Several details emerged about new, upcoming Microsoft Surface devices ahead of an expected announcement in October. According to the details, new Surface computers will sport updated Intel chips and possibly an ARM-based processor too.
The news comes from WinFuture(via The Verge). The rumours focus on a new 2-in-1 device, likely a Surface Pro 9, as well as a new clamshell laptop, likely the Surface Laptop 5. Both of these will likely run 12th Gen Intel CPUs, an upgrade from the 11th Gen CPUs available in the Surface Pro 8 and Laptop 4.
More specifically, WinFuture indicated we’ll see an Intel Core i5-1235U in the entry-level models and a Core i7-1255U at the higher end. Storage will likely max out at 1TB, while memory will hit up to 16GB.
However, WinFuture notes that the Surface Pro 9 could also offer an ARM processor, possibly branded as the Microsoft SQ3. Microsoft’s SQ chips were made in partnership with Qualcomm and typically were based on existing Snapdragon chips. Moreover, the SQ3 could support 5G this time around, which could be a major selling point for those seeking a connected computer.
Perhaps most interesting is that the SQ3 is rumoured to appear in a Surface Pro 9. Previously, Microsoft kept its SQ chips to the Surface Pro X line, which sported a more modern design. In other words, if Microsoft plans to include the SQ3 in the Pro 9, it could mean the company will end the Pro X line and that the Pro 9 might sport a new design.
No evidence of an AMD-powered Laptop 5 yet
As for the Surface Laptop 5, WinFuture says it hasn’t found any evidence of an AMD-powered version yet. That comes as a surprise since the last few versions of the Surface Laptop offered both Intel and AMD chips.
Finally, WinFuture shared some details about colour options and pricing. The Surface Pro 9 may have new colour options including ‘Forest’ green and a light blue ‘Sapphire,’ alongside the standard black and silver options. Plus, it will have a 13.5-inch screen again. The Laptop 5 on the other hand will also be available in a larger 15-inch variant again.
As for pricing, the Surface Pro 9 will reportedly start around €1,300 (about $1,720.50 CAD), while the Laptop 5 will start at €1,200 (roughly $1,588.15 CAD) for the 13.5-inch model and €1,500 (approximately $1,985.19 CAD) for the 15-inch version.
Like any leak, it’s important to take this information with a health dose of skepticism. We likely won’t know any of these details for sure until Microsoft announces the products. Which, according to another leak from Twitter user WalkingCat, the announcement event is scheduled for October 11th at 12pm ET. However, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed that timing.
Microsoft unveiled the Windows 11 2022 Update on Tuesday, which is set to bring several new features to Windows 11 PCs. However, one announcement that flew a little under the radar was that Microsoft was expanding the Amazon Appstore to Canada and other countries.
“Today, we are excited to share that within the next few weeks, the Amazon Appstore will expand to 31 countries – including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and more,” reads a line from one of the many announcement blog posts released on Tuesday. Moreover, you can view the full list of countries where the Amazon Appstore Preview is available here.
The expansion means that Windows 11 users in Canada will soon be able to access Android apps and games on Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store.
As part of the change, Microsoft says it made it easier to discover Android apps and games by adding them to editorials and search results on the Microsoft Store. Plus, you’ll be able to share links to your favourite Android apps too.
Moreover, Microsoft improved the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), which powers Android apps on Windows 11. Thanks to the improvements, users should get two or three times faster graphics performance with hardware accelerations, DRM video support, improved input handling for touch, mouse, and keyboard, plus network and security improvements.
However, there’s a good chance that it won’t be available just yet. As mentioned up top, the Amazon Appstore will be available in the “next few weeks.” Moreover, you’ll need the latest Windows update and the right PC hardware. You can check the former by heading to Settings > Windows Update and checking for the Windows 11 2022 Update, while the latter can be verified by checking the system requirements on the Amazon Appstore page (you’ll need at least 8GB of RAM and either an 8th Gen Intel Core i3, AMD Ryzen 3000, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c or better chip).
Finally, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on September 30th:
AI: The Somnium Files (Cloud, Console and PC)
Astria Ascending (Cloud, Console and PC)
Dandy Ace (Cloud, Console and PC)
Dirt 4 (PC) EA Play
Dirt Rally (PC) EA Play
Going Under (Cloud, Console and PC)
Lemnis Gate (Cloud, Console and PC)
Slime Rancher (Cloud, Console and PC)
Subnautica: Below Zero (Cloud, Console and PC)
The Procession to Calvary (Cloud, Console and PC)
Unsighted (Cloud, Console and PC)
Visage (Cloud, Console and PC)
As always, Game Pass subscribers can take advantage of an exclusive 20 percent discount to purchase any game in the catalogue and keep playing even after it leaves Game Pass.
Microsoft announced its Windows 11 2022 Update, which is rolling out today in over 190 countries. The company focused on making the PC easier and safer to use, improving productivity, boosting security, and more.
In the making the PC easier and safer to use department, Microsoft highlighted new features like updates to the Start menu, faster and more accurate search, Quick Settings, and tabs in File Explorer. That last one has been a long time coming, and it’s great to see it finally come to Windows 11.
Moreover, Microsoft will expand on the accessibility services available in Windows 11, including system-wide live captions that can automatically generate captions from any audio content. There’s a new voice access preview as well, which will let people control their PC and write text using only their voice, while Natural Voice for Narrators better mimics natural speech.
On the productivity side, Microsoft added enhancements to Snap layouts, the feature for snapping windows into different parts of the screen. There’s a new Focus feature as well, plus performance and battery improvements.
Snap layouts will now work better with touch navigation, and Microsoft Edge will support the ability to snap multiple browser tabs.
As for Focus, the new feature adds Focus sessions and Do Not Disturb to help Windows users minimize distractions. Further, Focus is integrated into the Clock app, with options to launch a timer to help you focus, or remind you to take regular breaks.
There are new features for connecting and playing too. For example, Microsoft says the new Windows Studio Effects can help improve the video and audio on calls, such as by using artificial intelligence (AI) to filter out background noise.
For gamers, Windows 11 2022 Update brings Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support for windowed games. Plus, there are general performance optimizations that should help improve latency in games too.
Finally, on the security side, most of the updates coming to Windows 11 with the 2022 Update are aimed at businesses. For example, there’s a new Microsoft Defender SmartScreen feature that can identify when someone enters their Microsoft credentials into a malicious app or hacked website, and alert them. There’s also a new optional presence sensing feature coming to Windows Hello for Business, among other things.
To learn more about all the Windows 11 2022 Update features, check out the full details from Microsoft here.
It’s worth noting that the free titles aren’t physical discs, and you’ll receive a code via email to download the game through Xbox Live. All three bundles come with the 512GB version of the Xbox Series S, an Xbox Wireless Controller and a high-speed HDMI cable.
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It’s that time of the year when massive tech companies like Apple and Google launch new smartphones and other devices.
This September, we’re expecting four new iPhone 14 handsets and at least a few Apple Watches. In October, we’ll likely see Google’s Pixel 7 series devices and probably even refreshed iPad Pro tablets. We’re also expecting Microsoft to launch new Surface tablets, laptops and maybe even a Surface Phone.
I’m pretty excited for the upcoming iPhone 14 and its rumoured new design, but I’m also looking forward to the Pixel 7 and what Disney’s Lorcana card game has in store.
Let us know what you’re looking forward to this tech season in the comments below.
Per The Verge, Game Pass Friends & Family costs €21.99 per month in Ireland and 49,000 COP in Colombia. Microsoft hasn’t detailed plans to expand the service beyond those countries yet, saying only that “future countries/regions might be added in the next months” on a FAQ page. The Verge says the price will likely be around $25/mo in the U.S. (about $32.82/mo CAD, although direct conversions usually aren’t accurate reflections of subscription costs).
The subscription includes support for up to five accounts, with the only restriction being that all the people added to the plan need to be in the same country. The Verge says it works out to less than €5/mo per person to gain all the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs €12.99/mo. In Canada, Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/mo.
Moreover, Microsoft notes that switching from an existing Game Pass plan to Friends & Family isn’t a one-to-one conversion and laid out the following details for how upgrades work:
30 days Xbox Game Pass Ultimate = 18 days Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family
30 days Xbox Game Pass (Console) = 12 days Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family
30 days PC Game Pass = 12 days Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family
30 days Xbox Live Gold = 12 days Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family
30 days EA Play = 6 days Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family
Overall, the Game Pass Friends & Family subscription looks like it’ll be a win. It remains to be seen how much it will cost in Canada, but if it has a similar value to the Irish pricing, I’ll likely make the switch.
“We are constantly evaluating our business to offer our fans great gaming options. Our Xbox Series S suggested retail price remains at $299 (£250, €300) the Xbox Series X is $499 (£450, €500),” a Microsoft representative told Windows Central. In Canada, the disc-less, non-4K Xbox Series S is priced at $379, while the beefy, 4K-capable Series X costs $599.
In an August 25th blog post, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan revealed that the PS5’s price was going up, “effective immediately,” in Canada, Europe, the UK, Japan and other countries due to the “global economic environment, including high inflation rates.” For Canada, this means that the standard disc drive-equipped PS5 now costs $649.99 (previously $629.99), while the more affordable disc-less Digital Edition model is now $519.99 (up from $499.99). However, the console’s cost is remaining the same in the U.S.
Of course, Microsoft’s statement doesn’t mean the price of the Xbox Series X/S won’t eventually go up, but for now, at least, it should remain the same.
Pentiment is the next project from Microsoft studio Obsidian Entertainment, the developer behind the likes of RPG heavyweights Fallout: New Vegas, South Park: Stick of Truth and The Outer Worlds is taking a sliver of its team to focus on a more intimate passion project.
Branching off from working on Grounded, The Outer Worlds 2 and the upcoming Avowed, a small team is focusing on the historically-driven experience known as Pentiment. Rather than lean on its expertise in RPGs, Pentiment exercises the team’s narrative and artistic abilities. Throughout the bulk of development, only 10 developers were working on the title, although that’s risen to 13 in the past year.
Pentiment is set in 16th-century Upper Bavaria during the Holy Roman Empire. The game covers the Reformation, the Revolution of 1525, and the introduction of Copernicus’ heliocentric model of the solar system. Players take on the role of Andreas Maler, who is described as a clever artist. Andreas becomes entangled in a series of murders across a 25-year span. MobileSyrup had the privilege of sitting down with Josh Sawyer, Pentiment’s game director and Hannah Kennedy, the game’s art director to hear more.
While Obsidian Entertainment has a penchant for deep RPG mechanics, Pentiment is instead described as a narrative adventure. As Andreas, players interact with various characters in two core communities. The first is the Keirsau Abbey, which is described as a “secular community,” and Tassing, a “religious community.” Andreas moves between them, navigating relationships and exploring this world.
While not a traditional RPG, Pentiment does feature some light RPG systems, including dialogue options. For example, early on in Pentiment, players are asked about Andreas’ university education. At the time, it is quite unusual for an artist to possess a high level of education. Nonetheless, players are able to choose from a shortlist including Orator, Naturalist, and Astronomer. The choice made in this conversation is not only reflected immediately but also affects Andreas’s decisions moving forward throughout the game. Sawyer explains that players have access to Andreas’ journal. Here, players see a breakdown of the character’s backgrounds that are selected and the ways in which they influence the gameplay.
Obsidian Entertainment aims to make Pentiment a game that is accessible to a wide variety of players. Perhaps the setting and art book-page aesthetic aren’t what will immediately attract a player. However, given that it is launching day one on Xbox Game Pass, the team hopes to accommodate players of all nature. “Our focus with this game was really to make it quite simple and easy to play. It’s not a game that’s really super challenging,” Sawyer tells us.
Pentiment offers a minimalist control scheme and is said to be forgiving. Minigames are implemented for “vibes and immersion” and not to be challenging for the player. For instance, Andreas is asked to arrange a series of paintings. It’s a very simple task where players approach it almost like a point-and-click game. Afterward, Andreas is asked to remove a religious cross from the wall. Players can then choose what to do, accepting any ramifications.
Many fonts in the game are inspired by the historical setting. In a traditional sense, dialogue and other text are directly inspired by handwriting from the 16th century. This extends into the first instance of printed typeface print. The Pentiment team has gone so far into replicating text that each stroke that appears on screen bleeds into the parchment backdrop. This effect simulates the look of ink flowing and drying on a page. Additionally, some characters will make slight errors and those get corrected in real-time during interactions. Depending on the character’s background, their dialogue bubbles reflect different styles of handwriting. Based on the limited gameplay shown, this enhanced level of detail adds to the overall aesthetic. Additionally, it demonstrates the dedication and love Obisian has for the historical setting of Pentiment.
It’s worth noting that from an accessibility standpoint, fancy fonts can be disabled for easier legibility and readability. Pentiment also supports other accessibility features. For instance, the game includes a thorough glossary that includes factoids and terms from the 16th century. Additionally, characters are included in the glossary in case you forget anyone.
The Pentiment team is driven by its passion for the history and art of the 16th century. Sawyer graduated with a history degree and it seems clear that his team shares a similar love of the setting. Pentiment’s “book pages” are inspired by late Medieval illumination and early modern woodcuts. Obsidian Entertainment pulls from examples such as the Guild of Saint Luke and the team looked at art from the era. Obsidian Entertainment used works of art to pull character designs, furnishings, clothes, and how to interact in a 2D plane.
“The Nuremberg Chronicle was a really influential piece, both in identifying how woodblock mark making looked different that we could pull from to reflect in the way that our characters are designed,” Kennedy told us.
Pentiment is a game that Sawyer believes “people who are super into history can get a lot out of, but [they] don’t need to be a history expert to play it.” To maintain a certain amount of accuracy, Obsidian Entertainment worked with a number of researchers including Dr. Christopher De Hamel, Dr. Edmund Kern, and Dr. Winston E. Black. The team also partnered with Alkemie Music, an ensemble musician group focusing on Renaissance music with a modern twist on historical pieces.
Much of what’s gone into Pentiment is brand new for the studio. Thus, there have been challenges to overcome throughout development. “I think that there are some advantages and disadvantages to making something so different,” Sawyer explains. “We are doing a lot of things with animation that is not like what our animators normally have to do. So, we’ve had our animators really flexing muscles they haven’t had to flex in a long time to do a 2D game in this style. I think that having a small team that works within a larger company, which works with a much larger umbrella studio, has been beneficial for us.”
The team also notes how Microsoft has been supportive of the game throughout. Obsidian Entertainment’s acquisition enabled the team to really delve into the development of Pentiment. Also, having the game land on Xbox Game Pass sounds like it provided a huge boost in confidence in the game. “I think [the acquisition] is really what made it possible,” says Sawyer.
“I think that if we had tried to make it like five or 10 years ago, it would have been a lot more difficult because we didn’t really have a platform like this to release a game like this on and it would have been a little more challenging to find funding, and just get support for it.”
Microsoft is once again experimenting with a new naming scheme for Windows updates.
Twitter user ‘XenoPanther‘ spotted a name change in the ‘Get Started’ app that appears when you set up a new PC (via The Verge). The name change swaps the upcoming ’22H2′ update to ‘Windows 11 2022 Update.’
The new naming scheme would be easier for end users to understand than 22H2. Plus, with Microsoft reportedly planning to move towards a yearly big update cadence, it makes sense to name those updates after the year they came out. That said, the name could also be a placeholder, and we could still get the 22H2 update or even the update with a different name entirely. Given that XenoPanther followed up the original tweet with a note that the ‘Windows 11 2022 Update’ text vanished, this seems more likely.
The thing is, Microsoft has been all over the place with update names for years. As noted by The Verge, there was the ‘Creators Update’ for Windows 10, the Windows 10 May 2021 Update, and the Windows 10 21H2 update.
However, most other tech companies use an even simpler, more effective naming scheme: numbers. Android 13, iOS 16, etc. You have one big number for major releases, then a decimal number for major updates. For example, instead of the 22H2 update or the ‘Windows 11 2022 Update,’ just call it Windows 11.1. Wow, that’s so much simpler!
Whatever name Microsoft ends up with, the next big Windows 11 update is expected to arrive on September 20th, sporting improvements like app folders in the Start menu, drag and drop on the taskbar, and more.
