Latest news with #livingroom
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Mario Kart World review – a riotous road trip for every player
I realised that we might have a Mario Kart World problem in our house when my sons ran up to me after our first few hours with the game, proudly showing off circular indentations on their little thumbs from holding down the accelerator button so hard. Mildly alarmed, I examined my own thumb to find the same evidence of getting over-absorbed in the knockabout, chaotic fun of our tournaments. You can play Mario Kart online now – even with video chat, in World – but it's just not the same as playing with people on the couch next to you. I imagine this game will revive living-room multiplayer for millions of families. God only knows how many hours I have spent racing Mario and his pals around their cartoon wonderland circuits since 1992 – this series has accompanied me through my entire life, the reliable mainstay that everyone wants to play with me, no matter how familiar they are with video games in general. I have been caught in months-long time-trial wars with my brother and my gamer friends; I have watched laughing strangers play it endlessly at the gaming pub nights that I used to run; I have dropped in and out of races over long evenings with big groups of friends; I've played it with almost everyone I've ever dated. Mario Kart World allows for all these playstyles and more, an easy-breezy social game that also lets you get extremely competitive. It comes with a veritable Disneyland of courses: ice palaces, a jungle safari, a dinosaur park, a ski slope, a spaceport themed after the 1983 arcade version of Donkey Kong. Some feel like old Mario Kart courses, with tighter turns and clever shortcuts, designed for power-sliding and boosting around the old-fashioned way. Others are wider, more scenic voyages: every course connects to several others, so you can either race laps or drive between hot-spots on what is now a massive interconnected map, letting you drive from the seaside all the way to Bowser's Castle at the top of a volcano. Outside of the races you can also roam freely, going off-road or even on to the water, hunting down hidden coins and challenges: difficult trick-courses across lava fields, an unconventional route through the sky balanced on the wings of a seaplane, timed coin-collecting. This world isn't as populous or as beautiful as something like Forza Horizon's, but it's still a trip to explore it with friends and find scenic little spots to gather together. The visual language is that of a group holiday: Polaroid snaps, stickers from local shops, regional foods. It's a shame that free-roam only works online, mind – two or more players on the same console can race together, but they can't explore together. Speaking of trips: you can still make a Mario Kart World session feel like a tournament, if you want, running laps and competing to find the best lines through particular courses. But it seems to me that the developers want you to experience it instead as a journey. The Grand Prix competitions link courses together so you're charting a course across this little continent, seeing all the sights as you go. Driving with 24 players on those wide routes from one course to another, it doesn't feel so much like a race as a chaotic road trip. This is very much the vibe in Knockout Tour, a Fortnite-style elimination race where you can go from first place to 14th in two seconds and trailing players are thrown out of the race every few minutes. The most important change, however, is not the environment, but the movement. You can now charge up a boost-jump to grind along rails, ride walls, and chain shortcuts through the more ambitious courses. This requires fighting against actual decades' worth of drift-and-boost muscle memory, and during my first days with Mario Kart World it raised the humiliating possibility that I might now be bad at it, after all these years. But once you've got the hang of it, it gives racing a new feel even for those of us who've been karting forever, adding a bit of Tony Hawk-esque flair. The cast of characters is broad and ridiculous. You can race as a cow, or a dolphin, or a new-look Donkey Kong hunkered hilariously over the steering wheel. (Nintendo's venerable ape has now taken on the look that he sported in the recent Mario movie, and dabs in the air whenever you pull off a trick – I now find him nonspecifically annoying, but then, I am old.) You unlock new vehicles all the time, and new costumes for the ones who wear clothes, primarily Mario and his friends. It is impossible not to smile at Bowser in full biker leathers kicking back on an imitation Harley. There are plenty of different assist options for kids and less skilled players, from motion-controlled steering to auto-acceleration and more: my eight-year-old could play without them, and my five-year-old was kept in the running by turning some of them on. It really is an impressively welcoming game, this, generous and detailed and unfailingly fun, different but with the same spirit. It feels like the culmination of something, a synthesis of different philosophies of fun that still nonetheless comes together. The Switch 2 itself does feel like a swish upgrade rather than an all-new console, so it's a relief that its headline game shows that Nintendo still has a talent for reinvention. Mario Kart World is available now; £74.99
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
The USB-C dream is dead and it's too late to revive it
Robert Triggs / Android Authority I've been writing about USB-C for what seems like forever (seriously, it's been seven or eight years!). From a unifying, one-size-fits-all specification to the grim reality of compatibility issues and opaque feature support, USB-C has its plaudits and detractors. Me? I sit firmly in the middle — aware of the problems yet still hoping, however foolishly, that the trusty port will one day live up to its promise. Unfortunately, as time passes, USB-C's window of opportunity is closing, and fast. To understand exactly what's 'wrong' with USB-C, just look around your living room. Can you remember which of your power packs charges which of your gadgets quickly or slowly? Laptops and PCs are no better. Back when we had DisplayPort, HDMI, and barrel sockets, you knew where you stood — but now, deciphering which of today's three or four USB-C ports does what requires serious manual-reading. And who has time for that? From charging, data, and peripherals, USB-C does it all but seldom does it well. Playing 'Guess Who?' with a socket that claims to do everything but seldom does is just a microcosm of USB-C's biggest problem — the swirling mess of the specification itself. Big points to anyone who can tell me how many different charging standards are still kicking around in the smartphone world, or how many different data speeds exist across Apple's Mac lineup. Honestly? I've given up trying to keep track. USB-C's biggest problem isn't even that it's unclear what each port does; it's that matching two products that supposedly use the same interface has become an absolute nightmare — and it's only gotten worse over the past decade. Unfortunately, much like my USB-C cable drawer, I've lost hope of ever untangling this mess. Two steps forward, one step back It's taken nearly a decade, but efforts to improve gadget charging have emerged. Perhaps the biggest recent win is that USB Power Delivery (USB PD) support is now mandatory for 15W USB-C gadgets and above, thanks to an EU directive. While this doesn't guarantee fast charging on every device, it ensures common protocol support for all 'fast' charging gadgets. The really good news? Modern chargers will supply at least some power to all modern smartphones, as we've seen from many newer models out of China. Speaking of China, it hasn't been idle either. A collective effort to unify its cluttered fast-charging portfolio has produced the Universal Fast Charging Specification (UFCS). Though UFCS is a separate standard to Power Delivery, it's designed to be compatible with USB PD 3.0, offering similar voltage levels and power capabilities. China is also gradually moving to universal charging, but it's taking a long time. Unfortunately, UFCS isn't backwards compatible with existing standards like SuperVOOC or HyperCharge, so widespread adoption will take time. Still, it shows that even China's biggest players are concerned about interoperability and e-waste. The OnePlus 13, OPPO Find X8 Pro, and HUAWEI Mate 70 series are recent smartphones supporting UFCS alongside their proprietary standards. Certainly, the gradual adoption of USB Power Delivery as the primary method for fast-charging phones, laptops, and other gadgets has been a positive step for consumers. However, even ignoring proprietary standards, the USB Implementers Forum hasn't helped consumers navigate what should be a simple plug-and-play scenario. C. Scott Brown / Android Authority The introduction of USB Power Delivery Programmable Power Supply (PPS) added flexibility for the fine voltage control required to fast-charge modern batteries. However, USB PD PPS took years to reach the plug market, and it's still not apparent to most consumers that you need a PPS-compatible USB PD plug to fast-charge the Galaxy S25 series above 18W, for example. Regular PD is still the standard, but it's going out of fashion for smartphones and even laptops. We're still buying OEM-branded chargers as a compatibility hedge — that's how bad USB-C still is. Worse, the PPS specification now has even more sub-specifications, which are as confusing as the proprietary protocols. Google's Pixel 9 Pro XL is a prime example: it will only hit 37W power levels with a specific 20V PPS plug — the 'old' 9V PPS ones won't cut it, leaving you stuck at 27W. Good luck finding that small but critical detail on many plug spec sheets, if you even bother to look. All these years later, we're still buying OEM-branded chargers as a hedge against compatibility — what a joke. USB-C is determined to undermine itself Robert Triggs / Android Authority Charging speeds dominate smartphone conversations, but USB-C encompasses far more: data transfer speeds, audio, display support, and PCI-E extensions. You name it, USB-C can probably do it, depending on the specific port configuration. Outside of charging, data is the one area where the spec continues to confuse consumers the most. Since its inception, USB-C hasn't mandated a specific data-transfer protocol. It can be backed by USB 2.0, USB 3.2, or even Thunderbolt controllers, meaning speeds range from a measly 0.48 Gbit/s up to a speedy 20 Gbit/s. Consumers and experts alike have found it anything but straightforward to figure out what each USB-C port can do. Despite promising to help, USB4 has made things even worse. USB4 was introduced in 2019 specifically to clear up some confusion. The spec was based on (but not directly compatible with) Thunderbolt 3, bundling DisplayPort 2.0 support, a baseline 20 Gbit/s data speed, and backward compatibility with older standards. While this didn't directly address legacy standards still used over USB-C, the idea was that if your product was USB4-compliant, you'd know what to expect. USB4 was meant to bring order, but instead splintered into a soup of Gen 2×1, 3×2, and Gen 4 variations — each with wildly different speeds from 10 Gbps to 120 Gbps. Confused? You're not alone. Many DisplayPort, power, and PCI features also remain optional. If all that wasn't confusing enough, you'll have to buy a top-of-the-line USB-C cable to ensure the advanced features work correctly. Despite pages of official labeling guidelines, cheap and counterfeit cables have only made the affordability-versus-quality gamble worse. So much for simplicity. Apple bungled it too A reluctant latecomer to USB-C, Apple finally adopted the port with the 2024 iPhone 15 series following the European Commission's ruling. While Apple usually tightly controls and optimizes user experience, being dragged kicking and screaming away from Lightning resulted in a half-assed approach at best. I'd hoped Apple might bring some order to the USB madhouse. Instead, the iPhone embraced the chaos plaguing the wider tech world. If anyone could reign in USB-C it was Apple. Another chance missed. There's no better example than the iPhone 16's data speeds. The budget models still use sluggish USB 2.0 ports — rare outside the cheapest Android phones. Meanwhile, the Pro models are 20x faster but still don't match the 40 Gbps Thunderbolt capabilities of the iPad Pro. Recent iPhone Pro models charge a bit faster than basic models, but Apple has never clarified when this is the case, and hasn't adopted USB PD PPS to boost speeds further. iPhone 15/16 iPhone 15/16 Plus iPhone 15/16 Pro iPhone 15/16 Pro Max Connector iPhone 15/16 USB-C iPhone 15/16 Plus USB-C iPhone 15/16 Pro USB-C iPhone 15/16 Pro Max USB-C Data speed iPhone 15/16 USB 2.0 480Mbps iPhone 15/16 Plus USB 2.0 480Mbps iPhone 15/16 Pro USB 3.1 Gen 2x1 10Gbps iPhone 15/16 Pro Max USB 3.1 Gen 2x1 10Gbps Charging Power iPhone 15/16 20W iPhone 15/16 Plus 20W iPhone 15/16 Pro 20W (~25W recorded) iPhone 15/16 Pro Max 20W (~25W recorded) The only reason the Pros have faster data speeds is to enable the transfer of ProRes video. Otherwise, Apple has done the bare minimum with USB-C to pass muster; it seems more focused on MagSafe as the future standard for its mobile products. The USB-C mess is here to stay Robert Triggs / Android Authority By now, these problems are well-documented, and I'm sure you've experienced some of these frustrations yourself. USB-C is over ten years old and has done little more than give us a reversible connector to use on all our gadgets. That's a small success, but hardly the plug-and-play future we were promised. Worse, the genie is out of the bottle. With everything from headphones, laptops, and VR headsets now mandated to use USB-C, the port is everywhere. But with that ubiquity comes a sprawling mess of standards and support that cannot be undone. There's simply no way to rewind and set things on a simpler path, even if major players like Apple or Google suddenly wanted to. That fragmentation doesn't just frustrate, it undermines one of the fundamental USB-C promises: reducing e-waste. One of USB-C's biggest selling points has been the reduction of clutter and superior reusability across devices. Instead, users are still hoarding multiple cables, chargers, and dongles to cover all possible bases. While the connector is universal in shape, it doesn't always lead to fewer accessories in circulation. If, by some miracle, USB-C gets its act together eventually, what do we do with all of today's accessories? Just bin them? USB-C isn't just frustrating, the mess undermines its eco-promise. USB-C had a unique opportunity to tame the Wild West of data and power cables, unifying them into something simpler. While a fixed specification would have stifled innovation, tighter control with gradual, cohesive upgrades across sibling specifications every few years, preferably with mandatory support levels, would have prevented many of today's issues. Instead, USB-C has become a black box of 101 different capabilities, old and new. It might make a small dent in the e-waste problem, but it could have been so much more. What a spectacular failure.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm an interiors expert – here's the 9 living room trends that make your home look outdated, your big light says it all
SPRING is the perfect time to give your living room the refresh it's been waiting for. But it's important to create a timeless space that won't look outdated as soon as new trends sweep in. 4 To help, interior designer Paulina Wojas from Stunning Chairs has revealed the nine trends that make your living room look old-fashioned. From cheesy prints to trend traps, avoiding these decorating mishaps can keep your living room looking stylish for longer. Paulina says: 'When designing our homes, we want to reflect our personalities to create a special and unique space. "When going through a checklist of trends, you're never finding décor that resonates with you. "It's time to ditch the outdated looks that quickly become tiresome and dreary and opt for a more personalised and vibrant look.' Here, Paula discusses the nine trends that she wants homeowners to ditch. Slogan-heavy prints 'Framed quotes and words no longer add charm to a room", the interiors pro insists. Walls crammed with 'Cosy Vibes Only' and 'Live Laugh Love' fill space; they don't inject personality or atmosphere. She adds: "Slogan-heavy prints have been overused and now feel more like a cliche. "Instead, opt for thoughtful artwork to add an element of luxury to your home. Consider framed prints with a more profound message rather than the obvious words of a print.' Matching furniture sets Paula says another telltale sign that "screams outdated" is having matching furniture sets. She adds: "What once added coordination and symmetry to a space now appears to lack creativity and visual interest." Instead, she suggests pairing your sofa with an accent chair of a different material and colour for a more contemporary look. "Adding contrast to your furniture set can create a more inspiring home that reveals more about your character", she insists. Overly matching cushions and throws 'While matching cushions and throws to your sofa or chair can feel cohesive, overdoing it can look staged", Paula continues. "Sticking to obvious colours and fabrics can come across as unimaginative." The interiors expert suggests trying contrasting colours and patterns to add depth instead. For example, pairing a blue velvet chair with orange patterned cushions and throws can create a characterful look.' 4 4 Too minimalist Paula claims minimalism is a "trend that is slowly dying". While it offered a fresh, uncluttered look, she insists it lacked warmth and personality. Instead, bringing in cosy colours to eliminate that 'museum-like' feel is preferred. Paula adds: "This trend also restricted expression in the home, making it too difficult to add a variety of objects and materials.' Trend traps 'Trends come and go, and overly leaning into one theme can make a space feel repetitive and quickly outdated", Paula continues. She claims that it can also make incorporating other furniture pieces more challenging, as furnishing with one theme in mind restricts your options. For example, choosing a "farmhouse" aesthetic can limit you to rustic décor, which can feel outdated if not tastefully integrated into the home. She says: "I recommend incorporating a mix of themes into your space to showcase your taste rather than following every trend." Short curtains 'There are several reasons why short curtains should be left in the past. Short curtains can make your room seem smaller and disrupt the room's harmony. If your short curtains are patterned, they can also feel overpowering and disproportionate. On the other hand, floor-length curtains create a much more flattering appearance, making your room look bigger and more luxurious.' The big light 'The big ceiling light has become a hot topic among Gen Z, with one viral TikTok video titled 'Why Big Lights Should Be Banned' racking up over 80 million views. Harsh overhead lights can feel too clinical for the living room, and most households are steering away from them. There's a growing desire for softer, layered lighting to create a more welcoming atmosphere. Warm-toned bulbs in table lamps and additions like salt lamps are an easy way to introduce a cosy, ambient glow.' 4 Rugs that don't fit the space 'A common decorating mishap is adding a rug that doesn't match the layout or size of the room. Whether too large or too small, a rug that poorly matches the floor can undermine the overall balance of the room. Too small a rug can make the space feel disjointed and unfinished, while one that's too big can overwhelm the room and clash with your décor. For a well-fitted rug, think about how it can anchor the room's seating area. The front feet of the sofa and armchair should rest on the carpet, creating a more cosy and synchronised feel.' Monochromatic colour schemes While a monochromatic colour scheme like grey on grey can offer an elegant look, Paula insists that we are "shifting towards more vibrant designs". She says: "The problem with monochromatic palettes is not enough contrast between light and dark hues, leading to a lack of visual interest. "Instead, try making your home feel more unique using an extensive range of colours and textures. This will bring in a bolder, less predictable look that resonates with you."
TechCrunch
27-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
YouTube tops Disney and Netflix in TV viewing, Nielsen finds
Nielsen's latest report serves as another wake-up call that YouTube is rapidly gaining ground in the TV landscape. On Tuesday, Nielsen released its April 2025 'Media Distributor Gauge' report, which showed that YouTube has achieved a significant milestone: it has maintained the largest share of TV viewing for three consecutive months, now accounting for 12.4% of total audience time spent watching television. This marks a significant uptick from 12% the previous month and an even more notable increase from just 9.6% a year ago. The new data underscores YouTube's continued dominance in the living room, beating top media companies such as Disney, Paramount, and Netflix. Disney held the second-largest share of TV viewing in April, with 10.7% of the total. Additionally, according to internal data from YouTube, TVs were the primary device for YouTube viewing in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2025. Plus, YouTube's share of TV viewing is poised for additional growth. During its annual Upfront event for advertisers earlier this month, the company announced a significant deal with the NFL. This agreement will see YouTube exclusively stream the first Friday game of the season to a global audience, marking the first time the platform has been a live broadcaster for NFL games.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
I'm an interior designer, and this is a common mistake that makes your living room look cheap
If there's one thing we don't want our living rooms to look when we have guests over, it's tacky. Elegant, cosy, inviting yes - but not cheap. However, according to one interior designer, there is a major mistake that could be making your home look less than brilliant, and it's a pretty common error. Paulina Wojas, interior designer at Stunning Chairs, says that 'while we all love to spruce up our homes and personalise them to our can sometimes lead to the opposite outcome that we'd hoped for.' In living rooms, over-decorating manifests itself in an abundance of homeware. 'Adding too many layers onto the chair, using throws and cushions, can make the furniture piece look cluttered and suffocated,' believes Wojas. 'This can make the chair look tacky, influencing the rest of the living room and resulting in a cheaper-looking space.' So what, according to Wojas, is the correct amount of cushions and throws to add to a chair? This depends on the size of the chair, of course, but 'as a good rule of thumb stick to one or two cushions and one throw.' As for sofas, 'again, the right number of cushions and throws depends on the settee's size; however, I recommend using between three to five cushions on a standard two-seater, and five to seven on a three-seater sofa,' says Wojas. 'As for throws, one or two is enough for a two-seater, while a larger sofa can be styled with three or more. However, if using multiple throws, make sure these are intentionally layered to avoid the sofa appearing cluttered. This guideline ensures the arrangement looks stylish and coherent.' 'When accessorising the chair with a throw, draping it over the arm of the chair can create an expensive and elegant look without overpowering the piece. However, avoid it from touching the floor to ensure a stylish, sophisticated appearance,' says Wojas. As for choice of cushions, Wojas recommends that you 'select velvet or silk cushions for a chic style and go for soft tones and neutrals for a luxuriously polished aesthetic.' If you prefer a more vibrant palette, she says 'bold colours can also be classy, like deep emerald green; however, avoid going overboard or too flashy with colours as this can appear too tacky. The right-coloured cushion depends on the chair's colour and the room's palette. The same applies to throws; cashmere, velvet, and high-quality wool ooze elegance and can heighten the room's luxury feel.' Wojas also has some absolute no-gos when it comes to living room accessories. 'Avoid clashing styles and instead opt for cushions and throws that share a similar feature; this could be colour, texture, or style. These soft furnishings don't have to match completely, and in fact, a slight differentiation adds visual interest, so don't be afraid to mix colours, textures, shapes, and styles, as long as there is a core element that ties them all together for a cohesive aesthetic. An absolute no-no when it comes to styling a chair is overusing patterns. 'This can look chaotic and harsh, hindering the piece's quality appearance. Instead, use patterns sparingly and balance them out with solid colours and textures for a coherent look.' As for cushions with sequins or similar embellishments, Wojas verdict is 'avoid them altogether.' 'Cushions with sequin embellishments can look over-the-top and tacky. Instead, introduce texture with velvet, woven, or linen cushions for a luxuriously stylish aesthetic,' she says. Of course, it's your living room, so you can do whatever you want - maximalists who love a bit of sparkle may choose to ignore this advice completely. However, for those who are unsure about interior design, it's helpful to have some rules to follow. Now let's hope no one messes up those artfully arranged throws...
