Report: Google Pixel 7a price leaked ahead of May launch

Google is reportedly planning an earlier release for the Pixel 7a. The company supposedly plans to introduce the device at Google I/O 2023 on May 10. 9to5Google reports the smartphone will retail for USD 499 (around CAD 667), a USD 50 (~CAD 67) increase over last year's model. 

The price increase might be due to new improvements coming to the phone. It'll supposedly feature an upgraded 64-megapixel main camera joined by a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor. It'll also reportedly sport the Tensor G2 chip found on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, a new 90Hz screen, and wireless charging support. 

Niantic is working on a 'Monster Hunter' augmented reality mobile game

Image: Niantic

Niantic is taking the magic of Pokémon Go and bringing it into the Monster Hunter universe. The company collaborated with Capcom to create a "real-world hunting action RPG" called Monster Hunter Now. The gameplay is similar to Pokémon Go and the now-defunct Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, where you can team up with friends and strangers to play and use materials you gather to craft weapons and armour. 

The game will be free-to-play with in-app purchases. It will feature a simplified combat similar to Pokémon Go, with you tapping and swiping on your phone. You can fight in portrait or landscape to replicate the experience on PCs and consoles. While versions of those games have battles that last over five minutes, the maximum battle time on mobile will be 75 seconds. Niantic is now accepting sign-ups for its closed beta testing, which starts on April 25. If there are no issues, Monster Hunter Now will launch sometime in September.

Source

CBC halts Twitter use to oppose 'government-funded' label

Screenshot: Toronto Star

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is the latest broadcaster to "pause" its activity on Twitter after the platform labelled it as a "government-funded media." The media outlet rebutted Twitter's use of the label that suggests the government could influence editorial output. It wanted to emphasize that reporting is "impartial and independent." Following its announcement Twitter CEO Elon Musk changed the designation to "69% government-funded media."

It's unclear if CBC is in talks with Twitter to change the label. The UK's British Broadcasting Corporation succeeded in having Twitter change its label to "publicly-funded" soon after it quickly organized an interview with Musk.

Click to read more ...

EA drops new 'Immortals of Aveum' trailer

EA recently released a new trailer for Immortals of Aveum. The game is described as a single-player "first-person magic shooter," which it is publishing under its EA Originals label. Ascendant Studios is developing the title, which will come to the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and the PC on July 20th.

EA and Ascendant describe the game as: "Players experience this visceral and cinematic, story-driven game through the eyes of Jak, as he joins an elite order of battlemages, masters all three colors of magic - blue, green, and red - and decimates legions of enemies with clever chained attacks and well-timed counters. Combining a modern story within a fantasy setting, the world ofAveum is filled with unforgettable characters, fast-paced action and spell-based combat that defies FPS conventions."

Source