Google Duo gains rapid popularity, overtakes Pokemon Go
Google released one half of its two new communication apps last week - the video calling app Duo. Considered to be the search giants answer to Apple's FaceTime, Duo seeks to keep simplicity at its core and focus on video calling without any additional features. The app connects to the user's phone number, much like WhatApp, thereby removing the hassle of account creation and adding users to a list before commencing calls. This barebones and easy-to-use nature has resulted in the app rocketing to the upper end of the charts on the Play store, overtaking recent favourite Pokemon Go in the process.
Google's messaging app Allo, which was announced with Duo at Google I/O, is next in the pipeline and rumoured to be close to release.
Sony may introduce new Playstations next month
Close on the heels of Microsoft launching the compact Xbox One S, Sony appears to be gearing up to offer new products in the Playstation lineup. According to a report from Wall Street Journal, the Japanese manufacturer is set to unveil a higher end version version and a more affordable variant of the Playstation console soon.
Sony had already announced plans to release a second Playstation device, which is dubbed 'Neo', at their E3 event earlier in the year, and is likely to feature 4K support like the Xbox One S.
Facebook launches Lifestage, a fully public social platform for teens
In an aggressive bid to get more people sharing online, Facebook has launched a new app called Lifestage, which is open only to school-going users aged under 22. The app encourages users to upload videos and pictures expressing their moods and interests on their profile, which are completely public and can be viewed by anyone. The app allows users to sign up linking their school names, and 20 signups from one institution unlock it for users to see their schoolmates and communicate with them, Users aged over 22 cannot access this content and can only see their own profiles. The app is currently only available on iOS devices in the USA.
NVIDIA launches GTX 1060 with 3GB RAM at $199
Close on the heels of announcing a duo of new graphic cards the Geforce GTX 1080 and 1060, NVIDIA has unveiled a downgraded version of the lesser of the duo, targeted at gamers on a budget. The card, which is also confusingly named the GTX 1060, has 3GB of memory, half of what is available on the full-spec card, and fewer cores. However, the new card is also significantly cheaper, putting it in direct competition with AMD's RX480, which had been the go-to graphics card for budget gaming for a while. With the release of the new 1060, gamers now have options from both camps to fuel their latest games.
Game recommendation: Reigns
For those looking for a simple yet engaging game to bide time on the phone, Reigns, a game developed by Devolver Digital, is worth a shot. Available on both the App Store and Google Play, it puts the player in the position of a reigning monarch who must confront the challenges of ruling in the form of cards that are presented on screen. Each card can be dismissed with a right or left swipe, which represent two available options based on context. The game also features a continuous timeline, having you play as a successor to the previous monarch and building on some earlier decisions, all the while juggling the interests of the people, the army, the church and a constantly depleting treasury.
