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There’s only one good way to celebrate Star Wars day, and that’s with these Meta Quest 3 games and apps

May 4, 2024
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May the Fourth, also known as Star Wars day, is today and for Meta Quest 3 (or Oculus Quest 2) owners there are some far better ways to celebrate than simply watching one of the classic films. That’s because you can immerse yourself in a galaxy far far away with some stellar Star Wars VR titles.

What’s more there are some superb savings to be had on my favorite Star Wars VR game – Star Wars Pinball – right now, making it the best time to pick this title up if you haven’t already. There are others you can check out too that aren’t discounted like Vader Immortal and Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, as even at full-price there’s a lot to love about them.

Alternatively you can celebrate Star Wars day the traditional way with a marathon of the Star Wars films in order, or by reading up on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew which is set to land later this year.

Star Wars Pinball VR

Okay, okay, I know pinball won’t leave you feeling like a lightsaber-wielding badass, or a slick space pirate, but I promise you have to try this game out. If only because it’s currently massively on sale – coming in at just $ 8.49 / £6.79 instead of $ 24.99 / £19.49 just for Star Wars day.

Star Wars Pinball VR reimagines the iconic digital cabinets Zen Studios has crafted over the past few years in a full VR experience. They are situated in a fan’s dream hangout space you can decorate with collectible goodies that you unlock by getting high scores and competing challenges, and the pinball machines themselves are a delight.

They capture the retro-chic flair that real world pinball machines offer, while delivering on digital expectations by featuring interactive elements that wouldn’t be possible in real life. There are 10 total cabinets to master, but if you want to mix things up further you can explore the Career mode; it adds various restrictions and powers to your gameplay that force you to mix up your playstyle.

I’ve enjoyed this game since it first released, and will admit to almost falling over a few times because I’ve been so immersed in the game that I tried to lean on a cabinet that wasn’t there. If you haven’t tried it already you absolutely should right now, especially because it’s at a bargain price.

Vader Immortal

No villain, nor character in general, is more iconically Star Wars than Darth Vader. So what better way is there to celebrate Star Wars day than with a trilogy inspired by the Sith Lord himself.

As a smuggler who picked the wrong planet to explore – the fiery world of Mustafar which Vader calls home – you must use your lightsaber skills and latent force powers in order to survive the adventure that fate has thrust you into, including an encounter with Vader himself.

This series is far from fault-free – chief among its issues is it’s fairly brief even spread across three games – but the lightsaber combat feels exactly like you always dreamed it would. The force abilities are clunkier, but again it’ll be exactly what everyone who’s ever tried (and failed) to pull an out-of-reach object closer by willing it towards them ever wanted.

The other downside of grabbing Vader Immortal right now if you’re interested is you can only pick each entry up individually. They’re often bundled together in a package that comes with a big discount but that’s currently not the case – so if you’re not desperate to play this game today you might want to hold off until it’s on sale.

Supernatural

If you want to swing a lightsaber around – or at least something like one – and get a little fitter whirl you’re at it, then check out Supernatural. I got hooked on the VR fitness app during my month-long VR workout experiment with my Meta Quest 3, and recently I’ve been enjoying its limited time Star Wars-themed Flow sessions.

My personal favorite one is the Dark Side list because it features Duel of the Fates – it’s so much fun to do battle while this tune blasts through my headset’s speakers. But there’s also a general Star Wars and a Light Side mix if you don’t want to embrace the Sith’s teachings.

Just act fast as these Star Wars levels are leaving very soon.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge

If you’re less interested in being a laser sword-wielding space wizard, and would rather be like the blaster touting characters in The Mandalorian or Andor, then Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge will be right up your street.

Set in Batuu – the same location you can travel to at Disney World in Orlando Florida – you must help some familiar droids as you adventure through the wilds of this Outer Rim settlement. Once you’re done you can continue this quintessentially Star Wars story with the Last Call DLC, and if you’ve enjoyed the main game I know you’ll enjoy this expansion too.

As an extra bonus, you can additionally explore tales from Star Wars’ rich history, with short bonus IG-88 and Ady’Sun Zee (a Jedi Padawan) missions. They’re very much secondary to the main game’s plot, but they’re great minigames especially if you’re sharing the experience with friends and family who just want a quickfire burst of Star Wars.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

February 16, 2022
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Uber is ending the mystery of your ride-sharing rating score. If three drivers gave you 2 stars, you’ll now be able to see it. You won't, however, see which drivers gave you which scores.

After more than a decade in business, whipping out a smartphone and summoning an Uber driver has become second nature for many people, as has the sometimes-awkward process of giving the driver a rating after the trip. However, Uber’s star rating system is a two-way street as drivers also rate passengers. Until now, though, riders could only see an average of their scores. In a company blog post on Wednesday, Uber announced that riders could view a breakdown of their star scores in the app.

“Now, we’re making it easier than ever to see exactly how your rating is calculated, and for the first time, we’re showing you the good (and the bad) ratings you received,” the company wrote.

Understanding how Uber drivers perceive and rate you could be either comforting, “Oh, they notice I’m always on time and in the right place,” or demoralizing, “I guess drivers don't like me eating my foot-long heroes, in their back seats.” At the very least, it might lead to a more egalitarian relationship between riders and drivers.

If you’re ready for this experience, here’s how to access your detailed ratings in the Uber app.

Start by heading to Settings in your Uber app. There, select Privacy and then the Privacy Center. Swipe over to the section titled “Would you like to see a summary of how you use Uber?” In addition to a breakdown of ratings drivers have given you, this menu shows general statistics, such as how many trips you’ve taken, how long you’ve been a member, and more. You can also view information on individual trips you’ve taken and how you paid for them.

The feature is available to all riders and is part of a transparency push by the ridesharing company. Though Uber keeps your data for the duration of the time you have an active account, the ratings you see in the app only reflect an average of the last 500 trips. If you’re looking at your score and wondering how you can bump your average rating, Uber has some tips, most of which are common sense:

Don’t leave trash in the car when you leave
Buckle up
Don’t make the driver wait for you
Don’t be a jerk
Don’t slam the door

Uber also outlined the cities where riders get the best and worst scores from their drivers. Seattle and Washington, DC were among the worst, but New York City ranked the lowest. At the other end of the spectrum, riders in Nashville, St Louis, and San Antonio earned better scores.

Wherever you live, this Uber passenger information could help you make a difference in your and your next Uber driver's shared experience.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 24, 2020
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Wondering when you can watch Star Trek: Picard episode 2? The newest series in the Star Trek universe releases every Thursday on CBS All Access in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime Video in international territories, including the UK and Australia.

If you watched episode one of Picard, you probably noticed that the eponymous captain didn't even go into space by the time you reached the end credits. So there's a long way to go as he seeks the truth behind what happened to Dahj in the season premiere. There are 10 episodes in Star Trek: Picard season one, and a season 2 has already been confirmed.

Below, we'll explain when you can watch Star Trek: Picard episode 2, and when we expect the reason of season one to arrive on CBS All Access and Amazon Prime Video.

When is the next episode of Star Trek: Picard?

Star Trek: Picard releases every Thursday on CBS All Access in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime Video internationally. CBS All Access released Star Trek: Picard episode 1 at midnight PT, so we expect Star Trek: Picard episode 2 to be released on January 30 at midnight PT / 3AM ET.

In international territories where Picard rights are owned by Amazon Prime Video, Star Trek: Picard is released the day after. So expect to see episode 2 on January 31. That said, Twitter users reported seeing the first episode drop at 11PM UK time on the Thursday, so it's possible you'll see each episode a little earlier.

Star Trek: Picard release schedule

The show will release every Thursday throughout the next three months. We've listed US dates followed by international dates below, and they're subject to change.

Star Trek: Picard episode 1: 'Remembrance' – 30 August (CBS AA), 31 August (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 2: 6 February (CBS AA), 7 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 3: 13 February (CBS AA), 14 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 4: 20 February (CBS AA), 21 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 5: 27 February (CBS AA), 28 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 6: 20 February (CBS AA), 21 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 7: 20 February (CBS AA), 21 February (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 8: 5 March (CBS AA), 6 March (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 9: 12 March (CBS AA), 13 March (Amazon)
Star Trek: Picard episode 10: 19 March (CBS AA), 20 March (Amazon)

Star Trek: Picard season 2 is official

Star Trek: Picard was renewed for a second season before the show even aired. Whoopi Goldberg will return as Guinan from The Next Generation for season 2, but otherwise we won't know what the producers have planned until season one is over.