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Sci-fi series 'Altered Carbon' returns to Netflix on February 27th
Netflix's Emmy-nominated sci-fi saga Altered Carbon is returning for a second season, two years after the first batch of episodes. You won't have to wait much longer to delve back into its dystopian cyberpunk world, as season two hits Netflix February 27th.
Studio Ghibli has embraced streaming, and the world is better for it
The complete works of animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli are expensive. As a teenager, I would save up my woeful Subway paychecks and, every few months, proudly walk into the nearest HMV store to buy another movie by famed director Hayao Miyazaki. It was an agonizingly slow process. But I gradually built up my then-DVD collection and watched the movies I wasn't sure of, and less familiar with, during the occasional Ghibli marathon on TV. Thank goodness they're all headed to streaming services.
Radeon RX 5600 XT review: AMD's 1080p king
While AMD's RX Radeon 5700 and 5700 XT GPUs are solid options for gamers looking for great 1,440p performance, there's still a gap between those cards and the entry-level RX 5500. Enter the Radeon RX 5600 XT, AMD's middle of the road option for its new 7-nanometer RDNA architecture. It has one goal: deliver the best 1080p performance possible under $300. That might sound archaic when so many people are chasing the dream of native 4K, but AMD is positioning the 5600 XT more realistically as an ideal upgrade for gamers with older mid-range GPUs. (According to Steam's stats, its top three video cards -- the NVIDIA GTX 1050, 1050 Ti and 1060 -- are used by 35 percent of players.)
The Morning After: Disney+ will debut early in Europe
Hey, good morning! Disney+ might be making an early appearance in Europe, but why is your most hyped game of 2020 most likely delayed? Maybe it's the Final Fantasy VII Remake, the ambitious refresh of a decades-old RPG. Perhaps it's Cyberpunk 2077, with CD Projekt Red once again attempting to reinvent story-based open-world gaming. Or today's addition, Dying Light 2 -- even if it doesn't quite have the same spotlight shining on it. It's another game from publisher Square Enix. It's having a rough 2020, judging by delays to Marvel's Avengers, the aforementioned FFVIIR and now this zombie battler sequel. The rough part is that DL2 is delayed indefinitely -- developer Techland doesn't know when it'll be finished. Like Kotaku's Jason Schreier wrote a few years ago, it's actually hard to find a video game that wasn't delayed in one way or another. If you're looking for reasons, you could look to the well-documented cases of burnout and 'crunch' from games makers over the last few years, with programmers and creators ground down by working a lot of overtime, unraveling bugs and polishing a game so that it doesn't arrive in players' hands in need of substantial launch day patch. The word 'polish' is repeated in the delay announcements of several game companies, but there's another event looming this year: the arrival of next-gen consoles from both Microsoft and Sony. Would new flagship games like these help or hinder the sales of the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X? Conversely, will brand new consoles help sell new games? -Mat
Disney+ is coming to Europe a week sooner than expected
If you live in Europe and you've been patiently waiting to (legally) get stuck into The Mandalorian, we have some good news. The launch date for a wider European launch of Disney+ has been brought forward by a week, the Walt Disney Company has confirmed, opening its doors in select countries from March 24th.
What we're listening to: Big|Brave and Beloved
In this installment of our audio IRL, managing editor Terrence O'Brien sings... er, types the praises of a band and a genre that isn't for everyone. Senior news editor Billy Steele gets nostalgic for his glory days as one of his favorite bands is back together.
Radiohead's online 'library' hosts rarities, art and merch
It's been difficult to track down all things Radiohead on the web for a while. Even though the group recently posted its entire catalog to YouTube, you've still had to search fan sites and other sources for every last little bit of art, video or merch. Now, however, you effectively have a one-stop shop. Radiohead has launched a Public Library that serves as a curated archive of the band's music (including B-sides and compilation tunes), artwork, music videos, ad-free live and TV performances, era-specific "office" playlists and even on-demand prints of merch that hasn't been available for years. If you want a Radiohead shirt from the days when Thom still dyed his hair blonde, you can make it happen.
The Morning After: Apple teams up with the creator of 'Bob's Burgers'
Hey, good morning! Apple is here to remind you that its TV+ service is still here. Ahead of a SAG award to Jennifer Aniston for her part in the streaming service's flagship series, The Morning Show, Apple has announced its latest addition: a musical animated series. But back to awards, because companies really care about 'em. Apple had missed out on awards at the Golden Globes despite three nominations. A win at SAG's awards will tee things up nicely for the Emmys. Not that it'll be easy. Amazon and Netflix will want the likes of The Crown and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to pick up plaudits -- both of these shows won a handful of awards last night, too. Oh, and there's HBO and the rest, of course. -Mat
Jennifer Aniston lands Apple TV+ a SAG award for 'The Morning Show'
Jennifer Aniston won the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) award for best female actor in a drama series (The Morning Show). That netted Apple TV Plus a second major awards season prize after its breakthrough Critic's Choice win. Pundits expected the SAG prize to go to Olivia Colman for The Crown, so it represents a small coup for Apple's fledgling streaming service. It was also the first individual SAG award for Aniston, who won as part of the Friends' ensemble in 1996.
Apple unveils animated musical series from the creator of 'Bob's Burgers'
Apple is determined to pump up its TV+ service mere hours before the Screen Actors Guild Awards. It started by unveiling Central Park, an animated musical comedy series from Bob's Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, fellow BB producer Nora Smith and Frozen's Josh Gad (who also helps produce). The series follows a family who lives in a castle in New York City's legendary park while resisting pressure from an heiress who wants to turn the greenery into condos.
After Math: All the shows (and games) fit to stream this season
It was a big week for broadcasters and their associated streaming services, with studios announcing which shows would be returning and which would be relegated to the dustbin of television history. Steve Martin and Martin Short will be starring in a new Hulu series while Watchmen Season 2 is effectively DOA after its creator bailed. But that wasn't the only news, here are some highlights from the week's entertainment highlights.
Apple TV+ documentary series will profile Oprah, Lin-Manuel and Big Bird
Apple is leaning even further into documentaries than you might have expected. The company has unveiled plans for a Dear... Apple TV+ documentary series that, in an odd (if logical) twist, will use the "Dear Apple" ads as inspiration for the basic format. The show will profile "iconic" people through letters written by people whose lives were changed by a given cultural leader's achievements. The figures included in the 10-episode initial run are eclectic, to put it mildly. They'll range from existing Apple pal Oprah Winfrey to Lin-Manuel Miranda, ballet dancer Misty Copeland and even Big Bird.
Spotify may be in talks to buy culture outlet The Ringer
Spotify might be making one of its biggest moves yet in its bid to conquer the podcasting world. Wall Street Journal sources say the streaming company is in "early" talks to acquire The Ringer, the sports- and pop culture-oriented outlet founded by ex-ESPN personality Bill Simmons (above). While it's not guaranteed this would lead to a deal, a purchase would give Spotify control of over 30 podcasts (including The Bill Simmons Podcast) that rake in over 100 million downloads per month.
The Morning After: Counting down to SpaceX's next Crew Dragon test
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Welcome to your weekend! The first week back after CES has been a long one, but now it's time to relax. Below there are some highlighted stories from Friday and the rest of the week, but the news I needed to see is that a rumored "Pro Mode" for MacBooks could bring back the illicit thrill of a Turbo Button that's been missing since the days of the 486. This weekend we might see a dramatic test from SpaceX, however the in-flight abort test requires conditions that are right both for its landing and the Crew Dragon's return to Earth in the Atlantic Ocean. SpaceX is currently targeting a six-hour window on Sunday morning for the test, but also has a backup window on Monday if necessary. Otherwise, sit back, catch up on a few highlight stories from this week and maybe check out Avenue 5 on HBO. -- Richard
Recommended Reading: The internet sleuths who caught the Astros cheating
How the internet helped crack the Astros' sign-stealing case Joon Lee, ESPN One of the biggest sports stories of the year has already broke, and it's barely mid-January. If you haven't heard, Major League Baseball determined the Houston Astros used various methods, including video feeds, to steal signs from the opposition during the team's 2017 championship season -- including the World Series. MLB found that it continued to do so during the 2018 season, too. So far, three managers have lost their jobs due to their involvement. ESPN explains how internet detectives examined footage for clues over the last several months, and how that work helped blow the case wide open.
Steve Martin and Martin Short will team up again in a new Hulu series
Hulu has just scored what will likely be a huge show for long-time comedy fans. The Disney-owned service has ordered a series starring comedy giants Steve Martin (his first leading TV role, apparently) and Martin Short. There's no title yet, but Martin and This is Us creator Dan Fogelman developed the story. It revolves around three true crime obsessives who find themselves entwined in a crime story of their own. The as-yet unnamed third star is expected to be a young woman.
Björk and Microsoft use AI to create music that changes with the sky
Björk is no stranger to using technology to express her music in more inventive ways, but now she's using it to shape the music itself in unexpected forms. The Icelandic star is using Microsoft AI as part of Kórsafn ("choral archives"), a non-stop composition playing in the lobby of the Sister City hotel in New York City. The project plays selections from Björk's many choral arrangements (including new ones composed by the Hamrahlid Choir) based on what the AI sees in the sky through a rooftop camera. It'll react based on different cloud types, the behavior of birds, passing aircraft and even barometric pressure. Long-term weather trends will gradually alter the piece, too.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus signs multi-year deal with Apple TV+
Julia Louis-Dreyfus had her greatest success since Seinfeld with HBO's Veep. After seven seasons of producing and starring in the hit show, she's moving onto new projects -- the actress signed a multi-year overall deal with Apple, according to Deadline. Louis-Dreyfus will serve as an executive producer and star in future Apple TV+ projects. Whether she'll be creating a TV series, movies or both isn't clear, but given Deadline's description of the "sweeping" deal, we'll probably be seeing plenty of content from one of the funniest women in media.
The best portable mini projector
By Daniel Varghese and Adrienne Maxwell This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to portable mini projectors. A mini projector combines the portable convenience of a phone or tablet with the big-screen appeal of a TV. Although none of the 16 models we tested rivals the performance of a good TV or full-size projector, we like the Anker Nebula Mars II Pro the best because of its ease of use, great Android OS, solid battery life, and decent image quality. The Anker Nebula Mars II Pro delivers the best combination of features, performance, and ease of use of any mini projector we tested. It offers plenty of connection options, and it features an Android operating system to stream services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Its automatic focus and keystoning, its well-laid-out remote, and its intuitive mobile remote app make the Mars II Pro the easiest projector to set up and use, and its three-hour-plus battery life will get you through a long movie. None of the mini projectors we tested delivered a picture as bright, engaging, or accurate as the image from a good-performing traditional projector, but the Mars II Pro offers solid performance that's perfectly acceptable for casual viewing. The Mars II Pro is a bit larger than other mini projectors we tested (measuring 5.43 by 4.8 by 7 inches and weighing 3.94 pounds), but it's still smaller than a traditional projector and has a convenient carrying strap.
HBO’s ‘Avenue 5’ asks what happens if tech bros conquer space
If you thought that HBO was done mocking technology companies now that Silicon Valley is done, think again. Avenue 5 is the channel's new sitcom, and one that asks the question: "What if tech bros were in charge of more than just our internet histories?'" The answer, at least according to the first half of the season, is that it won't be pretty -- or safe.
