• Monopoly GO: Polar Park Rewards And Milestones
    gamerant.com
    Its time for Januarys Partners event in Monopoly GO. The new Plushie Partners event is here from January 24 to January 29. It brings lots of awesome rewards for participants, but to take part, you will need its tokens, and thats where the Polar Park solo event comes in.
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  • The Thai Posters For Captain America: Brave New World Go So Much Harder
    gamerant.com
    New posters for Captain America: Brave New World from Thailand gave two major characters a twist. The artist infused the artwork with local folklore.
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  • How to Edit Vertical Videos for Social Media with CapCut Desktop Video Editor
    gamedev.net
    How to Edit Vertical Videos for Social Media with CapCut Desktop Video EditorVertical videos are crucial for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. They capture attention quickly and fit the way we naturally hold our phones. This format leads to higher engagement and visibility, making it essential for effective social media marketing. Vertical videos stand out as users scroll through their feeds, encouraging viewers to stop and watch.To enhance v
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  • How AI Tools Can Transform Your Advertising Strategy
    gamedev.net
    How AI Tools Can Transform Your Advertising StrategyThe world of advertising is constantly evolving. What worked yesterday may not be as effective today, and with the rapid pace of technological advancements, keeping up with new trends and tools is essential for staying competitive. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changing force in advertising, revolutionizing the way businesses create, optimize, and target their campaigns. AI tools are empowering ma
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  • Every Space-Time Smackdown expansion card we know so far in Pokmon TCG Pocket
    www.polygon.com
    The Space-Time Smackdown cards are coming to Pokmon TCG Pocket before the end of January, adding more than 140 new cards across two booster packs.The Space-Time Smackdown expansion will focus on the Sinnoh region and will feature Dialga and Palkia as the figurehead Pokmon for the two new packs. The expansion also introduces Tool-type cards that will provide your Pokmon with even more support in battle.Below, weve created a table outlining all the new Space-Time Smackdown Expansion cards we know so far from the expansion trailer along with their typing, HP, and attack or ability.Every Space-Time Smackdown expansion card we know so farHeres every new Space-Time Smackdown card we know so far laid out in a handy table. Note that in some cases, certain stat lines werent visible. Well update this guide as more information becomes available.CardTypeHPAttack/AbilityTurtwigGrass80Bite (30)ChimcharFire60Scratch (20)PiplupWater60Nap — Heal 20 damage from this Pokémon.ShinxLightning——PachirisuLightning—Sparking Gadget (40+) — If this Pokémon has a Pokémon Tool attached, this attack does 40 more damage.HonchkrowDarkness100Skill Dive — ?GibleDragon60Gnaw (?)GarchompDragon——LucarioFighting100Submarine Blow (40)   Fighting Coach (Ability) — Attacks used by your fighting Pokémon do +20 damage to your opponent's active Pokémon.Togekiss———LeafeonGrass90Leafy Cyclone (90) — ?Dialga exMetal150Metallic Turbo (30) — Take 2 metal energy from your energy zone and attach to 1 of your benched Pokémon.   Heavy Impact (100)Palkia exWater150Slash (30) Dimensional Storm (150) Discard 3 water energy from this Pokémon. This attack does 20 damage to each of your opponent' benched Pokémon.CresseliaPsychic110Moonlight Gain (50) — Heal 20 damage from this Pokémon.CynthiaSupporter—During this turn, attacks used by your Garchomp and Togekiss do +50 damage to your opponent's active Pokémon.
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  • Elon Musks Nazi salute stunt prompts major gaming subreddits to ban links to X
    www.polygon.com
    Reddit communities dedicated to PC gaming, Nintendo, and Destiny have decided to blacklist links to X (formerly Twitter) due to owner Elon Musks recent Nazi-like saluting at an inauguration rally for President Donald Trump as part of a growing movement by users of the social media site to distance themselves from the controversial billionaire. All have millions of members and rank within the sites top 500 pages.Similar bans were also noticed by GameSpot on subreddits for the Steam Deck, Monster Hunter, and World of Warcraft.Speaking with Polygon, r/pcgaming mod Shock4ndAwe pointed to the slow degradation of X since Musk purchased the site as well as Musks own behavior as major factors in their teams decision to blacklist links to X.Weve all seen the hate and the toxicity rise, Shock4ndAwe said, speaking on behalf of the subreddits moderation team. The constant attacks and vilification of people who arent straight, white, and male. The usernames and profile statuses denigrating and belittling folks who simply want to exist. Good moderation practices being done away with. New rules requiring a user to login to view content which creates a bad experience for users that either dont have an X account or arent logged into one. Wed be lying if we didnt also include Elons actions. This is the billionaire owner that creates sock puppet accounts to defend himself in public. He suspends journalists who criticize him. He made a Nazi salute at a presidential inauguration.r/nintendo mod razorbeamz provided a similar, if more succinct, response: We felt it was the right thing to do after Elon Musk performed a Nazi salute on stage.Other gaming subreddits in the top 500 for Fortnite, The Legend of Zelda, Apex Legends, and Super Smash Bros. are currently having open discussions about banning X links as well. Opinions on blacklisting vary depending on the community, ranging from broad support to the asinine keep politics out of it refrain thats all too common in both gaming and other online communities. And while Reddit itself has promised not to interfere with subreddits that choose to ban X links, Shock4ndAwe believes the movement is important to improving Reddit as a whole.We want to be very clear in saying that Reddit isnt a perfect platform either, the r/pcgaming mod said. Reddit allows communities to exist on their platform that spread hate, sexism, racism, transphobia, and other forms of bigotry. This affects our community so much that weve had to take the extraordinary step of banning people from specific subreddits preemptively. So its even more important that when other subreddits decide that X needs to be banned that we join them. Because Reddit the company doesnt care.The response from the r/nintendo community has been overwhelmingly positive, razorbeamz explained, apart from a few outside agitators lodging complaints despite never posting on the subreddit. We heard the same from Shock4ndAwe, who said the r/pcgaming community is fine with the decision, while non-members have taken to participating in brigades organized attempts from outside entities to disrupt normal discussion on the forum and threatening the moderation team and their families. One of the offending messages provided to Polygon calls the mods raging f4gys, incorrectly states there are only two genders, and signs off with Epstein yrslf.This was reported to the Reddit admins who informed us that the threatening posts do not violate site rules and no action was taken on the offending account, Shock4ndAwe said. Polygon asked Reddit for comment on the situation but had yet to hear back at the time of publishing this story.What exactly Musk meant by striking his chest and extending his arm straight out continues to be a baffling debate among unserious people in mainstream media and conservatives who refuse to acknowledge the openly fascist goals of President Trumps inner circle for what they are. A group of elected Jewish officials from New York, however, was very blunt in a Jan. 22 statement on the matter, saying:On January 20th, we saw Elon Musk give what appeared to be two Nazi salutes otherwise known as a Sieg Heil or a Roman salute at an official presidential event, from a podium that bore the presidential seal. As Jewish elected officials committed to combating antisemitism in New York, we unequivocally condemn this action and the lack of apology. Given that Elon Musk has repeatedly pushed the antisemitic Great Replacement theory and endorsed the Nazi-supporting AfD party in Germany, it is not hard to imagine that he knew exactly what he was doing.Among many other sweeping executive actions taken on day one, President Trump pardoned hundreds of January 6th rioters, including one who notoriously wore a Camp Auschwitz shirt to the Capitol insurrection. Thousands of people will be materially harmed by the administrations sweeping actions on day one, and we stand in solidarity with those New Yorkers.It should not be hard to call any of this out. Any organization or leader that purports to combat hate against Jews and other minority groups must do so loudly and clearly. There is no room for ambiguity when it comes to Nazi symbology. The time is now to protect ourselves and our neighbors, not to normalize hate.With all that in mind, we had one more question for our Reddit mods: What needs to happen for X links to be reinstated in their communities? Both were less than hopeful of that ever being a possibility, but mentioned Musk divesting from the platform as being a good start.Realistically? Shock4ndAwe said. I dont think theres anything X can do that will make us comfortable linking to them in the future.
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  • What to Do If Googles Pixel 4a Software Update Destroyed Its Battery Life
    lifehacker.com
    A recent software update meant to stabilize battery performance on the Pixel 4a has had an unexpected side effect: Some Pixel 4a owners are reporting that their phones can now barely hold a charge. There's a particularly egregious example on Reddit, where a user reported that their phone is down from seven hours of screen time on a single charge to just 30 minutes.Pixel 4a's battery performance issuesEarlier this month, Google published a detailed document explaining the Pixel 4a software update to Android 13. The company says that some people are experiencing a degradation in the battery's capacity, runtime, or performance, as is expected with lithium-ion batteries of a certain age. However, in the Pixel 4a's case, Google decided to push a software update to provide more stable battery performance, but the caveat is that it may lead to reduced battery life and slower charging.In the document, Google said, "For some devices (Impacted Devices), the update includes new battery management features to improve the stability of your batterys performance, so the battery may last for shorter periods between charges. Users of Impacted Devices may also notice other changes, like reduced charging performance or changes to how the battery-level indicator on your phone shows your battery capacity." As a result, some Pixel 4a users have been left with phones that can barely hold a charge.Google's solution for Pixel 4a battery issuesThe company has offered a few options for Pixel 4a owners impacted by this software update: a free battery replacement, a one-time payment of $50, or a $100 credit that you can use toward a new Pixel phone from Google. Reddit users appear to have had good experiences with battery replacements, with some of them reporting that they were able to get it done in under two hours. Most people have recommended taking in your device in-person in order to ensure the lowest possible turnaround time and to reduce the risk of loss or damage. Having said that, it involves some effort in backing up the device and a factory reset. Although people have got their batteries replaced without doing either, I don't recommend it. A complete backup is an essential step if you don't want to lose data. The factory reset step ensures that strangers can't access all the data on your unlocked phone.How to check if your Pixel 4a is impactedGoogle calls affected Pixel 4a "Impacted Devices." You can check if yours is one of them by going to this Google Pixel support page and follow the on-screen prompts to opt for one of the three offered solutions. You'll be able to either ask for a free battery replacement, request store credit, or take the cash payment.
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  • This TikTok Upholstery Cleaning Hack Actually Works
    lifehacker.com
    Complicated cleaning hacks can be fun projects, but I love a simple one even moreand this one is really simple: You can use the lid of a pot or pan to clean your carpets and fabrics. It works like a charm, which is why its been all over TikTok for the past few years.To freshen up your upholstery or carpet, youll need:The lid from a pot or pan, with a handle in the centerA large microfiber ragA bowl of waterDish soapDepending on what youre cleaning and how you like to do it, you may want to add a few drops of vinegar or vodka, but otherwise, stick to the cleaning recipes youd normally use for whatever upholstery or carpet youre working on. Cleaning the upholsteryFill a bowl with your cleaning solution, whether its a mixture of liquid dish detergent and baking soda, water and vinegar, or a store-bought upholstery cleaner. (I used what I had on hand, which was laundry detergent.) Drop your cloth in the bowl, saturate it with the mixture, then squeeze out the excess, and lay the fabric down flat.Set your lid in the center of your damp cloth and pull the edges up around it, securing them over the handle with a rubber band. If they dont quite reach that far, just secure them tightly over the handle with your hand as you work. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Now you have a fabric-covered disk that you can push around on your couches, chairs, carpets, rugs, or pillows. It will pick up lint and freshen the fabrics without making anything too damp. I recommend pushing the soapy rag around on the upholstery until it's decently damp and clean, then going back in with a plain wet rag on the lid instead of the soapy one and then either drying the area with a hair dryer or fan (or opening a window and letting the outside air take care of it).Why I like this cleaning methodThe goal here isnt to make your carpets and cushions wet, but to give them a damp refreshthe lid provides stability and works the solution in gently and evenly. It's easy to push the lid along the surface of a couch or chair cushion, and the heft of the lid gives you some extra power. When you're just using a rag, it's hard to push down enough to really clean the area, since both the rag and the upholstery are so soft. Inevitably, you end up pushing down too much and making the spot too wet, which is no goodif the cushion doesn't dry out fully, that can lead to mold or bad smells. I recently spilled coffee all over my couch; despite dabbing it up that day, I was left with hideous stains. This couch is old and cost me like $200 on Amazon years ago, so it's not really worth pulling out a bunch of stops or getting a professional machine to deal with. I decided to give the pan lid a try. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson To my horror, just one round of pot-lid scrubbing pulled up a lot of residual coffee. To my pleasure, it required very little elbow grease on my part and did not soak my poor, cheap couch in too much cleaning solution. The entire couch looks much better and was fine to sit on again in under an hour, after just a little bit of air drying. Not every TikTok hack works, but this one sure does.
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  • Endless Legend 2 is real and theres a mysterious trailer to prove it
    www.engadget.com
    The extremely popular strategy game Endless Legend is finally getting a sequel, ten whole years after the original game began blowing up sales charts. Developer Amplitude Studios, who made the first one, just dropped a trailer for Endless Legend 2 and it looks pretty darned cool.This game and its sequel fall under the 4X sub-genre of strategy games, meaning the crux of the gameplay involves building an empire of some kind. The Civilization titles are a great example of 4X strategy. 4X actually stands for eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate. I guess 4E just didnt have the same vibe.In any event, Endless Legend 2 is set in a new location, the oceanic world of Saiadha. The trailer hints at the mysterious nature of this world and showcases the refined gameplay mechanics. It also looks like players could stumble upon an imprisoned god during campaigns. Good times.Players can adopt the role of various factions in the game, many of which are shown off in the trailer. Theres a human-like race, an insectoid race and a centaur-like race, among others.Here's more good news for fans of the original. While Amplitude hasnt announced a release date yet, it did say that it will enter early access in early 2025. Using my advanced math skills I have deduced that its early 2025 right now. The early access build will let players take control of four of the aforementioned factions, with two more coming with the full release.If that nebulous release date has got you down, there's a way to try the game out even earlier. The company has reopened applications for its insider program. Not everyone will be selected for the initial testing phase, but its worth a shot.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/endless-legend-2-is-real-and-theres-a-mysterious-trailer-to-prove-it-191206441.html?src=rss
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  • The best Super Bowl 2025 TV deals we could find
    www.engadget.com
    Super Bowl LIX is just a couple of weeks away, which means it's a decent time to be in the market for a new TV. If you're looking to make a living room upgrade, we've picked through Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers to find a few Super Bowl 2025 TV deals that are actually worth your time.To be candid, most of the discounts below are the result of TVs naturally falling in price around this time of year rather than any Super Bowl-specific sales. Most sets tend to arrive in the spring, drop a little over the summer, get a larger price cut for the holiday season, then gradually become cheaper until they're discontinued the following year. This pattern is starting to take shape again now, and with the likes of Samsung and LG unveiling their latest TVs for 2025 during CES last month, last year's models will probably fall even further in the months ahead.Still, if you want to upgrade today, a handful of well-reviewed TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung and Hisense are back down to the prices we saw around Black Friday and in some cases, even cheaper. While we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we've scoured reviews from other sites we trust to find the good stuff and picked through price histories to ensure the discounts below are actual deals.LG B4 OLED TV (48") for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off MSRP): This ties the lowest price we've seen for the 48-inch LG B4, which is the entry-level model in LG's 2024 OLED lineup. While it's not as bright or color-rich as some higher-end alternatives, it still offers the essential perks of any good OLED TV: superb contrast with deep black tones, clear motion, wide viewing angles and the like. It's also a nice value for gaming, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support refresh rates up to 120Hz. It's just better off in a darker room, and this particular model is relatively small. If you want something a little bigger, the 55-inch model is also on sale for an all-time low of $798 at Amazon. That's roughly $250 off.Hisense U7N QLED TV (65") for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): Several reviewers we trust say that the U7N delivers better brightness, contrast and HDR performance than most TVs in its price range. It's built with most of the features expected from pricier LED sets, including quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and a 144Hz refresh rate. It also runs on the handy Google TV platform. Its viewing angles are poor, so it's not great for watching shows with a large group, and you may need to tinker with settings to get an optimal image. But the 65-inch model should be a strong value at this price, which is only about $20 more than the all-time low we saw briefly around Cyber Monday. Also at Walmart and Best Buy.The Samsung Frame TV.Amy SkorheimSamsung The Frame 2024 QLED TV (55") for $868 at Woot ($630 off): This deal from Amazon subsidiary Woot has been live for a few weeks, but it ties the best price to date for the 55-inch version of Samsung's stylish Frame TV outside of a one-off eBay coupon deal. You'd buy this set for its design above all else: It can't match the contrast and color volume of other TVs in its price range, as it lacks local dimming altogether, but it's convincingly built like a framed piece of wall art that can blend in with your home decor. Its matte panel helps it fend off glare in a bright room, and you can display actual artwork onscreen when you're not watching something. It's worth noting that Samsung unveiled a new and improved "Frame Pro" TV at CES earlier this month, but we'd expect that to cost more whenever it arrives.Hisense U8N QLED TV (65") for $900 at Amazon ($600 off): The U8N's picture quality is a broad step-up from the U7N, with better contrast, more vibrant colors and supremely high peak brightness. It still has most of the same drawbacks as the U7N mediocre viewing angles, minor blooming in a dark room, just decent upscaling of lower-res content but it should be a worthy upgrade if you have more cash to burn. This is another discount we saw for much of November and December, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy.The Samsung S90D.SamsungSamsung S90D QD-OLED TV (55") for $1,198 at Amazon ($600 off): The S90D stands out for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of an OLED display with quantum dots to boost color performance. Most reviews say that it can put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors and brighter HDR highlights than more traditional OLED TVs like the LG C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports that can play up to 144Hz. It doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR, however, and Samsung's Tizen interface can be clunky. The company has also made the aggravating step of using both QD-OLED and more standard WOLED panels within the same product line, but this 55-inch version comes with the superior display in North America. (The 65- and 75-inch models do as well.) This deal is the second-best price we've ever seen and about $150 off this variant's average street price in recent months. Also at Samsung and Best Buy.LG C3 OLED TV (65") for $1,197 at Amazon ($303 off): The LG C3 was released in 2023, but it's not a huge downgrade from last year's LG C4, so it's still worth considering when it's available for less. The C4 should be slightly better in terms of brightness and color volume, plus it supports refresh rates up to 144Hz rather than 120Hz, though the latter is only really useful for PC gaming. Neither model can quite match the QD-OLED panel on the Samsung S90D, but the C3 will still look excellent if you're not comparing the two side-by-side and just want to save some cash on a larger premium display. This discount ties the lowest price we've tracked outside of a handful of in-store-only and eBay coupon deals.The Sony Bravia 7.SonySony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55") for $1,198 at Amazon ($100 off): The Bravia 7 isn't as strong of a value as the Hisense U8N, but some reviews suggest that it's a decent alternative if you're willing to trade some contrast and peak brightness for a more accurate picture out of the box. Like the Hisense TV, its image washes out when viewed from an angle and it only has two HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming. In general, most people will be happier with a good OLED TV around this price. But if you want a brighter LED TV that looks great right away, this one might be worth a look. This is a new low for the 55-inch model. Also at B&H and Best Buy.Sony A95L OLED TV (65") for $2,498 at eBay via BuyDig ($500 off): The A95L is wildly expensive even with this discount, but many reviewers agree that it's the best TV on the market if money is no object. It's another QD-OLED TV like the Samsung S90D, but it's more color-accurate out of the box and should be better at preserving details in shows that aren't presented in 4K. It also supports Dolby Vision, unlike Samsung's TVs, and its Google TV software is generally easier to navigate than Tizen. The only serious drawback is that it's limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports, which may be annoying for those who own a soundbar and multiple game consoles. This discount from ties the lowest price to date for the 65-inch model; just use the code SAVEBIG20 at checkout. It comes from eBay via BuyDig, which Sony lists as an authorized seller.Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 at Amazon ($21 off): Roku's Ultra set-top box is overkill for most, but it might be worthwhile if you prefer the simplicity of Roku's interface and need built-in Ethernet and USB ports. It supports just about all the major apps and HDR formats, plus it lets iPhone owners cast video from their phone via AirPlay. Unlike the cheaper Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it also comes with a rechargeable remote that has backlit buttons, built-in voice controls and a lost remote finder. We call it the best Roku player in our guide to the best streaming devices. This deal was available for much of the holiday season, but it ties the latest model's all-time low. Also at Roku, Walmart and Best Buy.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-super-bowl-2025-tv-deals-we-could-find-161012455.html?src=rss
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