News
LG G7 ThinQ will have a dedicated button for Google Assistant
No ThinQ for you
Raise your hands if you enjoyed Samsung’s Bixby button. Now, put those non-existent hands back down. However, if you were one of the scant few who did use it, you might enjoy the upcoming LG G7 ThinQ.
As you might have noticed from leaked renders, LG’s new flagship sports an extra button that curiously looks like a dedicated ThinQ button. Now, we have reports that our hunches have a little bit of truth to them.
According to CNET, the G7’s inconspicuous little button links directly to Google Assistant, rather than LG’s ThinQ AI. The button will occupy the phone’s left edge, opposite the power button on the right.
Even without the button, users can pull up Google Assistant by long-pressing the home button or through voice commands. A dedicated button will eliminate the need for a long press or for shouting “Okay, Google” in public.
Like LG’s other phones, the G7 will have voice commands exclusive to LG. Previously, these mainly include the various functions available to their camera technology. With the G7, we can hope for a more generalized slew of commands tailored for other phone functions.
With the G7 ThinQ, LG will be the first smartphone maker to ship with a dedicated button for Google. Before, dedicated AI buttons linked only to their brand’s exclusive assistant. Most popularly, Samsung’s Bixby button opened the phone’s assistant of the same name.
Sadly, like Bixby, LG won’t allow G7 users to rebind the button for other apps. This exclusivity is the same pain point that the Bixby button suffered from.
Of course, the LG G7 ThinQ will still launch officially on May 2 in New York. Anything can happen before then. If the reports are true, its Google Assistant button will enjoy more staying power if LG allows us to rebind it for other purposes.
Accessories
Apple is reportedly working on its own gaming controllers
It might launch under the Beats brand.
Last week, the iPhone Duo changed how you look at the ubiquitous smartphone. Foldables are in, and Apple is right there with it. But the company isn’t stopping with the foldable segment. Apple is reportedly working on its own branded game controllers.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has been working on a controller since last year. Further, a piece of code linked to macOS 27.4, spotted by MacRumors, includes references to two unknown gaming controllers.
Because Apple just concluded its huge event this month, it will likely be a while before we see confirmation of this controller. And it could be anything. Of course, because the Duo is fresh on our minds, the easiest answer is a mobile controller than can maximize the foldable’s ability to stand by itself. It could also use Apple’s larger screens like the iPad, the MacBook, or the Mac. Some even speculate that this could be Apple’s stronger push into the gaming market.
Outside of the actual hardware, the reports are also claiming that the controller will arrive by way of Beats, rather than from Apple itself. At first, the branding comes off as a surprise, but then again, Beats hasn’t really evolved past an audio brand in a long, long time. Is it time to revitalize Beats as something more than just a peddler of headphones?
SEE ALSO: First Look: Apple iPhone Duo
Gaming
Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support
PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.
Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.
For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.
If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.
Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.
Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.
Entertainment
PH to celebrate 1st ever National Cinema Day; movies start at less than $2
Watch a movie on September 12 for a fraction of the cost
The Philippines will be celebrating its first ever National Cinema Day on September 12. On this day, movie tickets will go for as low as PhP 100 (US$ 1.60) at regular 2D cinemas.
The campaign aims to make moviegoing more accessible to audiences. This includes families, friends, students, and cinephiles in general.
Such initiative has been a staple in other countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The same concept applies, with movie tickets going on sale for a lot less.
What’s great about the celebration is that all movies scheduled for exhibition on September 12, whether local or international, shall get the special admission price.
Advanced tickets sales have already begun. Customers can purchase through participating box offices, official websites, mobile apps, and authorized platforms.
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and remain subject to theater capacity. Prices vary for other viewing formats like Director’s Club or IMAX, for instance.
The campaign is organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), along with industry and government partners.
The initiative is supported by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metro Manila Film Festival through the MMDA.
Participating cinemas include Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, CityMall Cinema, Megaworld Cinemas, and more.
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