Looking to upgrade your gaming setup? SteelSeries has a surprising new product to help you feel more competitive when playing on PC the new QCK Performance MousepadTech14:00, 11 Mar 2025Is it weird to be excited about a mousepad?(Image: SteelSeries)PC gamers looking to gain a competitive edge have a whole host of ways to customise their setup. A mechanical keyboard can help trigger presses more quickly, while a good headset will allow you to more easily hear an enemy's footsteps.A monitor packing the right tech can reduce latency, while a mouse with a high polling rate can increase your chances of snagging that round-winning headshot in a twitchy shooter like Valorant.Article continues belowStill, there's something you may not have considered your mousepad.Now, SteelSeries is taking aim at what goes under your mouse with the QCK Performance Series of mousepads, and it might just be the final frontier for competitive gamers.SteelSeries is comparing the feel of each mat to a type of tire(Image: SteelSeries)"From actuation points in keyboards to mouse side buttons to personalized audio profiles in headsets, players want and need precision, personalization, and customization in their gaming gear," SteelSeries said in a press release."But the lonely mousepad has all but been forgotten or neglected when it comes to pure performance and playstyle for over 20 years. Essentially, there has been a barrier that SteelSeries is set to remove Enter the QcK Performance Series mousepads."Wondering what's so special about a mousepad? I'm glad you asked.SteelSeries says: "The innovative new Performance Series has been professionally engineered with different playstyles in mind, tailored not only for longevity but to enhance player performance in-game."There are three versions, with "the ultra-smooth glide of the Speed pad for lightning-fast moves", "the expertly tuned friction of the Control pad for pinpoint accuracy", and a blend of both for the 'Balance' pad.Which would you go for?(Image: SteelSeries)Each has a 3.5mm base with neoprene foam for stability, as well as a non-slip grip, and they're available in Large and Extra Large versions.The proof is in the pudding of course, and it's worth noting that three members of the FaZe Rainbow Six team used the mats last month to take home the top prize at the Six Invitational.Jaime 'Cyber' Ramos used the Balance pad, while Lucas 'soulz1' Schinke used the Control version. Finally, Thiago 'Handyy' Ferreira used the Balance version on their way to claiming a cool $1 million in prize money.Article continues belowFor more on PC gaming, be sure to check out how I switched from console in the last few years., as well as all we know about this week's Steam Spring Sale.For more of the latest news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here.

The PS5 Pro is getting better and better, and Sony's Mark Cerny has hinted more upgrades are coming to the most powerful console on the market here's all we knowTech13:44, 11 Mar 2025PS5 Pro is getting easier to recommendWhen I first went hands-on with the PlayStation 5 Pro back in November, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It was more powerful than the base model, but was a hard sell with a whopping 699 price tag.Thankfully, Sony has continued to improve its pricey console, and as of last month I said it's much easier to recommend. A big part of that has been Sony and third-party publishers pushing updates like Helldivers 2 and Astro Bot getting PS5 Pro support, as well as day one Pro features on the likes of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds.Article continues belowSony isn't done yet, however, with PS5's chief system architect Mark Cerny promising more advancements to come.PS5 Pro is starting to earn its price tagSony and AMD are working on an initiative dubbed Project Amethyst, which works similarly to the PSSR upscaling of the PS5 Pro one of its main features.Speaking to gaming tech experts Digital Foundry, Cerny said: "Our target is to have something very similar to FSR 4's upscaler available on PS5 Pro for 2026 titles as the next evolution of PSSR.""The neural network (and training recipe) in FSR 4's upscaler are the first results of the Amethyst collaboration," Cerny revealed."And results are excellent, it's a more advanced approach that can exceed the crispness of PSSR. Im very proud of the work of the joint team!"An alternative to NVIDIA's DLSS, FSR stands for FidelityFX Super Resolution and uses AI to upscale a lower resolution image to a higher resolution without needing the horsepower that more traditional upscaling would need.Sony has used its own version, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, to achieve this on the PS5 Pro, but FSR's new fourth iteration is likely to do an even better job.The console launched with a focus on what Cerny referred to as the 'big three': a larger GPU, advanced ray-tracing, and the aforementioned upscaling.With PS5 Pro the most powerful console on the market, it'll even be the best place to play one of Xbox's best games when Forza Horizon 5 arrives this year.Now, how about that PS5 Pro patch for Destiny, eh folks?Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Square Enix has already remastered the sequel so why not the original? (Square Enix)One of the most revered role-playing games ever made has turned 30 this week and fans are begging Square Enix to re-release it for modern consoles.Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest may be Square Enixs bread and butter, but for many people, including us, the companys best 16-bit role-player will always be Chrono Trigger. Despite the worldwide acclaim its received though, Square Enix has rarely done anything with it.There was only ever one traditional sequel, Chrono Cross for the PS1 (which hasnt aged as gracefully and has little gameplay or story connection to the original), and a Japanese-only text-based visual novel called Radical Dreamers, thats since been integrated into the Chrono Cross remaster.However, with any luck, fans will be seeing more of Chrono Trigger later this year, as Square Enix has teased new Chrono Trigger related projects as part of the games 30th anniversary.What is Chrono Trigger?Chrono Trigger launched for the SNES in 1995 and depicts a band of heroes who must travel through different time periods to save the world. It only ever launched in Japan and the US, though, even when it was ported to the PS1 in 1999.It didnt become available in the UK until the 2008 Nintendo DS port, though nowadays you can easily get the game on mobile devices and PC via Steam.However, its surprisingly still absent on modern consoles. Ideally, a new re-release is what Square Enix is hinting at in an X post it made earlier today, to commemorate the games original launch in Japan.As we mark the 30th anniversary, we will be launching various projects that go beyond the world of the game over the next year to express our gratitude to everyone who has played Chrono Trigger so far, it reads.More TrendingJudging by the responses, a re-release seems to be the most popular demand, with PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch owners all asking for their own version to play.Others, though, have suggested a full-blown remake or remaster, specifically one done in the same HD-2D style as the Dragon Quest 3 remake.Any Chrono Trigger remaster or remake, though, would have to be done without the dream team credited for spearheading the original game: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama.While Horii, who created Dragon Quest, is still with Square Enix, and currently busy with Dragon Quest 12, Sakaguchi left the company years ago in 2003 and Toriyama (who served as a character designer on Chrono Trigger and the Dragon Quest games) sadly died last year. The sprite work still holds up so the graphics dont need that much of a glow up (Square Enix)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.GameCentralSign up for exclusive 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

90s Nintendo console runs faster as it gets older and no one knows whyMichael BeckwithPublished March 11, 2025 3:05pmUpdated March 11, 2025 3:05pm Do you still regularly use your original SNES? (Nintendo)SNES owners have been investigating a strange issue with their consoles where they seem to be getting faster the older they get.Its a fact of life that the older something gets, the slower and less reliable it becomes, and thats just as applicable to video game consoles as anything. One of the greatest fears of any retro gamer is booting up their old console one day and finding out it no longer works.After all, its not like you can easily go out and buy a new retro console, or even find parts to repair. And even if you did, theres no guarantee what condition it would be in.Although it turns out that one retro console is aging like fine wine. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, better known as the SNES, is not only still popular 35 years after its original release but, bizarrely, it seems it runs faster now than it did back in 1990.The discovery originates from a Bluesky thread made on February 26 by TASbot, or rather the team behind TASbot, which is a robot designed for tool assisted speedruns (i.e. completing games as quickly as possible).The TASbot team noticed that the SNES audio processing unit (APU) often runs too fast, which causes game audio, such as music and sound effects, to become higher pitched.In a reply to one follower, TASbot said, The results we have show it is real. [sic] Consoles we measured are faster than the original specification. It will take research to determine why.As such, TASbot requested that anyone with a SNES run something called a smpspeed ROM test on their console and submit their results to an online form. The form was closed last week on March 6 and received 143 submissions.Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076 Hz, rising 8 Hz from cold to warm. Warm DSP rates go from 31,965 to 32,182 Hz, a 217 Hz range. Therefore, temperature is less significant. Why? How does it affect games? We do not know. Yet. See docs.getgrist.com/fpwWkqDcnxXR for more. TASBot (@tas.bot) 2025-03-06T23:10:21.730ZWere not going to pretend we completely understand the data compiled (which can be viewed here), but the takeaway is that, yes, the SNESs APU runs faster in 2025 than it did in 1990.More TrendingThe APU was also discovered to run faster at higher temperatures, but TASbot deems the impact less significant and that a hotplate% speedrun wouldnt help with reducing time.That last bit sounds like a joke but, as Kotaku reported in 2020, Japanese speedrunners discovered an important glitch in Dragon Quest 3 was more likely to trigger at higher temperatures, prompting some to use hotplates to heat up the SNES.We cant imagine forcibly raising the temperature of a SNES is good for its internals. Plus, if multiple consoles are experiencing this, it could be a foreboding sign that theyre inching ever closer to death. Wed recommend buying a SNES Mini but Nintendo doesnt make them anymore (Nintendo)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.GameCentralSign up for exclusive 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

Water damage can get expensive. Especially if you are in an apartment building above someone else. If your faucet starts leaking and you dont notice it right away, that can cost you thousands of dollars in damage to the apartment underneath you. Though for a small investment of less than $50, you can ensure that does not happen. Govee has a set of smart water leak detectors. The three-pack is normally priced at $55, but right now its part of a 20% discount. That means the three WiFi water sensors can be yours for just $44a savings of $9.See at AmazonReal-time Alerts & Multiple NotificationsSo wait what the heck is WiFi water leak detector anyway? How do they work? Well, they are small sensorsonly about three inches longthat you can place in areas of your home that may be prone to leaks. This could be under the sinks, next to your washing machine, or on a window sill. Each sensors connects to a central gateway over WiFi. If any get wet from a leak forming near it, an alarm will sound. You can then address the leak immediately, keeping any damaged caused to a minimum. The alarm that rings operates at a 100dB adjustable level so you can ensure you can hear a leak from any room in the house.You can even receive notifications directly on your phone via the Govee smart phone app or over email. This means that even if youre not home at the time a pipe bursts, you can find out about it promptly and get home as fast as you can to take care of it. The sensors are great for detecting a burst pipe, slight water seepage, running faucet, leaking washing machine, or even flooding due to heavy rain.This Amazon deal is for a three-pack of sensors, but the Govee smart leak detector system is capable of supporting up to ten sensors at a time, covering any source of water in your home. Each sensor operates with a two year batter life, so it requires very little maintenance to keep your home protected from leaks.The last thing anyone wants to walk home to is a flooded apartment or house. You can lose electronics and furniture along with sentimental, irreplaceable items that are along the ground. Plus damage to carpet or hardwood can cost an arm and a leg to repair. Best keep your home and wallet safe. The Govee WiFi smart leak detector three-pack is on sale for 20% off. Thatll cost you only $44 for peace of mind.See at Amazon

The latest billionaire to signal his interest in the space travel industry is former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The wealthy tech magnate has joined a relatively under-the-radar rocket startup, Relativity Space, as the companys new head executive. On Monday, Schmidt announced at a company meeting that he had made a significant investment in the firm and taken a controlling stake in it, the New York Times has reported. On top of that, Schmidt plans to take the role of CEO at the company. It isnt public information just how much money the tech executive has put into the company. The companys longtime CEO, Tim Ellis, announced on Monday that he would be stepping away from his leadership role at the company. Today marks a powerful new chapter as Eric Schmidt @ericschmidt becomes Relativitys CEO, while also providing substantial financial backing, Ellis wrote on X. I know theres no one more tenacious or passionate to propel this dream forward. We have been working together to ensure a smooth transition, and Ill proudly continue to support the team as Co-founder and Board member. Schmidt, of course, is in good company. Some of the worlds richest men have made it a goal to conquer space, and theyre pouring money into the effort to become dominant players in the industry. The former CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has Blue Origin, another rocket company, which is responsible for having sent William Shatner into space. Theres also Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX, whoin between ruining the federal governmentwill take any opportunity to remind people that he wants to colonize Mars. Like Musk, Relatively Space is also interested in Mars. The Times writes that the company has a long-term goal of creating an industrial base on Mars, whatever that means.On its website, the company says that it aspires to become the next great commercial launch company. With an ever-growing need for space infrastructure, demand for launch services is continuously outpacing supply, the site continues. Our reusable rockets can meet this demand, offering customers the right size payload capacity at the right cost. Prior to Schmidts arrival, Relativity was having money problems, the Times reports. Having encountered technical difficulties, the firm faced difficulties raising new funding, the newspaper writes.Schmidt left Google roughly 15 years ago, in 2011. Since then, he has done a little of this and a little of that. He has sat on the board of trustees of a number of universities, been involved in various Defense Department initiatives, and dabbled in a variety of different tech businesses. In recent years, hes also increasingly involved himself in the artificial intelligence business. He wrote a book with Henry Kissinger on the subject, owns an AI company, White Stork, which develops automated attack drones that Schmidt once said would assist Ukraine in its war with Russia, and has consistently tried to shape American policy on AI. In that sense, Schmidt has honed in on the two fields that signal wealth and power these days: AI and rockets. That said, his involvement in Relativity represents the first time Schmidt has taken a hands-on leadership position at a tech company since his time at the search giant. Theres one more billionaire to actively worry about.

Galeria Emergency Center / Studio PiaSave this picture! 11h45Architects: Studio PiaAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:700 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:11h45 More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. An ultra-functional organization is essential to ensure the firefighters' efficiency in case of an emergency. The process, coded and mechanical, guided the organization of spaces that follow each other like a machine serving its users: dirty locker rooms, showers, clean locker rooms, living spaces all interactions are designed to minimize space and time loss.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The landscape integration guided the search for plasticity. The sloping topography allows for a semi-embedded building, reducing its impact on this remarkable site. A work of material, here tinted concrete in the mass that takes on the colors of the site's minerals (rhyolite and red pyrite), contributes to the integration and affirmation of the building. Like the rock that composes the landscape, the concrete is sculpted in the mass to offer users and passersby, residents, and visitors, an integrated, functional, and identifiable fire station.Save this picture!Save this picture!The symbolism of the program and the landscape integration are therefore the guiding principles of the project. By refining the layout, we proposed to close the station along the road to function as a patio open to the panorama of the Fango Delta. The walls are used as a protective envelope against the visual intrusion and noise from the road. The clarity of the approach is defined by the building's purpose: both a workplace and a living space.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Galeria, Haute-Corse, FranceLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeMaterialConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on March 11, 2025Cite: "Galeria Emergency Center / Studio Pia" 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027725/galeria-emergency-center-studio-pia&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

11 Dwellings in Forest / O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S.Save this picture! Maxime DelvauxArchitects: O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S.AreaArea of this architecture projectArea:1400 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Maxime DelvauxManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Saint-Gobain, Arcelor Mittal, Nivolo, Roses Natural Homes, Trio Lighting, Veranda ServiceMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Faced with the economic logic of a developer wishing to renovate an 8-unit building while adding a penthouse on the roof, the architects suggested an alternative.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Rather than creating an exclusive private space on the top floor, the project reimagines and extends the existing surface to create a new typology of duplex flats, each accessing a roof garden through double-helix staircases.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!In total 11 dwellings, including the conversion of the former backyard garages into a shared garden, this development ultimately argues on its own scale and, paradoxically in the context of a private commission, for a certain idea of communality.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:112 rue du Croissant, 1190 Forest, BelgiumLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeO.U.V.R.A.G.E.S.OfficeMaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on March 11, 2025Cite: "11 Dwellings in Forest / O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S." 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027724/11-dwellings-in-forest-ouvrages&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

Watch Fish in LOVE here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jsDvZlj3dk Roger, guided by sensual TV chef The Fisherman, is preparing dinner for a date when he gets bitten by the salmon he is cooking. Transformed into a fish, he goes through his whole flat against his will - but his date is nearly there Director: Margot Casabonne-masounave, Simon Chassanne, Marion Cortesi, Lucas Gaerthner, Clara Ibrahim, Emma ThevenetMusic & Sound Design: Jules Borel, Tho Moutti, Gabriel WernerISART DIGITAL https://www.isart.com/&amp ;#13;
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