Sony Now Allows Horizon Forbidden West PS4 To PS5 Version Upgrade

Previously, Sony Interactive Entertainment made the baffling announcement of not allowing the upgrade from PS4 to PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West. It’s a strange announcement as many other titles allowed for free upgrades, or for a small fee. The company has since reversed its decision, allowing for the upgrade from PS4 to PS5 versions of the game.

SIE President and CEO Jim Ryan announced the change in an update to the initial announcement post of Horizon Forbidden West. In essence, the company now says that players who choose to get the PS4 version of the game will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version for free. Which should have been the case to begin with, since Ryan himself announced back in 2020 that this would be among the games that will get the free upgrade treatment.

But on the flip side, Ryan also said that “moving forward, PlayStation first-party exclusive cross-gen titles will offer a US$10 digital upgrade option from PS4 to PS5”. Which simply means that you will have to pay for the upgrade for all future PS exclusives. This includes the upcoming sequel to God of War, and Gran Turismo 7.

In the larger scheme of things, having to pay for an upgrade is better than having to buy a game twice. On one hand, it makes sense that only games that launch close to the new console’s own launch like Horizon Forbidden West gets the free upgrade. But on the other, with the PS5 still being so difficult to obtain, it feels very hasty of SIE to already announce that future games’ upgrades will come at a cost.

LEGO Unveils An Updated Version Of Its Star Wars R2-D2 Kit; Available This May

The term “remastered” isn’t exclusive to video games and films, but to toys too. In a recent announcement, LEGO has revealed that it will be releasing a heavily updated version of its discontinued Star Wars R2-D2 kit that was originally released in 2013.

According to the Danish toy maker, the 2021 R2-D2 model now sports a more pronounced and near-screen accurate design. This time around, its head module features a smoother-looking dome, and the same can be said for its cylindrical body. Intricate details such as optics, vents, panels and leg battery hoses on the droid are shown to have received makeovers as well.

In terms of size, the new 2021 R2-D2 measures about a foot tall and appears just slightly larger than the original model. The kit is also revealed to feature a total of 2,314 pieces of LEGO, which exceeds the 2,127 brick count of its predecessor.

Of course, this new version of R2 will come with new playability features. LEGO says that it now comes with a hidden manipulator arm in its body, and a retractable periscope module on the head. Also, if you happen to be threatened to be thrown overboard from a floating sand barge, you’ll be pleased to know that the astromech droid comes with a hidden pop-out replica of Luke’s green lightsaber as well. Last but not least, included in the box is a display plaque and an R2-D2 LEGO minifigure.

Being a remaster of the original, it looks like the new Star Wars LEGO R2-D2 may be the droid that Star Wars fans are looking for. The kit is priced at US$180 (~RM740) and is set to be globally available at the beginning of next month – just in time for Star Wars Day on May 4th. LEGO Malaysia has yet to announce its local pricing and expected availability.

Hyundai Showcases A Fully Modernised Version Of Its 1975 Pony Hatchback

Hyundai has recently unveiled the Heritage Series Pony, a reconstruction of its 1975 hatchback which now features a variety of modern tech such as camera-based mirrors, touch controls, and more. It’s also worth noting that the original car, which celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2020, is the car maker‘s first ever mass-produced and exported vehicle – a historic first for South Korea as well.

The reimagined Pony mostly retains the original model’s design, which was conceived by legendary automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro – who also designed several iconic cars such as the 1967 Maserati Ghibli and 1981 DMC DeLorean. Newly introduced to the car’s exterior are the aforementioned fender-mounted camera-based mirrors, as well as pixelated front, rear and signal lights – similar to those featured on Hyundai’s IONIQ 5. Needless to say, this variant of the vehicle would look pretty much at home in any 70/80s sci-fi movie.

The interior of the car is where things get funkier. Its dashboard features a striking instrument panel which uses Nixie tubes to display information such as battery percentage and top speed, while its steering wheel features voice activation capabilities. Other than that, it also comes with a digital touch transmission, cradle space for mobile phones, and modern lighting system on its doors. Meanwhile, stored within a stainless steel case in its rear boot space is Hyundai’s last-mile mobility device (basically, a fancier name for an electric scooter).

The other noticeable difference on the Heritage Series Pony is the lack of a rear exhaust pipe, therefore confirming it to be an all-electric vehicle. However, Hyundai did not detail any information regarding the car’s onboard powertrain or its expected performance.

But that’s to be expected of a showcase vehicle.

Yes, you read that right. This variant of the 1975 car is actually just a semi-functional concept that is placed on display as part of the company’s “Reflections in Motion” exhibition. And it’s not for sale either, so those who are considering acquiring this retro-futuristic vehicle certainly have their hopes dashed.

The Heritage Series Pony is currently being exhibited at the recently opened Hyundai Motorstudio in Busan, South Korea from 8 April to 27 June.

Apple Could Make Android Version Of iMessage But Didn’t; Court Documents Show

The legal battle between Apple and Epic Games is still ongoing. It had even brought unrelated third parties like Valve involved. But just as it can pull in uninvolved parties, it can also reveal other details unrelated to the legal tussle between the two.

One such detail is why Apple does not have an Android version of iMessage. And evidence of this was submitted by Epic Games, of all parties. According to the court filing, the iPhone maker could have made iMessage be available on the competing platform back in 2013. But the company choose not to, so that it could lock users in its own ecosystem.

The documents detail an email conversation between an unnamed ex-Apple employee and Phil Shiller, then a key marketing figure in the company. The former complained that iMessage “amounts to serious lock-in” of its users. In response, the latter said that “moving iMessge to Android will hurt us more than help us”.

In all honesty, this should come as no surprise. There have been incidents of former iPhone users getting SMS texts stuck in iMessage limbo because they migrated from Apple to Android. Hopefully these days, WhatsApp is a service that’s used more frequently on iOS. Then when the messaging app finally rolls out cross-platform chat history migration, users have one less thing locking them in.

Facebook Designing A Version Of Instagram For Children Below 13

Facebook is coming up with a version of Instagram that is specifically catered to children below the age of 13, BuzzFeed News and the Associated Press (AP) reported. This notably follows a recent slew of measures taken by Instagram to ensure a safer experience for its younger users.

Instagram’s current rules ban those under 13 from the platform, and US federal privacy regulations prohibit it as well. But parent company Facebook clearly sees a vast monetary potential in the untapped demographic.

“Increasingly kids are asking their parents if they can join apps that help them keep up with their friends,” Facebook said, according to AP. “Right now there aren’t many options for parents, so we’re working on building additional products — like we did with Messenger Kids — that are suitable for kids, managed by parents.”

Likely responding to reports of sexual predation and bullying on the platform, Instagram recently introduced a host of new changes – including blocking adults from messaging teens who don’t follow them.

In Malaysia as in many other countries, Instagram launched a “Parents Guide” to familiarise parents with the platform and get them digitally literate enough to monitor their children’s activities on the app. It even enlisted the help of local celebrities and a local NGO to help spread awareness about the guide.

Still, might all that be a calculated overture to Instagram’s deep dive into its next lucrative demographic? The kiddie version of the app has already attracted strong criticism.

“Increasing safeguards for children online is paramount, but the fact remains that Facebook will be harvesting children’s data and profiting off their detailed profiles,” Rasha Abdul-Rahim, co-director of Amnesty Tech, told AP.

Standard Version Of Huawei P50 Leaks; Features Same Massive Camera Array As The Pro Model

Yesterday, leakster Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka OnLeaks) shared multiple renders of the alleged Huawei P50 Pro, which revealed a massive and unconventional-looking rear camera array. Just recently, Hemmerstoffer followed up on the leak with additional images but now featuring the standard variant of the upcoming smartphone. Unsurprisingly (this time around), this version of the smartphone also features the same setup for its rear shooters.

What sets the vanilla Huawei P50 apart from the Pro is its display and overall size. Based on the provided renders, the phone comes with a flat 6.3-inch display with thin bezels and a top-centered cutout for its selfie camera. Its corners also appear slightly more curvier than the high-end model, and it is measured at 156.7 x 74 x 8.3mm in size.

The back of the standard model also features a glass panel, while its camera array appears to be similar in size to the one shown on the P50 Pro. The leakster added that both variants of the upcoming Huawei flagship may come with the first ever one-inch mobile camera sensor by Sony, which is alleged to be known as the IMX800. The size of the sensor itself would explain the need for huge camera bumps, but Hemmerstoffer noted it is also possible for these “lenses” to feature one or more smaller sensors such as an ultra-wide or telephoto.

Other than that, the standard P50 is believed to come with an under-display fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, USB-C port, and an IR blaster. Software-wise, we’re fairly certain that both models will come with the latest version of Harmony OS, as well as featuring a selection of Huawei App Gallery supported applications. Similar to the Pro variant, it is possible that the vanilla model will be equipped with a Kirin 9000 chipset as well.

The mystery of the massive rear camera arrays on both the standard and Pro versions of the Huawei P50 series remain unanswered for now. As mentioned in our previous report, it is not known when the Chinese tech giant is planning to officially unveil its latest flagship smartphones. But you can expect the company to heavily emphasise on the series’ cameras, should Hemmerstoffer’s leaks be proven accurate.

Judgment To Get A PS5 Version On 23 April

Yakuza series spinoff, Judgment, or Judge Eyes in Japan, is getting a new version for the PS5. First released in English in 2019, the game has remained a PS4 exclusive. But that is set to change in April.

Naturally, it comes with all the enhancements as you’d expect from a PS5 version of the game. Visual fidelity will get a bump, and you’ll also get 60fps gameplay. Being originally a PS4 game, it’s likely you’ll be able to get both at the same time, similar to God of War. A trailer has been made available on the PlayStation YouTube channel, so you can see what the improvements are for yourself.

If you need a recap, Judgment sees detective Takayuki Yagami, a former defense attorney. He is played by Takuya Kimura, and you’ll be exploring the familiar Kamurocho of the previous Yakuza games. In addition to the similar gameplay, there will be minor detective bits, similar to those you’d expect to find in a Phoenix Wright game, thrown in.

The PS5 version of Judgment will be released on 23 April 2021. It’s definitely a great experience if you’re a fan of the Yakuza series. Though if you already own the PS4 copy of the game, there’s no word if you’ll be getting the new version as a free upgrade.