Playing Oddworld: Soulstorm is as arduous as Abe’s quest to liberate his Mudoken brethren from slavery. Each step is a supreme test of patience as you methodically guide your followers through challenging hazards, sweating over the fact that one slip-up could unravel all your effort. If you enjoy putting up with that old-school challenge, you might love this journey. However, if you’re a newcomer or a fan that believes this style of platformer hasn’t aged very well, turn back now. Soulstorm doesn’t do enough to modernize the series’ tedious gameplay, and a litany of severe technical hiccups spoil Abe’s attempted comeback. A reimagining of Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, Soulstorm’s gameplay remains largely the same: you recruit and guide followers through 2D platforming stages littered with dangers. As charming as the classic Oddworld games are, they can be frustratingly difficult and that hasn’t changed much in Soulstorm. Most Slig enemies and other hazards mow Abe down instantly, and I was infuriated by how little wiggle room I had to correct course when things went sideways. Abe drops so fast that it makes the health meter seem like a cruel tease. While playing Soulstorm, I often felt like I was walking on eggshells because of that high price of failure, retracing every step, re-recruiting every Mudokon, and carefully guiding them through a gauntlet of foes is soul-crushing when it all falls apart in seconds. Dying to unexpected perils, like being suddenly gunned down by off-screen enemies, feels cheap and happens way too often.
A crafting system serves as Soulstorm’s biggest addition, but it doesn’t feel necessary. You must repeatedly gather the same ingredients every time you die (by searching lockers, trash cans, and fallen foes), which wore me down in a hurry after repeatedly replaying certain sections. The crafted tools themselves, like proximity mines, smoke screens, even a flamethrower, do add a welcomed element of flexibility and improvisation to gameplay. Dropping smoke screens to create hiding spots anywhere is nice, but I wished I didn’t have to make these items myself and grew tired of digging around the same spots over and over.
Even when Soulstorm’s difficulty eases up, the gameplay is bland. The action feels largely the same from previous games in the series, and that formula doesn’t evolve significantly beyond the first few hours. Even the more interesting sequences, like facing down a giant mech aboard a speeding train, are far too punishing to be fun. I’m glad that Abe controls better now (he even has a double jump), but the controls still have a mushy unresponsiveness that makes entertaining actions, like possessing Sligs, feel like a hassle. The controls also lead to additional deaths because Abe doesn’t act as swiftly as you need him to, especially during the ill-fitting, overly demanding combat arenas that pit you against waves of baddies while you try to protect fleeing Mudokens.
Soulstorm would be a tough recommendation for anyone outside of diehard fans if it performed flawlessly, but I encountered several progress-sabotaging bugs (even after installing the big day-one patch) that should scare off even those players. When I died, Mudokens sometimes failed to respawn alongside me even though my tally indicated they were still alive and under my command. That meant I lost out on turning in followers that I’d spent ages trying to safely liberate, which negatively affected my overall quarma – a vital metric in determining which of the four endings you get.
Abe occasionally gets stuck in environmental geometry, forcing a restart. At one point, I fell into an infinite loop. One escape portal permanently vanished once I reached it, forcing me to abandon followers. A gun in a late-game turret sequence failed to shoot despite working fine in previous segments. After multiple restarts, I randomly discovered that clicking the right stick “fixed” the weapon for some reason, allowing it to fire. I spent over an hour trying to lead a large group of followers through a particularly challenging area, but once I opened the exit door an invisible wall prevented me from moving forward. I was forced to restart this entire, lengthy sequence twice before the exit worked properly. Soulstorm’s gameplay pushed my patience to its limits, but these bugs sent me over the edge and made me nervous every time I started a new level. “What on Earth is going to screw me over this time?” I regularly asked myself.
Soulstorm’s faults are a shame because its narrative and presentation brought a smile to my face. Abe and his pals are goofy, delightful underdogs I couldn’t help but root for. The enjoyable story is packed with heart, and the cutscenes look great. I wanted to welcome Abe into a new generation of gaming with open arms, but Soulstorm fails to make a case for why its brand of cinematic platforming works today. In fact, Soulstorm only reaffirmed that Abe’s past adventures are best viewed with rose-colored glasses.
Disney+ May 2021 movies and TV titles revealed!Disney+ has revealed the full list of new movies and TV titles available on the streaming service this coming May 2021. This includes the debut of Lucasfilm’s newest animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the second season premiere of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Next month will also see the world premiere of Disney’s newest live-action feature Cruella starring Emma Stone as the iconic 101 Dalmatian villain. It will simultaneously debut in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access for a one-time additional fee.RELATED: Disney+ Launchpad Trailer Showcases New Live-Action Short FilmsLet us know in the comments what you are most excited to watch out of the Disney+ May 2021 new additionsAvailable May 4Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 101 – Premiere – Special DateAvailable May 7Disney Wander over Yonder (S1)Disney Wander over Yonder (S2)Everyone’s HeroFlicka 2Wild Hearts Can’t Be BrokenFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferBig Shot – Episode 104 “Great in the Living Room”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 107 “Pong Hockey”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 102Available May 14Disney Special Agent Oso (S1)Disney Special Agent Oso (S2)Disney Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps (S1)X-Men: The Last StandLife Below Zero (S15)Race to the Center of the Earth (S1)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Season Two PremiereHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 201 – “New Year’s Eve”Big Shot – Episode 105 “This is our House”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 108 “Change on the Fly”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 103Available May 21Disney Big City Greens (S2)Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (S1)Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverbeastFury Files (Interstitials)Ice Road Rescue (S5)Running Wild with Bear Grylls (S6)Inside Pixar: Unpacked – Batch PremiereUnpacked: About Time – Director: Erica MilsomHow can the passage of time be utilized as a tool for emotional storytelling? Narrator W. Kamau Bell breaks down how time can becomes its own character in Pixar films, looking at period pieces such as Brave and the tearjerking passage of time in Up.Unpacked: Everybody Loves a Villain – Director: Tony KaplanFrom Ernesto de La Cruz to Lotso to Hopper, foes of all shapes and sizes are essential to many of our favorite Pixar movies. But what makes a good villain? Narrator W. Kamau Bell digs into why we love to hate our favorite antagonists and what makes them so complicated.Unpacked: The Squint Test – Director: Tony KaplanPixar characters strive to strike a balance between realistic and caricatured. Narrator W. Kamau Bell explains how basic shapes and drawings influence the character design and story of favorite films such as Up, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles.Unpacked: Inner Drive – Director: Erica MilsomBeyond the world of Cars, vehicles of all kinds have made their mark throughout Pixar’s films. Jump in and go for a ride with narrator W. Kamau Bell as he cruises through some of his favorite Pixar planes, trains, and Incredibiles.Unpacked: No Small Roles – Director: Tony KaplanTake a deep dive into the art of crowds animation. Each of your favorite Pixar characters live in worlds populated by fellow fish, cars, toys, and humans, but creating thousands of these fully animated background characters is no easy feat. Join narrator W. Kamau Bell in understanding how Pixar adds thousands of background characters into every film.High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 202 “Typecasting”Big Shot – Episode 106 “Carlsbad Crazies”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 109 “Head Games”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 104Available May 28Bluey Shorts (S2)Disney Sydney to the Max (S3 – Episodes 1-8)Kingdom of the Polar Bears (S1)Wicked Tuna (S10 – Episode 1-7)Cruella – Premiere (with Premier Access)Launchpad – Premiere (Collection of Six Short Live-Action Films)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 203 “Valentine’s Day”Big Shot – Episode 107 “Kalm Korn”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 110 “State of Play” – Season FinaleStar Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 105
Watched at Home: Top streaming films for the week of April 10Welcome back, fellow couch potatoes, to another edition of DEG’s Watched at Home Top 20. This week was, well, more or less similar to last week. Wonder Woman 1984 took the top spot again and seems to be engaged in a never-ending “mortal kombat” with Tom Hanks’ News of the World (No. 2) and The Croods: A New Age (No. 3). Will anything unseat this dynamic trio in the coming weeks?RELATED: Carey Mulligan Joins Adam Sandler in Netflix’s Spaceman MovieElsewhere, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar made its debut at No. 10, while the Nicolas Cage dark comedy Willy’s Wonderland popped in at No. 11, giving the actor two flicks on the list if you count his voice work on Croods. There has to be some kind of an award for this achievement, right?Otherwise, several titles just rotated spots. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection moved up one spot to No. 8, while Christopher Nolan’s Tenet plummeted to No. 20. Perhaps the best part about this week is Promising Young Woman, which made it back into the top 5 for the first time in weeks — it’s a great flick if you haven’t seen it, by the way.Until next time!DEG’S Top 201. Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)2. News of the World (Universal)3. The Croods: A New Age (Universal)4. Monster Hunter (Sony Pictures)5. Promising Young Woman (Universal)6. Girl in the Basement (A+E)7. Greenland (Universal/STX)8. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection (Warner Bros.)9. Soul (Disney)10. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (Lionsgate)11. Willy’s Wonderland (Screen Media Films)12. Wrong Turn: The Foundation (Lionsgate)13. Let Him Go (Universal)14. Yellowstone S3 (Paramount)15. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Warner Bros.)16. The Ten Commandments (Paramount)17. Yellowstone S1 (Paramount)18. Shadow in the Cloud (Vertical Entertainment)19. The Vault (Lionsgate)20. Tenet (Warner Bros.)MORE: Mondo Reveals Zack Snyder’s Justice League Soundtrack Box Set!
Image Credit: NetflixResident Evil anime gets new trailer, director and composer revealedNetflix’s original computer graphic anime based on Resident Evil is nearing its release. A new trailer was released showing off the characters in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness today. Series mainstays Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield can be seen in the exciting video. The anime series will celebrate the horror gaming franchise’s 25th anniversary and will launch in July 2021.RELATED: Resident Evil Reboot Film Finally Unveils Official Title The director is Eiichiro Hasumi, who has previously helmed Japanese hits such as The Sun Does Not Move. “Being involved in a work with such a long history and so many fans gave me more joy than it did pressure,” explained Hasumi. “While this is a full CG anime, I strove to adjust the camerawork and lighting atmosphere to resemble the live-action filming I usually do to instill this work with a sense of realism. I hope that both fans of the “Resident Evil” series and non-fans alike can enjoy watching the series in one go.”Image Credit: NetflixMeanwhile, Yugo Kanno will be handling the anime’s original score. “I inherited the spirit of the many people who worked on the previous Resident Evil titles and took on the challenge of creating a new atmosphere through trial-and-error,” says Kanno. “I was keenly aware that this work would be released on Netflix, so I focused on the scale of a Hollywood film so that overseas viewers could also enjoy this. Since I received the same detailed orders as usual from Director Hasumi, I was not particularly conscious of the fact this was an animation during its production. In fact, it feels like I am only now realizing that this is an animated series.”Watch the new character trailer for Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness below:The official synopsis states, “In 2006, there were traces of improper access to secret Presidential files found in the White House’s computer network. American federal agent Leon S. Kennedy is among the group invited to the White House to investigate this incident, but when the lights suddenly go out, Leon and the SWAT team are forced to take down a horde of mysterious zombies. Meanwhile, TerraSave staff member Claire Redfield encounters a mysterious image drawn by a young boy in a country she visited, while providing support to refugees. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to be of a victim of viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. The next morning, Claire visits the White House to request the construction of a welfare facility. There, she has a chance reunion with Leon and uses the opportunity to show him the boy’s drawing. Leon seems to realize some sort of connection between the zombie outbreak at the White House and the strange drawing, but he tells Claire that there is no relation and leaves. In time, these two zombie outbreaks in distant countries lead to events that shake the nation to its very core.”
Image Credit: ABCPatti LuPone led OK Boomer show rounds out cast with Will Sasso and Tim ChiouThe HBO Max comedy pilot OK Boomer starring Broadway Icon Patti LuPone (Pose) fills out its cast with Will Sasso (United We Fall) and Tim Chiou (I Was a Simple Man). Deadline reports the pair join as series regulars along with Erinn Hayes (Bill and Ted: Face the Music) and Devere Rogers (Will and Grace), along with Zoe Manarel (An American Girl: Summer Camp) and Carter Chee.RELATED: Pose Final Season Trailer: The House of Evangelista Fights For Their LegacyIn OK Boomer, LuPone stars as Barbara in a self-centered boomer who shows up at her estranged daughter Sarah’s (Hayes) house hoping to live off the family’s money. Family hijinks ensue when she clashes with her precautious and progressive grandaughter but forms an unexpected bond with her when challenged on their differing views.Sasso will play Nick, Sarah’s (Hayes) older brother, who is recently divorced and putting his life back together while staying in Sarah’s guest house. Unlike his sister, Nick is thrilled by their mother’s return and seeks to earn her approval. Chiou will portray Trevor, Sarah’s even-tempered husband who runs a construction company. He strives to help his wife adapt to her family moving in with them and bringing along all their eccentricities. Manarel is Campbell, Sarah’s oldest, a socially conscious high school freshman who advocated for progressive causes but is also just a teen filled with self-doubt and angst. Chee plays Jacob, Sarah and Trevor’s youngest, a bright, sensitive but anxiety-ridden kid who lets fear rule his life.RELATED: Allison Janney-Led Sitcom Mom Officially Ending With Season 8The multi-cam comedy pilot comes from creator Todd Linden (Happy Endings), the late Jamie Tarses’ Fanfare and Sony Pictures TV. The pilot written by Linden is to be directed by Victor Gonzalez (Last Man Standing). Vanessa McCarthy serves as showrunner and also the project’s executive producer, along with Tarses.
Borat Supplemental Reportings trailer teases never-before-seen footageComing off from the critical success of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Amazon Prime Video has released the official trailer for the comedy sequel’s multi-part special titled Borat Supplemental Reportings. It features never-before-seen footage that was cut from Sasha Baron Cohen-led 2020 mockumentary film. The video also teases extended scenes of Borat’s time with the two conspiracy theorists and Tutar’s babysitter Jeanise Jones as well as behind-the-scenes footage of when Baron Cohen almost got in danger during a far-right rally. The special currently has no release date, but it is expected to debut sometime this year. Check out the video in the player below!RELATED: Limited Series About U.S. Capitol Insurrection in the Works at ShowtimeJason Woliner directed Borat Subsequent Moviefilm from a screenplay written by Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman, and Lee Kern. The movie was produced by Cohen, Monica Levinson, and Hines, while it was executive produced by Buddy Enright, Nicholas Hatton, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer, and Stuart Miller.Unlike the first film, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic Kazakh journalist is now joined by his fifteen-year-old daughter Tutar, who breakout star Maria Bakalova played. The sequel follows Borat as he was sent to America on a mission to redeem his nation.RELATED: Amazon Prime Show The Boys Getting a Podcast for Season 2Borat 2 was an instant hit to critics and viewers and was streamed by millions of Amazon Prime subscribers during its opening weekend. It recently won two major Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy Film for Baron Cohen’s performance. The sequel is currently nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay and Maria Bakalova for Best Supporting Actress.
At long last, the battle shall commence! We’re excited to announce that pre-orders are now available for Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Both versions come with a guaranteed spot in the Cross-Play Closed Beta on April 23-26.
The Chivalry 2 Closed beta is guaranteed with all pre-orders of the game and will be available on April 23, 2021 at 10:00am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST. To download it to your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 system, visit the Chivalry 2 page at PlayStation Store, and simply add the beta to your library.
To celebrate the news, we present this special animated trailer that reveals the motivations of the Agatha Knights – one of the two factions you’ll play as in Chivalry 2 along with the Mason Order.
Play Video
Buy Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and you’ll get a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version.
Chivalry 2 is enhanced for PlayStation 5 and features 4K visuals and DualSense controller adaptive triggers and haptics. A few examples:
On the left trigger, holding block gets harder as your stamina fallsThe right trigger will increase pressure for bows as you hold back the stringLocalized haptic feedback on strikes let you feel where every hit lands
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher launching June 8 that throws players into the thick of epic, medieval warfare. Fight in massive 64-player battles across a variety of maps that feel straight out of the best medieval movies of all time. Whether you’re sieging a walled city to assassinate the heir to the throne, or setting a village on fire while peasants (and chickens) scream in protest – in Chivalry 2 you’ll use the freedom of traditional FPS-style control to become a whirlwind of steel on the battlefield.
Our team Torn Banner Studios is composed of industry veterans as well as members of the original development team for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare (2012). Chivalry 2 began development in 2017 and we’re so excited to finally unleash the full game in June 2021.
The Cross-Play Closed Beta (April 23-26) will be a global test with servers available worldwide.
Here’s a tease of what you’ll be able to try out in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Wage war in The Siege of Rudhelm, an epic Team Objective mode map that sees you protect or invade an entire city and its castleContinue the fight in more Team Objective, Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all mapsFind your fit: play as 12 subclasses ranging from Skirmisher (hybrid melee/ranged fighter) to Poleman (fighter that keeps opponents away with long melee range)Cut your teeth in a full tutorial- – learn every technique in the book.
The full release will include all of the above — and more. In total you’ll fight in five unique Team Objective mode maps, which are sprawling, multi-stage levels where attackers have to push through each stage successfully or risk the entire game ending early. Siege entire cities in this mind-blowing game mode that truly feels like all-out war on a massive scale.
Chivalry 2 at full release will also have three additional, normal size maps to conquer in traditional Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all modes. But the conflict won’t end there! Much, much more content will be added after launch, including more maps, weapons and game modes.
As the battle approaches, here’s five tips for how to succeed in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Swing with your hips, not your eyes! Think of the crosshair as the direction your character’s hips face. When you swing a weapon, you can turn your hips to accelerate into a hit.You can hold down a block if you’re feeling overwhelmed — but be sure to aim your block at the point of your enemy’s strike in order to parry, then riposte and earn the advantage. Look around you. Make use of interactive traps including spikes, bear traps, chandeliers and more to kill your enemy without even clashing your swords. No fight is complete without a bit of banter. Cycle the voice line and emote menus to shout out hundreds of hilarious character voice lines on demand. Feeling desperate? Chuck your weapon at the enemy and then pick up anything you can find around you to use as your improvised tool of death. How about a wagon wheel, a giant tree limb, or even a full sized church bell? Anything goes.
Onward to glory!
At long last, the battle shall commence! We’re excited to announce that pre-orders are now available for Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Both versions come with a guaranteed spot in the Cross-Play Closed Beta on April 23-26.
The Chivalry 2 Closed beta is guaranteed with all pre-orders of the game and will be available on April 23, 2021 at 10:00am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST. To download it to your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 system, visit the Chivalry 2 page at PlayStation Store, and simply add the beta to your library.
To celebrate the news, we present this special animated trailer that reveals the motivations of the Agatha Knights – one of the two factions you’ll play as in Chivalry 2 along with the Mason Order.
Play Video
Buy Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and you’ll get a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version.
Chivalry 2 is enhanced for PlayStation 5 and features 4K visuals and DualSense controller adaptive triggers and haptics. A few examples:
On the left trigger, holding block gets harder as your stamina fallsThe right trigger will increase pressure for bows as you hold back the stringLocalized haptic feedback on strikes let you feel where every hit lands
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher launching June 8 that throws players into the thick of epic, medieval warfare. Fight in massive 64-player battles across a variety of maps that feel straight out of the best medieval movies of all time. Whether you’re sieging a walled city to assassinate the heir to the throne, or setting a village on fire while peasants (and chickens) scream in protest – in Chivalry 2 you’ll use the freedom of traditional FPS-style control to become a whirlwind of steel on the battlefield.
Our team Torn Banner Studios is composed of industry veterans as well as members of the original development team for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare (2012). Chivalry 2 began development in 2017 and we’re so excited to finally unleash the full game in June 2021.
The Cross-Play Closed Beta (April 23-26) will be a global test with servers available worldwide.
Here’s a tease of what you’ll be able to try out in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Wage war in The Siege of Rudhelm, an epic Team Objective mode map that sees you protect or invade an entire city and its castleContinue the fight in more Team Objective, Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all mapsFind your fit: play as 12 subclasses ranging from Skirmisher (hybrid melee/ranged fighter) to Poleman (fighter that keeps opponents away with long melee range)Cut your teeth in a full tutorial- – learn every technique in the book.
The full release will include all of the above — and more. In total you’ll fight in five unique Team Objective mode maps, which are sprawling, multi-stage levels where attackers have to push through each stage successfully or risk the entire game ending early. Siege entire cities in this mind-blowing game mode that truly feels like all-out war on a massive scale.
Chivalry 2 at full release will also have three additional, normal size maps to conquer in traditional Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all modes. But the conflict won’t end there! Much, much more content will be added after launch, including more maps, weapons and game modes.
As the battle approaches, here’s five tips for how to succeed in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Swing with your hips, not your eyes! Think of the crosshair as the direction your character’s hips face. When you swing a weapon, you can turn your hips to accelerate into a hit.You can hold down a block if you’re feeling overwhelmed — but be sure to aim your block at the point of your enemy’s strike in order to parry, then riposte and earn the advantage. Look around you. Make use of interactive traps including spikes, bear traps, chandeliers and more to kill your enemy without even clashing your swords. No fight is complete without a bit of banter. Cycle the voice line and emote menus to shout out hundreds of hilarious character voice lines on demand. Feeling desperate? Chuck your weapon at the enemy and then pick up anything you can find around you to use as your improvised tool of death. How about a wagon wheel, a giant tree limb, or even a full sized church bell? Anything goes.
Onward to glory!
Hello Travelers! The Genshin Impact dev team is back once again with some exciting details on Version 1.5, which lands on April 28. In this latest version update, Beneath the Light of Jadeite, you can hone your adventure and combat skills with new events and formidable new enemies, continue your journey with Zhongli, meet new friends Eula and Yanfei, and hang out with more of your favorite characters, creating new memories ranging from the fun to the philosophical.
In addition, we are delighted to finally invite all Travelers to Teyvat to set up your very own home-away-from-home, where you can enjoy some much-needed moments of rest and respite from your busy journey through this world.
More fun and friendship
If you enjoyed the Hangout Events added to the game in Version 1.4, you may be glad to know that Version 1.5 gives you the chance to continue your hangout story with Noelle and start hanging out with Diona, the popular bartender of The Cat’s Tail in Mondstadt.
We’d also like to introduce you to two new characters: Eula, the Spindrift Knight from Mondstadt, and Yanfei, a legal adviser from Liyue Harbor.
As the Captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company, Eula is a five-star character, a claymore-user, and the bearer of a Cryo Vision. Her Elemental Skill, Icetide Vortex, increases her resistance to interruption and her DEF while dealing Cryo DMG. Her Elemental Burst deals AoE Cryo DMG to nearby enemies and creates a Lightfall Sword that follows her around for a certain duration, increasing her resistance to interruption. By dealing damage, Eula charges the Lightfall Sword until it explodes at the end of its duration, dealing AoE Physical DMG. Find out more about Eula in her upcoming story quest.
Meanwhile, Yanfei is a young half-human, half-illuminated beast born in Liyue during peacetime. She has dedicated herself to studying and interpreting Liyue’s extensive legal code and helping her clients extricate themselves from even the most complicated of legal wrangles. The four-star Pyro-using catalyst-wielder generates Scarlet Seals with her Normal Attack, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst. Scarlet Seals provide a stackable buff that decreases Yanfei’s Stamina consumption and can be consumed to increase the power and range of her Charged Attacks.
For those of you interested in the culture and history of Liyue, you’ll hopefully enjoy picking up where you left off with Zhongli to explore more legends and relics of the far-flung past. But be warned — sometimes, digging up the past reveals why it was buried so deep in the first place…
Get ready to confront new enemies
In Version 1.5, a new Trounce Domain and a new Boss Enemy will be introduced, offering perilous challenges for precious rewards.
Azhdaha, the “Lord of Vishaps,” is a formidable adversary sealed deep underground, with the power to unleash various elemental attacks and change the environment of the battlefield. Once unlocked, Travelers will be able to challenge the Trounce Domain “Beneath the Dragon-Queller” and claim rare weekly rewards.
Recently, a new boss-level enemy has also been discovered in Dragonspine. The Cryo Hypostasis is the latest addition to the Hypostasis series, and as well as bringing its unique combat style to the mix, Travelers will also need to contend with Sheer Cold during the battle.
Another enemy worthy of introduction is the Abyss Lector: Violet Lightning, a new enemy from the Abyss. Unlike the Abyss Herald introduced in Version 1.4, the Abyss Lector prefers to use ranged attacks and wields the power of both Electro and Hydro. If that isn’t enough to deal with, some of its attacks also deduct Elemental Energy from the player.
There’s nothing like a home brew
Still remember that magical teapot owned by a certain adeptus granny? Well, now you will have a chance to get your hands on your very own “Serenitea Pot,” courtesy of Madame Ping. Enter a realm you can call your own and build your dream home!
The adepti of Liyue possess a number of miraculous abilities, one of which allows them to manifest an entire realm within a medium such as a teapot. Once you become the owner of the Serenitea Pot, you will be prompted to choose from several realm styles when you first enter: Floating Abode, Emerald Peak, and Cool Isle. Each has either a Mondstadt- or Liyue-style building with several indoor rooms and plenty of space for outdoor recreation.
To make your realm into a place you can call home, you will need to remodel it inside and out. Thankfully, Tubby the teapot spirit will be on hand to help you with this task. As you travel around Teyvat, you will discover various furnishing blueprints, which can be used to make furnishings for your home. The more furnishings you make, the more Trust you can earn from Tubby, and the more help and resources Tubby can offer in return. Once your Trust Rank is high enough, Tubby can even help you switch realm layouts.
The adeptal power that generated your realm will also generate Realm Currency over time. As you place more furnishings in your realm, the adeptal power will increase further, generating even more Realm Currency. Realm Currency can be exchanged in Tubby’s Realm Depot for furnishings and items, or traded with the Teapot Traveling Salesman, when he shows up, for precious wares and rare resources. You can also invite your friends to visit you in your realm.
The Serenitea Pot item and the Realm Within that it provides access to will be added and supported from Version 1.5. Further gameplay and functions will follow in future updates.
We’d also like to mention a couple of gameplay optimizations to look forward to in this version. The first three times you claim rewards in a week from Trounce Domains, it will only cost you 30 Original Resin. Also, you will now gain double the amount of Companionship EXP for gameplay completed in co-op mode.
New seasonal challenges and events with bountiful rewards will also be on offer, but we’ll save the details on those until a later date.
And finally: we are extremely excited to announce that a native version of Genshin Impact for PlayStation 5 will be released on April 28. With native support for PlayStation 5 comes 4K resolution, enhanced textures, and faster loading times.
We look forward to sharing more details with you all in the near future, so watch this space.
The name Rick doesn't typically inspire fear and awe, but it definitely does with Splatterhouse. The hand-to-hand combat of this game alone makes it pretty metal, but what he can do with meat cleavers and other makeshift weapons? It's art, man. He can also regrow his limbs back if they are severed, so that's something nifty. Collecting the blood of his enemies, Rick powers up and rolls out to cause mayhem, destruction, and an impressive killstreak that would make the devil himself jealous.
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Splatterhouse is a pretty straightforward single-player experience that holds a deeper plot than one might think. Driven by the desire to save his kidnapped girlfriend, Splatterhouse is honestly made even better by jamming out to your favorite band.
Band recommendations for this treasure include Judas Priest, Motorhead (RIP Lemmy), Anthrax, Fear Factory, and Children of Bodom.
There are quite a few gaming adaptations in the works, including a show based on a hit franchise from Naughty Dog. While we are still quite a bit away from a trailer, we do have another face that is joining the fray. HBO's The Last of Us TV series has revealed another new cast member, this time with Gabriel Luna playing the role of Joel's younger brother. As reported by Variety, Luna is the latest cast member to be joining the HBO adaptation as Tommy alongside Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie. Tommy is a former soldier that is a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world, and honestly? He's a good fit, especially with Pascal as the lead character.
Luna has an impressive roster of roles under his belt already, having played Gabriel/REV-9 in Terminator: Dark Fate, Robbie Reyes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Eddie Lunez in Rosewood.
In a new previous report from CBC Canada, the Director's Guild has confirmed the location and the time after months of rumors that this is where the show was headed. The Guild currently says that the HBO take is set to begin filming on July 5, 2021, in Calgary, with an expected wrap-up slated for June 8, 2022.
The upcoming TV series is under the umbrella of Sony Pictures Television, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. The HBO adaptation is meant to be a new beginning for the franchise following The Last of Us Part II's release. The games themselves artfully intertwined combat and narrative cutscenes, so setting this franchise adapted in TV format isn't really a huge stretch. While the sequel was met with a very mixed reception, the first game is pretty universally loved. With reports that Sony is remaking The Last of Us for the PlayStation 5, it will be interesting to see a fresh lens on a universe that was a vital part of the last two generations.
What do you think about the latest casting decision regarding the upcoming The Last of Us TV series from HBO? How are you feeling about the franchise as a whole with so much news centered around it in the past year? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below and tell us what you think. Do it for Ellie.
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CJ Entertainment
Officially, NCT 127 was not the headliner of KCON 2018 New York, but the intricate setlist and crowd screams would have made one think otherwise. Kicking off with an intense dance introduction, pin-point performances of singles like "Touch" and "Cherry Bomb," and even a special rendition of their 2017 b-side track "Whiplash," the boy band delivered one of the longest sets of the fest and left an audibly obvious impact on the Prudential Center arena. The scene-stealing showcase marked the latest step in NCT 127's steady trajectory to more American visibility that recently included stops at Beats 1 radio, BUILD Series, and even a live Apple Store performance.
Talking to Fuse the morning ahead of the set, the nine members reflected on their growth in the past year, where they see their band going in the future and the love that they have for the other members in their NCT brand.
FUSE: NCT 127 is back in America! We first talked to you at KCON New York last year, your first U.S. show, so how are you feeling a year later?Taeyong: It's similar. What we're feeling is very similar, but now we're headed towards new goals in what we want to do. We're always thinking about what kind of songs we need to sing, what kind of performance we need to put on and what's good to show our fans. So overall, it's very similar, but it's always comes down to what's next to show to the fans.Mark: One more thing to add to that, like what Taeyong said, we do feel the same way with how thrilled we are to stand in front of our fans and with as much that has happened in the year, we have new things to show to the fans music-wise and performance-wise. We want to show how much we've developed as well and so we're just glad to meet our fans who have waiting for us. We also prepared a new intro for "Touch" and it's a lot stronger than what people are expecting, it's going to be the first thing that everyone sees. We also have three members perform one of our new songs "Whiplash" so people can look forward to something new.
It really does feel like you guys are leading this kind of "new generation of K-pop," as they say. Do you guys feel this yourselves?Taeyong: Rather than being able to feel that we are leading this new generation, we feel that K-pop as a genre is at the forefront of attention around the world. We have to try really hard as just one of the K-pop artists in this genre and we feel like we need to really just do our best within this genre. But I think we're going to be in every spot in the whole wide world.
Recently, you participated in the Empathy album by NCT that included a song and video performed by NCT 2018 with all 18 members in the band. What is a video shoot like that like?Haechan: All the members were involved and because there are so many members we had to concentrate a lot harder and there were a lot more things to pay attention to. But because we tried hard, the end result was actually a lot better. In regards to atmosphere of the music video, because everyone was there it was actually really great. Everyone was feeling great and, in general, it was just good.
We saw you in Los Angeles recently performing and doing interviews. Now you're back in New York. Is the US more of a priority for NCT 127 this year? Taeyong: Yes!Johnny: [Clarifying] I feel like we are always getting ready to come out to wherever, even America, even anywhere else, because NCT 127 as a team is a group that starts in Seoul and we want to spread out into the world just to tell everyone what K-pop is. We want to show everyone what NCT 127 is, so we're always ready to come to America—come to anywhere, practically!
You also recently made your debut in Japan and fans are hoping for news about a Korean comeback. What are you working on right now?Jaehyun: We are always preparing new songs, new performances, and I hope we have more opportunities to meet more fans like over the world. I think we are always ready.Mark: We actually don't know the exact date or anything [in regards to new Korean music], but I feel like we are always getting ready to kind of like make something, you know, to get back to our fans as quickly as possible. [We're involved with] every angle of the preparation, we're just trying to interact with the music. We are working on it.
“I ask fans to keep their expectations high for the group.”
— NCT's Taeyong
KCON has a great lineup this year including some of your label mates like Super Junior and Red Velvet. But if you bring on one more artist to the lineup, who would you bring?Taeyong: There are a lot of different artists in SM Entertainment, and there are a lot of our seniors in SM, but because there are a lot of our members in NCT, I think we would really like it if we could perform at KCON with the other members of NCT.
And do you have a message to the fans that are reading around the world and that may not get to see you as often as other areas of the world?Johnny: So, first off, I would like to say thank you for always, I guess like, always rooting for us and supporting us. We are always working on something to show you guys, so I hope you guys are always ready to come out and be like, "Whoa, NCT is finally back!" Taeyong: We're really happy that we can, once again, meet all our fans in New York and we want to continue to make great memories with our fans. NCT is going to continue to grow as a group, and I ask fans to keep their expectations high for the group.
Emerging from pop-rock group One Direction, Liam Payne tells Fuse after ten years of trusting the process and dedication he is set to release his debut album this fall. Having worked with Quavo, Zedd, J Balvin, Rita Ora and more Payne reveals he doesn't want to "pigeonhole" himself and wants to give fans a taste of everything.
With five hit singles showcasing how versatile Payne can be, the new dad explains his debut will be a "mixed bag" and more of a playlist. "My debut album is kind of a bit of a mix bag at the minute. The idea I went for is one, I want to see what people want from me. I'm really into the idea of finding out what it is because I'm trying to do it myself," says the 24-year-old. "And we are doing so many different great songs. I mean, you know, from what you've heard so far. I've done so many different genres of music."
Payne also shares how an experience in Peru influenced him to infuse Latin vibes into his music which would become "Later" featuring J Balvin. Watch the full interview above where Payne discusses traveling being the "biggest education" anyone can have and his first headline concert.
Speaking of Liam Payne and Rita Ora's recent "For You (Fifty Shades Freed)" collab, throw it back to 2014 when Ora spoke about her highly-anticipated 50 Shades of Grey role as Mia Grey:
CJ Entertainment
From an unexpected viral hit in 2014 to a member's health battle needing to have her sit out of a few album releases, EXID's road to K-pop stardom has been atypical but the cheers from the KCON crowd would make one think otherwise. Earning some of the biggest roars at KCON 2018 New York, the girl group performed their '90s-inspired new single "Lady," along with a handful of other singles, to greet their U.S. fans on the East Coast.
Backstage at the final Day 2 concert of KCON 2018, just as the news hit that a record-breaking 53,000 K-pop fans had officially attended the festival, EXID spoke to Fuse looked back at their best memories from the '90s, looked forward to what's coming next and more.
FUSE: Your latest single "Lady" is obviously inspired by the '90s. You guys are '90s babies, growing up in that time. Do you remember any songs that were really really popular in Korea during the '90s time or from your childhood?Jeonghwa: I was very young, born in 1995, so by the time I was able to actually listen to music and remember it was already the '00s so probably the other members that are better off answering this question. [Laughs]Hani: JYP [Park Jin Young], I really liked JYP songs. Hyelin: I would have school festivals and my friend and I would actually cover groups like S.E.S and Fin.K.L. and I think that actually helped my dream to become a singer.LE: I remember songs from Biggie— who's from New York! Where we are!— and Tupac, yes, of course. Songs like "California Love," I remember listening to a lot of old hip-hop music and songs. We definitely feel like trends repeat themselves and we're so happy that they're able to sing songs that we heard when we were younger.
Do you see any other trends from your childhoods coming back?Hyelin: I remember "fanny packs." In Korea, they called it a sack, but it's called a fanny pack. Yeah, but it's coming back, we call it a side, you know, a side bag because it's cooler. But for me, I remember that it's specifically something my dad wore at that time, but now it's something that people wear.Hani: Bucket hats are back in style. And just like how the rim go around and round, trends go around and around, you know? And to add on to that, even when it comes to pants, back then there were pants with really wide legs, but it's starting to come back. And once again fashion, it comes and goes.
No more skinny jeans for me. Thank you for all those memories, but looking forward to the future, what else does EXID have coming in 2018?Jeonghwa: Solji's health has been recovering very well and as we're watching her health get better, we're looking to come back as all five. I want a group comeback and the group wants the fans to continue to expect us to come back as all five. We really do hope that the fans continue to wait for us.
“We feel like the world is just starting to come around and show love for K-pop”
— Jeonghwa
2018 feels like a really special year for K-pop. EXID's music is reaching so many more people than ever, I think. Do you feel that it's a special year too?Hyelin: First off, we didn't have as much time to go abroad, but when we do see our group mentioned in the media we look into it and we're always touched to see what's being said about us and that we're being talked about overseas. When we do get a chance to go abroad, there are fans at the airport and those are the times when we realize that we're being loved overseas. Anytime we see our fans overseas, we get so much energy and so much support. We're always very thankful.Jeonghwa: Not just our team, but all the Korean teams are trying so hard to achieve their dreams and it's just right now that we feel like the world is just starting to come around and show love for this genre of music.Hani: And we feel so proud that it might just be because we're part of this genre, you know? We see that K-pop culture is actually growing right now, starting to be accepted in this world, and it's really surprising. So we feel this sense of pride to be part of this growing genre.
Young M.A came through to the Fuse office for a Hip-Hop at 45 edition of our Rant and Rave series. Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., the emcee shares her thoughts Jeezy's "Snowman" movement, dance waves in hip-hop and the late '80s to early '90s hip-hop rivalry between legendary KRS-One and Marley Marl.
"That was like lit man, I ain't gon lie," she says on the Queensbridge vs. Kingsbridge rivalry. "KRS-One man, he was holding it down. I like MC Shan, though. I wasn't born when that beef happened. When I grew up on hip-hop and I was learning a lot about hip-hop, I remember that beef."
Watch the full Rant and Rave interview above where the 26-year-old also discusses Missy Elliot's iconic black suit, 50 Cent's "Many Men (Wish Death)" and gives Soulja Boy a shout out for making an impact on the hip-hop dance movement.
Below, watch the legendary trio Salt-N-Pepa rate a few hip-hop fashion statements, dance moves and even their own video:
This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the wild world of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, with Engadget Senior Editor Dan Cooper. What do they mean for the future of art and commerce? And should you care about them at all? Also, we chat about Microsoft’s finalized Bethesda acquisition, as well as Facebook’s push to dismiss its latest antitrust charges.
Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
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CreditsHosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn LowGuest: Dan CooperProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Google has discussed how Chrome version 89 has improved the browser's memory usage and loading times on Mac, Windows and Android in a new post on the Chromium blog. The tech giant says the browser is now smarter when it comes to using and discarding memory across platforms — for instance, it now discards memory that the foreground tab is not actively using, such as big images that you've already scrolled past.
In addition, the update is also shrinking the browser's memory footprint in background tabs for macOS, which Chrome has already been doing on other platforms for a while now. For macOS, in particular, Google is seeing up to eight percent in memory savings and up to 65 percent in improvement on Apple Energy Impact score for tabs in the background. Those translate to a cooler Mac with quieter fans. Chrome 89 now also uses PartitionAlloc, the company's own advanced memory allocator, everywhere on Android and 64-bit Windows. Thanks to that change, it has improved browser responsiveness by up to 9 percent, and it's seeing up to 22 percent in memory savings on Windows.
The Chrome team says new Play and Android capabilities allowed it to repackage the browser for fewer crashes and that it rebuilt the browser to be more stable for newer Android devices. It has also introduced a feature called "Freeze-Dried Tabs" to make starting up Chrome on Android up to 13 percent faster. Freeze-Dried Tabs work by saving a lightweight version of your tabs — it's around the size of a screenshot, but it still supports scrolling and zooming, and it keeps links clickable. The screenshot-like tabs show up when you first fire up Chrome and while the actual tabs are loading in the background, so you can see pages load faster than before.
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Welcome to Friday morning. As some email subscribers may have noticed, the daily newsletter has been on hiatus for several weeks as we contended with a persistent technical issue. We’ve now figured out a fix, so we’re back to our regularly scheduled newsletter.
Thanks for your patience and if you have any more feedback, you can get in touch with us at themorningafter(at)engadget.com. (And if you’re reading this on the site, you can subscribe right here.)
Today's edition includes a smartphone with a ‘microscope’ camera, Tenet on a Game Boy Advance, an explanation of exactly what NFTs are and how to digitally organize your Mac, as our Spring Cleaning series goes beyond simply cleaning your keyboard. That’s where my spring cleaning typically ends.
— Mat Smith
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Bob Wulff, YouTube
Proving old devices never really die, some enterprising crafters keep squeezing functionality out of yesteryear’s gadgets. That includes a horrifically compressed version of Tenet for Game Boy Advance, and a wildly unnecessary Twitter client for the Handspring Visor. Continue reading.
The cryptocurrency offshoot presents a jumble of contradictions.
NBA
Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs, are the cryptocurrency off-shoot that has, all of a sudden, burst into the mainstream. They’re essentially a way of tying a certificate of authenticity to a digital file, among other things, like a contract, video clip or even a still image. The possibilities for NFTs are still to be explored, but they’re booming right now like Bitcoin did through much of 2020. Yesterday, a digital artwork by Beeple and associated NFT sold at auction for nearly $70 million. For what essentially amounted to a copy of a still image someone could have printed at home for free and a signed receipt.
If you’re wondering what exactly all of this means, and what’s going on, then Dan Cooper has written a lengthy explainer to get you up to speed on what this is, even if you still have trouble understanding why someone would spend so much money on it. Continue reading.
And both its wide and ultra-wide cameras have the same sensor.
Engadget
Oppo’s new flagship phone, the Find X3 Pro is entirely focused on photography — the giant sensor array on the back kind of gives that away. The headline feature has to be its "microscope" camera. The 3-megapixel f/3.0 microscopic camera delivers 30x magnification natively and can handle 1080p video recording. As you have to get close — the focal distance is between only 1mm and 3mm — this camera even has a small ring light to illuminate your subject.
The results make for a unique camera phone. It’s an Oppo device, so there’s also lightning-fast charging with the bundled 65W SuperVOOC charger and speedier wireless charging with compatible docks, which can fully charge your phone in 80 minutes. Given past form, chances are the Find X3 Pro won't head to the US, but the company has announced it'll be available in the UK on April 14th, starting at £1,099, which is around $1,250. Continue reading.
It aims to have a high-capacity pre-production battery by 2023.
GM is elaborating on its next-generation Ultium batteries, which sound like something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but are not. The company plans to use lithium-metal (Li-metal) technology to boost performance and energy density. Li-metal batteries replace carbon anodes with lithium metal, allowing for lighter and more powerful cells. The challenge with the technology is increased resistance and "dendrite" filaments that tend to form on the anodes, making batteries short-circuit and heat up. “With this next-generation Ultium chemistry, we believe we’re on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation improvement in energy density and cost," said GM President Mark Reuss, adding that there was also “still room for improvement”. Continue reading.
Taking care of your computer doesn’t need to be complicated.
Engadget
Once you’ve dusted the cookie crumbs from your MacBook keyboard, it’s time for a digital clean. Associate Editor Igor Bonifacic reveals his fastidious Mac cleaning techniques, encompassing hard-drive organization, keeping your desktop clean going forward and even how to purloin the best organization features from Windows 10 for your Mac. Continue reading.
Do you remember whose account you’re streaming on?
Getty
For years, Netflix has looked the other way on people sharing passwords to their streaming accounts with folks that may not quite meet the definition of a “member of the household.” As its streaming audience has grown into the hundreds of millions, allowing easy access has been more important than triple-checking credentials.
But those days may be coming to an end. The company confirmed a test it’s running that prompts suspected freeloaders to get their own accounts and then asks to verify their access with a code sent to the registered account holder’s phone number or email address. Now that Netflix has hiked its prices for several years in a row, and growth in some countries is slowing, it looks like this is a way to find a few more paying customers. Continue reading.
Nearly every addition is coming to play on Xbox, PC and mobile.
Now the deal is done, Microsoft-owned game publisher Bethesda has announced 20 of its games are xton Xbox Game Pass, starting today. In all, Microsoft is adding 12 new titles, including Fallout 4, Morrowind and The Evil Within, for people to check out. They'll join eight other Bethesda games, like Dishonored 2, Fallout 76 and Doom Eternal, that were already available through the service, making a total of 20 titles. Check the full list of titles here.
But wait, there’s more...
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Verizon (owner of Engadget's parent company Verizon Media) has expanded its 5G Home Internet service's availability, launching it in 10 new cities this month. Starting on March 18th, the service will roll out to parts of Cleveland, OH; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; Omaha, NE and San Diego, CA. A few days after that, on March 25th, the service will also be available in parts of Charlotte, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Hartford, CT; Kansas City, MO and Salt Lake City, UT.
The carrier launched its 5G Home internet service back in 2018, promising typical download speeds of around 300 Mbps and max speeds of up to 1 Gbps with no data caps. As the name implies, it doesn't need a cable or fiber hookup, just the company's "Internet Gateway" device that customers can set up on their own. It was only available in five cities for quite some time, because Verizon pushed back its broader rollout to wait for more powerful equipment to come in. The service costs $50 a month for current customers with eligible mobile plans or $70 a month for non-Verizon customers.
Verizon has also recently announced winning between 140 and 200 megahertz of C-Band spectrum in every available market from the latest FCC auction. That'll allow the company to expand its 5G Ultra Wideband's availability, though only those with premium unlimited plans will be able to access C-Band's faster speeds.
Last seen in 1993, Jeep's Wagoneer is back and big in every sense of the word — including the amount of technology found inside. The classic large luxury SUV brand (which surely inspired the Simpson's "Canyonero") has multiple touchscreens, support for both Apple and Android entertainment systems and even video streaming via Amazon's Fire TV.
The big daddy Grand Wagoneer packs up to no less than four touch displays to fill out that enormous dash. That includes a 12.3-inch digital dash cluster, along with a 12-inch infotainment system. The latter uses the latest version of Chrysler/Jeep's Uconnect 5, and also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Sitting directly below that is a 10.3-inch display that lets you control the climate and seats. (On the regular Wagoneer, you get smaller 10.3- and 10.1-inch displays for the digital dash and infotainment display, respectively.)
Stellantis
Those are just for the driver — the front passenger gets their own (optional) 10.3-inch touchscreen that allows them to watch movies, monitor the vehicle and more. Rear passengers get a pair of matching 10.1-inch displays, also optional. All three of those screens let passengers control navigation and media, monitor the external cameras, and play your own content via the aforementioned Android Auto/Apple CarPlay or Uconnect.
As we detailed last week, you can also stream video using Amazon's Fire TV for Auto with Alexa, giving passengers access to Amazon's library of Prime Video shows. You'll also be able to play games, use apps and access Alexa on the road through Fire TV for Auto.
The rest of the interior is a lux as you'd expect in such an SUV, equipped with what Jeep calls an "American premium" design (the word "American" appears no less than 32 times in the Wagoneer press release). You're coddled with wood, aluminum and leather throughout and the Grand Wagoneer has 24-way adjustable power seats, with lumbar support and memory settings. The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer offer 94.2 and 116.7 cubic feet of storage space, respectively. Pricing starts at just under $60,000, but to get all the tech bells and whistles, you'll pay up to $105,995 for the Grand Wagoneer Series III.
Sitting on the western tip of India and meeting the sea, Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the largest temples in the ancient holy city of Dwarka. It is located where River Gomti meets the Arabian Sea and one can see the temple from many miles due to its large structure and the vast empty stretch of lands that surrounds the temple.
The temple is active all day long where daily activities will be happening from the early morning hours to late evening hours.
History
The history of the temple goes back to many centuries where people believed that the temple is constructed by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna and this is where the Hari Griha or the home of Krishna once stood making Dwarka a holy land.
The current structure of Dwarkadhish temple is an amalgamation of changes and construction for over a few centuries from the 8th to the current year where changes and renovation works have been done.
The giant temple stands tall for over 80m which is equivalent to the current 25 storey building. And on top of the building is 25ft long flagstaff.
The tall tower over the main sanctum is built in Nagara Style and there are 7 visible stories which are constructed keeping in mind 7 ancient cities in India. The 7 cities that are depicted here include Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Avantika, Kanchipuram, and Dwarka. If you notice this, the whole of India is represented here and this is an intriguing factor.
Mandapa of the temple is carved out of a single stone and it stands on over 72 pillars. It has 4 stories that represent the Char Dhams of Vaishnava Temples, Dwarka being one of the 4 Dhams of the western corner of India.
Style of Architecture
The temple has been constructed in general Solanki style which was a prevalent style of architecture in Gujarat. As per archaeologists, the main temple is said to be constructed around 12-13th CE while the Sabah Mandap is said to be constructed around 15-16th CE.
During the excavations, it is revealed that this is the 4th temple and the oldest temple should have been around 2000 years old.
Dwarkadhish temple is home to one of the 4 Shankaracharya Peetas or Shardha Peetas. Shardha Peetas are part of temples that are dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya and in the evenings one can hear students chanting Sanskrit Shlokas from Vedas.
Dwarkadhish Group of Temples
Dwarkadhish Temple is big and full of small temples however, at the inner sanctum or Girbha Gruha, the idol of Lord Krishna as four-armed Vishnu where the experts call this as Trivikram.
The temple of Dwarkadhish here is also known as Jagat Mandir.
The idol or Murti of Dwarkadhish is 2.25ft high and is carved out of Black Stone. The current murti is the third one. The first Murti is now at Beyt Dwarka which was bought here to protect it from foreign invaders, the first Murti was believed to be worshipped by Rukmini herself.
The second murti is at Dakor. The story goes that there was a little girl who was a devotee of Sri Krishna who used to travel from Dakor to Dwarka. Pleased by her devotion, Sri Krishna decided to go along with her and priests suspected that the girl had stolen the idol and when they approached the little girl, she paid them with gold coins and now the second idol sits at Dakor.
Priests suspected that there is another idol at Savitri Taalav and when they dug the place in a hurry an incomplete idol came out. This is the current image of Sri Krishna that is being worshipped.
The idol of Sri Krishna faces the western direction which suggests that he might be looking at the sea where his city has been submerged.
Other temples are located at the Dwarkadhish temple complex.
As Dwarkadhish temple is a collection of the temple, one can notice smaller temples here such as
Kusheshwar Mahadev Temple – A shiva temple
Navagraha Yantra
Kashi Visvanath Shivalingam
Gayatri Devi Temple
Aniruddha and Pradyumna Temple
Rishi Durvasa Temple
Amba Ji Temple
Devaki Temple
Radha Krishna Temple
Shankaracharya Samadhi
Gates of Dwarkadhish temple
Dwarkadhish Temple has 2 entrances, they are titled Moksha Dwara and Swarga Dwara. From the Swarga dwara, 56 steps lead down to Gomti Ghat and stories suggest that 56 steps represent 56 crore yadavas.
Ceremonies
As mentioned before, the temple is busy all day long where they follow a strict routine. During the day, there will be aarti, darshans, and bhogs. The activities mean, devotees converse with the deity and offer food.
Throughout the day, the Shringar of the deity is changed and every time the shringar is changed, the backdrop of the deity is changed where the deity is put on with amazing jewellery.
Flag Hoisting Ceremony
One of the striking features of the Dwarkadish temple is its flags. And every time you look, a different colored flag will be visible as it is changed 3 times in morning hours and twice evening hours.
There is a waiting list of 2 years for a person to sponsor flags.
The flags itself hold great importance here. The family sponsoring the flag should feed all the Brahmanas in Dwarka and they bring the flag singing and dancing to the temple premises. The flag is then offered to the deity where a person from the Brahmin community goes up and changes the flag.
The flag that is sponsored comes with a lot of rules where it should measure 52 yards. 52 smaller flags are attached to the large flag representing 52 sub-casts of yadavas. Another theory says 52 represents the 52 doors that Dwarka once had.
The flag can be of any color except black and the flag should have a sun and a moon emblem on it.
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Things to do in Dwarka
Dwarka is an ancient city in the Northwestern state of Gujarat which is also an important pilgrimage site. It is located on the banks of the Gomti River. Dwarka is one of the 4 Chardham and one of the 7 religious cities in India. Dwarka was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Krishna and is believed to be the first capital of Gujarat.
Being an historic city, you can explore many things to do in this ancient city.
Dwarkadhish Temple
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One of the famous temples in Dwarka is Dwarkadhish. When you visit this ancient city of Dwarka, you should not miss visiting this temple and make sure you visit the temple once in the morning and once in the evening. One of the striking features of the Dwarkadhish temple is that the flag of the temple is changed 5 times a day. The flag will be sponsored by a family and it is a huge affair here.
Dwarkadhish Temple is situated on the banks of the Gomti River and the temple worships Lord Krishna who was King of Dwarka. The temple is supposed to be built by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna.
Nageshwar Temple
One of the jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, Nageshwar jyotirlinga is one of the 12 jyotirlingas and is located around 15kms from the city center.
Nageshwar temple is one of the oldest temples mentioned in Shiva Purana and is believed to be the first of all 12 jyotirlingas. The swayambhu lingam is enshrined in the underground chamber of Nageshwar Temple and thousands of pilgrims visit this location all-year-round.
The temple is built with the typical Hindu architecture. This is a unique temple as Shiva Lingam faces south and the gomugam faces the east. The Shiva lingam at Nageshwar temple is a tri-mukhi rudraksha and is around 40cms in height and 30cms in diameter.
The Ghats have an important place in Hindu mythology where people worship, Gomati Ghat is one of the sacred ghats located on the banks of River Gomti in Dwarka and is located behind Dwarkadhish temple.
Gomati Ghat is located at the mouth of the Gomti River, which is one of the important tributaries of the sacred River Ganges. According to the myths, River Gomti is a daughter of Vashistha Muni and her waters are enough to purge one’s sins.
There is a space of 56 steps from Dwarkadhish temple and Gomati Ghat and taking a dip here is believed to be sacred and will liberate one’s sins committed in previous births. It is also said, Lord Krishna, himself took bath several times here.
Rukmini Temple
One of the important sites to visit in Dwarka is Rukmini Devi Temple.Rukmini Devi who is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.
and this temple is dedicated to the beloved wife of Lord Krishna. The temple is believed to be constructed for more than 2500 years but its domed mandapa and stepped sanctuary belong to the 12th Century. The sanctum of the temple has a marble idol of Devi Rukmani and is an architectural marvel in itself. On the walls, there will be rich paintings on the walls depicting Rukmini and Krishna.
The Rukmini Devi temple is located on the banks of the Bhagirathi river and never miss out on visiting this temple while you visit the ancient city of Dwarka.
Shivrajpur beach is one of the famous beaches in Gujarat and is a must-visit location. It is a beautiful beach with white sands which offers stunning sunsets and picturesque views to the tourists. The beach is not much commercialized which makes it ideal for tourists to visit and spend some quality time off away from chaotic city experience.
If you are lucky, you can spot Dolphins and beautiful birds on the sea here, recently, beach management has introduced water sports, food, and shopping areas for visitors.
Recently, Shivrajpur Beach has been certified with Blue Flag which means it is one of the cleanest beaches in the world. To get a blue flag certification, a beach should have 33 stringent criteria approved which are based on environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environmental management, and conservation of the beaches.
The Blue flag is one of the world’s most prestigious voluntary awards for beaches and getting a blue flag certified will help to increase tourism to the state.
Shree Nath Dining Hall is a local Restaurant Run by an elderly lady and her family that offers local authentic Gujarati Food with personal care and touch by the lady who personally visits every table and serves us food and are treated like house guests.
All the spread is for Rs 130 for the thali and generally takes 1 hour waiting time during peak hours.
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Seychelles will be reopening its borders from the end of this month as the island nation gears up to welcome tourists and is hoping to resuscitate a sector for the economy which has been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
When the coronavirus started spreading all across the world, authorities sealed off the archipelago to the rest of the world and thus bringing losses to travel, resorts, cruise ships, and nature reserves of the customers.
“Seychelles will reopen to tourists from all over the world … on March 25,” said a state-owned news agency according to the statement provided by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde.
Tourists from all over the world except South Africa can enter the archipelago.
Revenue from tourism fell over 61% as anti-coronavirus restrictions cut arrivals by 70%.
The Island nation would be open to tourists however, it comes with rules where the tourists need to undertake coronavirus tests within 72 hours before entering the country. Tourists who are tested negative need not quarantine, however, they need to stay at hotels that are certified by the government and need to comply with coronavirus measures.
Wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social and physical distancing will be mandatory.
“We are hoping that this will give the economy the breathing space that the economy needs, the country needs,” said the minister as quoted by the agency.
The country so far has at least 2,618 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 11 deaths, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
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A US district judge has sentenced a UK National to five years in federal prison for participating in the cybercrime activities of hacking collective group “The Dark Overlord.” Nathan Wyatt was extradited from the UK to the US in December 2019 for targeting computer networks of American companies. Victims include healthcare providers and accounting firms in the St. Louis, Missouri area where Wyatt faced charges. He has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and computer fraud, and according to the Justice Department, he has admitted to being a member of The Dark Overlord since 2016.
The group is notorious for remotely accessing the computer networks of companies in the US to steal sensitive data, such as patient medical records and personal identifying information. They’d then threaten to release that data unless the victim companies pay a ransom that usually falls between $75,000 and $350,000 in bitcoin. Back in 2017, the group infamously leaked new Orange Is the New Black episodes even after the post-production company they stole the files from paid a $50,000 ransom. Last year, they also dumped a bunch of 9/11-related documents online.
Aside from confirming that he was part of The Dark Overlord, Wyatt revealed the specific roles he played within the group. The Justice Department says he admitted to participating in conspiracy “by creating, validating, and maintaining communication, payment, and virtual private network accounts” that the group used to threaten and extort victims in Missouri.
US Attorney Jeff Jensen of the Eastern District of Missouri said in a statement:
“The Dark Overlord has victimized innumerable employers in the United States, many of them repeatedly. I am grateful to the victims who came forward despite ransom threats and to the prosecutors and agents who were the first to catch and punish a member of The Dark Overlord in the United States.”
In this article: ransomware, the dark overlord, Nathan Wyatt, news, gear
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Disney+ Delays The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Debut
While last night brought the exciting first true teaser for the platform’s WandaVision, it’s also been revealed that as the series gets back to production in Atlanta, Georgia, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Disney+ debut has been delayed to 2021, according to Comic Book Movie.
RELATED: WandaVision Trailer Debuts for Marvel Studios’ TV Series!
Though clearly out of their hands due to the global pandemic, this new release date definitely shows a shift in plans for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four series as the Captain America spin-off was originally planned for release first followed by the Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany-led series, which is still reportedly eyeing a December premiere.
John Wick creator Derek Kolstad joined the writing/creative team of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, though details are still under wraps, it seems likely to follow up on Falcon’s new status quo after Avengers: Endgame.
Anthony Mackie (Point Blank) and Sebastian Stan (I, Tonya) will be reprising their roles as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Joining them are MCU veterans Daniel Bruhl and Emily VanCamp, who are set to return as Helmut Zemo and Sharon Carter, respectively. Neither character has appeared onscreen since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
During the Marvel Studios panel at D23 Expo 2019, it was revealed that Wyatt Russell (Lodge 49, Black Mirror) has joined the series for the role of Marvel Comics character U.S. Agent. Miki Ishikawa (The Terror: Infamy), Desmond Chiam (Now Apocalypse), Carl Lumbly (Doctor Sleep, Supergirl) and Noah Mills (The Enemy Within) have also been cast for the series.
RELATED: Marvel Snags Three Directors for Hawkeye Disney+ Series
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier may only run for six episodes, but it will connect with the larger MCU. The series was originally expected to debut in August 2020 but was delayed due to filming setbacks including the ongoing pandemic that temporarily shut down all major TV and film productions.
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Facebook is launching a national consumer awareness ad campaign around voting and registration that includes a “vote-a-thon” and in-app consumer marketing campaign. It’s the continuation of a program that Facebook said that has helped 2.5 million people register to vote so far this year, with the aim of registering 4 million people before the November 3rd election date.
Facebook said it will run the campaign across “national broadcast, cable, radio, and digital homepage takeovers within lifestyle and news outlets,” encouraging people to visit its voting information centers. It will also be featured front and center on its Instagram and Facebook apps. All of that will culminate in a vote-a-thon on the Facebook app page on Tuesday at 11 AM ET.
On Saturday, Facebook began showing users how to register to vote at the top of the Facebook, Instagram and Messenger apps. “These notifications take them to the relevant page with their state’s official website or one of our non-partisan partner organizations if online voter registration isn’t available in their state,” the company wrote. It promised to show those notifications through September 25th. (Voter registration deadlines vary widely from state to state.)
Facebook has been criticized during this election cycle for allowing lies to stand in political ads, when other sites like Twitter have banned political ads altogether. Earlier this month, however, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed concerns about the risk of “civil unrest” after the election and vowed to take measures to slow misinformation. However, critics have noted that it continues to flourish on the site despite the company’s efforts.
In this article: facebook, election, misinformation, ad campaign, voting, registration, fraud, news, gear
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2020 Emmy Awards Winners List!
Tonight on ABC The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the 2020 Emmy Awards winners in a virtual ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Check out the full list of nominees and winners (HIGHLIGHTED IN RED) below!
Making special appearances during the broadcast were Anthony Anderson, Jason Bateman, Sterling K. Brown, Laverne Cox, D-Nice, America Ferrera, Morgan Freeman, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Randall Park, Issa Rae, RuPaul, and Patrick Stewart.
Outstanding Drama Series
Better Call SaulThe CrownThe Handmaid’s TaleKilling EveThe MandalorianOzarkStranger ThingsSuccession **WINNER**
Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your EnthusiasmDead to MeInsecureSchitt’s Creek **WINNER**The Good PlaceThe Kominsky MethodThe Marvelous Mrs. MaiselWhat We Do in the Shadows
Outstanding Limited Series
Little Fires EverywhereMrs. AmericaUnbelievableUnorthodoxWatchmen **WINNER**
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Masked SingerNailed It!RuPaul’s Drag Race **WINNER**Top ChefThe Voice
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Batemna, OzarkSterling K. Brown, This Is UsSteve Carell, The Morning ShowBrian Cox, SuccessionBilly Porter, PoseJeremy Strong, Succession **WINNER**
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning ShowOlivia Colman, The CrownJodie Comer, Killing EveLaura Linney, OzarkSandra Oh, Killing EveZendaya, Euphoria **WINNER**
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, black-ishDon Cheadle, Black MondayTed Danson, The Good PlaceMichael Douglas, The Kominsky MethodEugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek **WINNER**Ramy Youssef, Ramy
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Dead to MeRachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselLinda Cardellini, Dead to MeCatherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek **WINNER**Issa Rae, InsecureTracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jeremy Irons, WatchmenHugh Jackman, Bad EducationPaul Mescal, Normal PeopleJeremy Pope, HollywoodMark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True **WINNER**
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Cate Blanchett, Mrs. AmericaShira Haas, UnorthodoxRegina King, Watchmen **WINNER**Octavia Spencer, Self MadeKerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call SaulNicholas Braun, SuccessionKieran Culkin, SuccessionMatthew Macfadyen, SuccessionBradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s TaleBilly Crudup, The Morning Show **WINNER**Mark Duplass, The Morning ShowJeffrey Wright, Westworld
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Laure Dern, Big Little LiesMeryl Streep, Big Little LiesFiona Shaw, Killing EveJulia Garner, Ozark **WINNER**Sarah Snook, SuccessionHelena Bonham Carter, The CrownSamira Wiley, The Handmaid’s TaleThandie Newton, Westworld
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-NineMahershala Ali, RamyKenan Thompson, Saturday Night LiveDaniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek **WINNER**William Jackson Harper, The Good PlaceAlan Arkin, The Kominsky MethodSterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselTony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Betty Gilpin, GLOWYvonne Orji, InsecureKate McKinnon, Saturday Night LiveCecily Strong, Saturday Night LiveAnnie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek **WINNER**D’Arcy Carden, The Good PlaceAlex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselMarin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Dylan McDermott, HollywoodJim Parsons, HollywoodTituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The ReverendYahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen **WINNER**Jovan Adepo, WatchmenLouis Gossett Jr., Watchmen
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Holland Taylor, HollywoodUzo Aduba, Mrs. America **WINNER**Margo Martindale, Mrs. AmericaTracey Ullman, Mrs. AmericaToni Collette, UnbelievableJean Smart, Watchmen
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
The Daily Show with Trevor NoahFull Frontal with Samantha BeeJimmy Kimmel Live!Last Week Tonight with John Oliver **WINNER**The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch ShowDrunk HistorySaturday Night Live **WINNER**
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Amy Poehler, Making ItNicole Byer, Nailed It!Bobby Berk, Queer EyeRuPaul, RuPaul’s Drag Race **WINNER**Barbara Corcoran, Shark TankPadma Lakshmi, Top Chef
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Andrew Scott, Black MirrorJames Cromwell, SuccessionGiancarlo Esposito, The MandalorianMartin Short, The Morning ShowJason Bateman, The OutsiderRon Cephas Jones, This Is Us **WINNER**
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away With MurderLaverne Cox, Orange Is the New BlackCherry Jones, Succession **WINNER**Harriet Walter, SuccessionAlexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s TalePhylicia Rashad, This Is Us
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Fred Willard, Modern FamilyDev Patel, Modern LoveBrad Pitt, Saturday Night LiveAdam Driver, Saturday Night LiveEddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live **WINNER**Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Angela Bassett, A Black Lady Sketch ShowMaya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live **WINNER**Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Saturday Night LiveMaya Rudolph, The Good PlaceWanda Sykes, The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselBette Midler, The Politician
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It’s no secret that some countries have spied on their citizens through innocuous-looking apps, but one effort is more extensive than usual. Check Point Research has discovered (via ZDNet) that Rampant Kitten, an Iranian hacker group that has targeted the country’s political opponents for years, has developed Android malware focused on stealing two-factor authentication codes. It isn’t just focused on any one service, either — it targets Google, Telegram, and other major internet or social services.
The attackers first use a phishing trojan to collect login details, and then try those with the real site. If the victim has two-factor authentication turned on, the newly-reported malware intercepts the incoming SMS messages and quietly sends copies to the intruders.
The code also has tools to grab contacts, text message logs and even microphone audio, but it’s unusually centered around two-factor data. It has so far been found in an app pretending to help Persian speakers in Sweden get driver’s licenses, but it might be available in other apps.
This is an important discovery. Although it’s no secret that likely state-backed groups can get around two-factor requests, it’s difficult to see how those systems work. It also stresses the importance of using two-authentication systems that avoid SMS, such as hardware security keys. SMS is better than nothing, but it’s no longer a deterrent for the most determined intruders — whether they’re pro-government spies or everyday criminals.
In this article: Iran, Malware, Android, mobile, spyware, Rampant Kitten, surveillance, Spying, 2fa, two-factor authentication, phishing, news, gear
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Disney+ May 2021 movies and TV titles revealed!Disney+ has revealed the full list of new movies and TV titles available on the streaming service this coming May 2021. This includes the debut of Lucasfilm’s newest animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the second season premiere of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Next month will also see the world premiere of Disney’s newest live-action feature Cruella starring Emma Stone as the iconic 101 Dalmatian villain. It will simultaneously debut in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access for a one-time additional fee.RELATED: Disney+ Launchpad Trailer Showcases New Live-Action Short FilmsLet us know in the comments what you are most excited to watch out of the Disney+ May 2021 new additionsAvailable May 4Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 101 – Premiere – Special DateAvailable May 7Disney Wander over Yonder (S1)Disney Wander over Yonder (S2)Everyone’s HeroFlicka 2Wild Hearts Can’t Be BrokenFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferBig Shot – Episode 104 “Great in the Living Room”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 107 “Pong Hockey”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 102Available May 14Disney Special Agent Oso (S1)Disney Special Agent Oso (S2)Disney Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps (S1)X-Men: The Last StandLife Below Zero (S15)Race to the Center of the Earth (S1)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Season Two PremiereHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 201 – “New Year’s Eve”Big Shot – Episode 105 “This is our House”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 108 “Change on the Fly”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 103Available May 21Disney Big City Greens (S2)Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (S1)Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverbeastFury Files (Interstitials)Ice Road Rescue (S5)Running Wild with Bear Grylls (S6)Inside Pixar: Unpacked – Batch PremiereUnpacked: About Time – Director: Erica MilsomHow can the passage of time be utilized as a tool for emotional storytelling? Narrator W. Kamau Bell breaks down how time can becomes its own character in Pixar films, looking at period pieces such as Brave and the tearjerking passage of time in Up.Unpacked: Everybody Loves a Villain – Director: Tony KaplanFrom Ernesto de La Cruz to Lotso to Hopper, foes of all shapes and sizes are essential to many of our favorite Pixar movies. But what makes a good villain? Narrator W. Kamau Bell digs into why we love to hate our favorite antagonists and what makes them so complicated.Unpacked: The Squint Test – Director: Tony KaplanPixar characters strive to strike a balance between realistic and caricatured. Narrator W. Kamau Bell explains how basic shapes and drawings influence the character design and story of favorite films such as Up, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles.Unpacked: Inner Drive – Director: Erica MilsomBeyond the world of Cars, vehicles of all kinds have made their mark throughout Pixar’s films. Jump in and go for a ride with narrator W. Kamau Bell as he cruises through some of his favorite Pixar planes, trains, and Incredibiles.Unpacked: No Small Roles – Director: Tony KaplanTake a deep dive into the art of crowds animation. Each of your favorite Pixar characters live in worlds populated by fellow fish, cars, toys, and humans, but creating thousands of these fully animated background characters is no easy feat. Join narrator W. Kamau Bell in understanding how Pixar adds thousands of background characters into every film.High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 202 “Typecasting”Big Shot – Episode 106 “Carlsbad Crazies”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 109 “Head Games”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 104Available May 28Bluey Shorts (S2)Disney Sydney to the Max (S3 – Episodes 1-8)Kingdom of the Polar Bears (S1)Wicked Tuna (S10 – Episode 1-7)Cruella – Premiere (with Premier Access)Launchpad – Premiere (Collection of Six Short Live-Action Films)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 203 “Valentine’s Day”Big Shot – Episode 107 “Kalm Korn”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 110 “State of Play” – Season FinaleStar Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 105
Watched at Home: Top streaming films for the week of April 10Welcome back, fellow couch potatoes, to another edition of DEG’s Watched at Home Top 20. This week was, well, more or less similar to last week. Wonder Woman 1984 took the top spot again and seems to be engaged in a never-ending “mortal kombat” with Tom Hanks’ News of the World (No. 2) and The Croods: A New Age (No. 3). Will anything unseat this dynamic trio in the coming weeks?RELATED: Carey Mulligan Joins Adam Sandler in Netflix’s Spaceman MovieElsewhere, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar made its debut at No. 10, while the Nicolas Cage dark comedy Willy’s Wonderland popped in at No. 11, giving the actor two flicks on the list if you count his voice work on Croods. There has to be some kind of an award for this achievement, right?Otherwise, several titles just rotated spots. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection moved up one spot to No. 8, while Christopher Nolan’s Tenet plummeted to No. 20. Perhaps the best part about this week is Promising Young Woman, which made it back into the top 5 for the first time in weeks — it’s a great flick if you haven’t seen it, by the way.Until next time!DEG’S Top 201. Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)2. News of the World (Universal)3. The Croods: A New Age (Universal)4. Monster Hunter (Sony Pictures)5. Promising Young Woman (Universal)6. Girl in the Basement (A+E)7. Greenland (Universal/STX)8. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection (Warner Bros.)9. Soul (Disney)10. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (Lionsgate)11. Willy’s Wonderland (Screen Media Films)12. Wrong Turn: The Foundation (Lionsgate)13. Let Him Go (Universal)14. Yellowstone S3 (Paramount)15. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Warner Bros.)16. The Ten Commandments (Paramount)17. Yellowstone S1 (Paramount)18. Shadow in the Cloud (Vertical Entertainment)19. The Vault (Lionsgate)20. Tenet (Warner Bros.)MORE: Mondo Reveals Zack Snyder’s Justice League Soundtrack Box Set!
Image Credit: NetflixResident Evil anime gets new trailer, director and composer revealedNetflix’s original computer graphic anime based on Resident Evil is nearing its release. A new trailer was released showing off the characters in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness today. Series mainstays Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield can be seen in the exciting video. The anime series will celebrate the horror gaming franchise’s 25th anniversary and will launch in July 2021.RELATED: Resident Evil Reboot Film Finally Unveils Official Title The director is Eiichiro Hasumi, who has previously helmed Japanese hits such as The Sun Does Not Move. “Being involved in a work with such a long history and so many fans gave me more joy than it did pressure,” explained Hasumi. “While this is a full CG anime, I strove to adjust the camerawork and lighting atmosphere to resemble the live-action filming I usually do to instill this work with a sense of realism. I hope that both fans of the “Resident Evil” series and non-fans alike can enjoy watching the series in one go.”Image Credit: NetflixMeanwhile, Yugo Kanno will be handling the anime’s original score. “I inherited the spirit of the many people who worked on the previous Resident Evil titles and took on the challenge of creating a new atmosphere through trial-and-error,” says Kanno. “I was keenly aware that this work would be released on Netflix, so I focused on the scale of a Hollywood film so that overseas viewers could also enjoy this. Since I received the same detailed orders as usual from Director Hasumi, I was not particularly conscious of the fact this was an animation during its production. In fact, it feels like I am only now realizing that this is an animated series.”Watch the new character trailer for Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness below:The official synopsis states, “In 2006, there were traces of improper access to secret Presidential files found in the White House’s computer network. American federal agent Leon S. Kennedy is among the group invited to the White House to investigate this incident, but when the lights suddenly go out, Leon and the SWAT team are forced to take down a horde of mysterious zombies. Meanwhile, TerraSave staff member Claire Redfield encounters a mysterious image drawn by a young boy in a country she visited, while providing support to refugees. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to be of a victim of viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. The next morning, Claire visits the White House to request the construction of a welfare facility. There, she has a chance reunion with Leon and uses the opportunity to show him the boy’s drawing. Leon seems to realize some sort of connection between the zombie outbreak at the White House and the strange drawing, but he tells Claire that there is no relation and leaves. In time, these two zombie outbreaks in distant countries lead to events that shake the nation to its very core.”
Image Credit: ABCPatti LuPone led OK Boomer show rounds out cast with Will Sasso and Tim ChiouThe HBO Max comedy pilot OK Boomer starring Broadway Icon Patti LuPone (Pose) fills out its cast with Will Sasso (United We Fall) and Tim Chiou (I Was a Simple Man). Deadline reports the pair join as series regulars along with Erinn Hayes (Bill and Ted: Face the Music) and Devere Rogers (Will and Grace), along with Zoe Manarel (An American Girl: Summer Camp) and Carter Chee.RELATED: Pose Final Season Trailer: The House of Evangelista Fights For Their LegacyIn OK Boomer, LuPone stars as Barbara in a self-centered boomer who shows up at her estranged daughter Sarah’s (Hayes) house hoping to live off the family’s money. Family hijinks ensue when she clashes with her precautious and progressive grandaughter but forms an unexpected bond with her when challenged on their differing views.Sasso will play Nick, Sarah’s (Hayes) older brother, who is recently divorced and putting his life back together while staying in Sarah’s guest house. Unlike his sister, Nick is thrilled by their mother’s return and seeks to earn her approval. Chiou will portray Trevor, Sarah’s even-tempered husband who runs a construction company. He strives to help his wife adapt to her family moving in with them and bringing along all their eccentricities. Manarel is Campbell, Sarah’s oldest, a socially conscious high school freshman who advocated for progressive causes but is also just a teen filled with self-doubt and angst. Chee plays Jacob, Sarah and Trevor’s youngest, a bright, sensitive but anxiety-ridden kid who lets fear rule his life.RELATED: Allison Janney-Led Sitcom Mom Officially Ending With Season 8The multi-cam comedy pilot comes from creator Todd Linden (Happy Endings), the late Jamie Tarses’ Fanfare and Sony Pictures TV. The pilot written by Linden is to be directed by Victor Gonzalez (Last Man Standing). Vanessa McCarthy serves as showrunner and also the project’s executive producer, along with Tarses.
Borat Supplemental Reportings trailer teases never-before-seen footageComing off from the critical success of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Amazon Prime Video has released the official trailer for the comedy sequel’s multi-part special titled Borat Supplemental Reportings. It features never-before-seen footage that was cut from Sasha Baron Cohen-led 2020 mockumentary film. The video also teases extended scenes of Borat’s time with the two conspiracy theorists and Tutar’s babysitter Jeanise Jones as well as behind-the-scenes footage of when Baron Cohen almost got in danger during a far-right rally. The special currently has no release date, but it is expected to debut sometime this year. Check out the video in the player below!RELATED: Limited Series About U.S. Capitol Insurrection in the Works at ShowtimeJason Woliner directed Borat Subsequent Moviefilm from a screenplay written by Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman, and Lee Kern. The movie was produced by Cohen, Monica Levinson, and Hines, while it was executive produced by Buddy Enright, Nicholas Hatton, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer, and Stuart Miller.Unlike the first film, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic Kazakh journalist is now joined by his fifteen-year-old daughter Tutar, who breakout star Maria Bakalova played. The sequel follows Borat as he was sent to America on a mission to redeem his nation.RELATED: Amazon Prime Show The Boys Getting a Podcast for Season 2Borat 2 was an instant hit to critics and viewers and was streamed by millions of Amazon Prime subscribers during its opening weekend. It recently won two major Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy Film for Baron Cohen’s performance. The sequel is currently nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay and Maria Bakalova for Best Supporting Actress.
At long last, the battle shall commence! We’re excited to announce that pre-orders are now available for Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Both versions come with a guaranteed spot in the Cross-Play Closed Beta on April 23-26.
The Chivalry 2 Closed beta is guaranteed with all pre-orders of the game and will be available on April 23, 2021 at 10:00am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST. To download it to your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 system, visit the Chivalry 2 page at PlayStation Store, and simply add the beta to your library.
To celebrate the news, we present this special animated trailer that reveals the motivations of the Agatha Knights – one of the two factions you’ll play as in Chivalry 2 along with the Mason Order.
Play Video
Buy Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and you’ll get a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version.
Chivalry 2 is enhanced for PlayStation 5 and features 4K visuals and DualSense controller adaptive triggers and haptics. A few examples:
On the left trigger, holding block gets harder as your stamina fallsThe right trigger will increase pressure for bows as you hold back the stringLocalized haptic feedback on strikes let you feel where every hit lands
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher launching June 8 that throws players into the thick of epic, medieval warfare. Fight in massive 64-player battles across a variety of maps that feel straight out of the best medieval movies of all time. Whether you’re sieging a walled city to assassinate the heir to the throne, or setting a village on fire while peasants (and chickens) scream in protest – in Chivalry 2 you’ll use the freedom of traditional FPS-style control to become a whirlwind of steel on the battlefield.
Our team Torn Banner Studios is composed of industry veterans as well as members of the original development team for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare (2012). Chivalry 2 began development in 2017 and we’re so excited to finally unleash the full game in June 2021.
The Cross-Play Closed Beta (April 23-26) will be a global test with servers available worldwide.
Here’s a tease of what you’ll be able to try out in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Wage war in The Siege of Rudhelm, an epic Team Objective mode map that sees you protect or invade an entire city and its castleContinue the fight in more Team Objective, Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all mapsFind your fit: play as 12 subclasses ranging from Skirmisher (hybrid melee/ranged fighter) to Poleman (fighter that keeps opponents away with long melee range)Cut your teeth in a full tutorial- – learn every technique in the book.
The full release will include all of the above — and more. In total you’ll fight in five unique Team Objective mode maps, which are sprawling, multi-stage levels where attackers have to push through each stage successfully or risk the entire game ending early. Siege entire cities in this mind-blowing game mode that truly feels like all-out war on a massive scale.
Chivalry 2 at full release will also have three additional, normal size maps to conquer in traditional Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all modes. But the conflict won’t end there! Much, much more content will be added after launch, including more maps, weapons and game modes.
As the battle approaches, here’s five tips for how to succeed in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Swing with your hips, not your eyes! Think of the crosshair as the direction your character’s hips face. When you swing a weapon, you can turn your hips to accelerate into a hit.You can hold down a block if you’re feeling overwhelmed — but be sure to aim your block at the point of your enemy’s strike in order to parry, then riposte and earn the advantage. Look around you. Make use of interactive traps including spikes, bear traps, chandeliers and more to kill your enemy without even clashing your swords. No fight is complete without a bit of banter. Cycle the voice line and emote menus to shout out hundreds of hilarious character voice lines on demand. Feeling desperate? Chuck your weapon at the enemy and then pick up anything you can find around you to use as your improvised tool of death. How about a wagon wheel, a giant tree limb, or even a full sized church bell? Anything goes.
Onward to glory!
At long last, the battle shall commence! We’re excited to announce that pre-orders are now available for Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Both versions come with a guaranteed spot in the Cross-Play Closed Beta on April 23-26.
The Chivalry 2 Closed beta is guaranteed with all pre-orders of the game and will be available on April 23, 2021 at 10:00am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST. To download it to your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 system, visit the Chivalry 2 page at PlayStation Store, and simply add the beta to your library.
To celebrate the news, we present this special animated trailer that reveals the motivations of the Agatha Knights – one of the two factions you’ll play as in Chivalry 2 along with the Mason Order.
Play Video
Buy Chivalry 2 on PlayStation 4 and you’ll get a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version.
Chivalry 2 is enhanced for PlayStation 5 and features 4K visuals and DualSense controller adaptive triggers and haptics. A few examples:
On the left trigger, holding block gets harder as your stamina fallsThe right trigger will increase pressure for bows as you hold back the stringLocalized haptic feedback on strikes let you feel where every hit lands
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher launching June 8 that throws players into the thick of epic, medieval warfare. Fight in massive 64-player battles across a variety of maps that feel straight out of the best medieval movies of all time. Whether you’re sieging a walled city to assassinate the heir to the throne, or setting a village on fire while peasants (and chickens) scream in protest – in Chivalry 2 you’ll use the freedom of traditional FPS-style control to become a whirlwind of steel on the battlefield.
Our team Torn Banner Studios is composed of industry veterans as well as members of the original development team for Chivalry: Medieval Warfare (2012). Chivalry 2 began development in 2017 and we’re so excited to finally unleash the full game in June 2021.
The Cross-Play Closed Beta (April 23-26) will be a global test with servers available worldwide.
Here’s a tease of what you’ll be able to try out in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Wage war in The Siege of Rudhelm, an epic Team Objective mode map that sees you protect or invade an entire city and its castleContinue the fight in more Team Objective, Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all mapsFind your fit: play as 12 subclasses ranging from Skirmisher (hybrid melee/ranged fighter) to Poleman (fighter that keeps opponents away with long melee range)Cut your teeth in a full tutorial- – learn every technique in the book.
The full release will include all of the above — and more. In total you’ll fight in five unique Team Objective mode maps, which are sprawling, multi-stage levels where attackers have to push through each stage successfully or risk the entire game ending early. Siege entire cities in this mind-blowing game mode that truly feels like all-out war on a massive scale.
Chivalry 2 at full release will also have three additional, normal size maps to conquer in traditional Team Deathmatch and Free-for-all modes. But the conflict won’t end there! Much, much more content will be added after launch, including more maps, weapons and game modes.
As the battle approaches, here’s five tips for how to succeed in the Cross-Play Closed Beta:
Swing with your hips, not your eyes! Think of the crosshair as the direction your character’s hips face. When you swing a weapon, you can turn your hips to accelerate into a hit.You can hold down a block if you’re feeling overwhelmed — but be sure to aim your block at the point of your enemy’s strike in order to parry, then riposte and earn the advantage. Look around you. Make use of interactive traps including spikes, bear traps, chandeliers and more to kill your enemy without even clashing your swords. No fight is complete without a bit of banter. Cycle the voice line and emote menus to shout out hundreds of hilarious character voice lines on demand. Feeling desperate? Chuck your weapon at the enemy and then pick up anything you can find around you to use as your improvised tool of death. How about a wagon wheel, a giant tree limb, or even a full sized church bell? Anything goes.
Onward to glory!
Hello Travelers! The Genshin Impact dev team is back once again with some exciting details on Version 1.5, which lands on April 28. In this latest version update, Beneath the Light of Jadeite, you can hone your adventure and combat skills with new events and formidable new enemies, continue your journey with Zhongli, meet new friends Eula and Yanfei, and hang out with more of your favorite characters, creating new memories ranging from the fun to the philosophical.
In addition, we are delighted to finally invite all Travelers to Teyvat to set up your very own home-away-from-home, where you can enjoy some much-needed moments of rest and respite from your busy journey through this world.
More fun and friendship
If you enjoyed the Hangout Events added to the game in Version 1.4, you may be glad to know that Version 1.5 gives you the chance to continue your hangout story with Noelle and start hanging out with Diona, the popular bartender of The Cat’s Tail in Mondstadt.
We’d also like to introduce you to two new characters: Eula, the Spindrift Knight from Mondstadt, and Yanfei, a legal adviser from Liyue Harbor.
As the Captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company, Eula is a five-star character, a claymore-user, and the bearer of a Cryo Vision. Her Elemental Skill, Icetide Vortex, increases her resistance to interruption and her DEF while dealing Cryo DMG. Her Elemental Burst deals AoE Cryo DMG to nearby enemies and creates a Lightfall Sword that follows her around for a certain duration, increasing her resistance to interruption. By dealing damage, Eula charges the Lightfall Sword until it explodes at the end of its duration, dealing AoE Physical DMG. Find out more about Eula in her upcoming story quest.
Meanwhile, Yanfei is a young half-human, half-illuminated beast born in Liyue during peacetime. She has dedicated herself to studying and interpreting Liyue’s extensive legal code and helping her clients extricate themselves from even the most complicated of legal wrangles. The four-star Pyro-using catalyst-wielder generates Scarlet Seals with her Normal Attack, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst. Scarlet Seals provide a stackable buff that decreases Yanfei’s Stamina consumption and can be consumed to increase the power and range of her Charged Attacks.
For those of you interested in the culture and history of Liyue, you’ll hopefully enjoy picking up where you left off with Zhongli to explore more legends and relics of the far-flung past. But be warned — sometimes, digging up the past reveals why it was buried so deep in the first place…
Get ready to confront new enemies
In Version 1.5, a new Trounce Domain and a new Boss Enemy will be introduced, offering perilous challenges for precious rewards.
Azhdaha, the “Lord of Vishaps,” is a formidable adversary sealed deep underground, with the power to unleash various elemental attacks and change the environment of the battlefield. Once unlocked, Travelers will be able to challenge the Trounce Domain “Beneath the Dragon-Queller” and claim rare weekly rewards.
Recently, a new boss-level enemy has also been discovered in Dragonspine. The Cryo Hypostasis is the latest addition to the Hypostasis series, and as well as bringing its unique combat style to the mix, Travelers will also need to contend with Sheer Cold during the battle.
Another enemy worthy of introduction is the Abyss Lector: Violet Lightning, a new enemy from the Abyss. Unlike the Abyss Herald introduced in Version 1.4, the Abyss Lector prefers to use ranged attacks and wields the power of both Electro and Hydro. If that isn’t enough to deal with, some of its attacks also deduct Elemental Energy from the player.
There’s nothing like a home brew
Still remember that magical teapot owned by a certain adeptus granny? Well, now you will have a chance to get your hands on your very own “Serenitea Pot,” courtesy of Madame Ping. Enter a realm you can call your own and build your dream home!
The adepti of Liyue possess a number of miraculous abilities, one of which allows them to manifest an entire realm within a medium such as a teapot. Once you become the owner of the Serenitea Pot, you will be prompted to choose from several realm styles when you first enter: Floating Abode, Emerald Peak, and Cool Isle. Each has either a Mondstadt- or Liyue-style building with several indoor rooms and plenty of space for outdoor recreation.
To make your realm into a place you can call home, you will need to remodel it inside and out. Thankfully, Tubby the teapot spirit will be on hand to help you with this task. As you travel around Teyvat, you will discover various furnishing blueprints, which can be used to make furnishings for your home. The more furnishings you make, the more Trust you can earn from Tubby, and the more help and resources Tubby can offer in return. Once your Trust Rank is high enough, Tubby can even help you switch realm layouts.
The adeptal power that generated your realm will also generate Realm Currency over time. As you place more furnishings in your realm, the adeptal power will increase further, generating even more Realm Currency. Realm Currency can be exchanged in Tubby’s Realm Depot for furnishings and items, or traded with the Teapot Traveling Salesman, when he shows up, for precious wares and rare resources. You can also invite your friends to visit you in your realm.
The Serenitea Pot item and the Realm Within that it provides access to will be added and supported from Version 1.5. Further gameplay and functions will follow in future updates.
We’d also like to mention a couple of gameplay optimizations to look forward to in this version. The first three times you claim rewards in a week from Trounce Domains, it will only cost you 30 Original Resin. Also, you will now gain double the amount of Companionship EXP for gameplay completed in co-op mode.
New seasonal challenges and events with bountiful rewards will also be on offer, but we’ll save the details on those until a later date.
And finally: we are extremely excited to announce that a native version of Genshin Impact for PlayStation 5 will be released on April 28. With native support for PlayStation 5 comes 4K resolution, enhanced textures, and faster loading times.
We look forward to sharing more details with you all in the near future, so watch this space.
The name Rick doesn't typically inspire fear and awe, but it definitely does with Splatterhouse. The hand-to-hand combat of this game alone makes it pretty metal, but what he can do with meat cleavers and other makeshift weapons? It's art, man. He can also regrow his limbs back if they are severed, so that's something nifty. Collecting the blood of his enemies, Rick powers up and rolls out to cause mayhem, destruction, and an impressive killstreak that would make the devil himself jealous.
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Splatterhouse is a pretty straightforward single-player experience that holds a deeper plot than one might think. Driven by the desire to save his kidnapped girlfriend, Splatterhouse is honestly made even better by jamming out to your favorite band.
Band recommendations for this treasure include Judas Priest, Motorhead (RIP Lemmy), Anthrax, Fear Factory, and Children of Bodom.
There are quite a few gaming adaptations in the works, including a show based on a hit franchise from Naughty Dog. While we are still quite a bit away from a trailer, we do have another face that is joining the fray. HBO's The Last of Us TV series has revealed another new cast member, this time with Gabriel Luna playing the role of Joel's younger brother. As reported by Variety, Luna is the latest cast member to be joining the HBO adaptation as Tommy alongside Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie. Tommy is a former soldier that is a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world, and honestly? He's a good fit, especially with Pascal as the lead character.
Luna has an impressive roster of roles under his belt already, having played Gabriel/REV-9 in Terminator: Dark Fate, Robbie Reyes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Eddie Lunez in Rosewood.
In a new previous report from CBC Canada, the Director's Guild has confirmed the location and the time after months of rumors that this is where the show was headed. The Guild currently says that the HBO take is set to begin filming on July 5, 2021, in Calgary, with an expected wrap-up slated for June 8, 2022.
The upcoming TV series is under the umbrella of Sony Pictures Television, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. The HBO adaptation is meant to be a new beginning for the franchise following The Last of Us Part II's release. The games themselves artfully intertwined combat and narrative cutscenes, so setting this franchise adapted in TV format isn't really a huge stretch. While the sequel was met with a very mixed reception, the first game is pretty universally loved. With reports that Sony is remaking The Last of Us for the PlayStation 5, it will be interesting to see a fresh lens on a universe that was a vital part of the last two generations.
What do you think about the latest casting decision regarding the upcoming The Last of Us TV series from HBO? How are you feeling about the franchise as a whole with so much news centered around it in the past year? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below and tell us what you think. Do it for Ellie.
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Officially, NCT 127 was not the headliner of KCON 2018 New York, but the intricate setlist and crowd screams would have made one think otherwise. Kicking off with an intense dance introduction, pin-point performances of singles like "Touch" and "Cherry Bomb," and even a special rendition of their 2017 b-side track "Whiplash," the boy band delivered one of the longest sets of the fest and left an audibly obvious impact on the Prudential Center arena. The scene-stealing showcase marked the latest step in NCT 127's steady trajectory to more American visibility that recently included stops at Beats 1 radio, BUILD Series, and even a live Apple Store performance.
Talking to Fuse the morning ahead of the set, the nine members reflected on their growth in the past year, where they see their band going in the future and the love that they have for the other members in their NCT brand.
FUSE: NCT 127 is back in America! We first talked to you at KCON New York last year, your first U.S. show, so how are you feeling a year later?Taeyong: It's similar. What we're feeling is very similar, but now we're headed towards new goals in what we want to do. We're always thinking about what kind of songs we need to sing, what kind of performance we need to put on and what's good to show our fans. So overall, it's very similar, but it's always comes down to what's next to show to the fans.Mark: One more thing to add to that, like what Taeyong said, we do feel the same way with how thrilled we are to stand in front of our fans and with as much that has happened in the year, we have new things to show to the fans music-wise and performance-wise. We want to show how much we've developed as well and so we're just glad to meet our fans who have waiting for us. We also prepared a new intro for "Touch" and it's a lot stronger than what people are expecting, it's going to be the first thing that everyone sees. We also have three members perform one of our new songs "Whiplash" so people can look forward to something new.
It really does feel like you guys are leading this kind of "new generation of K-pop," as they say. Do you guys feel this yourselves?Taeyong: Rather than being able to feel that we are leading this new generation, we feel that K-pop as a genre is at the forefront of attention around the world. We have to try really hard as just one of the K-pop artists in this genre and we feel like we need to really just do our best within this genre. But I think we're going to be in every spot in the whole wide world.
Recently, you participated in the Empathy album by NCT that included a song and video performed by NCT 2018 with all 18 members in the band. What is a video shoot like that like?Haechan: All the members were involved and because there are so many members we had to concentrate a lot harder and there were a lot more things to pay attention to. But because we tried hard, the end result was actually a lot better. In regards to atmosphere of the music video, because everyone was there it was actually really great. Everyone was feeling great and, in general, it was just good.
We saw you in Los Angeles recently performing and doing interviews. Now you're back in New York. Is the US more of a priority for NCT 127 this year? Taeyong: Yes!Johnny: [Clarifying] I feel like we are always getting ready to come out to wherever, even America, even anywhere else, because NCT 127 as a team is a group that starts in Seoul and we want to spread out into the world just to tell everyone what K-pop is. We want to show everyone what NCT 127 is, so we're always ready to come to America—come to anywhere, practically!
You also recently made your debut in Japan and fans are hoping for news about a Korean comeback. What are you working on right now?Jaehyun: We are always preparing new songs, new performances, and I hope we have more opportunities to meet more fans like over the world. I think we are always ready.Mark: We actually don't know the exact date or anything [in regards to new Korean music], but I feel like we are always getting ready to kind of like make something, you know, to get back to our fans as quickly as possible. [We're involved with] every angle of the preparation, we're just trying to interact with the music. We are working on it.
“I ask fans to keep their expectations high for the group.”
— NCT's Taeyong
KCON has a great lineup this year including some of your label mates like Super Junior and Red Velvet. But if you bring on one more artist to the lineup, who would you bring?Taeyong: There are a lot of different artists in SM Entertainment, and there are a lot of our seniors in SM, but because there are a lot of our members in NCT, I think we would really like it if we could perform at KCON with the other members of NCT.
And do you have a message to the fans that are reading around the world and that may not get to see you as often as other areas of the world?Johnny: So, first off, I would like to say thank you for always, I guess like, always rooting for us and supporting us. We are always working on something to show you guys, so I hope you guys are always ready to come out and be like, "Whoa, NCT is finally back!" Taeyong: We're really happy that we can, once again, meet all our fans in New York and we want to continue to make great memories with our fans. NCT is going to continue to grow as a group, and I ask fans to keep their expectations high for the group.
Emerging from pop-rock group One Direction, Liam Payne tells Fuse after ten years of trusting the process and dedication he is set to release his debut album this fall. Having worked with Quavo, Zedd, J Balvin, Rita Ora and more Payne reveals he doesn't want to "pigeonhole" himself and wants to give fans a taste of everything.
With five hit singles showcasing how versatile Payne can be, the new dad explains his debut will be a "mixed bag" and more of a playlist. "My debut album is kind of a bit of a mix bag at the minute. The idea I went for is one, I want to see what people want from me. I'm really into the idea of finding out what it is because I'm trying to do it myself," says the 24-year-old. "And we are doing so many different great songs. I mean, you know, from what you've heard so far. I've done so many different genres of music."
Payne also shares how an experience in Peru influenced him to infuse Latin vibes into his music which would become "Later" featuring J Balvin. Watch the full interview above where Payne discusses traveling being the "biggest education" anyone can have and his first headline concert.
Speaking of Liam Payne and Rita Ora's recent "For You (Fifty Shades Freed)" collab, throw it back to 2014 when Ora spoke about her highly-anticipated 50 Shades of Grey role as Mia Grey:
CJ Entertainment
From an unexpected viral hit in 2014 to a member's health battle needing to have her sit out of a few album releases, EXID's road to K-pop stardom has been atypical but the cheers from the KCON crowd would make one think otherwise. Earning some of the biggest roars at KCON 2018 New York, the girl group performed their '90s-inspired new single "Lady," along with a handful of other singles, to greet their U.S. fans on the East Coast.
Backstage at the final Day 2 concert of KCON 2018, just as the news hit that a record-breaking 53,000 K-pop fans had officially attended the festival, EXID spoke to Fuse looked back at their best memories from the '90s, looked forward to what's coming next and more.
FUSE: Your latest single "Lady" is obviously inspired by the '90s. You guys are '90s babies, growing up in that time. Do you remember any songs that were really really popular in Korea during the '90s time or from your childhood?Jeonghwa: I was very young, born in 1995, so by the time I was able to actually listen to music and remember it was already the '00s so probably the other members that are better off answering this question. [Laughs]Hani: JYP [Park Jin Young], I really liked JYP songs. Hyelin: I would have school festivals and my friend and I would actually cover groups like S.E.S and Fin.K.L. and I think that actually helped my dream to become a singer.LE: I remember songs from Biggie— who's from New York! Where we are!— and Tupac, yes, of course. Songs like "California Love," I remember listening to a lot of old hip-hop music and songs. We definitely feel like trends repeat themselves and we're so happy that they're able to sing songs that we heard when we were younger.
Do you see any other trends from your childhoods coming back?Hyelin: I remember "fanny packs." In Korea, they called it a sack, but it's called a fanny pack. Yeah, but it's coming back, we call it a side, you know, a side bag because it's cooler. But for me, I remember that it's specifically something my dad wore at that time, but now it's something that people wear.Hani: Bucket hats are back in style. And just like how the rim go around and round, trends go around and around, you know? And to add on to that, even when it comes to pants, back then there were pants with really wide legs, but it's starting to come back. And once again fashion, it comes and goes.
No more skinny jeans for me. Thank you for all those memories, but looking forward to the future, what else does EXID have coming in 2018?Jeonghwa: Solji's health has been recovering very well and as we're watching her health get better, we're looking to come back as all five. I want a group comeback and the group wants the fans to continue to expect us to come back as all five. We really do hope that the fans continue to wait for us.
“We feel like the world is just starting to come around and show love for K-pop”
— Jeonghwa
2018 feels like a really special year for K-pop. EXID's music is reaching so many more people than ever, I think. Do you feel that it's a special year too?Hyelin: First off, we didn't have as much time to go abroad, but when we do see our group mentioned in the media we look into it and we're always touched to see what's being said about us and that we're being talked about overseas. When we do get a chance to go abroad, there are fans at the airport and those are the times when we realize that we're being loved overseas. Anytime we see our fans overseas, we get so much energy and so much support. We're always very thankful.Jeonghwa: Not just our team, but all the Korean teams are trying so hard to achieve their dreams and it's just right now that we feel like the world is just starting to come around and show love for this genre of music.Hani: And we feel so proud that it might just be because we're part of this genre, you know? We see that K-pop culture is actually growing right now, starting to be accepted in this world, and it's really surprising. So we feel this sense of pride to be part of this growing genre.
Young M.A came through to the Fuse office for a Hip-Hop at 45 edition of our Rant and Rave series. Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., the emcee shares her thoughts Jeezy's "Snowman" movement, dance waves in hip-hop and the late '80s to early '90s hip-hop rivalry between legendary KRS-One and Marley Marl.
"That was like lit man, I ain't gon lie," she says on the Queensbridge vs. Kingsbridge rivalry. "KRS-One man, he was holding it down. I like MC Shan, though. I wasn't born when that beef happened. When I grew up on hip-hop and I was learning a lot about hip-hop, I remember that beef."
Watch the full Rant and Rave interview above where the 26-year-old also discusses Missy Elliot's iconic black suit, 50 Cent's "Many Men (Wish Death)" and gives Soulja Boy a shout out for making an impact on the hip-hop dance movement.
Below, watch the legendary trio Salt-N-Pepa rate a few hip-hop fashion statements, dance moves and even their own video:
This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the wild world of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, with Engadget Senior Editor Dan Cooper. What do they mean for the future of art and commerce? And should you care about them at all? Also, we chat about Microsoft’s finalized Bethesda acquisition, as well as Facebook’s push to dismiss its latest antitrust charges.
Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
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CreditsHosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn LowGuest: Dan CooperProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Google has discussed how Chrome version 89 has improved the browser's memory usage and loading times on Mac, Windows and Android in a new post on the Chromium blog. The tech giant says the browser is now smarter when it comes to using and discarding memory across platforms — for instance, it now discards memory that the foreground tab is not actively using, such as big images that you've already scrolled past.
In addition, the update is also shrinking the browser's memory footprint in background tabs for macOS, which Chrome has already been doing on other platforms for a while now. For macOS, in particular, Google is seeing up to eight percent in memory savings and up to 65 percent in improvement on Apple Energy Impact score for tabs in the background. Those translate to a cooler Mac with quieter fans. Chrome 89 now also uses PartitionAlloc, the company's own advanced memory allocator, everywhere on Android and 64-bit Windows. Thanks to that change, it has improved browser responsiveness by up to 9 percent, and it's seeing up to 22 percent in memory savings on Windows.
The Chrome team says new Play and Android capabilities allowed it to repackage the browser for fewer crashes and that it rebuilt the browser to be more stable for newer Android devices. It has also introduced a feature called "Freeze-Dried Tabs" to make starting up Chrome on Android up to 13 percent faster. Freeze-Dried Tabs work by saving a lightweight version of your tabs — it's around the size of a screenshot, but it still supports scrolling and zooming, and it keeps links clickable. The screenshot-like tabs show up when you first fire up Chrome and while the actual tabs are loading in the background, so you can see pages load faster than before.
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Welcome to Friday morning. As some email subscribers may have noticed, the daily newsletter has been on hiatus for several weeks as we contended with a persistent technical issue. We’ve now figured out a fix, so we’re back to our regularly scheduled newsletter.
Thanks for your patience and if you have any more feedback, you can get in touch with us at themorningafter(at)engadget.com. (And if you’re reading this on the site, you can subscribe right here.)
Today's edition includes a smartphone with a ‘microscope’ camera, Tenet on a Game Boy Advance, an explanation of exactly what NFTs are and how to digitally organize your Mac, as our Spring Cleaning series goes beyond simply cleaning your keyboard. That’s where my spring cleaning typically ends.
— Mat Smith
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Bob Wulff, YouTube
Proving old devices never really die, some enterprising crafters keep squeezing functionality out of yesteryear’s gadgets. That includes a horrifically compressed version of Tenet for Game Boy Advance, and a wildly unnecessary Twitter client for the Handspring Visor. Continue reading.
The cryptocurrency offshoot presents a jumble of contradictions.
NBA
Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs, are the cryptocurrency off-shoot that has, all of a sudden, burst into the mainstream. They’re essentially a way of tying a certificate of authenticity to a digital file, among other things, like a contract, video clip or even a still image. The possibilities for NFTs are still to be explored, but they’re booming right now like Bitcoin did through much of 2020. Yesterday, a digital artwork by Beeple and associated NFT sold at auction for nearly $70 million. For what essentially amounted to a copy of a still image someone could have printed at home for free and a signed receipt.
If you’re wondering what exactly all of this means, and what’s going on, then Dan Cooper has written a lengthy explainer to get you up to speed on what this is, even if you still have trouble understanding why someone would spend so much money on it. Continue reading.
And both its wide and ultra-wide cameras have the same sensor.
Engadget
Oppo’s new flagship phone, the Find X3 Pro is entirely focused on photography — the giant sensor array on the back kind of gives that away. The headline feature has to be its "microscope" camera. The 3-megapixel f/3.0 microscopic camera delivers 30x magnification natively and can handle 1080p video recording. As you have to get close — the focal distance is between only 1mm and 3mm — this camera even has a small ring light to illuminate your subject.
The results make for a unique camera phone. It’s an Oppo device, so there’s also lightning-fast charging with the bundled 65W SuperVOOC charger and speedier wireless charging with compatible docks, which can fully charge your phone in 80 minutes. Given past form, chances are the Find X3 Pro won't head to the US, but the company has announced it'll be available in the UK on April 14th, starting at £1,099, which is around $1,250. Continue reading.
It aims to have a high-capacity pre-production battery by 2023.
GM is elaborating on its next-generation Ultium batteries, which sound like something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but are not. The company plans to use lithium-metal (Li-metal) technology to boost performance and energy density. Li-metal batteries replace carbon anodes with lithium metal, allowing for lighter and more powerful cells. The challenge with the technology is increased resistance and "dendrite" filaments that tend to form on the anodes, making batteries short-circuit and heat up. “With this next-generation Ultium chemistry, we believe we’re on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation improvement in energy density and cost," said GM President Mark Reuss, adding that there was also “still room for improvement”. Continue reading.
Taking care of your computer doesn’t need to be complicated.
Engadget
Once you’ve dusted the cookie crumbs from your MacBook keyboard, it’s time for a digital clean. Associate Editor Igor Bonifacic reveals his fastidious Mac cleaning techniques, encompassing hard-drive organization, keeping your desktop clean going forward and even how to purloin the best organization features from Windows 10 for your Mac. Continue reading.
Do you remember whose account you’re streaming on?
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For years, Netflix has looked the other way on people sharing passwords to their streaming accounts with folks that may not quite meet the definition of a “member of the household.” As its streaming audience has grown into the hundreds of millions, allowing easy access has been more important than triple-checking credentials.
But those days may be coming to an end. The company confirmed a test it’s running that prompts suspected freeloaders to get their own accounts and then asks to verify their access with a code sent to the registered account holder’s phone number or email address. Now that Netflix has hiked its prices for several years in a row, and growth in some countries is slowing, it looks like this is a way to find a few more paying customers. Continue reading.
Nearly every addition is coming to play on Xbox, PC and mobile.
Now the deal is done, Microsoft-owned game publisher Bethesda has announced 20 of its games are xton Xbox Game Pass, starting today. In all, Microsoft is adding 12 new titles, including Fallout 4, Morrowind and The Evil Within, for people to check out. They'll join eight other Bethesda games, like Dishonored 2, Fallout 76 and Doom Eternal, that were already available through the service, making a total of 20 titles. Check the full list of titles here.
But wait, there’s more...
US lawmakers introduce bill to make high-speed internet available to all
Chrome for Android lets you preview web links
SSL's UF8 DAW controller is a luxury in search of an audience
Google Meet update crams more people into your mobile video calls
EA opens probe into claims that staff are selling rare ‘FIFA 21 Ultimate Team’ cards
Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger is 22 percent off at Best Buy
Netflix's 'Resident Evil' CG anime leans on familiar voice actors
The best white noise machines for babies
Verizon (owner of Engadget's parent company Verizon Media) has expanded its 5G Home Internet service's availability, launching it in 10 new cities this month. Starting on March 18th, the service will roll out to parts of Cleveland, OH; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; Omaha, NE and San Diego, CA. A few days after that, on March 25th, the service will also be available in parts of Charlotte, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Hartford, CT; Kansas City, MO and Salt Lake City, UT.
The carrier launched its 5G Home internet service back in 2018, promising typical download speeds of around 300 Mbps and max speeds of up to 1 Gbps with no data caps. As the name implies, it doesn't need a cable or fiber hookup, just the company's "Internet Gateway" device that customers can set up on their own. It was only available in five cities for quite some time, because Verizon pushed back its broader rollout to wait for more powerful equipment to come in. The service costs $50 a month for current customers with eligible mobile plans or $70 a month for non-Verizon customers.
Verizon has also recently announced winning between 140 and 200 megahertz of C-Band spectrum in every available market from the latest FCC auction. That'll allow the company to expand its 5G Ultra Wideband's availability, though only those with premium unlimited plans will be able to access C-Band's faster speeds.
Last seen in 1993, Jeep's Wagoneer is back and big in every sense of the word — including the amount of technology found inside. The classic large luxury SUV brand (which surely inspired the Simpson's "Canyonero") has multiple touchscreens, support for both Apple and Android entertainment systems and even video streaming via Amazon's Fire TV.
The big daddy Grand Wagoneer packs up to no less than four touch displays to fill out that enormous dash. That includes a 12.3-inch digital dash cluster, along with a 12-inch infotainment system. The latter uses the latest version of Chrysler/Jeep's Uconnect 5, and also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Sitting directly below that is a 10.3-inch display that lets you control the climate and seats. (On the regular Wagoneer, you get smaller 10.3- and 10.1-inch displays for the digital dash and infotainment display, respectively.)
Stellantis
Those are just for the driver — the front passenger gets their own (optional) 10.3-inch touchscreen that allows them to watch movies, monitor the vehicle and more. Rear passengers get a pair of matching 10.1-inch displays, also optional. All three of those screens let passengers control navigation and media, monitor the external cameras, and play your own content via the aforementioned Android Auto/Apple CarPlay or Uconnect.
As we detailed last week, you can also stream video using Amazon's Fire TV for Auto with Alexa, giving passengers access to Amazon's library of Prime Video shows. You'll also be able to play games, use apps and access Alexa on the road through Fire TV for Auto.
The rest of the interior is a lux as you'd expect in such an SUV, equipped with what Jeep calls an "American premium" design (the word "American" appears no less than 32 times in the Wagoneer press release). You're coddled with wood, aluminum and leather throughout and the Grand Wagoneer has 24-way adjustable power seats, with lumbar support and memory settings. The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer offer 94.2 and 116.7 cubic feet of storage space, respectively. Pricing starts at just under $60,000, but to get all the tech bells and whistles, you'll pay up to $105,995 for the Grand Wagoneer Series III.
Sitting on the western tip of India and meeting the sea, Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the largest temples in the ancient holy city of Dwarka. It is located where River Gomti meets the Arabian Sea and one can see the temple from many miles due to its large structure and the vast empty stretch of lands that surrounds the temple.
The temple is active all day long where daily activities will be happening from the early morning hours to late evening hours.
History
The history of the temple goes back to many centuries where people believed that the temple is constructed by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna and this is where the Hari Griha or the home of Krishna once stood making Dwarka a holy land.
The current structure of Dwarkadhish temple is an amalgamation of changes and construction for over a few centuries from the 8th to the current year where changes and renovation works have been done.
The giant temple stands tall for over 80m which is equivalent to the current 25 storey building. And on top of the building is 25ft long flagstaff.
The tall tower over the main sanctum is built in Nagara Style and there are 7 visible stories which are constructed keeping in mind 7 ancient cities in India. The 7 cities that are depicted here include Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Avantika, Kanchipuram, and Dwarka. If you notice this, the whole of India is represented here and this is an intriguing factor.
Mandapa of the temple is carved out of a single stone and it stands on over 72 pillars. It has 4 stories that represent the Char Dhams of Vaishnava Temples, Dwarka being one of the 4 Dhams of the western corner of India.
Style of Architecture
The temple has been constructed in general Solanki style which was a prevalent style of architecture in Gujarat. As per archaeologists, the main temple is said to be constructed around 12-13th CE while the Sabah Mandap is said to be constructed around 15-16th CE.
During the excavations, it is revealed that this is the 4th temple and the oldest temple should have been around 2000 years old.
Dwarkadhish temple is home to one of the 4 Shankaracharya Peetas or Shardha Peetas. Shardha Peetas are part of temples that are dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya and in the evenings one can hear students chanting Sanskrit Shlokas from Vedas.
Dwarkadhish Group of Temples
Dwarkadhish Temple is big and full of small temples however, at the inner sanctum or Girbha Gruha, the idol of Lord Krishna as four-armed Vishnu where the experts call this as Trivikram.
The temple of Dwarkadhish here is also known as Jagat Mandir.
The idol or Murti of Dwarkadhish is 2.25ft high and is carved out of Black Stone. The current murti is the third one. The first Murti is now at Beyt Dwarka which was bought here to protect it from foreign invaders, the first Murti was believed to be worshipped by Rukmini herself.
The second murti is at Dakor. The story goes that there was a little girl who was a devotee of Sri Krishna who used to travel from Dakor to Dwarka. Pleased by her devotion, Sri Krishna decided to go along with her and priests suspected that the girl had stolen the idol and when they approached the little girl, she paid them with gold coins and now the second idol sits at Dakor.
Priests suspected that there is another idol at Savitri Taalav and when they dug the place in a hurry an incomplete idol came out. This is the current image of Sri Krishna that is being worshipped.
The idol of Sri Krishna faces the western direction which suggests that he might be looking at the sea where his city has been submerged.
Other temples are located at the Dwarkadhish temple complex.
As Dwarkadhish temple is a collection of the temple, one can notice smaller temples here such as
Kusheshwar Mahadev Temple – A shiva temple
Navagraha Yantra
Kashi Visvanath Shivalingam
Gayatri Devi Temple
Aniruddha and Pradyumna Temple
Rishi Durvasa Temple
Amba Ji Temple
Devaki Temple
Radha Krishna Temple
Shankaracharya Samadhi
Gates of Dwarkadhish temple
Dwarkadhish Temple has 2 entrances, they are titled Moksha Dwara and Swarga Dwara. From the Swarga dwara, 56 steps lead down to Gomti Ghat and stories suggest that 56 steps represent 56 crore yadavas.
Ceremonies
As mentioned before, the temple is busy all day long where they follow a strict routine. During the day, there will be aarti, darshans, and bhogs. The activities mean, devotees converse with the deity and offer food.
Throughout the day, the Shringar of the deity is changed and every time the shringar is changed, the backdrop of the deity is changed where the deity is put on with amazing jewellery.
Flag Hoisting Ceremony
One of the striking features of the Dwarkadish temple is its flags. And every time you look, a different colored flag will be visible as it is changed 3 times in morning hours and twice evening hours.
There is a waiting list of 2 years for a person to sponsor flags.
The flags itself hold great importance here. The family sponsoring the flag should feed all the Brahmanas in Dwarka and they bring the flag singing and dancing to the temple premises. The flag is then offered to the deity where a person from the Brahmin community goes up and changes the flag.
The flag that is sponsored comes with a lot of rules where it should measure 52 yards. 52 smaller flags are attached to the large flag representing 52 sub-casts of yadavas. Another theory says 52 represents the 52 doors that Dwarka once had.
The flag can be of any color except black and the flag should have a sun and a moon emblem on it.
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Things to do in Dwarka
Dwarka is an ancient city in the Northwestern state of Gujarat which is also an important pilgrimage site. It is located on the banks of the Gomti River. Dwarka is one of the 4 Chardham and one of the 7 religious cities in India. Dwarka was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Krishna and is believed to be the first capital of Gujarat.
Being an historic city, you can explore many things to do in this ancient city.
Dwarkadhish Temple
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One of the famous temples in Dwarka is Dwarkadhish. When you visit this ancient city of Dwarka, you should not miss visiting this temple and make sure you visit the temple once in the morning and once in the evening. One of the striking features of the Dwarkadhish temple is that the flag of the temple is changed 5 times a day. The flag will be sponsored by a family and it is a huge affair here.
Dwarkadhish Temple is situated on the banks of the Gomti River and the temple worships Lord Krishna who was King of Dwarka. The temple is supposed to be built by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna.
Nageshwar Temple
One of the jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, Nageshwar jyotirlinga is one of the 12 jyotirlingas and is located around 15kms from the city center.
Nageshwar temple is one of the oldest temples mentioned in Shiva Purana and is believed to be the first of all 12 jyotirlingas. The swayambhu lingam is enshrined in the underground chamber of Nageshwar Temple and thousands of pilgrims visit this location all-year-round.
The temple is built with the typical Hindu architecture. This is a unique temple as Shiva Lingam faces south and the gomugam faces the east. The Shiva lingam at Nageshwar temple is a tri-mukhi rudraksha and is around 40cms in height and 30cms in diameter.
The Ghats have an important place in Hindu mythology where people worship, Gomati Ghat is one of the sacred ghats located on the banks of River Gomti in Dwarka and is located behind Dwarkadhish temple.
Gomati Ghat is located at the mouth of the Gomti River, which is one of the important tributaries of the sacred River Ganges. According to the myths, River Gomti is a daughter of Vashistha Muni and her waters are enough to purge one’s sins.
There is a space of 56 steps from Dwarkadhish temple and Gomati Ghat and taking a dip here is believed to be sacred and will liberate one’s sins committed in previous births. It is also said, Lord Krishna, himself took bath several times here.
Rukmini Temple
One of the important sites to visit in Dwarka is Rukmini Devi Temple.Rukmini Devi who is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.
and this temple is dedicated to the beloved wife of Lord Krishna. The temple is believed to be constructed for more than 2500 years but its domed mandapa and stepped sanctuary belong to the 12th Century. The sanctum of the temple has a marble idol of Devi Rukmani and is an architectural marvel in itself. On the walls, there will be rich paintings on the walls depicting Rukmini and Krishna.
The Rukmini Devi temple is located on the banks of the Bhagirathi river and never miss out on visiting this temple while you visit the ancient city of Dwarka.
Shivrajpur beach is one of the famous beaches in Gujarat and is a must-visit location. It is a beautiful beach with white sands which offers stunning sunsets and picturesque views to the tourists. The beach is not much commercialized which makes it ideal for tourists to visit and spend some quality time off away from chaotic city experience.
If you are lucky, you can spot Dolphins and beautiful birds on the sea here, recently, beach management has introduced water sports, food, and shopping areas for visitors.
Recently, Shivrajpur Beach has been certified with Blue Flag which means it is one of the cleanest beaches in the world. To get a blue flag certification, a beach should have 33 stringent criteria approved which are based on environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environmental management, and conservation of the beaches.
The Blue flag is one of the world’s most prestigious voluntary awards for beaches and getting a blue flag certified will help to increase tourism to the state.
Shree Nath Dining Hall is a local Restaurant Run by an elderly lady and her family that offers local authentic Gujarati Food with personal care and touch by the lady who personally visits every table and serves us food and are treated like house guests.
All the spread is for Rs 130 for the thali and generally takes 1 hour waiting time during peak hours.
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Seychelles will be reopening its borders from the end of this month as the island nation gears up to welcome tourists and is hoping to resuscitate a sector for the economy which has been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
When the coronavirus started spreading all across the world, authorities sealed off the archipelago to the rest of the world and thus bringing losses to travel, resorts, cruise ships, and nature reserves of the customers.
“Seychelles will reopen to tourists from all over the world … on March 25,” said a state-owned news agency according to the statement provided by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde.
Tourists from all over the world except South Africa can enter the archipelago.
Revenue from tourism fell over 61% as anti-coronavirus restrictions cut arrivals by 70%.
The Island nation would be open to tourists however, it comes with rules where the tourists need to undertake coronavirus tests within 72 hours before entering the country. Tourists who are tested negative need not quarantine, however, they need to stay at hotels that are certified by the government and need to comply with coronavirus measures.
Wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social and physical distancing will be mandatory.
“We are hoping that this will give the economy the breathing space that the economy needs, the country needs,” said the minister as quoted by the agency.
The country so far has at least 2,618 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 11 deaths, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
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Zendaya in Talks to Star in A24’s Ronnie Spector Biopic
Variety brings word that Emmy winner Zendaya (Euphoria, Dune, Spider-Man franchise) is in talks to portray the frontwoman of the musical group The Ronettes, Ronnie Spector, in an upcoming biopic of the musician’s life from A24 and New Regency. The star was apparently picked by Spector to portray her.
RELATED: Malcom & Marie: Netflix Nabs Rights to Zendaya-Led Romantic Drama
The biopic will reportedly place emphasis on Spector’s early career, particularly on the formation of The Ronettes group and their subsequent singing to Phil Spector’s Philles Records. While at the label, the band recorded their hit “Be My Baby,” and Spector eventually married the record producer. The film will also follow their eventual divorce and Spector’s battle to gain back the rights to her music.
Pick up your copy of Be My Baby here!
A24 and New Regency have acquired Spector’s life rights, as well as her autobiography, Be My Baby, that was written by Spector along with Vince Waldron. The studios are possibly eyeing Pulitzer-winner Jackie Sibblies Drury to write the screenplay for the biopic.
RELATED: Dune Trailer: Arrakis is Reborn in Denis Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi Epic!
Marc Platt (The Little Mermaid, Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked) will produce. Spector is attached as an executive producer alongside her manager Jonathan Greenfield and Zendaya.