O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: 15.0

  • Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches for the Mac,Windows, and consoles

    Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches for the Mac,Windows, and consoles

    If you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan, you’re going to like this.

    Assassin’s Creed Shadows launched on Mac yesterday alongside its PC and console counterparts. The game, which is the most recent entry in the long-running Assassin’s Creed franchise from developer Ubisoft and features open-world RPG gameplay set in feudal Japan.

    Assassin’s Creed Shadows gives players the opportunity to control one of two protagonists, each with their own play style and abilities. Naoe, a shinobi Assassin from Iga Province focuses more on stealth gameplay, and Yasuke, a formidable African samurai based on historical record, utilizes a more direct, action-heavy combat style. Naoe and Yasuke possess their own stats, skills, and gear. Players can swap between the two characters at any time to undertake quests as they see fit.

    While Assassin’s Creed games have featured day and night cycles for years, Shadows includes changing seasons and weather. For example, a bush that might offer ample cover in the spring will become bare in the winter, making it that much harder to hide. Snow makes it more difficult to run and might slow down your escape. While climbing a structure, icicles could fall and alert nearby enemies. These changes introduce more dynamic gameplay, prompting players to reevaluate their approach to specific missions or targets.

    Assassin’s Creed Shadows is built on the latest version of the Anvil Engine and is a native Mac port. The game requires an Apple Silicon Mac, and you’ll need an M1 Max or better to play the game at 720p at low settings and an M3 Pro or better to play with the best graphic settings.

    The system requirements are as follows:

    Operating system: macOS Sequoia 15.0, or higher
    Processor: M1 MAX chip, or higher
    Memory: 16 GB
    Video card: M1 MAX chip, or higher
    Hard drive: 130 GB available storage

    Assassin’s Creed Shadows retails for $69.99 and is available for immediate purchase and download.

    If you’ve had a chance to play the game, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via 9to5Mac and the Mac App Store

  • macOS Sequoia operating system could see mid-September release

    macOS Sequoia operating system could see mid-September release

    If you’re eager to get your hands on the public release of Apple’s upcoming macOS Sequoia operating system, you might not have that long to wait.

    Per internal documentation obtained by MacRumors, macOS 15.0 Sequoia may be officially released to the public by mid-September. The release dates of major macOS updates in recent years are listed below:

    OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) – October 22, 2013
    OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) – October 16, 2014
    OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) – September 30, 2015
    macOS 10.12 (Sierra) – September 20, 2016
    macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) – September 25, 2017
    macOS 10.14 (Mojave) – September 24, 2018
    macOS 10.15 (Catalina) – October 7, 2019
    macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) – November 12, 2020
    macOS 12.0 (Monterey) – October 25, 2021
    macOS 13.0 (Ventura) – October 24, 2022
    macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) – September 26, 2023

    The release of the operating system could be the earliest since MacOS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion), which was released on July 25, 2012.

    The new annual version of iOS has historically always been released at least a week before the new version of macOS. Sometimes, Apple leaves a considerable gap between the releases; in 2020, the company left nearly two months between the release of iOS 14 (September 16, 2020) and macOS Big Sur (November 12, 2020).

    Apple is expected to comment on the macOS Sequoia release at the “It’s Glowtime” press event later today, wherein the company is also set to unveil the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup, new Apple Watch models, and the fourth-generation AirPods.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors

  • Heart Analyzer: Cardio Monitor reaches version 10.0, adds new fixes and features

    Heart Analyzer: Cardio Monitor reaches version 10.0, adds new fixes and features

    This might come in handy.

    Heart Analyzer: Cardio Monitor for the Apple Watch/iPhone has reached version 10.0, the new version sporting the following fixes, changes, and new features:

    • A brand new iPhone experience starting with the Dashboard
    • Swipe between days, scroll through charts and tap into the details in an all-new design
    • Reimagined Insights tab and Deep Analytics section including enhanced charts
    • A refreshed Watch App with more Health data than ever
    • New complications for tracking HRV and updates to existing ones

    Heart Analyzer: Cardio Monitor is available for free, and features in-app purchases that help expand its functionality. The software requires iOS 15.0 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the new version, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via the App Store

  • Some HomePod owners report overheating following installation of HomePod Software 15.0 beta

    Some HomePod owners report overheating following installation of HomePod Software 15.0 beta

    You might want to stay away from the HomePod Software 15.0 beta.

    The beta has reportedly caused overheating issues and other problems for testers.

    Per multiple posts on Reddit, the HomePod Software version 15.0 beta is causing overheating issues. In some cases, the problem is significant enough to cause a shutdown or logic board damage.

    “I advise to unplug anyone of your HomePods that are hot on top leading to your logic board failing or have the issue on audio os 15 where Siri can’t pause music when it is playing music, touching the top will only skip it,” the original poster wrote.

    Other Reddit posters cited that their HomePods had become abnormally hot, while another poster stated that the beta had caused similar issues with their original HomePod.

    The issues are made worse by the fact that the original HomePod is discontinued. Additionally, there’s no way to easily downgrade to a prior, stable HomePod Software version once a beta is installed.

    Under the terms and conditions of Apple’s beta program, the company isn’t liable for any damages restyling from a beta. This, in turn, isn’t covered under warranty. More than that, the HomePod’s beta program isn’t technically a public initiative.

    Apple doesn’t offer a traditional beta testing program for HomePod, and only invited users can install an AppleSeed beta. However, HomePod device profiles have been leaked online via third-party websites, meaning that owners who aren’t part of the program can install the beta firmware.

    If possible, please refrain from installing the HomePod 15.0 beta on your HomePod. If your HomePod has been updated, it’s recommended that you unplug it and leave it off.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Reddit

  • Mozilla releases Firefox 15.0 update

    elfirefox

    On Monday, Mozilla.org released version 15.0 of its Firefox web browser. The new version, a 32.6 megabyte download and adds the following fixes and changes:

    What’s new:
    NEW: Silent, background updates.
    NEW: Support for SPDY networking protocol v3.
    NEW: WebGL enhancements, including compressed textures for better performance.

    CHANGED: Optimized memory usage for add-ons.
    DEVELOPER: JavaScript debugger integrated into developer tools.
    DEVELOPER: New layout view added to Inspector.
    DEVELOPER: High precision event timer implemented.
    DEVELOPER: The CSS word-break property has been implemented.
    DEVELOPER: New responsive design tool allows web developers to switch between desktop and mobile views of sites.
    HTML5: Native support for the Opus audio codec added.
    HTML5: The element now supports the media attribute.
    FIXED: Focus rings keep growing when repeatedly tabbing through elements (720987).

    Known issues:
    UNRESOLVED: Debugger breakpoints do not catch on page reload (see 783393) Unresolved on v15 Resolved in v16.
    UNRESOLVED: If you try to start Firefox using a locked profile, it will crash (see 573369).
    UNRESOLVED: For some users, scrolling in the main GMail window will be slower than usual (see 579260).

    Firefox 15.0 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.