Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

Yes, Slack is down

Pack it in, the day is already over.

If you haven’t been able to access your workplace’s Slack account this morning, you’re not alone. The collaboration platform is experiencing issues, resulting in some users being unable to log into the service or send/receive messages.

Slack’s Status Twitter account says that “Some customer[s] may be experiencing issues with loading Slack.”

On Down Detector, there’s a massive influx of reported Slack outages starting at roughly 9am ET/6am PT.

It’s unclear when Slack will be back online. In the past, the platform has fixed services relatively quickly, though in early January the service was down for several hours.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Source: @SlackStatus

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter developing tool for users to get out of conversations

Twitter appears to be working on a feature that would let users “nope” out of conversations with ease.

Given the general awfulness of people online and Twitter’s general reputation as a toxic “hell site,” this sounds like a great feature.

Uncovered by leaker Jane Manchun Wong, Twitter’s in-development feature includes a prompt to get users out of conversations. According to an image of the prompt shared by Wong, the feature will untag users, stop future mentions from that conversation, and stop notifications. Further, Twitter won’t notify other participants if you leave.

The feature looks and sounds like a more aggressive mute option. Plus, the ability to silently drop out of a Twitter conversation and prevent yourself from being added back in seems like a way to stir up chaos among participants who suddenly won’t be able to tag you and won’t know why.

Of course, the feature could also have unintended consequences and perhaps could become another way to troll people online. Only time will tell with this one.

It’s not clear yet when Twitter will officially roll out this feature, or if it even will. Considering it’s still in development, we could be weeks or months away from deployment.

Source: Jane Manchun Wong (Twitter) Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Sony unleashes Clawstrider in downtown Toronto to celebrate Horizon Forbidden West’s launch

To celebrate the launch of Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West, Sony Interactive Entertainment has set up a Clawstrider in Maple Leaf Square, Toronto. The installation will be set up until March 4.

In Horizon Forbidden West, players experience the latest journey of Aloy as she explores the post-apocalyptic west coast on a mission to save the remaining population. Along the way, Aloy encounters many dangerous machines, including the fast and deadly Clawstrider.

For the next two weeks, fans can travel down to Maple Leaf Square and check out the statue. It’s certainly not hard to miss as it stands at 11.5 feet tall.

The installation is quite fitting. Maple Leaf Square is colloquially referred to as Jurassic Park as it’s the home of the Toronto Raptors. Outside of the pandemic, hundreds of fans will commonly gather and cheer outside the Scotiabank Arena. Now, Jurassic Park is home to one of HEPHAESTUS’ creations.

If you’re unable to make it into Toronto to see the Horizon Forbidden West installation, PlayStation Canada’s Twitter account dropped a little video to check out.

Toronto isn’t the only location a Clawstrider has set up a temporary shop. In addition, Sony has delivered a statue in Dubai, Sydney Moscow, Seoul Warsaw, Madrid, Berlin, New York City, and San Francisco.

Horizon Forbidden West is currently available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. SIE is partnering with WWF-Canada and donating $1 from each copy sold in Canada.

Image credit: PlayStation

Source: PlayStation Canada

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Mobile Syrup

Production tests for Apple’s unannounced AR/VR headset are said to be complete

Apple has reportedly completed production tests for its unannounced AR/VR headset. This further brings evidence to the table that the iPhone maker is reaching the finish line of its first headset.

DigiTimes’ latest report, seen by MacRumors, states that key suppliers have noted the production tests are not complete. The second-phase engineering validation tests (EVT 2) are complete in order to ensure that production meets Apple’s standards. Besides the aforementioned news, no further information arrives from the report.

It’s a bit of a waiting game as the industry and eager Apple users await official news on the headset. It isn’t a well-kept secret as information on specs, design aspects, and more surfaces more and more. It’s widely reported that Apple may launch the AR/VR headset at some point this year. However, Bloomberg says that the window could slip to 2023 due to development challenges.

This is a major new product for Apple to have under its belt. With that, the company is expected to pull no stops by offering premium specs. It’s rumoured that the headset will feature a lightweight design made for comfort. Apple’s AR/VR headset may be made up of two 4K micro-LED displays and two main processors.

Additionally, rumours point out that the headset could spot Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, hand gestures, and eye-tracking. This would make it a very competitive alternative to the already established VR brands like Oculus, Vive, or PSVR.

Of course, while offering premium specs, Apple’s headset is expected to cost a pretty penny. The estimated cost in Canada may round out to roughly $4,000. This will likely result in it becoming a niche product for those within Apple’s ecosystem.

Image credit:

Source: DigiTimes Via: MacRumors

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Mobile Syrup

Samsung flagships to lose another feature to iPhone

In recent years Samsung has slowly been removed features from their Galaxy hardware, making them more in line with the competition. First, it was the headphone jack, the micro-SD slot, and they could be losing another very soon.

According to a new report, Apple’s next-generation iPhone will feature 8GB of RAM. This is a technology that Samsung has in its current-gen flagship Galaxy S22 line. The Korean tech giant seems to be losing yet another exclusive feature to the competition in Apple.

The iPhone is already notably faster than the Samsung Galaxy line, a lead that will grow even larger with the boost in performance 8GB of RAM will bring.

Also, Apple already has the lead over Samsung on the memory front with phones that go up to 1TB in storage.

This doesn’t mark the end of Samsung’s share in the cellular market. However, it could spell an even tighter race amongst the giants in smartphones.

It will be interesting to see if Samsung ups their storage capacity or break new ground on the RAM front as a response to this new iPhone development.

Source: SamMobile

Image Source: Samsung

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Mobile Syrup

Square Enix vows to support Final Fantasy 14 Online for the next decade

During a “Letter from the Producer” live stream Final Fantasy 14 Online director and producer Naoki Yoshida revealed plans for the future of the game, including support “for the next 10 years.” Amongst these improvements is expanding solo play coming in the near future. A graphical overhaul of the game will launch sometime further down the line.

Kicking off with Patch 6.1 solo play will become much easier in the hit massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The patch, coming sometime in April, will expand the Trust System, allowing for solo players to tackle more content with a squad of non-player characters.

This change will also make for a more “accessible” experience for solo players in low-level dungeons and trials.

Yoshida said both characters and environments will be improved with higher resolution models, new textures, and improved lighting/shadow effects. The visual upgrades are set to launch with the title’s next expansion, but no exact release date was given.

Some of the other announcements made included new weapon enhancements, a rouge-lite dungeon area, a new area for players to build and grow crops in. All of these changes will debut in upcoming patches.

Lastly, Yoshida mentioned that the Final Fantasy 14 Online free trial will reopen for players starting February 22. The trail was taken off online storefronts after the game saw an overwhelming influx of players in recent months.

Source: Polygon

Image Source: Square Enix

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Mobile Syrup

Square Enix vows to support Final Fantasy 14 Online for the next decade

During a “Letter from the Producer” live stream Final Fantasy 14 Online director and producer Naoki Yoshida revealed plans for the future of the game, including support “for the next 10 years.” Amongst these improvements is expanding solo play coming in the near future. A graphical overhaul of the game will launch sometime further down the line.

Kicking off with Patch 6.1 solo play will become much easier in the hit massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The patch, coming sometime in April, will expand the Trust System, allowing for solo players to tackle more content with a squad of non-player characters.

This change will also make for a more “accessible” experience for solo players in low-level dungeons and trials.

Yoshida said both characters and environments will be improved with higher resolution models, new textures, and improved lighting/shadow effects. The visual upgrades are set to launch with the title’s next expansion, but no exact release date was given.

Some of the other announcements made included new weapon enhancements, a rouge-lite dungeon area, a new area for players to build and grow crops in. All of these changes will debut in upcoming patches.

Lastly, Yoshida mentioned that the Final Fantasy 14 Online free trial will reopen for players starting February 22. The trail was taken off online storefronts after the game saw an overwhelming influx of players in recent months.

Source: Polygon

Image Source: Square Enix

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft started Activision acquisition talks three days after harassment report

According to newly public SEC filings, Activision acquisition talks started at Microsoft three days after the bombshell harassment report on the company was released. As first reported by CNBC, talks amongst the Microsoft brass of an Activision purchase first commenced on November 19, 2021, three days after The Wall Street Journal dropped its report detailing harassment within the company.

The Wall Street Journal Report outlined widespread harassment at Activision that CEO Bobby Kotick was well aware of. Kotick was also alleged to have participated in these acts himself by mistreating women in and out of the company.

After the Activision report went public on November 16, the company’s shares dropped nearly $10. Two days after the report’s release, Xbox head Phil Spencer sent a company-wide email. In it, Spencer mentions he was “disturbed and deeply troubled” by the Activision news.

Then as detailed in the SEC filing the very next day Spencer reach out to Kotick expressing Microsoft’s interest in “discussing strategic opportunities” between the two. The proposal was then brought before Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella the following day.

It was a mere eight weeks later that Microsoft officially announced the acquisition of Activision for $69 billion.

Also revealed in the SEC filing was the fact that negotiations between the two went fast, as there were at least four other companies trying to purchase Activision.  These companies remain nameless; however, it is noted that one was attempting to purchase Blizzard separate from Activision.

The Microsoft/Activision deal is currently pending review.

Image credit: IGN

Source: CNBC

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Mobile Syrup

Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 1.5 adds spicy texts and other new romance options

CD Projekt Red (CDPR) added a ton of tweaks and enhancements to Cyberpunk 2077 via Patch 1.5. On top of highly requested features like 60FPS and new customization features, romance options will now send lewd messages to players.

Players have begun to receive messages from romance options in Cyberpunk 2077. In one instance, a player received a bathroom selfie from Panam with a text reading, “What are you up to? I’m just about to step into the shower, thinking of you…:*” As Cyberpunk 2077 offers dialogue options, players can choose to respond with either “Feelin dirty, huh? Think there’s room for two…?” or “Panaaaam. I can tell you’re bored.”

This is just one core example of the subtle changes made to Cyberpunk 2077 in regard to romance options. The game also supports new text chat options, voice messages, and the ability to sleep next to the NPC. Another player recounts their experience sleeping next to Judy.

These new additions aren’t only relegated to the romance between the player and female options. Both Kerry and River, two male options, also support new romantic flair. It’s said Kerry sends the player a gift. River, on the other hand, swings by V’s apartment for some sweet hangs.

Overall, they all seem to be fairly light in terms of content and impact. However, it does demonstrate the ways CDPR is expanding on romance within Cyberpunk 2077. In fact, it’s fairly subtle in its execution. During my own personal time toying around with the update, I was more fixated on the new performance options and the ability to rent new apartments.

CDPR has previously given a roadmap for Cyberpunk 2077. On top of adding current-gen enhancements, free DLC is expected at some point in the future.

Image credit: Cyberpunk 2077

Source: Kotaku 

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Mobile Syrup

New Peleton CEO is looking into an app store and revamped subscription

Peleton’s new CEO Barry McCarthy suggests the company is exploring an app store and a reinvented subscription model for the company.  In an interview with New York Times’ DealBook, McCarthy says that this would be an attempt to kickstart sales as things have stagnated for the fitness brand.

The CEO likes the idea of an app store being featured as a part of their products, allowing third-party content to be made available on the platform. McCarthy mentions that “Today, [Peleton} is a closed platform — but it could be an open platform and part of the creator economy.”

The executive thinks this effort could widen the scope of what the company offers, including services like running a Peleton app store and such from outside their walled garden.

He says that Peleton is much more than just hardware now and that it is more about the experience including the music, instructors, and community features.

Looking even further down the line, McCarthy hints at the possibility of shaking up the fitness company’s subscription model. He says the company wants to find a “sweet spot” between the pricey cost of Peleton hardware and the subscription it offers. The CEO ponders on a future where the upfront cost is much lower but with a higher subscription fee of between $70 and $80. This is in stark contrast to the upwards of $1000 it can cost to get a piece of Peleton equipment with a $39 a month subscription fee.

Image Source: Peleton

Source: New York Times