After more than a month of availability to beta program users, Sony have released PlayStation 4 firmware 5.0 to all users. Code-named Nobunaga, this patch introduces a host of tweaks and new features, including smart improvements to the Quick Menu and the system’s media viewing capabilities.
The update allows users to disable pop-up notifications while the console is playing a movie or a television show, eliminating any potential distractions at a crucial moment. There is also a new option to turn off message previews in favor of a generic new message notification, as well as a choice between light and dark color schemes for the actual notification pop-up.
The Quick Menu has been outfitted with a couple of helpful additions, like a small system clock readout and the option to leave the current party. The notifications section of the menu now gives an at-a-glance readout of download progress and party invites, too.
The Friends List is also being adjusted, with the Favorite Groups tab being replaced by Custom Lists, allowing players to give themselves easy access to players they often call upon to play specific games. Fireware 5.0 also provides a quick way of exiting several different messaging groups at once and introduces the option to share music via the system’s messaging app.
The PlayStation 4’s broadcasting capabilities has received some attention too as 1080p, 60fps Twitch streaming is now supported on the Pro model. Additionally, communities can now be bound to a broadcast, adding a link to the community page from the spectator screen and there is a new option to view spectator comments while broadcasting while wearing a virtual reality helmet.
Sony is also making some big changes to the way master and sub-accounts work, streamlining this functionality under PSN Family. Multiple adult users can be part of the same family and now there is more granular control over what kind of parental controls are set for each member of the family, which is handy if children are at different ages and need to be able to access different content.
Finally, there is a new tournament bracket viewer and Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Romanian, Thai, and Vietnamese have all been added as system language options.
To download the latest PlayStation 4 firmware, just turn on your console and you should receive the update before you’re able to log into PSN.
Update: Revised to reflect that the firmware is now available to all users.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.