Katrina Filippidis

Contributing Writer

Katrina majored in Japanese and Neuroscience at Melbourne University, but fate (and a love for writing) drew her towards video game journalism. When not obsessively cataloging 3D platformers, she enjoys rocking out to power metal, drawing, and reminiscing about flip phones.

Articles by Katrina Filippidis

FDA approves its first marijuana-derived drug
In a nationwide first, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of 'Epidiolex', a marijuana derivative which will be used to treat rare forms of epilepsy. Epidiolex -- also known as cannabidiol or CBD -- is a highly-purified version of the many psychoactive compounds found in marijuana, and does not result in a high.
Sphero branches out beyond robots with Specdrums acquisition
When Sphero dismissed 45 employees in January and refocused on education, it was in uncharted waters. It didn't mark a complete divergence from Sphero's robotic roots, but it empowered the company to create things it could "actually own" instead of manufacturing Disney-licensed products. And it seems Sphero has already exercised its new-found freedom by acquiring Specdrums, a Boulder-based start-up that found Kickstarter success with music-centric wearable rings of the same name.
China may punch a hole in the 'Great Firewall' for select tourists
The Chinese government's prohibition of popular social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube has spanned several years. China has previously flirted with relaxing its strict internet rules, but it stood firm and such promises never materialized. Now, its island province Hainan may take the lead -- all in the name of tourism.
'Fortnite' could partially lose the one thing that makes it unique
To build, or not to build? In 2011, Epic Games took a gamble on an unconventional survival shooter called Fortnite. The far-reaching maps and signature weaponry were all there in the main game, but a new breed of battle royale would shake up the genre's foundations by centering on construction mechanics. Perhaps unbeknownst to Epic at the time, that subtle innovation would pay off -- massively. Following the launch of its free battle royale mode last year, Fortnite has gone from fledgling beta to record-breaking cash cow. But right in the midst of its explosive popularity, Epic seems keen on shaking up the Fortnite formula again -- and top streamers aren't exactly thrilled.
Google's Measure app comes to all ARCore-compatible Android phones
Google Measure, the digital substitute app for anyone who doesn't own a physical tape measure, has just received a much needed update. In contrast to the earlier version -- which was limited to Google's augmented reality (AR) platform Tango -- the new and improved Measure works with any smartphone supporting ARCore (running Android 7.0 and up).
Mojang card game 'Scrolls' reborn as 'Caller's Bane'
When Scrolls was hit by a Bethesda lawsuit and its online servers died an ugly death, the future of Mojang's collectible card game was looking rather grim. But Scrolls is still alive, and it's just been rebranded as 'Caller's Bane'. Unlike before, it now costs nothing to play.
Microsoft abandons VR plans for Xbox One
Fans of virtual or mixed reality who have been clinging to the hope of a headset for Xbox One will need to keep holding out -- Microsoft has confirmed it isn't focusing on either technology for the console -- for the time being, anyway.
'PUBG' celebrates 50 million sales with first Steam discount
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is now enjoying its first Steam sale since launch. According to a recent Steam update, the price reduction -- a 33% discount which brings the price of admission down to $19.99 -- honors an important milestone: 50 million global sales.
Loupedeck makes welcome improvements to its photo-editing controller
When Loupedeck smashed its Indiegogo target in 2016, the media controller gave both aspiring photographers and professionals a chance to edit pictures on Adobe Lightroom more quickly and intuitively. That formula will be further refined in Loupedeck+, a freshly announced follow-up that introduces mechanical keys, a reworked design, and a custom dial control mode missing in its predecessor. It's also compatible with both Lightroom and the award-winning photo editor Skylum Aurora HDR, and additional software is in the works.
Beijing subways may soon get facial recognition and hand scanners
A bio-ID surveillance framework that can recognize subway users may soon come to Beijing. China Daily reports two forms of bio-recognition being put forward -- palm touch and facial recognition. Together, they could offer a viable long-term solution to ease congestion issues and help reduce fare evasion.
Microsoft is finally launching its new Xbox Avatar Editor
Microsoft has been whetting Xbox users' appetites with the promise of new, customizable avatars since last year, and after several delays, they're finally becoming available. Xbox Insiders can get a taste of the Avatar Editor app starting tomorrow.
Google invests $550 million in China's second biggest online retailer
Google has revealed plans to pour $550 million into JD.com -- one of China's e-commerce titans. It's a crucial partnership for Google, which gains leverage within the important Chinese consumer market, while sending a message to competitors like Amazon. But that's not to say that JD.com won't also reap rewards from the union.
MIT engineers give RFID tags chemical-sensing capabilities
Engineering specialists from MIT have devised a way to make RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags more reliable and pick up on chemicals in the surrounding environment -- without needing the typical battery.
Arcade classic 'Donkey Kong' comes to the Nintendo Switch
Donkey Kong, the arcade trailblazer responsible for helping to catapult Nintendo into the spotlight, has been re-released on the Nintendo Switch. That's not all -- it will soon be accompanied by the lesser known Sky Skipper.
NBC Sports brings World Cup streams to PlayStation 4
NBC has brought its sports app to PlayStation 4, which is splendid news for gamers who are also mad about soccer. There's a certain convenience in playing Fortnite and being able to switch over to a live sports stream. Of course, NBC Sports already has apps on a number of platforms, such as Windows, Roku, Chromecast and mobile. The free app has already hosted a number of sports events this year, including the NHL Winter Classic, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Tennis grand slam Roland Garros. NBC began its coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup yesterday, treating fans to a riveting opening match with Russia demolishing Saudi Arabia. NBC Sports doesn't have the rights to English-language coverage -- that's covered by Fox -- but it has locked in Telemundo's Spanish broadcasts instead. Watching the soccer from the comfort of your living room might not be as cool as experiencing it through VR, but you can still theorize about this year's winner -- Goldman Sachs' AI is tipping Brazil and EA has France down to win the tournament.
Sony issues non-response to ‘Fortnite’ cross-play woes on Switch
Fortnite diehards would have been undoubtedly jubilant at the E3 announcement that the battle royale hit had come to Nintendo Switch. Its arrival was even blessed with the inclusion of native voice-chat. Yes, things were peachy until hopeful players tried logging into their Epic Games account on PlayStation 4, and realized they couldn't use their existing Epic accounts to access the game. Even though Sony wasn't directly involved in Fortnite's Switch launch, the company still had a say over how the game could be played.
Amazon grabs streaming rights for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony
Amazon Prime's video-on-demand service just unlocked a musical milestone: it will be airing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's induction ceremony for the first time ever. HBO has been the Hall of Fame's conventional broadcasting home, but from July 1st, devotees will be able to watch the event in over 30 countries and eight languages on any device supported by Amazon's streaming service.
Toyota invests $1 billion in one of Asia's biggest ride-sharing companies
Who knew that ride-sharing investments would become a large facet of Toyota's business strategy. The automotive giant has stakes in Uber, competitor Japan Taxi, and now, it's enthusiastically throwing $1 billion -- its biggest sum yet -- at Southeast Asian outfit Grab.
Apple's Support app expands to 20 more countries
The latest update for the Apple Support app -- the company's free, standalone tool designed to help users solve a range of service issues -- is now available, delivering a range of hotfixes and more. The most notable feature is the extension of support to over 20 new countries and regions. It also improves the app's overall accessibility with the addition of language assistance for Czech, Danish Finnish, Hungarian, Indonesian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.
Vivo’s Nex is a true all-screen phone with a pop-out selfie camera
If Lenovo's failure to deliver a genuine full-screen display for the Z5 left you feeling burned, Vivo's flagship Nex could ease the pain. The Nex is making the transition from concept phone to retail product -- in China, at least -- and boasts an impressive 91.24 percent screen-to-body ratio.

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