Releasing Tetris 99 as a free-to-play Switch game was a canny move by Nintendo, as the popular online-only title motivated users to get a Switch Online membership. Now, Nintendo is introducing a paid component with the new $10 Big Block DLC. You get two new modes: "CPU Battle" lets you play 98 virtual opponents offline, while "Marathon" is just classic line-clearing action. Both are available offline, meaning you'll no longer need Switch Online to play it.
The #Tetris99 Big Block DLC is available on Nintendo eShop for $9.99 and adds offline modes! Battle 98 bots in CPU Battle, and survive in Marathon mode to clear the most lines possible! Stay tuned for more on additional upcoming game modes. https://t.co/t6cp0KnJLTpic.twitter.com/VKvai3xRCe
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 10, 2019
With the original release of Tetris 99 earlier this year, Nintendo brought an exciting hook to the classic game with a Battle Royale mode. It not only lets you fight against 98 opponents, but your success in clearing lines and gaining badges can hasten your rival's defeat. 98 players get whittled down to 50, then 10, leading to the eventual winner.
The offline CPU Battle mode works in much the same way, but against computer opponents rather than live players. That will let you hone your skills before facing off against human players. If you get good enough, Nintendo also announced the Tetris 99 3rd Maximus Cup running from May 17-19 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the game. Participate who earn at least 100 event points will unlock an in-game theme inspired by Nintendo's original Game Boy Tetris version.
As part of Android Q Beta 3, Google has created 230 new emojis, including 53 that are gender-neutral. What this means is the icon can represent both a man and a woman, without identifying to a particular gender. In order to achieve this, Google has focused on designing a hairstyle that can be worn by both women and men.
The company has also worked on other details to make the emojis gender-fluid like choosing a more neutral color for clothing or getting rid of accessories such as ties or bras. Interestingly, I feel like the result works well for most emojis, but some of them are confusing, which is probably the whole point anyway.
These new emojis will initially be available on Pixels in the coming days, before expanding to all Android devices. In the meantime, if you try to send one of them to a device that doesn't support gender-neutral emojis yet, it will simply pick a gender-specific one.
Google is known for being an inclusive company, and being one of the first to release a set of such emojis highlights this. Hopefully, other firms like Apple and Facebook will design theirs, so such an initiative can become more widespread.
Google added screen pinning several years back, but the feature never got much attention. Screen pinning locks your phone to a single app, which is handy when you need to hand your phone to someone else and would prefer they didn't go snooping. There's a frustrating bug in Android Q beta 3 that completely breaks this feature when the new gesture navigation is enabled.
The Android Q full gesture nav option replaces the home and back button with an iPhone-like swipe zone. You probably know where this is going; you need those buttons to exit screen pinning. So, gesture mode traps you in screen pinning mode.
Since this is a beta, things can get a bit weird and inconsistent when you run into a bug like this. Sometimes, the phone lets you get back to the home screen from the pinned app, but you won't be able to access the settings or status bar. Attempting to launch other apps also fails. Other times, you're stuck in the pinned app and can't even get home. It will be interesting to see how Google addresses this incompatibility in future releases.
A few days ago, we reported that the Play Store is beginning to offer a new payment option for users. Starting in Mexico, users can top up their balance at a convenience store, so they don't need to have a credit card, carrier billing, or any other payment method linked to their account. At I/O, Google officially introduced the feature and explained how it works.
Developers will be able to give their users a new option for a deferred payment, letting them purchase the app, then pay for it at a convenience store. They'll get a payment code on their screen that they need to show the cashier in order to complete the purchase, and in ten minutes, they should get a confirmation then be able to download and start using the app or game. It's called "Pending transactions" and it's currently available to users in Mexico and Japan.
You can see the brief moment this is mentioned in the Google I/O presentation below (queued to the exact time), and read more about it in the official documentation.
But for those who are comfortable waiting until the software is ready to release, keep reading. Google announced more features for Android Q at its annual developer’s conference this week. From more robust security settings to improved Digital Wellbeing features, there’s a lot to look forward to from Google’s next major platform release.
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5G connectivity
The world is already in 5G hype mode, and even though it’s not available everywhere yet, there’s enough buzz that companies and manufacturers have started future-proofing software and devices for its impending arrival.
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For its part, Google bundled in 5G compatibility in Android Q. Once you have this version of the mobile operating system, you’ll be able to connect to your carrier’s available 5G network provided your phone is outfitted with the necessary components.
Fit for foldables
Foldable smartphones may not seem like a thing right now, especially after the folly of the Samsung Galaxy Fold. But the next version of Android will be optimized to work with these next-generation devices. Some of the new features include app continuity, which lets you launch an app on the main screen then flip it open to continue what you were about to do, along with some better multitasking abilities that allow multiple apps to be paused and resumed at once.
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Smarter replies
Smart replies will be able to tell when you need to navigate somewhere in Android Q.Image: Google
If you’re on version Android 8.0 or later, you’ve already experienced the practical utility of Smart Reply. This feature offers reply suggestions in the notification shade when you receive a message.
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Once Android Q goes live, the Smart Reply feature will be able to predict what you should do next. For example, if someone sends you a message with an address or the name of a restaurant, Smart Reply will offer a link to the Google Maps app to help you start navigating to that exact locale. It’s an easy way to move forward without having to copy and paste addresses, then tap around the screen looking for the next app you want to use.
Robust security and privacy controls
Robust permissions settings mean you can set when the system can access your location data.Screenshot: Florence Ion
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Google claimed that nearly 50 features are coming to Android Q related to security and privacy. We won’t know the extent of those changes until Android Q goes live to everyone. However, Google hinted at some of the options you’ll be able to access in the Android settings panel, including a new front-and-center Privacy section, with a bevy of settings for controlling which apps and services have access to your data. There will also be a new Permissions option that will let you choose how and when data and other elements are shared with Google and other third-party apps.
Small, timely updates
The problem: When Google needs to make a minor update to the Android operating system, it’s not always easy to push it out to the masses. The solution? Project Mainline, a new initiative from Google to push out security patches to more phones by distributing updates directly through the Google Play Store—where you already get your app updates. Project Mainline will be limited in what it updates, but it’ll include things like network permissions, time zone data, and media codecs.
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‘Focus mode’ to limit notifications
Are you feeling unable to focus with your smartphone going off all the time? Android Q’s Focus mode, part of Digital Wellbeing, lets you select the apps you find most distracting—messaging apps, news apps, apps constantly pinging you about daily deals—and silences them until you decide that you’re ready to deal. You’ll be able to choose which apps and which folks are allowed through when you’re trying to concentrate.
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Alternatively, Focus mode works even when you’re not trying to focus, like when you’d rather zone out on a Netflix binge. The idea is to keep work and play separate so that when you’re avoiding your phone, you’re doing so altogether. And when you’re dodging work, you’re fully ensconced in what’s going on rather than who is notifying you in Slack.
Built-in parental controls
Family Link will let you natively set limits on certain Android apps for your kid.Image: Google
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Family Link will no longer be another app for parents to grab from the Play Store. Instead, it’ll come standard with Android Q and will be available to customize inside the device settings. It will offer better controls for parents hoping to cut down on kids with a tendency towards rampant screen time. Starting with Android Q, you’ll be able to set up specific time limits for those apps your kid is too obsessed with to finish homework, along with “bonus time” for when you’re feeling lenient.
Hey Google, let’s drive
Android Auto will be a native part of Android Q—no app required.Photo: Florence Ion
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Android Auto and Android embedded into the car are getting a big makeover this summer. But perhaps the most significant will be the version of Android Auto on the phone, which will no longer be a separate app. Instead, you’ll have to invoke it through the Google Assistant, so you can say something like, “Hey Google, let’s drive” to pop up the new optimized driving mode. The new driving mode features a slicker interface, with all the information you need within a short scroll rather than hidden behind another menu.
Find something to eat
Google Lens isn’t entirely specific to Android Q, though it is a part of the Pixel’s camera app. A new feature coming up the pipeline will help you do things like figure out what to eat at a new restaurant, without having to ask anyone, “What’s good here?”. With the help of Google Lens, you’ll be able to snap a photo of a physical menu, and Google will highlight the most popular items at that particular locale based on its reviews database. Google Lens will also be able to split a bill or calculate a tip after you snap a photo of the receipt and read signs and other text for people who can’t read the printed language.
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A glimpse at Google’s demo of Lens’ transcription feature. Photo: Florence Ion
Live captions
One of the most compelling features in Android Q will make audio and video available for the hard of hearing. Live Captions will enable real-time transcriptions of what’s being said on screen, regardless of the app you’re using. Folks hoping to catch something a podcast host said can use the feature for clarification on a line, while folks who are hard of hearing can use Live Captions to transcribe personal videos. Best of all, an internet connection isn’t necessary to use this feature, as the transcription is processed all locally on the device rather than through the cloud.
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Gestures you can use
Gestures are fairly new to the world of Android, but soon they’ll be varied. Screenshot: Florence Ion
Gestures are controversial on the smartphone circuit because users don’t always appreciate them. But with phones getting bigger, and adopting edge-to-edge displays, the concept of using a gesture to navigate the operating system seems like the obvious evolution. Google first introduced gestures in Android Pie, and in Android Q they’ll be more refined. Rather than the standard three- or two-button layout features in the navigation bar, you’ll use a swipe up gesture to go to the Home screen, then swipe up and drag across to switch into multitasking view. And rather than tap a button to go back a page, you can swipe across the screen to switch between apps, then swipe up from the Home screen to reveal the application drawer.
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Darkness, everywhere
Hello, Dark Mode, my old (new?) friend. Screenshot: Florence Ion
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If you’ve ever looked at your phone in the dead of night and thought to yourself, “dang, this is way too bright” you’re likely to be very enticed by this next new feature. Dark Mode has long been a coveted feature on the Android operating system, and now it’s coming system-wide, with dark themes available for every one of Google’s core apps. Third-party apps will have to implement it manually.
Dark mode is also helpful for saving battery life, particularly for those devices sporting bright OLED displays. Activating it pretty easy: pull down the Quick Settings menu, then tap the setting to switch over the interface from white to black.
Data miners have gotten their hands on the Season 9 patch and are already finding some interesting files. One leak pertains to a new weapon coming to the game: the Tactical Assault Rifle.
It was only a matter of time before data miners started finding some interesting files in the Season 9 patch. Of course, we'll get to all of the new skins that are in the game files shortly, but one of the leaks pertains to a new weapon: the Tactical Assault Rifle.
— Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks ?? (@FNBRLeaks) May 9, 2019
The Tac AR looks like it will replace the recently vaulted Thermal Assault Rifle or Suppressed AR. The scope suggests it might have some sort of thermal capabilities and the "Tactical" description might mean it has a higher fire rate than the Thermal AR.
Based on the information in the game files, it makes sense that the Thermal AR will be the first new weapon introduced to Fortnite after the 9.00 patch.
Since Epic removed two assault rifles, it makes sense for them to add another one. Will this weapon be useful, though, or just another annoying weapon that spawns instead of a regular or heavy AR? We'll have to wait and see.
