The OnePlus 7 Pro takes the “never settle” formula of past OnePlus devices and goes even further. It brings a powerful three-camera system, a super-smoother 90Hz display at a sharp QHD+ resolution, and delivers top-level speeds all while keeping the price down to just $669. Here’s all that the OnePlus 7 Pro has to offer.
A top-notch display without the notch
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s display is truly special. It’s not just sharp, but also smooth. With a QHD+ resolution AMOLED panel, its visuals are crisp and offer high contrast. But, thanks to the 90Hz refresh rate, scrolling and animations are also incredibly smooth for a new level of responsiveness. All that, and there’s not notch at the top of the screen to cut into the viewing experience — it’s all screen.
Triple cameras for extra flexibility
The OnePlus 7 Pro has a camera for every occasion. The new three-sensor system offers focal lengths ranging from 16mm to 78mm, giving you the flexibility you need to get that exact picture. It can take ultra-wide photos, high-res standard photos, or even zoom in 3x for powerful close-ups without any of the typical quality reduction you’d get from digital zoom. And, the cameras can work together for advanced background blurring effects in still images.
A pop-up selfie camera just when you need it
The OnePlus 7 Pro pulled off the all-screen display by hiding the front-facing camera inside the phone body. When you want to take a selfie, the 16MP front-facing camera slides up from the top of the phone in half a second. Some might worry about its durability, but OnePlus has tested its survival. It can 49 pounds pulling down on it and it can pop out 150 times a day for five years — OnePlus says it’s good for 300,000 times — without breaking. It even knows when the phone is falling and automatically retracts.
OnePlus 7 Pro is built for speed
When we mentioned that the OnePlus 7 Pro was speedy, we didn’t just mean its display. It comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset for some of the fastest performance from an Android smartphone. The octa-core processor that offers up to 45% faster performance and 20% less power drain than the earlier generation chipset.
Ensuring your phone can keep running all its apps smoothly, the OnePlus 7 Pro also comes with up to 12GB of RAM to allow up to 64 apps to run simultaneously. Say goodbye to apps needing to reload when you switch back and forth between them.
Your apps, videos, and files will load quickly, too, thanks to the new UFS 3.0 storage standard. Reading and writing to the drive is sped up by up to 79%. So, get ready for every single thing to feel that much snappier.
A battery that’s slow to drain and quick to charge
All of this is powered by the largest battery ever in a OnePlus smartphone. The 4,000mAh cell will last all day. And when you’re going extra hard and need a top up, Warp Charge 3.0 is ready and waiting.
Warp Charge is now faster than ever before, and charging speeds are up 38% over previous OnePlus devices. Now, you only need to charge for 20 minutes to get a 50% charge!
The OnePlus 7 Pro has a lot of screen and a lot of power, so it’s naturally got a lot of battery. It packs a 4,000mAh battery to last through the whole day with ease. And, when the battery does get low, all it takes is a few minutes to pump plenty of life back into it.
The phone uses the new Warp Charge 30 technology. In just 20 minutes, Warp Charge 30 can recharge the OnePlus 7 Pro up to 50%. So, if you ever forget to charge overnight, you can plug it during breakfast or a morning shower and know you’re good for the day.
All that and still a low price
While all the specs of the OnePlus 7 Pro may sound like what you’d find in a $1,000 phone, OnePlus isn’t charging nearly that much. OnePlus 7 Pro models start at just $669 and max out at only $749.
The OnePlus 7 Pro comes in Nebula Blue and Mirror Gray with an Almond color coming in June. Here’s the breakdown of the different models and prices:
You can get the OnePlus 7 Pro at OnePlus.com and in T-Mobile stores throughout the US. T-Mobile is the only carrier offering the OnePlus 7 Pro, and it has a 0% down, 0% interest deal on offer for customers.
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Jaguar Land Rover has come up with a novel solution to the problem of distracted drivers: a 'sensory' steering wheel that changes temperature to tell you when it's time to turn.
Heated steering wheels have been around for years, making driving in winter a much more pleasant experience, and JLR's wheel uses the same technology, rapidly heating and cooling to provide an alternative to on-screen directions that allows you to keep your eyes on the road.
Whereas some of JLR's recent innovations have been a little wacky (self-driving pods with googly eyes come to mind), the sensory steering wheel (created in partnership with Glasgow University) is a practical solution to a serious problem.
According to the United States Department of Transportation, distracted driving is responsible for 10% of fatal car accidents in the US, and there's a danger that modern cars (which are sometimes fitted with huge infotainment screens in preparation for fully autonomous driving) could worsen the problem.
A new direction
Spoken directions aren't helpful in noisy situations, and JLR's research has found that making the wheel vibrate can be too attention-grabbing.
"Research has shown people readily understand the heating and cooling dynamics to denote directions and the subtlety of temperature change can be perfect for certain feedback that doesn’t require a more intrusive audio or vibration-based cue," said Alexandros Mouzakitis, Jaguar Land Rover electrical research senior manager.
At Computex 2019, major tech companies are showing off their newest products and visions for the future of computing. Microsoft is also sharing its vision for the future in a blog post that highlights the path forward for the future of Windows 10 – or another operating system (OS) entirely.
Microsoft noted many features that would need to be central to what it calls "Modern OS." One quality-of-life feature is seamless updates for the OS, which would automatically download and install in the background. They wouldn't require any interruption to users, as past Microsoft updates have required a system restart and usually entail a lengthy installation process.
The tech giant also wants the OS to be secure by default, with key aspects of the computer walled in. It would keep the OS, applications and compute components separate from one another to defend against attacks.
This is particularly important, as these devices would also be always connected, whether that's through Wi-Fi or a cellular 5G connection.
That constant connection the the internet is important, because many experiences will be powered by cloud computing servers. Microsoft sees its servers as a tool to not only support the cloud as most of us know it today, effectively online storage, but as an added resource for computing power.
With artificial intelligence (AI) backing these cloud-connected experiences, Microsoft believes the Modern OS would help users get things done and keep organized. The connections between devices would also be important, as phones, laptops and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices would also be linked, sharing data between one another.
A mouse and keyboard would be less important in the Modern OS, as it would be "multi-sense." This means it would accept voice, touch, gaze and pen input just as well as more traditional inputs.
Microsoft also wants the Modern OS to be more adaptable to conform to the different visions of manufacturers. Many system makers have shown off imaginative new designs for computers, and the new OS would need to adapt to new features, like secondary screens above the keyboard or foldable displays.
Bethesda granted the wishes of Elder Scrolls fans everywhere when studio boss Todd Howard confirmed at E3 2018 that the developer is working on the highly-anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6.
Although we only got a glimpse at a short teaser trailer, rumors immediately started about where the latest Elder Scrolls title will be set, when it will release and when we will hear more.
So we've gathered and assessed all the news and rumors about The Elder Scrolls 6 in this handy guide. Here's everything you need to know.
[Update:The Redfall trademark dispute, which had the potential to effect the development of The Elder Scrolls 6, has now come to an end. Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase
What is it? The highly anticipated sequel to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
When can I play it? Not soon
What can I play it on? PC is a safe bet, as well as the latest console generations
Elder Scrolls 6 release date – when can I play it?
We might as well get the bad news out of the way first – you’re not likely to be playing The Elder Scrolls 6 any time soon. The good news, however, is that it’s been confirmed you will be able to...eventually.
The game was confirmed during Bethesda's E3 2018 conference but nothing more than a logo was given. We don't even have a subtitle or a release year. Todd Howard said that the game will be coming after Starfield, the company's next big IP. That means Elder Scrolls 6 could be years away.
In addition, Youtuber SkullziTV (via GamesRadar) has been looking into the challenges Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax faces with regards to the Redfall trademark it has applied for. According to SkullziTV, if the two parties don't come to an agreement, we won't be seeing any mentions of Redfall (aka the rumored name of the upcoming Elder Scrolls game) until at least 2021.
Elder Scrolls 6 trailer – when can I watch it?
The only footage we have of Elder Scrolls 6 is a very short clip of the game's logo. Other than that, you might be waiting a while to see more.
Here's the announcement trailer:
Elder Scrolls 6 rumors
The trademark dispute has been resolved
ZeniMax Media's dispute with Bookbreeze over the trademark of Redfall has now been resolved. Bethesda's parent company had attempted to trademark the name back in 2018 leading fans to believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 could finally have a name. Redfall is also, however, the name of a science fiction series published by Bookbreeze so the claim was naturally contested in February 2019.
The resolution is reported (via Gamasutra) as being amicable and "mutually beneficial" for both parties but it remains confidential. If Redfall is to be a focus for The Elder Scrolls 6, which isn't confirmed, progress can now continue to the relief of anxious fans.
It may be called the Elder Scrolls 6: Redfall
Bethesda may have trademarked the name for the Elder Scrolls 6. According to a report by Newsweek, ZeniMax Media (Bethesda's parent company) filed a new trademark for 'Redfall' which the company stated was for a 'computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles'.
It's nothing solid, but there's a slim chance the new Elder Scrolls will be called Elder Scrolls 6: Redfall. Redditors are speculating the name is linked to the Redfall location in Tamriel or to the Redguard race in Elder Scrolls, however Bethesda has not confirmed or denied anything.
Elder Scrolls 6 news
Elder Scrolls 6 likely won't be appearing at E3
Although Elder Scrolls 6 was a big highlight of E3 2018, it won’t be making any kind of appearance at Bethesda’s E3 2019 conference. During a PAX East Panel celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Elder Scrolls franchise, when asked about Elder Scrolls 6 and some of the new tech being used in its development, Todd Howard said that Bethesda's highly anticipated titles Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield (which is slated for release first) are "going to be a long time! It’s not something we’re going to be talking about, either of those games, at E3 this year, and so patience, please”.
Of course, talking about the game in any detail and showing another teasing trailer to round off the show (maybe one confirming that pesky name) are different things and we're sure fans will hold onto some hope of another nod, no matter how small, during the conference this year.
Photogrammetry technology will be used
In that 25th anniversary panel which dashed the E3 dreams of so many, Bethesda did at the very least give fans a glimpse of some of the technology that will be used in the development of The Elder Scrolls 6. We got a peek at the use of photogrammetry which involves scanning real-life objects and environments to bring them into the game in detailed 3D. The technology will make its first outing in Starfield before the latest iteration is used for Elder Scrolls.
Skyrim Grandma will be making an appearance
Speaking of photogrammetry, beloved YouTube star and Skyrim player Shirley Curry, known as Skyrim Grandma by her fans, has announced on Twitter that she’ll be making an appearance in the Elder Scrolls 6. In the above 25th Anniversary video we even got a glimpse of what could well be her character being created using the latest photogrammetry technology.
Redfall trademark dispute
While fans wait with bated breath for more news on The Elder Scrolls 6, a legal battle between Bethesda's parent company ZeniMaz Media and BookBreeze.com has potentially been putting a spanner in the works. But an agreement might be on the horizon.
This legal battle has been going on for a while, with Bookbreeze.com (aka author Jay Falconer) disputing ZeniMax filing a new trademark for 'Redfall', which the company stated was for "computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles".
In other words, it's possible that this could be the name of the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 game – due to the Redfall location in Tamriel, or the Redguard race in Elder Scrolls.
However Falconer claims that he has already developed a brand under the Redfall name and, according to a blog post, is disputing ZeniMax's filing "to protect what I feel is my ownership of the brand, and to protect my right to sell books (print, ebook, and audiobook) and the movie/film rights".
"I want all of you to know I'm not trying to stop the game nor am I trying to get any money from the game. I want nothing from the game at all," Falconer wrote. "I’m only trying to protect my ability to keep selling my books. This is simply a dispute over a trademark name. Nothing more. It’s not a cash grab – I want nothing from them and it should in no way hold up any game.
"With that said, we can avoid the USPTO all together and find a no-cost resolution once all parties have a conversation. We just need to have that conversation. I’m ready and willing and open to whatever resolution makes sense."
However, as spotted by our sister site GamesRadar, an agreement may be in the works. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Redfall trademark application documents state that ZeniMax has requested the dates to be pushed back a month as the “parties are engaged in settlement discussions”.
According to GamesRadar's research, those settlement discussions are likely being used to avoid a long trademark dispute, which would prevent us hearing any more information about The Elder Scrolls 6's official title until 2021.
According to GamesRadar, settlement discussions could mean one of three things:
Both parties agree to enter into a coexistence agreement, which allows them both to use the Redfall name (ZeniMax would have to pay out to Falconer).
ZeniMax withdraws the application but enters into a license agreement (paying a fee) to Falconer.
ZeniMax pays a one-off sum for Falconer to withdraw his opposition.
Bethesda's E3 2019 showcase dated and confirmed
Bethesda's E3 2019 showcase kicks off at 5.30pm PDT on Sunday 9 June, with the horror shooter Doom Eternal confirmed to appear. Having been teased at last year's show, could we also see The Elder Scrolls VI make an appearance? There's a fair chance, especially if this year's E3 coincides with the reveal of the PS5 and Xbox Two – we'd be shocked if the Skyrim follow-up wasn't being aimed at next-gen consoles.
Elder Scrolls VI goes official
Bethesda is a busy studio: not only is it working on a brand new IP, Starfield, it's also continuing to develop for Elder Scrolls Online and it's taking on the long commitment of Fallout 76. And that's only in its main RPG franchises. It's still got plenty going on elsewhere with mobile games, Dishonored, Prey and others.
Thanks to Todd Howard, we know Bethesda is working on two huge new titles simultaneously, though their developments are staggered.
We now know that one of them is the Elder Scrolls 6.
Having returned to Skyrim after some time away, Howard compared it to seeing an old friend from high school, adding that the time away had given him the chance to see Skyrim as a gamer for the first time.
This, to us, would be the perfect time to start applying this new perspective to the next title in the series.
At the very least we can say we know it won’t just be called Elder Scrolls 6. There’s going to be a colon and another word to round the title off if previous releases are anything to go by.
Where will Elder Scrolls 6 be set?
We’re also willing to bet that like all the other games in the series it’s going to be set in the continent of Tamriel, the map of which is below.
Previous games have taken us to Highrock, Hammerfell, Morrowind, Cyrodil, and Skyrim. Valenwood, Elsweyr and Black Marsh are the biggest places left to explore. Though there’s still much of Morrowind left to explore, we imagine much of that will be covered in the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online title.
So, Valenwood, Elsweyr or Black Marsh. Which looks most likely? Rumors online are heavily pointing towards Black Marsh, the home of the world’s reptilian Argonian race.
There isn’t actually any solid reason for this rumor, but its swampy marshlands and network of islands would make for an interesting geographic change for the series, though it’s a geography that would leave itself open to comparison with the Witcher 3. It’s probably the region of Tamriel that we know the least about so Bethesda would have plenty of room to be creative.
That said, Elsweyr would also be an interesting geography change with its dry plains and harsh badlands that the Khajit call home.
It would certainly be nice to find out more about the culture of either the Khajit or the Argonians so both of these extremely different settings have an understandable appeal to fans.
There is, however, weight to a rumor that Elder Scrolls 6 could be set in Valenwood. Valenwood is the home of the Bosmer and it’s an area of Tamriel that Bethesda hasn’t explored much.
The rumor that the game will be set here is based on a reported internal Bethesda memo from all the way back in 2014. In this memo, Bethesda employees were reportedly wanted against using the terms Fallout: Nuka World, Elder Scrolls VI or Project Greenheart.
Though it was initially believed to be a fake, Fallout: Nuka World ended up being a big DLC release for Fallout 4 which gives slightly more weight to rumor that Project Greenheart is in fact the codename for the next Elder Scrolls title. The fact that Greenheart is a city in the verdant region of Valenwood makes this even more interesting.
Forest and jungle settings are hard to get right in games and it’d be really interesting to see Bethesda get creative with the part of Tamriel that’s said to have rejected civilization and embraced the wilderness.
It's hard to tell from the short E3 clip we have of the game but our first impression is that the game world looks a lot more like Valenwood or Elsweyr than Black Marsh.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Todd Howard confirmed the team has settled on the location - but he won't tell us where yet.
What features can we expect?
Homebuilding
A feature that we’re fairly certain will be included in the game to some degree is house building or town creation. Skyrim introduced the idea of designing and maintaining a homestead with its Hearthfire DLC, which Fallout 4 expanded upon with the introduction of its settlement mechanic and the Elder Scrolls online built upon again with its Homestead DLC. This leads neatly into a further expansion of such features in the next Elder Scrolls title as it felt not-quite-finished in Fallout.
It would be a feature that would actually fit in particularly well with the rumored Valenwood setting, if it involved the player adapting to the wilderness in the way the resident Bosmer have with their treetop cities. In a similar way the player used debris and junk to craft their settlement in Fallout, they could use their natural environment to do so in Elder Scrolls in a nice contrast.
A whole new story
In a recent interview with Gamespot, Todd Howard said that Bethesda is looking into how exactly it tells stories in its games.
Howard noted that Skyrim and Fallout 4 take slightly different approaches to stories, with Skyrim leaving things more open to the player’s vision and Fallout guiding them more firmly through a story
Now he says the studio are looking how to “tell a better story in an open world.” He said “each of our games we've had successes and failures and if you ask us internally, we have new ideas that we want to explore in the future because we feel like we haven't really cracked it yet the way we think it could be.”
Being aware of the differences between Skyrim and Fallout’s approaches to storytelling and the fact that both have positives and negatives suggests that the next Elder Scrolls title could strike some kind of balance between giving the player completely free reign and telling a story around their character.
It’s hard to deny that The Witcher 3 has had a massive impact on what players expect in terms of including an engaging story in an open world game.
Though we don’t in any way want Bethesda to just churn out a Witcher copy (we’re not sure it’d be possible anyway) it does put a certain amount of pressure on Bethesda when it comes to achieving high-quality environmental and quest-based story telling.
Something we don’t expect to see, though, is multiplayer. Skyrim certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of multiplayer and it wouldn’t really make all that much sense to incorporate any online multiplayer gameplay with the Elder Scrolls Online still rolling along.
Virtual reality
It's not a certainty by any means but the fact that Bethesda released a full VR experience for Skyrim means it's not out of the question.
What would we like to see?
Well, something we’d like to see and fully expect to see is improved graphics and reduced bugginess. The remastered version of Skyrim showed just how far things have come visually since the game’s first release so we fully expect any title following on from it to be of that standard if not much higher, depending on how far away the game is.
There’s actually a fairly good chance that the game could be created using an entirely new game engine – after it created an entirely new engine for Skyrim we don’t think it’s unlikely Bethesda will do the same for Elder Scrolls 6 and any Fallout sequels.
The Bethesda game studio in Montreal is currently looking to hire an engine programmer so it’s well worth watching this space.
As privacy concerns grow regarding the information tech giants collect on users, California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would limit how recordings are collected by manufacturers of smart speakers and digital assistants.
Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham introduced the Anti-Eavesdropping Act which prohibits saving, storing or sharing audio recordings without explicit consent from the user.
The bill has now passed the State Assembly and if signed into law, it would prevent smart speaker manufacturers from retaining or distributing voice recordings or transcriptions without first obtaining user consent.
Cunningham explained that consumers should be able to have smart devices in their homes while keeping their conversations private at the same time, saying:
“Today, the State Assembly sent a strong message to the tech giants who have spent years recording and retaining private conversations in the home via smart devices. Tech giants have provided consumers with a false choice: live in a smart and interconnected home, or keep your conversations private. We can have both. Private conversations in the home should remain private, and no company should have the ability to record these conversations without consent.”
Smart speaker fallout
California's Anti-Eavesdropping Act comes at a time when both consumers and lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about the privacy implications of smart home devices.
For instance, Bloomberg recently revealed that thousands of Amazon employees around the world have been listening in on user's conversations with their Amazon Echo devices.
Apparently these voice recordings were captured to help improve how Alexa understands speech and responds to commands and questions. However, since the users weren't notified this was happening, Amazon was in breach of their privacy and would be held accountable under California's new bill if it becomes law.
US lawmakers have taken issue with the country's tech giants and in addition to California's efforts to regulate them, Illinois also attempted to pass a similar law which Google and Amazon lobbied heavily against.
It's time! The 2019 UEFA Europa League final is on the menu tonight for what should be a delicious London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal - the first chapter in this week's all-England European final football affair. The teams (and at least some of their fans) have travelled all the way to Baku in Azerbaijan for this, but thankfully you don't have to - keep reading and we'll tell you how you can watch every minute of the game with a Chelsea vs Arsenal live stream from absolutely anywhere on Earth.
While it's true that more of the football world's attention turns to the Champions League final to be played on the following Saturday, Europe's second competition should not be taken lightly.
As well as that frankly gorgeous trophy, the prize at stake is a place in next year's Champions League. That's a huge incentive for Arsenal, who failed to make the top four in this year's Premier League.
So a win in Baku for Unai Emery's men would salvage an otherwise flat first season in charge. It hasn't been completely devoid of positives - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal tally and connection with Alexandre Lacazette bodes well for the next campaign. A few smart summer signings (with the replacement of outgoing Aaron Ramsey a priority) and the good times may start flowing again at the Emirates.
Despite finishing third in the league, it's been a similarly chequered season for Chelsea and boss Maurizio Sarri. He's been fighting the revolt of fans (and, it's rumoured, some players) and now has a transfer ban and the expected departure of Eden Hazard to contend with, too. Can the fleet-footed Belgian with support from the likes of Gonzalo HiguaÃn and Willian make this the perfect end to the season?
It's certainly a tough one to call. We're not sure which side of London will hold that Europa League trophy in their cabinet for the next year. But to make sure that you don't miss a minute of on-pitch action, we've found the ways to watch a Chelsea vs Arsenal live stream. It's good news for some, as it's being shown absolutely FREE in some parts and available in pretty much every corner of the world - even including Emirates airline flights!
Live stream the Europa League final for free in the UK
How to live stream Chelsea vs Arsenal from outside your country
The Premier League is so big now that a Chelsea vs Arsenal encounter is going to be of interest to a whole international crowd - check out how to watch the Europa League final if you live in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India below.
While the free BT Sport Europa League final live stream is only accessible within the UK - if you're abroad for this one then you'll be told that you're not allowed to watch. That's really disappointing if you happen to be on holiday or away for business this week.
That said, there is still a way to get around the geo-block - and it's really simple to do. You need to download and install a VPN, which will then allow you to alter your IP address to one in the UK. That means your laptop, mobile or TV streaming device will think it's back at home in the UK and will therefore allow you to stream that free BT Sport website or YouTube to watch as if you were back at home. The same goes if your a resident of anywhere else and want to watch your domestic coverage from overseas.
Here's how to stream the Europa League final live from anywhere in the world with a VPN in three very simple steps:
How to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal: live stream in US
As endings go, The Last of Us's was pretty conclusive. But as it turns out, that hasn't stopped The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog from cranking out a sequel in the form of The Last of Us 2 – or, The Last of Us Part II if we're using its proper name.
Given the first game was hailed by players and critics alike as a masterpiece with excellent, emotional storytelling and engaging, realistic characters, we have to admit that the decision to release a follow-up isn't particularly shocking. We'd probably have been more surprised if there wasn't one. And yet, when The Last of Us 2 was first announced, we'd be lying if we said our heart didn't skip a beat.
The Last of Us 2 was first announced by Naughty Dog at PlayStation Experience in 2016 alongside a teaser trailer and as we're now into 2019, we're now hoping to hear an official release date any day now.
Although we got a closer look at the game, Sony didn't give us any hints during E3 2018 when we'd see the game, but it's looking more and more likely that we'll have to wait until 2019 to see what becomes of Ellie in the brutal post-cure world.
[Update:Death Stranding now has a release date but this has stirred up rumors around the release date for The Last of Us 2. Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase
What is it? The sequel to the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic game The Last of Us
When can I play it? It’ll be a while from now, late 2019 or early 2020
The most recent trailer we have for The Last of Us 2 was shown during E3 2018. This trailer finally gives us a look at Ellie in an intimate scene before cutting away to some of the brutal but stealth-based combat we can expect to see in the game when it's launched.
The gameplay sequence gives us a look at Ellie fighting for her life in the wild. Success in a fight appears to require the right balance between stealth and all out attack as damage seems to have a more realistic impact. Ellie can move quietly between areas, taking weapons from bodies and crafting, before bursting out and taking down her enemies.
See the gameplay for yourself below.
The Last of Us Part 2 had another trailer drop during PSX 2017. During a panel it was confirmed that the game will be set in the city of Seattle and the darker themes we know are coming were touched upon. You can watch the panel for yourself below:
Another trailer for the game was shown at Sony's press conference during the 2017 Paris Games Week. This trailer is around 5 minutes long, focusing on conflicts between the human factions in the game. It shows part 2 is going to have a dark story, perhaps even darker than the first, and the trailer is fairly harrowing to watch.
Visually impressive though it is, do note that it's gory before you watch it for yourself below.
The first look at the game came with its announcement at PlayStation Experience in 2016. Despite the fact that the game is early in development, the trailer showed a full (non-gameplay) scene that features both Ellie and Joel. You can watch it below:
The Last of Us 2 release date
The Last of Us 2 has been in the works for a while but we're still waiting for a definite release date. Considering Naughty Dog has seen the bad side of promising a solid release date and missing it before it’s hard to blame them for not committing at this stage.
In a recent interview with Vorterix, the game's composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, said that it's going to launch in 2019. Naturally, this hasn't been confirmed so we'd take it with a pinch of salt. However, it doesn't seem all that implausible as a release window given that in-game footage was only shown as recently as Paris Games Week.
What we know so far
Rumors of a delay
There was much excitement on May 29 as a result of PlayStation exclusive Death Stranding finally getting its release date confirmed as November 8 2019. This has, however, had a ripple effect which has concerned fans of The Last of Us 2.
With Death Stranding now slotted in as PlayStation's big exclusive release for that quarter of 2019 it's been rumored (by Kotaku's Jason Schreier among others) that The Last of Us 2, also originally said to be looking at a late 2019 release, will be pushed into early 2020.
This has not been confirmed by Naughty Dog or PlayStation so it remains nothing more than rumor at the moment. And it's also worth pointing out that The Last of Us 2 has never had a set-in-stone release date anyway. However, an early 2020 release date for The Last of Us 2 does not seem impossible at this point as PlayStation having two huge releases close together at the end of 2019 would be a surprise indeed.
Into the final stages
News around the Last of Us 2 has been hotting up recently as the game inches closer towards completion. Naughty Dog has now confirmed that the final scene for the game has been shot and the game’s co-director, Anthony Newman, has tweeted out a recruitment call as the studio begins to “close out” the game’s development.
As promising as these announcements are, they don't reveal anything about whether or not we can expect to see The Last of Us 2 this year or next. Regardless, development has reached a critical stage and though Sony won’t be attending E3 2019, that doesn’t mean it can’t make some announcements around the time of the show. In fact, recent rumours have suggested that we will see some kind of news. Hopefully we’ll see a confirmed release date in the coming months.
We could see more before E3 2019
Sony isn't coming to E3 2019 but that doesn't mean it's not going to be making announcements around that time and a big update for The Last of Us Part 2 could be imminent. Hopes have been raised by an industry insider on a Resetera thread which discusses a potential release date for the game. User Aokiji, who has made some accurate leaks before, said "Considering we’re getting an official TLOU2 update before E3, would be really weird if it wasn’t 2019 now wouldn’t it ."
Now, any news that doesn't come from Naughty Dog or Sony itself should, of course, be taken with a pinch of salt. However, the time feels ripe for an update on the progress of the game. With E3 2019 only just over a month away, we don't have long to wait to find out.
Definitely coming to E3 2018
Sony has confirmed the time and date of its E3 conference as June 11 at 6pm PT/ 9am BST. And Sony Worldwide Studios boss, Shawn Layden, has confirmed during a PlayStation Blogcast that the Last of Us 2 will feature. Layden said that Sony has decided to "refresh and remake its show" and that fans can expect to see "deep dives", gaining a better understanding of where Naughty Dog is and plans to go with the title.
Mocap is underway
Things have been quiet on the official news front for The Last of Us 2 but we've been glad to see some studio insiders and actors from the game posting images on social media which show that the game's motion capture is well underway. Actors Ashley Johnson and Shannon Woodward have both posted images of themselves wearing mocap suits. They didn't give much away but the fact that Naughty Dog is this far into the motion capture process suggests we might at least be closer to hearing about a possible release date.
Troy Baker is impressed
The Last of Us 2 is still in the works, but we now know that one of its lead voice actors, Troy Baker, has had an in-depth look and he thinks the game is 'awesome'. It's not clear whether Baker just saw some gameplay or had the chance to go hands-on himself but according to GameRant he said during MCM Comic Con at Birmingham “It’s a fantastic story. It’s a fantastic game. We just finished a playtest. It’s looking awesome. I can’t for it to be on shelves.” Though we can't be sure where exactly in the development process it is (during PSX, it was said that Naughty Dog had reached around the 50 to 60% mark) this playtest is an encouraging sign.
Directors
With Neil Druckmann having been promoted to Vice President of Naughty Dog, The Last of Us 2 now has two confirmed directors. Druckmann will, of course, still be heavily involved in the creation of the game but it's now being headed up by Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau, both of whom were lead designers on Uncharted 4.
Story
Although it was no slouch in the gameplay department, it was the story told by The Last of Us that stuck with us for months afterwards. Naturally Naughty Dog had to give us some kind of hint about where the sequel would go.
At the moment we know The Last of Us 2 will take place in the city of Seattle, five years after the end of the original game, with a 19 year old Ellie taking the starring playable role. Joel will still appear in the game but if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, he could be a much more passive presence.
This time around, Ellie is extremely angry about...something. From what we saw from the teaser trailer she wants revenge, which to her appears to be a dish best served deadly.
She does, after all, promise to “kill every last one of them.” It’s not clear who “them” is but it could signal that the Fireflies, the first game's well-meaning but morally grey antagonists, will make a return. Anger, hate and revenge are going to be key themes this time around so expect to be in for an emotionally heavy ride.
As Joel is such a passive presence in the trailer there’s been speculation that he’s actually dead, appearing in Ellie’s mind’s eye, and Ellie’s anger and vengeance will be directed at those who caused his death. This isn’t entirely unlikely but it’s purely speculation at this point. It is worth pointing out, however, that Neil Druckmann did reveal in an interview with PlayStation Lifestyle that this announcement trailer footage is not a scene that will actually take place in the real game.
In the trailer for the game shown at Paris Games Week in 2017, we got a look at how dark the game is likely to be. The trailer focuses on the opposing relationships between human characters in the game and features some seriously cringe-inducing violence.
It doesn't tell us much about any new characters of how they'll relate to one another but it does confirm that we're going into a dark game world in The Last of Us part 2.
In a recent panel at PSX both Druckmann and Gross said that though the game's story will indeed be dark and there'll be a focus on the theme of hate, "there is hope" and there will be "lighthearted moments."
We can't pretend we're not relieved to hear this after the game's controversial Paris Games Week trailer which, Druckmann said, was intended to highlight the game's exploration of the pursuit of justice.
Ellie is one of the most real and refreshing characters we’ve seen in gaming so it’s exciting that Naughty Dog are going to take her story further and put her in center stage.
The creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann has said that the story will be about Ellie and Joel’s relationship and that though the story would be complementary to the story of the first game, it would be much larger.
When asked at a PSX panel whether or not Joel or Ellie may die, Druckmann responded that "no one is safe" highlighting that the game's story really could go anywhere.
Hopes are particularly high for this larger story as it’s been revealed that one of the writers of Westworld, Halley Gross, will be co-writing the game’s story. Having someone who’s written scripts for such an incredibly popular and successful show should be a boon for the game's story.
Gameplay
Not much is being said about gameplay at the moment. Neil Druckmann said at a PSX Panel that there would, however, be some differences as a result of Ellie being the playable character rather than Joel.
“Ellie plays differently than Joel [...] Some things are evolution, some things are reinvention, but there will be a gameplay reveal down the road.”
It’s hard to glean much from this, but if Naughty Dog take the approach that’s frequently taken with playable female characters, Ellie will probably be more swift on her feet than Joel was but perhaps less able to take damage.
This won't be the first time we've had the chance to play as Ellie, after the first game put us in her shoes for a short mission, but here the purpose of the mission was to make her feel weak in comparison to Joel. We can only hope her abilities will be expanded for the sequel. In the Paris Games Week trailer she certainly looks far physically stronger than she did in the first game.
We expect to see much more in terms of gameplay from E3 2018 after Druckmann stated in the PSX panel that more details for the game would emerge at that event.
What we'd like to see from The Last of Us 2
A new setting
Given that time has moved on 5 years from the end of the first game, it’d be nice to see Joel and Ellie in a new location too. It doesn’t necessarily have to be far from the setting of the first game but considering we have the two lead characters and their relationship to keep us tied to the first game, it’d be nice to play in a new location to keep things feeling fresh and make the introduction of new characters feel more plausible.
Druckmann has said that this game’s story will be larger than the story of the first game and we imagine this necessitates a slightly more expansive setting.
More frightening enemies
The infected in the first game are terrifying and threatening and we want to see more of that. Things don’t have to change too much but new classes of enemy, new character designs and new ways to defeat them would be excellent.
Considering we’ll be playing as Ellie now rather than Joel we imagine players will have to learn to take a different approach to combat anyway as it’s been said she’ll play differently.
It’d also be great to see more human enemies as well as the infected. We saw more than a few morally grey factions make an appearance in the first game so to expand on this and maybe introduce some more elements would be interesting.
The exploration of the morality of humanity in post-apocalyptic scenes is always interesting, particularly considering in games you’re interacting with it directly and feeling its impact more strongly than in most mediums.
The Last of Us 2 has the chance to make a real emotional impact through the human areas it presents us with.
The return of multiplayer
Multiplayer in The Last of Us was surprisingly good so we wouldn’t be averse to seeing it return here. If the game’s main story is going to be as heavy as we expect, it’d certainly be nice to have the option to break free for a while without leaving the game world and connect with others online.
Almost one million older Windows devices are still vulnerable to the BlueKeep security flaw even after Microsoft released a security patch to address the vulnerability.
The vulnerability, known as CVE-2019-0708, affects Windows Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Microsoft has already addressed it with its May 2019 Patch Tuesday update.
The BlueKeep security flaw, which has been described as wormable, can be utilized by malware to spread in a similar way to how the WannaCry ransomware did back in 2017 through the EternalBlue exploit.
Windows 7 and XP are vulnerable to a major security exploit – so patch now
By sending specially created requests via the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a hacker can exploit the flaw to execute arbitrary code and take control of a user's machine without their knowledge.
Microsoft has already released patches for Windows 7, Windows XP, Server 2008 and Server 2003. By enabling Network Level Authentication (NLA) Windows 7 and Server 2008 users can prevent unauthenticated attacks and alternatively the threat can be mitigated by blocking TCP port 3389.
BlueKeep security flaw
Researchers have already developed proof-of-concept exploits for BlueKeep though none have been released publicly. Many expect attacks exploiting the flaw to appear any day now and to make matters worse, industrial and medical products are also at risk.
By using the Masscan port scanner and a modified version of rdpscan, Errata Security's Robert Graham carried out an internet scan that found more than 923,000 devices which appear to be vulnerable to BlueKeep attacks.
Graham also identified more than 1.4m machines that have been patched to protect them from BlueKeep and around 1.2m devices that cannot be exploited online since they're using NLA or the Credential Security Support Provider protocol.
If you're unable to install the latest security patch from Microsoft to protect your devices from the BlueKeep security flaw, thankfully opatch has released a micropatch which can be easily applied to vulnerable systems.
We've also highlighted the best antivirus to help keep your systems protected from the latest cyber threats
LAHORE: Realme powered by Oppo, the fastest growing smartphone brand in Pakistan, launched the Realme 3 pro, the brand’s latest flagship, in the provincial capital today. The speed king, realme 3 Pro, is powered by Snapdragon 710 processor and comes with a 4045mAh battery with a VOOC 3.0 flash charge. Realme 3 Pro also supports Sony IMX 519 16MP + 5MP rear cameras, and a 25MP selfie camera for more distinctive and detailed pictures. Realme 3 Pro comes in 2 variants; 4 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM at PKR 35,499/- and 6GB RAM +128GB ROM at PKR 39,999/-in two exquisite colours Nitro Blue and Lightning Purple. The phone will go on sale at and www.daraz.pk at 3PM May 30, 2019.Announcing the launch, He Shunzhi, Marketing Head of Realme Pakistan, said, “With the launch of realme 3 Pro and realme C2, customers can enjoy the benefits of Power and Style in different price segments. In less than one year we have launched 8 products across 4 product series, and achieved 6.5 million fans. This has been possible only with support and love of our fans. In the coming year, we will continue to be the challenger and disruptor in global smartphone market.”Realme 3 Pro SpecificationsFlagship gaming experienceBuilt on 10nm process-manufactured Snapdragon 710 processor and Kryo eight-core architecture, realme 3 Pro can achieve a clock speed of up to 2.2GHz. The Adreno 616 GPU is the best gaming chipset that guarantees real visual sense, more efficient and advanced 3D image rendering. The X15 Modem guarantees smooth calling and data experience, and much faster download speed. With the Spectra 250 ISP, realme 3 Pro also supports super high resolution image capture and 4K video capture, along with zero shutter lag, motion compensated temporal filtering, and accelerated electronic image stabilization.Realme 3 Pro comes with TouchBoost, an all-round in-depth optimization for touch control in games that helps in 1. Shorten system reaction time; 2. Shorten image frame response and 3. Prioritize the CPU support on touch controls. With TouchBoost, response time for character movement in heavy games can be 16.2% faster. Especially in PUBG, when using telescopes to aim at enemies, the response time is 21.6% faster.The other optimization feature, FrameBoost helps optimize graphics on realme 3 Pro. It can detect heavy-loaded scenarios, and then boost the processor at a high frequency to keep the frame rate at a high and stable level. FrameBoost improves the frame rate by 38% on the realme 3 Pro. Cameras for distinctive picturesRealme 3 Pro follows the brand’s R&D mentality across hardware, imaging and user experience while significantly improving hardware configurations on its predecessors: the dual rear cameras are now an upgraded combination of a Sony IMX519 16MP primary camera + a 5MP secondary camera, with the primary camera's single pixel size being 1.22um and with large f/1.7aperture. Realme 3 Pro supports 960fps/720P Super Slow-motion video-shooting to slow down the wonderful moments in life for more fun. This is also the first mid-range model supporting this feature.With the multi-frame synthesis technology, multiple pictures with 16 million pixels can be synthesized into one 64MP Ultra HD picture with, with bigger size and more details. realme 3 Pro’s Ultra HD solution uses “pixel copies to increase pixels”, synthesizing more real pixels to produce outstanding pictures of better quality, even better than high-pixel image sensor shots. With the aid of AI, multi-frame synergy and the anti-shake algorithm, the Nightscape mode on realme 3 Pro significantly improves the imaging quality in dim light. The Nightscape mode now comes with RAW format for more detailed adjustment.To meet the user demand for better imaging effect, color and style, realme 3 Pro performs better in Chroma Boost mode. Using AI technologies, scenes in photos are recognized and optimized accordingly into a larger dynamic range, with more enriched details in highlighted parts and shadows, and more balanced exposure.FHD+ Dewdrop Full ScreenInspired by racetracks in Le Mans, realme 3 Pro has 82 S-shaped curves on the phone back, running parallel through the fingerprint sensor, realme logo and rear camera. The gradients have been changed to the oblique direction, with a perfect blend of texture, lighting effect and colors.Realme 3 Pro also comes with FHD+ Dewdrop Full Screen that highly integrates the front camera, light sensor and distance sensor. realme 3 Pro boasts a 90.8% screen-to-body ratio, super wide view, and much more efficient display of information. It gives users more visual immersion while viewing images and watching videos. Corning Gorilla Glass 5, more durable than others, protects the screen.High-capacity 4045mAh Battery with VOOC 3.0 Flash ChargeRealme 3 Pro is built with 4045mAh high capacity battery, that allows users to heavily use the phone. Through CABC (Content Adaptive Backlight Control), realme 3 Pro can dynamically optimize screen display, reducing the current on the screen and save power, extending the battery life by 5% and 10% respectively.Realme 3 Pro carries the brand new VOOC 3.0 flash charge technology (low-voltage high-current charging approach*), with a 20W (5V4A) charging power that can bring a dying battery quickly back to life. Less heating and higher charging efficiency ensure that realme 3 Pro features the fastest charging speed and charges efficiently while handling heavy-duty tasks as well. ColorOS 6.0 on Android 9.0Powered by the latest ColorOS 6.0 system, realme 3 Pro adopts the borderless design philosophy and delivers a purer interface. Users can get information more efficiently when using the phone with an improvement in the overall visual quality to a more appealing level. Realme C2: Price and specificationsRealme also announced another addition to its entry-level series, the value king realme C2. With a 6.1-inch HD + Dewdrop Full screen for an immersive experience, realme C2 takes forward realme’s signature Diamond-cut Design on the back. The phone is supported by a 4000 mAh battery, 13MP + 2MP AI Dual Camera as well as octa core 12nm Helio P22. Realme C2 2 3GB RAM + 32 GB ROM at PKR 20,999/-, in two exquisite colours, Diamond Black and Diamond Blue. Shine like a diamond with mega display and mega battery The 6.1” Dewdrop Full Screen on realme C2 gives users more immersive experience while watching videos or playing games. Corning glass 3 enhances the screen toughness on the HD+ screen. The Diamond-cut design with 3-layer of paintings and pearl shining particles restores the changing effect from nature, like sky, starry night or waving water and is smudge free. Realme C2 will be available in Diamond Black and Diamond Blue. The phone comes with a 4000mAh battery with a day usage assured without charging. The 2.0GHZ and octa core Helio P22 processor for realme C2 is capable of a long lasting battery endurance and powerful performance. Realme C2 will support an expandable 256GB storage with triple Independent card slot. The well-customized AI dual rear camera (13MP+2 MP) are apt for more definite and natural photos with the Chroma Boost that can improve the HDR range and colours. Realme C2 will also be the first at this price to support a 80fps/480P slow-motion video recording.
from The News International - Sci-Tech http://bit.ly/2K9M3y6
