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Pixar's 'Soul' was so popular on streaming that it beat 'The Office'
Pixar's 'Soul' was the top streaming title during the holidays, and was so popular it even dethroned 'The Office' from its usual top spot.
Pixar's next movie 'Soul' is heading straight to Disney+ on Christmas
With COVID-19 numbers rising in many areas, movie theaters are still not easy for families to visit. As a result, Disney is changing plans on another movie release, and will premiere Pixar’s Soul on Disney+ December 25th.
Up close with Kia's 2020 Niro and Soul EVs
Kia was not messing around at its LA Auto Show press conference on Wednesday, rolling out vehicle updates and new models left and right.
Hyundai plans 38 EVs as it tries to catch up with rivals
Hyundai and its affiliate Kia have revealed ambitious plans to bring as many as 38 green cars to market in the next eight years, with seven models slated for launch in the next five. Most of them will be electric vehicles, senior vice president Lee Ki-sang told reporters last week, adding to the company's current green line-up of the Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Soul, several plug-in hybrids and the hydrogen-based fuel-cell ix35.
Scientists think this is where your consciousness lives
You're reading this right now. Yes, sure, your eyes are converting incoming photons into electrical impulses which travel up the optic nerve into your visual cortex, which in turn processes that information into coherent thought. But you -- the active consciousness that constitutes your personality-- are reading this. And now a team of Harvard scientists think they've figured out how that works.
Kia brings Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to older cars
For many, the biggest problem with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay is getting it in the first place. Unless you buy a very recent car, you're likely stuck buying an aftermarket head unit to drag your vehicle into the smartphone era. Kia thinks it can do better, though. It's promising free updates to both Android Auto and CarPlay for a slew of vehicles that have either the UVO3 infotainment system or a compatible navigation system.
This wearable wants you to spend more time with your friends
How much time do you spend with the people you love? That's the question that Concepter wants you to ask yourself with its off-beat wearable, the Soul time tracker. Its hardware couldn't be simpler -- just a black-and-silver wristband (or a keyfob) with a bluetooth chip inside and a battery that's good for a year. It's innocuous enough that I'd have no issue wearing it. But it's the software for the band that's interesting here. See, the Soul app keeps tabs on other Souls you meet, logging how long you spend with the various people in your life, and prompting you to do something about it.
Soul Electronics' new sport headphones double as a walkie talkie
App-based personal trainers are great, but they usually lack the yelling abilities of a real live human. Soul Electronics has a solution for that, and it allows you to keep your headphones on. The company is leveraging Kickstarter for its Combat+ Sync wireless headphones that not only keep you from getting tangled in a cord during your bench press sets, but they also pack in a walkie talkie feature. So when your pal needs a bit of extra motivation, you can do just that as the cans have a built-in microphone to capture your cues.
Kia's electric Soul will cost you a semi-reasonable $33,700
Kia's reputation for low-cost cars is extending into the electric realm... well, sort of. The company has announced that the Soul EV will start at $33,700 when it reaches the US this fall. That's more expensive than the Nissan Leaf ($28,980) and well outside of budget car territory, so it's not exactly a trivial purchase at first glance. However, that doesn't include the $7,500 federal tax break -- the $26,200 you'll ultimately pay is pretty reasonable for a people-hauler with decent space, a smartphone-savvy infotainment system and (most importantly) very low running costs. The catch is availability. You'll have to wait until the fall to drive a Soul EV off the lot, and it will only be available in a handful of California cities at first; it's going to be a while before you can wander into any old dealership and pick one up.
RIFT 2.7: Binding of Blood arrives May 7th
RIFT's 2.6.1 patch may have teased the Binding of Blood raid, but now we finally have a solid date for the full 2.7 patch: May 7th. The 2.7 update will initially incorporate the four new souls unveiled over the last few months (Arbiter, Physician, Oracle, and Liberator), new quests, and an upgraded UI. Trion Worlds will roll out additional changes over the span of the including tier 3 raids, the Greenscale warfront, a hellbug promotional tie-in with Defiance, the annual Summerfest, and a unicorn celebration. We're not judging. Every game needs a unicorn celebration.
Four videos of RIFT's new souls in action
RIFT subreddit moderator Seatin has posted to YouTube complete videos of all four of RIFT's upcoming 2.7 souls and how they perform in combat. To recap, the update will deliver: The Arbiter, an elemental tanking soul for the Mage, The Physician, a primary healing soul for the Rogue, The Oracle, a buffing and debuffing soul for the Cleric, and The Liberator, a tank-healer soul for the Warrior. Enjoy the videos after the break!
RIFT's got a new conquest map and a new rogue soul on the way
RIFT's Steppes of Infinity features "all-new objectives and opportunities for exciting PvP action," according to an update on the free-to-play fantasy MMO's website. Combatants may choose to battle for control of the Brevo and Antapo forts or ferry charges between them, and "powerful rewards for the winning team" are at stake, Trion says. The studio also confirmed the next soul reveal: the Physician, a healing-centric soul for Rogues.
RIFT's Arbiter and Physician are incoming
Patch 2.7 is delivering a bundle of four new souls to RIFT, and that means that every calling will be able to play every role in the game. The support Cleric soul (Oracle) and the healing Warrior soul (Liberator) have already been revealed, but what will Rogues and Mages get? The details were in the most recent livestream: Rogues get Physician as a specific healing soul, while Mages will be able to tank with the addition of the Arbiter soul. According to the most recent development livestream, a great deal of internal testing is being done to ensure that all four new souls remain functional and competitive, even though they're being added before an expansion. Players can keep their eyes peeled for later in the week when the Physician and Arbiter both get revealed ahead of their test realm implementation. These four souls will be purchasable as a bundle, although no announcements on price have yet been made.
Kia debuts city-only Soul EV at Chicago Auto Show
At the ongoing Chicago Auto Show, South Korean automaker Kia has not only debuted the 2015 Soul EV, but also confirmed the vehicle's release stateside. The compact car has a markedly shorter range (80 to 100 miles) than Tesla's Model S (200-plus miles), but that's because it's fitted with a much smaller, 27kWh battery. Obviously, it wasn't designed for Fast and Furious-caliber driving, but Kia says it can go as fast as 90 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 12 seconds, thanks to its 109-horsepower electric motor. It's unclear when the 2015 Soul will be available throughout the country, but Kia plans to release it in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Oregon by the third quarter of the year. Kia's still crunching some numbers, though, so those interested in buying the car may want to cross their fingers for a reasonable price.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Build to win
We've arrived at the point in RIFT's post-expansion launch cycle when I'm genuinely embarrassed to admit how slowly I've progressed. While many of you are probably 60 and living the high life in the endgame, I'm still (mumbles) 51. I have many excuses for this: a newborn at home, flip-flopping interest between my Rogue and Cleric, a lot of experimentation in Dimensions, and Storm Legion's generally slow leveling pace. But perhaps my greatest excuse stems from one of the core features of the game. I keep making new builds and experimenting with them. Is that my fault? After all, with just one the addition of one new soul per calling a legion of new builds arose. Pun intended. Players on the forums are crunching numbers, fiddling with old builds, and magicking new ones out of thin air. I've become fascinated if not addicted to testing out these player-created builds as of late. Some promise the world and are sadly lacking, while others have shown me synergies that I didn't realize were possible.
RIFT reveals the Tactician, master of flamethrowers
RIFT has been updated with new areas and content since launch, but the upcoming Storm Legion expansion is set to seriously kick things up a notch. As if tripling the size of the game world weren't enough, the expansion will raise the level cap and add a new technology-based soul to each of the game's core classes. The battle-mage style Harbinger soul was revealed at Gamescom 2012 in August, followed by the Tempest, and data from the test server hinted that the remaining pair might be named Defiler and Tactician. Last night Trion Worlds confirmed our suspicions by revealing the new Rogue Tactician soul to livestream viewers. The Tactician uses a magical weapon that's part flamethrower and part fire extinguisher, able to deal incredible area-effect elemental damage to enemies but actually heal allies. Players using the soul can also place small devices called Cores on the ground to provide area-effect healing, buffs, and additional damage. The flamethrower-like weapon is directionally aimed and can be channelled while the player is moving, so clever positioning is required to get the most out of this unique soul.
RIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events
RIFT's Public Test Shard is a lovely place to take a peek into the future. After the shard's most recent update, such peeks are of a particularly informative variety. Three NPCs aboard the wreck of the ship Endeavor showcase what appear to be new Storm Legion soul names. These fine folk have the labels of Tempest, Defiler, and Tactician. A fourth NPC stands among them with the Harbinger title, which has already been confirmed as a soul for the expansion. The new names match up with hints dropped on the RIFT forums regarding the names of new soul trees. It isn't super official yet, but a new Warrior soul called Tempest, a Cleric soul called Defiler, and a Tactician soul for Rogues seem to all be safe bets. In addition to the delectable new soul teases, the PTS update brought in Tempest Rising, a new world event which introduces the awakening of Crucia. Players will evidently need to fight off Storm Legion baddies, spread the word of the Storm Legion's arrival, and otherwise make ready for the oncoming storm.
Gamescom 2012: RIFT Storm Legion walkthrough
Fantasy MMO RIFT has been regularly updated with new content since launch, but its upcoming Storm Legion expansion has the potential to blow all previous updates out of the water. The expansion will triple the size of the game world with the two brand-new continents of Brevane and Dusken. Between them, the new continents will launch with 11 new zones, seven new dungeons, three new raids and a new capital city. At Gamescom 2012 this week, Trion Worlds revealed further details of the new expansion with a full walkthrough. The expansion aims to add even more customisation options to the already expansive game, with one new soul per calling and all existing souls being extended up to the new level cap of 60. Check out the walkthrough video after the cut to see the new Harbinger soul in action and several of the new game zones. [Thanks to Rehlik for the tip!]
RIFT announces battle mage soul: The Harbinger
If you listen very carefully, you'll hear the cry from over the mountaintops: "Battle mage? Battle mage?" And if you listen even closer, you'll hear Trion Worlds' response: "Coming in Storm Legion! Coming in Storm Legion!" Indeed, RIFT's development team has confirmed the first of four new souls for the Storm Legion expansion, the Harbinger. Designed for the Mage calling, the Harbinger is a melee DPS soul. Unlike other Mage souls, this one prefers to get up close and personal with attacks, summoning fiercesome weapons for the fight, such as the energy scythe and lightning blade. It's designed to work well with the other souls and to bring survivability and utility to the calling. The Harbinger's special armor also reduces cast time, allowing the melee soul to mix in quick magical attacks into its rotation. In the same livestream, the team also teased the upcoming announcement of a massive horned mount nicknamed "Mr. Landslide." The devs said we should be hearing more on this mount next week. The full reveal video is after the break.
Enter at Your Own Rift: How will Storm Legion change the face of RIFT?
Expansions are always a great time to get back into a game. Just ask me, Mr. Former-and-Now-Current RIFT Player. That's right -- I've leaped back into RIFT and have rejoined Karen to co-host this column. I know you're just a-shiver with excitement, but keep it together: We've got higher peaks to summit, my friend. Two weeks ago, RIFT muscled back into the spotlight with the announcement of its first-ever expansion, Storm Legion. I don't know if any of you felt like this when you heard it, but I was surprised, considering just how much work Trion Worlds spends on updates. When did they devs have time to squeeze in work on a full-blown expansion as well? But it's no myth. Storm Legion is coming this fall, and it's destined to change the face of RIFT as we know it. The world's about to triple in size, and the team is building on the lessons learned in the first year or so of this MMO's lifespan. Will it bolster RIFT against the current and coming competition? Do we need two more continents? And what, pray tell, are those four new souls?
