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Friday, November 30, 2018

Red Dead Online beta is now available to all players android os

The wild west has never looked this good.

Yes, it's finally happening my fellow outlaws. Red Dead Redemption II is real and it's coming to PlayStation 4 this year. After Rockstar Games' massively successful open-world cowboy game set during the death of the Wild West, fans began clamoring for a follow-up that continued the story of the Marston family or embraced a new gunslinger.

After years of rumors and silence on Rockstar's end, they finally surprised the world on one random morning in 2016 by announcing a sequel to their critically acclaimed western. It took over a year to get any actual concrete details regarding the game and frankly, it's still a bit of a mystery but it sounds like it could be a mix of a story of a new outlaw and also fill in a massive gap in John Marston's story.

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What's new with Red Dead Redemption 2?

Rockstar Games has been quiet lately regarding the highly anticipated sequel, but with Red Dead Redemption 2's imminent launch approaching in just a few short months, the studio is starting to discuss the game some more. We'll keep you up to date with everything you need to know as it's released.

November 30, 2018 — Red Dead Online beta is now available to everyone

Hot off the heels of Ultimate Edition players getting a taste of Red Dead Online's beta, Rockstar has announced that it is now open to everyone. Since these are still the early days of the beta, the studio encourages players to continue sending feedback so that the experience may be improved.

In response to previous feedback, Rockstar also provided a few tips to help players get started on their journey, but most appear to be listing button commands to pull up various menus that players may have been having trouble with.

November 9, 2018 — Online beta will arrive late November

Hot off the heels of revealing that Red Dead Redemption 2 has already outsold its predecessor, Rockstar has confirmed a new release window for the game's Online beta. Before, the beta was only slated to arrive at some point in November, but now we know that it'll come later rather than sooner.

With a late November launch, we may not see the full launch of Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode until some point in December. That'll be fine for many folks, as tons of people are still trotting through the wild west in this hugely expansive game. Others may not take too kindly to the news, but it's important for Rockstar to ensure everything goes off without a hitch. It's by far the most significant launch of this generation, and with the company hoping to replicate the online success it found with Grand Theft Auto 5, it can ill-afford to misstep.

October 23, 2018

Whether you love or hate them, companion apps complement some of our favorite games, and Red Dead Redemption 2 will be no different. Rockstar has announced a companion app for the title that is set to release alongside the game on iOS and Android devices.

According to the company, you can use this second-screen experience to display the game's map, waypoints, journal entries, and your Rockstar Social Club statistics. There will even be an option to move elements of your HUD from your television screen to the app on your smartphone, allowing you to further immerse yourself in the game without becoming totally lost.

October 22, 2018 — New gameplay footage leaks

A 23-second clip of Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay leaked on Reddit this past weekend. While not particularly long, it was a rather exciting third of a minute that shows main character Arthur Morgan approaching a hostile camp on horseback.

They aren't too welcoming at first, but they at least have a cool enough temperament to ask what he's doing there before they go any further. But whoever was controlling Morgan here had no time for words, as he immediately climbs off his steed to pull out his dual wield revolvers and lay waste to its inhabitants in the very way you'd think an old western badass would. The quick draw ends with a final fatal shot that is glorified in slow motion, blood flying everywhere as the body is blown back from the force of the bullet.

While the scene itself was great, we see a few interesting things going on in the HUD throughout this clip. A big label up top shows the current status of Arthur Morgan in whichever area he's visiting. It says "Wanted" here, which explains the caution displayed by the folks he's approached. Beneath that label, it's clear that the player is in an interrogation situation, something that quickly changes once the bullets start flying.

We also get a glimpse at the weapon wheel. It's a standard mechanic in action adventure gmes, but it allows us to see just how much he can carry. On his person are a hunting bow, a rope, a shotgun, a combat knife, and his pistols. Oh, and those fists of his which we also know can be deadly weapons on their own. The player will also have separate wheels for their items and whatever their horse is carrying in its inventory.

While we've seen official in-game footage from Rockstar already, this is the first time we've seen uncut gameplay that wasn't carefully selected for purposes of marketing. It's possible the clip comes from a reviewer who has broken embargo, a lucky player who was able to buy the game early, or maybe even leaked from Rockstar's very own offices, perhaps intentionally as the company looks to keep the hype machine going full throttle. We suppose the origin doesn't matter much, especially since the world will be able to play the game in just a few short days. Red Dead Redemption 2 will arrive October 26, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox one.

October 18, 2018

We're in the homestretch now and Rockstar has released Red Dead Redemption 2's launch trailer a week ahead of its anticipated release. At only a minute long, it's short and sweet, but it teases some tense conflicts with the Van der Linde Gang.

October 15, 2018

A little less than two weeks out from Red Dead Redemption 2's release, Vulture recounted the highly-anticipated titles making in a new article published today.

One of the most notable pieces of information to come out of the publication's interview with Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser is that the development team was apparently working 100-hour weeks to get the game done on time. This has caused quite a stir and a renewed conversation surrounding the unsustainable working conditions that game developers suffer through.

Rockstar additionally employed over 1,200 SAG-AFTRA actors to bring to life the game's massive 2,000-page script. This ended up requiring 2,200 days (a little over 6 years) of motion-capture work.

Despite 700 of these actors being brought on for speaking roles, the studio decided that it wouldn't bring big name actors onto projects anymore because of their egos. "I don't want to speak ill of the dead, poor bugger," said Houser, "but we don't bring in name actors anymore because of their egos and, most important of all, because we believe we get a better sense of immersion using talented actors whose voices you don't recognize."

Red Dead Redemption 2 features 300,000 animations, 500,000 lines of dialogue, and "many more lines of code." Hundreds of versions of its trailers were produced until perfected. According to Houser, this immense amount of work results in "this seamless, natural-feeling experience in a world that appears real, an interactive homage to the American rural experience. (It's) a vast four-dimensional mosaic in which the fourth dimension is time, in which the world unfolds around you, dependent on what you do."

As for how long the game's main campaign will take, you can expect to put in roughly 60 hours. It used to be closer to 65, but as release day approaches the team cut 5-hours of content because "they were never going to work technically or be quite slick enough, or they felt superfluous. We removed a mission on a train where you had to deal with bounty hunters, because it was fun at first, but then it wasn't. This part of the process is always about compromise and horse trading. Everyone always loses bits of the game they love."

October 12, 2018

The Wild West was filled to the brim with its own unique weapons for the time period, so Rockstar is ensuring that Red Dead Redemption 2 is full of authentic weaponry as well. The developer recently detailed the game's weapons and their customization systems.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will feature over 50 unique usable weapons, from classic revolvers to sawed-off shotguns. If you gravitate toward one specific weapon, you'll be happy to hear that the more a weapon is used, the better it will perform. The drawback to this being that weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2 will degrade over time, so you'll need to clean your weapons to keep them in pristine condition.

The game boasts "a myriad of customization options ranging from visual upgrades like new metals, woods, varnishes and engravings to performance upgrades like new barrels, grips, sights and scopes." Performance upgrades can improve your damage output, accuracy, reload speed, and more. It's best to take the time and consider what's best for your playstyle, or what suits a particular weapon type the most.

October 10, 2018

Rockstar has clarified some recent news surrounding Red Dead Redemption 2 and how its NPCs will react to players whether they have their mini-maps and HUDs turned on or off. Previous reports stated that if players turned off their mini-maps that NPC dialogue would change, giving them more directions and information about where to go. This appears to have been false. According to Rooster Teeth employee Alanah Pearce, "they'll always give you directions, people likely just noticed them more when their HUD was off."

Seeing as NPCs will provide context and dialogue regardless of your mini-map status, it could end up working out similarly to Assassin's Creed Odyssey's exploration mode. Whether you have this mode enabled or not, NPCs can and will give you directions should you ask.

October 1, 2018

Rockstar has released its second Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay trailer showcasing just a few of the illegal activities that the Van der Linde Gang can commit. What would a Western be without a good old-fashioned train heist? You won't just be out and about committing crimes all the time though. The world that Rockstar created feels alive, and as Arthur, you can go into taverns, have a nice meal, play some cards, and even decide when to shave or bath.

This trailer also gives us a new look into the game's revamped Dead Eye system, which will now progress in stages. Players will be able to slow time, mark multiple targets, and view critical or fatal points of their enemies. According to Rockstar, "how and when you use it is up to you."

Near the end, we even got a better glimpse of Red Dead Redemption 2 in its 1st-person mode, which will launch with the game unlike its later introduction into Grand Theft Auto V.

September 24, 2018

Sony has announced a new PlayStation 4 Pro bundle featuring Rockstar's upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2. Pre-orders begin today for $400. The console will release alongside the game on October 26.

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September 19, 2018

Rockstar has officially announced Red Dead Online, a multiplayer component for Red Dead Redemption 2 similar to that of Grand Theft Auto Online.

According to the developer, Red Dead Online is "an evolution of the classic multiplayer experience in the original Red Dead Redemption, blending narrative with competitive and cooperative gameplay in fun new ways. Using the gameplay of the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2 as a foundation, Red Dead Online will be ready to be explored alone or with friends, and will also feature constant updates and adjustments to grow and evolve this experience for all players."

Though Red Dead Redemption 2 releases in October, players won't be able to hop into Red Dead Online until the following month, where it is set to initially enter a public beta sometime in November.

September 7, 2018

Rockstar has revealed new plot details surrounding Red Dead Redemption 2 in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter

"Dutch's presence loomed over the original Red Dead Redemption, and his influence on events was a big inspiration for the setting and direction of Red Dead Redemption 2," said art director Josh Bass. "We all wanted to know more about him and the gang —what was it like riding in that gang? What led them to the events of the original game? What happened to them along the way?

"In Red Dead Redemption 2 you get to see that gang, including Marston, at the peak of their notoriety and at the very moment things begin to fall apart," he continued. "This story focuses on Arthur Morgan, Dutch's most trusted enforcer. Adopted into the gang by the Dutch when he was a young boy, Arthur considers the gang to be his family — Dutch has given his life some much‐needed purpose, and the gang has served as the one positive and constant in Arthur's life."

Since this is the tail end of the Wild West, Dutch's gang is struggling with their old ways of life coming to an end as they flee through the country.

"We've aimed to capture a wide slice of American life in 1899, a rapidly industrializing nation that would soon have its sights on the world's stage — and would do whatever possible to 'modernize,' " said director of art Aaron Garbut. "It's a brutal landscape with a sordid history, but also one that's full of opportunity. One of the most satisfying aspects of creating a world of such scope and scale is the ability to experience a whole range of stories and characters in your journey across that world. The gang's journey and the game's epic scope makes room to touch on all aspects of turn of the century America in a meaningful, substantial way."

Though Rockstar's previous title, Grand Theft Auto V, switched between the perspectives of a few different characters, Red Dead Redemption 2 is centering all on Arthur Morgan.

"Sticking with a single character felt more appropriate for the structure and narrative of a western," said Bass. "Arthur lives with and fights alongside the other members of the Van der Linde gang, and they are a group of fully realized characters with relationships to each other and to Arthur, but this is Arthur's story and we are placing players firmly in Arthur's boots as he and the gang deal with a rapidly changing world. We think people will really love the feeling of being in the gang. It isn't like anything we've done before."

Rockstar also revealed the entire Van der Linde gang, all 23 members, along with short character bios for each.

August 15, 2018

Digital Foundry has given us our best look yet at Red Dead Redemption 2 running on a PlayStation 4 Pro. According to the outlet, which analyzed a 68mbps version of the trailer provided by Rockstar, RDR2 appears to run at native 1920x2160 on the PS4 Pro, "halving the pixel count on the horizontal axis from a proper 4K." This is still a 12.5% increase in pixels over a 1440p image.

They were unable to get a reading on gameplay performance as the game is set to run at 30FPS and the video itself only supported 30FPS.

August 10, 2018 — New Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay has arrived!

Rockstar today released new gameplay footage for Red Dead Redemption 2, giving us our deepest look at the wild west open world game yet. The 6-minute trailer showed us a great deal of the gameplay mechanics, a bit of the world, and more.

For starters, we got to see the sheer scope of the open world. Red Dead Redemption 2 will be massive in size, and there will be a variety of environments to explore both on foot and on horseback. From mountainous terrain and forested countrysides to those growing towns chock full of saloon-goers and merchants, it appears players will be able to take in the full breadth of the cowboy experience.

Rockstar says it was important for the game to be massive not just in size, but also in depth. That means the player — taking the reigns as Van Der Linde gang member Arthur Morgan — will have a living, breathing society around him to interact with.

Red Dead 2 may set a new standard for open-world gameplay.

You can go into shops and sell the pelts you've skinned off the back of your latest game hunting prey. And if you get caught trying to steal or shortchange the shop vendor, well, don't be surprised if you have to knock him out in the street. That the townspeople gathered around to watch the confrontation as it went down is a testament to the emphasis Rockstar is placing on immersion.

That sort of interaction can be coerced out of the game by your own will, too. You can interact with almost everyone and everything. Meet some passersby on the road with a quick greeting and be on your way, or question someone you think might be doing dirt in the city. These interactions seemingly have the potential to escalate into something more, whether that be a new opportunity for Arthur Morgan and Co. or more fisticuffs to keep people in their place. And yes, that also means you can defuse certain situations.

Should the fighting become so fierce that you resort to weapons, you'll find a new combat system that makes the deed more fluid and fun. Hand-to-hand combat, especially, seems far more involved than the original game. As far as shooting is concerned, Dead Eye is back, and it'll be cooler than ever to put bullets into the heads of six of your enemies simultaneously.

At the end of your daily musings, you'll head back to camp to meet up with your gang. This is likely where you'll be getting the bulk of your missions, but it's also a chance for the player to get to know the other characters in the group. They'll share stories and sing and dance with you as you eat, and you can also play various games to keep morale high. There's a gameplay benefit to all this, as Rockstar says spending time with these people could unlock new secrets.

As a pillar of the gang, you'll be tasked with helping keep them afloat by regularly replenishing food, water, and other supplies. We're not sure what would happen should their morale get too low, but apparently that will play a part in how others in the gang approach you.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is slated for an October 26th release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Head to Amazon and pre-order yours today.

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August 8, 2018

Rockstar has announced that we will see new gameplay for Red Dead Redemption 2 on August 9. This should be our first significant look at gameplay since the game's announcement. The trailer will air 11AM Eastern, and can be viewed on Rockstar's website or YouTube channel. We'll be updating this post with details about the gameplay announcement once it arrives.

August 6, 2018

The big question on everyone's mind: When are we finally getting gameplay? All signs point to soon. Rockstar has recently sent out Red Dead 2 care packages to members of the press, and with Gamescom taking place in just a few weeks, the developer could be gearing up for a big reveal. Red Dead II was notably absent at E3 2018, so the next biggest gaming convention seems like a good bet for it to make an appearance.

During a recent financial call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick took the chance to hype up Red Dead 2 even more, saying, "My belief is that Red Dead Redemption 2 will shatter expectations and that the online experience also will be extraordinary, but unexpected."

Its online aspect was a bit contentious when rumors of its existence began floating around since Red Dead's identity was tied to its single-player, but it looks like Rockstar may have something special they've got cooking up if they're hyping it up so much.

He continued by saying that Red Dead II will "redefine the industry" and "captivate audiences around the world."

PC release?

Though Rockstar only announced PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game, there's still hope it could come to PC. It appears that a programmer at Rockstar, who previously worked on GTA V and L.A. Noire, listed Red Dead II on his LinkedIn profile with its platforms being labelled as "PS4/Xbox1/PC." This was eventually amended once word got out, but it's unknown if this was a simple mistake or a PC version is indeed in the works.

The story so far...

Rockstar Games appears to be returning to the traditional one playable character route after successfully experimenting with three playable protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V but he's not John or Jack Marston. Players will travel back to 1899 (12 years before the first game) to fill the boots and don the hat of a much less noble man that goes by the name of Arthur Morgan, a brute that's running with Dutch van der Linde's gang during their prime. While little is known about Arthur, we know he's a much more sinister cowboy who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. In the second trailer, we see him interrogating and roughing up several people who appear to owe money to Dutch's Gang, perhaps for protection. He's a brutal force that is loyal to Dutch and likely only Dutch.

It's likely we're going to see the rise and fall of the gang, with Arthur Morgan playing a pivotal role.

The story will see Morgan and Van der Linde's gang stealing, running, and fighting to survive the rugged and cruel world that is the Wild West. Order has not yet been established, technology is slowly beginning to evolve into something far more advanced, and people like Dutch believe it's important that things stay the way they are. The Van der Linde gang was always viewed as a Robin Hood-type of bandits, stealing from the rich to give to the poor and resisting the government in favor of a structure where it was an "every man for himself" situation.

The gang eventually evolved into something far more dangerous and unhinged according to an anecdote provided by John Marston, leading him to realize their Robin Hood act was all a front for their evil actions and crimes. The event that likely leads to the start of the downfall of the gang seems to be a heist in Blackwater which later became known as the Blackwater Massacre. In the plot synopsis for the game provided by Rockstar, it's revealed that the gang is being hunted after they botch a robbery in the wealthy town that is seen toward the end of the first RDR.

Within the lore of the series, the Blackwater Massacre was a massive shootout that took the lives of over 30 people. Civilians, cops, and criminals were among the casualties of the bloody shootout, actual details of why the battle took place remain a mystery to the residents of Blackwater because the officials went to great lengths to cover it up. Why? Well, we'll likely find out in Red Dead II.

Most people involved died or were criminals who escaped but one of the few survivors was the legendary lawman, Landon Ricketts. Ricketts is in the first game and Marston teams up with him in Mexico, Marston knows him for his status but the two don't seem to know each other. It's entirely possible that Marston was uninvolved in the heist or was playing coy and using him to further his quest for redemption.

How does it connect to the original Red Dead Redemption?

So, what's the connection to the first Red Dead Redemption? Well, Rockstar is being very, very careful not to say much about this game and how it connects to the first game but it will shed light on the stories John told in the first game as well as provide more depth to the men we hunt down in that same game.

John Marston is indeed in the game but Rockstar has noted that this is Arthur Morgan's story, not John's.

Given this game takes place long before the events of the original game and has a direct link to it via Dutch van der Linde and his gang, it's hard to imagine Rockstar isn't trying to expand John Marston's story in some way. With games like Grand Theft Auto, there have been very subtle connections tying the games together but none of them are direct sequels or relate to each other in any way. With Red Dead Redemption II, Rockstar had the chance to name the game something like Red Dead Revolution, Red Dead Retribution, or something along those lines given that the series so far has gone Red Dead Revolver and then Red Dead Redemption. They purposely named it in a way that links the two games.

Marston was also a substantial part of Dutch's Gang, he was taken in by Dutch when he ran away from the orphanage he lived in. He was raised by this gang and lived with them for a large majority of his life and in the fallout of him abandoning the gang, it all went to hell and it was more or less disbanded. John Marston is indeed the game, he's heavily featured in new screenshots and is seen in the newest trailer once or twice but Rockstar says this is Arthur's story, not John's. That doesn't mean that we can't expand on the character, it just means he will not be the focal point of the narrative.

Major gameplay innovations are coming in the western sequel

Since Rockstar has been pretty prude about Red Dead Redemption II, we only have the word of the press who have seen the game in action to understand how the game plays. There will be more details in the future regarding what the gameplay will look like but for right now we'll just give you the basic rundown of what we know. For starters, Rockstar seems to be creating their most realisitic world yet and abandoning some of the most video game-y aspects in their formula for something with more depth.

According to Rockstar, they've been developing Red Dead Redemption II for eight years, starting as they were wrapping up the first game. In that time, they've been handcrafting a world with lots of detail and creating systems that may be fairly unexpected from them. A large portion of the game is centered around managing the gang, Arthur is Dutch's right-hand man and he helps keep everything running smoothly. This means you'll help perform odd jobs for gang members, go hunting to get food for the camp or get money to line their pockets with, and so on.

Rockstar has been very clear that you don't have to do this and you won't be severely punished if you don't but the gang will make comments if you leave them hanging for days on end. If you do choose to take care of your gang, you'll be rewarded in ways that have not yet been revealed and your gang will grow stronger.

Also on tap is a new dialog system that allows you to approach situations with more options than just shoot and kill. Each NPC has their own set of branching dialog, with the player able to talk niceties or show a degree of impatience in any given encounter. And this isn't just a black and white morality system either. Some choices will be gray areas, some will be lore-advancing, some will lead to friendships, and others will most certainly erupt into bloodbaths. It's unclear if there will be any more to this system - such as a relationship mechanic that gauges each NPC's level of warmth toward you - but it's something.

If you do choose to go off and do things like hunting, you'll be able to see the amount of depth that Rockstar has added to its hunting system since the original game and Grand Theft Auto V. You'll find yourself stalking animals, choosing your weapon carefully so you don't damage pelts/meat, and tracking an animal by following blood trails after you've hit it. Once you've tracked the animal down, you may find it still alive, bleeding out and yelping. Arthur will then take out his knife and stab the animal in the heart to end its suffering and take what you want from it.

You can then string up your kill on the back of your horse and take it back to camp to feed your people or sell it in town and take the money for yourself. Regardless of what you choose, your hunt will rot and decay over time so the longer you have it on the back of your horse (yes, it's literally on your horse, not in an invisible pouch), the less valuable it'll be. If you were to kill an animal (or even a person) behind and let it sit in the wild, vultures, coyotes, and other creatures would come and munch on the remains.

It looks as if Rockstar will be carrying over the heists from GTA V as we see Arthur Morgan robbing a bank and holding up a train in the second trailer. It's unclear how much of a focal point these will be in the game since it was the core of GTA V's campaign but one has to imagine it plays a similar role given you're a gang of notorious western criminals.

We do know there will be some depth to those heists, though. Players can go loud or quiet, create distractions, choose who you bring with you (some can be done solo but isn't recommended), and use a bunch of other different variables to create different outcomes throughout the heists. All of this will result on if and when law enforcement shows up amongst other things. It's unclear if you can have gang members die or get critically wounded in these heists like in Grand Theft Auto V or just how dynamic these systems are. Grand Theft Auto V's heists were heavily scripted, if you chose a certain crew member to come with, they'd always die on the same mission in the same spot because it was coordinated by Rockstar's writing. It was more of the illusion of choices having consequences rather than them actually having any meaning at all.

Some major changes are also coming in combat with the ability to dual wield weapons like Max Payne, bows and arrows used for hunting and maybe even some stealth combat as we see Arthur Morgan taking a knife to someone's back in the dead of night. We also see Arthur brutally beating people up in the third trailer, suggesting Rockstar has refined their melee combat to create more intense and fun brawls.

A cowboy's best friend

A cowboy's best friend isn't his fellow outlaws/lawmen, it's his horse. In the original Red Dead Redemption, your horse was almost supernatural in the sense it teleported to you and was basically immortal. You didn't have much of a connection to it because outside of its speed and stamina, there was nothing too special about the horses. In Red Dead Redemption II, Rockstar plans on changing that.

Your horse in the sequel will be very special. Perhaps the most significant change from the first game or any Rockstar game for that matter is that you won't be able to carry every single weapon with you. The joke of pulling an RPG out of your rear end in GTA wouldn't apply in this game as you'll only be carrying small weapons such as handguns on your person, rifles and other gear will travel via your horse. We're not sure if you can sling at least one rifle over your shoulder while walking around but you can expect most of your guns to be unavailable if your horse isn't nearby.

Your horse won't be disposable in this game, it'll mean a lot more to you because it has lots of value. You'll grow a bond that effects how scared it gets when put in danger, how far it gets from you, and more. Rockstar hopes that this bond won't just serve a gameplay effect but a personal and emotional one to. If your horse gets critically wounded, you can attempt to heal it with medical supplies, if you don't have any you can try and run into town quickly and gather some and run back. You may come back to your horse dead, making you realize that you left that poor animal that loved you to die thinking you abandoned it in its final moments. Brutal stuff, I know. Should it die, you'll have to start that bond all over with a new horse and presumably any gear you can't carry off of that horse's corpse is lost.

It adds a whole new layer to an aspect that's iconic to westerns but doesn't have a lot of attention paid to it.

When you can play it and when we'll know more

The only questions remaining are when we can play the game and when we can expect more firm details from Rockstar. The game is currently scheduled to release on October 26th, 2018 for PlayStation 4 as well as Xbox One, and we can likely expect some news regarding the game in June or July via a Game Informer cover story or a new breakdown directly from Rockstar. As of right now, we'll just have to hold our breaths and keep waiting to saddle up again.

Where to buy Red Dead Redemption 2

You can now pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 ahead of its October 27th release date. You're in for some nice goodies if you decide to give Rockstar your cash early. All pre-orders for Red Dead Redemption 2 come with the War Horse mount and the Outlaw Survival Kit. The former is a grey-colored steed that has better courage and stamina than others, while the Outlaw Survival Kit gives you extra health kits, Dead Eye replenishment, and more.

If you pre-order the digital copy on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you'll also get some extra in-game cash to start your game, as well as a treasure map, though you'll need to pre-order the game by July 31st to get those.

There's also a special edition of the game available. It comes with 2 extra side missions, a black thoroughbred horse, gameplay bonuses through medllian and talisman charms, in-game cash bonuses, gameplay boosts, and discounts, a gunslinger outfit, and three additional weapons. You'll also get a real map of the game world.

If that's not enough, the Ultimate Edition comes with everything that the Deluxe Edition does, but you can add two more in-game outfits, another black thoroughbred with an exclusive saddle, a Survivor camp theme for the game's online mode, three additional free weapons, and XP bonuses for online play up to rank 25.

As an added bonus for Grand Theft Auto 5 players, all digital pre-orders also come with in-game currency for GTA Online. Standard Edition gets $500,000, Special Edition gets $1,000,000, and Ultimate Edition gets $2,000,000.

Then there's the big kahuna reserved for the most die-hard Red Dead fans. It's a full-blown Collector's Box, a red-tinted metal tithing box with a lock and key that comes with an assortment of real world goodies. There's a collectible coin, a double-sized puzzle, a red bandana, a treasure map, a pin set, commemorative playing cards, a real 150-page Wheeler, Rawson and Co. catalogue, and 12 collectible cigarette cards.

You can pre-order your preferred digital edition of Red Dead Redemption 2 at the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or direct from the Rockstar Warehouse. Those opting for the Collector's Box, however, can only get it through the Rockstar Warehouse.

Wanting to catch up and play through the original Red Dead Redemption before the sequel drops? You can find the Game of the Year Edition for $20 at Amazon

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Updated November 2018: Red Dead Online's beta is now available for everyone.



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Do you want to always keep on top of current tech trends? With a lifetime subscription to Stone River Academy, you'll always have access to the latest courses — yes, new content is added all the time. Thanks to the broad range of content available, you might even discover a hidden interest. Imagine the possibilities available to you for only $49, and for a limited time you can use coupon code CMSAVE40 and pay on $29.40. The need for all sorts of specialists in the tech industry is high — why not get started today on a new career?

See at Android Central Digital Offers



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The Google Pixel 3 is the best Android phone under $800 right now android os

Smartphones have gotten extremely expensive in the last year, making an $800 budget somehow not reach the top of the market. But there are still tons of great phones in this price bracket, and we test them all to pick the best ones.

Once you step down from the absolute top end of the market, under $800, the Google Pixel 3 is the best phone you can buy for the money. It's an exceptional phone overall that marries great hardware with top-notch software and sprinkles in little features and experiences you can't get anywhere else. It also has an industry-leading camera, and software support from Google for years to come.

Google Pixel 3

-$799 from Google Store -$799 from Best Buy

Google's best-ever phone, in a compact size.

The Pixel 3 has the best Android software experience you can get, paired with the best camera you can get. The rest of the hardware isn't shabby, either, now adding wireless charging, stereo speakers a much better display. It's a powerful compact package.

Who should buy this phone?

The Pixel 3 is an excellent choice for just about anyone, but will be particularly enticing if you've grown tired with the overbearing and bloated software on most other phones. Android 9 Pie on the Pixel 3 is a treat to use, with simple and intuitive touches that make it fun and powerful without getting in your way.

The hardware is great, even though it doesn't look particularly exciting. The screen took a big step forward this year, and the new glass back feels great while enabling wireless charging. The only real shortcoming here is having just 4GB of RAM, which feels a little tight as we head into 2019.

But what can't be argued is that the Pixel 3 offers an exceptional overall package and experience that just can't be matched. It feels holistic and well-integrated into Google's services in a way that no other Android phone can. It's not particularly tangible, but it is something that you notice as soon as you start using the phone.

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Absolutely. The Google Pixel 3 was released in October 2018, and it will not be replaced with a new model for a full year from that launch.

Reasons to buy

  • Excellent camera
  • Simple and powerful software
  • Stereo speakers
  • Great screen
  • Guaranteed software updates
  • Wireless charging

Reasons not to buy

  • Weak battery life
  • Limited carrier and retailer availability
  • Smaller screen than most

There are other great phones in this price range

Google isn't the only company making a great phone for under $800. Samsung, OnePlus and more have really good competitors for a bit less that are worth considering.

Runner-up

Samsung Galaxy S9+

$720 from Amazon

Getting on in age, but still a great buy.

Solid hardware, an industry-leading display and a mountain of features make the Galaxy S9+ an easy choice. It does everything you can want in a big flagship phone, and has few downsides.

The Galaxy S9+ is a known quantity at this point being over 9 months old, but it's also a well-tested and proven phone that's still a great buy — especially with price cuts that drop it under $800. The hardware is good, and is filled with every spec or feature you could want, and has an amazingly consistent camera that still challenges the best.

Samsung's cameras are still good and consistent, and its software gets an improvement with the Android 9 Pie and One UI update. For the money, it's a great choice and a close runner-up to Google's phone.

Best for less

OnePlus 6T

$549 from OnePlus

A flagship-like experience for a couple hundred dollars less.

The OnePlus 6T gives you everything you want in a high-end phone, and doesn't charge you extra for it. Great hardware, top-notch specs and an excellent software experience combine at a palatable price.

Sure you can spend $800, but you don't have to if you buy a OnePlus 6T — and yet, you still get basically the same phone experience. For well under $700, the OnePlus 6T offers great hardware, a packed spec sheet and excellent software, and isn't saddled with any of the bloatware or unnecessary features you find on most other phones.

It has a few shortcomings, namely in its display and cameras that really feel like they're a step below (or a generation behind) the competition. But you'd be doing yourself a disservice not considering saving a bunch of money getting a OnePlus 6T.

Bottom line

When $800 is your absolute price limit, the Google Pixel 3 offers the best possible experience for the money. It isn't as big as the competition, meaning its screen feels a little tighter and the battery isn't massive, but every other part of the experience is uncompromising. Google's software is exceptional, and this phone has the best camera available today. There are other options from Samsung and OnePlus that offer good value and different feature sets, but the Pixel 3 is still the overall winner of the segment.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he's writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there's a correlation.

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.



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PUBG PC Helps More People Understand What Gaming Is: Acer

PUBG Mobile might be all the rage but it appears that PUBG PC isn't far behind. Gadgets 360 caught up with Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India to find why.

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PUBG PS4, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and More Games Out This December

Here are the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC games releasing in December 2018.

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Spotify app testing local song playback, Library UI changes, and more android os

There are also new tools for podcasts.

Spotify's been my go-to music service for years now, but I'll be the first to say that its Android app is always due for improvement. The recent UI overhaul has made things a lot better, and according to some new features that were recently found in an APK teardown, a few cool tricks could be coming in the near future.

First and foremost, the teardown reveals the ability to play songs that are locally stored on your Android device within Spotify. This isn't the same as fully uploading your tracks to the service the way you can with Google Play Music, but this is still a big step in the right direction.

The "Your Library" tab also appears to be getting tweaked once more with a change to a tabbed layout for accessing your various playlists, songs, artists, etc. As it stands right now, these menu options are just stacked on top of one another above the titles you've recently listened to.

If you like listening to podcasts on Spotify, there's the ability to filter your search results, save certain episodes for later, and a revamped page for new episodes that makes them easier to find. Lastly, there's also a sighting of a slightly redesigned album page with a black bar at the top of the screen and a Favorite icon.

All of this was found by Jane Manchun Wong after digging through the code of the app, meaning there's no guarantee any of this will make it to the final release. It's possible these features will be available for everyone tomorrow, but it's just as likely that they'll never see the light of day.

Do any of these changes interest you?

Spotify vs. Google Play Music: Which should you subscribe to?



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Netgear's new Arlo Ultra security camera will monitor your home in 4K android os

4K, HDR, Spotlight, Sirens... talk about home security.

Netgear has announced the Arlo Ultra, a 4K HDR wireless security camera that looks to be a serious upgrade over the Arlo Pro 2. The biggest upgrade is in the resolution. This is Netgear's first Arlo security camera to have 4K resolution and HDR image processing. Netgear believes users will be able to use the resolution to pick up on critical details they may have otherwise missed, like license plate numbers or clothing, when identifying suspicious activity.

The camera will also come with a 180-degree field of view, automatic zoom and tracking, dual microphones, and more. The Ultra finally has a spotlight integrated into it. Previously, you had to buy the Arlo Smart Home Security Light and sync it with your system. Other features include color night vision and custom activity zones you can set yourself. The two-way audio includes advanced noise cancellation to minimize background noise and allow clear, natural conversations from both sides of the camera.

Use the security camera inside or out. The new magnetic mounts allow you to attach the cameras anywhere you want, including walls, ceilings, or gutters. They come with weather-resistant charging cables so you can keep the batteries charged even outdoors.

You'll also get a one-year subscription to Arlo Smart Premier. This is a service that Arlo has continued to upgrade over time, so what you'll end up with is the best possible iteration of it. One year would cost $119.88 usually. With the subscription, you'll get access to features that naturally make your camera better, including computer vision technology that tells you exactly what triggered your cameras, direct contact to emergency services, custom alerts, Person Detection, Cloud Activity Zones, and more.

The Ultra will connect to the new Arlo SmartHub. This base station connects to your router, provides extended Wi-Fi range for Arlo cameras, and allows you to manage the camera's data traffic. The SmartHub can control multiple Arlo cameras, and it has a microSD card slot for local storage. You'll probably want a couple of large microSD cards to use with the hub so you don't have to keep absolutely everything in the cloud.

The Arlo Ultra will debut at $399.99 for the one-camera system that includes the new SmartHub. That does include the $120 value of Arlo Smart Premier, too, so it's not a bad price. Still, you could get started with two Arlo Pro 2 cameras at that price or go less expensive with the one-camera Arlo Pro. The Ultra should be available for pre-order sometime today on the Arlo site and available everywhere else in 2019.



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These are the best smart LED light bulbs that work with Google Home android os

Google has done a great job building out its smart home ecosystem by working with a growing number of smart bulb manufacturers. With so many options, it can be overwhelming to decide which brand to invest in, but we've broken down the best options that work seamlessly with Google Home.

Add some funky colors to your home

Philips Hue Smart Bulb Starter Kit (4-pack w/Hub)

Philips is the leading manufacturers of wireless LED smart bulbs. The Philips Hue lineup features a multitude of different lighting options for around your home, which must be configured through the Philips Hue Bridge. Your best bet is this starter kit that includes the necessary Hue Hub and four color A19 LED smart bulbs to get you started.

$190 at Amazon

No hub required

LIFX Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb (4-pack)

LIFX offers its third generation of smart bulbs for both indoors and outdoors. Both offer 1100 lumens of brightness, with options to customize the look with 16 million colors and 1000 shades of warm to cool whites. No additional hardware is required to get things set up with Google Assistant as each bulb connects directly to your Wi-Fi network. Get a 4-pack of multicolor A19 bulbs for $155.

$155 at Amazon

Best smart bulbs on a budget

TP-Link Kasa LED Bulbs (3-pack)

For those of you fine with standard white, dimmable smart bulbs and don't want to spend a fortune, TP-Link's Kasa bulbs are a good pic that doesn't require a hub — just a solid connection to your home's Wi-Fi network. You can get this starter kit that includes three white dimmable smart bulbs for just $50 bucks, then buy a couple A-19 multicolor bulbs as needed at $25 each.

$50 at Amazon

Budget bulbs that require a hub

Sengled Element Classic Smart LED bulbs (2-pack w/Hub)

Sengled offers the best value for budget-conscious consumers looking to invest in smart bulbs — but you're still going to need a dedicated hub. The two-bulb starter pack is incredibly priced, but the value really starts to roll in if you buy in bulk with the 8-pack of Classic Smart LED Bulbs ($56). Together, these deals allow you to set up 10 smart bulbs throughout your home for about $81.

$25 at Amazon

Smart bulbs from China

Xiaomi Yeelight Smart LED Bulbs

Xiaomi also has smart bulb offerings for lighting your home. These bulbs only require a solid Wi-Fi connection and no hub, so you're able to add bulbs as needed. There are no bundles available but you're able to buy a white dimmable bulb for $20, or a Multi-color RGB bulb for just $27.

$20 at Amazon

Anker's smart home brand

Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb (2-pack)

Last but not least, Eufy also offers a selection of smart bulbs that include soft white bulbs, tunable white bulbs that are capable of mimicking daylight, and a multi-color bulb that can groove along with your music. All bulbs include built-in Wi-Fi to get around needing a hub. A good starting point is the two-pack of soft white bulbs, which you can snag for just $33.

$33 at Amazon

While there are some great options available at lower price points, its hard not to pick the Philips Hue as the best smart light ecosystem to invest in. Sure, it requires a hub to connect with Google Home, but once you've started investing, you're able to manage up to 50 different lights and it's the variety of lighting options that Philips offers that lets them shine brighter than the competition. From the stylish LightStrip Plus ($60) to Flood Light bulbs ($40) for use outside, your home will look amazing lit up with Philips Hue bulbs.



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Marriott data breach exposed personal information for 500 million people android os

Names, email addresses, card info, and more was exposed for millions of people.

By now, you've probably heard about the recent Marriott data breach. It's a story that's been making the rounds like a crazy, as it should seeing as how it's one of the worst corporate data breaches to ever happen.

Whether you're a concerned Marriott customer or just want to stay informed about what's going on, here's everything you need to know.

What happened

On November 30, 2018, Marriott announced that a group of hackers obtained "unauthorized access" to the reservation system of its Starwood locations — a collection of hotels that the company purchased in 2016 which includes names like W Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, and St. Regis.

The hackers have had access to the system since 2014, but Marriot didn't find out until September 8, 2018, when it "received an alert from an internal security tool regarding an attempt to access the Starwood guest reservation database in the United States." Despite learning about this in September, an announcement wasn't made until today.

Here's what Marriot said in a press release:

The company has not finished identifying duplicate information in the database, but believes it contains information on up to approximately 500 million guests who made a reservation at a Starwood property.

Of that 500 million, the following information was exposed for 327 million people:

  • Names
  • Phone numbers
  • Email addresses
  • Passport numbers
  • Date of birth
  • Arrival and departure info

For everyone else, it's possible that credit card numbers and their expiration dates were obtained. Marriott notes that it can't 100% confirm whether or not the card numbers were decrypted, but that's obviously still not good either way.

The company's CEO and President, Arne Sorenson, responded to the situation with the following statement:

We deeply regret this incident happened. We fell short of what our guests deserve and what we expect of ourselves. We are doing everything we can to support our guests, and using lessons learned to be better moving forward.

What Marriott is doing

Marriot has reported the incident to the authorities, and in the meantime, is sending emails to anyone that's been affected. You can visit this website for further information, and if you'd like to speak with a real person from Marriott about the matter, you can contact a dedicated call center. The number for the center is 877-273-9481 in the United States, and you can view the numbers for other countries on the site, too.

In addition to this, Marriot is also providing its guests with access to a free WebWatcher membership. WebWatcher is a personal information monitoring tool and has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.

What you can do to stay safe

Any data breach needs to be taken seriously, but this one could prove to be especially damning.

Change as many online passwords as you can, get a new credit/debit card, and possibly consider changing your email address and phone number. Those may sound like drastic steps, but with so much data being exposed for so many people, you can never be too safe in a situation like this.

On the technical side of things, now's a good time to start using both a password manager and two-factor authentication if you aren't already. We have a few links below to help you get started.

Password managers

Two-factor authentication



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This $8 headrest mount can help entertain everyone in the back seat android os

Out of reach of tiny hands.

The Tryone car headrest smartphone mount is down to $8.39 with code XYISTWNY on Amazon. This phone mount usually sells for around $12 and has never dropped to this price directly.

You can install this mount with just one hand and release it in a couple seconds. It's compatible with any headrest where the metal posts are 4.1 to 5.9 inches apart, and it works with any mobile device between 4.7 and 10.5 inches. That includes the Nintendo Switch. You can adjust it for the best viewing angles.

The holder has anti-scratch silicone and premium aluminum alloys. Plus, it won't block access to charging ports or headphone jacks. Users give it 4.5 stars based on 703 reviews.

See on Amazon



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Ride a dinosaur to victory in Dino Royale, our game of the week! android os

Dino Royale

You may have noticed a bit of a theme emerging among the games I've been highlighting over the past couple of weeks. If there's any doubt about the popularity or impact of Fortnite's Battle Royale mode, just look at the sheer number of mobile games borrowing the format and taking it to weird places.

This week, I'm focusing on a quirky game called Dino Royale which takes the last-man-standing elements from a Battle Royale game and combines it with the dinosaur taming work of ARK: Survival Evolved and packages the whole thing in a low-fi blocky art style. Matches can include up to 20 players and the gameplay is pretty refreshing, where the first bit of the match is all about searching for supplies and, hopefully, a dinosaur of which there are three to ride — a fast raptor with low HP, a triceratops that's essentially a tank, and a slow-moving T-Rex that can one-hit enemies if you line it up right.

The on-screen layout in this game well-designed and useful with your weapon selector on the right side and your outfits on the left. This allows you to quickly swap through different items or weapons, as you find them throughout the map. To that end, the map is relatively small, but big enough for the 20 or so players to run and hide as needed.

There are a ton of characters to unlock by collecting and spending gems, watching a set number of ads, or by paying for them outright with cash. You don't need to spend any money to enjoy Dino Royale but you may end up paying the $2 or so to permanently remove ads, which pop up pretty frequently between matches.

All told, Dino Royale is a pretty fun little time waster, and who hasn't had dreams of riding a dinosaur around as it devours your enemies? I know I have.

Download: Dino Royale (Free w/Ads, IAPs)



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Sol Republic Relays Sport Wireless Review

The Sol Republic Relays Sport Wireless features IPX4 water resistance, a lightweight design, and up to 8 hours of battery life. Read our review to find out if it's worth buying.

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Rec Room has a new quest and you can play it without a VR headset android os

This is not Castlevania. Nope, nothing like it.

Rec Room is one of my favorite PlayStation VR games. It is constantly evolving and adding new content like the ridiculously fun Rec Royale, a Fortnite-style battle royale game containing the same comedic flair with which Rec Room approaches everything. And at the fantastic price point of free, Rec Room is a must have for all VR libraries.

The new quest Crescendo of the Blood Moon takes a lot of queues from Castlevania. It is Against Gravity's attempt at a dark and gritty game normally light-hearted and fun, and so far it totally works. A lot of people make custom games in Rec Room and some of the most popular are the horror inspired rooms, so Against Gravity wanted to bring the players something official around that theme.

You are monster hunters looking to make your way through a castle, solving puzzles. You get to use a whip to move around the map as well as to fight the "scary monsters" that attack you — don't tell anyone but they are just wind up toys — all the while enjoying the scenery of this gorgeous title. As usual, the quests in Rec Room are best completed in teams of three but Against Gravity has said that it can be attempted solo if you want to.

With the launch of Crescendo of the Blood Moon, Rec Room is pushing heavily on their new feature screen mode. Screen mode allows you to play Rec Room even if you don't own a PSVR so you can be a part of one of the best social VR games without needing VR to play!

Crescendo of the Blood Moon is available today as a free update to Rec Room and will appear in your game after the update. There is no extra fee for this new content as the game is free anyway. Take advantage of that and enjoy yourself in a world built for play.

See at the PlayStation Store



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Amazon's Echo devices will gain support for Apple Music in mid-December android os

Get ready for it.

Amazon today announced that Apple Music support is coming to its Echo lineup of speakers in the coming weeks, allowing Apple Music subscribers to ask Alexa to stream their favorite songs, artists, albums, and more. Users will also be able to stream Beats 1 live and play any of the curated playlists from Apple Music editors or ask for their preferred algorithmically-generated radio stations.

While you've already been able to stream to your heart's content on your Amazon Echo for some time from services like Spotify, iHeart Radio, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and more, Apple Music has always been notably absent from the ever-popular Alexa smart speakers.

Dave Limp, senior vice president, Amazon Devices said:

"Music is one of the most popular features on Alexa—since we launched Alexa four years ago, customers are listening to more music in their homes than ever before. We are committed to offering great music providers to our customers and since launching the Music Skill API to developers just last month, we've expanded the music selection on Alexa to include even more top tier services. We're thrilled to bring Apple Music – one of the most popular music services in the US – to Echo customers this holiday."

While making Apple Music available on a competitor's platform may seem counter to Apple's usual hardware-first strategy, the company would be remiss to dismiss Amazon's popular smart speaker platform. Amazon has been pushing hard this holiday season to get more Echo speakers into more homes with steep discounts on its latest Echo and Echo Dot as well as a new range of music focused Echo smart speakers in the Echo Plus and Sub, and the Echo Input which brings Alexa's smarts to your current speaker setup.

Apple has had Apple Music support for Android users since the service launched (and iTunes on Windows long before that) so it is not an unprecedented move. Apple is also focusing on growing its services revenue, and adding Apple Music to Amazon Echo may help expand its subscriber base.

Apple Music will be available on your Echo speakers from December 17.



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Chip stuff android os

AI smarts coming to mid-high-end phones with new chipset.

Hot on the heels of the recent P70 chipset reveal, MediaTek has today announced that its new AI-equipped Helio P90 SoC will be unveiled on December 13. It's set to be the first chip of its kind to bring hardware-accelerated neural networking to the mid-to-high-end smartphone space. In a nutshell, that means less expensive phones running this chip will soon be getting AI features and performance which, in the Android world, were until now limited to high-end chips like Huawei's Kirin 970 and 980.

AI features from more expensive phones are about to become more attainable.

The P90's new AI hardware, combining two APUs (application processing units) with an AI Accelerator, helps the new chip boast three times the neural networking performance of the P60 and P70.

As we've seen from existing flagship phones with dedicated AI hardware, on-device AI can have a host of benefits, and current versions of Android support this hardware acceleration through Google's built-in neural networking APIs.

In today's pre-announcement, MediaTek specifically called out biometric face recognition, digital noise reduction in photos and realtime photo/video effects as areas that'll be enhanced by the P90's new AI hardware, as well as improved environment recognition to assist with exposure control.

In addition to Android's built-in NN APIs and MediaTek's own NeuroPilot SDK, phone makers using the Helio P90 will be able to support TensorFlow, TensorFlow Lite, Caffe and Caffe2.

More details will come when the chip officially lands on December 13, but based on the early details revealed today, the P90 could offer the chipmaker a unique leg-up on the competition in the mid-high smartphone tier.



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Is it worth it to buy the Facebook Portal? android os

Best answer: If you're a heavy Facebook user, especially Facebook Messenger, you should absolutely consider Facebook Portal in your home or office.

Video chat has never been better

On most things, phones and tablets and computers included, video chat kind of sucks. You never really know where to look when talking to someone. Do you look at the camera so it seems like you're making eye contact? Do you look at the screen so you can pay attention to the expressions of the person you are interacting with? Do you have to stand right in front of this camera during the entire conversation, or is it OK to do other things while you talk? The rules vary wildly from person to person and get even fuzzier when trying to have a conversation in a professional setting.

On several levels, Facebook Portal makes the act of video chat feel a lot more natural and personal. The camera includes special software to zoom in on your face when you are talking, so it looks like you are always right in front of the camera. If you are walking around a room, the software follows you and stays zoomed in, so you can do things like cook in a kitchen or put things away in a living room and the person on the other side of the conversation still feels like you are focused and participating. Even things like filters on Facebook Messenger work no matter where you are in the room — just in case you want to put on a digital mustache to look silly or turn your whole face into a fire-breathing dragon.

Facebook Portal is great at bringing you some truly unique things that will mean a lot if you're an avid Facebook user.

The microphones in Facebook Portal do a great job removing the other sounds in the background as well, so your voice comes through nice and clear. In a lot of my testing, Facebook Portal was in a busy kitchen with lots of things going on, and every person I was talking to said they couldn't hear things like bacon frying in the pan right next to the microphone. Comparatively, Amazon and Google's video chat services pick up every sound, which can be quite distracting.

Most people are only going to be interested in the standard size Facebook Portal. The 10.1-inch screen is great, but takes up a fair bit of space on a kitchen counter as it is. Portal+, on the other hand, doesn't really seem like it was built for homes at all. The 15.6-inch widescreen display is nice and sharp, and features a super smooth rotating feature so you can position that display in either portrait or landscape views, but it's massive. This certainly wouldn't live on a kitchen counter or a living room end table in a vast majority of homes, but it does seem like the ideal size for your average office space. Whether you're interested in using Facebook Messenger in an office environment is another matter entirely.

When you aren't using Facebook Portal as a video chat platform, it can be a digital photo frame, a streaming media hub, or even an Alexa smart assistant. The digital photo frame pulls directly from Facebook, and the quality here depends entirely on you. If you're like me and don't organize photos on Facebook, the digital photo frame feature will offer you a bizarre mix of everything you've ever uploaded from your phone. This includes screenshots, memes, and of course, all of my family photos. If you do organize photos on Facebook as you upload them, this feature is incredible and gives you a great mix of photos you have taken.

When it comes to being a streaming media hub or smart assistant, Facebook Portal isn't quite as strong as the competition. Portal doesn't have access to a particularly wide variety of streaming video apps, and fewer have access to the voice commands you'd expect to find for searching and playing. Streaming audio, on the other hand, is easy since it gives you plenty of access to popular services like Pandora and Spotify. As for smart assistant features, Facebook Portal suffers from the same deficiency every "Alexa enabled" connected home device that doesn't have the Echo branding on it suffers from. Amazon locks down some of the most interesting features to its own products, so what you get is Alexa-lite, which can be frustrating.

Essentially, Facebook Portal is great at bringing you some truly unique things that will mean a lot if you're an avid Facebook user. However, if you're looking for the most capable connected home accessory or you're not excited about video chat, this probably isn't the smart display for you.

Our pick

Portal from Facebook

$200 at Amazon

Video chat powerhouse

Facebook has breathed new life into what we consider high-quality video chat, but it struggles to put that experience in a compelling smart display.

The Big One

Portal+ from Facebook

$350 at Amazon

It's huge, and kind of expensive

Portal+ from Facebook does everything the standard Portal does, but with a much larger display. This larger display makes it great for large video chats, and the ability to rotate the display from landscape to portrait makes chatting with people on phones a lot more visually satisfying, but finding a place in your home to put this thing will be a challenge.



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