Normally, at this time of year, most of the Tom’s Hardware staff is in Las Vegas, combing the show floor at CES and going hands-on with the latest technology. Sadly, due to COVID-19, the entire show and adjacent activities have gone virtual. So we’re all attending from our homes, but we’re inviting you along to join us.
This week, we’re doing more than a dozen different live streams with some of today’s top tech companies, talking about and demoing their latest products while taking your questions in chat.
All of these Tom’s Hardware Live shows will air on YouTube, Facebook, Periscope and Twitch, along with our internal video player. If you’re joining from YouTube or Facebook, we’ll see your comments live and can address your questions.
Here’s a current schedule of Tom’s Hardware Live events, along with links to watch / participate in them.
Monday: January 11, 2021
12 pm ET / 9 am PT: Sapphire Technology (YouTube, Facebook)
4 pm ET / 1 pm PT: HyperX (YouTube, Facebook)
5 pm ET / 2 pm PT: Thermaltake (YouTube, Facebook)
6 pm ET / 3 pm PT: HP (YouTube, Facebook)
7 pm ET / 4 pm PT: Intel (YouTube, Facebook)
Tuesday: January 12, 2021
2 pm ET / 11 am PT: Acer (YouTube, Facebook)
3:30 pm ET / 12:30 pm PT: Lenovo (YouTube, Facebook)
4 pm ET / 1 pm PT: Asus Graphics Team (YouTube, Facebook)
5:15 pm ET / 2:15 pm PT: Dell (YouTube, Facebook)
Wednesday: January 13th, 2021
1 pm ET / 10 am PT: Kingston (YouTube, Facebook)
2 pm ET / 11 am PT: Asus Motherboard Team (YouTube, Facebook)
With a video teaser Nvidia has anticipated the themes, or at least a part, that will be at the center of the GeForce RTX “Game On” event on Tuesday at 18: 00 to CES 2021. Expect GeForce RTX 3000 “Amps” for notebooks, new titles with RTX functionality, news on Resizable BAR and a desktop video card.
by Manolo De Agostini published 10 January 2021 , at 11: 01 in the Video Cards channel GeForce NVIDIA
A very short nine second video published by Nvidia on Twitter anticipates the announcements of the GeForce RTX “Game On” event which will be streamed on 12 January at 18: 00 on the company’s Twitch and YouTube channels. The video confirms the presentation of the GPUs GeForce RTX 3000 for the mobile world , in fact you can see the outline of an open laptop. The second image in succession shows a frame of Outriders , a game developed by People Can Fly and the first is coming out. April: It could be an “RTX” title, with support for ray tracing and DLSS, but during the event we expect a broader look at the world of gaming.
third image shows the written GeForce RTX on what looks like the side of a Founders Edition desktop video card . We know that Nvidia is working to expand the range of its offerings and in particular the company could announce the GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB (last week there were rumors of a possible Ultra denomination, but there are no confirmations and it could be a fake).
The fourth image instead shows a GPU surrounded by eight memory chips, connected in turn to a CPU via eight PCIe lanes. The image seems to indicate the ability to exploit the memory to the maximum, implying that the event will talk about the functionality Resizable BAR , introduced by AMD under the name Smart Access Memory (SAM). Nvidia could support it on both desktop and mobile, as the image in the movie suggests.
Nvidia has taken to its Twitter account to announce the special “GeForce RTX: Game On” virtual event on January 12 at 9AM PST. Due to the circumstances that have engulfed the world, Nvidia will transmit the event via the company’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Nvidia didn’t actually detail what it’s revealing on January 12. However, if you look closely at the nine-second-long video, you can get a vague idea of the chipmaker’s itinerary for that date. The first image of the gaming laptop seemingly references Nvidia’s mobile GeForce RTX 30-series (Ampere) graphics cards. There have been a couple of retailer listings and reasonable specifications of mobile Ampere lately, so Nvidia will likely announce the lineup very soon.
The second image from the video is artwork from Outriders. Outriders is an upcoming co-op shooter from People Can Fly, the same team behind Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment. It’s unknown if Nvidia had a hand in the game’s development, but its inclusion in Nvidia’s teaser video implies that it might use some of the chipmaker’s technology.
👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/AHn0BWTYBhJanuary 9, 2021
Shortly after the Outriders artwork, we see a flash of the GeForce RTX logo. Nvidia may be hinting at the announcement of a desktop Ampere-based graphics card. There have been long rumors that the chipmaker would launch the GeForce RTX 3060 at CES 2021. Early leaks suggest that the graphics card will come with a 12GB and 6GB configuration, while the first is the rumored variant that’s launching in January.
Nvidia finished the video with an illustration of what appears to be the company’s take on the Resizable BAR (Base Address Register) technology. Since the release of AMD’s Smart Access Memory, the Radeon team has worked with Intel and Nvidia to bring the same goodness to the Intel platform and Nvidia’s graphics cards. Ampere-based graphics card support Resizable BAR and only requires a simple software update to get the feature up and running. If Nvidia references it in the video, it could mean that its rendition of Resizable BAR is ready for primetime.
In 2020, more mobile users downloaded Among Us than any other game worldwide. Data released by Apptopia ranks the year’s breakout hit at 41 million downloads in the US and 264 million downloads worldwide — beating out games such as PUBG Mobile and Roblox, which both remain in the top 10 highest-grossing games of the year.
Despite being released in 2018, Among Us didn’t find popular footing until the last year. The online multiplayer deduction game, in which spaceship crew members work together to complete tasks and root out imposters before they’re murdered, became a hit on Twitch late into quarantine. In November, almost half a billion people played the game, which is available on mobile, the Nintendo Switch, and PC. A release is also planned for Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X.
As for the team that made Among Us, InnerSloth is an independent developer with only four employees. The game has become so popular that the developer actually canned a sequel in order to keep working on the original.
Twitch removed its popular PogChamp emote a couple of days ago after the person on which it was based — Ryan “Gootecks” Gutierrez — posted some tweets encouraging more mob violence after the riot at the Capitol. The spirit of PogChamp, however, will live on: today, Twitch announced that it would cycle through different versions of the emote every 24 hours, starting today.
You know what? In the spirit of figuring out 2021 together, let’s just roll with it for now!
Get ready for a new PogChamp every 24 hours, starting today. https://t.co/R16EyASsFx
— Twitch (@Twitch) January 8, 2021
The reason PogChamp was popular was because it was the site’s global hype emote: when anything cool happened on Twitch, you could be sure to see people pogging in the chat. As the writer (and, full disclosure, my friend) Ryan Broderick put it in his excellent newsletter Garbage Day, Twitch removing the PogChamp emote was probably in service of taking the site truly mainstream.
“The other big part of this is that Twitch’s long-term goal as a company seems to be fully divorcing themselves from the reputation as an ESPN for gamers,” Broderick writes. “So the PogChamp debacle is basically perfect for Twitch — a small change that signals they’re no longer aligned with Gutierrez and everything within the specific toxic strain of the pro-gaming community he represents.”
Twitch’s push toward truly mainstream relevance didn’t start in 2020, and a year spent mostly inside helped move the site there. Perhaps the biggest win — and the strongest signal — that Twitch was beginning to achieve those goals was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) stream with some of Twitch’s biggest stars, which was one of the largest individual streams the site has ever seen. The idea that there was a difference between Twitch influence and mainstream influence evaporated at the very moment AOC’s stream went dark. (Since then, internet-savvy congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has also streamed Among Us with a cast of all-star broadcasters.)
I’ve reached out to Twitch for comment and will update this story when I hear back.
Page 1: The smallest in the bunch: AVerMedias GC 311 Live Gamer MINI Streaming-Capture-Box in the test
If you believe the manufacturer AVerMedia, the GC 311 Live-Gamer MINI-Game-Streaming-Capture-Box climb the streaming Olympus quickly and easily. In addition to an HDMI input and passthrough for full HD gameplay, said box should transmit the image without latency and also have PC and Mac connectivity. After we already have the Live Gamer EXTREME 2 GC 551 and the streaming capture box Live Gamer Ultra GC 553 from AVerMedia, we are now also taking a look at the cheapest model of the Trios.
Especially with the ongoing corona pandemic and the imposed lockdowns, online portals such as YouTube and Twitch are increasingly coming into focus again. A wide range of content can be discovered in the aforementioned services. In addition to pure entertainment videos, there are also tutorials, Let’s Plays and much more. With the latter in particular, content creators are looking for a simple way to record the content displayed on the screen.
Since a pure software solution also demands the system resources, an external solution provides a remedy here. With the GC 311 Live-Gamer-MINI-Game-Streaming-Capture-Box, the manufacturer AVerMedia offers an external USB variant with which even power-hungry AAA titles can be recorded without having to accept losses in quality. In addition, the USB solution can be used with a notebook without any problems and can thus be used flexibly.
It should be noted, however, that the Live Gamer MINI does not support the display, recording or streaming of HDCP-protected signals. Furthermore, no 4K, HDR or wide angle resolutions or high frame rates are supported.
Technical specifications:
Interface:
USB 2.0 (USB micro)
Video input:
HDMI
Video output (passthrough):
HDMI
Audio input:
HDMI
Audio output (passthrough):
HDMI
Max Passthrough Resolutions:
1080 p 60
Max Record resolutions:
1080 p 60
Supported resolutions (video input):
1080 p, 1080 i, 720 p, 576 p, 480 p, 480 i
Recording format:
MPEG 4 (H. 264 + AAC) / Supports hardware coding
Size (W x D x H):
100 mm x 57 mm x 18, 8 mm
Weight:
74, 5 g
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<> The smallest of the bunch: AVerMedias GC 311 Live Gamer MINI Streaming-Capture-Box in the test The Live-Gamer-MINI-Game-Streaming-Capture-Box in detail
Home/Software & Gaming/Apps/Twitch removes PogChamp emote “following statements from the face of the emote”
Mustafa Mahmoud 2 hours ago Apps, Featured Tech News, Lifestyle, Software & Gaming
Since its creation, Twitch has put great emphasis on trying to push its creators and users of its platform in an attempt to foster a sense of community. One of the ways they did this was through their emotes, many of which feature the faces of popular streamers during iconic moments. One of the most popular emotes has now been removed, “following statements from the face of the emote.”
The PogChamp emote – which stands for Play of Game Champion – has existed on the streaming site for many years, serving as a way for viewers to express their excitement at whatever was happening on stream. The face of the emote is that of Gootecks, a popular online figure.
In the wake of the recent storming of the US Capitol building by rioters and domestic terrorists (many of whom appeared to be white supremesists), Gootecks expressed support in favour of said rioters.
Following this, Twitch quickly removed the emote from use on its platform, releasing a statement saying “we’ve made the decision to remove the PogChamp emote following statements from the face of the emote encouraging further violence after what took place in the Capitol today.”
Twitch continued, “we want the sentiment and use of Pog to live on – its meaning is much bigger than the person depicted or image itself– and it has a big place in Twitch culture. However, we can’t in good conscience continue to enable use of the image.”
Due to its popularity, Twitch has announced that “we will work with the community to design a new emote for the most hype moments on Twitch.”
KitGuru says: Do you use Twitch? What is your favourite emote? Whose face would you like to see replace Gootecks’? Let us know down below.
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Twitch experienced a partial outage on Thursday afternoon. During the outage, I was able to navigate to the site’s homepage, but often, the carousel of featured streams didn’t load. In a few instances, when I clicked into a stream, it briefly loaded before the site showed an error message.
While the outage was going on, the Twitch status page said that the company had “identified an issue causing Twitch to fail to load in some cases.” While the status page only noted “degraded performance” for the web, I was also seeing errors while navigating the iOS app, but I’m not seeing those errors anymore.
Today’s issue was related to an earlier AWS disruption, a Twitch spokesperson tells The Verge. The Twitch status page now says that the incident was resolved at 5:04PM ET and that all systems are operational. The @TwitchSupport account tweeted at 5:24PM ET to say that things have been fixed.
️ We have recovered from the issue causing features on Twitch to not load. Thank you for your patience.
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) January 7, 2021
Update January 7th, 5:37PM ET: The issue affecting Twitch has been fixed, and we have updated this article to reflect that.
XSplit is a broadcast application like OBS (Open Broadcast Software). There are a few differences in the features because there are paid and free versions of XSplit. XSplit Broadcaster has a professional feel and is not hard to set up because it easily integrates with all the major platforms, including Twitch.
What You Need to Stream on XSplit
XSplit Account
Livestream platform account on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube or Restream
A PC that can handle at least 720p, 30 fps
A capture card if you are streaming from a console.
Mic / webcam / headset: For recording yourself. Check out our lists of best webcams, best gaming headsets and best gaming microphones.
How to Set Up XSplit
1. Sign up for an XSplit account at www.XSplit.com.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Download the Broadcaster software after you sign up for your account.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. When the software downloads it will ask if it can make changes to your computer, click Yes to continue. It will ask you this every time you open Broadcaster.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Click Broadcast in the left corner the select Set Up a New Output. To set up a new output means to connect your streaming platform like Twitch or YouTube. You can set up multiple accounts for multiple streaming platforms.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Each platform will request authorization for XSplit to use it . Click Authorize XSplit to use Twitch (or whatever platform(s) you have).
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. After you verify your Twitch account it will show up under Choose a Twitch Account. Once you see the account you want to stream to click on it. You can also have multiple Twitch accounts logged in on XSplit. But you can only stream to one account at a time.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. This is what authorizing XSplit to use your Twitch will look like. Click Next.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
XSplit will automatically determine your server and tell you what your recommended settings are for Twitch and the other platforms available. Just because there are recommended settings doesn’t mean that’s the highest setting you can stream on.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
XSplit Settings for 1920 x 1080 running 60 FPS on Twitch
Twitch Properties are for technical stream settings like your Bitrate and Codec. You don’t usually have to pay attention to these settings. The only thing I would change for a smooth stream with great graphics is the Video Encoding.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Codec encodes or decodes a digital data stream or signal. Currently, it’s on H.264 and is using my graphics card the GTX 1060. I change my Codec to x264 because it has better quality, meaning it gives my stream a more polished look.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Bitrate: The lower the Bitrate the choppier the stream can be. I recommend 5000 for 1080p streams. Running at a lower setting like 1280 x 720 at 30FPS the bitrate should be raised to 4000 maximum and 1500 minimum. And the Codec can still change x264.
That’s recommended bitrate for Twitch. Recommended setting for YouTube & Facebook are 4000 to 6000.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Change the Resolution and Framerate on XSplit
1. Click on theresolution and framerate in the upper right corner.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Scroll down to Resolution and select the resolution works for your stream. The two most common Resolution options are 1280 x720 (16:9) & 1920 x 1080 (16:9).
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Click onResolution scroll down to Framerate to change your framerate. While streaming at 1920 x 1080 the framerate is usually 60 frames per second. Streaming at 1280 x 720 the framerate is 30 fps.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Import OBS Scenes into XSplit
If you have scenes on OBS that you don’t want to recreate in XSplit, there’s a very easy way to port them over. Before importing your OBS scenes to XSplit you must save your scenes.
1. Open OBS, click Profile in the upper left corner & select Export and choose a place to save them.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Switch to XSplit.
3. Click Tools located in the upper left menu.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Select Permissions.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Check the box for OBS Scene Importer and click apply.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. Click Import from OBS Studio.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. Select the scenes you’d like to import and click open.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
8. Click Import. Now your scenes and sources are available in XSplit.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Create New Scenes & Sources in XSplit
If you are starting from scratch and want to build your scenes in XSplit, whether you’re using StreamElements, StreamLabs, or importing an overlay you made yourself, it’s very easy to use.
1. Click the + button to add more scenes.You can rename the Scene by clicking on the white bar toward the bottom.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. To add an overlay as an image, video, or GIF click Add Source at the bottom of the screen. Your File Explorer will open up and you can choose your overlay from there.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to add an Overlay from StreamElements to XSplit
Adding an overlay from StreamElements and StreamLabs is easy. These are free websites in which to create overlays.
1. Sign up for an account on StreamElements using a streaming platform or your email.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Create your overlay.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Click the link button to copy the URL to your clipboard.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Switch back to the XSplit software and select paste.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Grab the edges of your overlay to adjust it to the size you want.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Using VCam with XSplit
VCam is an additional free program under the XSplit brand that allows any user to remove background without a green screen and create different effects without any additional software.
1. Download install and run VCam. You can get it on XSplit’s site.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Click continue after Vcam launches and starts its calibration.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can blur your background by moving the slider up & down.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can remove your background.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can add a background from their collection of images or upload your own image, gif, video, or webpage by clicking Add Background.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You can also change the brightness, contrast or move the image to the right or left by clicking the edit button near the blur bar.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
If you have multiple cameras you can select them from the list.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Click 3 dots “…” to adjust your webcam settings.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to add your webcam or VCam to your Scene
1. Select Add Source ->Devices -> Video and then XSplit VCam or your Webcam.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Use Your Phone or Tablet Instead of a Webcam
If you don’t have a webcam you can use XSplit Connect Webcam which allows you to use your smartphone camera as a webcam.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Open XSplit VCam & select the ^ button.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Click Connect your mobile phone camera.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
It is supposed to connect because it’s on the same IP address. However, in my tests, it didn’t yet work because it’s in beta. You may have better luck.
How to add your Mic to your Scene in XSplit
1. Select Add Source ->Devices-> Audio, and then select the mic you want to use.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Additional mic & audio settings are located in the bottom right corner.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Click Settings underneath the mic button for advanced options like using Noise Gate.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Use Noise GateThreshold if you have a fan that your mic is picking up. Sliding the bar down lowers the gate and lets in more noise. Sliding the bar up raises the gate and let’s less noise in. Checking the Noise Suppression box helps lower all background noise.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Clicking the settings button will open general and advance settings.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. In the Audio tab, you can adjust your system sound/headphones, microphone, and control if you’d like your audio to have a delay.
6. Use the Audio Preview section to monitor the final audio output from your stream. It may sound like an echo but the echo won’t show up in recordings or livestream.
7. Click the drop-down menu under System Sound allows to choose what audio your stream picks up, like audio from your entire PC, which might include, Discord notifications or YouTube audio. Or you can set it to just pick up your voice and the gameplay.
Due to latency, there may be a delay between the live feed of the game and when it reaches XSplit (particularly if you are using a capture card). The delay checkbox allows you to create a delay on video and audio sources, like your System sound, Webcam, and microphone.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
8. The white bars next to the microphone and speakerphone icon control the volumes of your mic and the PC sound. Click and hold the left button on your mouse to make the volumes go up or down.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Set a Delay for a Source in XSplit
1. Find out how much the delay is by measuring it in seconds.
2. Convert that time it into milliseconds. For example, 2 seconds is 2,000 milliseconds.
3. Input that into the delay section and tes it. There will be a lot of fine-tuning to get the delays the sync up.
How to Set Up a Console and Capture Card in XSplit
If you are streaming with a console, you need a capture card to connect it with XSplit
1. Hook up your capture card to your console.
2. Turn on your console.
3. Click Add Source at the bottom of the screen, select devices -> video and select your capture card. You can resize the window by grabbing the edges of the box and pulling them outward or inward.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Set Up PC Game Streaming in XSPlit
If you are streaming PC Games you don’t need a capture card.
1. Open the game you’d like to play.
2. Select Add Source at the bottom of the screen then select Game Capture and the game will appear in the list under Auto-Detect.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Resize the game display by grabbing the edges of the window and pulling them outward if you want to make it bigger or inward to make it smaller.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
How to Start a Livestream in XSplit
After your platform of choice, overlay and gameplay are added and your mic and camera settings are configured, you can start livestreaming.
1. Select the button on the top right above your preview window. If you only have one platform click the Stream button and your stream will startup.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Select the platform where you’d like to go live if you have multiple platforms.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Click the stream button and your stream is now live. The red button and the message in the bottom right corner confirm your stream is live.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Saving Scenes
You can have multiple scenes for different platforms or games. Multiple scenes saved into one file is a Presentation.
1. To save these scenes select File in the upper left corner, Save Presentation, and choose where to save it.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Select File, New Presentation to create another set of scenes You can even save, load, or add individual scenes by selecting File.
Adding Transitions in XSplit
Transitions are for moving from scene to scene. And XSplit comes with preloaded transitions, which you will find on the bottom right corner of the screen.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
You are able to favorite them with the star button.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
And if you have a custom transition that you’ve made, feel free to upload it by selecting the transitions, scrolling to the bottom, and selecting Stinger or Luma.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Express Video Editor
XSplit has its own video editor which is another program you can download from its website.
VTOL technologies could be the future of individual transport: investor Tim Draper is convinced of this and decides to invest in two companies that develop futuristic concepts
of Andrea Bai published on 28 December 2020 , at 18: 21 in the Science and Technology channel
Tim Draper , US investor known for financially participating in the support of Tesla and SpaceX , has decided to embark on a new bet and invest in the companies JetPack Aviation and Gravity industries, two companies operating in the field of technologies that can make indiv flight a reality identical.
Gravity Industires in particular has risen to the honors of chronicle for a suit-jetpack similar to Iron Man, and which allows the wearer to be able to launch into flight at particularly high speeds. A suit with similar characteristics has also been developed by JetPack Aviation , which however is working on a sort of “motorcycle” flying, automated and stabilized, called “Speeder”. This vehicle is capable of speeds of 250 miles per hour and can accommodate up to two passengers.
The two companies are deepening and developing VOTL technologies – Vertical Take Off and Landing – which significantly simplify two of the most complicated aspects of flight, namely take-off and landing. The possibility of carrying out these two operations vertically eliminates the need for take-off and landing runways, thus making the practice of flying more free from constraints. In general it is believed that VOTL technologies could represent the turning point, in the future, to alleviate the congestion of land transport thanks to the vertical space, just like skyscrapers.
“I think that we now live in a two-dimensional transportation company, and both of these companies have figured out how to make VTOL technology more practical so that anyone can fly and land anywhere. They are fun and exciting. Right now we are stuck in cars, cars. long distances require going to the airport and getting on a plane. Imagine being able to just put on a suit, take off and fly wherever you want to go. I think VTOL technology is what we’re looking for, “commented Draper.
Tim Draper did not invest only in Tesla and SpaceX: among the other successful bets were those in Skype , Baidu, Twitter, Coinbase and Twitch .
In prior years, if you needed a last-minute gift, you might run out to the store and brave the crowds, but in this year of pandemic, that’s not a good idea. Besides, it might not even be safe or practical to visit your giftee in person. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to buy and deliver last-second gifts that arrive instantly, via email, even on Christmas day.
The easiest, but least thoughtful, thing you can do is either send money or buy an Amazon.com gift card, which is almost as universal as cash. But a better idea is to purchase a digital gift that speaks to your giftee’s love of PCs, maker gear or gaming. Here are some digital gift ideas for the tech enthusiasts in your life.
1. Newegg Gift Card
Though it sells everything from crock pots to clothing, Newegg is known for having the best selection and often the best prices for computer components. With Amazon credit, your giftee may end up buying non-tech stuff like toilet paper or cat litter, but if you give them a Newegg card, they’ll almost certainly use it to treat themselves to new hardware or software.
Newegg Gift Card ($10 and up)
2. Adafruit gift card / Adabox
(Image credit: Adafruit)
If your giftee loves doing electronics projects with Raspberry Pi, Arduino or other single-board computers — and if they don’t, they should start — a gift certificate from Adafruit could be your best option. Not only does Adafruit stock all the major computers and controllers — every version of Raspberry Pi, for example — but it also has an entire universe of add-on boards, RGB light setups, robot kits and more. The company is not just a seller: as most of its custom boards and accessories are manufactured in its New York City-based factory. The company’s Braincraft HAT won our Raspberry Pi accessory of the year for 2020.
If you buy an Adafruit gift certificate, you can also feel good about supporting this amazing business. Founded in 2005 by Limor “Ladyada” Fried, Adafruit employs over 100 people and is dedicated to helping everyone learn more about STEM. The site has a vibrant community and over 1,000 tutorials to help you do everything from creating an LED sign to soldering or designing RGB clothes.
You can also give a subscription to Adabox, which is a blind box filled with everything you need to build an electronics project and comes out quarterly.
Adafruit Gift Certificates: Available in any denomination and emailed.
Adabox Subscriptions: Starting at $60
3. Digital Game Store Gift Card
No matter what platform your giftee plays on, there’s an associated digital store with downloadable games. PC Gamers will almost certainly find something they love in the Steam store. For console players, get a card for the PlayStation Store, the XBox or the Nintendo eShop, depending on what system they use. Most cards start at $10, but I recommend spending at least $20, the cost of many lower price games.
Xbox Gift Card ($10 – $70)
PlayStation Store Card ($10 – $75)
Nintendo eShop ($5 – $70)
Battle.net Store ($50): Lets you buy any Blizzard game (Warcraft, Overwatch, etc)
Steam Store ($5 – $100)
4. Minecraft Game or Minecoins
(Image credit: Amazon)
Minecraft is a huge hit with kids from five to fifty. The game lets you explore and create worlds filled with 8-bit adventure and you can even use it to learn about programming. The game itself is available on every platform you can imagine, even the phone, but if your giftee already has it, consider getting Minecoins. Minecoins are used to buy all kinds of add-ons within the game.
Minecoin Pack: ($9.88)
Minecraft Windows 10 Starter Edition ($29.88)
Minecraft Dungeons for PC ($19.99): New Minecraft-based game
Minecraft Java Edition ($26.95): Good for Mac or PC (even Linux)
Minecraft for Xbox One ($19.99)
5. Individual Games
(Image credit: Amazon and Microsoft)
If you know what games your giftee wants and is likely to play, you can buy them a direct download. Here are some ideas for PC gamers.
NBA 2K21 ($29.99): The ultimate basketball game, NBA 2K21 features the latest players and teams.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 ($59.99): One of the most popular games of the year, flight simulator makes you feel like you’re flying a real plane in very realistic parts of the world.
Cyberpunk 2077 ($59.99): The game of the year has been slow on XBox One and PS4, but runs great on any PC that meets the Cyberpunk 2077 system requirements.
Star Wars Squadrons ($23.99): Fly an X-Wing or a Tie Fighter.
SimCity Complete Edition ($7.49): Who wouldn’t want to build a city? Includes two different games and five content packs.
Battlefield V: Definitive Edition ($14.99): This World War II battle game looks absolutely gorgeous, whether you have a GPU that supports ray tracing or not.
The Sims 4 ($4.99): A great game for giftees who like simulation games and have older PCs, the Sims 4 will run on a CPU as old as a Core 2 Duo (over 10 years old).
6. Streaming subscriptions
Whether it’s music or movies, there’s nothing quite like the gift of content. Here are some services you can buy.
Disney+ ($69.99 for a year): A great gift for anyone who is not already a Disney+ subscriber, this service features all the Star Wars, Marvel, Disney and Pixar content you can imagine.
BritBox ($69.99 for 1 yr): The ultimate gift for fans of British TV, especially Doctor Who, BritBox is the only place in the U.S. where you can stream all 26 seasons of Classic Doctor Who. It also has all eight seasons of Red Dwarf and a slew of British mysteries.
Netflix ($25 – $200): The good thing about this card is that, even if your giftee already has Netflix, they can always use this to either upgrade their plan or pay some months in advance.
Spotify ($10 – $60): The most popular music service has something for everyone. If your giftee already has a single-user subscription, they may want to use the extra credit to move up to a family ($14.99 / month) subscription.
Hulu ($25 – $50): Get access to a slew of movies, network TV shows and original programs like The Handmaid’s Tale and Castle Rock.
HBO Max ($69.99 for 6 months): WIth all the new Warner movies coming straight to HBO Max, this makes a great gift. However, there’s no gift code so you’d have to basically do it for someone with their knowledge.
7. Online game services
Sure, your giftee has a powerful game system with lots of games, but do they have the subscription they need to play online and broadcast streams? Here are some subscriptions that can help them. Unfortunately, the best offerings here are primarily for console gamers.
XBox Live Gold ($59.99): This service not only connects you with other gamers online and lets you stream to Twitch, but it also provides free games and huge discounts.
PlayStation Plus ($59.99): If your giftee has a PlayStation 4, this membership will allow them to play multiplayer, online games, store data in the cloud and even get a couple of free titles a month.
Nintendo Switch Online ($19.99): Play multiplayer Switch games and free access to some classic Nintendo titles.
We’re now at a point where you can comfortably describe the Nintendo Switch as “mature.” It’s no longer a new device, but one several years into its life, with a robust and varied line-up of games available. There’s a good chance you picked up a Switch to play one of Nintendo’s tentpole franchises — whether that’s Super Mario, Animal Crossing, or Pokémon — but there are a lot of different kinds of experiences available on the tablet. That includes big social titles, classic games, and inventive indie releases. Heck, one of my favorite experiences this year has been relearning chess on the Switch.
If you’re new to the Switch ecosystem, here are 10 great games to get you started.
We’ve rounded up our favorite and most-used games, apps, and entertainment. Check out our app picks for iPhones, Android phones, Windows PCs, and M1-equipped Macs; our favorite mobile games from Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass; and our top choices for gaming PCs, the PS5, Xbox One and Series X / S, Nintendo Switch, and VR. We’ve also listed our favorite streaming shows on Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Netflix; some great sci-fi books; and exciting new podcasts. (Note: pricing was accurate at the time of publishing but may change.)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New HorizonsPhoto: Nintendo
With New Horizons, Animal Crossing went from a quaint and charming life sim to one of Nintendo’s most important franchises, up there with Mario and Zelda. It’s still a game about carving out a humble, cozy life on an island full of animals, but the addition of online play, more robust customization tools, and the fact that virtually everyone in the world was stuck at home this year, turned it into an important cultural touchstone. New Horizons brought people together, caused family drama, and touched on communities ranging from Twitch streamers to streetwear enthusiasts. And it’s still going strong, with (free!) seasonal updates that add more depth and texture to its pleasant world.
Clubhouse Games
Clubhouse GamesPhoto: Nintendo
Sometimes you just need something familiar, and Clubhouse Games fills that niche perfectly. It’s an incredibly simple concept: a collection of more than 50 physical games, from chess to darts to bowling, that you can play on your Switch. The package was clearly put together with lots of love and a level of care and attention to detail that makes this more than just a simple collection. Each game has a pleasantly tactile feel, despite being a digital recreation. Clubhouse Games is full of familiar favorites but will likely also introduce you to new games from all over the world. It’s the perfect thing to pick up and play in between other, more complex experiences.
Coffee Talk
Coffee Talk Photo: Toge Productions
The name Coffee Talk couldn’t be more apt: this is a game about both talking and coffee. You take the role of a barista at a late-night cafe in an alternate version of Seattle, one full of magical creatures, all of whom bring their own personal problems with them when they enter the shop. From behind the counter you’ll hear all of the drama, occasionally chiming in with some advice, all while making sure to serve the perfect latte or hot chocolate. It’s warm and comforting, and it’s a great way to spend a cozy evening.
Hades
HadesPhoto: Supergiant Games
Ever since its debut with Bastion, developer Supergiant Games has released a steady stream of hits, from the cyberpunk Transistor to the magical Pyre. All of the studio’s work features incredible 2D visuals, deep and engaging worlds, and a gameplay hook that makes it hard to step away. Hades feels like a culmination of the team’s past efforts. In your efforts to escape the underworld you’ll die a lot, but each failure is a chance to explore new techniques and learn more about the incredible cast of characters. Get ready to lose some sleep.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildPhoto: Nintendo
No Switch collection is complete without The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo’s first true open-world game upended the genre, with an experience that feels vast and deep, yet leaves much of the exploration and discovery up to players. In a world full of games with copious signposts and mini-maps packed with points of interest, Breath of the Wild lets you move and learn at your own pace. It could be both thrilling and quiet, overwhelming and subtle, all at the same time. I’m still learning new things about the game more than three years after launch. Even better: now you can dig further into the story with the spinoff Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
Murder By Numbers
Murder By NumbersPhoto: Mediatonic
Sometimes two things go together so well you have to wonder why no one tried it before. Such is the case with Murder By Numbers. It’s a silly-yet-touching crime drama that plays out like a visual novel, one that’s packed with lovable characters and surprising plot twists. But it’s also a puzzle game, one where you complete sudoku-like challenges in order to find clues and solve crimes. It may not make a lot of sense on the surface, but in practice these two halves fit together just about perfectly.
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Pokémon Sword and Shield Photo: Pokémon
There are few things that match better than Pokémon games and Nintendo handhelds, but Sword and Shield go an extra step by also being great console experiences thanks to the Switch’s hybrid nature. The base game that launched last year remains one of the best roleplaying games available on the Switch, and it’s since been made even bigger thanks to two significant expansions that add new storylines to dissect, locations to explore, and — most importantly — pocket monsters to collect.
Ring Fit Adventure
Ring Fit AdventurePhoto: Nintendo
Ring Fit Adventureisn’t just a great game, it’s also one of a few ways to get a decent workout, thanks to COVID-related restrictions. It also does something very rare: makes the tedium of a workout fun. Ring Fit is structured like a fantasy roleplaying game, one where you travel to distant worlds fighting all kinds of magical creatures. But in order to attack, you’ll need to do yoga poses, squats, and a whole lot of planks. It’s exhausting in the best possible way, and Nintendo has also released an update that turns Ring Fit into a rhythm game complete with classic Super Mario tunes.
Streets of Rage 4
Streets of Rage 4Photo: SEGA
Sometimes you just want to hit things. Streets of Rage 4 is here to oblige. The newest entry in the classic beat ‘em up series doesn’t change the formula: you still play as one of a handful of heroes, exploring side-scrolling levels while pummeling every street punk in sight. This time, though, the 2D visuals look incredible, and the gameplay has been streamlined so that it feels a bit more modern. Surprisingly, the best part might just be the music, with an incredible soundtrack that includes new tunes from famed composer Yuzo Koshiro.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Super Mario 3D All-StarsPhoto: Nintendo
This collection brings together three of Mario’s most influential 3D adventures: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Not every element stands up in 2020, so you might find yourself frustrated with 64’s relic of a camera, or the awkward controls of Sunshine’s water pack. But for the most part, each game in Super Mario 3D All-Stars remains fun, and playing through them today is a great way to see how Nintendo’s design philosophy has changed over the years. You’ll never look at Super Mario Odyssey the same way again.
Whether you’ve just gotten a new Windows-based gaming laptop or desktop, or you just want some new game ideas, we have ten suggestions to make your gaming experience fun. Not all of them are new or the most graphically demanding, but they should provide you with hours of enjoyment.
Unlike gaming on a console, there are several ways for PC gamers to get their fix, from Steam and the Epic Game Store to GOG and Xbox Game Pass. It’s important to know that not all platforms offer the same games due to exclusivity rights. But in most cases, you can (and should) shop around — you might find a better price at one storefront versus the other.
We’ve rounded up our favorite and most-used games, apps, and entertainment. Check out our app picks for iPhones, Android phones, Windows PCs, and M1-equipped Macs; our favorite mobile games from Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass; and our top choices for gaming PCs, the PS5, Xbox One and Series X / S, Nintendo Switch, and VR. We’ve also listed our favorite streaming shows on Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Netflix; some great sci-fi books; and exciting new podcasts. (Note: pricing was accurate at the time of publishing but may change.)
Hades
HadesImage: Supergiant
Hades is the latest game from Supergiant, the developer of Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. Fresh out of early access this summer, Hades offers tons of depth, the writing is excellent (and often funny), and the controls are responsive. It doesn’t seem at first like there’s much depth, but I’ve had 60 runs and counting with no end in sight. If you want an idea of just how deep Hades’ rabbit hole goes, check out my colleague Nick Statt’s piece on how the game continues to unravel its secrets even after you’ve “beaten” it.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077Image: CD Projekt Red
Cyberpunk 2077, the latest open-world RPG from CD Projekt Red, was released just a few weeks ago. While buggy in its early days, it seems like a worthwhile adventure to take if you’re into the idea of strolling through a neon-lit cyberpunk universe filled with unusual quests and upgrades. It’s a stunning game, too, built to take advantage of the latest Nvidia graphics cards with ray-tracing effects.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars: SquadronsImage: EA
EA built the definitive Star Wars-themed dogfighting simulator in Star Wars: Squadrons. Whether you’re playing on a traditional monitor or through an Oculus or SteamVR virtual reality headset, you’ll likely get plenty of excitement both from the single-player campaign and the multiplayer. One thing, though: it’s not a simple game to play.
Amnesia: Rebirth
The latest game in the Amnesia series is the direct successor to Dark Descent, the first-person horror game that put the series on the map. While the stories are somewhat linked, Verge reviewer Adi Robertson says that Rebirth “tweaks the original game’s design and themes in compelling ways.” Its setting is more awe-inspiring, taking place in a variety of locales that Dark Descent doesn’t. Though it still retains its ability of making you question what awaits you in the darkness.
Among Us
Among UsImage: InnerSloth
Among Us is perhaps the most popular game of 2020, judged on buzz alone. It’s so popular that even politicians like AOC stream it on Twitch, and the premise of the game makes it easy to see why. You join a group of other workers tasked to maintain a spaceship — except one of you is an imposter. Your role as the imposter is to blend in and not let anyone find out who you are. The fun lies in making everyone else betray each other in their efforts to figure out who is playing the imposter. It’s a simple, yet nuanced Clue-like game that costs only $5. Get some friends, buy the game, and have fun.
Persona 4: Golden
Persona 4: GoldenImage: Atlus
Why is a game from 2012 on this list? Well, it’s because Persona 4: Golden, a JRPG masterpiece from Atlus, only made its way to the PC in 2020. It’s nothing new content-wise for folks who have already played the game on the PlayStation Vita, but it has enhanced graphical options for the PC. And really, it’s special to see some memorable characters on the big screen looking sharper than ever, with the earworm beats backing the experience.
Fortnite
FortniteImage: Epic
Fortnite is Epic’s ever-evolving battle royale game that deserves a spot on most gamers’ hard drives. It’s free to play, so there’s your main reason to at least give it a shot. Epic Games brings new content and cosmetic updates (including God of War’s Kratos, along with many other branded character skins) to the game on a frequent basis, so if you have friends who play, there will likely be something new to enjoy together each time you play.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight SimulatorImage: Microsoft
In a year when traveling was something most of us couldn’t do, Microsoft’s new Flight Simulator felt especially timely. It’s a super-detailed flight sim where you simply pilot airplanes. There are challenges to complete, but really, it’s about relaxing, enjoying the view, and appreciating the globe from a birds-eye view. It’s also a very intensive game, so you can really stress test your new components (or consider upgrading if you really want to max out the graphical settings).
This game is available for purchase through Microsoft or Steam, and it’s playable with a subscription from Game Pass for PC (which costs $1 for the first three months for new subscribers, $14.99 per month otherwise).
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Horizon: Zero DawnImage: Alloy
If you’re a PC gamer who’s been wanting to play the PS4-exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn open-world game, you got lucky this year. The game has come to digital storefronts with all of the graphical options you might dream of. While it had stability issues at launch, most of the kinks seem to have been ironed out, so now is a good time to enjoy Aloy’s debut adventure before Horizon: Forbidden West hits the PS5 (and hopefully the PC) in 2021.
Valorant
ValorantImage: Riot Games
League of Legends developer Riot Games launched competitive first-person shooter Valorant this year, and it quickly took hold as an esports staple. While it’s class-based like Overwatch, with each character having their own unique abilities, it’s more reliant on twitch-based skills and tactical gameplay a la Counter Strike. It’s a free-to-play game, downloadable only through Riot’s own launcher, and you can pay cash for costumes and weapon skins if you want to customize the look of your characters.
With roughly half a billion people reportedly playing it in November, Among Us has had the most monthly players for a mobile game ever, beating giants like Pokémon GO and Candy Crush Saga. According to Nielsen’s SuperData, the game is “by far the most popular game ever in terms of monthly players.”
The success is even more remarkable because InnerSloth — the company that makes Among Us — only has four employees. That’s roughly 125 million players per person who works on the game. It’s proven to be so popular that the studio decided to cancel a sequel that was in the works and just put all its effort into improving the original. It even caught the attention of sitting congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who livestreamed herself playing it to try to encourage people to vote, with an audience on Twitch that peaked at over 400 thousand viewers.
In an email to The Verge, Carter Rogers, Principal Analyst at SuperData, said that the next-most popular game in terms of monthly active users only clocked in at 300 million. Rogers notes that Nielsen arrives at its figures through a mix of “point-of-sale and event data from publishers, developers and payment service providers.” Among Us’ release on the Nintendo Switch was recent enough that it didn’t have an appreciable impact on the game’s total numbers in Nielsen’s analysis.
The fact that Among Us had 500 million players shows the outstanding reach you can get by making a free game that runs on mobile devices. According to SuperData, only three percent of those 500 million players were playing the PC version. To put that number in perspective, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most hyped AAA game launches we’ve seen in a long time, and it sold 13 million copies this month.
Of course, there’s a large price difference between the games (Among Us is free on mobile, and $5 on PC), but it shows that the audience for mobile games is much larger than other platforms. InnerSloth is working to ensure that Among Us has some staying power by continuing to add new content to it, like the Airship map with new tasks that’s being added early next year.
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