Sony pulling God of War from GeForce Now as PlayStation Plus revamp begins to roll out

Cloud gaming continues to gather momentum with Sony’s revamped PlayStation Plus rolling out across all its major launch markets by the end of June. Sony has had a cloud offering for a while but it wasn’t that good. So the revamp to PS Plus is exciting. But one side effect seems to be that Sony is following Xbox and keeping its first-party titles to itself. Either that or God of War’s impending departure from Nvidia GeForce Now is a massive coincidence.

But it’s really not, is it?

On July 1, God of War will be removed from the GeForce Now library for both Steam and Epic Games. With the last of the initial PS Plus launch markets going online by June 23, the timing adds up. God of War on GeForce Now of course uses the PC version. Whereas the new PS Plus cloud offering will be streaming the PS4 version.

It’s not all bad news, but if you planned on playing God of War through GeForce Now you need to get to it. Nvidia has provided an update on its support blog:

“On July 1, God of War (Steam, Epic Games Store) will be removed from the GeForce NOW library. However, it will remain available for those who have played the game at least once on GeForce NOW. As part of the GeForce NOW opt-in process, some games may continue to be available to members on a legacy basis. This will allow members who have started playing a game at least once on GeForce NOW to continue playing it, even after the game has been removed for users who have not played it.”

So, if God of War is in your cloud backlog, you need to open it up as soon as possible to register that you played it. That means after July 1 you’ll still have access. For everyone who doesn’t make it in time, it looks like you’ll be paying for PS Plus Premium for this and any future Sony games from the cloud.

NVIDIA GeForce Now

Any PC, Mac or mobile device can be a high-powered gaming machine thanks to NVIDIA's cloud gaming platform.

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Source: NVIDIA

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June 2022 patches start rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Z Fold 2

As it’s been doing for the past several months, Samsung has released new monthly security patches way ahead of Google’s official schedule. After servicing the Galaxy Tab S7 and the Galaxy S21 series, the South Korean giant has now started rolling out the June 2022 security patches to the Galaxy S22 series and the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Galaxy S22 series

According to reports on our forums, Samsung has begun seeding a new software update to the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which brings June 2022 security patches. The update is meant for the global Snapdragon variant and has firmware version S90xEXXU2AVEH.

Besides the security patches and bug fixes, the update also bumps the underlying Linux kernel version from 5.10.43 to 5.10.81. For now, the release has only gone live in the United Arab Emirates, but we can expect Samsung to expand it to more regions soon.

Samsung Galaxy S22

The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the entry flagship for 2022, bringing over top of the line performance and camera capabilities in a form that fits many pockets and budgets.

Buy from Samsung.com

Galaxy Z Fold 2

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is also picking up June 2022 patches with a new update. The OTA is currently rolling out in South Korea, and it comes with a software version F916NKSU1FVE9 (F916NTBU1FVE9 for the KOO variant).

After installing this update, owners of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 can finally utilize the “Smart Widgets” feature of One UI 4.1. These are specialized widgets that are stackable and can house several widgets at once.

If you own a Galaxy S22 or Galaxy Z Fold 2 and reside in the regions mentioned above, look out for the OTA notification in the coming days. You can also check for the update manually by heading to Settings > Software update and clicking on the Download & Install button.

As always, the updates are rolling out in batches. With that said, if you are no stranger to PC-based flashing, you can skip the waiting queue. To do so, grab the latest release directly from the company’s Firmware Update Server (FUS) and flash it manually on your Galaxy device.

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Source: XDA Forums, Samsung Korea Community

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‘Gamevice for Android’ is a cheaper and improved version of the Razer Kishi

Today, Gamevice has announced a new milestone, selling one million units of its gaming controller accessory. Along with the announcement, the company also released two new controllers, the “Gamevice for Android” and the “Gamevice for iPad.” The former might look familiar to those in the know, as it is nearly identical to the Razer Kishi, which was released in 2020. In our review, we found that the Razer Kishi offered great benefits when gaming, but we did have an issue where it could not accommodate larger smartphones. The new Gamevice for Android apparently fixes this, claiming support for even larger phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

An improved Razer Kishi for a better price

If unfamiliar with Gamevice, the firm has been around for nearly a decade, offering gaming accessories for various Android smartphones and iOS devices. While its initial efforts were tailored to specific smartphones, its more recent offerings allow maximum compatibility with its universal design. To provide the best experience possible, Gamevice’s latest controller uses a direct connection via USB-C. This provides the lowest latency when compared to a wireless connection. The USB-C connection also offers the added benefit of supporting pass-through charging, which means that you can charge your phone while you play.

Furthermore, the Gamevice for Android offers a variety of inputs like dual clickable full-size analog joysticks, A, B, X, and Y buttons, a D-pad, two analog triggers, two analog bumpers, home, start, and select buttons. Despite its claim of offering support for larger smartphones, there is the possibility that your smartphone might not work. This is especially true if your device has a larger camera hump on the rear. If you’re interested in the new controller, you can purchase it directly from the Gamevice website and Amazon.com for $59.95. As an added bonus, you’ll get a digital code for a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Gamevice for Android

Gamevice for Android is a new controller accessory for your Android device

Purchase from Gamevice

Purchase from Amazon

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Source: Gamevice
Via: 9to5Google

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Instagram updates Reels to 90 seconds, adds easy-mode with Templates

Meta intends to take Instagram to the next level, whatever that iteration of the service may look like. But for now, it must do all it can to thwart advances from the likes of TikTok and Snapchat. Today, Instagram announced that it would be offering new features, specifically targeting creators using its Reels feature.

Creators will now have access to an enhanced sound effects library to add more flavor to their Reels. Creators will also be able to import their audio directly into Reels. The feature can be accessed through the “Import Audio” toggle. This will take an existing video clip that is at least five seconds or longer from their camera roll and import the sound from the video into Reels. Of course, others will be free to use the same sounds once uploaded to Reels.

Instagram is on the offensive, once again “borrowing” from its rivals

Previously, Instagram offered support for interactive stickers through its Stories. Now, the feature is coming to Reels. Furthermore, you will be able to make polls, inviting an audience to share what they want to see next or creating a fun environment with interactive quizzes. Of course, the emoji slider sticker will also make its way into Reels, allowing the viewer to rate content using emojis.

Despite TikTok upping the length of its videos to 3 minutes, then to 10 minutes, Instagram is taking a more modest approach, increasing the length of Reels from 60 seconds to 90 seconds. Finally, the most helpful feature of the new update is Templates. This will allow content creators to easily sync clips with music and video. The template will pre-load with placeholders, which the creators can then fill in to create their next masterpiece.

In addition to the Reels update, Instagram has recently ushered in a new era by updating the app with a new typeface and offering support for Amber Alerts.

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Source: Instagram

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Google Play system update for June 2022 includes new Play Pass features, app discovery, and more

Another month is in the books, which means it’s time for a new set of “Google Play System” updates. While this month’s Android security bulletin is yet to go live, Google has already disclosed new features and improvements coming in the June 2022 Play system update. These include everything from Google Play Services, the Play Store, and various other Google-related Android system components.

According to the updated support page, the Google Play system update for June 2022 brings along critical bug fixes for account management and diagnostics-related services. After receiving the new update, you should be able to find a handful of new features in the Play Pass and Play Points programs. The release optimizes the Play Store download routines as well.

Here’s the full changelog for the Google Play system update for June 2022:

• Critical Fixes
  • [Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for account management, and system management & diagnostics related services.
• Google Play Store
  • Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times.
  • New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.
  • Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.
  • New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs.
  • Enhancements to Google Play Billing.
  • Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe.
  • Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility.
• System Management 
  • Updates to system management services that improve device performance and stability & performance.
• Developer Services
  • New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support ads, and developer features related developer services in their apps.

To get the aforementioned features, improvements, and more on your own Android device, you’ll want to be on Google Play Services version 22.18 (or 22.21) and Play Store version 30.3, both of which should have begun rolling out as of June 1.

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Source: Google System Updates support page

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Does the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G support wireless and reverse wireless charging?

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is quite an appealing phone for an asking price of $449. As mentioned in our Galaxy A53 5G hands-on piece, it’s a solid option to consider if you’re looking for a relatively affordable phone with a large display, an all-day battery life, and a decent set of cameras. There’s clearly a lot to like about this particular phone, but what about wireless charging support? Does the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G support wireless charging, like its more expensive siblings from the Galaxy S22 series? Sadly, no. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G does not support wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: Wireless charging support

One of the highlights of the Galaxy A53 5G is its 5,000 mAh battery, which Samsung says is enough to give “two-day battery life”. It’s the same capacity found in the more expensive Galaxy S22 Ultra. But unfortunately, the only way you can charge that battery is by using a wired charger. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G doesn’t support wireless charging, which is indeed a bummer. This isn’t really a surprise considering the fact that this particular feature wasn’t available on the A51 or A52.

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G relies solely on wired charging. It does so via a USB Type-C port and is capable of hitting charging speeds of up to 25W. While that might seem a bit quaint in a world with 45W, 65W, and even 150w charging, 25W isn’t bad for a phone that costs as much as the Galaxy A53 5G does in the US. It is, however, worth pointing out that the Galaxy A53 5G doesn’t come with a charger in the box. Even though the phone only supports wired charging, you still have to buy the charger separately to use it with this device.

Naturally, the reverse wireless charging feature is also out of the question here in the case of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. You will have to turn towards more expensive options on the market like the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the OnePlus 10 Pro for this particular feature. We’d also like to point out that Samsung hasn’t mentioned anything about a 4G variant of the Galaxy A53 yet. While there’s no official confirmation on whether or not we’ll get a 4G variant, there’s a slim chance that we might see it in the future. We’ll take a closer look a the 4G variant if/when that comes out and update this post accordingly to reflect necessary information.

Closing Thoughts

There is a lot to like about the new Samsung Galaxy A53 5G smartphone, but sadly it’s not the one if you’re looking to buy a phone with the wireless charging feature. But if you can look past that, then we think the Galaxy A53 5G could be a great option to consider if you’re shopping for a relatively affordable phone with some good features. You can grab a unit for yourself from the link below. But before that, be sure to stop by our Galaxy A53 5G deals page to see if you can save some money on your purchase. We also encourage you to check out our collection of the best Galaxy A53 5G cases to add more protection to your device.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G packs a 5,000 mAh battery but there's no support for wireless charging.

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ASUS will unveil the highly-anticipated ROG Phone 6 early next month

Qualcomm recently lifted the covers off its latest flagship chipset — the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Following the announcement, the company confirmed the names of all the OEMs that will launch devices featuring the new chip over the next few months. One of the OEMs has now announced plans to unveil its next-gen flagship early next month. As the title gave away, we’re talking about ASUS and its highly-anticipated ROG Phone 6.

ASUS has issued a press release confirming that it will host the ROG Phone 6 launch event on July 5. While the company is yet to give us a glimpse of the device, it has revealed some of its hardware specifications. According to the press release, the upcoming ASUS ROG Phone 6 will pack Qualcomm’s latest flagship SoC — the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. The device will also feature an AMOLED display from Samsung, which will offer an impressive 165Hz refresh rate, and a new cooling system to keep the thermals in check.

Talking about the ROG Phone 6’s updated design, ASUS says that the device will sport a new space-inspired look. The company also says that the phone will pack a couple of unique features and come with a substantial ecosystem of accessories for gamers, including headphones. ASUS has also set up an event page on its website, featuring some space-inspired motifs and a button to add the launch event to your calendar.

It’s worth mentioning that while ASUS has not given us a look at the device, we’ve previously seen a graphical representation of the ROG Phone 6 in a recent Android 12 firmware release from ASUS. While the phone seems to follow the same design language as its predecessors, it has a couple of noteworthy changes, including a larger camera module, ROG 06 branding on the back panel, and what looks to be a ROG Vision PMOLED display.

What are your thoughts on ASUS’ next-gen flagship gaming smartphone? Let us know in the comments section below.

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