We’ve spent some time with Samsung’s latest foldable phones, and both continue to refine and improve. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 still unfurls into a squareish tablet for bigger web browsing, Google Maps navigation and more but has improved multitasking features. The main screen is brighter, and the battery life is much improved, but it’s still very expensive – $1,800. Read our full review right here.
If you’re looking for a smaller price and device footprint, the Z Flip 4 is another foldable that’s very pocketable and, well, chic. Its versatility makes it more fun to use, but you’ll have to live with shorter battery life than traditional smartphones. Despite that, Engadget’s Cherlynn Low says she’s ready to ditch her Pixel (gasp!) for Samsung’s newest flip phone.
– Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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China’s emergence as an EV powerhouse has been a long time coming
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Microsoft and Amazon reportedly halt plans to build data centers in Ireland
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Google’s Pixel 6a falls to a new low price of $399 at Amazon
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Former Apple employee pleads guilty to stealing self-driving car secrets
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Sennheiser Momentum 4 review: Stellar sound, insane battery life
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SteelSeries’ first desktop speakers include a 5.1-channel USB model
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Troubled ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’ remake reportedly switches studios
Sony reveals a new PS5 controller
The DualSense Edge is its take on a pro controller.
Sony is already upgrading its PlayStation 5 gamepads with the DualSense Edge. The Edge is all about customization – this seems to be Sony’s take on the Xbox Elite controller. You’ll be able to remap and deactivate buttons, adjust stick sensitivity and dead zones and save these settings to unique profiles. There’s no word on availability or pricing for the new gamepad. Sony says it’ll share more information about the Edge in the months ahead.
‘Everywhere’ is a new multi-world game from a GTA producer
It’s coming out in 2023.
Alongside Sony’s new pro controller, there were plenty of new game announcements at Gamescom’s kick-off show. Everywhere had an intriguing trailer where the game seemed to be split in two: First, there are multiple characters shooting, jumping and driving across biomes, with an obvious metaverse-like social component built into the gameplay. So far, so Fortnite. However, in the final third of the trailer, the game’s art style changes, more photo-realistic graphics… and no explanation yet about the difference.
More Gamescom 2022 news
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‘Phantom Hellcat’ promises hack-and-slash action with 2D and 3D mechanics
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Justin Roiland’s ‘High on Life’ hits Xbox and PC in December
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‘Dune: Awakening’ is a survival MMO set in Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe
Meta accounts arrive today, freeing Quest headsets from Facebook
However, you will need both by 2023 to continue using devices.
Meta accounts have arrived. “The update will roll out globally on a gradual basis, so if you don’t have the option to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile right away, you’ll get the update soon,” the company said. If your headset is currently tied to an Oculus account, you’ll need to register for a Meta account to continue using your device after January 1st, 2023. The company announced the new system last month, reversing its decision to require a Facebook login to use Oculus headsets.
Watch the new ‘LOTR: Rings of Power’ trailer
It comes suspiciously close to the ‘House of the Dragon’ premiere…
After nearly 10 million people watched the premiere of HBO’s House of the Dragon, Amazon wants to remind you it has dragons and fantasy on the menu. It just shared a new trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Perhaps more than anything, the clip is a showcase for the $465 million Amazon spent. So far.
Whistleblower accuses Twitter of being ‘grossly negligent’ on security
The former Twitter head of security also says the company prioritized user growth.
Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, Twitter’s former head of security, says in a whistleblower complaint the company has misled regulators about its security measures. As part of an FTC settlement, Twitter had agreed to implement and monitor security safeguards to protect its users. However, Zatko says half of Twitter’s servers are out of date and running vulnerable software and that thousands of employees still have wide-ranging internal access to core company software, which had previously led to huge breaches. Hackers logged into the accounts of some of the most high-profile users on the website in 2020, including Barack Obama and Elon Musk, by targeting Twitter employees for their internal systems and tools.