Author Archives: Eric Abent

Google's April 2021 security update has started landing for a variety of Pixel handsets dating back to the Pixel 3, and while the update seems fairly innocuous when described by Google, there actually could be a major upgrade lurking within for Pixel 5 users. In fact, some are reporting that so-called performance enhancements in GPU-heavy apps are actually very dramatic in nature, blowing benchmarks from early in the Pixel 5's lifecycle out of the water.

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Even with people around the world receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, we'll probably be wearing masks for some time yet. Enter Honeywell and will.i.am, which today announced the Xupermask, a new smart mask that's at the center of a partnership between the two. The Xupermask offers a lot more functionality beyond a standard cloth or medical mask, but it has a much higher price tag to boot.

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Microsoft has revealed a new slate of games headed to Xbox Game Pass in the first half of the month, and there's a big name leading the charge. April's Game Pass additions will be led by Grand Theft Auto V, which is making a grand return to Xbox Game Pass this week. Aside from Grand Theft Auto V, it's going to be a fairly quiet April for the service - or at least it will be until we get into the latter half of the month.

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Last week, in response to a report claiming that the ESA was considering sticking some parts of E3 2021 behind a paywall, the organization confirmed that the digital show will be free for all while also saying that it would have more details to share in the near future. Today, some of those details came down the pipeline, with the ESA confirming new dates for E3 2021 and a list of exhibitors who have signed on for the show early.

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Disney and Marvel seem to have net themselves solid reception to their first two Disney+ shows - WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - and next up, we're looking at the premiere of Loki in June. Loki today received its first full-length trailer, setting the stage for the TV show and what it will entail, at least in the first season. It looks like we're once again in for a time-bending plot, as Disney and Marvel have confirmed that Loki will deal with the title character's actions in Avengers: Endgame.

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If you're sitting on some Apple products you don't use anymore, then you might like to know that Apple has tweaked the trade-in values of a rather large swathe of devices. The devices that have seen their prices change include everything from iMacs and iPad Pros to MacBooks and even some models of iPhone. While you might expect that Apple has reduced trade-in prices across the board, trade-in values are actually going up in some cases.

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Last week, Nintendo removed Super Mario 3D All-Stars from the Switch eShop and confirmed that it would stop shipping new copies to retailers. At the time, we wondered if scalpers on sites like eBay would take the opportunity to inflate prices on copies they'd no doubt been holding, and it seems they've done exactly that. The question, however, is whether or not those scalpers are actually managing to sell these exorbitantly-priced copies of the game.

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I’ve used a handful of 8bitdo controllers throughout the years, and the SN30 Pro+ always stood out as one of the best to me. 8bitdo itself has described the SN30 Pro+ as the most advanced controller it has ever made, but now it’s got a successor: the 8bitdo Pro 2. You’d be forgiven for thinking the Pro 2 is the SN30 Pro+ at first blush, because the two controllers look very similar. However, there are a few key differences that the Pro 2 brings to the table, and it’s clear that it’s going to be 8bitdo’s new flagship controller.

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Samsung today announced that it's partnering with Adidas to offer a new, somewhat eco-friendly pair of special edition Galaxy Buds Pro. The Galaxy Buds Pro will be offered in a new package called the "Galaxy Buds Pro with Adidas Originals Special Pack," and that pack will offer more aside from just the wireless earbuds. Users will also get a wireless charging case in the shape of an Adidas Originals snapback, along with a coupon for a pair of Stan Smith sneakers.

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When it comes to classic games, it's hard to beat Super Mario Bros. The first game in what is certainly one of the most iconic gaming franchises of all time, Super Mario Bros. has stood the test of time and is still the favorite of speedrunners and retro gaming enthusiasts alike. It also is apparently a favorite of retro collectors, as a sealed copy of the game in mint condition recently sold at auction for a ridiculous amount of money.

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Following the cancellation of E3 2020 last year, Geoff Keighley organized a new, summer-long event he called the Summer Game Fest. It proved to be a big year for Summer Game Fest with the impending arrival of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, and now we're going to see it make a comeback in 2021. It's been revealed that the Summer Game Fest will kick off once more in June, though at the moment, details are fairly slim.

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We've been waiting on LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga for a couple of years now, but now it seems we'll have to wait a bit longer. Traveller's Tales announced today that the game has been delayed beyond its original spring release, though the company was exceptionally light on details when it came to why the game is being delayed.

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