For a role-playing game series that existed for decades, its impressive how Gusts Atelier has continually changed and adapted. Atelier Ryza was the turning point, of course, and even its titles saw massive strides from comfy adventuring to a large seamless world by its third entry. This brings us to Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land, a new story in the franchise which goes fully open-world with interesting results.Like one of its many alchemical solutions, there are bits and pieces reminiscent of other titles. The item notifications and quiet atmosphere of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The menu wheel of Genshin Impact (though thankfully none of the gacha). However, the sense of adventure is distinctly Atelier, even as it dips into open-world meandering."The developing bonds between the party feel more interesting here than in Ryza, even if the characters can feel a little too cliched initially. "Like a Trails title, Atelier Yumia begins in media res with protagonist Yumia Leissfeldt and her companions ascending this massive tower. After getting separated for a quick tutorial and reuniting with the group to meet with one of the many mysterious antagonists, the story goes back to the beginning to explain how it got there. Following a mana disaster in Duerer, Yumia ventures to the former country of the Aladissian Empire to investigate alchemy.The empire thrived in the miraculous practice but also faced tragedy and seemingly collapsed overnight, leading to it becoming taboo. Though part of a research team to investigate alchemy and hopefully find some answers for the tragedy in Duerer, she also has to overcome the prejudice and wariness of her teammates due to practising alchemy. Its not all terrible, of course, as shes joined by siblings Viktor and Isla von Duerer, and eventually, the likes of the arrogant Rutger, the mysterious Nina and the anxious Lenja.As intriguing as the premise is, Atelier Yumia takes a bit of time before it truly gets going. From discovering and setting up her Atelier to getting to know Viktor and Isla and then getting used to the various mechanics of alchemy and combat, it can feel like a while before the story truly gets moving. The developing bonds between the party feel more interesting here than in Ryza, even if the characters can feel a little too cliched initially.For what its worth, they have some decent chemistry, and its fun to see Yumia get lost in her musings, even if her open-world exchanges with Flammi, a mysterious floating survey device, can get repetitive. The voice acting is consistently on point, and there are some humorous bits of writing, whether its Nina bragging about how she can fall asleep anywhere in five seconds, Rutgers shifting priorities when it comes to helping out, or Flammis sassiness."Between simple synthesis to craft bandages, zipline gloves, bullets, and camping supplies, and a building tab for constructing entire bases, Atelier Yumia can occasionally feel more like a survival crafting sandbox."Though only one region is initially available, things eventually open up, encompassing places like the Welleks home territory and the former capital of the empire. And make no mistake, these are absolutely massive, spanning extensive hills, mountains, and forests with various ruins to explore. There are also Manabound Areas, locations where the mana flow is disrupted and outright poisonous if you linger for too long. Clearing these areas is a major goal for Yumia to aid the research teams progress and ties further into the new base-building mechanic.While you dont have complete abject freedom to go everywhere, being let loose like this can feel liberating initially. Yumia is built for traversal with her wall-jumping, and the layout of the land can feel distinctly more vertical (complete with fall damage). Her staff also doubles up as a rifle for shooting objects, including ore, from afar.Resource gathering is more seamless than ever without the need for multiple gathering tools, but your adventuring tools have expanded significantly. Between simple synthesis to craft bandages, zipline gloves, bullets, and camping supplies, and a building tab for constructing entire bases, Atelier Yumia can occasionally feel more like a survival crafting sandbox. And thats before getting into the actual alchemy process.Youll discover Treasure Troves which require keys to open, the latter acquired from ruins with puzzles; Objects, which usually involve activating a couple of different points; and strange crystals, which must be purified a la thrashing several monsters to claim rewards. Now and again, you may come across crystals that can be shot and activated for Skill Points, which can be spent to unlock passive skills like increased EXP from battles, more materials, rarer drops and so on. As distracting and rewarding as they can be initially, they dont really evolve much as you progress."Speaking of which, combat is more dynamic than ever. Youll use different attacks to stun an enemy, each character having a unique playstyle and attack type (physical or magical)."Even several hours in, youll still be shooting mysterious buttons, activating node points by solving the same puzzles, and so on, which can feel monotonous. The side quests also dont venture too much beyond the usual kill this or make that, but at least the exploration of new environments rife with new materials livens things up.The alchemy process is also lovingly detailed and opens up significantly as you progress. Synthesizing items involves unlocking a recipe, usually by accessing Memory Vials or completing pioneering objectives. You must assign cores for each aspect Quality, Trait Slots, and so on while using ingredients to bolster the items passives and level it up. The quality of your resources, their passive effects, resonance areas, and elemental affinities also play a part in enhancing the overall item.You can improve a recipe with different kinds of Mana Particles, thus ensuring better quality, additional stats or more slots. Rebuilding items allow for modifying existing pieces of gear to improve their stats and add Trait Slots (which youll discover from chests and open-world activities). Synthesizing new items and rebuilding your current arsenal can feel tedious when youve hit a snag and need to urgently upgrade all your equipment. Nevertheless, the entire process is pretty fun, especially as skills come into play.Alongside weapons and armor, Yumia can also synthesize different elemental items and assign them to party members to exploit enemy weaknesses. Speaking of which, combat is more dynamic than ever. Youll use different attacks to stun an enemy, each character having a unique playstyle and attack type (physical or magical)."Even with some hurdles and aspects that are distinctly less endearing than the whole, its a meaty role-playing adventure with plenty to offer."When theyre stunned, using an elemental item can deal extra damage but youll also unlock Friend Actions for double-team attacks that hit even harder (at the cost of consuming all charges for that item). You can switch between different characters during combat and even get some distance from an enemy to initiate long-range attacks, which can also be useful for avoiding certain attacks.There is some awkwardness when facing multiple spread-out targets since party members can split off and attempt to solo their targets (which can become dangerous against tougher enemies). And while combat can feel initially repetitive since youre gaining levels quickly and fighting relatively easier enemies, it does kick up a notch as you venture deeper into the land. Not only will you have to ensure your gear is up to snuff, but also carefully observe the enemy to dodge their attacks and reposition as necessary.I didnt dabble too much with the base-building and to Atelier Yumias credit, it offers various presets in case you want to save time. There is an impressive array of customization though, with multiple roofs, walls, doors, and decorations for sprucing up bases. Increasing the comfort level of a base provides benefits, and it can be fun to build upon presets, even if the snapping and UI navigation leaves a bit to be desired.Though I like the overall aesthetic and visuals of Atelier Yumia, coupled with its solid performance, it does have a few nagging issues. Some textures and shadows dont look nearly as crisp up close, and the lighting can feel over-exposed at times when its not freaking out at others. And as much as the music befits the quiet atmosphere, it doesnt really make much of a lasting impression, especially in combat.Once again, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land is a big step forward for the franchise. It presents a compelling new adventure with likeable characters and high stakes while maintaining many of the cosier aspects that defined the series. Even with some hurdles and aspects that are distinctly less endearing than the whole, its a meaty role-playing adventure with plenty to offer.This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

Attackers can breach a network in 51 seconds. CISOs fight back with zero-trust, AI-based threat detection & instant session token revocation.Read More

Saga Origins is working with Web3 game startup GFAL (Games for a Living) to integrate AI-driven agents into the Diamond Dreams game.Read More

TechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Human Computer raises $5.7 million in funding roundHuman Computer raises $5.7 million in funding roundThe year-old studio is preparing to release its debut project in Q4 2025.Justin Carter, Contributing EditorMarch 14, 20251 Min ReadImage via Human Computer.At a GlanceHuman Computer will employ 'emerging technologies throughout its 'broad portfolio of games' in development.Independent studio Human Computer recently raised $5.7 million in seed funding.The round was led by venture firm Makers Fund. a16z and ex-AirBnB COO Belinda Johnson provided further investment, bringing the developer's total funding to $7.7 million. It's the latest burst of funding for the industry this week, preceded by Pragma raising $12.75 million and a $150 million UA fund from Tilting Point.Based in San Francisco, Human Computer was founded in 2024 by creative director Alex Schleifer and gameplay director Eliot Garcia Weisberg. Both previously worked together at AirBnB and Universal Entities, another indie studio Schliefer founded in 2020.A "broad portfolio" for Human ComputerAccording to the announcement, this new team has a "broad portfolio of games" it's developing which "explore unique gameplay mechanics for the current-generation of consoles, PC and mobile devices." Its debut title will launch in Q4 2025."Rather than chasing endless content or massive open worlds, we're focused on creating contained, meaningful experiences that push creative boundaries," the Human Computer website reads. It later mentions the use of "emerging technologies" without specifying what those are, or how it plans to use them to "enhance human creativity, and enable new forms of storytelling."Related:In the funding announcement, Schleifer considered his studio's upcoming work to be "triple-I indie games that combine high production value with efficient development that respects players time."Read more about:FundingAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Ubisoft is reportedly looking to create a new business unit that will hold major intellectual properties including Assassin's Creed.As reported by Bloomberg, the French publisher is contemplating selling a minority stake in the new entity to investors in France and overseasincluding Chinese conglomerate Tencent.The report chimes with past rumors that indicated Ubisoft majority shareholders the Guillemot family were considering partnering with Tencent for a buyout.People familiar with the situation claim Ubisoft has asked for preliminary bids to be submitted this month. They believe Ubisoft is hoping the new unit will receive a higher valuation than the main company.Tencent previously purchased a $300 million stake in core Ubisoft shareholder Guillemot Brothers Limited, which is operated by Ubisoft's founding family and holds roughly 20 percent of the company's voting rights and 15 percent of its share capital.When approached for comment by Bloomberg, Ubisoft directed the publication to the companys quarterly earnings report.During that fiscal briefing, Ubisoft told investors it would take "decisive steps" to reshape its business while continuing to "drive significant cost reductions" and improve the quality of its release slate.The company also confirmed it appointed advisors to "review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders."Related:"This process will be overseen by the independent members of the Board of Directors. Ubisoft will inform the market in accordance with applicable regulations if and once a transaction materializes," explained the company in January."Operationally, the company will continue to drive significant cost reductions, together with a highly selective approach to investments, and now expects to exceed 200 million ($206 million) in reduction of its fixed cost base by FY2025-26 vs. FY2022-23 on an annualized basis."

The new M4-powered MacBook Air only hit stores on March 12, but its already on sale. You can pick up the 13-inch entry-level configuration with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $949 ($50 off) at Amazon (at checkout) and Best Buy if youre a My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total member. The 15-inch base model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is also on sale for $1,049 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy for My Best Buy Plus or Total members.Even at full price, Apples new entry-level laptop offers a lot of value. Its cheaper yet more capable than its predecessor, offering faster performance courtesy of Apples latest M4 chip. It also boasts double the base RAM at 16GB along with the MacBook Pros 12MP Center Stage webcam, which is sharper and offers a wider field of view. The M4 chip also allows you to connect two external monitors with the lid still open.Theres a new skylight blue option, but otherwise the new Air shares the same thin and sleek design as its predecessor, along with all-day battery life and Wi-Fi 6E support. There are some tiny differences if you move up to the larger display, but not much. The 15-inch model continues to offer a six-speaker system over the 13-inch models four speakers, for example.Read our M4-powered MacBook Air review.

Today, 11 seconds agoJay PetersGoogle is officially dumping Assistant for GeminiImage: Cath Virginia / The VergeGoogle is finally moving on from Google Assistant.The company will be upgrading more users from Google Assistant to Gemini over the coming months, according to a blog post. The classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores at some point later this year.Read Article >Oct 21, 2024Emma RothGoogles taking the extra search box out of your search resultsIllustration: The VergeFor years, Google has included an extra search box within some search results, encouraging you to dig further and look only within a specific website. But now that sitelinks search box is going away because usage has dropped.Google:Read Article >Aug 8, 2024Wes DavisSaluting the Chromecast, one of the great HDMI donglesThe Chromecast, in The Verges first review. Image: The VergeWhen I was still a starry-eyed 20-something living with my then-fiance, the only way I could stream video on my TV was through its HDMI ports and my laptop. This had served me well for years and still does, when Im desperate but dealing with the setup was cumbersome.Then came the original Chromecast in 2013, and it was a revelation. Suddenly, I had this tiny black stick, shaped like an oversized key, that plugged right into my TVs HDMI port and let me cast video through the air and onto my 55-inch screen in glorious high definition. And all it cost was $35? Incredible, especially in 2013.Read Article >Aug 6, 2024Emma RothGoogle is discontinuing the Chromecast linePhoto by Chris Welch / The VergeGoogle is done making Chromecasts. In a post on Tuesday, Google says its ending production of Chromecast after over a decade of selling the streaming dongles.Even though Chromecast devices will now be available while supplies last, Google says it will continue to push software and security updates to its newer devices without specifying which ones. The most recent update to the lineup was the Chromecast with Google TV released in 2022.Read Article >Jul 16, 2024Jay PetersGoogle is ending an experiment that let you annotate search resultsImage: GoogleGoogle is ending a months-old experiment that let people attach colorful notes to search results, the company confirmed to 9to5Google.Google announced the Notes experiment for Search Labs in November. If you had opted in to Notes, you could see and add annotations featuring text and images to links in search results in the Google app. (They were kind of a Google-y take on Xs Community Notes.) But given Tuesdays announcement, it seems the test wasnt popular enough to warrant a wider release.Read Article >Jun 26, 2024Barbara KrasnoffPDF organizer Stack is the latest app to hit the Google graveyardScreenshot: GoogleStack, one of Googles experimental Android apps, is due to disappear on September 24th.A product of Googles Area 120 incubator, Stack was one of those overlooked gems that was just, well, useful: it allowed you to create or import PDFs and store them in different categories that it called Stacks: tax, insurance, medical, etc. The app would pick up data from the PDF to suggest a title, add searchable details like the date of the document, the amount (if it was a receipt), or the organization that issued it, and there was also a field to add notes.Read Article >Jun 25, 2024Andrew LiszewskiGoogle is killing infinite scroll on search resultsIllustration: The VergeThe latest feature headed to the Google graveyard is continuous scrolling on search results, according to a report from Search Engine Land. The user experience, which mirrored the endless scrolling behavior of social media feeds, was originally introduced for search results on mobile devices in October of 2021 and then brought over to desktop search results in late 2022.A Google spokesperson reportedly told Search Engine Land that continuous scroll is being removed today from desktop search results, while the feature will be removed from mobile results in the coming months.Read Article >May 30, 2024Emma RothToday I learned there is a messaging service in Google Maps, and now its going awayIllustration: The VergeIve been using Google Maps for years, and I never knew there was an option to message businesses in the app that is until I saw this post from Search Engine Land, which says its going away.The feature, called business profile chat, lets you message a business through the Google Maps and Search apps to ask questions, book an appointment, or request quotes. If a company has business profile chat enabled, youll see a Chat option next to the Call and Directions icons in Maps or Search. Tap on it, and you can start a conversation.Read Article >May 4, 2024Wes DavisGoogle is shutting down developer access to Google Fit APIs.The company says it stopped accepting new sign-ups for API access and that developers will have until June 30th, 2025 to migrate from Google Fit to Android Health.For now, the Google Fit app still works as it always has; just know that it seems bound for the Google graveyard next year.Evolving Health on Android: Migrating from Google Fit APIs to Android Health[Android Developers Blog]Apr 12, 2024Jess WeatherbedThe Google One VPN service is heading to the Google graveyardThe service will be shut down on an unspecified date later this year. Image: GoogleGoogle is shutting down its VPN by Google One service, according to a vague customer email seen by Android Authority, less than four years after it was rolled out in October 2020. The email doesnt specify when this will happen, only that the VPN service will be discontinued later this year. Subscription prices for Google Ones VPN start at $1.99, with availability on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows. The company told 9to5Google that it is killing the service because people simply werent using it. Perhaps its customers were simply spoilt for choice, given this is actually one of three VPN services provided by Google alongside the VPN offerings still available via Google Fi, and Pixel devices from the Pixel 7 on up.Read Article >Apr 2, 2024Wes DavisNot everyone is losing Google Podcasts after today.Its only shutting down for those of us in the US. Globally, the app wont live in Googles graveyard until after June 24th, according to a March 18th Google community forum post from company employee Cory Peter.If youre looking for alternatives, you could start with our guide below. Here are Googles instructions for migrating your subscriptions.Google Podcasts is going away after March but there are alternativesBarbara KrasnoffJan 22Mar 30, 2024Wes DavisGoogle Podcasts time is almost up.After April 2nd, Google will flip the lights off for its podcasts app sending it to the graveyard. Here are Googles instructions for switching to YouTube Music or some other podcast app.Google Podcasts displays this warning when users open it. Screenshot: Wes Davis / The VergeFeb 23, 2024Richard LawlerGoogle realized Google Pay and Google Wallet are the same thing, so its getting rid of one of themIllustration: The VergeGoogle Wallet was the companys first attempt at enabling money transfers on Android with the Nexus S 4G, and no matter how many apps Google launches, it will seemingly always be around. Google Pay tried to replace both Google Wallet and Android Pay a few years ago, but in a few months, Google Pay will be gone, with Google Wallet back on top.Android Pay popped up in 2015 as a temporary tap-to-pay king, while Google Wallet was recast as a Cash App / Venmo rival, but even when Google changed its mind and combined them, it couldnt keep itself from messing with the formula again and again.Read Article >Feb 2, 2024Jon PorterGoogle Searchs cache links are officially being retiredThe discontinued cache button. Image: GoogleGoogle has removed links to page caches from its search results page, the companys search liaison Danny Sullivan has confirmed. It was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldnt depend on a page loading, Sullivan wrote on X. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to retire it.The cache feature historically let you view a webpage as Google sees it, which is useful for a variety of different reasons beyond just being able to see a page thats struggling to load. SEO professionals could use it to debug their sites or even keep tabs on competitors, and it can also be an enormously helpful news gathering tool, giving reporters the ability to see exactly what information a company has added (or removed) from a website, and a way to see details that people or companies might be trying to scrub from the web. Or, if a site is blocked in your region, Googles cache can work as a great alternative to a VPN.Read Article >Feb 1, 2024Barbara KrasnoffHey Google, I was using that button!Illustration: The VergeEvery time another Google app or feature bites the dust even a small, relatively inconsequential one I get annoyed. Really annoyed.Heres the thing: there are Google Assistant-equipped devices in three rooms of my relatively small house: living room, bedroom, and office. Which means, unfortunately, that when I say Hey, Google out loud to my phone, I am just as likely to get a reaction from one or more of those three devices. (Yes, I know thats not supposed to happen and no, we havent been able to fix it yet.) And they sometimes offer different answers simultaneously, which makes things even more confusing.Read Article >Jan 31, 2024Sheena VasaniGoogle Assistant Driving Mode will shut down in FebruaryAndroid Police spotted a new banner on the Google Assistant Driving Mode home screen stating the view will be gone in February (like so many other Google projects). Its unclear if other parts, like music controls, will remain.The built-in Google Maps feature offers drivers quick access to Assistant and audio apps. Its shutdown comes after Google also killed both the standalone Assistant Driving Mode Dashboard and the Android Auto for Phone Screens app.Image: Richard LawlerJan 11, 2024Jess WeatherbedGoogle removes 17 features from Google AssistantUsers will be notified if an Assistant feature is being removed when they activate one of the utilities affected. Illustration: The VergeSeveral underutilized Google Assistant features will soon be joining the infamous Google graveyard such as the ability to use your voice to send an email, video, or audio messages as the search giant introduces changes it says will make the feature easier to use. The company is also changing how the microphone works in the Google app and Pixel Search bar.Starting January 26th, users who activate any of the 17 Assistant features being removed will be notified that its being discontinued, with most features departing for good on February 26th, according to 9to5Google. This news comes less than a day after Google announced it was laying off around a thousand employees, some of whom worked on Google Assistant.Read Article >Jan 11, 2024Sean HollisterGoogle is losing its Fitbit leaders and laying off hundreds of AR employeesPhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeGoogles hardware division just took a body blow. The company has confirmed its laying off hundreds of hardware workers, especially in its augmented reality division and 9to5Google is reporting that Fitbit co-founders James Park, Eric Friedman, and other Fitbit leaders are leaving the company entirely.Update, 1:42AM ET: Its not just Fitbit and AR. Around a thousand Google layoffs were just confirmed, and there may be more. Read Article >Dec 11, 2023Jay PetersGoogle is finally saying goodbye to Google Play Movies & TVIllustration: The VergeGoogle is about to fully move on from the Google Play Movies & TV. It had already moved Android and iOS users to the Google TV app, removed the app from every Roku and most smart TVs, and pulled the app from Android TV in October. In a recently published support document, however, Google detailed the ways youll be able to watch the shows and movies youve bought through Google Play Movies & TV once the brand is gone for good in January.If you have a TV or streaming device powered by Android TV, you can watch things youve purchased or things you want to rent from the Shop tab starting January 17th, according to Google. If you have a cable box or a set-top box that runs Android TV, youll watch / rent from the YouTube app starting that same day. And on a browser, YouTube is the place to go, too.Read Article >Dec 7, 2023Jay PetersYou can listen to podcasts through Google Podcasts until March 2024.Google mentioned the date in a support document about transferring your subscriptions away from Google Podcasts. Youll have until July 2024 to migrate your subscriptions to YouTube Music or another service.Migrate your Google Podcast subscriptions - YouTube Music Help[support.google.com]Nov 16, 2023Jon PorterGoogle News hammers the final nail into its magazine subscriptions coffin.Almost four years after the search giant stopped letting people buy digital magazines through Google News, the company is removing its magazine-reading feature entirely. After December 18th, youll no longer be able to access magazines purchased via the Google News apps or news.google.com, meaning youll have to export them if you ever want to read them again. Consider this your PSA.An update to Google News magazine support - Google News Community[support.google.com]Sep 28, 2023Umar ShakirGoogles whiteboarding app is joining the graveyardGoogles Jamboard software and the hardware are both shutting down starting October 1st, 2024. Photo by James Bareham / The VergeIts never a dull day at the Google graveyard the company has blogged a Workspace update today announcing the end of its collaborative Jamboard whiteboarding software. Google plans to wind down the app in late 2024 and is introducing the next phase of whiteboarding solutions: pointing users toward third-party apps that work with Workspace services like Google Meet, Drive, and Calendar.Google says it will offer support to help transition customers to use other whiteboard tools, including FigJam, Lucidspark, and Miro. According to the blog post, Workspace customer feedback indicated the third-party solutions worked better for them thanks to feature offerings like an infinite canvas size, use case templates, voting, and more. So instead of further developing Jamboard, Googles digging its hole and will focus on core collaboration services on Docs, Sheets, and Slides.Read Article >Sep 26, 2023Emma RothGoogle Podcasts is going to the graveyard as YouTube Music takes overIllustration: Alex Castro / The VergeGoogle Podcasts is going away. Starting next year, Google will focus on offering podcast access within YouTube Music instead.This change doesnt come as a complete surprise. In April, Google launched the ability for users in the US to listen to podcasts in YouTube Music without a paid membership. It also lets users listen to podcasts offline and in the background while also switching between the audio and video versions on YouTube Music. As part of its podcasts push, YouTube also announced it will make podcasts available within YouTube Music globally before the end of 2023.Read Article >Sep 25, 2023Wes DavisGmails basic HTML view will go to the Google graveyard in 2024Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeGoogle will send Gmails basic HTML view sailing into the great beyond starting in January 2024, after which time everyone who uses it will be switched to the services far more modern Standard view. The change appears to have been announced around September 19th in a Google support article.Though the vast majority of people use the Standard view on their PCs without question, the HTML version of Gmail has its perks. The stripped-down Gmail experience loads quickly, and users can access it even on very outdated machines or with much slower connections. Its leaner nature makes it useful in situations where the best you can muster is a 3G connection (3G died last year in the US, but still).Read Article >Aug 31, 2023Richard LawlerGoogle kills Pixel Pass without ever upgrading subscribers phonesPhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeIn October 2021, Google launched a new Pixel Pass subscription program alongside the Pixel 6 series of phones that promised three things for one monthly payment ($45 for a Pixel 6 or $55 for a 6 Pro): Googles best mobile services, device protection, and regular device upgrades.However, on Tuesday, Google emailed Pixel Pass customers to say: We are writing to you to inform you that starting today, we are no longer offering new Pixel Pass subscriptions or renewals.Read Article >

Having fundamentally transformed the X-Men franchise and debuted a brand new incarnation of the Ultimate Universe, writer Jonathan Hickman is gearing up for his next great Marvel epic. Today Marvel Comics revealed new details about Imperial, a four-issue event series that promises to reshape the fabric of the wider Marvel Universe. Similar to how 2023's Ultimate Invasion paved the way for the ongoing Ultimate Universe line, Imperial is designed to shake up the status quo for Marvel's cosmic characters and lay the foundation for a new line of comics. In this series, many of the traditional power players in the Marvel Universe will be destroyed or overthrown, leaving room for new empires to rise in their place. The series will specifically center around the Hulk family, Black Panther, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Nova Corps, and other cosmic kings and queens.Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview GalleryImperial will be written by Hickman and drawn by Federico Vicentini (Miles Morales: Spider-Man) and Iban Coello (Venom). Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man collaborator Marco Checchetto is drawing the covers for the series."I'm very excited about this project as Im obviously a huge fan of all things Marvel Cosmic," Hickman said in a statement. "The goal here is to kind of do what we did with the recent Ultimate line for all of our space titles, except having the setup book (Imperial) be more of an event than a world-building exercise (like Ultimate Invasion). The art team is killing it, and were all just very excited for whats happening in this special corner of the Marvel Universe."Based on the cover and concept art revealed so far, we can infer certain things about the big changes coming in Imperial. It seems the Nova Corps will be decimated (again), while Star-Lord looks to play a central role in the conflict. It also appears that an entire family of Hulks will take control of the bloody world of Sakaar. And given Black Panther's presence in the story, it's a safe bet that the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda has a part to play in this conflict.PlayImperial #1 will be released on June 4, 2025. Let us know your theories about the book in the comments below.In other upcoming Marvel news, we're getting a new Thunderbolts team that includes Wolverine, Hulk, and Carnage, and we got an exclusive look at Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back for more body-swapping antics in the first trailer for Freakier Friday ahead of its theatrical premiere later this summer.The long-time-coming sequel to Disney's Freaky Friday original brings the supernatural comedy to the present day with, of course, a few twists that should keep it feeling fresh after the 22-year wait. As weve known for quite some time, Curtis and Lohan are back, but todays trailer also teases that theyll also be swapping bodies with at least two new other faces: Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons.This solid look at how the mother-daughter duo of Anna and Tess will blossom begins when the two meet with a fortune teller who warns that a past lesson may soon become relevant once again. What follows is a montage of new hurdles to creatively leap over, and its all set to Chappell Roans HOT TO GO!. You can get a taste of some of the antics that will ensue with the first Freakier Friday trailer below.PlayThe story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis, an official plot synopsis says. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.Freakier Friday comes to theaters August 8, 2025. For more on Disneys long-awaited sequel, you can see how Curtis and Lohan celebrated after the film secured You Me Her Director Nisha Ganatra.Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

This article contains spoilers for Severance season 2 episode 9.Were in the endgame now, and following the jaw-dropping shes alive moment from the Severance season 1 finale, fans of the hit Apple TV+ series are expecting something equally Earth-shattering for the season 2 conclusion. During a season thats largely split the arcs of Innies, Outies, and Lumon execs into various strands, season 2s penultimate episode brings the whole gang back together for an unexpected crossover with The Twilight Zone.Even before season 2s ninth episode aired, many fans clocked that it shared its title with a June 1960 episode of The Twilight Zone. While not remembered up there with icons like Eye of the Beholder and Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, The After Hours isnt even classed as an underrated episode of The Twilight Zone. Some suggested watching the black and white episode ahead of this Severance installment, and for those who did, the Uta Briesewitz-directed hour took on a whole new meaning. While it mightve been hard to connect the dots between the two sci-fi shows, Severances latest episode is packed with references to The Twilight Zone.The Twilight Zones The After Hours follows a young woman called Marsha White, who visits the ninth floor of a department store in search of a gold thimble to gift to her mother. Things go awry when Marsha learns there is no ninth floor, nor are the sales assistant or lift operator whove been helping her seemingly real. Marsha eventually realizes that the ninth floor is a holding area for mannequins who take it in turns to come to life and live among the outsiders for a month at a time. As well as learning shes actually a mannequin herself, Marsha comes to accept her fate that shell be confined to the shadowy ninth floor. If this doesnt sound like an allegory for the Innies of the Severed Floor, nothing does.Over on X, user @hellynaswife shared an in-depth breakdown of all the Easter eggs and references, starting with Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) arriving at the Damona Birthing Retreat with Devon (Jen Tullock). Presumably some sort of code to confirm Cobels seniority, she says, Miss Marsha White, ninth floor. Im looking for a gold thimble. The thread also highlights how the eerie Perpetuity Wing and its various Eagan statues echo the imagery of Marsha on the ninth floor.The season 1 finale ended with the shocking reveal that Helly R. (Britt Lower) was the Innie of Helena Eagan, with her, Mark Scout (Adam Scott), and Irving (John Turturro) briefly being able to take over from their Outies thanks to the overtime contingency. This was then flipped on its head when it was revealed that Helena has been posing as Helly on the Severed Floor since the start of the season, but like The Twilight Zones mannequins getting to live for a month on the outside, could this be teasing another dramatic escape for the Innies?Others are taking things one step further and think The Twilight Zone is much more important to the mythos of Severance than we first thought. The crux of season 2 has been about Mark trying to get back to his wife, Gemma (Dichen Lachman), who Lumon is currently keeping on the Testing Floor. Gemmas Innie was going under the guise of Ms. Casey, and given that the next episode of The Twilight Zone following The After Hours was called The Mighty Casey, Redditors have pointed out theres some mind-blowing potential.That episode follows a robot called Casey, who decides to rebel against his creator when hes given a human heart and emotions. The episode after that is called A World of His Own and follows a man whose wife catches him with another woman. All of these could have major ramifications for the Mark/Helly/Gemma love triangle and whatever Lumon is doing with the latter on the Testing Floor.Long before the episode 9 came out, Reddit user D_Beats linked Severance to The Twilight Zone and theorized that if the twist is the same, Miss Casey was an Innie first and Gemma was her forgetting she was an Innie: She could be an experiment from the very start which is why they went as far as to fake her death and recruit Mark to work for them. There are some gruesome theories here, and with Devon masquerading as one of James, does the episode confirm that Jame Eagan (Michael Siberry) is regularly impregnating his Severed workers (see them as mannequins) as some sort of twisted plan to keep his lineage going?Its also not looking good for Helly, and after her father finds her on the Severed Floor, she could soon be taking a trip to Severances own hypothetical ninth floor (the Testing Floor) she was desperate to find. Either way, the typically grim endings of The Twilight Zone episodes dont fill us with much hope as we head into the Severance season 2 finale.The Severance season 2 finale premieres Friday, March 21 on Apple TV+.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!