The original Hocus Pocus is a fixture for most households on Halloween season, and Disney’s been promising a sequel for years. In lieu of an actual trailer for this Halloween, Disney revealed a new slate of characters who’ll be joining the Sanderson sisters’ (again played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimi, and…
Apple's rumored mixed reality headset may be a boon for VR gaming. In his most recent newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed Apple is aiming for a headset that can handle "high-quality" VR games with both fast chips and high-res displays. While it's not certain just what chips would be involved, a previous leak mentioned a possible 8K resolution per eye — Apple might not expect games to run at that resolution, but it would hint at serious processing power.
The headset is still poised to arrive "as early as" 2022, Gurman said. He also suggested Apple would eventually follow up the mixed headset with an augmented-reality-only model, but that was "years down the road."
However accurate the claim might be, it's doubtful the mixed reality headset would be meant primarily for gaming The price (rumored to be as high as $3,000) might relegate it to developers and other pros. It wouldn't be a rival to the $299 Quest 2, then. Instead, the report suggests Apple might use this initial headset to pave the way for more affordable wearables where gaming is more realistic.
It's safe to presume Apple is committed to a headset, no matter the end result. Apple has acquired companies and reportedly shuffled executives with mixed reality in mind. This wouldn't just be a side project for the company, even if the mixed reality tech could take years to reach the mainstream. Gaming might play a pivotal role if Apple intends to reach a wider audience.
It's Halloween, and you’re in the mood for a legitimate reason to get properly spooked? Well, our list of the scariest PC games to put that fright in your night is here.
For some of you, Halloween is every day. It’s a full-time commitment. To that, we say, well done! But this list is mainly for those who lack a continuous taste for the macabre.
First up is Outlast, definitely one of the more terrifying titles on our list. Many have attempted to complete it but couldn't take the heat.
Set in an asylum called Mount Massive, you play Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist hunting for information for his article following a tip from a source.
Your only hope for survival is to hide, run, and hide well. That's not such a bad strategy considering some of the monstrosities and horrors that await you in Outlast. Think you‘ve got what it takes? Be our guest.
Outlast and Outlast 2 are available to purchase on Steam.
Developed by Bloober Team and published by Aspyr, Layers of Fear is a first-person psychological horror game filled with scary sounds, jump scares, and twisted mind games to make you question your sanity.
You play as a schizophrenic painter on a mission to create his great masterpiece, but you have to make it through the psychedelic twists and turns of a Victorian mansion.
While it’s not laced with gruesome ghoulies like other titles on this list, it does induce an atmosphere of fear that will keep you on edge from start to finish.
LoF is available on Steam, and there’s a VR version too if you’re brave.
This classic Capcom title serves true survival-horror, which some of its previous titles lacked. It provides the atmosphere, tension and the kill it with fire-worthy opponents you want from a horror game.
Inspired by the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and more recent survival horror games like Outlast, RE7, is set in an abandoned farmhouse in rural America. You play as Ethan Winters, a civilian looking for his missing wife.
Set in first-person view (a new approach for RE games) RE7, creates an immersive experience, unlike any other RE game.
RE7: Biohazard is available to purchase on Steam and all the other titles in the franchise, including the less scary (but still spooky) sequel, Resident Evil 8.
Issac Clarke is your name, and engineering is your game, but you have to save your last remaining crew members on the USG Ishimura instead. Well, your other crew members are technically alive, just infected with alien gunk.
While it may cause you to whimper for your mother and require regular breaks to recoup, Dead Space is an elite title and should be respected as such.
So good luck, and remember headshots are not your friend dismembering is.
You can get this now classic, third-person thriller on Steam, where you can also pick up the other entries, and all the DLC’s, from the series.
In this procedurally generated, roguelike survival-horror game, you have to find tools to help you survive and outrun the scary creatures that are after you.
Developed and published by Team Junkfish, the indie studio gave the horror genre a welcome refresh.
There are AI-driven monsters and permadeath, so survival means survival. You’re going right back to the start otherwise, but likely in another location and with different monsters. You’ll be screaming for someone to save you in no time, but no one’s coming, so survive!
Monstrum is available to purchase on Steam. Oh, and if you're feeling especially brave, you can play it in VR!
Arguably the scariest game on our list, Alien: Isolation, is a 2014 horror-survival game developed by Feral Interactive and published by SEGA for the PC. This game understood the assignment and truly put the “phere” in atmosphere (ahem).
If you’re a fan of the Alien movies, you’ll be familiar with the legendary Ellen Ripley. In this masterful title that expertly captures the feel of the 1979 classic, you play as Ripley’s daughter Amanda, who goes on a search for Ripley as she has been missing for 15 years.
Be ready for the dread and terror this award-winning and stunning masterpiece has in store for you.
Grab a copy on Steam.
Still in Steam Early Access, this four-player online co-op psychological-horror game developed and published by Kinetic Games is a fright. And no, having three other friends to play along with doesn’t make it any less scary.
Hunt down ghosts in this immersive experience. Support your team by keeping a close watch on the CCTV cameras from your van, or get into the thick of things and collect paranormal data and evidence to sell to a ghost removal team.
What’s even better about Phasmophobia? It’s cross-platform and available on VR. So, grab yourself and your crew a copy on Steam.
Little Nightmares is an atmospheric, adventure horror game developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Although it's not necessarily the scariest game on our list, it feels very disconcerting.
You have to navigate a terrifying place called the Maw filled with hungry monstrosities and twisted beings trying to devour a tiny innocent child named Six.
As Six, you have to avoid the many dangers of the Maw while constantly dodging new dangers.
One of the most distinct things about Little Nightmares, especially for a horror game, is its stunning art style.
Little Nightmares is available to purchase on Steam.
Whatever you do choose to play to keep you in Halloween spirit, be sure to bolt your doors and close your curtains as you never know who or what might be lurking outside.
Released in 2019 by Hitchcock Games and developed by Shawn Hitchcock, Pacify is a multiplayer, co-op survival- horror game that's genuinely twisted and scary.
Pacify is split into three missions with unique stories, gameplay, monsters, and environments. You have to capture paranormal entities to assist an organisation named PAH Inc. with dealing with them.
In Pacify, there is a co-op and single-player mode, and interestingly, it also has a PVP mode.
So, if you want a good fright, then you must try Pacify, plus it’s available on Steam for only £3.99.
Seven weeks into the season, and it's probably just about safe to call the Titans contenders. The team that somehow lost to the Jets(!) have now beaten the Bills and Chiefs on the spin, and now have an AFC South grudge game in Indianapolis. Read on as we explain how to get a Titans vs Colts live stream and watch the NFL online from anywhere.
Date: Sunday, October 31
Time: 1pm ET / 10am PT / 5pm GMT / 4am AEDT
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV channel and live stream: CBS (via Paramount Plus FREE trial or FREE fuboTV trial)| Sky Sports (UK)
Free live stream: DAZN FREE trial (CA)| NFL Game Pass FREE trial (AU)
Watch anywhere: try the world's no.1 VPN 100% risk-free
When Derrick Henry's tossing touchdown passes against KC, you know things are going pretty well.
The Titans won 25-16 when they met a month ago, Henry eating up 113 yards and Ryan Tannehill throwing for three touchdowns, though he also chucked in a pair of interceptions.
The Colts have gathered momentum since that defeat, winning three of their past four. Whisper it, but Carson Wentz is looking kind of okay, isn't he?
The former Philly man threw for a couple of touchdowns as the Colts overcame the 49ers in torrential conditions last weekend, and in Jonathan Taylor they have the second most destructive RB in the league, behind you-know-who.
This could be a cracker, so follow our guide on how to watch the Titans vs Colts online and get an NFL live stream wherever you are in the world right now.
If you've mismatched a holiday or you're away on business and you want to watch your country's coverage from abroad, then you'll need to use a VPN. This will help you dial in to a location back in your home country to avoid geo-blocks and regain access to the content and services you already pay for back home.
A VPN is generally perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in a completely different location when the big game is on.
Use a VPN to live stream Titans vs Colts from anywhere
ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and iOS.
Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.
- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days
Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country, and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.
Today's Titans vs Colts game is being shown on CBS, with kick-off scheduled for 1pm ET / 10am PT.
If you haven't already got CBS as part of your cable package, you should know that it's also available on a streaming-only basis on Paramount Plus from just $4.99 a month after a 7-day FREE trial.
How to watch Titans vs Colts without cable
In general though, we recommend fuboTV as the best way to watch NFL games without cable this season.
The standard fuboTV plan costs $64.99 per month and includes Fox, CBS, NBC, ESPN and the NFL Network - all the channels you need to tune into every nationally televised NFL game in the 2021/22 regular season.
Plus, you also get the benefit of the fact that fuboTV has a 7-day FREE trial.
Today's Titans vs Colts game kicks off at 1pm ET / 10am PT, and while it's not being televised, Canadian NFL fans are some of the the luckiest in the world, as streaming service DAZN is showing it along with every single game of the 2021/22 season, right the way through to the Super Bowl.
And it's an absolute bargain - DAZN costs just CAD$20 a month or $150 a year.
Plus, the FREE 30-day DAZN trial lets you try before you buy - essentially meaning you can live stream Titans vs Colts free of charge.
Not only do you get every single NFL game, including NFL Game Pass and RedZone access, but DAZN's also the exclusive Canadian streaming home of Premier League and Champions League soccer!
It also comes with support for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, PS4, and laptop/PC streaming (including Mac devices).
The Titans vs Colts game is being aired in the UK on Sky Sports, with kick-off set for 5pm GMT on Sunday evening.
The network shows at least five games a week on its dedicated Sky Sports NFL channel, and offers access to the live RedZone highlights show each Sunday.
If you don't have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, Now TV will let you stream everything it has to offer without locking you into a lengthy contract.
A great option for die-hard fans is the NFL Game Pass, which is showing every game of the season live. A subscription costs £14.99 a week or a much better-value £147.99 for the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
Not in the UK but still want to catch the action? Use a VPN to live stream NFL as if you were at home. This also lets you get around any blackout restrictions that sometimes apply to games.
The Titans vs Colts game kicks off at 4am AEDT on Monday morning.
If you wake up early enough, you can tune in via the NFL Game Pass, which is showing every game of the season live. A subscription costs $28.99 a week or $274.99 for the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
It's worth bearing in mind that 7Mate shows at least two games a week for FREE, but not this particular one. ESPN, available through Foxtel, and streaming service Kayo Sports also show plenty of NFL action Down Under.
Not in Australia right now? Use a VPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your domestic coverage.
With Baker Mayfield essentially reduced to one arm and Ben Roethlisberger possibly even worse, this Halloween edition of the Turnpike War could be a genuine horror show. Read on as we explain how to get a Steelers vs Browns live stream and watch the NFL online from anywhere.
Date: Sunday, October 31
Time: 1pm ET / 10am PT / 5pm GMT / 4am AEDT
Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
TV channel and live stream: CBS (via Paramount Plus FREE trial or FREE fuboTV trial)
Free live stream: Kayo Sports FREE trial (AU) | DAZN FREE trial (CA) | NFL Game Pass FREE trial (UK)
Watch anywhere: try the world's no.1 VPN 100% risk-free
It's amazing to think that not only was this one of last season's Wild Card playoffs, but it also produced 85 points!
Case Keenum filled in for Mayfield in the Browns' win over the Broncos, but D’Ernest Johnson did most of the damage, the man who was working on a fishing boat not too long ago racking up 146 yards and his first ever touchdown.
Nick Chubb's likely return will be a huge boost, Cleveland's star RB looking set to feature after a calf injury.
The Steelers have had a bye to prepare, but that's somewhat negated by the Browns having a long week. While Pittsburgh's offense has looked a little better in recent weeks, that's not saying much, and this one could be decided by the D.
Follow our guide on how to watch the Steelers vs Browns online and get an NFL live stream wherever you are in the world right now.
If you've mismatched a holiday or you're away on business and you want to watch your country's coverage from abroad, then you'll need to use a VPN. This will help you dial in to a location back in your home country to avoid geo-blocks and regain access to the content and services you already pay for back home.
A VPN is perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in a completely different location when the big game is on.
Use a VPN to live stream Steelers vs Browns from anywhere
ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and iOS.
Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.
- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days
Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country, and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.
Today's Steelers vs Browns game is being shown on CBS, with kick-off scheduled for 1pm ET / 10am PT.
If you haven't already got CBS as part of your cable package, you should know that it's also available on a streaming-only basis on Paramount Plus from just $4.99 a month after a 7-day FREE trial.
How to watch Steelers vs Browns without cable
In general though, we recommend fuboTV as the best way to watch NFL games without cable this season.
The standard fuboTV plan costs $64.99 per month and includes Fox, CBS, NBC, ESPN and the NFL Network - all the channels you need to tune into every nationally televised NFL game in the 2021/22 regular season.
Plus, you also get the benefit of the fact that fuboTV has a 7-day FREE trial.
Today's Steelers vs Browns game kicks off at 1pm ET / 10am PT, and it's being televised by CTV, which also offers streaming access either on a standalone basis or at no extra cost for subscribers.
However, Canadian NFL fans are some of the the luckiest in the world, as streaming service DAZN is showing it along with every single game of the 2021/22 season, right the way through to the Super Bowl.
And it's an absolute bargain - DAZN costs just CAD$20 a month or $150 a year.
Plus, the FREE 30-day DAZN trial lets you try before you buy - essentially meaning you can live stream Steelers vs Browns free of charge.
Not only do you get every single NFL game, including NFL Game Pass and RedZone access, but DAZN's also the exclusive Canadian streaming home of Premier League and Champions League soccer!
It also comes with support for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, PS4, and laptop/PC streaming (including Mac devices).
The Steelers vs Browns game kicks off at 5pm GMT on Sunday evening, and you can tune in via the NFL Game Pass, which is showing every game of the season live.
A subscription costs £14.99 a week or a much better-value £147.99 for the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
Sky Sports shows at least five NFL games a week but the Steelers vs Browns game isn't one of this week's featured matchups.
And if you don't have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, Now TV will let you stream everything it has to offer without locking you into a lengthy contract.
Not in the UK but still want to catch the action? Use a VPN to live stream NFL as if you were at home. This also lets you get around any blackout restrictions that sometimes apply to games.
The Steelers vs Browns game kicks off at 4am AEDT on Monday morning.
If you wake up early enough, ESPN, available through Foxtel, is showing the game, and you can also stream it on your laptop or mobile using the Foxtel Go app.
Streaming service Kayo Sports is showing the Steelers vs Browns game too, and is the ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract.
Kayo lets you stream on two devices with it $25 per month Basic plan, and on three devices with its $35 Premium plan, and both come with a FREE 14-day trial.
It's also worth bearing in mind that 7Mate shows up to three games a week for FREE, but not this particular one.
And if those aren't enough to satisfy your NFL cravings, we highly recommend you sign up for the NFL Game Pass, as it's showing every game of the season live. A subscription costs $28.99 a week or $274.99 for the season, after a 7-day FREE trial.
Not in Australia right now? Use a VPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your domestic coverage.
It’s been a long almost 11 months since we last had The Doctor and friends on our screens, but at last, she’s back! And things are looking a bit different this time around, as the end draws near for Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor. Come talk about the first episode of Doctor Who season 13, Flux, and let us know what you…
When the first trailer for the new Resident Evil movie dropped earlier this month, it looked like a cheesy, expensive horror flick with an...interesting soundtrack choice. Lest you think that was a mistake on the marketing team’s front for what’s meant to be the start of a six-movie series, it’s apparently not,…
This may be one of your best chances of scoring a smart speaker or e-reader before the holiday rush. Amazon is selling multiple recent Echo devices (plus a Kindle reader) at very low prices. To start, the fourth-generation Echo speaker is on sale for just $60 (usually $100), or the same as its Prime Day pricing. You can also buy the new Echo Show 5 for an all-time low of $55 (normally $85), while its larger Echo Show 8 counterpart has dropped to $100 (typically $130).
Buy Echo (4th-Gen) on Amazon - $60Buy Echo Show 5 on Amazon - $55Buy Echo Show 8 on Amazon - $100You might also appreciate the Kindle deal if you're a book lover. Amazon is selling the standard Kindle (with ads) for just $50 — that's $40 below its official sticker, and even better than the Prime Day price. You'll get a similar discount on the ad-free version, which sells for $70. Either price drop makes the Kindle an easy choice if you prefer to wind down with a digital book at the end of the day.
The Echo devices are safe choices. The fourth-gen Echo sounds great for the money and boasts a memorable design along with Alexa's healthy ecosystems for smart home devices and skills. The newer Echo Show 5 and 8, meanwhile, build on that Alexa know-how with visuals. The Show 5 fits best as a bedside clock, while the 8 works well for video calls or as a family hub in the kitchen or living room. The main hiccups are simply the interface and streaming app selections — Google has a slight edge in both departments, but that might not matter much if you're mainly using voice commands or checking the news and weather.
Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.
How much sleep is enough? You might have heard the old adage about eight hours of shut-eye being the optimal amount, but in reality your needs will vary throughout your lifetime. When it comes to snoozing, your age, health and even your work can each have an impact on how many hours of sleep you should aim for each night.
To help break this down, we’ve analysed research and sought expert advice from Dr Lindsay Browning, a chartered psychologist, neuroscientist, author and sleep expert. Read on for the definitive guide to how much sleep you need, and how to help yourself get those restorative hours in bed.
The National Sleep Foundation’s guidelines are broken down by age, but these numbers are recommendations only; while your age is a good indicator of how much sleep you need, you need to take your personal circumstances into consideration too.
| Age range | Recommended hours of sleep | |
| Newborns (0-3 months) | 14-17 hours | |
| Infants (4-11 months) | 12-15 hours | |
| Toddlers (1-2 years) | 11-14 hours | |
| Preschoolers (3-5 years) | 10-13 hours | |
| School-age children (6-13 years) | 9-11 hours | |
| Teenagers (14-17 years) | 8-10 hours | |
| Adults (18-64 years) | 7-9 hours | |
| Adults (aged 65+) | 7-8 hours |
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults between the ages of 18 and 64 get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. This number decreases slightly for adults older than 65, with a recommended sleep time of seven to eight hours per night.
However, age is not the only deciding factor here – people who are sick or have physically demanding jobs might need more than the recommended hours.
“When we’re asleep we produce antibodies, so If you’re ill you’re going to need more sleep,” explains Dr Browning. “Throw the recommendations out of the window if you’re not well and sleep as much as you need.”
Equally, those who spend their days being physically active, through work or other exercise, are also likely to need more kip. “The more physically active we are, the more we need to repair our bodies,” says Dr Browning. “The sleep you get will be deeper, and feel more restorative.”
It’s no secret that teenagers can sleep like logs, but they’re not lazy – they’re simply doing what their bodies are instinctively telling them to do. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teenagers aged 14-17 need around eight to 10 hours of sleep per night.
Research has shown that teenagers need more sleep than adults to help support their learning, memory, attention and cognition processing during these formative years. Their brains and bodies are maturing and developing rapidly, and sleep helps them boost their health, regulate their emotions and stay on top of their school work.
In addition, Dr Browning adds that teens might find their sleep affected by excessive intakes of caffeine and alcohol, which their bodies might not be used to processing.
We generally need less sleep as we get older because our bodies stop growing and our brains don’t process as much new information as they did when we were younger.
“When you sleep you produce a growth hormone and your body can physically grow,” explains Dr Browning. “So newborn babies will need tons more sleep than adults. As we get older we stop growing, so we don’t need as much sleep.
“Equally, when we’re learning new things, we need more sleep to process those learnings. For a baby, just moving its hand can be a new sensation, while children are learning language, maths, identifying things such as trees... Then when we get older, we generally know everything we need to already.”
Dr Browning adds that our sleep also becomes lighter as we age, meaning that we become easier to wake up. While it’s normal to wake up through the night, we’re more likely to remember these awakenings as we age, as they are likely to become longer and more frequent.
“You think your sleep is suddenly of a really poor quality, but generally speaking, that’s simply not true; you’re just more aware of these breaks in your sleep,” she reveals.
First things first, Dr Browning suggests implementing some wind-down time before bed – just like you had as a child. “As adults, we’ll be doing complex work projects in the evening, watching exciting TV programmes, having an argument with our spouse and then expecting that we’ll just go to sleep instantly. Of course that doesn’t happen; it’s unreasonable,” says Dr Browning.
Light is also an important factor. The blue light emitted from screens tells your brain that it’s daytime, so limiting your use of devices near bedtime helps keep your body’s circadian rhythm in check.
Equally, make sure you’re exposed to adequate daylight. “As biological creatures, we’re designed to see sunshine during the day, so we should go outside at lunch to tell our brains it’s the middle of the day. Then, when evening comes, our brain can say, ‘OK, now we need to sleep’.” You might also enjoy using a wake up light on darker mornings.
Also consider your bedroom environment. “You shouldn’t use your bedroom for anything other than sleep and sex,” advises Dr Browning. “That way, your brain will associate your bedroom with rest – but we have to balance that with real life.” Dr Browning recommends making sure your bedroom isn’t reminding you of things you haven’t finished, or your brain will be too distracted to sleep.
Finally, ensure you have the best mattress for your body and some comfy bedding. “Mattresses generally have a life span of seven to eight years,” says Dr Browning. “After that, they’re probably not as supportive as they need to be and less comfortable, so your sleep won’t be as good. Try to wash your sheets weekly – just think of how lovely it is to get into freshly laundered linen.”
The National Sleep Foundation published its official sleep guidelines in March 2015. They were devised by a multidisciplinary expert panel of 18 members, who represented 12 stakeholder organisations and six sleep experts. The panel analysed the findings of 312 scientific articles relating to sleep duration recommendations.
This article is part of TechRadar's Sleep Week 2021 (Sunday 31 October to Sunday 7 November) our in-depth look at sleep and how to snooze better. We've teamed up with experts in their field to bring you sleep techniques and tips to help you drift off easier, and have rounded-up the best sleep kit and Black Friday mattress deals to transform your bedroom into a den of zen.
Updated 10/31/21 9:45 a.m. ET: Added new details regarding attendees and opening of the climate talks.
Spoilers follow for The Mandalorian season 2.
In traditional Lucasfilm and Disney style, The Book of Boba Fett is shrouded in mystery – aside from the return of the eponymous bounty hunter (played by Temuera Morrison) and his associate Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), The Mandalorian spin-off is playing its Sabacc cards extremely close to its chest. In fact, when it comes to solid intel on the characters who’ll be crossing paths with the galaxy’s most infamous mercenary, even Bothan spies would be pulling their hair out.
But when Fett killed Bib Fortuna to take control of Jabba the Hutt’s vast crime empire, he opened the door to potential encounters with numerous classic Star Wars characters – from fellow bounty hunters, to Imperials and veterans of the Rebel Alliance.
So, making the assumption that if a character isn’t dead they’re fair game for a return – and that even those who are deceased could appear in flashbacks – we’ve assembled a list of the Star Wars heroes and villains who may show up in The Book of Boba Fett.
Everything you’ll read below is based on official Star Wars canon – movies, TV, books and comics – unless we specify otherwise.
“Bounty hunters: we don’t need their scum,” Admiral Piett sneered at an underling in The Empire Strikes Back, but it would be surprising if The Book of Boba Fett shared his point of view. Even before he hooked up with Fennec Shand in The Mandalorian, Boba Fett had a long history of working with other mercenaries.
The famous usual suspects line-up from Darth Vader's Star Destroyer would seem a good place to start recruiting for the new show – because although it was disintegrations specialist Fett who eventually captured Han Solo, it’s likely that most of the other bounty hunters involved would still be in business six years later.
Both Bossk and Dengar have history with Fett, having worked with the aspiring bounty hunter during The Clone Wars (where Dengar was voiced by Simon Pegg). Both make brief background appearances in Return of the Jedi – Dengar in Jabba’s Palace, Bossk on his sail barge – so, assuming neither was on board the latter when it blew up above the Sarlacc, both could have lived to fight another day. In fact, a report in SlashFilm suggests Dengar survives through to The Rise of Skywalker – set three decades after The Book of Boba Fett – in the twisted form of cyborg Rothgar Deng.
IG-88, Zuckuss and 4-LOM completed the famous assortment of mercenaries hired to track down the Millennium Falcon. While it’s widely believed that Boba Fett defeated IG-88 before capturing Han Solo, leaving him for scrap on Cloud City, the droid ‘brother’ of The Mandalorian’s heroic IG-11 was resurrected in the Darth Vader comic book series, where he was hired to eliminate the Emperor’s right-hand man.
Zuckuss and his droid partner 4-LOM, meanwhile, both appear in the Star Wars: Bounty Hunters comic set after The Empire Strikes Back, so are presumably still looking for work by the time The Book of Boba Fett rolls around.
Cad Bane is yet to appear in live-action, but that didn’t bother The Mandalorian when it brought Clone Wars veterans Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan Kryze into the fold. Bane, a blue-skinned, Clint Eastwood-channelling bounty hunter, was a regular threat throughout The Clone Wars, and has also turned up in spin-off show The Bad Batch. He hasn’t made any canonical appearances beyond his recent Bad Batch appearance, but the fact he appears in some graffiti in Rebels suggests he was still infamous decades later. It therefore wouldn’t be a stretch for him to crop up in The Book of Boba Fett, especially as Bane’s a former associate of Boba’s dad, Jango.
Unless she gets some flashback scenes, one member of the Bossk/Dengar gang who won’t be showing up is Boba’s old mentor, Aurra Sing – during Solo: A Star Wars Story, it’s confirmed that Tobias Beckett killed her.
And if The Book of Boba Fett production team are looking for a seriously deep dive, there’s one other important Star Wars mercenary who’s long overdue a canonical appearance. “The bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell,” is casually referenced by Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back, yet has never appeared on screen. Non-canon 1981 comic The Bounty Hunter of Ord Mantell told the story of Skorr and his encounter with Solo – could this be the time he’s finally introduced into official continuity?
While Leia made sure that Jabba the Hutt was definitively dead – even before his sail barge exploded – we know that his master of ceremonies, Bib Fortuna, survived to take control of his old boss’s crime empire. Fett assassinated Fortuna in The Mandalorian season 2 finale, but who’s to say there aren’t other members of Jabba’s entourage out there?
Cackling Kowakian monkey-lizard court jester Salacious B Crumb, for example, could have jumped ship after snacking on C-3PO’s eye. (That said, he’d be advised to steer clear of Nevarro, where roasted monkey-lizard is sometimes on the menu.)
Mad scientist Dr Evazan and his sidekick Ponda Baba survived their Mos Eisley bar brawl with Obi-Wan Kenobi, so could still be at large. And Ochi, the Sith assassin who killed Rey’s parents (as referenced in The Rise of Skywalker) previously had connections with criminal syndicate Crimson Dawn, whose interests could collide with Fett’s own black-market aspirations.
Any Crimson Dawn entanglements could be made even more intriguing if we see the return of Qi’ra, Han Solo’s ex (played by Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke) who became a major player in the organisation. The War of the Bounty Hunters comic reveals that Qi’ra stole the carbonite-encased Solo from Fett in between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, eventually auctioning him off to the highest bidder. Boba Fett may still hold a grudge…
And on the less scummy and villainous side of the underworld there’s pirate queen Maz Kanata, whose castle on Takodana is also a haven for the morally flexible. She even has a Mandalorian flag outside the front door, so may welcome certain bounty hunting visitors.
With Luke Skywalker busy training Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) in the ways of the Force, and Han Solo, Leia and Chewbacca probably having their hands full raising toddler son (and future Kylo Ren) Ben, it’s unlikely they’ll have a reunion with Boba Fett – even though there’s bound to be some residual animosity on both sides. There’s slightly more chance of a return for Lando Calrissian (who, like Fett, briefly worked for Jabba the Hutt), but we suspect The Book of Boba Fett will largely steer clear of Star Wars’ biggest names.
There are other Rebel Alliance veterans in play at this point in the timeline, however. Pilot Nien Nunb is a former smuggler, so has experience of the underworld, while fellow flying ace Wedge Antilles may have a few more years of action in him before retiring to a quiet life in the Outer Rim with his wife Norra Wexley – the mother of future Resistance pilot Temmin ‘Snap’ Wexley.
We also never found out what happened to former Clone Troopers Rex and Wolffe after the fall of the Empire. They’d surely be intrigued to meet their bounty hunting ‘brother’ Boba – the fact they’re all clones of Jango Fett (also played by Temuera Morrison) means the casting should be easy…
With The Mandalorian season 3 storylines to consider, the destinies of Din Djarin (aka Mando) and Grogu are almost definitely separate from Boba Fett’s. There are, however, other characters from the parent show who could crop up in The Book of Boba Fett.
Cobb Vanth, the Mos Pelgo town marshal who kept Fett’s armor warm during his enforced absence, is also on Tatooine, and may have a part to play in the story of how Boba escaped from lunch-by-Sarlacc. And while Mandalorian princess Bo-Katan Kryze has little love for Fett – who she regards as an imposter and a disgrace to the armor – there are plenty of reasons their paths could cross once again.
Former Imperial sharp shooter-turned-career criminal Mayfeld pulled off a successful heist with Fett in The Mandalorian season 2 episode 7, so it may be mutually beneficial for them to work together again.
It’s also unlikely that the newly established New Republic will turn a blind eye to criminal activities across the galaxy, so don’t be surprised if pilots/space cops Carson Teva and Trapper Wolf stick their noses into Boba Fett’s business from time to time.
After the Battle of Jakku – which took place four years before the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett – the remains of the Empire signed a peace treaty with the New Republic. According to Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath novels, Imperial bigwigs – including Admiral Rae Sloane and Commandant Brendol Hux (father of General Hux) – travelled to the Unknown Regions of the galaxy, where they went on to build the First Order.
While the Empire as we knew it is no longer in business, however, we know from The Mandalorian that there are sizeable, and dangerous, Imperial remnants making their presence felt across the galaxy – much like the one led by the now-incarcerated Moff Gideon.
The question is, how much will their operations come into Boba Fett’s orbit? The two sides do have a history of working together if their interests align, so don’t be surprised to see Fett joining forces with people dressed in Imperial uniforms once again.
The Book of Boba Fett streams on Disney Plus from December 29.
If you're on the hunt for a great gaming deal at this year's Black Friday deals event, then it's well worth considering picking up a gaming subscription. Gaming subscriptions grant you access to gaming content for a monthly or annual fee - a bit like Netflix for games.
There are a plethora of gaming subscription services around, from PS Now, which allows you to stream PS2, PS3, and PS4 games on PS5, PS4, and PC, to Nintendo Switch Online, which grants access to online multiplayer and a growing library that includes NES and SNES titles. But there's one gaming subscription service that beats them all: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the king of gaming subscriptions right now, offering access to over 100 top-notch games, access to online multiplayer, and much more. What's more, we expect it to be discounted as part of Black Friday Xbox Series X deals.
So what makes Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the daddy of gaming subscription services? Well, it's primarily the amount of content and features it packs in.
With an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you get (deep breath) access to over 100 games in the Xbox Game Pass library on both PC and console, access to first-party Xbox games which land in the library on day one, access to Xbox cloud gaming, exclusive member discounts and deals and Xbox Live Gold included, which grants access to online multiplayer and offers a handful of free games to download and keep each month.
Let's break down each of these elements. For a start, the Xbox Game Pass library is heaving with games to play, from Xbox 360 games to the latest Xbox exclusives, and new games are constantly being added to it. What's more, it grants access to EA Play titles like FIFA 21 and Knockout City. However, the biggest draw of the Xbox Game Pass library is that new Xbox first-party titles land on it on day one. That means when Halo Infinite arrives in December, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will immediately be able to play it as part of their subscription.
It's fantastic value, given that an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate yearly subscription is around £139.99 / $194.59 (though three month and monthly subscriptions are available, more on that below), and a new Xbox first-party release on its own, including Halo, costs around $60/£50. At least with the subscription, you get plenty of games for your money - as well as the ability to play them on mobile devices thanks to Ultimate's cloud gaming feature (though this is currently in beta).
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate typically costs $14.99 / £10.99 per month, $44.99 / £32.99 for three months, £69.99 / $97.29 or (as we said above) £139.99 / $194.59 annually. But a sweet entry deal means you can pick up your first month for just a $1 / £1 trial price. While that seems mighty tempting, we suggest holding out for Black Friday because, if Microsoft decides to repeat a previous offer, we expect to see this extended to three months as part of their Black Friday deals.
That means you might be able to get three months for just $1/£1, allowing you to trial the service for a lengthy period before committing to a longer subscription. If you don't like it, you can easily cancel the recurring monthly billing that is set to occur after that period. If you do like it, then you can commit to full membership. If you already have a membership and want to renew or simply want to jump in with both feet into annual or monthly membership, then it's worth keeping an eye out for discounts on annual or three-month subscriptions at retailers like Amazon and Walmart this Black Friday.
If you don't need all the bells and whistles of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or you want a more affordable subscription, then it's worth considering the normal Xbox Game Pass subscription. A regular Xbox Game Pass subscription is still great value at $9.99 / £7.99 a month and packs in Xbox Live Gold, access to first-party Xbox releases on day one, discounts and deals on the Microsoft store plus access to the every-growing Xbox Game Pass library. However, you do need to pick either console or PC and you don't get access to Cloud Gaming.
Both Xbox Game Pass subscriptions offer great value and benefit from that $1/£1 trial. It's just worth weighing up whether you want to play across multiple platforms and whether you'll make use of cloud gaming.
Want more video game deals? Then keep an eye on our Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals and PS5 Black Friday deals pages.
Apple’s new iMac purportedly set to arrive in 2022 could be called the iMac Pro, and is rumored to be a replacement for the current iMac 27-inch, switching out Intel silicon for the new M1 Pro and Max chips, and implementing the same Mini-LED screen as seen on the new MacBook Pro models.
This fresh speculation from well-known Apple leaker Dylandkt contends that the incoming all-in-one will have a 27-inch Mini-LED display with ProMotion tech (that nugget originally comes from another respected leaker Ross Young (CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants).
iMac (Pro)Promotion and Mini LedBase model 16gb Ram 512gb StorageM1 Pro and MaxDark bezelsHDMI, SD Card, Usb CSimilar design to iMac 24 and Pro Display XDRStarting price at or over 2000 dollarsEthernet on brick standardFace ID was tested (Not confirmed)1H 2022October 30, 2021
The leak is a fairly lengthy list of further possibilities, as you can see, which includes the machine possibly having a ‘similar’ design to the existing M1-powered iMac 24-inch, and the presence of an HDMI port, plus an SD card and USB-C connectors, along with dark bezels (rather than the white bezels on the iMac 24-inch).
The base spec of the all-in-one will supposedly run with 16GB of system RAM and 512GB of storage, and the price will start from $2,000 (around £1,460, AU$2,660) or more.
The iMac Pro name is seemingly not a sure thing, but rather it’s what Apple has dubbed the PC for now, but that might be switched out, Dylandkt observes, because the “marketing team can change gears very quickly”. But the current thinking is calling it the iMac Pro differentiates it from the iMac 24-inch, and denotes the use of the M1 Pro SoC rather than the straight M1 on the latter.
As the leaker asserts, this is a ‘Pro’ device with a ‘Pro’ chip (and a Max alternative, for that matter, just like the new MacBook Pro versions).
Given the use of the same chips, screen and other similarities with the new MacBook Pros – maybe even the name – the question some folks are now asking, seeing as Dylandkt observes that Face ID is being tested (but isn’t confirmed), is will the purported iMac Pro have the notch? And if so, is it likely to prove as divisive as with the new MacBooks?
We may not have to wait that long to find out, as the rumored iMac 27-inch could pitch up fairly early next year. The all-in-one PC should be released in the first half of 2022, as the tweet above claims, although Ross Young further narrows that down to Q1 of 2022. Dylandkt reckons a spring event is the best bet, but this is all speculation of course, and there is the potential for a delay – chip shortages and other issues abounding – the leaker notes.
Via Wccftech
In line with Intel’s 12th generation CPU announcement, Colorful Technology Company Limited announced its new Intel Z690 Series motherboards this week. The new boards feature support for PCIe 5.0, unlocking support for the next-generation PCI Gen5 devices.
The Colorful iGame Z690 Ultra D5 will supports DDR5 memory, while the iGame Z690 Ultra supports DDR4 memory, offering build flexibility around Intel’s new CPU. The iGame Z690 Ultra D5 and iGame Z690 Ultra motherboards feature a new Ice Terrace Space 1.0 Heatsink, an enlarged heatsink solution that delivers efficient passive cooling to the PCH, along with two M.2 slots.
Along with the release of the iGame Z690 Series motherboards, Colorful also revealed its new Battle-AX DDR5 Memory. It features a matte black heatspreader with red accents and is exclusively designed for the Intel 600 Series platform. The new memory modules have a starting frequency of DDR5-4800MHz and are available in 8GB and 16GB modules.
Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
Apple has been busy pushing out new iMacs and new MacBook Pro laptops that take advantage of its own chipsets, but there are two oft-requested features that still haven't made their way to the Mac line: touchscreen displays, and support for Face ID.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal (via MacRumors), Apple executives Tom Boger and John Ternus addressed the omission of both of these features on the latest hardware – and it doesn't sound as though Face ID and touchscreens will be added to the Mac line anytime soon.
When it comes to Face ID, Boger says that having Touch ID on the Mac keyboard is more convenient, because that's where your hands are already placed. We reckon Face ID would be even quicker and simpler, but that's the answer Apple is giving for now.
When it comes to touchscreens, it seems that Apple doesn't want to do anything that could affect iPad sales. The iPad is "the world's best touch computer" according to Ternus, while the Mac is "totally optimized for direct input".
So there you have it – and we're not all that surprised. Apple representatives have previously described the idea of a touchscreen Mac as "absurd", while Face ID is rumored to be a way off yet for Apple's desktops and laptops, if it ever arrives at all.
Boger and Ternus also spoke about some of the changes on the newest MacBook Pro models, including the removal of the Touch Bar – Apple is apparently "constantly listening" to customers, so it sounds as though people power is at least partly responsible for the keyboard redesign this year.
The responses given by the Apple executives in the WSJ interview make sense, up to a point. Touchscreen input is something that's available on quite a few Windows computers now, but it doesn't really make a lot of sense – at least not unless you're using a device like the Surface Pro 8 that can also do double duty as a tablet.
Apple's tablet-laptop hybrid is of course the iPad, and it's fair to direct users who want this touch input (and Apple Pencil support) to seek out the slate instead. There are plenty of them available of course, from the entry-level iPad right up to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Face ID is something that makes more sense for an iMac or a MacBook Pro though. Apple has upgraded the webcams on its latest models, and even added a display notch in the case of the MacBook Pro – a notch that makes the lack of Face ID all the more noticeable.
As we mentioned above, rumors have been swirling that Apple is planning to add Face ID to the Mac, although it's reportedly still a couple of years away. Apple knows the tech intimately from its iPhone devices, and Windows Hello has demonstrated just how quick and convenient logging in with facial recognition can be.
