Tech
Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 11 things we learned about the Switch game – The Verge
![](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Switch_ACNH_0220_Direct_Layout_SCRN_11_copy.jpg)
The vibe around Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a lot less secretive now. This morning, Nintendo showed off a lengthy presentation that provided plenty of details about the latest title in its adorable life sim series, which is making its debut on the Switch on March 20th. That includes everything from the structure of the game to the multiplayer aspect and your new virtual smartphone. There was a lot packed into the 25-minute-long presentation. But if you weren’t able to catch the whole thing, here are the highlights.
The island is fairly empty in the beginning
The Animal Crossing series isn’t exactly known for its bustling metropolises, but the island in New Horizons will be quiet even by Animal Crossing standards — at least initially. When you first boot up the game, you and two other residents will set up camp on a previously deserted island. Aside from nature and your tents, the only other facilities initially will be the airport where you can access multiplayer features, and Tom Nook’s facility where you buy and sell items, as well as craft new ones.
New facilities are available to be built on your island in #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons, from a museum showcasing the island’s rich ecosystem, Nook’s Cranny, the Able Sisters’ tailor shop, a campsite, and so much more. #ACNH pic.twitter.com/Pc3pGQ6eSg
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 20, 2020
But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way for long. Nintendo says that new residents will eventually join and, more importantly, you’ll slowly unlock major facilities as well. That includes series mainstays like the museum, general store, tailer, and more. Similarly, you’ll also get access to a proper house after paying off your loan. It’s not clear how or when these will eventually unlock, but it sounds like New Horizons will be a very slow burn.
You’ll have a smartphone full of apps
Like many modern games, the main menu in New Horizons takes the form of a smartphone, or NookPhone as it’s called in the game. The phone is naturally full of apps, each one corresponding to a specific aspect of the game. There’s an app for the in-game map, for instance, and another that collects all of your crafting recipes. (It’s not clear how you get such good reception on an island in the middle of nowhere.) Most notably is an app called Nook Miles, which ties into the next major feature…
There’s a new progression system
Without trying to sound too crass, Animal Crossing has always been about money to some degree. You move into a town, and you’re then immediately saddled with debt that you have to work to pay off. (Of course, there’s no interest, so you’re free to not pay it at all if you want.) New Horizons goes in a slightly different direction, one that changes the structure of the game.
The Nook Miles app is essentially a collection of quests. When you do things like catch a certain number of fish or collect a specific amount of twigs, you’ll earn miles that go toward paying off your travel package. From what Nintendo has shown, it looks like the goals will all be tied to things you do in the game anyway, making it a fairly natural progression system. However, it’s not clear if these miles can also be used to pay off future house upgrades, though you can also use them to visit mystery islands and unlock new gear.
Exchange a Nook Miles Ticket to hop aboard a Dodo Airlines plane for a Mystery Tour in #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons! Journey to far off destinations & experience unexpected encounters, or even take home the different items you find. Each tour is a new and surprising trip! #ACNH pic.twitter.com/09WODcmsN7
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 20, 2020
Familiar characters are back
Yes, Isabelle is in the game — eventually. The adorable Shih Tzu has become a mascot for the series, and she’ll be part of New Horizons when players eventually unlock the resident services office. Other notable characters will also be making an appearance. Gulliver, for instance, will wash up on shore at some point. And traveling merchants like Kicks will visit from time to time.
There are different multiplayer options
One of the most unclear aspects of New Horizons was its multiplayer options, and Nintendo provided a bit more detail in that regard. For local play, up to eight people can have characters on the same Switch. They’ll all have to live on the same island — each player will get their own tent / house — and you can have one character per user account. There’s also a four-player “party” mode where four players can run around at the same time.
When it comes to online play, you’ll be able to visit friends and have them visit your island. A new “party play” feature lets up to four players visit the same space online. But there are some restrictions. You’ll need an island code to visit other players, and to prevent griefing, axes and shovels are banned so that you can’t chop down every single tree on someone else’s island. (These restrictions are lifted if you and the other person are considered “best friends,” though it’s not clear right now how that distinction is made.)
Voice and text chat require a separate app
If you want to actually talk to friends, you’ll need to do so via a separate smartphone app. The Nintendo Switch Online mobile app is being updated to support New Horizons, and it’s required for both voice and text chat in the game. The app will also let you scan QR codes to import pattern designs from past Animal Crossing games. The update is expected later in March after New Horizons launches.
There are no cloud saves
Much like other big Nintendo franchises like Pokémon and Splatoon, the new Animal Crossing won’t support cloud saves via the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. The reasoning isn’t clear, though Nintendo does say that it’s planning some kind of recovery service for those who lose their game file due to lost or damaged consoles.
You can shape the island itself
New Horizons will give you more control over nature than any of its predecessors. Not only can you pull weeds and chop down trees, you’ll also be able to demolish cliffs, create pathways across rivers, and even build stairs and bridges. Like most other features, this won’t be available right away, but it looks like it will give creative players plenty more options for customizing their island.
In addition to building bridges and inclines in #AnimalCrossing: New Horizons, you’ll be able to pave new pathways and construct your own rivers and cliffs with the Island Designer Construction Permit! You’ll need to have your island fully decked out to receive this app. #ACNH pic.twitter.com/mf86PEayVm
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 20, 2020
There will be connections to Pocket Camp
For those who have stuck with the mobile iteration of the series, Pocket Camp, Nintendo says there will be some connection with the new game in the form of exclusive items. It’s not clear what those items will be, but it’s a nice bonus for Pocket Camp players.
Expect plenty of free updates
Nintendo didn’t mention anything about paid DLC or expansions, but the developer did say that there will be multiple free updates coming in the future. These will primarily revolve around seasonal events, and you won’t have to wait long for them: Nintendo says that the first free update will be out on launch day, priming the game for an event later in April.
There are… ghosts?
During one sequence, Nintendo showed how different your island can look at night. This included a glimpse at what looked to be a ghost — called a “wisp” — but it was an all too brief encounter.
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.
Tech
Google Unveils AI-Powered Pixel 9 Lineup Ahead of Apple’s iPhone 16 Release
![Tech News in Canada](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Google-Pixel-Hardware-Event-Reviewer-Collage-082024-SOURCE-Julian-Chokkattu.webp)
Google has launched its next generation of Pixel phones, setting the stage for a head-to-head competition with Apple as both tech giants aim to integrate more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features into their flagship devices. The unveiling took place near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, marking an early debut for the Pixel 9 lineup, which is designed to showcase the latest advancements in AI technology.
The Pixel 9 series, although a minor player in global smartphone sales, is a crucial platform for Google to demonstrate the cutting-edge capabilities of its Android operating system. With AI at the core of its strategy, Google is positioning the Pixel 9 phones as vessels for the transformative potential of AI, a trend that is expected to revolutionize the way people interact with technology.
Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president overseeing the Pixel phones, emphasized the company’s commitment to AI, stating, “We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people.” This echoes the narrative Apple is likely to push when it unveils its iPhone 16, which is also expected to feature advanced AI capabilities.
The Pixel 9 lineup will be the first to fully integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology, designed to enhance user experience through more natural, conversational interactions. The Gemini assistant, which features 10 different human-like voices, can perform a wide array of tasks, particularly if users allow access to their emails and documents.
In an on-stage demonstration, the Gemini assistant showcased its ability to generate creative ideas and even analyze images, although it did experience some hiccups when asked to identify a concert poster for singer Sabrina Carpenter.
To support these AI-driven features, Google has equipped the Pixel 9 with a special chip that enables many AI processes to be handled directly on the device. This not only improves performance but also enhances user privacy and security by reducing the need to send data to remote servers.
Google’s aggressive push into AI with the Pixel 9 comes as Apple prepares to unveil its iPhone 16, which is expected to feature its own AI advancements. However, Google’s decision to offer a one-year free subscription to its advanced Gemini Assistant, valued at $240, may pressure Apple to reconsider any plans to charge for its AI services.
The standard Pixel 9 will be priced at $800, a $100 increase from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will range between $1,000 and $1,100, depending on the model. Google also announced the next iteration of its foldable Pixel phone, priced at $1,800.
In addition to the new Pixel phones, Google also revealed updates to its Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds, directly challenging Apple’s dominance in the wearable tech market. These products, like the Pixel 9, are designed to integrate seamlessly with Google’s AI-driven ecosystem.
Google’s event took place against the backdrop of a significant legal challenge, with a judge recently ruling that its search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly. This ruling could lead to further court proceedings that may force Google to make significant changes to its business practices, potentially impacting its Android software or other key components of its $2 trillion empire.
Despite these legal hurdles, Google is pressing forward with its vision of an AI-powered future, using its latest devices to showcase what it believes will be the next big leap in technology. As the battle for AI supremacy heats up, consumers can expect both Google and Apple to push the boundaries of what their devices can do, making the choice between them more compelling than ever.
News
Microsoft Outage Hits Payment Processors
![Canada News Social Media](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/article_images-microsoft_062018.png)
When major payment processing systems have problems, the issues impact many critical systems that society depends on. In this article, we’ll explain the cause of the Microsoft outage and discuss the impact computer networking issues had on Canada. We’ll also examine whether or not Microsoft was at fault and what businesses can do to prevent further outages.
What Happened With the Microsoft Outage?
The outage with Microsoft’s Azure payment processor resulted from a buggy security update from an outside company, CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike offers information technology security services for many Microsoft Windows computers. The company’s software developers sent a new update out, but instead of patching up minor issues with the existing software, the code within conflicted with Windows and prevented computers from booting up. Users expecting to start their computers for a typical day were instead faced with the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” error message.
So, how does this produce a problem and a payment processor issue? Many computers running payment processing, among many other kinds of software used for airlines, banks, retail, and other essential services, couldn’t start and were unable to let payments through. This is a catastrophic issue for companies that are heavily reliant upon the speed and ease of an electronic transaction.
In Canada, the outage impacted critical computer systems for air travel. Flights couldn’t be paid for and booked, which caused major problems for customers unable to make transactions while flights remained grounded. Travellers stuck waiting for flights to take off made their way over to the airports’ Starbucks and other vendors, only to discover unusually long lines due to payment issues. Even online gamblers looking to take their minds off the situation couldn’t take full advantage of one of the fastest payment options out there because of the outage.
Aside from payments, hospitals for major health systems had to use paper to complete important tasks like ordering lab work and getting meals to patients. Emergency dispatch lines were temporarily unable to function correctly while their computer systems were down.
How Was the Outage Fixed?
Thankfully, CrowdStrike fixed the problem on their end quickly, mostly via an additional reboot that allowed CrowdStrike to send over unflawed code. Unfortunately, for some business and private customers, rebooting wouldn’t be enough with command-line level adjustments needed for the operating system to run correctly.
The Good and Bad of Outages
First, we’re thankful that the outage was not caused by hackers accessing and stealing a mountain of personal data. A recent outage with an automotive software provider went on for much longer and ended much worse for software provider CDK, which likely paid an undisclosed sum north of $20 million to get data back and systems restored.
By some chance, Microsoft is reported to have experienced its own outage, and many information technology professionals blame Microsoft in part for their issues because of how their systems attempted to fix the problem by rebooting over and over again, though some of Microsoft’s PCs needed to warn users to make a change manually. Unfortunately, any computer that required manual intervention took longer to recover, as a knowledgeable person had to access each computer affected by the issue. In some cases, between dealing with several hours of backlogged tasks and slow recovery processes, some businesses took days, not hours, to get back online.
The outage brings up another major point in the cybersecurity and computer industry. CrowdStrike and Microsoft are both big companies in their respective fields. As a result, the effects of bad code spread much further than they could have if there were more competitors making security products or if there were more software companies making operating systems like Windows. While only 8 million computers were believed to be affected out of a much larger global network, those are essential computers for worldwide communication and payment processing. Perhaps companies should be putting their eggs in more than one basket?
The testing methods for the outage are unclear—did CrowdStrike test the routine software update enough to detect the potential for a major outage? Apparently not.
What Should Businesses Do Next?
Software like Microsoft Azure’s payment systems come from what information technology professionals call ‘the cloud.’ The software is remotely managed over the internet, meaning that the computer that runs the system is not physically present at the location. Unfortunately, this also means that an issue with the internet can take critical systems out of service.
Businesses ranging from major airlines and banks to mom-and-pop stores would be well served by backup systems at their locations. These don’t have to be as primitive as the old-fashioned credit-card carbon-copy slide, but there are options available with consistent service that don’t repeatedly rely on the same networks.
Conclusion
There were certainly challenging moments for Canadian businesses and emergency services during the CrowdStrike and Microsoft outage. As they scrambled to understand the problem and waited, albeit briefly, for issues to resolve, many companies learned the importance of having local and reliable backup for their computer systems.
Tech
New photos reveal more details about Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold
![Tech News in Canada](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/b928cdf0-43b7-11ef-97af-4db54e7408b5.jpeg)
Google’s secret new line of Pixel 9 phones isn’t that big of a secret anymore. Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) released new photos of the phones including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold from almost every conceivable angle.
Android Authority found the photos in the NCC archives and uploaded galleries of each of the four phones including the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold. They reveal some interesting details about the new Pixel phones.
The charging rates will be a little faster than the last generation of Pixel phones: Taiwanese authorities measured 24.12W for the base model, 25.20W for the Pro and 32.67W for the 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, however, was the slowest of all of them at 20.25W. These numbers don’t often match up perfectly with the advertised ratings, so expect Google to be promoting higher numbers at its event.
Speaking of chargers, it looks like Google needed a bigger charger to power its new phones. Photos included in the NCC leak show each phone will come with a wall charger that’s around 45W depending on which model you purchase. The charger’s plug moved from the middle to the top of the brick.
The latest photo dump also shows the 9 Pro Fold unfolded for the first time. Google has moved the selfie camera to the inside screen for a wider field of view. The 9 Pro Fold also has a slimmer top and bottom, a reduced fold crease on the display and a full 180 degree unfolding angle to make a screen that’s just over 250mm or just under 10 inches.
These photos are the latest in a very long list of leaks of Google Pixel 9 photos. The last Pixel 9 leak came down yesterday showing two prototype models of the base and XL models. Google might look into buying a new combination lock for the high school locker where they apparently keep all their unreleased gear.
![728x90x4](https://i.ibb.co/ZTzkrwT/728x90x4.jpg)
-
News20 hours ago
Montreal police investigating suspicious death of an 88-year-old man
-
News22 hours ago
Tugboats free grounded cargo ship blocking traffic in St. Lawrence Seaway
-
News20 hours ago
Weekend rain dampening B.C. wildfire activity as active blazes numbers drop
-
News22 hours ago
Watchdog clears police of criminal offences in handling of Lumby, B.C., death
-
News22 hours ago
Cody Fajardo starts at QB as league-leading Alouettes host surging Elks
-
News19 hours ago
Francis loses no-hitter bid late, helps lead Blue Jays to 3-1 victory over Angels
-
News23 hours ago
Dozens of baby turtles set free in Quebec river as part of zoo conservation project
-
News19 hours ago
Labour board orders rail workers back on the job, imposes binding arbitration