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blousejudo6 · 3 years

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Apple Launches Scheduled for Next Season

Apple is considered to be the state-of-the-art enterprise in the world now. It is the business to which nearly all others search for direction. When Apple reveals an innovative new design vocabulary or launches a new product, it creates ripples throughout the marketplace. Suddenly, the entire industry is crafting products in Apple’s overall image. However to say Apple is merely a trend-setter understates the organization’s position as probably the figurehead of invention in customer engineering. Apple isn’t simply setting technology trends; Apple’s vision pieces precedents and starts actions that allow the developments to exist in the first place. As great as it must experience to be Apple in this situation - and as humbling since it must experience to be any of the many businesses copying Apple at every convert - it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Most people can claw your way to the top of a mountain, but there’s not a lot of stable ground up there. One incorrect step as well as your toppling back down the mountain, undoing years of the hard work needed to get up there. We do not want to discount Apple’s successes in 2018: Apple Pencil support for ipad device was a good addition; iOS 12 has provided new life to iPhones as old as the 5S; Apple Watch Series 4 is literally saving lives; and that’s only a few highlights. Looking back again, though, 2018 was a fairly tough year for Apple as certain missteps finished up affecting the company’s bottom line. Amongst Apple’s most dubious techniques in 2018, there’s one I wanted to discuss for a significant purpose: With no second-generation iPhone SE in sight, it seems Apple has exited the spending budget flagship market. The fact is, I’ll take it one step additional: I am convinced Apple would not be launching any longer budget iPhones, and here is why. Apple’s product collection is certainly varied. The company generates revenue from services like iTunes and Apple Music to accessories like AirPods and the Magic Keyboard, from home entertainment devices like Apple TV 4K to personal processing devices like the MacBook Pro. However sales for most of these are not that amazing (though Apple’s income certainly are). It is actually the iPhone that makes up about nearly all Apple’s income. Since its debut in 2007, iPhone has pushed Apple’s revenue to such incredible heights that the company is just about the first trillion-dollar company in history. With so a lot of Apple’s income riding on the game-changing gadget, you can bet there will be a significant drop in Apple’s revenue if people beginning buying less iPhones. And that is specifically what we are experiencing. Immediately after a modest fourth quarter, revenue for Q12019 - which, to be clear, is comprised of October, November, and December, covering the holiday shopping season - was lower than Apple actually projected. With the expense of fresh iPhones rising, income would’ve increased actually if unit sales experienced only remained steady, but there were fewer iPhone units sold through the period. The implication can be that demand has waned, or it’s feasible there wasn’t much demand for Apple’s costly new iPhones in the first place. The first symptom of challenges was in 2017, the entire year iPhone X premiered. At a starting price 50 percent higher than the prior year’s baseline model, iPhone X unit product sales were reportedly smooth although Apple’s income increased. How? Because even though Apple sold roughly the same amount of units as the year before, the common cost of an iPhone had improved. When you sell the same quantity of products but tag up the price, you still visit a bump in product sales. Of program, it’s not just the iPhone that’s become more expensive. Apple has raised selling prices across virtually all the company’s stock portfolio. But with the iPhone driving revenue, the implication is usually this: If iPhone sales and profits continue to be toned or begin to fall, Apple will have to keep raising the price of the iPhone each year to maintain year-over-year revenue gains. As you can plainly see, it’s not a coincidence Apple has made a decision to stop reporting iPhone unit sales publicly. Also if 2017 was an outlier, the start of new iPhones in the fall is meant to give Apple a go of revenue adrenaline in the final stretch, allowing for a strong finish as the business crosses the fiscal finish line. But for the second season in a row, that did not happen. Doesn’t it appear reasonable, if improbable, that increasing the costs for brand-new iPhones has resulted in lower demand? About a week ago, Apple CEO sent a letter to investors. You can browse the letter for yourself on Apple’s web-site, nonetheless it warns investors that Apple’s 1Q2019 income will end up being $9 billion lower than was originally projected. The letter largely blames China’s overall economy for the vast majority of the year-over-year iPhone income decrease although also suggesting that individuals are still adapting to the termination of carrier financial assistance. In a recently available talk Cook reiterated most of the same points to explain lower-than-anticipated iPhone gross sales. Besides slowed development in growing marketplaces and the lack of subsidized pricing through carriers, Cook pointed to iOS 12 and the $29 battery substitute program while having encouraged users to keep their previous iPhones rather than choosing new ones. As you might remember, Apple started the battery alternative program in late 2017 in hope of hiding the smell of the electric battery hot debate, which had earned accusations of designed obsolescence. As stated by Cook, many with old iPhones didn't upgrade mainly because they could get new batteries for cheap. This would take away the overall performance caps that Apple had imposed on them, repairing their iPhones with their original glory, particularly when paired with iOS 12. Actually, Apple went to lengths to ensure that iOS 12 would make older iPhones faster, so Make is likely correct in thinking the battery substitute program and iOS 12 factored in to the weaker sales of 2018 iPhones. On the other hand, Cook asserted that complicated trade relations between the US and China was ultimately the largest factor. China represents a ton of untapped sales potential for Apple, so there’s probably some truth to that, too. You can observe the entire interview in the video below if you want to hear more of what Make has to say about it. On the other hand, critics and analysts possess suggested poor iPhone sales are a indication of market saturation; at this point, most people who would like an iPhone already have one, and that’s a hard hurdle to overcome, especially with people transitioning much less frequently. It is even quite feasible that Apple priced the 2018 iPhones out from the developing markets the business claims to end up being targeting. After all, in the event that you live in China and need it a new mobile phone, are you going to buy an iPhone XS for $1,000 (¥6800) or even more, or will you get the latest Vivo or Xiaomi Android smartphone that’s manufactured locally and will do in essence anything iPhone XS can do at a small fraction of the price? Not surprisingly, Cook basically sidestepped this issue of ballooning iPhone prices - a concern that we’ve seen across most of Apple’s products for that matter - which has been one of the primary criticisms of brand-new iPhones. New Asking Price will Increase Price raises for the iPhone used to end up being pretty rare. In fact, after carriers stopped providing subsidized pricing on smartphones, forcing us to start paying complete MSRP if we wished to buy fresh iPhones, we're able to at least count on a constant starting price from 12 months to year. That starting cost used to be $649. With the launch of iPhone 8 in 2017, it jumped to $699, a unsatisfying gain, but it was not too surprising. It was only a $50 boost after generations of a consistent price, a lot of people gave Apple a pass. And also, actually at the higher price, iPhone 8 seemed positively cheap when compared to $999 price on the new iPhone X. Yet apparently, the price increase for iPhone 7 collection a precedent because in 2018, the purchase price jumped again. Matching the increase from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8, the 2018 iPhone collection started out at $749 for iPhone XR. You would argue that iPhone XR is a better device than iPhone 7 and justifies the extra $100, but value is subjective. Although some might say iPhone XR is worth its $749 starting price, especially compared to Apple’s more high quality models, many customers will fixate on how each new generation of iPhone is more expensive than the one before. And at this time, can you blame them? To create matters worse, as iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR were getting unveiled in stage during Apple’s fall 2018 event, iPhone SE was being discontinued. So not merely are iPhones getting more and more expensive, but Apple has eliminated the only spending budget option we had. So if you’re looking to get a new iPhone in 2019, there’s very little choice anymore. Buyers are effectively being forced to accept Apple’s higher starting price in the absence of a true budget iPhone. Naturally, consumers and critics alike are getting more vocal within their calls for an iPhone SE successor. Overwhelming Unpredicted Benefits Apple revealed the iPhone SE , which stands for Special Edition, in March 2016 at a particular spring event. Both for consumers and the industry at large, iPhone SE was an extremely un-Apple device for Apple to release. The iPhone 6 had simply jumped in size and received a totally new design from the previous generation. Then iPhone SE was released, having a smaller, compact form with its design practically indistinguishable from the previous-generation iPhone 5. Even more surprising was the actual fact that iPhone SE particularly featured most of Apple’s up-to-date, front runner-level engineering in spite of the reduced starting price; for just $399, you got the same custom A9 processor as iPhone 6S and a 12 MP camcorder with 4K video recording and a bigger battery. In reality, the only significant short-cuts were the lack of 3D Touch and the use of first-generation TouchID rather than the faster second generation. But, again, taking into consideration its low starting price (which eventually settled to $349), the iPhone SE provided uncharacteristically great value for something made by Apple. The challenge was that iPhone SE didn’t become a top-selling iPhone. In the course of its life-span, its defining characteristic was that it offered an inexpensive point of access to the iOS ecosystem though it eventually gained relatively of a cult following among particular Apple fans. Naturally, after iPhone SE had been the baseline of the iPhone lineup for a couple of years, buyers were prepared for the obligatory refresh. While iPhone SE offered an excellent cost-to-performance relation in 2016, a refresh could link the functionality gap that grew as iPhone SE’s A9 processor chip was followed and changed, first by the A10 Fusion chip in iPhone 7, on the other hand by the A11 Bionic in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X . Patiently Expecting Apple's New Releases Affirmed, we heard that Apple was working on a new version of the budget iPhone. Details varied, however the iPhone SE successor - alleged to be named possibly iPhone SE 2 or iPhone X SE (with suffix and modifiers meticulously arranged)- appeared to have the same purpose as the initial, which was to be a compact, low-cost iPhone offering great functionality and most of the most recent features. A lot of the difference surrounding the naming method for the iPhone SE 2 was because of unclear stories as to whether the device would maintain its iPhone 5-era design or whether it would embrace the new iPhone X visual. Some customers insisted (or maybe hoped?) iPhone SE 2 would appear to be an iPhone X from the front with a almost bezel-less, edge-to-edge display. These accounts were generally informed by supposed designs for display screen protectors and situations; if legitimate, the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would have a bezel-less, notched display related to iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. Of program, the notch would become among the defining characteristics for 2018 smartphones overall as its was imitated by nearly every smartphone manufacturer after the iPhone X debuted in past due 2017; nevertheless, for Apple’s reasons, the notch just exists to house biometric sensors for Apple’s proprietary FaceID. So the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would feature FaceID although the high cost of FaceID components made it an unlikely inclusion in virtually any budget iPhone. Following these reviews, renders were made to show how the device might appear if it ended up being real. Assuming the case designs and resulting renders were accurate, iPhone SE 2 would’ve been a fascinating device, the lovechild of the bygone iPhone 5 and the more futuristic iPhone X. Provided Apple could keep production costs and, by expansion, the MSRP down, iPhone SE 2 could’ve easily outsold the original iPhone SE, possibly learning to be a top seller like the original iPhone SE never could. These weren’t simply the pipe dreams of iPhone SE followers and anyone who wanted cheaper iPhones; reports from Apple’s own suppliers all but confirmed plans for iPhone SE 2, offering estimates for possible production schedules and ship dates. In early August 2017, Wistron Corp. - a low-volume manufacturer located in Taiwan that Apple recruits when iPhone demand is high - was focusing on expanding its production base to accommodate a fresh compact Apple smartphone, which many presumed to end up being an updated iPhone SE. After that came a tentative ship day: In late November 2017, Economic Daily News in Taiwan reported Apple have been eyeing a release day in the first half of 2018 for the iPhone SE 2, which would’ve been consistent with the spring release of the original iPhone SE. January 2018 brought another report of iPhone SE 2 launching in 2018. Shortly thereafter, there was a rumor iPhone SE 2 would feature a glass rear panel, suggesting the addition of the wireless charging features that the iPhone has already established since 2017. Just simply because rumors pointed to Apple gearing up for the release of a next-generation iPhone SE, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities who's known for predicting Apple’s products with uncanny accuracy, planted one of the 1st seeds of doubt. In late January 2018, Kuo reported iPhone SE 2 had very little chance of released because Apple had exhausted its resources on the three flagship models to be released in 2018. Of training course, those three models finished up being iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. However, rumors persisted - though at a slower pace - in spite of Kuo’s question. For instance, there were specifications and other information on the iPhone SE 2 reported in April 2018. Regarding to these leaks, Apple designed to keep production costs (and, by expansion, the eventual retail price) down by omitting the 3.5mm headphone jack and using iPhone 7’s A10 Fusion chip rather than the A11 Bionic chip found in iPhone 8 and iPhone X. For all intents and reasons, the axe was decisively dropped in July 2018 as BlueFin Research told MacRumors that Apple had nixed all programs to proceed with iPhone SE 2. We’ll probably never find out for sure whether iPhone SE 2 was ever actually in the pipeline; however, also if it had been planned initially, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever obtain an iPhone SE 2 at all. It’s been four weeks since the start of the 2018 iPhones, an event that coincided with iPhone SE being removed from Apple’s lineup, which, in and of itself, allegedly happened because Apple retired its A9 processor chip. So apart from Apple quickly unloading the last iPhone SE devices at a discounted $249 price, which took just 24 hours, iPhone SE is fully gone from Apple’s catalog, and anyone looking forward to a next-generation iPhone SE has little trigger for hope. In the event that you ask me, the writing is on the wall structure: Apple won’t be making another budget iPhone. FORGET ABOUT Budget iPhone? Spending budget smartphones, or smartphones that price roughly $300 or less, are pretty common today. In some instances, these budget devices offer great bang for your buck. Some of the newer notable examples include the Moto G6 for $240, LG Stylo 4 for $250, Huawei Mate 20 Lite for $290, and, of course, the amazing Pocophone F1 for $299. Should you have a tad more to spend, you can look for a used or refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 for just barely over $300. Or you can get the brand new Nokia 7.1, an Android One gadget with the design and nearly all the features that top-shelf Android flagships have for the discount price of $350. I’m not sure where the term originated, but I totally agree: “Good mobile phones are receiving cheap, and cheap cell phones are receiving good.” Of program, you might’ve pointed out that the smartphones mentioned previously are Android smartphones. What about iPhones? When carriers did apart with subsidizing smartphones, we had to start paying full retail cost for new smartphones. Therefore Apple’s decision to create the iPhone SE was extremely timely: Rather than paying $649 or more, you could buy an iPhone at under $400 without producing a huge amount of compromises. Suddenly, individuals who favored iOS to Android had their very own Pocophone. From September 2016 to its discontinuation in September 2018, iPhone SE was never a top-selling iPhones. Also at its peak, iPhone SE under no circumstances accounted for more than 11 percent of iPhone product sales as the third-best-selling iPhone, and just by a slim margin. Meanwhile, both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus nearly tripled the sales of iPhone SE during that period, accounting for 28.5 percent and 29.5 percent of iPhone sales, respectively. After September 2017, iPhone SE sales dropped substantially, remaining somewhere between 5.5 percent and 8 percent until the device was pulled in fall 2018. Imagine that you’re Tim Cook looking at these amounts. Everybody has been requesting a second-generation budget iPhone, but sales numbers present that when a lower-cost option is available, nearly all customers keep buying the more costly iPhones. If customers are willing to pay even more for high-end iPhones, does it make sense to produce a cheaper gadget that, at best, only about one in ten consumers would be interested in buying? With some context, positioning the iPhone more as a luxury item starts to make sense. Like voting on a ballot, Apple’s customers have already been casting their votes on higher-end iPhones, therefore we can’t actually blame Apple for moving away from budget smartphones that do not sell well. If you’re miffed about the loss of life of iPhone SE 2, there are, actually, cheaper iPhones available for people on a spending budget. But you’re not going to see them in retail stores. Current Market Conditions Apple gave customers the lower-cost iPhone they’d long been asking for, but most of them decided not to buy it. So if you’re Apple, do you produce a second generation knowing the first era didn’t sell well, or perform you ditch the budget-iPhone idea altogether? It seems Apple chose the latter. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take away from the actual fact that spending budget iPhones already are available, not forgetting plentiful. Specifically, I’m discussing used iPhones on the market. The gray market refers to the buying and selling of used iPhones on the secondhand marketplace. It’s comprised of the many people selling their utilized products after upgrading, which essentially produces an unofficial market of budget iPhones. Therefore those listings for iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 on eBay, the Amazon Marketplace, services like Swappa, and yard-sale applications like LetGo will be the gray market for iPhones. Apple doesn’t need to invest in R&D, sourcing parts, production, and distribution for a budget iPhone because we curently have access to all the discounted iPhones we could ever want in the secondhand market. And every year when fresh iPhones are released, millions even more iPhones will revitalize the secondhand market as users who upgrade to new iPhones sell their older ones. Plus, any post-2016 iPhone models about the gray market could have better specs than iPhone SE, and a few of these used iPhones would be cheaper than investing in a new iPhone SE from Apple for $349. In other words, Apple doesn’t need to sell a budget iPhone since the current-generation iPhones purchased at complete retail cost today become budget iPhones as consumers utilize them and finally sell them to on the gray market when they upgrade. And more devices are shown on the gray market every day, so as long as Apple is selling smartphones, the gray marketplace is a renewable supply for budget iPhones. Of program, the gray marketplace isn’t the only way to get an iPhone on the inexpensive. Depending about how you consider it, Apple actually offers new budget iPhone options every year. With the official unveiling of new iPhones each year, the MSRP of each preceding generation still in creation is decreased. For instance, when iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X had been announced in the fall of 2017, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus became previous-generation products, which warranted cost cuts. The iPhone SE was still in production when iPhone 7 got its lessen price, if you wanted a fresh iPhone but didn’t want to invest $699 or even more for iPhone 8 or iPhone X, you could choose iPhone SE from $349, iPhone 6S from $449, or iPhone 7 from $549. Though $349 isn’t specifically chump transformation, it’s certainly more palatable than iPhone X’s thousand-dollar starting price. With iPhone SE discontinued, the cheapest iPhone available is iPhone 7 for $449, meaning the least expensive iPhone on the market is $100 a lot more than last year. To be fair, iPhone 7 was a great device at release, and it’s still a compelling option today, especially for the price. Though it had been divisive as Apple’s 1st iPhone without the seemingly requisite 3.5mm headphone jack, iPhone 7 is in any other case a full-presented flagship. But if you’re searching for a fresh iPhone on a budget, which would you rather purchase: a 2016 iPhone for $449 or an iPhone SE 2 with the latest A12 Bionic processor chip for $100 less? Regarding iPhone SE 2 not materializing, maybe understanding what could’ve been can be what makes this so disappointing for a few. Even though the data suggests a restricted audience for budget iPhones, there will always be situations in which a low-cost iPhone with current-generation overall performance hits the sweet spot. Where Should Apple Go From Here? It’s a great time to become a lover of tech, particularly portable tech as budget and mid-range flagships are slaying in the Android smartphone market. Though priced higher than a $349 iPhone, the OnePlus 6T is certainly a primary example of how to offer flagship-level specifications, design, and performance at a lower life expectancy cost. For better or worse, Apple appears to have evacuated the budget smartphone sector after just one single attempt. Granted, Apple has never really catered to budget-minded consumers with almost all the company’s hardware starting at $1,000 or more and a shrinking number of gadgets, like iPods and iPads, priced lower than that. This is why it was so unusual for Apple to create a budget iPhone in the first place. The problem is that it seems Apple is currently trying to close a door that maybe the company never should’ve opened in the first place. After all, when you’re offering this inexpensive iPhone on the lineup, all of the flagship iPhones seem that a lot more expensive by comparison. Whether or not there’s a fresh iPhone SE in the future, the prices mounted on Apple’s items are climbing. In many markets, Apple is coming dangerously close to pricing the iPhone along with most of Apple’s other products out of reach. For customers who can’t (or don’t wish to) pay such exorbitant prices, the fact that Apple offered inexpensive options in the past but no longer offers those options now will undoubtedly leave a bad flavor in people’s mouths, almost like biting into a rotten apple. Honestly, I hope I’m wrong concerning this, but if Apple really wants to curb the decline in iPhone demand and for product sales to resume an upward trajectory, 1 of 2 things will have to happen, and sooner rather than later. Apple needs to either lower the margins on iPhones to make them less expensive (or even just less costly), or there must be a fresh budget option so consumers in least have the illusion of preference. Because as the numbers show, most buyers choose the premium iPhones anyway, but if Apple puts a spending budget model on the table, at least they won’t feel just like they’re being forced to pay the ever-growing Apple tax. Apple’s current pricing structure gives consumers just high- and higher-priced models to choose from. But it seems buyers are needs to realize there’s still an added option, which can be to save themselves the difficulty, and potentially some buyer’s remorse, by not buying brand-new iPhones at all.

#cellphone

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atamascolily · 4 years

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Lily liveblogs: “The Rise of Skywalker,” part three

I end as I began: hopelessly confused about what the point of all this was. (Except for money. I got that part loud and clear.)

Rey just leaves Finn behind, because... friendship, right? Jannah does not have a good opinion of Rey right now, and tbh, I can't blame her. I realize Rey is under a lot of stress, but... her behavior since arriving on this "moon of Endor" has been wayyyy out of line.

Also, Poe pulls up with the Falcon right then, so I guess they got it repaired in record time, lol. Convenient.

Meanwhile, at the Resistance Jungle Base, everyone is sad because Leia is dead. I wonder who's in charge now???

"Goodbye, dear princess." Oh, so she's a General right up until she dies, and then it's back to princess again? I wish the ST would make up its mind about her title.

Oh, I guess Poe is, since he showed up and actually has a rank??

Chewie LOSES IT at the news Leia is dead--I feel you, bud. I feel you so hard.

Kylo tries to look dignified as he broods on the wreckage, but he looks awful. Like a drowned rat, with a convenient lightsaber-shaped hole in his tunic where Rey stabbed him. (She didn't even take the saber with her or drop it into the sea or anything! WHHYYYYYYYYYYY - gimme a reason, any reason, even a stupid one.)

And then Han shows up. Is he a ghost? Is this a memory? Is Kylo hallucinating? WHAT WHAT WHAT IS HAPPENING??? (This would have so much more resonance if we had SEEN how Han's death impacted Kylo earlier on instead of that one confused flashback at the beginning of the film....)

grizzled Harrison Ford looks great, why the hell did they kill him off in the first movie whyyyyyy

Okay, so they answer the question and this is a memory, which is fine, I usually love this trope, BUT it would be hella more effective if we'd seen Kylo arguing/interacting with memories of Han earlier instead of this happening for the first time NOW...

"Come home." Uhhhhhh, I honestly don't know what exactly Leia did, but she certainly kinda abetted killing him. What home does Kylo have now, anyway??

So Han says that what Leia fought for is still around, which is true, but Kylo is ostensibly the supreme leader here, so he doesn't just have to go AWOL, he can drag the FO leadership with him, and what passes for their government, he could SURRENDER and end the war right now. Does he? Of course not. He fucks off all by his lonesome after Rey and Palpatine because... that's all he knows how to do, apparently.

There's a callback that is supposed to resonate but doesn't work for me, because I just can't make myself feel for Kylo at all. Yes, redemption is hard. Yes, you have to work for it. Stop whining and just do it!!

We're supposed to think that Kylo will stab Han again (I guess?) but he turns and throws his saber into the sea. So that's why Rey didn't take it - so he could make a dramatic fucking gesture with it.

Palps is upset that Leia messed up his plans, but whatever. He orders Pryde, who apparently is now in charge of the FO in Kylo's absence, to come to Exegol. Apparently Pryde is a diehard Imperial (and possibly Sith cultist/Palpatine's secret puppet/agent??) I guess. It's never explained, he's just bad. And his name isn't subtle, either.

Palps just wants to burn everything to the ground for... evulz, I guess? I got nothing.

Pryde's star destroyer pops out a giant gun and blows up a planet.... apparently, Kijimi. Why, I don't know. Because they were just there?? Anyway, BOOM. Kijimi literally explodes.

What the actual fuck. How is that EVEN POSSIBLE?? What was the point of building two Death Stars if a Star Destroyer can do that????

Oh, apparently, that was the new model from the "Sith fleet" with a better upgrade. sounds fake, but okay. Poe is not thrilled by this news. The same Resistance member brings him the bad news, so I guess that's her official job??

Poe is genre-savvy enough to know that every ship in the Sith fleet has planet destroying weapons and they're doomed unless they stop the Final Order... which isn't new? I thought there was a countdown to an attack in 16 hours or something. What did they think they were attacking with? I don't even know, this movie is that incoherent.

Rose pops in with a message broadcasting on every channel about the "Resistance is dead. The Sith flame will burn. All worlds, surrender or die"... but given that it's in a language that isn't Basic, there's this one random dude with a beard who translates for the audience... and even though I assume it's meant to be some more commonly spoken language, given that the Sith have their own language in this movie, It makes it seem like this Random Resistance dude understands Sith and... I have questions.

Poe goes to sit by Leia's shrouded corpse because apparently they haven't buried her yet??? I wish Poe and Leia's relationship was more prominent in the movies, because I love the dynamic they're supposed to have, but never actually manifests in any of these movies.

Lando shows up to console him!

"How did you defeat an Empire with almost nothing?" "We had each other."

DAMN RIGHT YOU DID AND THE NEW GENERATION COULD TOO, IF THE WRITERS WEREN'T INTENT ON SEPARATING THEM CONSTANTLY AND MAKING EVERYBODY SUFFER....

Poe decides to make Finn his co-general. I have a lot of feels about this.

Turns out D-O knows all about Exegol because he used to belong to Ochi... that's actually earned, I'll allow it. Hilarious Rey never asked the droid about it (or any other details of his past, given that she was pretty sure Ochi killed her parents).

Ahch-To! Rey is wearing her hood and I don't know why. She's throwing driftwood into the flaming wreckage of Kylo's TIE and sobbing and... I don't know what's going on here. There are SO MANY REASONS she could be crying, I don't even know.

And she tosses her lightsaber into the sea... just like Kylo did. Parallels. I get it. And just like Luke did to her... She's giving it up because she doesn't feel worthy of being a Jedi because of her heritage, I guess?? (I'm guessing because this movie doesn't explain shit.)

Speaking of which, there's Luke's ghost, right on schedule! I love his snark but it's SO OUT OF LINE given his behavior in the last movie... and the fact that Yoda told him he had to let go of the past and let the books burn. I mean... the fuck???

Rey has this dark throne vision that's driving her, but ironically that's the one vision we don't see in this whole mess.. we have all these OTHER visions instead, I can' teven keep them all straight.

Oh, she's decided to model Luke and fuck off to Ahch-To forever because she feels she made a mistake. that's absolutely the WRONG LESSON from Luke's life, Rey!!

(also, what happened to saving the world? The sith wayfinder? She just conveniently forgot Palpatine was gonna slaughter everybody because she's having heritage angst?????)

Leia not telling Rey about Rey's heritage makes perfect sense when you realize just how much Leia's life was fucked over by the knowledge that Darth Vader was her father--once in ROTJ and again when she got kicked out of the Senate and ostracized in Bloodline.

Luke has Leia's lightsaber conveniently hidden in his hut... so now Kylo/Ben can have a weapon of his own in the upcoming fight, gag. (Really, Rey should use it to make a double-bladed saber, but she won't, sigh.)

The flashback looks like a video game to me. The CGI is not terrible, but doesn't look nearly as real as the rest of the film to me.

Also, I'm forever mad that Leia gave up her saber thinking it would save her son, that is SO AWFUL, especially since IT DIDN'T WORK, HE STILL TURNED OUT EVIL ANYWAY AND RUINED YOUR LIFE.

"A thousand generations live in you now" would have so much more resonance if Rey was an avatar of the Force or a reincarnation of Anakin instead of the metaphorical. (Yes, I know it will be realized literally later on.)

[Just realized that Kylo's obsession with Rey would make TOTAL SENSE if she were an reincarnation of Anakin given how much he idolizes his grandfather!!!]

Whyyyyy doesn't Luke talk here about the revelation that Palpatine is alive? That he and his father failed to kill the Emperor? That Rey has to finish LUKE'S journey, too??? But no, it's all about Leia here.

Rey somehow didn't notice the wayfinder in Kylo's TIE until Luke says "you have everything you need"... I guess? I don't know how she missed it before!!!

And the X-wing rises out of the water like the deus ex machina that it is... somehow still spaceworthy after six years in the ocean. Okay, then.

Apparently, Force ghost Luke can still manipulate physical objects through the Force??? Okay, I can kinda buy that, but... still....

I love how Artoo doesn't even wait for Threepio to get started with the bullshit, he just imports the uploaded memories right away without asking. Normally, I'd be mad about consent, but a) they're married, and b) he's restoring Threepio's personality, so I'm okay with it.

I love how warped and creepy the space is around Exegol.

Also, D-O looks just like a desk lamp.

Oh, so the Resistance follows Rey through Luke's X-wing computer via Artoo. Convoluted, but it works, I guess.

Okay, so time for some technobabble, but there's a navigation tower (the new shield generator) they have to hit for REASONS with a "ground team" (aka strike team). Sigh.

Love the dismissal of the "Holdo maneuver"--which is essentially kamikaze-style suicide. Not a great battle strategy if you want to survive the fight.

Wait, wasn't Poe angsting earlier about how nobody answered their call from Crait back in the last movie? What makes him think this is going to be any different?????

Okay, so all the FO folks on are on Exegol now?? Who is piloting and crewing those Star Destroyers?? Are they First Order or Final Order people? What happened to the First Order? What is the relationship between the First Order and the Final Order? Are they the same thing with two different names?? (But no, there are two fleets, the Sith destroyers are different.) What happened to the First Order then? Does anyone notice and/or care the alleged "Supreme Leader" of the First Order is missing in action??? I'M SO CONFUSED.

Okay, it makes sense that Poe is in an X-wing given he's a hotshot pilot, but he's also a general, and... I'm so confused about the tactical aspect of that, but fine, whatever. Also, Artoo is in the X-wing with him instead of BB-8, who I thought was Poe's droid (to the point of reaming Rey over injuring him earlier in the film!!!) WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE???

we're baaaaacck in the creepy sith ruins just like the beginning of the film, but so much has happened that my brain has fried and so the parallels are not as compelling as they could be.

WHEN DID THEY PICK UP JANNAH?? Has she been there the entire time and we just didn't see her until now, or did they stop back at Endor's moon along the way??? I'M SO CONFUSED!!!

Finn has " a feeling" where the ship is... it's the Force, why are you teasing us like that. LET HIM BE A JEDI.

Okay, I actually really like the fact that all the FO deserter stormtroopers from Endor are using their mounts so their enemies can use the tech against them. That's poetic justice right there. And also, epic cool. Good thing all the ships are still in the atmosphere... (nobody's wearing masks like Finn did for the Kijimi pickup)

I don't know how there is lightning in a fucking underground pyramid, but 10/10 for aesthetic, I love it.

"Grandma, it's me, Anastasia"--oh, wait, never mind.

The reveal that Rey is in a giant arena is hella creepy, even though it makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. Where do all these people come from? What do they do? Where do they live? What do they EAT?? Are they born Sith? Brainwashed Sith?? Cultists? Clones??? I NEED ANSWERS HERE.

Palpatine dangling in his creepy metal arm-thing is a lot like GLADoS from Portal.

So... Palpatine can possess the person who kills him in anger??? Explains a LOT about how he treated Luke, actually. And why it was so important that Anakin finish him - one, because Anakin's body was failing, and two, because he did it for love.

Love the aesthetic of the flickering lights for added creepiness and nothing is quite real. Even if it makes no sense. My id knows what it wants, okay??

Jannah and Finn teaming up for the battle is great, BB-8 actually gets to do something for once, and I love Jannah's crossbow.

Oh, now Palps is going to monologue about Rey's parents, while telling us no interesting details whatsoever. Sigh.

HOW THE FUCK DID KYLO GET TO EXEGOL AGAIN????????????????? she left him stranded in the middle of a frikkin' OCEAN... and he just knows how to get back to Exegol without the macguffin,.... how....?

(yes, I know he's supposed to be "Ben Solo" again, but so far there has been zero explanation in the film itself, so I'm just gonna keep calling him Kylo.)

Okay, there's a TIE fighter next to the X-wing, but... where did he GET IT?????????

That "ow" is priceless. I watched that sequence twice.

(clearly Kylo has not been exploring ruins much recently.)

Finn explaining to Rose that he's going to sacrifice himself for the cause, exactly like she wouldn't let him do in the last film... and Rose goes with it. Okay, then.

Now Kylo has to fight his own boy band... who were secretly following the Emperor's orders the entire time (?) THE ENTIRE FIRST ORDER WAS LITERALLY A FRONT TO KEEP KYLO REN DISTRACTED AND KYLO TOTALLY BOUGHT IT. I... have questions, but I actually admire the sheer audacity of this.

Kylo fighting said knights would be way more emotionally engaging if we a) knew anything about them, b) had seen any interactions between Kylo and the knights earlier, and c) gave a shit, but none of those happened, so we don't.

Kylo and Rey have some sort of Force bond communication thing that is super vaguely filmed so it's hard to understand wtf is actually happening. Rey tosss her saber back and... Ben pulls it out behind his back.

what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck what the FUCK

I won't say that wasn't forshadowed, because it kinda-sorta was. I will just say that this movie has NEVER EXPLAINED HOW THEY CAN DO THAT or talked about it at ALL, just treats it like a fact, and I... have questions about how reality can be bent that way even if you are a Force dyad or whatnot.

So Kylo's fight with the knights parallels Rey's fight with a bunch of Imperial guards and it's so hard to care. Th timer says there's still a half an hour left, how is that possible???

So... it's okay to stab people as long as you do it with the properly colored lightsaber, I guess???

Kylo shows up, he and Rey exchange Meangingful Looks, they raise their sabers, Palps zaps them and slurps up "the lifeforce of your bond" and uses it to grow younger, whatever the hell that means ughhhhhhhh please let this be over soon.

Did he know they were a dyad before? Is THIS his real plan? I'm so confused and I have no idea wtf is going on.

RIP Snap. I guess I should care more about you, but I don't think you're mentioned in any of the other movies, so... *shrugs*

Poe has a meltdown but.... Lando shows up AGAIN to give him a pep talk, and also a fleet. Like seriously, Lando gets results, if he'd been running the Resistance, the war would be OVER by now.

Is the "Nice flying, Lando!" Older!Wedge?? I think so. I hope so, anyway.

Zorii shows up too, to fight and also insult Poe over the comm... I guess she's upset about Kijimi being destroyed? (Or maybe not given how she was so eager to get off it???)

Palps tosses Kylo into a pit, which... given that Palps survived, maybe not the best plan if you wanted to actually kill him.

Then he shoots force lightning through the hole in the arena into the sky and... zaps all the new fighters.

Well.

Okay then.

Rey wakes up and... reaches out to the spirits of past Jedi for help. (Apparently, Palpatine doesn't care about her killing him now, because he's young and healthy again, so it's okay to kill her? I guess he can always try again with another grandkid, lol.)

Also, it's funny how Rey is a Palpatine and blood is sooooo important and scary and destiny until someone's trying to diss her and then she's just "a scavenger girl". And by funny, I mean terrible. Sigh.

"I am all the Sith." I don't think the Sith, by the nature of their existence, can embody their predecessors the way that the Jedi can. I mean, to be a Sith is to be alone, and there is that whole Rule of Two business if that's still canon now. I mean, unless the Sith literally eat their masters and thus become them? But it seems a little late for THAT detail.

But it's okay because Rey's embodying all the Jedi this time (and has TWO sabers, lol) and she turns Palpatine's Force lightning back on himself and he turns into a crisp. You'd think the Sith Lords would have worked out a defense against that, since that's how Mace Windu scarred him in the first place, but okay then.

The entire arena crumbles. All the faceless cultists are crushed by falling rock. Pryde goeth before the fall. Lando rescues Finn and Jannah before Poe can. All the star destroyers are stranded because the command ship is gone and start blowing up.

Anyway, Rey collapses in the ruins. Finn senses her fall. but Kylo climbs out of the pit and cradles her in his arms. (ewww ewww ewwwwwww NOOOOOOO) and cradles her to his chest [gross gross grossssssss she's dead and can't consent and I can't decide if that makes it grosser or not, she's never let him do this while she was ALIVE fuckkkkkk]. He finally lets go and then places his hand on her stomach, and ughhhhhh I have so many issues with this I don't care if he's reformed, he's been stalking for three films, this is NOT OKAY and does the Force healing trick, and...

literally he could have just put a hand on her forehead or shoulder, which I would still hate, but would be less creepy than this.

Rey wakes up, puts her hands on his, sits up, startled and... doesn't say anything, doesn't even flinch, and smiles. "Ben."

and she kisses him. I knew this was coming. I still hate it.

he smiles, falls over, and dies. Like, literally, it's like Rey's kiss murdered him. I'm a terrible person, I know, but I really can't mourn him.

Kylo's body vanishes (Leia's stayed intact, damn it!) proving I guess that he was good after all?? I thought only special people learned the vanishing trick??? Leia's body vanishes right at the same time, and... I don't get it, I really don't.

Maz apparently skipped the final battle to watch over Leia's corpse and I.... definitely don't get it.

was Leia possessing her son this whole time? What. Just. Happened??????

Rey flies away in Luke's X-wing under her own power, and... "Red Five is in the air again," says Finn. People are rising up all over the galaxy, though against what, I'm not clear, and the skies are suddenly clear, implying that the Emperor was warping the weather with his darkness.

We see Star Destroyers blowing up behind Cloud City and on the FOREST moon of Endor with the Ewoks and I just... never knew they were there??? Were they connected to the rest of the Fleet somehow (like the Katana fleet in Legends??) Where did this come from?? Wicket and his son are clearly satisfied, though why they think anything's going to change is beyond me. And was the First Order oppressing them? Why didn't we see any of their fleet when our protagonists were IN THAT SYSTEM AND SO WAS THE OSTENSIBLE SUPREME LEADER???

Another Star Destroyer crashes on Jakku, so literally NOTHING HAS CHANGED THERE, LOL.

Back at the Resistance Jungle Base, everyone cries and hugs, Poe and Zorii have a moment that goes nowhere, Poe's arm is somehow in a sling (???) There's a very brief lesbian kiss, but it gets even less screen time than Rose Tico, so again, don't think that counts as representation, but nice try.

Maz gives Chewie Han's medal from Yavin and... where the hell did she get it??? Leia's corpse??? Creepy!!

Jannah comes up to Lando and asks him where he's from, and when Lando asks the same question, she say she doesn't know. "Let's find out." Wow, that's way more interesting than most of this movie!

Rey hugs Finn and Poe and I... just... it's the tearful hug of "wow, we've all been through a lot of trauma since we last saw each other and also I was a jerk and threw you across the sea with the Force to get you out of my way and I abandoned you without saying goodbye to isolate myself on an island in the middle of nowhere until my ghost mentor reminded me I could save the day".

ButWeDon'tHavetimetounpackThatNow.jpg

Rey takes the Falcon to the Lars' moisture farm on Tatooine with BB-8. No one is in sight. This is an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, not a shrine to the Legend of Luke Skywalker. Rey slides down the sides on a piece of metal and into the courtyard. She wraps up Luke and Leia's sabers and... we cut to her back up on the ridge near the droid garage, using the Force to bury them in the sand.

Then she pulls out her own saber and it's yellow-bladed and looks like a double quarterstaff (although I only saw the top blade ignite). What she should have had this entire movie.

There's a random woman with an eopie there, who... came over to investigate? there is literally NO ONE ELSE FOR MILES. HOW????

The woman asks who she is, and we have callbacks to that earlier conversation on Pasaana. Rey hesitates, sees Luke and Leia's ghost on the horizon, smiling their approval and says "Rey Skywalker". The movie ends with her standing watching the double sunset... alone except for BB-8.

Wow, she's literally come full circle from being alone in the desert with a droid to being alone in a different desert with the same droid. What the fuck.

Cue triumphant music and credits.

Oh, and I just realized we never found out what was so important for Finn to tell Rey about... so that went nowhere. I assume it's "he can use the Force" but apparently that wasn't important enough to ACTUALLY INCLUDE, sigh.

Did Rey fuck off to Tatooine to be a hermit? Is she going back to her friends? Is she going to train the next generation of Jedi? How will she keep the cycle from repeating? Is it broken? Is Palpatine really dead this time??? How does she feel about Kylo/Ben?? Is HIS ghost still around stalking her, too? Why did she take the Falcon? Doesn't it belong to Chewie now? Why didn't the rest of the gang come with her???? I'm so confused.

This was even worse than I had anticipated, and I came into this with super-low expectations. This wasn’t bad in a “bad B-movie kind of way,” this was bad in the “nothing makes sense, it’s all jumbled blur, I am numb and cannot begin to care” kind of spectacle. I cannot imagine watching this in a theater. No wonder the critics savaged this.

#star wars #lily liveblogs #WHY DISNEY WHY

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altalksaboutstuff · 4 years

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Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero

From the 16th of this month, March 2020, to the 15th of next month, April 2020, Games with Gold has the excellent platformer – Shantae: ½ Genie Hero. As long as you have an active Xbox Live or Xbox Gamepass Ultimate subscription

It's “FREE” to download during that period but even after April 15th, you can keep playing it, it won't leave your library and if you let your subscription expire it will still remain, you just can't play it.

I have had Gamepass for about a year now, I wanted to kind of document my journey and time with games on Gamepass and one of the first that I played when I got the service last year was Shantae: ½ Genie Hero. Unfortunately, this game is no longer available on the service and I thought back in September of 2019 that I had lost my chance to talk about it in a relevant sense, but lo and behold its back now – kind of, in a zombie-esque way.

The game expiring from Gamepass was actually the launching point for me to a Switch. It was my birthday in September and Shantae was just about to be removed from the service, great present Microsoft. I was kind of depressed that in this moment in my life that I had spent about a quarter of a year playing the game that was just going to up and leave. Now I could have bought it and at a discount but if I did that I would be getting just the base game that I was practically done with. I also had all this extra money from my birthday burning a hole in my pocket and instead doing something smart like putting towards my mortgage – I ended up buying a Switch to cheer me up. And what does the Switch have but the physical version of Shantae: ½ Genie Hero that includes all the DLC.

THAT – and the fact that one of my favorite games of all time was just remade – Link's Awakening.

So I got those two games to cope with the fact that I wouldn't be able to play Shantae on Gamepass anymore in a few days ...but I had also gotten my wife a Switch Lite for our anniversary so I kind of wanted a reason to give it to them early and we had a Switcheversay on September 28th.

NERD!

On a side note of this tangent – I feel like I'm always a little behind with Nintendo, with my earliest exposure to Nintendo being no different. Way back in the dark ages of the early 1990s I was a Genesis Lad. After school I was in a program where I first got to play a Nintendo game, there were NES consoles, games and Ataris as well. While kids at school were telling me, “YA GOTTA PLAY Donkey Kong Country 2 and Mega Man X!” The cutting edge stuff of the time, I would root around and find other games like Donkey Kong Jr. and Mega Man 2 on NES. Now don't get me wrong, those were great games I loved then and still love now but I was behind the times. I just didn't have a Super Nintendo, like most of my peers that I went to school with. I just had the Sega. So when most were playing Super Mario World, Chrono Trigger and A Link to Past – I was playing Sonic... Sonic (Sonic 2)... and Sonic... (Sonic 3 but not & knuckles)

BUT Sonic is great!

When my friends had a Gameboy Advance, I still had a Gameboy Color. When the DS was the hot handheld, I got a Gameboy Advance, I got a 3DS around the time Fire Emblem Fates came out when it seemed like everyone was clamoring for a new portable technology and I got a Wii U when it was all but dead. As previous stated, I only got a Switch last September. Heck, I haven't even played the new Mary-o yet

Pushing forwarding in the way back machine to the time when I was a still a young teen, at the age of 14, I remember a Gameboy Color game came out that I really wanted to get – Shantae. I don't even know why I really wanted it other than it was a new Gameboy Color game when new Gameboy Color games weren't coming out. Like, I remember the Gameboy Advance came out about a year ago but I didn't need one according to my parents-

Me: Mom, can I get a Gameboy Advanced? Mom: You have Gameboy Advance at Home ::At home::

So the impact of a new Gameboy Color game coming out - blew … me … away.

Of course - I didn't get that game either.

Now don't get me wrong, I still got games as a kid on birthdays and Christmas but I feel like the games I didn't get are the ones I look back at and think – If only...

(^I never had a Neo Geo but I wanted this game)

Love you Mom and Dad

Back to Shantae though

Tangents aside – why do I think I like this game?

Why is it when I played Half Genie Hero in June of 2019 did I really got hooked on it well until the end of summer? I play, play, played it – all the modes, collect the endings, the tedious achievements like Queen of the Seven Cheese where you have to beat Risky Boots by just chomping at her as a mouse doing 1 damage at at a time.... ugh! For achievements I even … gasp (teeth noise) … speed ran it. And successfully, not on my first attempt though! Or … at least successfully enough to get the endings and achievements. I've never speed ran a game before, at least on purpose. I drew bad fan art!

(^Unlike everything else on this post, I actually drew that [sorry])

For the first time in my life I even looked into Fan Fiction.

Which, on a side note, I don't recommend you look at most of the fan fiction that I’ve seen if you are at work.

The game really got its hooks into me and I'm not exactly sure why but I think I might know.

Well, it feels like a SEGA Genesis game – long story short.

Short story long - I think the best way to classify what kind of game this is, is Metroidvania. You have a mini map and you unlock powers that later allow you to explore the rest of the levels you had previous been to and there are collectibles and upgrades you can buy in game. As you play you can upgrade how Shantae attacks by purchasing upgrades for her hair whip attack or armor but the big mechanic is the transformations – you can turn into animals with varied attacks and abilities as well as some other inanimate objects and living things like this tree

- to help you better get across the stages and discover the secrets of Sequin Land.

I've also read its kind of Mega Man– ish which I had never really thought about before but yeah, because I do love some Mega Man. It has a lot of obstacles/the levels are kinds of obstacle courses like the early NES Mega Man games and there are two areas particularly in my mind – The factory in Mermaid Falls and the Hypno Baron's Castle part of the … Hypno Baron's Castle stage. Well most of it is actually like an obstacle course now that I think about it

The score is by Jake Kauffman and man, AND if I ever make a game I want that guy doing my music. I mentioned the factory part of Mermaid Falls before – the best track in the game and maybe even in any game I've ever heard is Counterfeit Mermaids, its such an earworm,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkXd26E_Ynw

I feel like this song and Neo Town Burning are the two best games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yParHIzy1nA

You are going to be in the camp that one is better than the other (though Counterfeit Mermaids is clearly the superior track, ahem)

Its a great soundtrack, I find myself tuning into it during my commute to work and sometime even turning off my podcast or audio books to listen to this soundtrack (yes Even Neo Town Burning too). The game's lead voice actress according IMDB is Cristina Valenzuela (sometimes credited as Cristina Vee) who sings the games title theme that also appears in the first level, Scuttle Town the first time you play the level and also when you first boot up the game its there too. POW! Give it a listen – sample plays and fades. Its great. This soundtrack is really memorable and still in my rotation almost a year after I played it for the first time.

The characters themselves too are varied in personality and the styles are now toted as being“in high definition”.

Shantae is my least favorite but I think that works well in the sense of self insert. And that's not to say Shantae doesn't have a personality, she is kind of bubbly and she cares a lot about her ties such as to her family - such her uncle Mimic and her late mother - and to her friends. The three main friends that back Shantae during her journey (that also get their own adventure in the DLC)

Sky - a somewhat more responsible friend of your that is out to give you some counsel and a ride to each stage on her cool bird

Bolo – who offers a bit of comic relief

Rotty Tops the zombie that is a true friend that shows up to support you and cheer you on, in one time literally too.

By the way there is also Risky Boots (the best character, IMO) who is the larger than life antagonist to akin to a comic book villain.

But even with the “HD” graphics, and incredible score everything about just feels like … a Sega game. I can't really put it to words to do it justice, like, it has the essence of games I grew up with. I know a lot of people already had that nostalgia rush with Freedom Planet or Sonic Mania but I only just got Freedom Planet on Switch

Which is great so far, by the way

and Sonic Mania is on my to do pile

so for me – Shantae was it.

I felt that joy like I was 5 years old playing Sonic 2 for the first time. I took me something embarrassing like 8 hours to beat the first time. But after I beat it, I immediately wanted to play it again. I almost NEVER want to replay a game after I beat it – Best case is I take a break and play it again in a year. While it took me a laughable amount of hours to beat the game the first time but by the time I was really invested and on the 3rd or 4th time replaying it, I was completing it in under 2 hours. I was looking up speed running strats and Youtube videos of people speed running the game to compare and contrast how I played the game. I never, ever thought that I would speed run a game. Super Metroid still takes me an embarrassing number of hours to play and I've beat that almost as many times as Shantae now.

Having played both the Xbox One and Switch versions they look pretty similar and seem to play about the same. I noticed that the game seems to run a bit better on the Xbox One and the load times aren't as long

So I really recommend you get this game. I'm super jealous if you've never played it, you get to experience it for the first time! If you don't have an Xbox One but have a Switch you can get the physical version for pretty cheap, used I got this copy for about $20 and it has all the game content. And with the DLC you can finally play as Risky Boots!

It goes without saying that the game I am most excited for this year, 2020 is going to be Shantae and the Seven Sirens.

If you don't have an Xbox or a Switch, the game is also on PC too. Steam has sales, last time the Ultimate Edition was on sale it was only about $21 (show pic) and with a plug and play controls great.

And just as I was checking before posting this, it is on sale for $20.99 until March 30th, 2020

Its also on PS4, I guess if you don’t have any other options

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luciddeparture · 4 years

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Should you upgrade your brain?

When I was a kid I loved science fiction. My mind would race at the boundless possibilities of what might await humans in the future. I was enthralled by thoughts of futuristic utopias and dystopias. Back then the symbiosis of technology and man seemed to be a far fetched fiction. Now I am not so sure. I first heard about Neuralink back in 2017, just after it was first announced to the general public. I have been captivated by the idea ever since. The thought of putting a chip in a brain, merging man and machine, is dizzyingly exciting. But it also invites potentially terrifying repercussions. In reality it might just be the first of many upgrades to our species yet to come. Sound a bit like an episode of Black Mirror? Let’s break it down.

Neuralink was founded by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, the co-founder of PayPal and founder of both Tesla (Electric cars) and Space-X (Aerospace). The goal of Neuralink is to “Create a high-band interface with the brain such that we can be symbiotic with AI”. Musk believes we currently have a bandwidth problem when communicating with technology, such as our phones. He gives the example that using our fingers to type is just too slow. What happens if we speed up the connection between ourselves and our devices? Musk thinks “It will enable anyone who wants to have super human cognition, to have it in theory”. So just how much smarter are we talking? If you look at the world through Musk’s eyes it’s simple. “How much smarter are you with a smartphone than without?”

Think about yourself and your own situation. How much in day to day life do you rely on your phone? I not only use it for internet access but rely on it for my calendar, directions and even note taking. When I leave my phone at home, I often feel like I am missing something. “If you can solve the data rate problem, you can improve the symbiosis that is already occurring between man and machine” Musk says. “Your phone is essentially an extension of you. You are already a cyborg - most people don’t realise that.”

So what exactly is the Neuralink device and how does it work? The Neuralink itself is a small, thin, circular device, approximately 3cm in diameter. A similar size to that of a coin. Attached to it are over 1000 electrodes (tiny wires) which are then placed into and throughout the users brain. Yes you read that right.

To place the electrodes throughout the brain, Neuralink has developed its own very precise robot to complete the operation. This is to ensure safety and remove the risk of any possible human error. Specifically, to make sure all veins and arteries are avoided when the electrodes are placed in the brain, thus not inducing any degree of trauma. “For version one of the device, it will basically be implanted in your skull” Musk says matter-of-factly. “Basically take out a chunk of skull, replace and put the Neuralink device in, place the electrodes threads in very carefully into the brain, before stitching it up”. The Neuralink device then replaces the previously removed piece of skull leaving only a little scar. It will have battery, bluetooth and an inductive charger so that it can stay charged and connect to your phone.

Worried you won’t like the Neuralink? It is able to be completely removed by the same robot! “You wouldn’t even know that somebody has it.”

At the start Neuralink will be expensive and reserved for medical use only, with the first few iterations aiming to solve brain injuries. “It can interface basically anywhere in your brain.” Musk further elaborates “In principle it will be able to fix anything that is wrong with the brain”, including the restoration of limb functionality, eyesight and hearing. Neuralink could be used to fix many different brain injuries including severe epilepsy - by counteracting the pulse inside the brain in real time. It can also be used to aid recovery from strokes and Alziemers - by restoring memories using electrodes to stimulate parts of the brain to renew functionality. The first tests on a human are predicted to begin within the next year, after successful animal testing on pigs has occurred.

Like everything, Neuralink will get cheaper and better with time. So as Neuralink gets cheaper, what might we be able to predict for the the first consumer version of this device? This is where things get really interesting.

It is strange to think that Steve Jobs first announced the iPhone back in 2007, only 13 years ago. Since then the improvements in mobile technology have been huge. From better processing power, better batteries, and even cameras that can be used to film movies.

Musk predicts that change and rapid growth will be the same with versions of the Neuralink. According to Musk “If the development continues to accelerate, then maybe in the next 5-10 years” you will be able to convey your thoughts without any need for talking. With the use of Neuralink, Musk predicts that soon we will be able to communicate completely telepathically, allowing individuals to convey ideas clearly and accurately, without any loss in translation when communicating complex thoughts and ideas. 5-10 years!

In future versions Musk predicts that “You will also be able to save your state, like in a video game - and restore that state into a biological being”. He elaborates by giving the following analogy: “Think about how you can record a video with your phone. - There is no way you can remember things as accurately as that phone or that camera could.” You will be able to record, remember, and replay everything captured by “the entire sensory experience”. You will even be able to edit your memories and share them!

Right now, you reading this article could be a memory the like of which is replayed with the Neuralink! How likely is this to be true? According to Musk “at this point in time, I don’t have a Neuralink in my brain, so right now 0%, but at the point when you do have a Neuralink it rises”. “It will be kinda like the Matrix … Download the program” and you will be able to instantly learn anything at any time.

So what ethical problems might this create? Privacy and viruses suddenly seem a lot more intimidating when it’s your own brain doesn’t it? I for one am not smart enough to think about what malware might look like for the brain, but I know I will be paying extra for the additional Anti-Virus software!

This burgeoning technology, which can affect the brain so significantly, has the potential to exacerbate the difference between the “haves” and the “have-nots"; those with Neuralink, and those without it. Think about the difference in opportunity between someone who has a computer and internet access as compared with someone who does not; it’s that on steroids.

Neuralink will change the intellectual capabilities of humans to something previously unimaginable. It is important for us as a species to pause and consider the implications of creating technology as powerful as this.

Would I get a Neuralink? As an early adopter, probably not, and not just because I won’t be able to afford it! The fact of the matter is the first generation of all emerging technology has problems. If i’m messing with my brain I want the version I buy to last. Besides, I’d rather not be a human guinea pig. However I will wait eagerly to see how this technology will affect our species over the coming decade. Hopefully in a positive way rather than being the rise of Sky-net!

#tech #elon musk #brain #technology #black mirror #matrix #spacex #tesla #neuralink #interface

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jemej3m · 5 years

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Date Night

one of my fave headcanons that andreil go on weekly not-dates, because they’re definitely not a thing.

Neil didn’t really understand the shallow forms of entertainment that were provided around campus until he found himself participating in them with Andrew.

Movies, picnics, markets. It was, as Andrew tended to reiterate, incredibly fickle. Sometimes Neil felt like an idiot attempting the games and activities, especially considering Andrew usually opted out to watch. But sometimes it made Andrew crack that tiny, tiny smile, and Neil couldn’t deny that his embarrassment was worth it.

It was the reason they both upgraded to smart-phones, so that Andrew could film Neil falling onto his ass (ice-skating), or almost knocking over a kid by flinging his arm the wrong way (bowling), or slipping over in a mud puddle (an evening walk in the summer rain). Now they both had an app called Snapchat, where their messages were various saved videos of Neil doing stupid shit.

Neil looked up from where he had sunk into the beanbag at the jangle of Andrew’s keys. His - boyfriend? No, not boyfriend - was glaring at the back of Kevin’s head, silently daring him to say something.

Kevin looked at Neil. “You’re wasting precious time.”

All he said was “Sue me.”, clambering onto his feet. He snatched a grey hoodie - Andrew’s - and put on socks before stuffing his feet into black boots - also Andrew’s. He was not impressed at the sight of what Neil was wearing, pushing him out the door and slamming it behind them.

“What’s the date-night agenda for this week?” Neil jeered, knowing it would rile him up.

“I hate you.” Andrew said calmly, chucking the keys at Neil as they reached the bottom of the Tower’s stairs. “Drive.”

Neil did as he was told. And if their fingers were linked over the gearstick for the entirety of the half-hour drive, neither of them mentioned it.

Andrew, a man of simplicity, had always liked the crisp fall weather. South Carolina’s fall was nothing like California’s, where the heat laid over your skin like heavy-weighted hands. Andrew liked the contrast between the cool breeze and the warmth of Neil’s hand as they walked from the car to the carnival grounds: He liked Neil in his sweater and his boots. He’d liked Neil in his car, too, though that was an old satisfaction now.

There was a particular scar that Andrew always brushed his thumb over: his fist knuckle, where a half-formed circle raised up from the skin. The dash-board lighter hadn’t created a whole circle, instead, a crescent shape. He would circle it, then cross it, then circle it again. He wondered if Neil noticed it.

He probably had: For someone who had remained so insistently oblivious, he was sure as hell perceptive now. Maybe when he understood something, he broke it down into tiny, manageable pieces so that he could continue to interpret it.

“Hey.” Neil hadn’t mentioned where they were, or what they were doing. Instead, he was letting his eyes flit from one brightly lit stall to another. They’d arrived at the ticket booth. “Cash?”

Andrew let go of Neil’s hand to take out his wallet, which was where Neil kept most of his crap, too. God, Andrew would have murdered Neil himself if he’d been on the run with the fucker. He was so annoying, keeping every receipt and business card to dispose of properly, later. Even if he no longer had to hide a paper trail, his old habits kept up with him.

Two adult tickets. Andrew ignored the weird glances: Neil, who was growing used to the reactions to his scars, ignored them too. They walked into the grounds, and found themselves silently overwhelmed.

“I was never allowed to go to one of these as a kid.” Neil admitted.

“Of course not. Your entire existence is tragic.”

“Drama queen.” Neil muttered, tugging on Andrew’s sleeve and carefully avoiding his armbands. Always so fucking careful. Andrew hated him for it.

“I’ve only been to one.” Truth for truth. Conversation rolled off Andrew’s tongue easily now. Everything was easier with Neil. Not easy, but - easier. “I snuck it. Got cotton candy with two dollars I’d stolen from my foster mother. Got kicked out because it was actually three dollars, and I’d used a piece of printed money.”

“Tragic.” Neil grinned.

Andrew made Neil buy him a candied apple for that. There was a small ferris wheel, which they avoided. Neil refused to go apple bobbing unless they both did it, so Andrew dunked Neil’s head in when they lined up to start. Neil still won anyway.

He also won at darts: Go figure. Andrew forced him to get the enormous teddy-bear, almost as big as he was, and to carry it around for the rest of the evening.

When they both retired with some cotton candy at the edge of the field, they leant the stupid teddy-bear against a tree. Andrew leaned into it, and then Neil leaned into Andrew. He did try some of the cotton candy but hated it - of course - so he resigned to looking up as Andrew finished it off. For minutes he would stare at Andrew, and then avert his gaze to the sky, before having it gravitate back towards Andrew.

“What.” Andrew said flatly, wiping sticky fingers on Neil’s ratty jeans.

“You can’t think all of this is that stupid, if you continue to do it.” Neil accused, reaching up over Andrew’s head to pull at tufts of the teddy-bear.

Andrew did think it was stupid; Over-priced, commercialised games to keep people entertained, like carrot-on-a-stick for pigs. But Neil made it tolerable. Being with someone had never been a tangible prospect for Andrew, and yet here he was, under the stars at a fall festival, leaning on a giant teddy-bear that Neil had won for him. Contemplating how he was supposed to hide it from Nicky, who would squeal and fuss. Stroking his fingers through Neil’s red curls.

“Maybe I’m just making up for lost time.”

That was true, too. All these things he’d watched others experience and own as he grew up. Now he was an adult, he could do them all. It just wasn’t as enticing when everyone his age had grown out of it, having experienced these things at the appropriate age.

“Me too.” Neil said.

Well. Almost everyone. But really, was Neil even human? Andrew was still unconvinced he wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

Andrew shoved him off, under the guise that his leg was going numb. They jostled one-another all the way back to the car, working together to shove the bear into the boot.

Andrew drove and let Neil sleep on the way back, drooling all over his leather seats. Like he’d said before; Would have killed the fucker if he’d had to live on the run with him.

Andrew kept his focus on the road.

“Say nothing to no one.” Neil heard Andrew threaten, stifling his laughter with the back of his hand. They were at Wymack’s, having been unable to think of another way to conceal the bear at the Tower. Andrew reappeared outside their coach’s apartment a moment later and Neil heard Wymack grumble as he slammed his door shut, grabbing Andrew’s hand.

“Roof?” Neil asked.

“Tired.” Andrew said. They resorted to the Tower, where they would sit by the window on Neil’s desk together. With Kevin going to night-practise with Matt and various other Foxes, they’d have the dorm to themselves for a little while, and could smoke inside.

Seated and comfortable, they had a good view of Palmetto’s campus. Andrew breathed smoke into Neil’s mouth, who then ghosted his lips down Andrew’s neck.

“Thanks for tonight.” Neil whispered.

“Whatever.” And if either of them heard the strain in Andrew’s voice that betrayed his nonchalance, neither mentioned it.

ooft its been awhile since ive written just a basic andreil one shot, rather than au’s.

fyi, none of my shit is proofread. it’s the internet, not my final thesis.

#andreil #cute #future #andrew minyard #neil josten #fluff #date night #headcanon #david wymack #foxes #all for the game #the foxhole court #jem writes

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oceandetail06 · 4 years

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Next Year Innovative developments by Apple

Apple is considered to be the most innovative company in the world at present. It’s the business to which nearly all others search for guidance. When ever Apple reveals a forward thinking new design language or launches a new product, it generates ripples throughout the marketplace. Suddenly, the whole industry is crafting items in Apple’s look and feel. Nevertheless to state Apple is merely a trend-setter understates the organization’s position as arguably the figurehead of invention in customer technology. Apple isn’t just setting technology trends; Apple’s vision units precedents and starts movements that allow the developments to exist to begin with. As wonderful since it must feel to be Apple in this scenario - and as humbling as it must experience to be the many businesses copying Apple at every change - it’s not absolutely all sunshine and rainbows. Most people can claw the right path to the top of a mountain, but there’s not a lot of stable surface up there. One incorrect step and your toppling back down the mountain, undoing years of the hard work needed to get right up there. I actually don’t want to lower price Apple’s successes in 2018: Apple Pencil program for ipad tablet was a beautiful addition; iOS 12 has provided new life to iPhones as old as the 5S; Apple Watch Series 4 generally is conserving lives; and that’s just a few highlights. Looking back, though, 2018 was a fairly tough year for Apple as certain missteps ended up impacting the company’s bottom line. Among Apple’s most questionable moves in 2018, there’s one I wanted to identify for an important reason: Without second-generation iPhone SE around the corner, it seems Apple has exited the budget flagship market. In fact, I will consider it one step further: I’m certain Apple won’t be delivering any more budget iPhones, and here’s why. Apple’s products portfolio is varied. The business generates revenue from services like iTunes and Apple Music to accessories like AirPods and the Magic Key pad, from home entertainment gadgets like Apple TV 4K to personal processing devices just like the MacBook Pro. Nevertheless product sales for most of these are not that impressive (though Apple’s income unquestionably are). It is definitely the iPhone that accounts for the majority of Apple’s income. Since its debut in 2007, iPhone has pushed Apple’s income to such incredible heights that the business has become the first trillion-dollar firm ever sold. With so a lot of Apple’s revenue riding on the game-changing device, you can wager there would be a significant drop in Apple’s income if people beginning buying less iPhones. And that’s precisely what we’re discovering. After a modest 4th quarter, income for Q12019 - which, to be very clear, is made up of October, November, and December, covering the vacation shopping season - was much lower than Apple actually expected. With the cost of fresh iPhones rising, income would’ve increased also if unit sales experienced only remained constant, but there have been fewer iPhone units sold during the period. The implication is normally that demand offers waned, or it’s feasible there wasn’t very much demand for Apple’s costly new iPhones to begin with. The earliest indicator of trouble was in 2017, the year iPhone X premiered. At a starting price 50 percent greater than the prior year’s baseline model, iPhone X unit sales were reportedly flat although Apple’s income increased. How? Because even though Apple sold approximately the same quantity of products as the year before, the common cost of an iPhone had elevated. When you sell the same number of products but tag up the price, you still visit a bump in revenue. Of course, it’s not just the iPhone that’s gotten more expensive. Apple has elevated selling prices across virtually all of the company’s portfolio. But with the iPhone driving revenue, the implication is this: Whenever iPhone sales and profits remain flat or start to fall, Apple will need to keep raising the price of the iPhone every year to maintain year-over-year income gains. As you can plainly see, it’s not really a coincidence Apple has decided to stop reporting iPhone unit sales publicly. Actually if 2017 was an outlier, the release of new iPhones in the fall is meant to give Apple a shot of income adrenaline in the final stretch, enabling for a solid finish as the business crosses the economic finish line. But also for the second yr in a row, that did not happen. Doesn’t it appear possible, if not likely, that increasing the costs for brand-new iPhones has led to lower demand? In regards to a week ago, Apple CEO sent a document to shareholders. You can browse the document for yourself on Apple’s webpage, but it warns traders that Apple’s 1Q2019 revenue will be $9 billion less than was originally projected. The letter mainly blames China’s overall economy for almost all the year-over-year iPhone income decline while also indicating that individuals remain adapting to the termination of carrier financial assistance. In a recent interview Cook explained many of the same reasons to describe lower-than-anticipated iPhone sales. Beyond slowed development in developing marketplaces and the lack of subsidized pricing through carriers, Cook pointed to iOS 12 and the $29 battery substitute plan seeing that having encouraged users to hold their old iPhones rather than ordering new ones. As you may recall, Apple launched the battery alternative program in late 2017 in wish of masking the stench of the battery controversy, which had garnered allegations of designed obsolescence. According to Cook, many with old iPhones didn't upgrade since they could get brand-new batteries for inexpensive. This would take away the efficiency caps that Apple got imposed to them, restoring their iPhones to their previous glory, especially when paired with iOS 12. In fact, Apple visited lengths to ensure that iOS 12 would make older iPhones faster, so Cook is likely right in hoping the electric battery substitute program and iOS 12 factored in to the weaker sales of 2018 iPhones. Nevertheless, Cook mentioned that complicated trade relations between the US and China was eventually the biggest factor. China represents a huge amount of untapped sales prospect of Apple, so there’s most likely some truth to that, too. You can view the full interview in the video below if you want to hear more of what Cook has to say about it. In the mean time, critics and analysts possess suggested poor iPhone sales are a indication of marketplace saturation; at this stage, most people who would like an iPhone already have one, and that’s a hard hurdle to overcome, specifically with buyers modernizing much less frequently. It’s even certainly possible that Apple valued the 2018 iPhones from the developing markets the company claims to be targeting. After all, if you reside in China and need it a new smartphone, are you going to buy an iPhone XS for $1,000 (¥6800) or more, or are you going to get the most recent Vivo or Xiaomi Android smartphone that’s produced locally and can do essentially nearly anything iPhone XS can do at a portion of the price? And in addition, Cook largely sidestepped this issue of ballooning iPhone prices - an obstacle that we have found across the majority of Apple’s products for that matter - which has been among the primary criticisms of latest iPhones. Latest Asking Price Increases Price boosts for the iPhone used to end up being pretty rare. In fact, after carriers stopped offering subsidized prices on smartphones, forcing us to start paying complete MSRP if we wished to buy brand-new iPhones, we're able to at least count on a constant starting price from calendar year to year. That starting cost used to be $649. With the launch of iPhone 8 in 2017, it leapt to $699, a unsatisfying increase, but it was not too surprising. It had been only a $50 increase after generations of a constant price, a lot of people gave Apple a pass. And, actually at the higher price, iPhone 8 seemed really cheap compared to the $999 price tag on the brand new iPhone X. However apparently, the purchase price increase for iPhone 7 set a precedent because in 2018, the price jumped again. Matching the enhance from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8, the 2018 iPhone lineup began at $749 for iPhone XR. You may argue that iPhone XR is a much better device than iPhone 7 and justifies the excess $100, but value is subjective. While some might say iPhone XR will probably be worth its $749 starting price, especially compared to Apple’s more premium models, many customers will fixate on how each new era of iPhone is more costly than the one before. And at this time, can you blame them? To make matters worse yet, as iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR were being unveiled in stage during Apple’s fall 2018 event, iPhone SE was being discontinued. So not only are iPhones getting a lot more expensive, but Apple has now eliminated the only budget option we had. So if you’re looking to get a fresh iPhone in 2019, there’s very little choice anymore. Buyers are mainly having to simply accept Apple’s higher beginning price in the absence of a true budget iPhone. Naturally, consumers and critics as well are getting more vocal within their demands an iPhone SE successor. Overwhelming Unforeseen Value Apple revealed the iPhone SE , which means Particular Edition, in March 2016 at a particular spring event. Both for consumers and the industry at large, iPhone SE was a very un-Apple device for Apple to release. The iPhone 6 had simply jumped in proportions and received a completely new style from the previous generation. Then iPhone SE was released, featuring a smaller, compact type with its design virtually indistinguishable from the previous-generation iPhone 5. Even more surprising was the fact that iPhone SE remarkably featured the majority of Apple’s up-to-date, front runner-level technologies in spite of the reduced starting price; for $399, you got the same custom A9 processor as iPhone 6S in addition to a 12 MP camera with 4K video recording and a bigger battery. In fact, the just significant compromises were the lack of 3D Touch and the usage of first-generation TouchID instead of the faster second generation. But, again, considering its low starting price (which eventually settled to $349), the iPhone SE provided uncharacteristically great value for a product made by Apple. The challenge was that iPhone SE didn’t turn into a top-selling iPhone. In the course of its lifetime, its defining characteristic was that it provided an affordable point of access to the iOS ecosystem although it eventually gained relatively of a cult pursuing among particular Apple fans. Obviously, after iPhone SE had been the baseline of the iPhone lineup for two years, potential customers were prepared for the customary refresh. Though iPhone SE offered an excellent cost-to-performance relation in 2016, a refresh would connect the overall performance gap that developed as iPhone SE’s A9 processor chip was succeeded and replaced, first by the A10 Fusion chip in iPhone 7, on the other hand by the A11 Bionic in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X . Patiently Waiting for Apple's Latest Launches Affirmed, we heard that Apple was working on a fresh version of the spending budget iPhone. Details varied, but the iPhone SE successor - alleged to be called possibly iPhone SE 2 or iPhone X SE (with suffix and modifiers very carefully arranged)- appeared to have the same purpose as the initial, which was to become a compact, low-cost iPhone offering great performance and most of the latest features. Much of the disagreement encircling the naming theme for the iPhone SE 2 was due to unclear stories concerning whether the gadget might retain its iPhone 5-era style or whether it could embrace the new iPhone X visual. Some insisted (or possibly hoped?) iPhone SE 2 would appear to be an iPhone X from the front with a almost bezel-less, edge-to-edge display. These stories were mainly informed by supposed styles for display protectors and cases; if legitimate, the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would have a bezel-much less, notched display equivalent to iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. Of training course, the notch would become among the defining characteristics for 2018 cell phones overall as its was imitated by almost every smartphone manufacturer following the iPhone X debuted in late 2017; nevertheless, for Apple’s purposes, the notch just exists to house biometric sensors for Apple’s proprietary FaceID. Therefore the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would feature FaceID although the high price of FaceID components made it an unlikely inclusion in virtually any budget iPhone. Following these reports, renders were made to show how the device might appear if it turned out to be real. Assuming the case styles and resulting renders were accurate, iPhone SE 2 would’ve been a truly fascinating gadget, the lovechild of the bygone iPhone 5 and the more futuristic iPhone X. Provided Apple could keep creation costs and, by extension, the MSRP down, iPhone SE 2 could’ve easily outsold the original iPhone SE, possibly learning to be a top seller like the original iPhone SE never could. These weren’t simply the pipe dreams of iPhone SE enthusiasts and anyone who wanted cheaper iPhones; reviews from Apple’s own suppliers all but confirmed programs for iPhone SE 2, supplying estimates for possible production schedules and ship dates. In early August 2017, Wistron Corp. - a low-volume manufacturer located in Taiwan that Apple recruits when iPhone demand can be high - was working on expanding its creation base to accommodate a fresh compact Apple smartphone, which many presumed to end up being an updated iPhone SE. After that came a tentative ship day: In late November 2017, Economic Daily News in Taiwan reported Apple had been eyeing a release date in the first half of 2018 for the iPhone SE 2, which would’ve been consistent with the spring release of the initial iPhone SE. January 2018 brought another report of iPhone SE 2 launching in 2018. Shortly thereafter, there was a rumor iPhone SE 2 would include a glass back panel, suggesting the addition of the wireless charging features that the iPhone has had since 2017. Just as rumors pointed to Apple gearing up for the release of a next-generation iPhone SE, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities who is known for predicting Apple’s products with uncanny accuracy, planted among the 1st seeds of doubt. In late January 2018, Kuo reported iPhone SE 2 had hardly any chance of being released because Apple had exhausted its assets on the three flagship versions to be released in 2018. Of course, those three models finished up being iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. Nevertheless, rumors persisted - though at a slower pace - in spite of Kuo’s doubt. For instance, there have been specifications and other information on the iPhone SE 2 reported in April 2018. Relating to these leaks, Apple intended to keep creation costs (and, by expansion, the eventual retail price) down by omitting the 3.5mm headphone jack and using iPhone 7’s A10 Fusion chip rather than the A11 Bionic chip found in iPhone 8 and iPhone X. For all intents and reasons, the axe was decisively dropped in July 2018 as BlueFin Research told MacRumors that Apple had nixed all programs to proceed with iPhone SE 2. We’ll probably never know for sure whether iPhone SE 2 was ever actually in the pipeline; however, also if it was planned originally, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever get an iPhone SE 2 at all. It’s been four a few months since the release of the 2018 iPhones, an event that coincided with iPhone SE being removed from Apple’s lineup, which, in and of itself, allegedly happened because Apple retired its A9 processor chip. So aside from Apple quickly unloading the last iPhone SE units at a discounted $249 price, which took only 24 hours, iPhone SE is gone from Apple’s catalog, and anyone waiting for a next-generation iPhone SE has little cause for hope. In the event that you ask me, the composing is on the wall structure: Apple won’t be making another budget iPhone. No More Budget iPhone? Spending budget smartphones, or smartphones that price roughly $300 or less, are pretty common today. In some cases, these budget devices offer great value for your money. Some of the more recent notable examples include the Moto G6 for $240, LG Stylo 4 for $250, Huawei Mate 20 Lite for $290, and, of course, the amazing Pocophone F1 for $299. If you have a tad more to spend, you can find a used or refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 for barely over $300. Or you may get the new Nokia 7.1, an Android One gadget with the design and nearly all of the features that top-shelf Android flagships possess for the discount price of $350. I’m not sure where in fact the phrase originated, but I completely agree: “Good cell phones are receiving cheap, and cheap mobile phones are getting good.” Of program, you might’ve noticed that the smartphones mentioned above are Android smartphones. How about iPhones? When carriers did aside with subsidizing smartphones, we had to start paying full retail cost for new smartphones. So Apple’s decision to create the iPhone SE was extremely timely: Instead of paying $649 or more, you could buy an iPhone for under $400 without producing a huge amount of compromises. Suddenly, individuals who favored iOS to Android had their personal Pocophone. From September 2016 to its discontinuation in September 2018, iPhone SE was never a top-selling iPhones. Even at its peak, iPhone SE hardly ever accounted for more than 11 percent of iPhone sales as the third-best-selling iPhone, and only by a thin margin. Meanwhile, both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus almost tripled the product sales of iPhone SE during that period, accounting for 28.5 percent and 29.5 percent of iPhone sales, respectively. After September 2017, iPhone SE sales dropped substantially, remaining somewhere within 5.5 percent and 8 percent until the device was taken in fall 2018. Suppose you’re Tim Cook seeking at these numbers. Everybody has been asking for a second-generation budget iPhone, but sales numbers display that whenever a lower-cost option is available, the majority of customers keep buying the more expensive iPhones. If customers are willing to pay even more for high-end iPhones, does it make sense to make a cheaper device that, at best, no more than one in ten customers will be interested in buying? With some context, positioning the iPhone more as a luxury item starts to create sense. Like voting on a ballot, Apple’s consumers have already been casting their votes on higher-end iPhones, therefore we can’t actually blame Apple for leaving budget smartphones that do not sell well. If you’re miffed about the loss of life of iPhone SE 2, there are, actually, cheaper iPhones available for individuals on a budget. But you’re not going to discover them in retail stores. Current Market Conditions Apple gave customers the lower-cost iPhone they’d long been asking for, but most of them decided not to buy it. So if you’re Apple, do you produce a second era knowing the first era didn’t sell well, or perform you ditch the budget-iPhone idea altogether? It seems Apple chose the latter. However, it doesn’t eliminate from the actual fact that spending budget iPhones are already available, not to mention plentiful. Specifically, I’m talking about used iPhones on the market. The gray market refers to the investing of used iPhones on the secondhand marketplace. It’s comprised of the countless people selling their utilized gadgets after upgrading, which essentially creates an unofficial marketplace of budget iPhones. Therefore all those listings for iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 on eBay, the Amazon Marketplace, providers like Swappa, and yard-sale applications like LetGo are the gray market for iPhones. Apple doesn’t have to spend money on R&D, sourcing parts, production, and distribution for a budget iPhone because we curently have access to all the discounted iPhones we're able to ever want in the secondhand market. And every year when new iPhones are released, millions more iPhones will revitalize the secondhand marketplace as users who upgrade to brand-new iPhones sell their old ones. Plus, any post-2016 iPhone models in the gray market could have better specifications than iPhone SE, and some of these used iPhones would be cheaper than investing in a new iPhone SE from Apple for $349. Basically, Apple doesn’t have to sell a budget iPhone since the current-generation iPhones purchased at complete retail cost today become budget iPhones as consumers utilize them and eventually sell them to on the gray market if they upgrade. And even more devices are shown on the gray marketplace every day, so as long as Apple is offering smartphones, the gray market is a renewable resource for budget iPhones. Of training course, the gray market isn’t the only method to get an iPhone on the inexpensive. Depending about how you consider it, Apple actually offers new spending budget iPhone options every year. With the state unveiling of new iPhones each year, the MSRP of each preceding generation still in creation is decreased. For example, when iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X were announced in the fall of 2017, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus became previous-generation products, which warranted price cuts.

The iPhone SE was still in production when iPhone 7 got its lessen price, so if you wanted a fresh iPhone but didn’t want to invest $699 or more for iPhone 8 or iPhone X, you could choose iPhone SE from $349, iPhone 6S from $449, or iPhone 7 from $549. Though $349 isn’t exactly chump change, it’s certainly more palatable than iPhone X’s thousand-dollar starting price. With iPhone SE discontinued, the least expensive iPhone available is iPhone 7 for $449, meaning the cheapest iPhone available today is $100 a lot more than last year. To be fair, iPhone 7 was a great device at release, and it’s still a compelling option today, specifically for the price. Though it was divisive as Apple’s 1st iPhone without the apparently requisite 3.5mm headphone jack, iPhone 7 is otherwise a full-presented flagship. But if you’re searching for a new iPhone on a spending budget, which would you rather buy: a 2016 iPhone for $449 or an iPhone SE 2 with the latest A12 Bionic processor chip for $100 less? Regarding iPhone SE 2 not materializing, maybe knowing what could’ve been is what makes this thus disappointing for some. Even though the info suggests a restricted audience for spending budget iPhones, there will always be situations in which a low-cost iPhone with current-generation efficiency hits the sweet spot. Where Should Apple Go From Here? It’s a great time to become a lover of tech, particularly cell tech as spending budget and mid-range flagships are slaying in the Android smartphone market. Though priced higher than a $349 iPhone, the OnePlus 6T is usually a primary example of how exactly to offer flagship-level specs, design, and performance at a reduced cost. For better or worse, Apple appears to have evacuated the budget smartphone sector after just one single attempt. Granted, Apple hasn't actually catered to budget-minded customers with almost all the company’s equipment starting at $1,000 or more and a shrinking amount of products, like iPods and iPads, priced lower than that. That is why it was so unusual for Apple to make a budget iPhone to begin with. The problem is that it seems Apple is now trying to close a door that probably the business never should’ve opened to begin with. After all, when you’re offering this inexpensive iPhone on the lineup, all of the flagship iPhones seem that a lot more expensive by comparison. Whether or not there’s a fresh iPhone SE in the future, the prices attached to Apple’s products are climbing. In many markets, Apple is coming dangerously close to pricing the iPhone as well as most of Apple’s other items out of reach. For customers who can’t (or don’t need to) pay such exorbitant prices, the actual fact that Apple offered inexpensive options previously but no longer offers those options now will undoubtedly leave a bad taste in people’s mouths, nearly like biting into a rotten apple. Honestly, I hope I’m wrong concerning this, but if Apple really wants to curb the decline in iPhone demand and for product sales to resume an upward trajectory, 1 of 2 things will need to happen, and sooner instead of later. Apple needs to either lower the margins on iPhones to make them less expensive (or even just less costly), or there needs to be a fresh budget option so consumers in least have the illusion of choice. Because as the figures show, most buyers go for the premium iPhones in any case, but if Apple puts a budget model up for grabs, at least they won’t feel like they’re being forced to pay the ever-growing Apple tax. Apple’s current pricing structure gives consumers only high- and higher-priced models to pick from. But it appears buyers are starting to understand there’s still one other option, which is to save themselves the trouble, and possibly some buyer’s remorse, by not buying new iPhones at all.

#cellphones

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britesparc · 4 years

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Weekend Top Ten #432

Top Ten Games to Remaster

As we continue June’s videogame-themed series of Tops Ten – during what would normally have been E3, but is still something of a prolonged Videogame Announcement Season – I turn my attention once again to great games past. This has been exacerbated by the release of Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, a hi-def spit-and-polish re-do of two of the greatest PC games of the nineties. I have very fond teenage memories of both C&C and its pseudo-sequel, but Red Alert in particular strikes an important chord as one of “the” games that deepened and broadened by love of gaming as an art form. In the way that really only happens when you’re a kid, I absorbed Red Alert, not just completing the campaign and playing hours and hours of skirmish, but also talking about it extensively with friends, designing my own levels, and even going so far as to modify the source files to create my own super-units (nuclear tanks ahoy!). As such, it utterly delights me to declare that C&C Remastered is a phenomenal undertaking, the graphics painstakingly remade to fit modern displays, the interface masterfully tweaked to appease modern sensibilities. But at the same time it offers so many pleasing, knowing, considerate hat-tips to fans, such as a re-imagining of the classic DOS installation prompts. All in all, it’s a must-buy, bringing a 25-year-old series of games more-or-less bang up to date and preserving their legacy for a new generation.

Anyway, all this got me thinking of other classic games, and how it’s so difficult to play them nowadays. Maybe they’re mired in rights issues. Maybe it’s a technological minefield to get them to run on modern systems. Maybe elements of modern gaming – be it graphics or design – have simply passed them by, making them a far more difficult and frustrating experience than they would have seemed Back in the Day. Whatever the reason, these are games that – like classic films from the 40s and 50s – should be celebrated and enjoyed by the young’uns, not left to gather digital dust on forgotten floppies the world over.

So, with no further ado, here are ten games that I would love to see given a bit of digital TLC, renewed and revigorated for the ultra-wide monitors and liquid-cooled systems of tomorrow. In most cases these are just one game that I’d like to see spruced up and re-released, but there are a few “collections” here too, whether it’s a C&C-style pairing of a great double act, or a celebration of a series, a la Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Oh, and I’m on about remasters here: not a full-on remake or reboot. Stuff like Perfect Dark on the Xbox 360, not Doom 2016. Old games made good on modern hardware, not a reimagining of the property.

Regardless: have at it, games industry.

Lemmings (1991) and Lemmings 2: The Tribes (1993): I definitely think they should be a double-pack, because whilst the first is a well-regarded classic, the second refines the formula, makes it more user-friendly, offers skirmish-style training modes, and amps up the comedy. But they’re both ancient by now, and despite mobile do-overs in recent years, the originals are very difficult to play. Upping the resolution whilst still keeping the character of the scantily-pixelated sprites would be difficult, but it’d be worth it to once again sample one of the gods of gaming.

Sam & Max Hit the Road (1993): other LucasArts classic adventures have had a spruce – most notably the first two seminal Monkey Island games – but it’d be good to see this cult comedy classic come back to life. I don’t know if the backgrounds ever existed in higher resolution, but I’d love to see the sprites re-drawn to more closely resemble a cartoon version of Steve Purcell’s artwork.

The Jedi Knight Series (1995-2003): I’m bundling all four Jedi Knight games in together – that’s the original Dark Forces, plus Jedi Knight, Jedi Outcast, and Jedi Academy – but let’s be honest, it’s the first two we’re really after. DF gave us a compelling mission-based “Doom Clone” (back when Doom was a genre), and one which would be amazing to see tarted up to 4K with texture filtering a-go-go; but it was its 1997 sequel, Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, that struck serious beskar. Huge, expansive levels, in “true 3D” (as we used to call it), full-motion video cutscenes, finally getting a lightsaber and Force powers, but most of all the Light/Dark Side dynamic offering (very basic) morality and a branching storyline. Again, giving it a glossy hi-def sheen would do wonders to preserve the legacy of one of the greatest Star Wars games of all time.

The Quake Collection (1996-2005): really it should be called The Quake Qollection, no? Encompassing all four mainline Quakes. Although, again, let’s be honest: there’s something deeply iconic about the first three, so no one would complain if we just forgot about part 4, yeah? Anyway: Quake was a stunner, a gorgeous 3D technical juggernaut, offering sumptuous lighting effects and gorgeous architecture. Part II came a year later and offered us coloured lighting and a coherent sci-fi story, whereas Quake III Arena in 1999 gave us a sublimely crafted multiplayer shooter and a character that was an eyeball doing a handstand. Despite being graphical powerhouses in their day, getting them to run can be a drag, so it’d be lovely to see them dragged into the 21st Century, especially if they could offer us ray-tracing on next-gen consoles, a la Quake II RTX.

Tomb Raider (1996): we’ve seen the series rebooted in (generally) excellent fashion, but at the same time it feels it lost a little of the majesty, mythos, and merriment of OG Lara. One of the first truly successful 3D games, it was like nothing before it. A subtle update to increase its resolution, filter the rough edges, maybe offer the option to move beyond the rigid grid-based movement structure, and possibly up the poly count so blocky Lara more closely resembles her rendered box-art cousin, would be terrific. Imagine the dinosaur in 4K…!

Descent (1994): one of those games that’s slipped from public consciousness, this was a full-3D shooter a couple of years before Quake shambled onto our screens. Piloting a craft in zero gravity, it offered full freedom of movement as well as a tense shooter dynamic coupled with some mild, X-Wing-style space sim elements. It was funky, fast, gorgeous, and messed with your head. I’d love a remake that kept the levels as-is, simplified the often-complex controls for modern sensibilities, and just in general made it look prettier. I worry that a contemporary “re-imagining” might lose too many of its crazy rough edges, though.

Syndicate (1993): there have been a number of efforts to re-do Syndicate over the years, but apart from its excellent sequel Syndicate Wars in 1996, none have matched the dark joys of the original. rather than try to go all modern and 3D, I’d rather see the artwork redone, redrawn at a higher resolution, perhaps offering subtle 3D touches such as dynamic light, shadow, and ray-tracing. The fiddlier aspects (getting into cars?!) could be tidied up, but the look and feel should remain the same. I honestly think this could be a big deal.

Total Annihilation (1997): if C&C can get remastered, why not the game that was arguably the first real challenger to its sci-fi RTS dominance? TA had 3D graphics, a new and refined model of base construction, and tactical touches such as line-of-sight and elevated terrain. But the comparatively low resolution of late-nineties machines meant that the robotic units could often appear slightly indistinct, turning into a grey melange; boosting the res and the poly count would do wonders, but – like C&C – the gameplay itself should be kept as authentic as possible.

Warcraft I & II (1994-95): I know, I know; they just did a remaster of Warcraft III that wasn’t well received and got everybody’s backs up. But I barely played Warcraft III (I barely played Warcraft I for that matter). Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness was the fantasy yin to C&C’s sci-fi yang, and it was great; clear, bright, fast, fun. The cartoony graphics were gorgeous and the units had bags of character (reinforced by the humorous soundbites when you kept clicking on them). I’d want to see the sprites re-drawn in hi-res, with the units given some gorgeous new animations to match their character. Other than that? Keep it broadly the same. It worked 25 years ago, it’ll work now.

Fantasy World Dizzy (1989): I nearly didn’t have a game this old on the list. For one thing, I thought pre-16-bit games would require far more retooling for modern audiences, becoming essentially the sort of reboot I said I wanted to avoid; I can’t imagine a new Skool Daze being too similar to its original. Also which Dizzy do you choose? The one I played the most was probably Spellbound (1991). But I think Fantasy World may be the most iconic. Its Amiga port was almost a remaster anyway, giving it gorgeous colour graphics. A modern version would up the resolution with all-new art assets, obviously, and perhaps could offer a more user-friendly jumping dynamic (and maybe – maybe – I’ll allow scrolling). This could be a lovely way to re-introduce audiences to the character of Dizzy, who should really be held up more as a British gaming mascot, without having to go all-in on a brand new title. Egg-cellent (sorry).

So there we are. There are a couple missing here, obviously; Simon the Sorcerer was nearly there until I realised they did do a gentle remaster in 2018. The Settlers would have made the list, except they are remaking that, although in my opinion it looks like a full-on reboot rather than the upgraded version of the original that I crave. Fade to Black just dropped off the bottom on the grounds that I barely played it in its original form, but a third-person 3D Flashback is still on my Most Wanted list (Flashback itself, sadly, has already had a disappointing remake). And the best Star Wars game of all time, Knights of the Old Republic, I decided not to include as – again – I think we’re going to see that reimagined and folded into the new official Disney canon in some form. Maybe that should preclude me imagining the original game in 4K with updated character models, dynamic shadows, and ray-tracing, but – hey – that’s just me. At least that is one game that I’ll still be able to play fairly easily on an Xbox Series X, even without whistles and bells. Here’s to dead old games!

#top ten #games #gaming #remasters #old games #retro games #command & conquer #lemmings #star wars #dizzy #warcraft #quake

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gramsugar42 · 4 years

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Apple Launches Planned for Next Season

Apple is considered to be the most innovative enterprise in the globe at the moment. It’s the company to which nearly all others search for guidance. When Apple reveals a forward thinking new design vocabulary or launches a fresh product, it generates ripples through the entire marketplace. Suddenly, the entire industry is crafting items in Apple’s concept. But to state Apple is merely a trend-setter understates the organization’s position while arguably the figurehead of creativity in consumer engineering. Apple isn’t just setting technology developments; Apple’s vision sets precedents and begins actions that allow the tendencies to exist to begin with. As impressive as it must experience to be Apple in this situation - and as humbling as it must experience to be the many businesses copying Apple at every change - it’s not absolutely all sunshine and rainbows. You can claw your way to the top of a mountain, but there’s very little stable ground up there. One incorrect step as well as your toppling back off the mountain, undoing years of the effort needed to get up there. We do not want to discount Apple’s successes in 2018: Apple Pencil program for ipad from apple was a beautiful addition; iOS 12 has given new life to iPhones as aged as the 5S; Apple Watch Series 4 is literally saving lives; and that’s simply a few highlights. Searching back again, though, 2018 was a pretty tough year for Apple as certain missteps ended up impacting the company’s bottom line. Within Apple’s most dubious moves in 2018, there’s one I needed to point out for a significant purpose: Without second-generation iPhone SE around the corner, it appears Apple has exited the spending budget flagship market. In fact, I will consider it one step further: I’m convinced Apple won’t be launching any more budget iPhones, and here’s why. Apple’s products portfolio is definitely varied. The company generates revenue from solutions like iTunes and Apple Music to add-ons like AirPods and the Magic Keyboard, from home entertainment devices like Apple TV 4K to personal processing gadgets like the MacBook Pro. Nevertheless sales for the majority of these are not that amazing (though Apple’s profit margins certainly are). It’s definitely the iPhone that accounts for nearly all Apple’s revenue. Since its debut in 2007, iPhone has pushed Apple’s income to such amazing heights that the company has become the first trillion-dollar business in history. With so a lot of Apple’s income riding on the game-changing device, you can wager there would be a significant drop in Apple’s income if people starting buying less iPhones. And that’s precisely what we’re discovering. Following a modest fourth quarter, revenue for Q12019 - which, to be clear, is made up of October, November, and December, encompassing the holiday shopping season - was much lower than Apple traditionally forecasted. With the cost of fresh iPhones rising, income would’ve increased even if unit sales acquired only remained steady, but there were fewer iPhone units sold through the period. The implication can be that demand offers waned, or it’s feasible there wasn’t very much demand for Apple’s costly new iPhones to begin with. The earliest indicator of difficulties was in 2017, the year iPhone X premiered. At a starting cost 50 percent greater than the previous year’s baseline model, iPhone X unit product sales were reportedly smooth although Apple’s revenue increased. Just how? Because even though Apple sold roughly the same quantity of units as the entire year before, the average cost of an iPhone had improved. When you sell the same quantity of products but mark up the purchase price, you still see a bump in revenue. Of program, it’s not simply the iPhone that is gotten more expensive. Apple has raised prices across practically all the company’s portfolio. But with the iPhone driving earnings, the implication is certainly this: If iPhone sales and profits continue being smooth or start to fall, Apple will need to keep raising the price of the iPhone each year to maintain year-over-year revenue gains. As you can plainly see, it’s not a coincidence Apple has decided to stop reporting iPhone unit sales publicly. Even if 2017 was an outlier, the start of new iPhones in the fall is meant to give Apple a go of income adrenaline in the ultimate stretch out, allowing for a solid finish as the business crosses the monetary finish line. But also for the second year in a row, that did not happen. Doesn’t it seem reasonable, if improbable, that increasing the prices for new iPhones has resulted in lower demand? About a week ago, Apple CEO delivered a document to shareholders. You can read the document for yourself on Apple’s website, but it warns traders that Apple’s 1Q2019 revenue will be $9 billion less than was originally projected. The letter largely blames China’s industry for almost all the year-over-year iPhone income drop while also indicating that buyers are still adapting to the termination of carrier subsidies. In a recent talk Cook explained many of the same concerns to explain lower-than-anticipated iPhone revenues. Beyond slowed growth in developing marketplaces and the lack of subsidized prices through carriers, Cook pointed to iOS 12 and the $29 battery replacement program as having encouraged users to hold their current iPhones rather than paying for new ones. As you may remember, Apple launched the battery substitute program in late 2017 in wish of hiding the stench of the battery pack hot debate, which had earned claims of intended obsolescence. As stated by Cook, many with old iPhones didn't upgrade because they could get fresh batteries for inexpensive. This would remove the functionality caps that Apple experienced imposed on them, mending their iPhones with their past glory, especially when paired with iOS 12. Actually, Apple visited lengths to make sure that iOS 12 would make old iPhones faster, so Make is probably correct in thinking the electric battery substitute program and iOS 12 factored in to the weaker sales of 2018 iPhones. Nevertheless, Cook asserted that challenging trade relationships between the US and China was eventually the largest factor. China represents a ton of untapped sales potential for Apple, so there’s probably some truth compared to that, too. You can observe the entire interview in the video below if you want to hear more of what Cook must say about it. In the mean time, critics and analysts possess suggested poor iPhone sales certainly are a indication of marketplace saturation; at this stage, most people who want an iPhone curently have one, and that’s a hard hurdle to overcome, specifically with people modernizing much less frequently. It is even surprisingly possible that Apple listed the 2018 iPhones out of the developing markets the business claims to be targeting. After all, in the event that you reside in China and need it a new mobile phone, are you going to buy an iPhone XS for $1,000 (¥6800) or even more, or are you going to get the most recent Vivo or Xiaomi Android mobile phone that’s produced locally and can do essentially anything iPhone XS can do at a fraction of the price? And in addition, Cook routinely sidestepped the topic of increasing iPhone prices - a concern that we’ve noticed across the majority of Apple’s product line for that situation - which has been among the main criticisms of more recent iPhones. Brand-new Price Range Rises Price raises for the iPhone used to be pretty rare. Actually, after carriers stopped providing subsidized prices on smartphones, forcing us to start paying complete MSRP if we wanted to buy brand-new iPhones, we could at least depend on a consistent starting price from 12 months to year. That starting price used to be $649. With the release of iPhone 8 in 2017, it jumped to $699, a discouraging gain, but it wasn’t too discouraging. It was only a $50 boost after generations of a constant price, a lot of people gave Apple a pass. Additionally, actually at the bigger price, iPhone 8 seemed certainly cheap compared to the $999 price on the brand new iPhone X. But apparently, the price increase for iPhone 7 set a precedent because in 2018, the purchase price jumped yet again. Matching the enhance from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8, the 2018 iPhone lineup started at $749 for iPhone XR. You could argue that iPhone XR is a better device than iPhone 7 and justifies the excess $100, but worth is subjective. Although some might say iPhone XR is worth its $749 beginning price, especially compared to Apple’s more superior versions, many people will fixate on how each new era of iPhone is more costly than the one before. And at this time, can you blame them? To create matters even worse, as iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR were getting unveiled about stage during Apple’s fall 2018 event, iPhone SE was being discontinued. So not only are iPhones getting more and more expensive, but Apple has eliminated the only spending budget option we had. So if you’re looking to get a new iPhone in 2019, there’s very little choice anymore. Purchasers are essentially having to simply accept Apple’s higher starting price in the absence of a true budget iPhone. Naturally, customers and critics as well are getting more vocal within their demands an iPhone SE successor. Incredible Unforeseen Benefits Apple launched the iPhone SE , which stands for Particular Edition, in March 2016 at a special spring event. Both for customers and the industry most importantly, iPhone SE was a very un-Apple device for Apple to release. The iPhone 6 had just jumped in size and received a totally new design from the prior generation. Then iPhone SE premiered, having a smaller, compact type with its design virtually indistinguishable from the previous-generation iPhone 5. A lot more surprising was the actual fact that iPhone SE particularly featured most of Apple’s up-to-date, flagship-level engineering regardless of the low starting price; for $399, you have the same custom A9 processor as iPhone 6S in addition to a 12 MP camcorder with 4K video recording and a bigger battery. The fact is, the only significant compromises were the lack of 3D Touch and the use of first-generation TouchID rather than the faster second generation. But, again, considering its low starting price (which ultimately settled to $349), the iPhone SE provided uncharacteristically great value for a product made by Apple. The issue was that iPhone SE didn’t become a top-selling iPhone. In the course of its life-span, its defining characteristic was that it offered an affordable point of access to the iOS ecosystem though it eventually gained somewhat of a cult following among specific Apple fans. Naturally, after iPhone SE have been the baseline of the iPhone lineup for a couple of years, consumers were ready for the required refresh. Although iPhone SE offered a great cost-to-performance rate in 2016, a refresh could connect the performance gap that grew as iPhone SE’s A9 processor was succeeded and changed, first by the A10 Fusion chip in iPhone 7, on the other hand by the A11 Bionic in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X . Patiently Looking ahead to Apple's Latest Product launches Sure enough, we listened that Apple was focusing on a fresh version of the budget iPhone. Details varied, but the iPhone SE successor - alleged to be called possibly iPhone SE 2 or iPhone X SE (with suffix and modifiers meticulously arranged)- appeared to have the equal purpose as the initial, which was to become a compact, low-cost iPhone offering great performance and most of the latest features. A lot of the disagreement surrounding the naming scheme for the iPhone SE 2 was because of contradictory information as to whether the device would retain its iPhone 5-era design or whether it could embrace the new iPhone X visual. Some customers insisted (or maybe hoped?) iPhone SE 2 would look like an iPhone X from the front with a almost bezel-less, edge-to-edge screen. These accounts were largely informed by supposed designs for display screen protectors and situations; if legitimate, the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would have a bezel-much less, notched display similar to iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. Of course, the notch would become one of the defining features for 2018 mobile phones overall as its was imitated by nearly every smartphone manufacturer after the iPhone X debuted in late 2017; however, for Apple’s purposes, the notch only exists to house biometric sensors for Apple’s proprietary FaceID. So the implication was that iPhone SE 2 would feature FaceID although the high cost of FaceID components managed to get an unlikely inclusion in any budget iPhone. Following these reports, renders were made to show the way the device might appear if it turned out to be real. Assuming the case designs and resulting renders were accurate, iPhone SE 2 would’ve been a truly fascinating device, the lovechild of the bygone iPhone 5 and the more futuristic iPhone X. Provided Apple could keep creation costs and, by extension, the MSRP straight down, iPhone SE 2 could’ve easily outsold the initial iPhone SE, possibly becoming a top seller just like the original iPhone SE never could.

These weren’t simply the pipe dreams of iPhone SE supporters and anyone who wanted cheaper iPhones; reviews from Apple’s own suppliers all but confirmed programs for iPhone SE 2, offering estimates for possible creation schedules and ship dates. In early August 2017, Wistron Corp. - a low-volume manufacturer located in Taiwan that Apple recruits when iPhone demand is certainly high - was focusing on expanding its production base to accommodate a new compact Apple smartphone, which many presumed to end up being an updated iPhone SE. After that came a tentative ship time: In late November 2017, Economic Daily Information in Taiwan reported Apple had been eyeing a release day in the first half of 2018 for the iPhone SE 2, which would’ve been consistent with the spring release of the original iPhone SE. January 2018 brought another report of iPhone SE 2 launching in 2018. Shortly thereafter, there was a rumor iPhone SE 2 would feature a glass rear panel, suggesting the addition of the wireless charging features that the iPhone has had since 2017. Just mainly because rumors pointed to Apple gearing up for the release of a next-generation iPhone SE, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities who is known for predicting Apple’s products with uncanny accuracy, planted one of the initial seeds of doubt. In late January 2018, Kuo reported iPhone SE 2 had hardly any chance of being released because Apple had exhausted its assets on the three flagship models to be released in 2018. Of program, those three models finished up being iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. However, rumors persisted - though at a slower pace - in spite of Kuo’s question. For instance, there were specifications and other details of the iPhone SE 2 reported in April 2018. Relating to these leaks, Apple intended to keep creation costs (and, by extension, the eventual retail price) down by omitting the 3.5mm headphone jack and using iPhone 7’s A10 Fusion chip instead of the A11 Bionic chip used in iPhone 8 and iPhone X. For all intents and reasons, the axe was decisively dropped in July 2018 as BlueFin Research told MacRumors that Apple had nixed all programs to proceed with iPhone SE 2. We’ll probably never know for sure whether iPhone SE 2 was ever actually in the offing; however, also if it was planned in the beginning, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever obtain an iPhone SE 2 at all. It’s been four months since the launch of the 2018 iPhones, a meeting that coincided with iPhone SE being removed from Apple’s lineup, which, in and of itself, allegedly happened because Apple retired its A9 processor. So apart from Apple quickly unloading the last iPhone SE systems at a discounted $249 price, which took just 24 hours, iPhone SE is fully gone from Apple’s catalog, and anyone looking forward to a next-generation iPhone SE has little trigger for hope. In the event that you ask me, the writing is on the wall: Apple won’t be making another budget iPhone. FORGET ABOUT Budget iPhone? Spending budget smartphones, or smartphones that price roughly $300 or less, are pretty common nowadays. In some instances, these budget devices give great value for your money. Some of the newer notable for example the Moto G6 for $240, LG Stylo 4 for $250, Huawei Mate 20 Lite for $290, and, of course, the amazing Pocophone F1 for $299. For those who have a tad more to spend, you can look for a used or refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 for barely over $300. Or you may get the brand new Nokia 7.1, an Android One device with the look and nearly all of the features that top-shelf Android flagships have for the discount price of $350. I’m not sure where in fact the phrase originated, but I completely agree: “Good cell phones are receiving cheap, and cheap mobile phones are getting good.” Of course, you might’ve noticed that the smartphones mentioned above are Android smartphones. How about iPhones? When carriers did apart with subsidizing smartphones, we had to start paying full retail cost for new smartphones. So Apple’s decision to create the iPhone SE was extremely timely: Rather than paying $649 or more, you could purchase an iPhone at under $400 without making a ton of compromises. Suddenly, individuals who favored iOS to Android had their own Pocophone. From September 2016 to its discontinuation in September 2018, iPhone SE was never a top-selling iPhones. Also at its peak, iPhone SE never accounted for more than 11 percent of iPhone sales as the third-best-selling iPhone, and just by a thin margin. Meanwhile, both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus nearly tripled the product sales of iPhone SE during that period, accounting for 28.5 percent and 29.5 percent of iPhone sales, respectively. After September 2017, iPhone SE sales dropped substantially, remaining somewhere between 5.5 percent and 8 percent until the device was taken in fall 2018. Imagine that you’re Tim Cook seeking at these numbers. Everybody has been asking for a second-generation budget iPhone, but sales numbers show that whenever a lower-cost option is available, nearly all customers keep purchasing the more costly iPhones. If clients are prepared to pay even more for high-end iPhones, does it seem sensible to produce a cheaper gadget that, at best, no more than one in ten consumers will be interested in buying? With some context, positioning the iPhone more as a luxury item starts to make sense. Like voting on a ballot, Apple’s consumers have been casting their votes on higher-end iPhones, therefore we can’t actually blame Apple for leaving budget smartphones that don’t sell well. If you’re miffed about the death of iPhone SE 2, there are, actually, cheaper iPhones obtainable for people on a budget. But you’re not going to see them in retail stores. Current Market Conditions Apple gave clients the lower-cost iPhone they’d long been asking for, but many of them didn't buy it. Therefore if you’re Apple, do you produce a second era knowing the first era didn’t sell well, or perform you ditch the budget-iPhone idea altogether? It seems Apple chose the latter. Nevertheless, it doesn’t eliminate from the actual fact that budget iPhones are already available, not to mention plentiful. Specifically, I’m discussing used iPhones in the marketplace. The gray market refers to the investing of used iPhones on the secondhand marketplace. It’s comprised of the many people selling their utilized products after upgrading, which essentially produces an unofficial marketplace of budget iPhones. So those listings for iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 on eBay, the Amazon Marketplace, services like Swappa, and yard-sale applications like LetGo are the gray market for iPhones. Apple doesn’t have to spend money on R&D, sourcing parts, production, and distribution for a budget iPhone because we curently have access to all of the discounted iPhones we could ever need in the secondhand market. And each year when new iPhones are released, millions more iPhones will revitalize the secondhand market as users who upgrade to fresh iPhones sell their outdated ones. Plus, any post-2016 iPhone models about the gray market could have better specifications than iPhone SE, and some of these used iPhones will be cheaper than investing in a new iPhone SE from Apple for $349. Basically, Apple doesn’t need to sell a budget iPhone since the current-generation iPhones purchased at complete retail cost today become budget iPhones as consumers utilize them and finally sell them to on the gray market if they upgrade. And even more devices are detailed on the gray market every day, so as long as Apple is selling smartphones, the gray market is a renewable resource for budget iPhones. Of program, the gray market isn’t the only method to get an iPhone on the cheap. Depending on how you look at it, Apple actually offers new budget iPhone options every year. With the official unveiling of new iPhones each year, the MSRP of every preceding generation still in production is decreased. For instance, when iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X had been announced in nov 2017, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus became previous-generation gadgets, which warranted cost cuts. The iPhone SE was still in production when iPhone 7 got its price cut, so if you wanted a fresh iPhone but didn’t want to spend $699 or more for iPhone 8 or iPhone X, you could choose iPhone SE from $349, iPhone 6S from $449, or iPhone 7 from $549. Though $349 isn’t precisely chump switch, it’s certainly more palatable than iPhone X’s thousand-dollar starting cost. With iPhone SE discontinued, the cheapest iPhone available is iPhone 7 for $449, meaning the least expensive iPhone available today is $100 more than last year. To be fair, iPhone 7 was a great device at start, and it’s still a compelling option today, specifically for the cost. Though it was divisive as Apple’s initial iPhone without the apparently requisite 3.5mm headphone jack, iPhone 7 is otherwise a full-presented flagship. But if you’re shopping for a fresh iPhone on a budget, which would you rather buy: a 2016 iPhone for $449 or an iPhone SE 2 with the latest A12 Bionic processor chip for $100 less? Regarding iPhone SE 2 not materializing, maybe understanding what could’ve been is usually what makes this thus disappointing for some. Even though the data suggests a limited audience for spending budget iPhones, there will be situations in which a low-cost iPhone with current-generation efficiency hits the sweet place. Where Should Apple Go From Here? It’s a great time to become a lover of tech, particularly mobile phone tech as spending budget and mid-range flagships are slaying in the Android smartphone market. Though priced greater than a $349 iPhone, the OnePlus 6T is certainly a primary example of how exactly to offer flagship-level specs, design, and performance at a reduced cost. For better or worse, Apple seems to have evacuated the budget smartphone sector after just one attempt. Granted, Apple hasn't really catered to budget-minded consumers with almost all the company’s equipment starting at $1,000 or more and a shrinking quantity of gadgets, like iPods and iPads, priced less than that. For this reason it was so unusual for Apple to create a budget iPhone in the first place. The problem is that it appears Apple is now trying to close a door that maybe the business never should’ve opened to begin with. After all, when you’re offering this inexpensive iPhone on the lineup, all the flagship iPhones seem that a lot more expensive by comparison. Whether or not there’s a new iPhone SE in the future, the prices mounted on Apple’s products are climbing. In lots of markets, Apple is coming dangerously close to pricing the iPhone and also most of Apple’s other items out of reach. For customers who can’t (or don’t wish to) pay such exorbitant prices, the fact that Apple offered inexpensive options in the past but no more offers those options now will certainly leave a bad taste in people’s mouths, nearly like biting into a rotten apple. Honestly, I hope I’m wrong concerning this, but if Apple wants to curb the decline in iPhone demand and for sales to resume an upward trajectory, 1 of 2 things will need to happen, and sooner instead of later. Apple must either lower the margins on iPhones to create them more affordable (or even just less costly), or there needs to be a fresh budget option so consumers in least have the illusion of choice. Because as the numbers show, most buyers go for the premium iPhones anyway, but if Apple puts a budget model up for grabs, at least they won’t feel like they’re being forced to pay the ever-growing Apple tax. Apple’s current pricing structure gives consumers only high- and higher-priced models to choose from. But it appears buyers are beginning to understand there’s still one other option, which is certainly to save themselves the trouble, and potentially some buyer’s remorse, by not buying brand-new iPhones at all.

#smartphones

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lorton77-blog · 4 years

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Microsoft Xbox One S review

The Good The Xbox One S is a slick looking game console that's 40 percent smaller than the original and ditches the infamously gigantic power brick. It can display 4K video from streaming services and Ultra HD Blu-rays, and supports HDR contrast on video and games. The updated controller works with other Bluetooth devices, too.

The Bad 4K, Ultra HD Blu-ray and HDR settings only work with newer TVs, and may require some trial and error. The updated controller feels cheaper than its predecessor. Project Scorpio, the more powerful Xbox One successor, arrives in late 2017.

The Bottom Line The Xbox One S is the console Microsoft should have delivered three years ago, but there's little reason to upgrade if you already own the original box.

The Xbox One S is the version of the console that Microsoft should've first released back in 2013 instead of the lumbering beast that we got. It's better in a number of ways, making it even more of a worthy alternative to Sony's PlayStation 4.

Xbox One S offers a far more attractive enclosure, options for a bigger hard drive, a slightly redesigned controller and some video perks for owners of 4K TVs. It starts at $300, £250 or AU$400 for the 500GB version; $350, £300 or AU$500 for a 1TB model; and $400, £350 or AU$549 for 2TB.

That last model is available to buy as of today in the US (and includes the vertical stand that otherwise costs $20 when purchased separately in the US), while those with the smaller hard drives will be available later in August, bundled with games such as Madden 17 and Halo. (Additional bundles will follow later in the year -- including a pricier 2TB Gears of War 4 version in October -- and may vary by region.)

Sounds like a slam dunk, right? Unfortunately, it's never that simple. The One S doesn't get an across-the-board "buy it now" recommendation for two reasons. First off, it doesn't deliver huge improvements for anyone who already owns an Xbox One. But more importantly, Microsoft has already promised that the next Xbox -- dubbed Project Scorpio -- will be arriving in late 2017 with with the seriously amped-up graphics and VR-ready hardware that audiences are clamoring for.

When it's all said and done, the Xbox One S should be primarily viewed as a slimmed-down version of the Xbox One that introduces a mildly updated controller and provisions for 4K display. It's not going to warp you into a state-of-the-art gaming experience. Pragmatically, you're probably better off nabbing an older Xbox One, which are now being sold at fire-sale prices. But if you are getting an Xbox One for the first time, have an interest in the bundled games and aren't saving your pennies for 2017's Project Scorpio, the One S is certainly a good all-round gaming and entertainment deal.

Note: I found a site where you can complete task and get free Xbox gift card Codes

What's new in the Xbox One S

There's a short but significant list of improvements and changes to the Xbox One S.

Smaller, cleaner design: To start, it's 40 percent smaller, which considering its power supply is now internal, is impressive. It's also stark white, with some slick plastic moldings flanking the entirety of the box. I think it's the best-looking Xbox Microsoft has ever designed.

The One S can also stand vertically, too. The 2TB model we received for review packs in a stand. If you buy one of the other models, you can get the stand separately for $20.

4K and HDR video: Xbox One S gets a fairly beefy upgrade on its video capabilities, with 4K resolution (3,840x2,160, or four times as sharp as standard 1080p HDTVs) and HDR (high dynamic range, which is basically enhanced contrast and color). Keep in mind: those features only work on compatible TVs and 4K functionality only works with a small but growing list of compatible video content. 4K can currently be accessed through streaming video services such as Amazon and Netflix (as long as you have the bandwidth to support it and pay for their premium tier) and those new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Certain games, meanwhile, will eventually be able to take advantage of HDR visual improvements, but don't look for PC-like 4K graphics -- the games are merely upscaled to 4K.

So no, you're not getting native 4K gaming out of an Xbox One S. In fact, only a limited number of games will feature HDR and none of them are out yet. They are Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and 2017's Scalebound.

New controller design: The Xbox One controller has been updated for the S, too. It has a more streamlined top section, better range and textured grips. It can also use Bluetooth to connect, which opens the door for compatibility with other devices -- no more annoying dongles, at least on Bluetooth-compatible PCs.

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of the new controller's design. It's not a drastic departure from the original, but there's just enough of a change to make it feel cheaper. The plastic textured grips don't feel good the way rubberized ones do, but thankfully the triggers seem unchanged. The D-pad also feels slightly less tactile -- I even noticed differences between two of the new controllers side by side.

IR blaster and receiver: Still present is the IR port for controlling the console with a remote, but the Xbox One S also features an integrated IR blaster to control or power on other devices in the room.

And it still does everything the old Xbox One does: The good news is that you're not losing anything with the Xbox One S compared with its predecessor. Around back the console offers a lot of the same ports as the original Xbox One, though noticeably absent is a dedicated Kinect port. You can still attach Kinect to the Xbox One S, you'll just need a special $40 (!) adapter. Either way, the omission of a Kinect port should give you an idea of how that peripheral is regarded at Microsoft HQ.

HDMI-in and -out ports are still there, so you can still make use of the Xbox One's live TV integration if that's something that appeals to you, but I never found it overly useful.

Suffice it to say, the One S plays all existing Xbox One games, and a growing list of Xbox 360 games. It also includes all of the encouraging software improvements Microsoft has made over the past few years, including the redesigned interface, support for the Cortana digital assistant (using a microphone headset), compatibility with the Windows Store and, soon, additional cross-play options with Windows PC gamers on certain titles.

4K and HDR scorecard

I want to personally thank the Xbox One S for introducing me to the hot mess that is the world of 4K and HDR formats. I considered myself fairly fluent in the language of home theater, but I was bewildered at the insane of amount of granularity and confusion that the format is currently plagued with.

Odds are you won't be able set up in 4K right out of the box. I needed to download two separate updates for the Xbox One S to finally realize it was attached to a 4K TV, at which point it offered to bump up the resolution output to 4K.

I hooked the console up to four different TVs and had mixed results with each, so I tapped CNET's David Katzmaier to help me test out the rest of the Xbox One S' 4K and HDR capabilities.

What we learned is that getting all of these finicky display technologies to work together in sync will require some trial and error -- and patience.

Our major issue was getting our TVs to recognize HDR. The problem (which isn't solely the Xbox One S' fault) is that some TVs with HDR require a specific "UHD" or "deep color" setting to be turned on in order for HDR to work. These modes usually turn a TV's brightness all the way up and activate automatically when HDR content is detected. But none of our TVs detected the Ultra HD Blu-ray HDR signal that was being output by our "Star Trek" Blu-ray.

It wasn't until we forced the Xbox One S to output a higher bit depth (10-bit up from the console's default setting of 8-bit) did we get a clean HDR signal. Furthermore, we had issues maintaining a video signal altogether when our TV was in that special "UHD/deep color" setting for HDR but the Xbox One S was outputting a signal lower than 10-bit.

Sound confusing? That's because it was. And this was with the help of one of the best TV reviewers on the planet. It's possible your setup goes smoother, but there are definitely a lot of variables and boxes to check when entering the world of 4K, Ultra HD and HDR to make sure it all works correctly.

There's a really helpful 4K detail screen in the system display settings that gives you a heads up of which requirements for 4K, HDR and so on are currently being met. Definitely check that out.

Tragically, all of this time-consuming troubleshooting to get HDR to switch on isn't always worth it. In fact, it's sometimes nearly impossible to tell just by looking at the image onscreen. We tried. The takeaway? 4K and HDR are nice novelties, but I'm not sure even the most discerning eyes can always tell the difference. And because only a fraction of games will even support HDR (the aforementioned trio of Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and Scalebound), it makes upgrading a tough sell. Not to mention the fact that all the games you'll ever play on Xbox One S won't be in true native 4K resolution -- they'll just be upscaled to fit.

That said, there are plenty of 4K Blu-rays out there, and Netflix can stream some content in 4K (as long as you pay for its Premium tier). If you are in the specific position of owning a 4K TV and are looking for an Xbox One, the S is what you should be buying.

It's worth noting that the Xbox One S doesn't handle the higher-end audio options out there such as Dolby Atmos. The most you'll get out of the console is a seven-channel surround signal.

Looking forward to Project Scorpio

Microsoft's messaging about its console offerings can get confusing. It's best to think of the Xbox One and One S as their own tier. In terms of graphical horsepower, they're equal. The next jump in visuals and performance will come along with Project Scorpio, which is being targeted for the 2017 holiday season.

Details on that machine are scant at best, but it's safe to say it will significantly outperform the Xbox One and One S, the PlayStation 4 and -- if we're going on rumored specs -- the PlayStation 4 step-up console, the PS4 Neo.

This will usher in a sizable upgrade in all aspects of gaming with native 4K resolution output and HDR support. And Microsoft has already pledged that Scorpio will be "VR ready," presumably for a forthcoming virtual-reality headset.

The current messaging as to how games will work across Xbox One platforms seems simple enough. Any Xbox One (be it a standard, S or Project Scorpio) will be able to play any Xbox One game, though the Scorpio will be able to take advantage of better graphics, performance, frame rate and resolution. This seems to mostly fall in line with the PS4 Neo plan as well.

If we're just comparing raw specs, Project Scorpio's rumored details still fall short of what an Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card is capable of.

Decisions, decisions

Under most circumstances, no, you don't need to buy an Xbox One S. If you already own an Xbox One or even plan to wait for whatever Project Scorpio winds up being, it's tough to rationalize a purchase.

If you're looking to enter the Xbox One space and you don't feel like waiting a year or more for Project Scorpio, an Xbox One S might be the right purchase for you as long as you have or plan to get a 4K TV.

If a 4K TV isn't in your future, you may want to look at the original Xbox One. It's already as low as $250, £250 or AU$500 and it's entirely possible Microsoft will drive the price even lower if it's looking to sunset the model and clear out remaining inventory.

#Xbox xboxones xbox360

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texanredrose · 6 years

Text

Thoughtful

Brigitte rolled her neck, trying to work out the kinks as the rest of the team went ahead of her, ducking into the recently- and illicitly- refurbished Overwatch Gibraltar Base. The last explosion had rocked her rather hard, enough to dent the armor just behind her right shoulder blade, and the pressure started giving her a headache about halfway through the flight back. Angela checked her over, of course, and patched up the cut along her right cheek, but then she'd become distracted when Fareeha joined them mid flight, her suit malfunctioning due to a direct hit to her back. Though, it likely went further than that as she needed help walking, and even Reinhardt was slow to head inside, his usual boisterous laughter absent as he trudged alongside an equally exhausted Lena. At the very least, they had beds waiting for them- well, cots, more like.

After Winston summoned the remaining agents, they'd slowly started fixing the old place up, replacing the systems destroyed the night Reaper attempted to compromise the former agents' identities and locations, and it could probably be considered a halfway decent operating base by this point. They'd had to salvage a lot of scrap to do it, though, and Brigitte had to push her own skills to the brink to accomplish a lot of it- with Winston's help, of course, and a few calls to Papa when she managed to get stuck.

However, being unofficially reformed- criminally so, in fact- came with a few... drawbacks. Aside from the lack of funding, they also didn't have nearly the resources for intelligence gathering, which made every mission they undertook far more dangerous than it would be otherwise- and when dealing with an organization like Talon, that already set the bar pretty high. It seemed like every time they went out, they ran a higher chance of not coming back.

But she could handle that. After Reinhardt decided he would answer the recall, he'd warned her that it wouldn't be a journey she should expect to survive without earning her fair share of scars. She knew what she signed up for and wouldn't have it any other way; sitting back and letting others take the risks stopped being an option a long time ago and the increased danger wouldn't sway her.

"You okay?"

Her shoulders jumped, though she tried to play the motion off by stretching her arms as high as her dented armor would allow. "Uh, yeah, yeah. That last blast rocked me, that's all. It was a pretty tough fight." Internally, she winced. Regardless of it being true, she probably didn't want to say that. "I mean, we won, but... still..."

"I understand." One would think it'd be impossible to miss the heavy tread of the MEKA behind her but it'd somehow slipped her mind, trying too hard to focus on anything other than its pilot. "It can be difficult to rest after such a close victory. You're always wondering if you can improve as much as your enemy does before the next time you meet."

And that was exactly why she shouldn't have said that. Unlike her, Hana Song, the world famous D.Va, had won countless battles before ever receiving the summons from Winston. Sure, Brigitte had helped Reinhardt chase out a gang or two, but she hadn't accomplished what D.Va had, hadn't faced that level of loss and hardship, of nearly being killed in the heat of battle just to recover and march into the fires again. Brigitte chased the legends of such heroism but D.Va had lived it.

"I think we will, though," she said, hoping that a little bit of optimism wouldn't be out of place, or unwelcome. "Talon knows we're back and we're still catching them off guard. That has to count for something, right?"

"Maybe." Risking it, she glanced over, noting the cracks along the MEKA's visor, how bits of it had chipped off during the fight. Much to her surprise, D.Va had a smile on her lips, though she seemed tired- although it could be the beginnings of a black eye simply making her appear so- and let out a soft chuckle. "I like a challenge as much as anyone but, next time, I hope we're on easy mode."

"Yeah. Me, too." Despite coming to terms with the precarious position she now occupied- fighting to protect the world while being labeled a criminal, working with scrap metal to repair and replace state-of-the-art machinery, risking life and limb day in and day out- it did worry her, if she allowed herself to be honest. Just, not for her own sake. "Maybe we can rotate the teams. Get a few days off before going back out?"

"I don't think so." In the blink of an eye, the exhaustion gave way to the fire that seemed to fill the woman whenever they prepared for a mission, the drive of a competitor who would never back down from a competition, no matter the kind. "If you want to win a tournament, you have to field your best players, and that's us."

Brigitte couldn't quite figure out what to say to that- although she'd become enamored with gadgetry at an early age, video games didn't bring with them the same satisfaction as disassembling the console and putting it back together did- and she rarely could come up with something suitable whenever D.Va talked like that. Part of the reason she'd avoided talking to the former pro gamer, lest she look like an idiot.

... the remainder of the reason, of course, being that she'd never quite mastered talking to pretty girls in general, but that was besides the point.

Trying to buy herself some time to think up a response, Brigitte ducked into the base ahead of the larger mech, seeing as both of them wouldn't be able to fit through the door at the same time. Clearing out the hangar had taken two weeks alone, just because a certain scientist seemed to use it more as a gym than to store any sort of vehicles, but she hadn't quite gotten around to expanding the door to make room for D.Va's MEKA and Reinhardt to walk through comfortably side-by-side yet.

It was on her list.

"Welcome back, team," Winston looked up from his computer, the corners of his lips turning down as he adjusted his glasses, worry filling his tone as he abandoned his work. "Angela-"

"Everyone's stable," she replied, adjusting Fareeha's arm slung over her shoulder. "But someone is spending the night in the med bay."

"I'm fine." Despite the protest, the woman's head had already started to lull forward, leaning more and more on their resident medic. "Stopped bleeding."

"Yes, that does count as an improvement." Angela sighed. "I'm sorry, Winston, but someone else will have to do the debriefing."

Lena groaned lightly, likely a bit sore she'd be putting off talking to her girlfriend a while longer than she'd hoped.

"I can do the debriefing." Reinhardt offered, putting a bit of forced cheer into his voice. Although he seemed fine physically, new gouges in the metal of his armor proved he'd taken a beating himself, too much for Brigitte to patch up while they were in the field. Nothing that threatened the structural integrity of his suit, of course, but... well, he was getting on in years. As much as she loved him as a mentor, a comrade, and a godfather, even she had to acknowledge he needed rest more than anything.

Winston seemed to be of a similar mind, if not for... quite the same reasons. "Oh, no, the last time you gave a mission debriefing, it lasted four hours, and the report itself consisted of hardly any pertinent information."

"That was twenty years ago!" He grumbled, passing an armored hand through his white hair. "If I'd known it would haunt me this long, I would've taken it more seriously." A low chuckle. "I just didn't want to do the paperwork part back then."

"It's alright, love." Lena lightly patted his hammer. "You do get carried away when you're telling a story. I can do the debriefing."

"I'll do it." D.Va offered, setting her MEKA beside the docking station she'd pretty much thrown together from spare parts salvaged from the destroyed systems. Off to the side sat her cot, because the pilot seemed extremely keen on remaining close to her weapon in the event of Talon staging an attack, and no amount of assurances from Winston that they wouldn't breach the perimeter easily seemed capable of persuading her to move into one of the quarters further inside the base. "MEKA's core needs to recharge a little before I run the diagnostic program anyway."

"Hana, you really don't have to-"

"It's fine!" She laughed, crawling out of the MEKA and plugging in the cable, nodding as the screen flashed the percentage. "Besides, I know a thing or two about concise communication."

While Reinhardt chuckled, murmuring something along the lines of only allowing a hero to tease him like that, Lena blinked over to wrap the younger woman up in a hug, hurriedly thanking her before explaining that Emily would kill her if she missed another comm date and disappearing off to her quarters. Angela called out something about a check up the following morning and to not be late- and blinking all the way through the base did qualify as late- but it likely fell on deaf ears.

Brigitte couldn't help but smile a little. After years of hearing stories about them- of knowing Angela as a friend and doctor, separate from her Mercy persona, and the same for Lena- it still felt strange to realize that she'd officially joined those stories.

Then her gaze drifted to the MEKA and its dock before darting towards D.Va and Winston, the two heading into the separate room they used to track the progress of their missions and what limited intelligence they received from some... helpful sources.

She knew her armor and Reinhardt's would need repairs before they went back out, the same as the mech. The difference being, Brigitte didn't plan on doing those repairs tonight; it would take a fair bit of metal to replace the dented parts but they didn't run into any functional issues when she'd done a preliminary check on the way back. As uncomfortable as it might be, they'd be able to don their suits if the situation called for it.

But she'd stole enough glances over at D.Va to know that the woman tested and upgraded and retested her MEKA religiously. If she had five hours of downtime, four of them would be dedicated to ensuring the machine would be ready for the next mission. If that meant sacrificing sleep, then so be it, and with her going over the debriefing with Winston, that meant even less time for D.Va to get some well deserved rest.

However... as a general rule, mechanics didn't cross those sorts of boundaries. One just didn't jump into another's project without asking; collaboration was one thing but going ahead with a repair or an alteration without permission could almost be insulting. Papa taught her to be respectful of other mechanics- even if they didn't know what they were doing, because he seemed rather keen on reminding her that they had the rare sort of knack for machines that most people just didn't have.

So, doing the necessary repairs to the MEKA could turn out to be a very bad idea, even if she proved more than capable of repairing the fusion cannon that had stopped working midway through the battle.

Then again... D.Va needed to rest, and that seemed the more pressing concern.

Brigitte started towards her quarters, already starting to unlock the mechanisms necessary to free her from her suit. As soon as she changed into her overalls, she'd head back to the MEKA and start on the necessary repairs; even if it required more time for the core to charge for the diagnostic, she could start on the cosmetic fixes. D.Va had plenty of spare parts from the back-up MEKA she'd call in to replace hers as they got destroyed, and the cannibalized ones sat in a corner off to the side of her cot.

As she pulled off the pieces of her own armor, Brigitte quickly checked them over to confirm the damages, mentally taking note of what would need attention in the morning and what could wait until they had more scrap. Reinhardt's Crusader armor would be the higher priority, seeing as they'd be hard pressed to find a suitable replacement in the heat of battle if his barrier went down. Repairing Fareeha's Raptora boosters would be a lesser concern, considering how deeply Angela's brow furrowed when she checked the woman over; out of all of them, the Doctor would probably suggest she sit the next mission out to recover.

Changing into her red overalls and a white tank top, both stained by oil and grease over the years, Brigitte threw her tool belt around her waist and slipped back over to the MEKA after swinging past the debriefing room, listening for a moment to Winston's low baritone through the door. She probably had twenty minutes, which wouldn't be an abundance of time, but it would be enough to start the diagnostic and repair the fusion cannon, maybe even replace the right booster that had taken a shot early in the fight.

Pulling on leather gloves- beaten and battered from over use- she got to work, checking the status on the charge and hitting the diagnostic program the moment she could run it. Reaching into her back pocket, she skimmed the pertinent paragraphs of the MEKA's operating manual before dismantling the fusion cannons; she'd read it in full at least a dozen times, just in case she had a chance to talk to D.Va about the one topic they could share in common, though now proved to be the first time she'd had the chance to apply that knowledge. Thankfully, it followed patterns she could easily decipher, based in part on previous models her Papa had helped design. It made the work go quickly, her fingers easily pulling it apart as she held her tools between clenched teeth when they weren't in use, accustomed to the sharp taste of metal in her mouth.

When she'd fitted the new fusion cannon in place and replaced the visor, she glanced over to the doorway, confirming D.Va hadn't finished the debriefing yet. A quick check of the diagnostic gave her a better understanding of what else the MEKA needed, including more than just a new booster; the fuel line that fed it had ruptured as well, causing the safety valve to activate to prevent the whole thing from going up in flames, which would require her to remove part of the chassis before she even started on the booster. However, a quick check of the parts pile supplied her with a fuel line, plus enough washers to hook it up, and a closer inspection turned up a set of boosters that ran much better than the ones currently installed, though they also required more fuel consumption.

Brigitte bit her lip, looking back at the mech. Repairs were one thing but actually upgrading it...

"We have to bring our best," she said softly, scooping up the boosters and silently apologizing to Papa. He'd be awfully sore if he knew what she was planning but hopefully D.Va would be a tad more forgiving.

Now that she thought about it, there were a few places where she could integrate more armored plating without sacrificing the structural integrity or changing the aerodynamics. Not that she would implement those changes without asking first, of course, but planning out the schematics in the back of her head while she worked made everything flow smoothly. By the time she'd installed the new boosters and ran the diagnostic again, she could list at least ten possible upgrades to improve the MEKA's combat capabilities, and better protect its pilot.

She could probably even improve the fusion cannons, if she studied the manual a bit closer.

As the second diagnostic ran, she took a seat on the furthest edge of D.Va's cot, hazel eyes roving over the mech. Missiles- up on the shoulders, if she bulked up the armor, there could conceivably be enough room to house some micromissiles for added damage. After all, while increasing the defensive capabilities, a little extra offense couldn't hurt.

"What are you doing?"

Brigitte nearly dropped her wrench, startled by the voice behind her and whipping around to find D.Va standing there, hands on her hips as she peered at her mech. "Uh, well, I-I thought, maybe- since you were doing the debriefing, I could do the repairs for your MEKA?" She tried to beat down the blush she could feel creeping up her neck. "I know you won't get any rest until after the repairs are complete, so, I just thought... we're all tired and you need to sleep."

D.Va nodded, coming around the side of the cot to check the diagnostic report. "Did you replace both boosters?"

"Uh, yeah." She didn't know if she should stand up or stay seated or run to her quarters- of the three options, a retreat seemed like the most sound, but she steeled her nerves and cleared her throat. "The fuel line for the busted one ruptured, so since I was in there, I thought I'd modify the fuel lines so you could use the newer model. It should make maneuvering easier."

Reading over the report, D.Va nodded to herself. "You kept busy. That's a lot of work to do in two hours."

Brigitte's brows rose; she hadn't even noticed the time. "It wasn't that much." Then, she ducked her head. "Sorry I didn't ask you first. I just thought-"

"It's fine," she replied, turning around and smiling softly, dark brown eyes warm, like melted chocolate. "Thanks for having my back. I don't think I'd trust anyone else to do MEKA's repairs, besides myself."

Now that came as high praise, and she lost the fight to control her blush as the corners of her lips tugged up into a smile. "Thanks. I'm just... glad I could help, D.Va."

Walking over, she sat down on her cot and sighed, obviously relieved to be off her feet and tugging off her gloves. "You're one of the only people who only use my screenname, you know? You don't have to; you can call me Hana."

"Oh?" Brigitte glanced to her side, watched as the woman pulled off her head set and put it aside but looked away before she could get caught staring. "I just thought... I mean, you've earned the recognition. You're an amazing gamer and a national hero."

"What do you know about gaming?" A teasing lilt to her voice.

"Not much," she replied, reaching to scratch at the back of her neck. "But I guess I could watch a stream sometime? There's plenty of your vids, aren't there?"

"Yeah, but those are more performances. You won't get the real taste of gaming from that." And, for whatever reason, Hana moved a bit closer and rested her head against Brigitte's shoulder. "Tomorrow, we can try some Starcraft. I'll show you how to play."

"That- that sounds great!" The blush that had started by crawling up her neck reached all the way to the tips of her ears as she tried to remain still, not wanting to jostle the woman. "I mean, I'd be okay just watching you play, too. You seem really intent when you're, ya know, focused, and that'd be cool to watch- I mean, I just admire, um... Hana?"

Somewhere during the jumble of words that tumbled from her mouth, Brigitte noticed that the weight settled against her seemed somewhat... heavier, all of a sudden, and the light snoring that rose up in the silence after she'd stopped gave her a pretty big indicator as to why.

Well, at least she could be proud of a mission accomplished; Hana would definitely get the rest she deserved tonight.

With a chuckle, she carefully turned so she could grab the woman by the shoulders, moving her headset out of the way to lay her down properly in the cot. She'd planned on tucking Hana in and then heading to her own quarters but... as it turned out... the MEKA pilot could be rather... clingy in her sleep, and while Brigitte could easily muscle her way out of the arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, she wasn't sure she could do so without waking Hana up.

"Guess I'm... sleeping here tonight," she said to no one in particular, though she did cast a glance around to make sure they were alone. As long as she woke up first and managed to sneak back to her quarters, no one would know.

As it turned out, she didn't sneak back to her room. She didn't even manage to wake up first. No, she became aware slowly, groggily acknowledging the cot beneath her shifting as Hana sat up and stretched, but the desire to return to sleep overpowered all else, even the little voice in the back of her head that started setting off alarm bells. She didn't drop off immediately, though, half listening to the voices filling the room.

"Good morning, Angela! Did you get enough sleep?"

"Don't let the coffee cup fool you, Hana; I got just as much sleep as I intended." Angela's voice held a bit of a mischievous lilt to it, as it usually did when she and Fareeha spent a night in the med bay. Even injured, they always found ways to be... occupied, primarily by each other. "I'm pleased to see you got some well deserved rest. You usually spend so much time fretting over your MEKA, you hardly relax at all."

"You know, I think you're right! I was so tired last night, I didn't even have a chance to start my repairs!"

Brigitte's brows furrowed as she frowned. Not that she felt miffed about being denied credit for doing the repairs but she found it odd that Hana wouldn't mention it.

"You... didn't?" Their medic seemed equally perplexed.

"No, but it's fine. I'll do them after breakfast." And then Hana giggled, getting up from the cot. "But, you know, I had a really good dream! That makes up for crashing early, I think."

"A really good dream?" A very deliberate pause. "Did it happen to involve Brigitte?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes, looking at Hana's back as she shifted her weight between the balls of her feet, a nervous posture she hadn't seen out of the woman before.

"Uh, what- what makes you think that?" With a little nervous laugh, she ran a hand through her hair, the locks catching the shine of the lights overhead. "I mean... okay, you're not wrong; I'm just curious if I'm that... obvious."

"Well, dear, if I'm honest, both of you are rather transparent. You two have been dancing around each other for months. Lena and I have a running bet regarding who will ask out who first." Blue eyes met Brigitte's for a brief moment, the silent yet insistent 'yes, I'm serious' ringing loud and clear before her attention returned to Hana. "But, to answer your question, no, that's not what tipped me off. Turn around."

Obviously not anticipating what she would find upon doing so, the MEKA pilot did as told, immediately freezing when her gaze landed on the woman still lying in her cot.

Propping her head up on her hand, Brigitte decided to take a shot. "So... did you wanna play some Starcraft or..."

Hana raised a finger, mouth open for a moment before she spoke. "Last night, you..." Her gaze darted over, taking note of the MEKA's replaced fusion cannon. "... and, we talked about Starcraft..." Slowly, she winced. "Did we... do anything else?"

"Uh... no?" She shrugged. "You... fell asleep after the Starcraft part."

"Oh, good." A sigh of relief. "I'd rather be able to remember that if it really happened."

"... remember what?"

"I'm here, I'm here!" Lena blinked into the room, stopping beside Angela. "Not late! In fact, I'm early!"

"By thirty seconds." The good doctor rolled her eyes but linked her arm through the other woman's, steering her towards the med bay. "Come on. We should leave the love birds."

"Love birds?" A quick glance around brought Lena's gaze to the only other two people in the room and a wide smile lit up her face. "Well it's about bloody time! You two have fun! I gotta tell Em I won the bet!"

"Ah, you didn't win; Brigitte technically asked first."

"Wha?"

Angela smirked. "Hana thought it was a dream."

"That's rubbish; she still asked!" As the two walked, they continued their argument, and a groan echoed down the hallway as Fareeha realized she'd undoubtedly be called in to settle the matter.

Hana put a hand to her face. "Hopefully, she'll keep it down when she does talks to Emily. And Angela won't tease us out loud."

"Why?" Slowly, Brigitte sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the cot. "Is it because... it's not... true?"

Removing her hand, a frown tugged at her lips as she sat down, about a foot of space between them. "It... might be true... if you want it to be."

Slowly, she pulled off her gloves- she didn't usually sleep with them on, honestly, but she also didn't usually get pulled down to sleep by her crush, either- and set her hand on top of Hana's. "I do. If you do?"

"I do." A smile, wide and bright and captivating, not like the ones she wore when doing vids or promos or even her streams. This smile wasn't meant for a camera, just for her. "And, if you want, I can show you how to play Starcraft, or we could just work on the MEKA. Or your armor?"

"I want to see you play." Her fingers curled, holding Hana's hand. "Maybe we can look over MEKA later?"

"Yeah. Okay." She stood up, lightly tugging Brigitte up in the process. "But how about breakfast first?"

"Sounds great." They started walking, heading towards the little break room they'd converted into a kitchen, since the old one got destroyed in some sort of accident before Overwatch disbanded. Something about eggs and a microwave. "But... if that's not why, then what would it matter if Lena and Angela make a big deal about it? Because... you know they're going to make a big deal about it." She chuckled. "They're like sisters to me. I won't be allowed to not be teased about it."

"Honestly?" Hana laughed, only slightly nervous. "I'm not sure how Reinhardt's going to react. I think he's a pretty big fan of me, and you're his goddaughter, so he might... go over-the-top? In, uh, celebrating, I mean." She paused. "And, if your dad asks? He still can't disassemble my MEKA. You're the only one allowed to touch it."

"I'll keep that in mind." She smiled. "But don't worry. They'll love you."

Brigitte lightly squeezed the warm hand in hers and her lips pulled wider when Hana squeezed back.

#MekaMechanic #TRR writes

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avoutput · 5 years

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Ulysses || Waterworld

Somewhere in 1996, a young boy and possibly his cohorts are sitting on a dirty couch or splayed across a carpeted den floor ridden with crumbs or something like it. In the VCR is a rented copy of an infamous film of one kind or another from the local discount video rental which ran a special every Thursday, 10 videos for 10 dollars. If a new film was considered especially bad, it skipped the “New Releases” and made its way right to the genre section. Children are especially gullible. Or inexperienced. Or stupid. But they do know a bargain and have more than enough time to waste. The stack probably consisted of a few new and repeat rentals: Thunder in Paradise, Surf Ninjas, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Twelve Monkeys, Billy Madison, Clueless, Bad Boys. Basically, anything our parents wouldn’t want us to buy. (My parents notoriously lacked the ability to understand the ratings system of both film and later games.) And yet, there was one special gem that stands out as being universally un-cult, un-loved, and yet known round the globe: Waterworld. Fast-forward twenty-three years and those same ugly kids are sitting on nicer couches and carpetless floors about to make the same mistake all over again. A recently rebuilt, full length, uncut copy dubbed “Ulysses” was released. A 3-hour cut made up of unreleased material and television edit made for a surprisingly nostalgic afternoon. It was like wasting time as a kid all over again.

First, a couple of thoughts on the new version that was released to give you an idea of the overall changes.The “Ulysses” cut of Waterworld seems to be some kind of fan created cut, including all of the cut material from the theatrical version, some scenes from the television cut, and an altered color palette that made everything more crisp and bright. It differs largely from the VHS version I had seen as a kid, obviously sharper with high definition, but jarring in that it had more than the 3 colors associated with the end of the world. Strangely, the new scenes somehow didn’t seem out of place. It was longer, but I couldn’t tell where the old content ended and the new content began, though there are some scenes edited in that were clearly never finished. You can see an island in the background that shouldn’t be there and there are a couple layers of post-production missing. What I can say for certain is the brighter color palette was not the best decision. While it made the ocean look a deeper shade of blue, it felt less gloomy. This was supposed to be a dystopian world covered in both water and despair. This new cut made it feel a bit more like a children’s adventure film without the fun, wonder, or sense of adventure found in films like The Goonies or Pirates of the Caribbean. It was like slapping some color on Twelve Monkeys and busting it down to a PG-13 rating. Still, it's the best the modern world has to offer.

The most memorable thing about this film for me has always been Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper. If you can’t remember, the characters largely live by their titles and don’t have traditional names. Costner played the lead as “Mariner”, a mutated human with ability to breath underwater. The Mariner’s character arc is inadequate and unfulfilling. It confused me as much today as it did when I was a kid. Let’s take Terminator 2 as an example. Cyberdyne Model T101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has more character growth in both action and attitude than Costner’s drift wooden Mariner. They both have similar interactions with their allies, but the Terminator actually gets along with both kids and mothers, like Kix cereal. In the 80’s and 90’s this was a pretty common character dynamic, stoic-seeming adults learning from kids. You might think Waterworld is going to follow this dynamic, but instead its sets a course on an endless desert ocean, drained of character and depth, and opts instead to make our hero as bland as his surroundings. The Mariner isn’t without his good points though. He does sail spectacularly and has some fun tricks up his sleeve both on and off the boat. But Costner appears to have absolutely no feeling in every delivery. Even when he's mad, it doesn’t feel right. I thought the extended edition would give me a deeper glimpse into his arc or growth, but it’s non-existent. Costner plays a truly mutated character.

Waterworld does have an ocean of visual treasures to offer, to borrow a washed out metaphor. The seafaring is entertaining and well shot. The props all have carved Styrofoam look that remind you of a swashbuckling children’s film, but oddly it doesn’t detract from the dystopian feel the production is meant to have. The floating sets really do feel like functioning habitats, but if you look to long, you get the feeling that the design department went a bit too far in trying to make the barges look like they were made from debris, to the point that it becomes a comical game of “I Spy”. This stage-like quality was especially present in the new “Ulysses” cut, which also has the added benefit of having the film upgraded to 4k (or visually adjacent) which gave definition where it was strategically vague in its initial release. The murky browns, greys, and blurred lines of the 90’s era VHS cinematic apocalypse have given way to the fine lines and details of technological advancement. Like human age, its both a service of time and largely for the better, but it has its downsides. Stunts that were hard to make out are crystal clear and even more impressive, although in its clarity, it looks like a professional stunt show from Disneyland or Universal Studios, which makes perfect sense. I think I read that Waterworld was one of the most popular attractions at Universal Studios despite the movie not being a hit.

Finally, the overall nature of the world our characters reside in is epic in physical size, the whole world (presumably) is covered by water, but quaint in execution. This level of focus becomes a strength. The actors get to take a stand in front of this expansive stage and put on their best pirate act. If you can imagine, spending lots of time on the water could be stressful, and you get the feeling that the actors felt taxed by working in this manner. There is an underlying tension to every scene, even the more lighthearted ones. The production was plagued with bad weather, lost time, rebuilds, and a lengthy edit that caused the director to quit. But from this hellscape, there is a salvageable adventure story that rides at the precipice of an ever crashing wave, teetering between campy fun and a bizarre wipe-out. There is even a faint religious reasoning to the actions taken by the villains that didn’t make much of the theatrical cut. The people of the barges breed a life for each one lost, but the raiders believe in a sort of manifest destiny, take everything they can see and living much more freely than their environment can withstand, evident by the large number of children living on their ship in terrible conditions. But even the films darkest moments play for bold laughs and bravado.

This was, in my mind, the story of a person, basically a god amongst the people of his world, who wanted nothing but to take. He could breathe underwater and dive so deep that he could get soil, the currency of the world on top of the water, pay for whatever he wanted, and leave them with nothing. Its true, he couldn’t help everyone, but he chose to help no one. Until of course he owed a debt. A debt he tries to renege on a few times throughout the film. There was something there to explore, but they only ever scratch the surface of the Mariner. Instead, we go a long way to see a man make a single grand gesture that absolves him of all of his sins. Ultimately, Waterworld is an excuse to make a sci-fi/fantasy action movie on the water, floating on an inflated ego and a bloated budget in the middle of a monsoon, and yet somehow, it stays afloat until the credits.

~* 6/10 *~

#Film #Review #Waterworld #Kevin Costner #Dennis Hopper #Tina Majorino #Jeanne Tripplehorn #Fantasy #Scifi #Cult #Cult Film #90s Film #Universal Studios #Jack Black

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backwards-pumpkin-blog · 6 years

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Best Motherboard for Z270 Processor in 2018!

This past year was crazy with fresh processor launches from AMD and Intel. Intel got things began with a refresh of its on-going Skylake architecture, codenamed Kaby Lake, which brought faster clockspeeds and some brand-new facilities to the prevailing LGA1151 system. AMD countered using its Ryzen processors and the AM4 good, and Intel released its enthusiast Skylake-X/Kaby Lake-X parts with LGA2066 and AMD countered with Threadripper and socket TR4. With the new cpus, it could be difficult to learn how motherboards will be the best for every platform. Intel's new seventh Gen Espresso lake processor chips has gone out now, even though these types of people utilize the same LGA1151 tooth socket as Kaby Lake, of the processors need brand-new 300-series chipsets. But if you are thinking of create a new mainstream system with an Intel processor chip, where in fact the Core i7-7700K and Core i5-7600K remain respectable options at reasonable prices, you'll want to begin which includes a Z270 motherboard. The start features, style, and performance from Z97 to Z270 has been useful and dramatic to enthusiasts of most stripes, awry outstripping CPU advancements as Haswell. Many Z270 motherboards support multiple x4 Pci-e Gen3 M. 2 slot machine games, enough PCIe lanes dual-GPU configurations, changeable or subtle color schemes, Realtek’s new ALC1220 sound codec is commonplace, and as well , there are always a sponsor of refinements for overclocking. Mounts for 3D-imprinted add-ons are even beginning to appear. In the mean time, legacy ports are beginning to disappear. USB 2 . zero headers and back-panel fittings are receiving swapped for a few. 0 and 3. you counterparts. SATA interface counts are receiving shaved to free of charge space and assets for M. 2 and as well , U. 2 storage space. Every one of the boards right here feature at minimum a couple of M. 2 slot machines, and each is full- velocity, 32 Gb/s implementations. The times of SATA could be using (at least if indeed they will get prices on M. 8 SSDs right down to more sensible levels). The Z270 chipset (and other 200-series parts) take a position backwards appropriate for 6th Style Skylake CPUs, and 100-series chipsets may also use 7th Gen Kaby Lake processors. Nevertheless, Z270 provides four extra PCIe lanes, which explains why wish seeing even more M. a pair of slot machine games this round, and you will also want a 200-series chipset if you would like to make use of Intel's Optimus Storage engineering, technological innovation. While most motherboards will continue to work to tell the truth, enthusiasts will need more than the bottom level of efficiency and features often. After considerable research and testing, these are the very best Z270 motherboards.

ASUS Maximus IX Hero Review

The mid-range Maximus Hero IX reflected its name during testing, dealing with motherboards costing almost as very much and frequently pulling forward on performance or features twice, which makes it best overall elect for Z270.

Gunmetal grey heatsink designs and relatively restrained styling clothe this in any other case hardcore gaming item in upscale attire. Go home away the Aura light and you might presume a fresh workstation table. This unbiased color scheme is effective at extravagant rig builders as well; start the lights just, match your colours, and you’re all set, regardless of what neon-colored parts or court cases in store.

Hardware hobbyists will see plenty to experiment with also. Subtly included along the upper correct and simply lower plank edges happen to be control keys for power, program reboot, storage reset, and so BIOS access, which are nice additions when tinkering within a workbench. Extensive and well-placed lover headers are supported by features such a circulation tachometer for drinking water soothing loops and ASUS’s complex BIOS lover control.

In addition, all of this attention takes care of in addition to the best multiplier and mémoire figures among the boards examined right here. The Hero IX handled a stress- free of charge 5. 1 GHz and so pushed two-stick memory space styles beyond their rated 3600 MHz capacity. Further, post-benchmark BCLK testing elevated who to nearly 5. 2ghz without incident before the warmth became one factor. None of the various other boards right here came repair, with the Hero upstaging ASUS’s own even, more costly Formula IX.

ASUS ROG STRIX Z270I Review

Micro motherboards happen to be back business again because of the success of Intel’s NUC route and the evolution of on the internet streaming, with ITX large systems enjoying an upgraded relevance for DIY masters. These smaller sized boards offer features that significantly outstrip likewise priced ATX boards frequently, simply perfect for spending budget building workers who do not brain ltd expansion options later on.

ASUS’s new Strix items include things like basic level for the Republic of Gamers lineup, however the Z270I feels mainly because fine simply because the Maximus motherboards near the top of the stack. Posting the same dark grey, blown steel heatsinks and heavy PCB as the big chat rooms, it feels as though a discount at list price.

Like the majority of ITX boards, an B. 2 slot lives on all flipside within an inaccessible region after initial set up just ASUS includes another slit at the top of the Strix, concealed underneath what appears like that chipset shield in little channel that accommodates get sticks up to 80mm long.

Aura lighting helps it be onboard as well, with a type of LEDs beneath the motherboard's right part and an RGB header for exterior lighting pieces. Wi-Fi is usually provided via 2T2R Atheros wireless at approximately half gigabit speed, and the hardware handles Bluetooth 4. 1 works. New ALC 1220A CODEC can be used for sound realtek’s, backed with ASUS’s SupremeFX tweaks and a great up to date software program layer; advantageous additions because so many ITX platforms are destined for living space media use.

Shortcomings will be inevitable in that tiny bundle, and the Strix includes a couple of. While earlier ROG ITX boards from ASUS got no trouble reaching storage and simply multiplier limitations with Haswell and Skylake, the Z270i Strix struggled to attain 5GHz via multiplier and could not support 3600MHz DDR4 CORDIAL NIP.

As the true numbers were much better than MSI’s Z270I Gaming Pro Carbon ITX, there’s still area for improvement, specifically equipped with ASRock’s Fatality Z270 GAMING-ITX/AC offering extras like integrated Thunderbolt 3. In the event that's a gift you wish, ASRock's which provide is usually a close second.

MSI Z270 Tomahawk Review

While lots to like about Z270 there’s, additional dollars necessary for buy-in certainly are a drawback. Component producers have not been shy about walking prices for the previous few chipet generations, although the strike certainly is not as large as it had been from Z97 to Z170. An instant diagnostic at Newegg yields an absolute price basement around $105 for an entry-level Z270 board.MSI’s Tomahawk cable retails only a few dollars above this price flooring but provides a credible middle group of features and construction non-etheless. The dark teal and red colorization scheme uses crimson backlighting, an assessed design on the PCB, and simply an integral I/O shroud from illuminated logo design. The total result is handsome, of course, if potential element color choices clashes be concerned you, there’s an arctic white edition available that appears better and can match any style in store even.Don’t expect top-shelf storage CPU or functionality speeds with this spending budget board, however. The multiplier check came up brief at 4. 9 GHz and memory space was limited by 3200MHz. Benchmark figures reflected regarding, but didn’t affect considered video gaming performance too much. Exotic parts like pre-binned 5GHz CPUs and high-speed DDR4 aren’t usually on the menu with budget builds anyway.Rear We /O entails 8 USB ports, integrating 1 type C and so five type A UNIVERSAL SERIES BUS 3. 1 connectors. Ethernet, is dealt with via Intel’s low-latency V219 controller.One particular drawback well worth mentioning may be the aging Realtek ALC 892 sound codec. While flawlessly sufficient for standard duties, almost all of the additional boards right here sport the brand new ALC 1220, which includes around eight years of developments. Fortunately, MSI’s codec execution is a great a person, which means this isn’t an offer breaker, but if leading edge disturbance is component of your strategy, look elsewhere.For ultra-budget builds, MSI’s H270 Tomahawk variants provide practically identical looks and similar performance at even lower prices, although just forget about overclocking or memory space data above 2133.

#motherboard #mobo #z270 motherboard #best motherboard for z270

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melissagt · 6 years

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Hi! I absolutely love all your creations and I was wondering what program you used to make your models? You've really inspired me to try my own hand at this type of stuff, but it's alllll new to me, so help would be appreciated!!

Hi there, and I’m so glad you like them! I use a program called Daz3D. It is a free piece of software that can be used to render rigged models, most often Daz proprietary models, props, and clothing. The software itself is free, but unfortunately, pretty much nothing to use with it is.

I would never try to caution someone against getting into rendering because it is fun once you get the hang of it and have a decent library of resources to play with, but there are a few things that folks often don’t realize (and I didn’t at first either). So, here’s the skinny…

1 - Cost. CostCostCost. As I said above, the software itself is free. However, the models and clothing and props and lights to go with it are not. I have a library of…maybe about ten different Daz-Branded models (a mix of male and female). Each model can range from about $30 on sale, to over $100. And if you want the model to be anatomically correct, you have to buy the ‘Pro’ version, which is over $100. Sometimes you can snag them on sale - I just bought two new ones (one male and one female) for 60% off, but it still adds up. Then there are the various characters you can buy for those models…each one ranging from about $10 or more depending on level of complexity (the most expensive I’ve seen was I think like $45, but she came with hair and an outfit). These base characters, along with purchasable ‘morphs’ are what allow you to create your own special faces and customized body shapes. Clothes. Shoes. Props. Lights. Backgrounds. Poses. You -do not- want to know how much money I’ve invested in this stuff. Too much. So much so that I won’t even tell my bf how much I’ve spent because I know he’d blow a gasket (we’re supposed to be saving up for a house). It’s an addiction, one that can be hard to stop. At this point, I really only try to buy stuff when it’s on sale for a deep discount.

2 - Hardware. Daz3D utilizes two different rendering engines, 3Delight, which is old and less resource-hungry (but also results in less-than-realistic images), and NVIDIA IRAY. As you might suspect, because I included the word ‘NVIDIA’, IRAY is a NVIDIA resource. Which means that if you have an AMD graphics card, too bad, so sad….you’re s.o.l. However, even you do have a NVIDIA card, rendering with the IRAY system is hardcore. Like…ultra hardcore. You need the horsepower to back it. Here are my system specs - AMD RYZEN 7 1800X Octa-Core w/ NZXT X62 AIO Cooler MSI Gaming Pro-Carbon Mobo 32GB 3200 Corsair Vengeance RAM EVGA GTX 1080TI FTW3 11GB GPU EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2 Platinum PSU Corsair Crystal 570X Tempered Glass Case (all fans upgraded) Samsung 960 EVO 250GB M.2 (operating system) Samsung 960 EVO 1TB M.2 (games and rendering which is almost full) Samsung 850 EVO 500GB (games) Western Digital Black 3TB (storage) Western Digital Black 4TB (backup) Western Digital 3TB External (backup) Carbonite (online backup) Acronis True Image 2018 (local backup software)

Don’t ask how much all that cost (like srsly…don’t, lol). And with all that…some renders have still taken several hours to finish. And sometimes, I have to do several passes to blend them all together in Photoshop.

3 - Learning Curve. Yes, you can render out of the box. But, as with any art, you want to make things your own. That leads to customization. Make your own lights. Make your own backdrops. Customize those textures. I’m playing constantly with stuff in Photoshop. That leads to other things, like learning what a bump map is…what a normal map does…what subsurface scattering is for. Learning the basics of photography and composition is also a ginormous help.

4 - Additional Software. Just like above, you -can- make renders with only using DAZ3D. But, if you want to take it to that next level, that means learning things like Photoshop, which adds to the cost. There are free options, such as GIMP, but I never could get a handle on its rat’s nest of a UI…probably because I learned with Photoshop from Day 1 (I have a background of photography and modding other video games). There’s also 3D modeling software. A free option is Blender, but I just couldn’t get a grip on it (seriously, I tried, lol). I ended up dropping entirely too much money on Zbrush. I also use Mudbox to paint the tattoos I make directly onto the model. The tattoos are designed in Photoshop, but arranged in Mudbox.

All this adds up to time and money and patience and practice. Practice.Practice.Practice. I’d imagine it’s like that with any type of art.

Again, I’m not trying to chase anybody away. It really is fun. And I love being able to show people how I’ve always envisioned these characters in my head. Folks especially seem to like my version of Theron, lol. But, it’s also a cautionary tale…because I got in over my head with the money. Thankfully, it’s the one hobby I’ve been spending money on at the moment, so I’ll be okay, lol. But, when I started this journey, I had no idea. None. You see this advertisement for FREE software and then you find out that it’s really not free, lol. Like, at all. It’s also why I’d love for there to be interest in adopting some of my peeps...because it would be hella-nice to make back some of my crazy investment, if only a drop in the giant-ass bucket, lol.

Anyways, I hope that helps!

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droneseco · 3 years

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Rode Wireless Go II Review: More than an Upgrade. It's a Game-Changer

Rode Wireless Go II

9.50 / 10

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