The Gadget Spot Gadgets, video games, and tech.

-Repair your own Xbox Controller! https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-starts-selling-replacement-parts-for-xbox-gamepads-174023573.html
-8bitdo breaking into keyboards: https://www.ign.com/articles/8bitdo-retro-mechanical-keyboard-wireless-mechanical-keyboard
-Current Gen Consoles finally have sales
-The Switch 2 Rumor mill is about to take off: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sources-nintendo-switch-2-targets-2024-with-next-gen-console/
-What do you do when you run into P3 while playing Fallout 76? You drop heals and stims of course: https://gamerant.com/xbox-fallout-76-gamer-phil-spencer-encounter/
-In the first half of August Gamepass is losing 4 games and adding 6 to its library.

-Like Energy Star but for security: https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/18/23798153/fcc-cyber-trust-mark-biden-security
-3D VNAND Mobile CPUs: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amds-3d-v-cache-comes-to-laptops-ryzen-9-7945hx3d-cpu-listed
-Ask Abe Linciln for Advice: https://www.engadget.com/meta-is-reportedly-planning-an-abe-lincoln-chatbot-as-part-of-a-public-ai-push-190922903.html
-FTC swings for the fences. Faces down Amazon: https://news.slashdot.org/story/23/07/26/0041223/ftc-readies-lawsuit-that-could-break-up-amazon
-RIP incandescent bulbs… mostly: https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/1/23816510/incandescent-light-bulb-2023-sale-ban-usa
-Echo Buds Review from someone who isn’t Tony

-Pizza Controller for Xbox: https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/24/23805501/microsoft-xbox-pizza-scented-controller-tmnt-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles
-More Acquisitions: https://www.ign.com/articles/tencent-buys-dying-light-developer-techland
-Ubisoft almost really stepped in it: https://wccftech.com/ubisoft-accounts-pc-games-not-eligible-deletion/
-Simpsons Hit and Run fan remake: https://www.ign.com/articles/awesome-looking-the-simpsons-hit-and-run-fan-remake-is-complete-but-it-will-never-be-released
-Shoutout to PC Gaming Wiki
-Epic Games summer sale is live: https://www.polygon.com/deals/23800725/epic-games-stores-summer-sale-rewards-deals
-Blizzard is beginning to thaw (HAR HAR HAR). Overwatch 2 coming to Steam: https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/blizzard/23982127/overwatch-2-coming-to-steam-on-august-10
-Ubisoft throws shade at its own unfinishable games. Star Wars Outlaws news: https://www.ign.com/articles/star-wars-outlaws-devs-promise-it-wont-be-a-300-hour-epic-unfinishable-rpg
-AntStream? Never heard of it… but it’s available as a service now on your Xbox! https://kotaku.com/retro-games-arcade-xbox-x-s-antstream-mortal-kombat-1850669127
-“Intimacy Coordinators”? For a video game? ok. https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-used-intimacy-coordinators-for-sex-scenes-i-never-felt-yuck-in-a-recording-session-at-all-says-actor/
https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-looks-like-its-gonna-eat-starfields-lunch-when-it-comes-to-romances/

-That didn’t last long Chevy Bolt is back: https://www.engadget.com/gm-says-a-next-gen-chevy-bolt-is-on-the-way-144518735.html
-DJI Air 3: https://www.engadget.com/dji-air-3-review-a-high-quality-zoom-adds-new-creative-options-130020261.html
-New Sony Earbuds: https://www.whathifi.com/advice/sony-wf-1000xm5-release-date-rumours-potential-price-features-and-spec-leaks
-New drug to slow Alzheimer’s progression: https://arstechnica.com/?p=1954453
-Yes, it can always get worse. Twitter is throwing away it’s valuable brand: https://www.engadget.com/elon-musk-is-rebranding-twitter-to-x-and-killing-the-bird-logo-165944573.html?src=rss
-Fed launches instant payments service. No more waiting! https://news.slashdot.org/story/23/07/20/1445203/fed-launches-long-awaited-instant-payments-service-modernizing-system?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
-Nissan is the next domino: https://arstechnica.com/?p=1955084
-Electric air taxis are coming! https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2023/07/19/electric-air-taxi-startup-completes-maiden-flight-at-70kph/
-Arc Browser now available for everyonehttps://tech.slashdot.org/story/23/07/25/1914242/the-arc-browser-is-now-available-for-all-ios-and-mac-users?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
-De-extinction Science. Like Jurassic Park https://science.slashdot.org/story/23/07/09/2116236/real-world-jurassic-park-startup-argues-not-de-extincting-animals-would-be-even-scarier
-Once more around the toilet bowl. Elon officially changes Twitter’s brand trademark… https://futurism.com/facebook-owns-trademark-x-social-media
https://www.engadget.com/twitters-rebrand-to-x-could-worsen-its-legal-and-financial-problems-233914973.html
 

-Probably shouldn’t be excited for this but I kind of am: https://www.ign.com/videos/invincible-guarding-the-globe-official-announcement-trailer
-For Jarron to cry over: https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-has-17000-variations-on-its-ending-a-number-that-gives-me-a-headache-just-thinking-about-it/
-Black Panther game announced:
https://www.polygon.com/23787530/marvel-black-panther-video-game-ea-cliffhanger-games-announcement
-Documents leak for mid-90s Sega:
https://games.slashdot.org/story/23/07/06/1334229/mid-1990s-sega-document-leak-shows-how-it-lost-the-second-console-war-to-sony?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
-Preorders are live for Framework’s modular laptop:
https://www.engadget.com/you-can-pre-order-frameworks-modular-gaming-laptop-16-today-183702718.html?src=rss
-Sony agrees to 10 year CoD deal:
https://arstechnica.com/?p=1954258
-PS Plus July Lineup. CoD: Black Ops Cold War; Alan Wake Remastered; Ending - Extinction is forever. Are these good?
https://www.engadget.com/playstation-plus-free-july-games-include-cod-black-ops-cold-war-and-alan-wake-remastered-183056964.html
-Goodbye Xbox Gold, you were a good friend.
https://www.darkhorizons.com/game-pass-core-replacing-xbox-live-gold/

-Aspertame bad?: https://www.cnet.com/health/nutrition/aspartame-diet-sodas-and-cancer-risk-making-sense-of-the-new-who-classification/


-BT audio getting another upgrade: https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2023/06/qualcomm-s3-gen-2-sound-platform-portfolio-extended-to-deliver-b


-VanMoof declared bankruptcy:


https://slashdot.org/story/23/07/18/099236/vanmoof-the-most-funded-e-bike-company-in-the-world-declared-bankrupt?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed


-A competitor is making VanMoof’s software available for customers:


https://arstechnica.com/?p=1954394


-Corsair is buying Drop:


https://it.slashdot.org/story/23/07/17/168213/corsair-is-buying-mechanical-keyboard-maker-drop?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed


-Honor Magic V2 is the thinnest foldable smartphone:


https://arstechnica.com/?p=1953631


-Threads usage drops by half:


https://tech.slashdot.org/story/23/07/18/003225/threads-usage-drops-by-half-from-initial-surge?utm_source=rss0.9mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed


-TikTok being banned from govt devices? Here’s a compelling argument for that, and maybe the US in general.


https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/07/11/225202/tiktok-executive-admits-australian-users-data-accessed-by-employees-in-china


-Remember that book that James shilled so much he bought a random person a copy of it? American Kingpin? Here’s a related followup.


https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/11/23791602/silk-road-variety-jones-prison


-Threads says it isn’t trying to copy Twitter, but it kinda is…


Threads Continues to Copy Twitter's Worst Elements With New Rate Limit Http://gizmodo.com/threads-introduces-new-rate-limits-just-like-twitter-1850650673


-AI in Politcal ADs. Is there a solution?


https://gizmodo.com/ron-desantis-unleashes-ai-attack-ad-against-trump-1850650671