Sony is cutting out the middleman ahead of the PS5 launch next year with the announcement of a new addition to its online store that will see the console manufacturer sell its hardware, games, and more, directly to customers.

The new storefront will see products ranging from consoles and bundles - currently limited to the PS4 and PS4 Pro- the PS VR system and accessories, headsets, DualShock 4 Wireless Controllers, voucher codes for PS Plus subscriptions, and physical games, although this will be a limited selection with a view to expanding the available titles over time.

It's a smart move for Sony as we get closer to the next gen launch, and by selling its hardware and physical games directly to consumers, they can no doubt afford to offer more generous deals and discounts than that of its competitors, making it the most appealing place to spend your money.

Right now, for example, to mark the store going live, there are a couple of limited time promotional bundle deals running until October 31 for a PS4 and a PS4 Pro, both with a 12-month PS Plus subscription for $339.99 and $429.99 respectively. As an added bonus, PlayStation Plus members who are signed in to shop are eligible for free one-day express shipping.

As for the PS5 launch, if the store is thriving next year, we could possibly see Sony limit availability of the PS5 elsewhere, or offer the chance for gamers to pick one up earlier than competing outlets - both methods of directing business away from high street and online retailers, and directly to PlayStation.

The website went live this week in the US, and while Sony hasn't addressed if and when we might see the same for other regions, it would be missing a trick if it didn't roll out in other major markets.

You may recognize Pranav Pandey, an XDA Recognized Developer who ported the live wallpapers from the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3. As soon as the new Pixel Live Wallpapers leaked from the Pixel 4 XL, he started to look into porting them for all of us to enjoy. While the original APK targets Android 10, the developer says his modified version should work on any 64-bit Android device running Android 7.0 Nougat or later. Here are screenshots showing off some previews of the new Pixel 4 Live Wallpapers:

Screenshots courtesy of Pranav Pandey.

The “Doodle” wallpaper is one you’ve likely seen before if you’ve been following the flood of Pixel 4 leaks, and according to its description, you can play around with the objects on screen like you can with the new Android 10 Easter egg. The “Compass” live wallpaper shown above asks you to pick a location (presumably on a Map), which then results in the compass pointing towards that location. Lastly, the “Living Universe” set of live wallpapers has been expanded to show new locations in Saudia Arabia, Australia, and Switzerland.

The live wallpapers that are currently available in the APK.

What’s interesting about a lot of these live wallpapers is that they support the system-wide dark mode toggle in Android 10, but of course, there’s no dark mode toggle if you aren’t on Android 10 or Android 9-based One UI. To get the Pixel 4 live wallpaper port working on older Android versions, Pandey said he had to disable the WallpaperColors API that’s responsible for this behavior. That means the live wallpapers in the modified APK won’t react to changes in the system theme, but Pandey said he’ll try to make a separate version with this behavior intact for supported Android versions. Furthermore, the unique features for some of the wallpapers, like setting the planet for “Sights from the sun” or the color for “Doodle,” require integration with the Pixel Themes app and hence haven’t been fully ported. Lastly, the live wallpapers that were unlocked may not reflect the entire set of live wallpapers on retail units, though we’re getting close to the launch date so we won’t have to wait long to find out.

If you’re interested in trying out the new live wallpapers from the Google Pixel 4 on your own device, you can download the modified APK from the link below. The original, unaltered Pixel Live Wallpaper APK is available on APKMirror, but again, they won’t work on Pixel or non-Pixel devices even if you sideload them. For further updates to this port straight from the developer, we recommend you follow Pandey’s forum thread.

Download Google Pixel 4 Live Wallpapers Port [64-bit Android 7.0+] ||| XDA Forum Thread for Support

If you have a rooted device running Android 10 (only tested on Pixel), then you can get the above and the Pixel Themes app and the live wallpapers customization as shown here by downloading one of the below MagiskModules. Thanks to XDA Senior Member paphonb for the tip on how to get it fully working.

Download Google Pixel 4 Only Live Wallpapers + Pixel Theme Magisk Module [Android 10]

Download Google Pixel 4 & 3 Live Wallpapers + Pixel Theme Magisk Module [Android 10]

Check out some of Pranav Pandey’s work like “Rotation – Orientation Manager” and “Everyday – Calendar Widget” if you want to support the developer.

Google Pixel 4 Forums ||| Google Pixel 4 XL Forums

Source : XDA - Developers 

We’re just a few days away from the launch of Call of Duty: Mobile. Scheduled to roll out on October 1 for Android and iOS users, Call of Duty: Mobile is one of the most anticipated mobile games of the year. The new iteration of Call of Duty is also going to compete with PUBG Mobile with its own version of battle royale where up to 100 players can enter a fight. Here’s a complete guide to the latest PUBG Mobile alternative.

How to download, device compatibility

Call of Duty: Mobile will be available for your smartphone on October 1. To be among the first ones to download the game, you can pre-register for the game on the company’s official website. The game will be available via Google and Apple app stores.

Call of Duty: Mobile will need your phone to have at least 2GB of RAM and run on Android 5.1 and above. This will roughly cover all the mid-range and even some budget smartphones in India. PUBG Mobile has a similar device requirements though there’s also a PUBG Mobile Lite version.

For iPhone and iPad users, Call of Duty: Mobile requires your device to run on iOS 9.0 and above. The game is not compatible with older generation iPhones such as Phone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3 and iPod Touch.

PUBG Mobile-like battle royale

COD Mobile’s battle royale will support up to 100 players in a fight. Users can play in either solo, duo or even form a quad-player team. To be the last man standing, you need to leverage in-game items such as tactical raft, helicopter or ATVs across different geographies. The game also gives you the option to switch between first person perspective to third-person.

Multiplayer Combat

One of the biggest features of Call of Duty: Mobile is going to be the multiplayer combat. Here, you can choose to customise loadouts with primary or secondary weapons. You will also have the option to select the type of soldier and get more equipment for powerful gameplay. As the game progresses and you win more in-game rewards, you can collect iconic Call of Duty characters like John “Soap” MacTavish and Simon “Ghost” Riley from the Modern Warfare series. Black Ops series’ Alex Mason will also be up for unlocking. During the game, you’ll play in different maps including the familiar Hijacked and Nuketown. Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search & Destroy are some of the popular COD experiences that will be part of the game.