Month: August 2021

• 

  Zombie killing with friends: you've done this before, but Back 4 Blood does a lot to make a case for its version feeling surprisingly fresh. [credit: Turtle Rock / WB Games ]

As the new video game Left 4... ahem, Back 4 Blood shambles its way toward launch later this year, this zombie co-op shooter has entered a state that formally counts as a "beta." I've determined this after about six hours playing the game's latest test version, now live for its preorder customers (or anyone who's scored early codes). This version will open up to the public on Thursday, August 12. The PvE and PvP modes I've tested feel solid and stable, at least on PC, and they make it easier to determine exactly what Back 4 Blood will feel like as a retail game starting October 12.

In short, Back 4 Blood already feels like the Left 4 Dead series learned how to count to three. You don't have to squint to see the places where the game lacks some Valve-like magic, but it's not enough to drag down the bloody good times. Back 4 Blood feels like something approaching a worthy sequel, thanks to a ramping up of engine tech, a clever and fair "card deck" system, and surprisingly entertaining tweaks to humans-versus-zombie PvP combat.

Build many decks, kill many zeds

For a primer, rewind to my December 2020 look at the game's less-polished alpha version, which sets the stage as follows:

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Oscar Wong)

Shortly after reports today that Apple will start scanning iPhones for child-abuse images, the company confirmed its plan and provided details in a news release and technical summary.

"Apple's method of detecting known CSAM (child sexual abuse material) is designed with user privacy in mind," Apple's announcement said. "Instead of scanning images in the cloud, the system performs on-device matching using a database of known CSAM image hashes provided by NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) and other child safety organizations. Apple further transforms this database into an unreadable set of hashes that is securely stored on users' devices."

Apple provided more detail on the CSAM detection system in a technical summary and said its system uses a threshold "set to provide an extremely high level of accuracy and ensures less than a one in one trillion chance per year of incorrectly flagging a given account."

Enlarge / The front of the iPhone 12. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Developers are once again publicly highlighting instances in which Apple has failed to keep scam apps off of the app store. The apps in question charge users unusual fees and siphon revenue from legitimate or higher-quality apps. While Apple has previously come under fire for failing to block apps like these from being published, developers complained this week that Apple was actually actively promoting some of these apps.

Apple's Australian App Store published a story called "Slime relaxations" highlighting a certain category of apps. But according to some developers and observers, some of those apps have very high subscription fees despite not providing much functionality.

Take an app with the cumbersome moniker "Jelly: Slime Simulator, ASMR," for example. Unless users subscribe, the app is filled with ads; it plays more than one in succession before allowing the user to interact with it in any meaningful way. A report by MacRumors said the app "features a $13 per week subscription" to remove those ads. (When we downloaded the app ourselves, we were prompted to subscribe for nearly half that, at $7.99 per week. It's unclear to us whether the prices have changed since the initial reports or if it is a regional pricing difference.)

Enlarge / Florida man and Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference held at the Assault Brigade 2506 Honorary Museum on August 05, 2021, in Hialeah, Florida. (credit: Getty | Joe Raedle)

The dire COVID-19 situation in Florida continues to worsen as local and federal leaders push back against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and his efforts to thwart public health measures.

DeSantis has banned businesses, local governments, and schools in Florida from requiring proof of vaccination. Last Friday, DeSantis issued an executive order barring schools from requiring children to wear masks. In signing the executive order, the governor's office called federal recommendations for masks "unscientific" and claimed the order would "protect parents' freedom." The American Academy of Pediatrics has also recommended universal masking in schools, regardless of vaccination status.

Meanwhile, the delta coronavirus surge continues. On Wednesday, Florida recorded 20,133 new cases, its second-highest daily total of new cases in the entirety of the pandemic. The Sunshine State accounted for 22 percent of new cases detected in the US yesterday, despite making up just 6.5 percent of the country's population. Today, a record-high of 12,888 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state. It is the fourth straight day of record-breaking hospitalizations.