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Google Gemini has launched real-time, continuous translation using your phone and a pair of connected earbuds, in what looks like a powerful transformative change to the way in which we interact with speakers from other countries. Google buried its announcement in an update to Gemini voice model updates on Friday, but the additional translation features look like they could change the way in which people interact with foreign speakers. Google is launching a beta of Google Translate to accommodate both real-time translation and two-way conversations, powered by Gemini. Wander through the markets in Bangkok, and the update promises that you’ll hear the ambient conversations of vendors around you translated into English, via a pair of connected earbuds. In a two-way conversation, you’ll have the same experience, but you’ll have a chance to speak, and then your phone will play back what you’ve said via your phone’s speaker. Google is promising that Translate will auto-detect over 70 languages and 2,000 language pairs, or a direct back-and-forth translation between English, for example, and Italian. The company is also promising that the phone will filter out extraneous noise as well as preserve the nuance of the conversation using AI. Translate will even accommodate multiple languages in a single session. Those are all issues that I’ve wrestled with while traveling overseas, using various translation devices. In Taiwan, for example, I naively thought that Mandarin would be the primary spoken language, and it seems to be. But locals use others, including Hakka or Hokkien, and switched back and forth at will. I also can speak some French, but like others who lack immersion training I can speak French far better than I understand it — and probably not all that well at that. Put simply, in my experience translation apps have almost reached a level of utility where I could depend upon them. If Google’s services works as advertised, however, this could really put translation services over that critical threshold. Google published a video showing off what the new service could do, and it’s amazing in its simplicity. One of the things that I personally have loved about technology is watching its impact on culture. ReplayTV and TiVo introduced the ability to pause live TV, which was revolutionary to a generation of consumers, even those who owned VCRs. Remember GPS devices? When Google released its free Google Maps app for Android phones with GPS and directions, companies like Magellan faded from public view almost overnight. Many, many people own smartphones and headphones or earbuds, and travel overseas without fluency in the local language. A few years ago, you’d be at the mercy of a local who understood English. Google’s updated Translator app really looks like we’ve moved past that, where translators will always be available in our ear. Read...

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Who hasn’t thought to themselves, I’d really like to play something new again, but unfortunately my wallet looks so empty. These days, a full-price game costs at least $70–sometimes even more. There is still one option: taking a look at the free-to-play market for a change. There are plenty of titles out there that are genuinely worthwhile–free games that offer much more than a few hours of distraction or the usual pay-to-win traps. Here, I present the most exciting free games available right now. Marvel Rivals NetEase When Marvel Rivals was announced, many people likely thought “Oh no, not another hero shooter.” The game looked very much like another Overwatch clone that would disappear into oblivion after a short time. Instead, everything turned out differently and Marvel Rivals became a real hit at the beginning of the year. This is probably due to the familiar game formula, in which teams of six compete against each other on various maps, but also to the popular Marvel characters. Not only do they have unique abilities that fit in very well with their background from the comics, but their designs are so cool that this alone has ensured a lot of success on social media, even with lesser-known characters such as little shark Jeff, who took hearts by storm. The Battle Pass model is also quite fair, as you pay about $10 to unlock all content like new costumes. And if you miss something, you can still unlock it later by playing. The developers regularly add new characters and skins, which helps the gameplay stay fresh and exciting. All of this makes Marvel Rivals still worth a look almost a year after its release. Fortnite Epic Games When it comes to free-to-play games, Fortnite is a must. Not only does it have a huge fan base, but it’s also one of the most successful games of all time with sales in the billions. The game principle of exploring, shooting, building bases, and the ever-shrinking map has now been copied so often that it feels like a genre in its own right. However, Fortnite is still the best at attracting players of all ages. Added to this are regular collaborations with well-known brands such as One Piece or the Simpsons, viral dances on social media, and much more. This has given Fortnite a firm place in pop culture. The title is so much more than a video game. It now sees itself as a social hub for all kinds of activities, including live virtual concerts. The developers also offer the opportunity to create totally new games with the creative tools. Battlefield Redsec Electronic Arts Battlefield Redsec is brand new and very exciting, as it was only released in October 2025. This is not another standard game mode for Battlefield 6, but a free-to-play spin-off that aims to compete with Call of Duty: Warzone and follows the battle royale principle. So you don’t need the main game to play Redsec, and you get a completely different gaming experience to the standard Battlefield. Similar to Fortnite, the map gets smaller and smaller, threatening to eliminate anyone who doesn’t leave in time. Up to 100 players can compete against each other in teams, with the goal of being the last one alive. To do this, you can use weapons, equipment, and vehicles you have found, and also destroy parts of the map in classic Battlefield style. Criticism was leveled almost exclusively at the battle pass system, as Redsec shares this with the main game. So you are somewhat encouraged to play Redsec even if you don’t feel like it. Leveling up is also slowed down a little if you don’t play often enough, but you can still level up without the Battle Pass. The Sims 4 Electronic Arts The Sims series is still the best known of all life simulation games, and for good reason. The iconic characters and worlds from The Sims have shaped generations, and the fourth installment is still hugely popular. In October 2022, Electronic Arts decided to offer The Sims 4 for free, giving even more players access to the title. Although you still have to pay for the numerous expansion packs, you can still get your money’s worth, especially thanks to the active modding community. Unlike its predecessors, EA also wants to stick with the fourth installment for as long as possible, even though work is already underway on the next entry in the series. It’s still being updated with new content, even if not every change is so well-received by fans. Destiny 2 Activision Another game that once cost money and was then turned into a free-to-play title is Destiny 2. The multiplayer shooter from Bungie has been available for free since 2019 and combines a huge sci-fi world with classic looter shooter gameplay. Although the entire game is not free, new players can play through the main game’s campaign, visit all the planets, take part in some raids and dungeons, and also participate in PVP battles, although not in all endgame activities. If you have already enjoyed a lot of free game time and want more, you can try out the paid expansions afterwards, which add new story campaigns. The motivating gameplay and the sci-fi world are still worthwhile today, which is why Destiny 2 has a very active community. Overwatch 2 Activision Blizzard Before games like Marvel Rivals could run, Overwatch learnt to walk… that’s roughly how you could describe the influence of Blizzard’s hero shooter. The direct successor Overwatch 2, was launched with a few difficulties and the developers never delivered the promised single-player story mode. But that doesn’t detract from the fun of the game. Unlike its predecessor, you compete against other teams in 5v5 matches instead of six and can choose from various heroes, all of whom are beautifully designed and have their own background story. You can get to know them in great animated videos on YouTube (admittedly, playing them yourself would be even better, but you can’t have everything). Overwatch 2 is one of those games that’s easy to learn but hard to master. Depending on how much time you invest, the learning curve can be quite steep. But as soon as you get your first characters and play styles down, it’s really fun, and you’re motivated to win more matches and unlock new outfits. Unfortunately, these are almost exclusively available via loot boxes with randomized content. So if you don’t fancy this, you should look at other games with a similar principle. Guild Wars 2 NCsoft We are only presenting one MMORPG at this point, but it’s representative of the many very good online games available on the market. Guild Wars 2 may be one of the older titles, as it was first released in 2012, but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many players today. Right from the start, the game gives us an interesting fantasy world that we have rarely experienced in this way (the only comparable game would be World of Warcraft). The gameplay still feels dynamic, we can choose any class and still learn any weapon, explore the game world freely, learn professions, and decide for ourselves which stories we want to experience. The developers also release a major expansion every year that makes Guild Wars 2 even bigger and better. The last one, Visions of Eternity, was released in October 2025 and brought new content to the game, including a new story and environments. So it’s still worth diving into Guild Wars 2 today, and you don’t have to pay a single cent to do so. You have the option of buying cosmetic items or simple boosts in the shop, but it’s not necessary. Tip: If you want to get even more games for free without paying the full price, you should regularly visit the Epic Games Store. There is at least one free game every week. Read...

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Battlefield 6 was officially released on October 10th yet the game is already being offered for free. Well, not totally free. Interested players who still haven’t bought it for whatever reason—maybe because you’re unsure of how it plays—can now play for free until December 2nd. The free week is available on all supported platforms (that includes PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S) but only applies to multiplayer. Even so, that should be enough play time to get a proper impression of the gameplay, graphics, and multiplayer elements. How to play Battlefield 6 for free To take part in the Battlefield 6 free period, you need to go to the Battlefield 6 page in the EA app, on Steam, in the PlayStation Store, or Xbox Store after November 25th at 7 AM EST. There you should see a button for the free promotion, which you simply click to download the game. You may have to select it from a drop-down menu. According to EA, the free promotion also runs under the name Battlefield REDSEC, the new game mode that’s always free and has a battle royale spin akin to Fortnite. However, you can play both multiplayer modes. You will need an account to start the game and at least 55GB of storage space on your PC. (If you want to play on higher settings, you will need even more space for the corresponding graphics packs.) What’s included for free? New players can try out the complete multiplayer portion of Battlefield 6 during the free week. This includes five game modes, three different maps, and four classes. You can unlock as much content in the game as you want, and all the progress you’ve made will save and carry over if you buy the game after the free period ends. Who should play Battlefield 6? Anyone who’s a Battlefield fan but still hasn’t gotten started can use the free period to familiarize themselves with the new game. For anyone else who has perhaps never played Battlefield before, this is the ideal opportunity to get a taste of this popular franchise. In contrast to this year’s Call of Duty, the multiplayer and story campaign of Battlefield 6 received consistently positive reviews. However, you can only play the campaign if you buy the game. Read...

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