Technology news 19 Feb, 2021

Microsoft is making an offline version of Office 2021 - The Next Web

Microsoft said that today that its Office 2021 product will arrive later this year for both Mac and Windows systems. The company will release an updated cloud version and a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) version —which is essentially a non-cloud version t…

Google Meet is fixing the worst thing about video calls - Tom's Guide

Google Meet is getting a suite of new features, including the ablity to handle low bandwidth connections

Google Fi promo cuts 'Unlimited' price for the first three months - Engadget

Google Fi's latest deal offers new Motorola phones for free with a bill credit, and three months of Unlimited service at half price for new customers.

Burning Crusade Classic leaks ahead of BlizzCon - Ars Technica

BlizzCon leak includes vague "2021" release window, offers option to stay "vanilla."

Nvidia says it won’t nerf the Ethereum mining performance of existing GPUs - Circuit Breaker

Nvidia will artificially reduce the performance of its upcoming $329 GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card when it comes to Ethereum cryptocurrency mining, but it tells The Verge it won’t touch existing GPUs.

Second Extinction - Official Xbox Reveal Trailer - IGN

5 password managers to replace LastPass - Mashable

The trusted password manager is making most users pay for passwords on multiple devices. Here's what to do instead.

Final Fantasy VII Has Been Upscaled To HD Using AI - Kotaku

If you want to play Final Fantasy VII in HD on your PC you could wait for the remake to get ported, or you could play the original game using this mod that employs artificial intelligence to upscale its visuals.

Android 12 DP1: ‘Display cutout’ menu now lets you hide Pixel 5, 4a hole punch - 9to5Google

The current Made by Google lineup is visually defined by a front-facing camera in the top-left corner. To hide Pixel 5 hole punch...

GDC Going All-Digital for Second Year Due to COVID-19 - IGN - IGN

The annual Game Developers Conference is going digital for a second year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, with additional digital events scheduled for later in the year.

Saudi Arabia has invested billions in Activision, EA and Take-Two - Engadget

Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s controversial Crown Prince, has pushed his country to acquire stakes in three major game video game publishers.

The carbon-fiber Vaio Z is the world’s lightest laptop with an Intel H-series chip - The Verge

The Vaio Z is Vaio’s new ultraportable laptop that will be the lightest device to include an Intel H-series processor. It’s up for preorder now on Vaio’s website, starting at $3,579.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla's New River Raids Ain't It - Kotaku

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the last game that needed any extra content right now, but this week it got some anyway, and since I’m still fresh on the game I thought I’d jump back in and check it out.

iOS and iPadOS Apps Worth Checking Out - February 2021 - Mac Rumors

Over on our YouTube channel, we have an ongoing video series that's meant to highlight new, interesting, and useful apps for the iPhone and the...

What’s New in Windows 10’s 21H2 Update, Coming Winter 2021 - How-To Geek

Microsoft’s 21H2 update will debut in the second half of 2021. This is a bigger update with more new features and follows the 21H1 update planned for Spring 2021, which is focused on stability and polish.

11 Biggest Game Trailers & Announcements From Nintendo Direct - GameSpot

Apple Offers Its Closest Look Yet at iOS and MacOS Security - WIRED

In its latest Platform Security Guide, Cupertino raised the curtain on the critical features that protect against hackers.

Tales from the Borderlands – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch Consoles Are up for Pre-Order - ComicBook.com

Samurai pose setKabuki face paint'Izuchi Tail' hairstyleMonster Hunter Rise is set to release worldwide on March 26th, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here. An official description of the game c…

Check out the original Thunderhawk Gunship, Warhammer 40K’s most ridiculous model - Polygon

The all-metal Thunderhawk Gunship is among tabletop gaming’s most legendary models, and someone found an original unassembled copy. Watch it unboxed by Squidmar Miniatures, and follow the epic assembly and painting.

Shovel Knight joins the fray in For Honor - Polygon

Shovel Knight outfits, animations, and executions are showing up in Ubisoft’s history-inspired brawler. Players will be able to equip Shovel Knight helmets, pixel animations, and other goodies. This promotion will last until March 4.

Acer’s Ryzen 3 Chromebook Spin 514 pops ups at Best Buy and MEH - Chrome Unboxed

The latest Chromebooks powered by AMD's Ryzen C-series APUs offer up capable alternatives to Intel-powered devices and who doesn't love options. That said, our initial hands-on with a couple of Ryzen 5 Chromebooks give us the indication that Intel's Comet Lak…

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

WhatsApp is having another go at explaining its privacy policy to users - The Verge

WhatsApp announced that it’s going to explain its contentious privacy policy around business chats in a new way. Users will be shown a banner that will connect them to an explanation they can read at their own pace.

Mario Golf: Super Rush Leak Reveals Unexpected Character - ComicBook.com

Yesterday, a new Mario Golf game for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite -- Mario Golf: Super Rush -- was revealed and now a possible new leak has revealed a character being added that nobody expected. In addition to Mario, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Peach, …

Carroll Shelby's Own 1966 Shelby Cobra Super Snake Could Fetch $8M at Auction - The Drive

If the 427-cubic-inch V8 wasn't enough, it also has two Paxton superchargers.

Today’s best tech deals: Nintendo Joy-Cons, Apple’s M1 Mac mini, and more - Ars Technica

Dealmaster also has deals on Roombas, gaming keyboards, and the iPad Air.

Matterport iOS app adds iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Pro LiDAR support for creating 3D models - 9to5Mac

Apple’s aspirations for AR have yet to make mainstream waves but we’re seeing improvements for some of most popular early use cases like 3D modeling. Matterport for iOS, an app that makes it easy to create a 3D model of any space with your iPhone or iPad has …

Watch This: Tesla vs LiDAR And The Battle Of Self Driving Cars - InsideEVs

We examine the E For Electric video that asks the question, why doesn't Tesla add LiDAR technology to its vehicles?

SaGa Frontier Remastered - Nintendo Direct 2.17.21 – Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Warzone Season 2 - Official Gameplay Trailer - IGN

Splatoon 3: First Gameplay Mechanics, Weapons, And 'Splatlands' Lore Details Revealed - Nintendo Life

Fresh new facts

Apple's Already Starting Work on 6G Before 6G Is Even a Thing - Gizmodo

Apple’s first 5G phones arrived mere months ago, but the company is already exploring the future of cellular connectivity.

Bungie plans major studio expansion, recommits to a non-Destiny game by 2025 - Engadget

Two years after its split from Activision, Bungie is gearing up to build out the Destiny universe and -- more importantly — branch out into new some new ones. To help it do so, the company announced a slew of new expansion measures this morning, including pla…

YouTube TV Adds an Entertainment Plus Add-On - Cord Cutters News

After announcing a new add-on yesterday that will allow subscribers to watch in 4K and download content to watch offline, YouTube TV announced another add-on today. The Entertainment Plus bundle includes HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz for $29.99/month on top of…

World's End Club – Nintendo Direct 2.17.21 – Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

Apple TV+ is now available on Google TV - Engadget

After announcing in December that the Apple TV app would come to Chromecasts with Google TV, the companies have shared today that the service is now globally available.

Samsung phones updating to One UI 3.1 won't receive one of its best features - Android Police

Samsung has been on a roll with updates. Shortly after rolling out Android 11-based One UI 3.0 to its recent flagships, it's now pushing the One UI 3.1 to

Panasonic made a farting cat robot! - The Verge

The robot, Nicobo, was developed in partnership with researchers from Toyohashi University of Technology. Preorders have sold out.

Bloober Team adding action to its psychological horror focus - GamesIndustry.biz

CEO Peter Babieno says 2021 will mark a turning point for the studio behind The Medium and Layers of Fear as it pursues a broader audience

Samsung becomes the unofficial worst offender for killing background apps on Android - 9to5Google

In the Android world, Samsung just became the unofficial worst offender for killing background apps with a new policy added with Android 11.

First Look: redesigned out of the box setup for Chrome OS could hint at phones and foldables - Chrome Unboxed

Every so often, the Chrome OS team takes the time to give the new device setup experience a fresh coat of paint. Giving new graphics and a more user-friendly "out of the box experience", or OOBE as we call it, allows them to increase the adoption rate for Chr…

M1 MacBook Pro photo editing test beats ‘beast’ of a desktop PC - 9to5Mac

An M1 MacBook Pro photo editing test found that the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro running M1-optimized apps was faster than a 'beast' of a ...

Demo the latest RPG from the makers of 'Octopath Traveler' for free - Engadget

Project Triangle Strategy is a new Nintendo Switch game from the makers of Octopath Traveler that is slated to launch in 2022.

Fall Guys for Xbox One, Xbox Series X announced - Polygon

Mediatonic confirmed Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout for Xbox Series X and Xbox One on Thursday. The Xbox versions will be released sometime in summer 2021.

Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker Director Reflects on the MMO Reaching Its First Major Ending - IGN - IGN

Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker director Naoki Yoshida reflects on the long road the MMORPG has taken to its upcoming conclusion.

Valheim is more inspired by The Legend Of Zelda than it is survival games, says developer - Rock Paper Shotgun

"We wanted to have more of a feeling of an old school, singleplayer adventure game"

Animal Crossing's Mario update lets you recreate the Mushroom Kingdom - Engadget

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a Super Mario Bros. themed update on February 25th.

PS5 Restock Update for Amazon, Target, Antonline, Walmart, GameStop and More - Newsweek

Following surprisingly restocks at Amazon and Target earlier this week Sony's next-gen consoles is again sold out at major retailers.

Apple Makes Its Syringe Emoji a Vaccine Dose - The New York Times

The change, for now only visible to beta testers, reflects the popularity and shifting meaning of a symbol once mainly used to discuss blood donations.

Is Rage 2 multiplayer and co-op? Download for free from Epic Games store - HITC - Football, Gaming, Movies, TV, Music

The Epic Games store has offered plenty of great games for free before, with Metro Last Light Redux and For the King both appearing recently....

Zelda: Twilight Princess and Wind Waker are rumored for Nintendo Switch in 2021 - TechRadar

But when?

‘Spinning’ is trademarked, and Peloton isn’t happy about it - The Verge

Peloton is fighting to have the terms “spin” and “spinning” treated as generic terms, rather than as trademarks held by Mad Dogg. It argues that they’ve entered into common usage and that they’re part of the “fitness lexicon.”

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection coming to Xbox One in June - TrueAchievements

Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja have announced Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, a collection that includes Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, which launches for Xbox One in June.

The Fire TV home screen might look a lot different to cord-cutters next month - TechHive

Amazon's new Fire TV experience: What works, what doesn't, and when you'll get it.

Introducing Knockout City, A New Dodgeball Game From The Developer Of Mario Kart Live - Nintendo Life

Launching on Switch this May

Rumour: Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker And Twilight Princess Are Coming To Switch This Year - Nintendo Life

Game journalist says it's "100%" happening

Nintendo Direct 2.17.21 in 10 minutes - Engadget

Capcom Arcade Stadium - Available Now! - Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

Xbox cult classic Stubbs the Zombie is getting remastered for modern consoles - The Verge

Cult classic Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is getting a remaster for modern consoles and will launch on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on March 16th. The game will also be backwards compatible on PS5 and Xbox Series X / S.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – Expansion Pass Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch - Nintendo

'Xenoblade Chronicles 2' is coming to 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' - Engadget

Pyra is the 79th fighter to join the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

No More Heroes 3 - Official Release Date Trailer | Nintendo Direct - IGN

Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville | Nintendo Direct - GameSpot

Hundreds of Microsoft Team users reporting technical difficulties | TheHill - The Hill

Hundreds of Microsoft Team users are reporting technical difficul...

After $100 Million Malibu Purchase, WhatsApp Co-Founder Jan Koum Pays $87 Million for the Home Next Door - The Wall Street Journal

The clifftop property includes a funicular down to the ocean that was built by late country singer Kenny Rogers

Bee-themed skins for Yuumi, Malzahar, and Kog'Maw unveiled in League PBE preview - Dot Esports

And they're bee-autiful.

Best Password Managers for Android if you’re looking to leave LastPass - Phandroid - News for Android

If you aren't already using a password manager, you should be. Gone are the days where you can just write down your password on a piece of paper and stick it to the fridge in the kitchen. And you definitely shouldn't be using the same password across multiple…

'No Man's Sky' update lets players adopt aliens as pets - Engadget

You can ride giant creatures and companions can help you while you're exploring.

Marvel's Avengers PS5 & Xbox Series Enhancements Detailed, No Mention of Ray Tracing That Was Stated Last Year - http://mp1st.com/category/news

Marvel's Avengers PS5 & Xbox Series enhancements have officially been detailed by Crystal Dynamics, with ray tracing seemingly ommitted from the list.