Hogwarts Legacy is among of the most highly anticipated games of 2023, and it’s less than two weeks from launch. The open-world RPG is set in the Harry Potter universe, and it seems like the game many fans of the books have been hoping for.
The new game from developer Avalanche Software lets playersexperience the famed school of witchcraft and wizardry as a student in the 1800s, before the events of the Harry Potter books. Here are some basic things to know about Hogwarts Legacy, including when you can snag a copy depending on your platform.
What’s the story?
Hogwarts Legacy players will “embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden truth of the wizarding world,” according to the game’s official website. You’ll explore Hogwarts Castle, where you’ll be able to attend classes. You’ll also go beyond it to new and familiar locations, per the site.
You’ll be able to customize your character, choose a Hogwarts house and grow your magical abilities by brewing potions, mastering spells and taming beasts. Hogwarts Legacy sticks to the lore but doesn’t adapt the Harry Potter books and films.
What systems can I play Hogwarts Legacy on?
PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions of the game launch on Feb. 10. Those looking to play the PS4 and Xbox One versions will, unfortunately, need to wait until April 4.
Nintendo Switch users will have to hang on even longer, until July 25, to play Hogwarts Legacy.
The game was first announced in 2020 and its release dates have changed three times. It’s published by Warner Bros. Games under its Portkey Games label.
How do I preorder Hogwarts Legacy?
You can preorder the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions from stores including GameStop, Amazon and Best Buy for $70 (about 57, AU$99). Same goes for the PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions, but it costs $10 less to preorder. The PC version is available to preorder for $60 (roughly 49, $AU85) at Steam and the Epic Games store.
You can view more ways to purchase Hogwarts Legacy (including how to buy the Deluxe Edition) on the game’s website. The Collector’s Edition has already sold out, but you may be able to find it online for a markup. The official site breaks down what comes with each edition.
J.K. Rowling and Hogwarts Legacy
The game’s connection to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling — who’s made past comments that have been labeled as transphobic — has led Rowling critics to call for a boycott, according to The Week.
The Hogwarts Legacy website notes that Rowling isn’t involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, but her writing is the foundation for the project.
Looking to elevate your photography in 2023? Getting up to speed with photo-editing software can be a huge help in creating the pictures that you want. While Adobe’s fully fledged Photoshop software is the best out there, it’s probably overkill for most amateur shooters and has a much steeper learning curve than something like Photoshop Elements. And today only, B&H is giving you the chance to upgrade to the latest iteration of Adobe’s Photoshop Elements for just $65, saving you $35 off its regular price for both the digitally delivered and boxed versions.
Photoshop Elements 2023 is described by Adobe as an easy-to-use solution for quick photo editing and sharing. Where full Photoshop is the go-to photo editing software for professional photographers and graphic designers who want to manually tinker with every detail, Elements is designed for those that want to improve their photos by using automatic adjustments and guided edits.
That’s not to say you can’t produce some striking results with Photoshop Elements, there’s just a little more hand-holding which makes it ideal for those new to editing or wanting quick results. You can use it to make instant edits, such as opening closed eyes or turning frowns into smiles, or use the built-in Adobe Sensei AI to add 3D effects, animations, filters, overlays and more.
The 2023 version of Photoshop Elements has also been reengineered to take up 30% less space on your computer and launch up to 50% faster. It’s the first version with official support for Apple silicon-powered Macs, too.
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The Samsung S23 is set to be unveiled during Samsung’s Unpacked event on Wednesday, Feb. 1, but an AT&T store in Atlanta didn’t get the memo. On Monday, the Brookhaven store’s website posted images of the phone, as well as a description of its features and colors ahead of its official launch.
The Samsung S23 appears to come in green, cream, lavender and a grayish/black Phantom color. It features an “automatic adaptive 6.6-inch display” and a 50-megapixel camera with “Advance Nightography.” It’s also water-resistant, with a battery that “powers your day,” wireless fast charging and noise cancellation.
The new S23 is reportedly 5.76 by 2.79 by 0.30 inches and weighs 5.93 ounces. The AT&T page also listed a “shop now” button that didn’t work. The page was taken down around 11:20 a.m. ET.
Samsung should be announcing the entire S23 lineup during its event on Wednesday. Along with the Galaxy S23, the company is expected to unveil the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra. The event will be held in person in San Francisco and streamed online.
AT&T didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Samsung declined to comment.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has agreed to testify before a House panel on March 23. The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced Monday that it will discuss the app’s consumer privacy and data security, the app’s influence on children and the app’s relationship with the Chinese government through parent company ByteDance.
“ByteDance-owned TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist Party to access American user data,” the committee wrote. “Americans deserve to know how these actions impact their privacy and data security…”
However, TikTok pushed back against these accusations.
“There is no truth to [the] claim that TikTok has made U.S. user data available to the Chinese Communist Party,” a TikTok spokesperson told CNET in an email. “We welcome the opportunity to set the record straight about TikTok, ByteDance, and the commitments we are making to address concerns about U.S. national security…”
The meeting comes as more government offices have scrutinized TikTok.
Earlier in January, Ohio and New Jersey became the latest states to ban TikTok from being downloaded onto government owned devices. Other states to take similar action against the social media app include Virginia, Georgia and Texas.
In December, the Senate passed a bill that would ban TikTok from all government owned devices, and that same month the Biden administration pushed for ByteDance to sell its US operations.
Officials from both the FBI and FCC have voiced concerns about the app, too.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said in November the app poses a potential threat to national security, according to Bloomberg. That same month, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told Axios that he supports a government ban on TikTok.
If the US did ban TikTok, it would join India as one of the only countries to have an outright ban on the app. Other countries have restricted or censored the app.
Honor is all set to flex two different flagship phones next month. The Chinese company, a former unit of Huawei, is gearing up to debut the Honor Magic 5 series on Feb. 27 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Based on an image shared with the media, it appears as though a Magic 5 phone will bear a triple camera module on a circle-shaped camera bump. Not much else was revealed, but rumors point to the Magic 5 series consisting of three phones and featuring 100x zoom thanks to a periscope-style telephoto lens.
Honor sent out Save the Dates to media announcing the launch of two flagship phones.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The Magic Vs, the company’s first foldable bound for an international release, is set to launch alongside the Magic 5 series. But it isn’t exactly new or a surprise. Last year, Honor took the wraps off the Magic Vs for the first time. It takes the form of a book-style foldable phone similar in look and feel to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 4.
In addition to the folding screen, the Honor Magic Vs boasts a Snapdragon 8 Gen Plus 1 processor, a 5,000-mAh battery and 66-watt fast charging. It also has a triple rear camera setup with 3x optical zoom. What stands out compared to its predecessor, the Magic V, is the inclusion of a stylus that Honor calls the Magic Pen. CNET got some hands-on time with Honor’s foldable flagship phone, and has some thoughts about the device’s hardware and display.
In China, the Magic Vs starts for 7,499 yuan, which converts to roughly $1,050, 880 or AU$1,575. Honor is expected to reveal international prices at MWC 2023.
Unlike phones from Huawei, Honor phones carry the full power of Google mobile services, which includes the Google Play Store, the Google Map app and other critical parts of the Android ecosystem. In 2020, Huawei sold Honor to a consortium of buyers in order to ensure its survival amid US sanctions.
Apple’s previously rumored foldable iPad could arrive next year, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in a tweet on Sunday. It’ll include a carbon fiber kickstand from Chinese component maker Anjie Technology, he suggested.
“I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix,” Kuo, who works for investment management services company TF International Securities, wrote.
Kuo predicted that Apple won’t release any new iPads for the next year but suggested that the company will will also release a refreshed iPad Mini — echoing a sentiment he expressed last month — next year.
Last February, Display Supply Chain Consultant analyst Ross Young reported that Apple is developing a foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid with a 20-inch folding screen, but predicted that it wouldn’t be ready until 2026.
At the time, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was considering a dual-screen foldable, with the bottom half of the display serving as a virtual keyboard if you use the device as a MacBook-style clamshell.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Apple’s iPad lineup continues to dominate the tablet market, with several of its latest devices topping our list of the best tablets in 2023. Whether you want an iPad for serious work or you just need something you can use for general scrolling and streaming when kicking back on the couch, the iPad Air 5 is a solid option. It offers a great balance of power and price with a midsize screen and modern design.
You can save $99 across a variety of fifth-gen iPad Air models at Best Buy right now, dropping entry-level configurations as low as $500. There’s no set expiry date for this sale, so we recommend you get your order in as soon as possible if you want one. Amazon is matching select discounts, too.
The fifth-gen iPad Air was released in 2022 and is our pick for the best iPad for those seeking an iPad Pro alternative without spending big bucks. It’s equipped with Apple’s M1 chip which is super powerful and efficient, so it can breeze through work tasks and still last all day on a single charge. The latest iPad Air has a 10.9-inch display which is just shy of the 11-inch iPad Pro but a little more roomy than a base-level ninth-gen iPad at 10.2 inches. It also has a 12-megapixel ultrawide auto-zooming front camera and USB-C connectivity.
The model on sale for $500 is the Wi-Fi-only variant with 64GB of storage in your choice of blue, purple, space gray or starlight. You can upgrade to a 5G-enabled model and still save $99 versus Apple’s price or go for a higher-capacity configuration with 256GB of storage.
Looking for deals on a different model? Check out our roundup of all the best iPad deals available now.
Which tablets have the best price?
Use our CNET Shopping extension to compare top products or find coupon codes before buying your next tablet.
Currently struggling at the foot of the Premier League, West Ham face a potential banana skin as they head to League One outfit Derby County for their FA Cup fourth round fixture on Monday.
Two divisions below the Hammers, in-form Derby are flying high at the top of League One. Currently unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions under coach Paul Warne, the Rams will come into this match likely feeling confident of pulling off a huge shock.
They welcome a West Ham side to Pride Park who find themselves just one point above the English Premier League relegation zone, with major doubts currently surrounding the future of coach David Moyes.
The Hammers are set to be without injured key defender Kurt Zouma, while new signing Danny Ings is ineligible to play. With Italian star Gianluca Scamacca sidelined with a knee injury, Moyes could opt to play winger Jarrod Bowen as a makeshift striker following his two goals last weekend against Everton.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live, wherever you are in the world.
West Ham could start with Jarrod Bowen as a lone striker as they look to avoid an FA Cup upset against Derby County on Monday.
Visionhaus/Getty Images
Derby County vs. West Ham: When and where?
Derby County host West Ham at Pride Park on Monday, Jan. 30. Kickoff is set for 7.45 p.m. local time in the UK (2.45 p.m. ET, 11.45 a.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 6.45 a.m. AEDT on Jan. 31 in Australia).
How to watch the Derby County vs. West Ham game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream the Derby County vs. West Ham game in the US
This cup match at Pride Park is streaming exclusively live in the US on ESPN Plus. Kick-off is at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) on Monday afternoon for viewers in the States.
ESPN’s standalone streaming service costs $10 a month or $100 for an annual subscription. With it, you’ll be able to watch all of this season’s FA Cup fixtures, including this intriguing match-up at Old Trafford. Read our ESPN Plus review.
With the match being broadcast on ITV4, that also means you’ll also be able to watch the game online for free via the network’s on-demand streaming service, ITVX (formerly ITV Hub).
The service has an updated new app that’s available for Android and Apple mobile devices, as well as a vast array of smart TVs.
Livestream Derby County vs. West Ham game in Canada
Canadian soccer fans looking to watch this big FA Cup fixture can watch all the action live via Sportsnet, with kickoff set for 2.45 a.m. ET (11.45 a.m. PT) on Monday afternoon.
Sportsnet is available via most cable operators, but cord-cutters can subscribe to the network’s standalone streaming service SN Now instead, with prices starting at CA$15 per month or CA$150 per year.
Livestream Derby County vs. West Ham game in Australia
ViacomCBS now holds the broadcast rights for the FA Cup in Australia, which means you can now watch matches from the tournament live Down Under via streaming service Paramount Plus. Kickoff is at the somewhat inconvenient time of 6.45 a.m. AEDT on Tuesday morning.
An Australian Paramount Plus subscription currently costs AU$9 a month, which gives you access to Paramount’s coverage of this year’s tournament, as well as Hollywood movies such as Top Gun: Maverick and original shows like Picard and Tulsa King.
You’ll need to be subscribed to Switch Online’s $50-a-year Expansion Pack tier to access GoldenEye and other N64 games. Online multiplayer is exclusive to the Switch release, the official 007 website noted, but this version is otherwise the same as the N64 original.
The default control scheme will likely feel a little weird, but Reddit user Cuesport77 suggested changes that’ll bring it in line with modern shooters. I tested this, and it works beautifully (though I opted to use the left analog stick to move around, right for aiming).
1. Go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Assignments.
2. Create a control profile for GoldenEye.
3. Remap the left analog stick to function as right analog.
4. Remap the right analog stick to function as left analog.
5. Remap ZR button to function as ZL, so you can fire with ZR.
6. Remap ZL to function as L, so you can manual aim with ZL.
7. (Optional) Remap L to function as B, so you can activate things with L.
8. (Optional) Remap R to function as A, so you can switch weapons with R.
(You will now have to navigate using the right analog stick and either A/B or L/R, depending on whether you followed steps 6 and 7.)
9. Launch GoldenEye and begin a mission, navigating menus with the right analog stick.
10. Pause, and go over to Controls.
11. Switch from 1.1 Honey to 1.2 Solitaire.
12. Go over to Settings, and turn the Look Up/Down setting to Upright.
Playing GoldenEye 007 on Xbox
The Game Pass version is playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S. A subscription costs $10 a month, though people who own a digital copy of Rare Replay, the 30-game compilation of classics that came out in 2015, can also get access to GoldenEye for free. That doesn’t apply to physical copies of Rare Replay, and the game isn’t available to purchase separately.
“The game now offers modern control options (including support for dual analog sticks) and a consistent refresh rate, running at a native 16:9 resolution up to 4K Ultra HD (where supported),” Craig Duncan, head of Microsoft-owned developer Rare, said in a blog post marking the game’s release. “There’s also a full roster of Xbox achievements to strive for, some of which are sure to test the mettle of proficient 00 Agents.”
So it offers more modern bells and whistles than the Switch release, but lacks online multiplayer (you’ll still have local splitscreen).
As a licensed tie-in to the 1995 movie that introduced actor Pierce Brosnan as the legendary British secret agent, the game won critical acclaim for its fun single-player campaign and epic split-screen competitive multiplayer. It became the N64’s third bestselling title, with 8.09 million units sold — it was only topped by Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64, which sold 11.91 million and 9.87 million copies, respectively.
Rare also developed GoldenEye followup Perfect Dark for the N64 in 2000, before Microsoft acquired the company in 2002.
Prepare to revisit some ’90s splitscreen multiplayer chaos.
Rare
Fans have been expecting a remaster for Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S to be revealed for months, since achievements for it have leaked multiple times. It was reportedly planned for release on Xbox 360 in the late 2010s, and an apparent extended gameplay video appeared in 2016. At the time, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the game’s licensing rights complicated efforts to get it on the console. The versions that came to Switch and Xbox aren’t remasters, but upscaled versions of the original game.
“It is heartwarming and very special to see the outpouring of love and nostalgia for the game, it is amazing to have been part of the team that created something that has touched so many people in a positive way,” he wrote. “Disappointing that none of the parties involved in this re-release have made any attempt to involve that original team in any way. Feels shabby and disingenuous.”
Doak regularly tweets about the game and engages with fans. Last September, he posted a shot of himselef dressed like his in-game counterpart, and joked that players shouldn’t “come crying” to him if they have trouble unlocking the infamous Invincibility cheat. That’s one of the game’s most difficult challenges — you have to beat the Facility level in under 2 minutes, 5 seconds to get it. He’s spoken at length about the game’s development over the years, and tweeted a 1997 shot of the original development team on Wednesday.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
Microsoft 365, the most recent version of the Microsoft Office set of tools includes programs that you already use at home, school or work. Buying a Microsoft 365 membership is still the most popular way to access them.
On Jan. 11, Microsoft announced the release of Microsoft 365 Basic which costs $2 a month, or $20 for a yearly subscription. However, you can snag Microsoft 365 at no cost under some circumstances.
Microsoft’s suite of productivity software consists of classics like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, as well as newer apps like Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint.
The suite typically costs $20 to $100 every year for subscription access across devices and family members. Microsoft also has a standalone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, called Office Home and Student 2021, for a flat $150 — no subscription required.
Here are the versions of Office 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you can find online for free.
Get Microsoft Office 365 Education free if you’re a student or a teacher
If you’re a student, teacher or faculty member with an active school email address, you’re likely eligible to get access to Office 365 for free through Microsoft, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Teams, plus other classroom tools.
All you have to do is enter your school email address on this page on Microsoft’s website: Office 365 Education. In many cases, you’ll be instantly granted access thanks to an automated verification process. If you attend an institution that needs to be verified, it might take up to a month to confirm your eligibility.
How to get Microsoft Office suite free if you’re anyone else
Anyone can get a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365. However, it does require you to enter a credit card number. And if you don’t cancel before the month is up, you’ll be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (formerly called Office 365 Home).
The good news is if you don’t need the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools, you can access a number of its apps online for free, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar, My Content, Skype, Designer and Clipchamp. Here’s how to get them:
2. Click Sign up for the free version of Office under the “Sign in” button.
3. Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. If you already have a Windows, Skype or Xbox Live login, you have an active Microsoft account.
4. Select the app you want to use and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.
Use the browser-based version of the Microsoft Word app for free.
Screenshot by Alison DeNisco Rayome/CNET
So what’s the catch for the free version?
You may be saying, “Wait a minute, if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place?” Well, the functionality of the free apps is limited: They only run in your web browser and you can only use them while you’re actively connected to the internet. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions.
There are still a number of benefits, however, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what the Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) productivity tools allow. If you’re looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.
