The HDMI Forum is using CES the annual showcase of all things home theater to announce the new HDMI 2.2 specification. In a press release this morning, the trade association confirmed that the new spec will up total bandwidth significantly to a new high of 96Gbps. And yes, that means the introduction of an Ultra96 HDMI cable that enables all the HDMI 2.2 specification features.Higher resolutions and refresh rates will be supported and more high-quality options will be provided, the HDMI Forum said in its release. An example of an HDMI 2.2 cable (below) calls out some of those, including 4K at up to 480Hz, 8K at up to 240Hz, and 10K at 120Hz. Current HDMI cables can already pass 4K at 120Hz, so I doubt most people will feel any temptation to upgrade for years to come. And youll need content for any of these higher resolutions to be worthwhile, and theres still a dearth of native 8K entertainment out there. But with many TVs now offering 4K at up to 144Hz, and as consumers gravitate towards larger screens, the HDMI Forum sees ample reason to keep pushing forward. HDMI 2.2 cables will be badged as Ultra96. Image: HDMI ForumThere is at least a more helpful aspect of this spec for everyone: HDMI 2.2 includes a Latency Indication Protocol (LIP) for improving audio and video synchronization, especially for multiple-hop system configurations such as those with an audio video receiver or soundbar. In my experience, HDMI 2.1 and eARC have mostly resolved frustrating audio / video sync issues, but they can still pop up as a frustration depending on your setup. Apparently HDMI 2.2 will go further in keeping everything lined up and keeping this headache in the past.Interestingly, the HDMI Forum is already anticipating tariff issues and has implemented an extensive certification program that includes anti-counterfeit labeling on packaging. You certainly cant miss the Ultra96 badging.HDMI 2.2 will be released in the first half of this year and be widely available to all HDMI 2.x adopters. Your TV and external devices will need to support the specification in order to unlock that new level of bandwidth, so were just starting down whats inevitably going to be a long road.

Qualcomm is introducing another Arm laptop chip to its Snapdragon X series today, lowering the cost of Copilot Plus PCs to around $600. The new Snapdragon X joins the existing Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite and will be available in a variety of devices from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo in the coming months.The Snapdragon X is designed for mainstream and budget laptops, so it wont offer as good of performance as the X Plus or X Elite variants. Qualcomm is still promising better performance per watt compared to Intels Core 5 120U processor and better battery life across a variety of tests. Much like the rest of the Snapdragon X series, the base Snapdragon X chip will include a 45 TOPS NPU that supports Microsofts Copilot Plus features. The Qualcomm Oryon CPU has eight cores that boost at up to 3GHz and is built on the same 4nm process node as the rest of the Snapdragon X series.The Snapdragon X platform. Image: QualcommIt looks like the Snapdragon X will also lay the groundwork for some of the first Qualcomm-powered mini desktop PCs. Qualcomm is promising the worlds first mini desktop PC powered by Snapdragon X series tomorrow, so it certainly sounds like more Copilot Plus mini PCs are on the way.The Snapdragon X will really have an impact on the $600 laptop market. Its poised to put even more pressure on Intels efforts here, and Qualcomm says more than 60 laptop designs from OEMs are currently in production or development based on the Snapdragon X series of chips. More than 100 are on the way by 2026. Windows on Arm momentum isnt slowing down.

Ecobee is launching a new entry-level smart thermostat that costs $129.99. The Smart Thermostat Essential comes with a full-color touchscreen and supports Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Assistant.Just like Ecobees other smart thermostats, the Essential adjusts the temperature of your home based on the schedule you set, allowing it to conserve energy while youre away. It ensures your house reaches an optimal temperature by the time you return by learning how long it takes to heat or cool your home.RelatedThe Essential can be paired with the companys SmartSensors to optimize the temperature in specific rooms. The smart thermostat, which can be controlled through the Ecobee app, is compatible with most conventional HVAC and heat pump systems but doesnt support HVAC accessories or multispeed fan systems.The Essential will replace the $150 Ecobee3 Lite when it launches in March 2025. The lower $129.99 price makes it more of a rival to the basic Google Nest Thermostat, which costs the same. However, theNestworks withMatter, whereas Ecobee still hasnt added support for the newsmart homestandard, despitesaying they would.

WWE 2K23 servers close today less than two years after the game came out.The official WWE tie-in wrestling title launched on March 14, 2023. As noted by Eurogamer, WWE 2K23 goes dark today, January 6, 2025, when the servers are discontinued.This includes all online functions, such as online matches and Community Creations. Players will no longer be able to access any online game mode after this point. However if you already own the game you will be able to continue to play offline modes. The game itself and all VC (Virtual Currency), as well as DLC/Add-Ons, were pulled from sale in November.This also means WWE 2K23's PS5 and PS4 Platinum Trophy is unobtainable, the latest to fizzle out of existence with a server shutdown. Gamers have long called on the platform holders to mandate achievement and trophy changes upon a server shutdown so customers can still complete those challenges.IGN's WWE 2K23 review returned an 8/10. We said: "Though the Showcase mode isnt as super as its subject, John Cena, the sharp focus on refinement instead of reinvention helps keep WWE 2K23 as the gold standard of wrestling sims."WWE 2K23s server shutdown leaves last years WWE 2K24 as the only game in the series with online functionality. The expectation is WWE 2K25 launches around March this year, but some fans are now debating the value in investing time in these games if they fail to last even a couple of years.Publisher 2K has form when it comes to shutting down its sports games in the immediate years after release. 2022's NBA 2K23, for example, shut down in December 2024. Rival sports video game maker EA tends to keep the online portion of its games running longer than 2K, with FIFA and Madden servers often up and running years after launch.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Walter White's iconic house from hit TV series Breaking Bad has been listed on the market for a crystal cool $4 million.Owner Joanne Quintana told KOB 4 she hopes her Albuquerque, New Mexico home is turned into something for fans of the crime drama to enjoy, such as a museum or an Air BnB, though made clear it gets plenty of attention already with around 300 visitors per day."I hope they make it what the fans want. They want a BnB, they want a museum, they want access to it," she said of her old family home, which her late mother and father bought in 1973. "Go for it." The owners of the home have reported counting over 400 visitors a day. Photo by Steve Snowden/Getty Images.Only the outside of the house was used for filming, so scenes of Bryan Cranston's Walter, Anna Gunn's Skyler, and RJ Mitte's Walt Jr. around the dinner table, or of Walter chasing thousands of dollars as they passed through vents, weren't actually filmed there, though many iconic scenes obviously were.This includes the beloved pizza scene, where a frustrated Walter hurls an enormous pizza onto the roof and lets it sit there for days. Quintana said the crew had pizzas lined up along the street for multiple attempts but Cranston nailed it on the first go.Breaking Bad ran from 2008 to 2013 and tells the story of Walter, a teacher who begins drug dealing in order to pay for his medical bills after a cancer diagnosis. Spin-off prequel Better Call Saul ran from 2015 to 2022.IGN deemed the finales of both shows masterpieces. "The final batch of Breaking Bad is one of the best run of episodes TV has ever offered," we said of the former, and of the latter: "Better Call Saul ends with a satisfying finale that provides surprises, laughs, tears, and emotional gut punches."Image credit: AMC.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Shift Up, the South Korean company behind PlayStation 5 exclusive action game Stellar Blade, has gifted all its staff a PlayStation 5 Pro as well as a cash bonus of 5 million won (around. $3,400).As spotted by VGC, South Korean publication Naver reported that the eye-catching bonuses were designed to encourage the companys staff. As of the third quarter of last year, 311 people were working at Shift Up.Shift Up had an impressive 2024. The Sony Interactive Entertainment-published Stellar Blade launched exclusively on PS5 in April and sold more than one million copies in two months. IGNs Stellar Blade review returned a 7/10. We said: Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre. Since then, Shift Up has continued to update the game and even added crossover DLC with other video game franchises, most notably Nier: Automata.In July, Shift Up raised 435 billion won (around. $320 million) in its first day of trade after an initial public offering. According to Bloomberg, that was the largest in the country for a gaming company since 2021, when PUBG maker Krafton Inc. raised $3.8 billion from its own IPO.In a recent financial report, Shift Up said that after Stellar Blades launch sales continued at a stabilized level, although it failed to provide an updated sales figure. It did, however, provide revenue directly attributed to the game: 25.8 billion won (approx. $18.5 million) during the quarter Stellar Blade came out (April to June), and 22.5 billion won (approx. $16.1 million) during the companys third quarter (July to September). Thats a total of 48.4 billion won (around $34.6 million) as of the end of September. For context, Shift Ups other game, mobile action RPG Goddess of Victory: Nikke, makes more money than Stellar Blade (approx. $51.9 million during the same two quarters).There's more to come, too. The developer has confirmed plans to release Stellar Blade on PC in 2025, and pointed to Black Myth: Wukongs incredible success on Steam in predicting more sales on PC than on PS5.Shift Up has an unannounced multiplatform game codenamed Project Witches, which it plans to launch after 2027. Given the success of Stellar Blade, it seems likely Shift Up is also considering a sequel.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The sight gags in Nick Parks Wallace and Gromit films are all part of their charm, from Gromits vinyl collection (mostly Bach) to his highbrow reading matter (Crime and Punishment by Fido Dogstoyevsky, The Republic by Pluto) to his alma mater (where else would a clever canine graduate from but Dogwarts University?).The background details invite multiple rewatches as well as giving Aardman Animations a chance to nod towards their wider world and company history. Shaun the Sheep fans will have enjoyed spotting a cameo from the farmer of Mossy Bottom Farm in recent outing Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, a film that also included an even briefer cameo from a version of Gromit thats older than most of the audience would have been.In the early 1980s, young animator Nick Park was studying at the National Film and Television School and working on an early iteration of his new man-and-his-dog characters. As seen in the very first screen test for these characters (watch it here), the original design for dog Gromit was quite different from the final version. With brown fur and a large grinning mouth, this Gromit was goofy and toothy nothing like the furrowed-brow, world-weary dog he turned out to be.In the back of one Vengeance Most Fowl shot, Aardmans art team pay tribute to the OG Gromit by including what looks very much like a sketch of him on the pinboard at the police station. Attached to the bottom of the famous Have You Seen this Chicken? poster from The Wrong Trousers is a Found Dog notice featuring 1980s Gromit, complete with mouth.Thats just one of the Easter Eggs hiding in plain sight in Vengeance Most Fowl. Fans can also spot references to early Aardman film (and later British Gas ad campaign) Creature Comforts, and a nod to the very first Wallace and Gromit Film A Grand Day Out in the moment we see Feathers McGraw hesitating over whether to click on the picture of the moon when asked to select all squares containing cheese on an online CAPTCHA test.Theres a more poignant nod hanging by Wallaces front door in Vengeance Most Fowl. A tweed flat cap on a hook next to the raincoats is a tribute paid to actor Peter Sallis, who provided the voice of Wallace in each of the films until he passed away in 2017 aged 97. The hat was closely associated with Sallis character of Norman Cleggy Clegg in popular UK sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.Wallace is now voiced by frequent Aardman contributor, actor and voice artist Ben Whitehead.And thats just a handful of intricately crafted references in the new Aardman film. Let us know what else you spotted below.Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

SummarySay hello to our newest Agent, Tejo, whos joining our roster from Colombia.As part of the Initiator class, Tejo specializes in flushing out enemies with a unique kit consisting of information gathering, explosions, and a concuss.Those who have strategic game sense and understand how the enemy plays will be able to thrive on this Agent.Tejo, like all Valorant Agents, is unlocked for those with a Game Pass membership.This should be simple enough. I flush them out. You finish them. This statement from Tejo perfectly encompasses our newest Initiator-class Agent, the well-dressed man of action.Hailing from Colombia, Tejo will undoubtedly shake up the gameplay with his unique kit that flushes out enemies using a top-down approach. Tejo will require you to think proactively and strategicallyanalyzing the situation mid-round and using his abilities to help clear the way for your team.Tejos abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects:Stealth Drone: Throw and possess a stealthed drone that, upon activation, creates a small sonar pulse at its location.Guided Salvo: Pull up a map to target one or more missiles towards a location. Upon reaching their location, the missiles explode twice, pushing enemies off of angles.Special Delivery: Toss a grenade that bounces once (sticks to players immediately), sticks, then winds up and explodes. Explosion concusses.Armageddon: Cast a wave of explosions, forcing enemies to move in the direction of your choosing.The perfect teammates for Tejo will be those who can quickly follow up on the space he creates. Lets take a closer look at how thats done.Stealth DroneWhether your team is attacking and attempting to take a site or defending and playing retake, having a drone can be extremely impactful. Especially on maps where there are a lot of corners to clear, it allows your team to take space safely or be prepared to fight for that space. Since drones are great pieces of utility, the enemy team is often prepared to shoot down whatever youre using to take space. Tejos Stealth Drone is unique in that its invisible at long range, giving you more time to grab information about where the enemy team could be.Drones typically give a lot of baseline value of information gathering, but we wanted to give this drone a little spin where the information is secondary, and the effect of suppressing an enemy is why you take this drone over others, Game Designer Ryan Cousart tells us.Guided SalvoWhen we asked the devs, Why rockets?, Cousart smiles and says, Because rockets are sweet.In addition to rockets being sweet, they made sense thematically for what the devs were trying to accomplish.When you start putting things like a map targeter or world placements on Agents, you force people to think about the game more proactively and more strategically. We wanted something to lead your team in and show you the effect of telling your team, Hey something is going to happen. We couldve used anything but we landed on rockets for these reasons, Cousart adds.Tejos abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects. Theres a lot to consider and be careful about when deciding the output of an ability. Damage as an output is a lot more permanent than a concuss or a flash. Its worthwhile to explore though and I think weve landed in a pretty good spot but thats one well need to keep a really sharp eye, states Cousart.Special DeliveryWith how naturally guns down his other abilities are, Tejo really needed something that was just simple to understand and simple to cast but still captured that feeling of being explosive but directed. I wanted Special Delivery to be a quick, like, Lets fight button, states Cousart.Unlike the other abilities where Tejo needs time to set up the play, Special Delivery allows him to initiate a fight quickly in the moment. Whether or not an enemy is there for the concuss, using the ability there will give them the confidence they need to take that space. One thing is for certain even if players can use the ability quickly, we wont be surprised when players are making fancy lineups to get that perfect angle to land on that perfect circle.ArmageddonTejos rockets are really only valuable if youre following up on the pressure thats created. But the sweet spot is when you fire your rockets and you force people to move and then while theyre moving, youre able to capitalize on them having to reposition. Tejo would be great with another Agent that can go in very fast, like Neon, who can capitalize on the distance he casts his abilities from, notes Character Producer, John Goscicki.Tejos ult, Armageddon, is something enemies will need to be aware of round-to-round. Watch that scoreboard and check how many ult points hes away from being able to use it, since it can heavily impact the flow of a round. The wave of explosions will force enemies to move in a direction of Tejos choosing or at least have players moving further back, since the site will be difficult to hold. This will give his team the perfect opportunity to follow up and take control of the space he just created.Everyone can play Tejo but those with strategic game sense can make this new Agent really shine. All of Valorants Agents are unlocked for Game Pass members, so step up to the challenge andlearn to use him to your advantage before everyone else. In the words of Tejo, We can stand around all day talking about killing them or we just do it. So what are you waiting for?VALORANTRiot Games786Get it nowXbox Game PassVALORANT is a character-based 5v5 tactical shooter set on the global stage. Outwit, outplay, and outshine your competition with tactical abilities, precise gunplay, and adaptive teamwork.DEFY THE LIMITSBlend your style and experience on a global, competitive stage. You have 13 rounds to attack and defend your side using sharp gunplay and tactical abilities. And, with one life per-round, you'll need to think faster than your opponent if you want to survive. Take on foes across Competitive and Unranked modes as well as Deathmatch and Spike Rush.CREATIVITY IS YOUR GREATEST WEAPONMore than guns and bullets, youll choose an Agent armed with adaptive, swift, and lethal abilities that create opportunities to let your gunplay shine. No two Agents play alike, just as no two highlight reels will look the same.FIGHT AROUND THE WORLDEach map is a playground to showcase your creative thinking. Purpose-built for team strategies, spectacular plays, and clutch moments. Make the play others will imitate for years to come.

Apple is working on several new smart home products for this year and beyond, including a home doorbell and video camera. Amid the flurry of CES smart home announcements, a common theme has emerged that points to a key reason Apples new products may exist in the first place.Apples renewed Home ambitions start this yearApple has treated the home as a sort of hobby category for years. HomePod and Apple TV 4K arent exactly unimportant to Apple, but they clearly dont constitute a strong commitment to the smart home market.But things are changing. Three new Home products are launching this year, including the HomePad smart display that represents a brand new product category for Apple.Starting next year though, Apple will branch out into territory thats just as intriguing. It will start making its own smart home devices that historically have been left to third parties: Ive written before about how these two new products could challenge a long-standing Apple principle to say no to far more new ventures than it says yes to.But one key trend in the smart home space could explain a lot about why Apples branching out.Subscriptions are on the rise with home devicesJust today, Amazon announced that its Ring division is launching a $5/month subscription for smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring service. Additionally, Arlo has just raised prices for its home camera cloud storage plans.Smart home devices dont have regular upgrade cycles. Users tend to buy them, install them, and keep them around until they break.Subscriptions are a key way that smart home device makers can make recurring revenue from their customers.And subscriptions can also offer a great explanation for why Apple is starting to make more of its own smart home devices, and why its making a camera and doorbell specifically.Apple One and iCloud+ are set to earn more subscribers with Apples new Home productsApple already offers one home-related subscription feature. Its called HomeKit Secure Video, which you can unlock with an iCloud+ subscription. And iCloud+ is included in Apple One Premier.Heres how HomeKit Secure Video works, per Apple:With HomeKit Secure Video, you can add your home security cameras in the Home app to record your footage and view it from anywhere. Its all end-to-end encrypted, and none of the video counts toward your iCloud storage. You can access HomeKit Secure Video on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.The video is privately analyzed by your home hub using on-device intelligence to determine if people, pets, or cars are present. You can view the last 10 days of activity in the Home app.HomeKit Secure Video is a great Apple feature, yet it currently only applies to third-party cameras.But what do a home camera and video doorbellApples two brand new smart home deviceshave in common?Theyll both be able to use HomeKit Secure Video. And thus, theyll be able to earn Apple more subscription revenue.With its own first-party devices, Apple can push HomeKit Secure Video more heavily to users, and is even motivated to make the feature better.Is this the only reason Apples making its own home camera and doorbell? Certainly not. There are plenty of advantages Apple can gain from selling more of its own smart home products.But was the potential for more subscription revenue a motivator for Apple? Did it tip the scales in favor of Apple creating these two smart devices in particular?Id be very surprised if it didnt. This move also shows a path forward for future products. If Apple can build new Home-focused services into its existing Apple One subscription, the bundle will prove even more compelling for Apple users. Ultimately, its a win for both Apple and its users.Are you interested in Apples new home camera and doorbell? Will you use HomeKit Secure Video? Let us know in the comments.Best HomeKit smart home accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Smart home company Aqara has announced no fewer than nine new products at this years consumer electronics show. Most, however, wont be available in the US until later in the year.These include a large touch-screen panel which performs multiple duties as a smart light switch, a controller and display for other smart home devices, a Zigbee hub, and a Matter bridge for Aqara Zigbee devices The company outlined its new products at CES 2025.Aqara continues to prioritize user-friendly, intuitive experiences with the debut of its first in-wall control panels for the global market. These include the Panel Hub S1 Plus, Touchscreen Dial V1 and Touchscreen Switch S100 US. Featuring sleek touchscreen interfaces, these devices offer centralized control of the entire home, enabling users to manage smart devices and scenes all without the need for a smartphone. Aqara also announces the upcoming release of its next-generation dual-protocol smart switches the Light Switch H2 and Dimmer Switch H2 to the North American market.Interoperability remains at the core of Aqaras strategy, and the Company continues to expand its Thread portfolio with new sensors and Border Routers. The Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 is a battery-operated, multi-sensing solution for human detection and ambient monitoring, and the Climate Sensor W100 offers enhanced experiences of indoor climate control. Aqaras expanding Matter Controller line includes the entry-level Hub M100 with a highly compact design, as well as the Doorbell Camera Hub G410 that enhances both security and connectivity of your home.The star of the show is that touchscreen controller, the Panel Hub S1 Plus.This premium in-wall panel enables centralized control of the entire smart home with one single interface, allowing users to interact with their homes intuitively without using a smartphone. It replaces a traditional light switch, and is wired to control and automate up to two lights. With dual-band Wi-Fi and a 6.9 touchscreen, the panel can wirelessly manage a wide range of devices such as cameras (including camera live view), door locks, thermostats, lights, curtains, and more and trigger scenes and routines. Moreover, the S1 Plus doubles as a Zigbee hub and Matter bridge for Aqara Zigbee devices.The company says that it will launch later this month in Europe, and in the US later this year.Availability for other new products ranges from the current quarter to sometime later this year.This follows the launch of the Aqara Smart Lock U300 in October, with support for Apple Home Key, Matter, and Thread and a new water valve controller last month.Image: AqaraAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel