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Wait What?: PlayStation Will Not Be Showing Anything At E3 2019

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Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

It officially has been five years since Sony blessed us with the PlayStation 4 console. On top of celebrating the PS4, the company dropped the bombshell that it would not have a presence at E3 2019.

Wait a minute here.

A Sony rep confirmed the surprising news to Polygon explaining that the company is looking for ways to “innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers.”

Per Polygon:

“As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community “PlayStation fans mean the world to us, and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”

Sony and PlayStation’s absence will be the first time in the convention’s 24-year history. Sony wowed gamers back in May 1995 at the first ever E3 Conference when it announced the U.S. launch date and price for the first PlayStation console. Despite Sony’s surprising absence, Microsoft, Nintendo as well as publishers like Activision, Ubisoft, Take-Two and more are already committed to E3 2019.

As you can imagine the speculation as to why Sony decided not to attend has gamers believing that the company will be holding its own conference and will possibly be dropping a major bomb in the form of the PS5.

We also believe that as well, but E3 will be a little dry without PlayStation. For the past couple of years, they have been bringing the excitement each year, so Sony’s absence is a gut punch for those looking forward to E3 2019. This is the second event PlayStation has canceled. The annual PlayStation Experience event the company holds at the beginning of December has been put on ice as well.

This story is still developing.

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Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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Uber Suffers Over $1 BIllion Loss In Q3, Revenues Also Slowed

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Uber Suffers Over $1 BIllion Loss In Q3, Revenues Also Slowed Down

Source: Anadolu Agency / Getty

Uber is investing in new areas such as scooters, bicycles and freight shipments and it’s proving to be costly for the company. According to self-reported financials, the company lost over $1 billion in Q3.

Uber’s road to going public is a bumpy one.

As well as taking that massive L financially, revenue growth for Uber is almost half of what it was six months ago coming in at 38 percent in Q3. Despite the bad news, there are silver linings, the company is still growing, and the San Francisco based still managed to pull in $12.7 billion after paying its driver’s commissions a 34 percent hike from the previous year.

Uber is hoping the rising popularity of Uber Eats which generated $2.1 billion in gross bookings will help the company’s case when trying to go public. Uber is currently valued at $120 billion nearly doubling its $62 billion which was last reported. Drivers in the company are hoping Uber can obtain its public status cause it could possibly lead to them owning company stock.

While there are still doubts about just how profitable Uber can be only on its ride-sharing business, the company is looking to lure in more customers through Uber Eats, its forthcoming drone-based food delivery system and a subscription service called Ride Pass.

Looks like Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi has some serious work to do on top of repairing the damage from all of the scandals that happened in the company under previous CEO Travis Kalanick.

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Photo: Anadolu Agency / Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ Nuketown Map Trailer Released, Arrives On PS4 Consoles First

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Nuketown Map

Source: Activision / Treyarch

A blast from Call of Duty’s past in the form of the Nuketown map is making its triumphant return and should make fans of the mega-popular first-person shooter very happy.

PS4 owners, you’re up first.

That’s right, as promised the fan-favorite Nuketown map will arrive tomorrow for free on PlayStation 4 consoles first as a timed exclusive, sorry Xbox One and PC owners. The setting will be in Russia sporting a winter theme as players will be duking it out in the abandoned town in the snow.

All of the bells and whistles that initially debuted in the map are back but of course with some tweaks such as a secret passageway for your RC-XDs and much better graphics. The trailer also hints at combatants being able to possibly launch the nuclear missile that rests underneath the town. The map looks absolutely gorgeous and better than ever and it seems like it will become a favorite of Black Ops 4 players instantly.

Nuketown will be available for free on PlayStation 4 starting November 13 and will land on Xbox One and PC November 20. You can check out the trailer for the new map below and get hyped.

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Photo: Activision/Treyarch

Source: HipHopWired.com

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#VineBack: The Beloved Social Media Platform Is Coming Back But With A New Name

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Twitter killed off Vine much to the displeasure of many users who loved the short-form video app. But the platforms creator has announced some good news that should make fans of the app very happy.

Vine is coming back, well sort of.

In a tweet Wednesday (Nov 8), Dom Hofmann who created Vine before subsequently selling it to Twitter in 2012 announced his new looping video app called byte. He has been teasing the return of the app since 2017, and at the time it was called V2, but it was put on hold because of the costs with developing the app. He was more than happy to announce that plans are back on.

No details have been revealed on how this iteration of looping video app will work, but one can assume it will work the same way as Vine. Hoffman left the company a year later after it was acquired, but it was still at the time one of the most popular video sharing platforms in Apple’s App Store. When Twitter announced it was killing the app, users took the social media platform to share the best Vines created by its users.

We are quite sure folks are happy to hear a version of Vine is coming from Hoffman.

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Photo: byte co

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Nike Is King In The Sneaker Resale Department Per eBay Shopping Report

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Street Style -Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Spring-Summer 2019 : Day Three

Source: Claudio Lavenia / Getty

The sneaker resale industry is showing no signs of slowing down according to eBay’s 2018 Shopping Report revealed today and highlights trends on the e-commerce site.

Thanks to Virgil Abloh’s OFF-WHITE collaborations and Air Jordan sneakers, Nike didn’t suffer an off year.

eBay reports that in 2018 more than 40,000 pairs of sneakers are sold each day on its site with Nike and Adidas being the most popular brands being searched for by potential customers. Air Jordan moved over half a million sneakers on the site despite concerns of oversaturation in the sneaker market.

The report also revealed that a pair of Air Jordan Kobe PE sold for $20,000 on the site this year and that Virgil Abloh’s OFF-WHITE Nike Collaborations sold 38,500 pairs of sneakers on the site. Oh and as far as streetwear brands are concerned, Champion and Supreme racked up 30,000 searches a day.

Per eBay:

  • Most Popular: Nike and Adidas continue to lead the pack, with top styles driving sales of collectible sneakers in the tens of thousands. In fact, half a million Air Jordans were sold this year alone – that’s one pair every minute.
  • Grails of the Year: Taking the spot for most sought-after style this year was the Nike Air Max 1/97 Sean Wotherspoon. The most expensive pair sold in 2018 is the Nike Air Jordan Kobe PE, purchased for $20,000 – a player’s exclusive from 2002 in Kobe’s size.
  • Cash for Kicks: Collectible sneaker sales show no sign of slowing down – eBay shoppers are purchasing more than 370 pairs of sneakers over $250 every day.
  • Brand Love Wins: There was a 76% increase in eBay sales of Champion sweatshirts in the last 90 days, and collab-favorite Supreme racked up 30,000 searches per day.
  • Virgil Vision: It was a big year for the industry’s most sought-after designer – in addition to being named Director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton this year, Virgil launched multiple Off White sneaker styles and designed the Nike tutu outfit Serena Williams wore at this year’s U.S. Open. eBay sold 38,500 Off White sneakers in 2018, that’s 5 pairs per hour at an average of $289 per pair. The most expensive Off White pair sold on eBay this year was the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 “The Ten” for $3,409.

Who said the sneaker resale game was looking shaky? It seems quite profitable according to those numbers.

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Photo: Claudio Lavenia / Getty

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Not So Fast Partner: ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ Tops ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ PS4 October Sales

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Top Selling PS4 Game In October

Source: Activision / Treyarch

Hold your horses Red Dead Redemption 2, despite being the topic of discussion on video game Twitter and breaking records, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was king on the PS4 console in October.

No single-player campaign, no problem apparently.

The purely multiplayer experience that is Black Ops 4 had itself a great month of October on the PS4 console. PlayStation revealed via its blog the top 10 games downloaded on the console with the Activision’s shooter grabbing the number one spot, Rockstar Games’ epic western Red Dead Redemption 2 right behind it and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey rounding out the top 3. There were some surprises as well with EA’s shooter Battlefield 1 finding new life landing in the fifth spot thanks to recently released free content for the game.

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
  2. Red Dead Redemption 2
  3. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
  4. FIFA 19
  5. Battlefield 1
  6. Marvel’s Spider-Man
  7. NBA 2K19
  8. Soul Calibur VI
  9. Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night + Rondo of Blood
  10. WWE 2K19

Other factors that may have contributed to Black Ops 4 topping sales could be the lure of exclusive content coming to PS4 owners first as well as the new battle royale mode Blackout. We won’t be surprised if Red Dead Redemption 2 eventually gallops past the shooter when PlayStation reveals November sales. But don’t expect Black Ops 4 to drop out of the top 3 no time soon. With tons of new content on the way and the holidays quickly approaching the game will have legs taking well into the next year as one of the consoles best-selling titles.

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Photo: Activision / Treyarch

 

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Facebook Introduces Its New Video Calling Device The Portal and Portal Plus

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Facebook Portal

Source: Facebook / facebook

Facebook’s newest video calling device The Portal is here, and the social media giant is hoping users are over privacy concerns to buy it.

The Portal and Portal Plus is a smart display device that could turn off potential users because it is always listening and always watching plus is connected to Facebook at all times. The smaller version of the Portal comes with a 10-inch 1280 x 800 display while the Portal Plus comes with a15-inch 1920 x 1080 pivoting display. Facebook’s goal with the introduction of both devices is to ” help you feel closer to the important people in your life and make video chats feel less like a call, and more like you’re actually in the same room.”

Both models are powered by AI, Portal’s Smart Camera, and Smart Sound technology plus utilize voice control and Google’s smart assistant Alexa. You will be able to make video calls with friends on Facebook Messenger list and they the recipient of your calls don’t even need to have a Portal.

Now for those who do still have security concerns, Facebook ensures they kept that issue in mind when making the Portal. You can disable the camera and microphone with the press of a single button, and if that isn’t enough for you, it comes with a small cover that will cover the camera’s lens. Facebook also states the device doesn’t listen to, view, or keep the contents of your Portal video calls.

The Facebook Portal and Portal Plus are available now for pre-order in the US and can be purchased through either Facebook, Amazon and Best Buy, The smaller device will run you $199 while the larger Portal Plus $349.

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Photo: Facebook

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Sneaky Devils: Sony Slowly Rolling Out Quieter PlayStation 4 Pro Consoles

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Sony Slowly Rolling Out Quieter PS4 Pro Consoles

Source: picture alliance / Getty

Sony’s powerful console the PS4 Pro launched to much fanfare, but owners had one complaint with the console due to its noise output. It looks like Sony has quietly solved the issue with new models sneakingly hitting the shelves.

The very discreet fix was noticed by Eurogamer who measured the decibel level of the CUH-7200 version of the PS4 Pro console. They discovered instead of 50-decibels out from the launch version of the PS4 Pro (CUH-7000), the new model’s noise output level started at 44-decibels and peaked at 48-decibels when at its loudest.

While that isn’t much of a difference when measured it’s still a much quieter experience compared to the “jet engine” like sound gamers often complained about. Unfortunately, to achieve this, Sony did away with the thermal reduction in the new model so the new consoles might get much hotter than the older model. Despite the changes on the inside of the console, the CUH-7200 model still looks the same as it’s predecessor.

So if you’re in the market for a 4K gaming console and you want the quieter PS4 Pro console, your best bet will be purchasing the Red Dead Redemption 2 bundle. We’re not sure if the new model is being sold alone yet so you may have to check the model number on the box and make sure it says CUH-7200. We do anticipate once the original launch models run out, Sony will start shipping the quieter console in more significant numbers.

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Photo: picture alliance / Getty

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Alexa Play “I Get The Bag”: Amazon Launches Amazon Music In Mexico Alongside Echo Devices

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Source: SOPA Images / Getty

Amazon just made its biggest push to become an even bigger player in the streaming wars. The company announced the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited and Prime Music in Mexico.

The tech giant made the announcement today (Nov 7) that it will be bringing millions of songs and thousands of locally curated playlists and stations to the country. This latest move follows their national campaign launched back in August to announce their arrival in the streaming world. While Apple might not be as worried, this should send chills to Spotify due to the fact Amazon already has millions of subscribers, and this will only add to that number.

Alongside Amazon Music, the company announced Alexa as well it’s popular Echo devices the Dot, Plus, Spot and Smart Plug will be arriving in Mexico as well. They will all come equipped with a new voice, knowledge of the locale, Mexico-oriented Spanish as well as the uber-popular Alexa assistant. Music Unlimited plans will go as such as MXN$99 for a single user, MXN$990 for a year for Prime Members,  MXN$149 for a family plan for up to six people, MXN$1,490 for the entire year on Prime and MXN$39 a month for one device.

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Photo:  SOPA Images / Getty

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Don’t Want To Spend $160 On AirPods? Xiaomi’s $30 AirDots Might Be The Move

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Source: JOSH EDELSON / Getty

Apple’s AirPods are very popular among iPhone users, but there are still quite a few people who scoff at the idea of paying $160 for the wireless earbuds. Xiaomi announced a new cheaper alternative for those who want the same experience but for a much lower price.

Xiaomi well known for its affordable accessories and phone introduced its AirPod alternatives called AirDots that basically have all of the same functions but only cost ¥199 CNY ($29). Like Apple’s product, the AirDots feature touch controls and a similar white case that also serves as a charging dock for the earbuds. The only difference Xiaomi’s earbuds will have silicon tips that will provide sound isolation and an improved fit and will support Bluetooth 5.0.

We don’t expect the AirDots to match the AirPods in regards to sound quality, but for that price, you are definitely getting more bang for your buck. The AirDots are currently limited to China and are available for pre-order on the company’s website. With Apple working on high-end AirPods and cheaper alternatives now popping up this might lead to smartphone suppliers actually packaging wireless earbuds with the phones.

So would you consider purchasing the Xiaomi’s cheaper alternative? Or would rather just spend the $160? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Photo: Getty

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