Smooth controls and satisfying combat.

When it comes to a game’s aesthetic, I’m usually pulled in if there are fantasy or sci-fi elements and luckily for me Catalyst Black supplies both. This online multiplayer centers around teammates wielding guns to take down large beasts and opponents in various modes. Players can also temporarily transform into powerful beasts known as Primals when a gauge counts down, which allows them to inflict far more damage for a short period.

I’ve been playing Catalyst Black on my iPad Air 5th Gen and iPhone 12 for six hours as of the time of this writing. It runs smoothly and feels very well-balanced despite there being a huge variety of weapons. Additionally, the various modes keep the gameplay fresh while the progression system has me coming back for more. Perhaps most importantly, while there are in-game purchases, I’ve never felt like I needed to buy anything to keep up with other players.

Catalyst Black for iOS review:

What’s good
What’s not …

What you need to know

Microsoft is reportedly readying a new streaming device similar to the Fire TV Stick.
The device would likely carry the Xbox brand and be designed for streaming games from the cloud.
A video streaming component would allow Netflix and other services to offer apps for the new device.

Could Apple be about to get more competition in the streaming box market?

Microsoft is reportedly working on a new, inexpensive streaming stick that could not only allow people to stream games, but also video content.

While Apple already has the Apple TV, it’s previously been rumored to have designs on a new, cheaper version that would offer competition for the popular Amazon Fire TV Stick. Now, Windows Central reports that Microsoft is set to do something similar under the Xbox brand.

If the rumors are true, and quotes from Microsoft appear to suggest they are, the streaming device would likely focus on offering gamers the chance to stream games via Xbox Cloud Gaming. But it’…

What you need to know

Pro Darts 2022+ is now available for download from the App Store thanks to Apple Arcade.
Gamers will be able to play on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The game features 28 computer opponents and features high definition 3D textured environments.

Darts fans have a hot new Apple Arcade title to download.

It’s Friday which means Apple Arcade has a new game for people to download. This time that game is Pro Darts 2022+, a title that is free to download for all Apple Arcade subscribers on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Being an Apple Arcade game, Pro Darts 2022+ comes without any ads or in-app purchases to ruin the fun. You’ll need to be a subscriber to download the game, of course, but that’ll also unlock a world of games that are available without the need for additional expense, too.

In terms of Pro Darts 2022+, gamers can look forward to playing in fully textured 3D worlds and on custom boards. New game types are also included, making Pro Darts 2022+ ”the complete package…

Avid iPhone gamers know that the struggle is real. Your iPhone runs hot, your battery drains fast, and your hands get sweaty. There are a variety of ways to solve these problems, although there’s no one case that does it all. We’ve searched a variety of products that can improve the gaming experience on iPhone. These are the best gaming cases for iPhone 13 Pro, as well as some additional accessories that will make a difference in your gameplay.

Best overall

Otterbox Easy Grip Gaming Antimicrobial Case

Staff Pick

When Otterbox makes a case, they mean it. This is the best choice because it solves a range of problems. The case implements CoolVergence technology to dispel heat during gameplay. It has a super grippy surface and an antimicrobial coating to combat the buildup of germs from sweaty hands.

$55 at Otterbox
$55 at Amazon {.end}

Best for controllers

Torras MoonClimber iPhone 13 Pro Case

If you’re the kind of gamer who prefers to use a traditional controller for …

What you need to know

WhatsApp is rolling out gallery reaction changes to beta testers.
People will be able to see which media people have reacted to more easily.

WhatsApp is going to make it easier for people to see which media people are reacting to from within a gallery.

We heard recently that WhatsApp was planning to test a change that would make it easier for people to see reactions to media inside a gallery and now the instant messaging service has begun to roll it out to beta testers.

Currently, reactions to media in a gallery just show as a general reaction — not what the reaction was to. According to WABetaInfo, that’s all changing with the latest iOS WhatsApp beta.

People were already able to see reactions within an album so what’s the difference between the two versions? In the previous version, users could not understand which photos or videos from an automatic album received a reaction without opening it. Thanks to this feature, beta users can now see a media…

What you need to know

There’s a new WhatsApp sticker pack to celebrate the launch of Stranger Things season four, volume one on Netflix.
The new sticker pack includes animated versions of all your favorite characters from the hit show.
Stickers can be sent to that Stranger Things group chat you’re spamming right now.

All of your favorite Stranger Things characters are represented in the new WhatsApp sticker pack.

It’s here! After a long wait, Stranger Things season four, volume one is now available to stream on Netflix and you can celebrate with a cool new WhatsApp sticker pack!

Now available in the WhatsApp sticker store, the new pack was spied by TechRadar and features all of your favorite characters in animated form, perfect for expressing your feelings in that Stranger Things group chat you’ll be spamming while watching along! Note that the sticker pack is rolling out right now so you might not see it in the sticker store just yet — follow our link if that’s the case. It’…

Your iPhone makes sure you never miss AMBER and other kinds of emergency government alerts.

The United States participates in an emergency notification service called AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcasting Emergency Response). An AMBER alert usually lets citizens know when police are tracking a missing person and there is information that this person may be in your area. Apple has included AMBER alert notifications, as well as other emergency government notifications like Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts, on all iPhones, including yours.

Depending on the nature of the alert, which can include child abductions and impending natural disasters, it’s a great feature that can prevent injury and save lives. Many lives. So, by their nature, these alerts don’t respect Do Not Disturb settings. They NEED to get through.

That can be shocking, however, especially if they happen when you’re sleeping, driving, or otherwise not expecting a loud noise to come from your iPhone 13. That’s …

”The official Bionic Reading® method in your browser”

What you need to know

Bionic Reading is a new way of consuming content that is taking the internet by storm.
It highlights small portions of words to make them easier to read.
The tool is now available as a Chrome extension right in your web browser!

A viral ’Bionic Reading’ tool that is taking the internet by storm is now available as a Chrome Extension for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Bionic Reading announced the Chrome rollout on Twitter, and the extension is now available to download on Chrome. Of course, that means you can also use it on Microsoft Edge, which are both good browser options on macOS Monterey and Apple’s best MacBooks and desktop computers.

Bionic Reading is a tool that highlights small portions of words to make them easier to read so that your brain can digest sentences more easily. These ”fixations” can be tweaked so you can choose how much of a word shows up in bold, and the contrast levels betw…

”Over the past weekend, media reports went viral of a large group storming a dormitory housing Quanta’s Taiwanese managers after a dispute over the prolonged lockdown and pay — triggering an hours-long standoff confirmed by several workers within the compound.”

What you need to know

A new report says a MacBook factory in Shanghai is facing continued turmoil and that some workers are starting to revolt against their overseers.
A video earlier this month showed workers scrambling to leave the factory and a riot.
Bloomberg reports that there have been more revolts and that factory floors are vacant.

A new report says that a MacBook factory in Shanghai continues to face turmoil and that some of its workers have revolted against their overseers.

Bloomberg reported Friday:

Violent clashes, mounting infections and vacant factory floors: the turmoil that’s engulfed tens of thousands of workers at an Apple Inc. supplier in Shanghai is a troubling symptom of China’s extreme effort…