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After a breakout year due to more people working from home during the pandemic, Zoom is planning to expand beyond video conferencing with a new web email and calendar service. According to a new report from The Information, the company could roll out a web email service as early as next year as well as its own calendar app at a later date. The news outlet spoke with two people with direct knowledge of the matter who claim Zoom has already begun working on a web email service which could launch in beta in 2021. The report also revealed that the company has been looking into creating is own calendar app. Zoom has seen tremendous growth this year and currently 350m people use its video conferencing software each day. This is a massive increase compared to the same period last year when the service had just 10m daily meeting participants. Expanding into email and launching a calendar will allow Zoom to build on this momentum and ensure the company remains a household name even after the pandemic. Enterprise push Zoom's upcoming email service and calendar app will enable the company to better compete against tech giants Microsoft and Google which offer both services as well as their own video conferencing software. One of the main reasons many users end up choosing Meet or Teams for video calls instead of Zoom is due to the fact that their organizations already use Microsoft and Google's software. Therefore by creating its own email and calendar services, the company can keep more users in its ecosystem and prevent them from turning to rival services. By launching its own email service and calendar app, Zoom can remain relevant even after employees return to the office and no longer need to depend on its video conferencing software to connect with coworkers while working remotely.

We’ve already had a benchmark leak of Intel’s upcoming top-of-the-range i9 11900K, but Twitter user Tum_apisak hasn’t stopped there, this time shining a spotlight on an 11th gen Rocket Lake processor of the i7 variety. Much like the previous leaks, the i7 11700KF was spotted on the Ashes of the Singularity benchmark database, offering decent gains over this generation’s flagship. Here, paired with an RTX 3080 graphics card running on Ashes of the Singularity’s ‘Crazy’ preset at 1440p, the i7 11700KF puts out 114fps and a benchmark score of 11,300. Compared with the current generation i9 10900K, this is a 3.6% and 2.7% increase respectively. This leak only shows the supposed base clock of this rumoured CPU, so we don’t know what it boosted up to in the benchmark in order for it to score higher than the 10900K – which, for context, can boost up to 5.3GHz. The ‘F’ in the name suggests Intel are continuing its F-series line of CPUs which come without integrated graphics chips. Since you’re likely to be pairing the chip with one of the best graphics cards, integrated graphics are pretty unnecessary anyway, unless you’re troubleshooting a faulty GPU. As always with leaks, you’ll want to take them with a pinch of salt, especially because Ashes of the Singularity benchmarks are not the most accurate at all. We’ll need real world testing to see how this chip really performs, but if it really can outperform a Comet Lake i9, and likely retail for less, then this processor could become one of the best gaming CPUs out there. With these new processors coming from Intel soon into the new year, and the possible arrival of more Ampere cards, it looks like 2021’s shaping up to be an interesting year for PC gaming hardware.

A new game is on the way from Keiichiro Toyama, the director known for creating Silent Hill at Konami and the Siren series at Sony. Toyama has announced that he’s working on a new game at the indie studio he co-founded earlier this year. It will have a horror vibe, but you shouldn’t expect this to be a pure take on horror games. The new title in development at Bokeh Game Studio is “an action-adventure game that will appeal to fans of my previous work”, Toyama tells IGN. Toyama adds “If anything, this will be more of a horror-oriented game. But we will focus on making this a broader entertainment experience, rather than a hardcore horror game.” The game is due to launch in 2023, and the PC version is the “lead platform”. Toyama is joined by a number of other veterans of Sony’s Japan Studio, including the other two studio co-founders, Kazunobu Sato and Junya Okura. Sato served as a producer for the Siren series and The Last Guardian, and will fill the same role here. Okura was lead level designer on Siren and Gravity Rush, and will be game director at Bokeh. Bokeh promises updates on the team’s progress via its Twitter and Facebook pages. Silent Hill fandom has been suffering a long-time, and the thought of a “broader entertainment experience” might feel like an additional twist of the knife. But from Silent Hill and Siren up to the decidedly not-spooky Gravity Rush, Toyama and his collaborators have built a whole lot of excellent games, so their new project is certainly worth watching closely.

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The 2020 Chevy Corvette C8 flipped the script for the iconic sports car, finally giving it a mid-engine layout. But tweaking the design into something different isn’t new. Back in 1954, Chevy rolled out the Corvette Nomad concept, a wagon based on the Corvette’s original design. It never entered production, but in 2004, Advance Automotive Technologies created such a model, turning the C6 Corvette into a practical wagon, and one is now for sale. The listing on Streetside Classics says that the red-on-red Corvette is believed to be one of six AAT Nomads and one of two with a red exterior. Such a rarity doesn’t come cheap, though. The listing has an asking price of $129,995, which is $16,000 more expensive than the most expensive 2020 Corvette model currently available. The extra cash accounts for the extensively redesigned bodywork AAT had to do to give the curvy C6 some straighter lines. Gallery: 2004 Chevy Corvette Nomad By AAT The front features a completely new look with the rounded chrome grille, round headlights with metal screens, orange turn signal markers, and vintage chrome bumper trim. The shiny look continues down the side with more chrome accents. The rear is even more radical than the front with its pointy rocket-like taillights and the cascading rear fascia, which features vertical chrome trim and chrome bumper guards. Inside, the Corvette Nomad is tamer, retaining much of the stock car’s appearance. It’s bright red like the exterior, though it brings the creature comforts such as dual-zone climate control, heated seats, a Bose sound system, and a head-up display. The differences for the tweaked C6 lie behind the driver, where there’s now a spacious cargo area that’s accessible from the passenger compartment. Power comes from a 350-horsepower (260-kilowatt) 5.7-liter LS1 V8 that routes power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. It was 11,000 miles on the odometer.

Windows 10 could receive a tweak to its system of tracking your laptop battery usage, with the idea being to introduce graphs which show you more detail about when the battery is being hammered. You can already look at the apps which are sapping the most power from your notebook battery, based on a certain time period – such as the past week – but with this new change, Microsoft is providing a full graph of recent battery usage too. As Windows Latest reports, this is happening with the Battery panel (in the Settings app) in preview build 21277, and theoretically it should progress to be deployed in the 21H2 update for Windows 10. In other words, the big update for the second half of next year; unless Microsoft ditches the idea of course. As it stands in preview, the battery usage graphs give you a daily or hourly breakdown – over the last week, or 24 hours respectively – of how much your battery was being used, so you can see when it was hit most heavily (and drill-down further in the battery Settings panel to find out which app or apps may have been killers in terms of battery longevity). Charge log The new feature which may be inbound also provides extra nuggets of info such as allowing the user to see when they last charged their laptop, which is sometimes a question we’re asking ourselves (in a ‘didn’t we just charge this thing yesterday?’ fashion). Windows 10 21H2 is expected to bring in a large number of changes, and will be a major feature update that completely revamps the desktop interface, according to strong rumors which have been around for quite some time now.

The Raspberry Pi has notable performance for a pocket-sized SBC but why not multiply that power? This awesome project comes to us from a maker at Uptime Labs—it's called Raspberry Pi Server Mark III. The Mark III is essentially a 3D-printed Raspberry Pi server rack, capable of housing up to 14 Raspberry Pis, each powered by the official Raspberry Pi power over ethernet (PoE) HAT, along with 14 2.5-inch SATA SSDs connected to the Raspberry Pis via a USB 3.0 to SATA adaptor. The project began with a 3D-printable server rack model found on Thingiverse. Wanting to improve the design, Uptime Labs made some changes with the model. Multiple iterations were produced until arriving at the Mark III. This unit can house even more Raspberry Pis than the original model and uses less filament to produce overall. This setup is huge but compact, requiring five 80mm fans mounted to the side for cooling. Visit the Uptime Labs website for more details on how this project works or download the files and recreate it yourself. Be sure to check out our list of Best Raspberry Pi Projects for more cool creations from the maker community.

Stardew Valley 1.5 is finally out on PC after a lengthy stretch of development, and there are a whole lot of unexpected additions on top of previously-revealed features like banana trees, beach farms, and split-screen co-op. The update also introduces a whole region for endgame players, which will let you finally travel to those mysterious Fern Islands. “1.5 adds a big piece of new content to the ‘endgame’ of Stardew Valley,” creator Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone explains. “Now, completing the Community Center is just the beginning. It’s not all about end-game content, though… there’s plenty of new stuff all throughout the game, as well as useful improvements and convenience features.” That’s the cautiously spoiler-free description, but the full changelog offers a load of details – spoilers to follow, obviously. You’ll be able to travel to Ginger Island now, which will let you dig into a new storyline featuring a load of new NPCs. You can unlock a new farm on the island where you can plant any crops year-round, and the island features a new volcano dungeon with a host of new enemies. There’s far too much to list all the new stuff here, but you can look forward to changing your name and gender midgame, catching some new fish, and sitting on chairs. https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/status/1341088470094159872/photo/1

Maybe you think you have bad luck but have you ever had two of your cars stolen in one month? That’s exactly what happened to a Denver resident who had two Kia Sportages stolen within a month causing him to question the point of purchasing a third car. According to Denver Police, car thefts are up 50% leading to a widespread threat for residents. It can take decades to own two Kia Sportages, but a local Denver man had the unfortunate pleasure of completing this lifelong endeavor in a matter of weeks. When his first 2018 Kia Sportage was stolen, he purchased a second 2018 Kia Sportage only to have that SUV stolen as well. Denver Police attributed this increase in theft to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has brought about economic hardship and pressure to the Denver metropolitan area. Based on the report from CBS 4 Denver, “According to the City of Denver, crime statistics, stolen cars went from 4,248 in 2019 to 6,394 this year.” Based on their data, the most stolen vehicles in Denver include Ford Trucks, Chevy Trucks, Hondas, Subarus, Hyundais, and Kias. Now, this data may seem damming, but it’s important to note that this list includes some of the top-selling vehicles in America so if your car made this list just note that there’s a lot of them available to steal. To keep your vehicle safe be sure to lock your doors, park in safe areas, and remove any and all visible valuables that could prompt a theft. Denver police also recommend the use of a steering wheel club to impede car thieves and the formation of neighborhood watch programs. If you follow these steps your vehicle should be safe and waiting for you when you're ready to drive.

There's nothing quite like the tactile response of a mechanical switch on a quality keyboard. If you're on the lookout for a new one, this mechanical gaming keyboard from Corsair might fit the bill, with over 100 LED-backlit keys and a notable new price point of just $99 on the official Corsair website. This is one of the lowest prices we've seen for the Corsair K70 Rapidfire since it first released in 2016. But be sure to check back through the season as we continue to share the best holiday tech deals we can find. This keyboard is wired and uses a braided cable with a USB Type-A interface. It's full-sized with a numpad and has a total of 104 mechanical keys. You can also adjust it to different heights/angles. The K70 Rapidfire's keys are backlit with Red LEDs, and in accordance with the red theme, each key uses Cherry MX Speed switches. It also has multiple media controls, including a volume wheel, and features a wrist rest, a USB pass-through port, custom swappable keycaps for FPS and MOBA gamers and 100% anti-ghosting support. Visit the Corsair K70 Rapidfire Mechanical Gaming Keyboard product page at Corsair for more details and checkout options. Click

Square Enix kicked off the annual Final Fantasy 14 holiday event Starlight in the MMORPG game this week, and the community took celebrations to another level. Players organised an in-game Santa’s grotto, complete with house band, elves, and a giveaway, to mark the occasion. This year’s Grand Starlight Giveaway was put together by four Free Companies, Primo, Xia, Al’ar, and Nomad, on the Jenova server. During the festivities in Limsa Lominsa, players on the server could enjoy the musical offerings of Moogle Troupe, a group that perform in moogle costumes, as they wander, or they could wait in line to visit Santa Clause. A great many elected for the latter, creating a queue that became hours long. Streamer and content creator John Paul ‘itmeJP’ McDaniel took a brief video of the line, below, all the players of the open-world game decked out in Christmas garb, waiting for whatever present they might receive. “Thank you so much, Aether, for coming out in droves to celebrate Starlight with PRIMO, XIA, AL’AR, and NOMAD on Jenova!” Annamarie, one of the organisers of the event, tweeted after. “All the work that goes into our Grand Starlight Giveaway is inspired by you. Thanks for making our fifth anniversary the best one yet! See you next year!” Here’s ItmeJP’s clip: Here’s Moogle Troupe’s latest cover, ‘Emerald Weapon Theme’ from Final Fantasy 7: Festive events are still happening – the Moogle Troupe will be performing on December 21 on Faerie at the Goblin Subdivision. You can find details on all the official Starlight goodies here, it runs through to December 31. Final Fantasy 14 patch 5.4 launched earlier this month, introducing new main scenario quests, a new raid dungeon, and more.

In its latest teaser for the Mercedes-Benz EQS luxury EV, the German brand outlines a confident plan for the model to be a successful consumer product while also being friendly to the environment, at least by the standards of an automobile. The full debut for the EQS happens next year, but the automaker seems very proud about what it's launching. One of the weirder features that Mercedes promises for the EQS to have optional HEPA filtration that creates the air quality of an operating room. The company says that freeing up the space formerly for a combustion engine allows for hitting this tech. It's apparently the first system in the automotive sector to have DIN EN 1822 certification. Gallery: Mercedes-Benz EQS Teaser: The EQS will be the first model to ride on Mercedes' Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) platform. Going forward, there will be at least four upcoming EVs using these underpinnings. The EQS will also get a state-of-the-art version of the MBUX infotainment software that will be capable of learning. "We will offer our best software solution to date in the new EQS. The underlying AI is revolutionary," said Sajjad Khan, Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer. It'll also support over-the-air upgrades to improve in the future. Mechanically, the company is touting the EQS to have a range of 435 miles (700 kilometers). There are also rumors of an AMG version with over 600 horsepower. Next year in Europe, Mercedes will introduce green charging for the EQS and the brand's other EVs. The initiative will guarantee that owners will recharge their vehicles using renewable energy. The way this will work will be relatively straightforward. The automaker will analyze the amount of recharging by EQ models. From there, the company buys the equivalent amount of electricity from renewable sources to put back into the grid. Mercedes will build the EQS at Factory 56. The company positions the site as "a blueprint for all the plants around the world" in part because of the plant's high flexibility and CO2-neutral energy supply. Look for the sedan to arrive in the US in the second half of 2021 for the 2022 model year.

The foldable phones market is still a small mobile niche, but as with all small gatherings it only takes one person to make it really weird - Oppo has just done that with folding phones. Meet the Oppo X Nendo, a new concept phone designed in collaboration between Oppo and Japanese design company Nendo. If you're thinking 'no, that's a car key', we can understand your confusion, and we could also compare it to a stylish flip lighter or a James Bond gadget. But no, this is a new foldable smartphone. These are the best Oppo phones Check out our Oppo Find X2 review Is the Oppo Find X3 coming soon? Unlike most foldable smartphones, the Oppo X Nendo folds on three hinges, so you can turn it from short and stubby, to long and thin, and with some stages in between. Honestly, it's pretty hard to describe the phone - even the pictures Oppo showed do little to give a glimpse as to how it works, though we'll share them here anyway. It seems 'the point' of this folding mechanism, if we can call it that, is that you can partially open the phone to leave a little preview window open. This lets you check notifications, or change music, without fully opening the device. Is it a phone? Today, we’re showcasing two new design concepts produced in collaboration with leading Japanese design studio, nendo. First, is the ‘slide-phone’, which features a triple-hinge foldable screen system. #OPPOxnendo pic.twitter.com/r6YNrc2EmPDecember 14, 2020 If we were to use all our tech analysis skills to describe the Oppo X Nendo in three words, they'd be - and forgive the high-brow tech jargon here - 'really, really weird'. By the looks of the pictures, the phone is incredibly long and thin when unfolded - it looks a nightmare to use. When folded, it resembles a car key, as we've already stated. It's not clear at all what prompted this design, as it's not like it fixes other problems with foldables. Don't get us wrong, we'd totally love to own such a bizarre phone as this - the novelty alone makes it compelling. But this definitely seems a case of 'form over function', with the curious design being the Oppo X Nendo's main selling point. Sadly, as a concept phone, it's unlikely the device will ever go on sale - even if it does, it might stick to China and Japan, as the homes of Oppo and Nendo respectively. Perhaps this kind of tech will make its way to a future Oppo phone though.

Are you a lefty in need of a new mouse? Today, you can pick up the Corsair M55 RGB Pro gaming mouse through Newegg for just $24. When we reviewed this mouse back in August of 2019, we praised its ambidextrous design and noted its affordability. But now, this new low price point from Newegg adds to its value, especially since its performance measures up to the best gaming mice. It has a fast optical sensor with a DPI of 12,400 and plenty of buttons for custom macros (although not all of them are programmed to work right out of the box). Check back often as we continue to share the best deals on tech we can find throughout the holiday season. This model uses a PAW3327 Optical sensor and has polling rates of 1,000Hz. You can also customize it using Corsair's iCue application. Users can program up to 8 individual buttons on the Corsair M55 RGB Pro gaming mouse. There are also RGB LEDs that can be customized with the same software. It's a wired mouse, using a 5.9' USB 2.0 cable to connect. The unit weighs just .2lbs. Visit the Corsair M55 RGB Pro gaming mouse product page at Newegg for more details and checkout options. Click

If you, loyal PCGamesN reader, are currently playing Cyberpunk 2077, you might be having a good time. After all, the PC version has its bugs, but it’s mostly functional. Not so for the console editions. The PlayStation 4 version has been removed from sale, Xbox is expanding its refund options specifically for this game, and now CD Projekt says it will make sure players will get refunds “out of our own pocket if necessary”. “We’d like you to know that our intention is for every owner of a physical copy, or a digital copy bought at retail, who has a valid proof of purchase to receive a refund”, CD Projekt says in its latest yellow damage control square. “We will do this out of our own pocket if necessary.” CD Projekt says it will offer refunds via its helpmerefund@cdprojektred.com address until December 21, for those who are unable to get a refund from their retailer. You’ll need to provide a proof of purchase. The company says this is a “one-time initiative”, and standard digital purchases through console or PC storefronts will still be handled through their normal refund processes. Most retailers do not accept returns of opened games, though special exceptions are being made for Cyberpunk. Best Buy announced via its customer support forums that it would accept “returns for select opened Cyberpunk 2077 SKU’s through December 21”.

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We didn't get to see the iPhone 12 handsets until October 13 this year, which is later in Apple's annual schedule than normal. However, it seems next year's phones will be announced in September 2021, which is the usual routine. Before 2020, you could set your watch by Apple launching new iPhones every year in September, but the global pandemic and everything that came along with it disrupted that timetable – so it's reassuring to know the iPhone 13 is now just nine months away. That return to a normal release schedule isn't official yet, but it is what has been predicted by industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac), who is one of the most reliable and well-respected Apple experts in the business. Our first impressions of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold The OnePlus 9 has leaked in a major way Check out the best alternatives to Amazon In an investor note, Kuo says the iPhone 13 will go back to the production schedule that Apple used prior to the iPhone 12. All of the phone models should be unveiled and then made available to buy at some point during September 2021. Timing is everything Another detail dropped in by Kuo is that the iPhone 13 will come running a new A15 chipset designed by Apple, building on the super-speedy Apple A14 chipset that comes inside the iPhones launched just a couple of months ago. You might remember the saga that was the iPhone 12 launch schedule. Apple itself admitted that delays would happen back in July, and after months of rumors the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro went on sale three weeks earlier than the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max due to supply chain issues. Apple seems determined to make sure that's a one-off. Meanwhile, one of its biggest competitors is changing its schedule around: Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 in January rather than the more usual February. We haven't heard too many rumors about the iPhone 13 at this stage, although there has been talk that four phones will once again appear – with some or all of them featuring the 120Hz ProMotion display technology that was originally rumored for the iPhone 12.

Why should gamers hog all the curved monitors? The massive 34-inch LG 34BK95C-W curved monitor makes a great case that ultrawide and curved screens are ideal for creative users, too. It's usually priced at around $899 but is available today for just $579 through Newegg. Not only is this a curved display, it also has an IPS panel and VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. Ultrawide and curved displays aren't for everyone, though, so also check out our list of the best computer monitor deals to comparison shop with other quality monitors. This screen has a 3440 x 1440 resolution with a refresh rate of 75Hz. It uses Nano IPS technology (which gives it a wider color gamut) and features HDR 400. This model also supports AMD FreeSync to reduce screen tearing. Users can save a little desk space by using the 7-Watt built-in speakers or opt to use the audio out port with a set of headphones. There are multiple video input options including two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort. This screen can also be mounted to a wall or arm using a compatible VESA mount. Visit the LG 34BK95C-W product page at Newegg for more details and checkout options. And be sure to check back daily as we continue to share the best deals on tech we can find. VIEW DEAL

The Back 4 Blood release date isn’t until next June, but there’s a chance to get a preview of it over the next few days. Developer Turtle Rock is holding a closed alpha from December 17-21, encouraging players to come in and play, test, and break its upcoming co-op zombie game. Back 4 Blood was revealed at the Game Awards earlier this month, and it’s a third Left 4 Dead game in everything except its name. Turtle Rock, who developed the original Left 4 Dead, said today in a Twitch reveal stream that it’s making a couple interesting tweaks to the formula it established more than a year ago. This time out, you’re playing as ‘Cleaners’ – expert zombie slayers whose job is not just merely survive, but take out as many of the ‘Ridden’ (that’s the zombies) as possible. The closed alpha will feature one level from the co-op campaign, but it looks as though players will be getting a pretty good slice of what Back 4 Blood has to offer. In addition to mowing down hordes of infected, they’ll also have to contend with specials – and in Back 4 Blood, these can pose serious challenges. A standout special zombie is the massive ogre, which stands more than 20 feet tall and erupts from beneath the ground when it shows up to ruin your day. At one point in the footage shown during Turtle Rock’s stream, the team of cleaners beat a hasty retreat away from an emerging ogre and scrambled through a door in a tunnel – and the ogre reached in after them, only able to fit its massive fist through the opening. Another interesting new mechanic has the game director ‘playing’ several corruption cards at the beginning of each level – these are mutators that add additional challenges in the form of bigger hordes, for example. The cleaners can then choose to play their own cards, which can give bonuses to accuracy or healing buffs to the entire team. It’s an interesting way to make sure each playthrough feels unique. You can register to participate in the Back 4 Blood alpha by visiting the official site. If you’re on PC, you’ll receive a Steam code if you’re selected as a participant. Everyone else will have to wait to start mowing down the ridden until Back 4 Blood launches next summer.