The Disney+ app for PS5 finally supports 4K and HDR

The latest Disney+ app for the PlayStation 5 finally streams in 4K HDR, Disney announced. After installing it, you’ll be able to watch supported Disney content, including Marvel and Star Wars movies and TV shows, in UltraHD and HDR10. Until now, the app was a simple port from the PS4 that was limited to 1080p resolution.

“A key part of our global expansion strategy is to meet consumers wherever they are,” said Disney’s EVP of product for streaming. “The ability to support 4K HDR video streaming on the platform will also improve the viewing experience for fans.” 

That’s certainly true, but it took Disney long enough — its main streaming rivals Netflix, HBO Max and Prime Video have offered 4K playback on the PS5 for a good while now. 

While 4K HDR10 is nice, PS5 doesn’t support the far superior Dolby Vision format and can’t handle Dolby Atmos audio either (except for Blu-rays). But more importantly, using the PS5 (or Xbox Series X) for streaming is a waste of electricity — it consumes about 70 watts, while the latest Google Chromecast, Roku or Apple TV devices use just 3-6 watts. In any case, you can now download the new PS5 Disney+ app from the media tab on the PS5’s home screen. 

DDoS attack on ‘Overwatch 2’ servers prevents fans from playing the game on launch day

Overwatch 2’s early access launch has been marred by a few bugs and a massive DDoS attack preventing players from getting into the game. Fans have been reporting getting stuck on the loading screen and getting one error after another. They’re also put in queue behind hundreds — and in some cases, even tens of thousands — of other players also trying to get in. Blizzard president Mike Ybarra initially tweeted that the game is experiencing server issues and that the company’s teams are working hard to fix it. In a follow-up tweet, though, the executive admitted that the game is “experiencing a mass DDoS attack” on its servers causing drop and connection issues.

Blizzard developed the new free-to-play shooter for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The new game reduces team sizes from six to five, so a team gets only one tank. It also comes with new maps, new heroes and new features, such as the ability to place a Ping on the enemy’s location to point them out to the rest of the team. Servers for the original Overwatch went offline shortly after its sequel launched, so fans have no choice but to wait for Blizzard to fix the issue before they can play the game again. 

Aside from mitigating the DDoS attack, Blizzard also has to fix quite a few bugs that made themselves known upon launch. They include items and currency going missing from players’ collections, sections not populating, some areas becoming inaccessible, actions resulting in a blackscreen and Blizzard’s SMS Protect leaving the client unusable. 

In a tweet, Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller said Blizzard will work throughout the night to deal with server issues and a second DDoS attack.

歐盟將由 2024 年底起，全面要求行動裝置統一採用 USB-C 為標準充電頭

歐洲議會對於將 USB-C 定為標準充電頭的議案完成了表決，使其成為了法律。自 2024 年底起，所有歐盟境內販賣的 100W 以內行動裝置（包括手機、平板、耳機等）都將強制要求採用 USB-C 充電。

NASA’s DART asteroid impact test left a trail over 6,000 miles long

NASA’s successful asteroid impact test created a beautiful mess, apparently. As the Associated Press reports, astronomers using the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope in Chile have captured an image revealing that DART’s collision with Dimorphos left a trail of dust and other debris measuring over 6,000 miles long. The spacecraft wasn’t solely responsible — rather, the Sun’s radiation pressure pushed the material away like it would with a comet’s tail.

The trail is only likely to get larger, according to the researchers. It should eventually stretch to the point where the dust stream is virtually unrecognizable from the usual particles floating in the Solar System. NASA didn’t create headaches for future probes and explorers. The space agency chose Dimorphos (a moonlet of the asteroid Didymos) as the deliberate crash wouldn’t pose a threat to Earth.

The capture was about more than obtaining a dramatic snapshot, of course. Scientists will use data collected using SOAR, the Astronomical Event Observatory Network and other observers to understand more about the collision and Dimorphos itself. They’ll determine the amount and speed of material ejected from the asteroid, and whether or not DART produced large debris chunks or ‘merely’ fine dust. Those will help understand how spacecraft can alter an asteroid’s orbit, and potentially improve Earth’s defenses against wayward cosmic rocks.