Pocket-lint daily - Stadia passes and Razor handheld is born

Good morning! By Chris Hall | Friday September 30 2022 Don't worry, it's nearly the weekend. - 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.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Website]( Stadia interred into Google's graveyard of cancelled projects POCKET-LINT What's happened? Google is [closing down its Stadia cloud gaming service](. Why does it matter? GM at Google, Phil Harrison, announced: "While Stadia's approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected so we've made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service." What's my take? Well, who saw this coming? Stadia launched with a bang, showing off high-quality game streaming on mobile devices and leveraging Google's cloud know-how. It was a really good solution. But, Google never really did anything to make it attractive: you had to buy the controller, subscribe to the platform, and then buy the AAA games as well. It never made consumer sense, as technologically advanced as it was. I always expected Google to bundle it into Android phones, offering free access to really get people involved with it, but that never happened. Instead, it sat as an unattractive option, giving [the likes of Xbox]( the time to launch a rival service that paired nicely with its hardware console. For all Google's dominance in the market, its past is littered with the corpses of failed and shuttered services. At least Google will be offering a refund to those who bought the controller or any games. Razer and Qualcomm are teaming up to release the world's first 5G mobile gaming handheld POCKET-LINT What's happened? Another handheld gaming system is set to join the fray. [The Razer Edge 5G]( is the result of a partnership between Razer, Qualcomm and Verizon. Why does it matter? This handheld will allow you to play games locally, stream them from your PC, or access them via the cloud. What's my take? Qualcomm [previously]( showed off a prototype mobile gaming platform, pushing it as another avenue for 5G excitement. It was developed in cahoots with Razer, so it's no surprise to see this new device teased. We've now gone full circle, from the days of GameBoy, Sega Game Gear, and Atari Lynx, through the barren landscape of mobile gaming and back to a point where dedicated gaming hardware is being launched. Much of this comes down to the success of the Nintendo Switch, but the advent of cloud gaming has empowered developers, meaning that the lack of Nintendo's outstanding game selection needn't be a barrier. Well, that's what the likes of Steam, Logitech, and now Razer are hoping. The gaming world is cut-throat - as Google knows - and you really do have to offer a compelling experience to get any success. - [Here are the best handheld games consoles of all time]( - [Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch vs Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld]( A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR The energy revolution is here! SuperBase V - the first power station to have built-in semi-solid state battery ZENDURE The global energy situation hasn't been looking particularly good lately. Communities worldwide have been exposed to grid failures and natural disasters, with millions of people affected by power shortages. It's clear that the world needs more than a change in the energy plan - we need a revolution. The technology in question is called SuperBase V, and it represents a breakthrough in energy infrastructure. [Read more.]( Sonos Sub Mini review: All about that bass POCKET-LINT What's happened? Sonos first announced a subwoofer back in 2012, and while the device has been through a couple of generation upgrades, the striking square design with its central cutout has largely remained the same. The company then announced the Sonos Sub Mini, which as its name suggests, is a mini subwoofer. It doesn't replace the original Sonos Sub, instead it sits alongside it, offering a cheaper alternative for those with some of the company's smaller speakers or soundbars. Our quick verdict The Sonos Sub Mini is a lovely-looking subwoofer (yes, we did just say that), with a statement design that makes it stand out from the crowd of traditional black boxes. It offers great performance too, delivering extra depth to music when required and enhancing action scenes in movies to offer a more realistic and immersive experience. It's biggest problem is how many people really need it, making it a lovely luxury more than a necessity. [Read our]( review]( In Case You Missed it What is [Eero Internet Backup]( and how does it work during internet outages? --- Amazon Echo Dot 5-gen vs Echo Dot 4-gen: [What are the actual differences?]( --- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has its [Prime Day 40% saving back, at just £29.99]( (was £49.99). That's £20 off for the UHD video streaming device, offering access to Now, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video and more. From The Gear Loop OSPREY Osprey teams up with Nimsdai Purja MBE to create the [ultimate mountaineering backpack]( in the Mutant Nimsdai 90. And finally... DIANA JILL MEHNER/ANIMAL FRIENDS COMEDY PET PHOTO AWARDS Are your pets as funny as the ones in the [Comedy Pet Photo Awards]( 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](. In this edition, we dive deep into all the announcements from Amazon's launch event - Kindle Scribe, new Echo devices and Fire TV updates. [Listen to the latest 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 1 St. Peters SquareManchester, M2 3DE 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](