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Loot boxes in video games and mobile games have become less of a flashpoint for controversy, but a few years ago they were a major target of ire for both gamers and regulators.

The wheels of justice (or at least of legislation) turn slowly, but they do turn, and Australia is making a big move in this sector. Starting this Sunday, any game sold in Australia with loot boxes will be rated either M (Mature) or R 18+ (Restricted).

For the uninitiated, loot boxes are essentially digital blind boxes. Gamers buy a loot box (or several) in the hopes of finding rare items, weapons, or character outfits. But actually getting what you want is pure chance… and chance that’s artificially slimmed down to an incredible longshot for the most rare and desirable items.

In games like Overwatch and Genshin Impact, the odds of finding a skin of “epic” or “legendary” rarity might be one in several thousand, driven down further by “seasons” and limited-time events that are designed to get players playing… and spending.

Though loot boxes and similar chance-driven reward systems can be trickled out for playing the game itself, the only way to get them quickly in abundance (to up your chances of finding those rare and valuable items) is to buy them directly with real money.

In many games, the contents of loot boxes are cosmetic only, meaning they have zero impact on gameplay. But then you also have examples like EA’s competitive sports games, which put digital versions of real-life sports stars in loot boxes, tying your ability to win to your ability to acquire these expensive loot boxes.

Battlefront 2 tried a similar loot crate system tied to items that gave players of the online shooter distinct and powerful advantages over their opponents. Accusations of a “pay to win” setup came quick and loud.

If all of this sounds like gambling to you, you aren’t alone. According to the Australian government’s announcement (PDF), these updated guidelines for computer game classification are intended to label “gambling-like content in video games”:

• Any game with a randomized loot box system offered for purchase with real money will be given an M (Mature) rating at the very least, with retailers being discouraged from selling such games to anyone under the age of 15.
• Any game with “simulated gambling” — including casino games — will get a far more heavy restriction: an R 18+ rating, making them illegal to sell to anyone under 18.

The summary of the new system (spotted by Tech Radar) makes it clear that games can still use randomized or chance-based reward systems without getting an M rating as long as those systems aren’t tied in with a real-world purchase.

Furthermore, games can still include thematic or visual elements that evoke gambling — say, Sonic 2‘s Casino Night Zone — without automatically being rated R 18+ as long as they don’t actually include the games in question with a gambling element.

Australia is known for having a heavy hand in video game classification, even more so than countries like the United States. Many high-profile games with horror, narcotic, or sexual elements get Refused Classification, effectively making them illegal to sell in the country. It’s a sore subject for Australian gamers, but these new M/R 18+ guidelines are taking direct aim in the pursuit of keeping kids away from loot boxes and addictive elements tied to real-world spending.

After years of pushback from both regulators and gamers, loot boxes have seen a distinct downturn lately. Publishers watched the Netherlands effectively ban loot boxes in 2018, cutting off a small but potentially lucrative market. Now the focus seems to be on the similar but far less randomized “battle pass” design, wherein gamers pay a flat rate to progressively unlock rewards through playing.

Even so, randomized loot box setups are still around in games like Genshin Impact and Hearthstone. Games released and classified before the September 22 update to Australia’s system will be grandfathered in… but new content releases may spur a reclassification of existing titles.

Price When Reviewed

£249

Best Prices Today: Oneplus Watch 2R

The OnePlus Watch 2R looks like a shrewd move by OnePlus to capitalise on the introduction of the OnePlus Watch 2. A smartwatch that while we bemoaned its heft, did make great battery life gains for Wear OS and overall offered a great smartwatch experience.

The Watch 2R essentially takes all of the same smarts and wraps it up in a look that loses some of the Watch 2’s higher quality materials. it will still be a smartwatch that will let you use Google apps like Maps to get around, uses the same dual engine architecture to power performance, and promises the kind of battery that betters most of the Wear OS competition.

Making those design changes has allowed OnePlus to drop the price, making the Watch 2R a cheaper Wear OS alternative to the cheapest Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 model, the TicWatch Pro 5 and the new Google Pixel Watch 3.

Yes, you do lose some of the added allure of the more expensive OnePlus Watch 2, but the result is perhaps a better smartwatch overall.

Design & Build

• Black or green colours
• Aluminium instead of stainless steel
• Lighter than Watch 2

Design really is the big story here with the Watch 2R when you compare it with the Watch 2.

It sticks to a 47mm-sized case, which is still going to be too big for some, though I found wearing it perfectly fine and my wrists are on the small side.

It measures in with the same 12.1mm thickness as the Watch 2 and carries the same waterproof rating, which makes it safe to being submerged in water up to 50 metres depth. 

The downside is that you’re missing out on those nicer materials, the upside is it’s now a lighter (and cheaper) watch which makes that larger case a more manageable one to wear

Where things have changed is OnePlus swapping the stainless steel case for a lighter aluminium alloy. It’s also replaced the sapphire crystal covering the screen for a 2D glass one, so you’re getting a downgrade in protection against scratches.

The downside is that you’re missing out on those nicer materials, the upside is it’s now a lighter (and cheaper) watch which makes that larger case a more manageable one to wear. Still, a smaller size would be a welcome addition as is essentially industry standard now Apple, Samsung, Google and Huawei all offer two sizes for core smartwatches.

We continue to wish but the overall weight has gone from 80g to 59g compared to the Watch 2, so that’s a big difference for a watch (over 26%). While I didn’t find that the Watch 2 was a hefty smartwatch to strap on, some will prefer the noticeable drop in weight.

The fluororubber strap remains the same and comes in forest green and gunmetal grey colours. You don’t get the option of the nicer leather band available on the Nordic Blue edition of the Watch 2 (pictured above). There are two crown-style physical buttons on the right side of the case, which means OnePlus has opted not to use a flatter one like it has on the Watch 2.

Is the Watch 2R a nice-looking smartwatch? It mostly is without stirring us in the way that some other smartwatch designs too. I think the downgrade in case material means it makes less of a statement, particularly sat alongside that Nordic Blue edition.

It might have been an opportunity for OnePlus to play with things a little more on the looks front but instead, it’s opted to simply match the Watch 2 while dropping the metal and sapphire crystal. 

Screen & Audio 

• Same 1.43-inch AMOLED display as Watch 2
• Uses 2D glass
• Includes microphone and speaker

Scratch protection downgrade aside, the screen on the Watch 2R is the same one used on the Watch 2.

So that’s a 1.43-inch, 466 x 466 resolution AMOLED with a maximum brightness of 600 nits that also includes the same high brightness mode as the Watch 2 that manages to push that to 1,000 nits.

That is activated automatically when in bright environments and when the adaptive brightness mode is on.

you’re getting a very high-quality AMOLED panel in an affordable watch

In essence, you’re getting a very high-quality AMOLED panel in an affordable watch that is bright, vibrant, colourful and sharp as well too. It’s a nice step up in overall quality from the first OnePlus Watch and can be set to use in always-on mode.

A microphone and speaker remain here and while you won’t get a LTE flavour of the Watch 2R, you do have the ability to handle calls over Bluetooth.

That also means you can have chats with Google Assistant and while responses and calls aren’t exceptionally crisp or clear, they’re still fitting to use those voice-based features if you need them.

Software & Features 

• Not the latest Wear OS software
• 32GB of storage
• Over 100 watch faces

OnePlus uses a combination of software and chipsets, which thankfully works harmoniously.

It runs on Wear OS 4, so not the latest Wear OS 5 included on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Google Pixel Watch 3. That’s matched up with an RTOS operating system, which is software you’d typically associate with more affordable smartwatches that sit below the Watch 2R.

It remains a smartwatch that’s also only for Android phone users.

Using the Watch 2R as a smartwatch is pleasingly straightforward

Powering that software duo is a BES2700BP processor and one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processors. The idea is that Qualcomm’s processor takes care of richer smartwatch features like running apps or displaying maps while the other is reserved for features like displaying notifications. You’ve also got 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage to let you pile apps and audio onto it as well.

Using the Watch 2R as a smartwatch is pleasingly straightforward. Like other Wear OS watches, your data and modes are just a swipe away from the main watch screen. Google’s Tiles (widgets) are well optimised to the round screen, you can adjust the view for the app screen and swiping and launching features is nice and swift.

I found viewing and acting on notifications slick, you’ve got a good mix of watch faces to pick from, while Google’s apps like Maps, Wallet and YouTube Music are very much welcomed alongside the smaller collection of native apps for features like music controls and weather forecasts.

The companion OHealth app isn’t what I’d consider the best of the companion smartwatch apps. It’s a hub as expected for your health and wellness metrics and will let you access more watch faces and delve into the Google Play Store from a larger screen, though it’s a relatively good experience doing the same on the watch itself.

If the aim was to replicate the slick performance of the OnePlus Watch 2, that’s certainly achieved here.

Fitness & Tracking 

• Includes new dual-frequency GPS
• New advanced running metrics for runners
• Tracks heart rate and blood oxygen levels

It’s good to see that OnePlus has managed to retain the same fitness, sports and wellness monitoring features as the pricier OnePlus Watch 2. That includes access to over 100 sports modes, heart rate and SpO2 tracking, rich sleep data and it will of course track your daily steps.

I was intrigued to see whether the spotty heart rate performance I experienced on the Watch 2 was as bad on the 2R. Resting heart rate and heart rate tracking during sleep was nicely in line and when it came to exercise it seemed to perform better against a heart rate monitor chest strap.

Average heart rate readings typically matched and while maximum heart rate readings were generally a touch higher, it was 3-4 BPM higher. That’s a massive improvement from the double-figure differences on the Watch 2.

The dual-frequency GPS mode, which is now becoming more commonplace on smartwatches, seeks to tap into multiple satellite frequency bands to improve accuracy when tracking near tall buildings or heavily wooded areas.

On outdoor runs, again, I was impressed by the improvement in performance. Distance tracking, while not identical to a Garmin watch with great dual-band support, wasn’t far off either, and the GPS tracks looked good too.

The dedicated fitness tracking screen on the watch is another that looks like a riff off of Apple’s rings, but instead, it includes four separate rings to represent steps, calories, workout minutes with the ability to adjust your daily goals. I found daily step counts were typically around 1,000 steps below another fitness tracker, so not quite as good as the Watch 2 in this particular department.

When it’s time for bed, the following day you’ll get a nice breakdown of your sleep stats on the watch and then you can dig deeper on the OHealth app. That’s where you can delve into metrics like respiratory rate, heart rate and access features like assessing breathing problems.

The core sleep data has looked pretty good to me on most nights. Sleep duration data compared to other sleep trackers was within 20-30 minutes or just minutes off from them. Sleep stage breakdowns and sleep scores were pretty similar too.

OnePlus doesn’t offer a huge amount in the way of insights, but if you care about those core sleep stats, it does a pretty good job of it.

Battery Life & Charging

• Same 100 hour-battery as Watch 2
• Up to 2 days in heavy usage mode
• Fully charges in 1 hour

Given that nothing has really changed on the inside of the 2R compared to the 2, you can expect to enjoy the same level of battery life. There’s a 500mAh capacity battery that OnePlus says can go for 100 hours (4 days).

When you switch the screen to always-on, it’s going to be closer to 2 days. There’s also a power saving mode that can give you up to 12 days and that’s all while still letting you do things like stay connected to your phone over Bluetooth.

the Watch 2R is absolutely capable of lasting for 4 days

I’d say that the Watch 2R is absolutely capable of lasting for 4 days, if you choose not to have the screen on 24/7 and you’re not regularly using features like mapping, music streaming and tracking GPS-based workouts. Using the GPS for instance sees the drop by 6% for an hour’s use.

What has surprised me is that when switching to the power saving mode, you can actually still do a fair bit with the watch. I could still track GPS workouts for a couple of days, view notifications, read messages and still use it as a smartwatch, which is impressive.

So, even if you do use it in that heavy usage scenario, that power saving mode can really help to make sure you get a significant amount of extra watch time.

On top of that, you’ve got a rapidly charging watch as well, especially when you factor in the VOOC fast charging support.

It will give a day’s play from 10 minutes of charging and fully charges in just an hour, making it one of the quickest-charging smartwatches out there.

Price & Availability

The OnePlus Watch 2R was officially announced in July 2024 with a £249/$229 launch price, which has since dropped significantly. That makes it a very affordable alternative to the OnePlus Watch 2, which currently sits at £279/$299.

You can buy it from OnePlus, Amazon,

To put that into context with other Wear OS smartwatches, the new Google Pixel Watch 3 is priced at £349/$349, the TicWatch Pro 5 is £329/$349 and the cheapest Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 sits at £289/$299.

Check our rankings of the best smartwatches for all the top options.

Should you buy the OnePlus Watch 2R?

The OnePlus Watch 2R has performed well for me and in many was it better than the Watch 2.

It might not have that same alluring look as the Watch 2 Nordic Blue edition, but the software and power inside it are the same and that gives you the same great all-round smartwatch with some good fitness features that I think make it the better option.

Other Wear OS smartwatches will offer you more in the way of health monitoring and cellular connectivity, which will be desirable to some, but those watches outside of the TicWatch Pro 5, can’t do what OnePlus manages to do for Wear OS and battery performance.

The look is just nice enough, it’s at a much nicer price than most other Wear OS options and crucially, is just as good a smartwatch that will have you thinking slightly less about charging it compared to more expensive Wear OS smartwatches.

It would just be nice if there was a smaller size.

Specs

• Wear OS 4.0
• Snapdragon  W5+ Gen 1
• 2GB RAM and 32GB ROM
• 1.43-inch AMOLED
• Built-in dual-frequency GPS
• NFC with Google Wallet
• PPG heart rate sensor
• Waterproof up to 50 metres 
• Works with Android only

Yesterday, Google announced that we’re now one step closer to a future without passwords: you can now use Google Password Manager on both Android and desktop devices to save passkeys, not just passwords.

Up until the announcement, passkeys could only be saved to Google Password Manager on Android. Those passkeys could be used on other devices, but you’d have to scan a QR code with an Android device with the Android app to actually save them to your account.

Related: Why I’m ditching my passwords for passkeys

With this update, you can now save passkeys to Google Password Manager via Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. (The feature is currently still in testing for ChromeOS devices.) Once saved, passkeys are synced across all your devices and usable on any device with Google Password Manager.

If you don’t have the ability to save passkeys to Google Password Manager yet, wait a few days. Google is still rolling out the update so it may take a little while for it to reach your browser.

Further reading: How to start using passkeys on Windows

Even if your network knowledge runs deep there’s a high chance you haven’t heard of Nagle’s Algorithm. Named after its creator, John Nagle, this algorithm plays a part in the efficient operation of your router’s TCP/IP traffic.

That being so, savvy gamers have added it to a list of things to disable to decrease their network latency. Admittedly, it’s so obscure that taking the time to disable this setting, which is quite involved, places you squarely in Saturday night Windows Club kind of territory (you’ve been warned!).

Then again, when microsecond reductions in latency could be the difference between winning or losing in your next game of Counter-Strike 2, who’s going to judge you?

What does Nagle’s Algorithm do?

I could pull out a complex flow diagram to show you exactly what Nagle’s Algorithm does, but for the purposes of this article it’s enough to know that it prevents traffic congestion on your network by reducing the number of data packages your router transmits.

To elaborate on that, instead of sending every single datagram out individually, the algorithm holds some back until it can accumulate enough to send a full packet.

While that’s mostly a good thing in that it stops your router having to work overtime, when it comes to multiplayer gaming online, even slight delays in transmission can increase latency. In first-person shooters these delays can even cause some stuttering.

That’s the main reason to switch it off. As with most Windows 11 features that you can disable in pursuit of better gaming performance, you aren’t guaranteed performance gains for every game.

Some Minecrafters have reported strange player movements when the algorithm is switched off, so keep that in mind if you do decide to go ahead.

How to disable Nagle’s Algorithm

You’ll need to change settings in the Windows 11 registry to disable it. I recommend this how-to guide from Make Use Of (entry 6), which is straightforward enough.

If you’re a little worried about fiddling with Windows 11’s registry, that’s understandable. Doing so can cause your PC problems. My advice, then, is to back up Windows before doing this, follow the steps very carefully, and remember that any typed changes you will have to make are case sensitive.

It may ease your mind a little to know that you can also reactivate Nagle’s Algorithm if you encounter any problems. Good luck and happy tweaking!

Colin Farrell’s portrayal of The Penguin in The Batman was praised by critics and fans, mainly due to his comedic timing and the thrilling chase sequence with the Batmobile. But in his spin-off series, his character delves further into the complex, criminal underworld.

Bruce Wayne’s fight with the Riddler turned Gotham to ruin. On the remains of the old order, new leaders are coming to power, and fresh alliances are being born.

Oswald Cobb, known as The Penguin, has appeared multiple times in films and series about Batman. So far, the most famous interpretation of this character has belonged to Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

However, in Matt Reeves’ movie from 2022, Colin Farrell took on the role, and he was almost unrecognisable under a thick layer of makeup. The new version of the Penguin spoke so strongly to audiences that HBO decided to create a series covering the gangster’s march for power in Gotham City.

We’ve rounded up all the essential information about this new production from the DC universe. You can also check out our official review after watching all eight episodes of the drama.

What channel is The Penguin on?

Episodes of The Penguin are rolling out now. DC fans in the US can catch the show on HBO and Max.

In the UK, episodes air at the same time as they do in America on Sky TV and streaming service Now. That means viewers will get episodes the day after due to the time difference (more on that below).

If you don’t want a late night, then you can also view the episode on Sky Atlantic the following evening at 9pm BST.

The Penguin episode release schedule

Despite debuting on a Thursday, future episodes of The Penguin won’t be released on the same day every week. There will be a little break between episodes 1 and 2 before the show settles into a regular pattern.

Here’s the full episode release schedule for The Penguin:

• The Penguin episode 1 – ‘After Hours’ – Thursday 19 September at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US), Friday 20 September at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 2 – ‘Inside Man – Sunday 29 September at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 30 September at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 3 – TBA – Sunday 6 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 7 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 4 – TBA – Sunday 13 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 8 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 5 – TBA – Sunday 20 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 21 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 6 – TBA – Sunday 27 October at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 28 October at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 7 – TBA – Sunday 3 November at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 4 November at 2am BST (UK)
• The Penguin episode 8 – TBA – Sunday 10 November at 9pm ET/6pm PT (US)/Monday 11 November at 2am BST (UK)

What is the plot of The Penguin?

The series picks up right after the finale of The Batman movie. The clash with the Riddler led Gotham City to ruin, with large areas of the city ending up underwater. Chaos also reigns in the criminal underworld, which, after the death of the mafia boss Carmine Falcone, is left without leadership.

In the new HBO series, Penguin tries to take over power in the world of criminals – the creators describe the project as a Scarface-like story.

One of the most important characters in the series is Sofia, the daughter of the late Carmine Falcone. In comic books, she made her first appearance in 1997’s Batman: The Long Halloween. As a serial killer named the Hangman, she spent a year eliminating members of the Gotham City Police Department. She was, however, released from prison early at her father’s request.

The Penguin seems to use at least parts of Sofia’s comic book arc. In the latest trailer for the series, she appears as a power-hungry successor of Carmine, who will cause Oswald a lot of trouble.

Another important character in the series is Victor Aguilar. He is Penguin’s young driver and protégé, who accompanies him during his fight for power.

As Sarah Aubrey, head of originals at Max, said in an interview for Variety:

The goal of this is to show what Oz’s life is like and that’s very much in the streets of Gotham, trying to get up and over as only the Penguin can. As a hustler and a strategist with his own ambitions. It is a great example of having the time over eight episodes to tell a longer-arc character story with a lot of delicious twists and turns and new characters. It’s very much going to be about Gotham at that street level because he’s not flying around like Batman does. We are all embracing that as a very specific experience for audiences to have.

Even more interesting is that The Penguin will serve as an introduction to The Batman: Part Two. It seems that the series is planned to be a must-see for all fans of the rebooted Dark Knight franchise.

Is there a trailer for The Penguin?

The first teaser shows a slice of the Penguin’s world:

The latest teaser for the show reveals a bloody fight for power between Gotham’s mobsters:

The official trailer, presented at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, reveals Oswald’s foes and allies:

You can also watch more about the creation of the Penguin here:

Who’s starring in The Penguin?

The following actors are confirmed to star in The Penguin:

• Colin Farrell – Oswald “Oz” Cobb / The Penguin
• Cristin Milioti – Sofia Falcone, the daughter of Carmine Falcone
• Michael Kelly – Johnny Vitti, the underboss of the Falcone crime family
• Clancy Brown – Salvatore Maroni, a mob boss
• Michael Zegen – Alberto Falcone, Carmine’s son and Sofia’s brother
• Rhenzy Feliz – Victor Aguilar
• Deirdre O’Connell – Francis Cobb
• Shohreh Aghdashloo – Nadia Maroni
• James Madio – Milos Grapa
• Scott Cohen – Luca Falcone
• Carmen Ejogo – Eve Karlo
• Theo Rossi – Dr. Julian Rush

Fans of the DC universe have been wondering if Robert Pattinson will appear in the series as Batman. However, that has since been disputed by Matt Reeves himself.

The series is created by Lauren LeFranc. Matt Reeves and Colin Farrell serve as the executive producers, among others.

Will there be a season 2 of The Penguin?

HBO has not announced another season of The Penguin. The first season will lead directly into The Batman: Part Two, so it’ll likely depend on the events of that film, and if the cast and crew are willing to come back.

For Colin Farrell, the ordeal of going through all the make-up was a lot for the series, according to GamesRadar. We may learn more after The Penguin debuts on TV and streaming services.

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