Microsoft has started a beta test that will finally bring cloud streaming to Xbox consoles. Participants in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha tiers of the Xbox Insiders program can start using this feature now on their Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles.This news is an extension of the "stream your own game" feature that Microsoft announced in November. That initial launch allowed Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream select games they've digitally purchased to their televisions, Meta Quest VR headsets and to some supported browser setups. The company said at the time that it planned to also bring streaming to Xbox consoles and to the Windows Xbox app in 2025.While this update is a welcome addition to the "stream your own game" hardware, there are still some caveats on the feature. First, it's limited to Game Pass Ultimate members. Second, the game needs to support cloud streaming. There's a short list of titles included in the program for now, but several of them are excellent ones that are well worth a look: Baldur's Gate 3, Balatro, Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Well, Stray and the first six Final Fantasy games, to name a few highlights. Once this goes live to the whole Xbox audience, it should be a useful way to streamline game downloads and to access your whole library without needing to shell out for external storage.In related Microsoft news, the Windows Xbox app is getting a couple updates. The new Home screen for the app will highlight curated game collections and suggested titles, as well as recent game news, releases and sales.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-previews-cloud-streaming-of-games-you-own-on-consoles-211008822.html?src=rss
The advent of Bluetooth trackers has made it a lot easier to find your bag or keys when they're lost, but it has also put inconspicuous tracking tools in the hands of people who might misuse them. Apple and Google have both implemented tracker alerts to let you know if there's an unknown Bluetooth tracker nearby, and now as part of a new update, Google is letting Android users actually locate those trackers, too.The feature is one of two new tools Google is adding to Find My Device-compatible trackers. The first, Temporarily Pause Location" is what you're supposed to enable when you first receive an unknown tracker notification. It blocks your phone from updating its location with trackers for 24 hours. The second, Find Nearby," helps you pinpoint where the tracker is if you can't see it or easily hear it.By clicking on an unknown tracker notification you'll be able to see a map of where the tracker was last spotted moving with you. From there, you can play a sound to see if you can locate it (Google says the owner won't be notified). If you can't find it, Find Nearby will connect your phone to the tracker over Bluetooth and display a shape that fills in the closer you get to it.Google / EngadgetThe tool is identical to what Google offers for locating trackers and devices you actually own, but importantly, you don't need to use Find My Device or have your own tracker to benefit. Like Google's original notifications feature, any device running Android 6.0 and up can deal with unknown Bluetooth trackers safely.Expanding Find Nearby seems like the final step Google needed to take to tamp down Bluetooth tracker misuse, something Apple already does with its Precision Finding tool for AirTags. The companies released a shared standard for spotting unknown Bluetooth trackers regardless of whether you use Android or iOS in May 2024, following the launch of Google's Find My Device network in April. Both Google and Apple offered their own methods of dealing with unknown trackers before then to prevent trackers from being used for everything from robbery to stalking.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-will-let-you-find-unknown-bluetooth-trackers-instead-of-just-warning-you-about-them-204707655.html?src=rss
Apple's Voice Memos app just got the promised layering functionality that was shown off back in September at the iPhone event. This allows people to layer another track on top of a pre-existing track, which turns the app into an extremely-limited, though still useful, recording tool. This update is part of iOS 18.2, which also brings more AI tomfoolery like a custom emoji maker.There's one major caveat here. The Voice Memos software tweak is only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and the Pro Max. This is a bummer, given that track layering isn't exactly rocket science, but the company says there's a good reason to exclude other models.The software lets people add that second layer without wearing headphones, which is possible thanks to some algorithmic wizardry, the A18 Pro chip and those new studio-quality" microphones that come with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. That's a pretty neat trick but, you know, not exactly necessary. I don't mind wearing headphones for a minute.The update can also split the voice memo into its two composite tracks, for use later with legitimate recording software. That's another neat little trick and sort of similar to what The Beatles did for their latest (and final) song. Singer Michael Buble and country star Carly Pearce used the Voice Memos app to make a little Christmas song, as seen below.As with all things recorded with Voice Memos, the files will be synced across devices thanks to Apple iCloud. These multi-layered tracks will also be available on Mac computers to drag-and-drop into a session with Logic Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/apple-finally-launches-its-multi-track-recording-tool-for-voice-memos-194623218.html?src=rss
The Academy Awards ceremony is streaming live for the very first time in its 97-year history. The Oscars will stream on Hulu at the same time as it airs on traditional network TV via ABC. The ceremony starts on March 2 at 7PM ET, though there's a live red carpet show that kicks off a half hour before that.It's very strange that it took this long but, whatever, I'll take it. I don't even have regular TV, so Hulu will be the only way I'll be able to watch the telecast live, aside from picking up a shady stream somewhere. It's likely the same for many of you reading this.To that end, the Hulu stream could lead to a serious uptick in ratings, with some industry experts saying that the telecast will hit 30 million live viewers. The Oscars haven't gotten that many eyeballs since 2017 when Moonlight famously snatched victory from the jaws of La La Land defeat. The 2024 ceremony drew 21.5 million viewers, but this was a huge uptick from the COVID years.This year's broadcast is being hosted by the king of hot wings himself, Conan O'Brien. The awards nominees won't be announced until January 17 and there are plenty of flicks that could end up in the top spot. These include Wicked, The Brutalist, Anora and I Saw the TV Glow, among many others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-oscars-will-stream-live-for-the-very-first-time-on-hulu-191638415.html?src=rss
Earlier today, Google debuted Gemini 2.0. The company says its new machine learning model won't just enhance its existing products and services. It will also power entirely new experiences. To that point, Google previewed Project Mariner, an AI agent that can navigate within a web browser. Mariner is an experimental Chrome extension that is currently available to select trusted testers."As you can see from the video Google shared, the pitch for Mariner is a tool that can automate certain rote tasks. In the demo, Mariner assists Google's Jaclyn Konzelmann with finding the contact information of four outdoor companies.Clearly, there's more work Google needs to do before the software is ready for public use. Notice that Konzelmann is very specific when prompting Mariner, instructing the agent to memorize" and remember" parts of her instructions. It also takes Mariner close to 12 minutes to complete the task given to it.As a research prototype, it's able to understand and reason across information in your browser screen, including pixels and web elements like text, code, images and forms," Google says of Mariner.If Project Mariner sounds familiar, it's because The Information reported in October that Google was working on something called Project Jarvis. The publication described it as a computer-using agent" that Google designed to assist with tasks like booking flights. In November, an early version of Jarvis was briefly available on the Chrome Web Store. A Google spokesperson told Engadget Jarvis and Mariner are the same project.The confirmation of Mariner's existence comes after Anthropic introduced a similar but more expansive feature for its Claude AI, which the company says can use a wide range of standard tools and software programs designed for people." That tool is currently available in public beta.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/jarvis-googles-web-browsing-ai-is-now-officially-known-as-project-mariner-191603929.html?src=rss
Sony's PlayStation 2024 Wrap-Up has a slight problem: It isn't working. The site for accessing your year-end PlayStation stats and achievements has been down for maintenance since it launched nearly 24 hours ago. Push Square reports that, although some folks could briefly access their summaries, it quickly began showing errors to many before eventually collapsing. It now displays the We'll be back soon" message in the above image. Oops!The year-end replay is similar to Spotify Wrapped and other year-end summaries. Assuming Sony eventually gets it back up and running, it will show stats like your most played games, achievements, monthly gaming breakdowns, personal gaming style and more.For the first time this year, Sony added historical data like the number of games played since creating your account and reflections on trophies you've earned. The 2024 edition includes a nod to PlayStation's 30th anniversary, with a retro PlayStation aesthetic and graphics that pay tribute to the brand's history.The year-end rewind will be continually updated until the end of the year, so (once the kinks are ironed out), you'll still have a chance to change it with some furious December marathon sessions.When Wrap Up returns, you can find it here. However, there are several requirements to be eligible. You'll need to be 18 or older with an active PlayStation Network account in your region and have played at least 10 hours on a PS4 or PS5 in the 2024 calendar year. Another point to consider is that you'll have to opt in to share Full Data" (or Additional Data" in some regions, including the EU) from your PS5 console. So, if you're (wisely) cautious about big corporations hoovering up your data, consider whether a few moments of profiled nostalgia justify that cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstations-2024-wrap-up-has-been-mostly-out-of-commission-for-24-hours-190522062.html?src=rss
The latest Day of the Devs showcase has come and gone, but the stream placed a spotlight on a whole bunch of promising indie games. The event is curated by Double Fine and iam8bit and this digital showcase highlighted dozens of in-progress titles to keep an eye on. The virtual show included some world premieres and release date announcements, along with a bunch of new trailers about games we already knew about.We winnowed down the list to our 14 favorites, so it's a baker's dozen plus one. These are all vastly different titles, with their own publishers, genres, budgets and visual styles. They have just one thing in common. These are indie games, in the truest sense of the word.New gamesNeon Abyss 2The hit run-and-gun roguelite is getting a sequel, and it looks like an improvement over the original in every major way. There's an updated weapons system and plenty of new melee and long-distance weapons to choose from, including a gun that quite literally shoots out a giant dragon. Item synergies are back, and are even crazier this time around. The sequel also includes many of the random elements from the original, like slot machines and claw games.There are brand-new minigames, such as a nifty-looking match-three puzzler. The graphics look similar to the original, but that's not a bad thing. I put like 80 hours into the first one on my Steam Deck, so this is definitely going on my wishlist. Neon Abyss 2 is due to hit early access in 2025.RecurThis goofy-looking puzzle platformer tasks players with controlling a postal worker that can manipulate time. Is a pack of angry dogs (they hate postal workers) harassing you on the beat? Rewind time and put them behind a locked gate. There look to be all kinds of unique puzzles that take advantage of the overlaying game mechanic. The graphics look gorgeous, with a cartoony art design, and the world looks both silly and dangerous. It's being published by Astra Logical, who released the well-received Rebots and Star Stuff. We don't have a release window for this one, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.PBJ - The MusicalAs the name suggests, this is a musical game that stars peanut butter and jelly. The handcrafted art style is breathtaking, calling to mind stuff like the recent Yoshi games. The title chronicles the invention of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so it follows a peanut and a strawberry on their journey to get grinded up, salted, sugared and spread between two slices of bread. We don't know exactly how this game will play, though I spied some quick-time events in the trailer, but the music sounds great and the child-like mangling of Shakespearean dialogue is super-cute.Read the full story here.TankheadThis is a third-person action game in which players control flying drones that can connect to robots and vehicles, allowing for unique vehicular combat scenarios. The title Tankhead is quite literal, as the drone typically sits atop the head of a tank. The trailer shows other bizarre combinations, like some kind of nightmare hybrid between a building and a horse. Customization seems to be the name of the game here, with a myriad of chassis and weapon combos available. Want some good news? Tankhead is available right now on the Epic Games Store.Blippo+Here's something really interesting from Panic, the publisher behind Untitled Goose Game and the creator of the adorable portable console Playdate. Blippo+ looks less like a game and more like those interdimensional cable episodes of Rick and Morty. The FMV title is a portal to an entire cable platform of made-up TV shows, complete with a directory of what's airing and more oddities than you can shake a stick at. It's being developed by YACHT and Telefantasy Studios, and seems to have a similar vibe to the latter company's archive, drag performer included. We aren't sure what the actual game will be, or if there even is one beneath the layer of public access grime, but the trailer sure has us intrigued. It'll be available for PC via Steam in the near future.Release date announcementHyper Light BreakerCan you believe it? The successor to the surprise hit Hyper Light Drifter is nearly here, as the game releases as an early access title on Steam on January 14. Notice I said successor" and not sequel." Hyper Light Breaker drops the retro 2D Zelda aesthetic in favor of an all-new 3D engine, while the story itself is positioned more as a prequel. It's also no longer a single-player affair, as this game places an emphasis on co-op play. One thing that hasn't changed? The action is still relentless and there will still be waves of enemies to slash through. This follow-up has faced some delays, so it's good to see we are only a month out from giving it a go.Read the full story on Hyper Light Breaker here.Other stuff that looks dopeKingmakersHave you ever wanted to change the course of history by going back in time with a few machine guns and laying waste to hordes of medieval-era bozos? That's the basic premise of Kingmakers. The game asks players to grab a gun and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles." It's a blend of action and strategy, like many medieval real-time strategy games, but with an exceptionally strong hook. Also, everything is destructible and can be blown up, which is always a nice touch. The game can be played solo or in a co-op mode with up to four players. It comes out sometime next year as an early access title.Bionic BayThis nifty-looking title takes its inspiration from games like Gravity Rush and Limbo. It's a side-scrolling platformer with a gorgeous aesthetic, just like the aforementioned Limbo, but the protagonist has the ability to control time and gravity. He can also teleport objects. This leads to all manner of precision-based platforming and plenty of unique puzzles, all set across an ancient biomechanical world. Publisher Kepler Interactive, who released the incredible Pacific Drive, are calling it a platformer like no other." It comes out on March 13 for PS5 and PC via Steam. It's available for wishlisting right now.FarawayLooking for something simple, yet hopelessly addictive? Faraway is a one-button affair that tasks folks with exploring the furthest reaches of space. This is done by drawing constellations and connecting stars together. It's a puzzle game, complete with various modes, a high-score counter and multipliers. The maps are procedurally generated and the graphics look appropriately minimal. This one has the Annapurna pedigree, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye on. We could all use a new iconic puzzle game. Faraway will be released for PC sometime in 2025.Read the full story on Faraway here.Sleight of HandThis is a third-person hybrid game that combines stealth action with deckbuilding, all set in a magical noir-tinged city. It's extremely easy on the eyes, with a darkened color palette and a cast of oddballs. Players control an occult detective pulled out of retirement to do one last job. You know the drill. It's noir. As for gameplay, the developer's say it's like Metal Gear Solid, only with the guns and tools replaced by cards. These cards dictate what moves and powers are available. The protagonist can disappear in a puff of smoke or set a bunch of nameless thugs on fire, so long as the deck is right. It looks fun! Sleight of Hand is available to wishlist right now and will be released for Xbox consoles and PC via Steam. It'll also be available on Game Pass when it launches.Read the full story on Sleight of Hand here.Blue PrinceThis game is described as a roguelike Gone Home mixed with a board game." From the trailer, that doesn't sound so far off. The game tasks players with exploring a large estate that changes every day, due to an ever-shifting blueprint (thus the title.) There are plenty of family mysteries to unravel and a strategy component that allows for purposeful rejiggering of the aforementioned blueprint. The vibe is appropriately eerie and, well, who doesn't like exploring a creepy old mansion? Blue Prince is a PC title that launches in the early part of next year.Read the full story on Blue Prince here.FeltopiaThis hand-felted stop motion" game looks absolutely stunning and it was developed by a pair of twin siblings. The felt. The fabric. It all looks so real. Feltopia is, basically, a shmup, but with some unique mechanics that set it apart from rival shooters. First of all, there will be no killing of enemies. Instead, players shoot positive vibes that transform monsters into friends. The developers are calling it a cute-em-up" instead of a shoot-em-up. Also, every single sprite in the game has been needle-felted by hand. That's some dedication. You can wishlist this one on Steam right now, but it doesn't actually come out until 2026. All of that fabric work takes time.Read the full story on Feltopia here.Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop!Here's something I've never seen before. Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop! is a first-person shooter inspired by early 2000s girly pop. The soundtrack is pumping, everything is pink and players communicate via a Nokia-style flip phone. There's another twist, beyond those retro-soaked vibes. The game encourages people to never stand still, like the early 2000s action flick Crank. Constant movement will reward players with bonus damage and healing. Finally, there's a dress up minigame that's inspired by CD ROM titles from the 1990s and early 2000s. Inject this game into my Y2K-loving veins please. It's available to wishlist on Steam right now and will be released soon."Read the full story on Incolatus here.LOK DigitalAs the name suggests, this is a digital version of a pre-existing puzzle book. It may look like a traditional word search puzzle, but players are dropped in without any guidance. We'll have to figure out the rules on our own, which can be deduced by working through the 90 puzzles. There's a legitimate story and an entire made-up language. That's right. The words that comprise each puzzle grid will not be in English, or in any recognizable language. Every time a player unlocks (or unloks) a new word, it provides a unique power up. The whole point is to use these power ups to black out the entire grid. It looks pretty fun and, guess what, it's available right now on PC. The devs say it'll be released for mobile devices next year. This does seem like the perfect tablet game.If those 14 games aren't enough, check out the whole Day of the Devs stream here!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/here-are-the-14-most-interesting-titles-from-the-day-of-the-devs-game-awards-stream-183001600.html?src=rss
There's been a bit of a resurgence of stop-motion games in recent years. For one thing, The Spirit of the Samurai is set to arrive on Thursday and it looks pretty compelling (you can play as a cat in some sections!). During the Day of the Devs showcase, we got a look at another intriguing stop-motion game that's a bit further out. This one's animated entirely with felt.Feltopia is the first project from creative director Andrea Love and her team at Wooly Games. Love has long used needle-felted wool to create stop-motion animations for commercials, short films and social media, but hadn't seen the medium being used in a game before. "We realized there was a gap in the market for this type of aesthetic, and decided to fill it," Love said.Love describes Feltopia, a cozy spin on the side-scrolling shoot 'em up genre, as a "cute 'em up." You play as a sheep herder named Skyrider who uses magical powers to purge the world of an encroaching smog and save their Rainbow Flock. You're not killing enemies here. Instead, you're restoring infected creatures and bosses to their true forms.Wooly Games"Wool lends itself really well to the natural world, so I knew I wanted to create a game with sweeping landscapes and lots of elemental effects," Love said. "The classic side scroller mechanics mixed with our hand-felted, stop-motion techniques gives Feltopia both a novel and nostalgic feeling, which is a balance I like to hit with my animation work. Our goal is to take a typically violent genre and invert it so it is about transformation and healing rather than destruction and death."Feltopia looks charming as heck. It's immediately apparent that Love and her team have infused a ton of personality into their first game, and this could be one worth keeping your eye on.Wooly Games, which started work on Feltopia last year, is aiming to release the game in mid-2026. It'll hit Steam first and arrive on other platforms later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/feltopia-is-a-side-scrolling-shoot-em-up-animated-in-felt-182353538.html?src=rss
What would it look like if you took the fast-paced arena shooter stylings of Doom Eternal and flipped the gory, grimdark aesthetics upside down? You might end up with something like Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop!.It's a "Y2K girly-pop arena-style movement shooter where standing still is not an option," as game director Jane Fiona of Funny Fintan Softworks put it during the Day of the Devs showcase on Wednesday. "The faster you go, the more damage you deal and the more you heal."In Incolatus, a mining corp is trying to drain the world of love, its most precious resource. Trees are dying and fairies have been ejected into the world at large, and it's up to you to save their homes - so you might argue that it's even darker than Doom Eternal. Thanks, capitalism.Funny Fintan SoftworksAfter you (a revolutionary eco warrior) eliminate an enemy robot, you can grab the remaining love that it was running on to power up your weapons and deliver more damage. The love that you collect also plays a factor in the dress-up metagame. You can change the look of your character's arms to personalize things a bit. If you donate love to fairies you encounter, you'll get more customization options for your arms and guns.Five cool points to anyone who correctly guessed that movement is a critical aspect of Incolatus. The quicker you move, the more your guns expand with additional barrels and scopes.Funny Fintan has incorporated its own take on bunny hopping (a classic arena shooter movement technique that a player can use to boost their speed). It's called wavehopping, and you'll need to slam to the ground, double jump and dash - oddly enough, mimicking the form of a wave - to take advantage of it.Incolatus, which is coming to Steam "soon,"immediately stands out thanks to its hyperpop vibe with bright pinks and greens, as well as the era-appropriate soundtrack. As it happens, the "don't stop moving" mantra has lodged that one S Club song firmly in my brain.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/incolatus-dont-stop-girlypop-may-be-the-y2k-fever-dream-arena-shooter-you-never-knew-you-needed-182348483.html?src=rss
The much-anticipated follow-up to Hyper Light Drifter has a new early access date. At Day of the Devs, Heart Machine announced that Hyper Light Breaker will enter Steam early access on January 14.The project is a co-op action game where you can play alone or with up to two allies to face down enemies and bosses in the colorful biomes of the Overgrowth. In classic roguelike fashion, players can try different builds, weapons and abilities on each run, and it should be interesting to see how those skills combine when multiple people are in battle. There is also, and this is very important, a hoverboard.Hyper Light Breaker was first announced back in 2022 as a spiritual successor to the team's original indie hit. Since then, there have been a couple of delays slowing the game's arrival in early access, but today's announcement seems like the real deal. The studio hasn't shared any additional details yet about a full release date or additional platform support, but we're excited to see this latest installment of the neon universe Heart Machine has created.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/hyper-light-breaker-will-begin-steam-early-access-on-january-14-180858877.html?src=rss
"If Shakespeare lived today, what would he write about?" Philipp Stollenmayer asked the audience during this week's Day of the Devs 2024: Game Awards stream. According to Stollenmayer, Shakespeare would write about the invention of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich from the perspective of a rebellious strawberry and a disillusioned peanut. Also, it would be a musical. Oh, and it would take the form of an interactive scrapbook with kids as the main voice actors. Obviously.PBJ - The Musicalis the latest mobile game from Stollenmayer's studio, Kamibox, and it offers an utterly unique approach to interactive play. PBJ is a side-scrolling narrative adventure built out of real-life paper collages, with images cut from vintage cookbooks and stitched together via stop-motion. The vibe is modern Monty Python mixed with Julia Child, plus a dash of theater nerdery for balance.In PBJ, players can push, pull and drag everything to transform the story, which involves adorable, food-based interpretations of Shakespeare quotes and lots of singing. On the musical side of things, Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Lorraine Bowen writes and performs all the songs in PBJ, and everything seems to have her signature upbeat, oddball feel. There are also unlockable remixes in each of the 10 stages.Mixing mediums is kind of Stollenmayer's thing: He's a papercraft artist who turned to game design, and many of his projects blend the two disciplines in some way. Under Kamibox, he's made the mobile games Sometimes You Die, Bacon - The Game, Song of Bloom and two dozen other titles, and he's picked up an Apple Design Award, nominations at the Independent Games Festival and other accolades since founding the studio in 2012.PBJ is due out in early 2025, and it's heading to iPhone and iPad.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pbj--the-musical-is-a-coming-of-age-game-with-shakespearean-sandwiches-175413688.html?src=rss
Blue Prince has been making the rounds at physical and virtual conventions like EGX, Gamescom and the PC Gaming Show, and it's already high on the puzzle community's figurative list of most anticipated titles for 2025. It was just featured in the Day of the Devs showcase before The Game Awards, one of its highest-profile debuts yet. So, if you're getting excited about Blue Prince for the first time, hello and welcome to the club. There are snacks in the parlor - but in order to eat them, first you'll have to build the parlor.In Blue Prince, you are the literal architect of your own future. It's 1993 and you've inherited the expansive estate of Mount Holly from your uncle, but the bequest comes with a catch. There are 45 rooms in the manor, and you have to find the mysterious 46th room in order to collect your inheritance. If you don't discover the impossible space, you lose everything. It's not just a matter of exploring a mazelike mansion, either: The estate changes shape every day and the layout of its rooms is up to you.DogubombEvery time you approach a door, you get to select what lies behind it from three options, which include areas like a den, dining room, kitchen, billiards room, patio, bedroom, cathedral, pool, and observatory, to name just a few. Connecting the doorways of these spaces in logical ways is crucial to progression, as it seems you'll have to touch every available square on your blueprints (get it?) to unlock the 46th room. Each area comes with its own riddle, item dump or unique function that resets at dawn. Entering a room costs one step and you'll start each day with just 50 steps, so strategizing is key, especially considering all the backtracking you'll likely do.The demo, which is live on Steam right now, gives you four days to explore Mount Holly and it's a solid introduction to the game's House of Leaves loop. The entryway has three doors, and you start by choosing one and manifesting the room beyond. Bedrooms grant you two steps every time you enter; the storage room offers keys, gems and coins; the cathedral costs one coin per entry; a meal is served in the dining hall only after reaching rank eight; the parlor has a three-box puzzle that changes every day; the observatory's telescope triggers a specific event based on the constellation in view; the coat check can hold an item for a future run - and so on.DogubombYou'll find objects like a sledgehammer, keycard, magnifying glass, compass, metal detector and shovel in various places, and you can carry these around to help solve puzzles in adjoining spaces. The billiards room is one of my favorites because it has a straightforward but satisfying dartboard riddle, and I can feel in my bones that there are oodles of secrets and room types that I haven't discovered.The environments of Blue Prince are dotted with symbols, paintings and statues that I'm sure will be relevant in later mysteries, and the game's art style and execution welcomes close scrutiny. It inhabits a cel-shaded 3D world with hand-drawn touches and heavy blue shadows, where interactable objects can truly stand out. Each room is crisply rendered, even down to the fine details. Using the magnifying glass to zoom in on the signature at the bottom of a letter, for instance, doesn't uncover jagged edges in the ink. Blue Prince is supremely compelling to look at and it has smooth, intuitive first-person controls - excellent traits for an exploration game.DogubombThe puzzles come in a variety of difficulty levels and mechanical flavors, from deduction riddles and engineering logic to esoteric math problems, and that's just what's included in the four-day demo. Pieces of lore scattered around the estate lay the foundation for a broader family mystery, and much like the mechanics of the game itself, the narrative tension builds smoothly throughout the early stages. There's more to uncover here than spare rooms and heirlooms.Blue Prince feels like a build-your-own escape room wrapped up in a strategy game and tied together with home-renovation sim twine. Even though it supports a broad mix of unrelated concepts, Blue Prince feels a lot like home. And it will be, once I find that 46th room.Blue Prince is due to hit Steam in spring 2025. It's developed by Los Angeles film and game studio Dogubomb and published by Raw Fury.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/blue-prince-preview-build-your-own-escape-room-and-then-live-there-173816152.html?src=rss
Nintendo has purchased the remaining shares of Monolith Soft, according to a report by Automaton. Up until recently, Monolith's founders have held onto a four percent stake in the company, likely for symbolic reasons, but those days are done. Nintendo now owns the whole dang thing.Monolith is primarily known for the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise, but recent years have seen the developer assist with big-time Nintendo IPs. It has provided support on games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Additionally, the company helped out on recent Splatoon and Animal Crossing entries.Monolith Soft was originally founded in 1999 by Hirohide Sugiura, Tetsuya Takahashi and Yasuyuki Honne, along with a hefty investment from Bandai Namco. The company created the Xenosaga series, a spiritual successor to Square's Xenogears that co-founder Takahashi originally wrote and directed.Monolith made a trio of Xenosaga games before Nintendo swooped in and bought 80 percent of company shares from Bandai Namco in 2007. Nintendo increased its stake to 96 percent in 2011 and now, well, it's got the full hundo.We don't exactly know when this final transaction took place. Monolith's company brochure for 2024 still showed the founders owning four percent. This held as far as October 1, but changed by November 21, as spotted by VGC. We are also in the dark as to what Monolith has been working on, aside from helping Nintendo on key franchises, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 sure was good.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-buys-remaining-four-percent-of-monolith-soft-as-a-little-treat-173510990.html?src=rss
There's something inherently compelling about one-button games since developers are giving themselves a tight constraint for their creativity. Sometimes, they take full advantage of that. One of my favorite games from this year, One Btn Bosses, gets it right thanks to tight controls and never seeming like it's unfair.Faraway is an upcoming game in a similar vein. This procedurally generated title from developer Steph Thirion (aka Little Eyes) and publisher Annapurna Interactive is coming to PC in 2025. Faraway has been a long time coming - Thirion announced it for iPhone all the way back in 2010. Since the initial unveiling, the solo developer has remade the game with a captivating new art style.You play as a shooting star and you use the gravitational force of the closest star to swing your way toward your destination. When you get there, you'll use the same mechanic to draw a constellation of random stars. If you create loops between them, you'll get a score multiplier. Along with the main procedurally generated levels, there's a mode that asks you to draw specific shapes. Another puzzle mode prompts you to get the highest possible score from a certain formation.During Wednesday's Day of the Devs showcase, Thirion (who made early iPhone standout Eliss) said he took inspiration from Tetris to create a minimalist, replayable game with random elements and lots of depth. On the surface, Faraway has relaxing audio and visuals, but you'll need to keep your brain engaged if you want to get a great score.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/chill-puzzle-game-faraway-sees-you-drawing-star-constellations-with-one-button-172138741.html?src=rss
Astro Bot has a new level coming, and it won't cost a thing. Team Asobi said on Wednesday that Winter Wonder, a surprise bonus stage, will arrive on Thursday, December 12 at 9PM ET. The developer promises jingle bells, new bots and fun for all ages. Team Asobi describes the update as a show of gratitude to fans for their lovely comments" and critical response to the Game of the Year nominee. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for showing your appreciation," the developer wrote in the PlayStation Blog. It truly means a lot to us." Winter Wonder will only be available after you've completed the game. Team Asobi is tight-lipped about most details, but you can catch a zoomed-out glimpse in the above image. The developer says you can expect a fun-filled level, shiny presents" (yay!) and special bots (presumably winter- or holiday-themed) to add to your crew. So, expect more winter delight and less throw your controller" difficulty. Team Asobi, a PlayStation Studios subsidiary, had quite the year. Astro Bot launched to rave reviews, making the robot mascot the closest thing Sony has had to a Mario-like tentpole franchise since Sackboy and Crash Bandicoot were in their respective primes. In our review, Engadget's Jessica Conditt called the PS5 game easily one of the best games that Sony has ever produced," describing it as Super Mario Bros. for a new generation of video game fanatics, at once an introduction to common mechanics and also a significant challenge for seasoned players." Astro Bot picked up seven nominations at the Game Awards, including (deep breath) Game of the Year, Game Direction, Art Direction, Score and Music, Audio Design, Action / Adventure and Best Family Game. The Game Awards will be on December 12 at 7:30PM ET. To get the new level when it's hot off the press, make sure you've beaten the game and have an active internet connection at 9PM ET tomorrow. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/astro-bot-is-getting-a-free-holiday-themed-bonus-level-171920527.html?src=rss
The battle for AI supremacy is heating up. Almost exactly a week after OpenAI made its o1 model available to the public, Google today is offering a preview of its next-generation Gemini 2.0 model. In a blog post attributed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the company says 2.0 is its most capable model yet, with the algorithm offering native support for image and audio output. It will enable us to build new AI agents that bring us closer to our vision of a universal assistant," says Pichai.Google is doing something different with Gemini 2.0. Rather than starting today's preview by first offering its most advanced version of the model, Gemini 2.0 Pro, the search giant is instead kicking things off with 2.0 Flash. As of today, the more efficient (and affordable) model is available to all Gemini users. If you want to try it yourself, you can enable Gemini 2.0 from the dropdown menu in the Gemini web client, with availability within the mobile app coming soon.Moving forward, Google says its main focus is adding 2.0's smarts to Search (no surprise there), beginning with AI Overviews. According to the company, the new model will allow the feature to tackle more complex and involved questions, including ones involving multi-step math and coding problems. At the same time, following a broad expansion in October, Google plans to make AI Overviews available in more languages and countries.Looking forward, Gemini 2.0 is already powering enhancements to some of Google's more moonshot AI applications, including Project Astra, the multi-modal AI agent the company previewed at I/O 2024. Thanks to the new model, Google says the latest version of Astra can converse in multiple languages and even switch between them on the fly. It can also remember" things for longer, offers improved latency, and can access tools like Google Lens and Maps.As you might expect, Gemini 2.0 Flash offers significantly better performance than its predecessor. For instance, it earned a 63 percent score on HiddenMath, a benchmark that tests the ability of AI models to complete competition-level math problems. By contrast, Gemini 1.5 Flash earned a score of 47.2 percent on that same test. But the more interesting thing here is that the experimental version of Gemini 2.0 even beats Gemini 1.5 Pro in many areas; in fact, according to data Google shared, the only domains where it lags behind are in long-context understanding and automatic speech translation.It's for that reason that Google is keeping the older model around, at least for a little while longer. Alongside today's announcement of Gemini 2.0, the company also debuted Deep Research, a new tool that uses Gemini 1.5 Pro's long-context capabilities to write comprehensive reports on complicated subjects.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-20-is-googles-most-capable-ai-model-yet-and-available-to-preview-today-170329180.html?src=rss
The Pokemon Company and stop-motion studio Aardman just announced that they are working on a special project" together. We don't have too many details about the project, except that it will allow Aardman to bring their unique style of storytelling to the Pokemon universe in brand-new adventures." That sounds like a TV show or movie, right?We also know that this mystery project will be released to the public in 2027, so that's something to look forward to. The companies said that more information will be shared in the near future.Aardman are masters of their craft, and we have been blown away by their talent and creativity. What we have been working on together ensures our global Pokemon fans are in for a treat," said Taito Okiura, VP of Marketing and Media at The Pokemon Company.Okiura isn't kidding. Aardman has been in the animation game since 1972 and is most famous for stuff like the Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run franchises. The company is a claymation and stop-motion animation powerhouse. Remember that classic music video for Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer"? That's Aardman, as is the video for Nina Simone's My Baby Just Cares for Me."This partnership tells me one thing. The Pokemon Company is still interested in stop-motion animation, after the success of Pokemon Concierge on Netflix. Season two of that show is currently in production and will likely drop well before 2027. At least it'll tide us over until we get our eyeballs on whatever Aardman is cooking up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-pokemon-company-is-teaming-up-with-wallace-and-gromit-studio-aardman-on-a-mystery-project-162122458.html?src=rss
Your phone is a gateway to an increasingly large swathe of gaming options. However, using a touchscreen to control a game, especially one that requires precise inputs, isn't for everyone. So a dedicated physical controller may be a more optimal solution. One of the best mobile game controllers is the Backbone One, which is back on sale. The second-gen USB-C PlayStation Edition has dropped down to $69, while the black model is a dollar more. As such, you can save $31, but to see the lower price on Amazon, you'll need to add the controller to your cart. Backbone added iPhone support to the USB-C model around the time of the iPhone 15 announcement. That was the first iPhone lineup with a USB-C connector after Apple shifted away from the Lightning port. Along with native App Store and Play Store titles - such as those included with Apple Arcade and Netflix subscriptions - the Backbone One is compatible with cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna and GeForce Now. It also works with remote play apps for PC, PlayStation and Xbox. The Backbone One doesn't require a dedicated power supply as it runs on your phone's battery. Since it hooks into the USB-C port, there's minimal latency. Passthrough charging and a 3.5mm jack for your headset are available too. Backbone designed the device with help from the team behind the Xbox 360 controller. The company says the One features responsive triggers, tactile buttons and clickable thumbsticks. It was also created with ergonomics in mind. The controller comes with a trial of the Backbone+ subscription. One of the main perks is that you can use it to play games on any compatible device with a USB-C port, such as an iPad, Mac or PC. Other features include screen recording and game recommendations. However, you don't need to be a member to use the Backbone One as a games controller. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-backbone-one-mobile-controller-is-back-on-sale-for-69-160035667.html?src=rss
When Google debuted Gemini 1.5 Pro in February, the company touted the model's ability to reason through what it called long context windows." It said, for example, the algorithm could provide details about a 402-page Apollo 11 mission transcript. Now, Google is giving people a practical way to take advantage of those capabilities with a tool called Deep Research. Starting today, Gemini Advanced users can use Deep Research to create comprehensive but easy-to-read reports on complex topics.Aarush Selvan, a senior product manager on the Gemini team, gave Engadget a preview of the tool. At first glance, it looks to work like any other AI chatbot. All interactions start with a prompt. In the demo I saw, Selvan asked Gemini to help him find scholarship programs for students who want to enter public service after school. But things diverge from there. Before answering a query, Gemini first produces a multi-step research plan for the user to approve.For example, say you want Gemini to provide you with a report on heat pumps. In the planning stage, you could tell the AI agent to prioritize information on government rebates and subsidies or omit those details altogether. Once you give Gemini the go-ahead, it will then scour the open web for information related to your query. This process can take a few minutes. In user testing, Selvan said Google found most people were happy to wait for Gemini to do its thing since the reports the agent produces through Deep Research are so detailed.In the example of the scholarship question, the tool produced a multi-page report complete with charts. Throughout, there were citations with links to all of the sources Gemini used. I didn't get a chance to read over the reports in detail, but they appeared to be more accurate than some of Google's less helpful and flattering AI Overviews.According to Selvan, Deep Research uses some of the same signals Google Search does to determine authority. That said, sourcing is definitely a product of the query." The more complicated a question you ask of the agent, the more likely it is to produce a useful answer since its research is bound to lead it to more authoritative sources. You can export a report to Google Docs once you're happy with Gemini's work.If you want to try Deep Research for yourself, you'll need to sign up for Google's One AI Premium Plan, which includes access to Gemini Advanced. The plan costs $20 per month following a one-month free trial. It's also only available in English at the moment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-gemini-deep-research-tool-is-here-to-answer-your-most-complicated-questions-154354424.html?src=rss
I am a huge fan of Anker so I typically end up buying something every time the brand's products go on sale. Well, my wallet is currently grumbling at me because it's that time again: A slew of Anker products are discounted on Amazon. This sale includes Anker's 3-in-1 5,000mAh USB-C portable charger in black, down to $20 from $40. The new all-time low price comes courtesy of a 38 percent discount, followed up with a $5 coupon. Anker makes up a good chunk of our best power bank and portable charger list for 2024. This particular portable charger is worth calling out because, among other things, its compact and has a 22.5W output as a battery or 30W output when plugged into the wall. It also has a foldable AC plug, a USB-C port and an integrated USB-C cable. If you're looking for a longer charge then check out Anker's 10,000mAh version of the 3-in-1 power bank. It's also down to a record-low price at $30 from $45 in every color - a 33 percent discount. It's comes with a USB-C cable, but provides 30W of output whether it's plugged in or used as a battery. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-anker-power-banks-drops-to-only-20-153018011.html?src=rss
Donald Trump has named current commissioner Andrew Ferguson as the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair, the president-elect posted on Truth Social. Ferguson has previously decried what he called censorship by big tech and worked as an antitrust enforcer for the FTC and Department of Justice."At the FTC, we will end Big Tech's vendetta against competition and free speech," Ferguson wrote on X. "We will make sure that America is the world's technological leader and the best place for innovators to bring new ideas to life."Ferguson will take over from Linda Khan, who drew the ire of big tech by launching antitrust cases against Apple and Google, while also blocking a number of multi-billion-dollar corporate mergers. Under her hand, the FTC has gone after large companies of all stripes over concerns that large mergers would undermine competition and harm consumers with higher prices.Ferguson's pitch for the job reportedly included plans to "reverse Lina Khan's anti-business agenda" and "hold big tech accountable and stop censorship," according to Punchbowl News. However, he stated that the agency should continue its strong scrutiny of the dominance of large tech firms, according to The New York Times' sources.With Khan leaving her post as FTC chair, Trump also appointed Mark Meador as commissioner, which will result in a Republican majority on the five-person commission. Trump previously named commission member Brendan Carr as FCC chairman.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/donald-trump-names-andrew-ferguson-as-new-ftc-chair-143009879.html?src=rss
Mozilla has removed the Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that had been present in Firefox since 2009, according to Windows Report. It was the first browser to adopt the feature. This change will arrive to all users who install version 135 and beyond, but Nightly users who opt to test experimental builds can already see the option missing from their browser settings.Firefox isn't the first browser to remove the DNT function. In fact, Apple had already done so in 2019 for Safari.Before decrying Mozilla's decision, it's crucial to understand what DNT is. It's not an order but merely a suggestion to websites to stop tracking you. However, most websites ignore DNT requests, meaning it's completely useless in today's context. Firefox's help page also now reflects this upcoming change.Instead of a DNT request, Mozilla is asking Firefox users to select the Tell websites not to sell or share my data" feature. This setting leverages Global Privacy Control (GPC), which is respected by more websites and even enforced in certain jurisdictions.If you're more privacy-conscious, using GPC may not be enough for your needs. We recommend a VPN.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/firefox-will-no-longer-support-do-not-track-feature-141543907.html?src=rss
The year's end is quickly approaching and that means all the best of 2024 lists are coming out. The latest is Apple's App Store Awards, which highlight 17 apps across the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and Vision Pro. The most notable winner for us here at Engadget? Balatro+ from LocalThunk.Balatro+ takes home the prize for Apple Arcade Game of the Year after already capturing so many of our hearts. The roguelike game is a fantastic mix of poker, deck-building, solitaire and more that gets addictive quick. It's only been available on iOS through Apple Arcade or as a standalone purchase since September. It's also available on all other platforms, including the PC and Nintendo Switch.If you're the rare person out there who prefers physical games to digital ones (a stance I can sometimes relate to) then you'll be happy to know a $16 Balatro playing card deck is currently available for preorder on Fangamer. However, it won't ship until March 2025 so it might be worth first checking out the game digitally.Other games awarded in Apple's App Store awards include AFK Journey, Thank Goodness You're Here! and Squad Busters. Apple also announced six apps that are recognized for their Cultural Impact. Winners in this category included Oko, an AI-powered navigation app for people who are blind or low-vision that offers information such as what's happening at an intersection and turn-by-turn directions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatro-is-apples-arcade-game-of-the-year-because-of-course-it-is-140030994.html?src=rss
Triple-A games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Astro Bot and Silent Hill 2 may get most of the glory at this year's Game Awards but indie developers and gamemakers are getting a spotlight of their own before the big show. Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition will air a digital-only broadcast starting at 12PM ET on Wednesday, December 11 on The Game Awards' official YouTube and Twitch channels. The stream is also embedded below.The Game Awards edition of the Day of the Devs broadcast will feature at least 19 indie games from studios such as Annapurna, Heart Machine, Panic and Riff Raff Games. The indie game event will also feature seven world premieres of upcoming titles, title reveals and release date announcements. This also marks the second year of the Day of the Devs showcase preceding The Game Awards.The Game Awards will follow the indie game showcase tomorrow starting at 7:30PM ET. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Astro Bot are tied for the most nominations at seven each. The Japanese RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio earned six nods. Silent Hill 2 and Balatro finished third with five nominations each. All the previously mentioned titles except for Silent Hill 2 are up for the Game of the Year award along with Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/watch-the-day-of-the-devs-2024-game-awards-stream-here-at-12pm-et-140026531.html?src=rss
A year-and-a-half after YouTube first announced it, the platform's AI dubbing service has arrived. The company shared the news alongside some example videos equipped with auto dubbing (which we'll get into in a bit). The feature is available to "hundreds of thousands of" informational or educational YouTube Partner Program channels, with broader rollout planned soon.Creators can have their English language video dubbed in French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish. A video is any of those languages can only have an English dubbing. The process should be automatic, and creators can preview them before a video goes live. Dubbed videos are available to watch in the YouTube Studio's "languages" section, and come with an auto-dubbed label.The company shared three example videos with dubbing in its announcement, two dubbed in English from French and Hindi, respectively, and one in English with a range of dubbing options to try. The English translations sound very AI-generated and stilted to me, though seemingly accurate, while my colleague Steve Dent tried the French dubbing and had a similar experience.However, YouTube only shared examples of the tool dubbing over narration rather than people talking. I dug for a little while to find an example of a visible conversation with dubbing but came up short - perhaps because AI dubbing may struggle with faster speech or crosstalk. YouTube preface that the "technology is new" and "won't be perfect."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/youtubes-ai-powered-auto-dubbing-tool-has-finally-arrived-134532964.html?src=rss
A US bankruptcy court has blocked the sale of Infowars to parody news site The Onion, ruling that the auction didn't yield the best potential bids. At the same time, judge Christopher Lopez rejected claims by Infowars' owner, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, that any "collusion" was involved in the case.The Onion reportedly outbid competitor First American United Companies, affiliated with a Jones business, for the rights to the site. Though its cash offer was lower, The Onion valued it at $7 million because Sandy Hook families would allow some of the proceeds to be distributed to other creditors.However, the appeals judge said that the court-appointed bankruptcy trustee made a "good-faith error" by requesting final offers instead of allowing back-and-forth bidding between The Onion and First American. "This should have been opened back up, and it should have been opened back up for everybody," Lopez said. "It's clear the trustee left the potential for a lot of money on the table."Now, the trustee must work to resolve some of the disputes between creditors before making another attempt to sell Infowars. The trustee, Christopher Murray, said that First American only complained about the process after losing the bid.Alex Jones was found liable in 2022 for nearly $1.5 billion in damages for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2012 shooting that killed 20 children and six adult staffers. One of the assets put up for sale was Jones' Infowars site, and The Onion said it received the blessing of the families of the victims to acquire the site. It reportedly planned to transform the site into one with "noticeably less hateful disinformation," and a gun safety nonprofit reportedly planned to advertise on the rebooted site. Last week, X said that The Onion wouldn't be given Alex Jones' Infowars X accounts, opening up a new can of worms about who owns social media handles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/judge-rejects-the-onions-bid-for-infowars-133046520.html?src=rss
A judge has issued an injunction ordering WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg and his company Automattic to restore access to the WP Engine web hosting service, according to legal documents seen by The Verge. Automattic must also restore WP Engine's control of its popular ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) plugin. It also removes a checkbox implemented by Automattic that made people say they had no relationship with WP Engine.The ruling follows a major dispute between WP Engine and Automattic and its CEO Matt Mullenweg, a co-founder of WordPress. Last September, Mullenweg accused WP Engine of misusing the WordPress trademark and said it "never once" donated to the open-source arm of the foundation. The WordPress foundation then banned WP Engine from accessing resources like plug-ins and themes, breaking many of WP Engine's over 200,000 websites. It also took control of the company's ACF plugin, forking and renaming it to Secure Custom Fields.WP Engine then sued Automattic and Mullenweg, accusing them of extortion and abuse of power. The company said that Automattic demanded eight percent of its gross revenues (or donated employee time) in exchange for restoring its access. Mullenweg admitted that "a good chunk of my Automattic colleagues disagreed with my actions," and said that 159 employees resigned and took him up on a buyout offer of at least $30,000.Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin said that WP Engine's claims that Automattic's actions harmed its business had merit. Without the injunction, WP Engine will suffer "irreparable harm" because it has "suffered loss of existing and potential customers," adding that those customers and the larger WordPress community also sustained harm.In a post on X, WP Engine said it's "grateful that the court has granted our motion for a preliminary junction that restores access to and functionality of wordpressdotorg for WP Engine, its customers and its users." Automattic, meanwhile, said that it planned to file counterclaims "shortly" and "looks forward to prevailing in trial." It should be noted that while providing temporary relief to WP Engine, the injunction is certainly not the end of the legal actions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/wp-engine-wins-preliminary-injunction-in-wordpress-legal-battle-131527285.html?src=rss
Apple has begun rolling iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 to iPhones and iPads. The updates bring with them major enhancements to the company's suite of AI features, and are likely the final software releases Apple has planned for 2024. More Apple Intelligence features are available through macOS 15.2. However, note access to all of the AI features mentioned below is limited to users in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK for now, with support additionally limited to devices with their language set to English.Provided you own an iPhone 15 Pro, 16 or 16 Pro, one of the highlights of iOS 18.2 is Image Playground, which is available both as a standalone app and Messages extension. If you go through the latter, the software will generate image suggestions based on the contents of your conversations. Naturally, you can also write your own prompts. It's also possible to use a photo from your iPhone's camera roll as a starting point. However, one limitation of Image Playground is that it can't produce photorealistic images of people. That's by design so that the resulting images don't cause confusion. You can also import any pictures you generate with Image Playground to Freeform, Pages and Keynote.Another new feature, Genmoji, allows you to create custom emoji. From your iPhone's emoji keyboard, tap the new Genmoji button and then enter a description of the character you want to make. Apple Intelligence will generate a few different options, which you can swipe through to select the one you want to send. It's also possible to use pictures of your friends as the starting point for a Genmoji.The new update also brings enhancements to Siri and Writing Tools, both of which can now call on ChatGPT for assistance. For example, if you ask the digital assistant to create an itinerary or workout plan for you, it will ask for your permission to use ChatGPT to complete the task. You don't need a ChatGPT account to use the chatbot in this way, though based on information from the iOS 18.2 beta, there will be a daily limit on how many queries iPhone users can send through to OpenAI's servers.Those are just some of the more notable Apple Intelligence features arriving with iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2. If you don't own a recent iPhone or iPad, the good news is that both releases offer more than just new AI tools. One nifty addition is the inclusion of new AirTag features that allow you to share the location of your lost item trackers with friends and airlines. If you're a News+ subscriber, you also get access to daily Sodoku puzzles. Also new to iOS 18.2 is a feature Apple removed with iOS 16. A new menu item in the operating system's Settings app allows you to add volume controls to the lock screen.If you don't see a notification to download iOS 18.2 on your iPhone and iPadOS 18.2 on your iPad, you can manually check for the updates by opening the Settings app on your device and navigating to General," then Software Update." The same goes for macOS - just open the System Settings app, navigate to "Software Update" and start the download.If you live outside of one of the countries mentioned at the top, support for additional countries and languages, including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese, will roll out throughout next year, with an initial update slated for April.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ios-182-is-here-with-apple-intelligence-image-generation-features-in-tow-130029173.html?src=rss
Users in 48 US cities can now buy a new Hyundai car from a local dealership through Amazon. Just like buying a car from a dealership, inside Amazon Autos you can browse by make, model, trim, color and features. And! Finance options! Whee!The interface also offers an instant valuation of your current vehicle's trade-in value, then you just drop it off when you collect your new ride. Amazon even claims transparent pricing and says this will remove the need for haggling with a salesperson. (Surely, that's part of the thrill?)If you're not up for a Hyundai, Amazon Autos will add more manufacturers, brands, cities and features in 2025.- Mat SmithGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest tech stories you missed
Wanna go outside and kick the ball around? The soccer story game Despelote is coming to the Nintendo Switch in early 2025. The game was previously announced for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.Despeloteis a story-driven game about people and the emotional spirit and camaraderie of football. You play as a plucky 8-year-old kid named Julian from Quito, Ecuador who goes out with his friends for a fun-filled afternoon of neighborhood football after a long day of school. The game tells the story of Ecuador's economic struggles in the late 1990s and the sense of community and unity that grew leading up to the 2002 World Cup. Developers Julian Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena based the game's setting, dialogue and experiences on their own childhood memories and photos growing up in Ecuador.Despelote was an official selection of the 2023 Tribeca Festival. It's also one of the games featured by Wholesome Games' Wholesome Snack Showcase ahead of The Game Awards.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/despelote-is-dribbling-its-way-to-the-nintendo-switch-231254398.html?src=rss
GM is giving up on its Cruise robotaxi subsidiary. The company announced today that it will fold Cruise into its own in-house technical team. Under the new strategy, this single unit will focus for now on developing advanced driver assistance programs, and in the future on fully autonomous personal vehicles.GM acquired Cruise in 2016. However, the robotaxi brand faced intense scrutiny last year after a pedestrian in San Francisco was struck and dragged by one of its driverless cars. The ensuing investigations saw Cruise stop all operations for driverless vehicles and for its manned robotaxi service, and several of the company's leaders resigned or were let go in the aftermath. In recent months, Cruise had resumed some limited activity, but the hit to public trust and safety after the pedestrian incident seem to have created an insurmountable hurdle for GM.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/gm-ends-support-for-cruise-robotaxis-222300134.html?src=rss
A new report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that President Donald Trump's Department of Justice (DOJ) secretly obtained the phone call and text message records of 43 congressional staffers, two members of Congress in 2017 and 2018 and members of the news media. DOJ prosecutors obtained call and text logs from telecommunications companies and third-party providers including Apple through subpoenas, search warrants and court orders.It's already known that President Trump's DOJ tried to obtain communication records from Apple as part of an investigation into press leaks about stories that Trump associates made contact with Russian officials. The New York Times reported in 2021 that one of the subpoenas filed in 2018 demanded to see the accounts of 109 identifiers including Democratic Representatives Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California, congressional aides and family members including one who was a minor. Now it appears that the scope of those subpoenas was much larger.The IG's report says prosecutors attached gag orders to the subpoenas to prevent Apple and other companies from notifying their customers about the information orders. Most of the non-disclosure agreements were extended at least once, some of which stretched up to four years. The communication logs only showed the names of the parties involved in the calls and text messages.Even though the OIG's report found no political motivation for prosecutors' requests, he noted the subpoenas and other legal means of obtaining communication logs risks chilling Congress's ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch." The report also says the DOH failed to convene the News Media Review Committee, a Justice Department advisory committee formed as part of an overhaul of its news media policies in 2014, to review its information requests calling its actions troubling," according to the report.Apple also took steps to limit the scope of legal requests following news of the subpoenas filed on Reps. Schiff and Swalwell. The tech company placed a limit of 25 identifiers per legal request on customers' communication information in 2021.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trumps-doj-obtained-more-private-communications-from-third-parties-including-apple-215738340.html?src=rss
Monument Valley 3 is out today. As teased in the fall, the latest installment in the spatial puzzle series is available on Android and iOS today exclusively as part of Netflix Games, meaning you can play it for free with no advertisements or microtransactions as long as you have a subscription to the streaming service.As with the previous two games, Monument Valley 3 is a lush, meditative experience about perspective. The levels have always taken their cues from mind-bending artists like M.C. Escher, where pathways don't follow the laws of physics. There is a new layer with the addition of a sailboat for freely moving between the sections, but the puzzles are still the core of the game. So are the vibes. It's got great ambient music and the art is as gorgeous as ever.Monument Valley 3 will also be getting new content updates every season. In an interview, Ustwo Games lead designer Emily Brown called them "Monument Valley snacks," bite-sized additions to the standalone game. It's a very light nod toward being a live service game, although in practice this doesn't seem too different from the studio's past approach of releasing DLC for the Monument Valley titles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/monument-valley-3-is-out-today-for-your-puzzling-pleasure-210407166.html?src=rss
The crowd-sourced review site Yelp unveiled a new feature that uses AI and customer reviews to rate common facets of nightlife and food-related business. The new Review Insights feature is available now on the iOS version of the Yelp app, according to the company's official blog.Review Insights aggregates customer reviews and feeds them into a large language model (LLM), which will assign specific aspects - like the vibe or service time - a rating out of 100. Supposedly it will be able to infer customer sentiment about these parts of a business "even when a review doesn't explicitly mention one of the topics." Yelp will also be adding an AI-powered homepage in the coming weeks.Yelp has been implementing new AI features over the past year. The business review site added an auto-generated summary feature in January and an AI-powered Yelp Assistant in April.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/yelp-adds-ai-powered-scores-to-business-pages-195131103.html?src=rss
Apple Music just announced that it's expanding its live radio offerings and adding three new stations to the lineup. These channels are hosted by actual people and are available to everyone, even those without a paid Apple Music subscription.First up, there's Apple Musica Uno, which celebrates the wealth of stylistic diversity in Latin music around the world." The station will play music from a wide variety of genres, including Musica Mexicana, reggaeton, tropical, Latin pop and more. It's being hosted by superstars like Becky G, Rauw Alejandro and Grupo Frontera, along with radio personalities Evelyn Sicairos and Lechero. It airs every weekday, though weekends will feature special programming.AppleApple Music Club kicks things up a notch, with an emphasis on dance and electronic music. The show will be guided by Tim Sweeney, the host of WNYU's Beats in Space and not the guy who runs Epic Games, along with DJ and artist NAINA. Apple says each playlist will be thoughtfully curated into a set that is fully alive." These playlists will be curated by a mix of luminaries, including Honey Dijon, Jamie xx and FKA twigs. Once aired, each broadcast will be available for revists via DJ Mixes on the platform.Apple Finally, there's Apple Music Chill, which is described as an escape, a refuge" and a sanctuary in sound." It's something nice to have on in the background as you go about your day. This reads to me like it's a version of the famous lo-fi girl playlists. Apple says that programming will be a continuous flow of chill highlights across genres." It all kicks off with a brand-new Beck song, a cover of the George Harrison classic Be Here Now." One of the hosts is Brian Eno, who is an absolute master of chill (among other things.)All of these stations are available right now. They join pre-existing channels like Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/apple-music-expands-its-live-radio-offerings-with-three-new-stations-184912171.html?src=rss
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending out 629,344 payments worth more than $72 million to Fortnite players as part of a settlement deal with Epic Games, according to an FTC announcement. The $72 million is intended to compensate Fortnite players who were "tricked" into making unauthorized purchases.Epic Games was ordered to pay $520 million just under two years ago to settle allegations that the gamemaker used design tactics known as dark patterns" to deceive customers into making unwanted purchases and allowed children to rack up charges without parental involvement. Epic Games was also accused of blocking users from their purchased content when they disputed the unauthorized charges. About half that money was paid as penalties to the FTC directly. The rest is earmarked for player refunds, and today's $72 million covers a little under a third of the total amount, with the rest to be distributed as a later date," according to the announcement.Fortnite players can still submit claims for unauthorized charges online at ftc.gov/fortnite.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ftc-paying-out-first-round-of-fortnite-refunds-181158920.html?src=rss
The Thanksgiving holiday might have come and gone, but one of the best pair of wireless headphones you can buy right now are back to their Black Friday price. Amazon has discounted Sony's excellent WH-1000XM5 headphones. All four colorways - black, midnight blue, silver and smoky pink - are currently $298, or 25 percent off their usual $400 price. At this point, the WH-1000XM5 likely need no introduction, but for the uninitiated, they strike a nearly perfect balance between features, performance and price; in fact, they're the Bluetooth headphones Billy Steele, Engadget's resident audio guru, recommends for most people. With the Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony redesigned its already excellent 1000X line to make the new model more comfortable. The company also improved the XM4's already superb active noise cancelation capabilities, adding four additional ANC mics. That enhancement makes the WH5 even better at blocking out background noise, including human voices. Other notable features include 30-hour battery life, clear and crisp sound and a combination of handy physical and touch controls. The one downside of the XM5 are that they cost more than Sony's previous flagship Bluetooth headphones. Thankfully, this sale addresses that fault nicely. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-wh-1000xm5-headphones-are-back-on-sale-for-100-off-174551119.html?src=rss
Still Wakes The Deepis one of this year's standout horror games. It's a narrative-heavy survival title that pits you - an electrician stuck on an oil rig - against eldritch terrors from the briny depths of the North Sea. Not only that, but because you're off the coast of Scotland, there's some harsh weather to contend with too. If that all sounds overly cheery for you, there's a new option to add to the gloominess, thanks to a black-and-white mode.After you've installed the game's latest update, you can toggle this so-called Silver Screen filter at any time during your playthrough via the video section in the settings. Developer The Chinese Room (Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture) has also added a chapter select feature, so you can now relive your favorite moments from this dark tale in monochrome if you choose.Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt described Still Wakes The Deep as a modern horror classic in her review and called it one of this generation's most beautiful games. It sounds great too - having actual Scottish actors voicing the characters certainly helps add authenticity.Still Wakes The Deep is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It's included in Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass for Console.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/still-wakes-the-deeps-eldritch-terrors-are-now-available-in-a-black-and-white-mode-173209350.html?src=rss
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League had a rough start. Its launch was delayed, and it lost Warner Bros. $200 million. In more recent news, the developers have announced that Season 4 Episode 8, which comes out in January 2025, will be the last seasonal Episode of the game. Players will finally get to fight Braniac in a final battle.Not to worry, though. The game isn't shutting down just yet, as all online features will stay up, meaning you can still play with your friends. If you prefer playing alone, the new offline mode is coming with Episode 8. Offline mode works by starting a new profile or copying your current progress into a new one, letting you pick up where you left off.You might be wondering if there will be any new content that isn't a new season in light of this news. This FAQ page seems to avoid a direct answer, only stating what was said above. It neither confirms nor denies any new content."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-leagues-current-season-is-its-last-161356174.html?src=rss
Video creators on Instagram now have a new way to test out content. The app is introducing trial Reels," which allows creators to publish Reels that bypass their followers' feeds and are instead recommended to non-followers.Given that so many Instagram creators complain about Meta not showing their content to their followers, this may seem like an odd feature. But in a blog post, the company said that trial Reels was created in direct response to feedback from creators who feel nervous" about posting videos that may not perform well. Meta said the new feature is meant to make it easier for creators to experiment with different genres and easily get a gut check on how your content might perform."Now, creators will be able to select a trial" toggle before publishing a video. These Reels won't show up on a creator's grid and will be recommended to accounts that aren't followers (Meta notes that it's impossible to guarantee a follower won't come across a particular video somewhere else in the app, like their DMs.)After 24 hours, creators will be able to revisit the video and see metrics about how it performed, including the total number of views, shares, likes and comments. While Meta says that this type of trial" content can take longer to gain traction than other posts since it won't be shown to an account's followers, it could still be useful for creators that want to post in a more low-pressure format.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-will-let-video-creators-make-trial-reels-for-non-followers-160016725.html?src=rss
Amazon sells practically everything, including tiny homes, so why not add cars to the mix? Starting today, users in 48 cities across the continental US can buy a new Hyundai car from a local dealership via Amazon Autos.You can check out which models are available at your local dealership and browse by make, model, trim, color and features. The marketplace has finance options and a way to schedule a pick-up from a local dealership. You can even get an instant valuation of your current vehicle's trade-in value, then just drop it off when you collect your new ride.Amazon is also offering transparent pricing and promising that this will remove the need for haggling with a salesperson. Talking to a human in 2024? How passe. Since this all takes place using the familiar Amazon interface, you'll be able to see user reviews of cars and dealerships (aka sellers).The metropolitan areas where Amazon Autos is available at the jump are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Birmingham, Boston, Champaign/Springfield, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Fond Du Lac, Ft. Myers/Naples, Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Harrisonburg, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Sheboygan, Springfield, St. Louis, Tampa, W. Palm Beach, Washington DC.Amazon says it will add more Hyundai dealerships over time (the two sides reached a deal last year to offer this service). Next year, Amazon Autos will include more manufacturers, brands, cities and features.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/you-can-now-buy-your-next-ev-on-amazon-155634838.html?src=rss
Earlier this year, Apple finally offered third-party developers access to its Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology. Not only are iPhone users in the EU receiving access, but other regions can also leverage this technology. Yesterday, Vipps MobilePay became the first Apple Pay alternative on the iPhone using its NFC technology for tap-to-pay transactions.Tap with Vipps" is the app's NFC payment solution. It works for sending money to friends and making online purchases, but that's not all. You can also pay organizations and associations with it. In other words, it's PayPal combined with Apple Pay if you want to think of it that way.The reason Apple is opening up access to its NFC technology is primarily EU pressure. Apple had signed an agreement with the European Commission to open up the iPhone's NFC technology in July. By doing so, it avoided a legal fine of up to 10 percent of its $40 billion worldwide annual turnover.With Vipps being the first Apple Pay alternative, Apple's monopoly on tap-to-pay is finally over. Still, Vipps is a Norwegian firm, and it currently only works there. Customers belonging to more than 40 local banks will be able to use Tap with Vipps to pay, and the company is planning to add more banks to the list. MasterCard and Visa support are also coming before Summer 2025.Vipps' success story is likely the first example of a challenge to the Apple Pay monopoly on the iPhone. According to Apple Insider, UK company Curve said in May that it wanted to be the first Apple Wallet alternative. However, Curve hasn't announced anything yet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/theres-now-an-apple-pay-alternative-for-iphone-users-in-norway-153634514.html?src=rss
Emulating the various PlayStation consoles has been commonplace for years, and developers constantly try to do so on various platforms. On Monday, the developers of PS3 emulator RPCS3 released a teaser on YouTube showing how their emulator runs on arm64 hardware, specifically on a Raspberry Pi 5. In an announcement post, they also showcased the emulator running on Apple M1 chips. All told, the emulator can now run on arm64 chips across Windows, Mac and Linux.If you aren't familiar with RPCS3, it's the emulator Atlus tried to take down around Persona 5's release in 2017. In Atlus' defense, the developers name-dropped Persona on its Patreon page. Patreon took the RPCS3 developers' side but asked them to remove all references to Persona titles.It's surprising that a PS3 emulator even runs on a Raspberry Pi 5, which isn't a gaming powerhouse. Through some wizardry, the RPCS3 team was able to push the hardware to its limit. The framerate is locked to a maximum of 30FPS, and the graphics look like they come straight out of a PlayStation Portable screen, which is a 480p display from 20 years ago. The developers weren't able to render those games at the PS3's native 720p resolution. Naturally, the more powerful Apple Silicon chips will render games at a higher resolution.Think of it this way, though. If you traveled back in time to tell people that a PSP could run PS3 games, nobody would've believed you. But the proof is now right here, and the teaser showed how the games didn't experience severe frame drops. While impressive, RPCS3 isn't the first emulator running natively on arm64 hardware, as that honor goes to Dolphin, the famous Wii and GameCube emulator.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/ps3-emulator-rpcs3-now-runs-on-a-raspberry-pi-5-142224432.html?src=rss
Another day, another case of the European Commission going after big tech for targeting minors. The bloc's regulators have probed Google for more information on a secret ad partnership with Meta that targeted Instagram ads at minors on YouTube, the Financial Times reports.The Commission has yet to open a formal investigation, but is building on information it requested in October that includes internal chats, presentations, emails and more related to the YouTube ads. Google gathered this evidence during an internal probe codenamed "Tangerine Owl."The FT first revealed in August that Google employees were using a work around to allow for ads directed at individuals under 18. This was a big no no as Google has long banned advertising targeting minors. However, these Google employees told Meta to push ads at a group called "unknown," as internal data found it had a large group of under 18s in it. The two companies teamed up with media agency Spark Foundry to launch a pilot ad program in Canada and then expanded to the US. The companies halted their plan to expand beyond the two countries and to include other Meta platforms following the public report.This is not the first time Google and Meta have been in hot water for their ad practices. In 2022, the duo was the subject of antitrust investigations from the European Commission and the UK's Competition and Market Authority - however, both entities eventually closed their cases.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-digs-further-into-google-and-metas-secret-ad-campaign-targeting-minors-140047175.html?src=rss
YouTube is expanding how you can interact with games on its free in-app platform, Playables. The company has announced that users can now try out a multi-player function that allows them to game with other players in real-time.However, that doesn't extend to YouTube Playables' entire 100-plus catalogue of titles. "We're beginning to test a new multiplayer feature for a few select games on YouTube Playables. Multiplayer on Playables lets you play games in real-time with other users," YouTube said in a release. "We're just getting started testing out new features for YouTube Playables with more to come in the future." Right now, multiplayer is available on two games, Ludo Club and Magic Tiles 3, on both desktop and mobile devices.YouTube first announced Playables in September 2023 and it was originally available to select participants before expanding to all Premium subscribers. In May, it announced that the platform would be available to all YouTube users. It's available games range from action and sports to trivia and puzzles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/youtube-introduces-multiplayer-mini-games-on-playables-133056235.html?src=rss
Croteam and Devolver Digital have announced The Talos Principle: Reawakened, a "radically overhauled" remake of the puzzle/story game The Talos Principle. The update will be rebuilt with Unreal Engine 5, with the developer promising "vastly improved visuals, quality-of-life improvements [and] an all-new chapter that delves deeper into the game's award-winning narrative," according to Devolver.The Talos Principle originally released in 2015 as a combination puzzle and story game with a decidedly philosophical bent. In a Joystiq review at the time, Engadget's Jessica Conditt described as a "wise" game that "peers deeply at people as an idea, including the players, and it tests their humanity and intelligence in a series of beautiful riddles and spatial-awareness tests."The remake keeps that vision, while "breathing new life into every corner of the game," the developer wrote. Unreal Engine 5 adds enhanced lighting, textures and environmental design, making it more detailed and atmospheric. The remake also adds quality-of-life features like a hint system and the ability to rewind during gameplay. It also gains the Road to Gehenna expansion, plus a new chapter called In the Beginning that explores the origins of the Simulation. The other main new feature is a new puzzle editor that lets players and the modding community "build their own unique worlds and challenges."The Talos Principle: Reawakened is set to arrive sometime in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It's not to be confused with The Talos Principle 2, an all-new update to the original that launched last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-talos-principle-reawakened-is-a-ground-up-remake-built-in-unreal-engine-5-130012395.html?src=rss
In its own heady blog post, Google debuted Willow, its latest quantum chip. It was flanked by hyped headlines that suggest something akin to the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The breakthrough might not be about the power, however: Google says it has reduced errors - a major issue with building quantum computers - by adding more qubits to the system.In fact, Google makes no claim of quantum supremacy this time - something the company did when it publicly debuted its previous generation quantum computer in 2019. That claim quickly ended in controversy, with one researcher calling the company's announcement just plain wrong."Part of the issue then was that Google's last quantum chip was not part of a general-purpose quantum computer. Instead, it surpassed classic computers in a single task: random circuit sampling (RCS). But, in Google's own words, RCS has no known real-world applications."GoogleHowever, the company is sticking with the metric, claiming RCS performance is a widely recognized gauge of quantum computing. That makes true comparisons difficult: Rivals including IBM and Honeywell use a quantum volume metric to tout their breakthroughs. They claim it gives a more holistic understanding of a machine's capabilities. Google's spec sheets and blog post don't mention quantum volume at all.- Mat SmithGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest tech stories you missed
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan have proposed a new bill, AB 56, that would require social media companies to put a warning label on their platforms to disclose their mental health risks.Citing social media platforms' harnessing of addictive features and harmful content for the sake of profits," Attorney General Bonta says that consumers should have access to information about platforms that could impact their mental health. The current bill lacks detail on how much information these warning labels should have or how they should appear, but mentions the Cyberbullying Protection Act and the Online Violence Prevention Act as possible precedent for such a requirement. Those bills required social media platforms to disclose their cyberbullying reporting features in the terms of service, and clearly state whether they have a way of reporting violent posts for users and nonusers on the platform, respectively.Bonta and Bauer-Kahan's new bill follows an open letter signed by 42 attorneys general (Bonta included) that called for Congress to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media. The US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed the idea himself in an essay for The New York Times Opinion section in June. A surgeon general's warning label requires congressional action to actually be put in place, but could prove effective in changing behavior in the same way it has for tobacco products, according to Murthy.You can trace a lot of the recent commotion around children and social media to an advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health that the US Surgeon General published in 2023. The advisory claimed that social media could have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents" and that children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems." A warning label is unlikely to completely fix things and social media isn't the sole cause of all children's problems, but labels are another level that can be pulled to change things.A wider reaching Texas bill that required social media companies block teens from seeing harmful content" was struck down a few months ago in 2024, but requiring social media warning labels, especially given California's legal history, seems much more feasible. Mental health impacts are just one of the risks children face online, though. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there's still mass surveillance to deal with, too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-new-california-bill-would-add-warning-labels-to-social-media-platforms-233653838.html?src=rss
Rode just announced the latest iteration of its well-regarded Wireless GO microphone system. The third-gen kit brings plenty of new features to the table, especially when compared to 2021's Wireless GO II. The microphone allows for 32-bit float on-board recording and audio can be captured directly to the receiver. The system allows up to 40 hours of footage, stored internally, and includes a new technology called GainAssist. This is a compression algorithm, of sorts, that will dynamically balance audio levels on-the-fly." Rode says the system eliminates the wild fluctuations typically found in a raw recording." The company even says that there should be little-to-no editing required in post when using this system. If the algorithm makes a mistake, the microphone includes a secondary storage channel that records a dry copy of the audio. Rode Most users will use these microphones connected to a camera of some kind, so on-board storage won't be needed. Rode says that the new Wireless GO system can operate up to 260 meters from the receiver, so long as it's in the line of sight. The company also says that it is compatible with all Rode Series IV devices, including the RodeCaster Pro II and Rodecaster Video. This is in addition to offering universal compatibility with cameras, smartphones and computers." There are locking lavalier connectors and an integrated LCD screen for keeping an eye on battery and audio signal levels. Finally, this system is available in a whole bunch of limited-edition colors, including red, orange, pink and purple, among others. The Wireless GO II was only available in black and white. Rode This updated Wireless GO microphone kit comes with one receiver, two transceivers, a charging hub, a few windshields and plenty of cables. It's available for $300. There's also a dedicated charging case, which is sold separately for $90. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/rodes-latest-wireless-go-microphone-system-boasts-40-hours-of-on-board-storage-230014651.html?src=rss
Update, December 9, 2024, 5:45PM ET: X today formally announced its Aurora image generator. "Grok's new capabilities are now available on the X platform in select countries and will roll out to all users within a week," the company said in a blog post. The original story, previously headlined "X adds, then quickly removes, Grok's new Aurora' image generator," follows unedited below:On Saturday, a new image generator called Aurora became available for some Grok users, many of whom shared the tool's results on X touting their photorealism. But as of Sunday afternoon, Aurora appears to be gone. While it briefly showed up as an option in Grok's model selection menu as Grok 2 + Aurora (beta)," it's since been replaced with Grok 2 + Flux (beta)." It looks like Aurora may have gone public before it was meant to. In a tweet replying to one user who shared images of Tesla's Cybertruck created with Aurora, Elon Musk said, This is our internal image generation system. Still in beta, but it will improve fast."
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