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Pixel 8 series will reportedly receive seven years of updates

Major Android updates and security patches

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Every smartphone comes with an expiration date. While users can technically keep a device running well past this date, these devices will no longer enjoy the same support they once did upon launch. Five years is the current standard for software updates. However, Google is pushing the period by two years, reportedly offering seven years of support for the Pixel 8 series.

A little over a week before the launch of Pixel 8 series, Google has already let a lot of details slip about the flagships. There’s not a lot that we don’t already know about the device. However, the expanded support period is still relatively new information especially for those thinking about upgrading their phones for the Pixel 8.

According to Kamila Wojciechowska on X, the  series will receive seven years of support. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the series is getting all the major Android updates for seven years. It might just include smaller updates and security patches.

Regardless, seven years is still a big jump from the industry standard. Samsung, for example, only offers five years of support for the Galaxy S23 series. Whenever you buy a new smartphone, you expect to keep it for several years. Expanding the cushion of support by two years ensures that users can keep using their new smartphone with nary a hitch over the years.

The Pixel 8 series is launching officially on October 4.

SEE ALSO: Google reveals the Pixel 8 series in official teaser

News

This Nokia phone can also be a powerbank

The Nokia 300 Charge has a 3700mAh battery that can charge other devices.

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Did you know that the original Nokia 3310 had only up to 1000mAh of battery life per charge? And yet, a single charge is enough to last ages. That’s because a “dumb” phone doesn’t really need a lot of juice to work. But what if you stick a larger battery onto a dumb phone. Well, you can get a phone that can double as a powerbank, and that’s just what the new Nokia 300 Charge is.

Despite the abundance of smarter options today, dumb phones, especially those from Nokia, can still find a home in the hands of those who don’t want to feel connected 24/7. Now, there’s another use for a dumb phone: a savior for your main phone.

The Nokia 300 Charge has a sizable 3700mAh battery. Powering the phone, the battery can supposedly last up to 40 hours on standby. However, it can also double as a powerbank for your other devices, which is a basic 10W reverse wired charging with an included 4-in-1 cable.

Technically, a 3700mAh powerbank is sorely inadequate for today’s devices that often go beyond 5000mAh already. Still, if you’re in a tight situation, the Nokia 300 Charge might be a lifesaver.

In addition to saving your devices from an empty battery, the phone can also save you from darkness with a built-in LED flashlight.

Inside, you’ll get a basic Unisoc SC6531E chipset with 4GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. For that added flavor of nostalgia, the Nokia 300 Charge comes with a retro QVGA camera.

HMD has not announced when the phone will come out or its price, but you can expect it to be cheaper than most phones today.

SEE ALSO: Not even Nokia phones are safe from AI features

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Gaming

Stage Tour is resurrecting your Rock Band childhood

You can rock the guitar, the drums, or vocals to your favorite songs.

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A new Witcher 3 DLC, a new Final Fantasy VII, Mega Man, Rayman, and Crazy Taxi. What year is it again? With games as nostalgic as these coming out, there’s one game that can complete the circle: Rock Band. Now, resurrecting an era of rhythm games, Stage Tour will have you playing the guitar, the drums, or vocals in a star-studded game with a lot of iconic tracks.

For those who played through the classic Guitar Hero or Rock Band, Stage Tour needs no introduction. However, if you’re new to the scene, the game simply puts you into the shoes of a rock band. You can wield a guitar, a set of drums, or a microphone. And yes, the game comes with a customized controller for each instrument.

As for the soundtrack, you can rock and jam to a lot of the catchiest songs from yesteryear to today including titles from BABYMETAL, Paramore, Slipknot, The Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran, Black Eyed Peas, Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Metallica, Walk the Moon, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Stage Tour launches on December 10 for all major platforms like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Switch 2. You can also grab their official accessories through their site, but they do cost a pretty penny.

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Gaming

HoYoverse’s Nodusfall looks like nothing they’ve ever made before

But it looks so similar to Elden Ring or Dark Souls.

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There’s a certain aesthetic you’ll always expect whenever you see HoYoverse mentioned. Touting long-standing hits like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, the publisher’s games often have bright and appealing aesthetics, bolstered by highly attractive characters to get you into the gacha groove. However, for the first time, HoYoverse is trying something completely different: Nodusfall, an action RPG that looks and feels like Elden Ring.

Revealed at today’s gamescom, Nodusfall teases a deeply fantastical setting focusing on Weavers taking on ferocious monsters and divine entities. Players will be able to take on these challenges with, based on the trailer, four players. Each player can wield an assortment of weapons including a greatsword, a regular sword, a bow, and magic. The trailer also teases spells that can transform the player into a divine being themselves.

As for the enemies, they have a strangely striking resemblance to other games you might have played before. One is a grizzled warrior who beheads a giant lion, something that’s shockingly identical to Hoarah Loux in Elden Ring. Another rides a dragon, similar to the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3.

Comparisons aside, Nodusfall is an impressive transformation for HoYoverse. Since forever, the publisher thrived on anime aesthetics, highlighted these days by the godly trilogy of Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero.

HoYoverse hasn’t revealed the release date of Nodusfall just yet, but we’re excited to see it in action.

SEE ALSO: HoYoverse’s first life sim, Petit Planet, opens Stardrift Test sign-ups

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