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Facebook Portal Plus review: A decent video-chat display marred by its maker

Facebook Portal Plus review: A decent video-chat display marred by its maker

In 2019 we reviewed Facebook's Portal, Portal Plus and Portal TV devices, video chatting displays and cameras that included fun AR, but left us scratching our head about their real practicality. We didn't feel comfortable recommending them due to Facebook's questionable data privacy issues in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica breach. 

Fast-forward to today and things haven't improved for Facebook. Despite continued investigations into how Facebook uses and shares data, the company is pressing forward with new, camera-focused hardware. The $350 Portal Plus is Facebook's most expensive display. The 14-inch touchscreen comes with AR features, video chatting and a handful of streaming music and media services. Alexa is built in for smart home commands and general knowledge inquiries. 

Molly Price/CNET

Even without the dark cloud of Facebook's branding hovering over the Portal Plus, it isn't a device worthy of anyone's $350. Apps are limited, controls aren't always intuitive and the dual-assistant setup of "Hey, Portal" and Alexa doesn't simplify anything. For the same (or likely less) money, you'd be better off with a tablet and folio stand or a smart display, depending on your wants and needs.

I've included two charts at the end of this review comparing tablets, displays and Portals. For now, let's dive into the details of the Portal Plus. One note: I reviewed the new, $200 Portal Go alongside this larger model and the two are extremely similar save for a few details of the physical design and of course the size and price. For that reason, several sections in this review are similar to my observations about the Portal Go. 

The Portal Plus is large and looks good displaying my favorite photos.

Molly Price/CNET

Design

The Portal Plus' second generation has an entirely different look than the first. It's sleeker, with a slightly smaller 14-inch display with a 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution mounted on a rectangular speaker base. You can tilt the display up or down. A physical camera shutter and mute button offer manual privacy for the 12-megapixel front-facing camera that has a 131-degree field of view and will pan and zoom to keep you in frame.

Beneath the fabric base, a four-mic array listens for your "Hey, Portal," "Hey, Facebook" or, "Hey, Alexa" commands. Two 5-watt full range speakers and one 20-watt woofer put out plenty of sound for music, video streaming and chatting. The Portal Plus uses what Facebook calls "Smart Sound" AI to reduce background noise for the person speaking to Portal. 

The first-gen Portal Plus was big and bulky, but its screen could rotate. 

James Martin/CNET

The design is a sure improvement over the bulky, original Portal Plus. However, this screen can't rotate between landscape and portrait orientations. 

Features

Nearly everything about the Portal Plus is identical to the Portal Go, only on a larger and corded scale. The limited amount of apps available on these two devices is a disappointment. These new Portals just doesn't do as much as any tablet or smart display and the Portal Plus costs more than many of those. There are so few apps (24 to be exact) that I can list them all right here. If I tried to do that with a tablet, Amazon Echo skills or Google Nest compatible apps and devices we would need a bigger internet. Here's the full list, in alphabetical order:

• Alexa
• BlueJeans
• Browser
• Calendar
• CBS News
• Deezer
• Facebook Live
• Food Network
• GoToMeeting
• iHeartRadio
• Newsy
• Pandora
• Photo Booth
• Plex
• Red Bull TV
• SideChef
• Spotify
• Story Time
• Tidal Music
• Watch
• Webex Meetings
• Workplace
• Workplace Live
• Zoom

The odd thing about this list is what's not on it. There aren't apps for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp. Instead, features from those apps are built into various parts of the Portal experience. You can link your Instagram account to display your Instagram feed photos on the Portal Plus' ambient screen. Messenger chat rooms are used when you video-call your contacts. You can use WhatsApp to set up the Portal instead of Facebook (but doing so will disable the "Hey, Portal" voice integration). 

I asked Facebook representatives why these in-house apps aren't available. Here's what they had to say:

The core use for Portal is video calling and to make it easier for people to connect with their family, friends and colleagues. You can use the web browser on Portal to access your favorite Facebook apps. People have other devices they typically use for browsing Facebook, Instagram, etc.

That makes sense. My first instinct wouldn't be to scroll Instagram on a display that isn't handheld like my phone or tablet. I probably also wouldn't choose to hunt and peck on a vertical touchscreen to reply to WhatsApp messages. All that to say, just be warned if you think this device primarily for your social media apps -- it isn't. 

Facebook could add more apps to the Portal Plus with future updates. Smart displays from other brands have taken this approach. I expect this list to expand, but for now these are the only for apps available on the Portal Plus. 

Video chatting

You can video chat with BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, Workplace and Zoom. Support for Microsoft Teams is in the works for later this year. Video-calling your contacts begins in the Contacts app, where you'll create a Messenger room in order to chat. The contacts available here are pulled from the WhatsApp or Facebook account you used to set up the Portal. However, if someone you want to call doesn't have a Facebook or Messenger account, you can send them a link to join the room. 

The Portal Plus's AR camera and Story Time are the headlining features of this device. When you're in a video call, tapping the Experiences button brings up a menu to access Story Time, Photo Casting, Watch Together or Effects. This is where you'll find fun filters and special effect backgrounds. 

Here's a collection of the weird and wacky filters you'll find in the Portal Plus Photo Booth app and in Messenger room effects.

Molly Price/CNET

Open Story Time during a call (or on your own without a call ongoing) and you'll find stories with filters and special effects that interact with the person in front of the camera. The story text appears in the top left corner of the screen and little instructions pop up here and there to show you how to initiate some special effects.

Stories include popular series like Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, Todd Parr and Jon Burgerman. You can also select classics like Three Little Pigs, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Riding Hood. Story Time is the most fun you can have on Portal. I just wish it were available as an app on third-party devices like tablets or other displays.

Privacy

We can't really review Facebook hardware without pointing out the ongoing saga of Facebook's data and privacy issues. Dig deeper into the Portal privacy features here if you like, but these are the big takeaways.

The Portal Plus is listening for the "Hey, Portal" or "Hey, Facebook" wake word. If it detects the phrase, Portal sends a transcript and recording of that voice interaction to Facebook. Those "Hey, Portal" and "Hey, Facebook" transactions are kept on Facebook's servers for up to three years, while "false wakes" are deleted within 90 days of detection. That's if you don't take any action. If you choose to, you can review and delete your voice interactions in the Portal Plus's settings. 

You could choose to disable voice interaction recording entirely in the device's settings, but it is turned on by default. If you only connect your Portal to WhatsApp on initial setup, "Hey, Portal" won't work at all, thanks to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption. 

A physical camera shutter and mute button add some peace of mind. A red light indicates the microphone is muted. The Portal Plus's camera uses AI technology that is processed locally, not on Facebook servers. The camera doesn't have any facial recognition abilities. 

A physical shutter, red light and on-screen notification let you know the camera and microphones are turned off.

Molly Price/CNET

Better options

There are two ways you could approach Portal Plus alternatives, but you need to know what exactly you're after. If you're looking for a device that's great for streaming video, has thousands of apps, including social media, get a tablet.

There are plenty of 10- to 15-inch tablets available that provide a big enough screen and a good camera. Nearly any model from Samsung, Amazon or Apple will give you more features, processing power, apps for streaming and social media platforms. Treat yourself to an Apple Pencil or S Pen for Apple or Samsung models, and you've got even more options.

If you're looking for an Alexa-focused smart home screen, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10 are both far better (and often more affordable) options with broader apps for streaming and video chatting. Both are often available for less than the Portal Plus' $350 list price.

The following charts compare popular tablets and smart displays with Portal Plus and Portal Go.

Portals vs. tablets

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Galaxy Tab A7	Amazon Fire HD 10	iPad (2021)
Price	$200	$350	$650	$150	from $329
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	11 inches	10.1 inches	10.2 inches
Resolution	1,280x800	2,160x1,440	2,560x1,600	1,920x1,200	2,160x1,620
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	8 megapixels front, 13 and 5 megapixels rear	2 megapixels front, 5 megapixels rear	12 megapixels front, 8 megapixels rear
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	80 degrees	Not listed	122 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited (Guided Access)
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon app store	All available from the App Store
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Alexa app, Google Assistant app	Alexa	Siri, Alexa app, Google Assistant app
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Portals vs. smart displays

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Nest Hub Max	Echo Show 8	Echo Show 10
Price	$200	$350	$229	$100	$250
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	10 inches	8 inches	10.1 inches
Resolution	1,280x800	2,160x1,440	1,280x800	1,280x800	1,280x800
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	6.5 megapixels	13 megapixels	13 megapixels
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	127 degrees	110 degrees	110 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	No	No	No
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Google Duo	Zoom, Skype, Chime	Zoom, Skype, Chime
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Netflix, Youtube, CW, HBONow, Starz, Red Bull TV, Crackle	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Google	Alexa	Alexa
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes

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Mortgage preapproval: Everything you need to know to get preapproved

Mortgage preapproval: Everything you need to know to get preapproved

Buying a home -- especially for the first time -- is a complicated process. One of the first and most significant steps of buying a home is getting your mortgage preapproval. It's proof that you've lined up the financing you need to close on the home. Without a preapproval letter, most sellers aren't going to take your offer seriously.

Although some lenders have tightened their standards due to the pandemic, it's usually not too difficult or complicated to get a home-loan preapproval. Let's look at how it works.

What does it mean to be preapproved for a mortgage? 

A mortgage preapproval is a letter from a lender indicating that you are tentatively approved for a loan. It typically includes a maximum loan amount, interest rate and any other relevant terms or information. 

Significantly, getting preapproved for a mortgage doesn't guarantee you will actually get a loan -- or the specific rate and terms on offer. Rather, it's a statement from the lender stating its intention to lend and the terms involved, assuming the information you've provided about your income, employment and financial situation is accurate. It also assumes that there will be no significant changes to your financial situation or credit score -- losing your job or taking out another loan, for instance -- as these could impact the terms or even disqualify you.

"Many housing markets across the country are struggling with inventory, increasing demand substantially," said Jefferson Watters, a loan originator for AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation. "A preapproval demonstrates a commitment from the buyer and tells sellers that the buyer is completely qualified to purchase their home. In most cases, if a seller has two equal offers on the table, with the only difference being that one buyer is preapproved, the seller will almost always choose the preapproved offer."

Preapproval vs. prequalification: What's the difference?

When you start looking for a mortgage, another term you might come across is "prequalification." Though home loan preapproval and prequalification are often used interchangeably, the process and terminology varies among lenders. 

In some cases, prequalification is based on your answers to a few initial questions and a soft credit check (where a lender checks your score but doesn't pull a full report that could impact your credit). It usually doesn't include details about loan amount, interest rate or terms. As such, it's less authoritative than a preapproval -- but it's a good way to get an initial idea of whether you're in good enough financial shape to qualify for a mortgage.

"A true preapproval will verify assets, income and the ability to repay the loan," Watters said. "Some lenders will offer a preliminary prequalification letter, but this only shows a borrower qualifying based off of the information they submitted in their application."

When you're ready to make an offer on a home, you'll want to have an official statement from a lender -- or, better yet, multiple lenders -- that you can get the financing and terms you need to close on the deal. Whichever term your lender uses, make sure you have it before you make an offer.

When should you get preapproved?

When you apply for preapproval, your lender will first gather some basic financial information from you and pull your credit report. In most cases, that means a hard inquiry on your credit, which could affect your credit score. Given this, you shouldn't apply for preapproval until you're serious about buying a home. This will both protect you from impairing your credit score unnecessarily and ensure that your preapproval is valid when you're ready to make an offer; a home-loan preapproval letter is typically only good for 30 to 60 days.

Having multiple preapproval letters from a few different lenders will only strengthen your hand. And if you get multiple inquiries for the same type of credit within a short period of time, the credit bureaus will usually treat those as one inquiry and avoid knocking your credit score.

How to get preapproved for a mortgage 

The process for getting a mortgage preapproval is fairly straightforward, and the better prepared you are, the more smoothly and quickly it will go.

Step 1: Review your financial situation

Before you apply for preapproval, it's a good idea to assess your current financial situation. 

Pull your credit report: Under normal circumstances, you're entitled to one free report from each bureau every 12 months, but you can now get a free credit report every week through April 2021. (Note that pulling your own report doesn't impact your score.) Review your credit history to make sure everything is accurate; you can reach out to lenders and the credit bureaus to make corrections if need be. 

Calculate your debt-to-income ratio: A key factor in getting prequalified for a mortgage, your DTI ratio represents your total monthly debt payments as a percentage of your monthly income. Most lenders won't offer a loan that will put your DTI above 43%. So, if you currently have an auto payment of $300, monthly minimum credit card payments of $65 and a monthly income of $5,000, your lender will only approve you for a mortgage with a monthly payment of $1,785.

Step 2: Submit your documents

For an official prequalification, lenders won't simply take your word for it when it comes to your income and liabilities. You need to show proof. Each lender may have different requirements, but here are some documents and information you will usually need to submit for yourself and anyone else on the loan application:

• Your employment history (and contacts for verification)
• Pay stubs from the last 30 days
• Bank statements from the last two months
• W-2s and possibly tax returns from the last two years
• Insurance agent contact information and declarations
• Outstanding debt information (your lender can usually just pull this from your credit report)
• Business financial statements and tax returns (if you're self-employed)
• Expected down payment (this affects your loan terms, interest rate and potential private mortgage insurance)

Self-employed individuals may have to provide additional paperwork to demonstrate proof of long-term income. Additional documents required often include:

• Profit and loss statements
• Business licenses
• Tax returns and bank statements from the past two years
• Balance statements

Not all lenders will require all of this information for preapproval, but you'll need to provide it at some point before your loan becomes official. And having all of it prepared may speed up the process.

Step 3: Lender review of credit and documentation

Next, your lender will review all of your documents, pull your credit report and seek to verify all of your information. This may include calling current and previous employers to verify your employment and wages, confirming outstanding loan amounts and investigating unusual transactions on your bank statements. Normally, this process should take no more than a few days.

Step 4: Get your home loan preapproval (or rejection) letter

Once your lender has completed its review, you'll receive the verdict. If there are no serious issues, you'll receive a preapproval letter indicating your maximum loan amount, estimated interest rate, loan type and terms. You'll want to give this letter to your real estate agent so they'll have it ready to submit with any offer.

What to do if you're declined for a preapproval

There's always a chance you won't get preapproved for a mortgage. But don't be disheartened. One rejection doesn't mean you can never get a mortgage. Especially during the pandemic, some lenders have tightened their standards for credit scores, down payments and more. But that won't last forever.

"We've been seeing these restrictions starting to soften as the market starts to recover and the economy becomes more accustomed to a completely virtual way of life," Watters said.

If you do get rejected, be sure you try applying with another lender. If one lender denied you for a credit score of 690, you can probably find a lender that's still qualifying borrowers for a conventional loan at 620 and above.

If you apply with a few lenders and still can't get preapproved, don't lose heart. Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (PDF), your lender has to tell you why your application was denied. It may have been your credit score, or it may be that you haven't been at your current job long enough. Whatever the reason is, now you know what to work on so you can get preapproved in the future.

What are the pitfalls?

Getting approved is usually pretty straightforward, but there are opportunities for things to go sideways. Here are a few things to avoid.

Applying when you're not really ready: If you already know your credit isn't great or you have too much debt, don't waste time applying for preapproval (and hurting your credit even more in the process). Make a plan to rebuild your credit to enhance your chances in six to 12 months from now.

Assuming your terms are final: Again, getting preapproved for a mortgage is not the same as officially having your loan underwritten and secured. Your terms can change. For instance, unless your rate is locked for 30 or 60 days, your final rate may vary, albeit slightly. If any information you provided wasn't accurate, that could change your final terms, too.

Taking on new debt between preapproval and underwriting: For that matter, your own financial choices can change your loan terms or derail the loan altogether. Once you're preapproved, it's time to wait on any big financial changes. That means no changing jobs, no new credit cards, no major purchases such as a new car.

Waiting too long after preapproval: Your loan preapproval is usually only good for 30 to 60 days. Once you have a letter, it's time to start house hunting and getting ready to make an offer. Otherwise, you may have to restart the process.

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Apple Watch SE: Who exactly is an 'affordable' $279 smartwatch for?

Apple Watch SE: Who exactly is an 'affordable' $279 smartwatch for?

With the launch of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE this fall, you now have even more options for your wrist and wallet. The Series 6 brings a slew of new features including the S6 processor and a sensor that can measure your blood oxygen level. The Watch SE pulls parts from the Series 3, Series 5 and Series 6 into a new affordable version.

Read more: Apple Fitness Plus is a no-brainer if you already own an Apple Watch

We saw Apple do something similar when it launched the iPhone SE earlier this year. It used the body of the iPhone 8 and the processor from the iPhone 11 Pro, but came with a $399 price tag. It's the most affordable new iPhone you can buy. (Apple has since released the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max as well.)

With a price of $279 (£269, AU$429), the same can't be said about the Apple Watch SE. That's because you can still buy the Apple Watch Series 3 for $199 (£199, AU$299) -- $169 on sale. So, you might wonder, what's the point of the Apple Watch SE?

If you're just looking at price, obviously saving $80+ and getting the Series 3 will be tempting. But you'd get a watch that launched three years ago and, if everything is equal, will run out of WatchOS updates three years earlier than the Watch SE.

The Watch SE also contains a more powerful processor than Apple's older wearable. Think of the SE as a Series 3 with a much-needed refresh on the inside. Powering the Series 3 is the S3 processor. Underneath the watch face of the SE is an S5 processor which is 2x faster than the S3 and it's the same one found in the Series 5. The newer processor makes the SE more relevant in 2020 and the future. For example, the Series 3 doesn't support Apple's new Family Setup plan that lets you set up an Apple Watch for your child, with parental controls for messaging and location tracking. The Apple Watch SE does.

The Apple Watch Series 3 launched in 2017.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Then there's the display and body. The Watch SE has a Retina display that's 30% larger than the Series 3. That said, neither has the always-on display found on the Series 6. The SE comes in silver, space gray and gold whereas the Series 3 is available in just silver and space gray.

The SE also supports features like fall detection and noise monitoring, and comes in both cellular and noncellular models. Apple only sells the Series 3 in a noncellular version. Though you might be able to find the Series 3 cellular version through other retailers.

The SE also has a compass, an always-on altimeter (the Series 3 has an altimeter, but it's not always on), a second-generation optical sensor (the Series 3 has a first-generation one) and a W3 chip for connecting accessories like AirPods. The Series 3 has a W2 chip.

At the end of the day, even with a higher price, the Apple Watch SE seems like the better value. But no one will shame you for getting a Series 3. You do you.

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My Favorite Ultraportable Gas Grill Is $100 Off Right Now (an All-Time Low)

My Favorite Ultraportable Gas Grill Is $100 Off Right Now (an All-Time Low)

If you often find yourself somewhere without a grill wishing you had one, you might be a good candidate for a small or portable grill. My favorite ultraportable grill, the Nomadiq, is about as portable as gas grills get and it's currently down to $200 on Amazon. That's $100 off the normal price and by far the lowest price I've ever seen it. 

I tested this model a few summers ago and I've been slinging it along on camping trips, tailgates and beach hangs ever since. The Nomadiq portable propane grill folds up into a case the size of a small bag, with easy-grab handles. It weighs just 12 pounds, making it the best truly portable gas grill I've ever used.

So how does it actually work? Pretty darn well. Setup is a snap: You simply unhinge the sides and the entire thing opens up like a clamshell. The grilling space is large too, with 226 square inches of ceramic-coated nonstick grates.

At 10,000 BTUs, it doesn't get quite as screaming hot as larger portable grills like the Weber Q-1200, but it still has plenty of power and it's decidedly more compact and easier to transport. Normally, the NomadiQ grill is not particularly cheap, clocking in at $300, but it's an excellent value for $200 and would make a perfect Father's Day or Mother's Day gift for an on-the-go griller.

Read more: Best Portable Grill for 2022

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Snapchat takes on TikTok with Spotlight feature

Snapchat takes on TikTok with Spotlight feature

Snapchat on Monday launched a new in-app feature called Spotlight to highlight videos on the messaging app. Spotlight positions Snapchat to compete with other social video apps and features like TikTok and Instagram Reels (which was also created to compete with TikTok).

"We built Spotlight to be a place where anyone's content can take center stage -- without needing a public account, or an influencer following," Snap said Monday in a blog post. "It's a fair and fun place for Snapchatters to share their best Snaps and see perspectives from across the Snapchat community."

Snaps submitted to Spotlight must be vertical videos that are up to 60 seconds long -- no still-image photos or horizontal videos allowed -- and adhere to the messaging app's Community Guidelines. Snap said Spotlight is meant to be a fun, positive experience and isn't a place for news or "overtly political" content. The 30-second video released to announce Spotlight includes short videos that look exactly like TikTok videos.

To kick off the new feature, Snap says it'll distribute $1 million every day among top creators who submit videos to Spotlight. The reward program will run through at least the end of 2020, Snap said.

Spotlight is available in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and France, with more countries "coming soon," said Snap. 

See also:  How an ordinary 16-year-old came to dominate TikTok

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PlayStation Plus Review: A Great Deal That's Also a Real Mess

PlayStation Plus Review: A Great Deal That's Also a Real Mess

Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription game service, originally intended to sell online gaming access, went through a big change in June. Still called PS Plus, it has now become Sony's version of Xbox Game Pass, offering access to a large and evolving Netflix-style catalog of games. While it does some things better than Microsoft, the new PS Plus still lags behind in other aspects of the service. 

The new PS Plus offers three subscription tiers, from an Essential package that mimics the old PS Plus, to Extra and Premium tiers offering hundreds of games, cloud streaming, monthly bonus games and online multiplayer access. What it doesn't offer, however, is a clean interface to make it easy to find games, and it also includes only a few of the biggest Sony games on the PlayStation platform. PS Plus mostly lines up with Xbox Game Pass on paper when you're going down a list of features. But for overall value and accessibility, it doesn't always feel like that when actually using it. 

PS Plus is a big plus

Before the big update, Sony offered two different PlayStation subscriptions. PS Plus for playing online, with a couple of bonus games every month, was $10. PS Now offered a catalog of mostly older games to download or cloud stream for the same price. The new PS Plus combines the two under a single name and comes in three tiers:

Essential: Same as the original PS Plus, with two or three bonus monthly games, which you keep only as long as you're an active subscriber; online play; cloud saves; and PSN Store discounts. It costs $10 a month, or $60 a year. (In the UK it's £7 a month or £70 a year, and in Australia it's AU$12 or AU$80.)

Extra:All the features of Essential and more than 400 PS and PS5 games available to download or selectively stream. It costs $15 a month, or $100 a year. (In the UK it's £11 a month or £84 a year; in Australia it's AU$19 or AU$135.)

Premium: A step up from Extra tier adding in PlayStation 1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games, growing the overall catalog to more than 700 games. That tier is available at $18 a month, or $120 a year. It also has time trial game demos, so subscribers try out certain games for a few hours before buying. (In the UK it's £13.49 a month or £100 a year. In Australia, where it's called "Deluxe" for some reason, it's AU$22 or AU$155.)

As for the games available, they're some of the best on the PlayStation console. This includes Death Stranding Director's Cut, God of War (2018), Demon's Souls (the updated 2020 version), Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Red Dead Redemption 2, Control and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Those who have the Premium tier will also access classics from older generations, including Dark Cloud 2, Syphon Filter, Tekken 2 and Hot Shots Golf. 

Since PS Now included cloud gaming before it was integrated into the new PS Plus, this means game streaming is available from the get go. For Xbox Game Pass, that took years to implement. This means subscribers can play games on their consoles without having to download them or on their PC via the PS Plus app. Some of the classic games are only available to play via streaming, and as long as your internet connection is speedy and stable, there are hardly any noticeable hiccups. 

The Xbox Game Pass flavor of cloud gaming, however, lets you play some games on phones and tablets, or laptop web browsers.

The overall PS Plus catalog is larger than Xbox Game Pass, and it offers some unique features. But there are flaws with the service that Sony will need to address if it wants to match the popularity of Microsoft's service.

Read more: Best Games on PS Plus

Some major minuses

PS Plus' biggest issue is the lack of organization with the catalog of games. There are a few categories games are placed in, but there seems to be little rhyme or reason to it. The Xbox Game Pass user interface is similar to what someone would see on Netflix or Disney Plus, by having some of the more notable games and certain genres easily discoverable. PS Plus, on the other hand, doesn't have this so it's just tedious to find something of interest. 

Another glaring problem is the overall quality of games. It's not as though you'd expect all 700 games to be winners, but there are some absolute garbage games seemingly there just to pump up the numbers. This was the biggest issue with PS Now, and it carried over to the new PS Plus. Xbox Game Pass, in comparison, has just over 100 games available, but it seems like the games are of a higher overall average quality than what PS Plus has to offer. Compound the lackluster games on top of the lousy UI and finding a new game to play becomes a bit monotonous.

What makes the catalog issue even more frustrating is the lack of certain Sony-published games. Microsoft made it clear that its games will be available on Xbox Game Pass from launch day, and they will stay on there. It's been true for Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, and will be for upcoming games like Bethesda's Starfield. 

Sony has yet to do the same with many of its well-known classic games as well as its most recent titles. PS Plus feels like it should include The Last of Us Part 2, Horizon Forbidden West and most of the Gran Turismo titles… but it doesn't. 

There's also the question of the longevity of the titles. PS Now routinely had titles available for a few months before they were removed, and it's unclear if PS Plus will do the same. 

While cloud streaming is available at launch, there's a lack of platforms available to stream to. There are no apps for iOS or Android, and the PC app, while it works, reportedly has problems with not being able to launch certain games. 

PS4 and PS5 owners who want the absolute most bang for their bucks should subscribe to at least the Extra tier of PS Plus. It's still a wealth of great games to play at a reasonable monthly price. Fans of some of the older titles could see a reason to jump to the Premier tier in order to play those classic games, while the Essential tier should be avoided, as it makes little sense to not pay the extra $5 a month to access hundreds of games. 

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Pokemon Go Palkia Raid Guide: Best Counters, Weaknesses and Moveset

Pokemon Go Palkia Raid Guide: Best Counters, Weaknesses and Moveset

Dialga has left Pokemon Go once again, but another legendary Pokemon has taken its place. Palkia, the legendary cover monster of Pokemon Pearl, is appearing in five-star raids until Aug. 10. Not only does this give you another chance to catch one if you've previously missed it, but you may also encounter a shiny Palkia if you're lucky.

Here are some tips to help you beat and catch Palkia before it leaves raids.

Palkia Raid Hours

Palkia is appearing in five-star raid battles until 10 a.m. local time on Aug. 10. These raids will occur periodically throughout that time, but you'll have more chances to battle the legendary Pokemon on Aug. 3, during Pokemon Go's weekly Raid Hour event. Palkia raids will be occurring at more gyms from 6 to 7 p.m. local time that evening, giving you more opportunities to catch one.

Palkia weaknesses

Palkia is a dragon/water type, which makes it vulnerable to only two types: fairy and dragon. The former are especially helpful against the legendary Pokemon; not only do fairy Pokemon deal super-effective damage to Palkia, they'll resist its dragon-type attacks.

If you don't have enough fairy Pokemon on your team, other dragon Pokemon also have an advantage against Palkia. However, keep in mind that they'll likewise take super-effective damage in return from its dragon-type attacks, so they may not last as long in battle.

Best Palkia counters

Here are some recommended Pokemon and moves to use when battling against Palkia:

Dragon

• Dragonite: Dragon Tail, Draco Meteor
• Salamence: Dragon Tail, Outrage
• Rayquaza: Dragon Tail, Outrage
• Garchomp: Dragon Tail, Outrage
• Palkia: Dragon Tail, Draco Meteor
• Reshiram: Dragon Breath, Draco Meteor
• Zekrom: Dragon Breath, Outrage

Fairy

• Clefable: Charm, Dazzling Gleam
• Alolan Ninetales: Charm, Dazzling Gleam
• Granbull: Charm, Play Rough
• Gardevoir: Charm, Dazzling Gleam
• Togekiss: Charm, Dazzling Gleam
• Sylveon: Charm, Moonblast
• Primarina: Charm, Moonblast

Best moveset for Palkia

Although Palkia can learn a few water-type attacks, it'll be most effective if you teach it dragon-type moves. In particular, the legendary Pokemon will dish out the most damage if it knows the Fast Attack Dragon Tail and the Charged Attack Draco Meteor.

Pokemon Go has a variety of events lined up for August, including Community Day and a World Championships celebration. You can see everything happening in the game next month in our August events roundup.

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