Tag: new technology 2024

Rate Your Favorite PC Hardware, Peripherals, and Components to Win

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OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is governed by these official rules (the “Sweepstakes Rules”). The Sweepstakes begins on January 21, 2025, at 12:00 AM ET and ends on April 13, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

SPONSOR: Ziff Davis, LLC, with an address of 360 Park Ave South, Floor 17, New York, NY 10010 (the “Sponsor”).

ELIGIBILITY: This Sweepstakes is open to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States of America or the District of Columbia. By entering the Sweepstakes as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, entrants represent and warrant that they are complying with these Sweepstakes Rules (including, without limitation, all eligibility requirements), and that they agree to abide by and be bound by all the rules and terms and conditions stated herein and all decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding.

All previous winners of any sweepstakes sponsored by Sponsor during the nine (9) month period prior to the Selection Date are not eligible to enter. Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, held employment with or performed services for Sponsor or any organizations affiliated with the sponsorship, fulfillment, administration, prize support, advertisement or promotion of the Sweepstakes (“Employees”) are not eligible to enter or win. Immediate Family Members and Household Members are also not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate Family Members” means parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses of an Employee. “Household Members” means those individuals who share the same residence with an Employee at least three (3) months a year.

HOW TO ENTER: There are two methods to enter the Sweepstakes: (1) fill out the online survey, or (2) enter by mail.

1. Survey Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes through the online survey, go to the survey page and complete the current survey during the Sweepstakes Period.

2. Mail Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes by mail, on a 3″ x 5″ card, print your first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. Mail your completed entry to:

Readers’ Choice Sweepstakes – PC Components 2025
c/o E. Griffith
624 Elm St. Ext.
Ithaca, NY 14850-8786

Mail Entries must be postmarked by April 14, 2025, and received by April 21, 2025.

Only one (1) entry per person is permitted, regardless of the entry method used. Subsequent attempts made by the same individual to submit multiple entries may result in the disqualification of the entrant.

Only contributions submitted during the Sweepstakes Period will be eligible for entry into the Sweepstakes. No other methods of entry will be accepted. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entries are limited to individuals only; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Use of a false account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties, and other technological problems.

Entries are subject to any applicable restrictions or eligibility requirements listed herein. Entries will be deemed to have been made by the authorized account holder of the email or telephone phone number submitted at the time of entry and qualification. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email address. Should multiple users of the same e-mail account or mobile phone number, as applicable, enter the Sweepstakes and a dispute thereafter arises regarding the identity of the entrant, the Authorized Account Holder of said e-mail account or mobile phone account at the time of entry will be considered the entrant. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned an e-mail address or mobile phone number by an Internet access provider, online service provider, telephone service provider or other organization that is responsible for assigned e-mail addresses, phone numbers or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by the website administrator for online entries. When applicable, the website administrator’s computer will be deemed the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes promotion. Entries will be disqualified if found to be incomplete and/or if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that multiple entries were submitted by the same entrant in violation of the Sweepstakes Rules.

Entries that are late, lost, stolen, mutilated, tampered with, illegible, incomplete, mechanically reproduced, inaccurate, postage-due, forged, irregular in any way or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules will be disqualified. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Sponsor shall select the prize winner(s) (collectively, the “Winner”) on or about April 25, 2025, (“Selection Date”) by random drawing or from among all eligible entries. The Winner will be notified via email to the contact information provided in the entry. Notification of the Winner shall be deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of the notification by Sponsor. Selected winner(s) will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within seven (7) days of attempted notification. The only entries that will be considered eligible entries are entries received by Sponsor within the Sweepstakes Period. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to choose an alternative winner in the event that a possible winner has been disqualified or is deemed ineligible for any reason.

PRIZE: One (1) winner will receive the following prize (collectively, the “Prize”):

One (1) $250 Amazon.com gift code via email, valued at approximately two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

No more than the stated number of prize(s) will be awarded, and all prize(s) listed above will be awarded. Actual retail value of the Prize may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of the Prize as stated above and value at time of notification of the Winner, if any, will not be awarded. No cash or prize substitution is permitted, except at the discretion of Sponsor. The Prize is non-transferable. If the Prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute Prize of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if a Prize is awarded but remains unclaimed or is forfeited by the Winner, the Prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. In the event that more than the stated number of prize(s) becomes available for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prize(s) by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.

ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE PRIZE: The Winner will be required to verify his or her address and may be required to execute the following document(s) before a notary public and return them within seven (7) days (or a shorter time if required by exigencies) of receipt of such documents: an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, and (where imposing such condition is legal) a publicity release covering eligibility, liability, advertising, publicity and media appearance issues (collectively, the “Prize Claim Documents”). If an entrant is unable to verify the information submitted with their entry, the entrant will automatically be disqualified and their prize, if any, will be forfeited. The Prize will not be awarded until all such properly executed and notarized Prize Claim Documents are returned to Sponsor. Prize(s) won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his or her state of residence will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must sign and return all required Prize Claim Documents. In the event the Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified period, an alternate Winner may be selected by Sponsor for such Prize. The Prize will be shipped to the Winner within 7 days of Sponsor’s receipt of a signed Affidavit and Release from the Winner. The Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees related to the Prize received, if any.

OTHER RULES: This sweepstakes is subject to all applicable laws and is void where prohibited. All submissions by entrants in connection with the sweepstakes become the sole property of the sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Winner assumes all liability for any injuries or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in this sweepstakes or by the use or misuse of any prize.

By entering the sweepstakes, each winner grants the SPONSOR permission to use his or her name, city, state/province, e-mail address and, to the extent submitted as part of the sweepstakes entry, his or her photograph, voice, and/or likeness for advertising, publicity or other purposes OR ON A WINNER’S LIST, IF APPLICABLE, IN ANY and all MEDIA WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVELOPED, worldwide, without additional consent OR compensation, except where prohibited by law. By submitting an entry, entrants also grant the Sponsor a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, perform and otherwise use and permit others to use, and throughout the world, their entry materials in any manner, form, or format now known or hereinafter created, including on the internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor and/or its products and services, without further consent from or compensation to the entrant. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants consent to receive notification of future promotions, advertisements or solicitations by or from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and business partners, via email or other means of communication.

If, in the Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of fraud, electronic or non-electronic tampering or unauthorized intervention with any portion of this Sweepstakes, or if fraud or technical difficulties of any sort (e.g., computer viruses, bugs) compromise the integrity of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or terminate the Sweepstakes and award the Prize in its sole discretion. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Sponsor’s website(s) or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be in violation of U.S. criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Sweepstakes. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including pursuing criminal prosecution.

DISCLAIMER: EXCLUDING ONLY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES, THE PRIZE IS PROVIDED TO THE WINNER ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT FURTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL FURTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZE.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, ENTRANTS, ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS AND REPRESENTATIVES, RELEASE AND HOLD THE SPONSOR its PARENT COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, UNITS AND DIVISIONS, AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF EACH OF THE FOREGOING, AND ALL THOSE ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FOREGOING, OR ANY OF THEM (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS) (EACH A “RELEASED PARTY”), HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, ACTIONS, INJURY, LOSS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER (COLLECTIVELY, THE “CLAIMS”) WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, SUSPECTED OR UNSUSPECTED, WHICH ENTRANT EVER HAD, NOW HAVE, OR HEREAFTER CAN, SHALL OR MAY HAVE, AGAINST THE RELEASED PARTIES (OR ANY OF THEM), INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SWEEPSTAKES OR ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR LIBEL, DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY, COMMERCIAL APPROPRIATION OF NAME AND LIKENESS, INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT OR VIOLATION OF ANY OTHER PERSONAL OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT), AND THE RECEIPT, OWNERSHIP, USE, MISUSE, TRANSFER, SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE PRIZE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE). All matters relating to the interpretation and application of these Sweepstakes Rules shall be decided by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

DISPUTES: If, for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading any materials in this Sweepstakes. Because of the unique nature and scope of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Sweepstakes Rules or otherwise governing the Sweepstakes, and any such changes will be posted here in the Sweepstakes Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Sweepstakes Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.

As a condition of participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between entrant and Sponsor, and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Sweepstakes or these Sweepstakes Rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court of competent jurisdiction located in New York, New York, and entrant irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in New York, New York with respect to any such dispute, cause of action, or other matter. All disputes will be governed and controlled by the laws of the State of New York (without regard for its conflicts-of-laws principles). Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs incurred directly in connection with entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased, if any. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

PRIVACY: Information collected from entrants in connection with the Sweepstakes is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy, which may be found here.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Although the Sweepstakes may be featured on Twitter, Facebook, and/or other social media platforms, the Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or in association with Twitter, Facebook, and/or such other social media platforms and you agree that Twitter, Facebook, and all other social media platforms are not liable in any way for any claims, damages or losses associated with the Sweepstakes.

WINNER(S) LIST: For a list of name(s) of prizewinner(s), after the Selection Date, please send a stamped, self-addressed No. 10/standard business envelope to Ziff Davis, LLC, Attn: Legal Department, 360 Park Ave South, Floor 17, New York, NY 10010 (VT residents may omit return postage).

BY ENTERING, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES RULES.

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February 16, 2025
What is Starlink? How to get the satellite service for free on your phone with T-Mobile, plus everything you need to know
There’s never a good time to find yourself with no mobile reception. Whether you want to look up directions on Google Maps, send someone a WhatsApp message, or just want to post a beautiful view on Instagram: zero bars on your smartphone won’t get you very far. That’s where satellite services like Starlink come in – and this week T-Mobile started offering it for free (ahead of a paid rollout) in the US on compatible smartphones.

The network operator has teamed up with SpaceX to launch the “first and only space-based mobile network” in the US, bringing cell phone service to remote areas via satellite. Powered by Starlink, it’s set to change the game for mobile users in rural locations. Those users won’t have to wait long to access it, either: the beta trial is already underway and a full rollout is scheduled for July this year.
What’s more, access isn’t limited to T-Mobile customers. The carrier has made its new service available to both AT&T and Verizon users as well, provided that their phone supports an eSIM. Want to upgrade your coverage with the groundbreaking satellite-to-cell service? We’ve broken down everything you need to know about T-Mobile Starlink, including how you can get it and how much it costs.

A New Era in Connectivity – T-Mobile Starlink – YouTube

Watch On

What is Starlink and how does it work?

Starlink is a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX

It operates a constellation of small internet satellites

Direct-to-cell satellites work like cell towers in space

Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX, the space exploration company owned by Elon Musk. Starlink owns and operates a constellation of thousands of small satellites. It has been launching these compact satellites into space since 2019. They are used primarily to serve high-speed internet to Starlink customers with a compatible antenna on the ground.

Unlike traditional satellite internet services, Starlink’s satellites circle the planet in a low-Earth orbit. This closer proximity to the Earth’s surface helps to reduce the lag – or latency – experienced as data is relayed between a user’s antenna and the orbiting satellite. Because of the high number of Starlink satellites, the system is also able to offer global coverage, reaching areas beyond the scope of standard broadband or fibre optic connectivity. This makes it a particularly useful service in rural locations.

Early last year, SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities. These satellites have modems on-board which function the same as cellphone towers. No special antenna or other hardware is required to connect to them: they are seen by your smartphone as standard cell towers, albeit up in space.

This means active users can access Starlink coverage wherever they can see the sky. If a phone supports LTE, it can connect to Starlink’s satellite-based network the same as if it’s a normal terrestrial provider.

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Starlink on phones: how does T-Mobile’s new mobile service work?

T-Mobile’s Starlink service is powered by SpaceX satellites

Free public beta testing launched in February

Paid subscriptions available from July for T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon users

T-Mobile’s new service is powered by Starlink satellites which are equipped for direct-to-cell connectivity. According to T-Mobile, 451 of these satellites have been launched so far. As above, these work like cell towers in space. Wherever you can see the sky, compatible smartphones can connect to T-Mobile Starlink as if it’s a normal mobile network. No additional hardware or antenna is needed.

That means whenever you’re in an area without cell service, your smartphone will connect automatically to Starlink satellites. T-Mobile reckons that more than 500,000 square miles of the US is currently beyond the reach of any carrier’s standard cell towers. Its new service should eliminate those mobile dead zones, allowing users to stay connected wherever they are in the US.

T-Mobile launched the free public beta test of its Starlink service during the Super Bowl on February 9 2025. It’s open for anyone on any US carrier to sign up, including customers of both Verizon and AT&T. Registered users will be given access on a rolling basis, to provide feedback before the full rollout in summer.

In July, T-Mobile Starlink will switch to a paid version. It will be included free for anyone on T-Mobile’s Go5G Next plan. Other T-Mobile customers can access it as a paid add-on for $15 a month. Anyone who registers for the beta in February will also be offered an Early Adopter Discount, bringing the price down to $10 a month.

Verizon and AT&T customers will also be able to continue using the T-Mobile Starlink service once it switches to a paid version, as will users of any wireless network with an unlocked eSIM phone. This will cost $20 a month and users will need to activate a second eSIM in their phone to access the network.

At launch, the service only supports text messaging when connected to the satellite network. T-Mobile states that voice and data will be added soon, although this will require government approval for SpaceX to use the full bandwidth capacity of its satellite constellation.

Mark Rober Texts His Dad From a Satellite | T-Mobile – YouTube

Watch On

Starlink on iPhone: how do you get it?

T-Mobile Starlink works on most modern smartphones

Apple iPhone 14 models and later are supported

iPhones need to be running iOS 18.3 to access Starlink

The only way to get Starlink on an iPhone at present is to sign up to the T-Mobile beta test. To do that, you’ll need to have an iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or iPhone 16. That includes the Plus, Pro & Pro Max variants. You’ll also need to be running iOS version 18.3.

Contrary to TikTok rumors, iOS 18.3 does not secretly install Starlink tech on your iPhone. What it does is make the network settings changes necessary to allow your phone to connect to T-Mobile 1900Mhz spectrum.

You’ll then need to register for the T-Mobile beta. Once you’re approved to participate and you head somewhere outside of standard cellular range, your phone should automatically access network coverage via the Starlink satellite constellation. When it does, you’ll see “SAT” instead of the standard bars in the top right corner of your iPhone.

It’s not just Apple iPhone users who can access the public beta. According to T-Mobile, Starlink “works on most smartphones from the last four years.” While no additional hardware or accessory is required to connect to the Starlink network, T-Mobile does state that smartphones need to be “satellite optimized” for users to have the best experience.

T-Mobile says it has worked with both Apple and Google to “ensure that this experience is integrated directly into their OS.” Whatever phone you have, T-Mobile states that it “needs to be on the latest software to use T-Mobile Starlink.”

The official list of supported handsets is as follows:

Apple iPhone 14 and later (including Plus, Pro & Pro Max)

Google Pixel 9 (including Pro, Pro Fold, & Pro XL)

Motorola 2024 and later (including razr, razr+, edge and g series)

Samsung Galaxy A14, A15, A16, A35, A53, A54

Samsung Galaxy S21 and later (including Plus, Ultra and Fan Edition)

Samsung Galaxy X Cover6 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and later

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and later

REVVL 7 (including Pro)

This list is expected to grow as public beta testing continues, with more handsets likely to be supported by the time that the T-Mobile Starlink service rolls out for general usage in July. Whether older Apple smartphones, such as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, will be included isn’t clear.

Starlink Mini: what is Starlink’s backpack-friendly version?

Starlink Mini is a compact antenna kit that connects to SpaceX satellites

The kit costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front

It’s different from T-Mobile’s Starlink service

Starlink Mini is a different way to access the internet via SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. It’s a portable antenna kit with a built-in Wi-Fi router. It allows you connect to high-speed, low-latency satellite internet almost anywhere in the world with a clear view of the sky.

It’s different from T-Mobile’s Starlink service. With T-Mobile, users connect to Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellites using their smartphone. The satellites work like standard cell towers. With Starlink Mini, the antenna kit receives signal from SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites. It then creates a Wi-Fi network at ground level using a built-in router, which other devices can connect to.

This setup makes it more versatile than the T-Mobile service, as you can connect to the Starlink Mini’s Wi-Fi network on a range of devices, not just your smartphone. What’s more, Starlink Mini supports peak download speeds in excess of 100Mbps.

(Image credit: Starlink)

Designed to be used on the move, the backpack-friendly Starlink Mini measures 430 x 334 x 79mm and weighs 6.73kg. It ships with a kickstand and power supply, as well as a pipe adapter for pole mounting. Setup is as simple as plugging it in and pointing it at the sky. You can use the Starlink app to find optimal installation locations.

The Starlink Mini kit costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front. In addition to the one-off cost of the kit itself, you’ll need take out a Starlink subscription to access roaming internet. There’s a 50GB Roam package for $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month.

Alternatively, you can get the Roam Unlimited package with unlimited data for a monthly cost of $165 / £96 / AU$195. Subscriptions can be paused at any time. Coverage isn’t yet global, but it is offered in more than 100 markets.

Subaru Starlink: what is it?

Subaru Starlink is a suite of connected in-car services

It is completely separate form SpaceX’s Starlink system

It relies on standard cellular connectivity, not satellites

Despite its name, Subaru Starlink has nothing to do with SpaceX satellites. Subaru Starlink is a package of connected in-car services available on most new Subaru vehicles. It includes a suite of safety, security and remote access features, such as automatic collision notifications, enhanced roadside assistance and remote ignition.

In-car connectivity is via standard cellular networks, rather than satellites. If you’re outside of cell tower range, your vehicle won’t be able to access Subaru Starlink services.

Most supported Subaru vehicles come with a complimentary three-year trial of the system, after which it’s available for an additional fee. There’s no longer a standalone Starlink app, as the features have been rolled into the MySubaru app. The features available vary from model to model.

(Image credit: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Starlink price: what’s the monthly cost for Starlink?

T-Mobile’s Starlink service starts at $15 per month for T-Mobile customers

Users of other carriers will be able to use T-Mobile Starlink for $20 a month

A Starlink Mini Roam subscription starts at $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month

The cost of Starlink depends on how you access it. Once T-Mobile Starlink rolls out to the general public in the US in July, it will be available to T-Mobile customers as an add-on for $15 a month. Users who take out a subscription during the public beta will be entitled to an Early Adopter Discount, bringing the price down to $10 a month.

Customers of other wireless carriers will be able to access T-Mobile’s direct-to-cell service for $20 a month. There is no up-front cost, but they will need an unlocked smartphone with a spare eSIM slot.

Alternatively, you can access satellite internet with a direct subscription to Starlink. Rather than using a smartphone, you will need to purchase a Starlink antenna kit, then take out a monthly data subscription.

The cheapest kit is the portable Starlink Mini (see above) which costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front. The 50GB Roam package costs $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month, while Roam Unlimited is priced at $165 / £96 / AU$19 per month.

If you want a more permanent solution, the Starlink Standard kit costs $249 / £299 / AU$549. Residential service costs at $120 / £75 / AU$139 per month for unlimited data.

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February 15, 2025

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG 360 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: Lighting-fast with pro-level color accuracy

If you’re looking for value in a high-performance gaming monitor, check out Asus’ ROG Strix line. These monitors typically offer near or the same performance as the more expensive Swift screens and can save you a few bucks. You still get the same rugged build quality and check-this-out styling, with slick LED lighting and glowing ROG logos.

The newest example I’ve encountered is the XG27ACDNG. This mouthful of letters describes a 27-inch Quantum Dot OLED running at QHD 2560×1440 resolution, with a 360 Hz refresh rate, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400, and a wide color gamut that fully earns the moniker “reference level.” Let’s take a look at what is one of the best gaming monitors currently available.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Panel Type / Backlight	Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED)
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio	27 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution and Refresh Rate	2560×1440 @ 360 Hz
Row 3 – Cell 0	Accepts 3840×2160 @ 120Hz
Row 4 – Cell 0	FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible
Native Color Depth and Gamut	10-bit / DCI-P3+
Row 6 – Cell 0	HDR10, DisplayHDR 400
Response Time (GTG)	0.03ms
Brightness (mfr)	250 nits full field
Row 9 – Cell 0	450 nits 25% window
Row 10 – Cell 0	1,000 3% window
Contrast	Unmeasurable
Speakers	None
Video Inputs	1x DisplayPort 1.4
Row 14 – Cell 0	2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C
Audio	3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.2	1x up, 3x down
Power Consumption	39w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base	24 x 15.5-20 x 8.6 inches (610 x 394-508 x 218mm)
Panel Thickness	2.8 inches (71mm)
Bezel Width	Top: 0.31 inch (8mm)
Row 21 – Cell 0	Sides: 0.43 inch (11mm)
Row 22 – Cell 0	Bottom: 0.55 inch (14mm)
Weight	16.4 pounds (7.44kg)
Warranty	3 years

If you want maximum color in any display, Quantum Dots should be on your checklist. This technology increases the coverage of OLED panels to around 110% of DCI-P3. The XG27ACDNG is the first example I’ve measured at over 111%. That color is also incredibly accurate. Asus calibrates each one before shipping and includes a data sheet in the box. My review sample measured so well that I could make no improvement. It nailed every number for gamma, color temp, and gamut. And it delivered this goodness in both SDR and HDR modes.

The XG27ACDNG supports HDR10 and has a VESA DisplayHDR 400 TrueBlack certification. With the Uniform Brightness feature turned off, I saw around 260 nits for a full white field pattern, 427 for a 25% window, and in HDR mode, a 3% window just cracked 1,000 nits. Coupled with the perfect black levels that OLEDs are known for, this means superlative contrast and an image depth unmatched by any other technology.

If you’ve read my past OLED reviews, you know that they are the best choice for high-performance gaming. The XG27ACDNG rises above the 240 Hz rank and file with a 360 Hz refresh rate and perfect video processing. Moving objects are just as crystal clear as static ones, and input lag is perceptually non-existent. Additional options include ELMB up to 180 Hz (instead of Adaptive-Sync) and OLED Anti-Flicker, which addresses the occasional stuttering one sees when using a variable refresh rate. It will also accept signals up to 3840×2160 pixels at 120 Hz.

The XG27ACDNG delivers all the visual appeal of an ROG display with futuristic styling and solid build quality. The back features LED lighting, and the front features a glowing logo to guide your hand to the OSD joystick and control keys. Asus also offers a Display Widget app that puts the OSD on the Windows desktop. You also get a rugged stand with a threaded mount at the top for mics and webcams. USB ports and a KVM function support peripherals.

The XG27ACDNG has everything you need to dominate your game world with a current street price of around $700. It doesn’t cut corners in any area and once you see the test results, you’ll want one.

Assembly and Accessories

I’ve seen a few Asus monitors packed in recyclable pulp, but the XG27ACDNG came in traditional crumbly foam. The panel snaps onto a two-part stand that assembles with a captive bolt. The accessory bundle comes in a nice, zippered bag and you get a slick VESA mount adapter for use with aftermarket arms. Cables include IEC power, two USBs, DisplayPort and HDMI. You also get a cleaning cloth and a sheet of ROG stickers to adorn your gaming PC.

Product 360

Image 1 of 5

The XG27ACDNG puts most of its styling cues around the back. Up front, it’s all business. There’s a thin flush bezel and the bottom trim is quite narrow as well. A glowing ROG logo adorns a small protrusion in the center, which has an OSD joystick and two control keys behind it. The screen has a glossy outer layer, which isn’t too bad at rejecting reflection, but avoiding sunny windows is always a good idea with any OLED.

You can see a large ROG logo in the back made of dots and backlit. The LEDs can be controlled from the OSD and light up in any color with a selection of breathing, flashing or static effects. Smaller ROG graphics are on the beefy stand which has a small cable hole at the bottom. There’s 5/20 degrees tilt and 45-degree swivel along with 120mm of height adjustment and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movements are smooth and firm, with no play or wobble. At the top is a quarter-inch threaded socket for things like mics and webcams. The XG27ACDNG is a premium build in every way.

Other interesting bits include a phone slot in the base. It’s large enough to accommodate all but the biggest phones and hold them solidly. Just under the input panel are molded-in graphics to indicate different functions along with the mantra “For Those Who Dare.” You should dare to buy an XG27ACDNG because it’s awesome. Video inputs include two HDMI 2.1 and one DisplayPort 1.4. The USB-C port mimics DP functions. There are also USB-A and B ports, one upstream and three down, which are supported by a KVM feature in the OSD. A 3.5mm jack provides headphone audio. There are no internal speakers.

OSD Features

The XG27ACDNG has a packed OSD with every conceivable image and gaming option available. Pressing the joystick brings it up, and it’s divided into nine sections.

Image 1 of 9

The fun starts with Gaming, and here you’ll find toggles for Variable Refresh Rate and ELMB. They can’t be used together and ELMB is only available at 180 Hz or below. It doesn’t include variable pulse width and it reduces brightness by around half. But it’s unnecessary because at 360 Hz with AS turned on, motion resolution is perfect. You would only consider using ELMB below 150fps.

This menu also has GamePlus which includes frame counters, aiming crosshairs with a dynamic option, sniper mode, timers and a stopwatch. The dynamic crosshair changes color on the fly to maintain contrast with the background. The picture modes are under the GameVisual heading and number nine in total. Racing is the default and best choice. It’s spot on in every metric and needs no adjustment. If you have trouble seeing in your game’s dark places, there are three shadow boost levels plus a dynamic option.

The Uniform Brightness option lives in the Image menu, with brightness and contrast and the four HDR modes. If it’s turned on, the peak white level is fixed at around 260 nits. Off, it jumps to 427 (25% window). You’ll have to change brightness to compensate, but I noticed that the XG27ACDNG retained separate values for each mode so once you’ve dialed it in, you can toggle Uniform Brightness off and on at will.

In the Color menu, you can choose between three color spaces. Wide Gamut is fine for everything but if you want sRGB, it’s here too. It is a better option than the sRGB Cal picture mode because it retains all adjustments. You also get fixed color temps with a user option and a selection of gamma presets.

OLED Care options are extensive and include compensation for logos, taskbars and graphical boundaries. You can turn on a pixel shift and run cleaning routines. It’s good to see this level of attention to detail but in my experience, there is no need for concern. I’ve been using an OLED monitor for almost a year now and it shows no signs of burn-in. It runs a cleaning routine every few days.

The XG27ACDNG has PIP and PBP options with the ability to view two video sources at once. For the LED lights in the back, Aura RGB includes five different effects and options for all colors. Aura Sync matches the light show to what’s happening on the screen.

Three of the joystick directions are programmable for quick access to often-used functions. You can also save your settings to two memories for later recall. Finally, you’ll find the KVM options in the System Setup menu where you can bind USB ports to video inputs for control of multiple systems with a single set of input devices.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG Calibration Settings

The XG27ACDNG does not require calibration in its Racing mode and I could not make any improvement when I tried. It’s that precise. The only choices one might make are brightness and color space. To set brightness, turn Uniform Brightness on, find your preferred light level, then repeat the process with UB turned off. The XG27ACDNG retains the brightness value for both scenarios, so you don’t have to readjust when switching back and forth. This is extremely handy. I’ve included commonly used output levels for both situations below.

When HDR signals are detected, the XG27ACDNG unlocks four new modes, all of which are reasonably accurate. TrueBlack is the best choice according to my measurements. If you want to tweak brightness and contrast, there’s a toggle that lets you do that.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Picture Mode	Racing
Uniform Brightness	On / Off
Brightness 200 nits	80 / 44
Brightness 120 nits	46 / 24
Brightness 100 nits	37 / 19
Brightness 80 nits	29 / 14
Brightness 50 nits	17 / 7 (min. 12 / 22 nits)
Contrast	80
Gamma	2.2
Color	6500K

Gaming and Hands-on

Though there isn’t much to setting video processing options on any OLED, it’s worth checking out the provided features, and the XG27ACDNG has a few. There’s no overdrive, but there is ELMB. It won’t work with Adaptive-Sync turned on and it maxes at 180 Hz. It has no artifacts, but brightness is reduced by half. There is no adjustment, it’s either on or off. If you have enough processing power to keep frame rates above 200fps, it’s better to stick with Adaptive-Sync. The XG27ACDNG proved compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync in my tests.

A feature unique to Asus is OLED Flicker. Or more precisely, OLED Flicker compensation. This option has medium and high settings and helps in low frame rate situations when you might see a little stutter. If you stay above 200fps, you won’t need it. I noted that switching between HDR modes or toggling on OLED Flicker switched the XG27ACDNG out of HDR mode necessitating a trip to the game’s menu to turn it back on. If you can run over 200fps consistently, stick with Adaptive-Sync and OLED Flicker off. My GeForce RTX 4090 equipped PC managed numbers consistently above 320fps with detail maxed in Doom Eternal’s Horde Mode.

Gameplay was a premium experience with perfect resolution in moving objects and panned backgrounds. There was never any smearing or breakup. Though I’ve played on a few monitors with lower input lag, the XG27ACDNG isn’t far behind the very best and to my perception, it is as quick as anything else I’ve tested. If you’re coming from a slower monitor, you’ll need to adjust your perception a bit as it is very precise. Movements start and stop exactly where you intend with no delay. It’s hard to imagine a better display for any type of game, from casual to frenetic.

Since it can accept Ultra HD signals up to 120 Hz, I tried this option in Windows and while gaming. I do not recommend using 3840×2160 for everyday tasks. Since it is not a multiple of the native 2560×1440 pixels, clarity is significantly reduced. Small text is very hard to read. Gaming at this resolution drops the frame rate to 120fps, introducing visible blur. I returned to QHD signals for the remainder of the review.

The XG27ACDNG is a superb everyday monitor for anything you can do with a PC. The image is stunning in SDR and HDR mode making it a great tool for graphics work. Photoshop images are richly detailed with perfect color. sRGB mode is just a couple of clicks away when you need it. Watching video is always awesome on an OLED. Movement is smooth with gorgeous color and contrast.

Some users might be concerned about resolution, and indeed, there are 4K OLEDs available at higher cost. But consider this: contrast is so good that the picture looks sharp even at 109ppi pixel density. You’ll have to practically press your nose on the screen to see any dot structure. High contrast always delivers higher sharpness. And QHD means faster frame rates in your favorite games, and lower cost of entry.

Takeaway: The XG27ACDNG is pretty much flawless for gaming, video and productivity. 27-inch flat panels are an ideal size for footprint, pixel density and price. QHD resolution delivers high frame rates and the super quick response OLEDs are known for. I can’t imagine anyone regretting this purchase.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor

February 15, 2025

All the Captain America movies, ranked

Table of Contents

The last 10 years have helped us all understand who Captain America is. Before then, the character was largely confined to comics, with only occasional forays onto the big screen. He may be our most patriotic hero and one of the staples of the Marvel universe, but Captain America’s history on the big screen is long and winding.

In honor of Captain America: Brave New World, we’re ranking every Captain America movie, including TV movies, and the series that first adapted the character in the 1940s. While Chris Evans will show up a bunch on this list (including in Avengers movies), he’s not the only man to wear the shield. With that in mind, here’s every Captain America movie, ranked:

We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

11. Captain America TV Movies (1979)

CAPTAIN AMERICA Clips (1979) Marvel

How far we’ve come. Two TV movies were made about Steve Rogers in 1979, and neither is worth considering. Although these movies had some impact on the course Steve ultimately took in the comics, the movies themselves weren’t widely seen at the time, and both of them featured fairly generic plotlines and were made on shoestring budgets.

Cheap movies can be great, but these movies are neither cheap nor great.

10. Captain America (1990)

“Captain America” (1990) Trailer

It would be fair to say that MGM did not pour a ton of resources into this Captain America movie, which was made cheaply in the aftermath of Batman‘s enormous success.

Starring Matt Salinger in the titular role, Captain America follows the titular hero as he’s thawed out of ice and must save the president of the United States from the Red Skull. Cheap, mindless, and uninteresting, the movie has been forgotten because it deserves to be.

You can buy Captain America on Amazon.

9. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Unless you were the one person looking for a sequel to both The Incredible Hulk and Eternals, Brave New World probably isn’t the Captain America movie you were looking for.

Sam Wilson’s first outing as the character on the big screen was less successful than many had hoped, and that’s true even though Harrison Ford is giving it his best as Thunderbolt Ross. The movie has no sense of propulsion, and it feels like just the latest piece of evidence that the MCU in general is almost completely rudderless.

You can watch Captain America: Brave New World in theaters.

8. Captain America Serial (1944)

CAPTAIN AMERICA SERIAL Chapter 1 | 720p SUPERHERO movie | CLASSIC MOVIES | Marvel Comics character

Serials are fascinating because they were so transparently produced in a different era. These serials are only loosely based on the comics and follow a district attorney whose alter ego is Captain America as he takes on a museum curator who assumes the mantle of the Scarab.

While these serials might seem slow, they were actually hugely expensive at the time of their release. Today, they’re most interesting as an exploration of the patriotism that was a fixture of serials of all kinds in that era.

You can watch the full serial on YouTube.

7. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

The Avengers:Age of Ultron – Opening scene HD

Joss Whedon’s second Avengers film fails to hit the highs of the first. It also doesn’t have much room for Steve to be a central character. Although he is still seen commanding the troops, this Avengers is much more Tony Stark-focused than the first.

The movie also feels mostly like a retread, and Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are not the dynamite new additions that many had hoped for. Not a disaster, by any means, but not one of Cap’s best MCU ventures.

You can watch Avengers: Age of Ultron on Disney+.

6. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War – Trailer 2

Basically an Avengers movie, Civil War was thrilling at the time but loses a few points because of how little time it seems to actually have for Cap as a character. While the argument between Tony and Steve is a real one, the revelation that Bucky killed Tony’s parents ultimately drives a wedge between them.

It’s a fairly silly reveal, especially because everyone understands that Bucky was brainwashed. Even so, Civil War gets some juice out of its climactic battle between our heroes and sets the stage for their fights to come.

You can watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney+.

5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The darkest movie in the entirety of the MCU, Infinity War, is only this low on the list because Cap joins the party fairly late. His return, complete with a beard, is as triumphant a moment as you might expect, but it’s not until Endgame that he really gets to flex his leadership muscles again.

Here, he’s one part of the broader Avengers as they take on Thanos and his army in an attempt to keep him from the Infinity Stones. The movie is a super-fun watch, but it spends more of its time on characters like Thor and Doctor Strange.

You can watch Avengers: Infinity War on Disney+.

4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Trailer 2 (OFFICIAL)

The Winter Soldier isn’t quite as revelatory as you might have thought it was at the time, but it remains an impressive movie. With shades of the paranoid thrillers that were so common in the 1970s, the movie follows Cap as he discovers a conspiracy that lives deep inside the heart of the U.S. government.

Cap also must face the return of Bucky Barnes. The movie has one too many fakeout deaths, but its elevator fight is every bit as good as you remember, and it’s one of only a couple of Marvel movies that has bigger things in mind.

You can watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier on Disney+.

3. The Avengers (2012)

Marvel’s The Avengers- Trailer (OFFICIAL)

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No one thought it would work. The Avengers was the MCU’s biggest gambit, proof that you could bring a bunch of disparate superheroes together to tell one story. Thankfully, The Avengers worked mainly due to the leadership that Captain America ultimately brings to the table.

Tony Stark might be the original Avenger, but Steve Rogers is the group’s heart and soul. The Avengers succeeds because it understands exactly that and puts him at the center as a man out of time.

You can watch The Avengers on Disney+.

2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame – Official Trailer

This movie is, honestly, a miracle. Its ability to include a sprawling cast but also give both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers a proper sendoff is its defining accomplishment, and what a sendoff it turns out to be. Cap gets his girl and can undo the biggest failure of his life.

Endgame is structured in three defined acts, the first involving getting the team back together, the second involving an extended nostalgia trip, and the third an all-out brawl. And you know what? All three are excellent. An utter triumph of a movie, and probably the moment when Marvel should have called it quits.

You can watch Avengers: Endgame on Disney+.

1. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

This may sound crazy, but Chris Evans’s first outing as Steve Rogers remains his best. This movie, set almost entirely in the 1940s, remains one of Marvel’s very best films precisely because it doesn’t feel all that much like a Marvel movie.

It’s relatively light on action, focuses much of its plot on the dynamite chemistry between its two leads, and has a great roster of supporting players. Marvel was still experimenting in this early phase, and The First Avenger is probably the best result of that experimentation.

You can watch Captain America: The First Avenger on Disney+.

February 14, 2025
I put AI photos on my Hinge dating profile. They were the most liked by far

On dating apps, everyone is trying to put their best face forward. For some, that’s easy — maybe they’re genetically gifted, have a knack for taking great selfies, or have friends who are photographers. But for many, filters and editing apps have become a go-to, even if they only use them for minor touch-ups. Now, with AI photo generators rising in popularity, I’m worried we’re getting too far from reality.

At a dinner with friends last month, the conversation turned from AI to the fact that photos on dating apps don’t always match a person’s appearance. Sometimes, it’s easy to tell, as they look different in every shot. Other times, it’s much more challenging. That gave me an idea. What if I were to take an AI-generated headshot of myself and add it to my dating profile? After all, it’s me — but also not me. Would people notice or call me out for it?

The use of AI-generated photos on dating apps is not a new one, there’s an AI tool that creates photos specifically for dating apps, and people have started noticing AI-generated photos on other people’s profiles. Hinge’s parent company Match Group declined an interview about whether it’s aware of AI-generated photos being used on profiles and if it’s doing anything about it. Instead, a representative said that Tinder, which is also owned by Match Group, is working on “an AI-powered tool to help select photos for profiles,” which sounds similar to the one Bumble already uses.

To understand the appeal of using AI-generated photos in dating profiles, I decided to give it a try. And the result was soul-crushing. I, naively, never thought that the AI photo would be so popular compared to my other, real photos.

The rise of body dysmorphia

One of my favorite subreddits to peruse is r/InstagramReality. Redditors post edited or filtered photos and videos of other people — celebrities, influencers, and normal folks — they have found on social media, usually next to ones of what the person looks like in real life.

Often, the editing or filtering is comically overdone and obvious. But, sometimes, Redditors have to point out where things warp or changes have been made to show that it’s not real.

It’s scary how rampant and excessive editing is getting. The comments in the subreddit often touch on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) because, really, how else could people put some of these photos out there and think they look normal?

“It is actually a pretty common psychiatric disorder,” Evan Rieder, a board-certified psychiatrist and dermatologist in New York City, told Mashable of BDD.

About two to three percent of the population has BDD, said Rieder, and it is most likely under-diagnosed because people don’t always bring up their concerns to a mental health practitioner — and aestheticians don’t always ask why someone wants to change something. “They will basically fixate on something that is invisible or barely perceptible to the outside observer,” Rieder said. Mostly, this is the skin and hair; muscles are also significant for men.

BDD isn’t just about poor body image, either — which is often influenced by societal ideals or because of how a person has been treated. It is a serious condition that is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. At some point, an individual with BDD has performed a repetitive behavior such as mirror checking or reassurance seeking, according to the manual’s fifth and most recent edition, or a mental act such as comparing their appearance with that of others.

“In the ‘90s, the only person that was able to give filtered images was, say, the art director at Vogue magazine, and they would make everybody look perfect.

“Now you have these apps, and you can swipe away all your imperfections and give this hyper-idealized version of yourself that’s there for public consumption,” said Rieder. “People often make themselves look unrealistic or cartoony. And they think that some of these things are possible.”

How I generated my AI photos

You may have already heard about Remini, an app that was popular earlier this year when its AI-generated photos of people’s potential future children started popping up on Instagram and TikTok. People have been using it this past week to generate ’90s-style yearbook photos, as the EPIK app that originated the trend has sometimes been overloaded.

Mashable After Dark

I decided to use Remini for my experiment rather than an app like Lensa, as the AI photos it produces look more realistic (albeit edited). It also has a ton of options for different backgrounds and clothes. To start, I had to sign up for a 1-week free trial, pick my gender: female, male, or other, and upload at least eight photos of myself. I chose two pictures from the past few years, then took the rest over the next few days in various locations and outfits from different angles.

These are four of the photos I used to train the AI model and generate the AI headshots in Remini.
Credit: Saira Mueller

Once the photos were uploaded, I chose my first “model image” — the style the AI bases its generated pictures on — and had to wait about 17 minutes for it to work (the first time you generate after uploading photos takes longer, after that it drops down to about three minutes each time).

SEE ALSO:

Hinge reveals the top 25 successful prompts

Then, it was a case of repetition to get photos that were anatomically and physically correct — the AI is bad at things like hands and generating necklaces, sometimes completely changed my body shape and weight, and one time even put my arm through a wall — and that also didn’t alter my facial features too much. I spent an embarrassing amount of time generating these photos. Ultimately, I chose four I wanted to use on my dating profile.

The four AI-generated headshots from Remini that I picked to use on my Hinge profile.
Credit: Saira Mueller

The experiment, I decided, would be done on the dating app Hinge, as commenting on people’s photos and written prompts is at its core, and users still do so regularly. I put the images on my profile for one week each, rotating them out every Monday, alongside five of my actual, non-AI generated photos to see how they would stack up — tallying every like and comment.

The reality (pun intended) of the situation

I uploaded the first photo with the blue turtleneck at 10 p.m. Within 14 hours, I had five likes — all for that photo. Two days later, 60 percent of my likes were for that photo (the remaining 40 being split between my other five shots). By the end of that first week, the AI image had 17 likes and two comments. My non-AI photos, together, got 14 likes and two comments.

These are the five non-AI photos from my Hinge dating profile.
Credit: Saira Mueller

That trend continued for the next three weeks, with the AI photos consistently performing better than (or at least equal to) the other photos collectively. If anyone noticed something off about the AI photos (for example, my ears disappear, and the irises aren’t spherical in any of them), they didn’t comment on it.

Here are six of the comments from men on Hinge about some of my AI-generated headshots.
Credit: Saira Mueller

It was, frankly, off-putting to see these generic photos outperform the ones that show the real me — that show my personality, my interests, and my life. Yes, my written prompts got a healthy dose of likes and comments throughout those weeks. Still, it’s hard to remove the physical aspect of a dating profile from that equation — even on an app that foregoes swiping.

The reason the AI photos were likely so well received was summed up perfectly by ChatGPT.

I asked ChatGPT what the four AI-generated headshots have in common. This was its answer.
Credit: Saira Mueller

When I asked it to point out the two AI-generated images out of four photos from my dating profile, ChatGPT said that it can be “challenging to definitively ascertain which ones are AI-generated based purely on visual inspection” but that “some common indicators of AI-generated photos can include perfect symmetry or too-perfect features.”

The struggle between seeing perfect features all around you and looking in the mirror and only noticing all of your perceived imperfections is something I’ve dealt with since I was young. Perhaps it was because I began reading women’s magazines at 12. Maybe it’s because I was bullied endlessly around the same time due to my skin color, height, and acne, thanks to puberty. It could also be due to my Asian mother, who commented on everything from my hips to my eyebrows for as long as I can remember. Part of it is probably due to social media.

There’s nothing worse for a perfectionist with diagnosed anxiety than having a running tally of all the ways you fall short of your ideal physical self. I asked my housemate about three of the perceived issues on my list, things I’ve struggled to accept for a long time, and she said she has never noticed them — and couldn’t see the issues even at the moment when I was sitting in front of her telling her about them.

Looking at the same thing over and over has an effect on you. Rieder explained it as the Mere Exposure Effect. While repeatedly noticing your perceived imperfections in the mirror can have a negative impact, so can the social media you consume.

“The more you see something, the more you find it to be attractive,” said Rieder of the Mere Exposure Effect. “The more images I see of glass skin, the more I’m going to be desensitized to it, and the more I’m going to think it’s less strange, and the more I’m going to find it attractive.” Glass skin, for those who are unfamiliar, is a Korean beauty trend in which an individual’s skin has the appearance of glass due to how even-toned, poreless, and luminous it looks.

“Imagine this sort of information overload, showing you what you want to see or what you’re thinking about — and then you’re clicking on an image, and [social media is] showing you more and more and more of that,” Rieder said. “That can actually warp what you find to be attractive. And we see that all the time in the aesthetic fields.”

The recent shift towards magazines, brands, and shows like Naked Attraction putting natural, unedited bodies out there is a good step. And while I don’t recommend putting AI-generated photos on social media, let alone dating apps (seriously, don’t do it), I can understand why it’s an appealing concept.

It’s taken me a long time to love myself for who I am — something I’m still working on. And while I often wish we lived in a world where editing apps and filters didn’t exist, it’s our reality, and we have to be more aware of how it affects us.

Now that the AI-generated photos are off my dating profile, I get excited every time I see a notification. I know that the person who is interested likes me for who I am — no filters, no editing, and no AI.

February 14, 2025
Another robotaxi operation heads to Texas and Archer scores $300M for its defense mission

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!

Raise your hand if you’re exhausted by the firehose of information coming from every direction. Yeah, me too.

At TechCrunch, we’re focused on helping readers (that’s you!) become informed; that’s different than blasting information your way. Instead, we work to answer the “Why should I care?” question and provide important context.

Take the Department of Transportation’s decision to pause funding for a $5 billion EV charging infrastructure program. As senior reporter Sean O’Kane notes in his coverage, this is more than just the latest attempt from the Trump administration to hack away at federally funded renewable energy projects around the country, which has been a stated priority of the president.

It also illustrates the growing conflict between Elon Musk’s politics and his car company’s goal of advancing the transition to sustainable energy. Tesla, which Musk runs and is the largest shareholder of, received $31 million in funding from the program.

In other how-we-are-keeping-you-informed actions, we also monitor certain topics of interest and provide updates when warranted. Reporter Rebecca Bellan has been keeping track of Tesla’s Dojo program, updating it on the regular. Check it out.

A little bird

Image Credits:Bryce Durbin

A little bird reached out to me recently to share this nugget, which was confirmed via a LinkedIn post. Brian Lerner, a former Apple software engineer who spent the past four years at Built Robotics, was hired as director of factory software at Ford.

Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com, Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com, or Rebecca Bellan at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop.

Deals!

Image Credits:Bryce Durbin

Dual-use technology — meaning it can be used by civilians and military — attracted quite a bit of investment in 2023 and 2024. This year is shaping up to be even bigger as founders take advantage of President Donald Trump’s platform.

Archer Aviation, the developer of electric vertical and take-off vehicles, is the latest company to tweak its mission in order to capture those sweet, sweet dual-use dollars.

Archer Aviation, which went public in September 2021 via a special purpose acquisition merger, raised $300 million from institutional investors, including BlackRock and Wellington. The funds will mainly be used to accelerate the work Archer is doing with Anduril to build a hybrid craft (VTOL).

The raise brings Archer’s total funding to around $3.36 billion. And as reporter Rebecca Bellan noted, this fresh capital comes off the back of a $430 million round in December to fund its new Archer Defense program.

Reminder: It wasn’t too long ago that Archer’s go-to-market strategy was an air taxi network across several cities in the U.S. and abroad.

Other deals that got my attention …

Auto Hauler Exchange, the Michigan startup that developed a digital marketplace for vehicle transportation, raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by MHS Capital. Golden Ventures, which led Auto Hauler Exchange’s seed round, also invested in the Series A round.

Endera, an electric bus manufacturer in Ohio, raised $49 million in equity and debt. The round included a $36 million equity investment led by Magnetar. Pulse Fund also participated. The total also included a $13 million credit facility.

GreenSpark Software, a New York City-based startup building software for the metal recycling industry, disclosed last month it raised $9.4 million from investors Zero Infinity Partners, Third Prime, Bienville Capital, and several unnamed strategic investors. We now know that BMW i Ventures is one of them.

Innoviz, the lidar company, raised $40 million from institutional investors at a share price of $1.39 — a discount that caused its stock price to fall steeply. As of Wednesday, the company’s stock had fallen 37% since its Friday closing price of $1.59.

JLR is expanding its U.S. technology hub in Portland with a $180 million investment that will be spread out over the next decade. The hub is developing the next generation of connected cars and what it described as “autonomous driving technologies” in future JLR vehicles. History lesson: JLR opened its tech hub in 2014 and expanded the facility in 2016, 2017, and 2024.

Revel, the electric shared moped-turned-EV-charging-infrastructure startup, secured a $60 million loan from New York’s clean energy investment fund NY Green Bank to more than triple its current public fast-charging network in New York City.

Self Inspection, a startup based in San Diego that has developed an AI-powered vehicle inspection service, raised $3 million in a seed round co-led by Costanoa Ventures and DVx Ventures, the firm run by former Tesla president Jon McNeill. Joining the round was Westlake Financial, which handles more than 1 million vehicle transactions annually.

Notable reads and other tidbits

Image Credits:Bryce Durbin

ADAS

BYD unveiled “God’s Eye,” an advanced driver-assistance system that will be installed on its entire model lineup, including its $9,600 Seagull hatchback.

Tesla won a defamation lawsuit against Zhang Yazhou, who in February 2021 was a passenger in a Tesla Model 3 car that allegedly crashed due to faulty brakes, resulting in a four-day hospital stay for both her parents. Tesla has finally released telemetry data from her car, which apparently showed that the brakes had functioned as intended.

Autonomous vehicles

Aurora Innovation is still on track to commercially deploy its autonomous trucks beginning in April 2025, according to its Q4 shareholder letter. Aurora was supposed to launch at the end of 2024 but pushed back the timeline to validate its self-driving technology.

Lyft plans to bring fully autonomous robotaxis, powered by Mobileye, to its app “as soon as 2026” in Dallas, with more markets to follow. Lyft isn’t spilling details about which carmaker it will partner with; we do know that Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate with experience managing fleets, will own and finance the Mobileye-equipped vehicles that will show up on the Lyft app.

The Lyft-Mobileye deal got me thinking about Texas. It wasn’t that long ago that California and Arizona were the main hotbeds of robotaxi activity. But Texas is quickly becoming a hub, not just of testing, but also of commercial operations. Austin is one Texas AV hot spot: Tesla is planning to launch its driverless ride-hail service in the city this coming June, and Waymo and Uber are set to launch a service soon. Avride has also set up shop in Austin. Meanwhile, self-driving truck companies Aurora and Kodiak Robotics also have a footprint in Texas. This TechCrunch article from 2023 posed a question that we may finally answer in 2025.

May Mobility launched its first fully driverless commercial service in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. May has a different operations strategy than Waymo or Zoox. This isn’t a free-wheeling service that goes anywhere. Instead, it has (for now) eight pre-determined stops.

Waymo continues to expand its robotaxi service areas, this time in Los Angeles. The company has added 10 square miles to include Westchester and parts of Inglewood and Crenshaw, giving customers access to popular destinations like SoFi Stadium and HHLA Entertainment.

Electric vehicles, charging, & batteries

Mercedes-Benz is taking its EV charging network to Canada, starting with Vancouver this year and then to stations in metro Toronto in 2026. The German automaker has 300 charging stalls in operation and under construction in 11 U.S. states. In total, more than 2,500 charging stalls will be deployed between Canada and the U.S.

Rivian will sell its commercial electric vans to any U.S. business that wants one — more than a year since ending an exclusivity deal with backer Amazon.

People

Jonathan Morrison, an Apple executive, has been picked to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Morrison was chief counsel for NHTSA during Trump’s first term. He was previously president of Auto Advisory Services and director of legal and regulatory affairs at the California New Car Dealers Association.

Ride-hailing and gig economy

Earnings season is here, and the two top ride-hailing companies, Lyft and Uber, have reported their fourth-quarter and full-year earnings. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Lyft reported record growth and its first full-year GAAP profitability for 2024 with a net income of $22.8 million, compared to a net loss of $340.3 million in 2023. That’s good news, but investors paid more attention to the company’s lower-than-expected guidance for gross bookings in the first quarter.

Lyft says Q1 is just a slower season, but the company also anticipates bookings to be negatively affected by the loss of its partnership with Delta, which Uber has snagged. Another interesting tidbit: Lyft’s board authorized $500 million in share buybacks, the company’s first time doing such a program.

Meanwhile, Uber beat revenue expectations in the fourth quarter, growing its revenue 20% to $11.96 billion. Its adjusted EBITDA was $1.84 billion for Q4 and $6.84 billion for the full year. Still, shares fell after the company reported that it missed analyst expectations on EPS and offered soft guidance.

The company expects gross bookings to hit between $42 billion and $43.5 billion in Q1, which would be less than the $44.2 billion Uber recorded in Q4 2024. Uber CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah cited currency headwinds and impact from the recent Los Angeles fires and “extreme weather in January.”

This week’s wheels

This newsletter is getting long, so no this week’s wheels! Stay tuned for new vehicles in the coming months.

What is “This week’s wheels”? It’s a chance to learn about the different transportation products we’re testing, whether it’s an electric or hybrid car, an e-bike, or even a ride in an autonomous vehicle.

February 14, 2025
Some whacky and wonderful desk toys you should 3D print at home

A desk isn’t just for work, you know. It can also be a space for creativity, relaxation, and a little bit of fun. Whether you need a mental break, a fidget-friendly gadget, or a small game to challenge yourself or coworkers, 3D printing offers a wide range of options. With just a spool of filament and some time, you can create interactive toys and games that bring personality to your workspace.

From simple fidget devices to complex puzzles, these 3D-printed designs provide entertainment and stress relief while remaining compact and functional. Whether you’re printing for yourself or looking for a unique desk addition, these projects are fun, engaging, and highly customizable.

Related

You can now build your own 3D printer for less with this amazing open-source project

Never be stuck looking for a specific part again.

9

Fidget toys, traditional and innovative

From traditional fidget spinners to articulated fidget toys

3D printing offers endless possibilities for creating tactile, visually interesting, and customizable fidget toys. From articulated designs with hinges to compact cubes with interactive elements, these prints cater to diverse preferences. The versatility of 3D printing allows for experimentation with shapes, materials, and configurations to craft perfect desk toys or stress relievers.

Articulated fidget toys often feature segmented, flexible designs that bend and twist without assembly. Integrated hinges provide fluid movement, offering a unique sensory experience. Some models incorporate magnets or snap-together parts for added interaction. Many designs are optimized for printing without supports, making them relatively simple to produce.

Traditional fidget cubes and spinners also engage the senses with buttons, sliders, dials, and textured surfaces. Spinners remain popular, especially when customized with arms, weights, and geometric patterns. While not universally appealing, they deliver a satisfying motion.

3D printing allows for the personalization of these toys. Different filaments enhance comfort or durability, and designers can refine model details for specific feels or functions.

8

Mini catapult or trebuchet

Small-scale siege weapons for harmless fun

Source: The Gooser/MakerWorld

A 3D-printed catapult or trebuchet adds a playful, hands-on engineering challenge to your desk. These small-scale siege weapons use rubber bands, springs, or counterweights to launch tiny projectiles, such as paper balls or beads. Simple models require just a few pieces and are easy to assemble, while more complex versions allow fine-tuned adjustments.

Beyond their entertainment value, these prints provide insight into introductory physics and mechanics. Adjustable firing angles, tension-based launching mechanisms, and different arm lengths allow for experimentation with trajectory and force, making them an excellent project for those who enjoy tinkering and optimizing performance.

For added fun, you can print multiple catapults and stage mini-battles with coworkers. Some designs even include stacking targets or small obstacles to create a competitive challenge. Just be sure to use soft projectiles and keep workplace warfare friendly.

7

Puzzle cubes and brain teasers

Engaging challenges for quick mental breaks

Puzzle cubes and brain teasers provide an excellent way to take a short mental break while still keeping your mind active. Many 3D-printable puzzles consist of interlocking pieces that must be twisted, slid, or arranged in a specific way to complete the design. Some are as simple as fitting basic shapes together, while others are complex mechanical challenges.

One popular choice is the gear cube, which rotates in unexpected ways and requires logical thinking to solve. Another interesting design is the dovetail puzzle, where pieces slide together in a seemingly impossible way. Multi-layered maze cubes also add extra difficulty, requiring the solver to navigate a ball through hidden pathways.

These puzzles are great for stress relief, encouraging focus while providing a sense of accomplishment. Many designs can be resized to fit different skill levels, making them a versatile addition to any desk. Whether you prefer quick, easy puzzles or intricate, brain-teasing designs, 3D printing offers plenty of options to challenge yourself.

6

Mini pinball machine

A tiny arcade game for quick fun

Source: Bea Res/MakerWorld

A 3D-printed pinball machine brings classic arcade excitement to your desk in a compact form. These miniature versions of classic pinball machines use spring-loaded launchers and flippers to keep the ball in play, providing a fun and engaging challenge. Many models incorporate bumpers, ramps, and obstacles for added variety.

Some designs allow modular customization, allowing you to swap out different playfield components to change the difficulty level. Advanced models may even include digital score tracking or motorized parts for a more interactive experience. While simpler versions require only a few printed pieces, complex models offer an exciting building project for those who enjoy mechanical design.

Mini pinball machines make for great solo entertainment or friendly competitions with coworkers. The small size makes them easy to store when not in use, and the ability to customize the game board ensures long-term replay value. Pinball enthusiasts will appreciate this miniature game, whether you print a basic version or a fully featured tabletop arcade.

5

Desktop marble run

A customizable kinetic sculpture

Source: 松先生/MakerWorld

A 3D-printed marble run adds movement and creativity to any desk. Many designs feature modular tracks that allow you to rearrange and expand the layout, creating different pathways for marbles to travel. Some versions include loops, spirals, or jumps, making each run more visually interesting. More advanced models even incorporate automatic lifts or motorized elements to keep the marbles in continuous motion.

Beyond being a fun distraction, a marble run can be a relaxing way to take a mental break. Watching marbles roll through twists and turns provides a soothing, almost hypnotic effect. Whether you prefer a simple ramp-style run or a complex, multi-layered design, 3D printing lets you create a unique desk toy that keeps things moving.

4

Mini chess or checkers set

A classic game in a compact size

A 3D-printed chess or checkers set is a great addition to the desk for those who enjoy strategy games. Many designs feature compact boards with magnetic or snap-in pieces, ensuring the game stays intact even in a cluttered workspace. Some sets fold or stack neatly, making them easy to store when not in use. With a variety of piece styles available, you can choose a traditional look or something more modern.

Having a small chess or checkers set on your desk encourages quick mental breaks or friendly matches with coworkers. It also serves as a conversation piece, drawing in fellow game enthusiasts. Printing your own set allows for complete customization, from board size to unique piece designs, making it both a functional and personal touch to your workspace.

3

Ball and maze puzzle

A handheld challenge that tests patience and skill

Source: Rocketlab Design/MakerWorld

Ball-in-a-maze puzzles are a simple yet addictive desk toy that challenges hand-eye coordination and patience. The goal is to navigate a small ball through a maze by tilting and rotating the puzzle. Some designs are flat, while others feature multi-layered or shifting pathways that increase the difficulty level. My personal favorite is this throwback to the classic Pac-Man arcade game.

These puzzles make for a great mental reset, offering a quick challenge without requiring too much time. Many designs can be printed in different sizes, from pocket-friendly versions to larger, more intricate mazes. Whether used as a fidget toy or a skill-building challenge, they provide a satisfying and engaging break from work.

2

Spring-loaded snapping toys

Interactive designs with satisfying motion

Source: HL3dDesign/MakerWorld

Spring-loaded toys provide a fun and interactive way to relieve stress at your desk. Many 3D-printed designs use simple mechanical principles to create objects that snap, pop, or jump when pressed. A typical example is a frog or insect that jumps into the air when you push down on its base. Some models include clicking or snapping parts that create a satisfying tactile response.

These toys are great for quick distractions during a long work session, providing a bit of amusement with every press. Since they rely on printed springs or flexible joints, they don’t require additional components, making them easy to print and assemble. Whether you want a simple jumping toy or a more intricate mechanical design, these prints add a playful element to your workspace.

1

Perpetual motion desk sculpture

A hypnotic gadget that keeps moving

Source: lilfish06/MakerWorld

A 3D-printed perpetual motion toy adds an element of relaxation and curiosity to your desk. While true perpetual motion isn’t possible, clever designs use magnets, bearings, or counterweights to create the illusion of continuous movement. Popular designs include rolling pendulums, spinning rings, and balancing sculptures that move with just a slight push.

These toys serve as entertainment and decoration, offering a soothing, almost hypnotic effect. Many designs can be printed in multiple parts and assembled with minimal effort. Whether you prefer a minimalist sculpture or a more complex kinetic design, a perpetual motion toy can add a touch of engineering and artistry to your workspace.

Bring creativity and fun to your workspace

A few well-chosen desk toys and games can significantly impact your daily routine. Whether you’re looking for stress relief, a mental challenge, or just something fun to pass the time, 3D printing allows you to create highly customized, interactive objects. With so many creative options available, adding a bit of playfulness to your workspace has never been easier.

February 14, 2025
Alien: Rogue Incursion Meta Quest 3 review: Brilliant gameplay marred by one big problem

Alien: Rogue Incursion is one of the finest examples of how to cleverly adapt a famous movie IP into a VR game — that is if you can get past the poor performance and even worse visual quality. It’s the latest Meta Quest 3 game from veteran VR developer Survios, known best for the Creed series of VR and non-VR games, plus a handful of VR classics like Raw Data and Sprint Vector.

AC thVRsday

In his weekly column, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich delves into all things VR, from new hardware to new games, upcoming technologies, and so much more.

While the game was released on PC VR and the PSVR 2 on December 19, 2024, the Meta Quest 3 version was delayed two months, almost certainly to remake most of the game’s visual assets to fit better on Quest. Aside from lower-quality assets when compared to the PlayStation or PC releases, Survios also tweaked the lighting in many areas to work better for the Quest 3’s screens and power.

It’s not these changes that are so offensive, though. Rather, it’s the resolution and downright sub-par performance. It’s the lowest-resolution game I can recall ever seeing on Quest 3, and the game still chugs when moving between areas. Developer Survios says a patch is coming as early as next week (at the time this is written) to address these issues, but until then, gamers will have to deal with them.

But if you can get past the poor visuals, you’ll be treated to one of the better action-horror games on the Meta Quest platform. That’s especially true if you enjoy the Alien movies and the sci-fi universe within them. Alien: Rogue Incursion is Part 1 of at least a 2-part game series, although Part 2 doesn’t have a definitive release date just yet.

Brilliant gameplay, hazy corridors

(Image credit: Survios)

The on-body inventory system is among the very best I’ve used in any VR game.

From the moment the game began, I knew I was in for something special as far as gameplay goes. The intro is simple enough but also introduces a great way to get the player used to the game’s mechanics without feeling obtuse. Alien: Rogue Incursion uses a combination of shooting, puzzle-solving, and key card-hunting gameplay mechanics to excellent effect.

The on-body inventory system is among the very best I’ve used in any VR game. Two large guns can fit on your back — shotgun over your left shoulder, assault rifle over the right — a pistol on your right hip, ammo on your left hip. Grabbing the ammo always presents the right kind for the gun you’re carrying, assuming you have enough ammo in your inventory.

On the left arm, you’ll find healing syringes on the forearm and grenades attached to the shoulder. The right shoulder holds the motion tracker, which is always active, giving you forewarning of anything moving in the shadows. Picking it up will let you scan the surroundings and get a rough idea of the direction Xenomorphs are coming from, but not much else. It helps get rid of cheap jump scares and allows you to prepare for battle rather than being surprised all the time.

A Xenomorph interrupts my Alien: Rogue Incursion weapons and tools tour on Meta Quest 3 – YouTube

Watch On

Problems from the initial release in December have all been addressed, including better enemy difficulty and spawn rates and weapon handling bugs squashed.

The initial launch was met with plenty of criticism, from ridiculous spawn rates of Xenomorphs — which made it feel more like an arcade game than an action-horror one — to bugs with guns and a distinct lack of ammo to be found. All of these issues have been addressed in the Meta Quest 3 launch and the subsequent patch has also been issued to the PC and PS5 versions.

Now, the balance feels nearly perfect. Aliens take 2-3 direct hits from a shotgun to dispatch — a weapon you don’t even have for the first hour or two of the game — roughly 30 bullets from the assault rifle or a few rounds from your pistol. Meanwhile, two shots from a Xenomorph will be the end of you, so you’ll need to be strategic about every encounter you get in. Most Xenomorphs travel in packs, and you’ll do your best to remember that.

Gun handling is superb, although I don’t like the sound of the assault rifle. It sounds tinny and hollow compared to the punchier sounds from the pistol and shotgun. Placing a sticky grenade as a trap for oncoming Xenomorphs never seems to get old, although the physics of Xenomoph deaths tend to be more comical than realistic. Maybe comic relief is needed to keep the tension down.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Tools and weapons have a very satisfying tactile feel. Survios has been honing these kinds of interactive systems for a decade now, and it shows.

Throughout the game, you’ll make your way across a research base on a remote planet to unravel the events that occurred. Everyone at the station has either fled or is dead, and it’s not long until you figure out why. Since you’re the only living human there, getting around through locked-down, high-security areas requires a bit of work. Thankfully, your faithful Synthetic — maybe we should call him an Android in keeping with our site? — is there to assist.

Aside from combat assistance early in the game, he’ll also help guide you across the station to get from one objective to the next and hack terminals through your PDA, which handily docks into computers — so long as they have power. If you boil it down, you’re essentially playing a more complicated Doom as you look for colored key cards to access different parts of the station.

But it’s not all badge scanning or computer hacking. Many puzzles require you to rewire electrical panels with special tools, un-weld sealed doors, or just blast through with your assault rifle’s special rounds. They’re extremely satisfying, and traversal through the large station and ship is made even better by the excellent map on your interactive PDA.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Puzzles, environment interaction, and weapon handling are among some of the game’s strong suits.

Environment and tool interaction is another strong point of the game. The PDA is a touchscreen device that you’ll need to physically grab and interact with as if it were a modern-day tablet. Hold it with one hand and touch the display with your fingers on the other. It feels authentic, and interacting with the many computer terminals throughout the game might be even more fun since you’ll grab the joystick and use it to move a mouse cursor around the screen.

Tools all have a very satisfying tactile feel. From the pop of the torch on the welding tool to the clamp of the wrench during rewiring puzzles, every interaction feels like a veteran VR studio made it — because it did, of course. Survios has been honing these kinds of interactive systems for a decade now, and it shows.

Even the story is compelling and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I’m not the biggest Alien fan in the world, but I’ve seen a few of the movies and love the lore and character designs — especially the Xenomorphs. A twist about 2 hours in really shakes things up for the rest of the game, leaving me to wonder what’s going to happen in Part 2 when it eventually releases.

A visual downgrade

Alien: Rogue Incursion | Weapons & Gear Trailer – Pre-Order Now – YouTube

Watch On

Quest Games Optimizer helps fix the game’s visual problems, but that’s a third party tool most users won’t bother to try.

Of course, all of these positive feelings only go so far when the performance and visual quality of the game are as poor as they are. The game runs at 36FPS most of the time but has significant hitching when loading new areas or trying to do anything else on the Quest, like capturing a screenshot or video. If you’re sensitive to low frame rate, this is not a game you should play.

Meta’s Application Space Warp technology enables the game to run at a “reprojected” 72FPS, so it doesn’t feel like a slow-motion action scene the whole time, but this leaves some odd visual artifacts at times. This could all be forgiven if the game’s resolution were substantially higher than it was, but at least by default, it’s the lowest-resolution game I’ve ever seen on Quest, and it dynamically scales the resolution down when performance tanks.

That means you’re often left with a blurry, shimmery mess that just plain looks bad. None of these issues are surprising given PC and PSVR 2 reviews of the game that often referred to bugs, crashes, and other visual and performance problems even after the patch that was supposed to fix them.

(Image credit: Android Central)

If Survios can get the visuals fixed in an upcoming patch, it’ll have delivered on the promise of a truly stunning Alien game in VR.

Visually, the game simply doesn’t look like it should be taxing the Meta Quest 3’s hardware the way it does, and games like Genotype prove that this game should look and run a lot better than it does. Survios also changed some visual aspects of the game’s art, like adding a blue haze to the Quest version to help hide the terrible pop-in problems when the geometry is loaded.

It’s clear that whatever engine Survios is using needs to be swapped out for something else. Sure, this is a game that was developed for much higher-end hardware than a Quest, but, again, there’s nothing visually in the Quest version that looks like it should perform this poorly when compared to plenty of other games.

In the end, Alien: Rogue Incursion is a brilliant game wrapped in a distractingly bad visual package. If you’re willing to sideload Quest Games Optimizer, set the game to 120% resolution, CPU/GPU to high or ultra, and FFR to high. These settings completely fix both the resolution and performance problems at the expense of battery life, but that’s why I have a great Meta Quest 3 battery head strap, after all.

Hopefully, Survios will address these visual issues in a promised upcoming patch, because the rest of the game deserves to be surfaced in a better way than this.

The Meta Quest 3 is the best standalone VR headset you’ll find anywhere. Crystal-clear lenses and a powerful processor let you dive into games like you’ve never experienced before.

February 14, 2025
Rate Your Tablets at Home or Work to WIN

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February 13, 2025

Avowed vs. Skyrim: Both strike a chord the other can’t hit

I’m about only a dozen hours into Avowed, but the comparisons to Skyrim are inevitable. Yes, I am aware that the developer, Obsidian Entertainment, is smashing the “it’s not Skyrim” button, but it is what it is. Avowed and Skyrim are kindred spirits.

And while it’s not fair to compare games with a 14-year gap when we’re talking about technology and gameplay enhancements, everything else is fair game. That’s the journey I want to take you on; if you love Skyrim as I do, Avowed may strike a chord with you as the developers play a similar tune using different notes.

Now, if you do want a by-the-numbers breakdown, I’ve got you covered there, too; see the performance section at the end. I played Avowed on a desktop-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, an HP Omen 16 with a laptop-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and an Xbox Series X. I break down how it performed on each, along with my anecdotal notes on the experience.

However, I want to lead off with all the notes Avowed hits that I didn’t experience in Skyrim and its siblings.

I eat up lore like an eldritch being

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

The lore in Avowed and Skyrim is encyclopedic. Both mythologies are built upon the backs of their predecessors, Avowed with Pillars of Eternity and Skyrim with The Elder Scrolls. I’ve played Pillars and its sequel, as well as Skyrim’s predecessor, Oblivion. With all of those titles under my belt, I can say I am infinitely more invested in the Pillars universe.

This comes down to their cosmology and pantheon. In the Pillars of Eternity games, you are so heavily involved with the gods that you reshape the laws of that universe. In Oblivion and Skyrim, you don’t interact with the gods and cosmology on that scale. That’s not to discredit those games; they’re great, but the stories were more grounded to the settings in which they took place.

With Pillars of Eternity, the gods weren’t a sidequest or a short page on a shelf in the College of Winterhold. They were in your face, threatening to roll credits if you made the wrong choice (literally, Rymrgand can grind your soul to dust if you dare him to). The mythology of the world was hammered into my brain because the decisions I made impacted the state of the universe. It also helps that you play the same character across Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

Likely one of the biggest reasons why Avowed takes place before the Pillars games is because the endings of Pillars II are so drastically world-changing that the context would be lost on newcomers. Meanwhile, The Elder Scrolls is a detached series of games that don’t serve that same impact.

The gods have plenty of influence in Avowed as well. You play a godlike, which is a humanoid that was blessed by a god before birth. There are a lot of interesting social and spiritual aspects to that, but the mystery of whose god you belong to is prevalent in this narrative. Not to mention that you’re a colonizer flying a banner for Woedica (goddess of justice) in a land with a diverse collection of worships, like Ondra (goddess of the sea), Hylea (goddess of the sky), and Galawain (god of the hunt). Top that off with the deific being that’s in sparse communication with you during your time in the Living Lands.

For those who have played Pillars of Eternity, and even those who haven’t, the mystery of our character’s god is compelling. I’m already playing the guessing game with the gods I do know.

I just want to kiss Kai, okay?

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

Pillars of Eternity offered the most fascinating cast of companions I’ve spent time with in an RPG. Edér? Adorable. Aloth? Heartbreaking. Xoti? Romanced.

Skyrim presented… followers… who — honestly, I cannot remember a single person. They were unimportant and didn’t have a serious impact upon the narrative.

Avowed easily fills this void. Again, I’m not far, so I’m dragging only Kai around with me (the first companion you meet). But he became instantly memorable in our first conversation. And that definitely has nothing to do with him sharing the voice of Mass Effect’s Garrus (Brandon Keener). And nothing to do with me wanting to kiss him. (Listen, I’m just saying, Obsidian dropped the ball on the lack of romance in this — let me kiss my friends.)

Romance tangent aside, in Avowed, you won’t warm that campfire alone at night. You have your companions to talk to about your journey — past, present, and future. And learning about them gives you insight into the world as well as their colorful personalities. I’m excited to meet the rest of them, but Kai alone fills a gap that all of Skyrim couldn’t offer.

If I don’t 100% an area, I will cry

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

Scale is one of the primary reasons that the developers say you shouldn’t compare Avowed and Skyrim. Skyrim is an open-world game, while Avowed is an open-zone game, similar to The Outer Worlds. So you won’t get to bounce across The Living Lands at your discretion.

Some people may be disappointed with that, and I was to an extent, but I’m actually happy now that I’m playing it. Listen, I’m pushing 30, and I have a two-year-old at home; I don’t have time to explore a massive open-world RPG. But outside of my dwindling free time, Avowed features neat open zones accompanied by a completionist list beside the map. It is beyond satisfying to know that I’ve cleared all the important tasks in an area.

I cannot fathom completing something like that in Skyrim. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Elder Scrolls vibe, especially its open world, but I could never explore it all in one playthrough.

For better or worse, the one thing that Avowed doesn’t support is a criminal system. You can’t attack or steal from NPCs. I never play evil characters in RPGs anyway… except I do steal a lot. Hey, I’m not spending thousands of copper skeyts for just one Fine Arquebus. Since I can’t steal, I’ll just craft it, I guess. Overall, I’m fine with this, but I do feel like it eliminates the presence and impact on the world that you’d typically see in an RPG. You can murder anyone you want in The Outer Worlds, so it’s interesting that Obsidian Entertainment didn’t go that route for Avowed. (Well, we do come in as a colonizer, and you can argue that’s as evil as it gets.)

An appreciation, not a competition

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

Again, I love both Avowed and Skyrim, and they’re not intended to be compared to one another. One gives you something that the other cannot provide. If you want a colorful cast of companions, go to Avowed, and if you want an expansive open world with guilds and cities, go to Skyrim.

Having played the Pillars of Eternity series, I expected companions would be back, and having played The Outer Worlds, I knew the world would be similar in scope. However, I didn’t really consider the impact of knowing the lore. Avowed is so much more enjoyable as someone who understands how the pantheon and cosmology function in this universe.

Yes, play Avowed. But hot damn, play Pillars of Eternity. Where can you play it? Well, lucky for you, the Pillars series is available on Xbox Game Pass, just like Avowed. Let me warn you that those games are inspired by pausable real-time games like the original Baldur’s Gate. If that’s not your thing (it wasn’t mine), you can turn the difficulty down to Story Time and breeze through the narrative (trust me, that alone will keep you around).

But before you jump into Avowed next, consider where you should play it. Let’s jump into the performance before you decide.

How Avowed runs on PC (desktop / laptop) and Xbox Series X

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

This was a weird experience all around. But before I get into the anecdotal experience, take a look at the numbers. For context, everything below (outside of “Preferred”) has been tested with Ray Tracing enabled and Nvidia DLSS disabled (you’d get higher frame rates when those options are reversed).

Click to view chart data in table format

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Header Cell – Column 0	RTX 4070 (Laptop)	RTX 3080 (Desktop)	Xbox Series X
Low, 1080p	57 fps	65 fps	N/A
Medium, 1080p	54 fps	52 fps	N/A
High, 1080p	52 fps	50 fps	N/A
Epic, 1080p	55 fps	37 fps	N/A
Epic, 4K	N/A	36 fps	N/A
Preferred settings (see below)	56 fps	46 fps	N/A
Performance	N/A	N/A	Rated for 60 fps
Balanced	N/A	N/A	Rated for 40 fps
Quality	N/A	N/A	Rated for 30 fps

To test this, I spent a minute on each setting throwing myself at the frustratingly overleveled Tempestuous Luandi on their little island with their little goons. Anyway, the numbers bounced around oddly, and it was difficult to get a steady 60 frames per second on most settings.

My preferred settings, as benchmarked above, would be max resolution, ray tracing enabled, Nvidia DLSS enabled and set to Ultra Performance, and overall settings set to Epic with the exception of Shadow Quality and Global Illumination Quality, which are set to High. Those two settings netted me an extra 10 fps when I turned them down one notch.

However, the lowest settings actually felt choppier than the rest, as the frames bounced from high to low. The higher the settings, the more stable the game felt — weird, I know. This is likely something to get fixed in future updates (I hope).

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment/Rami Tabari)

Playing on a desktop and laptop yielded similar experiences. The difference is that the RTX 4070 GPU had access to frame generation. You might’ve noticed I didn’t mention it in my preferred settings, and that’s because it didn’t help at all. In fact, I noticed lower frame rates when it was in use, and that may be because the technology was pushing the GPU too hard. But I can’t say for sure.

This may be a bit defamatory as a long-time Laptop Mag reviewer, but the Xbox Series X provided the best experience when playing Avowed. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get accurate benchmarks for the Xbox Series X because my LG OLED TV kept reading the feed as 120 fps.

According to Obsidian Entertainment, however, the split is 30 fps (Quality), 40 fps (Balanced), and 60 fps (Performance). Despite that, there’s an option to unlock the framerate, which is useful for TVs that support VRR (Variable Refresh Rates). That means you could potentially get a few extra frames out of each mode.

From my experience, Quality certainly felt like a 30 fps ride. However, Balanced and Performance seemed like they were getting more frames than advertised. But even if the cap is 60 fps, the overall gameplay on Xbox Series X felt much smoother than PC.

Ignoring the performance numbers, Avowed still looked best on the Xbox Series X. That’s because I encountered two weird experiences while playing on PC. One was a weird ghosting effect on my weapons, which would happen randomly when setting to lower graphics settings (I tested each setting and could not find the direct cause). Whenever I spun left or right with my weapon, reflections of where it was would multiply on screen (aka ghosting).

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment/Rami Tabari)

Then there’s the lighting, which is part art design and part technological issue. I noticed that the lighting looked worse on my monitor and laptop display. This was prevalent when going through The Strangleroot. The game gets unreasonably dark in areas with low lighting, to the point that I noticed Kai’s eyes were blacked out because part of his face was in shadow.

Again, I didn’t notice this issue on the Xbox Series X via my LG OLED TV, or even my Pixel 6 via Remote Play. Those screens are brighter than my Alienware AW3225QF and the HP Omen 16, however. But it was tough to believe that even one of the best gaming monitors struggled to keep up with the lighting.

So I plugged the HP Omen 16 into my LG OLED TV to see if anything changed, but the darkness persisted. However, I noticed that the screen was dimmer overall. I went back to the Xbox Series X and realized that both HDR and Dolby Vision were in effect. When I disabled them, the entire game became dimmer and duller.

All of this to say, you can either play on the Xbox Series X for a smooth experience, or opt for the best gaming laptops for a potentially better experience (given you have or intend on getting a gaming laptop with an RTX 4080 or higher). No matter which you choose, I highly recommend acquiring a display with Dolby Vision and quality HDR.

February 13, 2025

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