Google surprised us all last week by dropping thePixel 7a, its latest attempt at a more budget-friendly alternative to flagship Pixel models. This year’s A-series phone pulls from its namesake more than ever, with the differences — and the price point — between thePixel 7a and Pixel 7 hard to noticeat first glance. It’s leftGoogle’s lineup looking a little confusing, especially if you aren’t following the smartphone market like our readers do....

Collision detection is one of the critical aspects of game development, significantly impacting player experience. Accurate collision detection ensures that game characters interact seamlessly with their environment, creating a sense of immersion and realism. Godot, a popular open-source game engine, provides powerful tools for implementing efficient collision detection, resulting in smooth and engaging gameplay. Setting Up the Godot Game Before starting, create a simple 2D platformer game in Godot 4....

When you depend on Outlook for managing your emails, calendar, contacts, and tasks, errors like “Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook” can disrupt your workflow. This guide will provide effective tips for getting Outlook back up and running on your Windows PC. 1. Run Outlook in Safe Mode Third-party add-ins can sometimes interfere with the Outlook app and prevent it from opening on your PC. To check for this possibility, you canopen Outlook in Safe Mode....

Snap Layouts makes it easy to multitask with multiple programs simultaneously. It is enabled by default for all users, and you can change app window layouts by hovering your mouse over the maximize option. That said, if the Snap Layouts is not working, here are a few things you can try. 1. Switch Snap Layouts with a Keyboard Shortcut An easy way to use Snap Layouts is to use the keyboard shortcut....

GitHub hosts a lot of free audio plugins created by enthusiasts with open-source code. Even if you don’t have any programming knowledge, you’re able to still make use of this amazing resource by learning a few key things. Once you know what file to download and how to install it on your computer, you won’t hesitate to download third-party plugins in the future. How to Install Audio Plugins From GitHub GitHub might not be one of your usual go-towebsites for free VST plugins, but it is an incredibly useful resource that is well worth checking out....

I get more spam texts in a day than real ones, and opening just one bad link could cost me—phishing scams, stolen data, and even malware. So when a sketchy text pops up, I know better than to tap blindly. 4Check the Sender’s Information The first thing I do when I get a text with a suspicious link is verify who sent it. If it’s from an unknown number, a sketchy SMS short code, or an international code that’s out of the blue, that’s a red flag....

Quick Links Many productivity apps on iPhones have widgets that can help you be even more productive. These widgets provide quick access to information at a glance and save you precious time. Here are the ones I use. Adding widgets to your iPhone’s Home Screenrequires installing the respective apps. You also need toupdate your iPhoneto the latest iOS version to ensure all the features work smoothly. 1Reminders You don’t need to download a third-party app on your iPhone to manage simple tasks when the built-in Reminders app is around....

Summary Invinciblehas become one of Prime Video’s most important shows, and its season 4 update confirms the superhero series won’t repeat its biggest mistake. After two excellent seasons, the future looks bright forInvincibleas its successful second outing set up numerous exciting storylines. The show is filled with interesting characters who each have compelling narratives, proving the franchise has plenty of longevity, which seems to have been confirmed by Amazon’s huge announcement....

Summary AsMultiVersuscontinues its attempts to win back playersafter its controversial hiatus, developerPlayer First Games announced the addition of two new iconic fighters and both of them should tug on fans' nostalgia.MultiVersusis finally back in the spotlight as the popular platform fighter is once again adding new content for the community and while many may still be concerned about the developer’s handling of the relaunch, it’s telling that players are slowly returning to the game....

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree was another surprise to land on my review desk. This side-scrolling Soulslike sends players on a quest to clear out the world’s corruption, blending familiar but uniquely told fantasy tropes with solid Soulslike gameplay and progression. While there are changes I’d make here and there, I was generally fond of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, though some well-deserved community backlash has somewhat soured my otherwise positive opinion....

TheNothing Ear (open)is a wonderfully comfortable set of earbuds. I wear them all day, for days on end, without any ear fatigue. They’re great for music, phone calls, and more—so why do I still prefer my headphones or earbuds? Nothing Ear (open) The Nothing Ear (open) are stylish open-ear earbuds with curved hooks for a secure, all-day, comfortable fit. They offer IP54 water resistance, solid audio clarity with 14.2mm drivers, and customizable EQ via the Nothing X app....

Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent is the laziest gacha game from Square Enix yet Square Enix certainly has a penchant for taking its premium RPGs and turning them into gacha games for mobile, andOctopath Traveleris the latest to receive this treatment with the launch of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent. As expected, it’s a gacha game, a greedy one at that, and it’s incredibly unpolished to boot despite the fact it’s now globally released....

Summary Draco made an unlikely friend in theHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Princebook that absolutely must be in HBO’s upcoming remake. The relationship was cut from theHarry Pottermovies, and this has led even book fans often overlook it. There wasn’t much time dedicated to the connection, and there is never a mention of what became of it. However, the fact that Draco wound up in this friendship, to begin with, emphasizes how much he had changed over the years, especially since the events ofHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets....