Riot Games has huge plans for Valorant’s future in esports, and it wants to make sure its matches attract as many sponsors from across categories as possible. According to Bloomberg, the developer will require third-party tournament organizers to remove bloody images from Valorant matches. Riot reportedly met with 100 esports organizations before the first-person shooter was even launched to discuss how they would handle virtual blood. After all, similar titles have lost potential sponsors and commercial opportunities in the past due to graphic scenes and imagery.
The developer ultimately decided to create a “show blood” mode that can be toggled on and off, the publication says. When it’s switched off, sparks instead of blood explode from the body of the players that get shot. In addition to censoring blood for the sake of attracting sponsors, it’s also worth noting that Riot is owned by Chinese company Tencent — China, as you may know, has very strict rules when it comes to blood in video games.
Most people don’t do a lot of driving these days because of shelter-in-place orders, according to Waze. But the team behind the Google-owned navigation app knows that having access to certain details like road closure can be extremely helpful for those who need to venture out of their homes. That’s why the team turned to its network of partners across its Volunteer Communities and Waze for Cities programs to add COVID-19-related information and critical locations to its maps.
The Waze community has been working with the app’s crisis response team to ensure that its maps are updated with road closures, red zones and other useful details. Waze has also rolled out a new feature that identifies locations selling food and essential items with drive-thru and curbside pickup options.
In March Microsoft announced it will pause optional non-security Windows updates, and it extended support for some older versions of the operating system that were set to expire this month. Now the company’s support page notes that Windows 10 1809 — you remember the one, it brought the Your Phone connection in fall 2018 and also unfortunately deleted files from some computers — will receive security updates through November 10th. Under the normal 18 month window prescribed by Microsoft, support would end on May 12th — particularly inconvenient under current conditions
That adds six months to its original expiration date, and perhaps takes some pressure off of IT departments already dealing with other issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. As ZDNet notes, this affects a number of SKUs, as well as products like Windows Server, Sharepoint and others.
WarnerMedia didn’t initially say how TV providers besides AT&T would offer HBO Max, but that’s now becoming clear through a first-ever deal. Cable provider Charter has landed a multi-year agreement that will make HBO Max available to all of its existing HBO subscribers on Spectrum at no extra charge. You’ll only have to sign into the HBO Max app to start watching. Those without regular HBO can subscribe to Max directly through Charter, although there’s not much need for that if you know your way around a web browser..
You’ll have access to HBO Max through Charter upon its launch sometime in May.
Intel has edged one step closer to practical quantum computers. The chipmaker and its partner QuTech have successfully controlled “hot” qubits (that is, at temperatures above 1 kelvin) that are also coherent and dense, making it easier to put qubits and control electronics on the same chip and thus produce more advanced quantum computers. Until now, quantum computers had to run at temperatures in the millikelvin range, or barely above absolute zero (just under -460F) — for context, the average temperature in outer space is a balmy 3 kelvin.
The demonstration was still relatively modest. Intel and QuTech completed their test using two-qubit logic where cutting-edge quantum computers have dozens of qubits and a full-featured computer may need over 1 million. This is “just one step” toward scalable quantum computers, Intel said. It’s still an important step, though, and hints that the technology is more viable than it seems today.
The College Board also said that the at-home SAT testing would be “simple, secure and fair, accessible to all, and valid for use in college admissions,” but did not specify how it would be done, especially for those who lack resources like reliable broadband internet.
If schools do open again, the College Board said it would provide weekend SAT administrations every month beginning in August. It also plans to “significantly expand” capacity for testing once schools reopen.
However, even this might not be necessary. In light of the situation, many colleges have waived the requirements for standardized testing for 2021 applicants.
More than anything else about the new SE, Apple’s decision to include the A13 is likely to irk some current iPhone 11 and 11 Pro owners. This isn’t a new tactic for Apple. It did the same thing with the original SE, which shipped with the company’s flagship chip at the time, the A9. That said, a new processor in a mid-priced phone is hardly the norm. Consider Google’s Pixel 3a, which settled for a slower, less-powerful processor. The 3a came with a mid-range Snapdragon 670 instead of a Snapdragon 845. While it likely features less RAM than its iPhone 11 siblings, performance shouldn’t be significantly affected. What’s more, the fact the SE includes the A13 means Apple will likely support the phone with software updates for approximately the same amount of time it plans to maintain the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
Apple
Looking at other parts of the iPhone SE spec sheet, what’s notable here is that Apple also didn’t cut corners in a lot of places Android manufacturers typically do. With the SE, you get a device that includes wireless charging and an IP68 rating for water and dust-resistance — two features that are missing from the Pixel 3a and even the recently announced OnePlus 8. Moreover, while it might not have a high-resolution OLED display like the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, it’s hardly a cheap screen either; you still get access to Apple’s True Tone technology and DCI-P3 wide color gamut support.
Apple could have also gone back to some of its worst past inclinations and made the higher storage configurations significantly more expensive, but it showed restraint there too. If you want the 128GB model, it’s only $49 extra. Meanwhile, you’ll pay a $149 premium to own the 256GB model.
At least on paper, the new iPhone SE doesn’t feel like it will be a significant step down from its more expensive siblings. More so than any other iPhone before it, the SE shows Apple’s other iPhones cost too much. Yes, there’s something to be said about the fact the SE won’t have the best camera setup, the most modern display or the biggest battery. But it also makes a compelling argument that those things shouldn’t cost $1,000 or more.
To some extent, all manufacturers are guilty of pricing their high-end devices higher than they should (see Google, for example), but Apple has consistently been among the worst offenders. When Engadget’s Chris Velazco reviewed the iPhone 11, he said it “might not be the “best” iPhone, but it’s still the better choice for almost everyone.” We’ll have to see how he feels about the SE and, in particular, its camera, but he may have to revise that recommendation.
These parameters don’t guarantee that the planet will support life, even if there aren’t any errors. Red dwaves tend to flare up and hurt the chances for life. Researchers also don’t know the atmospheric composition, which could rule out life even if every other condition is ideal. With that said, NASA is hoping to expand the criteria for habitable zones. Just don’t expect to visit any time soon when the star in question is 300 light-years away.
The findings might be useful even if the planet turns out to be hostile. It supports mounting evidence that planets like this are relatively common around red dwarfs. The discovery likewise provides more detail about the star system as a whole, such as its high stability (suggesting a long life) and the possibility of a third planet. Even if exploration of the planet remains a very distant prospect, it could be useful for years to come.
“We trust teachers to enrich our kids while they’re in school, and we’re grateful they’ve shared their expertise to rate the apps kids use when they’re not in school as well,” Google wrote in a blog post.
Google
Google is launching the Kids tab earlier than planned, saying it has received positive feedback and could be especially useful now. Google says it is adding content as quickly as possible, but in the meantime, you may not see some of your favorite apps. The Kids tab is rolling out across the US over the next few days, and it will be expanding internationally in the coming months.
If you’re looking for more kid-friendly content, check out our guide to the best streaming apps for kids.
Everyone else, however, will have to wait another three months, until July 15th, when Peacock will have its full US rollout. At that point, the service will be available via its mobile apps, website and “popular connected-TV platforms,” though the company hasn’t specified device support yet.
The Tiers
If you are curious about Peacock, you have a few different options to choose from, depending on what kind of shows you’re after and how much you’re willing to pay. NBC’s model is similar to Hulu, with different subscription and advertising levels.
Peacock Free is a free, ad-supported version with a more limited set of shows that will launch in July. It includes “next-day” access to broadcast shows, “classic” series, early viewing of late-night talk shows, as well as some movies, news, and Olympics coverage. A limited amount of original content will be available, as well as a handful of “curated” channels.
Peacock Premium, the version rolling out now in “preview,” includes all of the above, as well as entire seasons of Peacock original series, dozens of shows from NBC’s library, and some current and older seasons of Telemundo shows. It also comes with full access to Peacock’s sports coverage, which includes the Olympics, Ryder Cup and Premier League matches, and an NFL Wild Card game. Peacock Premium also includes ads and is $4.99/month. (Comcast subscribers will get the ad-supported version of Peacock Premium for free as part of their cable package.)
Notably, NBC promises ad load will max out at “five minutes of commercials or less per hour.” So even if you’re on the free tier, you should still see fewer commercials than you would on a typical broadcast channel.
But if you really can’t stand any commercials at all, NBC is also offering an ad-free version of Peacock Premium for $9.99/month. The content is the same as the $4.99 tier, it just doesn’t have ads.
The Content
As with any streaming platform, Peacock’s success will hinge on its content. The good news is that it has most of NBC’s back catalog to draw from. And Peacock will be the streaming home for popular shows, like Law and Order (and its spinoffs SVU and Criminal Intent), 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Parks and Rec and The Office.
Noticeably absent from that list, however, are some of NBC’s biggest hits: Seinfield, Friendsand The Big Bang Theory — all of which are currently claimed by other streaming platforms (Netflix and HBO Max, in this case). That said, if Peacock is going for the nostalgia factor, it still has plenty to work with. The company also has reboots of Saved by the Bell, Punky Brewster and Battlestar Galactica planned as part of its lineup of originals, which will start to launch later this year.
Comcast
Another potential draw for Peacock is its sports lineup, which includes the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Premier League matches, the Ryder Cup and the NFL’s Wild Card Playoff game (NBC’s regional sports offerings aren’t included). The catch, of course, is that all of these events are currently postponed or on hold due to the coronavirus, so NBC likely won’t be nabbing any new subscribers on the back of its sports offerings any time soon.
In terms of original content, Peacock doesn’t have nearly as much to offer as competing services. In fact, at launch, there won’t be any originals available, and its initial lineup is decidedly thin compared to those that have already been doing this for a few years.
As we’ve previously noted, NBC is mainly banking on nostalgia — with reboots of classic show and brand new series from familiar faces like Amy Poehler (soccer comedy Division One), Mindy Kaling (Expecting) and Tina Fey (Girls5Eva) — though there are a few other intriguing titles, like Hatching Twitter, a drama based on Nick Bilton’s book chronicling the company’s founding.
How does it compare?
At this point, you might be wondering: Do I really need another streaming service? The short answer is it really depends on what you plan on watching. If you’re more interested in originals, you’ll likely be disappointed, especially in the beginning, as many series won’t even be ready until 2021.
But as a free service, Peacock could be a good complement for cord cutters who miss some broadcast TV. You won’t be able to watch shows live — and there will be commercials — but the mix of new shows and some older series could be enough to draw in new viewers.
What’s less clear is if it’s fuller, paid offering will be able to compete with rivals like Netflix and HBO, which have the advantage of having their own big-name series and claim some of NBC’s biggest hits.
