Author Archives: Adam Westlake

The last few years have seen Facebook Lite grow significantly in popularity. The scaled-down social media app launched a few years ago as an option for users in countries with slow or poor data connections, along with benefiting those with aging Android devices that couldn't quite keep up with the regular app's flashier, data and resource-heavy features. Facebook Lite for Android is already in testing for the US market, and the good news is that an iOS version is now in the works as well.

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The Apple Watch Series 4 was released two weeks ago now, but athletes and fans of the Nike brand now have the option of picking up the new Nike+ version of the smartwatch. As of Friday, October 5th the Apple Watch Nike+ Series 4 is now shipping for online orders and available at Apple Stores, although in limited quantities. While the branding and name might suggest a significantly different Apple Watch, like previous models the Nike+ Series 4 is almost identical to the regular aluminum version of the new Watch Series 4.

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It's a running joke that Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts series is filled with oddly-titled spin-offs and side stories while only featuring two main entires up to now. At this point, there have been almost as many compilations as actual new titles, and this all before Kingdom Hearts III is finally released in January 2019. The publisher must figure one more compilation before then can't hurt, and has announced Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far, collecting every unique title in the series for the PlayStation 4.

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Some Windows 10 users might be finding themselves in a troubled state this week after the new October 2018 Update has been discovered to be deleting personal files after installation. The problem was noticed almost immediately after Microsoft began rolling out the new Windows 10 version during this week's Surface press event. It's not yet clear how widespread the issue is, but it's significant enough that Microsoft has halted the rollout of the October 2018 Update.

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Whether it's the need to protect their products' security and integrity, or just a slimy business practice, Apple is one of the most prevalent of modern tech companies that are clamping down on third-party repairs of their devices. Proponents of the "right to repair" were alarmed earlier this week when leaked Apple service documents indicated that the latest MacBook Pros and iMac Pro would be left inoperable after repairs from unauthorized service providers.

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Last week's mass shooting tragedy in Jacksonville, Florida at a bar hosting a tournament for the Madden 19 video game left three people dead and 11 others wounded. Now, one of the victims that was shot twice and survived has filed a lawsuit against EA, the developer/publisher of the football game, and the venue that hosted the tournament. The suit alleges that the game company "failed to provide a safe and secure environment" for the event.

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It's hard to imagine anyone with a 2018 Dodge Demon wanting the street-legal drag racer to be even more powerful and faster. But for those few crazy individuals, custom tuner Hennessey Performance has just what they're looking for. The company has announced a limited number of upgrade packages for the Demon that push the car's horsepower to over 1,000, driving the original's quarter-mile times even lower.

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For those who are fans of paying for Microsoft's Surface devices over a two-year period, as well as upgrading to the latest model, there's some bad news for you: Microsoft has revealed that it's shutting down its Surface Plus Program, with enrollments and trade-ins no longer accepted as of this month. The Surface Plus for Business, which is the same program but for business owners, will remain available, however.

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One of 2019's most anticipated games is EA's Anthem, the sci-fi action/shooter RPG that lets players don mech-like battle suits and explore an open world with friends or on their own. At this weekend's PAX West event, developer BioWare hosted a panel focusing on the game, revealing a few new details about what players can expect before release, namely a playable demo coming in February.

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The weekend rolls on, and with it more early product leaks. This time it's the latest action camera from GoPro, with the upcoming Hero 7 spotted at an in-store display ahead of its official debut. This comes on the heels of GoPro's recent return to profitability; the company has been struggling for the last few years, and in turn reduced its costs through layoffs, axing its drone business, and reducing its camera lineup to be more straightforward.

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Friday was a day of celebration for net neutrality proponents, as California’s legislature approved a bill that, once passed into law, is widely seen as the strongest protection in the country. The bill, SB822, not only restores the net neutrality rules that were put into place by former President Barack Obama, but goes even to ban internet service providers from practices like throttling in favor of select content and zero-rating services.

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While Twitter already has problems like online harassment and accounts that spread mis-information to deal with, the company also seems to be looking for ways to make the social network more enticing and easier to follow for new users. One of the latest examples is potential improvements to how conversations are displayed, as well displaying who's online. These features are still in testing, however, and aren't finalized with a planned rollout date.

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