The Best 240Hz Monitors

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If you’re an eSports gamer or just play one online, a monitor’s refresh rate is of utmost importance. Though newbies are content with a traditional 60Hz, more advanced users typically opt for the much-faster 144Hz, and the most discerning go even beyond that, all the way up to a stratospheric 240Hz.

But what does this glorious refresh rate get you compared to a monitor with a lower refresh rate? First, it will help significantly with motion blur. The more times a moving image can be refreshed in a second the smoother it will appear. Second, since the image is being updated a greater number of times you have the possibility of reacting quicker to whatever is happening on screen. For a twitch gamer there’s nothing better than being able to respond faster than your enemy, and essentially it’s just about having the fastest refresh rate possible so you’re not giving up any performance at all.

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Don’t Expect YouTube to Drop Big Bucks for the Next Game of Thrones

At the 2018 Television Critics Association summer press tour, YouTube’s global head of original programming, Susanne Daniels, detailed her financial strategy in regards to original programming and how it will differ from the company’s competitors, like Amazon and Netflix.

“You’re probably not gonna see us spend that level of money for a Game of Thrones or a comparable series like Westworld,” Daniels said. “But I’ve always been a believer that you can make great shows for less and it’s not the episodic spend that can make something great.”

It’s no secret that streaming giants Netflix and Amazon are spending large sums of money to strengthen their footholds in the digital video landscape. Netflix will reportedly outspend every studio in Hollywood this year, while Amazon is dropping a whopping $1 billion on five seasons of their newly acquired Lord of the Rings franchise. Even Apple has been moving aggressively into scripted programming, with big development deals for an Amazing Stories reboot from Steven Spielberg, a thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels, and a futuristic sci-fi drama starring Jason Momoa from the creator of Peaky Blinders, among others.

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Star Wars: Episode IX Will Feature Unused Footage of Carrie Fisher

Lucasfilm has announced the major returning and new cast members for Star Wars Episode IX, including how Carrie Fisher will be featured in the film.

Among the most notable inclusions is Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa. According to StarWars.com, unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be used to include Fisher in the upcoming sequel, which Lucasfilm is billing as “the final installment of the Skywalker Saga.”

“Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us,” J.J. Abrams said in a statement. “We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

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Fortnite for Android Might Be a Timed Exclusive on the Galaxy Note 9

Fortnite has been playable on iOS since April, and Epic Games announced in May that it would arrive on Android devices this summer. But, if a pair of new reports are to be believed, Fortnite on Android will get a 30-day timed exclusive on Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 before coming to other Android devices.

Both 9to5Google and XDA Developers reported the supposed timed exclusivity. Rumors peg the release date of the Galaxy Note 9 – which Samsung won’t even reportedly officially announce until August 9 – as August 24. If all of these reports and rumors are accurate, that would mean all other Android users would have to wait until at least last September before being able to play Fortnite on their devices.

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How to Watch Today’s Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

Today’s blood moon lunar eclipse will be visible to every continent except North America – but there are ways to view it if you’re stuck in the New World.

The blood moon is caused by the moon being fully engulfed in Earth’s shadow, and today’s lunar eclipse will be this century’s longest at 103 minutes. As reported by Wired, the next one near this size won’t come until 2029, and there won’t be a longer one until 2123 – so don’t hold your breath for that.

According to NASA, the best viewing areas for the eclipse are in Eastern Africa, India and Southeast Asia. For the rest of us, there are alternative options.

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The Best Deal on Nintendo Switch Is Still Live Right Now

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UPDATE 7/27: this deal is still live, with all 6 games still available to choose from.

If you haven’t bought a Nintendo Switch yet, now is the absolute best time since launch. Rivaling Amazon’s great Prime Day Deal, this is the best deal on a Switch at any major retailer. With the enormous popularity of Nintendo Switch, sales are pretty uncommon, so retailers are instead turning to discounted bundled deals, like this one from Walmart. But unlike bundles that force you to pick up a crappy game or unwanted accessory, here you’re saving money by buying Super Mario Odyssey, which is pure joy in the form of a game cartridge.

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