Month: August 2022

Dark Souls 3 servers are back online for PC

It’s been eight months since Dark Souls 3 publishers deactivated the servers after a malicious attack on gamers’ computers. Although Elden Ring had some scares, it still managed to launch with global success. Thankfully, FromSoftware has let us know that the servers are back online for renewed action.

Dark Souls 3 DOWNLOAD

The news appeared as a Tweet on the Dark Souls feed. For now, it seems all the focus has been on the Dark Souls 3 game, with no news about the previous titles. It’s assumed that the online patches for them will appear soon, but is anyone still concerned about them?

When reading the comments under the announcement, many gamers wondered who still cares about Dark Souls 3 online servers after eight months. It seems everyone is fully focused on the Elden Ring multiplayer mode, which is still active. As a matter of fact, an interesting conspiracy would be if the publishers intentionally dismantled the DS servers to encourage this crossover.

Dark Souls 3 servers are back online for PC

Of course, I have no proof of such a conspiracy, but it immediately springs to mind when you consider how invested gamers are with Elden Ring at the moment. Of course, we did have that incident of the one gamer killing a boss in his underwear. Also, there was that one time a hacker placed items in players’ inventories that got them banned.

Elden Ring player helping others while naked READ MORE

We’ll have to see how long the servers will remain active this time around. Hopefully, FromSoftware has placed enough security measures to prevent this from happening again. If it does go offline again, how long will DS3 fans have to wait the next time around? In any event, you can read more about when the Dark Souls 3 servers went offline in January in case you missed it.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary update has loads of new content

When Microsoft Flight Simulator launched in 2020, I was pretty excited to get my hands on it. With many virtual miles and hours clocked, it’s exciting to see the developer still updating many of the cities worldwide. The latest 40th Anniversary update focuses on Germany while adding several new aircraft, such as gliders, helicopters, and an airbus.

Microsoft Flight Simulator DOWNLOAD

This massive update is set to release on November 11, 2022. Xbox made the announcement at Gamescom 2022, followed by an official press release. The trailer for the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary update showcases the new German city remodeling and the latest aircraft to enter your hangars.

The German cities that the Anniversary update will focus on are Dortmund, Hanover, Dusseldorf, Cologne, and Bonn. In honor of the Gamescom convention, the developers added  Koelnmesse, which sets the base for this year’s event. All of these features are actually already available from the Microsoft Flight Simulator in-game store.

It’s the actual 40th Anniversary Edition that will release on November 11, 2022. If you already have Microsoft Flight Simulator on Windows or Xbox Games Pass, the update will be free. This latest edition will make many gaming pilots happy with the addition of an airbus, gliders, and helicopters. Up until now, these vehicles have been absent from the game.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

To further add to the excitement, Microsoft Flight Simulator will add four new airports in different countries. With the addition of gliders and helicopters, you can expect landing platforms for all of them as well as new hangars. There will also be new missions for the new classic aircraft.

I haven’t played Microsoft Flight Simulator in more than a year, but with the new update, I might just head back to flying across German skies. I need to spend more time with the game, but I really want to invest in a Thrustmaster for the complete experience. Maybe one day when I’m rich and famous….

Hostlight Review | Entertaining light puzzle

Hostlight is a puzzle adventure game, developed by ESDIP_GAMES and published by Selecta Play. It was officially launched on July 22, 2022. The main theme revolves around ascending a tower by completing levels filled with colors and light. As you progress up the tower, the puzzles become more challenging, testing your brain to the limits.

Hostlight DOWNLOAD

This casual game will have you busy for hours as you work out how to align beams, mirrors, and other items. You’ll also learn how to mix colors using light, so there’s a small level of education involved. It’s entertaining, and you won’t want to stop once you start. Welcome to my Hostlight review.

Rising in the Hostlight tower

Let’s start with the basics. Hostlight has a small story element, that is — you’re a character trying to get to the top of the tower. While your motivation isn’t known, you’re surely determined to get there. You’ll also have some help along the way.

Meet your robotic host

While Hostlight could have gotten away with simply giving you tooltips for how to play, the developers decided to put in some extra work. You’ll meet a floating robot on the first level that’s happy to help you on your journey. Once you have the basics down, it will head back to doing maintenance.

As you ascend the tower, you’ll see why the bot is so busy with maintenance. Many of the platforms have fallen over, making the puzzles more challenging. However, the robot is always ready to come and tell you about new ways you can solve them.

The rising tower

The primary goal of Hostlight is to reach the top of the tower. Perhaps you were a wayward wanderer that stumbled upon the magnificent structure called the Needle. While I don’t want to spoil it for you, all I’ll say is that the robot and puzzles do start giving you more details about the building and why you’re ascending it.

Hostlight review

A play on colors and light

I love colors, specifically in light, and how they combine to form rays of new colors. Hostlight feeds my joy by letting you manipulate the primary colors to create secondary ones. It’s an epic journey with puzzles where you learn how to mix them, following the lines and displays before you.

Hostlight review

How many levels are in Hostlight?

At the moment, there are just over 20 levels in Hostlight. It took me about ten minutes for the first two levels, but then the third level took me almost just as long as the two together. Every level becomes increasingly more challenging and longer to play, and you’ll easily rack up to 8 hours or more, depending on how quickly you solve the levels.

Hostlight review

Solving puzzles in Hostlight

You now have a rudimentary overview of Hostlight, and I’m sure you can tell I like the game a lot already. Next up, I want to cover the primary gameplay elements so you can see what playing the game is like. I may even give you some tips and tricks along the way.

Learning how to play Hostlight

Your friendly robot will always be around to show you how new items work on different levels. You’ll never reach a point where you discover a new object and wonder what it is and how to use it. Besides appearing to help you, there are also noticeboards on the stages that give you hints as to how it works. From there, you need to solve the puzzles with only your brain power.

Hostlight review

Moving light beams

So, the main gameplay mechanic in Hostlight is moving beams of different colors onto spots that power pedestals via cables. Once you place the correct color, the game releases a puzzle piece for the central elevator. There are four types of beam spotlights: completely fixed, vertical movement only, horizontal movement only, and free movement.

Herein lies the one and only gripdI have with Hostlight. When using the keyboard to move the beams, you have to wiggle up and down or left and right until the light finally lands on the designated spot. There’s no smooth movement as with the controller, so you may need to juggle around until you get it where it needs to be. Even just a light tap can send it too far to the other side.

Hostlight review

Using mirrors and refractors

A fun element that appears in one of the early levels is working with mirrors. You need to shoot the beam onto one of them, and then head up to turn them so the light lands where it should. There are also different types of mirrors that work like the spotlights, with limited and free movements.

Later, you’ll meet what I’m calling refractors, as they refract the light at different angles. It’s certainly more complicated than mirrors, as the lights enter on one side, combine in the center, and then exit on the other side. You’ll need to find the right angle for the beam to land where it should.

Hostlight review

Manipulating and combining light

I mentioned primary and secondary colors before. There will be times when you need cyan, magenta, yellow, or white light. If you look closely at the platforms holding the hidden puzzle pieces, you’ll see they have color charts to show you what to mix to get specific colors. By the fourth level, you shouldn’t need those anymore, as you’ll be used to the process.

Solving the puzzle

Here’s how you complete levels in Hostlight. You know those puzzle pieces I mentioned that you find when beaming the lights? They belong in the elevator with yellow light in the center of the level. Once you place all of them there, you’ll need to align them to match the shadow on the floor.

It can be tricky at first, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it after a few levels. There are six directions you can turn each piece. The game even lets you highlight only that piece’s shadow on the floor so the other shadows don’t confuse you.

Hostlight review

Similar games to Hostlight

There are a few games I can think of that have similar casual elements to Hostlight. The one that springs to mind the most is Real Myst with its puzzle elements. If you’re looking for a more recent entry, then Recursive Ruin is probably the closest in magnitude. Two Point Campus has the same casual game style, but you won’t deal with puzzles.

PC requirements for Hostlight

Fortunately, Hostlight isn’t too demanding when it comes to PC specs. While you’ll need at least Windows 10, it plays perfectly well on Windows 11 without any performance issues. The requirements for the graphics card aren’t too high, either. 

  • OS: Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel i5 6400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1600
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050ti | AMD RX 570
  • Storage: 8 GB

Bright colors and relaxing sounds

I’ve already mentioned these elements a few times, but the graphics and sound need a special place for some well-deserved attention. Let’s see how beautiful Hostlight is to look at and listen to.

Gorgeous environments

The developers of Hostlight weren’t shy to add gorgeous environments to each level. From the first-person perspective, you’ll behold beautiful walls, dilapidated ruins, and massive platforms that make you feel as small as an ant. They truly went all out to make it a lovely game to look at while playing.

Hostlight review

Stunning visuals with light and color

The lights and colors are obviously the focal points of the game. Hostlight portrays them beautifully, and they become more than puzzles. You’ll love looking at how the lights and colors play across your screen on the various platforms. Of course, you’ll also be scratching your head in confusion in the later stages.

Hostlight review

Soothing sounds and music

Soft humming sounds and background music complements the casual nature of the puzzle game. You won’t hear any thumping music pressuring you to complete the level before you die. Thankfully, there’s voice acting in the game, and you’ll enjoy listening to your robot companion chat with you.

Final Verdict of Hostlight

Hostlight is a splendid game that I can easily sit back and enjoy for several hours. Even with the puzzles becoming really difficult at a later stage, it’s still enjoyable trying to wit them out and complete the level. There’s a sense of satisfaction when you win and ascend the tower, especially when you reach the end. It’s worth buying if you love puzzle games.

I’ve mentioned some alternatives earlier, and you’re welcome to read my Two Point Campus and Recursive Ruin reviews for more details.

Pros

  • Fun puzzle elements
  • Gorgeous environments
  • Play with lights and colors
  • Handy guides along the way
  • Tests your thinking power
  • Easy to master

Cons

  • Aligning beams on the keyboard can be challenging

Developer: ESDIP_GAMES

Publisher: Selecta Play

Game Modes: Single Player

Platform reviewed: Windows 11 – Steam

What’s new in MultiVersus update 1.01

We’re finally here folks! MultiVersus received its first seasonal update, patch 1.01, with a new character and some changes. Warner Bros and Player First Games went to extensive lengths to ensure you have a balanced brawling system. I’m sure there will be more updates arriving soon.

MultiVersus DOWNLOAD

For now, let’s look at what’s new in MultiVersus with the latest update. While we only see one new character for now, there’s the promise of more on the way. Season 1 is going to include Stripe from the Gremlins franchise and Black Adam from D.C.

Morty arrives in MultiVersus

Much to many players’ delight, Morty has joined MultiVersus in the action as a bruiser-class fighter. You even get to use his Plumbus in the battles. Warner Bros. has mentioned that his grandfather, Rick, will be coming to the brawling game soon, and it will be interesting to see what his abilities will be.

MultiVersus update 1.01

Some general environmental updates

MultiVersus also receives several perks and environmental updates that provide a better experience. The ice projectiles will only activate a debuff on players that haven’t already been struck by it during the match. That means you won’t see your stats decreasing more than they should.

The unstacked cooldown usually has a refund of 0.5 seconds. This amount has been lowered to 0.25 seconds. On the stacked cooldown side of the gameplay system, the refund lowers from 1 to 0.5 seconds.

Character changes in MultiVersus

Along with the two updates above, some of the characters have updated buffs and stats to make them more balanced. A few of them have improvements, while others may not be seen in a good light. It’s all in an effort to make MultiVersus as well-balanced a brawling game as possible.

Arya

Our Game of Thrones hero, Arya Stark, has some excellent improvements. Where before the lowered extra damage received was 14%, it’s been reduced to 5%. At the moment, Player First Games is considering removing the passive ability completely. The main fear is that everyone will then turn to play as the assassin. However, you won’t see the details change in the character MoveList until the next patch arrives.

MultiVersus update 1.01

Finn

You may have missed it, but MultiVersus had lowered some of the Backpack power that Finn uses, as it was generally overpowered. To balance that act, there’s now new power in some of the character’s other attacks. These include:

  • The same assassin passive ability as Arya 
  • Increasing the damage and knockback scaling slightly from 18 up to 20 
  • A new Air/Ground special called BMP Chop
  • An increase in the base damage, specifically when you charge your attack

As with Arya Stark, the developer will also remove the assassin passive from Finn should they decide to completely get rid of the ability. 

MultiVersus update 1.01

Harley

The main change here is that the same assassin passive ability has the abovementioned alteration. It’s a pity more work wasn’t done on this beloved D.C. character, as she seems to be one of the most popular ones used in MultiVersus battles. Out of all the fights I’ve attended, I would say about 80% of them consisted of competing against a Harley character. Perhaps we’ll see more updates in time to come. 

MultiVersus update 1.01

Iron Giant

Here’s the first MultiVersus update that sees a reduction in the fighter’s skills. The problem is that the Iron Giant was previously overpowered. With too many players complaining about no windows of opportunity against this metal beast, Player First Games decided to reduce some of the stats. The same applies to Velma, but I’ll get to that later.

For now, here are the changes to the Iron Giant that will give other players a chance to fight back:

  • Cold down for the Air/Ground special neutral attack increases from 23 to 25 seconds
  • With the Air Up move, the visuals are more accurate in terms of the hitboxes, which are now smaller
  • The special for the Air/Ground Up attack has reduced damage by 1, and there’s now a base knockback when you reach the final spinning hit
  • Finally, the special for the Air/Ground Down attack has a chance of being canceled when it strikes an opponent.
MultiVersus update 1.01

Superman

Our Kryptonite friend doesn’t really receive much in terms of stat changes. There was a glitch where Superman could grapple any opponent on a wall-bounce, even if you didn’t connect with the hitbox of your opponent. Depending on whose side you’re on, you’ll be happy to know that MultiVersus no longer has this bug. You can now go back to regular Superman activity.

MultiVersus update 1.01

Velma

Our final hero to receive some changes in Multiversus is Velma. The only change is that her Air/Ground Down ability has a lowered cooldown return, altering from the 75% over 8 seconds to the new 50% over 8 seconds. As with Iron Giant, this update is needed to make her slightly less powerful.

MultiVersus update 1.01

Future MultiVersus character changes

Two characters in MultiVersus are mentioned in the patch notes without any current changes. The sole purpose of including their names is to let us know that future updates will include some improvements for them. These heroes are Taz from Looney Tunes and Garney.

If you haven’t played the brawling game yet and you’re wondering if it’s worth joining, you can read my epic MultiVersus review. You’ll see I’m quite honest about how I feel about the new Warner Bros. title.

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

BeamNG.Drive is one of the compelling reasons to invest in a really sweet digital driving setup. This game started out as a sort of crash-test dummy simulator with not much else going on, but in the years since its initial launch, BeamNG.Drive has become one of the most popular open-world driving games.

BeamNG.drive DOWNLOAD

Below, we’ll take you down memory lane to a time before you had your PC wheezing under real-world vehicle mods and list the best stock cars in BeamNG.Drive. 

Why is BeamNG.Drive so popular?

The game’s popularity rests firmly on the three pillars that make it such a strong title. First, you have the open-world concept. An open-world driving game is a mission to build, especially if you’re going for an ultra-realistic setup. It takes years to perfect every road, slip-way, highway, and test track, not to mention building the actual world. After all, if driving games just had roads and nothing else, they’d be boring.

Driving around the open streets of the BeamNG.Drive maps feels like driving around a real-world location. With some games, you’ll find that certain features or assets seem just a little off. Either they’re out of place for the situation they’re in, or something about the world-building leaves particular bits feeling like they’ve just been shoved onto the map. BeamNG.Drive, by comparison, is completely integrated. Everything feels naturally placed and as though it was simply meant to be there. 

Next, you have the physics engine. While many driving games – even those created by AAA publishers – have some kind of damage engine that lets you beat cars up, no game really does it as well as BeamNG.Drive. You’ll want to argue, I can hear you screaming ‘GTA V’ at the top of your lungs. But no. Pay attention to the next time you take a ramp in GTA V.

Does the car deform when you land again, even if you land on your wheels? No. In BeamNG.Drive it does. This is because BeamNG.Drive implements more than just a damage engine; it also features soft-body physics. This is the engine that makes it impossible to hit a bump at 300mph and not see the real-world effects of what is essentially a high-speed collision with an immovable object. 

The last of the three pillars is the availability of vehicles, and, in-turn, the in-game car culture that has formed around the game. On that note, let’s delve into the best cars in BeamNG.Drive. 

ETK I-Series

‘Race-bred performance’

What a strong start. I give you a list of the best cars and the first is a mid-sized barge from the 90s. Hear me out though. You need only look at the Hofmeister kink to know that we’re dealing with a German here. ETK is the in-game variant of BMW, and this is essentially a 5-Series. Add the TTSport package and you’ve got yourself a veritable 1991 M5.

This car’s age means that it’s the perfect project for a bored in-game weekend. Add bits, take other bits away, tune to your heart’s content, and at the end of the day ,you’ll have a race-bred German super sedan that can run circles around a Civetta Bolide. 

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

Cherrier Vivace

‘La vie à toute vitesse’

No respectable list would be complete without a hot hatch, so here you go. With a slogan that translates to ‘Life at full speed’ you can bet your bottom dollar that this is one of the hottest hot hatches around. It’s difficult to pin down exactly what inspired the design for this vehicle, but Cherrier is a French brand, and thus I’d say think of this as the in-game Renault Megane RS.

You can, however, see a few KIA influences, as well as those from the more recent Hyundai models. Whatever this car is based on, it’s hot, it’s fast – with an inline five-cylinder engine – and it comes standard in lime green. What more could you want? 

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

Bruckell Bastion

‘Unleash the beast’

To answer my own question, this is what more you could want. This is the Bruckell Bastion and it’s the only car you never knew you needed. The reason I say this is because of the vast selection of trim options you can choose from. There’s truly a Bastion for every type of driver.

Whether you’re a simple human with simple needs and opt for the SE 3.5 at a respectable 29k, or the type to go all-out and drop 43k on the Luxe 5.7 and its gloss black alloy rims, Bruckell has you covered. However, if your hobby is to tear up the streets, making as much noise as possible, you’d better go for the Battlehawk – but that’ll set you back 69k. The Bastion looks to be based on the Dodge Charger. 

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

ETK 800 Series

‘Distilled excellence’

Here we are with another ETK, sporting the same Hofmeister kink that the brand has been known for since the 90s – as far as the game’s current lore is concerned. Many enthusiasts take the 800 Series to be based on a BMW 5 Series wagon, but there’s reason to doubt that. First, you have the naming conventions. If this was a 5 Series alternative, you’d likely see the I-Series name repeating.

The second important factor is the size. The 5-Series wagon is big; this is not. The rear overhang is far too short; therefore, I’d say this is closer to a 3 Series hatch, if the shape were revived. Either way, she’s available in an 8-speed automatic. If you like to go fast, you can also have her with a turbocharger and a new front fascia that lets everyone know that you mean business. 

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

Civetta Scintilla

‘Spark your passion’

We end our list off with the vehicle most likely to ‘spark your passion;’ the incomparable Civetta Scintilla. Unlike the 80s classic Bolide, the Scintilla is more than just a pretty face. On that note, though, I truly believe that this is the most beautiful vehicle in the game so far. Nothing else comes close to those classic Italian curves and flourishes. Pure poetry.

You’ve got quite a range to choose from here too, but it’s going to cost you. A luxurious rear-wheel drive GT will set you back 180k, and that’s basically the entry-level model. A limited edition Velocità will set you back about 270k, but this too is a small change compared to the 415k you’ll have to fork out for the Scintilla Race, a lightweight track version that’s been tuned to its limits. However you decide to experience the Scintilla, it’s bound to be an exciting ride. 

The best cars in BeamNG.Drive

Spoiled for choice in BeamNG.drive

If you think the list ends here, you’re mistaken. A quick search of various mod marketplaces will reveal hundreds of thousands of vehicles that you can bring into your BeamNG.Drive experience. But what if you don’t want to download cars? That’s a little uninteresting, isn’t it?

You’re creative and you want to create the next Civetta Scintilla or a German rival for everything that ETK makes – you know which brand to base it on. Well, with Automation, you can. Automation blends seamlessly with BeamNG.Drive so that you can create your own car – or car company – from the ground up and then tear up the streets.

Automation - The Car Company Tycoon Game DOWNLOAD

Increase your PDF productivity with Adobe Acrobat Pro

When you think of the Adobe Acrobat Pro brand, you’re probably thinking that it’s only for creating PDF documents. Sadly, so many working professionals don’t realize that it provides plenty of other benefits, making you more productive at home and in the office. Instead of using different apps, you’ll find an all-in-one solution with the latest features.

Adobe Acrobat Offers FREE TRIAL

Anything you need to do, Acrobat can do it. Reduce work stress and improve productivity with Adobe Acrobat Pro with some of the latest tools. Let’s take a look at how it’s no longer a static document viewer.

The benefits of Adobe Acrobat Pro

The most important benefit of Adobe Acrobat Pro is that you can use it as an all-in-one solution, reducing the need to open several applications for one task. That means you can edit a PDF and work with signature tools in one document instead of integrating it separately. The same applies to form fields.

It reminds me of a few years ago when I was compiling PDFs for a company overseas that wanted fields and spaces for signatures. Before I knew about the power of Adobe Acrobat Pro, I was making lines and field blocks in MS Word before converting it with a free PDF app and then adding images with another tool. Today, you can perform all your functions in Acrobat much faster with much less hassle.

The second advantage is that Adobe Acrobat Pro is incredibly versatile. There are plenty of tools that make your job easier to perform, completing your tasks in only a few clicks. You can edit any document without worrying about the format, convert your PDF to other formats, and integrate other apps for the functions you need. 

Finally, the Adobe Acrobat Pro system is very reliable. You can create and save a document to the Adobe Cloud where you won’t need to worry about it vanishing or anyone tampering with it. You can also set a password and lock the PDF, which is essential if you have a toddler around with fingers that explore.

How to increase productivity with your PDF

  1. Editing PDF documents and sending for signature

    Increase your PDF productivity with Adobe Acrobat Pro

    There are different ways you can prepare your PDF for signatures with Adobe Acrobat Pro. Whether you need to send proposals, invoices, or legal documents, one of the easiest methods is simply clicking on the signature tool. It saves you from having to use a different app for the purpose.

    Another way is to create a template in the library. You’ll add a template name, the template file you usually use for a specific task, and then add fields. Now, whenever you need to send that proposal to a new client, you’re only a few clicks away instead of spending an hour on it. Now, isn’t that more efficient?

  2. Sharing and commenting

    Increase your PDF productivity with Adobe Acrobat Pro

    Since I work from home with clients and colleagues in more than 10 countries, it can become quite tedious sending documents to them and waiting for replies on various apps and email platforms. A more efficient way of working is collaborating and discussing changes on the go. It cuts down on what might take as long as a week to only a day or two. 

    Fortunately, Adobe Acrobat Pro lets you share documents and comment on them all on the same platform. You choose which files you want to share, and your team or clients will receive them instantly. From there, you can have discussions on the document and share new ideas. It’s way more productive to work this way in the modern age.

  3. Protecting your confidential information

    Increase your PDF productivity with Adobe Acrobat Pro

    One aspect of work I truly dislike is admin. I work with several documents on a daily basis, being a journalist, content creator, project manager, account manager, editor, game writer, and novelist. With so many roles, you can imagine how hard it is to track my documents and make sure no one gains access to a file they shouldn’t.

    Instead of relying on other apps and tools to secure my files, it’s easier to simply open the password settings for the document in Adobe Acrobat Pro. You can also set permissions for different people to also view or edit the files, making sure that only the right people lay their eyes on them. As the owner of these PDFs, no one else can make changes to the password.

Profile pictures are coming to WhatsApp group chats

WhatsApp profile pictures aren’t as big of a deal as they are on other apps like Facebook and Instagram. They just don’t have as much visibility as they are usually hidden away on your profile page. In one-on-one chats, they are visible at the top of the chat window, but in group chats, it is the group icon that takes that spot. In a bid to make your profile picture more important and give it more visibility, WhatsApp is working on bringing your profile picture into group chats themselves.

WhatsApp Download Now

The WhatsApp beta community has done it again and unearthed a sparkling gem  from the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS. In the most recent test version of the app, some users have spotted that user profile pictures have started popping up next to their messages in group chats. The visual makes it look like your messages in the group chat are speech bubbles and that your profile picture is saying the text for the group to hear.

We have covered a lot recently about how WhatsApp is borrowing more and more features from Telegram as it attempts to increase the capability of WhatsApp groups. This is another example of this as you can already view user profile pictures in Telegram groups. The update makes it much easier to see who is speaking whenever a message pops up and makes your WhatsApp profile picture just that little bit more important.

At the moment, this new feature is still under development so there is no concrete news available about when it will receive a general rollout to all users. The beta testers who have used it, however, have reported that it is an on by default setting, which means that when it lands it will automatically be turned on for everybody and there won’t be a toggle switch for activating and deactivating it. That means when it lands on your phone it will be active forever.

In other recent WhatsApp news, the app is working hard on implementing a screenshot blocker to protect the privacy of users sending images and videos to only view once.

Image via: WABetaInfo

You need to delete this Chrome extension now

The app and plugin Internet Download Manager is a well-respected program that allows users to grab and download pretty much any file from the internet. Unfortunately, a concerned user has raised the alarm about a fake version of the plugin that has been available on the Chrome Web Store since June 2019, and maybe even longer. Here is what you need to know.

Google Chrome Download Now

The fake Internet Download Manager Chrome extension has been downloaded by over 200,000 users since it launched on the Chrome Web Store. If you have mistakenly downloaded it onto your version of Chrome you should delete it now.

The fake plugin does offer some sort of download management functionality, which is probably why it is still active on so many machines. However, it also performs other unwanted actions such as loading up spammy websites without any sort of prompting, changing the browser’s default search engine, pushing lots of pop-up ads and even prompting users to download patches for programs that they don’t have installed on their computer.

The fake plugin has been published by a company called Puupnewsapp, so you need to look out for that developer and make sure you do not download and install their version of the plugin. You can also see an image of the plugin’s icon above.

The real Internet Download Manager plugin relates to the app we mentioned earlier and is published by software company, Tonec. In fact, the plugin only references the title and so doesn’t even have Internet Download Manager in its name. Instead, it is called IDM Integration Module and there are official plugins for both Chrome and Firefox.

This story clearly underscores the need to be more careful than ever when working online. You need to be completely sure that you can trust all links you click on files you download otherwise you can end up in a world of pain. A prime example of just how bad things can get if you don’t pay attention is this fake job offer hack that ended up costing a company $620 million.

Image via: BleepingComputer

Data breach at Plex means it’s time to change your password again

Plex is one of the most popular multi-service streaming media platforms in the world because of its sheer versatility and ability to integrate with multiple other platforms, services, and file types. Unfortunately for Plex users, the company behind the Plex media server has begun sending out emails to all users notifying them of a data breach. Here is what you need to know.

Plex Download Now

Thanks to a copy of the letter Plex has been sending out, which has been shared with BleepingComputer, we can report on some of the details of the breach, including the type of data that has been accessed and what you need to do about it.

According to the letter, the actor behind the breach gained access to a “limited subset of data that includes emails, usernames, and encrypted passwords.” Plex did have security measures in place to protect against occurrences such as this one but even still, the company is asking all users to reset their passwords. The letter says:

“Even though all account passwords that could have been accessed were hashed and secured in accordance with best practices, out of an abundance of caution we are requiring all Plex accounts to have their password reset.”

The letter does go on to say that no credit card and payment data has been exposed by the breach but there are other security concerns Plex users need to take into account. If you use the same password across multiple online accounts, then now is a good time to start changing your passwords as the actor who has pulled off the breach at Plex could potentially be able to use your repeated login details trying to access your other accounts. In fact, you should probably look at getting a password managing app such as LastPass, which will both securely store your passwords and automatically generate unique and secure passwords for all your accounts.

So far, Plex has said that it has identified the issue that allowed for the breach, but the long-term implications of the breach are still unclear. This means e will have to keep tracking this story to stay on top of developments.

In other cybersecurity news, Google has recently plugged a variety of security flaws on Google Chrome.

Alexa will let you call out to Zombies in Dead Island 2

Amazon’s Alexa is finally being put to good use as far as us horror gamers are concerned. With Gamescom 2022 officially underway, the tech giant opened the show with news that you’ll be able to speak to zombies in Dead Island 2. The best part is that you don’t need to call out Alexa’s name when you do so.

Besides making the announcement on the show, Amazon made sure to mention it on its latest blog. The Alexa feature will be built-in within Dead Island 2, so you won’t need to worry about connecting to additional devices. It would be odd calling the personal assistant on your phone while hacking away at zombies in the game.

Another bonus is that you don’t need to say Alexa’s name every time you want to activate the feature. Can you imagine walking up to the undead and saying, “Hey, Alexa, Zombie I’m going to kick your a…”? It would be really awkward, so Amazon is making sure it’s not necessary.

So, how will it work, exactly? Apparently, you can speak directly into your microphone and Dead Island 2 will acknowledge it via Alexa. You can chat with NPCs and ask for directions, which is the main purpose. It gives you a better interaction with the characters, but we don’t know which questions will work at this point.

Alexa will let you call out Zombies in Dead Island 2

My main issue is what will happen when you ask something the NPC doesn’t have an answer to. Will we have to deal with them saying, “I don’t understand your question” for every instance? Here’s hoping Alexa knows all the answers by the time this is fully implemented.

In other news, you can check out the latest Dead Island 2 trailer that appeared 8 years after the first.