Marvel's Spider-Man and Batman: Arkham are compared all the time as superhero gaming titans, but two entries share a whole lot in common.

One of my favorite Steam Deck upgrades costs more than a Steam Deck. Ive been testing out Xreals new $499 One AR glasses, which can serve as an external display for the console by connecting a USB-C cable between the two. The One glasses work with other devices capable of pushing video from a USB-C port, too, such as some phones, tablets, and computers, but sadly, not the Nintendo Switch (fingers crossed that its supported on the Switch 2).At the expense of looking a bit conspicuous wearing shades indoors, its a more comfortable way to play games, letting me look directly ahead, or whichever direction I want, instead of hunching over to look at the Steam Decks screen. Id imagine these would be fantastic, and perhaps more worth the cost, for travelers who want a big-screen experience while theyre on the go. For most others, its a first-class expense thats unnecessary, but incredibly fun to use.Theyre impressive for such a small gadget; like previous Xreal glasses, the One features embedded micro OLED displays along the top edge of the glasses, which are projected and merged to appear as one humongous screen in front of you. The glasses side arms contain speakers (tuned by Bose) that push audio directly toward your ears. In terms of volume, these can definitely reach public nuisance territory, but at a reasonable volume, only the wearer will likely hear them. Then, they fold up into a relatively compact case when youre done.Ive been on a mission to find accessories that can help me play games more comfortably, in part because, as a new dad, my gaming time is currently limited to about 30 minutes at night before bed. I want every second to be fun and feel good. I made strides in that effort when I got the $64 Mechanism Gaming Pillow, which is like a bean bag for your lap with an adjustable stand on its top. Instead of having to hold my Steam Deck in front of me, the pillow supports its weight at the viewing angle thats best for my neck, and at the ideal position for my arms to reach. The pillow alone might be a good enough upgrade for most, but when used alongside the Xreal One, its what I consider to be a pretty ideal couch setup.The Ones screens are slightly boosted in terms of size and field-of-view (FOV) from the Air 2 Pro, the previous version. These 0.68-inch per eye screens can create an image equivalent to a 171-inch screen in front of you, and a 50-degree FOV compared to 46 (if that sounds small, thats because it is!). The glasses are powered by whichever device you plug them into, meaning they might drain your devices battery faster than usual, but the drain seems to be more or less offset if your gadgets screen turns off when the One is plugged in (as the Decks does).In addition to the minor screen improvements, the new X1 chip inside of the Xreal One glasses makes them worth getting over their predecessor, if youre considering this big purchase. Notably, the chip allows for 3 degrees of freedom (3DOF), or in other words, it can track your head movements, whether you look side-to-side, up or down, or tilt your head, adjusting the orientation of the screen as you move, so its comfortable to view at any angle. The Air 2 Pro could do this, too, but only if you also purchased the $200 standalone, phone-like device called the Beam Pro and kept it attached via a separate USB-C cable. Its great that this functionality is available internally in the new One AR glasses.One other improvement is the digital interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment feature. While its inferior to being able to physically adjust the lenses to achieve more clarity, as the Meta Quest and Valve Index VR headsets offer, its great to have any sort of adjustment option at all with the Xreal One. After realizing that I essentially couldnt use the Air 2 Pro unless I bought prescription lenses, I was thrilled that the Ones IPD settings were enough to let me get by without additional lenses. Although, if you need prescription frames, options are available.Ive enjoyed using the Xreal One, enough to play most of Death Stranding through them, and now, Im continuing an old save file in Cyberpunk 2077. The bold contrast of each game looks phenomenal on these little OLED screens. But even if these AR glasses were faultless, itd still be tough to recommend them at $500 unless youre a hardcore traveler. There are also a few other issues that anyone whos considering buying these should know about.While I appreciate that the displays can reach up to a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate, content looks extra fuzzy if youre looking at low-resolution text and graphics, which is exactly what Im getting from the Steam Deck (it loves to force 720p or 800p in games). The One tops out at 1080p, and for the most part, content is much more legible at that resolution.The way that the Xreal Ones displays are merged to create a whole image is effective, although Im a nitpicker, so I cant ignore how small the FOV is compared to most VR headsets. On the plus side, however, this small FOV lets you easily see around the screens, which may be useful if youre trying to stay somewhat attuned to the happenings around you while you game. Another thing worth knowing is that parts of the full picture appear blurrier than others (especially the edges of the FOV). This is especially noticeable if you toggle off the head-tracking feature for a picture thats locked in place, as you can then selectively focus on each part of the virtual screen to find the faults. That said, if youre in a flow state with a game, you may not notice this as much until you hit an inventory screen with tiny text and icons.Even if you can overlook (or dont really notice) these issues, theres no getting past the Xreal Ones $499 price. So, out of curiosity, I wondered how the $299 Meta Quest 3S or even the older Quest 2 could hang as affordable alternatives to smart AR glasses. Both options are a lot heftier than the Xreal One is (and, for me, they border on being painful to wear for too long, unless you have the Elite strap). I still found either headset to be a solid experience that rivals the Ones quality at a much lower price. That being said, using a VR headset with a Steam Deck is not a plug-and-play affair, and you may need to buy some accessories to make it work.Specifically, youll need to buy an HDMI capture card, and possibly a cable or two. There are numerous ways to connect the Quest to your Steam Deck (or whichever handheld gaming PC you own), but the way I found success was with the $50 Genki Shadowcast 2. It has USB-C-in on one side and HDMI-out on the other, letting me run a USB-C to USB-C cable from the Quest to the Shadowcast 2. From there, I plugged the HDMI-out side of the capture card into a small, affordable USB-C dock I had laying around, which I then plugged into the Steam Deck as the final piece of the puzzle. You could also grab a USB-C to HDMI-out cable that then plugs into a HDMI-in capture card that can plug into a USB-C port. As you can see, this may get a bit messy with cables and dongles, but it gets the job done.From there, youll want to install the Meta Quest HDMI Link app onto your Quest headset. When youre ready to try it out, you wont find this new app in the Quests app library until you click the drop-down bar near the top-right of its screen to change the app source to Prototype. Thats where HDMI Link currently lives. After booting the app, and accepting its hardware permissions, and selecting the highest possible resolution and frame rate, you should be able to see if the video feed is coming through. Then, all there is left to do is maximize the screen, or position it at the ideal size for you in your space, and enjoy gaming on a device that costs hundreds less than the Xreal One. The Quest has numerous other features, to boot, like running standalone VR games like Batman: Arkham Shadow, plus wirelessly connecting to my gaming PC to play Half-Life: Alyx, and more.However, not everyone will be down to clown with the Quests multi-step process despite its smaller price tag. Despite its issues, the Xreal One is a more convenient and simpler-to-use gadget that can display your games on a personal big screen.

Life is stressful. Sometimes its difficult to unwind. For me, a surefire method to improve my mood when Im feeling down has been watching Australian radio station Triple Js Like A Version series, which includes a regular segment where established and up-and-coming artists alike cover classic or new hits.Sometimes the covers are close to the original; sometimes theyre completely different. Most of the time, they bring me a direct dose of joy, either introducing me to new artists and songs or recontextualizing my appreciation for older hits whether I liked the original versions when I first heard them or not.What helps tie it all together is theres something about the environment at the studio that encourages artists to let loose in a way that feels like pure expressions of creativity and artistic delight. Theres nothing quite like the expression of love when an artist picks another artists work and says, Hey, I like this. I want to try my own spin on it.So here are 10 of my favorite Triple J Like A Version covers. Most of these have been playing on repeat in my head all year long. Id love to see some of your favorites in the comments.Denzel Curry, Rage Against the Machines Bulls on ParadeDMAS, Chers BelieveTash Sultana, MGMTs Electric FeelJoey Bada$$, Princes When Doves CryAlex Lahey, My Chemical Romances Welcome to the Black ParadeTriple One, Cyndi Laupers Time After TimeSOFI TUKKER, Snow Patrols Chasing CarsJoey Bada$$, Mos Defs UMI SaysThe Last Dinner Party, Blondies Call MeDune Rats & Friends, The Angels Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face AgainAnd here is a recent one I liked a lot:3%, 5 Seconds of Summers Youngblood

10. Making Sense of Color Tests the Bandwidth of Human PerceptionGoogle Hardware Design Studio takes us deep into our own innate somatic knowledge with their newest exhibition, Making Sense of Color, showcasing the intimate link between color and feeling. Comprised of illuminated squares, each bathed in a unique hue, visitors are encouraged to drop in to our physicality. We want to make sure that we give our guests an embodied experience. It gets you out of your cognitive mind, says Ivy Ross, Googles vice president of hardware design and co-creator of the exhibition.9. LEGO Unveils Immersive Superpowers Studios Exhibition in ParisLEGO returns for our number 9 spot, with another installment in their Play is your Superpower series. This initiative aims to bring families together through the joy of open-ended collaboration. Play is essential to child development, and there is clear evidence that its equally important to adult happiness as well. Set within La Gat Lyrique, a historic arts venue in Paris, each new room offered new ways to interact with the art, showcasing an immersive and collaborative experience for all.8. Polaroid and Eames Office Unite to Release a Special Edition CameraPolaroid pulls on our nostalgia-ridden heartstrings with this collaboration with Eames Office, bringing vintage coloring and form language to a modern audience. Both Polaroid and Eames Office have a storied history of democratizing design, whether through photography or product. This collaboration allows them both to shine, building upon the tech of the past with ideas for the future.7. Piece Together Your Own Abstract Wall Art With the LEGO Modern Art SetAnother LEGO post in our breakdown is unsurprising. This Modern Art Set is perfect for any adventurous kid (or adult). Completely customizable, let your inner creative sing by creating layers of color and form. Best of all, celebrate your work by hanging it up in a place of prominence within your home, elevating the drawing on the fridge to a mature work of art.6. Design Within Reach Debuts 20th Annual Champagne Chair WinnersDesign Within Reach is a global authority on design, allowing admirers a chance to appreciate and own beautiful design for themselves. Founder Robert Forbes was gifted a delicate champagne chair by a dear friend to celebrate the launch of the brand in 1998. Since his late friends passing, Forbes has hosted this philanthropic contest for 20 years, giving back to a community he has helped foster over the decades. Design is universal, and we want to make it accessible through this fun and festive initiative. says Omar Nobil, VP of Product Design and Brand Creative.5. What DWRs Champagne Chair Contest Reminds Me About DesignManaging Editor Joseph Sgambati III shares his experience participating in the DWR Champagne Chair Contest mentioned above, traveling to his alma mater Syracuse University to conduct research in preparation. Choosing to imagine his chair in a Beaux-Arts style, he writes, Once I stopped treating everything as precious, I was able to tap into the ingenuity and resilience my education helped me access long ago. Elegant, flourishing curves present the finished design floating on a golden stand, creating an overall stunning effect for an object less than four inches tall.4. Soft Geometry in Warm Wood Sculptures by Aleph GeddisAleph Geddis is a master craftsman, pulling on his own familial history, the indigenous woodworking of the Pacific Northwest, and the craft traditions of Bali to create stunning works, bridging on otherworldly. A mix of Brutalist influences, mathematics, and sacred geometry combine here to produce indelibly unique pieces.3. From Space Age to Metaverse: Vitras New Sci-Fi Design ExhibitionStoried home furnishings brand Vitra focuses on the deep ties between history and technology. Vintage pieces from the 1960s and 1970s are displayed next to sci-fi relics from movies, some much more modern than others. This exhibit covers a wide range of historic trends, including virtual spaces such as the Metaverse, allowing the viewer to get a holistic sense of how pieces of sci-fi design affect our lives every day,2. Kraftwerk x Beautiful Losers: The Kraftwerk Collection Skateboard DecksKraftwerk has become more of a movement than a group, bursting on to the scene over 50 years ago with a completely new sound, utilizing synths in fresh ways that still inspire artists to this day. Beautiful Losers pays homage to this legacy, releasing nine lacquered skateboards released in tandem with Kraftwerks nine night residency with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Over the course of nine nights, Kraftwerk performed each of their studio albums in sequence, each boards minimal yet powerful artwork remind us of how music fuels our minds.And the top art post of 2024 is1. Marimekko Adds 40 More Ways to Decorate Your Walls With The Frame TVSince the Frame TV from Samsung launched in 2017, more and more consumers are wanting to decentralize media within the home. Marimekko has released a collection of 30 iconic designs and 3 seasonal collections of 12 prints rotating throughout the year to add some fun to your gallery wall, with the flexibility of customization to fit the mood. Were not surprised this was our number one post, what a thoughtful and useful addition to any modern home!Check out the rest of Design Milks end of the year coveragehere!

Weekly curated resources for designersthinkers andmakers.Another year, another opportunity to step back and look at the patterns around what the design community is thinking about, publishing, and discussing. Heres a glimpse into some of our favorite (and most shared) pieces from 2024. Thanks for being part of the conversationcatch you in the newyear.On creativity and the human differentiatorCreativity is the only thing An open letter to my fellow creatives in a dark hour.By JoeAlterioIf you want to be creative, you cant be certain Embracing ambiguity as a superpower.By IdaPerssonHow not to lose yourself to the AI storm Exploring how AI lives in the past and dreams of the future.By YunaShinA minimalistic app to track what to read, listen and watch [Sponsored] Save UX articles, design books, podcasts, interviews, and must-watch shows all in one app. Track your progress, see whats next, and organize your work/life library with minimal effort. A clean and minimalist app to help you stay organized. Only today exclusive 50% off lifetime: $29 $12.On big transformations in ourindustryUX design isnt dead, youre just confused Where has all the delight gone within UX?By MeghanLoganThe problem with growth: why everything is failing now Agile is where the trouble started.By JoannaWeberLife after Spotify: what no one tells you about life after layoffs The turmoil caused by losing my job.By SophiaOmarjiOn our tools and processesThe story of Figma Living long enough as a hero to become a villain?By JanTakacsComplicated sticks The rise of tools for everything and nothing in particular.By StephenFarrugiaTechs obsession with speed AI + Hermes (speed) worship.By Chris RBeckerOn findingmeaningIts time for design to think less and feel more How designers can reconnect to us being humans.By DarrenYeoDesigners: you need to read science fiction To anticipate future needs, you need to imagine the future.By DaleyWilhelmBeautiful, boring, and without soul Something more than merely a green space.By SteynViljoenOn the role of designersThe features investors want are not the ones your users need Why UX should care about the business but not too much.By Lindsey M. WestWallaceNever skip research day Its a powerful tool for organizational influence.By TripCarrollWhy designers need to be more like gardeners And how it would benefit both people and the planet.By KellySmithThe UX Collective is an independent design publication that elevates unheard design voices and helps designers think more critically about theirwork.Support the newsletterIf you find our content helpful, heres how you can supportus:Check out this weeks sponsor to support their worktooForward this email to a friend and invite them to subscribeSponsor aneditionOur top UX stories this year was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.I first heard of a travel drawer right here on Lifehacker, where Kristin Wong wrote about the idea in 2016. I mentally rolled my eyes. Setting aside a whole drawer just for things you only use on a trip? But now I have one, I love it, and Ill tell you all about what I keep in it and how its changed my life.What is a travel drawer, and why would you want one?A travel drawer is a permanent drawer (or similar location) in your home where you keep all the items you only use when traveling. As Kristin Wong wrote in that fateful article: Packing typically means rounding up all the junk youre going to take with you on your trip: your passport, travel adapters, chargers, toiletries, and so on. You can save a lot of time keeping all of that junk in one area.My travel drawer is a rolling plastic tote that lives under my bed. My passport lives elsewhere, but otherwise I use it exactly as she described. My beloved hanging toiletry bag? Its in there. Adapters I only use in hotel rooms? Of course. A selection of packing cubes? You know it. And not only does it make packing easier, it makes unpacking easier as well. I come home, dump my dirty clothes in the laundry, and put my travel items right back in their drawer. Five minutes and Im 80% unpacked. Sterilite 66 Quart Stadium Blue Ultra Storage Box $19.98 at Walmart $16.86 Save 0.00 Get Deal Get Deal $19.98 at Walmart $16.86 Save 0.00 In theory, you could use your suitcase as the travel drawer, but I find a suitcase is one of the least convenient places to keep travel things. Because when you travel, you dont usually want all of your travel items. (Some are for flying, some are for road trips, some are seasonalyou get the idea.) Youll bring this item, but not that one, and then what happens to the rest? You just have a big pile. If you go this route, at least have your travel things in a bag or box inside the suitcase.What I keep in my travel drawerBesides the waste of a drawer, the other reason I was skeptical at first was that I didnt imagine I had that many travel-specific items. But not only did I turn out to have more than I thought (once I collected them together), I found that having a designated space for travel items allowed me to assemble a thoughtful collection of travel items. No more where will this toiletry case live in the bathroom? or is it worth buying this mug if its going to get lost amongst all my other mugs?So here, below, are the most game-changing travel items I keep in my travel drawer. Ill also shout out my colleague Allie Reinmanns list of travel essentials, which you should peruse as well.Packing cubesI am not kidding when I say packing cubes changed my life. I have a large collection of them in this drawer, because I need enough for my whole family. (I travel probably half a dozen times a year. The rest of the family, usually just once. Thats why the travel drawer is mine, but I share.) I have different sizes and different types, including regular, compression, and my new fave, the clean/dirty packing cube. Theres a divider that lets you put dirty clothes in one side and clean in the other, so you dont need a separate laundry bag for the trip home.A pop-up laundry hamperFor the laundry situation while youre in the hotel, though, its super handy to have a pop-up hamper. Toss your dirty clothes in there at the end of the night, instead of stuffing them into a drawer or leaving them in a pile on the floor. Any basic pop-up hamper will do; pick one up from the dorm supplies section during any back-to-school sale.An organizer for all my chargersYou can organize your cables and adapters any way you like. Im partial to this roll-up organizer. For my phone, I have a magnetic charging puck that can plug into any USB-C cable, which saves me from having to pack a dedicated magnetic charger or a lightning cable.Sleep shortsYou know what Im always forgetting to pack? Pajamas. Even when theyre on my packing list, Ill hem and haw about which ones to bring, because I like a nice cozy pair of sweatpants at home, but sweatpants take up a lot of space in the suitcase. On one trip where I had forgotten any sleeping clothes (again), I bought a pair of thin, soft sleep shorts. Not only do they pack up small, Ive designated them my Travel Pajamas (they can be paired with any of the T-shirts I always pack) and they live in the travel drawer. I never forget my pajamas anymore.A good toiletry bag with all your mini toiletriesI like a hanging toiletry bag, since it doesnt really need to be packed or unpacked. My favorite is this little one from Travelon. Pro tip: Bring a single shower curtain hook so that you can hang it anywhere, even if the hotel doesnt have a spot that fits the little built-in hook.Inside the toiletry bag, most of the contents are predictable, and I wont bore you with them. For example, I have a collapsible toothbrush and a mini toothpaste tube. (I dont usually bring shampoo or soap; a hotel or a local drugstore will provide.) But there are two specific items Id like to call out, since they save so much space, time and trouble. The first is a little razor that comes in its own compact case. Mine is the Venus Mini, which seems to be discontinued, but heres an off-brand with the same form factor. Travel Razors for Women Include 1 Handle and 5 Cartridges, Extra Smooth 5-Blade Mini Razor with Travel Case, Portable Travel Size Toiletries for Women, Orange $14.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $14.99 at Amazon The other, which also fits in my little toiletry bag, is what some product listings call a pocket pharmacy. Its a pill case, but instead of being organized according to what meds you take each day of the week, its just a little selection of things you may or may not need. I have ibuprofen in there in case I have sore muscles after a weightlifting meet (a lot of my travel is for weightlifting meets). I have Claritin in case I encounter something Im allergic to. I have melatonin tablets in case I need help sleeping. The best pocket pharmacies come with little stickers to label all the compartments. Pill Organizer with 161 Medicine Labels Travel Daily Pill Container Mini Medication Organizer Storage Pill Organizer Pill Case 7 Day Pill Organizer (Grey) $4.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $4.99 at Amazon This strangely versatile 50-cent tumblerWhen I picked up a 50-cent plastic cup at a Walmart while traveling, I never imagined it would become such a staple for me. Not only is it handy as a water glass, its also microwaveable, so it works as a mug if you want to warm up a hot drink. And its big enough you can eat a decent sized portion of cereal or oatmeal out of it with a spoon (or a mini travel spork). I got four more of them for our family vacation, and the kids got into the habit of saving a little bottle of milk from breakfast and then making themselves hot cocoa in the evening. Get a different color for each family member, and do yourself a favor and rinse out the milk immediately after using it, OK?

Infinity Nikki is my favorite new release of 2024. It's a cotton candy confection of an open-world game that offers a lot more depth and variety than I expected to find. I enjoy the fabulous wardrobe, the low-key puzzles and the charming side quests. But the most surprising thing about Infinity Nikki was something that I've been ignoring in games for years: the photo mode.I didn't expect this to become a highlight of the Infinity Nikki experience. In fact, when it came up in the long sequence of tutorials during my first session, my initial reaction was, "Oh good, something I can forget about."Anna Washenko / Infold GamesPhoto mode has become a standard feature in single-player AAA games over the past decade. For those unfamiliar, this feature pauses the gameplay to let you pose your protagonist like an action figure, making them mug with a silly expression or hold up a peace sign. You can slap on a filter or make minute adjustments to the focus, aperture and other details to capture a striking image.Over the years, I've seen people capture Nathan Drake, Ellie and Joel, Aloy and many others striking heroic or hilarious poses. I appreciate those images when they cross my social feeds. And as game graphics become ever more photo-realistic, it makes sense that studios want to give players tools to capture beautiful moments when they happen. But every time I've played a game with a photo mode, I've found that after I take the one picture required by the tutorial, I never open the camera again.Anna Washenko / Infold GamesMy issue isn't that these games aren't gorgeous enough to warrant documenting. It's that when I'm in the middle of playing something like The Last of Us, it doesn't occur to me to stop for a snap because I'm so focused on the other gameplay mechanics and goals. Sure, there might be some calmer moments to breathe, but running for your life in a post-apocalyptic wasteland just isn't a time for casually browsing filters. And in other games, taking pics simply doesn't feel like an activity the character would do. Come on, there's no way Kratos would ever take a selfie.Like all its predecessors, Infinity Nikki is a beautiful game. Miraland comprises picturesque towns and charming landscapes, equally lovely in their sweeping vistas and hidden nooks. Everywhere you look are tons of carefully constructed little interactions that serve no purpose other than encouraging you to stage a cute image. You press a button to take a hot air balloon ride or to blow bubbles at a cafe table. It's a step up from most implementations, where the most you might be able to do is sit on a chair or bench.Anna Washenko / Infold GamesWhat fully hooked me on becoming a shutterbug, though, is a system where players are prompted to take pictures of notable locations around Miraland. The first time I found one, it was a lush green grotto where I directed Nikki to sit on a log by an underground lake. It was a pretty spot, sure, but what most delighted me was that my outfit matched the setting perfectly. So I didn't just grab a photo and move on to a more important task. Taking the time to look great is the most important task.There's no single style point of view in Infinity Nikki. A few special ensembles offer contextual in-game abilities, but most pieces are there just so you can look exactly how you want. Nikki can be an absurd anime character from fantasy land in tulle and sparkles. Or she can look exactly like someone you might see streaming the game on Twitch or TikTok in an oversized hoodie. Or she can pair a top hat with jean shorts and thigh-high knit boots if you want. (And yes, I did want.)Anna Washenko / Infold GamesThis game knows you're there at least partly to play dress-up. It also knows that the obvious thing to do when you play dress-up is to immortalize your best fits with a photo shoot. That's why Infinity Nikki's photo mode feels not just enjoyable, but essential. It's a core part of the game loop. When I assemble a new outfit, I want to find a good setting to snap a pic. When I stumble on a striking location, I think about which poses will best showcase it.Most of the time, cameras and photo modes do little to enhance my love of a game. They're the metaphorical cherry on top of the sundae. With Infinity Nikki, though, the photo mode is the ice cream. And it is delicious.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/in-infinity-nikki-photo-mode-achieves-its-ultimate-form-133033817.html?src=rss

Elon Musk's X has hiked prices for its ad-free Premium+ subscription service to $22 a month, up from $16 before ($168 to $229 annually), TechCrunch reported. That represents a 37.5 percent increase, the largest since Elon Musk purchased the platform previously known as Twitter back in 2022.One stated reason for the hike is that Premium+ is now "completely ads-free," with X claiming that it's a "significant enhancement" to the previous ad-free experience. It also promised a few other features. "Premium+ subscribers will enjoy higher priority support from @Premium, access to new features such as [X's advanced search tool] Radar, and higher limits on our most cutting-edge Grok AI models," the company wrote in a help page article. X also promised that more subscription revenue would be shared with creators.Premium+ prices are also rising by a similar amount in Europe, the UK, Canada and Australia. Existing users on monthly subscriptions will keep their current rates until January 20th, and price for other tiers (Basic and Premium) remain unchanged.X first introduced the Premium+ subscription tier in October 2023, promising an ad-free experience your "for you" and following timelines, along with existing Premium perks like a blue checkmark. However, users quickly noticed that ads appeared elsewhere on X (profiles, replies, Explore and elsewhere). A further update in August 2024 promised to eliminate those too, but X said that users would still see "occasional branded content in less common areas." Now, it seems, those will be vanquished too.X has reportedly lost 2.7 million active users in the last two months, with rival Bluesky gaining nearly the same number over that period. That has likely led to some loss in advertising revenue, which the platform may be hoping to recoup by raising subscription prices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-hikes-ad-free-premium-subscription-price-from-16-to-22-133016526.html?src=rss

Around the world, government organizations are calling out Google for monopolistic practices. The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) will reportedly announce Google is in violation of the country's antitrust laws in regards to its search engine, Chrome, and issue a cease and desist letter, Nikkei Asia reported. The watchdog started an investigation into Google's practices last October.The JFTC reportedly accuses Google of requiring smartphone manufacturers to sign a contract stating Chrome will be not only pre-downloaded on all devices, but that it will be placed in a certain spot on the screen. The manufacturers are allegedly forced to do this in order to have the Google Play available on their devices.In the US, federal judge Amit Mehta ruled in November that Google "is a monopolist" in the search engine industry. The Department of Justice (DoJ) then called for Google to sell Chrome as it "will permanently stop Googles control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet." The DoJ also called for Google to cease favoring Chrome on Android. Google recently released a proposal to appease the DoJ, but stated it will appeal the judge's ruling before a hearing scheduled for April.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-could-be-accused-of-antitrust-practices-in-japan-130039793.html?src=rss

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