AirPower Mat Announced
Apple will release a wireless charging station next year called the AirPower mat.
The charging pad will support iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and AirPods. The AirPower mat will work with up to three of these devices at a time by placing them on the surface.
Apple revealed the AirPower mat today, which can charge three devices at the same time. It's set to release next year.
New Star Wars: Episode IX Release Date Announced
Star Wars: Episode IX will now be released on December 20, 2019, Lucasfilm announced today.
Lucasfilm previously dated Episode IX for a May 24, 2019 release date earlier this year.
The altered release date comes on the same day Lucasfilm confirmed that J.J. Abrams will now take over directorial duties on the upcoming Star Wars film, following in his work as director on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Abrams will co-write Episode IX alongside Chris Terrio.
Marvel’s The Punisher: New Photos Released
Netflix has released a new set of photos for Marvel's The Punisher series and they provide a different look at Frank Castle and his supporting cast.
Among the new images is one featuring Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) in a military outfit while another has him teaming up with Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), who has previously been confirmed for the series. Check out an image gallery of the new photos below.
Netflix also released a new poster featuring The Punisher's/Frank Castle's iconic skull logo.
Marvel's The Punisher will reportedly premiere in November. IGN had a chance to see footage of the show during San Diego Comic-Con 2017.
iPhone X Announced
The iPhone X is a new, high-tech smartphone that'll be available on November 3 (pre-orders open on October 27) starting at $999 USD, Apple announced today.
Apple's newest iPhone stretches the screen across the entire Super Retina Display that features OLED technology. The home button has been removed and instead uses a side button to activate Siri and a touch function (or raise the device) to wake the iPhone X. To get to the home screen, users can swipe up from the bottom.
The iPhone X uses Face ID, a new program that recognizes the iPhone owner's face, to unlock the device. It "learns your face" with the TrueDepth camera system, and requires the user to have their eyes open and attention on the iPhone to unlock. Apple said that there's a one in a million chance that another person could unlock someone's iPhone X with Face ID. Users can still use a traditional passcode to unlock the iPhone X.
iPhone 8 Officially Revealed
Apple has finally unveiled the eighth generation of its flagship iPhone device: the iPhone 8.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were revealed during Apple's September 12 event, featuring a new Retina HD display, a 4.7-inch screen for the regular iPhone and a 5.5-inch screen for the 8 Plus. These displays include True Tone, which adapts the color and temperature to ambient light. The new iPhones will be available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold colors.
The iPhone 8's price will start at $699 for the 64GB model — and increase from there based on increased storage space — and the iPhone 8 Plus will start at $799 for 64GB. It will be available for preorder on September 15 and available to buy on September 22. iOS 11 will be available for all iPhone users on September 19.
Journey Developer Thatgamecompany Reveals Sky
At today's Apple event, Thatgamecompany revealed its follow-up to Journey, titled Sky.
Thatgamecompany CEO Jenova Chen took the stage to showcase the first footage of what he called a "romantic social adventure game." You play as the children of light, with a goal of bringing light to where it’s needed the most.
CHECK OUT THE FIRST TRAILER FOR SKY BELOW.
On their official blog, Thatgamecompany wrote "If you can imagine the delight of visiting a theme park where lasting memories are made, we envision Sky will sometimes feel like that."
Sky supports up to 8 players, and the entire game can be controlled with a single finger. It will launch first on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad this winter.
New Apple TV With 4K Streaming Announced
Apple has announced its latest refresh of the Apple TV device, which will now feature 4K streaming options.
In addition to 4K streaming support, Apple touted the device will also support High Dynamic Range (HDR). The Apple TV is running on the A10X processor, the same chip that powers the iPad pro, with a reported 2x faster CPU, and 4x faster GPU.
Apple announced that all applicable movies already purchased on your account will be updated to 4K versions to support the new device, and there will be no difference in price between the two versions moving forward.
For the first time, AppleTV will also offer live sports, including the current score of the game on the menu as you're selecting what to watch.
Apple Watch Series 3 Announced
Apple has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 3 during its September 12 event.
Watch Series 3 has cellular built in to this new generation of Apple's wearables, freeing wearers from needing to carry their phone with them as well. Series 3 will also be able to stream Apple Music directly from the device.
With cellular, the Series 3 will be $399, and without the new Watch will cost $329. Series 1 will now cost $249. Orders will begin on September 15, while the Series 3 will be officially available to buy on September 22.
"We believe built-in cellular makes Series 3 the ultimate expression of Apple Watch," Jeff Williams said during Apple's event.
The Series 3 line also has a custom-designed wi-fi chip, which is said to be 50 percent more energy efficient and will deliver 85 percent faster wi-fi. It also will include a new dual-core processor that Apple claims is 70 percent faster than that of the Series 2, as well as a built-in barometric altimeter. New Series 3 watches are the same size as the Watch Series 2.
Play Like a Pro with One of the Best Fight Sticks
The stock gamepad is pretty great for most Xbox One and PS4 games, but for fighting games, you really want an arcade-style fight stick. Not only do you get the requisite number of buttons to mash, in the correct form factor, but they can take a lot of punishment and give you more precision than the standard, hand-held controller that came with your console. Quick movements and rapid button presses are what fighting sticks are made for, and who doesn't love a good old joystick?
Big box stores and your favorite online retailers are swimming with options, so it can be tough to know where to start. If you need a little guidance, here are the best fighting sticks to get you started.
Echo May Be Hitman Meets Gone Home
At first glance Echo, a third-person stealth game from some of the developers behind Hitman, seems straightforward enough: You sneak around choking out patrols while trying to covertly complete an objective. But when I asked game director Martin Emborg about why every enemy looks like you and what the deal with this beautiful white mansion we were sneaking around was, it became clear there’s more going on than just another stealth game.
The clearest twist from the classic Hitman formula shown so far is the way its enemies learn from your actions. Whenever you do anything – vaulting walls, killing guards, or even just stopping to eat a grape – it’s logged and remembered by the AI. After you do enough actions, the room goes dark, all the enemies are rebooted, and they learn know how to do whatever you’ve done since the last blackout.