Saturday, July 27, 2019

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Intel has accidentally leaked some codenames and details of its incoming discrete graphics cards, and also some Rocket Lake CPUs.

This comes from a graphics driver spilled unintentionally by Intel, picked up on by an eagle-eyed Anandtech forum member.

The leak comprised of the following model names (and some clues therein) for Intel’s Xe 10nm graphics cards which are expected to come out in 2020:

  • iDG1LPDEV = "Intel(R) UHD Graphics, Gen12 LP DG1" "gfx-driver-ci-master-2624"
  • iDG2HP512 = "Intel(R) UHD Graphics, Gen12 HP DG2" "gfx-driver-ci-master-2624" 
  • iDG2HP256 = "Intel(R) UHD Graphics, Gen12 HP DG2" "gfx-driver-ci-master-2624" 
  • iDG2HP128 = "Intel(R) UHD Graphics, Gen12 HP DG2" "gfx-driver-ci-master-2624"

The ‘DG’ in the codename is likely to stand for ‘discrete graphics’ (meaning a standalone GPU on a board, as opposed to an integrated graphics solution in a processor), and the ‘LP’ and ‘HP’ designations seemingly refer to low-power or high-power (and therefore more powerful) parts.

But the really interesting bit is looking at the beefier high-power trio of GPUs, the number at the end of the codename could reportedly indicate the number of execution units (EUs) carried by the graphics card.

That’s certainly our (and everyone else’s) best guess, and it would mean that these three graphics cards would utilize 128, 256 and 512 EUs respectively.

Mid-range – or more?

So, bear in mind that this is all speculation, but it seems that Intel’s initial Xe offerings target mid-range GPU territory, although we must also remember that we only have very small (potentially errant) pieces of information here in those numbers.

Even if this guesswork is on the money, a lot will depend on the clock speed Intel is aiming for with these products. There’s chatter about higher clock speeds being targeted, such as base clocks of around 1800MHz or 1900MHz, and that could make Intel’s Xe competitive with Nvidia’s higher-end GeForce RTX cards.

But we best not start drawing too much in the way of conclusions here, because this is all very sketchy. It’s nevertheless interesting to get a potential hint at how powerful these Xe GPUs might be, and given that they are due next year, it probably won’t be too long before we witness some benchmark leaks spilling out to give us a real indication of performance.

Another exciting element pertaining to Xe graphics cards is Intel’s recent revelation that hardware ray tracing will be supported, in data center GPUs anyway – and hopefully by extension, consumer products (which would again rival Nvidia’s RTX offerings).

As mentioned at the outset, this driver leak also revealed a few nuggets of info about the integrated graphics of incoming Rocket Lake processors.

Rocket Lake is Intel’s follow-up to Comet Lake, the latter being the chip giant’s next mainstream 10th-gen processors which we should also see next year, or perhaps even sooner, built on a revised 14nm+++ node, and coming with a potential Ryzen 9 3900X beater (which could really turn things around for Intel).

At any rate, Rocket Lake is expected in 2020, and its Gen11 integrated graphics will arrive in GT0, GT0.5 and GT1 variants, with the latter two running with 16 and 32 EUs respectively. There will also be a GT1 Pro spin, too.

Via Tom’s Hardware



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Reliance Jio had last week reported it had 331.3 million subscribers at the end of Q2 2019.

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Pixel 3A vs. Moto G7: What's the best budget phone? - CNET

Bigger screen or better camera? We decide if the Pixel 3A or the Moto G7 is the best phone under $400.

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Google Docs offline sync is awesome, except... - CNET

Setup and sync your most important Google Docs for offline access in just a few minutes.

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A British cybersecurity expert who admitted writing and selling malware was spared prison Friday by a judge who said the misconduct was outweighed by his help in stopping a worldwide computer virus in 2017.

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We've become very used to BT dropping gifts and incentives with its fibre broadband deals - it's one of the things that makes them so popular after all. But this week, its outdone itself, offering everything from a free Xbox to M&S vouchers and pre-paid Mastercards.

BT appears to be appealing to the masses this week, with two different offers running on its packages. Which one to go for depends on a few different factors.

The first of the two deals offers a free Xbox One S or a free Samsung tablet. Scoring the offer means being in a 24-month contract and you have to subscribe to BT Sport alongside your internet to be eligible. For sports fans out there, that will be music to your ears - free tech, fibre speeds and BT Sport, especially with both the Premier League and UFC 240 streaming very soon.

Alternatively, BT has another deal in play offering pre-paid Mastercards and M&S vouchers, totalling over £100 in money back with your internet. And, these packages are cheaper than the above options, for those trying to save some hard-earned cash!

You can see the best BT Broadband deals offers down below including all of the different freebies. Or, if BT hasn't managed to capture your interest, check out our guide to the best broadband deals.

BT's broadband deals + console + BT Sport

All of the prices below are the base costs of these packages. However, to receive your free Xbox One S or Samsung Tab A you have to select a BT Sport option. Once you click through to the checkout, you can choose which BT Sport package to go with. With everything from the BT Sport app through to complete TV packages, costs will completely differ depending on which option you choose.

BT broadband deals + cashback and reward cards

Today's best BT broadband deals



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5 details about AdBlock Plus every browser user should know - CNET

It's complicated. Eyeo, which makes the top ad blocker, is also an ally of online advertising.

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Let’s get this out of the way – for most people reading this MacBook Pro 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2018 comparison, it’s not a question of whether the MacBook Pro 2019 is worth upgrading to from the MacBook Pro 2018.

You’d have to be incredibly rich to consider upgrading a laptop – especially one as powerful and expensive as the MacBook Pro – every year. While it’s tempting to always have the latest tech and cutting edge components, it’s just not economically viable. And while hardware – especially laptop components – are constantly improving, most of the time you’re not going to see such a radical leap in performance that it makes your current year-old MacBook feel obsolete – though there have been exceptions.

However, this comparison of the MacBook Pro 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2018 is going to be useful for anyone who has an older MacBook Pro and is considering an upgrade. Ditto for anyone who’s never owned a MacBook Pro before.

Should you go for the latest and greatest MacBook Pro, or would buying the slightly older model be a wiser decision? Let’s take a look…

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

Design

We’ll cut to the chase with this: the MacBook Pro 2019’s design is identical to the MacBook Pro 2018’s. That means they are the same dimensions – 13.7 x 9.48 x 0.61-inches (34.92 x 24.07 x 1.55) – and the same weight – 4.02 pounds (1.83kg).

They also both come in the choice for two colors: Space Gray and Silver, which means on the outside, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the MacBook Pro 2019 and MacBook Pro 2018.

So, this means you’re not missing out on any fancy new designs or features if you go for the 2018 model instead of this year’s. It also means if you loved the design of previous MacBook Pros, you can buy the 2019 model safe in the knowledge that you know what you’re getting.

However, for anyone hoping for a more revolutionary redesign, you’ll be disappointed. Similarly, if previous post-2016 MacBook designs left you cold, the 2019 model does nothing to rectify that.

So, you get the Touch Bar, an OLED strip with interactive buttons, above the keyboard, which has been included since 2016, as well as a Touch ID sensor for logging in with your fingerprint.

Both the MacBook Pro 2019 and MacBook Pro 2018 have a 15.4-inch screen with 2,880 x 1,800 resolution, along with the True Tone feature for more vibrant colors.

Because of the identical designs, if you were disappointed by the MacBook Pro 2018’s paucity of ports – with just four Thunderbolt 3 ports – then you’ll again be disappointed by the 2019 model’s exact same port count. For regular users, the lack of ports won’t be too much of a bother, but for professionals who need to plug in legacy equipment, it means you need to invest in an adapter.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

Keyboard

The MacBook Pro 2018 addressed some long-standing criticism that Apple was facing about the keyboards included in previous models. Essentially, there have been complaints that the keyboards of MacBook Pros made after 2016 can malfunction. Blame lay with the ‘butterfly’ switches Apple uses in these keyboards.

The 2018 model kept the butterfly switches, but added a silicone membrane that was supposed to stop those issues occurring. Unfortunately, there were still reported issues, leading many to hope that Apple would ditch the butterfly switches for the MacBook Pro 2019.

That hasn’t been the case, with the Mac Book Pro 2019 15-inch’s keyboard still using the problematic switches. However, Apple says it has further tweaked the keyboard, and while the company hasn’t divulged too much information about its tweaks, we do know that it has changed the materials used with the mechanism to reduce the likelihood of the keys getting stuck or not responding.

While that is a welcome – though disappointingly minor – tweak, Apple has also included the new MacBook Pro (2019) models in its Keyboard Service Program, which will replace a faulty keyboard free of charge. This suggests that Apple hasn’t completely fixed the issue.

Hardware

While the outsides of the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2019 and the MacBook Pro 2018 are identical, the hardware inside them has changed.

The base model of the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) comes with a 2.6GHz 6-core 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD.

There’s also a model with a 2.3GHz 8-core 9th generation Intel Core i9 processor, Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, 16GB DDR4 memory and 512GB SSD storage. This is the first time an octa-core processor has been included in a MacBook Pro, and gives the higher-end MacBook Pro 2019 some serious chops when it comes to multi-tasking.

Meanwhile, the base model of the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2018) comes with a 2.6GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Radeon Pro 555X GPU, 16GB of DDR4 memory and a 256GB SSD.

The leap to 9th generation and boosted Radeon Pro graphics gives the 2019 base model a good bump in performance – but the 2018 model’s specifications are in no way underpowered. It remains a formidable laptop.

As with the 2018 model, you can configure the 2019 MacBook Pro with more powerful components, including an 8th generation Intel Core i9 processor with 8 cores and a 2.4GHz clock speed (5.0Ghz boost), 32GB RAM and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of HBM2 memory. This makes it by far the most powerful MacBook ever made.

If you’re simply after power, then there’s no contest: the high-end MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) is the way to go. However, the 2018 model has enough power that it doesn’t feel outdated.

MacBook Pro

Price

The good news is that for the US and Australia, the base model of the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) is the same as the 2018 model ($2,399/AU$3,499). That means you’re getting an improved processor and graphics card for no extra money than what you’d have paid last year.

Meanwhile, the high-end model sells for $2,799 (£2,799, AU$4,099). That’s certainly a big chunk of change Apple is asking for.

While the base model’s price remains the same in the US and Australia, in the UK it’s more expensive - £2,399 compared with the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2018)’s £2,349. Effectively, it means you’re paying £50 more for the improved hardware.

If that seems a little unfair on the Brits, it’s because Apple has brought UK prices into line with US dollars, so for Apple, £1 = $1.

With the base model of the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) staying the same, we imagine that the 2018 model will see a bit of a price drop. Considering that the 2018 model is still a very good laptop in its own right, it means you could get a fantastic deal on the 2018 model – making it a better value proposition.

MacBook Pro 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2018: which one should I buy?

In many ways the MacBook Pro 2019 and MacBook Pro 2018 are quite evenly matched. When it comes to design, you can pick either one without worrying that you’re missing out on any new features or design.

The improved keyboard of the MacBook Pro 2019 means that if you’re concerned about spending vast sums of money on a laptop only to have a faulty keyboard, then that’s the model that could give you greater peace of mind.

However, it’s worth noting that it’s still using the butterfly switches. If you want a whole new keyboard, you may have to wait for the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro that could be coming later in 2019.

Also, if getting the most powerful MacBook Pro is essential, then the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) is hands-down the one to get.

However, if you’re looking for better value for money, you should see the 2018 model come down in price. The fact that the MacBook Pro 2018 is still a relatively recent laptop means even in 2019, you’re getting a powerful laptop with future-proof specifications. With a decent price cut, this could be the deciding feature when you’re comparing the MacBook Pro 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2018.



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Reliance Jio has announced Jio Saarthi digital assistant that will be integrated within the MyJio app to make digital recharges easier.

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Top-tier iPhone deals are notoriously expensive and even with Apple's iPhone XR - a phone designed to be the budget flagship iPhone - you're paying a pretty hefty Apple-sized premium.

So with those higher prices you're paying, you would want to get the best deal possible...an unlimited data option even? Well as luck would have it, right now unlimited data on iPhone XR deals is about as affordable as we've ever seen it.

In fact, an offer from retailer Mobile Phones Direct is now giving away unlimited data for the same price as most average iPhone XRs, making it easily one of the best options on the market.

On top of that, as part of an on-going offer from Three, you can currently get no data caps for half price for the first six months. That means bills under £30 for complete freedom to stream, scroll and Google all day.

You can see both of these impressive offers on the iPhone XR down below. Or, if pushing for those higher-end options pushes the price up a little bit too high, then consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals for everything else available.

These unlimited data iPhone XR deals in full:

What's good about the iPhone XR?

As one of Apple's most popular iPhones, the XR provides a more affordable version of Apple's spec-heavy iPhone XS. You get one of the best battery lifes available on an iPhone, an impressive camera, strong processor and Apple's Liquid Retina display. All of that comes together to make one of Apple's best phones yet.

Read our full iPhone XR review



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Apple allows Siri recordings to be heard by contractors as part of a process called "grading", which improves the efficacy of the voice assistant, a report claims.

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Vivo Z1 Pro open sale is live through Flipkart and the Vivo India E-Store. The phone price is set at Rs. 14,990 for the base 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant.

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Better manual defending, revamped shooting and a 'Volta Football' street and indoor five-a-side mode: FIFA 20 is on its way, and we've got the first details here.

Yep: goal, goal, goal. Football, football, football. No ‘soccer’ shenanigans here folks – we’re talking about the beautiful game, FIFA 20, the 2020 season’s updated footie simulator.

There’s a new FIFA game on the way from developers at EA Vancouver. With it being one of the most successful sporting game franchises of all time, and it having had an annual release since 1993, it’s as safe a bet that EA will be pulling out all the stops for a gargantuan game before the introduction of the PS5 and Xbox Two consoles. 

So, with a FIFA 2020 game now certain, what can we expect from the next FIFA game? How’s Alex Hunter’s ‘Journey’ from amateur to pro going to conclude? And what changes can we expect when we play FIFA 20? We expect we'll hear everything we want to know about the game during E3 2019 and EA Play but until then read on for all the news and expectations for a new FIFA game below.

[Update: EA is continuing to dribble out details around FIFA 20 before its September release. Read on to find out more about changes to Pro Clubs and see the new cover stars.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The expected next entry in the long-running football simulation series.
  • When can I play it? The FIFA 20 release date is set for September 27.
  • What can I play it on? With no precise console information to share yet, we can only speculate. But FIFA games always launch on the core three platforms (PS4, Xbox One and PC), with regular spin-off versions available for mobile platforms and the Nintendo Switch. Expect nothing less this year. There is potential for a this to be the first next-gen FIFA in a while too, with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Two on the horizon.

FIFA 2020 release date

Like the changing of the seasons (and the football seasons themselves), there’s an annually expected launch window for FIFA games. 

For more than a decade, FIFA games have launched towards the end of September, and that's now confirmed with the FIFA 20 release date being set for September 27.

If you're an EA Access player however, you get a week's early play, with the game launching on the subscription service on September 19.

The news was confirmed with a new teaser trailer, posted on Twitter. You can find it embedded below:

The previous two FIFA games landed on the final Friday in September (29 September, 2017 and 28 September, 2018) which, as we predicted, would align FIFA 2020’s release for Friday 27 September 2019. Note that FIFA games launch with a title suggesting the year ahead – FIFA 20 may come out in 2019, but its FIFA 20 / 2020 naming will reflect the coming season.

FIFA 20 trailers: Volta Football

Remember the indoor football modes of early PS1-era FIFA games? Or the street-style 'Futsal' matches of the FIFA Street series? They'll be back as a new 'Volta Football' mode in FIFA 20. You'll be able to play 3v3 Rush (no goalies), 4v4, 4v4 Rush, 5v5 and Professional Futsal matches in indoor and outdoor matches in bespoke stadiums from around the world.

There will be a campaign mode, online leagues and squads and customisable player avatars – almost enough for a full game in its own right, it would seem. It'll only be available in the PS5, Xbox One and PC versions of the game though, skipping out on the Nintendo Switch, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

Check out the trailer below:

FIFA 20 gameplay development updates

Cover Star

EA has now revealed two of the cover stars for FIFA 20 ahead of its September release. On the Standard Edition Eden Hazard of Real Madrid fame will take centre stage while on the Champions Edition Virgil van Dijk is the star. There's still a reveal to come for the Ultimate Edition cover but you can see the others for yourself below. 

Following E3 2019 many FIFA fans still had questions about the upcoming addition to the franchise. Now, EA has started providing some more answers in a new blog post which delves into some of the changes to Pro Clubs.

Pro Clubs

FIFA 20 will be bringing in a new avatar system which will see player creation change in Pro Clubs and across the rest of the game. While it maintains features of the old system—commentary name and setting celebration styles included—it builds on it, giving players more control over the creation of their, well, player. That includes a new morphing tool which will allow for more granular face shape creation and skin tone selection.

FIFA 20 will also bring back some player positions due to fan feedback so now Left and Right Forwards, Left and Right Wing Backs and Left and Right Midfielders are returning. 

Greater control over players doesn't stop at their appearances. In FIFA 20, the player progression system has upped its game slightly and now your choice of player height, weight and position will effect how they play. There are also 30 new player traits that can be paired with "specialty traits" can bring real benefits. There is, of course, an element of risk and reward to this as big benefits to one attribute can lead to a dip in others. 

Outside of customization, there's going to be some new broadcast features and game modes added to FIFA 20. There will be replay transition wipes, an on-screen watermark, club banners and a new Pro Clubs logo as well as augmented reality overlays at half-time and match intros. Oh, and celebrations aren't restricted to one player anymore. Now, the camera won't stay zoomed in on one player, it'll stay out so that you can coordinate a celebration that includes the whole team. 

Finally, there are two new match types: House Rules Cups and Practice. House Rules Cups is inspired by FIFA Kick-Off Mode's House Rules and will see a new match type rotated each day with a different cup each weekend. 

Practice, on the other hand, does exactly what you'd think; you can pit yourself against a variety of AI either alone or in your team. You can choose how challenging you want the AI to be and you can even choose which kind of tactics you want them to be using to ensure you're feeling the right kind of pressure and practicing in the way you want. If that means playing against a team of 99-rated players applying high pressure you can do that.

Ahead of the game's official reveal at EA Play and E3 2019, EA Sports has addressed some of the updates it has planned for FIFA 20 in a blog post, many of which have been inspired by player feedback from FIFA 19. 

As a series, FIFA isn't known for making any huge gameplay changes between releases but these are some of the features EA Sports has decided to focus on for the latest release. 

Volta Football

FIFA Street makes a return as a game mode for FIFA 20, as Volta Football.  3v3 Rush (no goalkeepers), 4v4, 4v4 Rush, 5v5 and Professional Futsal will all be match types  in the new game. It's all about flair, with customisable players (male and female players will play alongside each other) online squads and more. Scroll back up for that first trailer, focussing on this aspect of the game.

'Football Intelligence'

A new combination of features that tweaks on the ball, off the ball and the play of the ball itself. You'll get more time and space on the ball, with a tweak to the physics of the ball. You'll get more one-ones as a result of this system, with greater emphasis on user controlled defending. Off the ball players will spread around the pitch in a more authentic way, too.

Spin will now also affect the trajectory of the ball, with more realistic deflections. The part of a player's shoe that hits the ball also plays into the flight of the ball now.

AI Defending

As mentioned above, players will now see more benefits to manually defending, rather than relying on the skills of the game's AI. Computer-controlled defenders will now be less efficient and effective (less on-the-ball, if you will) while those controlled by you will perform better. Manual tackles are also more likely to go in your favor than those attempted by AI. This should create a balance which will see players who make the effort to manually defend feel that it's more rewarding. 

Pace will also get tweaked to give defenders a better chance of catching up with particularly speedy players.

Shooting, and 'composed finishing'

As far as shooting is concerned, one-on-one situations between the player and the goalkeeper are about to become less frustrating. In FIFA 20, 1v1 shooting accuracy will be improved allowing for more shots on target, while goalkeepers will be slightly less "superhuman" when it comes to their reactions. 

Even manual goalkeepers will be slowed down to more realistic speeds. Players controlling their goalkeeper using right-stick movement will now have to commit to a direction when attempting to make a save, making it feel more rewarding or more galling when you make it or miss it. 

Away from the goal, volley-crossing and volley-shooting are being checked to make them more realistic. By more realistic, of course, we mean less accurate and a little more unpredictable. 

Strafe dribbling

This will give you more dimension in attack, letting you lure an opponent in, opening up the potential to take on a defender with an agile, speedy player.

New penalty kicks and free kicks

All new systems come to penalty and free kicks, making them easier to pull off great goals from set pieces.. Free kicks in particular will be completely revamped, giving you greater control of spin on a shot.

Passing

It's not just shooting mechanics that are being addressed, passing is seeing a shakeup too. Easy passes will now be more accurate but more difficult passes like those at 180 degrees, first-time and those attempted in high-pressure moments will now result in slower/weaker balls which are less effective and easier to intercept.

There are two new options for passing in addition to this. Manual 'Dinked' passes, which will be used to elevate the ball over a defender's leg and the Driven Pass-and-Go which will take over from the current manual pass combo. 

Timed Finishing

Timed Finishing was a new mechanic for FIFA 19 and as a result EA Sports has garnered a lot of feedback in order to fine tune it. If you missed its introduction, Timed Finishing meant that players could take advantage of a Green Timing Window in order to make a more accurate shot. 

This should have been a high risk and high reward feature but players felt that it was just too easy to perform. As a result, EA Sports has reduced the Green Timing Window from 2-4 frames to strictly 2 frames, making it more difficult to pull off, while Green Timed Shots will generally just be less accurate. They will still, however, be slightly more accurate than a standard shot. Otherwise what's the point?

With these fixes, as well as improvements to player switching and set-piece positioning, EA Sports seems to be at pains to show that it plans to address some of the biggest fan concerns over FIFA 19 ahead of announcing FIFA 20.

FIFA 20: what we want to see

FIFA titles make incremental improvements over the years – it’s rare to see one massively change the formula, and FIFA has been in a pretty stable state for the best part of a decade now. If you’ve played a recent edition, you’ll be able enjoy the latest one, with a few months work needed to master its new systems. FIFA is in a good place then, with FIFA 20 set to be built on solid foundations – but that’s not to say we can’t look forward to some improvements. Here’s a handful of things we’d like to see changed.

The end of the ‘Journey’ – and the start of something new?

FIFA introduced a character-driven story mode back in FIFA 2017, focussing on fictional upcoming star Alex Hunter, and it’s now a much-loved staple of the game. Hunter’s story concludes with FIFA 20, so we’d like to see something new and expanded with which to carry on that legacy. EA’s Madden series has a narrative-focussed Longshot mode – it’d be great to see that idea carry over into EA’s other big sporting title.

Dynamic weather

For a while there, EA’s mantra seemed to be that anything rival Pro Evolution Soccer could do, FIFA could do better. But EA’s never picked up Pro’s dynamic weather systems. Just like in real life, rainy weather can blow in mid-game, changing the pace and flow of play in the Pro series. It’s a realistic consideration, and one that’d have a subtle but welcome effect to moment-to-moment tactics in FIFA 20. 

Career Mode changes

Career Mode is FIFA’s answer to a managerial system. It’s not Football Manager, but it’s a great way of building up a lengthy relationship with each year’s entry into the franchise. It could do with a spruce up though to its core systems after its flashy-but-shallow FIFA 18 UI overhaul. Some extra depth to the managerial challenge is what we’re really after – player wage negotiations, stadium changes for smaller clubs on the rise, that sort of thing. It’d be great to bring back the Player / Manager career option of FIFA 13, too.

Build-your-own team mode

Fans have been crying out for this one for years – bringing back the old-school ability to create your own team, from branding and kit right down to player names and attributes. We’re guessing EA isn’t keen on this as it’d give you the ability to make updated squad information on the game even years after release. But it’d be great to be able to make a team made up of just work colleagues or online mates, for instance, and see them bring the cup home.

FIFA 2020: Early Access? FIFA as a subscription?

EA has been toying with different sorts of distribution models for a while now, with its EA Access subscription model, and its Origin Premier service, letting players try out the firm’s top games for a monthly fee.

With the launch of FIFA 19, EA allowed gamers to play FIFA 19 nine days before the game’s general release, and we’d expect to see the same occur for FIFA 20. 

What’s potentially interesting though is the possibility of FIFA becoming its own live service, with EA offering a subscription fee for the game, or elements of the game, being constantly updated rather than as an annual release. It’d let the company drip-feed updates, as well as keeping team sheets and player likenesses up to date, and remain competitive to titles like the free-to-play phenomenon Fortnite, which follows a similar model of constant updates.

To be clear, EA has not stated that this is to be the case for FIFA, but with the franchise such a powerful draw, and the idea of games-as-a-service becoming more of an industry standard, don’t be surprised if a future FIFA game takes this route.

Is there a FIFA 20 demo?

Although we know FIFA 20 will be officially launched in September 2019, EA Sports has yet to set a date for its FIFA 20 demo. They're released every year before the official launch, and we've got our fingers crossed for another early demo this year too.

In the past, the demo has been available in a trial capacity for a week or two earlier than the launch date. Looking back, FIFA 19's demo was available on 13 September, 2019, two weeks before the game's full launch – EA followed this same pattern for FIFA 18, FIFA 17 and FIFA 16 too. 

If the same pattern applies to this year, which we assume it will but can't guarantee, then we'd expect the demo to have dropped by 14 September, 2019. Again though, this is all speculation for now – but we'll be sure to update you when we get official confirmation. 



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Friday, July 26, 2019

Latest Gadgets News

US President Donald Trump threatened to tax French wines on Friday in retaliation for France's recent proposal to levy a tax aimed at big US technology companies.

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Heat Domes and Surging Grid Demand Threaten US Power Grids with Blackouts

A new report shows a sharp increase in peak electricity demand, leading to blackout concerns in multiple states. Here's how experts say ...