The Arcade Controller Pro starts at $119.99 and will start shipping in late November.
8BitDo
After revealing its second leverless controller earlier this year, 8BitDo’s Arcade Controller Pro is now available for pre-order for $119.99. The pro controller, designed for those serious about fighting games, will start shipping November 30.
The Arcade Controller Pro follows up on 8BitDo’s first venture into arcade controllers without the typical joystick. Since then, the company has tweaked a few things to appeal to the fighting game community even more. Compared to the original Arcade Controller, this controller offers smaller buttons and tighter spacing between them, while also squeezing in more programmable buttons. 8BitDo included a 1.47-inch display with the Arcade Controller Pro that can show input monitoring but also facilitates custom button mapping and RGB lighting changes.
8BitDo
To make things more comfortable for longer sessions, there’s a wrist rest that magnetically attaches to the bottom of the device. If you pry open the wrist rest, you’ll find five extra button caps to switch up the feel of your controller. Outside the specs mentioned during the June launch, we now also know that the Arcade Controller Pro has a much larger 3,000mAh battery that can be recharged fully in four hours. However, 8BitDo is charging a premium for these upgrades since the previous Arcade Controller starts at $89.99. At least the Arcade Controller Pro comes in two color options, N Edition and White.
Remote work often starts somewhere ordinary: a café, hotel, airport, or home office. Employees open email, cloud files, and customer dashboards without thinking much about the network underneath. Yet those connections can sit outside company-controlled systems. So, how can iTop VPN help protect sensitive data during remote business operations?
How Does iTop VPN Protect Remote Business Data?
iTop VPN can help protect remote business traffic by encrypting internet data, masking public IP addresses, and using Kill Switch protection if the VPN connection drops. It can reduce exposure on shared Wi-Fi and unfamiliar networks. However, businesses still need strong passwords, MFA, endpoint security, and access controls. Here’s how those layers work together.
Why Remote Business Operations Put Sensitive Data at Risk
Remote employees regularly switch between home routers, hotels and coworking networks. Each connection sits outside the familiar office perimeter. That creates more places where weak passwords, unsafe Wi-Fi or unmanaged devices can expose business information.
Common risks include:
Untrusted networks exposing traffic or connection details.
Personal devices missing company security settings.
Phishing pages stealing cloud account passwords.
Old software leaving known weaknesses unpatched.
Shared devices storing work files or browser sessions.
Microsoft recommends MFA, device checks and controlled access for remote teams.
How iTop VPN Secures Remote Business Operations
iTop VPN mainly protects the network-privacy layer. It encrypts traffic, changes the visible IP address and adds connection controls for remote work.
Encrypt Business Traffic on Public and Home Networks
For teams protecting sensitive data with iTop VPN for remote business operations on Windows, encryption matters most on unfamiliar networks. Traffic travels between the employee’s device and VPN server through an encrypted connection.
That protection can cover browser traffic, cloud dashboards and online business tools. However, iTop VPN does not automatically connect employees directly into a company’s private internal network.
Hide Employee IP Addresses and Reduce Tracking
A VPN replaces the worker’s visible public IP with its server address. That can reduce location-based tracking during hotel stays, coworking sessions or business travel.
Still, IP masking does not create complete anonymity. Websites can recognize signed-in accounts, cookies and browser fingerprints. Think of IP masking as closing one window, not locking every door.
Use Kill Switch and Windows Privacy Tools
Kill Switch can stop internet traffic when a VPN connection drops unexpectedly. That reduces accidental exposure during a disconnect.
The supplied product information also lists Split Tunneling, Browser Privacy, Security Reinforce, Dark Web Monitor and Smart Location. iTop Password adds credential-management tools within the latest version.
How to Use iTop VPN for Remote Business Operations
Remote workers should connect before opening sensitive services on shared networks. Setup takes only a few steps, which helps less technical team members.
Download the app: Start the iTop VPN for remote business operations download from its official page.
Review security controls: Turn on Kill Switch and check privacy settings.
Choose a suitable server: Use Smart Location or select a nearby location.
Connect before working: Then open email, cloud storage or business dashboards.
The current Windows app also provides Smart Location and server-selection controls.
iTop currently advertises 3,200+ servers across 100+ locations. That gives traveling workers plenty of connection choices.
Pros and Cons of iTop VPN for Remote Business Operations
iTop VPN brings useful tools together for everyday remote work. Still, businesses should understand where a consumer VPN stops helping.
Pros
Simple interface suits less technical workers.
Kill Switch limits exposure during connection drops.
Browser Privacy adds another tracking-control layer.
Cons
A consumer VPN cannot manage company permissions.
It cannot block every phishing or malware attack.
Why a VPN Alone Cannot Protect Remote Business Data
A VPN protects traffic while it travels online. It cannot decide who should access payroll files or customer databases. Phishing can still capture passwords. Malware can still infect an employee device.
Businesses should combine VPN use with MFA, endpoint protection and role-based access. NIST’s Zero Trust model also rejects automatic trust based on network location alone.
For wider device protection, iTop’s cybersecurity guide covers passwords, updates, malware and Wi-Fi risks.
VPN vs Zero Trust for Remote Business Operations
When comparing the best remote access VPN for business, look beyond encryption alone. VPNs mainly protect network traffic. Zero Trust also checks identities, devices, permissions and requested resources.
The same principle applies when comparing the best VPN for remote access or top enterprise VPN solutions. Larger teams may need device compliance, audit controls and least-privilege access. Microsoft recommends those additional controls for modern remote work.
For that reason, iTop fits better as one privacy layer, not a complete enterprise access system.
iTop VPN for Remote Business Operations: Who It Fits
iTop VPN can suit freelancers, contractors, travelers, and smaller remote teams needing simpler network privacy.
It covers encrypted traffic, IP masking, Kill Switch protection, and easy server selection. Larger organizations should still add identity controls, endpoint security, and Zero Trust policies. Want to see whether it fits daily work? Test the same network with and without the VPN.
Compare speed, stability and normal workflow performance. Then keep the setup that protects traffic without making everyday work harder.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a machine-washable electronic fabric that can turn clothing into an interactive graphical user interface. The prototype reportedly survived 50 gentle machine washes and 1,000 bending cycles, though it still relies on external batteries and controllers. The Register reports: The development could lead – at some point – to a “future in which clothing functions as a pervasive, multimodal human-computer interface,” according to the study published in peer-reviewed science journal Nature this week. The paper shows someone interacting with computing devices using the sleeve of a wool sweater (no jokes about the Windows ugly sweater please, this is serious). The researchers, led by Singapore National University research engineer Fu Heng, claim this is a big leap forward.
“This fiber-centric approach shifts wearable electronics from flexible panels toward truly textile-native architectures, laying the groundwork for fabrics that visualize, sense, communicate and compute as naturally as the garments they inhabit,” the paper says. The researchers claim to have developed a scalable process to make millimeter-thick fibers. Using lasers to strip the insulation from specific spots on the thin copper wires, they attached light-emitting chips to the exposed sections, creating electrical connections to the chips. Thousands of chips were connected to the wires with extreme precision using this process.
The fibers were then fed into a transparent plastic tube, and made pressure-sensitive by adding two strips of a compressible, conductive polymer into a second longitudinal channel in the tube. The paper says they could make fibers 10 meters long using this method, and that they are thin and flexible enough to be woven into or attached to fabrics. The researchers were also able to add “peripherals” such as a microphone, a speaker, a temperature sensor and a light sensor.
Steam Next Fest is back, which means our libraries are about to fill up with demos for games we had never heard of yesterday and cannot stop thinking about today. The October 2026 edition runs from 19–26 October, giving us one week to explore thousands of upcoming PC games without spending a penny.
That is far too many demos for any sensible person to play, so we have done some of the digging for you. Whether you fancy rebuilding a town, delivering post through a mountain wilderness, racing on the ceiling, or throwing a skyscraper at another monster, these are ten of our favourites from Steam Next Fest October 2026.
Emberville starts with an amnesiac hero waking inside Vitromotus, an enormous underground prison where death is apparently more of an inconvenience than a conclusion. From there, it mixes top-down action RPG combat with gathering, crafting, farming, and town building. Rescue the scattered people of Emberville and they will return home, share their skills, and help bring the ruined settlement back to life. The contrast between dangerous dungeon runs and the steady satisfaction of rebuilding gives the demo a compelling rhythm, while melee, ranged, and magical combat leave plenty of room to find your preferred approach.
Dumpster Gang understands that cooperation is at its funniest when everyone involved is a tiny criminal with poor impulse control. Playing alone or with up to three friends, you become a band of raccoons invading homes, raiding farms, stealing anything that is not nailed down, and occasionally discovering that even the nailed-down things deserve a try. Its physics-driven levels let you climb, crawl, throw, smash, and work together to haul oversized loot. Cause too much trouble, and the Exterminator arrives, turning an already messy robbery into a frantic rescue mission. It is chaotic co-op with exactly the right priorities.
GRIP 2: Combat Racing Evolved is built around rocket-powered cars that can flip, cling to almost any surface, and travel at speeds that make ordinary braking feel like a quaint historical practice. The sequel adds a new movement ability called Crank, letting you leap rapidly onto walls and ceilings to dodge hazards, recover from mistakes, or take a much more interesting route through a track. Weapons keep every race suitably hostile, while the Next Fest demo also offers an early look at the level editor. Fast, aggressive, and gleefully unconcerned with gravity, this is combat racing turned all the way up.
Sometimes you want careful systems and delicate storytelling. Sometimes you want Godzilla to pick up a building and throw it at King Ghidorah. This remaster brings Pipeworks Studios’ 2002 arena brawler back with enhanced visuals, gameplay updates, and online multiplayer alongside local battles. The demo lets you choose Godzilla, Gigan, or King Ghidorah, then smash your way through Destruction Mode, four-player local chaos, or online one-on-one matches. It is a gloriously direct test of whether giant monsters improve a fighting game, and the answer remains yes.
The Wolf Among Us remains one of Telltale’s finest stories, and this remaster is an excellent excuse to return to the neon-lit streets of Fabletown. You play as Bigby Wolf, investigating a brutal murder in a hidden community where fairy-tale characters live uneasily alongside the modern world. Conversations, interrogations, and moments of violence all feed into choices that shape how Fabletown sees its sheriff. Updated lighting, animation, and environments give the mystery a modern presentation, while the new black-and-white Noir Mode leans fully into its detective-film roots. The demo offers a tempting first look at a familiar story in sharper clothes.
MAFATE slows things down in the best possible way. Inspired by the real Cirque de Mafate on Réunion Island, this wholesome adventure casts you as a legendary mail carrier hiking between isolated communities, delivering letters and learning the stories of the people who live there. Your companion Luna has somehow been transformed into a magical camera, which makes photography part of both the narrative and exploration. Waiting for the right moment and composing a thoughtful shot is rewarded, and there are adorable creatures called Bibiis hidden across the landscape to find and photograph. It is warm, curious, and happy to let you look around.
Hela: Of Mice & Magic views a wide-open world from a very small perspective. A kindly witch who has long protected the forest is growing ill, so her mouse familiars must venture into the wild, help its inhabitants, and restore the land’s harmony. That means gathering ingredients, brewing potions, solving environmental puzzles, and clambering through landscapes inspired by Northern Sweden. The demo combines a gentle story with playful movement and physics, proving once again that almost everything looks more adventurous when you are only a few inches tall.
Nekome: Nazi Hunter is a much darker proposition. This third-person action game follows Vano Nastasu, a young Romani man hunting the soldiers who murdered his family. Its grindhouse inspiration is clear, but there is more to each encounter than charging into the room. You can study patrol routes, lay traps, improvise weapons, and use stealth to tilt the odds before the fighting begins. Persistent enemy awareness punishes careless attacks, while fear and notoriety systems make surviving soldiers react to your growing reputation. The result is a brutal revenge story where preparation matters almost as much as what happens once everything goes loud.
Warhammer Survivors takes the irresistible bullet-heaven formula and drops it into both Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar. Developed by Auroch Digital in partnership with Warhammer and Vampire Survivors creator poncle, it sends iconic champions into arenas packed with enemies, weapons, upgrades, and increasingly absurd quantities of projectiles. With the full game promising more than 40 playable characters, the demo is a wonderfully efficient way to discover how much screen-filling destruction your favourite champion can survive.
Stronghold 4 returns to the medieval English roots of Firefly Studios’ castle sim, serving as a narrative prequel to the original game. Building a fortress is only part of the job: you also need an economy capable of feeding and equipping its people, defences that can withstand an assault, and a plan for the weather when snow slows crop growth, or rain limits your archers. New castle pieces provide more control over your fortifications, while larger maps give sieges room to become properly dramatic. For anyone who hears “wood needed” in their head without warning, this demo should feel very much like coming home.
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S-Game, the Chinese studio behind Phantom Blade Zero, clearly understands the core tenets of character-action games. If your melee combat isn’t tight, responsive, and oozing cool, then what’s the point? Some games might have better combat, but few can match Phantom Blade Zero’s style.
Every moment feels like you’re in the middle of a Chinese martial-arts movie, pulling off moves that shouldn’t be feasible–moves that go against what we expect from third-person action games–yet are baked into the mechanics. The game is not without issues, and they do hold it back from reaching the genre’s upper echelons, but the highs are stratospheric.
Character-action games aren’t typically known for telling riveting stories, and Phantom Blade Zero is no different. You play as Soul, a stoic assassin who dies in the game’s opening moments when a sword tears through his heart. Soon after, a mysterious figure gives him a chance to come back from the dead, forcing him to choose between two artificial hearts. One will allow him to live but strip away all of his emotions, while the other will let him retain those emotions but only give him 66 days left on this mortal coil. Soul chooses the latter, setting up a 66-day quest to find a cure, unravel a conspiracy, and prove that he was framed for his master’s murder.
It’s a fairly ridiculous opening, but one that doesn’t reflect the rest of the game. Much of Phantom Blade Zero’s narrative unfolds through background machinations: in clandestine conversations, hidden notes, and secondhand information. Multiple organizations, people, and malicious schemes are in play, but it doesn’t do a particularly good job of filling you in, so I found it tough to keep track of who’s who and what’s what. Some aspects eventually come into sharper focus toward the end of the game, but this feels like too little, too late.
You’re essentially dropped into an established world where even the protagonist knows more than you do, referencing past events and showing familiarity with characters new to you. All you can do is attempt to piece together some kind of understanding through the notes and loading-screen tooltips, but even then you’ll still be in the dark for a good chunk of the game’s dialogue.
There are some cool storytelling moments here and there, such as the way it uses hand-drawn watercolor animation whenever it flashes back to Soul’s childhood. One sequence also features traditional Chinese shadow puppets (or Piyingxi) to explore a character’s backstory. Repeating or explaining plot points during loading screens feels like a concession to its failures elsewhere, though, and ultimately, I found it difficult to latch onto anything that would make me care about the story.
Unsurprisingly, combat is Phantom Blade Zero’s bread and butter. It’s also unlike anything else I’ve played, essentially translating the choreographed action of films like Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to a playable medium. Both movies are known as Wuxia, a Chinese genre of fiction and low fantasy that blends martial arts with fantastical elements. Wuxia fight scenes are known to be incredibly fluid and dynamic: half combat, half choreographed dance, with both sides attacking and defending at the same time, creating a calculated but frenetic spectacle of clashing steel.
Phantom Blade Zero
The choreography isn’t something you can replicate in video games without resorting to quick-time events, but Phantom Blade Zero still makes it look and feel like you’re engaged in a cinematic, free-flowing dance to the death. You have light and heavy attacks at your disposal, with combos alternating between the two. The key is that these attacks require no commitment.
There’s never a point where an attack begins and locks you into an animation until it ends. Switching to defense–either to block or parry–is instantaneous, even if you’re mid-combo. Some attacks will even deflect incoming strikes automatically, recreating the back-and-forth, simultaneous attack-and-defend action Wuxia is known for. The whole thing is antithetical to the call-and-response philosophy of so many other action games, but it works when enemies test your abilities.
Sometimes, particularly during boss battles, you still need to focus strictly on offense or defense–maybe because you’ve created an opening to counterattack or need to lock in and parry multiple strikes in quick succession–but the delineation isn’t as common as it is elsewhere. Most combat encounters achieve this satisfying flow through speed, aggression, and how combos and parries gracefully intersect. Sure, you could sit back and wait for your opponent to attack, or you could rush in and deal damage while still watching for their attack cues. Every action you take is fast and responsive, and even the biggest, heaviest weapons are swung at a rapid pace.
Much of this fluidity comes from the game’s excellent motion capture, which showcases each movement with the smoothness and intent you’d expect from seasoned martial artists. It’s also complemented by an eclectic soundtrack that infuses the action with everything from Chinese rap, metal, and pop to somber piano pieces and electronic beats.
There’s mechanical depth beyond the surface panache, too. These mechanics are more par for the course, but familiarity is important when trying something new. Sha-Chi, for instance, is Phantom Blade Zero’s stamina system. The meter drains when you hold down the block button or perform heavy attacks, but successful parries will severely deplete your opponent’s Sha-Chi instead, gradually breaking their guard and leaving them vulnerable to a flurry of offense. Blue and red flash attacks also denote special, telegraphed moves you need to either parry or dodge, with both tightening up the window for you to react.
Failing to do so will eat into your health bar, but depleting your Sha-Chi meter also takes you out of action for a few seconds. To counteract this, switching weapons quickly replenishes your Sha-Chi, letting you maintain the initiative with a different armament. You can equip two primary weapons to alternate between, which not only helps you manage your Sha-Chi, but also gives you more combat options when you consider how varied Phantom Blade Zero’s plethora of swords, axes, and spears are.
Each one feels unique when executing your standard light and heavy attacks, and they all have various intricacies that unlock as you level them up. For a good chunk of the game, I used a sword called the Outlaw Warblade. With this two-handed weapon, heavy attacks deal increased damage by eating into your health, which switching to standard attacks then restores. It can be a risky but effective weapon to use, but one I wasn’t afraid to equip knowing I could quickly switch to another weapon.
Whether it’s a broken blade that transforms into a ranged weapon after drinking–while also making you move like Jackie Chan in Drunken Master–or a pair of swords that summon the power of both wind and thunder, the weapons on offer are incredibly fun to use. They’re flexible, too, with an upgrade system that lets you refund and recover the materials you’ve spent, so you never feel locked into using a particular weapon just because you’ve spent time upgrading it. You’re free to experiment and jump from one completely different arsenal to the next, which is a more than welcome choice.
Each weapon also has a secondary attack that breaks the non-committal rule. Landing heavy attacks builds Sha-Chi Essence, which you can then spend on weapon-specific techniques called Power Surges. While some of these might enhance your offense for a short time, others unleash devastating combos that you can’t cancel out of, forcing you to consider when the opportune time to utilize them is.
Phantom Blade Zero
The same is true of Phantom Edges: secondary weapons you can use a limited number of times before needing to replenish their stock. These range from heavy axes that can break through shields and armor to ranged weapons, chained sickles, flying guillotines, and a magical bell that can summon puppets to fight by your side. Both Power Surges and Phantom Edges add another layer to Phantom Blade Zero’s flashy combat, upping the ante in desperate situations or providing that extra oomph you need to finish off a boss.
Boss battles are where the game’s combat truly sings: where spectacle and cinematic action are pushed to the forefront, with free-flowing and thrilling mechanics to back it all up. Whether it’s a Lion Dancer that breathes fire and hops between wooden plinths, or a three-faced puppet summoning giant paper snakes from the earth, the bosses are distinct and built on spectacle. It’s no surprise that these conflicts represent Phantom Blade Zero at its most challenging. It might not be a soulslike, but From Software’s influence is felt here and elsewhere.
The world, which blends a traditional kung-fu aesthetic with steampunk machinery and body modification, is all S-Game. The studio calls this style “kungfupunk,” and it’s an accurate descriptor, melding pagodas with industrial iron and billowing smoke.
There’s variety within this conceit, too. At one point, you traverse a once-verdant forest that’s now crimson, stained red after a brutal battle, “as though the forest itself were weeping blood.” Another area sees you using a steam-powered boat to navigate a vast lake dotted with islands, while you’ll also venture into a town whose denizens have been transformed into wooden puppets, and a winding valley with waterfalls and cliffs overlooking its crystal-clear streams.
It’s a strongly realized world, but the level design is distinctly soulslike, with circuitous areas full of branching paths and looping shortcuts. It’s one of the strongest examples of this type of level design, making each locale a treat to explore, though it doesn’t always feel entirely necessary.
Soulslike checkpoints let you replenish health and upgrade weapons and items, but crucially, they don’t respawn enemies as you would expect. It’s an odd choice, especially since enemies stay dead even after you die. This changes the dynamic of enemy encounters, essentially letting you whittle down a group of enemies even if they get the better of you.
This speaks to Phantom Blade Zero’s overall leniency, though. Many of its boss battles contain multiple phases, but if you reach the second phase and die, you don’t have to repeat the first. I’m a fan of this decision, because if I’ve already demonstrated I can beat the first phase, forcing me to do so again can be frustrating.
There are also three difficulty levels to choose from. You can swap between them at any time, which is something I took advantage of to make some of the regular enemy encounters more interesting. This is Phantom Blade Zero’s biggest flaw, as even on the hardest difficulty, it’s too easy to simply button-mash your way to victory against most enemy types. Groups still gave me trouble on occasion, especially since switching lock-on targets in these instances is overly cumbersome, but as I mentioned earlier, taking out a few enemies is beneficial even if you die.
As someone who plays these kinds of games a lot, this might not be the same experience for everyone. Yet the bosses still posed enough of a challenge that I had to bump the difficulty back down to medium, so it feels more like a wildly unbalanced swing than anything else.
It’s disappointing because, under the right circumstances, Phantom Blade Zero’s combat is spectacular. Its Wuxia-inspired action nails the free-flowing, back-and-forth nature of its kinetic influences with aplomb. Being able to cleave through dozens of enemies who barely put up a fight isn’t a fatal flaw, but tedium, and the fact you know how thrilling combat can be makes it a more glaring issue. It’s this misstep that holds Phantom Blade Zero back, but it’s still a fantastic game that any action aficionado should lap up.
Reports from Galaxy S24 users claim their phones are experiencing severe battery drain issues after One UI 9.
One device under “heavy use” reportedly dropped 95% in a little over five hours; however, it appears quite excessive in nature.
Another report from a Galaxy S25 user states their device dropped a whopping 40% while sitting idle.
A recent report from a Korean Galaxy S26 user states their device locked up after downloading One UI 9 due a “webpage unavailable bug.”
Samsung has had a busy month. One UI 9 is rolling out on its current-gen and past-gen phones, but it’s the latter that’s worse off.
A Galaxy S24 Ultra user has reportedly experienced severe battery drain since downloading Samsung’s One UI 9 update (via SammyFans). The phone’s battery reportedly consumed 95% of its charge in five hours and twenty minutes. The post states this was after “heavy use.” However, this might seem a bit excessive. The Galaxy S24 Ultra in question only reported a little over three hours of “screen-on time” (SoT).
It’s unclear how widespread the problem is. Some users haven’t noticed vastly different battery experiences since downloading One UI 9, while others have. A 9to5Google highlighted a Reddit thread discussing whether or not the Galaxy S24 is suffering from extreme battery drain. Curiously, one user reports horrendous idle battery drain with their phone.
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One user had only two and a half hours of SoT, and their battery dropped significantly. In almost 11 hours, their battery lost 40% of its charge while sitting idle. More users continued to share their “since last charge” data. Users with higher SoT showed understandable battery drain.
The folks at 9to5 noticed some reports concerning the Galaxy S25 series. A user said they’ve had to start charging their phone multiple times a day to get through. We’ve not noticed any significant changes in our Galaxy S25 Ultra, so this could be one of those weird case-by-case situations.
Bumps in the road
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Android Central’s Take
I hate tech problems. I’ll always hate tech problems. But nothing’s more frustrating than when you’re struggling from something, but many others aren’t. At that point, where do you find your answers? These battery drain issues have been gaining traction. I’ve seen reports on Samsung’s community forums, and of course, there’s Reddit, too. If something is amiss, hopefully Samsung sees it and can help those affected.
The situation only gets weirder when you factor in the strange setup bug that one Korean user encountered with One UI 9. The user states they’re unable to get to the lock and home screens after updating to Android 17. They are consistently given an error on the final step, but Samsung responded quickly. To fix the “webpage is unavailable” error, Samsung said to ensure the browser is updated. What’s more, it recommends switching to a stable Wi-Fi connection.
This is another that’s not widespread. However, Samsung might roll out a fix for this to cover its bases and make sure more users aren’t affected. The only question is when that might happen.
Get the latest news from Android Central, your trusted companion in the world of Android
A balance transfer moves credit card debt from one account to another, typically to take advantage of a promotional zero percent interest period on the receiving card. Used correctly, it can allow aggressive debt paydown without interest accrual. Used incorrectly, it can leave the borrower in the same or worse position when the promotion ends. These six things help you use a balance transfer effectively.
The Promotional Period Has a Hard End Date
The zero percent rate on a balance transfer applies for a defined promotional period, typically twelve to twenty-one months. The day after that period ends, the standard interest rate on the card, often fifteen to twenty-five percent, applies to any remaining balance. The promotional period end date is the most important number in the balance transfer decision because it defines how much time you have to eliminate the transferred balance before standard rates apply.
A Balance Transfer Fee Applies to Most Transfers
Most balance transfer cards charge a fee of three to five percent of the transferred balance. A four percent fee on a $10,000 transfer costs $400 upfront. This fee must be factored into the total cost calculation alongside the interest savings from the promotional period to determine whether the transfer produces a net financial benefit compared to staying with the current card.
Is Credit Card Debt Relief Real? When Is It Better Than a Balance Transfer?
Yes, and it addresses a different dimension of the problem. Freedom Debt Relief’s credit card alternatives resource distinguishes between balance transfers, which reorganize the same debt at better temporary terms, and debt settlement, which reduces the total debt amount through negotiated settlements for less than the full balance. Debt settlement is appropriate for borrowers in genuine hardship who cannot manage their debt even at zero percent interest, while balance transfers work best for borrowers who can pay off the balance within the promotional window.
New Purchases on the Transfer Card Are Usually Not at the Promotional Rate
The zero percent promotional rate typically applies only to transferred balances, not to new purchases made on the card after the transfer. New purchases often accrue interest at the card’s standard rate immediately, creating a new interest burden alongside the balance being paid down. Using the balance transfer card for ongoing spending while trying to eliminate the transferred balance undermines the strategy.
Monthly Payments Above the Minimum Are Required to Clear the Balance in Time
The minimum payment on a balance transfer card during the promotional period is typically small enough that it will not retire the full transferred balance before the promotion expires. Calculating the monthly payment required to pay off the complete transferred balance within the promotional period, and confirming you can sustain that payment for the full duration, is the difference between the strategy working as intended and being left with a remaining balance at the standard rate.
The Application and New Account Both Affect the Credit Score
Applying for a balance transfer card generates a hard credit inquiry and opens a new account, both of which temporarily reduce the credit score. The reduction is typically modest and reverses over time, but borrowers who need to maintain or improve their credit score in the near term should weigh this impact before applying for a new card specifically for the transfer.
The Fitbit Edge was announced earlier this month and is only days away from hitting store shelves. The new wearable builds on the success of the Fitbit Air. The Edge offers largely the same tracking experience as you’d get with the Air, but pairs it with an interactive AMOLED display.
As tempting as the Fitbit Edge is, it’s far from the only option out there. If you are looking for Fitbit Edge alternatives, here are five devices worth another look.
Which wearable device would you buy instead of the Fitbit Edge?
996 votes
Google Pixel Watch 5
Joe Maring / Android Authority
The Fitbit Edge is an excellent device if you want more than ultra-basic fitness tracking but don’t necessarily need deeper app support and more robust smart features. If you wish the Edge had a few more apps or features, your best bet might be to upgrade to a smartwatch.
The Google Pixel Watch 5 is a natural alternative to the Fitbit Edge. Team Google builds both, and many of the fitness features onboard will look similar. The big difference is you get the full Android Wear experience, including third-party apps, microphone and speaker capabilities, and the full power of Google Gemini. The larger display on the Pixel Watch 5 is also much easier to navigate. You’ll even get several additional sensors, including NFC for digital payments through Google Wallet.
Of course, nothing is perfect. The Pixel Watch 5 isn’t going to compete with the Edge’s 7-day battery life and, unlike Fitbit, it doesn’t have iOS support. It’s also quite a bit more expensive at around $399, which is a lot harder to swallow than the Edge’s $180 asking price.
Fitbit Air
Andy Boxall / Android Authority
While the Fitbit Edge is getting a fair amount of attention, it was the Fitbit Air that kicked off this newer Fitbit generation. Google decided the world wanted powerful fitness features in a cheaper, no-frills package, and it’s a formula that has actually worked out quite well for the company.
The two devices are actually quite similar when it comes to tracking fitness data, though the Edge adds an ambient light sensor to the mix. Even the battery life is almost identical, with up to seven days on the Edge as long as the always-on display feature is turned off.
What really sets these two fitness trackers apart is the display, or the lack of one in the case of the Fitbit Air. The result is a very small and lightweight band that works well but requires an app to actually examine the data. If you don’t care about using the Edge as a timepiece and don’t mind having to pull out your phone regularly, you’ll save around $80 here.
The Google Fitbit Air is the company’s first screenless fitness band.
The Google Fitbit Air combines Fitbit’s trusted health tracking with Google’s smarter insights in one app. It works with both Android and iPhone and brings fitness, sleep, medical records, meals, and hydration tracking into a single, easy-to-use health hub.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is a highly affordable fitness tracker with a price tag of around $70. Samsung’s budget darling not only has a 1.6-inch AMOLED display and battery life of up to two weeks, but it even manages to price itself lower than Fitbit’s screenless Air model.
As you might guess, the Galaxy Fit 3 makes cuts elsewhere in order to achieve rock-bottom pricing. It offers heart rate monitoring, SpO2, sleep tracking, and other basics, but it also cuts out a few key features like continuous heart rate monitoring, skin temperature, and ECG.
The Fit 3 might not have quite as many advanced fitness features, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some people want high-end sensors but don’t care about a display, while others want the whole package. Fitbit covers these two scenarios well between its Air and Edge models, but what about folks who only care about more basic fitness tracking features but would like basic notifications, the ability to view data from their wrist, and a screen that also lets it double as a timepiece? That’s exactly the space the Galaxy Fit 3 occupies.
Affordable price point • Classy design • Long battery life
Samsung’s cheapest wearable.
The Galaxy Fit 3 revives Samsung’s Fit line with positive results. If you want an affordable fitness tracker with great battery life, this fitness band delivers all the basics you’d hope for.
Oura Ring 5
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Some people want the benefit of fitness tracking without necessarily wearing a device that stands out like a sore thumb. If you’re looking for something that blends in seamlessly and is barely noticeable, the Oura Ring 5 could be worth a further look.
Like the Fitbit Air, there’s obviously no display here, but what really makes the Oura Ring 5 stand out is its design, materials, sizing, and weight. Finally, a smart ring that actually looks like real jewelry.
It doesn’t just look good; it’s also capable of handling basic fitness tracking features and yet still manages around 6 to 9 days of battery life. Just be aware that it doesn’t go nearly as deep down the fitness road as other options on this list, but it makes up for it by providing arguably one of the best sleep tracking experiences on the market.
The Oura Ring 5 is great if you want something less intrusive on your body, but be aware that it is also more expensive at $399, with a $5.99 subscription required if you want to make the most of the device.
Dramatically smaller, more comfortable design • Premium, durable titanium build • Excellent battery life
The Oura Ring 5 shrinks the company’s design by 40% while adding new proactive health features like Blood Pressure Signals, expanded Health Radar insights, and live activity tracking.
Fitbit Charge 6
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Fitbit Charge 6
The Fitbit Charge 6 might be a few years old now, but it’s still one of the most obvious alternatives to the Fitbit Edge. The two trackers have a lot in common, including many of the same basic fitness sensors.
The Edge pulls ahead by offering a few extras like blood pressure trend reports and loss of pulse detection. Likewise, its display is bigger, brighter, and a bit easier to interact with. Battery life is pretty comparable across the two trackers, though the Edge has a slight advantage that might translate to an extra day of battery life.
If I’m honest, the Edge is a more powerful, comfortable, and lighter device. The good news is that these advantages are small enough that the Charge 6 is still a great value. Not only can you find it on places like Amazon for around $135 (about $25 lower than MSRP), but it also supports digital payments. This is a major difference, as the Edge removed NFC altogether.
Useful physical button • Updated heart rate sensor • All sport modes now on device
The Fitbit Charge 6 is the company’s 2023 top-of-the-line fitness tracker
When it comes to fitness trackers, the Fitbit Charge 6 is now the best product in the company’s portfolio. To get anything better, you’d need to jump up to the Pixel Watch 3, which is a dedicated smartwatch. The Charge 6 has a full-color display, 40 exercise modes, and the most advanced heart-rate tracker Fitbit offers.
The journey of real estate marketing has come so far in the gallery of listing photos. The interactive tours allow buyers to have a good grasp of not just the layout and space but also a deeper understanding of how it is like to live there. This gives them a better sense of expectation without visiting the site. It may seem that the 360 virtual tours, 3D tours, digital twins, and VR walkthroughs are viewed the same, but in reality they are different. Understanding the various differences is important as the state of the property, the marketing budget, the target market, and the listing’s objective all influence the choice of technology. Explore Cad Crowd to get started with your next real estate project.
🚀 Table of contents
Virtual property tour types
The most commonly and frequently used for virtual property tours are 3D tours, digital twins, VR design walkthrough services and 3D virtual tours. A buyer can view the surroundings from a fixed point with a 360-degree panorama. The buyer can navigate an existing property and comprehend its spatial relationships with the help of a scanned 3D tour. By enabling every visitor to have a chance to view a property before it is even constructed, a CGI virtual tour can go one step further.
An immersive real estate tour is a digital experience that offers the potential rentals, renters, investors, and others to have a tour and explore the property without needing to be present in the location. Rather than looking at the photographs, an immersive real estate tour allows users to interact with the spaces.
Depending on the technology, it enables to do the following:
Look around the room in every direction
Clicking between different rooms
Move through the property virtually
Understand the relationships between the rooms
View the floor plans or the dollhouse style models
Examines the finishes and the materials
Explore the property that has not been constructed
Use a smartphones, computers, tablet, or a VR headset
Immersive real estate tours types
The crucial distinction is that the term “virtual tour” refers to the experience rather than the underlying technology. For real estate marketing, there are three strategies that are especially crucial: 360-degree tours, Digital twins or real 3D tours, and CGI virtual tours.
360 panorama tours: simple, familiar, and effective
A 360 panorama tour is usually the simplest form of interactive property tour. Instead of just taking a traditional photograph that could only be captured in a single one direction, a 360-degree camera can make it possible to record its surroundings. The pictures are then combined and integrated by the software to create a spherical or panoramic image. The viewer has the freedom to look around with a mouse, finger, or other device. An example of this is standing in the middle of the living room and then slowly turning your head in every direction. This 360 panorama services aims to reproduce the experience on a screen.
How does a 360 tour work?
Usually, a 360 tour consists of various panoramic images that are connected by navigation points, commonly called hotspots. An example of this is when a buyer intends to enter the tour inside the living room, and then clickable markers are available that lead to the kitchen, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, hallway, and the patios. Clicking the hotspot makes it possible to move the viewer in another panoramic position. This will result in an interactive sequence of connected photo spheres.
What a 360 tour does well
When the objective leans on providing a visual context without the need for a complex 3D model, having 360-degree photography is essential. A nicely furnished kitchen may be depicted in a traditional listing photo, but it may not always show how the kitchen and dining area are connected. The viewer can look around and gain a better understanding of the surroundings with a 360-degree panorama. Producing it for an existing property can also be rather simple.
The procedure typically entails the following for an existing house, hotel, business building, or any other property. The process usually involves using a 360-degree camera to take pictures of the area, capturing several rooms and significant vantage points, creating panoramic spheres by stitching the pictures together, processing and adjusting the pictures, linking navigation hotspots to the panoramas, labels, 3d floor plan services, descriptions, and other interactive components. The tour will be published online. For a typical property, a typical production goal is about 1-2 hours for the onsite captures, followed by 24-48 hours for processing and delivery. However, the precise timeline usually depends on the property’s size, equipment, provider, and level of editing needed.
What is a 360 virtual tour?
A 360 virtual tour is the most common type of tour on the market, and the easiest to understand. As the name suggests, this tour is a panoramic view of a certain space, allowing the buyer to see what is in a room. The 360 tour will most commonly consist of several connected panoramas with navigation points between them. When exploring the tour, one can easily click on the navigation indicators and then one can be taken from, say, the living room to the kitchen. This is the bare minimum a tour can offer, and it usually has little to no interactive elements.
A 360 tour is also the simplest tour to make, mostly it is because it only requires photography. To set one up for your property, you will have to prepare and stage the space, set up your 360 camera, capture the photos, stitch them, connect the panoramas, and publish the tour. Depending on your photographer’s experience, the size of the space, and the details you want to include, it should only take a few days.
True 3D tours and digital twins: more than a collection of photos
A collection of 360-degree photos is not the same as a true 3D tour. The scanning systems gather spatial information about the property and use it to create a digital representation of the space, as opposed to merely connecting panoramic images. This is commonly referred to as a spatial model or digital twin, an example of this category is Matterport-style experiences.
What makes a 3D tour different?
Spatial representation is the major difference to it. In a simple 360 virtual tour services, the viewers are jumping between viewpoints, and with the 3D tour, the system can easily reconstruct the geometry of the properties and the spatial relationships.
360 tour vs. 3D tour and its differences
A 360 tour, in comparison to a 3D tour or a digital twin, is much simpler in both visuals and interactivity. A 360 tour consists of panoramic photos, while a 3D tour usually takes scans of a space, turning it into interactive geometry. In essence, both tours have similar viewing modes and interactives, but a 3D tour contains significantly more data and can give a much more detailed look at the space and its interior. Using Matterport, you can go from room to room, see the square footage and other specifications, and have a Dollhouse or Walkthrough view.
This could be incredibly helpful for anyone buying a house from out of town. They would have a much better understanding of how their kitchen flows into the dining room and how their master suite flows into the guest suites. The navigational benefits a 3D 360 panorama virtual tour servicesprovide could come in handy for buyers who need to envision their furniture in a specific space.
360 tour vs. 3D tour: production process
A 360 tour, a 3D tour, and a CGI tour can be very similar at first glance, which may be confusing. The first tour you may want to consider is a 360 photo tour because it is the easiest to produce and only requires standard photography and stitching of photos. A 3D tour, on the other hand, may take longer to produce because it is created from spatial scans that stitch together the tour. These two can be really beneficial when used, especially for marketing an existing property, but a 3D tour has navigational benefits a photo tour can’t offer.
The “dollhouse” effect
A recognizable feature of a lot of the 3D property tour is the dollhouse view. Rather than having the chance to view the property inside, the viewers have the possibility of seeing the miniature representations of the entire structure. This will help communicate the overall floor layout, the room relationships and its circulation, the number of levels, the relative room sizes, the connections between spaces. This can simplify the organization of the property for purchasers who have trouble in comprehending and understanding the various floor plans.
Existing properties usually are in need of a specialized scanning or equipment for capturing. The workflow includes having to position the 3D scanning camera in the property, capturing multiple scan positions, recording the visual and the spatial information, combining the scans into the spatial models, processing the data into a specialized software, and creating an interactive tour for its viewers, as well as adding the navigations, the measurements, labels, and any other features, and lastly, publishing the completed experience online. Larger or more complex spaces require more scan positions and processing, but the capture process can still be finished rather quickly for a typical residential property. For this reason, 3D scanning services and 360-degree photography should not be viewed as interchangeable services.
CGI virtual tours: exploring a property before it completely exists
What is a CGI virtual tour?
The third category is the one of the most important distinctions especially for the developers, architects, builders, and pre-construction real estate marketers. The CGI virtual tour is created from a 3D model rather than completely captured from a finished physical property. This entails that it does not need to be a completed building for the tour to exist. The designers are able to start with information such as the Architectural plans, the floor plans, the elevations, CAD drawings, BIM modeling services, 3D models, the material specifications, the interior design concepts and the landscaping plans. The information is then converted into a detailed 3D environment. Hence, the environment can then be rendered into panoramic images or exported into a real-time interactive experience.
Benefits for real estate marketing
An artist who is able to recreate the property in 3D software, creating panoramic views that will stitch together to make a tour, makes a CGI tour. A CGI virtual tour has great benefits in terms of marketing new developments or luxury homes. A developer selling units in an apartment that does not exist yet needs a way to showcase to their future buyers what the space can look like.
A CGI tour can be produced from blueprints, CAD drawing services, SketchUp and Revit models, BIM, elevations, finishes, interior designs, and landscape designs. The end result can be incredibly similar to your existing property, allowing for interactive exploration of the place. This can be much more useful than standard photography, especially in the case of pre-construction or early-construction projects.
How are different formats produced?
A 360 tour, a 3D tour, and a CGI tour may have similar end results, but the production process can be very different.
1) 360 photo tours
A 360 photo tour is a very simple tour to produce. It only requires taking spherical photos of the existing property. Once your photographer is done capturing the panoramas, they can be stitched together with navigational points in between, forming the tour. Your tour’s production depends highly on this step; if the lighting was bad, the space wasn’t staged, the camera position was bad, or the panoramas didn’t turn out good, it will show in the tour. For existing properties, a 360 tour is usually the fastest tour to produce, because it only requires the aforementioned photography. It can also be cheap if everything went smoothly.
A 3D tour is much different, because it is produced from scanned images of a space, not photographs. This tour option usually has more visual and informational options; it can have floor plans, photos, and more, all extracted from the scan. The benefit of this tour is that you can extract many things from a single scan tour, but the downside is that you need an existing property to scan.
3) CGI virtual tours
A CGI tour is different from the two tours mentioned above. Unlike the 360 and 3D tours, a CGI tour is a creation of an artist. They will recreate your space in a 3D software, adding materials, lighting, landscaping, furniture design services, and other details that will allow the final tour to look incredibly realistic. More experienced CGI artists are able to enhance and export their virtual tours to real-time engines for more immersive and realistic visuals. A CGI tour can be significantly beneficial especially for pre-construction or even in the making of the early construction projects, as it allows the buyers and renters to see what the finished property will be once done.
Developers can use it to market their properties, while architects and contractors can use it to understand the project at hand. CAD Crowd artists can create rendered 360 tours from architectural designs and 3D models. As such, these tours are a great option for any architect or developer looking to promote a project before breaking ground.
Photo tour, scan tour, or CGI tour? A practical decision guide
If the property is …
Budget
Intended Audience
Ideal Choice
An existing home that needs better online presentation
Low to medium
Targeted audience is the General Buyers
360 photo tour
An existing luxury home where spatial awareness is crucial to understand
Medium to high
Serious buyers
3D scan or a digital twin
A large existing commercial property
Medium to high
Investors, tenants, clients
3D scan or a digital twin
A property still under construction
Medium to high
Buyers and investors
CGI Virtual Tour
An entirely unbuilt development
Flexible
Pre sale buyers
CGI Virtual Tour
A renovation or a redevelopment concept
Flexible
Owners, investors, buyers
CGI tour
A project with solid architectural plans but no completed building
Medium to high
Developers and the prospective buyers
CGI virtual tour from plans
Conclusion
There is no best virtual tour, but it can all depend on having the right tools and options that are ready for utilization. If the property is already existing, and a client is in need of an affordable interactive presentation, it is best to employ a 360 panorama tour. If the property exists, but the buyer needs to understand the complete spatial structure, the 3D scan or the digital twin can be a big help. Furthermore, if the property does not exist yet, it is best to choose the CGI virtual tours that are created from the 3D models or even the architectural plans. The platform Cad Crowd can be a significant help in choosing the right experts who can be a great help in the needs of the project.
Cad Crowd can connect real estate developers, architects, builders, and property marketers with experienced 3D visualization professionals. Whether you need a 360-degree virtual tour for an existing property, a 3D digital twin, or a CGI virtual tour for a development that has not yet been built, you can find professionals with the skills needed for your project. Contact Cad Crowd today for a free quote and connect with experienced 3D visualization professionals who can help bring your real estate project to life through immersive virtual tours and interactive property experiences.
MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.
A young girl rides atop her trusted animal companion through the apocalyptic desert of her shattered world. What is she looking for? What happened to this world? Will she be the one to save it?
When I first saw the early trailer for Avatar: Seven Havens, in which Pavi rides her cat-monkey Geet through the Harshlands, I was immediately reminded of Raya and the Last Dragon. (That’s due in part to the fact that my eldest daughter has watched the Disney movie dozens of times over the last year or so.) The opening images are strikingly similar, right down to how they’re framed: Both heroes cross the desert from left to right in a wide shot. Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) rides Tuk Tuk (Alan Tudyk), a cheerful, bear-sized creature with a hard shell that can curl into a rideable ball. The visual and cinematic similarities are only the beginning.
If Seven Havens has you eager for more animated epics about young heroes traveling through a broken world, Raya and the Last Dragon is a great movie to watch, and it’s easy to steam on Disney Plus.
Raya and the Last Dragon sends its hero across a fractured world
Long ago, the people of Kumandra lived in harmony with dragons. Then the Druun arrived: mindless storm spirits that turn every living thing in their path to stone. The dragons sacrificed themselves to stop the invasion, leaving behind a magical gem that saved humanity. The survivors’ fight over the gem split Kumandra into five lands: Heart, Fang, Spine, Talon, and Tail.
Five hundred years later, the gem is under the protection of the Heart tribe. Raya is the young daughter of Heart’s chief, Benja (Daniel Dae Kim). She’s trained her life to protect the gem and is essentially a warrior princess. Banja calls a meeting among the leadership of the various tribes in the hopes that they can restore peace to Kumandra. Raya is betrayed by Namaari (Gemma Chan), the warrior princess of Fang. A fight breaks out over the gem among the five tribes, and it shatters into five pieces, ushering in the return of the Druun — hence the apocalypse we saw in the opening scene, which occurs six years later.
Image: Disney
Raya is on a quest to find Sisu (Awkwafina), the last dragon, and recover the pieces of the gem in the hopes that she can drive away the Druun once again. Their journey takes Raya and Sisu across Kumandra, where they meet people who have learned to survive by looking out for themselves. Along the way, she realizes she also needs help from people she has every reason to distrust.
That’s where Raya’s story becomes more than a tour through a fantasy map. Raya has a hard time believing in the dream for Kumandra that her father once had. Sisu, meanwhile, keeps insisting that people can be trusted. Their journey puts those beliefs to the test: Kumandra cannot be made whole by one hero collecting jagged pieces of a magic stone. The people who have spent generations treating one another as enemies have to choose to work together.
That theme resonates strongly in Avatar: Seven Havens. Its world, too, has been fractured by catastrophe, leaving people to survive in isolated pockets and plagued by storms. Raya and the Last Dragon imagines what it takes to mend a world broken in this way. It’s not about defeating an external force, but about overcoming the fear and mistrust that keep people divided. In Kumandra, the Druun can only be banished when Raya, Namaari, and members of other tribes choose to trust each other and bring the gem back together.
Seven Havens is still on its way to discovering this answer, but even the latest batch of episodes released Oct. 23 make it clear that breaking down the boundaries between fractured pockets of society is the key to healing the world. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Avatar or have no interest in the parallels, Raya and the Last Dragon still delivers a solid, self-contained fantasy adventure that’s fun for all ages. The only reason it remains so overlooked is that it was originally supposed to be released in late 2020, but the pandemic led to a delayed hybrid release in theaters and on Disney Plus.
At 107 minutes, Raya and the Last Dragon is a brisk adventure with colorful landscapes, entertaining action, and a likable cast. Awkwafina gives Sisu a goofy warmth that never undercuts her earnestness, and Raya’s chain sword is just plain cool. But the journey’s real payoff is watching Raya learn that she can’t put Kumandra back together by herself. That particular lesson is also crucial in Seven Havens, and the way it contrasts with the opening scene of both stories retroactively makes them that much more poignant. They both begin their adventure alone in the desert, but Raya ends her journey with friends and loved ones by her side. We assume that’s where Seven Havens is headed, too. After all, isn’t that most important thing anybody can do in the midst of an apocalypse?
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