycle's $2,500 home-fitness bike is almost ready for pre-order
• Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey isn't going anywhere (for now)

---

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe.

Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.

In this article: av, entertainment, gadgetry, gadgets, gear, internet, mobile, personal computing, personalcomputing, themorningafter, transportation, westworld

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.

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2020-03-10 11:48:10Z
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Apple: This is how you should disinfect your iPhone, iPad, and Mac - ZDNet

A few weeks ago, ZDNet posted a simple (and as it turned out, timely) question over on Twitter -- How often do you disinfect your smartphone? Two-thirds of respondents answered never.

How things change. And quickly.

Now that COVID-19 coronavirus has reared its ugly head, sanitizing gadgets that we hold in our hands and pockets all the time, take to the bathroom with us, and then hold exceedingly close, cozily so, to the orifices in our faces.

Apple has updated its How to clean your Apple products instructions in response to coronavirus to include information on how to sanitize all things Apple.

Apple recommends using "70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes" to "gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces."

Sounds simple, but there are caveats.

• Don't use bleach
• Avoid getting moisture in any opening
• Don't submerge Apple products in any cleaning agents
• Don't use disinfectant on fabric or leather surfaces

Also, owners of Apple's $6,000 Pro Display XDR monitor featuring the nano texture glass need to be aware that this device has its own special cleaning instructions. Failing to follow these care instructions could damage the display.

Must read: The ultimate MacBook Pro accessory just got cheaper

Apple is also keen to point out that if, during the cleaning process, any liquid makes it into the product, you could be in a world of hurt, and that "liquid damage isn't covered under the Apple product warranty or AppleCare Protection Plans."

So, take care. To prevent liquid damage -- and bear in mind Apple is good at spotting liquid damage -- I generally give disinfectant wipes a gentle wring to remove excess moisture.

Apple also has a big list of do's and don'ts:

• Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items
• Avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage
• Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables
• Keep liquids away from the product, unless otherwise noted for specific products
• Don't get moisture into any openings
• Don't use aerosol sprays, bleaches, or abrasives
• Don't spray cleaners directly onto the item

Coronavirus Updates

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2020-03-10 09:21:00Z
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iOS 14 Features New OCR Capabilities That Will Convert Handwritten Text From Apple Pencil Into Typed Text - MacRumors

Camera Comparison: iPhone 11 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Earlier this week we picked up a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and did a feature overview to see if it's worth $1,400, but we also thought we'd take a deeper look at Samsung's newest smartphone to see how the cameras measure up to the cameras in Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Hardware Details Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra, like the iPhone, has a multi-lens rear camera setup. There's a 108-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, and a DepthVision Camera for portrait shots. For comparison's sake, the iPhone is sporting a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. Portrait Mode When it comes to Portrait mode photos, the Galaxy S20 Ultra wins out thanks to that depth sensor. There's not a major difference, but the images coming from the S20 Ultra appear to be sharper and the edge detection is better. The iPhone does win out when it comes to dynamic range, and the S20 Ultra seems to have a bit of desaturation in some images, but overall, the S20 Ultra wins this category. Standard Camera Tests When it comes to standard photos using the three different lenses on each camera, we actually preferred the iPhone images for the most part because the iPhone offered more balanced color and better dynamic range, but with high-end smartphone cameras, a lot comes down to personal preference. The S20 Ultra seems to be overexposing highlights in images with the sun and clouds, resulting in too

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2020-03-10 03:15:30Z
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iOS 14 icon leak reveals first look at Apple’s high-end, over-ear headphones with AirPods features - 9to5Mac

Two years ago supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors that Apple was producing high-end, over-ear headphones with features similar to AirPods.

Today we have our first look at the design of Apple’s new headphones before they’re actually announced. 9to5Mac has discovered two icons representing light and dark versions of Apple’s high-end headphones in iOS 14 code.

Design

The two icons discovered by 9to5Mac give us the clearest picture to date of how high-end, over-ear Apple headphones will look. These glyphs are used in iOS 14 to represent the unreleased headphones throughout the operating system including Apple’s battery and charging status widget.

Based on the two versions of the same glyph, we expect Apple to offer at least two color options for the over-ear version of AirPods, likely black or space gray and white. Apple has only offered AirPods and AirPods Pro in white.

Beats Studio over-ear and Solo Pro on-ear headphones

It’s possible the light and dark glyphs could represent other colors beyond black and white. Apple’s Beats headphones use color as a major marketing feature, for example, but Apple hasn’t given the AirPods lineup the same treatment.

Each glyph also gives us an idea of the size of each headphone and the amount of padding on each cup and band.

Features

In terms of features, we expect Apple’s high-end, over-ear headphones to adopt more features from AirPods than existing Beats headphones have so far. For example, the Apple over-ear headphones are expected to automatically pause and resume audio playback when you remove or wear them.

Apple has shared other AirPods features with various Beats products including Beats Solo Pro. The recently released on-ear headphones include the same chip, noise cancellation, and audio pass-through Transparency mode as AirPods Pro. Solo Pro headphones are on-ear, however, not over-ear; over-ear headphones offer more organic sound isolation and a greater sonic experience.

Beats Solo Pro headphones also lack auto-pause for audio, opting instead for a fold-to-power feature.

The charging method for Apple’s high-end headphones remains a mystery so far. AirPods rely on a charging case that has its own battery, but Beats Solo Pro headphones charge through a Lightning port. A wireless charging stand would be welcome, but we haven’t seen evidence that one will exist (yet).

Production

Apple’s high-end, over-ear headphones were originally rumored for release sometime in 2018, but reports of design issues quickly followed initial supply chain reports.

Despite missing the 2018 launch window and no additional reporting last year, Ming-Chi Kuo advised investors in January that Apple’s high-end, over-ear headphones were now expected to ship sometime in 2020.

The two glyphs discovered by 9to5Mac are based on iOS 14 code from December 2019 that we obtained, suggesting Apple is targeting a release sometime this fall after the new operating system is released publicly. Given the early timeline for the unreleased version of the iPhone operating system, it’s possible Apple could adjust plans and release the headphones sooner, later, or shelve the product altogether.

9to5Mac will update our coverage with more details as soon as we learn more. The final marketing name remains unknown, but Apple clearly classifies the over-ear headphones as part of the AirPods family. This suggests the new high-end headphones will use the Apple brand and not Beats.

Beats currently offers wireless over-ear headphones with Beats Studio. These $349 headphones include noise cancellation and use the same chip as Apple’s original AirPods, but lack features including “Hey Siri” support and Transparency.

While the production timeline remains uncertain, inclusion in the leaked iOS 14 code obtained by 9to5Mac is the clearest evidence yet that Apple continues to work on Apple-branded, over-ear headphones.

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2020-03-09 15:38:00Z
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Spotify's new homescreen focuses on your favorite playlists, podcasts, and albums (Updated) - Android Police

Many of us would really like Spotify to overhaul its entire interface and make it smoother while speeding up access to various areas of the app. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening soon. Instead, Spotify is content with changing little bits of the app, one by one. In the most recent test, the homescreen is getting a new section up top with time-specific recommendations.

The new section starts with a greeting — Good morning, afternoon, evening — and includes a compact grid of six recommended playlists that should be perfect for that time of day for you. Depending on what you listen to usually, you may see your daily mixes and liked songs, among other playlists.

Left: Existing homescreen. Middle & Right: New "Good morning/afternoon/evening" section.

Besides the useful recommendations, the second reason I like this interface is the higher information density. Spotify can usually show about seven to nine playlists on the homescreen. With the new section, this can potentially go up to twelve — at least if you don't get duplicates like the screenshots above show.

The new interface is a server-side change and seems to be limited for now. I'm on the latest alpha 8.5.47 and don't see it, but one of our tipsters has it on v8.5.45.

It's official

Spotify has officially announced this redesigned homescreen, explaining that the top recommendations are focused on your favorite podcasts, playlists, and albums, and that they change throughout the day. They should make it easier and faster to get to the content you like and enjoy. The new page is still rolling out to users, so it may not be live for you just yet.

Price: Free

• Thanks:
• Kieron,
• Samarth,
• June

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2020-03-09 13:40:44Z
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Powerbeats 4 leak gives a first glimpse at Apple’s new sporty earbuds - Engadget

WinFuture

Apple's latest iteration of the Powerbeats earbuds came back in 2016, so they're well overdue an upgrade. Now, it looks like that's on its way. Images of the unannounced Powerbeats 4 have appeared online for the first time, and with Apple's new H1 wireless chip it looks like they're now on par with the Powerbeats Pro.

According to WinFuture, the new earbuds will come with up to 15 hours of battery life and a "Fast Fuel" option, which will give an hour of playback for just five minutes of charging. There's support for Siri, water-repellent housing and a focus on "ergonomic comfort," whereby the cable connecting the two buds lies behind the ear, rather than the front -- a design that is consistent with an FCC listing that appeared last month.

As coronavirus continues to affect businesses around the world it seems unlikely Apple will hold a dedicated press event for the launch, and there's no word yet on price, or when they'll be available, although it looks like they'll come in black, white and red versions. At launch the Powerbeats 3 cost $200, but considering that was four years ago that's no real indicator of pricing for the newer model.

Via: The Verge

Source: WinFuture

In this article: apple, av, earbuds, gadgetry, gadgets, gear, H1 chip, launch, leak, Powerbeats 4, Siri, wearables, wireless

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.

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2020-03-09 13:20:41Z
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