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There are some cool games coming to PlayStation Plus in May, including one modern classic. This months titles include the universally-beloved Balatro, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Ark: Survival Ascended. All three games will be available to PS Plus members beginning on May 6. Unless youve been living under a rock, youve likely heard of Balatro. Its sort of a sequel to poker and sort of a roguelike. Its also utterly hypnotic and addictive. Ive yet to find a human who didnt become entranced by its simple and captivating gameplay. We have given this game lots of love, and with good reason. To play Balatro is to love Balatro and, over time, to start dreaming about insane combos. This is an absolute must-play for subscribers. Itll be available for both PS4 and PS5. Ark: Survival Ascended is a remake of 2015s Ark: Survival Evolved that has been "reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5." Theres new graphics, a new physics system and tons of quality-of-life upgrades. This version includes access to all DLC, like Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1 and Ark Genesis Part 2. It also allows for public online multiplayer for up to 70 players and local split-screen for two players. This ones only for PS5. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a FPS set in the popular Warhammer universe. It boasts visuals inspired by classic shooters from the 1990s, with an eclectic arsenal of weapons to match. The levels are huge, the enemies are fun to mow down and the gameplay is speedy. Whats not to like? Itll be playable on PS4 and PS5. Now for some bad news. As new stuff comes to PS Plus, old games get shuttled to that farm upstate. Subscribers only have until May 5 to download titles like RoboCop: Rogue City and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hackers Memory to their game libraries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-may-include-balatro-and-ark-survival-ascended-172617683.html?src=rss
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After nearly disappearing as a category, compact cameras are making a comeback. Fujifilms X100 VI became a star on the photography side, thanks to its good looks and trendy film emulations. And DJIs Osmo Pocket 3 captivated content creators with its motorized subject tracking and a gimbal that smooths harsh camera moves. Now, Canon has jumped back into compacts with the PowerShot V1, a vlogging-centric model that follows the six-year-old G7X Mark III. Its designed to outshine rivals with a large 1.4-inch 22-megapixel sensor, and boasts other impressive features like optical stabilization and 4K supersampled video. At the same time, this camera is surprisingly solid when it comes to photography. The V1s 16-50mm lens is nice and wide but its slow compared to its main rival, Sonys ZV-1 II. And where Fujifilms X100 VI is svelte and pretty, the PowerShot V1 is plain and a bit chonky. Still, none of that detracts from the fact that this is a powerful compact camera capable of capturing incredible video and images, especially in low light, and should suit many creators. Design and handling Instead of going retro like Fujifilm, Canon chose a more functional approach to the PowerShot V1s design. Its relatively thick at 2.1 inches, a bit bigger than the X100 VI if you dont include the lens, but its slightly lighter at 15.03 oz with a battery. By comparison, Sonys ZV-1 II is just 10.3 ounces and 1.84 inches thick. The PowerShot V1 bears some resemblance to Canon's G7X III that has become massively popular of late, but is thicker due to the built-in fan and power zoom lever. Unlike the G7X III, the V1 lacks a popup flash unfortunately, but does have a hotshoe for external flashes. Canon also moved the record button from the back to a more practical position on top. The grip is small, but the rubberized surface makes it easy to hold, especially when vlogging. Controls are sufficient for a compact, but Id prefer at least one dial on the top to change settings. It would also be nice if the camera was a bit more pocketable like Sonys ZV-1 II. The buttons and dials are responsive, but they do feel a bit cheap next to Canons mirrorless models. In short, the PowerShot V1 offers solid handling but isnt a looker like Fujis offerings. Steve Dent for Engadget Another nice change is a new fully articulating screen, replacing the previous models pop-up display. That makes vlogging and photography easier, as you can see the screen when holding the camera high, low or toward you. My only complaint is that its a bit too dim when used in bright sunlight. And you cant just look through the electronic viewfinder to get a clearer view, because there isnt one on the PowerShot V1. This camera has decent battery life for a compact at 400 shots or about 75 minutes of 4K 30p shooting on a charge. Other notable features include mic and headphone inputs along with a microHDMI and USB-C (charging and data transfer) ports, plus a single SD UHS-II card slot. Vlogging and content creation The V in PowerShot V1 stands for vlogging, so lets talk about that next. To best serve in that capacity, it uses a wide 16-50mm equivalent lens so you can always fit your face into the frame, even in cropped mode. However, that zoom range can also be limiting for capturing closeups or B-roll. Video specs are top-notch for a compact, with sharp, supersampled 4K 30p video that uses the full sensor width or 4K 60p video with a 1.4x crop. On top of that, you can capture 10-bit video when using Canons C-Log 3 or HDR formats.Thats better than Sonys ZV-1 II, which only offers 4K 30p and S-Log video with no 10-bit option. However, DJIs Osmo Pocket 3 surpasses both models with uncropped 4K at up to 120 fps, while also offering 10-bit D-LogM or HDR video. With its large sensor, the PowerShot V1 offers sharp video and accurate, natural color rendering with Canons usual excellence in skin tones. Shooting in C-Log3 10-bit boosts dynamic range considerably in sunny or contrasty scenes, while giving you more latitude to adjust video in post. And when you need to shoot indoors or at night, the camera outperforms compact rivals, displaying lower noise at high ISO settings. Steve Dent for Engadget The disadvantage of a larger sensor is that rolling shutter that can warp video is more pronounced than on Sonys 1-inch ZV-1 II at the 4K 30p setting. If thats a concern, the cropped 4K 60p setting reduces the problem since it samples a smaller portion of the sensor. Overheating isnt an issue with this camera either, thanks to the built-in fan. I never saw any sign of a heat-related shutdown when using the PowerShot V1 with the temperature threshold setting at high. Autofocus is a crucial feature for vlogging and the PowerShot V1 competes well against Sonys ZV-1 II, thanks to its upgraded processor. It stays locked even on fast-moving subjects and the eye- and face-detection, along with subject detection for animals and vehicles, all work well. Where the ZV-1 II only offers electronic video stabilization, the PowerShot V1 marries 5-stop optical stabilization with electronic stabilization. That means you can shoot smooth handheld video without any impact on image quality, or enable e-stabilization for walking or other challenging scenarios. However, neither camera holds a candle in that regard to DJIs Osmo Pocket 3, which has a built-in 3-axis gimbal. Audio is also a plus on the PowerShot V1, as it offers both mic and headphone jacks, while the ZV-1 II lacks a headphone port. Canons model also has a decent built-in stereo mic and comes with a hotshoe-attached wind muff. Photography Steve Dent for Engadget Despite the vlogging emphasis, the PowerShot V1 is highly capable for photos as well. In fact, it excels in both image quality and speed thanks to the unique 22.4MP, 1.4-inch sensor and Canons latest Digic X image processor to power autofocus and AI functions. You can fire off bursts at up to 30 fps in electronic mode, and a very rapid 15 fps with the mechanical shutter (and yes, it has a mechanical shutter which is rare for a compact). That makes it one of the fastest compacts available. By comparison, the X100 VI can hit 25 fps speeds while the ZV-1 II is limited to 15 fps speeds. The Osmo Pocket 3, meanwhile, can take photos but is really designed almost exclusively for video. The PowerShot V1s high speeds are backed up by Canons Dual Pixel II focus system that delivers sharp photos the majority of the time, powered by the companys latest AI tech for face- and eye-detection. As with other recent models, the camera also offers AI subject detection for animals, vehicles, airplanes and more. The PowerShot V1 trumps Sonys ZV-1 II with its built-in 5-stop optical stabilization to reduce blur. That enabled me to take shots down to an eighth, and sometimes even a quarter of a second, to blur backgrounds while keeping the foreground sharp. The trouble with most compact cameras is that they can take nice photos in well-lit conditions but start to fall down in low light. Thats not the case with the PowerShot V1. The larger 1.4-inch sensor is very close in size to Micro Four Thirds, so it delivers clean images up to ISO 6400, with manageable noise even as high as ISO 12800. The beauty of Canon cameras is that you get great-looking images straight out of the camera with no fuss, particularly with skin tones a great boon for beginners. JPEG images have a good balance of sharpening and noise reduction, while RAW photos boost dynamic range in tricky shooting conditions and give you more room to play around when editing in Lightroom. Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget I can see what Canon was going for with the $900 PowerShot V1. It effectively beats out its main compact vlogging rival, Sonys ZV-1 II, by offering a larger sensor, optical stabilization and more video options for around the same price. And it appeals to hybrid shooters more than DJIs Osmo Pocket 3 as it can better handle photography chores while also capturing higher-quality video. The problem is that its still primarily a vlogging camera and a lot of content creators have abandoned this type of compact model in favor of the Osmo Pocket 3. Thats because the Pocket 3 offers unique features like motorized camera tracking and a superior three-axis gimbal. It also pairs with DJIs popular Mic 2 and Mic mini wireless microphones, which is another big advantage. At the same time, the PowerShot V1 has a pretty basic design, so it may not appeal to buyers looking for something prettier like the X100 VI. At the end of the day, the PowerShot V1 is bound to be a hit because it delivers when it comes to video and photo quality especially given the current popularity of the now-ancient G7X III. In fact, Id recommend it over Sonys ZV-1 II, particularly if youre looking for a hybrid camera that pulls double duty.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-powershot-v1-review-a-powerful-compact-camera-capable-of-capturing-incredible-video-163009584.html?src=rss
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Those who have been fortunate enough to lock in a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order will surely be counting down the days until the console arrives on June 5. Nintendo is laying the groundwork for its upcoming system with an update for the original Switch that adds support for a few key features. One that you can start using right now is the Virtual Game Cards function. This lets you lend digital games to friends and family members who are on the same Nintendo Family Account. Nintendo says the aim here is to make it as easy to share digital games with your loved ones as letting them borrow a physical game card. A key catch here is that you need to connect to another Switch system locally to borrow a game. The Switch 2 will support this feature as well. Next up, Nintendo has enabled cloud transfers for those who are moving to the Switch 2. Once you've updated your Switch software to version 20.0.0, in the System section of the settings, you should see a System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 option. This will let you transfer all your data to a Switch 2 locally once you have the latest console in your possession. There's also the ability to send all of your transfer data to the cloud now. That could come in useful for you're planning to sell your Nintendo Switch to help fund a purchase of a new system. You'd be able to do that immediately to help you prepare to buy your Switch 2. The main downside is that uploading transfer data to the cloud will reset the Switch to its factory settings, so maybe don't do that just yet if you're still planning to play it for the next month (or until you get your Switch 2). Nintendo will store the data on its servers for one year. You can either complete the transfer to a Switch 2 in that time or cancel it and download the data back onto a Switch. The latest Switch system update adds support for one other key feature. It's called GameShare, and it enables local wireless multiplayer across several Switch systems. Only one person needs to own a copy of a compatible game to do this. You can't do anything with GameShare yet, however. You'll only be able to share games from a Switch 2, but you'll be able to do so to Switch, Switch Lite and other Switch 2 units.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-update-adds-virtual-game-cards-and-switch-2-cloud-transfer-support-160057826.html?src=rss
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