YouTube TV is testing 5.1-channel audio on Android TV and Roku

YouTube TV should soon add immersive sound to more platforms. The service is now testing 5.1-channel audio on Android TV (including Google TV) and Roku devices, and expects to make surround sound available on that hardware if all goes “smoothly.” The company is still working on support for Apple TV, Fire TV and game consoles, so don’t despair if your preferred platform is stuck with stereo.

At present, 5.1 audio requires either a “traditional” Chromecast (before Google TV) or a TV set from LG, Samsung or Vizio with a version of the YouTube TV app that runs at least Cobalt 20. The shows themselves need to offer surround sound, of course, but the enhancement should automatically kick in whenever it’s available.

The addition is relatively late when Hulu, Sling TV and other cord cutter services have offered some form of 5.1-channel output for a while. This might give you a reason to try YouTube TV if the audio wasn’t to your liking, though, and it’ll help make the most of your home theater setup.

Kia’s EV9 SUV will move from concept to reality in 2023

If you thought it wouldn’t be long before Kia turned the Concept EV9 into a production model, you guessed correctly. The automaker has revealed that a road-ready version of the electric SUV will be available in Europe in 2023. There was no mention of launches in North America or other regions, but it’s an SUV — it may just be a matter of time before you see the EV9 cruising American and Canadian streets.

Kia didn’t say what would change in the transition from concept to production. However, we’d expect the badge to cut many of the more exotic features, including the yoke, giant wheels, retractable roof rails and lounge-like seating modes. We wouldn’t be surprised if Kia kept the 27-inch display and even the hood-mounted solar panel, though.

The production EV9 might also preserve the claimed specs. The concept promised up to 300 miles of range and 350kW fast charging that could take it from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in 30 minutes. Kia also recently detailed autonomous “Automode” technology for the EV9 that can take over from the driver on the highway.

There are still important unknowns like pricing. Even so, the EV9 could be one of Kia’s most important all-electric vehicles to date, at least in some areas. While the EV6 has been well-received so far, some markets (particularly North America) skew heavily toward crossovers and SUVs. The EV9 could help Kia take on competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4, not to mention reel in buyers who haven’t been thrilled by the Niro EV.

Fortnite’s zero-building mode is here to stay

Epic isn’t wasting time in elevating Fortnite‘s no-build mode. The developer has launched a “Zero Build” format in the Discover page that, as the name implies, takes the game’s signature construction out of the usual last-one-standing gameplay. You’ll have to rely on ‘just’ your weapon and tactical positioning skills to survive. If that sounds like other battle royale games, you’re not wrong — Epic has even tweaked the game to add familiar elements.

You now have a recharging shield to protect yourself instead of having to consume pickups. There are also some decidedly Apex Legends-like “Ascender” ziplines to help you reach blimp-based deployment points, and you can mantle over obstacles. Sprints are available if you need a brief burst of speed to avoid gunfire.

Zero Build is available to play in solo, duo, trio and squad playlists. The addition isn’t a shock, at least. This not only adds some variety to Fortnite, but might keep you from switching to rivals if you’re either frustrated with building or just want the occasional break.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ sequel delayed to spring 2023

If you were looking forward to playing the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild this year, we have some bad news. Nintendo just announced in a short video that the game will be delayed and the company is now targeting a spring 2023 release after previously saying the game would come out in 2022.

As is usually the case with such delays, Nintendo didn’t offer a ton of details. Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma said that the company decided to “extend our development time a bit” and apologized to those looking forward to playing the new games. 

Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel
Nintendo

The video also offered a quick look at gameplay for the upcoming release, with a big focus on how this adventure will take place in the skies above Hyrule as well as on the ground. It wasn’t too different from what we saw in the game’s first official trailer that was released at E3 2021, but it is at least a good refresher for what we have to look forward to. One detail that did catch our eye, though, is a scene where Link holds a pretty beat-up looking version of the iconic Master Sword. Your guess is as good as ours as for what that means for the game, though. In the meantime, don’t despair, Switch fans — there are still plenty of great games to look forward to in 2022.

NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is now available for a staggering $1,999

NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is finally here, and it’s clear the no-compromise design comes with the steep price tag to match. The new flagship GPU is now available at an official price of $1,999. That’s $500 more than the ‘base’ RTX 3090, and closer to the price of line-blurring GPUs like the old $2,499 Titan RTX. And don’t be surprised if you pay more thanks to ongoing shortages — we’re already seeing more expensive cards at retailers.

There’s some justification for the steep price, at least. The RTX 3090 Ti effectively fulfills Ampere’s potential with a full 84 Streaming Multiprocessors enabled instead of 82, higher clock speeds (1.67GHz base and 1.86GHz boost) and 24GB of second-generation, higher-clocked GDDR6X memory with a wider 21Gbps of bandwidth. This consumes a massive 450W of thermal design power (the regular 3090 ‘only’ uses 350W), but you’ll know that your game or editing app will run as smoothly as possible with today’s technology.

The issue, as you might guess, is the word “today’s.” You’re spending two grand on what’s very clearly the swan song for NVIDIA’s RTX 30 series graphics chips. The company already confirmed at GTC 2021 that its upcoming Ampere Next architecture (likely the basis for the RTX 40 series) is due later in 2022. You’re spending a lot of money on a GPU that could feel outdated in a matter of months. The RTX 3090 Ti is for well-heeled gamers and creators who can’t (or don’t want to) wait to upgrade.

Unicode won’t accept any new flag emoji

Don’t expect to see new flags in your phone’s emoji any time soon. The Unicode Consortium has warned it will “no longer accept proposals” for flag emoji, regardless of category. They’re more trouble than they’re worth, the organization said, whether it’s the inherent politics or the value they bring.

The Consortium noted that flag additions tend to “emphasize the exclusion of others.” If the emoji team added regional flags for one country, for instance, it would highlight the lack of regional flags for other countries. Moreover, Unicode can’t remove a character once added — while it can update emoji, it’s hesitant to add a flag that might not last long.

Usage was also a major concern. Flags are “by far” the least-used emoji, Unicode said, and aren’t even used that often in social media bios. The Consortium is trying to limit the number of emoji it adds each year, and there isn’t much incentive to add flags that won’t see widespread adoption. In some cases, such as for additional LGBTQ flags, the outfit also believed its standard was “not an effective mechanism” for recognition and was expanding heart colors to help people take pride in their identities without using flags.

This doesn’t mean you’ll never see flags again. Flags are automatically recommended for any country with a Unicode region code (that is, recognized by the United Nations). For now, though, the flags you see will be fixed unless there are significant political upheavals.