Introducing DOOMANIMAL, a metal band made up of Isabelle, Tom Nook, a villager wearing the DOOM Slayer helmet, and a villager version of Marnie from Pokémon Sword and Shield, all jamming along to DOOM's main theme.
We never need any particular excuse to blast that DOOM theme out of our speakers - it absolutely slaps, as the kids say - but seeing Tom Nook casually playing that synth like the rock god he is somehow makes it even better. The official DOOM Twitter account actually thanked the video's creator for their hard work.
We absolutely love it. If you're reading, Andrei, congrats on an amazing job!
Stadia Premiere Edition includes a Clearly White Stadia Controller, Chromecast Ultra, and three months of Stadia Pro. The Made by Google accessory and streaming dongle are normally $69 each, while the subscription totals $29.97.
For $9.99 per month, the paid tier provides 4K streaming quality, 5.1 surround sound, and HDR. There are currently seven games available to redeem: Grid, SteamWorld Dig 2,SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, Gylt, Metro Exodus, Destiny 2: The Collection, and Thumper.
The bundle normally costs $129, but is down to $99 starting at 9 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. PT on March 20. Despite Stadia being available in 14 countries, the deal is only available in the United States.
This is Google’s first discount on Stadia since it launched in November, though there was a bundle with Nest Wifi over Black Friday. Other than a Buddy Pass, Premiere Edition is still the only way to access the service today.
This Stadia Premiere discount coincides with Doom Eternal’s launch at $59.99 for Standard and $89.99 for the Deluxe Edition.
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear… is you. Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in DOOM Eternal – the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat. Armed with a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, retractable wrist-mounted blade, upgraded guns and mods and abilities, you’re faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever. And enter BATTLEMODE, the new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience where a fully-armed DOOM Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons, fighting it out in a best-of-five round match of intense first-person combat.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Occasionally on clear nights in Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch, there will be a Meteor Shower in the skies above your town. If you happen to see Celeste the Owl wandering around your town, it’s a good idea to start looking up for shooting stars. But what’s the upside of a Meteor Shower and what are the potential rewards for the event? We’ll explain in this New Horizons guide.
How to wish on a shooting star
Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon
If a Meteor Shower is happening above your town, you can wish on the shooting stars as they fly across the sky. Make sure that you’re not holding any tools, and use the right analog stick to look up into the sky. Ideally, you should be positioned so that the sky isn’t blocked by buildings or trees.
Stand still and keep looking up. It shouldn’t be long before a shooting star makes its way across the sky. When this happens, hit the A button to make a wish. You’ll know it worked because the star will grow bright and get a bit larger.
Shooting stars tend to happen in batches, so feel free to stick around for a while and wish on a number of stars. For our first Meteor Shower, we did it at least a dozen times.
What do you get for wishing on a star?
Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon
When Celeste the Owl first arrives in your town, speak to her and she’ll give you the DIY recipe for a Magic Wand. The wand requires three Star Fragments and one Large Star Fragment. But where you do you get these Star Fragments?
On the day after you’ve wished on shooting stars, walk along the beaches of your island. You’ll find various kinds of Star Fragments all along the beach, likely tied to the number of times that you wished on stars. So it’s definitely worth making a lot of wishes.
What does the Magic Wand do?
One Meteor Shower should give you plenty of Star Fragments to make a Magic Wand. But what does it do? Well … it’s bizarre.
The Magic Wand is a tool that lets you change clothes in an instant. Standing in front of a closet, you’re able to assign eight preselected outfits that you can then swap between with a quick flick of the Magic Wand (so long as you’re holding it). Finally you won’t have to run home to get your rain gear!
HMD Global is jumping into the 5G wars. The Finnish company, which has been making Nokia-branded smartphones since 2016, claims to have made "the first global flagship smartphone to date." What on earth does that mean? Well, by "global," the company is referring to all of the 5G networks currently in operation around the world. Unlike most Android flagships, which have scattershot support and compatibility, the new Nokia 8.3 5G should be a roaming powerhouse that works everywhere, and on every network. According to HMD Global, the phone will also be forward compatible with 5G technology "deployed later in 2020, and onwards."
"We are supporting the highest number of 5G new radio bands, by far, that you've ever seen in a single design, to date," Juhan Sarvikas, chief product officer at HMD Global boasted. It's a big claim that we'll have to verify ourselves. If the company can deliver, though, it could make the phone a tempting choice for business folk and anyone else who travels frequently.
The phone uses a Snapdragon 765G processor and is the first, according to Sarvikas, to ship with Qualcomm's 5G RF (radio frequency) front end module. "With this solution, we have 40 RF components condensed into a single integrated module, and it gives the 8.3 5G the best industry-leading performance on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G platform," he said.
A breakdown of the 5G bands that the phone supports.
Depending on your budget, the phone will come with either 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Both configurations will have a microSD slot that supports up to 400GB cards, too. Taking center stage is a 6.81-inch PureDisplay -- a marketing term that promises higher contrast and clarity, as well as HDR10 support -- with a 20:9 aspect ratio and hole-punch notch in the top left-hand corner. As far as we know, it's not a high refresh rate panel like the Samsung Galaxy S20 line or Oppo's newly-announced Find X2 Pro. The device also sports HMD's now-standard chin design that includes a small but noticeable Nokia logo.
HMD, like the Pixel line, prides itself on delivering a clean Android experience. Like past Nokia-branded handsets, you won't find the app drawer cluttered with annoying bloatware (we're looking at you, Moto Razr). As usual, HMD has also promised at least two years of Android upgrades -- so it will definitely get Android 11, which is now available as a developer preview -- and three years of monthly security upgrades. The phone also has a dedicated Google Assistant button, a side-mounted power button with integrated fingerprint sensor, and biometric face unlock.
The smartphone maker is also keen to tout the camera system in the Nokia 8.3 5G. Visually, it's more pedestrian than the insect-like Nokia 9 PureView, which had a whopping seven holes etched into its rear-side. The 8.3 5G has a small circular bump that contains a 64-megapixel primary shooter with Zeiss optics, a 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth-sensing camera. It also offers a 12-megapixel ultrawide that uses larger pixels -- 2.8μm super pixels, to be precise -- that can capture 4K video in lowlight conditions.
The camera app will have a special Action Cam Mode that combines 60 frames per second footage with "gimbal-like image stabilisation." HMD is also promising something called Zeiss Cinematic Capture, which lets you shoot and edit in a Hollywood-style 21:9 format with "true cinematic color style." It will also try to simulate anamorphic lenses and lens flares that J.J. Abrams would be proud of. You can also shoot everything in Log format, if you would rather color correct everything on your laptop or desktop PC.
HMD's trump card, though, is the price. The 8.3 5G will be available this summer in a Polar Night color for 599 euros (roughly $648), which is well below most Android flagships not made by OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo and Realme. Sarvikas said the company has tried to strike a balance for people who want connectivity and performance without spending over $1,000.
That's not all, though. HMD Global is also launching a data roaming service called HMD Connect that works in over 180 countries. You sign up through an app, which also tracks your data usage, and then wait for a special SIM cards to arrive in the post. The exact pricing structure is unknown, however HMD has said that a 1GB bundle will be available for 9.95 euros (roughly $11). HMD Connect won't be a fully-fledged network, though, or even a virtual operator (MVNO). "We are not replacing your operator," Sarvikas explained." We're actually partnering with multiple operators in many markets." Still, it's notable that HMD Global is tip-toeing into the network space -- an area that Nokia (the real Nokia, that is) still works in.
Nokia 5.3
The middle child of HMD's new Android trio is the Nokia 5.3. The phone has a 6.55-inch, HD+ display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a teardrop-shaped notch. It's powered by Qualcomm's Snaprdragon 665 processor -- a first for HMD Global -- alongside 3GB, 4GB or 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage, depending on how much money you have to spend. The circular camera bump on the back houses a 13-megapixel primary shooter, as well as a 5-megapixel ultra-wide, a 2-megapixel macro and a 2-megapixel depth-sensing camera. On the front, meanwhile, you'll find an 8-megapixel camera for shooting selfies and on-the-go video calls.
Like all HMD Global phones, you can expect a clean version of Android 10 out of the box. The Nokia 5.3 also has a dedicated Google Assistant button (no word on whether it's remappable) and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device. The handset is also equipped with a 4000mAh battery which HMD claims will give you up to 22 hours of talk time or 1,875 days of standby time on a single charge. If you're looking for an alternative to the Moto G line, this could be worth considering. It'll be available in cyan, sand and charcoal next month, starting at 189 euros (roughly $204) for the model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
Nokia 1.3
The cheapest addition to the company's Android lineup is the Nokia 1.3. Unlike the 8.3 5G and 5.3, this device runs Android 10 Go Edition, a version of the operating system designed specifically for low-end phones. It comes with a bunch of redesigned apps, including Maps, Gmail and the Google Assistant, that take up less space and don't require the same processing power as their classic Android equivalent. The Nokia 1.3 is also the first handset to ship with Camera Go, a streamlined app that has a portrait mode and, according to Google, "tracks how much photo and video storage you have left" and then "helps you clear up space so you never miss a shot."
The entry-level device has a 5.71-inch, HD+ display (1520x720) with a 19:9 aspect ratio and teardrop-shaped notch. Under the hood, you'll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, which can be bolstered by up to 400GB with a microSD card. There's an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash on the so-called 'nanopattern' back, a 5-megapixel selfie snapper and a removable 3000mAh battery that charges over microUSB and offers "all day plus battery life," according to HMD Global. The svelte package will be available next month in charcoal, cyan and sand for 95 euros (roughly $102).
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.
Apple announced a new iPad Pro yesterday, and one of the biggest additions was a new LIDAR system on the rear camera, which Apple argued was the missing piece for revolutionary augmented reality applications.
LIDAR — which stands for “Light Detection and Ranging” — isn’t a new technology. Driverless cars in particular have been relying on the laser sensors for years to detect objects and build 3D maps of their surroundings in near real time as a way of “seeing” other cars, trees, and roads.
Apple’s miniaturized scanner isn’t quite at that level, but the company says that it’ll be able to measure the distance to objects over 16 feet away (or five meters). It claims that by combining the depth information from the LIDAR scanner with camera data, motion sensors, and computer vision algorithms, the new iPad Pro will be faster and better at placing AR objects and tracking the location of people.
And with each announcement of software updates or improved processors, cameras, or graphics engines has come the implicit promise: now is the time that augmented reality apps will really take off.
But it doesn’t change the fact that, right now, there still aren’t a lot of compelling reasons to actually use augmented reality apps on a mobile device beyond the cool, tech-demo-y purposes that already exist. AR apps on iOS today are a thing you try out once, marvel at how novel of an idea it is, and move on — they’re not essential parts of how we use our phones. And nearly three years into Apple’s push for AR, there’s still no killer app that makes the case for why customers — or developers — should care.
Maybe the LIDAR sensor really is the missing piece of the puzzle. Apple certainly has a few impressive tech demos showing off applications of the LIDAR sensor, like its Apple Arcade Hot Lava game, which can use the data to more quickly and accurately model a living room to generate the gameplay surface. There’s a CAD app that can scan and make a 3D model of the room to see how additions will look. Another demo promises accurate determinations of the range of motion of your arm.
The fact that Apple is debuting the iPad for AR doesn’t help the case, either. While Apple has been rumored to be working on a proper augmented reality headset or glasses for years — a kind of product that could make augmented digital overlays a seamless part of your day-to-day life — the iPad (in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes) is effectively the opposite of that idea. It’s the same awkwardness of the man who holds up an iPad to film an entire concert; holding a hardcover book-sized display in front of your face for the entire time you’re using it just isn’t a very natural use case.
It’s possible that Apple is just laying the groundwork here, and more portable LIDAR-equipped AR devices (like a new iPhone or even a head-mounted display) are on their way in the future. Maybe the LIDAR sensor is the key to making more immersive, faster, and better augmented apps. Apple might be right, and the next wave of AR apps really will turn the gimmicks into a critical part of day-to-day life.
But right now, it’s hard not to look at Apple’s LIDAR-based AR push as another hardware feature looking for the software to justify it.
The new logo for DirectX 12 Ultimate.Image: Microsoft
Today, Microsoft announced a new DirectX standard that it claims will not only sync the graphics improvement process in games across both PC and console, but will also be backwards compatible with older PC hardware. If it works as explained it’s going to be a lot easier to port games from PC to Xbox and vice versa.
Called DirectX 12 Ultimate, it supports all next-generation graphics hardware features, including DirectX raytracing, variable rate shading, mesh shaders and sampler feedback without (hopefully) having an adverse effect on game compatibility with hardware that does not support those DX12 Ultimate features. It’s a single graphics API for Windows PC and Xbox—which also means, following on the heels of the Vulkan API, DXR (aka ray tracing) is now standardized, too.
Advertisement
As Microsoft noted in a press release today, the graphics improvement process has gone like this for decades: new hardware tech comes out, developers slowly design games for new hardware tech, and the process continues until everyone and everything is up to speed. Or more specifically: As new PC hardware or a new console generation reaches market saturation, the number of addressable sockets with next-generation capable graphics features increases. More next-gen sockets means more game studios are willing to adopt the new features, and the process continues until everyone has adopted the new socket and market saturation occurs.
But that cycle for Windows PC and Xbox graphics platforms has seen little overlap over the years. Even if the hardware was similar between the two platforms, the software interfaces have always been different. What the new DirectX 12 Ultimate standard does is unify the PC and console cycles so they no longer operate independently from each other. So when the new Xbox does arrive, both it and desktop GPUs will have the same feature set that comes with DirectX 12 Ultimate. The same tools will work across both PC and Xbox, and unify future PC hardware and console cycles for years to come.
This also means DirectX 12 Ultimate is backwards compatible, unlike DirectX 12. DirectX 12 has required support by both your OS and hardware since it launched back in 2015. Graphics cards have evolved a great deal in the last five years, so that’s a non-issue now unless you’re still running an older version of Windows. (Some games like World of Warcraft are DirectX 12 compatible on Windows 7 despite support for Windows 7 ended at the beginning of this year.)
Advertisement
All Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards are compatible with DirectX 12 Ultimate, too. So if you have any 20-series card, a simple driver update will get you up to speed. And since we know that the custom AMD GPU inside the Xbox Series X supports DXR, it will also support DirectX 12 Ultimate. And whenever AMD decides to release desktop graphics cards with ray tracing, it makes sense that they should support the new standard as well. We’ve reached out to AMD for confirmation and will update when AMD responds.
Advertisement
If you are running something like a GTX 970, which is supported by DirectX 12, you’ll still be able to play games that use DX12 Ultimate features. Of course, you’re not going to get ray tracing with a GTX 970, and it could struggle with games like Battlefield 5, depending on your graphics settings, but the point is that it will work with the latest DirectX API.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19811128/Screen_Shot_2020_03_16_at_12.25.59_PM.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19811132/2020031009522800_02CB906EA538A35643C1E1484C4B947D.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19818640/png.png)
