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It's been about a year since Google first announced its Chromebook Plus initiative, a higher spec of hardware that also comes with software features you won't find on more basic Chromebooks. Google's getting into a pretty consistent every-six-month cadence with these updates, so today we're hearing more about some new hardware as well as some AI-powered features coming to various Chromebooks. New Chromebook Hardware Probably the most interesting update we're hearing about today is new hardware from Samsung: the Galaxy Chromebook Plus. I've liked some of Samsung's attempts at making high-end Chromebooks in the past, so I'm curious to see how this one performs. Google says its the thinnest and lightest Chromebook Plus, at 2.58 pounds and less than a half-inch thick. Despite that small size, it includes a 15.6-inch OLED screen, making it sound like this laptop will be similar to the 15-inch MacBook Air in feel. Samsung From a specs perspective it has an Intel Core 3 100U, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, specs that should be more than enough for a good Chrome OS experience. Samsung claims 13-hour battery life, something I'd like to believe but don't yet. Too many Chromebooks tout long battery life and completely miss the mark, so I'm looking forward to seeing if any notable improvements have been made here. Google This is also the first Chromebook with a new key called the "Quick Insert" key. It replaces the existing Launcher key (where you'll find Caps Lock on most laptops), and it brings up a glorified right-click menu that does feel potentially more modern and useful. You'll find options for Gemini-powered "help me write," emoji and GIF search, a list of recently-opened websites, a Google Drive search field and a few other tools. Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook Plus is the first laptop with this key, but older Chromebooks can also pull up the menu with a keyboard shortcut (launcher key + F). Unfortunately, we don't have a price yet for the Galaxy Chromebook Plus, but it should be out this month. Lenovo also has a new device, the Chromebook Duet 11". As the name suggests, it's a small convertible device, an update to one Lenovo originally released back in 2020. It keeps the same small form factor and detachable keyboard but has a newer MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor along with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. I'd recommend making sure you get that 8GB / 128GB combo, as anything less won't cut it in 2024. Lenovo also has seemingly slimmed down the bezels quite a bit compared to the original model, which should make the already-small package feel even more compact. Lenovo You can also get a stylus and use it with a free three-month Goodnotes subscription. Google says that Goodnotes has been optimized for Chrome OS, so it should provide a smoother experience now. That said, most Chromebook stylus apps haven't been terribly great, so this is another case when we'll want to try it out to see how it works. Lenovo says that the option with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will cost $340, while the 8GB / 128GB model costs $390. Both come with the keyboard and stylus. Google AI perks and other software updates At each of the last two Chromebook showcases Google has held, the company has teased new software features that would come in the future. And just as it did in May, Google is making good on some things it talked about in the past. Probably the biggest is the Gemini-powered "help me read" feature which can, in Google's words, "summarize PDFs, articles or websites, all with a right click." It's something Google has talked about for a bit, and this first implementation of the feature is definitely not its final form Google says that an update next year will let you highlight specific paragraphs and sentences you want more detail on. Google Other new features include Live Translate, which uses AI to automatically generate captions for whatever is on your computer, including video calls, movie files or a live YouTube stream. Similarly, the Recorder app can automatically create transcripts from what it records, complete with different speaker IDs and a summary. Live Translate is already available on Pixel phones, and the Recorder app is also on Android phones so it's not a big surprise to find them here. Finally, Google is making audio and video quality on calls better. The "studio-style mic" feature uses AI to reduce noise and reverberation, and your video output can be automatically adjusted for better lighting. These features will work across any video call platform you can use on a Chromebook. Google The above features are exclusive to Chromebook Plus models, but Google has a handful of updates coming to all Chrome OS updates. For starters, all new Chromebook purchases come with three months of the Google One AI Premium plan, which includes Gemini Advanced, 2TB of storage and Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Slides and Gmail. (Chromebook Plus buyers still get it for a whole year, as announced in May.) Given that that's a $20/month plan, it's a solid perk. Related, Google is making it easier for Chromebook users to use Gemini by including a shortcut to Gemini chat right in the Chrome OS taskbar. Hey, if you want people to try new features, you might as well put them directly in your face, right? Two other features Google is introducing were first teased back in May. One is a focus timer, which implores you to pick an urgent task, a playlist and a timer. You'll then go into do not disturb mode while you work on what you're trying to get done. There's also a "Welcome Back" feature that pops up when you log in to your laptop. It pulls together apps and pages it thinks go together so you can resume what you were working on previously. Like the hardware announced today, there's no specifics on when exactly this will all start rolling out, but you can expect to see it this month. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/samsungs-latest-premium-chromebook-combines-a-big-screen-with-a-thin-and-light-body-130012477.html?src=rss
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Amazon Prime has released the official trailer for Like A Dragon: Yakuza, its live action adaptation of the action-adventure Sega game franchise mostly revolving around the yakuza Kazuma Kiryu. Unlike the teaser Amazon dropped in July, the trailer features a voiceover by Kiryu's actor Ryoma Takeuchi, as well as voice dialogues by other cast members. The series is set across two intersecting timelines in 1995 and 2005 in the fictional town of Kamurocho, which is based on Tokyo's Kabukicho. It will cover the events of the first Yakuza game, with some changes to the story. Based on Amazon's own description of the series, it will show Kiryu and his friends Nishiki, Yumi and Miho plan a heist at an arcade that's apparently under the control of a powerful yakuza organization called the Dojima Family. Like in the game, Kiryu was imprisoned for 10 years and returned to Kamurocho in 2005 when he was released after finding out that his friends needed his help. The trailer gives us a glimpse of how the show's story will unfold, as well as of the franchise's beloved characters, including Nishiki and fan favorite Goro Majima. It shows a chaotic Kamurocho with gangsters on bikes, gun fights, fist fights and explosions. The trailer also introduces us to a shadowy figure called the Demon of Shinjuku, who's going around killing people in the district. Amazon is making the first three episodes of Like A Dragon: Yakuza available for streaming starting on October 24. The last three episodes will come out on October 31. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/watch-the-full-trailer-for-amazons-live-action-yakuza-adaptation-123027590.html?src=rss
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What qualifies a video game as depressing? The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but thats not what were talking about here. Instead, were looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether its directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.The games on this list dont have a lot in common on the surface there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if thats what you're looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and youre feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company. Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss
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