Archives January 2024

We might have just caught our first glimpse of Windows 12, although we can’t be sure about that – but what we do know is that Microsoft is making a big change with test builds of Windows.

XenoPanther on X (formerly Twitter) noticed that the internal Canary versions of Windows 11 – those in the earliest testing channel, in other words – were just forked with a new build 27547 coming into play.

OpenAI is continuing to cement its status as the leading force in generative AI, adding a nifty little feature with little fanfare: the ability to tag a custom-created GPT bot with an ‘@’ in the prompt. 

In November 2023, custom ChatGPT-powered chatbots were introduced by OpenAI that would help users have specific types of conversations. These were named GPTs and customers who subscribed to OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT Plus service were able to build their own GPT-powered chatbot for their own purposes using OpenAI’s easy-to-use GPT-building interface. Users would then be able to help train and improve their own GPTs over time, making them “smarter” and better at accomplishing tasks asked of them by users. 

Bungie has announced a brand-new Destiny 2 and Mass Effect collaboration event for next month.

Yesterday (January 30), the studio revealed the new crossover in partnership with EA and BioWare will bring all new in-game items inspired by the Mass Effect series to Destiny 2 on February 13.

MLB The Show 24, a baseball game created by San Diego Studio for PlayStation, is releasing on March 19 and will also be released on Xbox Game Pass, alongside the PlayStation.
Previously, MLB The Show was only available on PlayStation, but it is now expanding to other platforms. MLB The Show 24 will be released on Nintendo Switch.
MLB The Show franchise was a PlayStation exclusive for 15 years. With MLB The Show 21, it became available on Xbox through Xbox Game Pass on the day of its release. This tradition has continued with MLB The Show 22, 23, and now 24, despite the studio being owned by PlayStation. According to a report, Major League Baseball requested the series expand to additional platforms.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers can expect MLB The Show 23 to leave the subscription service shortly. Whenever a new MLB The Show game is added to Game Pass, the previous year’s edition is removed. So, if you want to play MLB The Show 23 through your Game Pass subscription, do it now.
Guerrero Jr. will be the cover star for MLB The Show 24. Guerrero Jr. is the son of legendary player Vladimir Guerrero, who was a nine-time All-Star and Hall of Famer. Upon seeing himself on the cover, he said, “It’s just a huge honour for me.”

Pocketpair, the developer of the hit survival-crafting game Palworld, has advised fans to be cautious of any mobile apps claiming to be Palworld, as “they are not affiliated with our company in any way.”

In a post on Twitter / X earlier today (January 31), the official Palworld account wrote: “There is no Palworld application for phones. Apps using names and product images such as ‘パルワールド’ and ‘Palworld’ are appearing on the App Store and Google Play, but they are not affiliated with our company in any way. 

Much-loved third-person shooter Spec Ops: The Line has been delisted from Steam following what publisher 2K referred to as the expiration of “several partnership licenses.”

A 2K spokesperson elaborated on the matter in a statement to Kotaku, saying: “Spec Ops: The Line will no longer be available on online storefronts, as several partnership licenses related to the game are expiring,” adding that it “would like to thank our community of players who have supported the game, and we look forward to bringing you more offerings from our label throughout this year and beyond.”

Sony has pulled up the curtain on MLB The Show 24, revealing a launch date, the cover star, and details for a day one Xbox Game Pass launch.  

The next incarnation of the beloved series of baseball-simulating sports games will be coming to consoles on March 19, 2024. The title will also be getting a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass, meaning that those signed up for Microsoft‘s subscription service will be able to get in on the action without putting down any extra cash. 

Battery life has long been an issue with foldable phones, and while we praised the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 for making improvements in this area, its battery life was still described simply as “usable” in our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review. So there’s still progress to be made, and it sounds like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 might take another step forward.

This is according to GalaxyClub (via Phandroid), which claims Samsung is testing a battery with a ‘rated’ capacity of 3,887mAh, which would likely mean a ‘typical’ capacity of 4,000mAh – with that latter number being what the battery capacity would be marketed as.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is planning to launch its 5G services within the next 6-7 months. According to a report by the Economic Times, Vi’s chief executive Akshaya Moondra said that the company is also expected to have more financial clarity around the next-gen mobile broadband service.
Moondra also said that the cash-strapped telco is planning to fully switch off its 3G network by FY25.The company wants to utilise its airwaves in the 2100 MHz band for 4G connectivity. This move will also boost the overall network capacity offered by Vi.
To compare, other major telcos Airtel and Reliance Jio launched their 5G services nearly a year ago. These companies also want the government to shut down 2G and 3G services.
Meanwhile, Vi has already shut down its 3G services in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai and Kolkata in Q3 2023. The company is also set to phase out the service in other circles as 3G devices are reduced on its network.

What the company said about launching 5G services

During the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Moondra told investors: “We are looking to launch 5G services in about 6-to-7 months. While significant investments have already been made (by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel) in 5G, there is no monetisation happening yet, though it should be around the corner. We expect to have a better idea on 5G monetisation by the time we launch.”

Moondra didn’t share details about Vi’s 5G rollout plans, which will depend on the end of its pending fundraising.

Vi is India’s only loss-making private sector carrier. Moondra said that it is in discussions with various technology partners for the finalisation of its 5G rollout and is also working with partners to develop India-relevant 5G use cases and build device ecosystems.
“We are also in advanced stages of 5G trials of embracing new technologies such as vRAN & ORAN,” Moondra added.
Meanwhile, Vi’s prime rivals have a major head start on the 5G services. Jio has already completed its nationwide 5G rollout while Airtel is poised to do so by March 2024.
The Times of India Gadgets Now awards: Cast your vote now and pick the best phones, laptops and other gadgets of 2023

Players who purchased the deluxe edition of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have been able to play the game ahead of its public launch on February 2, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing in the slightest. Fortunately, despite its downtime, Rocksteady Games has started compensating those who purchased this edition with in-game currency to apologize. 

In a message sent to deluxe edition owners, Rocksteady stated, “We recognize that you’ve been patient with us during our initial launch server updates, and we’d like to show our appreciation for your patience with a special gift of 2000 LuthorCoins. Thank you again!” For those curious, this equates to around $20/£16 if you were to buy the currency in-game.