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Hands-on with an ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming PC
Product Reviews

Good news for Windows handhelds: Microsoft is now letting you launch installed Steam, Battle.net, and other storefront games from the Xbox app

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Xbox on PC is now officially rolling out a feature that might have it become a single stop for all your games. As Xbox’s VP of Experiences Jason Beaumont explains, in addition to “updated app functionality”, one new feature currently rolling out on Windows is an “aggregated gaming library”. Beaumont has also announced that “cross-device play history” will be coming, but that will be later this month.

The main library aggregation update rolled out to Insiders a few months ago, but it looks like it’s now being released to non-Insiders in regular updates.

Those considering using aggregator apps like Playnite, in other words, might not need to do so anymore because they’ll be able to use the Xbox app to view their entire game library, not just games bought on the Xbox app itself. This will “show your installed games from multiple PC storefronts, including your Xbox library, Xbox Game Pass, Battle.net and other leading PC storefronts.”


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Getting to those storefronts should be easier, too, as you can use the new ‘My Apps’ tab in your library to house Battle.net and so on.

It’s worth noting, though, that third-party apps like Playnite and other aggregators might not be rendered completely redundant by this new Xbox feature. That’s because the new feature is only for installed games, whereas Playnite (for example) also acts as a home for owned but uninstalled games.

This also seems like more of a move for Windows handhelds—especially the Asus ROG Xbox Ally—than PCs, which explains why all the promo pics are all of the Xbox Ally. Although it’s nice to have all games from different platforms in one place on a desktop or laptop, it makes most sense for a handheld device where you’re expected to stay within the confines of the Xbox app, in the ‘full screen experience’.

(Image credit: Microsoft Xbox @ Xbox Wire)

It also fits in with Microsoft’s seeming push towards an all-encompassing platform.

I’ve come up with a new term for the Microsoft Xbox platform: ‘Gloop’. The Gloop is a globby mass of various features and services all schlopped together into an increasingly large ball of putty. At least, that’s how my peculiarly abstract brain likes to think about it.

Microsoft is even claiming that game streaming inside a car ‘is an Xbox’. With it seeming like the ROG Xbox Ally handheld ‘console’ is, well, just a Windows handheld with some optimisations, and with Xbox expanding and pushing its cloud gaming services across various devices, Xbox is starting to become synonymous as just ‘whatever runs on the Xbox app.’

Thus: Gloop. I’m not complaining, it’s just a metaphor. You’re welcome. It only makes sense to throw our mutli-platform game libraries into that mix, I suppose.

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Disney and Webtoon's Partnership Is Leading to a Massive New Comics App
Product Reviews

Disney and Webtoon’s Partnership Is Leading to a Massive New Comics App

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Last month, Webtoon announced a major new deal with Disney to bring a litany of original licensed stories and past comics from across Marvel’s library to the scrolling format that has made Webtoon a significant force in the comics space. Today, however, the two companies confirmed that those plans are actually much, much bigger.

Today Webtoon Entertainment confirmed that Disney would be acquiring a 2% equity interest in the company as part of a non-binding term sheet that will also see the two companies develop a brand new digital comics platform that will be home to “current comic book runs and include decades of past comics from across Disney’s portfolio, including Marvel, Star Wars, 20th Century Studios, and more,” according to a press release.

The new, currently unnamed platform will host over 35,000 comics and is framed in the announcement as “an expansion upon Marvel Unlimited.” It’s currently unclear whether or not the new platform, which will be operated by Webtoon, will be set up to replace Marvel Unlimited, the publisher’s digital comics platform and subscription service that first launched in 2007. That said, further information provided by the companies says that the new platform will “provide decades of iconic comics for current Marvel Unlimited subscribers and bring in even more fans to experience storytelling from across the Disney portfolio along with a selection of Webtoon Original stories,” suggesting that the Unlimited subscription will continue to exist in some capacity alongside the new platform.

Subscribers to Disney+ will also be able to read a curated selection of comics in the new app as part of the streaming service’s perks program, and the new app is described as including “a mix of vertical and traditional formats” across its library of archived comics, current runs, and original content made by Disney and Webtoon, similar to how Marvel Unlimited currently includes scrolling-format exclusive series as part of its Infinity Comics line as well as standard digital comic formats. The new platform will also feature select translations of material for Korean and Japanese audiences.

The news comes in the wake of last August’s announcement that Webtoon will bring a selection of recent Marvel Comics output to its own service in the next few years, including the latest volume of Amazing Spider-Man, the 2015 revival of Marvel’s Star Wars ongoing, Jonathan Hickman’s 2012 Avengers run, and the 2021 Alien series, alongside a new adaptation of the 2016 Liz Braswell novel, As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale.

“With a new platform that will combine our product and technical expertise with Disney’s full comic catalog, we’re giving new and longtime fans all over the world a new way to discover these legendary characters and stories,” Junkoo Kim, Webtoon Entertainment’s CEO, said in a provided statement. “Disney’s extraordinary storytelling legacy is second to none, and we’re honored to work with them to build the future of digital comics. This is a powerful next step for our growing global business, and a strong foundation for even greater collaboration with Disney in the years ahead.”

The news of Disney and Webtoon’s partnership comes at an interesting time for digital comics, as the industry has seen a collapse into siloed, publisher-specific services in the wake of Amazon’s disastrous handling of Comixology, leading to the marketplace’s shuttering and folding into the retailer’s Kindle service in 2023. The union between one of the biggest studios in the world and one of the biggest digital comics platforms around will certainly raise some eyebrows.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



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California’s age verification bill for app stores and operating systems takes another step forward

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A California bill that would require operating system and app store providers to verify users’ ages before they can download apps has cleared the Assembly 58-0, and will now move on to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Politico reports. The Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043), introduced by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, does not require photo identification for verification, but puts the onus on the platforms to provide tools for parents to indicate the user’s age during a device’s setup, and use this information steer kids toward age-appropriate content and screen time.

It comes after Utah and Texas both adopted app store age verification laws earlier this year that have been criticized as posing potential privacy risks, and faced opposition from the likes of Google and Apple. The California bill has been received more positively by Big Tech, with Google, Meta and others putting out statements in support of it in the leadup to a Senate vote on Friday. Kareem Ghanem, Google’s Senior Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, called the bill “one of the most thoughtful approaches we’ve seen thus far to the challenges of keeping kids safe, recognizing that it’s a shared responsibility across the ecosystem.” Gov. Newsom now has until October 13 to sign or veto the bill, according to Politico.



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Sony launches new PlayStation parental control app
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Sony launches new PlayStation parental control app

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Sony has launched the PlayStation Family App, a new dedicated parental control mobile app for Android and iOS devices.

Announced in a PlayStation Blog post on September 10, 2025, the PlayStation Family App includes the current parental controls available on PS5 and PS4, such as managing age restrictions and playtime settings, alongside several new customisable features.

Through the app, parents receive real-time notifications on when their child is playing PlayStation, allowing them to approve or deny restricted games and requests for extra playtime at the touch of a button.

The PlayStation Family App also allows parents to set daily playtime limits and manage spending activity by setting a monthly spending limit for PlayStation Store purchases.

Content filters and social interactions can be managed through the app, too, as parents can customize privacy settings, manage social features, and configure age-appropriate content via their mobile device. The app also offers age presets, which apply recommended settings for your child’s age group.

To provide a more overarching view of a child’s activity and playtime, app users also receive daily and weekly activity reports to review at a glance.

The PlayStation Family App is available to download for free in “most markets” now, but is only compatible with iOS version 14 and Android 8 or higher.

“We’re excited to bring an easy way for parents to manage their children’s gaming directly from their mobile devices,” Cory Gasaway, VP of product management at Sony Interactive Entertainment, wrote in the blog post.

“This is just the beginning with our new mobile app – we’ll plan to continue adding enhancements to PlayStation Family app to evolve the experience over time.”



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Parents: the new PlayStation Family App is out, and there are excellent opportunities for inter-family trolling
Game Updates

Parents: the new PlayStation Family App is out, and there are excellent opportunities for inter-family trolling

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Sony has released a new PlayStation Family App on iOS and Android, giving you more – and more immediate – control over a number of aspects of your child’s gaming.

What catches my eye is the ability to manage how much time a child is spending on their PlayStation machine, and to do it dynamically. This means your child has a time balance per day to play, which you can up or down whenever you wish, and you can see how much they have used in real-time. They can even pitch you for more playtime via the app, so you don’t even need to talk to them! You need only approve or decline.

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Also useful: real-time notifications that show what they’re playing, spending controls, customisable content filtering, and managing access to social features. And graphs, which are always useful, I think.

“We’re excited to bring an easy way for parents to manage their children’s gaming directly from their mobile devices,” said Sony on the PlayStation Blog. “This is just the beginning with our new mobile app – we’ll plan to continue adding enhancements to the PlayStation Family app to evolve the experience over time.”

This is an ‘In brief’ story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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PlayStation launches new app for parental controls
Gaming Gear

PlayStation launches new app for parental controls

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PlayStation is launching a new PlayStation Family app for iOS and Android to help parents manage their child’s playtime on PS5 and PS4. Parents can already set parental control features directly on a console, but this app gives parents another way to set limits and keep track of what their kid is playing.

“The app includes a number of new customizable features for parents to manage their children’s playtime, including an activity report, more visibility into what their children are playing, and approving extra playtime requests,” according to a blog post. The app also has an onboarding experience to help parents set up a child account, lets parents manage a child’s spending on the PlayStation Store, and gives parents the ability to customize privacy settings for their children.

Nintendo and Microsoft also offer dedicated parental control apps for iOS and Android that lets parents manage playtime on the Nintendo Switch and Xbox.



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The Switch Nintendo Classics app just got a cool, hidden Game Boy Advance Easter Egg
Game Updates

The Switch Nintendo Classics app just got a cool, hidden Game Boy Advance Easter Egg

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Nintendo recently released an update for Switch Online, which among other little tweaks adds a nice, nostalgia infused Easter egg to the Game Boy Advance app.

This Easter egg can be found by twiddling with the analogue stick while booting up the Game Boy Advance app. If you do this, you will be met with the classic GBA bootup sequence.

You can see how the Easter egg looks via the video I took this morning.

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To compare, this is how the app booted up when I left the analogue stick alone.

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This is not the first time Nintendo has added a nostalgic start up on its Switch Online Classic apps. Back in June, it also added the iconic GameCube startup screen to the Switch.

For more on the service, you can check out our handy guide to all of the games currently available on Nintendo Switch Online here.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.



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With ETF and NFT milestones approaching, WinnerMining launches DOGE, XRP, and BTC yield contracts
NFT Gaming

Mint Miner launches mobile app, bringing cloud mining closer

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Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Mint Miner launches mobile app for one-click crypto mining, offering passive income anywhere, anytime.

Summary

  • Mint Miner’s mobile app enables one-click cloud mining, giving users passive income anytime, anywhere.
  • The platform converts crypto mining revenue into cash flow, offering a fixed digital salary for investors.
  • Mint Miner simplifies crypto mining for newcomers and provides asset diversification for seasoned users.

Bitcoin, invented by the anonymous individual Satoshi Nakamoto, is the first cryptocurrency. It was designed to solve a fundamental problem in digital commerce: how to transfer value without trusted intermediaries like banks. Bitcoin’s blockchain technology — a public ledger used to verify and record transactions — is revolutionary. It creates a system that can achieve consensus without a centralized authority.

Building on this foundation, other cryptocurrencies emerged. Ethereum, launched in 2015, introduced programmable smart contracts, enabling decentralized applications. Litecoin, Ripple, and newcomers like Solana and Cardano further expanded the ecosystem. Today, with a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, the Mint Miner cloud mining app has truly made it practical and accessible.

As the world’s leading green and intelligent cloud mining platform, Mint Miner has launched a new mobile application that allows users to achieve one-click mining through their mobile phones and enjoy daily passive income anytime, anywhere.

Turn a mobile phone into a mining machine

Traditional mining requires high hardware investment and complex configuration, but Mint Miner’s mobile app has completely changed this landscape. Whether someone is an iOS or Android user, simply download the app and register to transform a phone into a portable cloud mining machine.

Through an intelligent backend, computing power is hosted in Mint Miner’s network of over 100 green energy-powered data centers worldwide, with daily profits automatically settled and returned to a user’s account.

Mint Miner highlights

  • Start now: Register to get a $15 new user bonus and experience cloud mining with zero threshold.
  • AI intelligent optimization: Automatically allocate computing power to mainstream currencies such as BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE, etc. to maximize profits.
  • Environmentally friendly drive: The data center uses wind, solar, and hydropower to achieve carbon neutrality and low-cost mining, which is more profitable.
  • Security assurance: McAfee, Cloudflare, cold/hot wallet isolation, all-around protection of user assets.
  • Withdraw at any time: Earnings are credited daily, and withdrawals are supported in multiple currencies, including BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT, BCH, etc.

Why choose Mint Miner mobile app?

Unlike stock dividends or crypto trading, Mint Miner converts mining revenue into cash flow. This means that users no longer need to worry about short-term market price fluctuations, but can receive a fixed income every day, just like receiving a digital salary.

For newcomers to the crypto market, the launch of mobile applications has made mining as easy as opening a financial management app; while for experienced investors, it is an ideal program for diversifying asset allocation and hedging market risks.

Join Mint Miner in 3 simple steps

  1. Register: Visit the Mint Miner website or download the app. Simply register with a username and email address.
  1. Choose a contract: Cloud mining contracts ranging from $100 to $20,000, flexibly meeting different user needs.

See more Mint Miner new contracts

  1. Start earning: Daily earnings are automatically deposited into the account and can be withdrawn or reinvested at any time.

Why does the Mint Miner platform stand out?

Global Deployment: Mint Miner operates multiple clean energy mining farms across North America, Northern Europe, and Asia, utilizing industry-leading mining equipment from brands like Antminer, Shenma, and Avalon, ensuring stable and efficient mining performance.

Zero Management Fees: No gimmicks or hidden fees. The mining process is clean, transparent, honest, and reliable.

Technology and Service: Backed by an experienced team of experts. Our 24/7 fast-response customer service team will solve every problem.

Unlocking the future of passive income

As digital assets continue to gain mainstream adoption, the launch of the Mint Miner mobile app represents more than just a product upgrade; it represents a significant leap forward for crypto passive income. It empowers every user to easily access a mining farm in their pocket, no matter where they are.

For more information, please visit the official website or contact us at [email protected]

Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.



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Coinbase taps former Cash App exec as new CMO
GameFi Guides

Coinbase taps former Cash App exec as new CMO

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U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has hired Cathrine Ferdon, a former executive at digital payments platform Cash App, as its new chief marketing officer.

Summary

  • Coinbase has hired Cathrine Ferdon as its new chief marketing officer.
  • Ferdon, former CMO of Cash App, will help drive Coinbase’s expansion effort.

Coinbase has announced that Cathrine Ferdon, who joins from Block Inc.-owned digital wallet platform Cash App, will serve as the company’s new chief marketing officer.

Ferdon will lead the exchange’s global user growth initiative, with the crypto exchange currently among the top publicly traded companies and boasting over 120 million users across more than 100 countries.

Coinbase, which has over $425 billion in assets on the platform, has said it seeks to onboard one billion people. Ferdon will be tasked with putting this cryptocurrency goal into further traction.

“With deep experience championing disruptive technology, most recently as CMO of CashApp, Cat is the perfect person to steer our mission of onboarding a billion users and increasing economic freedom around the world,” Coinbase posted on X.

New CMO to help Coinbase grow its brand

The former Cash App exec’s hire comes as Coinbase and many other crypto platforms in the U.S. eye growth amid a crypto-friendly regulatory regime under President Donald Trump’s administration. 

With regulatory clarity on the table as agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission engage industry players, the next steps for Coinbase and others may be compliance and expansion.

Ferdon says she’s ready to help the crypto behemoth achieve this.

“I’m thrilled to share that I’m joining Coinbase as Chief Marketing Officer! I’ve long been a fan of Coinbase as a product and as a disruptive brand willing to fight for economic freedom around the world,” Ferdon posted on X. “I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves with Brian Armstrong, Emilie Choi, and the rest of the team, at a time when the very definition of finance is changing and crypto is finally becoming more accessible and open,” she added.

Brian Armstrong, co-founder and chief executive officer of Coinbase, and Emilie Choi, president and chief operating officer, are among the key figures at the crypto exchange.



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The Instagram iPad App Is Finally Here
Product Reviews

The Instagram iPad App Is Finally Here

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Apple debuted the iconic and now wildly popular iPad in 2010. A few months later, Instagram landed on the App Store to rapid success. But for 15 years, Instagram hasn’t bothered to optimize its app layout for the iPad’s larger screen.

That’s finally changing today: There’s now a dedicated Instagram iPad app available globally on the App Store.

It has been a long time coming. Even before Apple began splitting its mobile operating system from iOS into iOS and iPadOS, countless apps adopted a fresh user interface that embraced the larger screen size of the tablet. This was the iPad’s calling card at the time, and those native apps optimized for its precise screen size are what made Apple’s device stand out from a sea of Android tablets that largely ran phone apps inelegantly blown up to fit the bigger screen.

Except Instagram never went iPad-native. Open the existing app right now, and you’ll see the same phone app stretched to the iPad’s screen size, with awkward gaps on the sides. And you’ll run into the occasional problems when you post photos from the iPad, like low-resolution images. Weirdly, Instagram did introduce layout improvements for folding phones a few years ago, which means the experience is better optimized on Android tablets today than it is on iPad.

Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, has long offered excuses, often citing a lack of resources despite being a part of Meta, a multibillion-dollar company. Instagram wasn’t the only offender—Meta promised a WhatsApp iPad app in 2023 and only delivered it earlier this year. (WhatsApp made its debut on phones in 2009.)

The fresh iPad app (which runs on iPadOS 15.1 or later) offers more than just a facelift. Yes, the Instagram app now takes up the entire screen, but the company says users will drop straight into Reels, the short-form video platform it introduced five years ago to compete with TikTok. The Stories module remains at the top, and you’ll be able to hop into different tabs via the menu icons on the left. There’s a new Following tab (the people icon right below the home icon), and this is a dedicated section to see the latest posts from people you actually follow.



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