Month: July 2019

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  The (new and improved) Galaxy Fold. [credit: Samsung ]

The April launch of Samsung's futuristic foldable phone was cancelled at the last minute after devices started dying in the hands of early reviewers, but Samsung thinks it finally has the Galaxy Fold situation figured out. The company issued a press release late last night detailing the Galaxy Fold relaunch plan, which includes some redesign work and promises a September launch window for "select" markets.

The Galaxy Fold had a couple outstanding issues when it was sent to the press. First, the device shipped with a screen protector-like sticker applied to the display, and while you might think you're supposed to peel this off as part of the unboxing process, peeling off the sticker actually killed the display. Several reviewers accidentally destroyed their devices because this sticker looked exactly like a screen-protector: it didn't cover the front of the device edge to edge, leaving an exposed, visible seam around the perimeter of the display.

The second problem was ingress. Many phones today have high ingress ratings to the point where they are water and dust resistant. But the folding hinge design of the Galaxy Fold created massive gaps in the body, to the point where it can collect pocket lint. Reviewers reported debris would enter the back of the device and work their way into the display area, and in some cases this debris would press into the back of the screen and damage it.

Enlarge / Soph and Jess, ready for duty. (credit: Bethesda)

Five years ago, the Wolfenstein game series enjoyed a triumphant return as a back-to-basics excuse to virtually slaughter hundreds of mechanized Nazis. Its 2017 sequel was fine enough but failed to turn any gears in terms of gameplay evolution. And now we have another game in the series, which lands in curious fashion—with little promotion or buzz, without a "sequel" designation, and sold at the atypically low new-game price of $29.99.

Though it's being sold as a standalone game, this week's Wolfenstein Youngblood makes more sense when described as an expansion pack—albeit one that doesn't require owning the last game, which might be a point in its favor. The 2017 sequel's assets have been recycled and reshuffled to bring us a new adventure full of enemies, weapons, abilities, and geometry chunks we've seen before. This time, those assets are born anew as a co-op campaign (which can be played alone, in a pinch).

Honestly, it's a solid idea on developer MachineGames' part. If you gobbled up Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, then you can enjoy another heaping helping of the series' no-nonsense combat, weighing in at roughly 20 hours. If you skipped that sequel, you can expect the co-op twist to provide just enough new stuff to make it a worthwhile romp, alone or with a friend. In either case, this new entry builds upon the best level-design qualities of the 2017 game to make it an intriguing alternative to modern co-op shooters.

Enlarge (credit: Valentina Palladino)

The transition to USB-C hasn't been smooth or swift, but that won't matter when you need to upgrade accessories to fit your new USB-C computer. OEMs started forcing users into the USB-C world by making their flagship laptops and tablets USB-C only. And while USB-A ports aren't scarce by any means, it's likely that your newest or next laptop will rely primarily on USB-C for connectivity.

USB-C refers to the shape of the port, which is an oval rather than a rectangle like USB-A ports. If a laptop only has USB-C ports, you won't be able to use any USB-A accessories unless you have a dongle, hub, or dock that adds that legacy port into the mix. (We have a whole guide to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docks that can help you choose your next multi-port hub, but we've included a couple of our favorites in this guide as well for ease of access.)

Aside from docks and hubs, there are other USB-C accessories you can get now to make your new machine feel as comfortable as your old one. Unfortunately, accessory companies have yet to embrace USB-C to the extent that PC OEMs have—the USB-C accessories world is growing, but it's still relatively limited.