Tom Regan
Articles by Tom Regan
Korean military used video game clips to sell real fighter jets
South Korea proudly showed off footage of its top-of-the-line Kai KF-X fighter jet in 2015; the culmination of over 14 years of work. Unfortunately, a year and a bit later, Korea Times discovered that footage used to show off the fighter's impressive performance actually came from old video games. Whoops.
PSVR mech battler 'Rigs' won't get any new content
Sony today confirmed that there will be no more DLC coming to multiplayer PSVR launch title Rigs. Following the recent closure of developer Guerilla Cambridge, it seems Sony has opted to cut short its initial plan for additional Rigs content. While the ambitious mech-based multiplayer shooter won itself a loyal fan base amongst early PSVR adopters, Sony's decision to close Guerilla Cambridge suggests that the game's sales weren't quite up to expectations. Despite the closure, Sony told Eurogamer that Rigs' online servers will be unaffected, with the game still scheduled to receive patches and other "community support".
You can play three hours of 'Watch Dogs 2' for free
In an unusual move, Ubisoft has announced a free three-hour 'trial' of Watch Dogs 2 for console players. As of today, PS4 owners can hack their way through San Fransisco for free, before the trial comes to Xbox One on January 24th. PC gamers, however, get no such luxury. This extended demo will allow players to experience a range of solo missions as well as three of the game's online modes: Hacking Invasion, Bounty Hunter and two player co-op.
Watch the Nintendo Switch event in less than 12 minutes
What a night. While you were (probably) fast asleep, Nintendo ended months of speculation by revealing a ton of new info about its upcoming console. Most important, the Switch launches globally March 3rd and will cost $300. Nintendo also announced a number of new games for the system, including Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, a custom Switch version of FIFA, Xenoblade 2, Skyrim and a weird but fun-looking new IP -- Arms. There are also new titles and ports from big hitters like Ubisoft and Square Enix, and we're even promised a sequel to No More Heroes.
Apple is looking to make its own Netflix-beating TV shows
Apple is planning on investing in original TV shows, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. With iPhone sales on the decline, people close to the company have revealed that it will attempt to gain Apple Music subscribers by adding original video content to the service. While this move has been rumoured since the relaunch of Apple TV, the company has apparently now started reaching out to Hollywood producers, planning to offer original video content by the end of 2017.
Google's new image compression tech is actually pretty cool
In a bid to save you precious mobile data, Google has developed a technique that improves image quality without taking up more bandwidth. Entitled RASIR (Rapid and Accurate Super Image Resolution) this impressive software quickly reads large photos and manages to replicate them using a quarter of the pixels. RASIR achieves this by analyzing both low and high-quality versions of the same image. As it reads the image, it learns from the superior version and applies filters to its low-res counterpart that simulate extra detail, creating a convincing data-friendly replica of the original high-res photo.
Hacker's unofficial 'Watch Dogs 2' app is incredibly appropriate
After successfully linking GTA V to an iPhone, the same Hungarian hacker has now developed software that allows users to manipulate Watch Dogs 2 from their smartphone. Using the programming language, Python, YouTuber Planetleak DIY Projects has managed to recreate the game's Dedsec app on his iPhone -- and the irony of creating an iPhone hack for a game about hacking probably wasn't lost on him. Thanks to clever keypress emulation and screenshots mimicking the look of the game's smartphone, the custom app instantly navigates a convincing replica of Watch Dogs 2's in-game menu via the iPhone's touchscreen.
The iPhone could have been very different
Apple's decision to give the iPhone a touchscreen was a bold and controversial one at the time. In an era where Blackberry was thriving with its keyboard phones, the idea of removing them entirely seemed baffling. History shows that Apple made the right decision with a full-screen touchscreen, but that wasn't the only option. We've heard of the iPod-esque touch wheel prototype iPhone before now, but a new video from tech leaker Sonny Dickson now shows this interface going toe-to-toe with an icon and (touch-controlled) iteration.
Twitch reveals dates and new venue for TwitchCon 2017
Following the reveal of its new IRL section, streaming giant Twitch is hoping to attract more international visitors to this year's TwitchCon by moving to a new, better-connected venue.TwitchCon 2017 will be held at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in California from October 20th to 22nd.
How 'The Last Guardian' uses gameplay to tell its story
Like with many ambitious works of art, it's fair to say that the reaction to The Last Guardian was pretty divisive. While many recognized last month's PS4 exclusive as a brilliant achievement, it is undoubtedly a game that bears the scars of its troubled nine-year development. Yet, despite its archaic controls, The Last Guardian achieves something that few games manage - it makes the player genuinely care about an AI companion. In a bid to explore how director Fumito Ueda achieved this, YouTuber Mark Brown has dissected the game mechanics of The Last Guardian in the latest video of his game design series, Game Maker's Toolkit.
Google sued by US government for not sharing employee salaries
The U.S Department of Labor is suing Google after the company declined to share employment data with the government. In its complaint, the department claims that Google refused to reveal employee salaries and benefits to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) during a routine anti-discrimination audit. The OFCCP is now seeking a court order to force the tech giant to comply.
UK Ministry of Defence is now investing in laser weapons too
If the advent of virtual reality wasn't enough to convince you that we're living the future, the UK military has now invested in laser weaponry. Shelling out £30 million for the project, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned the appropriately named Dragonfire defense consortium to create a prototype laser weapon that may one day be used to destroy drones, missiles, roadside bombs and other potential threats.
Netgear's smart baby monitor is more than a walkie-talkie
After decades of success in the networking market, Netgear is taking its first steps into infant security. Following the release of its Arlo surveillance cameras, this year will see the company producing its first baby monitor, the Arlo Baby.
Griffin is trying its hand at smart kitchen appliances
You can forget smart fridges that will set you back thousands of dollars, because there's now a more affordable way to start getting your kitchen connected. Mobile-accessories company Griffin Technology today announced its move into "AppPowered" appliances with its new home range. Unveiling a smart toaster, a connected coffee maker and even a futuristic WiFi mirror, its new smart appliances aim to make your life easier on the cheap, thanks to mobile integration.
TrackR's home-mapping plugs help you pinpoint lost items
Even in the tiniest of apartments, your most precious possessions somehow vanish when you need them most. In a bid to make messy people slightly less late, TrackR has announced a new range of item locator tags. The TrackR pixel tag is its new keyring-like device, allowing you to track any item within your home or beyond. The company has switched from aluminum to plastic, meaning that the pixel is cheaper than its predecessor. In addition, the device gains an LED light that'll help you find it in the dark.
Samsung's stylish speakers upgrade your audio to 32-bit
Samsung's latest speakers aren't just classy AV units that complement your furniture, they also deliver 32-bit audio. The company is promising listeners a new level of clarity thanks to its new Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio tech, which upscales both existing 8-bit and 24-bit sound to output at 32-bit. Targeting audiophiles who might be able to tell the difference, Samsung's 32-bit audio should deliver sound closer to the original recording. The new tech works with both wireless and wired speakers, and Samsung's upcoming H7 Wireless Speaker and MS750 Soundbar are both compatible. Even if you can't hear the difference in audio quality, the speakers are pretty darn... pretty.
Stanford students discover how to build wires like Lego
Scientists at Stanford University and the Department of Energy have developed a way to make incredibly thin wires with extraordinary properties. Using diamondoids -- the smallest possible pieces of diamond -- the researchers have been able to build electrical wires that measure just three atoms wide. Thanks to their microscopic size, these remarkably thin wires have the potential to be used to make fabric that conducts electricity without energy loss.
'The Last Guardian' gets its own companion book
While 2016 hasn't been the best year for the world at large, it's certainly been a brilliant one for video games. As well as giving us excellent titles like Overwatch and Uncharted 4, 2016 has also seen the release of two games that many thought would never see the light of day - Final Fantasy XV and The Last Guardian.
'Dawn of Titans' shrinks an epic strategy game onto your phone
This year alone, 1.4 billion smartphones will be sold, giving more people access to gaming devices than ever before. But with more than 1,000 new apps flooding the App Store every day, it's increasingly difficult for new titles to make an impact. Every so often, a game like Pokémon Go comes along, proving that if you have the right "hook," you can find a massive audience. NaturalMotion believes technology is its hook. The British gaming studio started life creating animation engines, with its software used for everything from The Lord of the Rings movies to Grand Theft Auto V. It then packed that tech into mobile games like Clumsy Ninja that, thanks to their visual edge, quickly topped the App Store. That success led to the studio being bought for $527 million by casual-gaming giant Zynga. It's been nearly three years since the acquisition, though, and the pressure is on for NaturalMotion to deliver a fresh hit.
Twitch takes on YouTube and Facebook Live with 'IRL'
Twitch wants vloggers to leave YouTube and Facebook Live behind. The Amazon-owned video streaming site is launching a new "IRL" section that will allow streamers to share their experiences at events, on trips abroad or even just to document their day-to-day lives. Videos can either be live streamed or uploaded for on-demand viewing, and from next year users will also be able to use their smartphone cameras to broadcast through the Twitch mobile app.