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

Sega is bringing 'Yakuza 0' and 'Valkyria Chronicles 4' to PC
Hot on the heels of Shenmue I and II's re-release announcements, Sega Europe has confirmed that two additional franchises will be coming to PC. During E3's PC Gaming Show, the company revealed that PlayStation-bound titles Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami and tactical RPG Valkyria Chronicles 4 will all make the move across, joining the likes of Bayonetta and Vanquish.
MIT experts pioneer a way to recover drinking water from power plants
Water accounts for around 70 percent of the Earth's surface, but it's still not reaching those who need it most: three billion people live in water-stressed areas or lack access to drinking water. Things are starting to look up, however. Recent efforts from CSIRO, Belgian university researchers, and now, a system envisioned by MIT engineers are all pioneering new ways to generate clean H2O.
A French hospital is using VR as a drug-free pain solution
The use of virtual reality (and even video games) as an alternative form of pain management isn't exactly unheard of. Researchers are well aware of VR's potential to distract patients at the dentist and combat phantom pains, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see VR turning up in the emergency room. Graduate students at St Joseph's Hospital, France, have designed an immersive virtual program that is being used to help patients relax and increase pain tolerance without painkillers.
Facebook will send fewer 'you are now connected' Messenger reminders
For those who spend the majority of their time online plugged into Facebook, the red dot notification feels like an urgent call to action. It pops up via tags, comments, Likes and other NewsFeed activity, but it can also appear alongside more infuriating actions like the dreaded "You are now connected on Messenger" alert. The good news is that Facebook thinks it might appear too often, and will soon cut the number of unnecessary reminders with the help of machine learning.
Netflix lands Eddie Murphy for 'Dolemite' biopic
You might remember him as Billy Ray Valentine, Sherman Klump, or Donkey -- but after a brief hiatus from the spotlight, Eddie Murphy is poised to return in Netflix's Dolemite Is My Name. The film, which Murphy will produce and star in, is a biopic about the late singer and actor Rudy Ray Moore.
The SWORD is a weapon-detecting smartphone case
No matter how stylishly makers dress them up, most smartphone cases are really about one thing: protecting screens from smashing. They're fragile cargo, we get it. Of course, some enterprising companies have taken things further, whipping up cases that transform into Android phones and selfie drones. Now Royal Holdings has jumped into the fray with SWORD, a five ounce phone case that works like a 3D-imaging scanner.
LinkedIn will tell you how far away your new job really is
Job-hunting can be a tedious process. Polishing your resume, collecting the right referees and attending interviews all take time. Aside from GIFs and Snapchatesque filters, LinkedIn has been enhancing its business-centric service with more practical things like smart replies and the ability to ask connections for referrals. Its newest feature, 'Your Commute', aims to hit another serious target: streamlining your employment search.
VR puzzler 'Moss' and its adorable mouse are coming to PC
Enchanting adventure Moss might have launched as a PlayStation VR exclusive, but developer Polyarc has confirmed it won't be tethered to Sony's console any longer. It's finally available on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for $30.
Google suspends election ads in Washington state
Google has bowed to pressure from Washington state and will no longer run local election advertisements starting from today. Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently accused Google and Facebook -- which have received about $1.5 million and $3.4 million in relation to advertising respectively -- of shielding the public from information about who is buying the political ads they see. Ferguson's subsequent lawsuit argued that both companies had failed to adhere to the state's stipulated campaign finance laws.
EA just switched 'Skate 3' servers back on
When a developer or publisher kills a game's online services, it's usually an indication that game is in the twilight years of its life. For some games it's a coup de grâce. However, it looks like EA's Skate 3 might just be an exception to the rule. A number of sources are reporting the game's servers have been inexplicably resurrected -- just in time for E3.
Valve adds more flexibility to 'Dota 2' pro competitions
The world of eSports is growing at a rapid pace. Games like League of Legends and CS:GO are becoming more mainstream by the day. While Dota 2 holds the record for the highest total eSports prize money but Valve feels its competitive scene has lacked structure. To rectify that, it's unveiled a number of changes that it hopes will legitimize its Dota Pro Circuit (DPC).
iOS 12 makes closing apps on your iPhone X a lot simpler
WWDC is in full swing and Apple has already announced a number of new updates for both iOS and macOS. On the iPhone, iOS 12 will make notifications easier to ignore and attempt to curtail phone addiction, but it'll also make closing apps on the iPhone X so much simpler.
It's the beginning of the end for 'Evolve'
When Turtle Rock Studios made asymmetrical shooter Evolve free-to-play, it looked like the game had found its second wind. Player numbers grew dramatically, extra maps and overhauled skill sets were introduced to keep things fresh, and the player-base stabilized at a healthy 15,000 per month. However, just a couple months later, player interest vanished.
VLC becomes one of first ARM64 Windows apps
Although ARM-based PCs are now available, apps that utilize native 64-bit architectures on Microsoft's Windows 10 on ARM have been relegated to legacy support for 32-bit apps. Microsoft introduced the proper frameworks for 64-bit apps at its recent BUILD conference, allowing developers to port their apps and begin native app integration. After a small wait, apps are starting to appear; VLC -- the swiss army knife of multimedia players -- is one of the first to launch a dedicated ARM64 app.
Apple is already working on custom Mac processors in 'secret' lab
Apple first unveiled Project Kalamata -- a master plan to replace Intel's Mac chips with in-house processors -- last month. While the operation was initially expected to begin in 2020, The Oregonian reports that work has already commenced in a 'secret' engineering lab in Oregon.
Bizarre Android bug displays private text messages
Android smartphones are susceptible to a strange glitch that shows recent text messages when a specific malformed web address is entered. If you type "the1975..com" (with two periods) into the Google app, it delivers a summary of recent conversations instead of performing a search or attempting to pull up the eponymous rock band's website.
OnePlus 6 face unlock can be fooled by a simple printout
For smartphones without home buttons, face unlocking has become a necessary and ostensibly more secure method for preventing unauthorized access. The iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S9 have adopted the technology, but it turns out there's a way to cheat the system -- for the OnePlus 6, anyway. Twitter user @rikvduijn discovered that it's possible to exploit the face unlock feature with a printed color copy of the phone owner's face.
Plex now supports podcasts
Since its inception, Plex has been busy integrating multiple services into its media streaming software. Previous updates delivered curated news and virtual reality movies, but today the company is ready to welcome Plex Podcasts. The audio-centered feature is currently in beta, and accessible through iOS, Android, Roku and the web.
Scientists create the first 3D-printed human corneas
Newcastle University researchers have devised a groundbreaking experimental technique that could help millions on the corneal transplant waiting list. By using a simple 3D bio-printer, Professor of Tissue Engineering Che Connon and his team of scientists were able to combine healthy corneal stem cells with collagen and alginate (a type of sugar sometimes used in tissue regeneration) to create 'bio-ink' -- a printable solution that enabled them to reproduce the shape of a human cornea in just 10 minutes.
LG's 2018 TVs now work with Amazon Alexa
For years, "smart" TVs have largely been defined by internet connectivity and a wide array of apps. LG, with its webOS platform, has been at the forefront of that push. This year, the company has focused more on making its TVs more intelligent thanks to its 'ThinQ' initiative, first integrating Google Assistant and now rolling out support for Amazon's Alexa.

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