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Amazon's next-gen "Remarkable" Alexa assistant will be powered by Anthropic's Claude AI, cost $5-10 per month and arrive in October ahead of the holidays, five sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.The company originally planned to use in-house software for the new chat assistant, but it reportedly struggled with latency issues, taking up to six or seven seconds to acknowledge a request and reply, one source said. By contrast, Claude - a rival to Google's Bard, ChatGPT and others - performed better.Amazon didn't confirm the story, but said that it uses language models from partners as well as its own. "When it comes to machine learning models, we start with those built by Amazon, but we have used, and will continue to use, a variety of different models - including (Amazon AI model) Titan and future Amazon models, as well as those from partners - to build the best experience for customers," a spokesperson told Reuters.Since last year, reports indicated Amazon was planning to supercharge Alexa with generative AI features. Remarkable Alexa will supposedly allow complex prompts like composing and sending emails while ordering dinner, all from a single command. It will also offer upgraded home automation capability, deeper personalization and, of course, shopping advice.The latter is key for the company, as Alexa has long been an unprofitable business. Late last year, it laid off several hundred people who were working on the voice assistant.In September 2023, Amazon announced it had invested $4 billion in Anthropic, promising its customers early access to the AI. Earlier this year, Anthropic boasted that Claude 3 scored better than ChatGPT 4 on key benchmarks including math, coding, reasoning and knowledge.Remarkable Alexa (still an internal codename only) reportedly won't be offered as a Prime benefit and users may need new devices to run the upgraded AI properly. Any monthly fee is likely to be a tough sell to consumers, as Amazon will continue to offer its "classic" voice assistant for free. In any case, the company's plans could still change if the updated voice AI fails to meet internal benchmarks, Reuters' sources said.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazons-remarkable-alexa-will-reportedly-run-on-claude-ai-and-cost-5-10-per-month-122532161.html?src=rss

Bandai has launched a new Tamagotchi model, and it's actually made with real recycled egg shells. The Original Tamagotchi Celebration digital pet is even colored like a tan/brown egg, with green and white designs along with pink accents and buttons. Tamagotchi comes from the Japanese words for egg (tamago) and watch (uotchi) - and the toy is unmistakably egg-shaped - so the use of egg shells in particular is pretty on-brand. The model is paired with a packaging the uses recycled paper, as well, and Bandai says the model aligns with its mission to "promote a greener future." Tamagotchi is no longer just another toy from the 90s that millennials fondly remember playing in their youth. It has quietly made a comeback over the past few years, with both old players and kids contributing to its renewed popularity. In May, the company re-released Tamagotchi Connection, which old fans might remember as the model with a faux antenna, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Last year, Bandai released the Wi-Fi-capable Tamagotchi Uni that gives users access to the Tamaverse, a virtual playground where players can meet others, so they could travel together and dress up their characters. The Original Tamagotchi Celebration doesn't seem to have the Uni's more modern features, but it does come with basic Tamagotchi gameplay. Players will have to raise their Tamagotchi until it's an adult, feed it, give it medicine, clean its mess, play with it and even discipline it if it's acting out. It's exclusively available at Amazon, where's it's currently on for pre-order for $30. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-latest-tamagotchi-is-made-with-real-eggs-120051417.html?src=rss

Apple is gearing up to launch the iPhone 16 on September 9th, so we've brought on Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to chat about his scoops around Apple's upcoming hardware. We should expect some notable additions, like a dedicated camera button, as well as slightly larger screens on the Pro models. We'll also dive into Apple's robotics efforts - does anyone really want an Apple bot rolling around their home? Finally, we'll discuss Gurman's reporting around Meta's upcoming devices: A cheaper Quest 3 model, as well as a glimpse at prototype AR glasses.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!Topics

X briefly discouraged users from viewing a link to an NPR story about Donald Trump's recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. NPR reporter Stephen Fowler posted a link to a story in which he quoted an Army official who said an employee at Arlington National Cemetery was abruptly pushed aside" during an event attended by Trump and members of his campaign earlier this week. Clicking on the story generated an X warning message saying, this link may be unsafe." It stated it could be malicious, violent, spammy or otherwise violate the platform's rules. In a statement to an NPR reporter, an X spokesperson claimed the warning appeared due to a false positive." It's now been removed.It might be an innocent mistake, but X owner Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump this election. Musk has also publicly feuded with NPR in the past - weird fight to pick - adding a state-affiliated media" label to its account for several months last year. NPR hasn't posted from its main account on X since the label was added.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedApple event 2024: What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynote in SeptemberChatGPT has doubled its weekly active users to 200 millionMy quest for the perfect productivity mouseYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The PS5 Pro could appear in the next few weeksBut what will it look like?The PS5 Pro could be announced in mid-September and will likely hit store shelves sometime during the holiday season, according to insider information published by VGC. First of all, it'll actually be called the PS5 Pro, with the leaker claiming to have access to the packaging design, but they didn't feel comfortable sharing copyrighted images. However, specs? We don't know. Disc drive option? Maybe. Other leaks have hinted at the console's power. A YouTuber leaked apparently official documentation from Sony that shared some of the console's specifications, but the video was pulled down at Sony's behest. It has also been rumored the GPU will have 33.5 teraflops versus the standard PS5's 10.28 teraflops. Don't expect a three-times more powerful console: Recent changes in AMD's architecture make it difficult to directly compare teraflop numbers.Continue reading.These are shroom-botsThey could lead to crop-tending robots that sense subtle chemical reactions.Researchers at Cornell University tapped into fungal mycelia to power a pair of proof-of-concept robots. Mycelia, the underground fungal network that can sprout mushrooms as its above-ground fruit, can sense light and chemical reactions and communicate through electrical signals. Researchers created two robots: a soft spider-like one and a four-wheeled buggy. The researchers used mycelia's light-sensing abilities to control the machines using ultraviolet light.Continue reading.Spotify says Apple discontinued' the tech for some of its volume controls on iOSWhyyyyyy?The latest round in the Spotify vs. Apple battle concerns... volume. According to Spotify, Apple discontinued the technology" on volume buttons for Spotify Connect. Yeah, it's baffling.Spotify Connect allows you to sync with speakers, TVs and other devices from inside the streaming app. It works with either Bluetooth or WiFi. Apple told Spotify it requires apps to integrate with HomePod to access the technology that controls the volume on iPhones. The streaming company added this issue doesn't affect Bluetooth or AirPlay connections, nor does it impact Android users.Continue reading.Nintendo can't repair your New 3DS because it ran out of partsIt's been over a decade.Nintendo has stopped offering repairs for the New Nintendo 3DS. Sure, it's a decade old, but apparently Nintendo has simply run out of parts. Third-party repair platform iFixit currently has a stock of replacement parts and guides for the handheld in its online catalog. US customers can still take advantage of Nintendo's repair service for late-model 3DS XLs. For now.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-x-labeled-an-npr-story-about-trump-as-unsafe-112554172.html?src=rss

A judge in Brazil has blocked Starlink's bank accounts in the country amid a deepening dispute with X. The move comes as the same Supreme Court judge has threatened to shut down X in the country, and is a direct response to the ongoing legal battle with the social media company, Reuters reported.X owner Elon Musk has been feuding with Brazil Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes for months over demands to block certain accounts in the country. The company closed down its operations in Brazil earlier this month as a result of the court orders, which X has characterized as censorship orders."Now, Moraes is apparently attempting to use one of Musk's other companies, SpaceX-owned Starlink, in an attempt to get X to comply with the court order. This order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied-unconstitutionally-against X," Starlink wrote in a statement on X. It was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process of law guaranteed by the Constitution of Brazil. We intend to address the matter legally."Moraes has also threatened to shut down X in the country entirely. On Wednesday, the judge said X would be shut down in Brazil if they didn't appoint a legal representative in the country. X said in an update Thursday, shortly after that deadline had passed, that it soon" expects Moraes to order the shutdown.We are absolutely not insisting that other countries have the same free speech laws as the United States," the company wrote in a statement published in English and Portuguese. The fundamental issue at stake here is that Judge de Moraes demands we break Brazil's own laws. We simply won't do that." The company said it planned to publish Moraes' "illegal demands and all related court filings" in the coming days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/starlinks-local-bank-accounts-are-frozen-as-x-prepares-to-be-shut-down-in-brazil-234046493.html?src=rss

ChatGPT now has 200 million weekly active users, according to OpenAI. That represents a doubling of the weekly audience of 100 million the company announced last November. A representative from the company told Engadget that API usage has also doubled since the July release of GPT-4o mini.User numbers aren't the only big growth OpenAI has seen over the past year. CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees this summer that the company's annualized revenue - which takes a monthly revenue figure and stretches it out over a whole year - had reached $3.4 billion, up from $1.6 billion at the end of 2023.Separately from today's usercount announcement, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft are in talks to invest in a new fundraising round for OpenAI. The only detail the report had about the scale of this funding round was that it would push OpenAI's valuation above $100 billion.Microsoft has invested $13 billion into the AI business since 2019, while Apple revealed that ChatGPT will form a large part of its upcoming Apple Intelligence push. Both Microsoft and Apple gave up their seats on OpenAI's board of directors this summer after the European Commission raised antitrust concerns about the businesses' close relationships.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-has-doubled-its-weekly-active-users-to-200-million-233037951.html?src=rss

The highly illegal but very popular media streaming site Fmovies and an affiliated network of pirated movie and TV show websites have been shut down. The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition of movie studios and entertainment companies including Disney, NBCUniversal and MGM, announced the dismantling of the illegal streaming site, several of its other websites including bflixz, flixtorz, movies7, myflixer and aniwave and its video hosting provider vidsrc.to, according to The Hollywood Reporter.The Fmovies operation was based in Vietnam. Hanoi police arrested two unidentified men in connection with the pirated media empire who are awaiting charges.Fmovies launched in 2016 and racked up 374 million monthly visits more than 6.7 billion visits from January 2023-June 2024. Data from SimilarWeb ranked Fmovies as the 280th most visited website in any category and the 11th most popular TV, movies and streaming website. ACE called the Fmovies syndicate the largest piracy ring in the world," according to a statement released earlier today.The website even has its own subreddit where users could request and share links to TV shows and movies. As authorities closed in on the Fmovies operators, Reddit users started posting notices that the syndicate's streaming sites weren't working or starting to shut down. When news of Fmovies' demise started to surface, users started asking for suggestions of alternate pirating sites.ACE Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin called the shutdown and arrests a stunning victory for casts, crews, directors, studios and the creative community across the globe."The walls seem to be closing around some of the web's bigger media pirates. ACE claimed an earlier victory on August 15 following the shutdown of the aniwave illegal anime streaming website. Another pirate website, fboxz.to, shut down a few days later and posted a goodbye note on its homepage telling its visitors to Please pay for the movies/shows, that's what we should do to show our respect to people behind the movies/shows," according to TorrentFreak.The past month hasn't been kinder to online pirates either. Earlier this month, the US extradited Kim Dotcom, the founder of Megaupload who was the poster child for online piracy in the 2010s, from New Zealand to face charges for operating his video downloading empire.Authorities arrested Dotcom in 2012 in his New Zealand home on counts including racketeering, copyright infringement, money laundering and copyright distribution. His indictment claims that Megaupload caused $500 million in damages and made $175 million in advertising and subscription revenue from its illegal media library.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-worlds-largest-tv-and-movies-piracy-streaming-ring-is-dead-230141145.html?src=rss

OpenAI and Anthropic have agreed to share AI models - before and after release - with the US AI Safety Institute. The agency, established through an executive order by President Biden in 2023, will offer safety feedback to the companies to improve their models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hinted at the agreement earlier this month.The US AI Safety Institute didn't mention other companies tackling AI. But in a statement to Engadget, a Google spokesperson told Engadget the company is in discussions with the agency and will share more info when it's available. This week, Google began rolling out updated chatbot and image generator models for Gemini.Safety is essential to fueling breakthrough technological innovation. With these agreements in place, we look forward to beginning our technical collaborations with Anthropic and OpenAI to advance the science of AI safety," Elizabeth Kelly, director of the US AI Safety Institute, wrote in a statement. These agreements are just the start, but they are an important milestone as we work to help responsibly steward the future of AI."The US AI Safety Institute is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It creates and publishes guidelines, benchmark tests and best practices for testing and evaluating potentially dangerous AI systems. Just as AI has the potential to do profound good, it also has the potential to cause profound harm, from AI-enabled cyber-attacks at a scale beyond anything we have seen before to AI-formulated bioweapons that could endanger the lives of millions," Vice President Kamala Harris said in late 2023 after the agency was established.The first-of-its-kind agreement is through a (formal but non-binding) Memorandum of Understanding. The agency will receive access to each company's major new models" ahead of and following their public release. The agency describes the agreements as collaborative, risk-mitigating research that will evaluate capabilities and safety. The US AI Safety Institute will also collaborate with the UK AI Safety Institute.It comes as federal and state regulators try to establish AI guardrails while the rapidly advancing technology is still nascent. On Wednesday, the California state assembly approved an AI safety bill (SB 10147) that mandates safety testing for AI models that cost more than $100 million to develop or require a set amount of computing power. The bill requires AI companies to have kill switches that can shut down the models if they become unwieldy or uncontrollable."Unlike the non-binding agreement with the federal government, the California bill would have some teeth for enforcement. It gives the state's attorney general license to sue if AI developers don't comply, especially during threat-level events. However, it still requires one more process vote - and the signature of Governor Gavin Newsom, who will have until September 30 to decide whether to give it the green light.Update, August 29, 2024, 4:53 PM ET: This story has been updated to add a response from a Google spokesperson.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-anthropic-agree-to-share-their-models-with-the-us-ai-safety-institute-191440093.html?src=rss

The latest round in the Spotify vs. Apple battle concerns volume controls. The streaming service says Apple "discontinued the technology" that allowed it to employ the volume buttons on iOS devices to make level adjustments when using Spotify Connect. Spotify says it's working on a solution, but for now, you'll have to use the volume slider in the iOS app. The company explains that this issue doesn't affect Bluetooth or AirPlay connections, nor does it impact Android users."Apple has discontinued the technology that enables Spotify to control volume for connected devices using the volume buttons on the device," the company says in a support article. "While we work with them on a solution, you can use the Spotify app to easily adjust the volume on your connected device."Spotify Connect allows you to sync with speakers, TVs, and other devices from inside the streaming app. It works with either Bluetooth or WiFi, showing a list of compatible options when you click the display/speaker icon on the app's media player. Once connected, you have full control over the device from inside the Spotify app. It's a lot faster than swiping through the settings menu on your phone.Until recently, that included the ability to use an iPhone's volume buttons to make adjustments. This functionality works on Apple TV and HomePod, but TechCrunch reports that Apple told Spotify it would need to integrate with HomePod in order to restore the controls. Direct Spotify integration has been absent on HomePod since the first device launched in 2018. Pandora support was added in 2020 and YouTube Music followed in 2023. Deezer, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio are also on the list.For now, Spotify will prompt users to make volume changes inside the app with a notification when they try to use the buttons. If you're already inside the app, the volume slider will pop up directly. This is certainly less convenient than before, but it sounds like it's only temporary. What's more, the issue seems to also impact Google Cast on iOS, as users reported a similar issue on Spotify's forums back in February.According to TechCrunch, Spotify is once again blaming Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to stop "gatekeepers" from using "unfair practices" with their products and services. This includes interoperability with operating systems and software features. Spotify was only able to display pricing in its app in the EU this month, following a 1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) fine back in March for restrictions it placed on other music streaming apps on the App Store.Engadget has asked Apple for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/spotify-says-apple-broke-some-of-its-volume-controls-on-ios-204746045.html?src=rss

Nintendo has stopped offering repairs for the New Nintendo 3DS. While it's unsurprising for a company to end support for hardware that's a decade old, the reason in this case is that Nintendo has simply run out of parts. The news circulated in a translated social media post from the company's Japanese support team.Time is also running out for official repairs of the Nintendo 2DS and New Nintendo 3DS LL (known as the XL model in the US). Nintendo said it will stop offering repairs on those handhelds when they likewise deplete their stock of replacement parts.Nintendo stopped manufacturing the entire 3DS line in 2020. The handhelds had a long and impactful run as the game company's leading handheld. The New 3DS and New 3DS XL shipped 9.94 million units globally at the close of 2016, while the entire 3DS family's sales reached 75.94 million by 2020.For the time being, US customers can still take advantage of Nintendo's repair service for late-model 3DS XLs. New 3DS owners can still attempt the DIY approach if their handhelds break. Third-party repair platform iFixit currently has a stock of replacement parts and guides for the handheld in its online catalog. But as with any piece of hardware that's getting along in years, it might be wise to exercise a little extra care when you use it. Just like the 3DS eShop, nothing lasts forever.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-cant-repair-your-new-3ds-because-it-ran-out-of-parts-192615658.html?src=rss

X briefly discouraged users from viewing a link to an NPR story about Donald Trump's recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, raising questions about whether the Elon Musk-owned platform is putting its thumb on the scale for the former president.On Thursday, NPR reporter Stephen Fowler posted a link to a story in which he quoted an Army official who said that an employee at Arlington National Cemetery was abruptly pushed aside" during an event attended by Trump and members of his campaign earlier this week. The outlet had previously reported that there was a physical altercation" at the event with campaign staff over federal laws barring campaign activities at the cemetery.Some users on X who attempted to click a link to the story were greeted with a warning message saying that X deemed that this link may be unsafe." It stated that it could be malicious, violent, spammy or otherwise violate the platform's rules, but didn't explain why the link was flagged. Fowler posted a thread on X, each tweet of which contained a link to his story - the warning appeared to affect the first two instances of the link but not others, for reasons unknown. It's highly unusual for such a warning to appear before a link to a mainstream website. Other links to NPR, as well as other coverage of Trump's visit to Arlington, don't appear to have such a label.In a statement to an NPR reporter, an X spokesperson claimed the warning appeared due to a "false positive" and that it had been corrected. The company didn't explain further.Notably, Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump this election, and recently held a lengthy live streamed conversation with him on X. Musk has also publicly feuded with NPR in the past, adding a state affiliated media" label to its account for several months last year. NPR hasn't posted from its main account on X since the label was added last April.Update August 29, 2024, 2:35 PM ET: This story was updated to add additional details from an X spokesperson and to indicate that the link is no longer labeled as "unsafe."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-is-labeling-an-unflattering-npr-story-about-donald-trump-as-unsafe-163732236.html?src=rss

If you're the kind of pro or college football fan who wishes they could time travel so they can watch every game as they happen, Apple Sports may be able to help. The iPhone sports app can't break the laws of quantum physics but it can help you keep track of all the games during football season.Apple Sports' newest update adds more comprehensive alerts and features for National Football League (NFL) and National Collegiate Athletic Association Football (NCAAF) games. The app will not only provide up-to-the-minute scores and stats on games but it will also deliver play-by-play updates for scoring drives with its new dynamic drive tracker" that can show the ball's location on the field. The Apple Sports app will also provide real-time betting odds during every game.The app will eventually add a drop-down screen that will show the main scorecards from game to game, a feed of updates for your teams and a search function that makes it easier to find and switch between games even if you don't follow them. It'll also cannibalize the Live Activities" alert feature from Apple TV. Both those features will drop when the iOS 18 beta launches in the fall.The Apple Sports app launched in February for free and is available now on the App Store. As of Thursday, the app can track games for 15 different leagues' seasons including the NFL, NCAAF, Major League Soccer (MLS), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Apple says more leagues will be added to the app in future updates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-sports-is-ready-for-some-football-with-new-game-tracking-updates-181536944.html?src=rss

The Oldest House could be coming to a big screen near you. TV and film adaptations of Control and Alan Wake may be on the way after Remedy Entertainment struck a deal with Annapurna Pictures. Annapurna is stumping up half of the development budget for Control 2 and in return it snapped up the rights to adapt the two franchises.Remedy fully owns the intellectual property of both after it bought the rights to Control from 505 Games earlier this year. The two franchises exist in an MCU-style shared universe, and they're both highly cinematic. Expanding them into audiovisual mediums makes a lot of sense.Remedy will take the lion's share of Control 2 game revenue after both sides have recouped their investments. Annapurna will keep most of the proceeds of any TV and film projects. No specifics have been revealed about how it may adapt Control and Alan Wake.The studio is behind movies such as Zero Dark Thirty, Her and Nimona, which turned out to be a surprise hit on Netflix. It's starting to turn games published by its excellent Annapurna Interactive division into films as well. An animated Stray movie is on the way."Annapurna's expertise across film, TV and video games makes them an ideal partner for us," Remedy CEO Tero Virtala said. "This agreement will ensure we can develop Control 2 into the best game possible, allow us to move into self-publishing for selected titles and expand our franchises to other mediums."The agreement should alleviate some financial pressure on Remedy. Control 2 had an initial budget of 50 million euros ($55.4 million), but that number could end up rising. Moving into TV and film will give Remedy a fresh revenue stream too.Remedy's operating profit nosedived over the last couple of years. It had 19 million euros ($21.1 million) in net cash at the end of June, down from 31.7 million euros a year earlier. Its games have been critically acclaimed. However, Alan Wake 2, which Remedy said in February was its fastest-selling game to date, had only "recouped most of its development and marketing expenses" as of earlier this month.Control 2 is not yet in full production, so it will still be at least a few years away. Remedy has two other games in the works: a multiplayer Control project and a remake of the first two Max Payne titles. A co-op shooter Remedy was developing with Tencent was scrapped earlier this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-alan-wake-and-control-universe-may-expand-to-film-and-tv-175949089.html?src=rss

The PS5 Pro will be announced in mid-September and will likely hit store shelves sometime during the holiday season, according to insider information published by VGC. The information was brought forth by a reliable Dealabs user called billbil-kun, who has a pretty good track record for leaking upcoming games and hardware.Here's what the leaker has laid out. Take all of this with a grain of salt, as it's not coming from Sony. First of all, it'll actually be called the PS5 Pro. This was assumed, based on the PS4 Pro, but we didn't have any actual naming details. The user claims to have access to the packaging design, but didn't feel comfortable sharing copyrighted images. Instead, they sketched out the packaging, as seen below.Dealabs / billbil-kunAs you can see, the design is similar to the PS5 Slim, with a white colorway. We don't know if it'll be available in other colors beyond white. There looks to be three black stripes across the middle, which is a new design element. These stripes could double as cooling vents but, again, we just don't know.The leaker also doesn't know if the console will have a disc drive, though it has been theorized that it could ship without a drive in order to keep costs down. It's equally unclear if there will be two versions of the PS5 Pro, one with a disc drive and a digital-only edition.

Researchers at Cornell University tapped into fungal mycelia to power a pair of proof-of-concept robots. Mycelia, the underground fungal network that can sprout mushrooms as its above-ground fruit, can sense light and chemical reactions and communicate through electrical signals. This makes it a novel component in hybrid robotics that could someday detect crop conditions otherwise invisible to humans.The Cornell researchers created two robots: a soft, spider-like one and a four-wheeled buggy. The researchers used mycelia's light-sensing abilities to control the machines using ultraviolet light. The project required experts in mycology (the study of fungi), neurobiology, mechanical engineering, electronics and signal processing.If you think about a synthetic system - let's say, any passive sensor - we just use it for one purpose," lead author Anand Mishra said. But living systems respond to touch, they respond to light, they respond to heat, they respond to even some unknowns, like signals. That's why we think, OK, if you wanted to build future robots, how can they work in an unexpected environment? We can leverage these living systems, and any unknown input comes in, the robot will respond to that."The fungal robot uses an electrical interface that (after blocking out interference from vibrations and electromagnetic signals) records and processes the mycelia's electrophysical activity in real time. A controller, mimicking a portion of animals' central nervous systems, acted as a kind of neural circuit." The team designed the controller to read the fungi's raw electrical signal, process it and translate it into digital controls. These were then sent to the machine's actuators.Cornell University / Science RoboticsThe pair of shroom-bots successfully completed three experiments, including walking and rolling in response to the mycelia's signals and changing their gaits in response to UV light. The researchers also successfully overrode the mycelia's signals to control the robots manually, a crucial component if later versions were to be deployed in the wild.As for where this technology goes, it could spawn more advanced versions that tap into mycelia's ability to sense chemical reactions. In this case we used light as the input, but in the future it will be chemical," according to Rob Shepherd, Cornell mechanical and aerospace engineering professor and the paper's senior author. The researchers believe this could lead to future robots that sense soil chemistry in crops, deciding when to add more fertilizer, perhaps mitigating downstream effects of agriculture like harmful algal blooms," Shepherd said.You can read the team's research paper at Science Robotics and find out more about the project from the Cornell Chronicle.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/these-robots-move-through-the-magic-of-mushrooms-171612639.html?src=rss

Not only is Telegram CEO Pavel Durov facing criminal charges in France, the company he founded could be in hot water with the European Union as well. EU officials are looking into whether the platform lied about its user numbers to avoid being regulated under the Digital Services Act (DSA).The Joint Research Centre - a department of the European Commission, the EU's executive branch - is conducting a technical investigation in an attempt to determine Telegram's true user numbers in the bloc. Officials are also discussing the matter with Telegram, according to the Financial Times. We have a way through our own systems and calculations to determine how accurate the user data is," said Thomas Regnier, the EC's spokesperson for digital issues, said.Earlier this year, Telegram claimed to have 41 million users in the bloc. While it was supposed to provide an updated figure this month, it said only that it had significantly fewer than 45 million average monthly active recipients in the EU." Officials claim Telegram's failure to disclose the actual number is itself a breach of the DSA, while they believe that the investigation will reveal that more than 45 million residents are using it.That figure is significant because services that have more than 45 million users (10 percent of the EU's population) there are designated as very large online platforms." Those are subject to stricter rules under the DSA, violations of which can lead to a fine of up to six percent of a company's annual revenue. Platforms with the designation have to meet higher compliance and content moderation standards, and share data with the EC. Third-party auditing is also a factor.Telegram is said to be on the cusp of cracking 1 billion users in total. Other than China, the user base is roughly proportionate to the population of each market [or] continent," Durov told the FT earlier this year.On Wednesday, French prosecutors formally charged Durov amid an ongoing investigation. Among other things, he has been accused of complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software" and refusing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activity" on Telegram, which is an encrypted messaging service.Durov, who was arrested at an airport near Paris over the weekend, was released from custody after posting bail of 5 million. The Telegram CEO, who obtained French citizenship a few years ago, is required to stay in France and check in at a police station twice weekly until the investigation is concluded.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-officials-believe-telegram-lied-about-user-numbers-to-skirt-regulation-165538148.html?src=rss

The Labor Day discounts are coming in hot. Here's one for Apple's fantastic MagSafe charging pad. It's usually $39, but this Amazon sale brings it down to $29. That's a savings of 26 percent and close to a record low price. If you haven't tried a charging pad before, you are in for a treat. There's a reason this thing made our list of the best iPhone accessories. All you do is plug it in and then plop the device right on top of it. It'll juice up, thanks to the magic of inductive charging. Apple's MagSafe charging pad will work with just about any Apple handset past the iPhone 8, though the internal magnetic locking mechanism only works with the iPhone 12 and later. All this means is it'll be a bit more finicky to place older handsets. Also, the charging pad isn't tethered to phones. It powers up the charging cases that ship with most AirPods earbuds. We loved the powerful internal magnets, which makes phone placement a breeze. The only real downside is that the cable that runs from the pad to a power outlet is on the shorter side, so it may require some furniture rearrangement or the use of an extension cord. The original $39 asking price was also a sticking point, given that off-brand products are much cheaper. That's changed with this sale. Why get a third-party charging pad for $25 when you can get the real deal for $29? 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/this-labor-day-sale-discounts-apples-magsafe-charging-pad-to-just-29-150200016.html?src=rss

Labor Day deals are in full swing, so that means fall is almost here, bringing with it leaves of changing colors and crisp weather. In other words, it's nearly bonfire season. To commemorate this, Solo Stove is holding a sitewide Labor Day sale that includes fire pits, pizza ovens and just about everything else. You'll find straight-up discounts on a lot of gear, but you can also get up to an additional $150 off using the code LABORDAY when you check out. Purchases of at least $250 get a discount of $25, while purchases of at least $450 receive a discount of $75. If you really splurge and buy at least $850 worth of stuff, the discount balloons up to $150. Perhaps the best deal of the bunch is this bundle that includes the Bonfire 2.0 firepit, a removable base plate and ash pan, a stand, a lid, a carrying case and a shelter for outdoor storage. This bundle costs $455, which is a discount of $75 (with the coupon code.) We praised not just the Bonfire 2.0, but many of the accessories that ship with this kit. The removable base plate and ash plan makes it much easier to clean than rival products. Multiple Solo Stove products made our list of the best outdoor gear, including the aforementioned Bonfire 2.0. If fire pits aren't your bag, the code can also be used for the company's line of pizza ovens. Who doesn't love pizza?! 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/labor-day-sales-include-up-to-150-off-fire-pits-and-pizza-ovens-from-solo-stove-164539472.html?src=rss

Netflix and the BBC have released an all-too-brief look at Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. A clip from the stop-motion animated movie features Wallace proudly revealing his latest invention, a smart gnome" called Norbot. The robot aggressively shakes Gromit's paw while introducing itself to the pooch, hinting at trouble ahead.It's a very short clip, but it's full of charm and wit. The concept of a smart gnome as a riff on the smart home is funny by itself and it perfectly matches the type of humor the Wallace and Gromit series is known for. Wallace encouraging Gromit to put the voice-activated Norbot through its paces is a great touch too, considering that the beagle is famously silent.There's something not quite right about Norbot - the robot has a creepy design and an all-too-chipper attitude (the great Reece Shearsmith voices it). According to the Radio Times, the smart gnome is designed to perform any gardening task or gnome improvement" (heh). It proves a hit with Wallace and Gromit's neighbors, at least until things start to go wrong in what may well be cinema's most terrifying instance of AI running amok yet. Wallace and Gromit will have even more problems on their plate, as the film includes the return of franchise villain Feathers McGraw.We are delighted to introduce Norbot, a Nifty Odd-jobbing Robot' gnome, designed to help Gromit with his gardening chores," directors Nick Park (the series' creator) and Merlin Crossingham said in a statement. Norbot is Wallace's most proud achievement to date and, according to Wallace, his best invention ever!' Garden gnomes have long been a part of Wallace and Gromit's world, but this is no cute patio ornament... We're so excited to see Wallace unleashing his latest invention, Norbot, into the world. However, his long-suffering pooch, Gromit, may be a little less sure..."It's almost hard to believe that Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is just the second full-length film in the franchise's long and Oscar-laden history. It will arrive almost two decades after The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.Netflix announced a deal with Aardman a couple of years ago to bring new Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit films to its platform. Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will arrive on the streaming service later this year everywhere except the UK, where it will premiere on the BBC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflixs-wallace-and-gromit-movie-features-a-smart-gnome-robot-in-a-teaser-clip-143224865.html?src=rss

Meta has published an update on how its Llama large language models are performing, and they're apparently doing so well that they're now "approaching 350 million downloads to date." That's 10 times more than the downloads it accumulated compared to the same time last year. Approximately 20 million of those downloads took place in the last month alone, after the company released Llama 3.1, its latest LLM that it says can now rival OpenAI's and Anthropic's.The monthly usage of Llama grew ten times from January to July this year for some of Meta's largest cloud service providers, the company said. From May to July, in particular, hosted Llama usage on its cloud partners more than doubled by token volume. In addition to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, the company teamed up with Databricks, Dell, Google Cloud, Groq, NVIDIA, IBM watsonx, Scale AI and Snowflake, among others, to make its LLMs more readily available to developers.Meta attributed Llama's growing usage to "the power of open source." It said that making the LLMs available to all allowed it to see "a vibrant and diverse AI ecosystem come to life where developers have more choice and capability." When Meta released Llama 3.1, Mark Zuckerberg extolled the virtues of open source AI, calling it the "path forward." He also talked about the steps Meta is taking to make open source AI the industry standard.In its latest report, it gave examples of how companies are using Llama for their needs. AT&T apparently uses Llama to fine-tune customer searches, while DoorDash relies on the LLM to make tasks easier for its software engineers. Llama also generates the real-time reactions of the creatures called "Dots" in Niantic's Tamagotchi-like game Peridot. Meanwhile, Zoom uses Llama (along with other LLMs) to power its AI Companion that can summarize meetings and make smart recordings. "The innovation has been broad and rapid, from start-ups pushing new boundaries to enterprises of all sizes using Llama to build on-premises or through a cloud service provider," Meta wrote. "Industry is building and innovating with Llama, and we're even more excited for what's to come."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-says-llamas-usage-grew-tremendously-due-to-the-power-of-open-source-140020454.html?src=rss

Meta's Oversight Board is looking at two anti-transgender posts shared in 2024 that were reported multiple times for hate speech, bullying and harassment. The first is a video shared on Facebook that shows a trans woman being confronted in the bathroom by another woman. The post misgenders the person as a man and questions why they should be allowed to use a women's bathroom. The other case looks at a video posted on Instagram in which a transgender girl wins a women's sporting competition, with some spectators audibly expressing their disapproval. The post also misgenders the athlete as a boy.The company's hate speech policy prohibits any direct attack on an individual due to their gender identity. Yet, in both instances, Meta left the post live after users reported them. Then, following individual appeals to the Board, Meta took another look under its Hate Speech and Bullying and Harassment policies and came to the same conclusion. It also told the Board that it would have left the Facebook post up regardless, as it's newsworthy given that "transgender people's access to bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity is the subject of considerable political debate in the United States."The user who appealed the Facebook post argued to the Board that Meta is allowing a transphobic post to remain on one of its platforms. The assertion for the Instagram post was that the attacks lobbied at the athlete violate Meta's Community Standards.The Board is now seeking public comments through September 12 on aspects such as Meta's policies, the challenges of enforcing them and how the content of each post and accompanying video could be seen from a sociopolitical context. It's combining these two cases "to assess whether Meta's approach to moderating discussions around gender identity respects users' freedom of expression and the rights of transgender and non-binary people." Meta has 60 days to respond once the Board makes a recommendation.This latest instance is part of a consistent pattern from Meta of violating trans rights and well-being. Last year, the Board ruled that Meta wrongly took down two Instagram posts of a transgender and non-binary couple with bare chests but covered nipples. Both posts discussed transgender healthcare and how they were raising money so one of them could afford gender-affirming surgery. Meta argued the posts violated its sexual solicitation policies after getting user reports and automatic system alerts. The couple then appealed to Meta and the Board, with Meta reversing their decision. The Board still looked into it and agreed that the posts should never have been removed.Outside entities have also criticized Meta's lack of protections. Early this year, LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD published a report outlining how Meta fails to enforce its own policies around anti-trans hate speech. The report showed dozens of clear examples demonstrating hate speech across Facebook, Instagram and Threads between June 2023 and March 2024, including anti-trans slurs, dehumanizing language and promotions of conversion therapy.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-oversight-board-looks-into-anti-trans-posts-that-the-company-wont-remove-135331089.html?src=rss

When I was a preteen, social media was just getting going, so there weren't many restrictions in place regarding access. Now, regulations - and the consequences of not having them - are everywhere, with the latest example coming courtesy of Meta (a case study for all the good and bad social media has to offer). Meta has announced it's opening up Horizon Worlds to preteens with parent-approved access to a Meta account.Anyone aged 10 to 12 can soon request entry to the VR game and explore different worlds like The Space Station or Citadel. Each world is also getting a rating of ages 10+, 13+ or 18+, with ones in the last category not shown as an option to anyone 17 or younger. Parents can either approve all worlds in a specific age bracket, go through and pick specific ones or wait for their kid to send a request.Further safety features in Horizon Worlds for preteens include the fact that voice chat is disabled for everyone except parent-approved contacts, there are no follow suggestions and there are automatic offline status and visibility settings - something only a parent can change. All parent-managed accounts will also permanently have the personal boundary feature turned on, stopping other avatars from getting too close. Plus, anyone using a Meta Quest 2 or 3 headset will have to re-enter their birthday before playing.As thought out as these measures seem, parents and guardians might not want to trust that Meta will take care of everything without question. The company has hardly kept young people's well-being at the forefront of their decisions, with lawmakers slamming (and suing) Meta for its disregard. Nearly every state across the US has taken part in lawsuits alleging Meta hooks teenagers onto its platforms and repeatedly promotes safety features while ignoring staff pleas to devote more time and resources to protecting children. Our deep dive into all of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's dangerous decisions (including the company taking minimal action to stop adults from sexually harassing children on Facebook and Instagram) is available here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-open-up-horizon-worlds-access-to-preteens-130059930.html?src=rss

LG has introduced a smart home hub called ThinQ ON that has the technology to control not just LG-branded appliances but also other smart home devices. It comes with a built-in speaker that gives you a way to talk to LG's AI voice assistant, so you can use it to look up information, as well as to control your smart devices with spoken commands. LG says its technology can "understand the context of conversations" and can determine your preference for a specific device. It could, perhaps, tell your preferred temperature for the thermostat or the washer cycle you typically use. And it can notify you when a task is done, such as when the dryer cycle is finished.The ThinQ ON hub is Matter-certified and can use Wi-Fi or Thread - a low-power wireless protocol - to connect to smart home devices and appliances. In addition, LG's acquisition of smart home platform company Athom and its smart hub Homey Pro earlier this year gives the device's compatibility a huge boost. Apparently, the Homey App Store contains over 1,000 applications that will give the hub that capability to control products from a wide number of brands around the world.LG has yet to reveal the ThinQ ON's pricing and availability, but it's showcasing the hub at IFA 2024 in Berlin, Germany, which will take place from September 6 to 10.LG Electronics, Inc.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/lg-debuts-its-thinq-on-smart-home-hub-that-comes-with-an-ai-voice-assistant-120052215.html?src=rss

GameStop has announced it's launching a group of retro game retail locations, which will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms. The company announced on X it'll cover 18 classic systems, from NES through to PS Vita. You can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius on Gamestop's website, but most will find these stores as rare as a mint-in-box copy of Chrono Trigger.It does make a degree of business sense for the games retailer. When most of us download our games from online stores - or get them delivered by Amazon - a combination of physical media and a degree of expertise could capitalize on GameStop's strengths. The biggest challenge could be piracy.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedMMORPG Blue Protocol shuts down before most people got a chance to play itApple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynoteWatch out, there's a new AI pin in town that can transcribe all your conversationsYou can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Telegram CEO charged and released from police custodyThe billionaire must remain in France for the foreseeable future.Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country. Durov was officially charged on Wednesday with complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software" on the messaging app he founded. He must stay in France under court monitoring" and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation continues.Continue reading.Team shooter Concord doesn't quite take offDespite launching across PC and PS5.Firewalk StudiosIt's been a long time since we've had a first-person shooter from PlayStation. Firewalk Studios' debut game, the 5v5 team shooter Concord, however, hasn't captured the imagination of gamers. Is it the lackluster characters or the at-times unashamed Guardians of the Galaxy vibe theft? Well, they probably don't help, but under 700 concurrent players on Steam (and no fanfare announcements from Sony on player counts / copies sold) point to a dud.Anecdotally, no one's been asking me to play the team shooter - no one's even asked what I thought about Concord.However, Engadget's Kris Holt points out that PlayStation has been having a good year. Helldivers 2, published by Sony, is having a great year while the PlayStation Portal and PSVR 2 hardware continue to find willing buyers, thanks to strong support from handheld gamers. And some VR headset discounts.Continue reading.Apple's latest iOS developer betas include an AI object removal toolAw, just like Google.Apple's latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas include a few more Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, very much like Google's Magic Eraser. The Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll too.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-gamestops-retro-gaming-pivot-111627707.html?src=rss

Yelp has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. As CNN reports, the move caps off years of animosity between the two companies, with Yelp alleging that Google has leveraged its control over online searching to dominate local queries and prioritize its own reviews."Google abuses its monopoly power in general search to keep users within Google's owned ecosystem and prevents them from going to rival sites," Yelp Co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said in a blog post announcing the suit. "This anticompetitive conduct siphons traffic and advertising revenue from vertical search services, like Yelp, that provide objectively higher quality local business content for consumers."The US lawsuit could carry extra weight following a Department of Justice case where the judge deemed Google a monopolist over search. The August ruling did not place any sanctions on Google, but it's likely that Yelp's case will be the first of many brought by the tech company's competitors.In response to a request for comment, a Google spokesperson told Engadget:

ESPN launched a feature called Where to Watch in its app and website. This guide is a list of all the sporting events happening on a given day and, fittingly, where you can watch them. The resource covers not just ESPN's own channels, but also broadcast, cable and regional sports networks and streaming services. Users can prioritize their favorite leagues and teams to make details about those games front and center. People who are authenticated pay TV customers or ESPN+ subscribers can click through to watch the live events if they are an ESPN network stream or a select partner network.ESPN is hardly the first to come up with this idea. In fact, you can already see a comprehensive list of all kinds of athletic events on the Sports page of Just Watch. But the fact that it's such a useful tool is a sign of just how convoluted it can be to watch a specific game. Sports leagues are fragmented across a host of rights deals that mean your team might play on one media platform one night and a totally different one the next. For instance, NBA and WNBA matches will predominantly be on ESPN in the coming years. Except for when the games are on NBC and Peacock. And when they're on Prime Video. Resources like Just Watch or ESPN's Where to Watch might give you the information, but they don't reduce the costs of being a loyal viewer.If that wasn't enough, there are also new sports-centric streaming options on the horizon from ESPN. The Disney-owned company is planning to offer a standalone streaming subscription next year and it's also a partner in the proposed Venu sports streaming package (although that's hit some hurdles).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/espns-where-to-watch-offers-a-tv-and-streaming-guide-to-sports-viewing-221350244.html?src=rss

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country amid their investigation into the Russian billionaire. Durov was officially charged Wednesday with complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software" on the messaging app he founded, as well as refusing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activity on the Telegram," The Wall Street Journal reported.Durov, who was arrested outside of Paris on Saturday, was released from police custody after paying 5 million in bail. He is required to stay in France under court monitoring" and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation plays out. That could take months or possibly years, as The WSJ points out.That means Durov, who is known for frequently moving around and working from other countries, will be stuck in France for the foreseeable future unless the charges against him are dropped. In an earlier statement, Telegram called the charges against its founder absurd" and said that he should not be responsible for the actions of his app's users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-has-been-charged-and-released-from-police-custody-214333241.html?src=rss

There are a ton of Rugratsgames from early CD-ROM games to the Nintendo 64 but there's never really been one that truly stood out on its own. The MIX Games, Wallride and Limited Run Games may have given us the definitive Rugratsgame with Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland set for release on September 10 on Steam and both current and previous-gen consoles.The new throwback Rugrats game was announced last year almost to the date. Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland looks like it was inspired by those classic NES platformers that fueled your childhood fun and frustration (funstration?). The game comes in two modes: HD mode featuring graphics that look just like the Nicktoon and a special 8-bit mode that looks like it came out on a throwback console.You'll be able to play as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil as you traverse the Pickles house. The babies are pretending that their homestead has transformed into their own video game, which may just be the most adorably meta thing ever.Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland can be played in solo or two-player co-op mode. Limited Run Games is also releasing the game on orange and classic gray NES cartridges but you missed your chance to buy one because they've already sold out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/rugrats-adventures-in-gameland-crawls-out-of-its-playpen-on-september-10-212021343.html?src=rss

Reddit is back up after an outage took the site out for half an hour this afternoon. The site appears to have been down across the board, apart from a blank homepage that didn't contain or point to any content. We encountered an error," the website reads. Attempting to navigate to any specific subreddit brought up the error you see above: We were unable to load the content for this page." However, as of 4:45PM ET, we began to see seeing subreddits and comments loading again as usual.The Reddit status update page lists the problem as Degraded Performance for reddit.com," and was initially flagged as Investigating." At 4:32PM ET, the status was updated as Identified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented."At 4:45PM ET, it was updated again as Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results." However, the site's performance still labeled as Degraded."Of course, the jokes on social media didn't take long to start rolling in:

Over the last six months, Meta has slowly begun to make good on its promise to make Threads compatible with the fediverse. The app allows users to share their posts to Mastodon and other Activity Pub-enabled services and began showing replies originating on those services earlier this summer.Now, Threads is making those replies even more visible by allowing users who have opted in to fediverse sharing to see replies on other people's posts. With the change, a new fediverse replies" section will appear underneath posts that have drawn replies from Mastodon servers and other federated accounts.ThreadsPractically, this means that a lot more fediverse content will be visible within Threads. Up until now, most users probably weren't seeing that many replies from Mastodon and other sites unless they had a particularly large following or a post that was widely shared. But now, you'll be able to see all those replies just by browsing Threads.As with previous updates, Threads' support for other Activity Pub content is still limited. Users need to opt-in to fediverse sharing in order to view replies from other apps. The feature, which is still labeled as being in beta," notes that some replies may not be visible on the Meta-owned service. And Threads still doesn't support replies to those replies, which drastically limits the ability to engage with other fediverse users. (In a follow-up, Meta engineer Peter Cottle said adding that functionality is top of mind.") But the update might help incentivize more users to open their accounts to the fediverse, which is an important step for anyone hoping to bring decentralized social media into the mainstream.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-making-fediverse-replies-more-visible-in-its-app-194543494.html?src=rss

Apple's latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas are here, and they include a few new Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, which sounds very much like Google's Magic Eraser. The idea is that you'll be able to remove background objects from your snaps without modifying the subject - even if the undesirable item overlaps the person you're focusing on. According to Apple, the tool can remove the shadow and the reflection of an unwanted object too.The company notes that the Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. Clean Up works for finer details when you zoom in too. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll, including those you took with an earlier iPhone or iPad, or even a DSLR.There's one other smaller Apple Intelligence update in the latest beta. Those who have been checking out previous builds have been able to receive summaries of multiple Mail and Messages notifications. This feature will now work for other apps.There are several other Apple Intelligence features that the company has announced but is yet to start testing in developer betas, including image and emoji generation, priority notifications, in-app actions and personal context updates for Siri, availability for other languages and platforms and, of course, ChatGPT integration.The only devices that support Apple Intelligence features at the minute are the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and Macs and iPads with an M1 chip or newer. Anyone with a compatible iPhone or iPad can install the latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas, but it's always worth bearing in mind that betas can have bugs. So be sure to at least back up your data first if you don't have a secondary device for testing and you don't want to run the risk of having any major issues on the phone you use all the time.Apple Intelligence features are unlikely to be included in the first retail versions of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, which should be available soon after next month's iPhone 16 event. They'll probably start to roll out in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which are expected to be available to everyone in October.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-latest-ios-and-ipados-developer-betas-include-an-ai-object-removal-tool-for-photos-185215465.html?src=rss

Raven Software's union - the first of its kind in the gaming industry - has hit another snag negotiating its collective bargaining agreement with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, games journalist Stephen Totilo reported in his Game Filenewsletter. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging chiefly that their employer refuses to bargain, or is not bargaining in good faith. The Raven workers succeeded in their union drive, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA), over two years ago.The full complaints have not been made available to the public as of Wednesday. We also reached out to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for a comment on the complaint but did not receive a response as of presstime.CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. released a statement following the unfair labor practice charges. He urged Microsoft to follow through on its agreement to respect the rights of the Raven Software workers' union efforts.After Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software," Cummings wrote. Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the unfair labor practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority."An NLRB investigation revealed Activision Blizzard withheld raises from Raven's workers following a separate unfair labor practice charge. The complaint filed by the CWA on behalf of workers in 2022 also accused the game publisher of retaliating against workers attempting to form a union by laying off staff members and moving QA workers to separate teams.

GameStop is pivoting to retro games at select locations. As the industry moves to digital media - and the retailer struggles to adapt to the shifting landscape (including a short-lived stab at NFTs) -the company is betting on the old school. The GameStop Retro locations will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms.The retailer announced the Retro GameStop locations in a post on X (Twitter). The company also has a website where you can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius. (I found a grand total of one in my city.)GameStop lists 18 classic systems supported by its Retro stores, stretching back to the 8-bit glory days of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Here's the complete list (according to the company's brief announcement), including their US launch years:

The Xbox August update is here, bringing with it plenty of little tweaks and new features. Perhaps the biggest news is that the Xbox streaming app is coming to more Fire TV devices. This means that more people will be able to access the wonderful world of Xbox Cloud Gaming.It was already available for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and the Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen), but now it's available for the previous iterations of those devices, alongside the Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen.) Expanding the availability of cloud-gaming is never a bad thing. There's the usual caveat, however, as a Game Pass subscription is required here.Xbox is also amping up Discord integration, which is welcome news. Xbox consoles will now deliver let people know when a friend is playing, chatting or streaming, making it easy to jump into a voice chat or watch that stream. This can all be done directly from the console, without having to use the Discord app on PC or mobile.As indicated above, users can now watch Discord streams straight from Xbox consoles - or stream their gameplay directly to Discord - which is a nice add-on.Xbox The update will also let people customize downloads. This should allow users to only download what's needed to actually play the game, saving crucial hard drive space. Somebody should get the Call of Duty team on the horn about this one.Finally, there are additional controller customization options. Toggle hold is coming to the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and the Xbox Adaptive Controller. When enabled, toggle sends a string of consecutive inputs just like old-school 'turbo' buttons, but without the need to keep that button depressed. That sounds like a great way to sail past push this button a million times" minigames.This update is rolling out now and should reach all users by the end of the week. It applies to the Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-streaming-app-is-coming-to-more-fire-tv-devices-172946436.html?src=rss

Mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi spotted an Instagram feature that may be in development: real-time Spotify integration. The extant code seems to indicate that songs played on Spotify will create Notes automatically within Instagram. These Notes appear on top of your inbox and profile picture if people tap to view your Instagram profile.This sort of feature already exists in Discord. And Instagram Users can already add Spotify tracks to their Notes or Stories manually, so iterating on that isn't completely outrageous. That said, Instagram isn't the type of chat platform people keep open for extended periods so it's unclear if there would be as much value in real-time music integration, should the feature ever properly see the light of day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/instagram-may-be-adding-real-time-spotify-integration-170040342.html?src=rss

If you own a computer with AMD's Ryzen 9000 Zen 5 or Ryzen 7000 Zen 4 series of CPUs, you can now improve their performance. AMD also just announced that it has clarified why these processors' performance was lacking in the first place. Before we get into that, let's talk about the update.This Windows optional update is labeled KB5041587, and you can immediately download and install it by opening your Windows Update menu. This development means you don't have to update your Windows to version 24H2. The performance boosts KB5041587 and version 24H2 offer will be identical. Therefore, you don't have to wait for the increased frames while gaming.Jeremy Gan/EngadgetThe primary reason for the initial slower speeds was that AMD conducted tests in Super Admin mode. This mode isn't recommended for those who use computers casually or for gaming. Therefore, the new update mentioned above will let you play games at the speeds AMD intended to deliver with their CPUs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amd-ryzen-9000-zen-5-and-ryzen-7000-zen-4-cpus-just-received-a-performance-boost-163014261.html?src=rss

Google's generative AI tools are getting some of the boosts the company previewed at Google I/O. Starting this week, the company is rolling out the next-gen version of its Imagen image generator, which reintroduces the ability to generate AI people (after an embarrassing controversy earlier this year). Google's Gemini chatbot also adds Gems, the company's take on bots with custom instructions, similar to ChatGPT's custom GPTs.Google's Imagen 3 is the upgraded version of its image generator, coming to Gemini. The company says the next-gen AI model sets a new standard for image quality" and is built with guardrails to avoid overcorrecting for diversity, like the bizarre historical AI images that went viral early this year.Across a wide range of benchmarks, Imagen 3 performs favorably compared to other image generation models available," Gemini Product Manager Dave Citron wrote in a press release. The tool allows you to guide the image generation with additional prompts if you don't like what it spits out the first time.Citron says Imagen 3 performs favorably" compared to the competition. It also includes Google's SynthID tool to watermark images, making it clear that they're AI-made and not the genuine article.GoogleCitron says the ability to generate people will return in the coming days for paid users, months after Google yanked the feature. He says new guardrails will prevent the generation of photorealistic, identifiable individuals" -a far cry from the problematic deepfakes generated by Elon Musk's Grok. Also off-limits are children and (as with other image generators) any gory, violent or sexual scenes. The product manager grounds expectations by saying Gemini's images won't be perfect, but he promises the company will continue to listen to user feedback and refine accordingly.Starting this week, the Imagen 3 model will be available for all users, but reintroducing images featuring people will begin with paid users. English-speaking Gemini Advanced, Business and Enterprise users can expect human image generation to return over the coming days."GoogleInitially previewed at Google I/O 2024, Gems are Google's custom chatbots with user-created instructions. It's essentially Gemini's answer to OpenAI's GPTs, which Google's competitor rolled out late last year. Gems begin rolling out in the next few days.With Gems, you can create a team of experts to help you think through a challenging project, brainstorm ideas for an upcoming event, or write the perfect caption for a social media post," Citron wrote. Your Gem can also remember a detailed set of instructions to help you save time on tedious, repetitive or difficult tasks."In addition to the blank slate of custom Gems, Gemini will include premade ones to help you get started" and inspire new ideas. Prebuilt Gems include:

I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Standalone AI devices have crashed and burned harder than the Hindenburg. They are, as one might say, not ready for prime time. Heck, the jury's still out on AI for smartphones. However, the show must go on, so here's another AI pin that will likely cause Marques Brownlee's hair to fall out when it officially launches.The Plaud NotePin could solve some of the issues that plagued rival products by limiting the scope. This thing isn't a purported digital assistant that will streamline every aspect of modern life. It's a note-taking device, albeit one with some AI bells and whistles.The NotePin automatically records and transcribes conversations, and that's pretty much it. I could see this being useful for students, stopping the cruel punishment known as jotting down notes." The same goes for people stuck in an endless kaleidoscope of meetings.The AI comes into play in a number of ways. First of all, this thing isn't stuck on English. The pin can transcribe and translate 59 languages, with more on the way. It also, allegedly, will pay attention to context to correctly name each speaker and organize the talk into something resembling a script.Finally, there's an AI analysis component that summarizes everything. This data can be accessed via a chat window, so you can ask specific questions about any of the dozens of conversations you've had while wearing the pin.PlaudThe NotePin is small and light, with the company saying it weighs about the same as a AA battery. This form factor will let users pin it just about anywhere, so it won't be quite as obvious as the scalding-hot (and heavy) Humane AI pin. Pre-orders are available now, and it's fairly reasonable at $170. However, an $80 annual subscription is required if you want to record more than 300 minutes of audio per month.But I'm not done. Here's where things get weird. This is just the first step in the company's plans toward something grandiose. Plaud hopes to one day use the trove of recordings to create a digital twin" of each user, according to an interview with Wired.Someday, you're going to be able to utilize AI to reproduce yourself-create this real digital twin. That's kind of this grand mission, where we think if we're able to help users connect to so many memories, it's going to be grand," said Plaud CEO Nathan Hsu.However, Hsu says this dream may take decades" to achieve, so at least he's being realistic, unlike every other AI company out there. Also, I don't want a digital twin. One of me is enough, thank you very much.For now, though, there's the NotePin. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work (mostly) as advertised. I also don't see why anyone would need it when they already carry around a computer with a microphone that could very easily house software to do everything the NotePin can do. Shrug.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/watch-out-theres-a-new-ai-pin-in-town-that-can-transcribe-all-your-conversations-153131281.html?src=rss

Streaming prices love to go up, but here's a rare instance in which one is going down - for a limited time. Paramount+ is running a sale that knocks half off its plans, bringing the cheapest option down to $30 for the year. That's the Essential plan, which provides access to Paramount+ programming with ads. While this isn't explicitly a Labor Day sale, it runs through September 6, so it's joining the bevy of other Labor Day deals you can snag this holiday weekend. The Essentials plan, however, doesn't offer access to Showtime. For that, the cost doubles to $60 per year, but that's still 50 percent off the usual going rate. In addition to the secondary streaming service, this plan offers live CBS streaming and the ability to download shows to a mobile device. This is also an ad-free plan, though live TV still has ads (for obvious reasons). For the uninitiated, Paramount+ is home to most, but not all, new Star Trek shows. It also hosts the dad-friendly Tulsa King and the Jeremy Renner vehicle Mayor of Kingstown. As for genre fare, there's the Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff Knuckles, the recently-canceled Halo show and a remake of Stephen King's The Stand. Showtime, on the other hand, is a long-standing cable institution that's seen as HBO's younger sibling." The platform offers access to hit shows like Yellowjackets, Billions and The Chi. The network also has a stable of older properties, including Dexter, Ray Donovan, Shameless and many more. Finally, it's the best way to watch Twin Peaks: The Return, which is so dang good. 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/paramount-annual-subscriptions-are-half-off-through-labor-day-weekend-190017464.html?src=rss

When Blue Protocol was announced, many people speculated it would be a Genshin killer" in reference to miHoYo's popular title Genshin Impact. But now, nearly a decade after it began development and just over a year since its release in Japan, Blue Protocol has reached an ignominious end. The planned worldwide release is being scrapped, and even the Japanese version is shuttering. Players there can enjoy the game until January 18, 2025.Blue Protocol was slated to be published in the Western world in collaboration with Amazon Games. Bandai Namco, in announcing the decision, said "we have come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to provide a service that satisfies all of you."For those of us looking for a Genshin alternative, it's back to that and Honkai: Star Rail and Wuthering Waves.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/mmorpg-blue-protocol-shuts-down-before-most-people-got-a-chance-to-play-it-152545183.html?src=rss

As millions of young people head back to school, Snap wants to help educators have a better understanding of how teens use Snapchat, and be aware of the safety resources and protections that are available. The Educator's Guide to Snapchat features videos that detail features that schools can employ, as well as safeguards for young people.The guide offers educators materials they can pass along to parents and counselors to help students navigate serious online risks such as bullying, mental health concerns and sextortion. Through a new form, Snap is also seeking feedback from educators directly about how the app is used in school communities.Snap's aim is to help educators stay connected with their students, and having a working knowledge of online platforms plays an important role in that. A toolkit that the company developed in partnership with Safe and Sound Schools provides educators with information on how to better support the online safety and wellbeing of their students. There is, of course, an onus on explaining how Snapchat works.According to Snap, more than 20 million US teens use Snapchat. Schools across the country have taken a variety of approaches to managing phone use, with some requiring students to seal their handsets in pouches while they're in class. Some states have outright banned students from using their phones in classrooms or on school grounds. The merits of sweeping bans on phones in schools are up for debate, but there's no denying that there's value in helping educators and students have a better understanding of how to safely use their devices, various apps and the internet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/snap-is-trying-to-help-educators-better-understand-how-students-use-snapchat-150754158.html?src=rss

Razer is trying something new - actually, two things. The Wolverine V3 Pro introduces Hall effect joysticks for the first time in a Razer gamepad, and it's also the company's first fully wireless controller for Xbox consoles. The Wolverine V3 Pro was designed with esports and high-skill competitive play in mind, and it's currently available for $200. The Pro and the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition, a $100 wired version of the new gamepad, are compatible with Xbox and PC. Though the V3 Pro is on the market right now, the V3 Tournament Edition is coming soon.The Wolverine V3 Pro features extra bumpers for claw-grip players, an eight-way floating D-pad and Viper mouse switches in its four back paddles. The rear paddles have been reimagined since Razer's Wolverine V2 gamepads - they're now horizontal bars that curve around the grips, two per side, rather than vertical buttons clustered near the center of the body. The face buttons on the Wolverine V3 are microswitches in a rubberized membrane and they have a 0.65mm actuation distance, just like the V2.Also like Razer's previous gamepad line, the V3 Pro communicates with your console or PC via a USB dongle over a 2.4GHz wireless connection. Wired, it has a Tournament Mode that nets a 1000Hz polling rate, and this can be toggled on or off at will. The whole gamepad can be customized in the Razer Controller App, with options including thumbstick sensitivity, button remapping, haptic strength and profile creation. The triggers on the V3 controllers have a physical switch with two settings: full pull or mouse click.RazerAs the top-tier option in this new line, the V3 Pro has rubberized grips, RGB lights on the front Razer logo, and it comes with a carrying case and accessories. These include a 10-foot braided cable (USB to USB-C) and two swappable thumbstick caps - one tall and concave, the other short and domed. The standard thumbsticks are short and concave. But the big news here is still the Hall effect joysticks, a feature that should prevent drift and enable more precise aiming.Hall effect sensors are the emerging standard in anti-drift gamepads, though the technology isn't ubiquitous quite yet. Sony, Xbox and Nintendo have yet to release first-party gamepads with Hall effect joysticks, though they've all received criticism for stick drift this generation. Even the $180 Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 doesn't have Hall effect thumbsticks. The most accessible storefront for drift-immune controllers is 8BitDo, which offers a range of wireless and wired gamepads for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC and Android, plenty of which use Hall effect tech. These controllers generally cost between $30 and $70, and the 8BitDo product page has a helpful little logo on all of its Hall effect products.Side story: The original gamepad for the Sega Dreamcast used Hall effect sensors in its sticks way back in 1998. While the idea has been widely implemented in modern triggers, the industry is just now applying this upgrade to joysticks on a mass scale.Of course, Razer's Wolverine V3 Pro - which costs $200 - is a premium gamepad with lots of upgraded parts and customization options, not just the sexy thumbsticks. I spent a few days with the V3 Pro, mainly playing rounds of Overwatch 2 on Xbox Series S, and I found the controller to be snappy and surprisingly compact, even for my very tiny hands. The face buttons and mouse-click triggers sound great and feel crisp, while the joysticks are precise - they require a little more force than the wireless Forza Horizon 5 Xbox controller I generally use, but they're nice and accurate. Everything on the V3 Pro is within reach at any given time: My left thumb can literally fall straight from the stick to the D-pad, and the face buttons are snuggled up next to the right stick. The rear paddles are infinitely clicky, and even without mapping them to anything, I enjoy pressing them just for the sound. I wonder if some players may find the paddles intrusive, since they're literally part of the grip, but I appreciate their placement because it makes them incredibly easy to use.RazerAnd yes, the V3 Pro does have RGB detailing, but it's subtle for Razer. There are no long lines of customizable lights wrapping around the gamepad - instead, only the small RAZER logo lights up. As a fan of pretty lights on my gaming accessories, I dig it.The $100 V3 Tournament Edition features the same button layout and internals as the Pro, but it's wired, it has a textured plastic grip, it doesn't have RGB details and it doesn't include a carrying case or additional thumbsticks. It's also for Xbox and PC, and it should hit the market in "Q3 2024" - so, by the end of September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/razers-first-controller-with-hall-effect-joysticks-is-the-200-wolverine-v3-pro-for-xbox-and-pc-150021455.html?src=rss

Uber has updated its teen accounts with new and improved features primarily designed for convenience and security. Besides previous functions like tracking trip progress and Uber Eats connectivity, the rideshare company is now announcing several additional features. Parents in charge of teen accounts, which are available in all 50 states and 250+ cities can apply them to their teens' accounts.Previously, teen accounts did not support parents booking trips using their own phones, but the new guardian booking feature now allows this. Parents using guardian booking will have access to the same security features a teen account will use. Parents with an Uber One membership can also now share the benefits with teens, such as free delivery and cash back trips. Any cash back funds go to the teen's account for future use.Teen accounts can also now use Uber Reserve to request rides up to 90 days ahead. Reserve trips can be at least booked with as little as 30 minutes of advance notice, too. Finally, teen accounts can now use Uber Cash if they receive Uber gift cards. They can use the money on their own for future rides or food.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/uber-teen-accounts-20-revealed-with-more-convenience-and-safety-features-142209566.html?src=rss

Just because summer is ending (yes, I will admit it) doesn't mean that the day trips or weekend getaways must stop. If you spent the whole season desperately looking for an outlet, then maybe reward yourself this fall with a power bank? Right now, a few of Anker's best portable chargers are on sale, including the 334 Magnetic Power Bank. The wireless portable charger is down to an all-time low price of $30 from $40 - a 25 percent discount. Anker's 334 Magnetic Power Bank provides a 7.5W charge without any need for a wire. I don't have this one, but I do have another Anker power bank, and being able to connect without worrying about a cord is a game changer. Worth noting: this accessory is solely for iPhone users and is compatible with the iPhone 12 and above. Plus, you can charge the accessory and your iPhone at the same time if you're only traveling with one plug. If you're looking for a power bank with more, well, power then check out some of the other deals on Anker accessories. Anker's Qi2 Certified 15W MagGo Power Bank is down to $70 from $90 - a 22 percent discount. The accessory is one of our top picks for 2024's best power banks and portable chargers thanks to features like its fast charging speeds, sturdy kickstand and clear battery percentage indicator. It's compatible with the iPhone 12 and higher, giving you a full charge and about two-thirds of the way to another. The other option to consider is Anker's 200W Prime Power Bank with three ports and a 100W charging case. It's available for $150, down from $185, and has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. A clear front display also states how much charge is left (or how long until the power bank is back to 100 percent). It works with laptops and smartphones and can charge two computers at once with 100W each. 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/anker-labor-day-deals-including-this-10k-magnetic-power-bank-for-only-30-135615179.html?src=rss

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 first appeared with an intriguing trailer as part of Microsoft's summer showcase, teasing a dream world where squads of adventurers fight in a bid to defeat The Paintress" who is gradually shaving years off the maximum life that people could live.It's a very JRPG-sounding premise. It's the first title from new French studio Sandfall Interactive, set in a bleak, ethereal world inspired by Belle Epoque-era France (spot the twisted Eiffel Tower), adding slightly more reason to battle this powerful, mysterious Paintress. You'll play a team of Expeditioners, exploring fantastical landscapes and fighting monsters to defeat the Paintress. It sounds vague because well, I don't quite understand what the hell is going on. I went back to the trailer - perhaps that will help clarify things.Clear as mud. But that's fine, this is a fantasy RPG - I didn't expect to understand the story from the outset. I recently watched some hands-off gameplay with Guillaume Broche, Creative Director for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the game's producer, Francois Meurisse.We toured a handful of levels and locations, also introducing a handful of the party characters. You'll start the game with Gustave. Each party member has their own unique battle mechanic, which charges up during battles. You can increase the charge speed with judicious guarding, dodging and parrying. With Gustave's robotic arm, for example, he can build up a shock attack that he can unleash early for extra damage, or charge up further for an extra aggressive strike.Maelle, Gustave's adoptive sister who goes missing early in the game, has a stance technique that can augment her battle stats after an attack from her fencing saber. The game is turn-based, with enemies and allies able to attack (or recover) in a predetermined order. This is augmented with some action RPG touches and QTEs (quick-time events) where you'll need to defend with precision timing. Get enough parries in a row, and characters will damage the enemy heavily. I got to see a boss monster strike my entire party - fortunately, you only have to nail the dodge once for the entire team to block or parry. The fights themselves are reminiscent of Persona 5, with dramatic camera-angle shifts, inky, paint-themed special effects and a focus on the beautiful character (and monster) design. Special attacks and spells use ability points, which are also replenished from successful guarding and QTE timing. In short, you will still have to pay attention during battles. Sorry.Alongside Maelle and Gustave, the party in the demo was rounded out by Lune, apparently the team's mage. You'll come across the rest of your expeditionary party during the adventure, in typical JRPG style. Broche told me at the outset that Expedition 33 was a tribute to the classic RPGs of the 90s, even if it looks nothing like them. Outside of pixelated Switch adventures, turn-based RPGs have long fallen out of favor, replaced by action RPGs, even for remade titles. This is Sandfall Interactive's attempt to reinvigorate the turn-based RPG for 2024.Each character has a dedicated weapon type that can be gradually enhanced and strengthened, adding new abilities as the character grows. I caught a glimpse of a complicated skill tree that players will get to chip away at. Elemental attacks will depend on the weapon your character is wielding, likely meaning some careful party creation (or customization) will be needed later in the game.Beyond elemental weaknesses, some enemies will also have shielding that will protect them from your attacks. As you progress, some will have visible weaknesses that players will have to shoot at - usually with visual tells, like the weak spots on early anchor enemies. This free-aim system is also used in the environments. I saw a few shooting' puzzles used to unlock treasure and other rewards. Expedition 33 will be separated into different thematic areas, each offering alternative routes (some may offer extra treasure or tougher enemies) and visual landmarks that will offer more insight into the world and lore. The developers said that much of the story will have to be unearthed by players themselves, hunting down collectible notes from the husks of failed expeditions of the past.Sandfall InteractiveThe early environments I saw of Expedition 33 were gorgeous. One of the initial areas is built as if you're walking along the bottom of the ocean, laced with plankton, coral and curtains of seaweed. In fact, the beautiful world is only outdone by the character models. The team seems to have put a lot of effort into making its heroes emote and react in a way you wouldn't have seen in RPGs of old.I'm wary of how much of an RPG epic the Sandfall Interactive team will be able to make, given its size. While I didn't get to play Expedition 33 at this point, I wonder how much exploration will be possible in the finished game and whether it will reward players' curiosity beyond plot lore and mournful letters from dead expeditions.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be released in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S and PC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/clair-obscur-expedition-33-is-a-turn-based-rpg-with-beautiful-artistic-flair-130050721.html?src=rss

Samsung's first 5K monitor is now on sale at Amazon for almost half off its original price. The company announced the ViewFinity S9 5K monitor at CES 2023 and released it first in South Korea before bringing it to the United States with a list price of $1,599 in July last year. Now, you can get the 27-inch monitor for only $830, 48 percent less than its list price and the lowest we've seen the device go for on the e-commerce website. To note, ViewFinity S9 is comparable to the 27-inch Apple Studio Display, which is also a 5K monitor that will set you back at least $1,599. The ViewFinity S9 has a 5,120 x 2,880 resolution, 218 pixels per inch, 99 percent DCI-P3 that delivers color saturation and a 60Hz refresh rate. It was designed with creatives in mind and has a matte display to reduce light reflections. The monitor also comes with an Intelligent Eye Care mode that automatically optimizes brightness, reduces blue light and eliminates screen flickering in order to reduce eye strain. You can connect it to both Windows and Mac devices, thanks to its DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, so you can use it as a monitor for various PCs. If you stream or attend video calls frequently, you can use its built-in SlimFit 4K camera that's also compatible with both Macs and Windows computers. The monitor is Apple AirPlay-compatible and will be able to mirror or extend your screen, which you help you boost your productivity. If you're looking at lengthy documents and a vertical screen would be ideal, you can pivot the monitor 90 degrees to keep reading without scrolling as much. In addition, you can just as easily use it for entertainment, because it comes embedded with several smart TV apps, as well as Samsung's Gaming Hub. 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/samsungs-27-inch-5k-viewfinity-s9-monitor-is-48-percent-off-at-amazon-for-labor-day-123013009.html?src=rss

Instant cameras have become a popular category for one simple reason: they're fun. You can whip one out at a party or event and take a snap, then a couple of minutes later you have a real, physical photo that everyone can touch, feel and enjoy instead of staring at a screen. It's also a lot cooler than a smartphone shot thanks to the retro, nostalgic vibes.

Misinformation is all over the internet, including the - at times - chaos that is X (formerly Twitter). AI bots have a habit of adding to it. Now, with barely two months left until the presidential election, an update to Grok, X's premium chatbot, could curb some of it (after being called out for said election misinformation). Grok will now direct anyone with an election-related query to Vote.org, a non-partisan website operated through a partnership between the US government, the US Election Assistance Commission and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.The catalyst for change came on July 21, only hours after President Biden announced his decision not to seek reelection, when Grok falsely posted that the ballot deadline had passed in nine states, implying officials couldn't change the democratic candidate. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon had staff attempt to contact X about the error, to which they received the response, "Busy now, please check back later." Grok continued to share the response for ten days.Secretary Simon joined the Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington Secretaries of State - all states wrongly named by Grok - in writing an open letter to X and xAI CEO Elon Musk calling for Grok to direct any election queries to CanIVote.org, another non-partisan resource. They claimed Grok's response, though only available to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers, reached "millions of people" due to screenshots and shares.The letter also shamed Grok and xAI a bit further, explaining how its competitor, OpenAI, had teamed up with the National Association of Secretaries of State to provide accurate, up-to-date election information. It also mentioned that OpenAI's bot, ChatGPT, was already programmed to direct users to CanIVote.org if it received questions about the US election.The update is a start. The bot has also created misleading images of the top party candidates. "We appreciate X's action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year," the Secretaries of State said in response to the update. "Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xs-grok-chatbot-now-directs-election-queries-to-votegov-114516549.html?src=rss

As a regular reader of TMA, you might have picked up on regular references to the addictive card-game-that-isn't-a-card-game, Balatro. If you want to get technical, it's a single-player poker-themed rogue-like deck builder game where you build and modify your decks with powerful joker cards to overcome scores that increase in each round. (I am aware of how boring that makes it sound, but trust me: It's amazing)If you're not playing it yet, get on it. The makers have announced a collaboration with a handful of games, introducing new themed decks based on The Witcher, Vampire Survivors (another addictive game recently added to Apple Arcade), Dave the Diver and Among Us.These themed decks are seemingly the only twist. There are no super-powered new jokers, but a new challenge is welcome. Now, where's that mobile version? According to the creator of Black Mirror, it could end humanity.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedThe biggest announcements from Nintendo DirectThe best daily online games and puzzles Date Everything! will let you romance objects on October 24You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!Telegram CEO charges include distributing CSAM and money launderingThere are 12 charges in total.French authorities have arrested Telegram boss Pavel Durov on charges that include money laundering and distributing child pornography. The charges reportedly come from a judicial investigation opened in July against an unnamed individual. The arrest has sparked debate around how much responsibility platform owners have for content on their platforms. Telegram denies the charges, while Elon Musk (ugh) has called for Durov's release. French President Emmanuel Macron defended the arrest, stating France is committed to upholding the law.Continue reading.Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ laptop reviewA capable AI PC but issues with Windows on Arm.The XPS 13 is a capable and stylish Copilot+ PC, but it's still slower than the Intel model, at times. On top of that, it doesn't run some games and apps. Sadly, battery life is also surprisingly average. With an NPU capable of 45TOPS, the laptop is better equipped for future AI features.Continue reading.The retro Barbie flip phone arrives only 15 months after the movieIt's set to launch in October.HMD's Barbie Phone finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned hot pink flip-phone launches in October - only 15 months after Greta Gerwig's movie hit theaters! - for $129. Better late than never? Or just... never?Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-why-arent-you-playing-balatro-yet-111600293.html?src=rss

HMD's Barbie Phone, the novelty device for Y2K-nostalgic hot pink aficionados, finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned champion of tardy movie tie-ins launches in October - only 15 months after Greta Gerwig's movie hit theaters! - for $129.The handset is the creation of Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which currently owns the branding rights to Nokia phones. Rather than a smartphone replacement, the Barbie Phone is a retro-styled flip phone (positively Nokida-esque) with a T9 keyboard and no third-party apps in sight. The company pitches it as the perfect tool to live your best life and take a vacation from your smartphone."You won't find any social media apps, but the phone still makes calls and sends texts. When powering the handset up, you'll be greeted by a Hi Barbie" voice before you fire up Malibu Snake for a tribute to OG mobile gaming. Its keypad (in Barbie pink," of course) has hidden designs like palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark. Because why the hell not?!HMDThe Barbie Phone has a 5MP camera with a flash that delivers authentic Y2K style images." It ships with two alternate covers in addition to the standard one. The two plates include one honoring the brightly colored swirls of the 1992's iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll" and another with a shooting-heart design.Also in the box is a pastel-beaded phone strap that you can adorn with charms like a tiny roller skate or a Barbie doll-sized ice cream." You'll also get sparkly stick-on gems and retro vintage Barbie stickers (including flowers, flamingos and rainbows) to decorate the phone to your heart's content. It even has a pink USB-C charger.Naturally, the phone has a Barbie-themed user interface (described as achingly easy to navigate"), themed wallpapers and app icons. Since HMD is branding the handset as a vacation from smartphone hell, it even includes a digital well-being app.The Barbie Phone will be available on October 1 for $129. It will ship unlocked and ready to activate on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks. You can pre-order it from HMD's website beginning on September 23.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-retro-barbie-flip-phone-arrives-in-october-only-15-months-after-the-movie-230136984.html?src=rss