Gamers seem to be losing their PlayStation accounts in droves, and the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI is a fact, while Meta says goodbye to Messenger. This is The Quick Hap from Tuesday, December 5, 2023.
Welcome to The Quick Bite, WANT’s column in which we list last night’s biggest news for you, with the simple reason, of course, of getting your day, at least in terms of technology and pop culture, started up-to-date.
We really can’t ignore the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer today, but fortunately we have already written about it in detail. So in this article you can read all about the new main character, where the highly anticipated game is set and when exactly you can expect it. But what else played?
PlayStation accounts mysteriously disappear
Online, many gamers are reporting that Sony has permanently suspended their PlayStation accounts. The annoying thing about this is that the Japanese company has given no prior warning.
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Without any notice, @PlayStation / @AskPlayStation permanently banned me from the #PlayStation Network. No one knows why! I don’t have a chargeback, I can’t appeal & no response to suspension status. CS says to create a new account & disconnected me.#sony #psn #gaming #ps5 pic.twitter.com/YdoeHM76Iv
– Michael Dhaliwal (@michaeldhaliwal) December 4, 2023
This is how gamers are losing their purchased games and progression, without Sony really giving a good reason. The problem has not been acknowledged by the Japanese company at the time of writing, but personally I think this will change soon.
Typical case: annoying, but will be fine.
ExpressVPN available on Apple TV
Since tvOS 17 it has been possible to put a VPN on your Apple TV, so you can watch tasty movies and series that are usually not available in the Netherlands, of course. But really big providers didn’t use it yet.
ExpressVPN, with its dedicated app, is now changing that. The application is available on the Apple TV and allows the device to connect to servers from 105 countries.
Meta discontinues Messenger and Instagram Chat
Meta will soon remove a feature that allows users to send messages to Facebook friends via Instagram. When exactly this will happen is not known, nor does Meta say what the reason behind this decision is.
Though we can hazard a guess. With Europe on its heels and the Digital Markets Act active, Meta already seems to see the bug hanging. Earlier it had to stop personalized ads from Europe and was not allowed to release the Threads app in our continent.
The Digital Markets Act is likely to cause problems, so the company is already ending its potential monopoly.
Google Chrome identifies websites that slow down your PC
Google Chrome has rolled out a new feature that will delight many computer users. This feature should stop certain websites from slowing down your laptop or desktop.
At least, that’s the idea. With Memory Saver, it is possible to see more information, so you can see which websites are using the most resources of your device. What you do with that information next, of course, is entirely up to you.
Halo Infinite gets an epic new mode
Although Halo Infinite players will have to wait a while longer for the mid-season update, the patch coming later today appears to add a Firefight mode to the game.
Developer 343 Industries previously revealed what we can expect from the mode, and we can’t wait to try it out.
Halo Infinite is available for Xbox consoles. Logically, you’re missing out with a PlayStation.
Meta stops notifications in Quest
Users of Meta Quest VR glasses will soon experience some changes to their experience. The VR glasses from Facebook’s parent company will handle the connection to your smartphone a little differently.
Where you currently receive notifications from your smartphone into the glasses’ system, this will soon no longer be the case. With the v60 update, this feature will disappear, so you will have to push up your glasses to see the notifications on your phone.
Strava introduces messaging feature
Those who use Strava know that the ability to send messages to other fanatics is not possible. Fortunately, that is about to change with a new update.
The new version of the app, available on Android and iPhone, makes the sports platform more and more of a social media app.
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Strava has DMs now? pic.twitter.com/BjgkjXb2ou
– Alex Predhome (@Predamame) December 4, 2023