theverge--2020-11-18--Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity isn’t subtle, but it’s still Zelda

At the outset of The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild , the fantasy realm of Hyrule is in a bad place .
Monsters rule the land and once-great cities lie in ruins , all because of a devastating event known as the Great Calamity .
It was something players heard about constantly as they ventured across Hyrule but didn ’ t actually get to witness firsthand .
That ’ s where Hyrule Warriors : Age of Calamity comes in .
The new game for the Nintendo Switch is a prequel that explores that very important moment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
It does so with a game that ’ s almost entirely unlike Breath of the Wild .
To understand what Age of Calamity is , you first need to understand a long-running franchise called Dynasty Warriors .
It ’ s a hack-and-slash series that defines itself on scale : you aren ’ t fighting just a few foes but literally hundreds at the same time .
It can be mindless at times , but it ’ s also incredibly thrilling ; you ’ re an all-powerful hero turning the tide of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , the series has expanded with spinoffs based on popular game franchises like Dragon Quest , Persona , Fire Emblem , and , in 2014 , The Legend of Zelda .
The original Hyrule Warriors was essentially a huge dose of fan service , mashing together an iconic world with straightforward action .
The sequel is a little more ambitious .
What makes Age of Calamity so interesting , aside from the narrative possibilities , is the fact that , philosophically speaking , Breath of the Wild is about as far away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a game built on subtlety and restraint , rethinking what an open-world adventure could be with a focus on quiet , purposeful exploration .
Dynasty Warriors has none of those qualities .
It ’ s brash , loud , and straight to the point .
If Breath of the Wild had notes of Studio Ghibli , Dynasty Warriors is more like a Dreamworks blockbuster .
And yet , it works .
For the most part .
The core of what you ’ re doing in Age of Calamity is roughly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s to say you ’ ll be running around fairly large maps , slashing your way through hundreds , and occasionally thousands , of enemies .
The bad guys are almost comically dumb .
With the exception of bosses and other powerful characters — which are obvious because they ’ re physically huge — most of your opponents stand around in large groups , just waiting to get walloped .
The strategy comes from fighting those bosses and managing the chaos .
In addition to being a soldier , you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ characters to important skirmishes so that you don ’ t get overwhelmed .
Occasionally , there are twists like time limits or the dreaded escort mission , but this isn ’ t the kind of game where you ’ ll get confused about what to do next or where to go .
Age of Calamity plays with this formula in a few ways .
The most obvious is the combat .
Breath of the Wild introduced physics-based action to the series , with powerful runes that could fire remote bombs or put enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s system isn ’ t quite as robust , but it ’ s still a lot of fun .
Certain enemies are more susceptible to different rune abilities , sort of like in a roleplaying game , so there ’ s a nice bit of strategy .
Plus , it ’ s just entertaining to put a gang of bokoblins in stasis , smack them a few times , and watch them fly .
There ’ s a lot of spectacle to enjoy , from the sheer scale of battles to elaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , is that you play as multiple characters .
Though Link remains the main hero , the early chapters of Age of Calamity are all about assembling a team of champions , and as you do so you ’ ll unlock them as playable characters .
Each one has their own distinct feel .
Link is a traditional Dynasty Warriors-style melee fighter , but Revali can fly and rain down arrows from above , while Urbosa has powerful electric attacks .
Princess Zelda is perhaps the strangest of all : she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses the Sheikah Slate to attack remotely using runes .
The varied cast goes a long way toward making an otherwise repetitive game feel interesting for the many hours it lasts .
Not all of the changes are for the better .
Age of Calamity also lets players pilot the Divine Beasts — towering , mechanical creatures that played a pivotal role in Breath of the Wild — which sounds cool , but generally boils down to some generic turret missions with cumbersome controls .
Similarly , most of the side missions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kill a certain amount of enemies within a specific window of time .
Thankfully , you don ’ t have to grind levels too much , so these missions are mostly optional .
But the thing missing most from Age of Calamity is any sense of adventure or exploration .
The levels can be large , but most maps are a series of interconnected corridors which you ’ ll follow in a straightforward manner .
And while you ’ ll visit plenty of beautiful and memorable locations , you get there by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s hard not to miss the wide open spaces of Breath of the Wild and that feeling of not knowing what ’ s around the corner .
I should also note that there are a few technical issues .
While the game runs fairly well when your Switch is docked , playing in handheld mode kind of feels like you ’ re pushing the device to its limits .
There ’ s lots of slowdown and blurry visuals , particularly when there ’ s a lot happening on screen , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calamity , is a very common occurrence .
It was never unplayable for me , but it was definitely noticeable .
Of course , the other reason to play this game is for the story .
Nintendo sneakily put important Zelda lore in this spinoff , and there ’ s a lot to dig into .
Again , things are much more straightforward compared to Breath of the Wild — there are lots of voiced cutscenes and narrated moments — but I really enjoyed learning more about the world and characters .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t spoil here , along with an adorable little guardian character that feels like a long-lost Star Wars droid .
As soon as its Amiibo goes on sale , I will be buying it .
For such a conflicted experience , it ’ s remarkable how well Age of Calamity works .
No , it ’ s not a new Breath of the Wild , and fans coming to it from that perspective will likely be disappointed .
( Luckily , a real sequel is in the works . )
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games play completely differently .
But some of those elements that made Breath of the Wild so beloved — a beautiful world , memorable characters , varied combat — help make an otherwise straightforward experience feel fresh and interesting .
It ’ s not subtle , but that doesn ’ t mean it isn ’ t Zelda .
is available on the Nintendo Switch on November 20th .

At the outset of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the fantasy realm of Hyrule is in a bad place.
Monsters rule the land and once-great cities lie in ruins, all because of a devastating event known as the Great Calamity. It was something players heard about constantly as they ventured across Hyrule but didn’t actually get to witness firsthand. That’s where Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity comes in. The new game for the Nintendo Switch is a prequel that explores that very important moment that created the ruined world. The twist? It does so with a game that’s almost entirely unlike Breath of the Wild.
To understand what Age of Calamity is, you first need to understand a long-running franchise called Dynasty Warriors. It’s a hack-and-slash series that defines itself on scale: you aren’t fighting just a few foes but literally hundreds at the same time. It can be mindless at times, but it’s also incredibly thrilling; you’re an all-powerful hero turning the tide of a massive battle. Over the last few years, the series has expanded with spinoffs based on popular game franchises like Dragon Quest, Persona, Fire Emblem, and, in 2014, The Legend of Zelda. The original Hyrule Warriors was essentially a huge dose of fan service, mashing together an iconic world with straightforward action. The sequel is a little more ambitious.
What makes Age of Calamity so interesting, aside from the narrative possibilities, is the fact that, philosophically speaking, Breath of the Wild is about as far away from Dynasty Warriors as is possible. It was a game built on subtlety and restraint, rethinking what an open-world adventure could be with a focus on quiet, purposeful exploration. Dynasty Warriors has none of those qualities. It’s brash, loud, and straight to the point. If Breath of the Wild had notes of Studio Ghibli, Dynasty Warriors is more like a Dreamworks blockbuster.
And yet, it works. For the most part.
The core of what you’re doing in Age of Calamity is roughly the same as in its contemporaries. That’s to say you’ll be running around fairly large maps, slashing your way through hundreds, and occasionally thousands, of enemies. The bad guys are almost comically dumb. With the exception of bosses and other powerful characters — which are obvious because they’re physically huge — most of your opponents stand around in large groups, just waiting to get walloped. The strategy comes from fighting those bosses and managing the chaos. In addition to being a soldier, you’re also essentially a general directing powerful hero characters to important skirmishes so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Occasionally, there are twists like time limits or the dreaded escort mission, but this isn’t the kind of game where you’ll get confused about what to do next or where to go.
Age of Calamity plays with this formula in a few ways. The most obvious is the combat. Breath of the Wild introduced physics-based action to the series, with powerful runes that could fire remote bombs or put enemies in temporary stasis. Age of Calamity’s system isn’t quite as robust, but it’s still a lot of fun. Certain enemies are more susceptible to different rune abilities, sort of like in a roleplaying game, so there’s a nice bit of strategy. Plus, it’s just entertaining to put a gang of bokoblins in stasis, smack them a few times, and watch them fly. There’s a lot of spectacle to enjoy, from the sheer scale of battles to elaborate, screen-filling special attacks.
Image: Nintendo Read next: a chat with the directors of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Even better, though, is that you play as multiple characters. Though Link remains the main hero, the early chapters of Age of Calamity are all about assembling a team of champions, and as you do so you’ll unlock them as playable characters. Each one has their own distinct feel. Link is a traditional Dynasty Warriors-style melee fighter, but Revali can fly and rain down arrows from above, while Urbosa has powerful electric attacks. Princess Zelda is perhaps the strangest of all: she doesn’t fight directly but instead uses the Sheikah Slate to attack remotely using runes. The varied cast goes a long way toward making an otherwise repetitive game feel interesting for the many hours it lasts.
Not all of the changes are for the better. Age of Calamity also lets players pilot the Divine Beasts — towering, mechanical creatures that played a pivotal role in Breath of the Wild — which sounds cool, but generally boils down to some generic turret missions with cumbersome controls. Similarly, most of the side missions are painfully straightforward; usually you simply have to kill a certain amount of enemies within a specific window of time. Thankfully, you don’t have to grind levels too much, so these missions are mostly optional.
But the thing missing most from Age of Calamity is any sense of adventure or exploration. The levels can be large, but most maps are a series of interconnected corridors which you’ll follow in a straightforward manner. And while you’ll visit plenty of beautiful and memorable locations, you get there by simply choosing options from a menu. It’s hard not to miss the wide open spaces of Breath of the Wild and that feeling of not knowing what’s around the corner.
I should also note that there are a few technical issues. While the game runs fairly well when your Switch is docked, playing in handheld mode kind of feels like you’re pushing the device to its limits. There’s lots of slowdown and blurry visuals, particularly when there’s a lot happening on screen, which, given the premise of Age of Calamity, is a very common occurrence. It was never unplayable for me, but it was definitely noticeable.
Of course, the other reason to play this game is for the story. Nintendo sneakily put important Zelda lore in this spinoff, and there’s a lot to dig into. Again, things are much more straightforward compared to Breath of the Wild — there are lots of voiced cutscenes and narrated moments — but I really enjoyed learning more about the world and characters. There are even some delightful twists that I won’t spoil here, along with an adorable little guardian character that feels like a long-lost Star Wars droid. As soon as its Amiibo goes on sale, I will be buying it.
For such a conflicted experience, it’s remarkable how well Age of Calamity works. No, it’s not a new Breath of the Wild, and fans coming to it from that perspective will likely be disappointed. (Luckily, a real sequel is in the works.) Despite some largely superficial similarities, the two games play completely differently. But some of those elements that made Breath of the Wild so beloved — a beautiful world, memorable characters, varied combat — help make an otherwise straightforward experience feel fresh and interesting. It’s not subtle, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t Zelda.


theverge--2020-11-18--Trump’s post-election tantrum is holding up federal vaccine planning

After months of mounting case counts and strained hospital capacity , the past two weeks have brought us some overdue good news in our struggle with the coronavirus pandemic .
Both Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna have announced unexpectedly promising results for their COVID-19 vaccine , which — if they get the FDA ’ s signoff — could be ready for public use next year .
For the first time since the pandemic began , it feels like we have a clear path to returning to everyday life .
If they are authorized , getting those vaccines out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal effort , one that is already getting caught in the chaos of the outgoing Trump administration .
Two weeks after Election Day , President Trump has yet to acknowledge that he lost the election — and the consequences of that pettiness have effectively frozen the work that would normally be done by the incoming Biden administration .
As local agencies start to prepare for the challenge of vaccine distribution , they ’ re running up against the gridlock caused by Trump ’ s delayed transition — and officials are starting to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine planning might mean .
“ We do not have access to official government data , ” Biden officials say “ We do not have access to official government data , internal data sets , ” transition official David Kessler told reporters on a call on Tuesday .
“ There are career officials at HHS that are right now developing plans for February and March on vaccine distribution ... Our team can not communicate with them.
” Speaking to NBC News , president-elect Joe Biden put it in even starker terms .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t coordinate , ” Biden told NBC ’ s Geoff Bennett .
The call for a smoother transition has also come from public health officials outside the Biden camp .
In an interview with CNN earlier this week , NIAID director Anthony Fauci said the delay would likely degrade the incoming administration ’ s ability to respond to the coronavirus .
“ Of course it would be better if we could start working with them , ” said Fauci , who has served in six administrations .
“ You don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to somebody .
You want to just essentially keep going , and that ’ s what transition is .
So it certainly would make things [ go ] more smoothly if we could do that.
” Official results clearly point to a Biden victory , even though a number of late-arriving votes have yet to be officially counted .
But in the face of Trump ’ s refusal to concede , the General Services Administration has refused to give the transition teams access to federal documents or buildings , essentially putting the transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to a request for comment . )
That hold extends to the Department of Health and Human Services , which has handled much of the federal coronavirus response .
Speaking to Good Morning America earlier this week , HHS secretary Alex Azar said the incoming team couldn ’ t be brought in on vaccine distribution plans until “ GSA determines that there is — if there is — a transition to do.
” ( Reached for comment , HHS referred queries to GSA . )
But with the massive task of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is costing public health officials precious time .
The CDC released its official vaccine distribution playbook in August , but there are still lingering questions about how big a role the federal government will play in distributing the vaccine .
Most everyday vaccine distribution is performed by state and local health departments , but the extreme nature of the pandemic has driven many experts to call for a coordinated federal response , including Fauci himself .
Eric Toner , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the question , which makes a smooth transition even more important .
“ It puts a lot of people ’ s health and lives at stake ” “ At times , HHS and Operation Warp Speed have said they are providing guidance to the states and the states will do distribution , ” Toner says .
“ At other times , they talk about directly shipping products to hospitals and to nursing homes , bypassing the state health departments .
So it ’ s a little bit confusing.
” In September , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Defense to use military equipment to ship vaccine supplies directly to health centers , but it ’ s unclear whether that plan has moved forward .
The incoming Biden task force might want to modify the plan or shift authority back to the states — but they can ’ t do any of it until they sit down with the HHS officials who have been making the plans until now .
On the other side , local officials won ’ t know if they ’ ll be getting military help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HHS team , which can ’ t happen until the transition officially goes through .
So far , the Biden transition team is keeping quiet about the issue , at least officially .
The team did not respond to inquiries about the transition , and specific members of the HHS transition team declined to comment .
Still , the Biden team is moving fast , making the first round of staff appointments on Tuesday and pointing to coronavirus response as a chief priority .
The biggest threat to Biden ’ s coronavirus efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government ’ s credibility to distribute a vaccine at all .
Polls from the summer showed that people are already reluctant to take a COVID-19 vaccine .
If the FDA takes the unprecedented step of authorizing a vaccine for emergency use , it ’ s likely to face even more skepticism from a public already extremely wary of political jockeying over a vaccine .
Continued delays to the transition could make regaining the public ’ s trust even more difficult .
“ As Trump and Republicans who are supporting his messaging continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also undermining the credibility of the incoming administration , ” says Toner .
“ That is a terrible thing to do from the perspective of public health , and from the perspective of the vaccination program .
It puts a lot of people ’ s health and lives at stake .
”

After months of mounting case counts and strained hospital capacity, the past two weeks have brought us some overdue good news in our struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. Both Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna have announced unexpectedly promising results for their COVID-19 vaccine, which — if they get the FDA’s signoff — could be ready for public use next year. For the first time since the pandemic began, it feels like we have a clear path to returning to everyday life.
If they are authorized, getting those vaccines out to the general US public will require a huge federal effort, one that is already getting caught in the chaos of the outgoing Trump administration. Two weeks after Election Day, President Trump has yet to acknowledge that he lost the election — and the consequences of that pettiness have effectively frozen the work that would normally be done by the incoming Biden administration. As local agencies start to prepare for the challenge of vaccine distribution, they’re running up against the gridlock caused by Trump’s delayed transition — and officials are starting to give grave warnings about what a delay in vaccine planning might mean.
“We do not have access to official government data,” Biden officials say
“We do not have access to official government data, internal data sets,” transition official David Kessler told reporters on a call on Tuesday. “There are career officials at HHS that are right now developing plans for February and March on vaccine distribution ... Our team cannot communicate with them.”
Speaking to NBC News, president-elect Joe Biden put it in even starker terms. “More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” Biden told NBC’s Geoff Bennett.
The call for a smoother transition has also come from public health officials outside the Biden camp. In an interview with CNN earlier this week, NIAID director Anthony Fauci said the delay would likely degrade the incoming administration’s ability to respond to the coronavirus. “Of course it would be better if we could start working with them,” said Fauci, who has served in six administrations. “You don’t want to stop and then give it to somebody. You want to just essentially keep going, and that’s what transition is. So it certainly would make things [go] more smoothly if we could do that.”
Official results clearly point to a Biden victory, even though a number of late-arriving votes have yet to be officially counted. But in the face of Trump’s refusal to concede, the General Services Administration has refused to give the transition teams access to federal documents or buildings, essentially putting the transition on hold indefinitely. (GSA did not respond to a request for comment.)
“it’s a little bit confusing”
That hold extends to the Department of Health and Human Services, which has handled much of the federal coronavirus response. Speaking to Good Morning America earlier this week, HHS secretary Alex Azar said the incoming team couldn’t be brought in on vaccine distribution plans until “GSA determines that there is — if there is — a transition to do.” (Reached for comment, HHS referred queries to GSA.) But with the massive task of nationwide vaccine distribution approaching, the delay is costing public health officials precious time.
The CDC released its official vaccine distribution playbook in August, but there are still lingering questions about how big a role the federal government will play in distributing the vaccine. Most everyday vaccine distribution is performed by state and local health departments, but the extreme nature of the pandemic has driven many experts to call for a coordinated federal response, including Fauci himself.
Eric Toner, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says the Trump administration has sent mixed messages on the question, which makes a smooth transition even more important.
“It puts a lot of people’s health and lives at stake”
“At times, HHS and Operation Warp Speed have said they are providing guidance to the states and the states will do distribution,” Toner says. “At other times, they talk about directly shipping products to hospitals and to nursing homes, bypassing the state health departments. So it’s a little bit confusing.”
In September, the White House laid out a role for the Department of Defense to use military equipment to ship vaccine supplies directly to health centers, but it’s unclear whether that plan has moved forward. The incoming Biden task force might want to modify the plan or shift authority back to the states — but they can’t do any of it until they sit down with the HHS officials who have been making the plans until now. On the other side, local officials won’t know if they’ll be getting military help until they can talk to the incoming HHS team, which can’t happen until the transition officially goes through.
So far, the Biden transition team is keeping quiet about the issue, at least officially. The team did not respond to inquiries about the transition, and specific members of the HHS transition team declined to comment. Still, the Biden team is moving fast, making the first round of staff appointments on Tuesday and pointing to coronavirus response as a chief priority.
The biggest threat to Biden’s coronavirus efforts could be a broader loss of the federal government’s credibility to distribute a vaccine at all. Polls from the summer showed that people are already reluctant to take a COVID-19 vaccine. If the FDA takes the unprecedented step of authorizing a vaccine for emergency use, it’s likely to face even more skepticism from a public already extremely wary of political jockeying over a vaccine. Continued delays to the transition could make regaining the public’s trust even more difficult.


theverge--2020-11-18--Roli Lumi review: a portable keyboard that lights the way for first-time musicians

Piano lessons for me as a child meant sitting down every Tuesday at a shiny black Yamaha upright , looking up at shelves laden with tributes to my piano teacher ’ s twin obsessions : busts of classical greats like Beethoven and Chopin , and copies of the Wisden Cricketers ’ Almanack , to which he contributed every year .
I ’ d sit and play ; he ’ d sit and criticize .
And over the course of a torturous six-year education , my teacher , Mr Dyson , instilled in my grumpy teenage self a love of music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I did my grades , paid my dues , and I ’ ve played more or less ever since .
All this is perhaps why the Lumi keyboard — the slickest , most intriguing piece of musical hardware I ’ ve come across in recent years — appalls and impresses me in equal measure .
The $ 299 Lumi is the latest offering from music hardware startup Roli , known for its squishy Seaboard keyboards and modular beat-making Blocks accessories .
But while Roli ’ s past products have been aimed squarely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attract would-be musicians : people who ’ ve never read a note of music in their life , but are eager to play all the same .
It ’ s designed to lure in newbies with its light-up keys , Guitar Hero-style interface , and slick Bluetooth app , before embedding musical hooks deep in their heart with a back-catalogue of simplified pop , rock , and classical tunes to play along with .
It ’ s a bold approach to musical education and unquestionably engaging .
But I fear it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the product first before we get on to the teaching aspects .
Roli unquestionably makes gorgeous , idiosyncratic hardware .
The Lumi has more design DNA in common with slick MIDI controllers used by DJs than starter Casio keyboards .
It ’ s minimalist and compact , with two octaves of slightly small-than-average-size keys , a matte black plastic construction , and three soft-touch rubber buttons at the top .
Although testers of early Lumi prototypes reported problems with the product ’ s build quality , the keyboards we tested were reassuringly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bottom , capable of displaying a full rainbow of colors as musical guides .
The Lumi also has an internal battery , meaning you can toss it in a bag and take it on the go .
Setup is as simple as the design .
Just download the Lumi app on a phone or tablet , push the power button on the keyboard , and connect to your keyboard over Bluetooth .
The Lumi is really only designed for one hand to play at a time , but you can join multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both of your hands at once .
The Lumi ’ s keys are disappointingly mushy , even for a starter keyboard My only slight criticism of the hardware is the keys themselves .
The action of keyboard keys in general is , unsurprisingly , a matter of some importance to piano players .
The more expensive sort of digital keyboard has what are known as “ weighted ” and “ graded ” keys , meaning they offer different levels of resistance at different parts of the keyboard .
( This is to mimic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where lower keys are harder to press and higher keys easier ; an effect created by the keys ’ levered construction ) .
Lumi ’ s keys don ’ t feel weighted or graded , which is not that surprising .
Although you can get keyboards that cost the same as the Lumi with these features , Roli is justifying the price primarily via its software , not hardware .
That being said , I still felt the Lumi ’ s keys were mushier than I would have liked , even for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plunge depth ( you can ’ t push them down nearly as far as keys on a regular piano ) .
And they also failed every now and again to register my touch if I was playing too fast .
That could be extremely frustrating for someone struggling to learn an instrument that doesn ’ t seem to love them back .
They keys are touch-sensitive , too , which allows you to play more softly or loudly .
But again , that sensitivity is limited .
Try playing Debussy ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and you ’ ll feel like you ’ re clomping through an art gallery in heavy boots .
The sleek design of the hardware is carried through to the software .
Open up the Lumi app and you ’ re presented with a few options : Home , Learn , and Play .
The Home screen lets you jump in to music straight away with three categories of tracks : “ very easy songs ” ( staples of first piano books like “ Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ” ) ; “ abridged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pop songs such as Billie Eilish ’ s “ Bad Guy ” ) ; and , somewhat bafflingly , a “ hit the dancefloor ” playlist containing tracks from the likes of Major Lazer , Pharrell Williams , and Calvin Harris .
The latter category reminded me that Roli is really trying to attract a wide range of customers here — not just children learning to play for the first time , but older people who ’ ve perhaps always loved listening to music but never known how to start playing it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with is impressively eclectic In addition to the Home screen there are two more sections : Play , containing the app ’ s back-catalog of music , and Learn , home to Roli ’ s music lessons .
A word on the back-catalog first , though , because it is simply wild .
A quick scroll through the “ intermediate ” category , for example , takes me through an eclectic selection : Satie ’ s “ Gymnopédie No.1 ” , “ Old Town Road ” by Lil Nas X , Toploader ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , and the State Anthem of The Russian Federation , all right next to one another .
I honestly don ’ t quite know how to convey the weirdness of the music Roli has chosen , but I can say for certain I love it .
Anyone can find something they want to play here , and though the bulk of tracks are split between classical tunes you can hum and pop hits of the last 10 years , Roli keeps you guessing by dropping in bangers like “ No Scrubs ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Elton John .
These hits don ’ t come for free though , and require a $ 79 yearly subscription to “ Lumi Complete ” ( which also gets you access to a full range of lessons and exercise ) .
Those without the subscription only get a selection of 40 classical tunes , leaving the product severely diminished as a result .
However , this acclaim for Lumi ’ s back-catalog brings me to the feature I had the most doubts about , and it ’ s one that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the music itself is taught .
As mentioned above , the Lumi uses light up keys to power a Guitar Hero-style interface ( officially known as “ cascade ” mode ) .
Notes fall towards you on the screen and you hit them in time to play the music .
The keyboard ’ s keys also light up faintly before the notes arrive , guiding your hands and fingers .
Just as with Guitar Hero , there are also little gamified touches to keep your attention .
You ’ re graded on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multipliers for hot streaks ; and get a star rating at the end of each song you play .
It ’ s a simple , intuitive interface that anyone can understand .
But its simplicity creates limits .
The problems come when songs progress beyond relatively simple tunes and start incorporating more complex rhythms and melodies .
Here , the amount of information you can fit into a Guitar Hero interface is simply too restrictive .
Traditional sheet music , by comparison , uses a style of notation that ’ s evolved over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compressed , and contains a wealth of information that can be understood at a glance .
Things like dynamics , key signature , time signature , and a song ’ s overall structure can be taken in by an experienced musician almost intuitively .
If you can read sheet music , you can not only look ahead in a song , but also better engage with its structure , picking out patterns like repeating motifs or harmonic progressions .
Sheet music is also even more important for the piano , where different staves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plays .
the interface doesn ’ t so much teach you to read music as react to it The Guitar Hero interface , by comparison , is all about the moment .
It focuses attention on a stream of notes that move constantly towards the player rather than a musical landscape they can survey at leisure .
‘ Here comes the note , ’ says the interface , ‘ don ’ t miss it , here it is , play it , now !
’ It ’ s a framework that borrows more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that doesn ’ t so much teach you to read music as react to it .
And while it ’ s certainly possible to learn relatively tricky songs on the Lumi keyboard , I ’ m dubious how transferable these skills are .
Once you reach the limits of the interface and have to change to traditional sheet music and keyboards , you ’ ll have a lot to learn as well as some bad habits to forget .
In fairness to Roli , Lumi is certainly much more than just Guitar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you the option to play along with traditional sheet music , for example , and the app includes a fantastic library of lessons and exercises that teach you musical fundamentals .
Chords , fingering and hand positions , as well as elements of notation are all covered , with interactive video presentations from bright and lively musicians .
The company told me that it also plans to expand these lessons in future , to encourage the transition to traditional sheet music .
More good news though : it ’ s in these early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really excels .
For beginners sitting down at the piano for the first time , there are few things more discouraging than being confronted with their own ineptitude .
You plod through scales and struggle to play nursery rhymes as if they were Rachmaninov , and then you give up because it ’ s all too hard .
( Believe me , I ’ ve been there !
I regularly go back to there every time I try something challenging ! )
Lumi at least brightens these early difficulties through light and color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gives players a backing score that makes them feel like they ’ re performing on stage .
And for children learning to play for the first time I imagine these features would help keep them engaged and interested where a music book by itself could fail .
The question , then , is how far can you go with Lumi , and is it worth the price ?
Right now , the $ 299 price tag includes a $ 50 voucher for a year of Lumi Complete , the subscription service which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ library and all its exercises and lessons ( the cost without a voucher : $ 79 ) .
Roli isn ’ t selling the keyboard without this voucher right now , and I can see why : so much of the product ’ s attraction comes from its lessons and music .
And while for that money you could get a better quality keyboard and a clutch of learn-to-play instructional books , you couldn ’ t get the lessons needed to take you through your first couple of grades .
At a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , or at least trying to avoid leaving the house , the all-in-one pitch from Roli seems particularly attractive .
I just wonder how far Lumi can really take first-time musicians .
I think Roli ’ s first educational produt is a good , but expensive , on-ramp for someone keen to try and play the piano for the first time , but the road soon runs out .
If you really want to play , then the Lumi is only the start .

Piano lessons for me as a child meant sitting down every Tuesday at a shiny black Yamaha upright, looking up at shelves laden with tributes to my piano teacher’s twin obsessions: busts of classical greats like Beethoven and Chopin, and copies of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, to which he contributed every year. I’d sit and play; he’d sit and criticize. And over the course of a torturous six-year education, my teacher, Mr Dyson, instilled in my grumpy teenage self a love of music I can never adequately thank him for. I did my grades, paid my dues, and I’ve played more or less ever since.
All this is perhaps why the Lumi keyboard — the slickest, most intriguing piece of musical hardware I’ve come across in recent years — appalls and impresses me in equal measure.
The $299 Lumi is the latest offering from music hardware startup Roli, known for its squishy Seaboard keyboards and modular beat-making Blocks accessories. But while Roli’s past products have been aimed squarely at professionals, the Lumi is meant to attract would-be musicians: people who’ve never read a note of music in their life, but are eager to play all the same. It’s designed to lure in newbies with its light-up keys, Guitar Hero-style interface, and slick Bluetooth app, before embedding musical hooks deep in their heart with a back-catalogue of simplified pop, rock, and classical tunes to play along with. It’s a bold approach to musical education and unquestionably engaging. But I fear it has its limits.
The key draw for the Lumi is its Guitar Hero-style interface that teaches you how to play. Image: Roli
Let’s start with the product first before we get on to the teaching aspects. Roli unquestionably makes gorgeous, idiosyncratic hardware. The Lumi has more design DNA in common with slick MIDI controllers used by DJs than starter Casio keyboards. It’s minimalist and compact, with two octaves of slightly small-than-average-size keys, a matte black plastic construction, and three soft-touch rubber buttons at the top. Although testers of early Lumi prototypes reported problems with the product’s build quality, the keyboards we tested were reassuringly solid. Each key lights up top to bottom, capable of displaying a full rainbow of colors as musical guides. The Lumi also has an internal battery, meaning you can toss it in a bag and take it on the go.
Setup is as simple as the design. Just download the Lumi app on a phone or tablet, push the power button on the keyboard, and connect to your keyboard over Bluetooth. The Lumi is really only designed for one hand to play at a time, but you can join multiple keyboards together using magnetic connectors to engage both of your hands at once.
The Lumi’s keys are disappointingly mushy, even for a starter keyboard
My only slight criticism of the hardware is the keys themselves. The action of keyboard keys in general is, unsurprisingly, a matter of some importance to piano players. The more expensive sort of digital keyboard has what are known as “weighted” and “graded” keys, meaning they offer different levels of resistance at different parts of the keyboard. (This is to mimic the mechanics of an acoustic piano, where lower keys are harder to press and higher keys easier; an effect created by the keys’ levered construction).
Lumi’s keys don’t feel weighted or graded, which is not that surprising. Although you can get keyboards that cost the same as the Lumi with these features, Roli is justifying the price primarily via its software, not hardware. That being said, I still felt the Lumi’s keys were mushier than I would have liked, even for a starter keyboard, and had a disappointing plunge depth (you can’t push them down nearly as far as keys on a regular piano). They also failed every now and again to register my touch if I was playing too fast. That could be extremely frustrating for someone struggling to learn an instrument that doesn’t seem to love them back. They keys are touch-sensitive, too, which allows you to play more softly or loudly. But again, that sensitivity is limited. Try playing Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” for example, and you’ll feel like you’re clomping through an art gallery in heavy boots.
A magnetic “Snapcase” is included with the $299 bundle price, and helps keep the Lumi safe during travel. Image: Roli
The sleek design of the hardware is carried through to the software. Open up the Lumi app and you’re presented with a few options: Home, Learn, and Play. The Home screen lets you jump in to music straight away with three categories of tracks: “very easy songs” (staples of first piano books like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”); “abridged hits” (minute long snippets of pop songs such as Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy”); and, somewhat bafflingly, a “hit the dancefloor” playlist containing tracks from the likes of Major Lazer, Pharrell Williams, and Calvin Harris. The latter category reminded me that Roli is really trying to attract a wide range of customers here — not just children learning to play for the first time, but older people who’ve perhaps always loved listening to music but never known how to start playing it.
The back-catalog of music to play along with is impressively eclectic
In addition to the Home screen there are two more sections: Play, containing the app’s back-catalog of music, and Learn, home to Roli’s music lessons. A word on the back-catalog first, though, because it is simply wild. A quick scroll through the “intermediate” category, for example, takes me through an eclectic selection: Satie’s “Gymnopédie No.1”, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, Toploader’s “Dancin’ in the Moonlight”, and the State Anthem of The Russian Federation, all right next to one another. I honestly don’t quite know how to convey the weirdness of the music Roli has chosen, but I can say for certain I love it. Anyone can find something they want to play here, and though the bulk of tracks are split between classical tunes you can hum and pop hits of the last 10 years, Roli keeps you guessing by dropping in bangers like “No Scrubs” by TLC or “Rocket Man” by Elton John. These hits don’t come for free though, and require a $79 yearly subscription to “Lumi Complete” (which also gets you access to a full range of lessons and exercise). Those without the subscription only get a selection of 40 classical tunes, leaving the product severely diminished as a result.
However, this acclaim for Lumi’s back-catalog brings me to the feature I had the most doubts about, and it’s one that’s central to the entire product: how the music itself is taught. As mentioned above, the Lumi uses light up keys to power a Guitar Hero-style interface (officially known as “cascade” mode). Notes fall towards you on the screen and you hit them in time to play the music. The keyboard’s keys also light up faintly before the notes arrive, guiding your hands and fingers. And just as with Guitar Hero, there are little gamified touches to keep your attention. You’re graded on how accurately you timed each note; earn multipliers for hot streaks; and get a star rating at the end of each song you play. It’s a simple, intuitive interface that anyone can understand. But its simplicity creates limits.
The Lumi keyboard doesn’t work without the app, which lets you play freestyle, learn lessons, or play along with a broad back-catalog of music. Image: Roli
The problems come when songs progress beyond relatively easy tunes and start incorporating more complex rhythms and melodies. Here, the amount of information you can fit into a Guitar Hero interface is simply too restrictive. Traditional sheet music, by comparison, uses a style of notation that’s evolved over centuries. It’s streamlined and compressed, and contains a wealth of information that can be understood at a glance. Things like dynamics, key signature, time signature, and a song’s overall structure can be taken in by an experienced musician almost intuitively. If you can read sheet music, you can not only look ahead in a song, but also better engage with its structure, picking out patterns like repeating motifs or harmonic progressions. Sheet music is also even more important for the piano, where different staves are used to separate what each hand plays.
the interface doesn’t so much teach you to read music as react to it
The Guitar Hero interface, by comparison, is all about the moment. It focuses attention on a stream of notes that move constantly towards the player rather than a musical landscape they can survey at leisure. ‘Here comes the note,’ says the interface, ‘don’t miss it, here it is, play it, now!’ It’s a framework that borrows more from video games than musical education, and that doesn’t so much teach you to read music as react to it. While it’s certainly possible to learn relatively tricky songs on the Lumi keyboard, I’m dubious about how transferable these skills are. Once you reach the limits of the interface and have to change to traditional sheet music and keyboards, you’ll have a lot to learn as well as some bad habits to forget.
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In fairness to Roli, Lumi is certainly much more than just Guitar Hero for piano. Many songs give you the option to play along with traditional sheet music, for example, and the app includes a fantastic library of lessons and exercises that teach you musical fundamentals. Chords, fingering and hand positions, as well as elements of notation are all covered, with interactive video presentations from bright and lively musicians. The company told me that it also plans to expand these lessons in future, to encourage the transition to traditional sheet music.
More good news though: it’s in these early stages that Lumi’s gamified environment really excels. For beginners sitting down at the piano for the first time, there are few things more discouraging than being confronted with their own ineptitude. You plod through scales and struggle to play nursery rhymes as if they were Rachmaninov, and then you give up because it’s all too hard. (Believe me, I’ve been there! In fact, I regularly go back there every time I try something new and challenging!)
Lumi at least brightens these early difficulties through light and color. Even for the simplest songs, it gives players a backing score that makes them feel like they’re performing on stage. And for children learning to play for the first time I imagine these features would help keep them engaged and interested where a music book by itself could fail.
The question, then, is how far can you go with Lumi, and is it worth the cost? Right now, the $299 price tag includes a $50 voucher for a year of Lumi Complete, the subscription service which gets you full access to the Lumi library and all its exercises and lessons (the cost without a voucher: $79). Roli isn’t selling the keyboard without this voucher right now, and I can see why: so much of the product’s attraction comes from its lessons and music. And while for that money you could get a better quality keyboard and a clutch of learn-to-play instructional books, you couldn’t get the lessons needed to take you through your first couple of grades.
At a time when most of us are stuck at home, or at least trying to avoid leaving the house, the all-in-one pitch from Roli seems particularly attractive. I just wonder how far Lumi can really take first-time musicians. I think Roli’s first educational produt is a good, but expensive, on-ramp for someone keen to try and play the piano for the first time, but the road soon runs out. If you really want to play, then the Lumi is only the start.


theverge--2020-11-18--YouTube is adding information about COVID-19 vaccines to its fact-check panels

Earlier this year , YouTube started adding “ information panels ” to videos and searches about COVID-19 , directing viewers to authoritative sources in an attempt to combat misinformation about the disease .
Now , as work on a COVID-19 vaccine begins to show early results , the company is tweaking this panel to also link to info about vaccination .
It ’ s a small change to what is already a small intervention in the battle against online misinformation .
For relevant videos , the panel will now prompt viewers to “ learn about vaccine progress , ” linking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The panels have already begun appearing in searches and under videos in the US , reports CNET , and should be rolling out globally in the next couple of days .
YouTube certainly has the right idea here .
As work on various COVID-19 vaccines progresses , it ’ s guaranteed that anti-vax conspiracy theorists will try to discourage people from being vaccinated — a trend that will directly harm the public ’ s health and prolong the damaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic .
YouTube will certainly be a prime vector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theorists to easily reach viewers .
However , the Google-owned company has not inspired confidence in its ability to handle misinformation of late .
It ’ s declined to take down videos spreading falsehoods about the outcome of the US election , for example ; behavior that is in marked contrast to that of Twitter and Facebook , which have been more active in labelling and removing false claims .
Once the anti-vax movement gets started on any viable COVID-19 vaccine , tiny information boxes under conspiracy theory videos will be all @ @ @ @ @

Earlier this year, YouTube started adding “information panels” to videos and searches about COVID-19, directing viewers to authoritative sources in an attempt to combat misinformation about the disease. Now, as work on a COVID-19 vaccine begins to show early results, the company is tweaking this panel to also link to info about vaccination.
It’s a small change to what is already a small intervention in the battle against online misinformation. For relevant videos, the panel will now prompt viewers to “learn about vaccine progress,” linking to sources like the CDC and WHO. The panels have already begun appearing in searches and under videos in the US, reports CNET, and should be rolling out globally in the next couple of days.
The new vaccine alert panel. Image: YouTube
YouTube certainly has the right idea here. As work on various COVID-19 vaccines progresses, it’s guaranteed that anti-vax conspiracy theorists will try to discourage people from being vaccinated — a trend that will directly harm the public’s health and prolong the damaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic. YouTube will certainly be a prime vector for this sort of misinformation, allowing conspiracy theorists to easily reach viewers.


theverge--2020-11-18--Fortnite is getting in-game video chat

Fortnite is getting in-game video chat

Soon , you ’ ll be able to see your friends while you play Fortnite together online .
Epic is adding a new video chat feature to the battle royale game , where players can see livefeeds of their friends inside the game .
It ’ s launching today , though initially , the feature will only be available on PC , PS4 , and PS5 .
The feature is powered by Houseparty , a chat app that Epic acquired last year .
( Houseparty has powered Fortnite ’ s cross-platform voice chat since last September . )
In order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to link your Epic and Houseparty accounts ; after that ’ s done , you can enable a “ Fortnite mode ” in the app .
When this happens , you can create a party of friends , and their livefeeds will be displayed on the left-hand side of the screen as you play the game .
You can create a party of up to 10 people in the app , though only four will appear in Fortnite .
( The most recently active will be displayed . )
This means you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardware to make things work .
In addition to a PC or PlayStation for the game itself , you ’ ll also need to have Houseparty running on an iOS or Android device to serve as your camera .
It may sound a bit clunky , but Epic says Houseparty users are already doing it , and this is simply an attempt to streamline the process .
In a nice touch , the Houseparty app will only display your face ; the camera will automatically snap to your face ( Epic says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google to power this ) and replace everything else with a colorful background .
If your face moves off camera , the feed won ’ t show anything but your background .
This was done in part for safety reasons but also to keep things focused .
The update makes a lot of sense considering Fortnite ’ s steady shift from third-person shooter to full-on social space .
Over the past year , Epic has expanded the game far beyond its battle royale origins with a violence-free social space called Party Royale and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerts .
Epic isn ’ t saying whether the feature is coming to other games , nor when it ’ ll be available in Fortnite on other platforms .

Soon, you’ll be able to see your friends while you play Fortnite together online. Epic is adding a new video chat feature to the battle royale game, where players can see livefeeds of their friends inside the game. It’s launching today, though initially, the feature will only be available on PC, PS4, and PS5.
The feature is powered by Houseparty, a chat app that Epic acquired last year. (Houseparty has powered Fortnite’s cross-platform voice chat since last September.) In order to utilize it, you’ll need to link your Epic and Houseparty accounts; after that’s done, you can enable a “Fortnite mode” in the app. When this happens, you can create a party of friends, and their livefeeds will be displayed on the left-hand side of the screen as you play the game. You can create a party of up to 10 people in the app, though only four will appear in Fortnite. (The most recently active will be displayed.)
This means you’ll need a few pieces of hardware to make things work. In addition to a PC or PlayStation for the game itself, you’ll also need to have Houseparty running on an iOS or Android device to serve as your camera. It may sound a bit clunky, but Epic says Houseparty users are already doing it, and this is simply an attempt to streamline the process.
In a nice touch, the Houseparty app will only display your face; the camera will automatically snap to your face (Epic says it uses face detection libraries from Apple and Google to power this) and replace everything else with a colorful background. If your face moves off camera, the feed won’t show anything but your background. This was done in part for safety reasons but also to keep things focused.
The update makes a lot of sense considering Fortnite’s steady shift from third-person shooter to full-on social space. Over the past year, Epic has expanded the game far beyond its battle royale origins with a violence-free social space called Party Royale and a steady stream of increasingly elaborate in-game concerts.


theverge--2020-11-18--T-Mobile’s TVision Home IPTV service is shutting down at the end of December

T-Mobile is shutting down TVision Home , its IPTV cable service that utilized technology from its 2017 acquisition of Layer3 .
The service will officially shut down on December 30th , 2020 at 3AM ET , according to an FAQ on the T-Mobile website .
TVision Home ’ s shutdown comes shortly after the November 1st launch of the company ’ s new live TV streaming service — which , confusingly , also uses the TVision brand .
The new TVision works via an app that ’ s available across many platforms and over a $ 50 4K Android TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a far more accessible way to access content than the TVision Home , which required a more traditional set-top box .
And while a TVision Home subscription cost $ 90 per month , the new TVision offers a number of more affordable bundles of channels , including one that ’ s just $ 10 per month .
If you ’ re currently a subscriber to the TVision Home cable service , T-Mobile says your subscription will be cancelled automatically when the service shuts down at the end of December .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while ( November 1st or earlier ) , T-Mobile will also offer you free access to two TVision tiers through June 30th , 2021 : the $ 60 per month TVision Live Zone bundle , which primarily offers news and sports ( including access to NFL RedZone ) , and the $ 10 per month TVision Vibe bundle , which has more entertainment-focused channels such as AMC , BET , HDTV , and Discovery .
Current TVision Home subscribers can also get a 20 percent discount on certain T-Mobile wireless plans .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to T-Mobile and Sprint subscribers ( not including pre-paid customers ) , and it won ’ t be available more widely until sometime in 2021 .

T-Mobile is shutting down TVision Home, its IPTV cable service that utilized technology from its 2017 acquisition of Layer3. The service will officially shut down on December 30th, 2020 at 3AM ET, according to an FAQ on the T-Mobile website.
TVision Home’s shutdown comes shortly after the November 1st launch of the company’s new live TV streaming service — which, confusingly, also uses the TVision brand. The new TVision works via an app that’s available across many platforms and over a $50 4K Android TV dongle that’s sold by T-Mobile — a far more accessible way to access content than the TVision Home, which required a more traditional set-top box. And while a TVision Home subscription cost $90 per month, the new TVision offers a number of more affordable bundles of channels, including one that’s just $10 per month.
If you’re currently a subscriber to the TVision Home cable service, T-Mobile says your subscription will be cancelled automatically when the service shuts down at the end of December.
If you’ve been a subscriber for a while (November 1st or earlier), T-Mobile will also offer you free access to two TVision tiers through June 30th, 2021: the $60 per month TVision Live Zone bundle, which primarily offers news and sports (including access to NFL RedZone), and the $10 per month TVision Vibe bundle, which has more entertainment-focused channels such as AMC, BET, HDTV, and Discovery. Current TVision Home subscribers can also get a 20 percent discount on certain T-Mobile wireless plans.


theverge--2020-11-18--Bandcamp adds ticketed live streams for virtual concerts

Bandcamp launched a ticketed live stream service for virtual concerts yesterday called Bandcamp Live .
The streaming service lets artists make money from live performances online , and may help some of the independent musicians who favor Bandcamp recoup money lost in canceled tours .
Artists will be able to set prices for tickets , notify followers when they go on sale , and offer a virtual merch table .
There ’ s also an optional chat for fans while they watch the show .
Any time a purchase is made , it will be announced in the chat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recoup lost ticket sales during the pandemic .
Bandcamp is using its existing store as a jumping-off point , by making it easier for artists to set up shows someplace they ’ re already selling their music .
This isn ’ t a complete streaming solution — any interested artist will still need broadcasting software such as OBS according to Live ’ s support pages .
And that might be the hurdle for artists : live streaming requires technical knowledge they might not have ; Bandcamp hasn ’ t done much to solve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide .
There ’ s also the problem of moderating the chats — Bandcamp hasn ’ t provided virtual bouncers for them .
Bandcamp Live is available now as a limited release , with the plan to bring it to more artists over the next few months .
Bandcamp says the service is free until March 31st , 2021 .
After that , it will take a 10 percent cut from each sale .

Bandcamp launched a ticketed live stream service for virtual concerts yesterday called Bandcamp Live. The streaming service lets artists make money from live performances online, and may help some of the independent musicians who favor Bandcamp recoup money lost in canceled tours.
Artists will be able to set prices for tickets, notify followers when they go on sale, and offer a virtual merch table. There’s also an optional chat for fans while they watch the show. Any time a purchase is made, it will be announced in the chat.
Artists have shifted to live streams to recoup lost ticket sales during the pandemic. Bandcamp is using its existing store as a jumping-off point, by making it easier for artists to set up shows someplace they’re already selling their music.
This isn’t a complete streaming solution — any interested artist will still need broadcasting software such as OBS according to Live’s support pages. And that might be the hurdle for artists: live streaming requires technical knowledge they might not have; Bandcamp hasn’t done much to solve this other than offer a thorough support guide. There’s also the problem of moderating the chats — Bandcamp hasn’t provided virtual bouncers for them.


theverge--2020-11-18--Wonder Woman 1984 will be released on HBO Max the same day it’s in theaters for no extra cost

One of 2020 ’ s last big blockbusters , Wonder Woman 1984 , will simultaneously be released in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25th .
A press release from Warner Bros. confirms the film will be available for one month , and premiere in theaters in international markets on December 16th .
After the one month period is over , the film will play exclusively in theaters , The Verge has learned at this time .
Following that , the film will enter a traditional windowing period .
That means it will head to digital retailers like Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way back to HBO Max .
Unlike Mulan , Wonder Woman 1984 won ’ t cost anything extra beyond the monthly subscription fee .
HBO Max subscribers will have the opportunity to watch the film directly from home .
The streaming service costs $ 14.99 a month .
The move comes as uncertainty grows over whether theaters will remain open as cases surge across the United States .
Even if they do remain open , however , it ’ s uncertain whether people will actually attend screenings .
This way , WarnerMedia can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give people around the world ( where HBO Max is not available ) the ability to watch it in theaters .
“ To provide a comparable , a little over four million fans in the U.S. enjoyed the first Wonder Woman movie on its opening day in 2017 , ” Jason Kilar , WarnerMedia CEO , wrote in a blog post , acknowledging issues brought on by the pandemic .
“ Is it possible for that to happen again this Christmas with Wonder Woman 1984 between theaters and HBO Max ?
” Recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Dune to October 1st , 2021 — a move many industry insiders saw coming when Warner Bros. first pushed Wonder Woman 1984 from its October 1st release date ( the most recent in a series of delays for the film from the studio ) to just after Dune ’ s initial scheduled release .
It didn ’ t make sense for Dune and Wonder Woman 1984 to compete with each other at the box office .
The announcement also comes just after theater chains Regal and Cineworld announced they would be shuttering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of 2020 .
Once MGM announced that No Time To Die , the latest James Bond movie , was going to move to 2021 , there weren ’ t many movie options left that would get people into theaters during the holiday season .
Disney delayed its anticipated Black Widow to 2021 .
Soul , the new film from Disney Pixar , also moved to Disney Plus .
Now , Wonder Woman 1984 will compete with Disney and Pixar ’ s Soul — just not at the box office .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two things this year : embracing direct-to-consumer options like streaming ( Disney Plus , Peacock , HBO Max ) and looking at 2020 as mostly a wash for the biggest films of the year .
As the world struggles to figure out when things might return to normal , Hollywood is figuring out when to gamble releasing its most expensive films , some of which would likely generate $ 1 billion at the box office in the Before Times .
“ We are committed to the theatrical experience and we believe giving exhibitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , ” Kilar wrote .
Warner Bros. learned a tough lesson with Christopher Nolan ’ s Tenet , a movie that performed well internationally but saw little return in the US as theaters in key markets like Los Angeles , New York City , and San Francisco remain closed .
The most difficult part for studio executives remains trying to figure out how people ’ s behavior might change , even when life starts to return to some normalcy .
Will people still venture out to theaters en masse to watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theaters reopen , if those theaters can survive until then ?
Nobody knows .
For now , if the movies slated to be released in 2021 keep their release dates , at least that ’ ll be a pretty packed year .
But nothing is certain in life anymore , and as we ’ ve learned from this year , movie release dates are especially uncertain .
Update November 18th 8:26pm ET : The story has been updated to include additional information from Warner Bros .

One of 2020’s last big blockbusters, Wonder Woman 1984, will simultaneously be released in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25th.
A press release from Warner Bros. confirms the film will be available for one month, and premiere in theaters in international markets on December 16th. After the one month period is over, the film will play exclusively in theaters, The Verge has learned at this time. Following that, the film will enter a traditional windowing period. That means it will head to digital retailers like Amazon and iTunes, before likely finding its way back to HBO Max.
Unlike Mulan, Wonder Woman 1984 won’t cost anything extra beyond the monthly subscription fee. HBO Max subscribers will have the opportunity to watch the film directly from home. The streaming service costs $14.99 a month. The move comes as uncertainty grows over whether theaters will remain open as cases surge across the United States. Even if they do remain open, however, it’s uncertain whether people will actually attend screenings. This way, WarnerMedia can boost its HBO Max subscribers and still give people around the world (where HBO Max is not available) the ability to watch it in theaters.
“To provide a comparable, a little over four million fans in the U.S. enjoyed the first Wonder Woman movie on its opening day in 2017,” Jason Kilar, WarnerMedia CEO, wrote in a blog post, acknowledging issues brought on by the pandemic. “Is it possible for that to happen again this Christmas with Wonder Woman 1984 between theaters and HBO Max?”
Recently, Warner Bros. moved Denis Villeneuve’s Dune to October 1st, 2021 — a move many industry insiders saw coming when Warner Bros. first pushed Wonder Woman 1984 from its October 1st release date (the most recent in a series of delays for the film from the studio) to just after Dune’s initial scheduled release. It didn’t make sense for Dune and Wonder Woman 1984 to compete with each other at the box office.
The announcement also comes just after theater chains Regal and Cineworld announced they would be shuttering all of their theaters essentially for the rest of 2020. Once MGM announced that No Time To Die, the latest James Bond movie, was going to move to 2021, there weren’t many movie options left that would get people into theaters during the holiday season. Disney delayed its anticipated Black Widow to 2021. Soul, the new film from Disney Pixar, also moved to Disney Plus. Now, Wonder Woman 1984 will compete with Disney and Pixar’s Soul — just not at the box office.
It’s apparent the film industry is doing two things this year: embracing direct-to-consumer options like streaming (Disney Plus, Peacock, HBO Max) and looking at 2020 as mostly a wash for the biggest films of the year. As the world struggles to figure out when things might return to normal, Hollywood is figuring out when to gamble releasing its most expensive films, some of which would likely generate $1 billion at the box office in the Before Times.
“We are committed to the theatrical experience and we believe giving exhibitors a movie of this nature is important right now,” Kilar wrote.
Warner Bros. learned a tough lesson with Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, a movie that performed well internationally but saw little return in the US as theaters in key markets like Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco remain closed. The most difficult part for studio executives remains trying to figure out how people’s behavior might change, even when life starts to return to some normalcy. Will people still venture out to theaters en masse to watch a new blockbuster movie as soon as theaters reopen, if those theaters can survive until then? Nobody knows.
For now, if the movies slated to be released in 2021 keep their release dates, at least that’ll be a pretty packed year. But nothing is certain in life anymore, and as we’ve learned from this year, movie release dates are especially uncertain.
Update November 18th 8:26pm ET: The story has been updated to include additional information from Warner Bros.


theverge--2020-11-18--Here’s how to run any iOS app you own on Apple’s new M1 Macs

Earlier today , MacRumors reported that it is possible to run any iOS app you have purchased on an M1-based Mac , provided you can get access to the right file .
Sure enough , if you ’ ve purchased or downloaded an app for your iPhone or iPad , it is possible to get it running on an M1-based Mac — I am currently looking at the iOS versions of Dark Sky , Spotify , Slack , Netflix , and Gmail on this MacBook Air .
Running some of these apps , it ’ s fairly clear in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately made them available for the Mac in the Mac App Store .
Netflix , for example , is bounded inside a window and can ’ t be resized or go full screen ( but it works , and you can even download videos for offline viewing ) .
Instagram is relatively small on the screen , but it also runs fine , you can post , and it seems to hook into the right photo library and camera permissions .
Many of these apps require Apple ’ s “ Touch Alternatives ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps running , you just need to get the app files , which are simply packages with the .IPA file extension .
And these files need to be associated with your Apple ID , so you can ’ t just share them around to other people .
A long time ago , IPA files were easy to find in an unencrypted iTunes backup , but that ’ s no longer the case .
Instead , you can use a long-standing Mac app called iMazing to directly download legitimately purchased IPA files to your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they install into your applications folder like any other app so long as your Mac and iPhone are on the same Apple ID .
We ’ re far for the first to discover this .
MacRumors reported it and the first place I can find confirmation is this post by redditor probablyamy , who also explained the step by step process .
Having run into some bugs myself with earlier versions of iOS apps ahead of the review , I will tell you that there are quite likely to be even more bugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these apps and possibly even with your macOS system .
This is more something to play around with than it is something you should consider for any important apps that you use .
Apple ’ s policy is that the only approved way to install iOS apps is to get them from the Mac App Store and the only way for developers to distribute iOS apps to Mac users is via that same store .
Which means this method may or may not continue to work down the line .

Editor’s note: as of January 15th, 2021, Apple has disabled this method of installing iOS apps, blocking ones that haven’t been approved by their developer to run on Macs with M1 chips. These instructions are no longer valid. Follow-up: as of January 19th, 2021, according to 9to5Mac, Apple reverted the change, and it’s once again possible to load the apps.
Earlier today, MacRumors reported that it is possible to run any iOS app you have purchased on an M1-based Mac, provided you can get access to the right file. Sure enough, if you’ve purchased or downloaded an app for your iPhone or iPad, it is possible to get it running on an M1-based Mac — I am currently looking at the iOS versions of Dark Sky, Spotify, Slack, Netflix, and Gmail on this MacBook Air.
Running some of these apps, it’s fairly clear in some cases why these developers haven’t immediately made them available for the Mac in the Mac App Store. Netflix, for example, is bounded inside a window and can’t be resized or go full screen (but it works, and you can even download videos for offline viewing). Instagram is relatively small on the screen, but it also runs fine, you can post, and it seems to hook into the right photo library and camera permissions. Many of these apps require Apple’s “Touch Alternatives” system to work.
Spotify’s iPad app, running on an M1 MacBook Air. It is resizable and seems to work just fine.
To get these apps running, you just need to get the app files, which are simply packages with the .IPA file extension. And these files need to be associated with your Apple ID, so you can’t just share them around to other people.
A long time ago, IPA files were easy to find in an unencrypted iTunes backup, but that’s no longer the case. Instead, you can use a long-standing Mac app called iMazing to directly download legitimately purchased IPA files to your Mac. Simply double click them and they install into your applications folder like any other app so long as your Mac and iPhone are on the same Apple ID.
After publication, an iMazing rep emailed to provide a statement from the parent company’s CEO, Gregorio Zanon. He points out that iMazing is primarily meant for backup and management workflows. He also makes it fairly clear that his company is not planning on being in the business of working out any future restrictions Apple may impose on iOS apps on the Mac.
“App management has been available in iMazing since November 2017. We did not do any particular adjustments to ensure that iOS apps exported from iMazing’s library would run on Apple Silicon Macs. It turns out that when developers choose whether or not to include their mobile app on the Mac App Store, no change is made to the app itself – the setting is purely a distribution toggle.
Hundreds of thousands of iMazing users depend on our app management feature to save bandwidth. Downloading an IPA just once and installing it multiple times saves time and energy, and is ecologically sound. We understand that developers wish to control which platforms their apps run on. We’re also hopeful that Apple can find a way to limit which OS can run a specific IPA without altogether removing our ability to download apps.”
We’re far for the first to discover this method. MacRumors reported it and the first place I can find confirmation is this post by redditor probablyamy, who also explained the step by step process.
1. Plug-in device to Mac with iMazing running
2. Select “Apps” for the iPhone plugged in to your Mac
3. Select “Manage Apps” in the tabs at the bottom
4. Select “Library” in the manage apps screen
5. Download the apps you want
6. Right click on the downloaded app in the list -> Export ipa
7. Double-click the .ipa file on an M1 Mac to run install it.
Having run into some bugs myself with earlier versions of iOS apps ahead of the review, I will tell you that there are quite likely to be even more bugs with this method — both inside some of these apps and possibly even with your macOS system. This is more something to play around with than it is something you should consider for any important apps that you use.
Apple’s policy is that the only approved way to install iOS apps is to get them from the Mac App Store and the only way for developers to distribute iOS apps to Mac users is via that same store. Which means this method may or may not continue to work down the line.


theverge--2020-11-18--Google’s new Gmail widget highlights the problems with iOS widgets

Google ’ s Gmail application has been updated for iOS 14 with a new widget — but it ’ s probably not the kind of Gmail widget you may have been hoping for .
Right now , there ’ s just a single iOS 14 Gmail widget that just does one thing : offer quick links to your inbox , the compose menu , or search .
There ’ s no real preview of your inbox content , no ability to triage mail through archiving or deleting without opening the app , or any way to read an incoming message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple “ unread ” counter , something that the app icon has already been capable of for years .
Part of that is on Google — other email apps , like Spark , have created more robust widgets .
But a big part of the blame lies on Apple ’ s shoulders , with its strict limitations on what iOS widgets can do .
Specifically , Apple ’ s widgets are designed to be non-interactive .
It ’ s why you can ’ t check off to-do list items on a reminder widget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widgets don ’ t offer simply play and pause controls .
As the company ’ s developer guidelines note : “ Widgets present read-only information and don ’ t support interactive elements such as scrolling elements or switches.
” Apple does offer the option for developers to allow widgets to keep themselves updated by periodically refreshing in the background , but it ’ s a far cry from allowing actually interactive elements .
It ’ s possible that Apple may relent on what it allows developers to do with widgets in future versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first iteration of the feature , after all .
But unless the company completely changes course on what kind of functionality it envisions widgets providing , it seems we ’ ll be stuck with these more limited widgets for the foreseeable future .

Google’s Gmail application has been updated for iOS 14 with a new widget — but it’s probably not the kind of Gmail widget you may have been hoping for.
Right now, there’s just a single iOS 14 Gmail widget that just does one thing: offer quick links to your inbox, the compose menu, or search. There’s no real preview of your inbox content, no ability to triage mail through archiving or deleting without opening the app, or any way to read an incoming message. The most interactive element is a simple “unread” counter, something that the app icon has already been capable of for years.
Part of that is on Google — other email apps, like Spark, have created more robust widgets. But a big part of the blame lies on Apple’s shoulders, with its strict limitations on what iOS widgets can do. Specifically, Apple’s widgets are designed to be non-interactive. It’s why you can’t check off to-do list items on a reminder widget or why the Spotify or Apple Music widgets don’t offer simply play and pause controls.
As the company’s developer guidelines note: “Widgets present read-only information and don’t support interactive elements such as scrolling elements or switches.” Apple does offer the option for developers to allow widgets to keep themselves updated by periodically refreshing in the background, but it’s a far cry from allowing actually interactive elements.


theverge--2020-11-18--YouTube will run ads on some creator videos, but it won’t give them any of the revenue

Starting today , YouTube will begin running ads on some creators ’ videos , but it won ’ t give them a portion of the ad revenue because they ’ re not big enough to be enrolled in its Partner Program .
When advertisements run on YouTube videos , those creators typically receive a portion of the revenue through their role in YouTube ’ s Partner Program .
With the new monetization rules , a creator who is not in the partner program “ may see ads on some of your videos , ” according to an update to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prior to the update , YouTube says these videos only received ads in limited circumstances , like if they were monetized by a record label as part of a copyright claim .
The update will mostly affect smaller creators without a huge viewership ; YouTube ’ s Partner Program requires creators to have accrued 4,000 total hours of watch time over the last 12 months and have more than 1,000 subscribers .
Advertising is big business for YouTube and its parent company , Google , with the video site generating $ 5 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also a big deal for creators , who may rely on the site ’ s payouts to support themselves .
Now , YouTube will be able to run more ads on its platform and won ’ t have to pay a number of creators in the process .
The company confirmed to The Verge that ads will still not run on videos from non-partnered creators that center on sensitive topics .
These include politics , religion , alcohol , and gambling .
The news did not go over well with members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s relationship with YouTube over advertising revenue has been fraught for years .
In late 2016 and early 2017 , YouTube creators who were in the Partner Program were hit by a sudden drop in advertising revenue as the platform struggled to contain disturbing children ’ s videos and other harmful content .
Then in 2018 , the Logan Paul incident led to changes to the Partner Program and more difficulty for creators to start earning revenue .
YouTube didn ’ t say how many creators will see ads run on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the company confirmed channels of all sizes may see ads appear .
The company will monitor the impact on creators .

Starting today, YouTube will begin running ads on some creators’ videos, but it won’t give them a portion of the ad revenue because they’re not big enough to be enrolled in its Partner Program.
When advertisements run on YouTube videos, those creators typically receive a portion of the revenue through their role in YouTube’s Partner Program. With the new monetization rules, a creator who is not in the partner program “may see ads on some of your videos,” according to an update to the platform’s Terms of Service.
Prior to the update, YouTube says these videos only received ads in limited circumstances, like if they were monetized by a record label as part of a copyright claim. The update will mostly affect smaller creators without a huge viewership; YouTube’s Partner Program requires creators to have accrued 4,000 total hours of watch time over the last 12 months and have more than 1,000 subscribers.
Advertising is big business for YouTube and its parent company, Google, with the video site generating $5 billion in the last quarter alone. Advertising is also a big deal for creators, who may rely on the site’s payouts to support themselves. Now, YouTube will be able to run more ads on its platform and won’t have to pay a number of creators in the process. The company confirmed to The Verge that ads will still not run on videos from non-partnered creators that center on sensitive topics. These include politics, religion, alcohol, and gambling.
The news did not go over well with members of the YouTube community. The creator community’s relationship with YouTube over advertising revenue has been fraught for years. In late 2016 and early 2017, YouTube creators who were in the Partner Program were hit by a sudden drop in advertising revenue as the platform struggled to contain disturbing children’s videos and other harmful content. Then in 2018, the Logan Paul incident led to changes to the Partner Program and more difficulty for creators to start earning revenue.


theverge--2020-11-18--Star Wars: Squadrons will add B-wing and TIE Defender in December update

Star Wars : Squadrons is getting some major additions in the coming months : a new map and ship parts will roll out in an update on November 25th , while a December update will add two brand-new ships — the fan-favorite B-wing and TIE Defender starfighters — to the game .
The B-wing will be classified as a bomber-class ship for the New Republic faction , while the TIE Defender will be a fighter-class craft for the Empire .
The two ships won ’ t just replace the existing Y-wing bomber and TIE Fighter ships , though .
Per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still going to be good reasons to pick a Y-wing over a B-wing or a TIE fighter over a TIE defender and vice versa .
It ’ ll depend on your playstyle and what the situation calls for.
” Both ships will be playable in VR , complete with their unique designs and layouts — including the B-wing ’ s rotating cockpit mechanism .
The new ships should also help add new dimensions to the multiplayer mode , given that they effectively serve as new “ characters ” for the team-based gameplay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ map is a surprise , to be sure , but a welcome one for Squadrons players , given that Ian Frazier , the game ’ s creative director , had commented in an interview with UploadVR at the game ’ s launch , “ You ’ ve paid the $ 40 , this is the game and it ’ s entirely self-contained .
We ’ re not planning to add more content , this is the game , and we hope you understand the value proposition .
”

Star Wars: Squadrons is getting some major additions in the coming months: a new map and ship parts will roll out in an update on November 25th, while a December update will add two brand-new ships — the fan-favorite B-wing and TIE Defender starfighters — to the game.
The B-wing will be classified as a bomber-class ship for the New Republic faction, while the TIE Defender will be a fighter-class craft for the Empire. The two ships won’t just replace the existing Y-wing bomber and TIE Fighter ships, though. Per the announcement, “There’s still going to be good reasons to pick a Y-wing over a B-wing or a TIE fighter over a TIE defender and vice versa. It’ll depend on your playstyle and what the situation calls for.”
Both ships will be playable in VR, complete with their unique designs and layouts — including the B-wing’s rotating cockpit mechanism. The new ships should also help add new dimensions to the multiplayer mode, given that they effectively serve as new “characters” for the team-based gameplay.


theverge--2020-11-18--Sunshine Contacts is an invite-only address book app from Marissa Mayer’s new startup

Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has just revealed her first major product since stepping down back in 2017 : a new contact management application for iOS devices called Sunshine Contacts .
Sunshine Contacts is the first product from Mayer ’ s Sunshine startup ( previously known as Lumi Labs ) , and it promises to be “ the world ’ s most advanced , intuitive contact manager.
” Sunshine ’ s goal is to unify and simplify your contacts across Apple ’ s Contacts app and Gmail , pulling down your data from those sources and combining it with publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the app promises to help organize and clean up your contacts , filling in missing chunks of information , and deleting duplicate entries .
Then , it can sync that information back to your contact app and help continue to keep it updated over time .
Sunshine also offers more granular settings for sharing contacts , allowing users to share more specific personal information ( for close friends ) for more general information , or a professional card that includes less information for business contacts .
These are all good ideas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first app to try to figure out a better way to manage contacts .
There was Cobook in 2012 , Brewster in 2014 , FullContact in 2015 , Cardhop in 2017 — just to name a few .
It ’ s not entirely clear what Sunshine is offering here that past efforts at simplifying and unifying contacts haven ’ t done in the past .
The company doesn ’ t need to figure that out now .
Sunshine Contacts is launching as a free service , and while there are plans to offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s no real downside in trying it out , assuming you can get in .
Right now , the app is launching as an invite-only service ( taking a page from other buzzy startups , like Superhuman ) , so Sunshine will be able to closely manage how many users it has to support .
While a contact syncing service might seem to be a little small for Mayer ’ s first post-Yahoo project , Sunshine ’ s goals are beyond just one app : in an interview with Wired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create a suite of “ smart , small-scale sharing ” products over time , of which Sunshine Contacts is expected to just be the start .
Update November 18th , 5:25pm : Lumi Labs — the former name of Mayer ’ s startup — has been renamed to Sunshine alongside the launch of the app .

Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has just revealed her first major product since stepping down back in 2017: a new contact management application for iOS devices called Sunshine Contacts.
Sunshine Contacts is the first product from Mayer’s Sunshine startup (previously known as Lumi Labs), and it promises to be “the world’s most advanced, intuitive contact manager.”
Sunshine’s goal is to unify and simplify your contacts across Apple’s Contacts app and Gmail, pulling down your data from those sources and combining it with publicly available information. At the same time, the app promises to help organize and clean up your contacts, filling in missing chunks of information, and deleting duplicate entries. Then, it can sync that information back to your contact app and help continue to keep it updated over time.
Sunshine also offers more granular settings for sharing contacts, allowing users to share more specific personal information (for close friends) for more general information, or a professional card that includes less information for business contacts.
These are all good ideas, but Sunshine is by no means the first app to try to figure out a better way to manage contacts. There was Cobook in 2012, Brewster in 2014, FullContact in 2015, Cardhop in 2017 — just to name a few. It’s not entirely clear what Sunshine is offering here that past efforts at simplifying and unifying contacts haven’t done in the past.
The company doesn’t need to figure that out now. Sunshine Contacts is launching as a free service, and while there are plans to offer more premium paid features down the line, there’s no real downside in trying it out, assuming you can get in. Right now, the app is launching as an invite-only service (taking a page from other buzzy startups, like Superhuman), so Sunshine will be able to closely manage how many users it has to support.
While a contact syncing service might seem to be a little small for Mayer’s first post-Yahoo project, Sunshine’s goals are beyond just one app: in an interview with Wired, Mayer says that the company hopes to create a suite of “smart, small-scale sharing” products over time, of which Sunshine Contacts is expected to just be the start.


theverge--2020-11-19--Hitman developers are working on a James Bond game

IO Interactive , the developer behind the Hitman series , is working on a James Bond video game , it @ @ @ @ @ came with a short teaser today for “ Project 007 , ” a new game @ @ @ @ @ and computer screen near you.
” The Danish studio is best known for the stealth @ @ @ @ @ Kane and Lynch games — arguably the two genres that would best encompass any James @ @ @ @ @ collaborating with MGM , Eon Productions , and Delphi to create a “ wholly original @ @ @ @ @ video game.
” The game is currently in active development for “ modern systems and @ @ @ @ @ statement , IO CEO Hakan Abrak called it “ the most ambitious game in the @ @ @ @ @ IO released its last game , Hitman 2 , in 2018 .
Hitman 3 is @ @ @ @

IO Interactive, the developer behind the Hitman series, is working on a James Bond video game, it announced today. The news came with a short teaser today for “Project 007,” a new game coming to “a console and computer screen near you.”
The Danish studio is best known for the stealth series Hitman and third-person shooter Kane and Lynch games — arguably the two genres that would best encompass any James Bond story. IO is collaborating with MGM, Eon Productions, and Delphi to create a “wholly original Bond story exclusively as a video game.” The game is currently in active development for “modern systems and platforms.”
In a prepared statement, IO CEO Hakan Abrak called it “the most ambitious game in the history of our studio.”


theverge--2020-11-19--Simon Stålenhag’s retro-futuristic art comes to life in his directorial debut

Simon Stålenhag has been on a roll recently .
Earlier this year , Amazon adapted his book Tales from the Loop into a series .
Last month , he kickstarted a new book called The Labyrinth .
Now , he ’ s making his directorial debut with the music video for “ Geronimo , ” a single off of Duvchi ’ s forthcoming album , This Kind of Ocean , for which he also made the cover art .
The video stars a robotic penguin-man ( named Hector ) playing an antique piano covered in artistic graffiti curiously sitting alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few minutes , we are treated to a wonderful mix of the evocative visuals Stålenhag is known for and the melodies from Duvchi and singer Nadia Nair , who is featured on the track .
The video feels like a natural extension of Stålenhag ’ s style .
Like his paintings , it offers a snapshot of a bigger world — taking a frame and expanding on it without ever losing the spark of imagination a still image can provide .
One of the reasons Stålenhag ’ s works are so popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blank .
Yes , lots of his paintings are accompanied by stories written by Stålenhag himself , but they don ’ t need that .
On their own , they ’ re so evocative that it ’ s easy to invent your own story .
And “ Geronimo ” successfully takes that approach and adds to it .
It ’ s more a painting in motion than an episode of Tales from the Loop .
“ I ’ m thinking a lot [ about ] how to extend the timeframe of something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as static as possible , without making it boring ?
” Stålenhag told The Verge over Zoom .
“ It ’ s like a deal you ’ re making with the audience : if they believe they are going to get some explanation and they don ’ t get it , then they ’ re bored .
But if you can negotiate this , why [ the viewer is ] spending time with this , I think you can do anything.
” “ You could interpret it as being postapocalyptic or an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as it turns out , are the perfect medium for that kind of open-ended approach .
“ People don ’ t expect an explanation .
It ’ s a nice arena to dip your toes into the water , ” he said .
It ’ s easy to find yourself imagining a world in which “ Geronimo ” takes place .
There ’ s something about the interaction of old machinery mysteriously built to interact with its surroundings that comes across as comforting and familiar .
For me , it immediately recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You could interpret it as being postapocalyptic or an ancient or timeless place , ” Stålenhag said .
“ Or , as the way I thought about it , this is actually the quarry in this little community .
He could just walk out of the quarry and go down to the local pizza place.
” The combination of live action and CG helps sell the mix of nature and machine .
Duvchi was the stand-in for Hector and actually played the piano to get a nuanced performance .
As with so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything was made to feel aged .
The piano , an actual antique discovered in a warehouse , was spray-painted by Stålenhag and Duvchi with tags meant to be from the late ’ 90s .
“ There ’ s a lot of Easter eggs , ” Stålenhag said .
“ There ’ s like the Nirvana logo on the top .
I think the Sega logo is also on the lid.
” You can watch the video here and see more of the art made by Stålenhag for Duvchi ’ s This Kind @ @ @ @

Simon Stålenhag has been on a roll recently. Earlier this year, Amazon adapted his book Tales from the Loop into a series. Last month, he kickstarted a new book called The Labyrinth. Now, he’s making his directorial debut with the music video for “Geronimo,” a single off of Duvchi’s forthcoming album, This Kind of Ocean, for which he also made the cover art.
The video stars a robotic penguin-man (named Hector) playing an antique piano covered in artistic graffiti curiously sitting alone in a scenic quarry. Over the next few minutes, we are treated to a wonderful mix of the evocative visuals Stålenhag is known for and the melodies from Duvchi and singer Nadia Nair, who is featured on the track.
The video feels like a natural extension of Stålenhag’s style. Like his paintings, it offers a snapshot of a bigger world — taking a frame and expanding on it without ever losing the spark of imagination a still image can provide. One of the reasons Stålenhag’s works are so popular is that they let you fill in the blank. Yes, lots of his paintings are accompanied by stories written by Stålenhag himself, but they don’t need that. On their own, they’re so evocative that it’s easy to invent your own story. And “Geronimo” successfully takes that approach and adds to it. It’s more a painting in motion than an episode of Tales from the Loop.
“I’m thinking a lot [about] how to extend the timeframe of something. How can I keep it painterly, as static as possible, without making it boring?” Stålenhag told The Verge over Zoom. “It’s like a deal you’re making with the audience: if they believe they are going to get some explanation and they don’t get it, then they’re bored. But if you can negotiate this, why [the viewer is] spending time with this, I think you can do anything.”
“You could interpret it as being postapocalyptic or an ancient or timeless place”
Music videos, as it turns out, are the perfect medium for that kind of open-ended approach. “People don’t expect an explanation. It’s a nice arena to dip your toes into the water,” he said.
It’s easy to find yourself imagining a world in which “Geronimo” takes place. There’s something about the interaction of old machinery mysteriously built to interact with its surroundings that comes across as comforting and familiar. For me, it immediately recalled the worlds of Myst and Riven.
“You could interpret it as being postapocalyptic or an ancient or timeless place,” Stålenhag said. “Or, as the way I thought about it, this is actually the quarry in this little community. He could just walk out of the quarry and go down to the local pizza place.”
A piece of artwork from the album. Photo by Simon Stålenhag
The combination of live action and CG helps sell the mix of nature and machine. Duvchi was the stand-in for Hector and actually played the piano to get a nuanced performance. As with so many of Stålenhag’s works, everything was made to feel aged. The piano, an actual antique discovered in a warehouse, was spray-painted by Stålenhag and Duvchi with tags meant to be from the late ’90s.
“There’s a lot of Easter eggs,” Stålenhag said. “There’s like the Nirvana logo on the top. I think the Sega logo is also on the lid.”