Denis Villeneuve, the acclaimed director behind the blockbuster adaptations of Frank Herbert’s Dune, has confirmed that he is already working on the third installment of the series, Dune 3: Messiah. Following the success of Dune (2021) and the anticipated release of Dune: Part Two, fans are excited to see how Villeneuve will bring the next chapter, based on Dune Messiah, to life. 

In this article, we’ll explore what to expect from the plot, how it connects to the previous films, and why Dune 3: Messiah is crucial to the overall saga. Additionally, we’ll touch on the behind-the-scenes logistics, such as the locksmith services needed for high-profile productions like this one.

What to Expect from the Plot of Dune 3: Messiah

Dune 3: Messiah is expected to pick up where Dune: Part Two leaves off, following the story of Paul Atreides, who is now a ruler and a messiah figure. However, unlike the heroic rise to power seen in the earlier films, Dune Messiah takes a darker turn. It delves into the consequences of Paul’s leadership and the burden of his messiah status. In this story, Paul is faced with the aftermath of his rise to power, including the vast and destructive jihad that was launched in his name.

Villeneuve has hinted that Dune 3: Messiah will be a more introspective and philosophical film, exploring the moral dilemmas Paul faces as he grapples with the weight of his decisions. The story reveals that being a messiah is not only about power and influence but also about sacrifice and regret. Fans of the novel will be eager to see how Villeneuve translates these complex themes to the screen, especially given his reputation for creating thought-provoking, visually stunning films.

How Dune 3: Messiah Connects to the Previous Films

Dune 3: Messiah is not a standalone film but a direct continuation of the story told in the first two films. While Dune introduced audiences to the world of Arrakis and the rise of Paul Atreides, and Dune: Part Two is expected to cover his triumph over House Harkonnen and the Emperor, Dune 3: Messiah will explore the cost of that victory.

The themes of political power, destiny, and religion that were introduced in the first two films will be further developed in Dune 3: Messiah. The film will likely delve deeper into the Bene Gesserit’s plans, the Fremen culture, and the broader universe of Dune. Paul’s role as both a political leader and a religious icon will be tested as he faces internal and external threats to his rule. Characters introduced in the earlier films, such as Chani, Stilgar, and Alia, will continue to play important roles, shaping the direction of the story.

Villeneuve has always emphasized his desire to remain faithful to Frank Herbert’s original vision, while also making the story accessible to modern audiences. Dune 3: Messiah will likely maintain the balance between action-packed sequences and the deeper, more philosophical moments that Dune is known for.

Why Dune 3: Messiah is a Key Part of the Dune Saga

While the first two films focus on Paul Atreides’ rise to power, Dune 3: Messiah highlights the consequences of that power. This installment is critical because it reveals the full scope of Herbert’s vision, showing that the journey of a hero is not always triumphant. In many ways, Dune 3: Messiah serves as a deconstruction of the hero myth, illustrating the dangers of placing too much faith in a single leader or ideology.

The novel Dune Messiah, upon which the film is based, is shorter and more contained than the sprawling first book, but it is just as important. It serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of messianic leadership and unchecked power. Villeneuve’s film is expected to stay true to these themes, offering a nuanced portrayal of Paul’s downfall and the impact his reign has on the galaxy.

By exploring these darker, more complex aspects of the Dune universe, Dune 3: Messiah is set to be a key chapter in the saga, completing the story arc of Paul Atreides and setting the stage for possible future films based on Herbert’s later novels.

Locksmith Services for High-Profile Film Projects Like Dune 3: Messiah

Producing a film as large-scale as Dune 3: Messiah comes with many challenges, including ensuring the security of the sets, equipment, and personnel. This is where locksmith services play a crucial role. High-profile projects like Dune require top-tier security to prevent leaks, theft, or unauthorized access to film locations and equipment.

Locksmith services are responsible for installing and maintaining high-security locks on trailers, sets, and storage areas where expensive film equipment is kept, click here to explore where the nearest your locksmith service is located. They also provide access control systems to ensure that only authorized personnel can enter certain areas of the production. In major productions like Dune 3: Messiah, the secrecy surrounding the script and the sets are vital to maintaining excitement for the film’s release. Locksmiths help safeguard this information, ensuring that sensitive details remain under wraps.

In addition, locksmiths may also be involved in the creative side of production, designing period-appropriate locks and keys for use as props, particularly in a science fiction universe like Dune. Their work behind the scenes contributes to both the security and authenticity of the film.

Conclusion

As Denis Villeneuve begins work on Dune 3: Messiah, excitement is building for what promises to be a powerful and thought-provoking continuation of the Dune saga. With its focus on the darker side of leadership and power, this film will provide a new perspective on the story of Paul Atreides. 

Fans of the franchise are eagerly awaiting how Villeneuve will bring the third chapter to life while locksmith services and other behind-the-scenes experts ensure that the production runs smoothly and securely. In Dune 3: Messiah, audiences can expect a visually stunning and thematically rich exploration of the costs of power and the responsibilities that come with it.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Denis Villeneuve Begins Work on “Dune 3: Messiah” appeared first on Geek Culture.

With the Season 13 of Apex Legends coming on 10 May 2022, there will also be a new Legend for players to try out. This new season is dubbed Apex Legends: Saviors, and Respawn Entertainment’s genre-bending free-to-play battle royale shooter is going to feature an overhauled Storm Point map alongside the new Legend.

The new Legend is named Newcastle, and he is clearly a support-based character, fitting for the new season’s ‘Saviors’ tag.

His passive ability is ‘Retrieve The Wounded’, which allows Newcastle to drag downed allies and protect them with a Revive Shield while they are being revived. His tactical ability is ‘Mobile Shield’, which creates a mobile energy shield using a controllable drone. Finally, his ultimate ability is ‘Castle Wall’, where Newcastle leaps forward and slams down on an area, forming a physical protective wall.

It is clear that Newcastle is defence-oriented, and it fits the Ranked Mode update that rewards teamwork more. Lore-wise, Newcastle is the alter ego of Jackson Williams, the brother of another Legend, Bangalore. It is narratively intriguing as Bangalore has been trying to find her brother, who seemed very likely to be dead. Now that we know he’s alive, it’d be interesting to see how the siblings’ story unfolds in the game.

Apex Legends: Saviors will go live on 10 May 2022, and Newcastle is a Legend that support players will want to try out for themselves.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Apex Legends: Saviors’ Introduces Shield-Based Hero Newcastle To Save The Day In New Season appeared first on Geek Culture.

Slow internet speed can be a source of endless frustration, especially when movies buffer right in the middle of an action scene and when your character unintentionally rubber-bands around a map in an online game. A smooth online experience is made even harder to achieve when the network is shared by an entire family, each with their own satchel of devices that take up bandwidth.

The introduction of the more adaptable Wi-Fi 6 standard has helped improve data flow and when coupled with a mesh system, brings smooth traffic across the entire home. Wi-Fi 6 is the new standard, offering not just faster Wi-Fi compared to Wi-Fi 5, but also better data streaming efficiency to prevent data congestion. This is especially important in a world where a hybrid work environment has become more common, where it’s possible that a single Wi-Fi network has to support movies streaming in the living room on Netflix, and music streaming in another room, while someone is gaming online, while another is stuck in a corner having a Zoom meeting. Even if Singapore has the fastest fixed broadband connection speed in the world, a fast network still needs the right hardware to support it. 

In comes the TP-Link Deco Voice X20, a dual-band mesh Wi-Fi 6 system to try to make some noise, in that it has nodes that also double as smart speakers. Design-wise, each Deco Voice X20 node is a white cylinder, similar to other Deco models. The Deco Voice X20 has a red stand, which presumably helps with the sound quality of the 5W speaker. There are four buttons on top of the node, two for volume control, one to mute the microphone, and one to wake up Alexa. The design is classy, and each node has a 105mm radius and a height of 170mm, making it easy to find unobtrusive spots for them around the house.

With a maximum speed of 1,201Mbps for the 5GHz band and 574Mbps for the 2.4Ghz band, the Deco Voice X20 is not fast by the latest Wi-Fi 6 standards, and can be seen as more of an entry-level mesh system for those who are looking for an upgrade from their Wi-Fi 5 system while saving space by having the nodes work as smart speakers as well. The ease of setup lends credence to that idea, as each node has two Gigabit Ethernet ports on its back, and once one of the nodes is plugged into the modem and a power source, users just have to download the Deco app.

After creating an account or signing in, users can then name their network. The app will then find the Deco Voice X20 through Bluetooth. Other nodes and smart devices can then be added by tapping the + on the top right corner of the app. It helps that the Deco app is really well-designed, so smart actions and shortcuts can be added, with options to add devices to the blacklist, and change the network password. 

For parents, there’s also the option to monitor individual devices’ data usage, and for those looking to have parental control features, you can set up each member of the household with a profile, set online time allowances, and even block certain sites. Sadly, these features aren’t free and are available under the HomeShield Pro subscription service, at S$8.98 fee per month. It is not a necessary feature, but for those who want that added control, it is definitely worth considering. This is a level of convenience that should be the standard for Wi-Fi systems going forward.

As far as performance is concerned, based on the results from Speedtest.net, a laptop linked to the Deco Voice X20 hits an average download speed of between 360 to 450 Mbps, and an average upload speed of between 160 to 300 Mbps. On an iPhone 12 Pro Max, the average download speed was between 400 to 500 Mbps. Since it’s a Wi-Fi 6 system, the mesh network is able to handle more devices on the network at once, though we’re hard-pressed to test out TP-Link’s claims that the Deco Voice X20 can handle over 150 devices. We tested the connection speed while having four devices play 4K YouTube videos simultaneously, and the results were an average download speed of between 320 to 400 Mbps on the laptop. Sure, it’s hardly pushing the 150 devices electronic smorgasbord, but it simulates the performance of the system in the context of a nuclear family of four.

When the devices are one room away from a node, the download speed of the laptop and smartphone hits between 260 to 340 Mbps, and between 330 to 440 Mbps respectively. This is not blisteringly fast, but it is definitely a comfortable and respectable connection speed, and more than ample for most use cases. Of course, for those who want even more complete coverage either due to having too many walls between rooms or due to having a spacious house, a 3-pack may be a better option compared to the 2-pack. 

The two-in-one nature of the nodes also taps into the spread of the Internet of Things (IoT), where households are introducing more and more smart devices that will each take up bandwidth. The built-in Alexa voice assistant also helps households manage their range of smart devices more conveniently. 

The four-microphone array in each node picks up voice commands well, and can be activated easily without shouting even when a room away with the doors open. Also, while the 5W speaker is nothing to write home about, it is adequate and clear enough. Those who are less fussy may even be satisfied with using the Deco Voice X20 to stream their playlists from Spotify. There are no complaints to be had here as far as functionality is concerned. While the speaker is unimpressive, it is designed to primarily serve as an IoT control centre, and in that aspect it is great.

A 2-pack retails at S$336, and is able to provide consistent coverage to an average 4-room flat in Singapore when compared to wireless routers. This is the Wi-Fi system of choice for those who have many smart devices at home and are looking for an upgrade to the new Wi-Fi 6 standard while being convenient and fuss-free when it comes to setup and management.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Geek Review: TP-Link Deco Voice X20 – AX1800 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System appeared first on Geek Culture.

Apex Legends, Respawn Entertainment’s genre-bending free-to-play battle royale shooter, is getting a major update on 10 May 2022, when Season 13 will begin. This new season is dubbed Apex Legends: Saviors.

Aside from the minor tweaks, one of the biggest changes is an update to the Storm Point map, which will feature the carcass of a big monster of unknown origins. The downed beast will be a part of the map, and players will be able to battle beside, atop, and, most excitingly, inside the carcass itself. In Season 13’s trailer, we see how that downed beast ended up on the map itself,

Another change is that players can now enter the IMC armouries strewn about the map. When activated, players will enter a 60-second timed encounter where they fight waves of spectres. They will then get loot according to how many waves they cleared. The Ranked Mode will also be reworked to be more rewarding to players who display teamwork and skill.

Other than the main game, the Apex Legends Mobile will also be released this month, May 2022, on Android and iOS. Fans can continue enjoying the fast-paced action of the game even while commuting! This standalone title optimised the controls for the touchscreen, and even features mobile-exclusive maps.

The overhaul of the Storm Point map will definitely make the familiar map fresh, with new ways to approach battles on the map itself. Apex Legends: Saviors will go live on 10 May 2022, and players will want to jump right into Storm Point and check out this updated map.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Apex Legends: Saviors’ Brings A Kaiju Carcass To A Familiar Map In New Season appeared first on Geek Culture.

Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, is premiering on 26 May 2022. The dogfighting world of Top Gun: Maverick has also made its way into a video game, namely Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, in the form of a downloadable content (DLC).

This is a fitting collaboration, as both series are about dogfighting, and being able to imagine oneself as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) in the cockpit taking to the skies while shooting down enemy planes is quite the exciting idea.

There is no release date or details announced for the DLC yet, though based on past DLCs for the game, it is fair to say that the planes featured in the movie will likely make their way to the game in this upcoming DLC.

Interestingly, the developer of the Ace Combat franchise, Project ACES, deleted a tweet announcing the collaboration, replacing it with a plain tweet that says in Japanese “We will inform you about the new DLC information again”. Hopefully, more details about the crossover will surface soon, and it’d make for a great excuse to pick up the controller and play the PlayStation 4 title once again.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Crossover DLC Is Coming To ‘Ace Combat 7’ appeared first on Geek Culture.

Diablo Immortal isn’t the only mobile game that Blizzard has in its pipeline. There is a Warcraft mobile game in the horizon too. However, given the wide variety of games and genres that tap into the Warcraft lore, such as Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and the classic Warcraft real-time strategy series, it is hard to predict just what kind of mobile game it will be.

Blizzard has been keeping a tight lip when it comes to this project as well, but a tweet from Hearthstone’s official Twitter page announced a reveal date for this upcoming mobile game. Of course, the tweet itself barely gives anything away, save for a possible logo, of a lightning bolt in front of a gearwheel.

Given that it is a mobile game, it is unlikely to be a remake of the real-time strategy titles, or a port of the MMORPG, due to the unique control scheme of a mobile touchscreen. Thus, the project is one that’s rather unpredictable in nature.

On 3 May 2022, Blizzard will be revealing what the Warcraft mobile game will be through a livestream. While it is unclear what the game genre will be, this is definitely one for fans of the Warcraft franchise to keep a lookout for.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Warcraft’ Mobile Game Set To Unveil In May 2022 appeared first on Geek Culture.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) is the latest iteration of the Taiwanese tech giant’s 14-inch gaming laptop first released in 2020. Combining style and substance, the 2020 G14 was a powerhouse that managed to squeeze impressive specs in a thin and light chassis, and this 2022 version is no different. It brings incremental improvements to keep the ROG Zephyrus G14 competitive, and a prime choice in the field of highly portable gaming laptops.

Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS CPU and 8GB AMD Radeon RX 6800S GPU, the ROG Zephyrus G14’s performance leaves absolutely little to be desired. As is the norm for gaming laptops, when it comes to general use, creative, and productivity purposes, this laptop is able to hold its own comfortably. Our device, which runs on Windows 11 Home, handles the tasks of web browsing, movie-watching, and moderate Photoshop use with little to no issue.

When it comes to gaming, the device is able to run Disco Elysium, Dragon Quest XI, and Apex Legends at the highest settings with close to no trouble at all while plugged in. Even the temperature, while it does get pretty hot after a couple of hours of gaming, never gets unreasonably so. The ErgoLift hinge also lifts up the bottom of the laptop for more ventilation. Besides, a gamer who is gaming on a 14-inch laptop, which is honestly a rather small size for a screen, is likely not looking to run the most demanding games on the highest settings. Due to the laptop’s ability to handle both work and play well, this is a great device for those who find themselves wanting to switch between working and playing seamlessly on a single laptop.

This is one machine that performs solidly, and is able to handle most demands with ease. It, quite simply, works well.

Measuring in at 31.2 x 22.7 x 1.95cm and weighing in at 1.72kg, the ROG Zephyrus G14 also has a form factor that’s easy to carry around, which is unlike some gaming laptops that may have the looks of a laptop, but are too hefty and bulky to comfortably carry around. After all, a 14-inch laptop is at a size where portability is of utmost importance, and in that aspect, the ROG Zephyrus G14 delivers. Its chassis is made up of aluminium, magnesium alloy, and polycarbonate, which means that it’s built to be durable, and able to withstand being out and about often. One slight flaw with the material of the laptop is that due to the coating, the keyboard can feel a bit plasticky, but that of course is a minor point, and takes nothing away from the quality of the chassis.

It is genuinely surprising how ASUS managed to pack this level of performance in such a slim form factor without compromising on battery life. The laptop easily lasts at least six to seven hours with moderate non-gaming use, and can last even longer if the GPU is toggled off with the MUX switch, and the RGB lightning of the keyboard is turned off. While gaming, it lasts at least 2.5 to 3.5 hours on a full charge. Battery life is usually the Achilles heel of gaming laptops, but the ROG Zephyrus G14 has overcome that weakness. The next frontier for gaming laptops will partly be extending the battery life until one no longer has to think about rationing it before bringing the device out for a full day.

As for the display itself, the 14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS panel has an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a 144Hz refresh rate with Dolby Vision support and Pantone Validated certification. The move from 16:9 to 16:10 in aspect ratio means that there will be thicker black borders when you watch widescreen movies, but it also means that it is easier to browse webpages since less scrolling will be needed, and browser tabs won’t become overcrowded as quickly, which is a welcome quality-of-life improvement for a 14-inch laptop. It may not have the sharp visuals of an OLED panel, but it is definitely no slouch, and some users will prefer the anti-glare matte display. Being Pantone Validated also means that this can be a good choice for digital artists, since colour accuracy is an important consideration for them. 

The audio is more than decent, with Dolby Atmos, AI noise-canceling technology, built-in three-microphone array, and a four-speaker system. It’s not going to beat a dedicated headset, but as far as built-in audio systems go, it works reliably well.

While the fingerprint reader that’s present in the 2020 version is removed, this new ROG Zephyrus G14 has added a 720p webcam which comes with facial recognition that works well, even when masked. Sure, the quality of the webcam isn’t phenomenal, but it’s more than sufficient and a much appreciated inclusion in a world where video conferencing has become much more common.

Ports-wise, the ROG Zephyrus G14 sports one 3.5mm audio jack, one HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-C 3.2 DisplayPorts, two USB-A 3.2 ports, and one microSD card reader. 

All of the above makes the ROG Zephyrus G14 a really good gaming laptop. What makes it special is the AniMe Matrix LED display on the lid, which is essentially a customisable animated LED-based decal for users to show off a little. It can be customised through the ROG Armoury Crate app, and the display can show images from the user’s gallery converted into 8-bit graphics. There are other options too, such as rolling text or unique images that change based on the app the user is using. There is, in all honesty, no real practical value in this stylish display. However, for those who enjoy the unique aesthetic potential and like to make their laptop uniquely theirs in a clear and open manner, this is definitely the feature for you.

For S$3,298, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is a great choice for a portable daily workhorse that can handle both work and games well with a robust battery life. The AniMe Matrix display also gives users room for personalisation, a feature that speaks to the highly personal nature of laptops nowadays. While primarily a gaming laptop, this is a device that managed to shed the main weaknesses associated with gaming laptops, and is more like a jack-of-all-trades that shapes future expectations for gaming laptops.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Geek Review: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) appeared first on Geek Culture.

When it comes to notebooks, practicality always trumps aesthetics but in an era when most notebooks are able to cater to productivity and even gaming needs easily, it’s all the extra qualitative pushes that make a notebook stand out from the rest, and this is especially true for high-end notebooks like the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition (UX5401ZAS).

Why the fancy name? The Space Edition commemorates the 25th anniversary of the first ASUS laptop sent into space way back when, offering a stunning space-themed design on the lid and keyboard, with a smaller 3.5-inch OLED display on the lid that shows personalized notifications. Think of it as a spruced up version of the regular edition, minus ASUS’ proprietary ScreenPad 2.0 which uses the trackpad as a second screen. As with the name, the unit sports the visually stunning 14-inch 2.8K OLED HDR touchscreen display, which has a 16:10 aspect ratio and a native resolution of 2880 x 1800.

Visuals are sharp and vivid, with phenomenal colour accuracy that got the notebook a Pantone Validated certification. Using the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition to watch shows, be it animation like Bubble or live-action spectacles like Moon Knight, or even reading comics, is a joy especially with the thin bezels that achieve a 92% screen-to-body ratio. The experience is further enhanced by the 90Hz refresh rate (which can be set to 60Hz to preserve power) and the touchscreen, making navigation highly convenient. The visuals, along with the touch controls, make for a device that is effective for digital artists who demand accurate colours and intuitive controls. 

There is also a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, positioned at the upper right corner of the keyboard, and it is more comfortable to use compared to notebooks with power buttons positioned along the left or right edge, as there is no need to worry about accidentally turning the notebook on. The Space Edition also did away with an IR-capable camera, instead sticking with a standard 720p HD camera. One feature that we wish it would have is a physical privacy shutter, simply due to the extra feeling of security that would give for a productivity-focused notebook.

Our review model runs Windows 11 Home operating system, powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H 2.3GHz CPU and the Intel Iris Xe GPU. It is an excellent workhorse that has no problem handling web browsing, watching videos, office-related applications, and editing on Photoshop. The PCMark 10 benchmark test places the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition at 5,474 overall (10,097 for essentials, 6,811 for productivity, and 6,473 for digital content creation), which is above the average of 5,100. It’s safe to say that general performance is robust, and our user experience over the course of two weeks corroborates that.

As for the GPU benchmark, it has a score of 5,669 on 3DMark Fire Strike which is average for a device of this type, and actual gameplay experience on the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is generally smooth, running games including Disco Elysium and Dragon Quest XI well. One thing to note is that battery life takes a hit, from six to seven hours with light to moderate use, to two to three hours with those games running on the highest settings. Also, while gaming, the notebook does heat up to rather uncomfortable temperatures, but non-graphics intensive games generally do not have this issue. Thus, for those who want to enjoy the OLED visuals on lighter games, this is a notebook that actually delivers surprisingly well.

Other than with intensive gaming, the cooling system is generally good, aided by the Ergolift hinge that lifts the bottom of the notebook up a bit when the screen is opened, for both better ergonomics and ventilation. The IO and hot air exhausts are placed along the left and right edges, which dissipates heat consistently and well, and while sometimes the hand using the mouse can feel the hot air coming out, it’s never too hot for concern, and it keeps the notebook at a stable temperature.

The audio, by Harmon Kardon, is surprisingly good. The stereo speakers are blasted out of grills along the underside of the notebook, and due to the Ergolift Hinge plus the angled shape of the D-Panel, sound bounces off the table well and while on one’s lap. The notebook is capable of blasting audio at a decently high volume, but parts of the audio will be crushed when it’s too loud. Sure, it can’t beat a dedicated pair of speakers or proper headphones, but for a highly portable 14-inch notebook, this is probably as good as it gets.

Ports-wise, there is one USB-A 3.2 port, two USB-C 3.2 with Thunderbolt 4 ports, one HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It’s a standard set of ports one would expect from a notebook. It is also WiFi 6E ready, so there’s futureproofing in that regard.

With a 16GB LPDDR5-4800 MHz memory and 1 TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD, the hardware is definitely more than enough for most purposes. Portability is also excellent here, with the notebook weighing a mere 1.4kg, wrapped by a sturdy and durable aluminium alloy chassis with a matte texture that doesn’t smudge easily and is easy to grip. There is little flexing if at all, and ASUS claims that the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition has space-grade durability, which means it’s able to be operational in the harsh conditions of space. Well, we definitely cannot test that but the unit is capable of withstanding temperatures ranging from -24 to 61 degrees Celsius and vibrations of between 20 to 20,000 Hz. While we are not going to subject ourselves to extreme temperatures to test out the claim, the build and design of the notebook do inspire confidence, and we don’t feel like this is a notebook we need to baby when we are out and about. 

One big difference between the Space Edition and the regular one though, is that instead of the ScreenPad 2.0, the Space Edition sports the NumberPad, which is built into the trackpad itself. While one would expect that this overlapping functionality would be clunky, that’s really not the case at all. Sure, it’ll take some getting used to, but once one gets used to the way it works, the NumberPad actually detects user intent well, and seldom inputs a number instead of a click or vice versa unintentionally. This is one feature that will be useful for someone who frequently fills in spreadsheets with numbers while on the go.

Finally, let’s talk about all the interesting extras, starting with the 3.5-inch OLED ZenVision display panel, which supports 256 x 64 resolution. It is an extra display on the back of the main display which can be customised on the MyASUS software to show an animation, a business card, custom QR code, the date and time, or a custom message. Honestly, there isn’t much practicality to this display. It is almost purely for the unique eye-catching aesthetic, much like having a fancy smartphone case. Once that excitement is over, it merely brings a smile to our faces knowing that there’s an adorable astronaut floating around in outer space on the lid of our notebook.

There are various space-themed accents and design elements all over the chassis, with a bit of morse code that spells out “ad astra per aspera”, which means “through hardships to the stars”. These design elements are more than welcome, and do make using the notebook feel like a premium experience. The only bit of flaw is with the accent to the left of the NumberPad, which could be mistaken for a strand of hair when seen from one’s peripheral vision, leading to quite a few moments of suspicion that one is going through hair loss.

At S$2,698, what it ultimately boils down to is if you are willing to fork over an extra S$300 for aesthetics and incremental improvements, since the regular Zenbook 14X OLED retails at S$2,398. This notebook isn’t going to cut it for hardcore gamers, but for those who find themselves wanting a durable, highly portable notebook for everyday use, and derive a certain experiential pleasure from owning and using pretty things, this is definitely a notebook worth considering.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Geek Review: ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition (UX5401ZAS) appeared first on Geek Culture.

Razer has been expanding their range of products, from staples such as mice and keyboards to hardware designed for streamers. Due to Razer’s range, it is thus inevitable that products that don’t get an update for a while start to fade from the public consciousness. The Razer Leviathan is one such product.

First released in 2014, the Leviathan fills the niche of PC soundbar system which is a space that was barren back then, and even now, still not at the point of saturation. The PC soundbar is a way to move towards home theatre-level audio quality without having to devote too much space to it. In that aspect, the Leviathan excels. However, it has been eight years, and the soundbar is long due for an upgrade, especially given the increasing demand for them. Enter the Razer Leviathan V2.

The Leviathan V2 is the first gaming soundbar to feature THX Spatial Audio with 7.1 surround sound, making gaming and watching movies a more immersive experience with its 3D soundscape. There are seven drivers – two passive radiators, two tweeters, two full-range drivers, and one down-firing subwoofer. The audio itself can be calibrated on the Razer Synapse software and Razer mobile app. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 for fuss-free connection to PC and mobile.

Most importantly, it sports a Razer Chroma RGB light along its bottom, adding that bit of RGB visual flair the first Leviathan didn’t have. The RGB light isn’t gaudy either, as there is clearly restraint in its placement, serving more like an accent to the soundbar without taking too much focus away from it. The Razer Leviathan V2 retails for US$249.99, and is available on the Razer Store.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Razer Leviathan V2 Upgrades The PC Soundbar For The First Time In 8 Years, Adds Chroma RGB appeared first on Geek Culture.

WhatsApp is introducing a new feature, Communities. This feature addresses one of the issues that users of the Meta-owned messaging service have been facing – the bloating number of WhatsApp chat groups people tend to have with different permutations of the same or similar circles of people.

The Communities feature will allow users to organise the various chat groups they’re in under larger umbrella groups. Also, users will be able to receive updates sent to entire Communities, and admins will be able to send announcement messages while controlling which groups will and will not receive those messages. This is definitely a welcome feature as we are all familiar with the feeling of the number of chat groups becoming unwieldy. Having a way to keep the various groups neat and tidy will definitely be valuable to many.

Other than the Communities feature, there are also other new features being introduced to make WhatsApp as a whole more user-friendly. Emoji Reactions will be made available, so people can simply react to messages using emojis without flooding the chat. Group admins will also be able to delete messages from everyone’s chats with Admin Delete, getting rid of problematic messages for everyone easily. The maximum file size for File Sharing will also be increased to 2GB soon. Finally, one-tap voice calling will accommodate for up to 32 people now, making group calls much easier and more convenient.

Looks like chatting on WhatsApp is about to become even more seamless with all these new features.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post WhatsApp Introduces Communities Feature For Users To Start Sorting Out The Numerous Chat Groups They Are In appeared first on Geek Culture.

Among Us VR could be coming out on 10 November 2022, at least according to its SteamDB product page. The social deduction game by InnerSloth released Among Us back in 2018, developing a small but loyal playerbase before the game exploded into popularity in 2020 after it was picked up by popular streamers.

It is little wonder why, because as far as social deduction games go, Among Us is easy to pick up, fast-paced, and really streamlined the process of sussing out the traitors among players. One of the core mechanics involves players completing tasks, and the traitors will have to pretend to do tasks to be convincing. Another mechanic involves the traitors being able to use the vents to move around the map, and sometimes, players only manage to see the traitors using the vents to escape right when they enter the room, almost catching them red-handed.

Both mechanics likely lend themselves well to VR, since one requires players to observe others intently while another plays on players paying more attention to what happens just outside of their peripheral vision. Among Us VR, tapping into the immersive nature of VR, could be much more thrilling and exciting, leading to more exasperation and more uproar when players are deciding which potential traitor to kick out of their ship.

The game is currently in development, and hopefully the release date on the SteamDB page is accurate. This also gives those who haven’t gotten a VR headset time to get one for themselves. We have a primer on how to get an Oculus Quest 2 set up to make things easier! For now, we can still enjoy the original Among Us on iOS, Android, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Among Us VR’ Release Date Might Have Just Been Leaked appeared first on Geek Culture.

Following the teaser images posted on Twitter to drum up the hype, details surrounding the McDonald’s Japan x Ultraman collaboration has been revealed. The collaboration is based on two Ultraman productions, the first being 1971’s Return of Ultraman television series, while the second is the upcoming Shin Ultraman movie, which will be premiering in Japan on 13 May 2022.

This is quite fitting, as Shin Ultraman is meant as a reimagining of the original Ultraman television series from the 1960s, bringing the character back to its roots.

This collaboration introduces seasonal menu items, with the highlights being the two burgers, both with a chicken tatsuta, and one with tartar sauce. The standard Ultraman burger has been seen before in previous collaborations, while the one with tartar sauce is brand new. It is quite the missed opportunity not to incorporate salted egg yolk into the burgers, which would’ve been fitting as the Chinese translation of Ultraman is 咸蛋超人, which means ‘salted egg superman’, owing to the egg-shaped eyes of the hero. The top buns of the burgers also have an odd bulge, which has been seen before during previous seasonal releases of the chicken tatsuta burger.

There are other seasonal items included as well, such as the garlic and chilli shaker fries, carbonated Fuji apple juice soda, and carbonated watermelon juice soda. The menu items are available starting from 20 April 2022 in Japan, so fans of Ultraman who find themselves in Japan during that period, don’t miss out on these McDonald’s burgers!

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Missed Opportunity As New McDonald’s Ultraman Chicken Burger Lacks Salted Egg Yolk appeared first on Geek Culture.

In December 2021, to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Singapore-Japan diplomatic relations, a series of short episodes were made in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), where Ultraman battles kaijus in Singapore. The series is titled Ultraman: A New Power of Singapore, directed by Kiyotaka Taguchi, who was the main director for Ultraman Z (2020) and Ultraman Orb (2016). The three episodes are available for viewing on the ULTRAMAN OFFICIAL YouTube channel.

The series was part of a larger campaign, titled “SJ55”, and even had the iconic Merlion turning into a kaiju to fight alongside Ultraman. While it is essentially a reskin of a kaiju that appeared in the 2018 film, Ultraman Geed The Movie: Connect The Wishes!, it is still rather endearing to have a kaiju that belongs to Singapore.

Since each episode of the series lasts about two minutes, it is even more convenient to stitch them together into one single video, and this is exactly what the STB has done. Sit back, relax, and watch Ultraman protect our island nation from kaijus.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post Catch Ultraman And Merlion Kaiju Protect Singapore Again In One Complete Video appeared first on Geek Culture.

Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima is one cinematic blockbuster of an action game, thus, it is no surprise that there is a film adaptation of the game in the works. Since March 2021, it has been known that Chad Stahelski, director of the John Wick franchise, is set to direct this movie adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima.

Now, based on a Deadline report, we learn that the screenwriter for this adaptation will be Takashi Doscher. Doscher’s filmography includes films such as the sci-fi romance, Only, in which he was both writer and director, and Still, his debut feature which he has also written and directed.

Ghost of Tsushima is the second film produced through the partnership between Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions, with the first one being Uncharted. Compared to Uncharted, which is set in modern times, Ghost of Tsushima is historical fiction, set in the 13th century and based around the Mongol invasions of Japan. In the game, players play as Jin Sakai, a samurai warrior who’s also the last surviving member of his clan fighting for the freedom of Tsushima.

This is going to be one action-packed film. For now, there is no release date announced, but we will be keeping our eyes peeled for it.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ Film Adaptation Finds Its Screenwriter In Takashi Doscher appeared first on Geek Culture.

Better Call Saul, as a prequel and spin-off series of Breaking Bad, manages to maintain the high tension and thrill that good crime drama excels at. The co-creators, Vine Gilligan and Peter Gould, were teasing a crossover with Breaking Bad during its sixth and final season.

Gilligan said that “it would be a damn shame if the show ended without [Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul] appearing, would it not?”

It strongly hints that pair from Breaking Bad, with Cranston playing Walter White and Paul playing Jesse Pinkman, would make an appearance in this final season of Better Call Saul, and a few days later, the show’s Twitter account pretty much confirmed their appearance. This is quite the welcome surprise for fans as Breaking Bad ended in 2013, but the characters have become so iconic that many who haven’t watched the show can recognise them.

The last time the pair appeared on screen as those characters was in 2019’s El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, which continues Jesse’s story following Breaking Bad‘s finale, while Walter White appeared in flashbacks.

This is truly a fitting return, and we can’t think of a better way to end Better Call Saul, though the scope of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman’s roles still remain to be seen. The sixth season of Better Call Saul premieres on 18 April 2022 on AMC.

Brandon Toh

Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.

The post ‘Better Call Saul’ Sees ‘Breaking Bad’ Walter White & Jesse Pinkman Appear In Final Season appeared first on Geek Culture.