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4 things the Note 9 doesn't have that Samsung may be saving for its Galaxy S10
Bethesda Threatens To Sue Individual Consumers Over Used Game Sales
Doom Eternal's First Brutal Gameplay Trailer And New Details Revealed At QuakeCon 2018

4 things the Note 9 doesn't have that Samsung may be saving for its Galaxy S10

Posted: 11 Aug 2018 05:00 AM PDT

At a New York press event on Thursday, Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy Home smart home speaker, a Galaxy Watch wearable and the high-end Note 9 phone. Featuring incremental updates like a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen stylus, a higher-capacity battery and a slightly bigger display, the Note 9 doesn't exactly deliver any new earth-shattering technology in the mobile space.

That being said, Samsung could be saving a lot of goodies for its next flagship phones in 2019 (yes, we're thinking that far ahead), which are expected to be called the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus.

Now Playing: Watch this: Samsung, here's what the Note 9 needs

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In addition to the predictable advancements we expect to see in the next year (like running the latest Android 9.0 Pie OS out of the box, having the next Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm and improved camera features in general), we've compiled a list of features that we didn't get in the Note 9 -- features that we hope Samsung may just be holding off for its next Galaxy S10 go-round.

In-screen fingerprint reader

The Note 9's fingerprint reader is now located below the rear cameras. This is a notable improvement from the Note 8, which had the sensor right next to the camera lenses. While greasy fingerprints are less likely to smudge the camera with this new placement, an even better location for the reader would be within or beneath the display.

vivo-phone-ces-2018-8945 — Vivo's in-screen fingerprint reader.
James Martin/CNET

Known as Fingerprint On Display, or FOD, we've already seen this technology in the Vivo X20 Plus UD and Vivo Nex. The Porsche Design Huawei Mate RS, announced in March, has it too. We expect the feature to roll out in plenty of more phones in the near future, with one report from IHS Markit predicting it will be available in 100 million phones by 2019.

With the Note 9's expansive 6.4-inch screen, the phone definitely had room for it. Unfortunately, this is a trend waiting in the wings, so we may just have to wait for FOD in the Galaxy S10.

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5G readiness

Known as 5G, the next generation of high-speed cellular technology is soon approaching, with broad US availability expected sometime in 2019 to 2020. US carriers like Verizon and AT&T are already setting up 5G networks and devices, while China is leading the pack by building 350,000 new cell phone towers since 2015.

Many phone makers have already announced their commitment to making 5G phones by next year, including Samsung. And last week, Motorola showed off its first 5G phone, the Moto Z3, which connects to the network with an attached Moto Mod accessory.

Because the Note 9 doesn't have 5G connectivity, we expect the Galaxy S10 to be part of this early 5G wave of phones. Especially since Samsung is putting more than $22 billion toward the technology (along with AI, biopharmaceuticals and other endeavors).

moto-mod-5g-moto-z3 — With the help of a Moto Mod, the Moto Z3 can hit 5G speeds for Verizon users.
Juan Garzon/CNET

3D front-facing cameras

The Note 9 combines iris and facial scanning to unlock your homescreen, but that's not quite the same as a secondary, 3D-mapping front-facing camera. Employed by Apple's iPhone X, this particular setup uses an infrared camera, a depth sensor and a dot projector to map out 30,000 points on your face and create an artificial 3D scan.

Samsung, please fix this.

Scott Stein/CNET

It's a faster and more secure way to recognize your face (something many phones do, though not using the same method), which means Apple can use its system for digital payments and smoother animated emojis (compared with Samsung's freaky AR emojis anyway).

True, if Samsung were to implement this on the Galaxy S10, it would be copying Apple. But haven't we already resigned ourselves to the fact that every phone company copies every other company these days? Plus, Android maker Xiaomi already jumped on the infrared-mapping tech bandwagon with its Mi 8 Explorer Edition. It's only be a matter of time until Samsung joins in the fray too.

A remappable Bixby button

With the Note 9, Samsung still makes its digital voice and search assistant Bixby extra-accessible by adding a physical quick-launch button on the edge. Unfortunately, just like the Galaxy S9 and the iterations before it, you can't remap this button to open anything else. All it does is launch Bixby and Bixby only.

With the handful of apps and guides available online (including CNET's own!) that teach users a workaround to reprogram the button, hopefully Samsung will get the hint soon that people want more options when it comes to this button. Especially since it's physically easy to hit accidentally, resulting in numerous unwanted Bixby launches throughout the day.

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Read more: All our coverage of the Galaxy Home, Galaxy Watch and more from the Aug. 9 Samsung event in one place.

Galaxy Note 9's 5G dilemma: Upgrade now or wait for 2019's mobile revolution?

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Bethesda Threatens To Sue Individual Consumers Over Used Game Sales

Posted: 11 Aug 2018 06:58 AM PDT

It appears that Bethesda Softworks is trying to sue the practice of used of game sales right out of existence, and it is leaning on a loophole to enable its cause. Those are the optics, anyway, after the publisher threatened legal action against an Amazon Marketplace seller for trying to sell a still sealed, albeit second-hand copy of The Evil Within 2.

That seller is Ryan Hupp, a gamer who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As Hupp explained to Polygon, Hupp purchased The Evil Within 2 for the PlayStation 4 in anticipation of buying the console, but later decided he would rather spend his money on PC gaming upgrades. So, he never bought a PS4, and as most people in his situation would do, he tried to sell The Evil Within 2.

The game had never been opened, let alone played, and was still sealed in its original shrink wrap. Nevertheless, Bethesda, through its legal firm Vorys, sent a threatening letter to Hupp demanding that he take down the item from Amazon or face legal action.

“Unless you remove all Bethesda products, from your storefront, stop selling any and all Bethesda products immediately and identify all sources of Bethesda products you are selling, we intend to file a lawsuit against you,” the letter stated.

Bethesda's legal firm also made clear that it would seek "disgorgement of profits, compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and investigative and other costs." For an individual seller who is just trying to recoup some of the money he spent on a game he is unable to play, that is pretty intimidating, and so he complied.

Here is the thing though, selling used games is not illegal. It is protected under what is called the First Sale Doctrine, just the same as selling used books and DVDs. As long as the copyrighted material has not been significantly changed and is not a copy (liked a burned DVD, for example), it can legally be sold. GameStop has made a business out of this.

"The first sale doctrine, codified at 17 U.S.C. § 109, provides that an individual who knowingly purchases a copy of a copyrighted work from the copyright holder receives the right to sell, display or otherwise dispose of that particular copy, notwithstanding the interests of the copyright owner," the First Sale Doctrine states.

Bethesda's way of trying to get around appears to be the lack of a transferable warranty. In the letter sent to Hupp, Vorys argues that Hupp's sale falls outside the confines of the First Sale Doctrine because without a transferable warranty, it is "materially different from genuine products" sold through official channels.

We are not a law firm, but from our vantage point, this sounds like a bogus loophole. It is hard to imagine the argument standing up in court, at least in this specific case and similar ones involving individual sellers, but it hardly matters until someone has the wherewithal to defend against it. Otherwise, the same argument could applied to virtually all used game sales, ending the practice entirely.

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Doom Eternal's First Brutal Gameplay Trailer And New Details Revealed At QuakeCon 2018

Posted: 11 Aug 2018 03:06 AM PDT

Bethesda capped off its QuakeCon 2018 keynote address by showing off the first gameplay video for Doom Eternal, the sequel to the 2016 reboot. The follow-up was originally announced during the publisher's E3 2018 press conference with an exciting cinematic trailer, which was shown once again during the QuakeCon keynote, before game director Marty Stratton and creative director Hugo Martin appeared on stage to discuss the sequel.

Once again, Doom Eternal will be about killing monsters with badass guns, and for the sequel the Doom Slayer will be the "strongest, most badass hero" id Software has ever created. The Slayer has had a makeover and has a new weapon called the Ballista, which can spear demons with an explosive bolt.

There's going to be plenty of new weapons in Eternal, and id Software has created new enemies for players to face. Old favourites have been updated, and some have been reimagined, such as the arachnids. They also showed off a new character called the Marauder, who looks a lot like the Doom Slayer--and there's a story behind that, the developers teased. A new system called "Destructible Demons" was also briefly mentioned, and it'll help players "rip and tear" through enemies.

The gameplay video began with the slayer once again putting on his helmet and activating systems. He takes a look at the new blade mounted on his left arm, before loading his shotgun again. Before long he's staring into a massive world where buildings are crumbling and monsters float around the sky. Seconds later, he's latching onto enemies and grappling around, shooting them to bits up-close.

The previous game's loop of dealing damage and then finishing enemies with a melee attack is back, and some new animations have been introduced to make use of the arm-mounted blade. The action looks fast and visceral, which is to be expected from the sequel. This time, however, there looks to be more of an emphasis on moving around seamlessly, as the grapple is used to get to high ground to take out threats.

Larger enemies are shredded to bits by gunfire, and there's also a new mechanic where Doom Slayer is able to climb walls. His mobility is further enhanced by a short-range dash, which is handy for closing the distance on enemies and building momentum. In the demo the Doom Slayer very quickly goes through an assortment of deadly weapons. Along with the arm blade and shotgun, there was a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, a rocket launcher, a sniper-rile, and a grenade launcher.

Amidst the violence there was a moment of levity, when an announcement said, "Remember, 'Demons' can be offensive, refer to them as 'mortally challenged.'"

The Slayer is then shown getting the Blood Punch power-up, which was then used to hit enemies with crushing melee blows. This fit nicely into the frantic leaping around platforms, using floating enemies as grapple points, and shredding anything and everything with lead.

At the very end of the second section of gameplay, it was confirmed that you can invade demons and take control of them. This ability goes as far as letting players team up with demons to form hunting parties. Doom Eternal will allow players to join friends to invade or be invaded, but you can also choose to play alone.

The environment shown during the demo was referred to as Hell on Earth, and it is just one of the "many" places that the game will take players. Id Software has promised it will take players to places they've never seen in a Doom game. The studio said it is building a Doom universe, instead of just another entry in the series. One of the new areas shown is Phobos, a space station that is being besieged by demons. As you enter, people are shocked to see you, stepping out of the way and regarding you with awe. The Slayer uses a red keycard to enter an restricted area, snatching a gun out of the hands of a befuddled guard.

Descending onto the surface of the planet, the Slayer stares out at a giant laser as a voice over comms says, "Warning, the Slayer has entered the facility." Of course, that's when the killing starts. Demons are dispatched with ruthless efficiency, as the Slayer zips around industrial tunnels, launching grenades to obliterate bigger enemies, while using a plasma rifle to pick off the smaller ones. The action only escalates, with demons being set ablaze, picked off using a sniper rifle, and exploded using charged bolts. It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect to see in a sequel to Doom. The gameplay video ends with the arrival of a new enemy that summons a wall of fire, just as the Slayer draws an energy sword and leaps at it.

Another detail confirmed about Doom Eternal is that it will run at at 60 frames per second, which is nice given the highly-demanding nature of its first-person shooting.

Little had been said about Doom Eternal since its reveal at E3 until now. However, producer Marty Stratton and creative director Hugo Martin did reveal that it would build off the previous game, taking its satisfying, fast-paced combat and pushing it further forward. This time, the Doom Slayer will be even more powerful and the types of enemies have doubled. Doom Eternal will also take place on Earth, though we imagine you'll be taking regular trips to other hellish dimensions too.

Id Software's 2016 Doom was a very successful reboot of one of the most iconic and acclaimed first-person shooters of all time. In GameSpot's Doom review Peter Brown said, "Without a doubt, the loud and chaotic campaign is Doom's strongest component."

He continued: "It's straightforward and simple, but it serves its purpose: to thrust you into increasingly dire scenarios fueled by rage and the spirit of heavy metal. Many shooters chase the thrill Doom delivers, but few are as potent in their execution. It captures the essence of what made the classic Doom games touchstones of their day, and translates it to suit modern palates with impressively rendered hellscapes and a steady influx of tantalizing upgrades.

"Doom is the product of a tradition as old as shooters, and while it's not the model to follow in every case, modern shooters could learn a thing or two from Doom's honed and unadulterated identity."

For more on the game, check our article compiling everything we know about Doom Eternal.

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