Digital Trends Live – CES 2019 – Day 2
On today’s episode: While we are for sure going to run down all the hottest and most innovative tech announcements of CES 2019, we’re also hosting some amazing guests and panels. From the latest VTOL taxi from Bell Helicopters and the future of urban transportation to the hottest 8K television and rollable OLED screens. We […]
Cyberfishing Smart Rod Sensor transforms normal fishing rods into data recorders
The Cyberfishing Smart Rod Sensor, on display at CES 2019, upgrades normal fishing rods into smarter versions of themselves. The device, which is easily attached through couple of heavy duty rubber bands, will work with a companion app to record data, including fishing hotspots and trophy fish details.
B-Secur HeartKey taps ECG signals to authenticate user identity, monitor health
B-Secur's HeartKey platform uses the heart's unique ECG patterns for various applications, including user authentication and health monitoring. The company teamed up with Analog Devices to create the Advanced Auto Steering Wheel, which will start the car once it confirms the driver's identity.
There were no good Xbox One exclusives in 2018, according to Metacritic scores
There were no good exclusives, or games that received an average score of at least 75, for the Xbox One in 2018, according to review aggregation website Metacritic. In comparison, there were 13 good exclusives for the PlayStation 4, 10 for the Nintendo Switch, and a whopping 33 for the PC.
Overwatch Contenders’ ‘Ellie’ controversy sets back women in esports
Ellie, a female pro player who quit from Overwatch Contenders team Second Wind after being harassed due to her anonymity, turned out to be a male pro player who goes by the name Punisher. The alleged social experiment looked to make a point about women in esports, but it ended up damaging the cause.
Hacker discovers Minus World in ‘The Legend of Zelda’ for NES
YouTuber SKELUX tweaked with the game's code to unlock the Minus World of The Legend of Zelda for the NES, similar to the hidden world in Super Mario Bros. The discovery revealed glitched out but playable levels that included reversed enemy sprites, randomly placed objects, and lots of graveyards.
‘Red Dead Redemption 2,’ ‘God of War,’ ‘Spider-Man’ lead GDC Awards nominees
The nominees for the 2019 Game Developers Choice Awards have been revealed, with Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, and Spider-Man leading the way. The winners will be announced during this year's Game Developers Conference on March 20, in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards.
Apple makes a splash at CES 2019 with privacy-focused billboard in Las Vegas
Apple will not have an official presence at CES 2019, as the company prefers to launch new products and services on its own. However, it is making a splash at the annual event with a privacy-focused billboard put up near the Las Vegas Convention Center that features a play on a popular saying.
Apple tries to end bent iPad Pro controversy by explaining manufacturing process
Apple uploaded a new support page that tries to end the bent iPad Pro controversy by explaining the tablet's manufacturing process. The company maintained its position that a slightly bent iPad Pro is normal, as long as it is within the deviation limit of 400 microns, equivalent to four sheets of paper.
Tesla wants more employees to participate in Autopilot Hardware 3 testing
Tesla, which is currently testing its new neural network computer named Autopilot Hardware 3, is looking for more employees to participate in the program. To make signing up more attractive, the company is offering its workers up to $13,000 in discounts for buying a Model 3 electric vehicle.
Atlus debuts teaser for ‘Persona 5 R’ for PlayStation 4, promises more in March
Atlus has officially confirmed Persona 5 R for the PlayStation 4, with more information to be released in March 2019 as the teaser video and website did disclose much. The reveal debunked rumors that the game will be a Nintendo Switch exclusive, but the possibility of such a project is not all lost.
‘Monster Hunter: World’ and ‘Assassin’s Creed’ collide in surprise crossover
Monster Hunter: World quietly added a crossover event with Assassin's Creed, featuring a quest to defeat Odogaron, Deviljho, and Lunastra. Players will be able to take on the appearances of Bayek from Assassin's Creed: Origins and Ezio Auditore, last seen in Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
iPhone XS Max allegedly catches fire while in owner’s pants
An almost brand new iPhone XS Max allegedly caught fire and emitted smoke while in its owner's pants, ruining his clothes and burning his skin. The man from Columbus, Ohio is now thinking about launching legal action against Apple, due to the company's lackluster response to the incident.
Google rolling out spam-protection tool for Android Messages
Google has reportedly started rolling out an anti-spam tool for Android's Messages, which will allow users to block and report spammers. The feature is automatically activated for the lucky ones who gain access to it right away, but for privacy-conscious users, the tool comes with a catch.
‘The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook’ invites you to feast on Tamriel’s dishes
Bethesda will release The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook in March, to allow fans of the series to bring the dishes of Tamriel into the real world. The cookbook will contain over 60 recipes, including Apple Cabbage Stew, Sunlight Souffle, Sweetrolls, and the previewed Saltrice Porridge.
iOS 12.1.2 disconnects some iPhones from cellular data: Here’s how to fix it
The iOS 12.1.2 upgrade was supposed to fix the cellular connectivity issues that first appeared on iOS 12.1.1, but it looks like things have not gone according to plan. Here are some suggested solutions to fix the cellular data bug, while waiting for Apple to hopefully fix things with iOS 12.1.3.
Lost ‘SimCity’ for NES revealed to the public as Christmas gift
The long lost SimCity for NES emerged at a used video game shop after 27 years since its first and only public appearance at the Winter Consumer Electronic Show of January 1991. The Video Game History Foundation's Frank Cifaldi detailed the discovery in a blog post that was published on Christmas.
‘The Wolf Among Us 2’ already cancelled even before Telltale Games shutdown
The second season of The Wolf Among Us was already cancelled even before Telltale Games shut down in September. The project had a shoe-string budget and did not make it through early development, according to former employees, though the season overview and most of the first episode's script was done.
Gamer group saves Christmas for boy who lost his Nintendo Switch
An 8-year-old boy in the U.K. left his Nintendo Switch at the back of an Uber ride, and his parents made a plea to whomever picked it up to return the console. A gamer group decided to save Christmas for the boy by replacing his lost Nintendo Switch, as well as the five games that also went missing.
Pirate MMO ‘Atlas’ frustrates gamers and streamers with launch delays
Atlas, the pirate MMO from the studio behind ARK: Survival Evolved, has caused frustration among gamers due to successive launch delays. In one instance, after a countdown timer to the game's release reached zero, nothing happened, then Studio Wildcard said that the Atlas launch was again pushed back.
World champion ZeRo weighs in on best ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ fighter
The best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character, according to world champion Gonzalo "ZeRo" Barrios, is none other than Inkling from Splatoon. The fighter is capable of dealing massive damage through the ink mechanic, and possesses dangerous throw combos that can prevent opponents from escaping.
Twice as many publishers earned first million on Apple App Store vs Google Play
Apple's App Store has created 164 new millionaire publishers in 2018, compared to only 88 from the Google Play Store. Games continue to lead the way for both platforms in terms of revenue, but the breakdown of the publishers in terms of app categories that they focused on were very different.
California wants all-electric public bus fleet on its roads by 2040
California approved a regulation that targets an all-electric public bus fleet for the whole state by 2040, for cleaner air and quieter rides. The effect of the full implementation of the regulation is equivalent to taking 4 million cars off the road, according to the California Air Resources Board.
‘Kingdom Hearts III’ out in the wild, director asks for support to stop spoilers
Kingdom Hearts III has been leaked, with several copies of the game out in the wild. The game's director, Tetsuya Nomura, responded to the situation, calling for help from gamers to stop spoilers from spreading online, though Square Enix had a plan just in case something like this happened.
Kanye West wants to meet ‘Metal Gear Solid’ creator Hideo Kojima, for some reason
Rapper Kanye West wants to meet video game designer Hideo Kojima, the man behind the Metal Gear Solid franchise, in New York. Nobody knows the reason behind the meeting, but fans are speculating that it may have something to do with Death Stranding for the PlayStation 4, Kojima's current project.
Underwater survival game ‘Subnautica’ free on Epic Games’ online store
The award-winning underwater survival game Subnautica is currently available as a free download on the Epic Games store. The Steam challenger, which is already gaining attention from developers, looks to attract players with a new free game every two weeks, with the next one being Super Meat Boy.
Sega Genesis classics now playable on Amazon Fire TV, no retro console required
Sega released the SEGA Classics app for Amazon Fire TV, allowing gamers to play Sega Genesis classics without having to buy a retro console. The $15 app, which offers display and gameplay options, contains 25 games, including the Golden Axe and Street of Rage trilogies, and three remastered Sonic titles.