Pocket-lint Daily - Samsung Roblox, Hive crumbles, and more

Good morning! By Chris Hall | Tuesday July 12 2022 Good morning! - If you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( Samsung latest to dip its toe into the metaverse with its own Roblox space Samsung What's happened? Samsung has joined several other big brands in creating its own "space" in Roblox. It has launched [Space Tycoon]( on the metaverse platform. Why does it matter? Described as a virtual playground, Space Tycoon encourages visitors to play games and build their own Samsung products to share with other "Gen Z" players. What's my take? People keep talking about what the metaverse is going to look like, although it's often muddied by the crypto fraternity. The answer is pretty simple: it's going to look like Roblox. That might be a disappointment to those expecting something like Ready Player One, but the reality is that "metaverse" is just a term applied to something that already exists. Virtual concerts, in-game events - sound familiar? Samsung taking itself into something like Roblox means more exposure to future buyers. Certainly, it's not hard to see a future where gamers have a crossover between the things they buy in the real world and the things they have in the virtual - and vice-versa. So, next time you're building a house in The Sims, just imagine what that would be like if you had an NFT version of the real-world cooker you just bought, that you can slot right into your virtual kitchen. Or, have I just muddied the metaverse water by mentioning NFTs? Hive abandons smart home ambitions, will drop device support starting 2022 Pocket-lint What's happened? Hive has sent [emails to its customers]( announcing that the company is going to be winding down support for some of its smart home products. Why does it matter? Hive is saying that to pursue Net Zero and make homes more energy-efficient, it's going to be withdrawing support for a range of features and refocus its efforts elsewhere. What's my take? If you're invested in the Hive ecosystem of sensors and cameras, you might be disappointed - the company is slowly withdrawing support over the next three years. That's going to see products like its indoor and outdoor cameras, the Leak Sensor and HomeShield slowly losing functionality. The company has said that to pursue Net Zero, it wants to focus on lowering energy usage in homes and these devices are no longer part of that plan. As one reader pointed out to me, in the pursuit of Net Zero, Hive has just created a mountain of e-waste. Perhaps you'll be better to snap up some Prime Day deals on other smart home platforms instead. - [The best Ring deals for Prime Day 2022]( - [The best Arlo deals for Prime Day 2022]( A MESSAGE FROM SPONSOR Tineco offers up to 30% off on cordless vacuum cleaners for Prime Day Tineco If you’ve been looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner or upgrade an existing one, this might be a perfect time. Tineco has announced massive discounts on some of its most popular vacuum cleaners from 12 to 13 July. [Read more about it right here.]( Withings ScanWatch Horizon review: A classy upgrade Pocket-lint What's happened? When a [smartwatch]( maker announces it's been working on a new model, you typically expect a spec sheet full of upgrades over the previous version. However, that's a system Withings has ignored with the ScanWatch Horizon. Instead, the French company has simply made a more premium version of the standard Withings ScanWatch. Our quick verdict This is an impressive update to the ScanWatch's build quality, bringing a gorgeous all-metal body and strap that will be right up some people's street. If you want a chunkier, heavier ScanWatch with a different look, you've just found the solution. [Read our review.]( In Case You Missed it The [Nokia 5710 XpressAudio]( feature phone has built-in headphones. --- What's coming in macOS Ventura? [We have all the details for you](. --- Amazon Fire TV Sticks have over 50% off this Prime Day, with the 4K version [coming in at just $24.99](. That's a $25 saving on the usual price, with access to HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, beside Prime Video. From The Gear Loop Merrell Merrell announces ReTread recycling programme, which aims to spare 300,000 pairs of footwear from landfill. [Read more.]( And finally... Pocket-lint There are some great deals on Amazon Echo devices in the Prime Day sales. [Read more.]( Have you checked out our weekly podcast that comes out every Friday? It's packed with news, interviews, and top things to get. You can subscribe to the Pocket-lint Podcast via [iTunes]( and [Spotify]( or access it on the web via [Acast](. This week, we examine the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, talk to EE about providing 5G at Glastonbury, and have been testing the Samsung Gaming Hub - is this the future of TV-based gaming? [Listen to the new episode today.]( Thanks for reading , if you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( [The Trust Project][Why you can trust Pocket-lint]( Copyright © 2022 Pocket-lint, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website Our mailing address is: Pocket-lint PO Box 4770Ascot, Berkshire SL5 5DP United Kingdom [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](