Hi, I dont know what to do
I got banned 3 times in the last 24 hours from whatsapp.
Im a totally regular person, using the same number since 2011, didnt change phone number at all, didnt changed SIM, didnt change country, same android phone in the last 4 years, using original OS (not rooted), original whatsapp app
not using 3rd party application, didnt send anything unusual
what to do? Im aftaid I might have to switch phone number.. or even buying new cell phone??
feeling lost
tried to contact whatsapp on the web but they keep responding with automatic messages

I came from two iPhones (xs, 11 pro) then went to a pixel 6a. Battery was much better, I enjoyed android much more than iOS. Although I did miss facetime and iMessage, I've come to realise it's not that deep, there are alternatives that do 80% of the things they do.
Anyways, decided to upgrade to the 8 pro from the 6a since I found a great deal. This thing is great, the screen gets extremely bright, the 120hz is an 'un noticeable' upgrade, however when you go back to 60hz you really notice the difference.
The battery is better, however I did expect it to last a little bit longer. I'm getting around 6hrs SOT so I can't complain. The build of the device feels premium, close to apple, but you won't notice this if you have a case. The haptics are the best I've used on a phone, clicky and premium feeling.
The cameras are great, better then the 6a (obviously). However the zoom transitions could be better. Also when scrolling some apps there is a stutter, but I've been told this will be fixed in android 15.
The speakers are a nice surprise, they are much fuller sounding than the 6a and my previous iphones, but I can't comment on whether they're better than the current iPhone lineup.
The processor is quick enough and doesn't really heat up for me. Bench marks don't show much, most phones power is more than enough to do what most people look to do in a phone. The tensor G3 has performed very well in my experience.
Overall my experience has been great and if you're on the fence about doing the same upgrade, I'd do it!

You can now insert images as comments when you seek for in-game help in Megathreads! Check out this mod post HERE for more information.
​
Use this Megathread if you have general questions or need advice! e.g. asking for EX / Candy recommendation, gems usage, "Should I pull this banner?", "How do I build a team on this stage?", etc.
If you need team building help specifically for Champion Stadium, you may use the Champion Stadium Megathread to receive a quicker response.

Installing Pokémon Masters

Pokémon Masters is available worldwide except for Belgium and The Netherlands due to bans on loot boxes.
We will go over the two main platforms on installing the game, IOS and Android.
According to the official site, the game is most compatible in these devices:
iOS: 11 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
Android: OS 7.0 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
IOS:

1. Via Apple Store: HERE

Android

1. Via Google Play Store: HERE
2. Others

If the game is unavailable in your country or shows as not available for your device, you can download the APK directly from APKPure or QooApp.
You can also use VPN to download it from the application store, but it requires longer downloading time compared to the above recommended methods.
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Reroll Guide

Reroll means that you make a new account and look at what you got from your scout. If you don't like your first few multi-pulls, you delete the account and create a new one again and so on until you are satisfied.
​
Why reroll?

• You're a new or returning player and you want to get your hands on meta Sync Pairs for easier clears.
• A favourite/meta Sync Pair has been released and you want to get him/her no matter what.

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How to Reroll?
If you're an existing player, delete your local data or cache first. Otherwise, do not link your account to Nintendo. Doing so will bind your Pokémon Masters account to your Nintendo profile permanently and can no longer be removed.
As of now, if you progress up to the point when co-op mode is unlocked, you can get at least 21.000 gems, the equivalent of 7 multis, earning at least 231/400 scout points (33 scout points per multi scout), allowing you to scout at least 77 Sync Pairs. Completing the following checkpoints will let you receive gems as completion rewards:

Completion Requirement	Notable Rewards	Additional Notes
Starting the game (Part 1)	MC & Pikachu, Misty & Starmie, Brock & Onix	Choose Kanto Starter (Movesets HERE)
Starting the game (Part 2)	MC & BulbasauCharmandeSquirtle, Blue & Pidgeot (5★ Guaranteed Scout)	Kanto Starter Egg Hatches
Finish Champion Stadium: Kanto Challenge (Normal)	150 Gems	You can reuse the same Sync Pairs after each round
Special Completion Rewards: Champion Stadium (Normal)	500 Gems	Accessible in the Poké Center as an icon on the top-left corner
Finish Champion Stadium: Victory Road	5000 Gems, SS Red & Charizard/SS Blue & Blastoise/SS Leaf & Venusaur (5★ Guaranteed Ticket Scout)	Also scoutable in the Triple Featured Poké Fair banner (3 days)
Finish Chapter 1 (Normal)	90 Gems, Rosa & Snivy
Finish Chapter 2 (Normal)	200 Gems, Barry & Piplup, Professor Oak & Mew and Legendary Arena unlocked.	Professor Oak & Mew upgrade materials available in Bingo Rewards
Finish Chapter 3 (Normal)	150 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Normal)	170 Gems, Erika & Vileplume
Finish Chapter 5 (Normal)	160 Gems, Skyla & Swanna
Finish Chapter 6 (Normal)	200 Gems, Korrina & Lucario
Finish Chapter 7 (Normal)	250 Gems, Norman & Slaking
Finish Chapter 8 (Normal)	170 Gems, Pryce & Seel
Finish Chapter 9 (Normal)	240 Gems, Iris & Haxorus
Finish Chapter 10 (Normal)	280 Gems, Hapu & Mudsdale
Finish Interlude 1 (Normal)	60 Gems, SS Brock & Tyranitar
Finish Chapter 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 2 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 3 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 5 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 6 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 7 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 8 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 9 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 10 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Interlude 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
EX Plaza: Special Training Battle Techniques	60 Gems

These missions are completed progressively as you play the game, so they are not listed in numerical order.
These missions can be completed multiple times as the player reaches new checkpoints.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 1: Log in to the game	10 Gems
Mission 21: Raise team strength	10 Gems
Mission 3: Obtain Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 4: Obtain Big Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 5: Obtain 1★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 6: Obtain 2★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 7: Obtain 3★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 62: Evolve a Pokemon	10 Gems
Mission 91: Obtain a Lucky Cookie	10 Gems
Mission 125: Raise your player rank	10 Gems
Mission 262: Have a number of interaction(s) in Trainer Lodge	100 Gems
Mission 263: Reach friendship level 100 with a number of guests	100 Gems
Mission 264: Reach a certain friendship level with any guest	100 Gems

These missions can only be completed once but give a high amount of gems.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 82: Link to your Nintendo account	600 Gems
Mission 89: Participate in the Battle Villa	1000 Gems

If you are not satisfied with your pulls, click on the Poryphone at the right-bottom corner in the Pokémon Center -> Account -> Delete Save Data. Repeat the above steps until you pulled the Sync Pair you want.
Now that you're ready to go on an adventure, link your account through Poryphone Menu by tapping "Account", then "Link a Nintendo Account" to save your progress. After that, try to get any free Sync Pairs as you progress:

• Professor Oak & Mew: Complete his Sync Pair story and finish the bingo missions from Professor Oak & Mew Special Missions.
• Rosa & Serperior: Complete all bingo missions from "Rise to 6★ EX with Rosa!" and upgrade her to 6★ EX.
• Legendary Event Sync Pairs: Obtainable via Legendary Adventures. Reach the end of story to obtain the legendary Sync Pair, character-exclusive 5★ promotion tickets and event vouchers. Try to upgrade them to 5/5 20/20 as soon as possible and invest in their Sync Grids; they will be valuable assets for content clearing. Do note that exclusive materials such as Champion Spirit and Sync Grid expansion for these Sync Pair are only obtainable in event reruns, and hence event-limited.

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EX Gear Type Chart

Note that these co-op stages only drop 2★ Gear as the highest rarity for their corresponding Gear Type. 3★ Gear is restricted to Type Gear Events and Pokémon Masters Day every month, and it can be obtained in the time-limited event shop and in the General tab in exchange for 3★ gear material co-op stage drops.

Stage	Gear Type
EX Brock	Grass/Steel/Rock
EX Misty	Flying/Fairy/Steel
EX Barry	Grass/Dragon/Water
EX Flannery	Bug/WateGhost
EX Erika	Fire/Poison/Ground
EX Skyla	Rock/Normal/Flying
EX Korrina	Fire/Fighting/Psychic
EX Pryce	Electric/Ice/Bug
EX Marshal	Psychic/Dark/Ice
EX Hau	Ground/Electric/Fairy
EX Clair	Dragon/Dark/Fighting
EX Janine	Poison/Normal/Ghost

​

In-Game FAQ

1. When is anniversary coming?

Half-year	28 February 6AM UTC
Full-year	28 August 6AM UTC

2 Why hasn't my Pokemon evolved? It's at Level [X]!
Evolution requires an evolution item available in the Training Area (Evolution Material Area). Upon earning the Evolution Materials, you need to go to the Sync Pair Stories to trigger the Evolution Story.
3. Should I save to do 11 multi-scouts instead of single scouts?
You can now get x11 units instead of 10, so yes, but we strongly recommend you to save gems for Poké Fair or Master Fair banners (which has a higher rate for 5★ characters).
4. How many gems are required to receive a Sync Pair of my choice?
36.600 non-paid gems (or 36.300 gems + 100 paid gems for a daily single pull), which is the equivalent of 400 scout points. Scout points do not carry over between banners.
5. What does [X]/5, [Y]/20, etc mean?
When you obtain a Sync Pair, they're at 1/5 Sync Move level. Rolling a dupe of that Sync Pair, or using a Move Candy will increase it by 1 level. 3/5 is the minimum for most sync pairs to complete their full Sync Grid, but some Poké Fairs have grid expansions that require their Sync Move to be completely maxed out at 5/5 for their full Sync Grid.
At the same time, Sync Pairs are at 0/20 Potential when they're just obtained. Giving Sync Pairs Powerups will raise their Potential and stats. When a Sync Pair is given 20 powerups, their star level will be increased. Getting a unit to 5★ 20/20 is mandatory for it to further upgrade to 6★ EX (if it has one).
6. How do I Unlock The Level cap of my units?
Training Area (Cap Unlock Area), (Cap Unlock Area 2), Exchange in the shop, Events.
7. Where do I get the manuals to level up my sync pairs?
Training Area (Level up Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, random drops in Trainer Lodge.
8. How do I get Sync orbs?
Training Area (Sync orb Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, Champion Stadium Master Mode (6K & 7.5K), random drops in Trainer Lodge.
9. What are Theme Skill and how do I get items to power them up?
Theme Skill is a new ability that raises the stats of your Sync Pairs if any of them has a common position, type, region, trainer group, or other features with another pair (or pairs) in the same team. Skill Spheres, which can be obtained in Theme Skill area and Champion Stadium Master Mode, are required to upgrade them.
10. What Lucky Skill should I roll for [X]? How do I get Lucky Cookies and Scrolls to unlock a Sync Pair's Lucky Skill?
Refer to Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (by u/MomoSpark) for more details.
In general, the choices of Lucky Skills follow the roles of Sync Pairs:

• Strike:
  • Critical Strike 2 (3★ Crunchy)
  • Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) if used exclusively in weather
    • Boosts the damage of attack moves and sync moves but not max moves
• Support:
  • Vigilance (3★ Creamy), unless the Sync Pair already has Vigilance in their kit
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Tech:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, P Serena & Whimsicott, etc.)
  • Refer to Support if the Sync Pair's kit is a tanker and/or a healer (e.g. Prof Oak & Mew, SS Leaf & Venusaur, etc.)
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Sprint:
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Nemona & Pawmot, Paulo & Lycanroc Dusk, etc.)
• Field:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Victor & Spectrier, Variety Giovanni & Rhydon, etc.)

There are exceptions to some Sync Pairs. For example,

• Iris & Haxorous favours Lessen Confusion 9 (2★ Crispy) to increase DPS under confusion with Confusion Boon 5 in grid.
• Serena & Delphox and most other sleep-inducing units favour Troublemaker 1 (3★ Crunchy) to increase the accuracy of sleep-inducing status moves.
• Zinnia & Rayquaza can go for either Dauntless (3★ Creamy) to mitigate SP ATK debuffs after each use of Draco Meteor, or Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) to stack with her weather-based multipliers.

Lucky Cookies and Lucky Scrolls can all be obtained in Battle Villa (Single Player & Co-op), Blissful Bonanza, and Legendary Gauntlet. Legendary Gauntlet can provide unlimited 3★ Lucky Cookies as well as Deluxe Cookies exclusive to that mode after each successful stage clear, and their drop chance increases with longer win streaks.
11. What are the Sync Move effects of 6★ EX Sync Pairs of different roles? Who should I promote to 6★ EX first?
Each role gives different effects to Sync Moves when upgraded to 6★ EX.

• Strike: Sync Move becomes AoE. (Its power is not reduced against multiple targets.)
• Support: Sync Move raises sync buff by +2 instead of +1 when it is used for the first time. (Each sync buff increases damage output by 50%.)
• Tech: Sync Move power x1.5
• Sprint: Sync Move reduces the user's sync move countdown by 3.
• Field: Sync Move applies a field effect before dealing damage and extends its duration by 50%.

Support is usually prioritized for promotion to 6★ EX because its EX effect effectively doubles the damage of all allied sync pairs after first sync and is more widely applicable across most game modes, and the increased stats from raising the support's Potential greatly enhances its bulk to tank stages.
For Strike, if its kit has a very high DPS (e.g. SS Red & Charizard, Diantha & Gardevoir, etc.), or includes a powerful Sync multiplier (e.g. Steven & Metagross's Haymaker, Barry & Empoleon's Inertia, etc.), you are highly recommended to upgrade it to 6★ EX to apply the damage to all opponents. This applies to Tech as well, but only if the unit is a Sync nuker (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, etc.).
Since Field applies a field effect that can boost its own damage and potentially that of its allies as well, upgrading it to 6★ EX is also recommended. Sprint enables faster sync buffs and usually come with innate Sync Move multipliers like Tech, but its EX effect does not improve damage as directly as the other roles.
Promoting Support-type units to 6★ EX is not a must, but it's always an added bonus, especially if their Sync Move can provide any additional effects via passive or grid skills.
Always remember to upgrade Rosa to 6★ EX because the materials are obtainable for free.
12. Which Sync Pair should I use my candy on?
Refer to Which Sync Pair Should You Give Your Candy To? (Infographic) (by u/MuddyDummy) for more details.
Always save your candies unless the Sync Pair is exclusive to Seasonals, Poké Fairs or Master Fairs. Most Sync Pairs are usable at 1/5. You can always "accidentally" pull the unit you've been looking for from the normal pool, but you never know when limited Sync Pairs will rerun again. This may not apply to Sync Pairs that are your favorite.
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Common Technical Questions/Errors

Below lists all common technical errors you may encounter during the game, as well as how you can fix it. You are strongly encouraged to contact DeNA with any problems at [support@pokemonmasters-game.com](mailto:support@pokemonmasters-game.com) if any of these advice do not help.

1. Error 20103 — Please check your connection and try again: Usually caused due to lack of connection or sudden disconnection. Try playing the game in a place with more stable connection.
2. Error 10102 — An error has occurred. Restarting the game: This error is often triggered because it detects your phone is rooted, or that you are using external applications which allows opening multiple accounts on the same device. For rooted phone users, make sure you hide your rooted status.
3. Game crashed mid-battle: Restart the app and clear your cache. This option is available in the bottom-left corner of the title screen.
4. Does Pokémon Masters work on emulators? No. As of now, PM is not compatible with any of the emulators (including Bluestacks, Nox, etc.) However, playing two accounts on the same device is possible on Android by cloning with Island.

​

Tools

• Events Countdown Timer (created by u/antocs, updated by Thunder#4694)
• PoMaTools (u/stdk12)

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Guides

• A Beginner’s Guide for Building Teams and Training Pokémon (u/Stitch426)
• Pokémon Masters: Tier List & Resources (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team, Gamepress)
• Pokémon Masters EX: Datamine Analysis (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team)
• Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (u/MomoSpark)
• Eggmon Compendium (u/Zinfogel)
• Pokémon Masters Damage Formula (u/stdk12)
• More guides can be found HERE.

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Reminders

• To receive quicker response from other fellow users, it is strongly recommended to enlist your roster, Lucky Skills, Sync Grid builds and other information deemed necessary, such that you can be provided a strategic team with higher chance of success when battling.
• If you would like to provide images and videos, you may use external websites such as Imgur, Gyazo and Streamable to embed links.
• Do not force your own playstyle onto others as it is completely subjective. Different kinds of players, veterans and novices, casual and hardcore, may all share different opinions and playstyles. It is fine to give suggestions, but forcing your ideas and way of playing onto others is not something to be condoned here. No one's way of playing is completely right.

For oppo and Android user, if you facing a constant popup of " manage keyboards" as above, do inactivate the #gboards ( close all permission) and check all your apps and delete the unfamiliar on yr phone, I did mine and the pop up stops.

Hi, I know some of you have been interested in Joost’s written stuff, so this is one of them. It’s a short story that Joost wrote for Boekenweek voor Jongeren (Book Week for Young People) in 2019. There’s more info about it here (in Dutch) https://www.vice.com/nl/article/qvgzpv/joost-klein-schreef-een-kort-verhaal-over-een-wilde-nacht-in-berlijn and there was also this promo video for it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx7wxnpxps0. It's been translated from Dutch - maybe not the most perfect translation but it's readable. Original in Dutch here. Enjoy

"How come he suddenly has cash?" I looked at Gurb, but he avoided my gaze. Louis never had money and yet he was buying another round. Meanwhile, a Moby song was playing and nothing made sense. "If he has money for drinks, he can surely pay me back, right?"
Just a few hours ago, I was alone in Berlin. Now, ten hours later, I'm standing in some obscure techno club with my best friends. Loud rock music with drunken shouting. "Hey, Miss Murder, can I make beauty stay if I take my life?" I woke up that day with a mild hangover from the lonely yet people-filled night before. Perfect conditions for a 20-year-old dropout.
The Hard Rock Café was the most beautifully ugly place in Berlin. Gurb had driven for seven hours straight in his mother's car, but we didn't notice. An iconic black Mini Cooper. Your body leads your mind, the beat never stops, and you can conquer the world. Louis threw in another crazy dance move. We were happy.
"Do you want another drink, brother?" Gurb asked me, half shouting. An evening filled with rhetorical questions. He saw me dancing and already knew the answer.
Gurb always had money. Louis, on the other hand, never did. Louis was also the youngest of us three. He had just turned 18. I wouldn't call him a cunning fox. More like a jack-of-all-trades. Like the time he made a lot of money on a Wadden Island with a group of boys. They sold large blocks of hash.
"Crazy dude!" I shouted at him. He yelled something back.
"Do you remember back then?" Louis said.
"Back then? Back then? Yeah man, of course!" I had no idea what he meant. "Do you mean the party?"
"Do you mean the party, he says! This guy. When I look at you like this, it makes me happy. The exact same kid is here letting loose just like back in high school!"
We knew each other from secondary school. He joined when I was in the second grade. He was very intelligent. Too young, too much knowledge of the world. His mother is from Brazil. We often went to his mother's place to play on the Playstation Louis and I had bought together.
I lived everywhere at that time. In the crisis shelter where I stayed for a while, for example, I wasn't allowed to have a Playstation. So we set it up in an accessible place, near school. It was always fun with Louis. Going together to the Apple Store. Taking all kinds of photos with all the webcams, posting them on Hyves, and then leaving. Louis always knew how to cheer me up.
"Aaaaaaaaaa!" There was Gurb with five drinks in his hands. Gurb was wearing a blue checkered shirt. Two buttons undone. Hair slicked back. "You look good, brother!"
"You look fresh too! We all look fresh!" Gurb said enthusiastically. Louis was wearing a completely white outfit. We quickly bought this before going out. He also bleached his hair.
"You look like the Brazilian cousin of James Dean in these clothes," I said. Louis laughed. "Let me take a picture."
Suddenly, the DJ switched to some kind of techno. "Ah, here Berlin briefly takes off its mask." I was fine with it all. Louis was talking to a lady.
Voluptuous breasts, I thought to myself. He gave her one of his two drinks.
"He's with a girl and he's thinking with his dick," I said to Gurb. "Let him be, tonight Berlin is ours!"
The bass kept pounding. "I simply don't have the patience for the club," I said to Gurb. He looked surprised. Like a sweet dog, tilting his head. "I'm just waiting for tomorrow. Can't do my thing here. Don't have patience for the already known. I want adventure and I want it now!"
Gurb started laughing. "Patience is a virtue." Yes. Patience is all well and good, but I think it's a waste of my time. Gurb grabbed my shoulder.
"I think it's time for another beer."
Louis and I were walking through Leeuwarden a year ago when suddenly a red Ford Ka stopped in front of us. It was Gurb, casually driving around the city. He invited us into his car. We hopped in. Since that afternoon, the three of us were together. A few months later, Louis got a tattoo on his ribs in honor of our friendship. It was the name of our group chat. Braddar Force Indigo.
There were also days when Gurb would take me for a drive around Friesland. He reminded me how beautiful Friesland is. The world doesn't spin there. The newspapers I threw away in the Stiens forest in 2011 could still be lying in the same spot, so to speak.
Just before midnight, I found myself in line for the restroom. My eyes fell on a pair of striking shoes. Cigarette smoke invaded my nose for the fourth time. "Müssen Sie eine Zigarette haben?" a female voice spoke to me. I felt like Tom Hanks in the final scene of Angels & Demons, where the new pope first steps onto the balcony. The curtains opened. There I was, witnessing an important moment in history. I was just told how I was sent by God, but my ears didn't want to hear any of it. At least that's how I felt. My mouth was empty. I had no words left. That's when I knew for sure. Berlin might really be as crazy as literally everyone says.
Dark blond, silky hair. Was this real beauty then? She wouldn't look 40, but I think she was. A true woman. Beautiful in all her elegance. I always joked about being interested in older women, but tonight one stood in front of me. "I don't smoke," I said to her.
Someone tapped me. "Please, just go to the toilet!" He was right. I hadn't peed in a while either. My urine was cloudy. "Glomerulonephritis," I said to myself on the toilet. This is an unusual condition. It's an inflammation in the kidneys, I thought I remembered. They should never have given me access to Google.
The evening progressed, and Louis kept buying rounds. "But seriously now. How does Louis suddenly have all that money for drinks?" I asked Gurb. He was outside smoking with a group of Swiss girls. I had strategically positioned myself so that I could always leave the crime scene if necessary.
"You shouldn't ask me," said Gurb. He was laughing with the temporary girlfriend group of Louis. Gurb has a beard. A lot of chicks like that. I get it too.
As much as I enjoyed Louis and Gurb being here for me, something didn't sit right with me. It couldn't just be about the money. "What's up with him?" I heard one of the Swiss girls say to Gurb.
Those kinds of questions really tire me out. "Not much, with you?" I replied.
They all started laughing. "That's not what she meant, brother," said Gurb.
"I couldn't care less whether she meant it or not. Send that brace-face back to Switzerland. Don't drive me crazy, alright!"
Actually, I hadn't drunk that much that evening. "Two vodka Sprites, please!" It's rare for me to get just one drink. "I always get two drinks, then you have to wait shorter for the third one!" Maybe the alcohol was affecting me more than I wanted to admit. Oh well, it was still the three of us against the world.
"Nice shoes, are those Prada?" I asked a random girl at the bar.
"No, these are fake. Why would I buy real ones for 600 dollars if I could just buy these for 20?"
"..."
I'm not very good at that. Talking. To women.
Louis and Gurb were in the smoking area now. It was less blue than the dance floor itself. My clothes already stank, so a visit to the smoking area couldn't hurt. "These people are so underground!" Gurb shouted. Louis was filming him with his phone. "These people..." There was a brief pause. As if Gurb forgot the only line he had. "...so underground!" All three of us burst into laughter. The alcohol flowed through our veins as if it came from the purest mountains. People seemed doubled and the room was full. We had been in the same club in Berlin for several hours.
"Leonardo! What are you hiding from the big boss?" I sometimes called Louis ‘DiCaprio.’ "You a rich guy, now?" I said, with an accent as if I were from the Bronx.
Louis started laughing. "Eh, you know nothing. Bullshit talk."
I had to laugh too. What was I even worried about? Friends are friends, with or without money. That shouldn't matter. Louis probably just worked for that money. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe he just had enough to buy rounds. But what if my gut feeling was right? That feeling was never wrong. Except for that one time at the Holland Casino in Groningen. Even the best of us have slip-ups. I was just getting worked up again. When it comes down to it, Louis is one of the sweetest guys I know. I had to let it go. After all, it's still Louis.
"I think I'm going to have sex soon, man," Louis said.
"With who?" I asked immediately.
"That one girl."
"Which one?"
"The one with the boobs."
"Oh, her. Just be careful."
"What kind of reaction is that?" Louis asked indignantly.
I'd only had four drinks, but I was acting like a mess. Louis was right. I didn't understand myself. Where was my head at? I'm here in Berlin, supposed to be having the time of my life, but here I am feeling lonely and sad again. Joost once again couldn't control his emotions.
"Sorry," I suddenly said to Louis. "Sorry for my behavior. Been acting dumb towards you all night. It's unnecessary." Sometimes I have that. Mood swings. "Know that crime is never the solution. We've talked about this so many times. Yes, it's tempting and sometimes easy money. I sometimes find it amusing too, but it's always hypothetical. Ask me for help. I can help you, even with illegal things. I'll always have your back." The dancing was kind of over.
The words I had just placed on Louis's plate came from my heart. My Frisian, irregular boys' heart.
Crying in the club. I had never seen myself like that. Crying, yes. In the club, no. I never understood the taboo around crying. Or emotions in general. I saw myself in the mirror. They weren't tears of joy. They weren't tears of sadness either. It was me letting everything go. All the emotions I had ever felt. The emotions I felt between my brother and sister and myself because they wanted to take on a parental role over me, but I was in puberty, so I pushed them away. The emotions I felt when my old neighbors were supposed to take care of my dog, but didn't tell me that he was bitten by one of their dogs. They didn't have money for the surgery, they later told me. They were ashamed of their lack of money. My dog died from this injury. Even the emotions that were all jumping at once during the retake for my swimming diploma A, I let go of.
No emotions. Just for a moment, not feeling anything. Is that too much to ask for?
"You still don’t smoke?"
It had to be the voice of the woman with the cigarettes. I looked over my shoulder through the mirror. It was her. The one with dark blond, silky hair.
"Not to be rude, but this is the men’s room," I said. She took a step closer and kissed me on my lips. It tasted like more. We started kissing. It had been a while since I had had female contact at this level. It probably didn't look good and it didn't feel good either. She started kissing my neck. Slowly, I noticed the pressure in the erectile tissues of my penis starting to increase. "I really don't have time for this!" I thought to myself. The woman with the cigarettes started to slowly sink down until she was on her knees. I didn't want this. Not now, not like this. She unraveled my penis from my Polo Ralph Lauren underwear. Her tongue was blue. It was probably from cheap shots of alcohol.
Was this real beauty then? Was this the beginning or the end of her story? And had I become the boy my parents hoped I would be? I thought about the fact that this was once someone's little daughter. Somewhere in the world, an old man might be wondering what his daughter is doing. Am I really putting pleasure above my own morals and values?
With my semi-erect circumcised penis still exposed, I lifted her up. After giving her a kiss on her forehead, I pulled up my pants and left the toilets.
It was the usual last hour in any club ever. I met Louis and Gurb at the bar. "Should we have another drink?" I asked Gurb. "I feel like having a cocktail. Something sweet. Lots of sugar. What about you?"
Gurb looked at the menu. "A cognac would go down well right now."
"A cognac? You're only nineteen!" Gurb and Louis laughed. "Two Tequila Sunrises please!" I called to the bartender. "Also, two beers! Thanks!" I also got a beer for Louis. At first, I didn't want to, but I didn't want to spoil the mood either. Besides, I didn't want to show too much that it bothered me so much.
We danced away the last minutes. The club closed, and we decided to walk with the group of Swiss girls. Apparently, they were staying nearby.
As I lagged behind the group, one of them tried to start a conversation with me. "Are you okay?" she asked kindly.
"I'm fine. Just had too much beer. Makes me sleepy." Not true at all, but I've heard people say that.
"You’re tired? The fun has only just began!" And as she said this, she pulled something out of her inner pocket. Her clenched fist, shielded by a half jacket. Who is this girl, anyway? I thought to myself. She opened her hand flat, and right in the center of her palm lay two small pills with a smiley face on them. At least, they looked like it.
"Oh, I don’t do drugs. Sorry."
"Me neither!" And she swallowed a pill. "Now it’s your turn... Or are you scared?"
Scared? Who did this crazy Swiss witch (with really beautiful eyes) think she was. With her "are you scared". I'll show her who's scared.
"Scared? I’m not scared." I picked up the remaining pill and swallowed it.
Everything went in slow motion. Was this who I had become? Was this the same boy from high school? And just before I could swallow, I spat out the pill. She was shocked. I picked up the pill again, dried it with my jacket, and put it back in her fist. "Maybe later!" I shouted, running back to the group, over my shoulder.
I have nothing to say to 9 out of 10 peers I come across. Of course, I can be social. I can also have fun with random people in random situations, but that night, it just tired me out. I also didn't understand what we were doing there. Those girls found me strange anyway. Suddenly, I was the fifth wheel.
"We know this place where they go until 7 in the morning!" The girl leader of the group spoke. I wanted to go home. "If you guys want, you can go. Don't worry about me," I said to Gurb and Louis. The boys had a brief discussion. We agreed to stay for just a little while longer for some drinks. I consented. I was thirsty. "I'll have a Fanta, Louis."
Gurb had reached the last cigarette in his pack. Louis and a girl from the group were nowhere to be found. It didn't even bother me. This guy just walks around with some cash in his pocket and all hell breaks loose. After a night full of stimuli, I understood Louis. Of course, I understood Louis. He's a young god. Handsome, smart guy. But that didn't make me any less angry. It was purely about trust for me. Something inside me said I should stop subconsciously expecting things from people too. It prevents disappointment.
"Hotel please!" I jokingly suggested to Gurb. "Should you call Louis or should I?" I added. Gurb immediately grabbed his Android smartphone and called Louis. He put the call on speaker.
"Are you ready?" Gurb asked.
"Yeah. Sort of."
"What do you mean?"
"We didn't have sex."
"That's fine, right? Tomorrow's a new day!"
"I think I'm in love, man," Louis said.
"...," Gurb said, chuckling as he let out a sigh.
Once we arrived at the girls' hostel, it was already getting light. Louis was thankfully back. There were stains on his pants, around his knees. My focus was solely on arranging a taxi. Although the boys were still flirting, I was really done now. "How are we going to pay for this taxi?" I said a bit too loudly.
There was a silence. "Don't worry. I still have cash," Gurb said.
"Yeah, I knew you would," I replied.
My words clearly hit Louis. "What do you mean by that?" he said.
It was as if time stood still for a few seconds. "Exactly what I said. Better listen." Louis pulled out a small wad of green bills from his pocket. At least 400 euros. "I don't even want to see that money," I reacted. I walked away.
I'll just order a taxi myself.
"Why are you walking away now?" Gurb said.
"Twelve hours ago, I was alone too, and I had a lot more fun then."
"Do you really want to know how I got this money?" Louis said.
Yes, I did want to know. My whole evening revolved around that damn money.
He took a second of pause before he began speaking. "The answer lies in the Mini."
What on earth could be in Gurb's mother's car? Louis was trying to get into my head. "Taxi!"
Once in the taxi, the division was clear. Gurb was upfront, chatting animatedly with the driver. All adventures ever were recounted. Louis and I in the back. One of my best friends since I was thirteen. Funny how things turn out. It was quiet between us. I was in my head, rehearsing how I would bring up the money again. It didn't add up, and he knew it himself. "I don't care, you know," I said, hoping he'd break.
"What don't you care about?"
"About that money."
"What money? You're really a crazy woozy man." Louis burst out laughing again.
On the other hand, it was silent. Gurb had started talking about the driver's family. The driver didn't appreciate it. Gurb meant well. The driver smelled of alcohol. Or was it me? His nails were polished. Maybe his wife was a specialist. I bite my nails myself. Like now.
"In the Mini, oh yeah."
"Shut up. Illegal man."
"You'll never know."
"Stop playing. Just say it!"
Louis grabbed my head, pulled himself towards me, and brought his mouth to my right ear. "Why so serious?" he whispered. He didn't want to tell me.
"But always with this damn money, huh?" I almost shouted at Louis. I broke every silence within a radius of 10 kilometers.
"I'm trying my best, bro. It is what it is. I can't make it any different," he replied. It was clearly bothering him deeply. He ran his hands through his hair. "Sometimes people have to do things. And you know that better than anyone. Sometimes they have to do things they don't really want to or aren't supposed to do."
I knew this spiel all too well. Through all the drunken haziness, I suddenly saw a small glimmer of light. A tiny spark of sincerity. Louis was serious this time.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to involve you in this. I'm sorry," sweat dripped from his forehead.
"You're serious, huh? Damn, man. What mess have you gotten yourself into now? Worse than Terschelling?" Worse than Terschelling would mean stolen goods. Maybe even violence.
"It's not what you think."
"The Adlon Hotel, right?" the driver chimed in. Always saved by the bell, that Louis.
Suddenly I hit my head against the seat in front of me. Of course, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. The last thing I saw was Gurb waking up in panic from his drunken stupor. One by one, I started losing my senses. It started with the feeling in my fingers. For a brief moment, everything wasn't quite black, and I could only see a vague pattern of colors repeating inside my eyelids. You could compare it to the brief moment after the commercial break before the movie starts in the cinema. The movie was about to begin.
I knew I wasn't dying. At least not yet. Not like this. Not after an overall mediocre night out in Berlin. I found comfort in the image I forced myself to see. It was all in my head. There I was, unconscious.
I saw myself in a third-person point of view. It wasn't like I was actually leaving my body. More like there was a webcam hanging in one of the upper corners of the taxi.
As a child, I used to dream a lot about death. Nights spent awake.
At some point, I developed a kind of compulsive behavior. I kept swaying my torso from left to right with my hands under my head. It became almost like a workout before bedtime. Every night.
I called it dream shuffling. Just like I had learned to shuffle puzzle pieces or playing cards. Making things a little exciting for yourself. But what I almost never told anyone was that I was scared. I was afraid of burglars, who were very agile and muscular.
Especially afraid that they would murder me. I really wanted to know what death was like. It scared me.
These fear visions originated during an all-inclusive vacation in Turkey. I was 6 years old and already in bed. There was a big old TV in our hotel room, so I could secretly watch TV from bed. Every evening, my parents sat on the balcony. Here they discussed their day while enjoying a glass of alcohol. There was a Japanese animated series on TV. In the few seconds that I watched, I saw a scary creature climbing a sort of apartment complex via the balconies. The creature had hundreds of teeth and blond hair. It quickly entered to decapitate the people, then drained them and, as a final insult, robbed them. Dozens of carcasses of dead people were scattered around the apartment complex. The complex on TV resembled the resort where we were in reality, and the TV world merged with my surroundings. I became part of it. I saw people watching. No matter how loudly I screamed for help, they didn't react. The sun became very bright, and the people turned into nothing more than shadows. As the intensity of the sun increased, something became clear to me. These were not people. They had a sort of orange skin. Where I had previously thought it was their nose and mouth, it turned out that these shadowy figures did not have such physical features. They simply had three holes in their heads. The police tried to do something, but in vain. Since then, we always kept the light on in the hallway outside my bedroom. By rocking back and forth, from left to right, I could glance fleetingly at the beam of light under the door. That bit of light, escaping from the hallway into my room, gave me an advantage. It allowed me to stay one step ahead of the burglars. Pretty smart, right?
"From Jamaica to the world!
It’s just love. Why must the children play in the street?"
It was Bob Sinclar with "Love Generation" speaking to us through the taxi's speakers. We were stationary. I was conscious again, but I didn't feel alive at all. "How long was I out?" I asked Louis.
I could tell by his expression that he was relieved. Relieved that I was back. "One minute," he almost apologized. Louis gave me a pat on the shoulder. Gurb, on the other hand, was sleeping. He slept like a baby cub.
I put my right index finger on my forehead. It felt wet, but it wasn't blood. Blood feels different. Meanwhile, I kept hearing whistling.
"Be the love generation! Oh yeah!" It was still that same song by Bob Sinclar.
The earlier scent of alcohol had now been replaced by the smell of incense. It smelled like the same incense I had in my room. Sold to me as Tibetan 39 incense. I had bought it at a coffee shop in Rotterdam. I pulled up my notes on my phone. "Who lights incense in a CAR????" I let Louis read from my screen. He took the phone from my hands and started typing as well.
"Look at Gurb >>>" Gurb was so deeply asleep that his head drooped. His seatbelt held his torso in place, but his head ended up on the driver's shoulder. The man didn't mind. He didn't move. I made eye contact with the driver through the rearview mirror, and soon I found him. He winked at me.
We arrived at the hotel. Gurb awakened from his alcoholic hibernation. "Who's going to pay for the taxi?" I asked. Clearly rhetorical. I already knew I would take this one for the team, as usual. I refused to use Louis's money. It was uncomfortably quiet. "By card please," I said.
"I'll always protect you, Louis. You really need to know that. I care about you like my own little brother. I'll always try to help you. But you have to be honest with me. Can you do that?" Louis didn't hesitate.
"Yes. Yes, I can. I'll show you. It's really in the Mini." Meanwhile, the taxi driver's card machine indicated that I had insufficient funds. That couldn't be right. Maybe I had withdrawn too much that evening.
"I have cash in the hotel room," Gurb said to me. Gurb informed the driver in broken English that he would go get his cash. The driver agreed. Money is money, whether it comes now or later. As long as it feels good in your hands.
Louis and I got out of the taxi. "You're not going to light a cigarette now, are you?" Louis wanted to smoke. "Especially for stress. That's really for people who can't handle pain. You need to feel pain. Pain needs to brand you for the rest of your life so you finally learn not to do such stupid things." It fell silent again. My blood boiled. All pots were on the stove. I felt like Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen. "Show me then. Do it."
Louis remained silent and walked around the corner of the hotel. Towards the parking lot. I followed him. "You're not going to find much," said Louis.
"Why not? Are you a magician?"
"No. Just. Not much."
"So there's suddenly magically nothing in Gurb's car?"
"Stop. Get out. Get out of my head!" Louis shouted. Louis had had enough. He was done with the parade. Normally we dealt with hypothetical stories. Only this time it wasn't a joke. I was sure now. Louis had dropped his mask. The revolution had begun. The government had fallen and the dikes had broken. The people were in charge. "You shouldn't freak out like this. Always wanting more. Sweet boy, think about yourself."
After Gurb gave the money to the driver, he came to us. He had a smile on his face, lit a cigarette, and exclaimed, "Brothers!" Once with us, he hugged me. He started laughing. "Maybe I haven't been entirely honest either." Sometimes Gurb seemed like a 38-year-old man. In a positive way. He exuded confidence in a way I didn't often see. Affectionate, with a hint of authority.
We stood in the middle of a large parking lot. "Look. We've reached a point where I might not even care anymore. You guys are teasing me." It did matter to me. Maybe more than ever. I was supposed to be two steps ahead of them, but I couldn't figure it out. "I give up."
The delightful silence returned. Louis and Gurb looked at each other. "You guys win. Apparently, I'm not to be trusted as a friend."
From Louis's expression, I could tell he disagreed with this. "Not true. Come to the car."
We arrived at the car. Louis unlocked it and searched for the trunk button. Gurb had started his third cigarette. "It's a corpse, isn't it? Say it now. I can still help you. I can still help us. I can book a ticket for you. We can get you out of here," I said to Louis.
"Just wait. Nutcase."
"Why won't you accept my help?"
Louis started laughing nervously. Or at least it seemed that way. Perhaps a sly laugh too. Had Louis killed someone? "It's not a corpse. That can't be. You wouldn't be stupid enough to use their ID. You're smarter than that. So it must be something stolen. Haven't you found that button yet?"
Suddenly, we heard a click. Louis had found the button. Somewhere, I didn't want to know. Shouldn't I just trust Louis? Wasn't that the whole point of friendship?
Finally, the moment had arrived. I placed my right hand in the slot of the rear hatch. Something in me doubted. Still. I still doubted. Louis looked dead serious. "You wanted to know, didn't you? Then you also have to be man enough to accept it." Louis was clearly not joking. Or was he acting again? "Pussy," Louis said. I looked away. "You're afraid of what's inside, huh? You're afraid of the real Louis." He began to laugh manically. "Open that thing, man. Nutcase!"
I started laughing too. Why did I make such a big deal out of it? Sweat broke out from every pore in my body. It was even a bit damp in the no man's land between my scrotum and my anus. A tropical climate. It had been quite an adventure the whole evening. I took my hand off the rear hatch and first gave Louis a hug. Not some half-hearted birthday wish. No, a real hug.
"It's okay, buddy," Louis said to me. I had no idea what he meant by that. It fit the moment though.
It was really time now. I opened the rear hatch.
"Where is it?"
"In front of you," said Louis.
"In some secret compartment?"
There was nothing in the trunk. Absolutely nothing. An empty trunk. For an empty evening, in an empty Berlin, with an empty group of guys. I didn't get it.
"You won, man," I whispered. "You finally fucking done did it."
I couldn't believe my eyes. Empty? There was still nothing in the car. Louis just stood there. Emotionally, I was a wreck. I had felt every emotion this evening. Seen every color and smelled every scent. I was done. My body was ready. No longer needed. My mission was complete.
"But why did you do this?" I asked Louis, laughing.
He scratched his chin. It felt like the end of a bad movie.
"I sold our Playstation. Wanted to tell you only after I had sorted everything out again. I terminated my lease. Had some debts, and I also wanted to have some money for once. Once not empty-handed in the club. Once not dependent on my best friends. This is not who I am... I know how much that Playstation meant to you. It was ours together. I should have just told you."
"… and how does Gurb actually make his money?"

I was born in 96 and was a Freshman during this time and the difference between that year and the others during my HS experience is vast, at the time I had a BlackBerry phone, still was using Limewire to download music until it got shut down at the very end of 2010 and the majority of people didn't have smartphones yet, mostly qwerty keyboard phones... this was also the 1st year Facebook was the top social media network and MySpace was officially dead.. the following school year 2011-2012 is when the transition really started more people started having iPhones or androids (I got my 1st cheap lil android like early 12) and smartphone Apps started pop up more like Temple Run, Angry birds, kik , also Instagram became available to androids April 2012

Excited for the direction Sony is going with the Xperia VI line up. Here are my thoughts going on from it.
Go back to 21:9. In my opinion it's so good for 1 handed use and movies. Multitasking is also great since you get great amount of screen real estate. 19.5:9 is just akward imo. Maybe bigger screen for 16:9 content but trade of isn't worth it.
Make the screen QHD. QHD although being bit overkill for smartphone but for premium android phone it is standard. I think it is good balance between battery life and resolution. FHD just makes it in my mind seem like cutting corners.
Keep working on the point and shoot camera whilst keeping the professional modes. Good point and shoot is necessary to make the phone appealing to masses. Professional modes are amaizing in the right hands. Sony also has advantage when they have the chance to make the hardware and software.
Update support to 4/5 or 5/6 years. People do want their phones lasting and getting update as long as possible. Competition also offers this and 3 years of os support and 4 years security updates being better than 2 and 3 but pales in comparison to Samsung and Oneplus. Also the green thing to do.
Keep the good Sony things and improve. Like SD card support, dual front facing speakers and headphone jack. They should really try to push the limits on the size of the phone's "forehead" and "chin". If the phone looked more modern and competition it might sell better.
Re-think the lineup. 1 VII should be having all the features in a big package. 1 could maybe have QHD screen but 5 could go for FHD in my opinion since the screen is smaller. 10 VII really needs 120hz or atleast 90hz screen. 60hz screen is just bad for 400€ phone in 2024. 10 should be great budget option but now it feels like too many corners are cut. Core features should obviously be same across the line like now. 10 VII should be the phone to entice people try out Sony phones.
Marketing. Is non existing currently. If people don't see the new device it won't be selling at all. It comes down to money but the reality is just what it is. Making the phone available sooner is crucial. They have really improved on this compared to past years but still little room for improvement.
Sony has good vision for making phones. Many good features that many people miss but the features for average user are lacking. Marketing and support is also poor but all the things come down to money.

https://i.imgur.com/qWoaH2x.png
https://i.imgur.com/51L7hup.png
For years I've been getting this type of toast message. From pretty much every app. They're nearly always cut off and I don't know what they're saying.
But I haven't found an app that can log them. Or any way to read them. Cannot tap them, or swipe them away, or go read them somewhere on my phone settings.
It drives me insane. I don't know if it's an issue with Android, or if it's an issue with Samsung phones. Or if it's anything specific to my phone. All I know is that toast messages are pretty much useless to me, which makes it very annoying when so many apps insist on using them.
And when I try to find information about it online, all I get are developer oriented websites from 2011, 2015, and so on about designing toast messages. But nothing for the end user. Or from the last few years.
Does anybody have any advice? Any end-user oriented app that can log them so I can read them? Or turn them into a notification, or anything that makes them useful to me or that I can work with?

Does GFN Android app have support for 120hz phone screens (Pixel 8-series lineup)? 🤔

You can now insert images as comments when you seek for in-game help in Megathreads! Check out this mod post HERE for more information.
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Use this Megathread if you have general questions or need advice! e.g. asking for EX / Candy recommendation, gems usage, "Should I pull this banner?", "How do I build a team on this stage?", etc.
If you need team building help specifically for Champion Stadium, you may use the Champion Stadium Megathread to receive a quicker response.

Installing Pokémon Masters

Pokémon Masters is available worldwide except for Belgium and The Netherlands due to bans on loot boxes.
We will go over the two main platforms on installing the game, IOS and Android.
According to the official site, the game is most compatible in these devices:
iOS: 11 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
Android: OS 7.0 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
IOS:

1. Via Apple Store: HERE

Android

1. Via Google Play Store: HERE
2. Others

If the game is unavailable in your country or shows as not available for your device, you can download the APK directly from APKPure or QooApp.
You can also use VPN to download it from the application store, but it requires longer downloading time compared to the above recommended methods.
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Reroll Guide

Reroll means that you make a new account and look at what you got from your scout. If you don't like your first few multi-pulls, you delete the account and create a new one again and so on until you are satisfied.
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Why reroll?

• You're a new or returning player and you want to get your hands on meta Sync Pairs for easier clears.
• A favourite/meta Sync Pair has been released and you want to get him/her no matter what.

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How to Reroll?
If you're an existing player, delete your local data or cache first. Otherwise, do not link your account to Nintendo. Doing so will bind your Pokémon Masters account to your Nintendo profile permanently and can no longer be removed.
As of now, if you progress up to the point when co-op mode is unlocked, you can get at least 21.000 gems, the equivalent of 7 multis, earning at least 231/400 scout points (33 scout points per multi scout), allowing you to scout at least 77 Sync Pairs. Completing the following checkpoints will let you receive gems as completion rewards:

Completion Requirement	Notable Rewards	Additional Notes
Starting the game (Part 1)	MC & Pikachu, Misty & Starmie, Brock & Onix	Choose Kanto Starter (Movesets HERE)
Starting the game (Part 2)	MC & BulbasauCharmandeSquirtle, Blue & Pidgeot (5★ Guaranteed Scout)	Kanto Starter Egg Hatches
Finish Champion Stadium: Kanto Challenge (Normal)	150 Gems	You can reuse the same Sync Pairs after each round
Special Completion Rewards: Champion Stadium (Normal)	500 Gems	Accessible in the Poké Center as an icon on the top-left corner
Finish Champion Stadium: Victory Road	5000 Gems, SS Red & Charizard/SS Blue & Blastoise/SS Leaf & Venusaur (5★ Guaranteed Ticket Scout)	Also scoutable in the Triple Featured Poké Fair banner (3 days)
Finish Chapter 1 (Normal)	90 Gems, Rosa & Snivy
Finish Chapter 2 (Normal)	200 Gems, Barry & Piplup, Professor Oak & Mew and Legendary Arena unlocked.	Professor Oak & Mew upgrade materials available in Bingo Rewards
Finish Chapter 3 (Normal)	150 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Normal)	170 Gems, Erika & Vileplume
Finish Chapter 5 (Normal)	160 Gems, Skyla & Swanna
Finish Chapter 6 (Normal)	200 Gems, Korrina & Lucario
Finish Chapter 7 (Normal)	250 Gems, Norman & Slaking
Finish Chapter 8 (Normal)	170 Gems, Pryce & Seel
Finish Chapter 9 (Normal)	240 Gems, Iris & Haxorus
Finish Chapter 10 (Normal)	280 Gems, Hapu & Mudsdale
Finish Interlude 1 (Normal)	60 Gems, SS Brock & Tyranitar
Finish Chapter 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 2 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 3 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 5 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 6 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 7 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 8 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 9 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 10 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Interlude 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
EX Plaza: Special Training Battle Techniques	60 Gems

These missions are completed progressively as you play the game, so they are not listed in numerical order.
These missions can be completed multiple times as the player reaches new checkpoints.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 1: Log in to the game	10 Gems
Mission 21: Raise team strength	10 Gems
Mission 3: Obtain Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 4: Obtain Big Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 5: Obtain 1★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 6: Obtain 2★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 7: Obtain 3★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 62: Evolve a Pokemon	10 Gems
Mission 91: Obtain a Lucky Cookie	10 Gems
Mission 125: Raise your player rank	10 Gems
Mission 262: Have a number of interaction(s) in Trainer Lodge	100 Gems
Mission 263: Reach friendship level 100 with a number of guests	100 Gems
Mission 264: Reach a certain friendship level with any guest	100 Gems

These missions can only be completed once but give a high amount of gems.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 82: Link to your Nintendo account	600 Gems
Mission 89: Participate in the Battle Villa	1000 Gems

If you are not satisfied with your pulls, click on the Poryphone at the right-bottom corner in the Pokémon Center -> Account -> Delete Save Data. Repeat the above steps until you pulled the Sync Pair you want.
Now that you're ready to go on an adventure, link your account through Poryphone Menu by tapping "Account", then "Link a Nintendo Account" to save your progress. After that, try to get any free Sync Pairs as you progress:

• Professor Oak & Mew: Complete his Sync Pair story and finish the bingo missions from Professor Oak & Mew Special Missions.
• Rosa & Serperior: Complete all bingo missions from "Rise to 6★ EX with Rosa!" and upgrade her to 6★ EX.
• Legendary Event Sync Pairs: Obtainable via Legendary Adventures. Reach the end of story to obtain the legendary Sync Pair, character-exclusive 5★ promotion tickets and event vouchers. Try to upgrade them to 5/5 20/20 as soon as possible and invest in their Sync Grids; they will be valuable assets for content clearing. Do note that exclusive materials such as Champion Spirit and Sync Grid expansion for these Sync Pair are only obtainable in event reruns, and hence event-limited.

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EX Gear Type Chart

Note that these co-op stages only drop 2★ Gear as the highest rarity for their corresponding Gear Type. 3★ Gear is restricted to Type Gear Events and Pokémon Masters Day every month, and it can be obtained in the time-limited event shop and in the General tab in exchange for 3★ gear material co-op stage drops.

Stage	Gear Type
EX Brock	Grass/Steel/Rock
EX Misty	Flying/Fairy/Steel
EX Barry	Grass/Dragon/Water
EX Flannery	Bug/WateGhost
EX Erika	Fire/Poison/Ground
EX Skyla	Rock/Normal/Flying
EX Korrina	Fire/Fighting/Psychic
EX Pryce	Electric/Ice/Bug
EX Marshal	Psychic/Dark/Ice
EX Hau	Ground/Electric/Fairy
EX Clair	Dragon/Dark/Fighting
EX Janine	Poison/Normal/Ghost

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In-Game FAQ

1. When is anniversary coming?

Half-year	28 February 6AM UTC
Full-year	28 August 6AM UTC

2 Why hasn't my Pokemon evolved? It's at Level [X]!
Evolution requires an evolution item available in the Training Area (Evolution Material Area). Upon earning the Evolution Materials, you need to go to the Sync Pair Stories to trigger the Evolution Story.
3. Should I save to do 11 multi-scouts instead of single scouts?
You can now get x11 units instead of 10, so yes, but we strongly recommend you to save gems for Poké Fair or Master Fair banners (which has a higher rate for 5★ characters).
4. How many gems are required to receive a Sync Pair of my choice?
36.600 non-paid gems (or 36.300 gems + 100 paid gems for a daily single pull), which is the equivalent of 400 scout points. Scout points do not carry over between banners.
5. What does [X]/5, [Y]/20, etc mean?
When you obtain a Sync Pair, they're at 1/5 Sync Move level. Rolling a dupe of that Sync Pair, or using a Move Candy will increase it by 1 level. 3/5 is the minimum for most sync pairs to complete their full Sync Grid, but some Poké Fairs have grid expansions that require their Sync Move to be completely maxed out at 5/5 for their full Sync Grid.
At the same time, Sync Pairs are at 0/20 Potential when they're just obtained. Giving Sync Pairs Powerups will raise their Potential and stats. When a Sync Pair is given 20 powerups, their star level will be increased. Getting a unit to 5★ 20/20 is mandatory for it to further upgrade to 6★ EX (if it has one).
6. How do I Unlock The Level cap of my units?
Training Area (Cap Unlock Area), (Cap Unlock Area 2), Exchange in the shop, Events.
7. Where do I get the manuals to level up my sync pairs?
Training Area (Level up Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, random drops in Trainer Lodge.
8. How do I get Sync orbs?
Training Area (Sync orb Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, Champion Stadium Master Mode (6K & 7.5K), random drops in Trainer Lodge.
9. What are Theme Skill and how do I get items to power them up?
Theme Skill is a new ability that raises the stats of your Sync Pairs if any of them has a common position, type, region, trainer group, or other features with another pair (or pairs) in the same team. Skill Spheres, which can be obtained in Theme Skill area and Champion Stadium Master Mode, are required to upgrade them.
10. What Lucky Skill should I roll for [X]? How do I get Lucky Cookies and Scrolls to unlock a Sync Pair's Lucky Skill?
Refer to Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (by u/MomoSpark) for more details.
In general, the choices of Lucky Skills follow the roles of Sync Pairs:

• Strike:
  • Critical Strike 2 (3★ Crunchy)
  • Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) if used exclusively in weather
    • Boosts the damage of attack moves and sync moves but not max moves
• Support:
  • Vigilance (3★ Creamy), unless the Sync Pair already has Vigilance in their kit
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Tech:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, P Serena & Whimsicott, etc.)
  • Refer to Support if the Sync Pair's kit is a tanker and/or a healer (e.g. Prof Oak & Mew, SS Leaf & Venusaur, etc.)
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Sprint:
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Nemona & Pawmot, Paulo & Lycanroc Dusk, etc.)
• Field:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Victor & Spectrier, Variety Giovanni & Rhydon, etc.)

There are exceptions to some Sync Pairs. For example,

• Iris & Haxorous favours Lessen Confusion 9 (2★ Crispy) to increase DPS under confusion with Confusion Boon 5 in grid.
• Serena & Delphox and most other sleep-inducing units favour Troublemaker 1 (3★ Crunchy) to increase the accuracy of sleep-inducing status moves.
• Zinnia & Rayquaza can go for either Dauntless (3★ Creamy) to mitigate SP ATK debuffs after each use of Draco Meteor, or Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) to stack with her weather-based multipliers.

Lucky Cookies and Lucky Scrolls can all be obtained in Battle Villa (Single Player & Co-op), Blissful Bonanza, and Legendary Gauntlet. Legendary Gauntlet can provide unlimited 3★ Lucky Cookies as well as Deluxe Cookies exclusive to that mode after each successful stage clear, and their drop chance increases with longer win streaks.
11. What are the Sync Move effects of 6★ EX Sync Pairs of different roles? Who should I promote to 6★ EX first?
Each role gives different effects to Sync Moves when upgraded to 6★ EX.

• Strike: Sync Move becomes AoE. (Its power is not reduced against multiple targets.)
• Support: Sync Move raises sync buff by +2 instead of +1 when it is used for the first time. (Each sync buff increases damage output by 50%.)
• Tech: Sync Move power x1.5
• Sprint: Sync Move reduces the user's sync move countdown by 3.
• Field: Sync Move applies a field effect before dealing damage and extends its duration by 50%.

Support is usually prioritized for promotion to 6★ EX because its EX effect effectively doubles the damage of all allied sync pairs after first sync and is more widely applicable across most game modes, and the increased stats from raising the support's Potential greatly enhances its bulk to tank stages.
For Strike, if its kit has a very high DPS (e.g. SS Red & Charizard, Diantha & Gardevoir, etc.), or includes a powerful Sync multiplier (e.g. Steven & Metagross's Haymaker, Barry & Empoleon's Inertia, etc.), you are highly recommended to upgrade it to 6★ EX to apply the damage to all opponents. This applies to Tech as well, but only if the unit is a Sync nuker (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, etc.).
Since Field applies a field effect that can boost its own damage and potentially that of its allies as well, upgrading it to 6★ EX is also recommended. Sprint enables faster sync buffs and usually come with innate Sync Move multipliers like Tech, but its EX effect does not improve damage as directly as the other roles.
Promoting Support-type units to 6★ EX is not a must, but it's always an added bonus, especially if their Sync Move can provide any additional effects via passive or grid skills.
Always remember to upgrade Rosa to 6★ EX because the materials are obtainable for free.
12. Which Sync Pair should I use my candy on?
Refer to Which Sync Pair Should You Give Your Candy To? (Infographic) (by u/MuddyDummy) for more details.
Always save your candies unless the Sync Pair is exclusive to Seasonals, Poké Fairs or Master Fairs. Most Sync Pairs are usable at 1/5. You can always "accidentally" pull the unit you've been looking for from the normal pool, but you never know when limited Sync Pairs will rerun again. This may not apply to Sync Pairs that are your favorite.
​

Common Technical Questions/Errors

Below lists all common technical errors you may encounter during the game, as well as how you can fix it. You are strongly encouraged to contact DeNA with any problems at [support@pokemonmasters-game.com](mailto:support@pokemonmasters-game.com) if any of these advice do not help.

1. Error 20103 — Please check your connection and try again: Usually caused due to lack of connection or sudden disconnection. Try playing the game in a place with more stable connection.
2. Error 10102 — An error has occurred. Restarting the game: This error is often triggered because it detects your phone is rooted, or that you are using external applications which allows opening multiple accounts on the same device. For rooted phone users, make sure you hide your rooted status.
3. Game crashed mid-battle: Restart the app and clear your cache. This option is available in the bottom-left corner of the title screen.
4. Does Pokémon Masters work on emulators? No. As of now, PM is not compatible with any of the emulators (including Bluestacks, Nox, etc.) However, playing two accounts on the same device is possible on Android by cloning with Island.

​

Tools

• Events Countdown Timer (created by u/antocs, updated by Thunder#4694)
• PoMaTools (u/stdk12)

​

Guides

• A Beginner’s Guide for Building Teams and Training Pokémon (u/Stitch426)
• Pokémon Masters: Tier List & Resources (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team, Gamepress)
• Pokémon Masters EX: Datamine Analysis (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team)
• Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (u/MomoSpark)
• Eggmon Compendium (u/Zinfogel)
• Pokémon Masters Damage Formula (u/stdk12)
• More guides can be found HERE.

​
Reminders

• To receive quicker response from other fellow users, it is strongly recommended to enlist your roster, Lucky Skills, Sync Grid builds and other information deemed necessary, such that you can be provided a strategic team with higher chance of success when battling.
• If you would like to provide images and videos, you may use external websites such as Imgur, Gyazo and Streamable to embed links.
• Do not force your own playstyle onto others as it is completely subjective. Different kinds of players, veterans and novices, casual and hardcore, may all share different opinions and playstyles. It is fine to give suggestions, but forcing your ideas and way of playing onto others is not something to be condoned here. No one's way of playing is completely right.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite: In the ever-evolving world of smartphones, OnePlus has been a consistent player known for its innovation and quality. The anticipation around their upcoming release, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G, has been palpable. While the company is yet to make an official announcement regarding this device, numerous leaks and speculations have already surfaced, giving enthusiasts a glimpse of what to expect.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite
The smartphone market is buzzing with excitement as the model number CPH2621 has been sighted, believed to be the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G. This suggests that OnePlus might be gearing up for another exciting addition to its Nord lineup.
Certification and Listings
Recent sightings on various certification platforms, including the Indian BIS certification, have hinted at the existence of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite. The latest revelation comes from the IMDA regulatory website in Singapore, where a phone with model number CPH2621 has been spotted, purportedly the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G.
Insights from Geekbench Listing
Geekbench listings often provide valuable insights into the specifications of upcoming devices. According to reports, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite might feature the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset paired with a generous 12GB of RAM. However, questions arise regarding the choice of processor, considering that the OnePlus Nord CE 4 was launched with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC.
Price Speculations
Rumors surrounding the price of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite have also surfaced recently. Some sources suggest that the device could be launched in India at a price point below ₹20,000, positioning it as a compelling mid-range offering. Additionally, there are speculations about the device sporting a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC and running on Android 14.
Key Features and Specifications
If the leaks are to be believed, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite could come with a 6.67-inch display featuring a high refresh rate of 120Hz. The device might boast a dual-camera setup with a 50-megapixel main sensor, along with a 16-megapixel front camera for selfies. These specifications, if confirmed, could make the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite a formidable contender in its segment.
Final Verdict
As anticipation continues to build around the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, enthusiasts eagerly await its official unveiling. With promising specifications and an attractive price point, this device could further solidify OnePlus's position in the competitive smartphone market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When is the official launch of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite expected? A1.
While no official announcement has been made, rumors suggest that the launch could happen soon.
Q2. What sets the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite apart from its predecessors?
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is expected to offer a balance of performance…to read more click on OnePlus Nord CE 4

Brief synopsis of previous smartphones. DN why odd numbered work so well.
1-Apple iphone 2? ca 2008. what a great phone. Everything worked.
2-iphone 3?. trash proximity sensor constantly activated. No clue why we rid ourselves of iphone 2?
3-HTC One M7/8. Another great phone. Human error, left on back of car after busy weekend, found destroyed. I really screwed up here because…
4-Galaxy S5. Utterly hated this phone. Bought hype, replaceable battery. Terrible.
5-Nokia 6.1. Trash all you like, this was an EXCELLENT phone. $180. It just worked. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am Nokia basically gave up. Had to replace due to 3g only.
6-Pixel 5A. Died after 2.5 years. Pixel 5A’s are the worst in the lineup. Thought I’d found my next android 1/android clean device.
Temp 7: Samsung A25 used BB: I know now why it was returned.
I am in 10 days of cell phone hell currently. Plugged sim into son’s moto e. Wasted a lot of time.
The POS works. I know there’s a lot of trash in the background I could ADB out. I can live with it for a couple of weeks...(google 5a, replace w 6a, 5-10 biz days, need photos off 5a).
But I am starting to go to the dark side of motorola phones. Son hated it, wife still uses same phone. I have higher expectations, I think they’re overpriced for what they give, but the problem to these arguments-
They work. Motos just work. Bloatware. Yes. Overpriced for offered. Yes.
Work. Yes.
It has been HIGHLY disappointing my 5A trashed in 2.5 years. My Nokia 6.1...don’t get me started on that phone nor Nokia.

Hey SRD, long time reader, first time poster. This might be a little niche and low stakes, but I'll do my best to give you all the necessary context.

EDIT: TL;DR Band does the same thing for a decade, then does a different thing. People who wanted the same thing again are devastated.

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats is an English band that first rose to prominence with Blood Lust (2011), an album about an impious witchhunter and the fearful townsfolk whose prejudice enables his acts of violence. Many people were enamored with their "Black Sabbath fronted by John Lennon" vibes and driving repetitive riffs. Full of lyrics about sex, witchcraft, and revenge the album is classic meat and potatoes metal fare. Not the heaviest music ever, but certainly worthy of headbanging until your neck is sore.
Despite constant lineup changes, this style would remain fairly consistent. Mind Control (2013) swapped out the witchhunter narrator for a story about Manson-style hippy cults, but delivered the same kind of catchy, bluesy metal as their previous album. The Night Creeper (2015) was even more story driven, following the drug dealers and sex workers of 1960s London as they deal with the rise of a new Jack the Ripper hiding within the police. They followed this album up with Wasteland (2018), a more overtly political album about the collapse of a dystopian society into chaos and violence. Whether these themes arose in response to the 2016 US election or to Brexit is unclear to me, an American who reads more song lyrics than band interviews. Wasteland was still metal, but the songs on it are more layered and instrumentally varied than Uncle Acid's previous work.

The most recent album, Nell' Ora Blu, is a massive departure.

The songs are slow and atmospheric, but they're built more around synthesizers than electric guitar. There's a lot of narration in Italian. There's a lot of saxophone. The main thing absent from the album is musical elements that are instantly recognizable as "metal."

I don't speak Italian, so I can't tell what is happening 100%, but I've seen enough Giallos to get an idea of what's happening. You could honestly plop a bunch of these songs in Giallos from the 70s, and they'd fit right in. You could drop Il gatto morto in something like Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key or Resti umani in The Bloodstaind Butterfly, and they'd fit right in. The Goblin influence is obvious, but there's some Fabio Frizzi and Bruno Nicolai in there as well. Giallo's are known to have pretty great soundtracks in general, even if a movie isn't great, the soundtracks are always a highlight. Nell' Ora Blu is no different. It's an amazing achievement for a band to make a genre film concept album and tonally transport you into a movie that doesn't exist.

In theory, this move makes perfect sense. Uncle Acid has always been a band that makes psychedelic concept albums about occult murder and institutional corruption, and many of the disappointed fans understood how Nell' Ora Blu fit into the discography as a whole.

Great background music. Idk if ima be banging it on repeat though. I’m a lil bummed having to wait six years for this. Idk I like it but I don’t.
So I do dig the vibe and all but I still cant help but be a bit disappointed. I think I had the false expectations that there would still be plenty of "traditional" UA songs along with all the movie stuff to tie it all together. Its neat and I support artists doing what drives them but after 6 years its a bit of a let down for me.

One fan, however, did not understand why the band that wrote Mt. Abraxas would put out 19 songs of spooky Italian lounge music after going six years without releasing new material.

It's a massive let down, just be honest. Don't believe the fanboys who are saying this is "eNerGizInG" and "fReSH"...this is schizo garbage.
IMO they got way too fucking baked and thought this would be a good idea. I got 8 songs in and was like...what is this? A prank album to get people talking and then drop the real album? I get wanting to experiment with different types of music, but is this even music? Its kinda like that museum who featured a banana taped to a wall and said its art...yeah I guess technically it is, but this is just stupid. It's just an eclectic mash up of different tones, sound clips, different bits of "songs"(?), and random background synth noises. Anyone who is talking about how any of the almost 20 songs on this album are good are literally yapping because they are fanboys and would say that it was good even if it was an hour of a dog barking while a monkey hoots in the background. This is not the uncle acid I know. And again they are free to do whatever they want to, its their band. However, the level of mockery they are going to get from the community is almost certain; we're talking almost King Gizzard levels of bad. If this were a soundtrack to a movie or video game it'd make sense but...come on. Anyone speaking positively about this album is a foam-at-the-mouth fanboy who needs to be involuntarily committed and thrown in a padded cell.
Sorry not sorry.
NA/10 as there are no songs to actually review.

we’re talking almost King Gizzard levels of bad.

Two braindead takes in one!
Yeah dude you’re an absolute moron. Between this baseless rant and you negatively responding to literally anyone who has something positive to say about the album, you’re a miserable bastard. Sorry you hate it, but we all absolutely LOVE it. Get niche motherfucker🤷‍♂️

I seriously came here to talk about how this is an almost perfect album and I see this one dude constantly shitting on it. I started it this morning and it absolutely captivated me from the first track.

It is the soundtrack to a movie. An imagined film.

Whatever it is, it sucks, its bad, its bizarre, and frankly, its kind of lazy. Anyone mentioning any good things about any of the songs, are referencing the like combined total of 2 minutes where they are actually playing and singing. To put six years...into this...come on.

It's totally legitimate and cool to not like it. But to say that it's lazy just means that you don't get it. Which is also fine. There is a lot of music out there that I don't get.
There is a very specific kind of Italian movie from the 60s/70s that have soundtracks that feel exactly like this record. It's quite impressive that Uncle Acid have managed to replicate it and also inject their signature style.

Nah I think it's lazy because...they're not even playing any songs. There's maybe 3 minutes on the entire album of music or vocals...which requires songwriting (see: effort). It's a lazy, disappointing, passion project that they wanted to draw attention to through the use of their band name. For me personally, this album isn't canon. It doesn't exist. Just how GWAR disowned their own album We Kill Everything, they need to disown this album as it is not Uncle Acid...it was made by a member(s) of Uncle Acid.

I guess my expectations were there would be some traditional Uncle Acid songs....while it seems to have its moments, it's not even close to something I would hear and think "Oh it's Uncle Acid".
I am certainly going to give it a chance and try to reframe my expectations but thus far...I am a bit disappointed.

Shit is trash lol you don't have to lie

Dude go get fucked not everyone has to agree with your shit taste.

Il ritorno del chiamante silenzioso - Absolute banger.

Is it lol...phones ringing, a synth beat on repeat, random car noises...that's a banger?

They find some kindred spirits in the discussion thread, but mostly just get mad at people who liked the album.

I’ll take the downvotes, what on earth did I just listen to for the last hour or so? Slow drums, piano, and noises on top of it. I’m sorry but from blood lust to this. I don’t even know what genre of music this is.
Edit: 1/10

SO MANY DELUSIONAL FANBOYS defending this trash ass album and then pretending that this is to-form for Uncle Acid...this isn't... this is something you do as like a passion project but don't let anyone else find out about it because it's clearly schizo. I don't think anybody was expecting something like this with no normal songs for their fanbase. No one's mad, its just such a letdown and so bizarre its almost an insult to their fans.

Hard agree, put it out as a solo project. This ain’t the UA that I fell in love with. An album with 0 bangers.

0 bangers? 0 songs period.

Also true! Just a mash up of sounds

“I don’t even know what genre of music this is.”

Isn’t that kind of exciting? Something unfamiliar and fresh in this day and age of music and media as a whole. Nell’ Ora Blu isn’t only genre bending, it’s kind of medium bending. I’ve never visualized a record more. It’s as much a movie as a record could be and it fascinates me.
Yes, it’s a huge departure from their usual sound, but thematically speaking, it’s right on course for them. They seem to aim to explore every dark, macabre, horror, dystopian scene that exists and this is just a very unique example.
While I am just as bummed as anyone that there aren’t headbangers on this record, at least they nailed exactly what they were going to with this. It isn’t very rock and roll, but it isn’t a flop by any means.
I dunno, I’m not trying to lay into you, I just don’t think 1/10 is fair. If it were released by a different band that did this type of thing normally, might you be singing its praises? There are a bunch of records that aren’t for me, that I don’t enjoy, but also recognize that they are objectively good. I understand if you don’t like it, this record won’t be for everyone, but outside of crushed expectations did you really think it sucked?

No, it’s not an Uncle Acid thing. I’m not that unfair to bands I like. The album (just for me) was excruciating to get through. It’s like a spooky lounge album, nails on a chalkboard for me. Whatever new genre this is (atmospheric, spooky, mood music)is just not for me. The 1/10 is just my personal score. For what it is if you like it or music like this I’m sure it’s mind blowing. Im a straightforward music fan, I don’t like experimental things. Im a big fan of intro verse chorus verse chorus change verse chorus outro. But, the actual biggest thing that that completely ruined the album for me is the lack of vocals. The draw for me to uncle acid was the catchy vocal melodies. Any band can just be like sabbath but his voice, vocal melody, and delivery were the main reason I got into them.

Lazy noise collages or an intricate tribute to the music of an obscure film genre? You be the judge.

I just bought a 2011 MDX in immaculate shape and low mileage. I have a few questions I'm hoping to be answered here.
1) At night, the console (radio/climate control) is totally dark.
-Do the buttons have a backlight?
-Is there a dimmer switch that might be off or would this be a fuse or blown bulb? The driver console dimmer did not fix this.
2) I would really like to have android auto in the car. I can get a whole new console with touch screen but will lose DVD usage for the back and the navigation screen will be non functional for about $1500 installed professionally OR I can get a box that wires into the system and not lose any default functions. It will be shown on the NAV screen but is not touch screen. Uses the dial to run. It's about 900 to order and there are instructions on here on install (looks pretty simple)...I'm assuming similar cost to be professionally installed.
-If you have upgraded, is it worth it or should I just use Bluetooth and use my phone straight up for maps? -Is it easy to damage the trim if removing with trim tools? -I'm considering running a charger cable under the trim and have a mag mount for my phone on the trim between the steering wheel and console. Is this a bad idea?
3) Although the stereo is "premium", the sound is not great. The subwoofer gives good base but the mid/high sounds are weak and feel like they are only in the front. -Any recommendations on an upgraded stereo? I don't need a jacked up, super loud stereo but would like something with richer sound. Are door speakers easy to replace? I have no experience at all.
4) I have a tent trailer with a 6 blade round plug. My MDX has a 5 pin plug. I bought a converter but will the trailer brakes still work if I use the converter?
Thank you!! J

Ah shit. Got high. Not floating out in the Milky Way kinda high, but, y'know, we reached the Kuiper Belt and are on our way back to Terra Firma. Writing…not quite the easiest thing, but weed has always made my mind drift in between summoned qualia. But, I gotta admit, my brain is built to go, “oh, you know all that random shit going on around you in your environment? Yea, can't believe you didn't notice, but everyone's talking to you dude. Not about you. To you.” The synchronicities are just popping off, so I put on my headphones where Pandora started hijacking what my muse was singing about, so I resorted to listening to the sixty or so songs I got on my phone. Surely they can't have predicted that I do that, go back in time, and plant ideas in the heads of the artists who made those tracks, so they'd write lyrics that exactly speak to me about my immediate situation? Oh god…they did…
…how does this work, I wonder? Gee, could my brain be swiss cheese? Nah, I really think the Illuminati could be powerful enough to contort my entire reality so it just seems like my neurons are shooting sparks, so they can get away with all sorts of shit right in front of your face because I'm apparently the only human being in existence that can notice all the Rumplestiltskin-inspired horseshit and report on all that they get away with every single God damn day.
Heh. I look at that, and it's just funny. I'm just the best at what I do, aren't I? Don't know what I do? Dazzle Camouflage. Read It if you haven't. Then listen to me talk about Operation Mockingbird.
Alright, so, like, a 1975 congressional hearing determined that the CIA did a no-no with their state-funded project where they literally orchestrated, caused, and created certain events, specifically so various news outlets would report on them and influence how the American population thought. This is, like, recorded history. We know they did this. And you think they just went, “oh, that's a bummer,” when fucking congress told them to knock it off? Fuck no! They just went to black budget and stopped making a paper trail while doing what the elites of this country wanted their spooks to do.
Enter: the crack epidemic. No, seriously, the CIA taught various members of the Crips and Bloods how to make crack, and then proceeded to sell them mountains of their smuggled Nicaraguan cocaine. Then they used that money to completely brainwash the world's population into believing the most cockamaime bullshit explanations for world “events,” thus programming their frameworks through the fourth branch of the government, which allowed them to control the population's behavior through their attention and perception.
You see, this is what I call “The Matrix.” Basically, after WWII we were in an arms race sprinting straight towards WWIII. Since, y'know, all sides were like, “yea, we don't want to get nuked,” and everybody was still reeling from, y'know, Hitler, the powerful made a decision to functionally put the population into a “slumber mode,” in order to keep power consolidated in the hands of the trusted. First they gave us tons of food, easy lives, and screens that had pictures and spoken words that told us to be afraid and trust authority. People spent a lot of time sitting in front of those boxes with screens. Started to, y'know, become more docile, because what you do is what you'll become.
That's why, y'know, every serious religion or spirituality preaches about meditation and/or prayer. Sit still and quiet the mind for long periods of time frequently? You'll start ridding yourself of what my doctors and therapists called “monkey mind,” which is essentially where your mind just jumps around and you aren't really in control of what you're thinking or feeling. How about having a personal conversation with “God,” or “Jesus,” or “the aliens in your phone?” Yea, that's literally consciously programming your thoughtscape as your mirror neurons are doing the work of simulating what another person, particularly a trusted authority, will say in response to what you “say” to them.
Simple shit, but y'know, who takes their responsibility to consciously grow and heal and develop into the best version of themselves seriously? Oh yea, spiritual people. So go take your chip on your shoulder about the people who believe in “the magickal sky man” and shove it. I'm aware that what I believe and do determines where I'll be in the future. I engineer myself. Such is the way of shamans. And, y'know, being a shaman working with the CIA, I have to tell ya, my orders are to wake you up…

In the world of luxury sports cars, Lamborghini stands as an emblem of unparalleled performance, style, and innovation. As automotive technology continues to advance, Lamborghini has remained at the forefront by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into its lineup. Let's delve into how these technologies enhance your driving experience and why they're essential additions for any Lamborghini enthusiast.

Embracing Connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Apple CarPlay: With Apple CarPlay, your Lamborghini transforms into an extension of your iPhone, offering seamless integration of essential apps and functions directly onto the vehicle's infotainment display. Whether it's accessing your favorite music streaming service, navigating with Apple Maps, or dictating messages hands-free, CarPlay ensures a connected and convenient driving experience.
Android Auto: Similarly, Android Auto brings the power of your Android smartphone to your Lamborghini dashboard, allowing for effortless access to apps, navigation, and communication tools. With Google Assistant integration, voice commands enable safer and more intuitive control while on the road, ensuring minimal distractions for the driver.

The Convenience of Reverse Camera Integration

In addition to smartphone integration, modern Lamborghini models often come equipped with advanced safety features, including reverse cameras. This technology provides drivers with enhanced visibility when maneuvering in tight spaces, making parking and reversing maneuvers smoother and more secure. The integration of a reverse camera ensures that Lamborghini owners can navigate urban environments with confidence and precision, complementing the car's performance capabilities with practical convenience.

CarPlanet: Your Gateway to Luxury Automotive Innovation

At CarPlanet, we understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve when it comes to automotive technology. As a leading provider of luxury vehicles and automotive solutions, we're proud to offer a range of Lamborghini models equipped with state-of-the-art features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and reverse camera systems. Our commitment to excellence ensures that every Lamborghini enthusiast can experience the pinnacle of performance and connectivity behind the wheel.

Embrace the Future of Driving with CarPlanet and Lamborghini

In conclusion, the integration of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and reverse camera technology represents a significant leap forward in the evolution of Lamborghini's iconic lineup. With these features seamlessly integrated into your Lamborghini, you'll enjoy a driving experience that's not only exhilarating but also connected, convenient, and safe. Visit CarPlanet today to explore our selection of Lamborghini models and discover the perfect combination of luxury, performance, and cutting-edge technology.

Hello!
I need to get my mother a new phone. She has next to zero tech savvy and I need something simple. She used to use a Samsung flip-phone back in the late 90's/early 00's, but that phone died years ago and it was a Sprint phone too, so it's gone.
I need something simple to use. Something I can just put a couple of numbers into and let her just open it up and find those numbers as easily as possible with as few inputs as possible.
My kid and I use Verizon, if that matters. Although I don't mind using another carrier just for mom if there's a particularly good senior friendly option someone might want to recommend.
I tried to show her how to use my Android phone, but that went nowhere. I had my kid show mom her iPhone as well, and she bristled at that. So I'm thinking smartphones may be a no-go here. Might need to find a simple flip-phone or something like that.
Any advice or guidance here would be much appreciated.