The next-gen remaster of GTA 5 will release with a massive discount on PS5 , bringing the game’s price down to half that of its Xbox Series X version .
The PS5 edition of Grand Theft Auto V is currently listed on the PlayStation store for $9.99 / £8.75 / AU$ 14.99, while the Xbox Series X version will cost you $19.99 / £17.49 / $29.97.
Those prices won’t stay fixed, however. The “special introductory” prices will only be live until June 14 later this year. After that date, the game will shoot up to $39.99 / £34.99 / AU$ 59.95 on both consoles.
That means PS5 users can nab the game at a 75% discount in the three months after it launches on March 15, while Xbox Series X/S players will only get a 50% release discount.
With this remaster, Rockstar is releasing GTA Online, the multiplayer component of GTA V, separately from the main game. It will cost $9.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 15.47 during the three-month, post-launch discount period, before it’s bumped up to $19,99 / £17.99 / AU$ 30.95.
PS5 players get another leg-up, too. Anyone who has played GTA 5 multiplayer on PS4 can claim the PS5 version of GTA Online for free until June 14. Xbox players get no such offer, so will have to purchase it, or the full game, again to play on their next-gen system.
Analysis: an absolute steal
While the 50% discount for Xbox Series X drops GTA 5 to an affordable level, the 75% launch day reduction on PS5 will reduce it to must-buy territory for many Rockster obsessives. $10 for a next-gen game (even a remastered one that originally released nearly 10 years ago) is a great price.
It’s little surprise that GTA 5's price tag has been slashed to such an extent. This is the second time Rockstar has ported the game to a new generation of consoles, having re-released it on PS4 and Xbox One in 2014, and porting it to PC in 2015. Despite its continued popularity, GTA 5 is an old game that may struggle to command the impressive sales it once did. A massive launch discount is Rockstar’s way of seeding it into the new generation.
But this latest remaster isn’t without its perks. GTA 5’s PS5 and Xbox Series X/S graphics options will let you choose between three modes to cater to your system. Fidelity offers ray-tracing and 4K resolution, although is locked at 30fps, Performance maintains 60fps and 4K resolutions, while Performance RT combines the two modes for an even middle-ground between graphical fidelity and high framerates.
These new city e-bikes are incredibly light, and won't break the bank
Estonian bike builder Ampler, known for building chic e-bikes like the Ampler Curt , has released a pair of new city riders that are feather-light and cost a lot less than you might expect.
Electric bikes are extremely convenient for city riding, making hills feel as effortless as flats and allowing you to make your daily commute without breaking a sweat, but they have a notorious weight problem. The latest e-bike drive systems like the Bosch smart system feature lightweight components and compact batteries, but many of the best e-bikes still tip the scales at 20kg or more, making them difficult to carry and store.
The new Ampler Juna and Axel are different, weighing 16.3 - 16.5kg including fenders, lights, and a kickstand. They're not the absolute lightest production e-bikes around (that honor probably goes to the HPS Domestique at a mere 8.5kg), but they're very svelte for their price tag. The bikes are both available now direct from Ampler for £2,490 (about $3,300 / AU$4,500) - around the same as the 18.9kg - 19.2kg Cowboy 4 .
Hidden power
Like many new e-bikes, the Ampler Juna has a low step-through frame that's good news for anyone with limited mobility, or who wants to cycle comfortably in regular street clothes. Its upright riding position provides good visibility in traffic. The Ampler Axel, meanwhile, has a step-over frame, sportier riding position, and more responsive handling.
Both bikes have fully internally routed cables, plus super compact batteries integrated into the downtube. Most e-bikes with this design have conspicuously bulky frames, but the Juna and Axel could easily pass as conventional commuters. The power buttons of both bikes are positioned under the top tube – easy to reach, but hidden from view.
Even the ride computer/display unit is fully integrated, housed within the top tube rather than sticking conspicuously from the handlebars where it could attract unwanted attention when the bike is locked up in public. Both bikes have brake lights to help keep you safer on busy roads, and extra-bright front lights for increased visibility at night and in poor weather.
Like Cowboy, Ampler also has a mobile app that allows you to lock your bike remotely to prevent unauthorized use of its motor, get insights into your ride data, and fine-tune its power settings to suit you. You can also install over-the-air firmware updates, so there's no need to take your bike to a workshop for upgrades.
Like all e-bikes built for use in the European Union, they max out at 25kmph with battery assistance, but have impressive range, able to roll for up to 100km with power assistance in ideal conditions. We're hoping to test both bikes ourselves, and bring you full reviews soon.
Opinion: weight matters
E-bikes feel light as a feather with the motor engaged, breezing up hills as though they weighed nothing, but when it's time to carry or store them, it's a very different story. I've had real difficulty hefting some of the e-bikes I've tested for TechRadar upstairs to my apartment, or onto public transport.
One particular bike had such a heavy integrated battery, I simply couldn't lift it high enough to stash in the bike rack on a train – even when a fellow passenger pitched in to help.
Electric bikes are great for accessibility, opening up the streets to people who would normally avoid cycling, but only if weight is limited. Thankfully, developments in battery and motor technology mean weights are coming down, even for mid-range and budget bikes, and that's good news for everyone.
A new patent hints toward a macOS mode for iPad - but don't hold your breath
A patent has been uncovered where docking an iPad to a keyboard accessory would enable a macOS mode, featuring floating windows and more.
As we approach WWDC 2022 , rumors of what iPadOS 16 may feature have been light, which could mean two things. Either it's going to be a muted update, or we're going to see a major redesign.
We're most likely going to see the former, with a focus on speed and bug fixes for the iPad in 2022. But that doesn't stop us from thinking about where iPadOS could go.
A macOS mode when an iPad is docked makes a lot of sense, but it could also introduce some confusion to users, in terms of where the hardware lineup stands.
Time for a big iPadOS change
The iPad has had a confusing time in the last few years, with Apple renaming its software to iPadOS, while still sticking to the same design principles that iOS has had since its debut in 2007.
While iPadOS 15 brought a great improvement to the home screen with the ability to place widgets there, it wasn't mind-blowing. It's partly why I sold my iPad Pro and am still content with a MacBook Pro 14-inch , but I do believe that the potential for the tablet is constantly there.
Which is why I'm approaching this patent with trepidation. Usually, patents are filed to protect the inventor, and it's a 50/50 chance whether we see these features be implemented.
Yet seeing a mode resembling macOS, as an option for the iPad, is an alluring thought. But it opens a can of worms:
Time to say goodbye to the iPad Pro
Alongside this, the lineup of iPads is also confusing in the features they all offer. In 2015, the Apple Pencil could only be used with the iPad Pro - now it's all models except the cheapest iPad.
However, while the iPad Pro has ProMotion, a feature that enables the display to run at 120Hz, speakers around the tablet, and Face ID, there's little enough to tempt you to go to this highest tier of iPad.
Perhaps macOS-mode would be best for this iPad instead, but it's time to see a rename for that tier if the feature did arrive. iPad Studio could work, as the name implies creating projects, but being able to take these anywhere, and switch between certain modes, something that the Mac Studio can't do, could be appealing to many.
But again, there's little chance that we'll see this patent come to fruition anytime soon, if at all. The iPad Pro needs to stand out from the iPhone and other iPads, but there's a danger that falling back on a macOS mode could confuse users as to what the tablet is truly for, and how it could benefit them in the long run.
Via Patently Apple