News

Apple Watch’s Double Tap feature is now live

Available through a watchOS 10 update

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Double Tap | Apple Watch Series 9

Arguably, one of the most important features coming to Apple is the Double Tap gesture. Last month, the Apple Watch 9 came with a flurry of features including the new gesture. This week, Apple finally released a live version of the feature for Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users.

The Double Tap gesture allows users to operate their smartwatch with only one hand and without using their voice. The gesture, described as pinching something in the air, corresponds to a customizable function for the wearable. Users can answer a call, start a voice-dictated message, start a workout, take a photo, play media, or use a stopwatch.

More than just the convenience of using a watch one-handed, the new gesture also allows mobility-limited individuals to freely use an otherwise-impossible wearable. It’s also a good step for the future of smartwatches and other wearables.

Today, watchOS 10 is now shipping an update which enables the feature for users. However, the initial wave only offers customization for audio playback and Smart Stack. Apple will ship out more options in the future.

If the Double Tap isn’t your thing, the watch also allows users to disable the feature through the Gestures options on the Apple Watch app. In the same panel, users can customize the functionality here, too.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 9 + Watch Ultra 2 Unboxing

Gaming

Resident Evil Requiem will get a story expansion

There’s no word yet on when the story expansion will drop.

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Resident Evil Requiem, Pokémon Pokopia, and Slay the Spire 2. Between these three, gamers today are eating well and good. Or rather, they’re not, because of how addicting of a time sink these titles are. The latter two especially are built to be played over and over for weeks and months. Now, Resident Evil Requiem is working on something, so you also won’t forget about it in a few months’ time.

Via an official post on Resident Evil’s social media platforms, Capcom has confirmed that a story expansion is coming to the horror game. Currently, the base game doesn’t take long to beat, especially when compared to other RPGs today. The expansion should add more content to explore the story’s world.

Right now, Capcom can’t share a timeline for the update’s launch. However, in the meantime, the developers are cooking up a few minor updates to keep the game alive. For one, the game will receive performance updates to improve the smoothness of gameplay and fix bugs. It will also get a photo mode for all you Leon-holics out there.

Finally, in May, the base game will get a “minigame” added to the main game. There’s no word as to what this minigame is, so we’ll have to wait for when it drops.

Resident Evil Requiem is out now on all major platforms. The game features the survival horror style of the modern Resident Evil games, while serving up the classic action gameplay with the return of Leon S. Kennedy as a co-protagonist with Grace Ashcroft.

SEE ALSO: Resident Evil Requiem is out now

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Entertainment

Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action adaptation

The adaptation is coming from One Piece’s Tomorrow Studios.

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The live-action One Piece, which recently premiered its second season on Netflix, is one of the rare wins for the anime adaptation segment, especially after a string of misfires. Now, after the success of that series, things are getting bolder. Tomorrow Studios, which produced Netflix’s One Piece, will adapt Samurai Champloo into a live-action format.

Still from the brilliant mind of Shinichirō Watanabe, Samurai Champloo is often touted as the samurai version of Watanabe’s more popular Cowboy Bebop but with a more cohesive story and a hipper soundtrack. Since its first airing over two decades ago, the series has enjoyed a cult following, especially for those who enjoyed Cowboy Bebop.

First reported by Variety, Tomorrow Studios will adapt the show into a live-action series. Critically, Watanabe will be involved in the show’s production.

Because the show is still in early development, there’s no news beyond that. In fact, though it’s likely that Netflix will pick the series up, Tomorrow Studios hasn’t shopped the series to platforms yet.

Samurai Champloo is going to be a huge gamble for the studio. Previously, Tomorrow Studios crashed and burned with its Cowboy Bebop adaptation, which ended up getting canned soon after its premiere. Watanabe even criticized the series for changing the plot too much.

This time, however, Watanabe has given his blessing and will likely steer the adaptation to success. The studio has also promised an adaptation more faithful to the original’s story and soundtrack. Both of which were crucial to the original show’s success.

SEE ALSO: One Piece: Into the Grand Line unveils final trailer ahead of premiere

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Automotive

BYD is reportedly considering an F1 team

There is no decision yet.

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BYD is lighting up the electric vehicle segment. For a while now, the Chinese automotive brand has been offering affordable alternatives to the so-called giants of the market, in turn becoming a giant itself. The company has since entered other segments, including the luxury market, through its sub-brands Denza and Yangwang. Now, it’s reportedly considering an all-new venture: the world of Formula One.

The new Formula One season saw the debuts of Audi and Cadillac to the racing grid, proving that the sport isn’t averse to expanding beyond the usual ten teams. Naturally, entering the sport is not an easy process, but for the right brand, it could be a very lucrative opportunity.

According to a source from Bloomberg, BYD is currently evaluating an entry into Formula 1. Right now, the Chinese company has not made a decision, but it is an idea floating around.

Besides the rigorous entry process, owning an independent racing team can cost BYD hundreds of millions of dollars per year. It’s not a cheap sport.

That said, there are other ways for the brand to enter the grid. One of the more cost-effective options is to become a title sponsor of an existing team by providing funding and technical expertise without the stress of managing a team directly.

Alternatively, the brand can also skip the red tape by buying an existing team. Audi, for example, entered the current grid by buying the team from Sauber. Of the current grid, Alpine is reportedly considering putting the team up for sale, making it a potential target for newcomers.

Outside of F1, BYD might also have an easier time entering other competitions including the FIA World Endurance Championship.

SEE ALSO: This BYD car is now the world’s fastest car in the market

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