PHOTO OPS Archives

DOJ Slaps Apple With Antitrust Lawsuit Over iPhone Monopoly, Android Users Say It’s About Time

March 21, 2024

If the DOJ’s lawsuit is successful, it could force the Tim Cook-run company to make significant changes to its highly successful business model.
In a press conference announcing the lawsuit, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “As set out in our complaint, Apple has that power in the smartphone market. If left unchallenged. Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly.”
Per The Verge, the DOJ’s lawsuit accuses Apple of:

Disrupting “super apps” that encompass many different programs and could degrade “iOS stickiness” by making it easier for iPhone users to switch to competing devices
Blocking cloud-streaming apps for things like video games that would lower the need for more expensive hardware
Suppressing the quality of messaging between the iPhone and competing platforms like Android
Limiting the functionality of third-party smartwatches with its iPhones and making it harder for Apple Watch users to switch from the iPhone due to compatibility issues
Blocking third-party developers from creating competing digital wallets with tap-to-pay functionality for the iPhone

In a statement to CNBC, Apple did not agree with the lawsuit and said it would fight it.
A spokesperson for the tech giant told CNBC, “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple—where hardware, software, and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”
Android users have been eating this all up because of the claims they have accused Apple of for years.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

Erykah Badu Accuses Beyoncé of Swagger Jacking Her Hairstyle, The Beyhive Reacts

djfrosty

March 21, 2024

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Source: Andreas Rentz / Getty / Erykah Badu / Beyoncé
The Beyhive has had enough of Erykah Badu coming for their queen Beyoncé.
Erykah Badu is feeling the sting of Beyoncé’s fans after she accused the Houston singer of swagger jacking again.
The “Bag Lady” singer took to her Instagram Stories to insinuate that her fellow Texas native bit her hairstyle on the alternate cover of her upcoming album, Act ii: Cowboy Carter.
Badu’s claims came on Wednesday, March 20, after Beyoncé shared the alternate cover to her new album. On it, the “Take My Soul” crafter is naked, covered by a sass saying “act ii BEYINCÉ,” while rocking braided hair with beaded bangs and holding a lit cigar.
In her post, Badu reposted the photo with the caption, “Hmmm.”

The hive, as expected, did not care for Badu accusing Beyoncé of biting her style. Badu hilariously hopped on X, formerly Twitter, asking for help from Beyoncé’s husband JAY-Z, of all people, writing in the post, “To JAY-Z. Say somethin Jay. You gone let this woman and these bees do this to me??”

Erykah Badu Has A History of Calling Beyoncé Out
This is not the first time Badu has claimed she has served as an uncredited style inspiration for Beyoncé. She also called out Beyoncé for biting her style regarding the hats worn during her performance.
During her Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé wore metallic wide-brimmed hats during her performances, something Badu was also known for.
In that post, Badu also wrote “Hmmm” underneath a picture of Beyoncé and then shared a photo of herself wearing a hat during a similar performance, writing, “I guess I’m everyone’s stylist. favorite chrome mirror hat.”
Beyoncé seemingly saw the disrespect, and during a tour stop in Massachusetts, she had some time for Badu, replacing the lyrics on the “Break My Soul” (The Queens Remix)” saying “Badu, Badu, Badu, Badu,” instead of Badu, Lizzo, Kelly Rowl.”

Well, the Beyhive has seen and heard enough and is currently dragging Badu.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

1. Fair question

3. Interesting observation

4. An excellent breakdown of the madness

6. Seems to be true

Black Panther & Captain America Butt Heads In First Trailer For ‘1943: Rise of Hydra,’ X Salutes Khary Payton

djfrosty

March 20, 2024

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Source: Marvel / Skydance / 1943: Rise of Hydra
Marvel video game fans, we might have a banger! The first trailer for the Black Panther and Captain America game, now titled 1943: Rise of Hydra, is here and looks absolutely amazing.
We didn’t see what the Amy Hennig-led game looked like until now, as it was first unveiled during the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase during the D23 Convention in 2022 that was until now.
During the State of Unreal keynote, Marvel and Skydance New Media delivered an epic story trailer showcasing the power of Unreal Engine 5, and it’s f***ing awesome.
Per Kotaku via Marvel, the game’s narrative reads as follows:
As the game’s narrative unfolds, players will assume the role of four central characters: a young Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America; Azzuri, T’Challa’s grandfather and the WWII-era Black Panther; Gabriel Jones, a US soldier and member of the Howling Commandos; and Nanali, a Wakandan spy embedded in Occupied Paris.
In the gorgeous cinematic trailer for 1943: Rise of Hydra, we follow both Captain America and Black Panther as they take down Nazis in Paris. At the same time, Captain America is hunting Black Panther, and the two heroes eventually bump heads on a bridge, but we all know they will eventually team up at some point in the game.
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We have no idea how this game will play, but the trailer has already hooked us.
Gamers Are H Y P E D
Gamers on X, formerly Twitter, have been sharing their reactions, specifically showing love to actor Khary Payton (The Walking Dead), who plays T’Challa’s grandfather Azuri, who carries the Black Panther mantle in the game.
We also have to salute the fact that we have not one, not two, but three lead Black protagonists in a AAA video game.

What a time to be alive.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra will be released in 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Sorry, Nintendo Switch owners, you cannot take this ride.
You can see more reactions to the game in the gallery below.

2. SAY LESS!

3. We do too.

4. Yes, yes it is.

5. Video games have come a loooooonnnnnngggggg way.

6. He’s incredible

Doja Cat, Offset, Sexxy Red & More Are Hitting The Hot 97 Summer Jam Stage, Fans Are Not Feeling The Lineup

djfrosty

March 20, 2024

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Hot 97 / Hot 97 Summer Jam 2024
It’s that time of the year when Hot 97 announces the lineup for its highly anticipated concert, Summer Jam. Unfortunately, it landed with a thud.
The same concert that gave us JAY-Z famously clowning NaS, the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep on the Summer Jam screen, and even bringing out Michael Jackson for a brief second has seen better days, according to fans.
New Yorkers who look forward to the concert that has the title of being the official start to summer in New York City feel it has officially fallen off after the iconic radio station announced this year’s lineup.
No longer taking place at MetLife Stadium, opting for a traditional venue in UBS Arena, the concert has since been downsized, axing the festival stage that usually featured “smaller acts” before the more prominent names hit the main stage inside MetLife.
This year, opening up Summer Jam 2024 will be Tee Grizzley, 41 (Kyle-Richh, Jenn Carter, and Tata), Davido, Sleepy Hallow, Method Man & Redman, Sexxy Red, Offset, and Doja Cat as the concert’s headliner.

Reactions To The Lineup Are Not Good
Anywhere else, that’s a pretty solid lineup, but this collection of artists is not slapping for New Yorkers. Immediately after the big announcement, they voiced their displeasure, and the critiques were not kind.
“Chris Brown & usher will be worth the money over this trash lineup,” one person wrote in Hot 97’s IG post sharing the flyer showing the lineup.
Another comment read, “Trash ass line up Redman and method Man the dopest ones on this list.”
Ouch.
“Just cancel the whole damn Summer Jam,” another comment read.
Well damn.
We still think there will be people in the UBS Arena on Sunday, June 2, to watch the show; whether the show completely sells out is another story.
More reactions to Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2024 lineup are in the gallery below.

1. Legit question

4. Well, not everyone is upset with the lineup

11. Ummmmmm let’s relax

Sony Reportedly Hits The Pause Button On PlayStation VR2 Production To Get Rid of Backlog Unsold Units

djfrosty

March 18, 2024

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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / PlayStation VR2
According to reports, the PlayStation VR2 is looking like a flop.
Spotted on IGN via Bloomberg’s reporting, Sony has hit the pause button on the production of the PlayStation VR2 headsets.
The website claims the tech giant is trying to clear the backlog of unsold units, signaling what many have been saying about the PSVR2: it’s a flop.
Per IGN:
Bloomberg reported sales of the $550 virtual reality headset have “slowed progressively” since its launch in February 2023, causing a buildup of stock. According to the site, Sony produced “well over” two million PSVR2 units.
The relative success of the PSVR2 was called into question earlier this year when Sony announced a number of upcoming games for the device, none of which were from its first-party studios. Then, as part of a wave of devastating layoffs affecting 900 staff, Sony’s VR-focused London studio was earmarked for closure.
According to Sony, the PSVR2 sold nearly 600,000 units six weeks after its launch, and according to analysts, just over one million units in its first year.
Giving the impression that PlayStation VR2 did not sell well over the holiday season, SIE’s head of global business, Eric Lempel, told The Financial Times that the peripheral was a “bit of a challenging category right now,’ adding he believed “there was a higher expectation generally for what VR would do to gaming.”
Welp.
Meta Is Killing The VR Game
Sales of the PSVR2 were well behind Meta’s Quest 2 and 3 headsets during the holiday season.
The PlayStation VR2’s future is uncertain, but maybe its reported compatibility with PCs, a feature that Sony is currently testing, will help get it in the heads of more gamers.
Until then, the gallery below shows more reactions to the unsurprising news that PSVR2 is not selling well.

1. Fair point

2. More excellent points

3. Sounds about right

5. Sony listen to Nicholas

10. Do they?

‘Contra: Operation Galuga,’ Is A New Definitive Way To Enjoy The NES Classic Video Game

djfrosty

March 18, 2024

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Source: Konami / WayForward / Contra: Operation Galuga
During my young gaming years, Contra on the NES was one of those games that had me and other gamers screaming at their televisions. The franchise is back, and WayForward and Konami put a fresh spin on the game, giving folks like myself a different take on the beloved classic and the opportunity to finally conquer this digital demon.
Forget Contra: Rogue Corps; that game didn’t happen. WayForward got that bad taste out of our mouths with a remix of the original NES classic Contra, with Operation Galuga, a proper love letter to the 1988 game that many still have not beat unless you used the cheat code.
Contra Operation Galuga doesn’t just reinvent the wheel. It brings back all of the nostalgia and feel of the original brutally hard run-and-gun shooter, but this time, it makes it more tolerable. Don’t worry, purists; the challenge is still there.
The main game, which you can beat in hours, features eight chapters and tries to deliver a remix of the 88 game’s original story. But when did people ever play this game for its narrative? The answer is never.
Like the original, you take on the roles of elite Contra commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean. They now get some help from other playable warriors to take on the Red Falcon army, which is after a mysterious otherworldly power on the island of Galuga to push their agenda of world domination.
Like a great B-action movie, the game’s plot won’t blow you away. The voice acting is fine, and the cut scenes are gorgeous, but in the end, this ride is all about the action—or, in this sense, the gameplay.
Operation Galuga Adds New Features & Stays Faithful To The Orignal Contra
Source: Konami / WayForward / Contra: Operation Galuga
Contra: Operation Galuga isn’t just the 1988 game with a fresh coat of paint on it. Yes, WayForward did a fantastic job with Operation Galuga, reimagining the original game while paying homage to those games before it.
As soon as the first level begins, you are taken back to those NES days because the jungle location is very familiar. Other areas, like the waterfall and inside the giant alien (if you made it that far), will tug on your nostalgia pearls.
The enemies, who are not the most innovative AI-controlled bots in the world, still pose a challenge even though they carry out simple commands and come at you from all angles, forcing you to take out challenges quickly.
Those “floating footballs” filled with your favorite weapon power-ups like the spread shot, flamethrower, homing rockets, laser, grenade launcher, or machine gun return. You will find yourself landing on a favorite; for me, it was the homing rockets and spread gun.
What’s new with the weapons is that if you collect two of the same type, they become even more powerful. An added boost is the addition of an overcharge feature that introduces a secondary effect like a shield, floating turrets, or slowing down time.
Contra was also known for its epic boss battles, and that continues to be the case here with challenging bosses and sub-bosses that you might find familiar from the previous games.
New Features Make It More Accessible, But It’s Still Challenging
Source: Konami / WayForward / Contra: Operation Galuga
In Operation Galuga, I was thrilled to learn that WayForward also included a life meter, giving your player three hits instead of the classic one-shot death from the original game.
For the purists, the one-shot death is still available if you want to keep the challenging feeling of the 1988 game.
Source: Konami / WayForward / Contra: Operation Galuga
Also introduced into the game is a new perk system, giving the game a roguelike feel and allowing you to begin levels with certain advantages like an extra life bar or starting with a weapon power-up. You can purchase perks after completing each mission using the currency you acquire during missions.
Other welcome features include not having to start from the first level after you run out of lives, starting from mid-points if you get deep into a level, and a 4-player coop that adds a new dimension to Contra.
Plus, being able to play with different characters also adds a unique experience to each playthrough because no character is the same.
Final Thoughts
Source: Konami / WayForward / Contra: Operation Galuga
Contra: Operation Galuga isn’t a perfect game, but it checks all the boxes for a solid remake. It’s the definitive experience for gamers who have never experienced the original game, Operation C, or Super Contra on the Super Nintendo.
For those who played those games listed above and even the awful spinoffs, this is a refreshing reboot of Contra that introduces many new features, a rebooted story, and tons of new characters added to the Contra lore.
The replay value isn’t extremely high, but different modes will keep you entertained during road trips or flights while playing on your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or PlayStation Portable.
Contra: Operation Galuga took me back to my childhood and allowed me to put the finishing touch on a game my five-year-old self thought I would never finish.
Operation Galuga is available now on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Steam.
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*Steam code for Contra: Operation Galuga provided by Konami.*

1. Contra: Operation Galuga