Month: February 2024
Leaked Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 renders and specs are a mix of good and bad news
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 might be very similar to the Z Flip 5, but with a couple of key upgrades.
Recently we saw high-quality leaked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 renders, and now the same source is back with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 renders. But while we were quite negative about the former, this Z Flip 6 leak is more mixed.
Shared by leaker @OnLeaks in collaboration with SmartPrix, the renders show a phone that looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Like that phone it has a dual-lens rear camera, a punch-hole selfie camera, and the same general layout of ports and buttons.
According to the accompanying specs, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 also has the same screen sizes, meaning a 3.4-inch cover screen and a 6.7-inch foldable display, with the same brightness levels as before.
(Image credit: @OnLeaks / SmartPrix)
(Image credit: @OnLeaks / SmartPrix)
That’s one of the bad things about the phone shown in this leak, as previously we’d heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 would have a 3.9-inch cover screen. As such, we’d take this new leak with a pinch of salt, but @OnLeaks has a near-perfect track record, so we’re inclined to believe them.
The source additionally mentions them both retaining a 120Hz refresh rate, but in fact the Z Flip 5’s cover screen has a 60Hz refresh rate. So it’s not clear whether they mean it’s 60Hz again here or getting upgraded to 120Hz, but we’d guess the former, since at such a small size it’s not a screen you’ll likely use enough to benefit much from 120Hz.
More battery and less crease
Either way, there is some good news when it comes to the foldable screen at least, as this leak mentions the crease being reduced or eradicated. Apparently the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 might also have a more durable hinge than the Z Flip 5.
The main good news though is talk of a bigger battery. They echo another leak in saying that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 could have a 4,000mAh battery (up from 3,700mAh in the Galaxy Z Flip 5). And they mention that the dimensions are apparently 165.0 x 71.7 x 7.4mm when unfolded. For comparison, the Z Flip 5 is 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm, so that would make the Z Flip 6 a bit thicker, but one possible reason for added thickness would be a larger battery.
Other details mentioned in this leak include an expected upgrade to a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset (as used by the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra), the addition of Galaxy AI features, a starting storage capacity of 256GB, and the return of the Z Flip 5’s 12MP rear cameras.
You can see the phone in two shades here – Lavender and Mint, though we’d expect other colors would be offered too, and the source additionally says to expect the phone sometime between mid-July and August, at a similar price to its predecessor (meaning a starting price of around $999.99 / £1,049 / AU$1,649). So there’s likely a good few months before we’ll see for sure how accurate any of this is.
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Call of Duty announces Warzone Mobile official launch date
After a successful limited release, Call of Duty has now confirmed the wider release date for Warzone Mobile. The free-to-play
The post Call of Duty announces Warzone Mobile official launch date appeared first on ReadWrite.
After a successful limited release, Call of Duty has now confirmed the wider release date for Warzone Mobile.
The free-to-play title offers players the option to play Call of Duty on the go, with two large-scale maps becoming available at launch. While some have already been able to try out Warzone Mobile during the limited release, where bugs and optimization opportunities were ironed out, this will be the first time that everyone will be able to play the mobile version.
The wider release will happen on March 21, 2024. Fan-favorite maps Verdansk and Rebirth Island will be available at first, alongside a range of Multiplayer maps, including Shipment and Shoot House.
Fifty million gamers have also pre-registered but it’s still open for more people to sign up ahead of the launch. Players who do so will unlock rewards that are redeemable after launch, including:
The Ghost “Condemned” Operator Skin
The M4 “Archfiend” and X12 “Prince of Hell” Weapon Blueprints
The “Foe’s Flame” Vinyl
The “Dark Familiar” Emblem
Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile features
In terms of what Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile has to offer, players will be able to level up weapons, XP, and more through shared progressions across the mobile version, Warzone, and the recently-critiqued Modern Warfare III. The Battle Pass will unite progress across all three game modes, meaning Player Levels (and Prestige) will remain the same on all platforms.
In terms of what’s available, content from the BlackCell Battle Pass offering will also be accessible within Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. What’s more, any bundles you purchase and own already on Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare III, aside from a small number of exclusive Bundles, will be available for use in Warzone Mobile and vice versa. You’ll be able to spot which ones can cross over by looking for the ‘Connected’ tag on Bundles in Warzone Mobile’s in-game Store.
Featured image: Infinity Ward via IGDB
The post Call of Duty announces Warzone Mobile official launch date appeared first on ReadWrite.
Microsoft is working with Nvidia, AMD, and Intel to improve upscaling support in PC games
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft has outlined a new Windows API designed to offer a seamless way for game developers to integrate super resolution AI-upscaling features from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. In a new blog post, program manager Joshua Tucker describes Microsoft’s new DirectSR API as the “missing link” between games and super resolution technologies, and says it should provide “a smoother, more efficient experience that scales across hardware.”
“This API enables multi-vendor SR [super resolution] through a common set of inputs and outputs, allowing a single code path to activate a variety of solutions including Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, and Intel XeSS,” the post reads. The pitch seems to be that developers will be able to support this DirectSR API, rather than having to write code for each and every upscaling technology.
The blog post comes a couple of weeks after an “Automatic Super Resolution” feature was spotted in a test version of Windows 11, which promised to “use AI to make supported games play more smoothly with enhanced details.” Now, it seems the feature will plug into existing super resolution technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS rather than offering a Windows-level alternative.
Microsoft says that the new API will be available soon via a preview version of its Agility SDK. It plans to offer a “sneak peek” of how DirectSR can be used during a developer session at the forthcoming Game Developers Conference (GDC). The session will take place on March 21st, and will include representatives from both Microsoft as well as Nvidia and AMD.
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft has outlined a new Windows API designed to offer a seamless way for game developers to integrate super resolution AI-upscaling features from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. In a new blog post, program manager Joshua Tucker describes Microsoft’s new DirectSR API as the “missing link” between games and super resolution technologies, and says it should provide “a smoother, more efficient experience that scales across hardware.”
“This API enables multi-vendor SR [super resolution] through a common set of inputs and outputs, allowing a single code path to activate a variety of solutions including Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, and Intel XeSS,” the post reads. The pitch seems to be that developers will be able to support this DirectSR API, rather than having to write code for each and every upscaling technology.
The blog post comes a couple of weeks after an “Automatic Super Resolution” feature was spotted in a test version of Windows 11, which promised to “use AI to make supported games play more smoothly with enhanced details.” Now, it seems the feature will plug into existing super resolution technologies like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS rather than offering a Windows-level alternative.
Microsoft says that the new API will be available soon via a preview version of its Agility SDK. It plans to offer a “sneak peek” of how DirectSR can be used during a developer session at the forthcoming Game Developers Conference (GDC). The session will take place on March 21st, and will include representatives from both Microsoft as well as Nvidia and AMD.
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WhatsApp for Android is making it much easier to find older messages
Android users now have the ability to search by date in WhatsApp conversations, just like iOS users.
WhatsApp users on Android just got access to a feature that iPhone owners have been making use of for a while now: the ability to search through conversations by date, which makes it much easier to dig out old chats.
The new feature was announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his WhatsApp channel (via TechCrunch), and is apparently rolling out to Android devices now – so if you don’t have it already, you should see it soon.
To use it, head into any of your chats, then tap the three dots (top right) and Search. You should then see a calendar icon in the top-right corner, which you can tap on to jump to messages sent and received on a particular day. You can also tap on the name of the conversation at the top to find the Search option.
This is all very similar to how the ‘search by date’ function works on other platforms, but Android has been lagging behind in this respect – even WhatsApp for the web offers the option to search through chats by date.
Regular updates
How the ‘search by date’ feature looks on Android (Image credit: Future)
This is of course a handy and welcome addition for WhatsApp users on Android, as it could save a serious amount of scrolling – assuming of course, that you can remember the date when you got the message or media file you’re looking for.
To give the WhatsApp team credit, it’s an app that gets new features on a regular basis, though not always at the same time on Android and iOS. The app actually looks different depending on which mobile OS you’re using – Android puts the navigation tabs at the top, for example, but they’re underneath the chat list on iOS.
Despite these disparities, the app continues to grow in popularity as a cross-platform, secure, and reliable messaging platform. It’s estimated to have around 2 billion active users worldwide, which is a fair chunk of the global population.
In recent months we’ve seen WhatsApp roll out upgrades for photo and video sharing, as well as test an expansion of the Chat Lock feature, making it easier to protect certain conversations across multiple devices.
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Point Spread Betting – How to Master Betting on Point Spreads
Point spread betting comes in all shapes and sizes, not just game outright odds. Top online sportsbooks will offer odds
The post Point Spread Betting – How to Master Betting on Point Spreads appeared first on ReadWrite.
Point spread betting comes in all shapes and sizes, not just game outright odds. Top online sportsbooks will offer odds on things like the number of touchdowns a player will score in a game, the number of three-pointers in a basketball game, etc. But, nothing beats the classic format of taking the points in the big game. So, let’s dive right in and explore the many facets of point spread betting in today’s sports betting world.
What is Point Spread Betting?
A point spread is a number set by sportsbooks that levels the playing field between two teams, to drive betting action on both sides. The spread relates directly to the margin of victory in any given game. To “cover the spread”, a team must win by a final margin larger than the point spread or, in the case of an underdog, lose by fewer points than the spread (or win outright).
However, it is fair to say that by some distance, the most popular point spreads are winning margin lines. Point spreads are regarded as one of the ‘big three’ betting types, along with moneyline and totals (over/under).
How Point Spread Betting Works
Point spread betting is all about the favorite winning by more than the spread margin, or the dog winning the game by less, or just winning the game. If the Dolphins are -7 on the spread against the Eagles, then anyone that places a point spread wager on the Dolphins needs them to win the game by at least 8 points to cover the spread. Anything less, and it’s a losing wager.
When you place a spread wager, the betting odds will always include juice/vig, which varies from sportsbook to sportsbook. A strong team with a high outright win percentage could have a point spread of -2, but that bet could also come with a high cost, like -200 or even higher, with the +12 underdogs returning +180 or more.
In the 2024 Superbowl, the 49ers were -2 on the point spread against the Kansas City Chiefs. Anyone with that bet needed the 49ers to win the game by at least 3pts. Unfortunately, they lost it by three points, so the 49ers failed to cover the spread.
It’s not just in tight encounters that the teams fail to meet point-spread expectations. In 2013, the Denver Broncos went into their home game with Jacksonville as the hottest offense in the NFL. Averaging 46pts per game against a team averaging just over 10pts per game, the hosts were justifiably expected to cover a 28pts spread but the Broncos didn’t get close to covering the spread against an improved defensive performance from the Jaguars.
How to Read Point Spreads
Point spreads are super easy to understand once you get the basics. The spreads themselves correlate directly with moneyline odds – the shorter the moneyline odds of a favorite, the bigger the spread they will have to cover.
Handicaps: How to Spot Them – Point spreads effectively handicap bets because the spread is effectively the expected winning margin for the favorite.
Finding the Favorite – Point spreads are always built around the favorite and their expected winning margin. If it’s a close game and you are not sure who is the favorite, check out the moneyline odds.
Identifying an Underdog – The underdog is always the biggest moneyline odds. The spread effectively gives them a head start in the game. If an underdog wins a game, no matter what the spread line, they beat the spread.
The Importance of Shopping for Lines
With so many sportsbooks now in the marketplace, it’s well worth pointing out that point spread lines will vary, as will all game odds. With this in mind, it is always really important to to shop around and find the best lines or odds as a part of your betting strategy. If you fancy the favorite to cover a -5 spread but another book is going -4 about the same team, you should be taking that -4, assuming the spread odds are the same. Similarly, if you fancy a dog, the bigger the line the better your chance of landing a winning bet. Small margins can make a big long-term difference if you find the best value each time.
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How to Bet Against the Spread (ATS)
Betting against the spread can be a great way to beat the book, especially if you think the spread is too high. To bet against the spread, you are simply backing the underdog (+) option. If a favorite is -5 on the spread, the underdog will be +5. You are betting on the underdog to lose by less than the spread – it’s normally referred to as ‘betting against the spread’.
Why would you bet against the spread? There are a million angles and it largely depends on what you place more store in. The favorite might not have a particularly good record at a stadium, they might have traveled a lot, or they might be missing a key forward.
What Does “Covering the Spread” Mean?
Covering the spread simply means beating the spread line. So, if a team is -12 on the spread, they will cover it if they win the game by 13pts or more. Similarly, if the underdog is +12 on the spread, they need to lose by no more than 11pts.
On either side, if the margin matches the spread, the bet is a push, and stakes are refunded. If the spread involves half-point numbers, eg -8.5/+8.5, then there has to be a winner and loser.
Live Betting Point Spreads
Live spread betting is an in-running line that moves according to the current game state. Lines are constantly changing throughout the game, depending on what is happening on the field. If the favorite is heavily on top, their point spread will increase, and vice versa. This fast-paced, volatile type of bet isn’t for everyone, especially as your bet could look in trouble just a couple of plays later.
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How to Place a Point Spread Bet
To place point spread bets, you will need an account at an online sportsbook. Here, we’ll walk you through the steps required to get a sports betting account up and running.
Point Spread Betting by Sport
You can place point spread bets on most team sports but there is no doubt that NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL are the most popular for a point spread wager. Let’s take a closer look at how point spreads work within each of these.
NBA Point Spread Betting
A high-scoring game like basketball lends itself perfectly to a point spread wager so it’s no surprise that NBA point spread betting is super popular. Bettors assess factors like home-court advantage, head-to-head records, recent form, and coaching strategy to evaluate NBA lines.
NFL Point Spread Betting
US sports fans love NFL betting like nothing else, and point spread lines are one of the most popular ways to enjoy a big Sunday game. Because of the nature of football scoring, NFL betting spreads are typically set around these key numbers: 2.5, 3, 3.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5. Team news around an NFL football game is generally only truly meaningful if it involves a team’s quarterback, although cluster injuries around a particular position might also have an impact. Recent form is a huge factor when assessing NFL point spread lines.
MLB Point Spread Betting
MLB’s version of the point spread is the run line. However, run lines tend not to have as much variation as spreads in other sports because just a single run decides such a big chunk (around 30%) of MLB games. With that in mind, run lines are generally set at 1.5 (-1.5 for the fav, +1.5 for the dog). Run line bettors should dig into the starting pitchers, batting lineups, home/away splits, injuries, and weather when sizing up that day’s baseball run line betting options.
NHL Point Spread Betting
The NHL version of the point spread is the puck line, which stipulates a certain number of goals between two sides. Because ice hockey is generally a low-scoring sport, puck lines are typically set at 1.5. If a line is set at 1.5 goals, then the favorite needs to win by two goals, or the dog needs to win or lose by no more than a single goal.
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Point Spread Betting Tips From Our Experts
Assessing point spread lines involves research and understanding. Here are our top five tips for finding point spread line value.
Do your research: Know your numbers, player stats, head-to-head data, recent form, etc. It’s a great foundation.
Keep on top of team news: Team news can have a huge impact on speed lines, especially if it involves a pitcher or a quarterback. However, if you are slow to react, you will have missed any potential value in the point spread change.
Shop around: Find the best lines and point spread bet odds by having multiple sportsbook accounts. The differential might seem small and immaterial, but in the long term, these edges add up.
Keep on top of staking: Disciplined staking is essential, especially when you are taking negative prices on point spread bets. Whatever your staking plan, stick to it.
Don’t combine point spreads in parlays: The prospect of turning three point-spread wagers into a +500 return might look appealing but each leg of a parlay multiples the vig, so the more individual legs of the parlay there are, the worse total value the bet will be.
Pros and Cons of Point Spread Betting
Betting the spreads won’t be for everyone, especially the in-game lines. Let’s look at the pros and cons of this type of sports bet.
Pros:
Point spread bets level the playing field in a game, meaning every game has a potential interest, even complete mismatches.
Typically, point spread lines open earlier than other markets, making them a popular avenue for sharp value seekers.
Spreads are generally more reasonably priced than line-betting odds.
In-game point spreads provide bettors the chance to cash in on in-game situations.
The possibility of a push, if the result hits the line, is additional insurance on a wager
Cons:
Spreads can be a little more difficult for rookie bettors to understand, although hopefully not after reading this page!
In-game spread lines change quickly, making it difficult to get the line you want.
With a point spread bet, you will always be taking negative odds, which won’t appeal to all types of sports bettors
Final Thoughts on Point Spread Betting
Point spreads are a great option for sports fans, especially in high-scoring games like NFL and NBA. It’s a vehicle that can be used to get better odds on a favorite or provide yourself with a bigger cushion on an underdog. Don’t be one-dimensional and bet spreads all the time, but do see this wager type as a valuable tool in your betting armory.
Responsible Betting
Like all forms of gambling, betting on sports comes with significant risks. With this in mind, you must bet sensibly, responsibly, and within your means. Responsible gambling tools are available on all sportsbooks that can help with this process, such as adding deposit limits, play times, and even complete exclusion, if your betting has got out of control.
Related Betting Guides
How to bet on sports
Sports betting terms
Professional sports bettors
Bankroll management in sports betting
Point Spread Betting FAQs
What does spread betting mean?
Spread betting is betting on a set of numbers that represents how much one side (the favorite) is expected to win the game by. You either bet the favorite or the dog to ‘cover the spread’.
What does + and – mean in spread betting?
A ‘+’ number is applied to an underdog, who is given a head start on their opponents. A ‘-‘ number is applied to the favorite to level them up with the underdog.
How do you know who the favorite team is in spread betting?
The favorite team will always have a ‘-‘ number attached to them. The heavier the favorite in moneyline odds, the bigger the ‘-‘ number will be.
What does -110 mean in sports betting?
-110 means that you will need to stake $110 to win $100.
The post Point Spread Betting – How to Master Betting on Point Spreads appeared first on ReadWrite.
LTO Network makes their Layer-1 blockchain available for the fight against counterfeit goods
Amsterdam, Netherlands, February 29th, 2024, Chainwire Scantrust and LTO Network Partnering for Secure, Transparent items. Scantrust’s innovative Secure QR codes, a well-known and proven tool against counterfeiting, can now be used in conjunction with LTO Network’s secure, transparent blockchain technology.
The post LTO Network makes their Layer-1 blockchain available for the fight against counterfeit goods first appeared on Tech Startups.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, February 29th, 2024, Chainwire Scantrust and LTO Network Partnering for Secure, Transparent items. Scantrust’s innovative Secure QR codes, a well-known and proven tool against counterfeiting, can now be used in conjunction with LTO Network’s secure, transparent blockchain technology. […]
The post LTO Network makes their Layer-1 blockchain available for the fight against counterfeit goods first appeared on Tech Startups.