Tech

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s true next-gen Xbox – The Verge

Published

4 years ago

July 24, 2020

If you were heading into Microsoft’s Xbox game showcase yesterday to witness a demonstration of why next-gen gaming and the “world’s most powerful console” matter, you were probably left a little disappointed. Microsoft’s event featured a solid showcase for the future of Xbox and Xbox Game Studios content, but it did little to convince me why I should buy an Xbox Series X. Instead, it made it clear that the Xbox Series X is just one of many ways you can play Xbox games, and that Microsoft’s true next-gen focus is Xbox Game Pass.

I’ve been writing for months about the importance of Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft’s strategy to leverage the subscription service to reach many millions more Xbox players than traditional consoles do. Microsoft wants to build the Netflix for video games, and early indications show that its bet is already starting to pay off with 10 million subscribers. Some developers are also reporting increases in game sales and more players, and Microsoft has some big plans ahead with xCloud for Game Pass — particularly around the ability to instantly play games or demos.

Microsoft showcased nine out of 15 of its studios yesterday, with five new Xbox Game Studios titles and four new third-party games. It was a roadmap for the Xbox Series X and its content but, more importantly, a roadmap for what to expect for Game Pass. There was a diverse amount of games on display, even if it wasn’t clear exactly when we’ll get to play most of them. Microsoft made a clear commitment throughout the showcase, though: every single game will arrive on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Even Destiny 2, a game that’s bundled with Google’s Stadia Pro subscription, is heading to Xbox Game Pass in September. Despite Destiny 2’s content problems, it’s still a title that’s played by more than a million people every day across Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Bungie also has big plans for Destiny 2 that extend way beyond 2022, and while there’s no exclusive content deal going on here, it certainly sets Xbox up as the platform for Destiny over the next few years.

Bungie’s Xbox Game Pass commitment came around 20 minutes after Microsoft showed off Halo Infinite gameplay for the first time. Described as a “spiritual reboot” of Bungie’s original Halo: Combat Evolved, Microsoft has opted to take Halo in an open-world direction for the foreseeable future. An eight-minute demo of gameplay showed off Master Chief’s new grappling hook, the open-world Halo ring, and the return of Brutes.

While it will have delighted hardcore Halo fans to see Master Chief return to fight Grunts and Brutes, the gameplay did very little to showcase why the Xbox Series X matters. Many had assumed Halo Infinite would serve as a visual or technical showcase for the Xbox Series X, particularly because it’s planned to launch alongside the new console.

The Halo Infinite gameplay reveal has left fans unimpressed by the gameplay and visuals, and the overall art direction feels dated. Other fans simply want to see why the open world matters and 343 Industries’ plans for how Halo Infinite will adapt in years to come. But there are still a lot of these questions that remain unanswered just months ahead of launch.

“Halo Infinite continues Master Chief’s saga from Halo 4 and Halo 5, and it’s really the start of the next generation of gaming for Halo,” explained Chris Lee, Halo Infinite studio head, in a Q&A session with media yesterday. “We look at this as a platform that will grow over time and will continue to bring new stories into it. You won’t need to have multiple releases to have a full story with a beginning, middle, and end. We’re thinking about how we do that for years to come.”

It’s not clear if Halo Infinite will be the type of system seller that you typically associate with next-gen consoles, but that might not even matter. Microsoft doesn’t want you to have to buy a copy of Halo Infinite or even upgrade to a new Xbox Series X console to play it as it will be available on both PC and Xbox One. Microsoft simply wants you to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass — and with Halo Infinite arriving on day one on Xbox Game Pass later this year, it’s a big reason to do so.

Microsoft’s Xbox games showcase has left the Xbox Series X feeling like another entry point into Xbox Game Pass, rather than a necessary purchase. There are existing consoles that can also access Xbox Game Pass like the Xbox One S that Microsoft will continue to manufacture and sell. There are also the billion Windows 10 PCs out there or the millions of mobile devices that will get access to Xbox Game Pass through xCloud streaming. Xbox Series X is one of the best ways to play Xbox games, but it’s certainly not the only way or the broader focus of Microsoft’s ambitions with gaming.

Microsoft is also expected to launch a second, cheaper next-gen Xbox, possibly as soon as next month. This second console is designed as a more affordable option, with 1080p and 1440p monitors in mind. Microsoft is likely to reveal pricing for both the Xbox Series X and this second console, codenamed “Lockhart,” once it’s ready to officially confirm it exists.

It seems increasingly likely that this second next-gen Xbox will serve as Microsoft’s big push for Xbox Game Pass and as a subscription-based Xbox. Microsoft already has Xbox All Access subscriptions that offer an Xbox One S All Digital Edition with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass access. A second, cheaper next-gen Xbox would slot perfectly into Xbox All Access as an affordable subscription with Xbox Game Pass access.

Microsoft’s overall strategy with Xbox and the Xbox Series X is clearly different to what Sony is doing with the PlayStation 5. Sony is taking the more traditional route with a next-gen launch, focused on exclusive games for the PS5. Microsoft is investing in content for the long term to market Xbox Game Pass and to try to reach more people than a traditional next-gen console launch will.

Microsoft has spent the past few months teasing the technical details of its Xbox Series X console, but yesterday was a clear games showcase for Xbox Game Pass content instead of just the Series X. Microsoft has also downplayed the importance of the Xbox Series X console, promising that you won’t need to buy it to play “Xbox Game Studios titles we release in the next couple of years.” While that message got a bit murkier yesterday, it’s clear some of the titles Microsoft showed simply won’t launch within the next couple of years. It’s likely that Xbox One owners will still be able to play them, just via xCloud streaming once Microsoft has upgraded its servers next year.

The Xbox Series X is still a powerful console that will improve existing and upcoming games for this next generation. But Microsoft still needs to demonstrate that clearly. We now know Microsoft’s plans for Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass content over the next couple of years, but there’s more needed to demonstrate why “the world’s most powerful console” matters.

While the next stop is the all-important Xbox Series X price, it’s certainly very clear that the Xbox Game Pass subscription is Microsoft’s true focus for its next generation of Xbox gaming. Microsoft isn’t measuring its Xbox success by console sales anymore, but by how many people play Xbox games through an Xbox Game Pass subscription in the future.

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Tech

Building Homes Faster with our Latest 3D Construction Printer

Published

8 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Press Release

Copenhagen, 22.10.2024 – COBOD International, the global leader in 3D construction printing technology, proudly introduces the BOD3 3D Construction Printer for 3D printing of real concrete. Equipped with an extendable ground-based track system, the BOD3 advances the construction process by eliminating printer downtime between multiple buildings on the same site, setting a new benchmark for productivity and efficiency. The BOD3 is the most advanced solution for high-volume low-rise construction and a very effective alternative to conventional construction methods.

The heart and key feature of the new BOD3 3D printer is the advanced extendable ground-based track system. This system enables limitless extension along the Y-axes (length), expanding the printable area to cover 2 or 3 buildings, and reducing setup time to a single installation for multi-building projects. It’s a game-changer, allowing continuous, uninterrupted printing across large sites, increasing efficiency for high volume and mass production at an unmatchable scale.

	Render of COBOD BOD3 3D Construction Printer.

The BOD3, COBOD’s third printer model, is the outstanding achievement of years of dedicated research, development, and close collaboration with customers. It is a vital advancement in automated construction technology, directly addressing the urgent global demand for faster, smarter, more efficient and sustainable building solutions. Like every COBOD 3D printer, the BOD3’s modular design offers customization, allowing it to easily adapt to any customer’s size wishes in addition to complying with the various sizes of construction sites anywhere in the world.

The BOD3 follows COBOD’s vision to build smarter through automation. Its operational stand combines the control and monitoring of both the 3D printer and supplementary equipment in one user-friendly system. The Advanced Hose Management System (AHMS) transports 3D printable material from the materials delivery system to the printhead via hoses secured within E-chains, minimizing physical labor and optimizing material flow. With the addition of the dual dosing system for additives, operators can better control the concrete and adapt it to onsite environmental conditions. By introducing additives directly at the printhead, the system reduces drying time between layers, speeding up the overall construction process. Designed for easy operation and precision, the BOD3 can be operated by a small, trained, and certified team, reducing the costs of projects.

Incorporating the innovative Universal X-Carriage, the BOD3 is ready for future COBOD advancements and technologies, like the introduction of additional tools for the printer aimed at insulating, painting, sanding, etc. This ensures long-term versatility and performance that will keep the BOD3 at the forefront of the industry for years to come.

	Universal X-Carriage with Printhead.

Already deployed to the global market, the BOD3 is currently active in Indonesia, by Modula Tiga Dimensi, Angola, by Power2Build, and Bahrain, by Ab’aad 3D. The customers report faster project execution with near-zero downtime between individual buildings on the same site. The projects showcase the BOD3’s ability to speed up construction and print with real concrete, with 99% locally sourced materials and 1% of innovative D.fab, a co-developed solution by COBOD and Cemex to make concrete 3D printable.

Henrik Lund-Nielsen, Founder and General Manager of COBOD, commented on the BOD3: “The global housing crisis demands a more efficient construction solution that is faster, more efficient, and scalable. The BOD3 is our answer to this challenge. Drawing on years of research and expertise, we’ve designed the BOD3 with innovative features, making it our most cost-effective and efficient model yet for multiple low-rise buildings. Its design supports high-volume, linear production of houses, enabling mass production without compromising quality. The fact that six units have already been sold before its official launch speaks volumes about the BOD3’s market demand and the trust our customers place in our technology.”

Michael Holm, Chief Innovation Officer at COBOD, states, “The advanced ground-based track system was developed as a response to our customers’ needs to increase efficiency and productivity. Now the 3D construction printer can be easily extended, and multiple consecutive structures can be printed with minimal repositioning and zero downtime between projects, making 3D construction printing more efficient than ever before.”

The BOD3 is now available for purchase worldwide; for more information, please visit our website, www.cobod.com, or contact us at info@cobod.com.

RELEVANT LINKS

Official announcement by Founder and General Manager, Henrik Lund-Nielsen: https://youtu.be/7kmB6uQw5G4?si=SYzBNOrA8SK3VMW-
The BOD3 onsite: BOD3 in Action — 3D Construction Printing Just Got Faster! (youtube.com)
Visit our website: World leader in 3D construction printing | COBOD
Learn more about the BOD3: https://cobod.com/the-bod3/

ABOUT COBOD

COBOD stands as the global leader in supplying 3D printers for the construction sector, with over 80 printers distributed across North and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Driven by a mission to revolutionize construction through multifunctional robots based on 3D printing, COBOD envisions automating half of the construction processes to achieve faster, cost-effective, sustainable results with enhanced design versatility.

From residential, commercial, and public buildings, COBOD’s 3D printers have been instrumental in erecting 1- to 3-story structures across all six inhabited continents. The innovative technology also extends to fabricate large-scale data centers, wind turbine towers, tanks, and more.

Embracing an open-source material approach, COBOD collaborates with global partners, including customers, academia, and suppliers. The company, backed by prominent shareholders such as General Electric, CEMEX, Holcim, and PERI, operates from its main office in Copenhagen, Denmark, and regional competence centers in Miami, Florida, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. COBOD’s dynamic team comprises over 100 professionals from 25 diverse nationalities.

ABOUT MODULA TIGA DIMENSI

PT Modula Tiga Dimensi is a joint venture between Bakrie & Brothers (BNBR) and COBOD. BNBR focuses on offering and providing solutions for housing backlog problems currently encountered by the country.

Teaming up with COBOD International, the company is now set to adopt the latest 3D printing construction technology and is ready to offer the Indonesian market a new and better solution to housing obstructions.

ABOUT POWER2BUILD
Reshaping the construction sector and adapting it to urgent human needs.

Power2Build is a technology company for the construction industry, prepared to establish partnerships with private, public, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) so that they can make the transition to Build 4.0 through 3DCP.

We offer our clients value-added services and high-quality projects, always with a multidisciplinary approach that brings together the necessary experience to deal with complex issues.

Tech

Slack researcher discusses the fear, loathing and excitement surrounding AI in the workplace

Published

1 day ago

October 21, 2024

Anne Joseph

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence‘s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should use the technology and whether a computer will eventually replace them.

Those were among the highlights of a recent study conducted by the workplace communications platform Slack. After conducting in-depth interviews with 5,000 desktop workers, Slack concluded there are five types of AI personalities in the workplace: “The Maximalist” who regularly uses AI on their jobs; “The Underground” who covertly uses AI; “The Rebel,” who abhors AI; “The Superfan” who is excited about AI but still hasn’t used it; and “The Observer” who is taking a wait-and-see approach.

Only 50% of the respondents fell under the Maximalist or Underground categories, posing a challenge for businesses that want their workers to embrace AI technology. The Associated Press recently discussed the excitement and tension surrounding AI at work with Christina Janzer, Slack’s senior vice president of research and analytics.

Q: What do you make about the wide range of perceptions about AI at work?

A: It shows people are experiencing AI in very different ways, so they have very different emotions about it. Understanding those emotions will help understand what is going to drive usage of AI. If people are feeling guilty or nervous about it, they are not going to use it. So we have to understand where people are, then point them toward learning to value this new technology.

Q: The Maximalist and The Underground both seem to be early adopters of AI at work, but what is different about their attitudes?

A: Maximalists are all in on AI. They are getting value out of it, they are excited about it, and they are actively sharing that they are using it, which is a really big driver for usage among others.

The Underground is the one that is really interesting to me because they are using it, but they are hiding it. There are different reasons for that. They are worried they are going to be seen as incompetent. They are worried that AI is going to be seen as cheating. And so with them, we have an opportunity to provide clear guidelines to help them know that AI usage is celebrated and encouraged. But right now they don’t have guidelines from their companies and they don’t feel particularly encouraged to use it.

Overall, there is more excitement about AI than not, so I think that’s great We just need to figure out how to harness that.

Q: What about the 19% of workers who fell under the Rebel description in Slack’s study?

A: Rebels tend to be women, which is really interesting. Three out of five rebels are women, which I obviously don’t like to see. Also, rebels tend to be older. At a high level, men are adopting the technology at higher rates than women.

Q: Why do you think more women than men are resisting AI?

A: Women are more likely to see AI as a threat, more likely to worry that AI is going to take over their jobs. To me, that points to women not feeling as trusted in the workplace as men do. If you feel trusted by your manager, you are more likely to experiment with AI. Women are reluctant to adopt a technology that might be seen as a replacement for them whereas men may have more confidence that isn’t going to happen because they feel more trusted.

Q: What are some of the things employers should be doing if they want their workers to embrace AI on the job?

A: We are seeing three out of five desk workers don’t even have clear guidelines with AI, because their companies just aren’t telling them anything, so that’s a huge opportunity.

Another opportunity to encourage AI usage in the open. If we can create a culture where it’s celebrated, where people can see the way people are using it, then they can know that it’s accepted and celebrated. Then they can be inspired.

The third thing is we have to create a culture of experimentation where people feel comfortable trying it out, testing it, getting comfortable with it because a lot of people just don’t know where to start. The reality is you can start small, you don’t have to completely change your job. Having AI write an email or summarize content is a great place to start so you can start to understand what this technology can do.

Q: Do you think the fears about people losing their jobs because of AI are warranted?

A: People with AI are going to replace people without AI.

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Tech

Biden administration to provide $325 million for new Michigan semiconductor factory

Published

1 day ago

October 21, 2024

Anne Joseph

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it would provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor for a new factory, a move that could help give Democrats a political edge in the swing state of Michigan ahead of election day.

The funding would support 180 manufacturing jobs in Saginaw County, where Republicans and Democrats were neck-in-neck for the past two presidential elections. There would also be construction jobs tied to the factory that would produce hyper-pure polysilicon, a building block for electronics and solar panels, among other technologies.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters that the funding came from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. It’s part of a broader industrial strategy that the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, supports, while Republican nominee Donald Trump, the former president, sees tariff hikes and income tax cuts as better to support manufacturing.

“What we’ve been able to do with the CHIPS Act is not just build a few new factories, but fundamentally revitalize the semiconductor ecosystem in our country with American workers,” Raimondo said. “All of this is because of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration.”

A senior administration official said the timing of the announcement reflected the negotiating process for reaching terms on the grant, rather than any political considerations. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the process.

After site work, Hemlock Semiconductor plans to begin construction in 2026 and then start production in 2028, the official said.

Running in 2016, Trump narrowly won Saginaw County and Michigan as a whole. But in 2020 against Biden, both Saginaw County and Michigan flipped to the Democrats.

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