Shogun Showdown sometimes breaks my brain. The new deckbuilding roguelike is all about tactics, and a key part of the game is that you can always see what the enemies plan to do next. Every once in a while, that gets me in a quandary where I know I’ll lose. But when things click into place and I clear everyone out in one fell swoop, I feel like a strategic genius.  

In the game, which just left early access, you’re constantly trying to position your character across a small level to either attack your foes or dodge their moves. As you play, you can upgrade your “tiles” (think: cards) to improve their damage, add perks like freezing ice, or lower their cooldown so that you can use them more frequently. You’re also able to stack up to three tiles so that, with one press of the attack button, you send off a salvo of moves to take out a bunch of bad guys at once.

Since you can see what the enemies will do, you’re constantly strategizing about whether to move in to strike or if you need to back off to stay alive. It can get complex, and sometimes it feels like I have to galaxy brain each move to survive difficult rounds. The strategizing is all worth it when you pull off a series of attacks that clear the battlefield.

Here’s an example of how it comes together. Playing as the starter character, called the Wanderer, I start with a pair of swords that can simultaneously hit the spaces to my left and right as well as an arrow that can fire across the level. With some strategic maneuvering, I can set up the Wanderer so that she strikes a baddie that’s behind her and then shoots an arrow in front of her to eliminate all the dangers on the map.

During each run, you’ll have opportunities to improve your tiles, pick up new ones, and shop for upgrades. Sure, those are all familiar roguelike trappings, but with a little planning, you can make some extraordinarily powerful tiles. For my first winning run, I upgraded an arrow tile so it had high damage and no cooldown, meaning I was firing off arrows without breaking a sweat.

As you play, you’ll also collect skulls that can be used to unlock things like new tiles and more things to buy at item shops. Spending those skulls quickly adds variety to each run, and I don’t think I’ve doubled up on a build yet. Once, I went all in on a dragon punch move that sent enemies flying into each other, and while it didn’t get me a win, I loved punching bad guys across levels to open up space.

I’m still early in the game, and I’ve only unlocked one of four additional characters, so there’s still a lot for me to see. As you clear runs, you can also play through harder “days” with added challenges like tougher enemies or fewer item drops.

Even though I’m working through bigger games like Astro Bot and a long-in-the-works Mass Effect trilogy playthrough, I keep coming back to Shogun Showdown; it’s just too much fun to experiment with the game’s many weapons and strategies. Maybe it’s time for me to try that dragon punch build again — or stumble into something completely unexpected.

Shogun Showdown is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Somewhere in the middle of the film, as Driver’s Cesar is speaking to camera, the screen briefly went blank. There was a confused smattering of applause from those who thought it was all over—if only we’d been so lucky—but then, with the lights still down, a man ran onto the stage in front of the cinema screen from the wings, holding a long microphone.

…Positioning himself on one side of the stage, and now lit by a spotlight, the man then faced Driver, now back on screen, and asked him a question, as if participating in some strange pandemic-era Zoom press conference. Driver answered, and the man then rushed off stage again. It was so odd, and felt so completely pointless, that I didn’t know how to respond.

You know how sometimes you wish you had a photographic memory? Well, the Plaud NotePin memory capsule is kinda like that, but it hangs around your neck. This nifty little artificial intelligence-powered device is all about helping you remember stuff better. It’s like having a super-smart personal assistant that’s always ready to jot down your thoughts and conversations.

But here’s the thing: This gadget is pushing us to think about some big questions. Like, how comfortable are we with AI being our memory keeper? And what about privacy? I mean, it’s one thing to write stuff down in a diary, but having a device that’s always listening? 

That’s a whole different ball game. It’s got me wondering: Are we ready to let AI be our second brain? Let’s take a closer look at this little gadget that’s stirring up such big questions — who knows, it might just change the way we think about memory and technology in the future.

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What is the Plaud NotePin?

The Plaud NotePin is a small, pill-shaped device that can be worn as a pendant, pinned to clothing or attached as a wristband. Its primary function is to record meetings, conversations and personal notes, which are then transcribed and summarized using advanced AI technology.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

This innovative device offers versatile wearability, allowing you to choose how you want to use it in various situations. With an impressive battery life, the NotePin can record continuously for up to 20 hours on a single charge, making it ideal for even the longest workdays.

Not only does the device record audio, but it also generates summaries, mind maps and actionable items from your conversations. You can select from multiple AI models, including OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, to enhance your experience. Additionally, the NotePin comes with 64 GB of storage, ensuring that you never run out of space for your recordings.

The Plaud NotePin. (Plaud.AI)

MY #$%^ ACHING [INSERT AILMENT]

Potential use cases

The NotePin’s versatility makes it suitable for various professionals. Business professionals can capture client meetings and generate actionable summaries. Educators can record lectures and provide post-session transcripts. Health care providers can ensure that accurate patient information is captured during consultations. Creative workers can rely on the NotePin to never miss a moment of inspiration, no matter where it strikes.

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET 

The Plaud NotePin. (Plaud.AI)

A HELMET USING A CURTAIN OF AIR COULD MAKE FACE MASKS OBSOLETE 

Privacy concerns

While the NotePin offers impressive functionality, it also raises significant privacy and ethical concerns. Although users must manually activate recording, there’s a risk of capturing conversations without the knowledge or consent of all parties involved, which could potentially violate privacy laws in some jurisdictions. With sensitive conversations being recorded and stored, the security of this data becomes paramount. Plaud claims to use end-to-end encryption and reputable cloud service providers, but users should be aware of the potential risks associated with storing personal information in the cloud.

The AI-powered analysis of conversations raises questions about data mining and the potential for misuse of personal information. Users should carefully review the company’s privacy policy and understand how their data is being used and analyzed. As we increasingly rely on AI to remember and summarize information for us, there’s a concern about the potential atrophy of our natural memory skills. This dependence could have long-term implications for cognitive function.

In professional settings, the use of such devices could create tension if employees feel they’re being constantly monitored or if confidential information is at risk of being recorded without proper safeguards. Users should also consider what happens to their recorded data in the long term. How long is it stored? Can it be completely deleted if desired? These are important questions to ask before fully embracing such technology.

While Plaud emphasizes user control over data and robust security measures, potential users should carefully weigh these privacy considerations against the device’s benefits. As with any technology that intersects with personal privacy, it’s crucial to be fully informed and mindful of how and when you use the NotePin.

Plaud NotePin. (Plaud.AI)

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Pricing and availability

The Plaud NotePin is priced at $169 and is available for preorder. While basic AI features are free, a yearly subscription of $79 is required for premium features like summary templates and speaker labeling.

Plaud NotePin. (Plaud.AI)

Kurt’s key takeaways

So, what do we think about the Plaud NotePin? It offers an exciting look at a future where AI could help us capture and organize our thoughts. But will it become an essential part of our lives or just another gadget we forget about? As we embrace more technology like this, we need to consider how comfortable we are with AI in our daily routines and where we draw the line on privacy. Ultimately, the NotePin sparks an important conversation about our evolving relationship with AI.

Are you ready to let Plaud NotePin be your memory keeper, or does that idea make you a bit uneasy? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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