Vizio 2021 soundbars go big on Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC support

Last year, Vizio seriously impressed us with its Elevate, Atmos-enabled soundbar, so when the company announced its full 2021 lineup, we were excited to see what it had to offer. While the Vizio brand may conjure images of affordable TVs, the company has a strong foothold in the audio industry as well and has been particularly successful with soundbars. So, how will Vizio follow up on the innovative,Elevate soundbarthat scored a 9 out of 10 on our review and challengesthe Sonos Arcfor the title of best soundbar on the market?...

June 28, 2025 · 5 min · 982 words · Paula Hunter

Watching liquid crystals undulate under a microscope will melt your brain

Sure,LCD displaysare yesterday’s news compared to the swanky OLED displays we see on flagship handsets like theiPhone XandSamsung Galaxy S9. However, the liquid crystals which allow them to function are pretty darn awesome — as a trippy new video makes abundantly clear. Serving as a promo video for musician Max Cooper’sMusic of the Tides, it uses footage shot by scientist and engineerBen Outramto give a glimpse of liquid crystals as they appear under the microscope....

June 28, 2025 · 2 min · 386 words · Benjamin Hernandez

Whales make LoL Worlds history with Team BDS upset

Whales make LoL Worlds history with Team BDS upset Team Whales pulled off the first upset of Worlds 2023, stunning the LEC’s fourth seed, Team BDS, and making history for their region, the VCS. The Vietnamese side came back from a 24-minute loss in a lopsided game one to beat Team BDS 2-1 atWorlds 2023and inflict a first defeat on a major region team, one that two days earlier had swept the LCS’ Golden Guardians 3-0....

June 28, 2025 · 2 min · 302 words · Shane Hess

What is USB OTG? Here’s how to use USB drives and more on your smartphone

USB Type-C has widely become the de facto primary means of wired connection for most of our electronic devices. It forms the basis for the latest generation of USB standards, USB 4, and has been present across multiple different devices ranging from phones and tablets to handheld gaming consoles, digital cameras, power banks, rechargeable lights, massage guns, etc. — it’s practically an endless list. Inarguably, Android phones have been the biggest driver of USB-C and have featured it for almost a decade, but it has also been more recently adopted by Apple on theiPhone 15, the newiPhone 16series, and other devices, including theAirPodslineup....

June 28, 2025 · 11 min · 2223 words · Jason Davis

Where to find an Ice Stone in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Where to find an Ice Stone in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have a ton of different evolution stones to find, including the rare Ice Stone. Here’s how trainers can find this evolution stone and which Pokemon can use it. Evolution Stoneshave been a staple of the Pokemon franchise right from the very beginning with Red & Blue on the Game Boy, although the Ice Stone only made its debut in Generation 7 games Sun & Moon....

June 28, 2025 · 3 min · 494 words · Jeffrey Grimes

World Video Game Hall of Fame class of 2019 includes Solitaire, Mortal Kombat

The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame class of 2019immortalizesfour inductees that hold a special place in the history of the video game industry. The first inductee isColossal Cave Adventure, a text-based game that launched in 1976. It had no graphics and relied on players to type written commands, but it offered “a fully-realized realm to explore,” with treasures and puzzles, laying down the foundation for fantasy and adventure games....

June 28, 2025 · 2 min · 383 words · Steven Preston

You can try out The Division 2’s open beta on March 1, now with more content

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2is scheduled to launch in mid-March, but you can try the game out beforehand by taking part in the open beta. Unlike the closed beta test from earlier in February, the open beta doesn’t require a pre-order, and it even includes more content to play. TheDivision 2open betakicks off on March 1, and will run through March 4. It features much of the same content as the closed beta for those who already tried it, including five side missions, the eastern part of the game world, player-versus-player content, and an endgame mission....

June 28, 2025 · 2 min · 349 words · Jeffrey Ritter

You need to play these 7 creative Steam Next Fest demos this week

If you love demoing games, you’re in for a fun week. Valve is holding anotherSteam Next Festright now featuring playable demos of several upcoming games. Pursuing Steam during these events is always a lot of fun, as it highlights the thriving state of the indie game space and reveals hidden gems I might not have played otherwise. Like I’ve done with the other Steam Next Fest events this year, I demoed several games and put together some highlights you shouldn’t miss....

June 28, 2025 · 7 min · 1336 words · Micheal Robbins

‘We were all ready to die’: STALKER 2 documentary reveals the war behind the game

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobylhas been a long time coming. Not only have fans been waiting for a follow-up toS.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobylsince 2007 but an unexpected event further delayed developer GSC Game World’s plans: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. TheKyiv, Ukraine-based developers have been transparenton social media about all the violence and world-upending situations that have caused the game to be delayed out of its original 2022 release window. Their story has since been compiled intoWar Game: The Making of S....

June 28, 2025 · 3 min · 613 words · April Booker

2020 BAFTA Game Awards pushes through online, names Outer Wilds as Best Game

The 2020 BAFTA Game Awards pushed through amid the ongoing health crisis, crowningOuter Wildsby independent studio Mobius Digital as the Best Game. For the first time in its history, this year’sBAFTA Games Awardswas a pre-recorded, live-streamed, online-only affair, broadcast through the British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ social media accounts on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube. Dara Ó Briain, the host of the event,secureda winner’s speech from each nominee in all categories in case they won — and the night’s biggest winner wasOuter Wilds, which won the Best Game, Game Design, and Original Property awards....

June 27, 2025 · 2 min · 326 words · Mary Smith

4th of July Mattress Sales: Get a Casper for $195 and more

The summer is in full swing, which means the 4th of July will be here before you know it. And it’s hard to imagine a better way to celebrate Independence Day than by taking advantage of all of the incredible4th of July salesthat are happening today. Most noteworthy are the 4th of July mattress sales, which are perfect for anyone who missed the plethora of deals on mattresses on Memorial Day....

June 27, 2025 · 19 min · 4005 words · Marie Romero

A Plague Tale: Requiem — Perfect Throw trophy and achievement guide

A Plague Tale: Requiemis a rather somber tale filled with plenty of sadness and loss throughout, so the segments where our main characters, siblings Amicia and Hugo, get to laugh and smile are always welcomed. Some of the game’s trophies and achievements are tied to these brief moments of respite, such as Perfect Throw, which tasks you with successfully completing all throws in the crown game. If you haven’t come across this one naturally, no worries – we’ll tell you where to find the crown game and how to complete it below....

June 27, 2025 · 2 min · 346 words · Nancy Sullivan

Agatha All Along Episode 1 recap: Seekest Thou the Road

Agatha All Along Episode 1 recap: Seekest Thou the Road Following the Scarlet Witch’s spell at the end of WandaVision, Agatha is back as Agnes – but when will the penny drop? This is one of many questions answered in the MCU’s Agatha All Along Episode 1. As anyMarvelfan will say,WandaVisionremains one of thebest superhero showsever made. In the grand finale, Wanda Maximoff becomes theScarlet Witch, trapping Agatha as her sitcom counterpart Agnes....

June 27, 2025 · 11 min · 2205 words · Maria Long