Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has confirmed a setback with its second plant in Arizona delayed by up to two years, while the company is still waiting on certainty over US government grants.

It is another blow for the $40 billion site after news broke in July that the first factory will not be up and running until 2025, as reported by Bloomberg.

TSMC, the world’s largest semiconductor chip foundry, is aiming to start second phase operations in 2027 or 2028, which is also a disappointment to the Biden administration in the White House in its aspirations to boost the manufacturing of key components on US soil.

The first site will only commence the production of 4-nanometer chips next year with labor and cost factors cited by the company in the announcement last year.

“Our overseas decisions are based on customer needs and the necessary level of government subsidy, or support,” stated chairman Mark Liu.

At TSMC’s earnings conference in Taipei on Thursday, its chief financial officer Wendell Huang added the decision on the second factory comes as a consequence of delays to the first plant.

Delays to US government funding

Taiwan’s flagship company is locked in talks with the US government on incentives and tax credits, whilst still facing challenges in hiring its workforce. Decisions on grants are set to influence the scale of advances at the second location which is also up against the clock.

TSMC has intimated a delay of two years could result in a one-generation evolution of semiconductor tech.

Incumbent US President Joe Biden passed the Chips and Science Act into law more than one year ago but the legislation aimed to inject billions of dollars toward the likes of TSMC and Intel for further US expansion has yet to yield any subsidies.

The situation is likely to be a source of frustration for the iconic chipmaker given that TSMC has already received funds from the Japanese government for a lesser project in Kumamoto, which was unveiled after the Arizona plan.

Production at the site in Japan is anticipated to get underway later this year.

Image credit, pixabay, pexels.com

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Once you have the mechanics down in Palworld and you want to get around the map quickly so you can level up your character and your pals as quickly as possible it’s good to know that the game contains many fast travel spots to negate some of the world-running from place to place as you hunt around for new Pals in order to chalk off some of those achievements that we mentioned.

Fast Travel in Palworld

There is nothing overly flashy about fast traveling around Palworld. Fast Travel towers are reasonably plentiful and can be identified by an orange glow around the statue which is the tower itself.

Once you locate and trigger the Fast Travel tower its aura will turn blue instead of orange and you will be able to use it in the future to get to quickly without having to yomp across the entire map, which will certainly come in handy as the game progresses.

It’s worth noting that if you want to fast travel back to your base and you don’t build it close to a tower, the Palbox also works in the same way so you can instantly return from your travels.

Of course, while you are fast traveling you may be missing out on capturing that rare Pal you have been looking for. Sometimes though speed is important so it’s the best way to go.

Finding Fast Travel Towers in Palworld

Apart from stumbling upon them by accident, it is worth keeping an eye on your compass at the top of the screen as it will highlight if there is a tower within 300 meters of your character at any time.

Don’t forget if you haven’t jumped in on Palworld yet you can get it on Steam for $29.99 or play it for “free” on Xbox Game Pass.

The post How to fast travel in Palworld appeared first on ReadWrite.

X is rolling out audio and video call capability to Android users, after it was introduced for iOS users in October 2023.

The news was let slip by an X engineer working on the project who relayed that the release would be available on Android after an app update.

Any user of Elon Musk’s social media platform can receive a call but only paid users can make a call. The new function on the app is one of a growing list only subscribers can utilize, although earlier this month X removed support for NFT profile images.

audio and video calls on X slowly rolling out for android users today! update your app and call your mother

— Enrique (@enriquebrgn) January 18, 2024

How to access the call function on X

Users should head to the settings selection to take control of the new call features.

Settings > Privacy and safety > Direct Messages > Enable audio and video calling.

The same menu options give you the option to manage who can call you, from different categories of people in your address book, people you follow, and verified users.

You can choose multiple options, or none, from these selections.

This development appears to signal another move toward X becoming a universal app, a one-stop shop similar to China’s WeChat. It has already set out its intentions for the coming year with AI, unsurprisingly, set to play a prominent role. It will be used to aid search and advertising capabilities whilst there are plans to launch peer-to-peer payments.

Musk also has Twitch in his sights, aiming to take on the Amazon-owned platform with monetized live streams on X.

It remains to be seen how successful this update will be for the social media entity formerly known as Twitter. It is playing catch-up with the likes of Whatsapp, Facebook, and Facetime in offering video and audio call functionality, but the new function will give users one more reason to stay on the X with more new features to follow.

Image: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels.

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In an attempt to bring Tekken 8 to as many people as possible, developers Bandai Namco inadvertently introduced a potentially dangerous filter in their accessibility options. The game’s director, Katushiro Harada, has announced that changes will be coming to accessibility options to minimize the risk, reports PC Gamer.

@Harada_TEKKEN you urgently need to remove one of your filters (the striped one), it cannot be present at launch as it may hospitalise players (or worse), in the same way as the infamous Pokémon episode.

— Ian Hamilton (@ianhamilton_) December 27, 2023

The concern was that the striped filter could induce seizures in users with photosensitivity. Users also reported migraines arising from watching a clip of the game with the striped filter active.

Harada took to Twitter/X after a clip of the filter went viral to say that people were taking the filter out of context and that there are a lot of customizable options that had been used to create the effect seen in the original Twitter post. “These color vision options are a rare part of the fighting game genre, but they are still being researched and we intend to expand on them in the future.”

Speaking at the Tekken World Tour 2023 Finals, Harada said “Many people have been talking about the accessibility features in the demo for Tekken 8. That was just a work in progress, so we’ve actually tweaked that quite a bit to try to address some of the issues and to make sure it works better for a wider variety of people.”

It is unclear at this time whether these tweaks are going to be part of Tekken 8 when it launches or whether this will come in a future update, but it is a step in the right direction. Accessibility is a relatively new concern for game developers and the fact that the developers of a huge game franchise like Tekken are taking it seriously and trying to get it right is encouraging for many.

In 2020 Cyberpunk 2077 contained flashing lights and imagery that could trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.  After several gamers reported suffering seizures, developer CD Projekt Red apologized and quickly released a software update with a new warning, removed or reduced the flashing effects, and told gamers to be mindful of their health.

While most games don’t require warnings about photosensitive epilepsy risks, Cyberpunk 2077 demonstrated that rapid red-and-white flashing visual effects can directly endanger a small portion of the gaming community.

Featured image credit: Bandai Namco

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Character creation is a big part of gaming, but sometimes, when you are under a lot of pressure to just come up with the perfect character name before getting into the game proper, you end up with something that after about three seconds of gameplay you hate. It’s always good therefore to know how you can just pop back to edit your character and make any changes while adding in that super-cool name you only just dreamt up.

Let’s see how we do that right here.

How to change your name in Palworld  (and your Pals)

At the beginning of the game when you create your character you can alter the look, voice, and all the other good stuff. Then, weirdly, you are given a random name that you simply cannot change for your character. It’s all very odd, and we don’t know why that should be the case, but the devs are promising that in a later build of Early Access character editing and name-changing will become a thing. It’s an example of how janky some things are at this stage of development as we touched on our everything you need to know about Palworld page.

You can however change the names of your Pals (which makes the omission on the character front stranger still. To do this all you need to do is go to the Party Menu and select the Pal you wish to rename and then select the edit name option that is next to its name on the screen.

Note that you will have to level up your Pals before having access to this feature – again this is something that may change sooner rather than later as new builds get released into the wild.

The post Can you change your name in Palworld? appeared first on ReadWrite.

VF Corp, the parent company of popular sneaker brand Vans, has disclosed a significant data breach impacting approximately 35.5 million consumers, according to a recent Reuters report. The breach, which stemmed from a cyber attack detected on Dec. 13, led to disruptions in the company’s e-commerce operations and affected global customer orders.

In a recent regulatory filing, VF Corp revealed that the cyber attack caused delays in order fulfillment and resulted in the cancellation of some product orders. Despite these operational challenges, the company has assured stakeholders that it does not anticipate any material impact on its financials.

One of the key concerns arising from the incident is the breach of personal data. VF Corp clarified that while a substantial number of consumer records were compromised, the company does not store sensitive information such as social security numbers, bank account details, or payment card information in its IT systems. This limitation in data storage has potentially mitigated the severity of the breach.

Furthermore, VF Corp stated that there is currently no evidence suggesting that consumer passwords were acquired during the cyber attack. This information provides some reassurance to affected consumers regarding the security of their accounts.

In response to the incident, VF Corp has taken steps to restore its IT systems and data. The company reported that it has substantially recovered the systems impacted by the cyber attack. However, it is still addressing minor operational issues that have arisen in the aftermath.

The post Vans maker VF Corp hit by cyber attack, personal data 35.5 million compromised appeared first on ReadWrite.

Falling in place alongside OpenAI and Google’s stated goals, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has acknowledged that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is the direction Meta’s research is heading, in an interview with The Verge. Meta recently restructured its AI teams, combining its responsible AI research team with its generative department.

As for what artificial general intelligence is, Zuckerberg can’t really define it: “I don’t have a one-sentence, pithy definition. You can quibble about if general intelligence is akin to human-level intelligence, or is it like human-plus, or is it some far-future super intelligence. But to me, the important part is actually the breadth of it, which is that intelligence has all these different capabilities where you have to be able to reason and have intuition.”

See? Crystal clear. A very simplistic definition of AGI is it refers to machines that can learn and reason across a broad range of domains at the level of the human mind or beyond.

Just in case you don't want to click over to the other sites, Big Zuck update

– Open sourcing will continue
– Currently training LLama 3
– AI + Metaverse
– Will have 350,000 H100s and ~600 H100 equivalents of compute
-Ideal AI formfactor is pic.twitter.com/xJSi7yVzXe

— Alex Volkov (Thursd/AI) (@altryne) January 18, 2024

In the interview, Zuckerberg acknowledges talent as one of the key limiting factors in AI research. “We’ve come to this view that, in order to build the products that we want to build, we need to build for general intelligence. I think that’s important to convey because a lot of the best researchers want to work on the more ambitious problems.”

“We’re used to there being pretty intense talent wars,” he says. “But there are different dynamics here with multiple companies going for the same profile, [and] a lot of VCs and folks throwing money at different projects, making it easy for people to start different things externally.”

One thing that Zuckerberg isn’t worried about losing out on though is computing power. AI development and research take an exceptionally high level of computing power, and Meta is prepared to meet the challenge with over 340,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs. Nvidia has emerged as a leader in AI chips.

“We have built up the capacity to do this at a scale that may be larger than any other individual company,” said Zuckerberg.

As Meta set out to develop Llama 3, Meta hopes to continue its trend of what Zuckerberg calls “responsible open sourcing”. He acknowledges that Llama 2 was not a leading AI model, but wants Llama 3 to be. “Our ambition is to build things that are at the state of the art and eventually the leading models in the industry.”

Featured image credit: Julio Lopez/Pexels

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently authorized the marketing of the DermaSensor Inc. DermaSensor device, a potential advancement in the detection and evaluation of skin cancer. This AI-powered hand-held device is designed to assist healthcare providers in evaluating skin lesions suggestive of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma in patients aged 40 and over.

The DermaSensor device is a prescription tool intended to aid non-dermatologist physicians in determining whether a patient should be referred to a dermatologist. It uses a combination of AI and light-based technology to analyze skin lesions that have already been assessed as suspicious for skin cancer. The device shines light on the skin and employs AI algorithms to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions, based on the reflected signals.

While DermaSensor offers a more accurate assessment of skin lesions, it is important to note that it is not intended as a standalone diagnostic tool or a screening device. It should be used in conjunction with a comprehensive clinical assessment, including a visual analysis of the lesion. The device is specifically designed for use on lesions already deemed suspicious for skin cancer and should not be the sole criterion for diagnosing the disease.

Recognizing the need for broader clinical validation, the FDA has mandated additional post-market performance testing of the DermaSensor device. This testing aims to ensure its effectiveness across diverse demographic groups representative of the U.S. population, including those with a relatively low incidence of melanoma, who were underrepresented in the premarket studies.

For healthcare providers, particularly those who are not dermatologists, DermaSensor offers a valuable tool in the early detection of skin cancer, potentially leading to timely and life-saving interventions. For patients, especially those over 40, it provides an additional layer of assessment, enhancing the chances of catching skin cancer in its early stages.

The post FDA approves AI-powered DermaSensor for enhanced skin cancer evaluation appeared first on ReadWrite.

When the original Senua’s Sacrifice appeared, amazingly, some six years ago it was rightly lorded as being groundbreaking, not only in terms of gameplay and graphics but also in regards to the way it dealt with a protagonist dealing with mental illness – a severe form of psychosis that was integral to both gameplay and storyline.

We have had to wait all these years for the long-awaited sequel, but now it looks like we are into the final stretch before the arrival of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, which will take us back deep into the 10th-century Icelandic timeline.

When is Senua’s Saga: Helblade 2 released?

The date that was announced at the Xbox Developer_Direct that we can all put in our diaries now is May 21st when the Hellblade II will be released for PC and Xbox on the Game Pass subscription service.

Developer Ninja Theory says the game will only last about eight hours, so in many ways, it is an experience as much as it is a full-blown game, but much like the first it will doubtless be harrowing in parts as Senua deals with her mental illness while trying to solve the game’s puzzles.

Much more work has been put into the combat system and we are looking forward to seeing how that handles now. As good as the first game was, it was elevated to cult status as much for the way it told its story as for the way its gameplay mechanics worked.

At $49.99 for eight hours gameplay is risky though and will garner some inevitable internet flak but as Dom Matthews, Studio Head at Ninja Theory said in a blog post, “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will be a game crafted from the heart – a game similar in length to the first Hellblade, with a focused narrative, and sold digital-only at a price of $49.99 USD. 

“And you can once again expect to join Senua in understanding her world through perception puzzles led by her experiences of psychosis, in brutal and visceral combat and in traversal gameplay, this time across the harsh but beautiful landscapes of 10th Century Iceland. Crucially, all these elements are intertwined in a unique visual and audio experience, where everything is in service of Senua’s story. 

“So, you can expect more of the same, but this time with the support to push our ambitions for immersion, fidelity, and richness far further than before.”

The post Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will be with us in just a few months appeared first on ReadWrite.

YouTube and Spotify will not be launching a dedicated app for the new Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, joining Netflix after the streaming giant had already ruled it out.

As reported by Bloomberg, a YouTube statement detailed how they would not provide fresh app support for the upcoming Apple launch nor allow its existing iPad app to work on the device. It means YouTube and Netflix will recommend users use a web browser if they want to view content on the mixed-reality headset. Spotify is also not providing, or planning, a dedicated app for VisionOS, the operating system for Vision Pro.

The Apple device is due for launch over the coming weeks. It is the latest product by the trillion-dollar company seeking to break down barriers of what’s possible with technology while also adding convenience to its users. Users can interact with the product’s OS by using their eyes, hands, and voice, and even if YouTube, Netflix and Spotify are out there are still more than 1 million compatible apps already existing in current iOS and iPadOS app stores.

Extensive demo required for Vision Pro

Within the headset, Vision Pro will include access to Apple’s own apps for music and podcasts, but the absence of giants like Spotify, YouTube and Netflix is a blow. This is significant as the Apple product is being presented as an entertainment platform, for video, games, music, and other interactive experiences.

The situation could change later but there is no sign of it at present. The existing YouTube and Spotify apps for iPad and iPhone should provide an easy route toward supporting the Vision Pro if desired.

Pre-orders for the Apple Vision Pro are underway, with a hefty price point of $3,499.

But don’t expect to plug-in and play. Apple is training its retail store workforce to demonstrate the Vision Pro to customers with sessions that could last 25 minutes.

Image: Apple

The post Apple Vision Pro: YouTube, Spotify and Netflix take stance on headset appeared first on ReadWrite.

Palworld is well and truly with us and the internet sensation has a bagful of achievements that 

need unlocking, even though it has arrived in Early Access. If you are playing Palworld and need to level up quickly or even find out more about how levels work we have you covered there, but as you level up you are going to unlock some of these achievements, but others you may need to work a little harder for.

In the main the achievements are not obvious, they will only appear when you actually, well achieve them. Let’s have a go at giving you a better idea of what you need to be doing in order to bag the lot.

All achievements in Palworld

There are 10 achievements in Palworld, each worth 100 points so all 10 will get you the max gamerscore of 1000 maths fans.

Five of these are hidden around the map and the other five revolve around collecting Pals. The hardest of the collection tasks sees you needing to catch 90 different species of Pal from the 113 that are in the game at launch – you better get your searching pants on.

We are still trying to figure out the names of the last four hidden ones but we have given you the task so at least you know what you are looking for. Now check out the table below and get cracking collecting those 10 achievements.

Will there be more achievements added to Palworld

Quite possibly. The game is in Early Access right now so these are all subject to change or even be removed and added to as development moves on. We would be surprised if more aren’t added further down the line.

The post How to unlock all Palworld achievements appeared first on ReadWrite.

Until now, users needed 1,000 followers on TikTok to access its live-streaming features. Now, however, any user who is a “LIVE creator on another platform with a stable live-streaming history” can apply to live stream on TikTok.

The criteria TikTok is basing this on seem nebulous and non-specific. The page states that each application will be evaluated based on the “influence you have” and the “quality of your LIVE content on other platforms”. Any user who is approved will be able to live stream on TikTok from both LIVE Studio and PC or console.

Essentially this means that anyone who has a history of streaming on a platform like Twitch or YouTube can apply to stream on TikTok without meeting the previous 1,000 follower minimum requirement.

TikTok appears to be letting any gamers, regardless of follower count, apply to access streaming on TikTok Live, as long as they have a stable history of streaming on another platform.https://t.co/s8axqdu33R#StreamerNews #TOSgg pic.twitter.com/XFlzHLeQqB

— Zach Bussey (@zachbussey) January 18, 2024

What are the requirements to renew access?

If you get approved for TikTok live streaming, it will only last 14 days initially. However, access will be automatically renewed for 180 days if:

• You haven’t had your access revoked through breaching TikTok’s community guidelines
• You have gone live on TikTok for more than 25 minutes at least twice during the first 14 days

Then after the 180 days elapse, you’ll be automatically renewed for another 180 days if:

• You have gone live on TikTok for more than 25 minutes at least three times during the past 30 days

How to stream on TikTok from PC

1. Download TikTok LIVE Studio and install it on your PC
2. Login with your TikTok login information
3. If you’ve never streamed from your PC before, you can use the “set up now” option, which walks you through setting up microphone and camera
4. If you’ve streamed using another tool such as OBS, you can import settings to TikTok studio
5. Set up the settings you want when the Settings dialogue pops up. Setting video quality to 1080p will allow viewers to have a better experience than a lower quality if your PC can handle it.
6. Finally, the Scene Setting window will pop up. Choose ‘Fullscreen desktop’ to stream just your game, or ‘Fullscreen desktop and camera’ if you want to show your face. Showing your face helps viewers connect with you so is generally worth doing.
7. You’re ready to go live! Hit the ‘Broadcast LIVE’ button and give your stream a name then press ‘Go LIVE’.

After TikTok’s parent company ByteDance closed down the Nuverse gaming brand in late 2023 it seemed that they were moving away from gaming as a primary part of their strategy. Opening up live streaming to a wider audience will certainly regain some of that lost ground.

Featured image credit: Alexander Shatov/ UnSplash

The post TikTok opens live streaming for those with under 1,000 followers appeared first on ReadWrite.

Back in the day when the Indiana Jones movies were on every Christmas (what do you mean they still, are?) I remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time as a kid and being enthralled.

I watched the gameplay reveal of Lucasarts/Bethesda/MachineGames at the Xbox Developer Direct and was transported back to that Christmas childhood once again. Grandparents sat around, Mattel Intellivision temporarily turned off.

For two and a half minutes this was everything I have ever wanted from an Indy game. I remember the point-and-click Fate of Atlantis absorbing me as well – that was a game where you needed to buy a second sound card (a Roland MIDI device) for your early PC to get the best music. We did. In fact, my brother sent me a text last night saying, “Do you think we will need a new soundcard?”

Set as a  sequel to the aforementioned Raiders, the Indiana Jones and The Great Circle (disclaimer, I don’t like the title) trailer takes us on a ride with Indy in mortal danger, yet still managing to headbutt a Nazi in the face. We had puzzles, running, leaping – okay we had a new Tomb Raider, but then Lara was always loosely based on Indiana Jones anyway.

The voice acting seems decent. Sure it’s not Harrison Ford, but nor is it the AI-cloned cyborg monstrosity that it could have been, with Troy Baker, famous for his role as Joel in The Last of Us, picking up the whip and doing a more than passable impersonation. 

We had views of the Vatican and the Himalayas alongside jungle terrain and sunken temples. Indy is clocking up the air miles in this one and it looks the part. It looks like Indiana Jones, sounds like Indiana (mostly) Jones and we all hope it feels like Indiana Jones. Oh, and that music.

This could be the start of a new franchise of games and an opportunity for new gamers to experience the thrill I got when I first saw Raiders, but in the medium of the 2020s rather than the 1980s.

And with a release date of 2024 (vague, but still soon enough), we should not have too long to wait.

Featured Image: AI-generated by Midjourney

The post The new Indiana Jones game trailer is everything I wanted growing up appeared first on ReadWrite.

Figure, a developer of autonomous humanoid robots, has signed a major deal with BMW to bring its robots to the car maker’s US factory.

Under the commercial pact, Figure announced on Thursday it will initially identify potential applications for its robots on the German multinational’s auto assembly lines. Then will follow a gradual deployment phase where it’s hoped the robots will take over dangerous, tedious, and repetitive tasks from human workers at the Spartanburg, South Carolina plant.

The Californian artificial intelligence (AI) company has been developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots since 2022 and picked up $70 million in Series A funding last year. The goal of this new partnership is to increase productivity and safety by enabling BMW employees to focus on higher-value assignments that require human skills and oversight, according to the companies.

“The potential of general purpose robotics is completely untapped,” said Brett Adcock, Figure’s CEO. “Our robots will enable companies like BMW to increase productivity, reduce costs and create a safer and more consistent environment.”

In addition to deploying robots, BMW and Figure will collaborate on exploring advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual manufacturing and robot integration.

“The automotive industry is evolving rapidly and BMW aims to be an innovator,” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, BMW Manufacturing’s President and CEO. “The use of robotics solutions has the potential to drive greater efficiency and support the transformation ahead.”

Excited to announce that Figure has signed a commercial agreement with BMW

We will deploy our general purpose robots into automotive manufacturing environments.

More below: pic.twitter.com/LPisMeZZbi

— Figure (@Figure_robot) January 18, 2024

What does Figure’s deal with BMW mean for jobs?

It all sounds great on paper but what does this mean for human jobs? BMW’s massive plant in Spartanburg employs 11,000 people and generates around $27 billion for the state each year.

Figure says their humanoid robot is designed to address “jobs that are undesirable or unsafe, and to support supply chain and manufacturing on a global scale.” The robots may be used to supplement the work of existing workers or to take on entirely new production methods.

It’s not yet clear how the implementation will affect workers.

Earlier this month Readwrite reported Figure’s significant progress in achieving its mission to “expand human capabilities through advanced AI” by demonstrating how its artificial intelligence (AI) performs simple human tasks like making a coffee.

Robotic workers utilized on a large scale are still a while off. This is very much the early stage of this technology, but the partnership with BMW is a significant step and one to pay attention to.

BMW was approached for comment.

Featured Image: Figure AI

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As we recently discussed, the max level in Palworld is 50. And while you may not want to race to that number on the first day of Early Access, then get bored of the game, end up uninstalling it, and moaning on X that there is not enough content, you also need to know how to level up yourself and your Pals at the maximum rate so that you can catch better Pals quicker.

So with that in mind let’s have a look at the best ways to level up fast and efficiently in Palworld.

Level up quickly in Palworld

We did mention yesterday that Level Sync comes into play and Pals that are stronger than you scale down to match your level so it is advantageous to at least get to a decent level first up, especially as many of the enemies you will come across initially can be much higher than you, especially when you wander off the beaten path and into areas you are maybe not quite ready for.

Base building

You get XP for building your base so it is quite possible you could just hang out there doing a bit of construction work here and there and still climb the levels, but the key to this page is getting those levels quickly, so we are going to have head out and catch some new Pals for our collection.

Adventuring

For every new Pal you capture you will get XP, but di you know if you catch several of the same Pal quickly, you get a bonus that increases with each you bag. So you want to look for, let’s use the word flock, as nobody has told me the correct collective noun of a group of Pals yet, let me know when we have one,  of levels Pals and take them out quickly in succession.

Once you get your level into double figures it’s safer to start taking on the higher level Pals and adding them to your collection and even locating the Alpha Pals that lurk in the South East corner of the map and are easy to find.

Start knocking a few of those off and you will soon get your levels rising quickly.

The post How to level up fast in Palworld appeared first on ReadWrite.

So in a mere matter of hours, we will get Palworld – the game that has (perhaps a tad unfairly) been categorized as Pokemon with guns.

It’s not that, there is so much more to it than that, or at least there will be as it progresses its way through Early Access. So we have been out and about collating everything we think you might need to know before actually playing the game and have put it all together in this handy guide.

Is Palworld on Xbox Game Pass?

Yes, it is and that is great news. The fact that it will be on Microsoft’s huge subscription platform means a couple of things – a) lots more people will get to play it than might have done otherwise, as the option to just download and play it is there and b) well, it is legitimized by being there. Any fears about it being taken down for being too much like Pokemon, or even that the game is a scam – something the devs have had to unfortunately had to defend themselves against according to PCGamesN should now be eased somewhat.

Is Palworld any good?

The million-dollar question. There is no doubt that when it launches on January 19th that Palworld will look and behave in many respects like an Early Access game. A lot of the animations and even some of the graphics appear to have not been added in yet. Harnesses are missing from pets, trees just fall down, and so on, and picking things up off the floor just means they move from the floor to your hand, but we are sure all that will be added in.

The graphics, ignoring the animation glitches, are stylish and colorful, and even after a few hours of playing and watching, it doesn’t grate on you.

The last thing I can think of that launched that was janky,  in Early Access AND on Game Pass was Grounded, and that turned out to be an amazing game. It just took a while.

How big is Palworld?

Well in terms of download size, the Xbox app is reporting it as 16.35 GB, so it is no Call of Duty, but neither is it small.

What kind of game is Palworld?

Forget the Pokemon with guns line, that is just a distraction. At its heart, Palworld is a survival game. In the words of the devs, Pocket Pair, “You can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories.

You can even sell them or eat them.”

Is Palworld on Steam?

If you don’t have an Xbox Game Pass subscription you can pick Palworld up on Steam instead for $29.99 during Early Access which of course also gives you access to Steam’s refund policy as long as you play it for less than two hours you can claim your money back if it turns out it is not for you.

And that’s all you need to know at this stage. And now the world waits to play Palworld and see if it lives up to initial expectations, or whether we all got overly excited by a few streamers getting carried away.

How do Palworld’s levels work?

If you want to know more about level caps and how Palworld’s level sync works, we have a full guide that you can check out.

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So we know Palworld is almost with and we looked at some of the key information you might want to know before joining the fun earlier today. But the game is coming out in Early Access so does that mean there is an initial level cap and if so, what is it? Let’s dive in and see what we know about the leveling system in Palworld so we know what we are aiming for when we all start playing.

Does Palworld have a max level?

When the game arrives on Steam and Xbox Game Pass the maximum level you are going to be able to reach, certainly in this phase of Early Access is Level 50. The Level 50 cap applies both to you and your Pals.

There have been some rumors flying around that the ultimate level cap once the game is released properly and comes out of Early Access will be set at 100. This is unconfirmed at this stage.

Later down the track if Pocket Pair decides to release DLC it is possible it could get pushed even higher, but we are seriously into the hypotheticals now.

For now, we will have to be content with level 50, and our advice is don’t try to be the first there and leave yourself with little to do. Early access suggests all the content is not in place yet so sit back and enjoy a leisurely stroll to the level cap instead. You will appreciate it more if you do.

Once you hit the 50 cap your XP will stop rising, but if you have any Pals who aren’t at the max level you can still work to get them to the top as well.

What is Level Sync in Palworld?

Level Sync is just the name used in the game to make sure things don’t get too frustrating. When you equip a Pal if it has a higher level than you it will magically come down to match your own level, meaning that you won’t feel the benefit of higher-rated Pals until you hit the higher levels as well.

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While Bing’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) has sent usage of the search engine skyrocketing, Google still remains the top dog with the biggest market share in internet search by a huge margin.

Google has been synonymous with search engines for years, so much so that it is now a common verb for looking something up on the internet (‘Google it’). While Microsoft’s Bing has rebranded and redesigned its service several times since its birth in 2009, it’s only the recent integration of AI that has made it hold its head above the parapet.

Powered by OpenAI’s generative AI technology, the new version of Bing stands out from ChatGPT (backed by the same tech) by answering questions in a natural, easy way. Despite US monthly active Bing users more than doubling year-over-year, reaching 4.4 million in actual terms, Microsoft’s search engine still ended 2023 with only 3.4% of the global search market, reports Bloomberg using data from analytics firm StatCounter. That marks an increase of less than one percentage point since the ChatGPT integration announcement.

The bottom line is in the face of huge increases in the number of people using Bing, Google is still holding steady with the biggest market share in search with a whopping 92%. Perhaps 2024 is the year Google delivers on its plans for defending its position too, with fast-tracked plans to integrate AI into its search services.

Google plans to incorporate AI

In May 2023, Google launched an experimental, early version of its signature search engine, known as the “search generative experience” (SGE). Much like Bing’s counterpart, it delivers conversational responses alongside the familiar list of links that Google users are comfortable with. There’s no need to use a separate tool; rather, AI capabilities are being incorporated into the existing search engine.

SGE is still not widely available, initially open to beta testers via manual sign-ups, but Google has confirmed its plans to embed its latest large language model, Gemini, into SGE sometime in 2024.

On Thursday (Jan.18) the search giant announced Samsung’s new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 will benefit from Gemini, following a joint statement from the two companies.

Featured image: Dall-E

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What do you get if you cross the amazing gaming worlds of Call of Duty and Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40k? Something that could be amazing that’s what.

Call of Duty’s Season 1 Reloaded update recently went live soi, as per usual, data miners immediately dug deep into the files, loading screen art featuring a could of MW3 operators bedecked like Warhammer 40k grunts.

This has only just started circulating on X fully but Semtex Leaks s has put together a decent-sized list of, not only the artwork, but icons, skins, and data that suggests strongly that a full Warhammer 40k event is coming to Call of Duty. If true, this would be a pretty major collaboration. Warhammer 40k is huge right now with a surge in popularity among video gamers after games such as Darktide and Rogue Trader in the last year have propelled it more in the digital space.

WARHAMMER x #MW3 CROSSOVER

In the upcoming Warhammer x @CallofDuty crossover, the Baton Jailer, Swamp Monster (Fenbeast), Orgre Butcher and Mummy will make an appearance in-game! pic.twitter.com/d713AASfhD

— Semtex (@SemtexLeaks) January 17, 2024

From the leak, it looks as though we will also be getting new animations including one for a chainsaw – a favored weapon of the Warhammer Space Marines. There are snippets of code there that show items and how they will work in the game. It’s unclear how all this will fit into Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone at this stage but it’s a safe bet it will be hugely popular for fans of both camps.

Call of Duty is not a complete stranger to crossover events with a Diablo one already in the bag, but they are both Activision Blizzard games so it was seen as more obvious than this one perhaps.

One thing we can probably count on though is that to get the coolest Warhammer 40k skins on our operators means it is going to cost us. You better start saving up for those in-game transactions folks.

Remember though, it is a leak and not confirmed news, so we all know what that could mean.

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Oh, how we have waited for Skull and Bones. So long in fact even the most faithful doubted it would ever make it to the shore. It looks like it has however, and within a couple of weeks we could well all be knee-deep in the bilge in Ubisoft’s amazing-looking pirate adventure. 

February 16th is the date for your calendar and if you don’t know much about Skull and Bones yet, then think Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, but just the cool shippy bits.

Which version of Skull and Bones should you get?

It comes in two flavors, the Standard and Premium. Standard is coming in at $59.99/£49.99 and gets your base game. If you pre-order it then you get the pre-order bonus as well (see below) as you might expect.

The Premium Edition ($89.99/£74.99) will bag you the base version of the game alongside three days of early access (starts February 13th) along with the cosmetics listed below:

• Ashen Corsair Ship Set
• Bloody Bones Captain Outfit
• 11 ship items

You also get two missions, The Ashen Corsair and the Bloody Bones Legacy, which presumably will tie in with the above cosmos, and completing these missions will get you some more unlockables.

You also get the Smuggler’s Pass which is Skull and Bones’ name for a Battle Pass, as well as the obligatory Soundtrack and Digital Art Book.

Is Skull and Bones on Ubisoft +?

The quick answer is yes it is. Ubisoft changed all its subscription models earlier this week and promised that not only will you get all the games on Day One, but they are the Premium versions as well, so you should get all the above as long as you sub to the Ubisoft + Premier tier, which means you will be playing for £14.99/$17.99 per month)

What is the Skull and Bone pre-order bonus?

If you pre-order Skull and Bones you will get some cosmetics including the Notoriet Garb and Coronation Firework as part of the Highness of the High Sea pack.

We think Skull and Bones is going to be huge and cannot wait to get our hands on it soon.

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