G2 Esports is taking fan engagement to the next level, teaming up with XBorg to launch a brand new G2 Army fan app. The European esports giant announced the partnership this week, confirming that the platform aims to deliver more personalised and gamified experiences for its massive global community.

Welcome to the FanBase family, @G2esports.

The most entertaining esports organisation in the world is now building the future of fan engagement with us. pic.twitter.com/UDxBydGhtu

— XBorg (@XBorgHQ) December 1, 2025

With G2’s decade of dominance across League of Legends, VALORANT, CS2 and Rainbow Six, the organisation says its fans deserve experiences that match their passion. XBorg agrees, calling G2 one of the most entertaining esports organisations in the world, and now the group is officially joining XBorg’s expanding FanBase ecosystem.

A New Era for G2 Fan Engagement

Powered by XBorg’s FanBase platform, the G2 Army app is designed to give supporters a deeper way to interact with the organisation. Users can earn rewards, complete quests and unlock exclusive content tailored to their activity and interests.

XBorg has also built a utility layer for the G2 Samurai Army NFT collection. Holders will receive benefits based on their holding size, giving the app’s digital ecosystem an extra layer of value for long-time community members.

Fans using the previous version of the G2 app are getting looked after as well, with all data migrating over and a 1:1 credit distribution to ensure every past interaction still counts.

Introducing FanBase Copilot

One of the biggest innovations is the new Copilot feature. According to XBorg, FanBase Copilot monitors G2’s entire ecosystem, from tournament wins to social media drops, and automatically suggests or even launches engagement campaigns.

These can include:

• Giveaways
• Polls
• Predictions
• Gaming challenges

The idea is to turn every moment into something interactive for fans, giving G2’s team a powerful tool to keep the community constantly involved.

XBorg says Copilot will help fuel an entirely new wave of personalised, automated engagement that adapts to each fan in real time.

Free and Premium Tiers for Fans

The G2 Army app is available in both Free and Premium tiers, offering different levels of access depending on how deep users want to go.

Free Tier:

• Standard quests
• Basic rewards
• General content and activities

Premium Tier:

• Exclusive quests
• Extra battlepass rewards
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Special events
• Exclusive shop prizes

The Premium subscription is priced at USD $4.99 per month or USD $29.99 annually, giving committed fans more ways to stay connected and earn unique rewards.

XBorg’s Growing Influence in Esports

Founded in 2022, XBorg has been rapidly expanding its presence across global esports. G2 now joins a growing list of organisations working with XBorg, including Cloud9, Evil Geniuses and JD Gaming.

XBorg’s long-term goal is to build a public infrastructure for esports and gaming, allowing community ownership while giving developers tools to create new applications without needing to build everything from the ground up.

The company raised USD $9 million last year, with funding coming exclusively from individual investors rather than traditional venture capital firms. XBorg says this approach supports long-term value rather than short-term shareholder returns.

With the G2 partnership now official, and the new G2 Army fan app live, XBorg continues to position itself as a major player in shaping what the future of fan engagement looks like.

The post G2 Esports Partners with XBorg to Launch New G2 Army Fan App appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It was over ten years ago that Microsoft released its innovative Surface Windows based tablet.

Since 2012, each yearly released model has remained consistent and even had a few ‘Surface’ variations thrown in to the mix such as the Surface Studio and Surface Laptop.

But, this years offering is something different.

Gone is the Intel processor and in is AI via Windows CoPilot.

A 13 inch OLED screen with a bezel that is just right. You’re not going to accidentally touch the screen by picking it up via its edge, but its not too thick to lessen the screen real estate.

The Surface Gen 11 is not 4K, clocking in at a mere 2880 x 1920 (267 PPI). But it does have Dolby Vision.

There’s two cameras, front being ‘Windows Hello’ compatible with a 1440p Quad HD and the rear at 10MP.

Under the hood the model reviewed is a 512GB storage with 16GB RAM.

As mentioned the Intel processor we have become used to and rely upon in almost every Windows based device has been replaced with an ARM chip, the Snapdragon X Elite.

The reasoning for this is more slated to battery life, and wow what a battery duration this Gen 11 Surface has.

You’ll get around 14 hours of total media streaming. So if you’re out and about or just snuggled up in bed you can marathon a series without worrying about the Surface giving up on you.

On standby you’re going to have weeks upon weeks of battery and for mid to light use (you know, boring work stuff) easily up to 3 – 4 days.

Gaming on the other hand is something a bit different.

Clearly if you’re a hardened PC gamer, a Surface tablet may not be on your radar.
If a Surface is to be an all-rounder for you, expect this new model to be selective in what it can run.

With the Intel processors now gone, not every Steam game will work.

If you like the old days of gaming, emulators do not seem to run either.

While your PC games library maybe the envy of all, you’ll find a very small percentage of those are going to load up.

This was surprising, as Steam released their Steam Deck a while back, purportedly allowing games to run on ARM devices, but for this new gen of Surface, not so much.

Xbox Cloud gaming, yep you’re good. But for this you do need to have an Xbox subscription and you only get what is available on Xbox Game Pass. Plus you can’t play locally, you’ll need WiFi.

To use Windows effectively on a tablet you’ll need a stylus… and a keyboard.

While the Surface has always been touch screen, but since Windows 8, there has not been a tablet friendly Windows to use via touch.

The Windows based on-screen keyboard is clunky and really needs an overhaul – plus it takes up half the screen.

There is a Surface Gen 11 keyboard and stylus combo, but this is sold separately.

The Surface Gen 11 comes with differing storage options. Whichever storage option you go for, you’re stuck with. The review model had 512GB which is likely to be enough for most. You also have cloud based services, which of course require a subscription and you’ll need an internet connection to access.

This is where Microsoft have made it a bit confusing. Behind the back kickstand you’ll find your SSD.
It’s also user removable too and just flicks out. But don’t think you can go to a store and buy a larger SSD. Nope. The ease of removal is simply for repairs – not for us the consumer.

Throughout all past models there was a microSD slot just behind the kick stand. This is no more.

What you buy is what you get.

The Surface Gen 11 is minimal on it’s ports. There’s two USB-C ports and the universal Surface magnetic charger socket.

If you’re still using USB-A accessories on your existing PC, you’ll need adaptors.

Windows CoPilot is built-in. A handy tool that can assist you in writing and imagery generation.

Very similar to the other AI services out there on the web, but this now a part of your operating system.

If you use it and how you use it, whether it be creating unique artwork, reports or web search it is entirely up to you. But bear in mind that this too will require an active internet connection.

This year’s Surface is a mixed bag with a super long-life battery which makes the Surface Gen 11 optimal for portability, but it takes away some functionality that we as PC users have become accustomed to (with the exclusion of Intel).

We know Windows can run on ARM, just look at the varied array of handheld gaming PCs that are available.

The Surface Gen 11 is ideal if you’re likely to use it to stream media, for work stuff or school / University and maybe some light content creation, but anything above and beyond that you’ll need something a bit more gruntier.

The Surface Gen 11 is reliable, great for pick up and go, but I feel this years Surface maybe trying to implement innovation that its target market isn’t ready for.

The post Microsoft Surface Gen 11 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ASUS, in collaboration with Microsoft and Qualcomm has announced its first foray into the next generation of AI-powered computing with the sleek Vivobook S 15.

Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite platform, the sleek device offers Windows AI features and a collection of exclusive ASUS AI apps that showcase the unique benefits of AI for Content Creation, Productivity and Learning.

Its 3K 120 Hz ultra-large OLED display and immersive audio system is encased in a premium, all-metal 1.47 cm thin, 1.42kg light body. It features a mood-setting single zone RGB keyboard with a dedicated Copilot key for instant AI assistance, revolutionising work and play.

Driven by Microsoft’s software excellence, the power of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, and coupled with ASUS’ Lumina OLED displays, design and innovation prowess, the latest Vivobook launch signals the dawn of a new era in computing.

Speaking at the launch, Bradley Howe, Head of Consumer, ASUS Australia, said “AI has been building momentum as a technology, particularly with the use of personal assistance, and that is why we are ushering in a new era of AI computing where AI takes on a more integrated role in our lives and in the PC space, helping to make what Australians do on their PCs, easier, smarter and faster. We’ve designed the Vivobook S 15 as an intelligent PC companion that makes creating, productivity and learning tasks more convenient and enjoyable for Australians.”

With 53% of Australian professionals actively using or experimenting with generative AI at work, particularly by Millennials (63% use generative AI) and Gen Z (57%) — a substantial increase from the 36% of Australians reported to use the technology in 2023.

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 marks a significant leap forward in AI-powered computing, reaffirming ASUS’ commitment to innovation, excellence and setting a benchmark for ASUS’ upcoming range of Copilot+ PC.

The Vivobook’s 3K 120 Hz ultra-large OLED display and immersive audio system is encased in a premium, all metal 1.47cm thin, 1.42kg light body, allowing the benefits of AI to be more portable than ever. It features a mood-setting single zone RGB keyboard with a dedicated Copilot key for instant AI assistance, revolutionising work and play.

Powered by Windows 11, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 combines a sleek, modern aesthetic with unmatched performance. The Snapdragon X Elite Processor, a dedicated AI chip, delivers peak performance in multi core tasks, providing a more productive laptop experience.

ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm CDMA Technologies Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. and President of Qualcomm Taiwan & SEA, Australia, New Zealand, echoed the sentiment: “The PC is reborn with Snapdragon X Elite, and we are excited to collaborate with ASUS to put incredible innovation like the ASUS Vivobook S 15 in the hands of users, making a formidable range of AI devices that meet the needs of consumers now and in the future.”

The Qualcomm Hexagon NPU delivers ultimate productivity with 45 TOPS AI processing speeds. This ensures peak AI performance that is able to run directly on-the-device, rather than through the Cloud. This calibre of performance allows more responsive and smooth multitasking, guaranteeing a seamless experience with all AI tools and tasks without compromising battery life.

Dan Johnson, Windows & Microsoft 365 Category Lead for Microsoft ANZ, highlights the benefits of Edge AI: “We believe the richest AI experiences will only be possible when the cloud and device work together in concert. Now with the introduction of the Copilot+ PCs, I’m excited that together with our partners, such as ASUS, we can set the frame for the next decade of Windows innovation.”

The Vivobook S 15 is fast, offering instant boot-ups, capacious up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and an impressive 32GB of lighting-fast 8448 MHz LPDDR5X memory, which ensures the user is able to navigate daily tasks with speed and efficiency.

The Vivobook S 15 uses ASUS IceCool thermal technology – two 97 ice blades, two heat pipes and two exhaust vents – which allows for efficient heat transfer and exhaust to ensure the user can tackle demanding tasks without impacts on performance.

In line with Microsoft’s qualifications for a Copilot+ PC, the Vivobook S 15 also has a CoPilot key on the keyboard to ensure this AI tool is easy and quick to access, helping to make Content Creation, Productivity and Learning easier than ever.

To ensure Australians feel empowered by AI in all aspects of their daily lives, ASUS is launching a range of exclusive software, reflecting the company’s belief in how AI can revolutionise daily lives.

ASUS Lumina OLED displays boast superior visual capabilities to ensure Australians can experience the benefits of AI better.

In addition to the device’s visual capabilities, its audio system is Harman Kardon-certified with immersive, multi dimensional Dolby Atmos sound, elevating the overall audiovisual experience when working or playing.

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has been designed with portability and connectivity in mind, making it a great companion for users on the move. It is 14.7 mm slim in design and lightweight all-metal construction weighing 1.42 kg Equipped with 70 Wh battery providing over 18 hours of work or play, users can stay connected throughout the day, with support for fast charging and ASUS USB-C® Easy Charge for convenient charging.

The premium design features a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard for personalised aesthetics, while the dedicated Copilot key grants instant access to Windows AI-powered tools conveniently.

Additionally, the large and smart gesture touchpad offers easy navigation, enabling users to control various tasks from optimising screen brightness to adjusting audio.

Combined with its comprehensive array of I/O ports, including two USB4 ports, the Vivobook S 15 ensures blazing-fast connectivity and enhanced productivity wherever you go. With WiFi 7 technology and Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 technology, the device enables lightning-fast wireless connections – up to 4.8×3 faster than the previous generation.

ASUS Vivobook S 15 is tested to the rigorous MIL-STD 810H military standard, encompassing high and low temperature, shock, vibration and altitude tests to help ensure reliability and durability.

The Vivobook S 15 also has security and privacy in mind. With the IR camera, the user is able to unlock the device in an instant. Privacy can be safeguarded with a physical webcam cover and an integrated privacy shield that slides over the webcam for instant protection against prying eyes.

Pre-orders on the Vivobook S 15 S5507 Model are available from May 22, 2024.

The post ASUS unveils Vivobook S 15 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Acer has launched its first Copilot+ PC with the Swift 14 AI laptop, in collaboration with Microsoft and Qualcomm Technologies Inc. ushering in a new AI era with brand new user experiences and AI capabilities on Windows 11.

The Swift 14 AI has multiple device models, powered by Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus platforms[1], and both feature one of the world’s fastest NPUs for laptops to enable on-device AI processing. Users can streamline everyday tasks with smarter PC functions and tackle complex workloads more effectively.

“Engineered for AI from the inside out, the Swift 14 AI is the first among many Acer Copilot+ PCs to come,” said Jerry Kao, COO, Acer Inc. “These next-generation AI PCs see significant leaps in AI processing power, unlocking brand new experiences that we know users will love.”

“It’s exciting to collaborate with Acer to bring AI technology to its Windows PC range of devices from sleek ultrabooks to powerful gaming rigs. Our collaboration has been crucial in delivering productive and secure PCs that cater to a broad spectrum of customers while also balancing style and performance with affordability, making technology accessible to a wider audience while also focusing on sustainability. With Acer’s launch of its Copilot+ PC, the Swift 14 AI laptop, we will bring new AI experiences to life for customers, taking advantage of on-device and cloud AI to empower individuals and organisations to achieve more,” states Mark Linton, VP Device Partner Sales, Microsoft Corp.

“The Swift 14 AI is a remarkable device that demonstrates the power, performance and intelligence capabilities of the Snapdragon X Elite platform,” said Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Compute & Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Powered by the world’s fastest NPU for laptops and high-performance CPU cores, the Swift 14 AI delivers groundbreaking AI, enhanced productivity and creativity, making Acer’s new device a game-changer in the world of AI-enabled laptops.”

The Snapdragon X Series processors are built for AI and are designed to be among the most powerful, intelligent, and power efficient processors created for Windows in its class today. The new Acer Swift 14 AI, powered by Snapdragon X Elite, features high-performance CPU cores on a 4nm process node, integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU of 3.8 TFLOPS, and Qualcomm Hexagon NPU capable of 45 TOPS. It is also equipped with up to 32 GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory and up to 1 TB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD to enhance system performance and navigate demanding multi-tasking workloads across productivity, creativity, and immersive entertainment scenarios without sacrificing power. Paired with the hundreds of premium apps that are optimised for Arm-compatible architecture, Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors enable user experiences that run smoothly and efficiently.

The new Swift 14 AI has been optimised with powerful AI, unlocking new productivity, creativity, and communication experiences. With Recall, users can easily find anything they have seen on their PC by simply describing the clues they remember.

With an explorable timeline, users can easily scroll across time to get back to apps, documents, or messages they previously used. Live Captions with live translations provides automatic speech captions and conducts translations in real-time of any live or pre-recorded video from 44 languages into English.

To spark imagination and creative abilities, visual or written prompts can now be used to co-create AI images and texts on the device with Cocreator. Auto Super Resolution automatically upscales graphics resolution and frame refresh rates of games in real-time to deliver the visuals players crave without taking a hit on performance. For those who always want to look and sound their best while better engaging their audience in video calls, Windows Studio Effects helps to automatically improve lighting conditions and cancel out unwanted noise. It can also be used to activate three artistic filters on any video platform via Quick settings, allowing users to express themselves in new and creative ways during video calls.

And Copilot, the everyday AI companion, is accessible via a single click of the dedicated Copilot key.

As a reflection of its modern capabilities and usability, the Swift 14 AI sports a refined Copilot+ PC-exclusive design, highlighted by a unique AI icon stamped on the cover of the thin-and-light chassis and an Activity Indicator on the touchpad that illuminates when the device or Copilot is activated. The laptop features a 14.5-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and support for 100% sRGB colour gamut.

It is available with edge-to-edge touchscreen options and comes with TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe Certification 2.0 to help minimise the effects of harmful blue light without sacrificing colour accuracy. A 180-degree hinge design provides the flexibility of a different user mode and enables easy opening of the aluminium cover with one hand.

A 1440p QHD IR webcam with a triple microphone array and privacy shutter supports Acer’s suite of AI-boosted conferencing tools in Acer PurifiedView 2.0 and Acer PurifiedVoice 2.0 to ensure users always look and sound their best.

These can be swiftly calibrated thanks to Acer QuickPanel which intuitively appears when the device’s webcam or microphone has been switched on. A dedicated key directs users to the Red Dot Design Award-winning AcerSense app for device management and a library of AI features available on the device through the Experience Zone.

This Copilot+ PC comes with Windows Hello that supports biometric and facial recognition login for quick and secure access.

Sustainability remains a vital pillar for Acer’s next-generation products, with the Swift 14 AI utilising PCR plastic in the device, shipping with 100% recyclable packaging, and receiving the EPEAT Gold certification for its compliance with the highest EPEAT criteria. The device also boasts Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity to deliver speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps and low network latency of under 2 ms, plus a host of generous port selections including two USB Type-C and two USB 3.2 Type-A ports for added flexibility.

The Acer Swift 14 AI (SF14-11) will be available from late July 2024.

The post Acer Announces their First Copilot+ PC appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

HP has recently unveiled a new class of next-generation AI PCs at Microsoft’s AI Vision Event designed for the AI era to empower people to work and create more meaningfully.

The way we live and work is no longer confined to a desk; we are creating at home, from the office, and everywhere in between. At the same time, AI is rapidly changing everything, including consumer and professional expectations for productivity and creativity. More than half of early tech adopters believe AI will save them time, and 72% of business leaders believe AI will help employees focus on more productive work.

Additionally, developers are releasing a steady stream of AI-enabled software designed for new experiences and capabilities that can only be unlocked with next-gen AI PCs.

To capitalise on both flexible work and AI, HP has created a new category of devices crafted for work and creation. HP has unveiled the HP OmniBook X AI PC and HP EliteBook Ultra AI PC, HP’s first next-gen AI PCs built from the ground up with the latest ARM architecture to harness the most powerful AI technologies.

Both devices are designed and engineered around the Snapdragon X Elite processor and its dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), capable of 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) to run language models and generative AI locally on the device. Coupled with Copilot+ PC and its transformative features like Recall, these PCs supercharge creativity and productivity for a more personalised, powerful computing experience.

More AI apps are available every day, expanding the possibilities of what can be achieved with the newest HP next-gen AI PCs. Communicate and collaborate more effectively with AI tools that leverage gestures, facial expressions, and voice interaction to easily interact with others. Improve presentation skills in virtual meetings with real-time coaching and feedback powered by AI technologies. Create and edit photos, audio, and video faster than ever with AI-enabled software that make pro features easy even for beginners.

“In this transformative era of artificial intelligence, how we define an exceptional device is no longer about speeds and feeds – it is measured by our ability to create and enable meaningful breakthrough experiences, said Alex Cho, President, Personal Systems, HP Inc. “We’re at the beginning of a new decade of personal computing that will redefine what a personal computer is. AI enables a fundamentally more personalised and creative experience we believe will empower people in both their personal and professional lives.”

HP’s latest next-gen AI PCs unlock capabilities beyond traditional PCs, running AI locally on the device for maximum performance, efficiency, and privacy with longer battery life than ever before. The HP OmniBook X and HP EliteBook Ultra are designed for tech-savvy freelancers and on-the-go leaders with a sleek design and the perfect synergy of AI-enhanced power and mobility.

With 60% of freelancers already using AI tools in their work, and 70% of developers adding AI to existing applications, HP architected the HP OmniBook X and HP EliteBook Ultra to take advantage of the newest features and software experiences.

The HP OmniBook X AI PC is available for pre-order at and will begin shipping on June 18, 2024.

The HP EliteBook Ultra AI PC will be available from June 18, 2024.

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