Some bakers, and bread-lovers with gluten sensitivity, swear by the more expensive product.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable Lenovo laptops rollable screen uses motors to grow from 14 to 16.7 inches Yes, there are still visible creases. Scharon Harding Jan 7, 2025 2:08 pm | 10 Credit: Lenovo Credit: Lenovo Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreLenovo announced a laptop today that experiments with a new way to offer laptop users more screen space than the typical clamshell design. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has a screen that can roll up vertically to expand from 14 inches diagonally to 16.7 inches, presenting an alternative to prior foldable-screen and dual-screen laptops. Here you can see the PC's backside when the screen is extended. Lenovo Here you can see the PC's backside when the screen is extended. Lenovo A look at the hinge. Lenovo A look at the hinge. Lenovo The keyboard includes a button for making the screen unroll. Lenovo The keyboard includes a button for making the screen unroll. Lenovo A look at the hinge. Lenovo The keyboard includes a button for making the screen unroll. Lenovo The laptop, which Lenovo says is coming out in June, builds on a concept that Lenovo demoed in February 2023. That prototype had a Sharp-made panel that initially measured 12.7 inches but could unroll to present a total screen size of 15.3 inches. Lenovo's final product is working with a bigger display from Samsung Display, TheVerge reported. Resolution-wise you're going from 2,0001,600 pixels (about 183 pixels per inch) to 2,0002,350 (184.8 ppi), the publication said.Users make the screen expand by pressing a dedicated button on the keyboard or by making a hand gesture at the PC's webcam. Expansion entails about 10 seconds of loud whirring from the laptops motors. Lenovo executives told The Verge that the laptop was rated for at least 20,000 rolls up and down and 30,000 hinge openings and closings.The system can also treat the expanded screens as two different 16:9 displays. The screen claims up to 400 nits brightness and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage. Credit: Lenovo This is a clever way to offer a dual-screen experience without the flaws inherent to current dual-screen laptops, including distracting hinges and designs with questionable durability. However, 16.7 inches is a bit small for two displays. The dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, for comparison, previously had two 13.3-inch displays for a total of 26.6 inches, and this year's model has two 14-inch screens. Still, the ThinkBook, when its screen is fully expanded, is the rare laptop to offer a screen thats taller than it is wide.Still foldable OLEDAt first, you might think that since the screen is described as rollable it may not have the same visible creases that have tormented foldable-screen devices since their inception. But the screen, reportedly from Samsung Display, still shows little curls visible in the display, which are more obvious when its moving and theres something darker onscreen, as well as plenty of smaller creases along its lower half that arent too noticeable when using the laptop but that are clear when looking at the screen closely or when staring at it from steeper angles," The Verge reported.Part of Lenovo's logic for the expanding screen is that it enables people to use a 16.7-inch display on a computer that's the size of a 14-inch laptop. The PC is a little heavier and thicker than a normal ultralight 14-inch laptop, though, with a 3.73 lb (1.69 kg) and 0.78 inch-thick (19.9 mm) profile. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable Specs Display: 14-16.7 inchesPanel Type: OLEDRefresh Rate: 120 HzCPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (Series 2)GPU: Intel Arc Xe2Storage: Up to 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSDRAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR5x-8533, dual channelOS: Windows 11 ProCamera: 5MP USB + IR with electronic privacy shutterBattery: 66 WHPorts: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 3.5 mm jackLenovo claims to have made navigating the dynamic screen easier through widgets for easy access to frequently used apps and tools. Per Toms Hardware, which demoed the laptop, this is an app that lets you pin widgets, like a to-do list, at the bottom of your screen, run a virtual display (a window that the OS thinks is a separate monitor) or view Smart Copy, a searchable history of your clipboard.Lenovo sees business professionals using the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, more specifically, mobile professionals, business travelers, and productivity-focused workers who need seamless multitasking capabilities, per its announcement.Lenovo's ThinkBook line has traditionally featured experimental designs, such as detachable laptops running both Windows and Android, and laptops with secondary vertical screens. The sliding-screen laptop is a fascinating way to try to give people more screen space without having an extra bulky PC or the burden of carrying around a portable monitor. But, ultimately, audible motors and creases may deter people from investing in this as their primary PC. And then there's the cost. Lenovo is expecting a starting price of $3,499.Still, it's nice to see the exploration of new ways to appeal to computer users with different needs, limited space, and open minds. If it drums up enough interest, perhaps we'll see the design further polished in the coming years.For a deeper look, check out a demo of the laptop, courtesy of Engadget, below: The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is a crazy concept made real.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 10 Comments

Keep track of how many illnesses you have each year to get to grips with your immune healthVicki TurnerWHEN you are under the covers, sniffling from your third cold of the year, you might wonder whether your immune system is pulling its weight. It is a question we would all love to answer: is our immune system healthy or not? Now, a burgeoning field of immunology is attempting to do just that with tests that grade your immune system, the idea being that it could help people preempt problems and motivate them to make lifestyle changes to avoid ill health.To understand how healthy your immune system really is, let alone improve it, first it is helpful to get to grips with what it actually does. Consider it your internal army, with different units coordinating to eliminate enemy invaders, all while avoiding collateral damage to your own tissues and constantly adapting to new challenges.Like a real army, your immune system can also fall into disarray, with some units underperforming while others go rogue. This can cause major illnesses.AdvertisementSo how do you tell whether your army is doing its best? Lets begin by considering the different components. The first line of defence comes from innate immune cells such as macrophages, which engulf bacteria and release chemicals that trigger inflammation, making cells less hospitable to pathogens.Once a threat has been identified, a second line of defence called the adaptive immune system kicks in, with more specialised tools. B-cells, for example, form antibodies that bind to the unwanted newcomer and render it harmless. T-cells, meanwhile, include killer cells that attack infected cells, as well as helper cells that coordinate the activities of the other immune cells and aid the B-cells in producing antibodies. Regulatory T-cells are also on hand to call off the battle when the threat has passed, so the body can repair the damage.This article is part of a special series on immunity, in which we explore:Our biological warriors can be found lurking around the body. Theyre in the mucosal lining of our airways, the digestive tract and in our skin anywhere things that could upset the body might get in, says Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist at the University of Sussex, UK.They are also aided by microorganisms in the body, known as the microbiome. We often think about the microbiome in relation to the gut, but we have microbiota living all over our body, says Macciochi.When we are at peak health, these different components are perfectly balanced but there are ways that things might go awry. You may lack the friendly microbes that protect your digestive system, meaning you are more susceptible to gut infections. A bad diet or stress can make you more sluggish at producing the correct immune cells to fight infection, and after you have recovered, you might lose the cells that remember the pathogen, should you be exposed again. Since the immune system can also spot and remove tumours, underactivity can render you more susceptible to cancer.Other problems arise from overactivity, when the immune system begins acting with disproportionate force, leading it to harm the body. For example, the immune system may become oversensitive to foreign bodies, such as pollen, that dont pose an actual threat, which leads to allergies. Or it might start attacking its own organs, resulting in autoimmune diseases. Even muted immune activity for long periods of time, such as low-grade inflammation, can be harmful and is thought to contribute to everything from cardiovascular disease to depression.Historically, there are some basic ways to assess the health of your immune system including, for instance, measuring the levels of inflammatory molecules and numbers of immune cells within your blood. But recently, our measures have become more sophisticated, with a greater focus on examining the precise balance of the immune systems different components.White blood cells can help to indicate immune healthRUSSELL KIGHTLEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYSunil Ahujas team at the University of Texas Health Science Center, for example, has designed a way to classify peoples immune grade based on the relative levels of different T-cells. People with higher-than-average numbers of helper T-cells, combined with lower levels of killer T-cells, had the highest immune grade, according to their classification. The team has shown that people with immune grade I tend to have much better outcomes when they face a pathogen, with 88 per cent reduced mortality compared with those of lower grades after a covid-19 infection, for instance.Importantly, the teams grades proved to be a better predictor for response to covid-19 than age alone, meaning that, in the future, this kind of measure may help to identify high-risk individuals with greater precision. Even if you are 80, and you have a high immune grade, youll do much better than someone much younger with a low immune grade, says Ahuja.You may need to wait a while before your doctor is able to assess your health with this kind of precision, but you can get a good idea about the state of your immune system without any tests. As a general rule of thumb, Macciochi says that the average person should expect to have one or two mild illnesses a year. If you tend to become sick far more often, and if those infections tend to last much longer and are more severe than the people around you, then it may be a sign that one or more of the units in your immune army arent functioning as they should. Your doctor should be your first port of call, but there are also things you can do to give your immunity a helping hand (see The food and drink that really can boost your immune system, above).GET TO KNOW YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEMINNATE IMMUNE SYSTEMThis is the bodys first line of defence against pathogens. It responds rapidly to general threats and can distinguish between different classes of pathogen to recruit the most effective form of adaptive immune response to eliminate them.ADAPTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEMThis system is activated in response to specific pathogens. It forms an immunological memory of threats we have faced, enhancing our future immune responses.T-CELLSPart of the adaptive immune system, T-cells attack invading pathogens and infected cells. They can act as helper cells by supporting B-cells to produce antibodies.B-CELLSThese are involved in both the innate and adaptive immune system and are responsible for mediating the production of antibodies against specific pathogens.NATURAL KILLER CELLSThese innate immune system cells provide a rapid response to viruses and other pathogens. They can kill cells in the absence of antibodies.NEUTROPHILSThese cells travel to a site of infection, where they destroy bacteria or viruses by ingesting them and releasing enzymes that kill them.MONOCYTESThese large white blood cells travel to an injury or infection and turn into a macrophage or dendritic cell. Macrophages surround foreign material and ingest, kill or remove it. Dendritic cells boost immune response by presenting antigens on their surface to T-cells.ANTIGENA molecule from foreign material such as a virus or pollen grain that binds to a specific antibody or T-cell.ANTIBODYThese y-shaped proteins recognise specific antigens on foreign objects and bind to them. This tags the unwanted object for attack by the rest of the immune system. Antibodies can also neutralise foreign material directly.Topics:

Delta Air Lines unveiled new tech features coming over the next two years.Improvements include Bluetooth connectivity for all cabins, new AI tools, and enhanced inflight systems.Delta aims to maintain its premium status amid competition from United Airlines.Delta Air Lines revealed a slew of new customer features coming to its planes soon, from AI support to improved seatback entertainment.CEO Ed Bastian made the announcement during a splashy keynote address at CES in Las Vegas.The announcements come as Delta continues to vie for the title of the US' most luxurious airline.Bluetooth connectivity for every seatBluetooth connectivity will be available to premium and economy flyers on select aircraft deliveries from 2026. The amenity was previously only installed in first class on Delta's Airbus A321neo planes. Delta A321neo first class. Jennifer Bradley Franklin/Business Insider It joins a handful of other airlines offering Bluetooth to economy cabin flyers, like United Airlines, Spanish flag carrier Iberia, and German leisure carrier Condor.Also coming new to the cabin in 2026 are enhanced inflight systems with better streaming performance, a "do not disturb" feature, and a seatback translation service. The new screens feature 4K HDR QLED displays, Delta said. Delta said the new tools will offer better convenience and control. The translation service allows flight attendants to send tailored messages in the flyer's preferred language to their seatback screen.AI toolsThe airline is also adding new AI tools, known as "Delta Concierge," to help travelers ahead of their flight.Starting in 2025, the app will notify customers when their passports are nearing expiration or if they have specific visa requirements for the destinations they're flying to.Customers can also see packing guidance based on their destination's weather, and get airport directions to its gates, lounges, and bag drop. The app can also notify customers when a touchless expedited TSA PreCheck lane is available.The news comes a year after Delta announced at CES 2024 that it would begin offering free WiFi on its aircraft.Since then, the airline has equipped most of its domestic fleet with complimentary internet. This service is available to SkyMiles members, Delta's free-to-sign-up loyalty program.Delta's new tech could make it more competitive with UnitedDelta's new tech is part of its effort to maintain its self-proclaimed "premium" title. The airline boasts luxe DeltaOne Lounges and sliding doors in business class, among other high-class perks.It has also announced new cabins for its Boeing 757 and Airbus A350 planes, including an upgraded Delta One Suite.The airline has been capitalizing on the trend of people being willing to pay more for luxury at the front of the aircraft.But rival United Airlines, whose stock skyrocketed nearly 150% in 2024 and well outperformed its peers, has been a thorn in Delta's side.As part of its 2021 "United Next" plan, United began installing seatback screens on most of its planes to be more competitive with Delta. This reversed its plan to ditch inflight TVs in the years before. United started adding Bluetooth to its new Boeing 737 Max cabins in 2021. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider United also announced that year that all cabins, including economy, on its Boeing 737 Max and some Airbus planes would have Bluetooth.More recently, in November, United became the first US airline to allow customers to track their luggage AirTag via its app. Delta followed in December.

Bluesky, an alternative to X, saw a surge of users after Donald Trump was elected in November.The company is raising new funding that would value it around $700 million, according to three sources.The round is being led by Bain Capital Ventures, per the sources. Bluesky is in the final stages of raising new funding led by Bain Capital Ventures, which would value the social media company at around $700 million, according to three sources familiar with the deal.Bluesky and Bain Capital Ventures did not respond to comment. Bluesky officially launched less than a year ago with 3 million users and grew to 25.9 million users in 2024, according to the company. Nearly half of those new users were added during the last month and a half of the year after Donald Trump won the US presidential election, and some X users fled the platform owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk.Bluesky last raised a $15 million Series A round in 2024 and an $8 million seed round in 2023. It's unclear how much capital Bluesky is raising in this new round, which is still being finalized, and terms could change.Bluesky told BI in late November it was growing so fast that it needed to add servers to keep up with demand."We have grown by a million users every day for the last eight days, which has blown past our projections, and so we were going to get new servers next year, but we had to fast forward that," said Rose Wang, Bluesky's COO.Bluesky was originally formed in 2019 as an internal project at X, which was then known as Twitter, when founder Jack Dorsey was still CEO. Bluesky launched as a standalone Public Benefit Corporation in 2021, helmed by Jay Graber.Dorsey resigned from Bluesky's board of directors in 2024 and criticized the app for "literally repeating all the mistakes" of Twitter.The new funding would challenge Bluesky to figure out how to make money. The service still has no ads, and Bluesky said in 2023 it never wants to rely on advertising to sustain its business."We believe that there must be better strategies to sustain social networks that don't require selling user data for ads," the company said in a blog post.Bluesky's user interface looks like a bare-bones X. Bluesky bills itself as a more utopian and safe alternative. It added many new features in 2024, including hashtags, direct messages, video sharing, and trending topics.

Meta said Tuesday it plans to drop third-party fact-checkers in favor of a community notes feature.Meta CMO Alex Schultz told Business Insider that the election of Donald Trump to the presidency influenced the shift.He also said a change in how Americans view censorship and content moderation played a role.After Meta announced it was ditching fact checkers, Alex Schultz, the company's chief marketing officer, said in an interview with Business Insider on Tuesday that the election of Donald Trump as president influenced the decision."Look, we're going to adjust to any administration and we always do and that, I think, is appropriate," Schultz said at CES 2025 in Las Vegas on Tuesday, adding, "We've worked with the Biden administration through its term. We'll work with the Trump administration through its term. Elections have consequences."Earlier on Tuesday, Meta announced it would stop using third-party fact-checkers in favor of user-generated community notes.The company also said it was moving some of its content moderation teams from California, which typically votes Democratic, to Texas, which typically votes Republican. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the move would "help remove the concern that biased employees are overly censoring content."Schultz added that in addition to the incoming administration playing a role, the timing of the decision was also influenced by a shift in "the vibes in America."Schultz said there's a change in how Americans broadly view censorship, free speech, and content moderation, which he said was signaled by the results of the election."It's a big, big shift," he said. "So I think, yeah, we're responding to that at this time because that's the logical time to do it."Zuckerberg said the new community notes feature would be similar to the one used on Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, which allows users to add notes to posts that potentially contain misinformation or are missing context.Schultz told BI the announced changes also bring Zuckerberg "back to the core of what he cares about.""I think fundamentally he's been pushed into a place that was further than he wanted to be in terms of censorship and in content moderation," Schultz said, adding Zuckerberg was "taking advantage of the moment to do what he thinks is right."Meta's content moderation policies have been scrutinized for years. Four years ago, Facebook banned President Donald Trump from the platform for policy violations, sparking the ire of Republicans, who have accused the site of silencing conservative views.Schultz said he thought those complaints of bias were fair and that Meta could not find fact-checking organizations on the political right at the same rate as left-leaning ones. He said community notes on X have been more successful at getting people from across the political spectrum to contribute.However, he said Meta will take a different approach than X when it comes to relations with the brands that advertise on their platform."We're not going out there denigrating our advertisers and putting them in terrible positions," he said, alluding to critical comments Musk has made about some of X's advertisers. X sued a group of advertisers in August, accusing them of antitrust violations.Schultz said Facebook would maintain its brand safety tools that allow companies some control over the kinds of content their ads appear next to.He also said the primary concerns for their big advertisers are around hate speech and adult nudity, rather than content addressed by fact-checkers, and that the brand safety tools will remain focused on those areas."We're going to focus on precision and not be taking down things we shouldn't be taking down," he said.

Theres still a lot of questions to answer (Nintendo)The Wednesday letters page wants Sony to prioritise PS5 games over movies, as one reader is keen to see Pikmin 5 on the Switch 2.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukUndefined powerEven with leaks of the motherboard and some expert analysis I dont feel we really know anything very definitive about the Switch 2s power levels. So, its basically similar to a PlayStation 4, except publishers will probably end up porting PlayStation 5 games to it anyway? That doesnt really lock anything down.At the end of the day, all that matters is what the games look like and Im already at the point where I barely recognise things like ray-tracing or 60fps, so Im not sure it really matters. I think thats always been Nintendos approach too and theyre probably only really trying at all in order to get more third party support. I agree well probably see a lot of PlayStation 4 era ports, and probably tons of Xbox stuff, but Im not sure thats why anyone buys a Nintendo console.At the end of the day, it sounds like its going to be a souped-up PlayStation 4 and thats fine. Theres plenty of games being released now that barely look any better than a PlayStation 4 game and if the Switch 2 can run those as a handheld, then that is going to be very good thing.LemmyUndead adaptationIt is really hard for me to understand what Sony is playing at the moment. The fact that they have so many movie and TV projects is one thing but why Gravity Rush and Days Gone, when theyre basically dead franchises? If you think these games are such a good idea, why dont you make more of them?Its the same thing with Twisted Metal and Uncharted. Do these even count as adaptations if theyve stopped making the games? Even The Last Of Us is in that situation, where weve got no guarantee of getting a third entry.Sony has had its priorities backwards for years now. Between this and the constant stream of new hardware it seems theyd do anything to avoid making new games.ChorltonIntellectual propertyIt makes me laugh that weve got these constant leaks about the Switch 2 console and yet we still know exactly nothing about any of the games. Like you said, theres got to be at least one new IP at launch and thats what Im most interested in.Its my one complaint about the Switch, which has barely had any new IP at all and nothing big budget. What was the biggest? ARMS? And that wasnt very big at all. You could say that the waters were muddied a bit with Splatoon being on Wii U, but I really want to see better on the Switch 2 and not just some throwaway thing like 1-2-Switch.You talk about how its hard to make a new Super Smash Bros., but what really makes it hard is that theres no new characters to add. Nintendo really need to invest in more new games.ZeffoEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukVegetable evolutionA tale of four PikminsNumber 1 on the GameCube I liked but didnt get that far because I seem to remember the calendar was limited and it all seemed too much of a rush.Number 2 on the GameCube removed the limited calendar but, again, I didnt get far. I think I gave up because I reached an impasse (I probably missed something obvious) and didnt know where to go. It seemed quite difficult as well, if memory serves correct.Number 3 on the Wii U and then the Switch. Yes, I bought it twice. Brilliant game that Ive finished on both formats which brings me toNumber 4 on the Switch. Ive put about 12 hours into it so far, but it just might be better than Number 3.Yes, its quite sedate and calm (and the massively improved targeting is more than welcome) but thats just right for a game where youre ordering carrots about to explore and fight.TL;DR. Much like the Pikmin themselves the series has evolved for the better, in my opinion, and Ill be buying Pikmin 5 day one.Chevy Malibu (PSN ID)GC: Pikmin 4 was much more successful than any of the previous entries, so a fifth is all but guaranteed.Billionaires clubIncredible to think how much modern video games take to make, with Call Of Duty probably up to $1 billion a throw now for a game that has built-in obsolescence after a year. At least GTA 5 lasted a decade or more before its replaced.I wonder whether other publishers know how much each of them are spending on games though? Maybe the reason they cant seem to bring themselves to cut back on budgets is that theyre convinced that its only the most expensive-to-make games that are the biggest hits.Im not sure thats true, because as I understand Fortnite was just a minor experiment when it started, but I bet the machinery to keep it going must be a billion or more a year as well.KlondikePocket monster backlogSay what you want about traditional Pokmon games but once you pays your monies, you certainly get your pounds worth.I paid about 40 off eBay for Pokmon Sword in mid-2021 and started playing it daily in November of that year.I liked it enough to complete the story mode and even buy and complete both DLC packs.Its even been with me on various holidays over the years, with the last one itll ever go on with me to Aiya Napa back in August 2024!And, as of 31st December 2024, I have finally completed all three pokdexes and levelled-up all Galar region Pokmon and post-Gen IV Pokmon.Being British-born and living in England, I do like the references as seen in-game to this country.Sword is now my favourite traditional Pokmon game, even beating Game Boy Advance Sapphire, which was my first Pokmon game back in 2004.In 2005, a faulty GAME GameCube Memory Card deleted my save file from Sapphire/Box and I didnt have the heart to start again after having lost 999:59+ hours of gameplay.After that anguish and heartache, I got into Custom Robo: Arena but sadly, there were no further games for me to play.Apart from Pokmon Go! it took me years for me to pick up another Pokmon game and after getting a hard-to-find V2 Switch during the July 2020 lockdown, decided to try Lets Go, Eevee!, which I liked and helped ease me back.Even though I completed Pokmon Violet weeks after its release, I never really went back to it as I wanted to really focus on completing Sword proper.As of 1st January 2025, Ill be focused on levelling-up all the Paldea region Pokmon only.After Sword, I have decided to only level-up a games regional Pokmon and no more due to the time it takes as I really want to get though my backlog!LeighDappaFortnite DeluxeI agree that a Deluxe version of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the only thing that makes sense for the Switch 2. But even thats just delaying the problem, because what are they going to do after that? Just keep remastering the same game and adding a couple of new characters each time?Its not the worst idea, in theory, but the balancing alone is going to be a nightmare with that. If Nintendo had the nerve to make it free though, they could try pushing it as their take on a Fortnite style live service game.ZeissCautious pessimismLike many Im looking forward to the Switch 2 reveal over the next few months and, also like many, will be picking one up as soon as the initial scramble tails off and we know of any potential hardware faults (my first out-the-factory Switch was plagued with the old dead pixel screen issue).However, I would like to sound a note of caution over one aspect of Nintendos next generation device, that being third party support. There are reasons to be sceptical over the levels of support we will see pr at least ask why we expect it to be any better than the original Switch.Looking at Switch software sales most gamers pick up Nintendo titles mixed with a few zeitgeisty indie games like Stardew Valley or Hollow Knight; third party triple-A games just didnt sell well on the system. If its the case EA or Ubisoft cant shift millions of units of Need For Speed or Assassins Creed on a machine that has an install base of 150 million then putting the resources in to convert larger and more complex PlayStation 4 titles has limited appeal.Sure, they were older Xbox 360 third party games, likely to have been played before on other formats, but that is the equivalent of porting PlayStation 4 games to the Switch 2. Especially as in the early years theyll only be relatively low numbers of Switch 2s out there, to sell to as it builds market share.Good news though, Japanese publishers and developers will likely rush their older titles to the platform, given Nintendos status as the main player over there. Im holding off on Metaphor: ReFantazio and Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree for this very reason, so I can play them portably in the future, even if its some years out. I should be ready for a second run at Elden Ring by 2026.MarcGC: Wed be shocked if Elden Ring wasnt ported across, and probably Metaphor: ReFantazio too.Inbox also-ransTencent is on a Pentagon blacklist? Is it me or did the world just get really weird and stupid all of a sudden? Seems like we switched timelines to an even worse one after the new year.LenSo, the day after Julian displays his Transformers collection, including the legendary Optimus Prime, the codename for the new Xbox is the Xbox Prime. Does this count as unintentional inbox magic? I really feel like the gaming world could have put the magic to better use!NatorDomGC: A decent Transformers game would be a good start.More TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.ArrowMORE: Games Inbox: Could Sony quit the games industry? GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Tactical Breach Wizards -sorcery warfareOne of 2024s hidden gems is a turn-based tactics game where wizards are spec ops soldiers and the script is even better than the combat.We didnt have as much time as we hoped before Christmas; to go back and review interesting games wed missed earlier in the year. Only a few were left out but since theres nothing new of note out at the moment we wanted to cover a few more, before the year begins in earnest. Top of that list is Tactical Breach Wizards, which was on our to do list for most of 2024 for two main reasons: people kept recommending it to us and its got an awesome name.For once we get to praise an indie game for having a memorable name, instead of one that actively puts you off wanting to try it, and were happy to report that Tactical Breach Wizards does exactly what it says on the tin. That is, you control a bunch of wizards who are really good at performing tactical breaches.Theres a dry absurdity to the set-up, which works much like XCOMs turn-based combat, only with no aliens and where the special forces soldiers are packing magic wands instead of sniper rifles. As wacky as that sounds the game is anything but a farce and the most surprising thing about Tactical Breach Wizards is its great storytelling and memorable characters.In the reality of the game, magic is commonplace but otherwise things work pretty much as they do in the real world. Main character Jen is a witch but shes also a private investigator, who gets recruited as the result of a conspiracy involving, amongst other things, the Druid Mafia.The plot itself isnt terribly interesting, but the game is very much in on the joke, with a charming sense of humour that still leaves plenty of space to establish the characters and make you care about them. Jen is the nominal lead but theres also Zan, the past-his-best veteran; Banks the necromantic surgeon; Dall the rebel priest in riot gear; and more.There are no voiceovers, and so consequently there can be a lot of text to wade through, but the mixture of camaraderie and comedy is a very welcome and unexpected pleasure.The combat is very clearly inspired by XCOM and other turn-based strategy games but its not a clone. For a start, the action takes place on a much smaller map, often making it more reminiscent of Into The Breach. It doesnt have that level of difficulty or puzzle-like complexity, but each character wields very unique spells and using them in tandem with other allies, to take out multiple enemies at once, is a key tactic.Unlike XCOM, every attack hits its mark, with no need to worry about the percentage chances of missing. Not only that but you can see a prediction of the exact effect of your move before you commit to it, with the option to rewind the turn if you have second thoughts.The games also reminiscent of the sorely underrated Mario + Rabbids titles, in that only specific characters have an overwatch ability, that allows you to attack during an enemys turn. Others are just as powerful in different ways though, such as Jens lighting attack, that can chain through multiple targets, or Banks ability to debuff enemies from a distance. Although the absolute best one is the ability to magic up a window, just to throw a bad guy through it (which counts as an instant kill). If in doubt, rewind (Suspicious Developments)New abilities are introduced as you progress and all of them can be upgraded through earned experience points. Youre wise to make sure everyone is optimised as much as possible, as you dont get to choose who you take into a mission with you so you cant just rely on one character all the time.Impressively, the enemy AI is quite competent and theyll usually give as good as they get, making use of the ability to knock back opponents into each other and push them into explosive objects. When youre doing this, youre usually trying to get them to stumble into another characters line of fire, such that its possible to wipe out most enemies in a single turn if you get creative enough.As a result, Tactical Breach Wizards can seem rather easy at times, if youre familiar with the genre, especially as you begin to recognise the different elements that maps and missions are patched together from. Add in the rewind feature, and the inability to miss, and this is not a game thats going to be challenging any tactics veterans, or at least not outside the option challenge levels.More TrendingThat does make it suitable for newcomers though, despite the long learning curve. Plus, apart from being able to rewind you can skip any mission that you find too troublesome, so you dont have to worry about being stuck.Its five months since the game came out and sadly theres still no sign of a console version. Thats not entirely surprising though, as the game has been designed solely for a mouse and keyboard and the joypad controls are pretty bad on PC it doesnt even work very well on Steam Deck.Nevertheless, were very glad we finally got around to playing Tactical Breach Wizards, as its definitely one of the best tactics games of recent years. The combat is solid but its the characters and dialogue that are the most welcome surprises. Thats seldom a focus in strategy games but Tactical Breach Wizards proves that no idea is too silly, or genre too staid, that it cant be improved by a good script.Tactical Breach Wizards review summaryIn Short: An absurd concept but an inspired turn-based tactics game that, quite unexpectedly, has one of the best scripts of the last 12 months.Pros: Solid combat, with distinctive abilities and plenty of freedom to tackle levels however you want. Rewind option is useful for newcomers. Excellent script, with witty dialogue and endearing characters.Cons: Quite easy for most of the time and ultimately fairly repetitive in terms of objectives and set pieces. Only really works with a keyboard and mouse.Score: 8/10Formats: PCPrice: 16.75Publisher: Suspicious DevelopmentsDeveloper: Suspicious DevelopmentsRelease Date: 22nd August 2024Age Rating: N/A The talks between levels can be the best bit (Suspicious Developments)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Logging Hill Installation / TAILANDSave this picture! Kaoru Yamada, Taro HiranoTemporary InstallationsMinato City, JapanArchitects: TailandAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:25 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Kaoru Yamada, Taro Hirano More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. This pavilion is designed by Taichi Kuma for Tokyo Midtown DESIGN TOUCH 2024. The main structure is made out of 3 timber rings. They are varied in size such as 2m, 5m, and 10m. Each Ring is touching the ground and the plywood surface is created in between each ring.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!All the timber beams are unique and are fabricated in a 3D CNC machine by the company called Shelter. The curved surface is used for multi-function such as sitting, sleeping, working, running, climbing, and so on.Save this picture!Save this picture!In this event, the sticker that represents human activity are delivered and visitors put them on the surface of LOGGING HILL. This is a public space but people can leave their personal log. This is the new approach to making visitors attachments to the public space.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Minato City, JapanLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeTailandOfficeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on January 08, 2025Cite: "Logging Hill Installation / TAILAND" 07 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025380/logging-hill-installation-tailand&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

3 for $33 Movies on 4K Blu-ray Amazon's new movie sale includes hundreds of popular 4K Blu-rays. See at Amazon Amazon's new movie sale might be better than any of its Black Friday and holiday promotions. From now through January 20, you can get three 4K Blu-rays for only $33. You're effectively paying $11 per movie, which is quite the deal--especially when you check out the eligible films. Hundreds of movies are featured in Amazon's 4K Blu-ray sale, including a bunch of great sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films. To make it easy to browse, we put together lists of notable movies in the 3 4K Blu-rays for $33 sale. Some of the highlights include Dune: Parts One and Two, Blade Runner 2049, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa, The Shining, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and so many more.Important note: To get the deal, each movie needs to be shipped and sold by Amazon. If you don't see the "Get any 3 for $33" Savings tag under the price, that's because the store page is defaulting to a third-party seller. This is fairly common during these promotions. Just click "Other sellers on Amazon," filter only the "New" listings, and click "Add to Cart" on the option sold and shipped by Amazon. See full sale at Amazon DC Movies on 4K Blu-raySuperman: The Movie / The Batman / Man of SteelThe franchise featured the most in the sale is Batman, as there are over a dozen live-action and animated movies starring the Caped Crusader. Highlights include The Batman, The Dark Knight, Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns, and more. Beyond Batman, you can snag films starring other DC heroes.Continue Reading at GameSpot