Gran Turismo players! Now more than ever, technology is developing in ways that creates endless possibilities. This month’s GT updates features a glimpse of what the future would hold through two vehicles, the coveted ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo and AFEELA Prototype 2024 .   

Update 1.46* for Gran Turismo 7 will be available as of Wednesday, April 24 at 11:00pm PST / April 25 at 7:00am BST / 3:00pm JST. 

Three new cars added this month

ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo

A single-seater all-wheel drive EV from the distinguished Czech manufacturer. 

Drawing on the rich heritage of Škoda Motorsport, the Škoda Design Team has created a visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car: the ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo. Created exclusively for Gran Turismo, this concept represents Škoda’s first inclusion in the Gran Turismo series. Inspired by the Škoda 1100 OHC Spyder racing car from 1957, a vehicle originally developed for the prestigious 24-hour Le Mans race, the Vision Gran Turismo is a modern tribute to this legendary racing car and promises an immersive and responsive driving experience. 

The ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo project began in 2019 when the design team revisited the iconic Škoda 1100 OHC. Initially, the team was debating whether to restore the original 1100 OHC or create a futuristic iteration for the digital age. After consulting with Chief Designer Oliver Stefani, the Škoda Design team opted for an innovative approach, creating a fusion of past and future. 

This racing concept pays homage to its legendary predecessor as well as incorporating the defining features of Škoda’s Modern Solid design language, as seen in its T-shaped headlights. What’s more, the Vision Gran Turismo showcases two distinct liveries: one reflecting the heritage of the famous Škoda 130 RS racing car from 70́s, and the other inspired by the Vision 7S concept car, which embodies Škodás Modern Solid Design philosophy. 

The ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo boasts a sleek exterior with crisp, clear lines and pronounced edges, mirroring the aesthetics of current Formula E racers. Its design is optimized for superior handling through active aerodynamics. Features like the aerodynamically sculpted body, and the striking, adaptive two-piece rear wing, all work together to dynamically adjust to driving conditions and boost performance. The vehicle incorporates independent wishbone push-rod type suspension system, mounted to a carbon monocoque like those found in Formula E cars, improving high-speed stability, reducing body roll, and lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity. 

Efficiency and excellent driving dynamics are at the heart of the ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo design. It is equipped with two 200 kW (268.2 BHP) electric twin motors, one on each axle, delivering a combined power output of 800 kW (1,072 BHP). The inclusion of all-wheel drive with intelligent torque distribution across both axles ensures a balanced and responsive driving experience. This is complemented by a smooth, single-speed transmission, providing seamless acceleration. 

The design of the ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo harmonizes the exterior and interior, giving the driver the feeling of merging with the car ‒ especially once they take a seat in the cockpit of the cutting-edge carbon monocoque chassis.

 

AFEELA Prototype 2024

A revolutionary ‘mobility device’ set to change how we spend time moving. 

“Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.” Embrace cutting edge technology and create a new kind of joy in movement to inspire others. This is the purpose for which Sony Honda Mobility was founded in 2022. This new company, born from the collaboration between 2 very different companies, unveiled their AFEELA Prototype 2024 BEV at the beginning of CES® 2024. 

On the exterior, the car uses an orthodox hatchback sedan shape with a smooth aerodynamic look. There are several sensing devices across the car, including the LiDAR unit at the front of the roof and other image and radar sensors. The highly accurate data from these devices are used to provide more natural driving assistance. 

The doors open automatically as the user approaches so there is no need for door handles. Looking towards the front grille, you will find the customizable ‘Media Bar’, a digital display which allows for both self-expression and communication from outside the car. 

However, the real appeal of the AFEELA lies within its cabin. The interior features a vast array of features to ensure passengers are never bored. 

The most obvious feature as you board the vehicle is the wide dashboard display spanning almost the entire width of the car. This screen provides not only information from the car itself, but several entertainment options which can also be shown on the seatback displays for the rear seats. As well as music and movies, passengers can also view a real-time 3D representation of the car’s surroundings taken from the sensor arrays and allows them to enjoy the scenery around them as if playing a game. 

The appeal of the car is not only visual either. The AFEELA also features a personal agent feature which allows passengers to interact with the car through natural speech. Additionally, a combination of Honda’s extensive experience in mobility and Sony’s audio knowhow has resulted in an innovative noise cancelling system to reduce road noise. Isolated from the drone of the outside world, the interior’s numerous speakers provide an unparalleled audio soundstage. 

The AFEELA transforms the process of moving around from simply waiting, to enjoying the time spent in the car. This 2024 Prototype is critical milestone in the process of bring the AFEELA to market production.

Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Sport Coupe ’70

Popular in drag racing; sporting incredible power from a massive engine. 

Introduced in the 1964 model year, the Chevelle was Chevrolet’s first intermediate model. With an SS sports grade model in the line-up and an option for a 327ci high output V8 engine, the Chevelle carried all the hallmarks of a muscle car. 

In the following year of 1965 however, the Chevelle SS was transformed into a full-blown high-performance car, with a 396 ci, OHV V8. From then on the Chevelle SS was only offered with this 396 ci unit, drawing a clear line between it and the previous SS. 

In 1970, the Chevelle SS went on to be called the most powerful intermediate model on the market. The engine line-up that was only available in 396 ci was upgraded, offering an enlarged 402 ci model. In addition, a 454 ci, enlarged version of the 427 ci, was offered as well. 

The option codes for the two types of 454 ci models offered, were the LS5 and LS6. The former produced 355 BHP with a compression of 10.25:1, and the compression of the latter was raised to 11.25:1, and combined with high cams and high flow headers, it produced approximately 449.7 BHP. This was the most powerful catalogue model engine in the history of American cars in its day. 

The LS6-equipped Chevelle SS454 was immediately recognised as a very special model, with its wild power output unlikely for a road-legal car. Equipped with a straight exhaust and carburettor settings, it is said to have easily exceeded 493.1 BHP, and was the big contender in stock class drag racing.

Café / Extra Menus  

The following Menu has been added:

• Extra Menu No. 38: ‘Ferrari 12-Cylinder Engines’ (Collector Level 38 and above)

World Circuits (Event)

The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’:

• Japanese Clubman Cup 550: Alsace – Village Reverse
• American FR Challenge 550: Trial Mountain Circuit Reverse
• Vision Gran Turismo Trophy: Grand Valley – Highway 1

Scapes  

‘San Diego’ has been added as a featured curation in Scapes

*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

Source: Playstation Blog
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https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/gran-turismo-7/

Update 1.46* for Gran Turismo 7 will be available as of Wednesday, April 24 at 11:00pm PST / April 25 at 7:00am BST / 3:00pm JST..

Gran Turismo players! Now more than ever, technology is developing in ways that creates endless possibilities. This month’s GT updates features a glimpse of what the future would hold through two vehicles, the coveted ŠKODA Vision Gran Turismo and AFEELA Prototype 2024 .

*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

#ps5 #ps5games #psvr2 #psvr2games #granturismo7 #granturismo

Source: Playstation YouTube
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A Copilot on every desk, every device and across every role is core to Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. By bolstering the services customers know and love with our Copilot capabilities across the Microsoft Cloud, we are enabling zero-shot innovation — the ability to effectively gain value out of the box — for their businesses to increase productivity, creativity and inclusive collaboration. ISVs, digital natives, startups and the rest of our partner ecosystem are leveraging our Copilot stack to build AI solutions that are reshaping business processes across industries. We continue co-innovating directly with customers on our open cloud platform to bend the curve on innovation by identifying AI design patterns; then integrating and applying data to solve their most pressing challenges faster and more efficiently than ever before. Underpinning it all is the need for a strong cybersecurity foundation, and the work we are doing to ensure this critical imperative is met. No one is immune from bad actors, and we remain committed to transparency and trust in our approach to protecting customer and partner data. By empowering organizations with industry-leading cloud and responsible AI solutions, paired with our focus on security, we are helping them unlock opportunities that deliver pragmatic business outcomes. I am proud of the work we have done this past quarter that exemplifies our approach to enabling AI Transformation, and the success of our customers and partners across industries who have embraced it.

Just this week we announced our strategic partnership with The Coca-Cola Company to accelerate AI Transformation enterprise-wide as well as across its global network of independent bottlers, and shared news of our partnership with Cognizant to drive enterprise AI adoption for millions of users. We are expanding our work with G42 to accelerate responsible AI innovation in the United Arab Emirates and beyond while accelerating digital transformation securely across the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa with expanded access to services and technologies. We are also building on our relationship with Cloud Software Group to bring joint cloud solutions and generative AI capabilities to more than 100 million people.

We continue to shape the future of industry alongside our customers to help them differentiate their businesses. At CES, we showcased how our customers and partners are innovating across the automotive and mobility industry with generative AI to solve deep business problems and create new opportunities, and revealed the Copilot key for Windows 11 PCs. At NRF, we shared new copilot templates to help retailers incorporate generative AI across the shopper journey while enhancing the experience for store associates and making AI implementation more accessible. Just recently at HIMSS, we announced Microsoft’s role as the technology enabling partner for the Trustworthy & Responsible AI Network, a consortium of healthcare leaders aimed at operationalizing responsible AI principles to improve the quality, safety and trustworthiness of AI in healthcare.

Enabling pragmatic AI innovation with Copilot capabilities to deliver immediate value

Companies like Amadeus, AAMI, TotalEnergies and Cushman & Wakefield are leveraging Copilot for Microsoft 365 to enrich customer interactions and advance high-priority projects. Visa employees are transforming how they work to better serve the needs of their clients and Banca Transilvania is boosting efficiency and innovation while delivering the highest quality of customer service. Emirates NBD engineers are solving their most complex problems while remaining within their development environments, and 96% of early adopters at CommBank have shared that Copilot is making them more productive. Colombia-based Cenit is experiencing rapid adoption of Copilot to empower employees to be more creative, productive and collaborative. U.K.-based law firm Clifford Chance is helping employees automate daily tasks like meeting notes, email drafts and inbox management with AI and natural language processing, while Air India built a plugin to gain real-time access to flight and operations data to empower better decision-making.

With Copilot for Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, Northrop & Johnson achieved a 250% increase in charter bookings while helping team members save time, boost productivity and enrich the quality of engagement with their customers. Using Power Platform and Microsoft Copilot Studio, Cineplex is saving employees over 30,000 hours annually in manual processing times and reducing ticket refund handling time from 15 minutes to under a minute. Northern Trust is using Microsoft Copilot for Service to modernize its client relations organization, streamline employee processes and elevate the client experience. Teams at EPAM Systems are leveraging Microsoft Copilot for Sales to improve sales processes and better support its business strategies, while freeing up time to spend with customers.

Building AI design patterns that bend the curve on innovation and intelligently reason over data to solve business challenges

Icertis is leveraging Azure OpenAI Service and its proprietary AI models in conjunction with its extensive data lake to uncover cost savings, enhance compliance and reduce risk across millions of legal contracts. Insurance company FWD Group is using the service to enhance customer experiences and operations across its lines of business, and Singapore-based CapitaLand Investment has saved 1 million Singapore dollars and 10,000 work hours per year with data-driven AI models. With Azure OpenAI Service as the secure foundation for its supply chain platform, Blue Yonder is harnessing AI and machine learning to provide real-time decision making for businesses across 78 countries. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy and Publicis Sapient are making it easier for travelers to find the right vacation homes through natural language search powered by large language models within Azure OpenAI Service, and Miral is curating some of the most sought-after leisure, entertainment and tourism activities with a 24/7 AI-powered concierge. Using several AI models, Australian retailer Coles developed an edge computing platform that makes 1.6 billion informed predictions each day so customers can find exactly what they are looking for across its 850 stores.

With Microsoft Fabric, Melbourne Airport is synchronizing flight bookings and ground transportation data to project demand while maintaining efficiency, reliability and safety of its operations. Rail freight operator Aurizon is deriving better data insights from 400 sensor-equipped locomotives to enhance cost efficiency, scalability and predictive maintenance. Seair Exim Solutions is increasing export-import trade data ingestion speeds by 90% to empower its global shipping industry customers with improved insights more quickly with help from Mandelbulb Technologies, while Dener Motorsport is using Fabric and real-time analytics to help automotive engineers detect and resolve car issues within minutes — down from nearly half an hour. By hosting its data within Azure Kubernetes, Windstream is improving its custom GPT platform to help employees find the information they need faster across 100,000 indexed documents. To promote financial inclusion, Trusting Social focused on a strong data foundation paired with AI services to enable the development and deployment of solutions that assist more than 130 financial institutions across Asia. Sasfin Bank worked with Legal Interact to implement a unified document management system to analyze contract clauses and streamline legal operations and workflows using Azure Cognitive Services and Azure SQL. TomTom has deployed GitHub Copilot to its developers, resulting in 85% of the company’s engineers feeling more productive and 70% saying it enables them to focus on more satisfying work. Meesho — a leading online marketplace in India — is using a generative AI chat agent to increase inquiry resolution by 40% and customer satisfaction by 25%, while leveraging GitHub Copilot to streamline code delivery and testing for its 200+ developers.

Strengthening cybersecurity foundations with industry-leading cloud and responsible AI solutions

Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI) reflects our commitment to continually advancing the built-in security of our products and services. We recently announced the general availability of Microsoft Copilot for Security — the industry’s first generative AI solution designed to help security and IT professionals do their work with greater speed and accuracy. In our latest Copilot for Security economic study, security analysts using the Copilot were 22% faster and 7% more accurate across all tasks, with 97% saying they want to use it again. Our ability to offer this solution to customers is bolstered by more than 100 partners such as Capgemini, Cisco and Darktrace who are committed to working with us to deliver trusted, responsible AI solutions. In collaboration with TC1 Labs, Pacifico Seguros has become the first company in Latin America to implement Copilot for Security with a Zero Trust approach, strengthening its security defenses and confidently preparing the company for future security challenges. Security professionals at Enverus are saving hours per day on low-value tasks with Copilot, allowing them to focus on strategic work and help elevate the impact of their security team. Wipro is using the solution to help employees save time and act quickly to improve outcomes across its business.

Using the Microsoft Defender security stack, Del Monte Foods increased security visibility and coverage across its IT environment, reducing security risks by 50% and improving its security response and remediation capabilities. To streamline its security operations, Jones Lang LaSalle implemented Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with help from Tanium, reducing cybersecurity spending by 20% and enhancing protection for nearly 90,000 endpoints. Türkiye-based Demirören has adopted a Zero Trust security model by unifying its security solutions to protect essential business data and enhance threat detection and response capabilities. Paytronix, a provider of customized digital experiences for restaurant and convenience store guests, improved its security profile by seamlessly migrating data for 250 million user accounts to Azure without interruption. The Audi Group’s IT department is simplifying endpoint management and safeguarding its hybrid workforce across 12 countries with enhanced security using Microsoft Intune. To ensure robust data protection and seamless access for authorized personnel, SLT-MOBITEL is using Microsoft’s AI-powered security products to fortify end-user devices and services while simplifying information security and compliance. Oregon State University and Grupo Bimbo are utilizing Microsoft data security solutions to safeguard their environments and confidently prepare for their continued adoption and deployment of AI.

Embracing AI Transformation has become a priority for organizations around the world seeking to unlock AI opportunities. Whether helping our customers adopt and scale AI with our Copilot capabilities or building unique AI strategies leveraging our open platform and partner ecosystem, we are humbled to work with you to drive pragmatic business outcomes and differentiated industry leadership. Our commitment to your success is unwavering. We will continue building upon our trusted relationships and our focus on responsibility and security so you can move forward with confidence in your AI journey. I remain inspired by what we have done — and what we will do — to help our customers and partners achieve more.

The post Leading in the era of AI: How Microsoft’s platform differentiation and Copilot empowerment are driving AI Transformation appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog.

Source: The Official Microsoft Blog

Source: Razer YouTube
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The post Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Warzone, and Mobile Season 3 Reloaded: Your Guide to the Mid-season Update appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Source: Xbox Blog
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Developer FromSoftware minted a new genre when Demon’s Souls first released on PlayStation 3 back in 2009. The “Soulslike” genre was born, inspiring developers across the globe with its risk/reward mechanics, thoughtful melee combat, and connected world design.

Aggro Crab is one such developer. I recently went hands-on with their game Another’s Crab Treasure, which charts a different course through the genre. The PS5 game, out tomorrow, April 25, eschews grim, crumbling kingdoms in favor of colorful underwater lands. Instead of grim lore, it injects cheeky humor overflowing with references to Soulslike games and other properties. While at its core it still plays like a Soulslike, it introduces unique mechanics such as equippable shells with distinct properties.

Not your typical Soulslike vibe

On the surface, Aggro Crab’s Soulslike resembles a cheerful, simple adventure based on children’s cartoons. Beneath the surface lies controls and combat encounters familiar to fans of FromSoftware’s third-person action-RPGs.

The game begins with snail protagonist Krill being evicted from his shell, as a result of not paying taxes. Naked and vulnerable, he ventures deeper into the ocean to speak with the local matriarch to reclaim his home.

Aggro Crab’s tongue is firmly in cheek throughout the colorful adventure. For example, experience points are represented by environmentally devastating microplastics. Magic power manifests as mystical “Umami.” Trash litters the sandy sea floor, including fun and groan-worthy puns (see above used popsicle stick joke). One of my favorite details is a castle guard holding a straw and plastic soda cup lid like a greatsword. Aggro Crab’s sense of humor and colorful aesthetic serve as an entertaining antithesis to the familiar melancholy Soulslike tone.

Raise shell against your enemies

Of course, the main hook of any Soulslike lies in the gameplay, and Aggro Crab remains faithful to the genre with some fun twists. Krill’s moveset includes light and heavy attacks mapped to R1 and R2, respectively. The Circle button is sprint, Square casts Umami magic, and L1 blocks with your makeshift shell. Locking onto enemies like aggressive crabs is key to studying their movements, blocking and dodging until the perfect opportunity to strike. Holding R1 unleashes a satisfying charge attack, oftentimes causing defeated foes to drift off with the ocean currents.

Krill’s shell is where Another Crab’s Treasure distinguishes itself from many Soulslikes. As the game’s name suggests, Krill is in the market for temporary homes while he reclaims his original shell. These come in the form of soda cans, bottle caps, banana peels, party hats, you name it. Each “shell” acts as a shield and offers unique stat boosts, like tradeoffs for attack, Umami, defense, etc.

Some enemies are especially vulnerable to Umami magic, which means unleashing shells’ unique magical abilities is key. I particularly enjoyed the soda can’s proximity-based attack bubbles and the tin can’s electricity field. Shells have limited durability, however, so you’re always scanning for Krill’s next defensive flophouse. I was initially hesitant about the durability factor, but I ultimately appreciated being forced to try out the myriad shells.

3D platforming fun

Many Soulslike games keep players’ feet planted firmly on the ground, which is another area where Another Crab’s Treasure swims against the current. The X button jumps, and holding it down makes Krill do a cute little glide-swim. These nimble traversal options blend well with the cheery, classic 3D platforming aesthetic. One location might hide a path behind breakable glass bottles, revealing a light platforming challenge. Another may entice players to climb to a vantage point and glide to a far-off collectible.

Krill eventually discovers a grappling hook that adds a new dimension of verticality to the mix. Holding the L2 button in mid-air slows time and allows Krill to grapple onto specific points like fishhooks and climbable nets. These traversal options encourage players to carefully study the vibrant environments for hidden treasures (once the enemies are taken care of). Pacing is key in Soulslike games, I appreciated the palate-cleansing platforming sections after tough fights.

A knowing wink to Soulslike fans

Another Crab’s Treasure reminds me of musician and national treasure Weird Al Yankovic, it delivers a humorous parody of a well-known topic yet delivers entertainment beyond the surface-level goof. For example, I was tickled by the first boss encounter, featuring a mounted knight-like sea creature charging down a hill as its name and health bar filled the top of the screen. After I was done chuckling, I had to buckle up for a genuinely challenging-yet-rewarding fight.

Based on my hands-on time the homage runs deeper than its fun references, and the unique cartoony vibe and shell-swapping mechanics freshen up the formula. Dive into Another Crab’s Treasure when it releases on PS5 April 25.

Source: Playstation Blog
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It’s time to uncover the innovation behind our latest QD-OLED monitors! The AW3225QF is the world’s first 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor, offering unparalleled HDR and Dolby Vision support. Meanwhile, the AW2725DF stands as the world’s fastest QD-OLED gaming monitor, optimized for incredible response times.

Gameplay courtesy of Alan Wake 2 and Apex Legends.

Ready to upgrade your setup? Find out more at Alienware.com and experience gaming like never before.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 – INTRO
0:57 – WHY WE MADE IT
2:11 – DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
3:16 – CHALLENGES
4:46 – FINAL PRODUCT
8:48 – FINAL THOUGHTS

Check out our socials!
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Source: Alienware YouTube
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