Valheim now has difficulty options, enabling you to increase or decrease the challenge.
According to developer Iron Gate Studio, easy mode offers "a more casual experience" that gives a "lighter, more accommodating adventure ideal for the pacifists and builders", whilst hard mode "ramps it up for a hardcore playthrough".
Alternatively, you can select different aspects of the server modifiers to "come up with a mix of your own".
The changes come in Patch 0.217.4 - Hildir's Request, which is available on the public test server. It also ushers in new NPC Hildir the merchant, new locations, two new crafting extensions, new items, and new hair and beard styles.
You can also expect to see an all-new quick-stack button, "various visual improvements", and now your fancy hair and beard styles are available even when you're wearing your helmet.
If you haven't come across it before, Valheim is an early-access survival title (yes: it's still in early access) that has comprehensively taken over Steam, clocking in over 500,000 concurrent players at once just 19 days after the game’s launch.
With four million players and counting and an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ rating after 350,000 user reviews, it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon, either.
"It’s quite an unusual game to be sitting so high on Steam’s most-played list, just behind gigantic esports behemoths like DOTA 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds," we said in our feature, Why you should be playing Valheim.
"In Valheim, you play as a fallen Norse warrior trapped in purgatory who has to craft and explore their way through the realm, building up to progress-gating boss battles.
"It’s also nowhere near as refined as its peers. Valheim doesn’t feature slick, high-fidelity graphics – but it’s still gorgeous, with its retro PS1 textures juxtaposed against magnificent sun-lit vistas. The game’s combat isn’t the most engaging on the market either, but it has a certain something to it, a Dark Soulsian clunkiness that keeps it addicting and hard to master."
Valheim is available now on PC and Xbox, and for no additional cost on PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass.
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Sony remains "happy" with its decision not to release its first-party games on PS Plus.
"We're happy with our strategy," Sony's vice president and global head of subscriptions, Nick Maguire, told Gamesindustry.biz, suggesting that the company has no plans to rework its subscription service to match that of competitor Microsoft, which does make all its first-party games available from day one for Xbox Game Pass subscribers at no extra cost.
"Putting games in a bit later in the life cycle has meant that we can reach more customers 12, 18, 24 months after they have released. We're seeing customers still get excited about those games and jumping in. For us, that's working.
"Occasionally, there will be an opportunity to invest in a day-and-date like Stray and we will jump on those when they come in," Maguire added. "But for us, letting those [first-party] games go out to the platform outside the service first… that's working and that will continue to be our strategy moving forward."
ICYMI, Phil Spencer recently commented on the status of an Xbox Series X successor in a recent interview.
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are now nearing three years of market availability, as both systems originally launched in late 2020.
The prior console generation saw a system revision in the form of the Xbox One X (in 2017), which debuted three and a half years after the Xbox One. The decision behind the upgrade was to deliver 4K resolution to consumers, a feat that the current flagship Xbox console does straight out of the box.
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A hacking group known as SpaceCobra developed an instant messaging app that is also able to steal a lot of sensitive information from the target device. The threat actor seems to know exactly who it wants to target, as downloading the app has proven to be quite the challenge for researchers.
Cybersecurity researchers from ESET recently discovered that two messaging apps, called BingeChat and Chatico, were actually serving GravityRAT, a remote access trojan. This RAT was capable of exfiltrating plenty of sensitive information from compromised endpoints, including call logs, contact list, SMS messages, device location, basic device information, and files with specific extensions for pictures, photos, and documents.
No app store presence
What makes these two apps stand out from others delivering GravityRAT out there, is that these can also steal WhatsApp backups and receive commands to delete files.
The way the malware is distributed makes this campaign even more unique. The apps cannot be found on app stores and were never uploaded to Google Play, for example. Instead, they can only be downloaded by visiting a specially crafted website and opening up an account. This might not sound like anything special, but the researchers from ESET could not open up an account as registrations were “closed” when they visited. This prompted them to conclude that the group was very precise with its targeting, possibly going for a specific location or IP address.
“It is most probable that the operators only open registration when they expect a specific victim to visit, possibly with a particular IP address, geolocation, custom URL, or within a specific timeframe,” says ESET researcher Lukáš Štefanko. “Although we couldn’t download the BingeChat app via the website, we were able to find a distribution URL on VirusTotal,” he adds.
That being said, the majority of the victims seem to reside in India. The attackers, SpaceCobra, are apparently of Pakistani origin. The campaign is most likely active since August last year, with one of the two (BingeChat) still being active, the researchers said. The malicious app, based on the open-source OMEMO Instant Messenger app, is available for Windows, macOS, and Android.
These images come from tech news site MySmartPrice, and truth be told, there isn’t a lot of brand-new information in these leaks. If anything, they serve to reiterate previously heard rumors, giving some past information a bit more validity. Case in point, it looks like both smartphones will feature a waterdrop hinge, a design change we first heard about back in January. This means they’ll be able to close completely flat. It’s a small addition but could go a long way in improving the durability of these devices plus reduce the on-screen crease – if only a little bit.
Speaking of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, it looks like Samsung is sticking pretty close to the design of the Z Fold 4. The USB Type-C port, speaker grills, and rear camera system line up pretty closely with the older model. The only outward design difference, according to MySmartPrice, is the smaller bezels around the Fold5’s screen. This allows for a bigger screen-to-body ratio resulting in a more “immersive viewing experience”.
The renders also demonstrate a couple of use cases for the external screen. You can show off some high-quality images or use it to “control music playback.” We might even see Google Maps on there as Google is apparently optimizing several of its apps to work with the outer display.
(Image credit: MySmartPrice)
Samsung’s second Unpacked showcase is set to be held in late July in Seoul, South Korea. There, we expect to see the official reveal of both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. The launch date remains a mystery although there is some speculation both phones will release on July 26 in South Korea first, before moving onto a global launch event on August 11. This third mini-event will reportedly be held in the “United States and Canada separately.”
If you’re interested in picking up a foldable phone or just curious to learn more, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best foldable phones for 2023.
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Every year, details about Apple's upcoming iPhones are extensively leaked – so much so that we often have a good idea of what to expect from each new device, long before they’re actually announced.
This year has been no exception. Even though we’re not expecting to hear about the iPhone 15 and its siblings in an official capacity until September, we’ve already heard plenty of rumors about the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max (which might yet be called the iPhone 15 Ultra).
While we can’t be certain of anything about these phones just yet, we imagine much of what we’ve heard will be accurate – particularly given the level of corroboration among leakers – so below, we've collated all the likely specs for each upcoming iPhone.
iPhone 15
The iPhone 15 is sure to be more powerful than the iPhone 14(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPhone 15 will probably have the same chipset as the iPhone 14 Pro if leaks are to be believed, namely an A16 Bionic. While that’s not new, it is an upgrade on the A15 Bionic found in the standard iPhone 14.
That will likely be joined by 6GB of RAM, and a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. That’s all the same as the iPhone 14.
We’re not expecting changes to the core screen specs either, with a 6.1-inch OLED display of around 1179 x 2556 rumored, along with a 60Hz refresh rate – though it will apparently have a Dynamic Island rather than a notch this time.
While we haven’t heard much about the battery, that will probably also be similar to last year, at around 3,279mAh. However, it will probably charge via USB-C, rather than Lightning, which is a big change for Apple.
The camera could also get an upgrade, with a new 48MP main sensor inherited from the iPhone 14 Pro. That would replace the 12MP sensor of its predecessor, but will likely once again be joined by a 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP selfie camera.
iPhone 15 Plus
The iPhone 15 Plus should have a newer chipset than the 14 Plus(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPhone 15 Plus will likely follow in its predecessor’s footsteps, in that it will be a bigger alternative to the standard iPhone 15.
As with the iPhone 15, leaks suggest that the main spec upgrades will be applied to the camera, namely a 48MP main sensor instead of a 12MP one (albeit with the former still joined by a 12MP ultra-wide and a 12MP selfie camera, like on the iPhone 14 Plus). Similarly, there will be a new-but-not-that-new chipset, in the form of the A16 Bionic, which has already been used by the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Beyond that, the specs largely sound similar to the current model, based on the rumors we’ve heard so far. That means 6GB of RAM, a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage, a battery of roughly 4,323mAh, and a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and a resolution of around 1284 x 2778.
The iPhone 15 Plus will, however, probably have a Dynamic Island rather than a notch, and a USB-C port rather than a Lightning port.
iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro could be a big upgrade on the 14 Pro(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPhone 15 Pro could get some substantial spec upgrades, headlined by a new A17 Bionic chipset, which reportedly has a 20% more powerful CPU than its predecessor. We’ve also heard that it might have 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPhone 14 Pro.
We haven’t heard much about the battery, and wouldn’t be surprised if it’s similar to before, meaning around 3,200mAh. But the new chipset is reportedly a lot more efficient, so it could go further.
Storage is likely to once again start at 128GB and top out at 1TB, though, and the screen might once again be a 6.1-inch 1179 x 2556 OLED one with a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate.
We’re also expecting similar cameras again, likely meaning a 48MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto (with 3x optical zoom), and 12MP selfie camera. That said, one report points to a new ‘state-of-the-art’ Sony sensor being used, so some significant camera upgrades remain a possibility.
iPhone 15 Ultra / iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Ultra could have better cameras than the 14 Pro Max(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPhone 15 Ultra or the iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to be the top model in the iPhone 15 line (with sources disagreeing on which of those names it will have).
In some ways, it should be like the iPhone 15 Pro, with leaks pointing to the same powerful new A17 Bionic chipset and 8GB of RAM – both of which would be upgrades on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
It’s also expected to have a USB-C port with support for fast 40Gbps data transfer speeds, along possibly with reverse wireless charging.
But in a lot of other ways it could be even more high-end than the iPhone 15 Pro. For example, the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a starting storage capacity of 256GB, rather than 128GB.
Plus, it might have a screen that’s not just bigger and higher resolution than the 15 Pro (likely at 6.7 inches and 1290 x 2796), but also possibly brighter, with leaker ShrimpApplePro suggesting that this phone might be able to reach 2,500 nits, up from 2,000 nits on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which would make it the brightest phone screen on the planet by current standards.
Its refresh rate could be a variable one of between 1-120Hz like last year, but its battery might be bigger (though exactly how much bigger hasn’t been leaked). For reference, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 4,323mAh battery.
The cameras could also get an upgrade, both compared to its predecessor and the rest of the iPhone 15 line. According to leaks, the Ultra could get a periscope camera (allowing for likely around a 6x optical zoom rather than the 3x offered by the 14 Pro Max). In fact, it might even have a variable zoom lens, meaning it's camera could move between different optical zoom levels.
Luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz is outfitting its MBUX Voice Assistant with ChatGPT as part of a new US-only beta program. Joining the beta will allow drivers of over 900,000 “vehicles equipped with MBUX [to hold] “more dynamic” conversations with the onboard AI.
In the official announcement post, the company states it's seeking to improve its voice assistant beyond “predefined tasks and responses”. ChatGPT’s own large language model would “greatly improve [MBUX’s] natural language understanding [to] expand the topics to which it can respond.” So not only will customers be able to give voice commands, but they can also ask the AI for detailed information about their destination or suggestions for a new dinner recipe.
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
Security
To make the program possible, Mercedes is incorporating Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service in the rollout, ensuring, according to the auto manufacturer, “enterprise-grade security, privacy, and reliability”. Conversation data will be collected and then stored in the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud where it will be “anonymized and analyzed.” All IT processes will be controlled by the company as it promises to protect “all customer data from… misuse.” Microsoft won’t have any access.
If you want to see it in action before installation, tech news site Electrek recently published a couple of videos showing off the upgraded MBUX. It utilizes both the dashboard screen as well as its onboard voice to deliver answers. When asked for suggestions for the best local beaches, the AI displayed a text list of nearby locations before recommending activities like surfing. It can even tell jokes, although they’re pretty terrible.
Availability
The beta program starts June 16 in the United States only, as stated earlier. To get started, eligible customers must first say “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program” as a command to MBUX. From there, it’ll teach you how to install the ChatGPT patch. It appears part of the onboarding process includes connecting a mobile device to the AI. A full list of vehicles supporting the beta is available on the company’s website. In total, there are over 25 models ranging from sedans to SUVs.
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
The beta program should last three months. After that time, it’ll go offline for an indeterminate amount of time. Mercedes will then take the data it collects to improve the AI for an eventual launch. It’s unknown if either the program or the final version will be available to other global regions or other languages besides English.
We reached out to Mercedes-Benz for more information on the launch. This story will be updated at a later time.
Having a generative AI at your beck and call giving you travel suggestions sounds pretty useful and could lead to a lot more fruitful sightseeing. To that end, we recommend checking TechRadar’s list of the best travel camera for 2023 before planning your next trip.
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Intel has made its rumored processor rebranding official with the announcement of the new Intel Core and Intel Core Ultra brands, phasing out the 'i' in its Core series processors that the company has used for more than a decade.
"Our client roadmap demonstrates how Intel is prioritizing innovation and technology leadership with products like Meteor Lake, focused on power efficiency and AI at scale," Caitlin Anderson, Intel vice president and general manager of Client Computing Group Sales, said in a statement. "To better align with our product strategies, we are introducing a branding structure that will help PC buyers better differentiate the best of our latest technology and our mainstream offerings."
According to Intel, the new branding will apply to its new Core processors starting with Meteor Lake, and will initially feature Intel Core 3, Intel Core 5, and Intel Core 7 processors, though it's not clear if there will be an option for an Intel Core 9.
(Image credit: Intel)
We do know that this highest tier will at least fall under the new Intel Core Ultra brand, which is set to debut in the second half of 2023, according to the company. This new branding differentiates between its mainstream and "advanced" lineup of processors, with the Ultra series seemingly geared toward the high-end enthusiast market and enterprise users while the vanilla Intel Core processors are more mainstream-facing chips.
This rebranding is a significant leap for Team Blue, which has spent 15 years building up the reputation of its Core i-series processors, with its latest Raptor Lake processors easily earning spots on our best processor list.
Another major change is that Intel will no longer reference the specific generation in its marketing or product markings, so no '14th-generation' or similar, though the generation number will still be identifiable in the specific processors model number, so presumably Intel Core Ultra 9-14XX, or similar, though Intel hasn't settled on a new numbering convention for the rebranded chips yet.
15 years of hard work building a stellar brand, gone like that
(Image credit: Intel)
With the rebranding of its Core series processors, Intel leaves behind more than a decade of hard work building up the reputation of its flagship processors, which is not something that Intel would do lightly.
I still don't understand why it is necessary, however, and the differentiation between Core and Core Ultra is also somewhat head-scratching, especially since there will at least be some overlap between the two brands when it comes to its middle tiers. There will be both Intel Core 5 and Intel Core 7 processors, but also Intel Core Ultra 5 and Intel Core Ultra 7, and this doesn't do that much to alleviate customer confusion when it comes to which processor to buy for their specific needs.
This may become clearer with time, but the difference between a Core and a Core Ultra processor is going to be just as opaque to most mainstream buyers (and even for many professional customers) so the rebranding doesn't look, at first glance, like it makes anything clearer.
(Image credit: Intel)
The mainstream customers that Intel seems most concerned with here are just as likely to ask the floor associate at Best Buy or Currys which one is better (or Google it) as they were with the old numbering convention. Plus, the enthusiast community that builds their own PCs is already very familiar with Intel's existing branding. Put simply, this isn't clarifying things for anyone who is out to buy an individual Intel processor from Newegg.
And, for enterprise users who need extra security features and such, Intel already has its vPro branding (though it will further differentiate between vPro Enterprise and vPro Essential), so designating a chip a Core Ultra 9 vPro Enterprise or Core Ultra 9 vPro Essential only seems to add complexity to an already complex system, and now everyone has to relearn everything from scratch.
Obviously, given time, we will learn this new system just as we did when Intel introduced its Core processors back in 2006, but there's no getting around the fact that the Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7, and Intel Core i9 processors have been an incredibly simple product tiering system that is easily recognizable and easy to explain. It's why AMD more or less just copied the convention wholesale when it introduced its Ryzen processors back in 2016.
Intel says that the rebranding reflects a major shift in the chips' architecture, and so on that level, it makes sense that a rebranding might be appropriate, but there is no way to shake the feeling that with this move Intel is leaving behind something important. Let's just hope Intel doesn't come to regret it.
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If you're wondering why office productivity nosedived this week, you can probably blame Google and its ingenious Katamari Damacy Easter egg game.
Katamari is a two-decade-old puzzle-action Namco gaming franchise that launched on PlayStation 2 in 2004 (but was unveiled in 2003 at the Tokyo Game Show). The initial game tells the tale of a prince seeking to restore the cosmos that his father, the King, destroyed in a drunken rage.
What made it so popular though was the whimsical gameplay which features a giant magical ball that's rolled around and collects all kinds of objects. The game ultimately spawned at least 14 more variations over the span of 20 years.
The key to this Easter egg is that little Katamari ball.(Image credit: Future)
If you search for that term on the desktop and look at the Google knowledge box on the left, you'll notice the magical Katamari ball. Click on it and a rendered 3D Katamari ball will appear in the middle of the screen, along with visual guidance on how to control the ball with your keyboard's arrow keys.
As soon as you tap or hold one of the arrow keys, the ball will roll in that direction. It also has built-in momentum which means that the longer you hold the key, the faster the ball rolls and the longer it takes to stop. You can also use your mouse to click and push the ball in any direction you want.
As the ball rolls, it acts like a magnet and collects up all the images and thumbnails on the search results page until the ball is covered and only the rolling thumbnail graphics are visible. Collected graphics also get the same treatment as the 3D ball and even throw shadows on the page.
We grabbed it all.(Image credit: Future)
This is also an Easter game of skill as the ball becomes somewhat harder to control the more stuff you roll onto its endlessly sticky body.
We can almost guarantee you will spend too much time rolling the ball around to grab every single graphic. Okay, maybe it was just us.
The Katamai Easter egg works on your best Android phones and best iPhones, but instead of a keyboard, you control the magic ball by taping it in the direction you want the ball to roll.
Unlike Google Doodles that appear on the anniversary day and then often disappear, the best Google Easter Eggs like this can last for as long as people search the term. We suggest you try it out, play for a bit, and then get back to work. We can't all afford to get permanently distracted, can we?
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