Sunday
Sep172023

Ascendant Studios lays off nearly half of its staff after 'Immortals of Aveum' flops

Ascendant Studios

Ascendant Studios, the developer behind Immortals of Aveum, a first-person shooter with magic elements, has announced that it is cutting almost half its staff. The layoffs come just weeks after the game’s launch. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), CEO Bret Robbins said that the company had to make this “painfully difficult, but necessary” decision that would affect around 45 percent of its workers (about 40 people). He added that Ascendant would provide severance packages and job placement assistance to those who were let go. The remaining employees will keep working on the game for now.

Immortals of Aveum is the debut title from Ascendant, an independent studio that boasts veteran developers in its ranks. However, the game faced stiff competition from other major releases. Publisher EA did not choose an optimal launch window either.

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Sunday
Sep172023

The new AirPods Pro: USB-C charging, better sound, and wireless audio with Apple Vision Pro

Apple

We haven't been able to write about it yet, but Apple also unveiled the new AirPods Pro (2nd-generation). This variant gets USB-C charging, which you can charge via the iPhone. It'll also just use any other USB-C cable you may have for your iPad or Mac. This 2nd-gen AirPods Pro also promises even better sound quality, noise cancellation, transparency, and spatial audio. 

The earbuds and the MagSafe charging case for these new AirPods Pros have improved IP54 rating for dust resistance, making them ideal for outdoor adventures. The new AirPods Pro also support Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency when paired with Apple Vision Pro. The H2 chip in the earbuds and Apple Vision Pro uses a wireless audio protocol to deliver 20-bit, 48kHz Lossless Audio with minimal audio lag.

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Saturday
Sep162023

Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 9/10- 9/16

Saturday
Sep162023

What you need to know about the iPhone 15’s USB-C Port and external displays

Apple

iPhone 15’s new USB-C port opens up a world of possibilities, including charging other devices like AirPods and Apple Watch. But that’s not all: you can also connect your iPhone to external displays and enjoy your content on a bigger screen.

The iPhone 15 has a USB-C port that supports the DisplayPort protocol, which means you can connect it to USB-C displays using a compatible cable. The cable that comes with your iPhone 15 only supports USB 2, so you’ll need to buy a separate USB 3.1 cable if you want to connect to a high-resolution display.

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