The Top 5 Best Gacha Games in 2020

Gacha games are primarily known for incorporating a mechanic that is similar to capsule toy vending machines. The method is basically similar to loot boxes where players can get great items after progressing or unlocking new features. This video game genre rose to popularity in Japan during the 2010s and is still popular among players worldwide today.

With the Gacha game genre on the rise, many have been seeking more and more of this type of game. Some are dubbed to be player-friendly and generous while others are quite known to be the opposite. Now, this brings us to the question, what are the best Gacha games? More specifically, what are the best Gacha games in 2020? We took the liberty to list down the top 5 best for you. And take note, all these Gacha games are completely free to play.

1. Gacha Life

Gacha Life is a simulation game where players can personalize their characters from head to toe. The game also boasts a wide catalog of predetermined characters, clothes, accessories, weapons, skin tone, and hairstyles for every category. You can also choose from hundreds of backgrounds to create the perfect scene and even use Studio Mode to create mini-stories!

2. Honkai Impact 3

Honkai Impact 3 is the 3rd entry to the Honkai series and one of the best Gacha titles you can find in the market today. Similar to Genshin Impact, it features well-crafted characters that were derived from the previous titles.

It also boasts a captivating illustration of the world that will leave players stunned, especially with its immersive combat system. Just like the majority of JRPGs, there are several chapters and quests you’ll need to partake to progress in the game and unlock new areas, chapters, and characters.

Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzxOR5tFljA

3. Fate/Grand Order

Fate/Grand Order boasts an immersive storyline and captivating soundtrack. Just like other good RPG Gacha games, it features a great selection of characters to summon, special events, and an impressive anime art-style. Fans of the Fate/Grand Order anime series will surely love this game version too!

4. Azur Lane

Azur Lane is another Gacha and RPG hybrid. It features side-scrolling mechanics where players will battle enemies they cross paths with. Azur Lane sure has no shortage of characters for players to summon since it has a pool of 300 playable characters. It also uses the same summoning mechanic that is typical of other Gacha games. However, do take note that the characters you summon are girl versions of World War II warships.

5. Arknights

Arknights is a good mix of Gacha, RPG, and strategy game in one. It features campaign modes, seasonal events, and a great collection of anime-art style characters to summon. The combat system is more tactical than the usual RPG titles.

In Arknights, players deploy specific units to play vital roles on the battlefield. The game has a great storyline and soundtrack, with the focus mainly on strategic combat and character collection. Players have a lot to grind for in Arknights, and this means you can unlock a set of new characters without spending a single cent.

Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbOD4Cx8Oc&t=500s

If you have been searching for Gacha games to play, you might have heard about one or two good things about these games, so why not give them a try? You can check out and download the games through their respective links for free. 2020 also brought us Genshin Impact, which is pretty much a Gacha game too. And who knows, maybe 2021 has more in store for the Gacha game genre?

Author’s Bio
Jonathan J Kingston is a video game enthusiast, gamer, and a veteran video game news writer for Games.lol. He spends his free time hunting for free game sites and testing their reliability.

#207 TCL Shares Interesting Foldable Phone Concepts

If you thought foldable phones were interesting, TCL has a couple more concepts to throw at ya. One is a tri-fold!

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2020 Show Updates

And just like that, we’re over a month into 2020! We have some show updates to share with you and we’re looking for your feedback! Let us know, we appreciate your support!

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#201 The Mythical Fortnite Goldfish

Went fishing over the weekend and we found something new in Fortnite!!!

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5 Alternatives to Ozmobiles

By 2022, the number of smartphone users in Australia is expected to be under a staggering 20 million. The rising importance of smartphones is due to the limitless solutions and the feature rich models that are hitting the stores. It is hard to imagine life in the digital era without the power of a smartphone. From hailing a ride, paying utility bills, checking out products with AR, remotely checking CCTV coverage, to a range of fitness apps, smartphones offer users endless options. However, customers are often spoilt for choice, having to pick a suitable model at a price band that fits their pockets.

Online sites offer customers the options of choosing the right product from a selection of the most suitable ones, at reasonable prices. This makes sites popular, servicing a large number of buyers with offers, accessories and warranties. Ozmobiles is one such online store that is popular among buyers. There are similar sites that rival Ozmobiles with offers and services that are as good as, if not better than the site. Multiple advantages include secure payment, warranties, reasonable pricing, and a very impressive collection of models that cater to the requirements of all buyers.

Here is a look at 5 alternates to Ozmobiles

1) Amazon Australia – The ecommerce giant offers the same superior level of services that are available worldwide. An impressive inventory of the best models makes this a buyer’s choice. The tie-up with local delivery partners for shipments ensures that deliveries are on time. The ability of buyers to check out the reviews of verified buyers and the various specs gives buyers the information necessary to make the right decision. The products that are sold on amazon.com.au are new or certified refurbished, and as a result the cost is on the higher side.

2) Gumtree – Another popular online classifieds site has a load of options for buyers. The site is more of an aggregator where buyers get to buy used phones at reasonable prices. The range of phone models that are available makes this immensely popular and comes of the listings offer buyers the options of negotiating the prices. By virtue of enjoying a reputation as a reliable online classifieds site, buyers find the site useful for purchasing phones. Users who wish to buy used and refurbished phones will find gumtree.com.au convenient to make a quick purchase.

3) Phonebot – This is one site where buyers get full value for money. The hassle free buying options, the extended warranties and the quick deliveries make this site hugely popular. Phones are available in three different categories – new, ex-demo and used. The ex-demo phones are sparingly used models that have been used for display and for demonstrating functions to prospective buyers. The phones are as good as new, without any giveaways that it was a demo phone. The used phones undergo rigorous tests to check the condition of the models, and then refurbished to look as good as new. All phones come with different warranties, making the deal sweeter. Convenient payment options, hassle free customer service and superfast deliveries makes phonebot.com.au a smashing success.

4) Kogan – A popular marketplace, kogan.com.au offers buyers an extensive inventory of mobiles. The number of brands and the models available on the site make it popular. The site deals in all products and services and is similar to Amazon and eBay, though on a different scale. Unlike Phonebot, this site does not specialize in phones and phone accessories alone, but deals in all products. The deals available on the site are good – with a simple interface to search for desired models and accessories. As it happens to be a site that deals in al products, the focus available on sites that only deal in phones are lacking here.

5) eBay Australia – The international ecommerce giant that was one among the first off the block offers the same professionalism and ease of transactions on the site. The massive inventory of all products and the department-wise listings makes this a good choice. The availability of used phones and refurbished phones gives buyers the options of getting products within the desired price range. The bidding options available on ebay.com.au make deals sweeter, though it can sometimes be a damper for individuals who have also bid but lost to a better sale.

What do you think? Have you used any of the alternatives? Did we miss anything? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

New Research by University of York shows everyday technology helps people feel less lonely

This article was written by one of our contributing authors. You can learn more about them below.

In June 2019, the UK’s oldest loneliness charity, WaveLength, released their new report with the University of York. Their report, ‘Everyday technology fighting loneliness’ shows that people felt less lonely after receiving a radio, television, or tablet. People also rated their health more positively after using their new piece of technology. The charity collected information from over 180 people, who were on average 44 years old, over a period of 2 years. Over 50% had been homeless and experienced poor mental health.

Commentary on the relationship between technology and loneliness can often be negative in tone, despite there being little rigorous academic research. WaveLength’s report shows how technology can positively impact those who are lonely, which can be especially true for people who are in a bad financial situation and experience poor physical and mental health. Everyday technology which many of us take for granted can reduce people’s loneliness levels and leave a lasting impact on their lives.

WaveLength is celebrating its 80th Birthday this year. Alongside supporting on an individual basis, the charity works with organisations including women’s refuges, homeless hostels, day-care centres, hospital wards, and care homes. In 2018 alone, 12,700 people benefited from the charity’s work.

Clare, who is living in Kilburn, recently received a television from WaveLength after she left prison. Experiencing several health issues and disabilities means that she is now often housebound. Commenting on the difference her television has made, she explained:

“I have found the TV to be invaluable as it is a real companion to me when I am bedbound and stops me from feeling lonely. I really enjoy tuning into my favourite programmes for entertainment and learning. The TV has made such a positive difference to my life.”

Alongside processing individual applications, the charity also gives technology to organisations. One initiative WaveLength has helped is the Home for Good Club, run by the homeless charity, The Passage. The club helps previously-homeless people transition to independent living. Using tablets given by WaveLength during the club, one client reflected:

“When I first came to the Home for Good Club, I was living like a hermit. I hardly spoke to anyone. Conor gave me a tablet to use and this gave me access back to the “real world” and the opportunity to talk to, and make, friends. Without the tablet I would probably still be suffering from severe depression.”

WaveLength’s report calls for more attention to be given to the benefits everyday technology can bring to some of the loneliest people. Not everyone can afford to buy the everyday technology which many of us take for granted. It is just as important for funding to cover the purchase of equipment, alongside training. The report calls for free access to a minimum standard of broadband in order to connect greater numbers of people via smart televisions and tablet computers as well.

To read the report, and to learn more about WaveLength, visit https://wavelength.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WaveLength-Everyday-technology-fighting-loneliness.pdf

An Infographic To Push Notifications

This infographic and article was provided to us by one of our contributing authors, more about them will be included at the end of this article.

What Are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are messages that we receive on our mobile devices and that have been activated by the applications we have installed. We can only receive notifications of a specific brand if we have previously installed their application and we have accepted the permission to send notifications.

This point is important, since a user will not receive push notifications on his mobile phone if he has not previously accepted them. They are not implicitly accepted by the terms of use of the app when they are downloaded, but must be explicitly approved if we want to comply with the new European data protection regulations.

It is key to keep this in mind for any mobile app marketing strategy, because that means that, at any time, a user can decide to receive or block push notifications.

Push notifications sms:

As for its appearance, push notifications can look like an SMS or any other type of notification from our phone.

But there is a fundamental difference between a push notification and an SMS: to send a message you do not need the consent of the recipient, but simply to have your phone.

Push notifications emails:

We could say that, unlike the emails that appear in our inbox, push notifications are more intrusive.

By being pre-visualized in the top notification bar of our mobile phone, or even with the screen blocked, they normally activate much more the user’s response than an email.

And there is precisely the attraction.

Think of push notifications as a permission highway that takes you to your audience:

They are the fastest and most direct way to talk to your users and prevent you from ending up lost in Social, Promotions or Spam folders.

If you are a marketing director or marketer managing one or more apps, the data on the effectiveness of push notifications speak for themselves. On average, users click twice on a push notification, than on an email.

Normally users only receive notifications of brands to which they are faithful, with which they feel more connected and with which they want to be in contact in their day to day.

Now that we have seen what push notifications are and how they differ from text messages or emails, we will see how to get the most out of your app thanks to them.

How do Push Notifications work?

To receive push notifications, it is not necessary for your users to have the app open or using it at that moment. The only thing that is needed to receive them is to have the notification permission activated at that moment.

But it is important not to forget that notifications can be deactivated at any time from the Settings section of an iPhone or Android, or in the section Settings >> preferences >> notifications of the application itself.

They can also be controlled according to the time zones, so they do not wake any user even if they are automated. But first let’s find out what kind of push notifications we have. See the following infographic below, click to open in full view.

This article was provided to us by Lilly H. To learn more, visit the following resources:

To learn more about push notification services, visit The Push Hub.

Are push notifications not working on your phone? Learn more here, provided by TrueCaller.

Digital Signage And Why It Matters

Several months ago, we published an article titled, “Think Your Business Won’t Benefit from New Tech? Think Again“. In it, we covered some ways that tech can help us save time, money and improve efficiency.

To that end, we soon had the chance to talk to an innovative company by the name of ScreenScape. They’ve been around for over the past decade providing solutions for digital signage and menu boards. Now you might be wondering, just what is digital signage and why should I care?

Well, we hope this interview clears up those questions!

What is the major difference between traditional and digital signage that not many people know about?

Today’s form of “connected” digital signage is much more powerful than static signage ever was. Digital signs are dynamic and easy to manage as part of a network. In fact a digital signage network may be comprised of dozens, or even hundreds of screens that can, at the same time, be managed independently or as a group.

Unlike conventional signage, digital signage can display rich animated digital content that is data driven and ever changing. Because digital signs are powered by computers, and you can publish content to them via the Internet.

Any given sign in a digital signage network can be customized to display information that is tailored to meet the needs of a very specific local audience. Having these messages placed strategically inside a place of business, such as next to the point-of-sale inside a retail store, poses obvious advantages for effective communication. It allows you, wherever you are, to make sure that customers visiting a specific location are treated to the right message at the right place and time.

Let’s compare why Digital Signage is a significant step up from conventional signage:

Operational Cost
Traditional: Ongoing operational costs are high due to reprinting, shipping and care.
Digital: There is an initial upfront cost but long term operational costs can be significantly lower than traditional signage.
Fresh Content
Traditional: Content needs to be printed, then physically installed onsite (spelling mistakes will cost you!)
Digital: Content can be pushed to your entire network, anywhere in the world, in real-time, right from your browser. Content can be updated anytime and as often as required.
Supported Content
Traditional: Displays only one, static image.
Digital: Displays multiple pieces of content at the same time including videos, images, current news and weather, online streaming content, etc.
Technology Integration
Traditional: Standalone, no integration
Digital: Can integrate with other technologies like point of sale systems or Wayfinding to create an awesome viewer experience.

Are there any exciting trends or technology developments coming up?

The traditional digital signage industry grew out of the Professional Audio/Visual (Pro AV) industry. The primary value-add of a traditional digital signage vendor has been in setting up screens, and offering professional services to operate and manage a physical digital signage network.

An exciting trend in digital signage today is that more and more networks are being developed using Internet-based software. Equipment costs are dropping at a rapid pace. Large format display screens are popping up everywhere. Wireless networks are now commonplace in most businesses. These are the physical infrastructure components that are necessary for most businesses to participate in a digital signage network, and they are now mostly in place.

This gives rise to the opportunity for Internet-savvy businesses to “connect the dots” – to connect screens to a common software platform that unifies and simplifies the process of creating an Internet of screens. Where traditional networks used to be very capital intensive to build and complex to own and operate….the new “online” brand of digital signage network has the benefit of having these infrastructure components already in place. With much of the physical layer already in place progressive firms like ScreenScape can focus on connecting screens and delivering robust content creation and publishing tools with powerful software. The newer technology is more cost-effective and less complex, which means it’s easier for businesses of all shapes and sizes to participate. It’s easier for networks to grow and prosper leading to a network effect that helps to accelerate the proliferation of even more network growth.

What is the most important thing businesses need to know about digital signage?

Digital signage networks are evolving quickly, not unlike websites did in the late 1990s. Instead of thinking of a digital signage network as a discrete technical project that you outsource to a partner they are becoming fully integrated inside the enterprise and across the value chain. They help to create a customer-centric point-of-sale network that connects retailers, distributors, brands and suppliers, and many other stakeholders, to real customers inside real world venues, in real time. This makes owning and operating a digital signage network a strategic initiative for most industries. A land grab is happening to determine who owns the conduit to the retail customers. Those who own the conduit will call the shots. Industry partners that might want to participate in the onscreen messaging at retail will have to go through the gatekeeper to enjoy mindshare inside the places where buying decisions are made.

Which do you see evolving more in this space, software or hardware?

With the physical components slowly but surely falling into place, the digital signage industry will be dominated by savvy software companies. In time digital signage will become another form of online marketing, however, because the screens are strategically located to engage with customers in the right place at the right time they will be a very special kind of online marketing network – where online and offline intersect.

What other features does your software provide?

The most complete explanation of our digital signage software is available on our site but let’s highlight a couple key features:

Superior Aesthetics
The playback experience combined with our professionally designed layouts & themes means great results. You’ll spend less time and get better looking signage with our system.

Superior Ease of Use
We offer an industry leading, sleek HTML5 user interface.
Our templates are powerful on their own yet entirely flexible.

Superior Manageability
1-2-3 device setup process. We make it as easy as possible to have your signage up and running quickly.
Built-in device management means you can manage your hardware from right in the software interface.

More for Less – Lowest Total Cost of Ownership in the Industry
Professionally designed templates
Free software accounts
Use any TV, any Network
No hidden costs

Collaboration & Control
Our system offers elegant separation of concerns between Media, Playlists, Hardware to allow for a range of workflow models to support any organization.

And with that, that wraps up our interview with the team at ScreenScape. If you have any questions or thoughts feel free to leave a comment!

#75 What’s Coming To CES 2019?

So what are we hoping to see and what might actually show up at CES 2019, let’s find out!

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!Shownotes:

CES 2019 Is Coming—Here’s What to Expect

The glittery ball has dropped, New Year’s resolutions have been made, and that means it’s time for the world’s biggest tech companies, startups, journalists, and random celebrities to swarm upon Las Vegas for this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. It’s a weeklong showcase of every gadget you could ever dream of, spread out across a sprawling convention center and glitzy casinos. Robots, wacky VR headsets, smart mattresses, TVs, AI-powered appliances, self-driving vehicles, and even some zany concepts that will shape consumer tech in the years to come—this is where tech companies come to show the world what they’ve got in store.

‘Hitman: Absolution’ and ‘Blood Money’ remasters arrive January 11th

Following the success of Hitman and Hitman 2, Warner Bros. and IO Interactive are looking to strike while enthusiasm is high by releasing a remastered collection of older games in the series. The Hitman HD Enhanced Collection includes Hitman: Absolution and Hitman: Blood Money, and it will be available on PS4 and Xbox One on January 11th for $60. There’s no word as yet on a PC release date, however.

First Look At New “Mad Box” Gaming Console’s Design Revealed

Earlier this week, Slightly Mad Studios CEO Ian Bell announced his company was developing the Mad Box, a new standalone video game console to rival the PlayStation and Xbox. Bell has now revealed a few more details about the mysterious platform, including how an early version of it looks.

AMAZON SAYS 100 MILLION ALEXA DEVICES HAVE BEEN SOLD — WHAT’S NEXT?

More than 100 million devices with Alexa on board have been sold. That’s the all-too-rare actual number that Amazon’s SVP of devices and services, Dave Limp, revealed to me earlier this week. That’s not to say Amazon has finally decided to be completely transparent about device sales, however. While the company claims it outstripped its most optimistic expectations for the Echo Dot during the holiday season, Limp wouldn’t give a number for that. Instead, Limp says, Amazon is sold out of Dots through January, despite “pushing pallets of Echo Dots onto 747s and getting them from Hong Kong to here as quickly as we possibly could.”

GIVE YOURSELF TO THE DARK (MODE) SIDE

This article, like most of the internet, is presented to you via black text on a white background. Depending on what time of day it is, and how long you have been staring at an obnoxiously bright screen, you might find the experience of reading it a bit … aggravating. Perhaps even exhausting. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Microsoft Wants to Kill Passwords, Starting With Windows 10

The next version of Windows 10 will support passwordless Microsoft accounts. Microsoft will just text a code to your phone number when you sign in. It’s all part of Microsoft’s stated goal: “a world without passwords.”

Is this Xiaomi’s folding smartphone?

A video claiming to show a folding phone from Xiaomi has been leaked by Evan Blass. In the clip, what appears to be a tablet-sized device can be seen being used to access Google Maps, before both sides are folded backwards to give it the form-factor of a compact (but likely thick) smartphone.

The world’s oldest esports team is gaming their way to longer lives

At a row of computers, the team sits, ultrafocused, fingers flying over their keyboards. The video game “Counter-Strike” plays out on their monitors as they communicate over headsets, engaged in a fierce competition at Moscow’s IgroMir Expo, Russia’s largest computer and video game convention. But this is not your average group of gamers. The slogan on their black jackets reads “We’ve got time to kill.” With an average age of 67, the Silver Snipers from Stockholm, Sweden, are the oldest esports team in the world.

D-Link’s New 5G Wifi Router Could Let You Say Goodbye to Cable Internet Forever

Unless you spent 2018 living in a cave (which would be 100 percent justified given the political climate) you’ve undoubtedly heard the buzz around the new 5G wireless networks coming online. They not only promise faster internet speeds for mobile devices but wireless internet that’s actually fast enough to completely replace the wired broadband you use at home. With D-Link’s new 5G NR router, all you need is electricity and a SIM card to say goodbye to cable forever.

Epic brings back ’14 Days of Fortnite’ event – Full info

Epic Games is bringing back the ’14 Days of Fortnite’ event to correct the wrong ending date. On January 2, Epic Games announced that they would be compensating players with the Equalizer Glider as long as they completed one of the 14 challenges apart of ’14 Days of Fortnite’. Two days later on January 4, they decided to allow all players the chance to complete every ’14 Days of Fortnite’ challenge.

How Modern Vehicle Technologies are Working to Prevent Accidents

Throughout the past decade, automakers have added features to modern vehicles to make them safer for drivers. Advances in computing and communications along with new age sensor technology have allowed automakers to move beyond passive safety to active automobile safety. Recent studies have found that automakers could prevent 81% of accidents using modern features such as sensors. Here are some of the emerging safety features that are helping prevent car crashes.

Pedal-Travel Sensor

Pedal-travel sensors are a core component of hybrid and electric cars regenerative braking systems. These sensors record the desired braking level of a driver and let the system to implement the desired raking level hydraulically or electrically. Pedal-travel sensors are contactless and use redundant signal recording and a magnetic field sensor to avoid car collisions. Pedal-travel sensor has both magnetic circuit and magnetic field sensor that allows automakers to integrate it with the existing automobile environment.

Traction Control

Modern cars come equipped with a traction control system that reduces the potential of a wheel spinning or skidding. Traction control system may cut power to the wheels of a car if its tires lose traction on wet ground. You no longer have to panic if you have a traction control system. The system will restore power to the drive wheel automatically once the car re-stabilizes.

Voice Command Controls

Automakers are equipping modern cars with voice recognition systems that can adjust climate and audio setting through voice commands. Most of the time these tends to be hit-or-miss. Nonetheless, it’s certainly an admirable enterprise, voice recognition technology is enabling automakers to combat distracted driving. Voice commands control help drivers to concentrate and keep their eyes on the road. Use of voice recognition technology to adjust settings prepares drivers for a sudden danger and keeps them focused.

Collision Avoidance Systems

It’s a relatively new technology that uses forward sensors to warn drivers of imminent obstacles. In fact, these sensors can trigger a car to slow down to avoid collision with an invisible object or vehicle. According to Greenberg Law, careless car drivers usually fail to notice the smaller frames of motorcycles and without checking their blind spot, change lanes. Another instance is of parked drivers frequently open their doors into the way of bikers. These systems can help minimize the risk of crashing into motorcyclists. In some cases, these sensors make the car to stop automatically to prevent colliding with an oncoming vehicle. Though collision avoidance systems are still in their infancy, they are an effective emergency backup braking system, and are still subject to human error, as you can be distracted enough not to notice your system informing you of something.

Heads-On Display

When you think of smartphone and driving, you don’t usually get pleasant or positive associations. But new gadgets, such as the VIZR, can help turn your phone into a pretty cool Heads-On display so that you may navigate with GPS, get updates on traffic, or check any driving stats. There are plenty of other gadgets out there to turn your phone into a more useful, a safety device on the road, so make sure to check them out.