Month: April 2024

One of the world’s most beloved extraterrestrials returns to anime for its twentieth anniversary

Sergeant Keroro returns in anime form to celebrate its 20th anniversary, more than a decade after the conclusion of its first adaptation.

Twenty years are not celebrated every day. In addition, round numbers usually have a special meaning. Turning nineteen or twenty-one feels less like an event, perhaps because they are not as resonant numbers. Round. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that, when reaching this type of figures, popular franchises usually have some kind of triumphant comeback. Something that has happened with the 20th anniversary of Sergeant Keroro.

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Bandai Namco Pictures announced on July 31st that they are producing a new anime based on the adorable manga by Mine Yoshizaki, Sergeant Keroro. Although they have not yet revealed the format, whether it will be a weekly series, a movie, or some kind of special, they have released a brief teaser to show us the return of our favorite frogs.

The anime series Sergeant Keroro began airing on April 3, 2004, with a total of 358 episodes over seven years. However, they have not adapted the entire manga, which began publishing in April 1999, is still ongoing today, and has already listed all its work in 33 volumes. This includes the publication of a dedicated magazine, Kerokero Ace, where other manga from Bandai Namco franchises, such as Cardfight!! Vanguard, are also published.

For those who are not familiar with anime or manga, Sergeant Keroro is the story of five alien soldiers in the form of frogs from the Planet Keron, who arrive on Planet Earth, which they call Planet Pekopon, on a conquest mission. Unfortunately, upon discovering that frogs are dissected on Earth, they decide to disband, leaving their leader, Sergeant Keroro, abandoned under the care of the Hirata Family, who treat him as a family pet.

Sergeant Keroro is an extremely popular anime and manga that has left a mark on an entire generation, and especially during the airing of its anime it reached a level of fame similar to other great animes, like One Piece. That’s why its return to the anime is great news, after 20 years of Keroro making us happy with his obsession with building plastic robots, rather than conquering the Earth.

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PlayStation 2 has sold 5 million units more than we thought, according to Jim Ryan

PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console in history, but according to Jim Ryan, we don’t even know to what extent, as he has stated in a podcast.

Something we didn’t expect in the year 2024 is that PlayStation 2 would be news. With over a decade since it stopped being manufactured and sold, it is a console that, in commercial terms, is already completely dead and buried. But it seems that there are particular interests in not exactly letting this be the case. Because it turns out that there were still things we didn’t know about it.

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Jim Ryan, who officially left his position on March 31, appeared on the official PlayStation podcast to talk about his career and his time at Sony. In those circumstances, he revealed a previously unknown fact. He stated that the PlayStation 2 had sold 160 million units worldwide to date. This contradicts the figures that had been reported, even by Sony.

The latest official figures we have date back more than a decade, to a slightly lower reference. On March 31, 2012, Sony declared that 155 million units of the PlayStation 2 had been sold, making it the best-selling console in history.

What reason is there for Jim Ryan to now come out and say that the figure is not accurate? Because the PlayStation 2 is very close to ceasing to be the best-selling console in history. Nintendo Switch has sold 139.36 million units worldwide as of December 31, 2023, and without a successor in sight yet, it has a good chance of dethroning PlayStation 2 as the best-selling console of all time. At least, it was when its total sales were 155 million.

Although it may seem made up, we actually have reasons to believe that it is a real figure. After all, the PlayStation 2 would not stop being manufactured until early 2013, with the remaining stock being sold in emerging countries, so those additional five million since March 2012 are not unreasonable. They have been brought up due to the proximity of the Nintendo Switch, there is no doubt about that, but that does not mean that there are no reasons to continue thinking that the PlayStation 2 will likely continue to reign as the best-selling console in history in the near future.

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Has this Spanish movie become number 1 on Prime Video, but is it worth it?

Amazon Prime Video is one of the best platforms today, and it is the first in Spain above Netflix. Thanks to the package that comes with Amazon shipments, the VOD service has managed to reach more households than any other, and this is something they are taking advantage of to launch all kinds of Spanish series and movies with a great impact.

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From high-budget series like El Cid to comedic series like El pueblo, Prime Video is an expert in Spanish productions. But few fictions have managed to reach the Top 1 in views. This is precisely what the new film from the country that has just been released has achieved: Un hipster en la España vacía.

The new film by the director of Ocho apellidos vascos

Although the title may sound more like 2012 than 2024, the truth is that Emilio Martínez-Lázaro’s film (the director of Ocho apellidos vascos), based on the homonymous book by Daniel Gascón, has been a pleasant surprise for Prime Video. It has been the most watched movie on the platform in Spain since its release on March 27, even surpassing Road House, the latest great film starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie’s synopsis promises… for those who enjoy this style of films:

“Quique is tasked with leading the policy of the ‘Empty Spain’ in a village in Teruel, but he doesn’t know where to start. He faces a town that is ready to make fun of him for his modern proposals, and to make matters worse, he soon discovers that being sent there is a plan by his girlfriend and the leader of his party to be together. He will only have his good will and Lourdes, the bar waitress, who wants to prevent him from making a fool of himself and help him understand that the key to his success lies in learning to listen to his new neighbors”.

X-Men 97′ is adapting Marvel’s darkest story

The long-awaited arrival of X-Men ’97 on Disney Plus has generated a great stir among fans of the franchise. This new adaptation, which loosely follows the events of X-Men: The Animated Series, brings with it a great wave of nostalgia, but also makes room for new and very interesting stories.

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To kick off this new era of the X-Men, Marvel has released a prequel comic that serves as a bridge between the previous series and the new installment. Written by Steve Foxe and illustrated by Spanish artist Salva Espín, this comic not only sets the stage for what’s to come, but also presents its own storyline that adapts one of the darkest events ever seen in Marvel.

The perfect comic to complement X-Men ’97

The plot starts from the critical moment that the X-Men are going through. It begins after Henry Peter Gyrich’s attempt to end the life of Professor X, which puts the mutants in the public spotlight like never before. At that moment, Mister Sinister, seeing this situation as a threat to his own plans, deploys his team in an attempt to discredit the X-Men. However, his plans fail and he is forced to seek new strategies.

With the introduction of new characters and the return of old acquaintances, the plot becomes even more complicated. Mister Sinister, in a surprising twist, begins recruiting a new wave of villains to confront the X-Men, sowing chaos and uncertainty in their path.

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But the story not only focuses on the present, but also delves into the past, exploring crucial events like the famous Mutant Massacre. Although this version of X-Men ’97 is aimed at a younger audience, it doesn’t skimp on the emotional intensity that characterized the original, promising to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Undoubtedly, it is the perfect complement to the hit series on Disney Plus.

The most controversial Doctor of Doctor Who shows off in the new series trailer

Doctor Who is a legendary series that has transcended British generations with the different interpretations of its protagonist. Throughout decades, the Doctor has been played by different actors who, in turn, have spoken directly to each generation, and the latest of them has generated some controversy as being the first to be of black ethnicity.

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However, as they have just shown in the new series trailer, the 15th Doctor of the series promises a lot. Played by Ncuti Gatwa, well known for his role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education, he undoubtedly brings an unparalleled charisma to the character. The preview couldn’t be more promising:

What will we see in the next season of Doctor Who?

The next season of Doctor Who will have eight episodes, and showrunner Russel T. Davies has already leaked the titles of each one of them: Space Babies, The Devil’s Chord, Boom, Rogue, The Legend of Rube’s Sunday, and Empire of Death. They will be available starting on May 11th.

“Enhanced for PS5 Pro”: these are the requirements that a game must meet to obtain it

The arrival of PlayStation 5 Pro is imminent. Now that we know it will hit stores by the end of the year, developers have started working to improve their games in anticipation of its release. The label PS5 Pro Enhanced will distinguish the games that have been updated from those that haven’t. However, in order to obtain this distinction, titles must meet a series of requirements first.

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The “Enhanced” tag is something that won’t sound new to many players. We already saw it in the previous generation when the PlayStation 4 Pro was released to indicate which games took full advantage of the console’s innovations. In the case of PlayStation 5 Pro, “enhanced” games must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Improve the resolution of games that run at a fixed resolution on PlayStation 5.
  • Improve the maximum resolution in games that have multiple resolution options to choose from.
  • Improve the frame rate in titles that have a fixed target on PlayStation 5.
  • Include ray-tracing effects.

Sony wants titles destined for PS5 Pro to take advantage of the new console’s features. Specifically, the new PS5 Pro will have faster RAM (28% faster than PS5) and a much larger and faster GPU (up to 45% faster than its predecessor).

Source: Insider Gaming

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Amazon Prime Video incorporates a unique feature for you that has changed my experience with movies and series like never before

Don’t you find that, in certain movies or series, you have to constantly adjust the volume to hear the characters’ dialogues properly? From whisper-based performances to suboptimal sound mixes, there are many issues that can cause this phenomenon.

Now, to fix it, Amazon Prime Video has added a unique feature to its platform. Thanks to this tool, you can modify the sound channels of the content you are currently watching, allowing you to increase the dialogue volume as much as you need without affecting the rest of the volume.

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Listen to series and movies however you want

For this feature, Amazon Prime Video has used Artificial Intelligence, and the results are truly impressive. Currently, it is only available for some shows like Jack Ryan or The Big Sick, but they plan to expand it in the future.

Applying the function is very easy. You just have to go to the section of the series or movie where you can choose the language of the audio and there will be several options to adjust the audio of the dialogues.

Ewan McGregor just wants to play his favorite character again… and soon

One of the most beloved actors worldwide said in a recent interview that he’s hoping for a second season of Obi-Wan to be able to enjoy…

In a recent interview, the Scottish actor expressed his interest in reprising the role of Obi-Wan after the good experience he had during the filming of the first season of the Disney+ series. Critics hated it, fans loved it, and Ewan had a great time.

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McGregor acknowledged that in the past he had to lie about his role to surprise fans with the series that tells the life and work of his character after the fall of the Republic, but this time he assures that he has no idea if he will return in future installments.

It is also true that Disney always plays tricks, so if there is something scheduled or closed, good old Ewan wouldn’t tell us.

Obi-Wan and Season 2 on Disney+

“The truth is, I’ve been talking about having to cover up to do the Obi-Wan season for years, I had to lie about that, and I’m not lying about this now,” he told LADbible in a recent interview while promoting his latest series A Gentleman in Moscow.

And he added: “I don’t know. Lucasfilm or Disney haven’t called me to say: ‘Let’s do another one'”. Obi-Wan became a limited series and it has premiered and people like it, which makes me very happy,” explains the Scottish actor.

McGregor stated that he loved doing the series and said: “I hope we get the chance to do another one and I’m sure we will. I’m sure I still have a few years left to be the same age as Alec Guinness was in the movie A New Hope. So there’s time to tell more stories.”

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Obi-Wan Kenobi is a six-episode Disney+ series that follows the Jedi Master as he comes out of retirement to rescue a young Princess Leia from the Inquisitors of the Galactic Empire.

The series had its ups and downs. The beginning was terribly slow and very unbelievable, with scenes that bordered on ridiculous. Luckily, as the episodes went by, the series improved, with a good final episode. Who knows if there will be a second season.

Samsung is going to irrigate its semiconductor factory with wastewater

400 million liters of wastewater will be purified and used daily to manufacture electronic chips, saving on potable water.

The semiconductor industry is famous for its enormous water consumption, as each chip requires thousands of liters of ultrapure water for its production. Until now, this water came from rivers and reservoirs, with its enormous environmental impact.

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Ultrapure water (UPW) refers to water that has been purified to remove impurities, including fine particles and microorganisms, leaving only the fundamental molecules of hydrogen and oxygen that make up H2O.

In response to the growing demand for semiconductors, amplified by the current global chip shortage, Samsung Semiconductor plans to expand its production lines. One of the consequences of this is that, by 2030, it is expected that the industrial water needed for its facilities will be more than double the current amount.

400 million liters of water per day

To address this demand, Samsung has announced its plans to use wastewater to meet its enormous water needs.

The South Korean technology giant plans to treat and use the astonishing amount of 400 million liters of wastewater daily for chip manufacturing. The wastewater will be treated and purified at the Hwaseong plant to reach a safe level for industrial use.

Even the most insignificant impurities can affect the production and quality of chips, so the water will undergo multiple stages of filtration and purification to ensure that it is completely free of any contaminants that could damage the delicate semiconductor manufacturing process.

Samsung considers this initiative an important step towards sustainable production. By using wastewater, the company greatly reduces its dependence on freshwater sources, thus contributing to water conservation efforts.

It is expected that this initiative will have a great impact on the chip manufacturing industry and that other companies will follow suit. It could set a new standard for sustainable practices in an industry that has long been scrutinized for its environmental impact.

OpenAI only needs 15 seconds of audio to clone your voice

In recent years, the listening time needed for an AI to clone someone’s voice has been getting shorter and shorter. Now it’s just seconds.

OpenAI, who has become famous for creating the world’s most used chatbot called ChatGPT, has announced that their voice cloning technology only requires 15 seconds of audio material to reproduce someone’s voice.

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In a post published on their website, OpenAI shared a small-scale preview of a model called Voice Engine, which they have been developing since late 2022.

Voice Engine works by feeding it with a minimum of 15 seconds of spoken material. Then, the user can input text to create what OpenAI describes as “emotive and realistic” speech that “closely resembles the original speaker”.

A gradual and measured release: potential dangers

OpenAI insists that it is taking a “cautious and informed approach to a broader release due to the potential for misuse of synthetic voice,” and adds that it wants to “initiate a dialogue on the responsible deployment of synthetic voices, and how society can adapt to these new capabilities.”

And he added: “Based on these conversations and the results of these small-scale tests, we will make a more informed decision about whether to deploy this technology at scale and how to do it.”

One of the misuse cases that OpenAI refers to is a scam that some criminals are already carrying out using a similar technology that has been available to the public for some time: it consists of cloning a voice and then calling a friend or family member of that person to deceive them into handing over cash through a bank transfer.

There are also concerns that this technology could be used in the upcoming presidential elections, as evidenced by a recent high-profile incident in which an automated call with a clone of President Joe Biden’s voice urged people not to vote in the January primaries in New Hampshire.

The bright side of the coin

Regarding the most positive uses of technology, OpenAI suggests that it could be used to help people who cannot read by providing emotional and natural voices “that represent a wider range of speakers than is possible with pre-set voices”, as well as for instantly translating videos and podcasts, something that Spotify is already testing.

It could also be used to help patients who gradually lose their voice due to illness to continue communicating using what sounds like their own voice.

OpenAI presents on its website some examples of AI-generated audio and reference audio, and we are sure you will agree that they are extraordinary… and terrifying.