Month: May 2024

F1 24 driver ratings: Who are the top rated drivers this year?

The driver ratings in F1 games are a highly debated topic since everyone not only has their favorite man behind… Continue reading F1 24 driver ratings: Who are the top rated drivers this year?
The post F1 24 driver ratings: Who are the top rated drivers this year? appeared first on ReadWrite.

The driver ratings in F1 games are a highly debated topic since everyone not only has their favorite man behind the wheel but also a team in general.

While there has been one standout driver over the past few seasons, F1 24’s driver ratings might surprise you compared to last year’s with new additions and some fluctuation in improvements/downgrades.

Below, you’ll be able to see all of the ratings for this year’s season, featuring a four-way tie with some of the best Formula 1 car operators around!

All F1 24 driver ratings

As promised, here are all of the drivers in F1 24 with their associated ratings in descending order:

Max Verstappen – 96
Fernando Alonso – 92
Carlos Sainz Jr. – 89
Charles Leclerc – 89
Lando Norris – 89
Lewis Hamilton – 89
George Russell – 87
Sergio Perez – 87
Alex Albon – 85
Pierre Gasly – 84
Oscar Piastri – 84
Esteban Ocon – 83
Daniel Ricciardo – 82
Nico Hulkenberg – 82
Valtteri Bottas – 81
Yuki Tsunoda – 81
Kevin Magnussen – 80
Lance Stroll – 80
Zhou Guanyu – 80
Logan Sargeant – 70

There’s no surprise to see Verstappen topping the list since, let’s face it, he is the best around and has been for some time now. What is interesting though is the big gap between Max and the rest of the pack.

Take the previous year’s game for example – this placed Verstappen at the top again with a rating of 94, but you had both Hamilton and Alonso on 92, a two-point difference. F1 24’s however sees Max extend his lead at the top, creating a four rating gap between him and Alonso, with Hamilton tying with Leclerc, Norris, and Sainz on 89.

Yes, this does reflect what has happened over the season, but anyone picking Verstappen in a 1v1 is in a seriously advantageous position compared to the others.

How are F1 24 driver ratings calculated?

Unlike EA FC for example which doesn’t really have a breakdown as to how ratings are calculated, F1 24 does, allowing you to see what goes into each driver rating decision.

F1 24 driver ratings are based on five key criteria – Experience, Racecraft, Awareness, Pace, and Rating, each being a contributing factor to the overall score.

For what each of these means, here is the explanation from EA Sports:

Experience (EXP): The number of race starts a driver has over the course of their career
Racecraft (RAC): The ability to work through the pack and finish in a higher position
Awareness (AWA): The cleaner the race, the higher the rating
Pace (PAC): A mix of qualifying and lap times and beating a teammate in both categories
Rating (RTG): The combination of the previous four ratings that can change throughout the season

So, to put it simply, it’s not all down to winning races over the season, there is far more that goes into deciding who goes where in the list.

The post F1 24 driver ratings: Who are the top rated drivers this year? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

The Rings of Power season 2 includes a fan favorite character in a live-action Lord of the Rings project for the very first time

The Rings of Power season two will introduce one of the most mysterious characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works to a wider audience.

Spoilers follow for The Rings of Power season one.

Amazon has confirmed that a beloved The Lord of the Rings character will make their live-action debut in The Rings of Power season two.

Revealed in some exclusive first-look images published in Vanity Fair, which were also shared on Prime Video‘s social media channels, it was announced that none other than Tom Bombadil will appear in The Rings of Power‘s sophomore season. The enigmatic fan favorite will be played by Roy Kinnear, who was among a number of big cast announcements that included Star Wars, James Bond and Harry Potter alumni for The Rings of Power‘s second season in March 2023.

Rory Kinnear is Tom Bombadil in the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Learn more on @VanityFair https://t.co/fV6qf1sN5GMay 29, 2024

See more

Curiously, the debut image of the mystical, benevolent being shows him talking to The Stranger, who was all but confirmed to be one of The Lord of The Rings‘ Istari, aka one of the five wizards sent to Middle-earth to aid the world’s many races in their fight against Sauron, in season one. 

The pair are seen conversing in a wooden hut – a far cry from the sand-filled landscape of Rhûn, which is where The Stranger and his Hobbit cohort Nori Brandyfoot were heading to in The Rings of Power‘s season one finale. However, co-showrunner Patrick McKay told Vanity Fair that the character dubbed ‘Old Tom’ actually meets the duo in Middle-earth’s Eastern lands, saying: “In our story, he [Bombadil] has gone out to the lands of Rhûn, which we learn used to be sort of Edenic and green and beautiful, but now is sort of a dead wasteland. Tom has gone out there to see what’s happened as he goes on his various wanderings.”

Kinnear’s unveiling as Tom Bombadil comes two weeks after The Rings of Power season two’s release and official trailer were revealed. Given the quick-paced nature of said teaser, I suspect you might have missed a few of its biggest surprises, too. Be sure to read my trailer breakdown article of The Rings of Power season two’s first teaser to learn more about what’s in store for viewers before the fantasy series is back on our screens.

Who is The Lord of the Rings’ Tom Bombadil?

WE’RE GETTING TOM BOMBADIL IN SEASON 2!!!!! i prayed for this #TheRingsofPower pic.twitter.com/7diam7GOQmMay 29, 2024

See more

A mysterious individual who’s said to have existed since life began on Middle-earth, Tom Bombadil has made fleeting appearances through Tolkien’s vast literary works. Indeed, to many casual fans, he’s someone who’s known for his musical rhymes, brightly colored clothing and reluctance to get involved in landmark Middle-earth events. Long time Tokienities, however, will know that he’s far more important to The Lord of the Rings‘ iconic world than most realize – but I’ll refrain from spoiling anything significant here, just in case it’s covered in the show’s second season.

Anyway, ‘Old Tom’ is perhaps most well-known for his fleeting appearances in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’, aka the first novel in The Lord of The Rings trilogy. Here, he rescues Merry and Pippin from a life-threatening encounter with an enchanted tree known as Old Man Willow. ‘Old Tom’ comes to their aid after Frodo enlists his help, and he later invites the trio – alongside Samwise Gangee – to rest up at his unassuming home in another area of the Old Forest. There, he reveals that the One Ring has no effect on him, which shows how powerful he is, before dropping some knowledge bombs on Frodo about said piece of jewellery. He also saves the hobbits from barrow-wights a few days later, before escorting them to the borders of his land so they can continue their quest.

Given the sizeable gaps in Bombadil’s backstory in the source material, The Rings of Power‘s showrunners have plenty of scope to explore his eons-long history in Amazon’s prequel series. And, judging by what McKay and Payne told Vanity Fair (there’s too much to cover here), they’ve had free reign to drop ‘Old Tom’ in wherever they feel like, especially as he’s alive during all Four Ages of Middle-earth.

One final but no less interesting thing to note about ‘Old Tom’ is that, in Tolkien’s literature, he has a shared history with Elrond and Gandalf. Could we see him cross paths with this pair in season two and beyond? I wouldn’t bet against it.

We’ll likely learn more about the characters that Kinnear’s fellow season 2 newcomers will play in the lead-up to one of the best Prime Video shows‘ return. For now, here’s the all-important information you need to know about when it’ll be back: The Rings of Power season two will debut exclusively on Prime Video with a two-episode premiere on Thursday, August 29.

You might also like

The Rings of Power season 2 isn’t out yet, but Amazon has all but confirmed a third season is on the wayThe Rings of Power forges closer ties to The Lord of the Rings books in season 2Here’s everything we know about The Boys season 4 before it debuts on Prime Video

Read More 

This Anker Nano portable charger for iPhone is on sale for only $12

My phone always dies on long days out and about, but I’m not a fan of carrying heavy power banks or having cords twist in my bag. The Anker Nano portable charger is the only option I’ve found that I’ll actually use, and I’m excited to report (though with a bit of jealousy) that it’s currently on sale for just $12. The charger is typically $26, but a 31 percent discount and a $6 coupon bring the white and black models to a record-low price. 

I personally vouch for Anker’s Nano portable charger thanks to features like its lightweight, small build, and, like I mentioned above, its built-in lightning plug. You can juice it up through its USB-C port, with the device typically holding one and a half charges for my iPhone 12 Pro (Anker also makes a model for Android, which is our favorite portable option for a partial charge). Plus, the device has four clear dots on its front to indicate how much charge is left.
There are a few downsides to Anker’s Nano portable charger, but none that are too much of a hindrance. You need to be careful if using inside a bag as the lightning charger can sometimes move out of the upright position it needs to work. It also isn’t great if you’re looking to boost multiple batteries at a time or use it for days on end, as it does seem to die before I can get two charges out of it. Overall, though, its convenience is amazing when I know I’ll be out all day or traveling.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-anker-nano-portable-charger-for-iphone-is-on-sale-for-only-12-132752711.html?src=rss

My phone always dies on long days out and about, but I’m not a fan of carrying heavy power banks or having cords twist in my bag. The Anker Nano portable charger is the only option I’ve found that I’ll actually use, and I’m excited to report (though with a bit of jealousy) that it’s currently on sale for just $12. The charger is typically $26, but a 31 percent discount and a $6 coupon bring the white and black models to a record-low price. 

I personally vouch for Anker’s Nano portable charger thanks to features like its lightweight, small build, and, like I mentioned above, its built-in lightning plug. You can juice it up through its USB-C port, with the device typically holding one and a half charges for my iPhone 12 Pro (Anker also makes a model for Android, which is our favorite portable option for a partial charge). Plus, the device has four clear dots on its front to indicate how much charge is left.

There are a few downsides to Anker’s Nano portable charger, but none that are too much of a hindrance. You need to be careful if using inside a bag as the lightning charger can sometimes move out of the upright position it needs to work. It also isn’t great if you’re looking to boost multiple batteries at a time or use it for days on end, as it does seem to die before I can get two charges out of it. Overall, though, its convenience is amazing when I know I’ll be out all day or traveling.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-anker-nano-portable-charger-for-iphone-is-on-sale-for-only-12-132752711.html?src=rss

Read More 

YouTube videos no longer playing for adblocker users as platform crackdowns

YouTube and adblockers have had a back-and-forth battle for years now, but this may now be coming to an end… Continue reading YouTube videos no longer playing for adblocker users as platform crackdowns
The post YouTube videos no longer playing for adblocker users as platform crackdowns appeared first on ReadWrite.

YouTube and adblockers have had a back-and-forth battle for years now, but this may now be coming to an end as the video platform crackdown on these browser extensions.

It’s widely reported that people using any form of ad blocker are seeing YouTube videos being skipped right to the end. The video doesn’t even play, but instead jumps to the closing titles immediately.

A Reddit user took to the YouTube board to share the ‘adblock weird behavior,’ and many replied with similar experiences.

New Youtube adblock weird behaviour – video automatically skips to the end
byu/SDHD4K inyoutube

One user said: “Yeah, confirmed, mine is muting the audio (opera adblock). Disabled adblock then it works fine…”

Another said they have “no sound whenever I use ad blocker on YT. You can adjust the volume slider for a second then it goes mute again.”

Ad-blocks are extensions that have become very popular over the last few years as they remove any intrusive advertisements across multiple platforms.

The American online video sharing platform uses adverts to generate income for the company and its content creators.

Team YouTube gave a warning to ad block users last month

While YouTube hasn’t come out with any information around this new skipping phenomenon for those attempting to watch with ad block, they did say they were tightening enforcement in April.

An ‘Enforcement on Third Party Apps’ article was posted on the website’s community page which directly mentioned ‘strengthening’ enforcement on third-party apps that violate the platform’s Terms of Service.

The post read: “Viewers who are using these third-party apps may experience buffering issues or see the error ‘The following content is not available on this app’ when trying to watch a video.

“We want to emphasize that our terms don’t allow third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership, and Ads on YouTube help support creators and let billions of people around the world use the streaming service.”

Instead of using other software, the Google-owned company said that the only way to have an entirely ad-free experience is by purchasing a YouTube Premium membership.

This allows users to watch without any intrusions and videos can be downloaded to be watched offline too, but there’s a cost of $13.99 a month for the privilege.

Photo by Leon Bublitz on Unsplash

The post YouTube videos no longer playing for adblocker users as platform crackdowns appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

PlayStation Days of Play Sale: PS5 Console Deals, Discounted Games, PS Plus and More – CNET

Shop the best PlayStation deals from Sony throughout its two-week Days of Play event.

Shop the best PlayStation deals from Sony throughout its two-week Days of Play event.

Read More 

Nvidia RTX 4080 Super gets tempting discounts – but are bigger price cuts coming, prompted by the RTX 5080 GPU?

While the RTX 4080 Super looks enticing as it drops below its recommended pricing, there’s lots to weigh up here.

Nvidia’s RTX 4080 Super graphics card has dipped somewhat below the $1,000 mark as some price reductions have kicked in at major retailers in the US (with similar reductions happening in the UK, too).

As you may recall, the RTX 4080 Super – which is one of the picks on our best GPU list (for 4K gaming) – has only been on shelves for four months, so it’s good to see that the GPU has sunk below the MSRP which is officially $999.99 in the US.

That’s for the Founders Edition, of course, and third-party models can get a fair bit pricier – but not at the moment on Newegg.

VideoCardz noticed that PNY’s Verto model of the GeForce RTX 4080 Super has been reduced to $970 at Newegg, although note that you have to apply a $20 discount code at checkout to get that price (and this is a limited offer, so first-come, first-served).

We also noticed that Zotac’s Gaming RTX 4080 Super Trinity OC has a hefty $80 off with a discount code, and that takes this version of the card down to $990. This is a performant model with a well-rated cooling solution, so you may want to consider it as a good alternative to the PNY graphics card, even if it is a little pricier.

As we mentioned at the outset, in the UK, there are some price cuts in evidence too – Overclockers has Palit and Gainward RTX 4080 Super models for £950, around 5% off – and therefore it’s possible you might witness some movement for discounts in other regions as well.

Analysis: Smart money is on the waiting game?

As VideoCardz notes, we have seen reductions on the RTX 4080 Super before now, but not from major retailers like Newegg in the US (rather, from the likes of Dell). So, these kinds of discounts are without doubt a welcome sight, particularly seeing as this refreshed graphics card has not been on the scene all that long.

Should you be tempted by this kind of pricing, though? The obvious thought is maybe not, as there’s a reason Nvidia and its card-making partners might be looking at ensuring the RTX 4080 Super seems more attractive – mainly because the next-gen GPUs from Team Green are on the horizon.

Indeed, in theory, we could see the RTX 5080 emerge first out of the next-gen Blackwell graphics cards, and there have even been whispers of a late Q3 launch – meaning the 5080 could debut in September perhaps (though Q4 is far more likely, we should stress).

And if the RTX 5080 is not that far off, it doesn’t make much sense to splash out on an RTX 4080 variant right now. Not when price reductions are going to slash the price of the 4080 Super down further as news of the RTX 5080 being inbound begins to take hold more firmly (assuming that’s the case).

Perhaps the smart money is on playing a waiting game, then, but to argue the other side of the coin – we don’t know for sure the RTX 5080 is arriving this year (maybe it’ll be the RTX 5090 only, as originally rumored – who knows). Even if the RTX 5080 GPU does emerge, who’s to say it might not be thin on stock, and exorbitantly expensive (especially if scalpers come into play).

On balance, we still feel the waiting game is the best idea, for now – but that said, we wouldn’t blame you for picking up an RTX 4080 Super at this price. If Blackwell rumors prove off the mark, and you need a good gaming graphics card to cope with 4K for the rest of 2024 (and indeed beyond), it could be worth taking the plunge – as the 4080 Super is a great performer, even at its MSRP.

The other choice, of course, is to go to the Red side of the GPU world and pick up a higher-end AMD graphics card – which are currently getting some seriously good discounts, too. However, the same is true for Team Red in terms of the next-gen offerings, with RDNA 4 in this case being on the horizon.

You might also like

The best cheap graphics cards: top GPUs on a budgetTop gaming PCs: great rigs for serious PC gamingBest PC games of 2024: must-play titles you don’t want to miss

Read More 

Solana Meme Coin Prices Pump: Dogwifhat (WIF) Up 30% While Sealana Raises Over $3 Million

Solana meme coins have been performing quite well in the last seven days, with the price of dogwifhat (WIF) pumping… Continue reading Solana Meme Coin Prices Pump: Dogwifhat (WIF) Up 30% While Sealana Raises Over $3 Million
The post Solana Meme Coin Prices Pump: Dogwifhat (WIF) Up 30% While Sealana Raises Over $3 Million appeared first on ReadWrite.

Solana meme coins have been performing quite well in the last seven days, with the price of dogwifhat (WIF) pumping over 30% and BONK seeing a 25% increase. Simultaneously, a new Solana meme coin presale called Sealana has raised over $3 million, additionally showcasing the growing interest in this niche market.

dogwifhat (WIF) Price Prediction

The popular YouTube channel 99bitcoins, with over 700,000 subscribers, posted a video today analyzing the price of WIF and providing a forecast. At the time of writing, the WIF price is trading around $3.7.

According to the video, dogwifhat (WIF) has emerged as one of the top Solana meme coins by the number of trades in the past week, with over 413,000 trades recorded. Its market cap nearly reached $3.3 billion, briefly entering the top 30 meme coins.

The technical analysis presented in the video revealed several positive indicators. Over the past week, WIF’s price has increased by 30%, and over the past day, it has risen by 10%. Despite showing sideways movement for the month, the token formed a symmetrical triangle pattern over three months, indicating the potential for a breakout.

The video projected that WIF could reach around $10, implying a potential 3X return from its current price level. This optimistic forecast is supported by the rapidly growing community, which has already has over 88,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) . Additionally, the market sentiment surrounding WIF remains strongly bullish, driven by solid technical indicators and community support.

In comparison, the video also mentioned Dogeverse, a pre-sale token with staking and multi-chain capabilities. Dogeverse has performed remarkably well, raising $15 million in just five weeks, thanks to its multi-chain support (including Solana), significant community incentives, and strong marketing plan.

Furthermore, the broader crypto market and political support have contributed to the positive sentiment surrounding meme coins like WIF. Public figures like Donald Trump have expressed their support for the future of cryptocurrencies, while technical indicators suggest strong buying pressure, with oscillators neutral and moving averages signaling a strong buy.

Soruce: CoinMarketCap/dogwifhat

They conclude that dogwifhat (WIF) is anticipated to continue its upward trend due to its strong fundamentals and technical indicators.

Regarding other popular Solana meme coins, BONK is currently trading at $0.000039 after pumping 26% in the last seven days. Overall, Solana meme coins are experiencing a surge in popularity and price appreciation in recent days.

Best Solana Meme Coin to Buy Now?

Sealana is a seal-themed meme coin launched on the Solana blockchain. Its mascot is an overweight seal named Sealana, depicted as an obsessive crypto trader living in his mom’s basement. The Sealana character is modeled after the iconic “Gamer Guy” from South Park, known for his unhealthy lifestyle glued to computer screens. Sealana aims to capitalize on the recent popularity of Solana meme coins like dogwifhat, Bonk, and Slerf by offering humorous concept.

Sealana ($SEAL) is a fungible token launched on the Solana blockchain with no inherent utility or use case beyond being a meme coin. The project launched an initial coin offering (ICO) presale, where investors could purchase $SEAL tokens at a discounted price of $0.022 per $SEAL.

As of today, the presale has raised over $3 million from investors, and the team is now preparing for the official launch on exchanges. All in all, for investors who think they are too late on large-cap coins such as WIF or BONK, Sealana might potentially be one of the best Solana meme coins to invest in right now.

Conclusion

Solana meme coins have again be on of the hot stories in crypto, with dogwifhat (WIF) leading the charge with a 30% price pump. As the analysis from 99bitcoins suggests, WIF’s strong technical indicators and growing community support could potentially drive its price to $10, representing a 3X return from its current level. Meanwhile, the newly launched Sealana meme coin has already raised over $3 million in its presale, highlighting the increasing popularity of Solana-based meme coins.

The current market conditions and positive sentiment surrounding Solana meme coins present potential opportunities for investors willing to take calculated risks.

Related

15 Best Meme Coins to Buy in 2024 – $SEAL takes second spot

The post Solana Meme Coin Prices Pump: Dogwifhat (WIF) Up 30% While Sealana Raises Over $3 Million appeared first on ReadWrite.

Read More 

TikTok Ban Threatens Creator Economy: ‘There Is No Way I’d Have a Functioning Business’ – CNET

The social media app gave them financial success. Could it all go away?

The social media app gave them financial success. Could it all go away?

Read More 

Prime Video movie of the day: Al Pacino takes on a city of corrupt cops in the dark, gritty and thrilling Serpico

Serpico isn’t exactly a feel-good movie but it’s utterly compelling.

Serpico is a classic movie, a cop drama with Al Pacino as the titular detective battling corruption in the police department of 1970s New York. Based on a real person and directed by Sidney Lumet, it’s a grim and gripping thriller. The biographical crime drama is what Slant magazine describes as “an exemplar of a certain brand of character-based social realism that Hollywood excelled at in the 1970s, as well as an essential time capsule of New York City during the same period”.

Watch Serpico on Prime Video

Serpico is a true crime classic

Like similarly gritty movies of its era, there aren’t many LOLs in Serpico. It’s gritty and uncompromising in its depiction of a rotten police force and a city that at the time felt like it was in deep decline. This is the New York of Mean Streets, and the cops are the meanest of all.

Serpico feels like a deeply cynical and suspicious picture, but this is tempered by its faith in the unflagging decency of its central crusader,” says Film Frenzy, and while Newsweek felt that the movie itself was mediocre it was elevated by a superb performance by Pacino. “Al Pacino is destined to become the next big American film star,” it accurately predicted. Empire was one of very many to praise the actor, noting that “Al Pacino delivers a powerful performance in this compelling biopic of a cop and a city’s police force”.

“Sidney Lumet’s direction adeptly combines gritty action and thought-provoking comment,” said Variety, while the Chicago Reader said that “A virtuoso performance by Al Pacino and some expert location work by Sidney Lumet add up to a tour de force genre piece that transcends the supercop conventions to create a moving, engrossing portrait of Frank Serpico.” And sadly the New York Times’ review feels just as relevant decades later. It described it as “a remarkable record of one man’s rebellion against the sort of sleaziness and second-rateness that has affected so much American life, from the ingredients of its hamburgers to the ethics of its civil servants and politicians.”

You might also like

Prime Video movie of the day: TitanicPrime Video movie of the day: 12 Angry MenPrime Video movie of the day: The Wiz

Read More 

French Open 2024: How to Watch, Stream Świątek vs. Osaka From Anywhere – CNET

The women’s world No. 1 continues her pursuit of a third consecutive Roland Garros title.

The women’s world No. 1 continues her pursuit of a third consecutive Roland Garros title.

Read More 

Scroll to top
Generated by Feedzy