Technology News of last week

China web traffic was blocked from accessing outsider websitesNo political or sensitive events appear to have coincidedPakistan also suffered an outage hours beforeChina appears to have shut itself off from the internet world for over an hour earlier this week, but could it have just been a mistake?The country's "Great Firewall" disrupted all traffic on TCP port 443, used for HTTPS, for 74 minutes on August 20, 2025, but with most citizens asleep during the outage (00:34-01:48 Beijing time), was this intended behavior?Interestingly, only port 443 was affected, leaving other ports like 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP and 8443 (alterative HTTPS) unaffected.China just had a partial internet outageBy injecting forged TCP RST+ACK packets to cut connections on port 443, the Great Firewall blocked access to most websites outside China and also disrupted services that rely on offshore servers, including Apple and Tesla.A report explained the Great Firewall of China is not a single entity, but a “complex system composed of various network devices that perform censorship.” The device involved did not match fingerprints of known GFW equipment, suggesting the 74-minute outage could have come from a new censorship device, a misconfigured known divide or a test of port-blocking capability.The Great Firewall also has a history of glitches, leaks and other technical errors.Unlike past censorship events, no major political or other sensitive events were identified during this outage, making the reason more obscured.Coincidentally, Pakistan also saw a large drop in internet traffic hours before the Chinese outage. The two countries both have similar histories of web censorship, and China has even been linked with sharing censorship technology with Pakistan, potentially drawing a link between the two events.More broadly, the granular and more complex censorship that China chooses (compared with total shutdowns observed in Turkey, Sudan and Egypt) strikes a fine balancing act between restricting access to foreign information while avoiding economic harm.With the community responding to the report’s comments with suspicions that this could have been a test, we’re left with little more evidence than to believe either this is the case, or it was a mistake.You might also likeThese are the best web hosting providersMake the most of broadband speeds with the best Wi-Fi routersA major Google Cloud outage took down swathes of the internet and even Workspace apps - here's what we know

Last week, Samsung announced the world's first Micro RGB TV and while it sounded fantastic on paper, you can never really get a good sense of what a fresh display looks like until you see it in person. But after going to Samsung's new headquarters in New Jersey, I can attest that it is truly a sight to behold. Now, before we get to the TV itself, it's probably a good idea to dive into what's going on with Samsung's latest panel tech. In many ways, Micro RGB is a step up from current Mini LED screens. On a technical level, the Micro LEDs and the self-emissive pixels of Samsung's The Wall probably remain the more sophisticated end goal for next-gen TVs. At its core, Micro RGB is still based on LCD tech, the difference is that instead of using blue or white backlighting like a lot of sets today, it features individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs (hence the name Micro RGB) to produce an even wider range of colors. The result is that Samsung claims this is the first TV to cover 100 percent of the BT.2020 standard. For context, that covers more than 75 percent of the visible spectrum and has an even wider color range than what you get from DCI-P3, which is one of the most commonly used high-end standards for modern filmmaking. In person, that means the TV can produce stunningly rich and vivid colors that put Samsung's other top-tier TVs to shame, including the new Neo QLED QN90F which starts at a whopping $26,999. Like its sibling, Samsung's Micro RGB TV is only available in one size (115 inches) and has a similar design, while its panel features a 144Hz refresh rate and a matte glare-free coating. But that's kind of where the similarities end, because this new flagship model features four times the number of dimming zones. Furthermore, because the Micro RGB LEDs require more computing power to manage all those pixels, Samsung had to create a new RGB Engine AI processor to properly control everything. In short, this is a lot of words to describe what might be the best-looking TV I've ever seen. While I only got to view some demo footage (which admittedly is designed to make the set look its best), I couldn't help but appreciate the sheer intensity of the hues and shades on display. When the video loop shifted to primarily blue and green scenes, the TV's color depth was almost overwhelming. That said, due to the immense size of the panel, when you get up close, it's easy to see individual pixels. However, when you're sitting in its sweet spot (about 11.5 feet from the display), everything looks ridiculously sharp and overflows with detail. And even for those off-center, there appeared to be no falloff in brightness or saturation. While Samsung's $26,999 Neo QLED QN90F boasts a price tag that's nearly as expensive as the $29,999 Micro RGB TV, there's still a very obvious difference in color. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Now, of course, the major downside of Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is that at $29,999, it makes everything but The Wall (which starts at a cool $40,000) seem cheap. But the funny thing is that when compared to the Neo QLED QN90F, which Samsung also had on display in a nearby room, the difference in quality and color was immediately obvious. This sort of makes me wonder why anyone with super deep pockets would even consider the latter just to save a few thousand dollars, because when you see them in person, there's no doubt which set is superior. Unfortunately, the Micro RGB's full glory doesn't translate across the internet due to the much more limited specs of the web. It's one of those things you need to see for yourself to fully grasp. But if you're the kind of person with enough money that you don't need to care about price tags, Samsung's latest flagship should be an immediate contender as the centerpiece in your mansion.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-new-29999-micro-rgb-tv-looks-ridiculously-good-194629549.html?src=rss

Google Gemini Live now provides visual guidance with real-time cues on your screen when you share your cameraThe feature is designed to help users solve tasks visually and identify objects by sightGemini Live has also expanded its app integrations and introduced expressive voice upgradesGoogle is continuing its quest to get people to use its Gemini AI assistant at all times and in all places with a new set of upgrades launched alongside the Pixel 10 series of smartphones. The centerpiece of the new and improved Gemini Live is a set of AI eyes, a feature called visual guidance.Basically, you can give Gemini Live access to your camera, and it will look at the same things you're looking at and help you figure out things like the right tool to use, the best choices to coordinate an outfit, or other tasks. The solutions will be right on the screen, with arrows or circles around the correct answer. For now, the feature will only be available on the Pixel 10, but other Android phones and even iOS devices will be able to use the feature in the near future.Visual guidance might sound like a party trick, but it could prove to be a major draw for Gemini Live. Instead of receiving a flat, spoken answer when you ask Gemini to help assemble a new piece of furniture, you can now show the parts to your camera and have the assistant visually indicate which goes where. It doesn’t require special hardware; it's like showing a friend who's good at DIY what you have and asking for help.Google clearly sees it as a way to bridge the awkwardness that sometimes happens when you ask an AI for help and it gives you vague or overly generic answers. “Use the blue-handled pliers,” might not help much if your toolbox has three tools with blue handles. A glowing circle over the right one is much more helpful. As someone who has tried to follow a YouTube tutorial while simultaneously wielding a screwdriver, I get the appeal.Sweet talk and multitaskingGemini Live will also sound better when it's showing you things, thanks to new speech models capable of adjusting the tone, and even the character of the voice. So, Gemini might use an especially calm voice to talk about a stressful topic, speed up when you're in a hurry, or perhaps tell you a story about pirates in the stereotypical pirate accent.Gemini Live is also going to be better at multitasking thanks to new links to apps like Google Calendar, Messages, and Maps. So, when you're chatting with Gemini, you could get it to handle your personal appointments and send texts to your friends with directions.The revamp of Gemini Live fits with Google's broader approach to AI, positioning it as an ambient, always-on platform rather than a standalone feature. AI assistance that is flexible enough for any event, while using context to be specifically valuable for individuals, is what Google and other AI developers have promised for a while. And while the visual guidance and other tools aren't going to be perfect, the adaptability could make up for it. You don’t need to learn a new system or talk in commands. You just show Gemini what you see, ask it what you need, and get a reply that’s tuned to the topic.You might also likeI tried Google's new AI mode powered by Gemini, and it might be the end of Search as we know itGoogle previews AI Mode for search, taking on the likes of ChatGPT search and PerplexityGoogle Gemini's new model is the brainstorming AI partner you've been looking for

Hackers claim to be selling millions of PayPal logins, but experts suspect foul playThe dataset allegedly includes passwords, emails, and URLs for automated attacksExperts say the leaked sample is too small to confirm authenticity, and its low pricing casts doubt about its legitimacyHackers recently announced on a well-known forum that they were selling a dataset of 15.8 million stolen PayPal credentials, allegedly including login emails and plaintext passwords.The cybercriminals claim the information was stolen in May 2025, and the dataset contains not just emails and passwords but also associated URLs, making it easier for criminals to automate credential stuffing attacks and launch identity theft scams.They also claim that while many of the leaked passwords appeared unique and “strong-looking,” a large portion were reused. If true, the value of the dump may be smaller than suggested.Doubts over the breach claimsHowever, experts who examined the small sample released to the public concluded it was insufficient to verify the attackers’ claims, noting if the breach really occurred in May 2025, much of the usable data might already have been exploited.Interestingly, the price set for the alleged database is surprisingly low, raising further doubts about its authenticity.Historically, high-quality stolen data commands far higher prices on the dark web.However, PayPal quickly denied any new breach, instead pointing to a “security incident” from 2022, which involved credential stuffing attacks and resulted in regulators fining the firm earlier this year.That event saw only 35,000 accounts exposed, a far cry from the millions now claimed by attackers.Skeptics argue the resemblance between the alleged PayPal dataset and the structure of infostealer malware logs from an older event suggests foul play.Infostealers quietly harvest passwords, cookies, and other details from infected devices, often packaging the data with a URL followed by login information.It is quite common to find credentials listed in stealer logs that circulate on dark web marketplaces, but these are not directly from PayPal’s system; they are from compromised user devices.Regardless of whether this new claim proves genuine, the situation underscores how easy it is for user information to circulate once stolen.Leaked login details can enable identity theft and financial fraud long after the original compromise.Users who have reused PayPal credentials on other platforms remain vulnerable to attack.How to stay safeChange your PayPal password and avoid reusing it across other services.Enable multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.Monitor accounts regularly for signs of identity theft or unusual activity.Use a strong internet security suite with firewall protection.Be cautious with links and attachments that may carry infostealer malware.Consider dedicated identity theft monitoring services for added protection.Via CybernewsYou might also likeTake a look at our roundup of the best business VPNs available nowThese are the best cloud document storage solutions to choose fromAsus new laptops come with 5-year BIOS update warranty and 1-year McAfee+ premium subs

President Donald Trump says the US government is taking a 10 percent stake in chip maker Intel. Trump shared the news during a press conference on Friday, though an official announcement is still forthcoming, Reuters reports. News of a plan to convert Intel's previously promised CHIPS Act funding into equity in the company was first reported earlier in August. A meeting between Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Trump following the President's call for Tan to resign seems to be the source of the deal. "He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us 10 billion dollars for the United States. So we picked up 10 billion," Trump shared during the press conference.  Based on Intel's current share price, a 10 percent stake would be worth around $10 billion, Reuters says. It's important to note that the government investing in Intel is not the same thing as receiving free money, it's the exact opposite. The government's stake in Intel will also be non-voting, according to earlier comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.  Intel was supposed to receive up to $10.86 billion in federal funding to expand its chip manufacturing business in the US as part of the CHIPS Act. By agreeing to this deal, Tan is likely trying to make sure that funding still goes through, one of several drastic moves to keep Intel afloat. Tan assumed the title of CEO following Pat Gelsinger's sudden retirement in 2024. Since taking over, he's already committed to cutting Intel's workforce by 20 percent. Even with lower costs and guaranteed investment, the company's future is still uncertain: Intel is reportedly struggling to make its next-gen Panther Lake chips at scale.  The Trump administration says it won't seek similar equity deals with other recipients of CHIPS Act funding. That hasn't stopped them from making other equally unprecedented financial arrangements. NVIDIA and AMD reportedly struck a deal with the US government that gives the companies the ability to export products to China in exchange for 15 percent of their profits.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-government-is-taking-a-10-percent-stake-in-intel-205047622.html?src=rss

This month's departures from HBO Max have a color in common: red. It's the color of Hellboy and the color of Mars – and it's also the color of that famous scene in the horror classic Carrie.My three catch-em-while-you-can recommendations for HBO Max this month have something else in common too: stunning central performances. Ron Perlman is a wisecracking delight as a hellishly powerful superhero, adding a very welcome dose of grumpiness to a genre that was starting to feel somewhat stale. Matt Damon is utterly believable and completely compelling as a scientist stranded millions of miles from home. And Sissy Spacek in Carrie is truly exceptional, delivering a performance that's heartbreakingly fragile and truly terrifying.These are very different movies, but they're all exceptional. If you've seen them already they're well worth revisiting. And if you haven't, you're in for a movie masterclass on one of the best streaming services.Carrie Two Carries are leaving HBO soon: the 1976 original and the 2013 remake. The older film is vastly superior to the newer one – the remake scored just 51% with the critics on Rotten Tomatoes and has variously been called "remarkably redundant", "terrible pointless junk" and "one of the worst remakes ever made". But the original film based on Stephen King's horror classic is tremendous, with an astonishing central performance by Sissy Spacek as the titular teen who starts to suspect she has supernatural powers. It's currently sitting with a whopping 94% rating from the critics.Carrie "is a terrifying lyrical thriller," legendary New Yorker critic Pauline Kael wrote. "The director, Brian De Palma, has mastered a teasing style – a perverse mixture of comedy and horror and tension." Looking back from the 2020s, Total Film wrote: "Brian De Palma transcends the pulpy horror feel by emphasizing the awakening-sexuality metaphor, and using some glorious trickery," while The Fright File called it "One of cinema's ultimate operatic teenage melodramas. I have seen "Carrie" more times than I can count, and yet it never loses its uncommon heartbreak and blood-curdling dramatic power."The MartianMatt Damon spent a lot of time in spacesuits in the 2010s: there was (mild spoiler alert) Bad Space Matt in Interstellar, and Good Space Matt in this impressive solo performance. Damon is Mark Watney, left behind on Mars after a fierce storm leads his fellow explorers to think he's dead and leave the red planet without him. But he's not dead, and he'd really like to get home.The 91% critic rating is well deserved. Empire Magazine gave the film four stars: "Instantly joining E. T. and Bruce Dern’s Freeman Lowell (Silent Running) in the pantheon of cinema’s greatest space gardeners, Damon’s Watney is the actor at his most engaging, by turns flip and desperate... The Martian mixes smarts, laughs, weird character bits and tension on a huge canvas. The result is (Ridley) Scott’s most purely enjoyable film for ages."HellboyLike Carrie, there's more than one Hellboy movie and the original is vastly better than the remake: the 2019 reboot of Hellboy got a frankly embarrassing 17% critic rating. That's partly because it didn't have Guillermo Del Toro in the director's chair or Ron Perlman in the Hellboy prosthetics. The film is "a unique romp," The New Yorker said, "with an exciting yet vulnerable superhero at the center who just happens to be the spawn of Satan."NPR raved about it too. "Anyone can send an immense, computer-generated vegetable monster rampaging at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, but it takes a special kind of imagination to do it in a way that's thrilling, emotionally complex, and rapturously beautiful all at once." Time Out agreed. "Del Toro, in love with his source but never overawed by it, keeps things moving; Perlman ties it together with some of the driest witticisms this side of Indiana Jones."You may also likeWhen is James Gunn's Superman movie coming to HBO Max and other streaming services?IT: Welcome to Derry – everything you need to know about the new Max horror seriesPeacemaker season 2: everything we know so far about the HBO Max show's return (release date, trailer, cast, and plot)

There are some very interesting Philips Hue products on the way, including new Gradient Strips, Festavia string lights, and a Philips Hue Bridge Pro that can support up to 150 devices, but one rumored release has had me scratching my head - Philips Hue Essential.These appear to be slightly lower-spec versions of standard Hue smart light bulbs, and will presumably have a more modest price tag to match – but why? Who, exactly, is Philips Hue Essentials for?The budget end of the smart lighting market is already dominated by the likes of Govee, Ikea, and WiZ – and that’s where things get interesting. You see, WiZ lights are made by a company called Signify – the same company that makes Philips Hue products under license. Why would it pit its two brands against one another with a low-cost version of Hue?WiZ smart lights (such as this WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp) are made by the same parent company as Philips Hue products, but for different users (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)Well, it isn’t – not quite. Aside from price, one of the key differences between WiZ and Philips Hue is connectivity. WiZ lights connect directly to Wi-Fi, meaning there’s no need for a hub, and they’re easier to set up. They’re a good option if you just want one or two bulbs and aren’t planning to build a sophisticated lighting system with switches and sensors.Although you can control individual Philips Hue lights from your phone using Bluetooth, most people will use them with a Philips Hue Bridge, which plugs into your router and uses the Zigbee wireless protocol to create a mesh network that links all your devices together. No Wi-Fi necessary.Using Zigbee rather than Wi-Fi means you can have a lot more smart lights in your home (a typical home Wi-Fi router isn’t really intended to communicate with more than a couple of dozen devices), with better range without the need for a Wi-Fi extender. (Zigbee devices also use less power, though LED bulbs aren’t huge energy-hogs to begin with, so you’re not likely to notice a huge difference on that front.)Philips Hue Essential and WiZ bulbs, therefore, aren’t filling quite the same niche. If you only ever intend to own a couple of smart lights, then WiZ would be just fine, but Hue Essential will give you the option to expand your setup much further in the future, should you choose to.A bright idea?"Hue stretches across indoor and outdoor, and has different variants of products in all those categories," Giuliano Ghidini, Business and Marketing leader at Signify, told me in a recent interview."Hue offers a more comprehensive range so you can cover all rooms, and thanks to the technology it’s based on, Zigbee, with a Hue hub, you have very good coverage indoor and outdoor, and very high reliability without putting too much stress on your Wi-Fi network."Pick up a couple of Philips Hue Essential bulbs with a Hue Bridge, and you'll have the option to extend your setup much further at a future date if you want to (Image credit: Philips Hue)That makes Hue appealing if you have a generous budget and can afford to deck out your entire house, but the high entry price can be off-putting otherwise. A starter kit of two White & Color Ambiance bulbs bundled with a Hue Bridge might cost as much as $140 / £130 / AU$190. When you can pick up four Govee bulbs for a quarter of the price, with no hub necessary, it’s easy to see why homeowners with more modest needs would write off Hue.The Philips Hue Essential series, depending on how it’s priced, sounds like it could offer the best of both worlds, with a palatable asking price and the ability to expand your smart lighting setup as much as you like later on, or just keep it simple and not feel like you’re under-utilizing it.Essential? Perhaps not quite, but certainly more tempting.You might also likeI swapped my alarm clock for this Philips Hue light, and I've never felt more refreshed in the morningIf Philips Hue is too expensive, the HDMI Sync Box and TV Backlight set from WiZ is a cheap and effective alternativePhillips Hue lights get a free AI upgrade – and it's a feature that could take your smart home to the next level

More range, faster charging and a lower priceNACS support means it can top up at Tesla Supercharger stationsThe Leaf arrives at a time when demand for EVs is waning in the USNissan has revealed pricing for its US-bound Nissan Leaf model and it claims it will be the cheapest EV on sale when it hits roads in 2026.The updated Leaf, which the Japanese marque hopes will prove even more popular than the ground-breaking original, will start at $29,990 for the Leaf S+ and rise to $38,990 for the top spec Platinum+ trim, which manages 259 miles on a single charge.The entry-level model is around $3,000 cheaper than the 2011 original and undercuts the outgoing 2025 version, but Nissan will also reveal pricing for the cheapest S model later this year, which could well start at under $28,000.Redesigned from the ground up and sharing its platform with the Nissan Ariya, the US-spec Leaf S+ features a 75kWh battery pack that is capable of 303 miles on a single charge. The outgoing 2025 model managed a max range of 212 miles.Despite now adopting the more popular SUV/crossover body shape, the new Leaf is actually a bit shorter than the outgoing hatchback and only 10mm taller, but engineers have somehow managed to declutter to the interior so there is more space to comfortably transport passengers.Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port has been added, allowing users to gain access to the vast Supercharger network. Charging from 10% to 80% takes around 35 minutes from the faster chargers.Other notable new features include an electronically-dimming panoramic roof, which Nissan says is a first in the segment, a Google-based infotainment system and advanced camera technology that provides a 360-degree view of the vehicle and offers an 'Invisible Hood' view to make parking easier.Nissan needs a big hitImage 1 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 2 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 3 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 4 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 5 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 6 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Despite rapid growth over the past few years, EV sales have slowed in the US in recent months, with Inside EVs reporting that America’s EV market share dropped from 7.4% to 6.6% in April of this year.Consumer confidence has been shaken by the US government’s decision to remove subsidies, while funding for EV-related industries continues to be attacked. The support to ensure the technology goes mainstream just isn’t in place.Nissan is also facing a crisis of its own, as its share price continues to tumble due to the continuing losses it has been posting. As a result, it has already announced deep cuts to the workforce and the closure of several plants.The new Leaf needs to be a big hit in the US, while the upcoming all-electric Micra also hopes to have a successful run in Europe – seeing as it shares most of its components with the hugely popular Renault 5 E-Tech.Priced as it is, the new Nissan Leaf comes about as close as the US will get to the mythical $25,000 EV (with a useable range) that the internet has been pining for.Seeing as Tesla looks to have killed that idea, Nissan might be in the perfect position win over new customers.You might also likeLet the cat out of the bag there’: Elon Musk says the new, affordable Tesla coming in 2025 will just be a cheaper Model YVolkswagen wants you to pay a Netflix-style subscription to unlock extra EV power – and that could be a slippery slopeHonda's tiny EV makes official debut – and the impossibly cute microcar can power your home too

As the handheld PC boom has taken off, companies have tried to push the boundaries of the Steam Deck form factor Valve helped popularize. Lenovo tried detachable controllers. Acer is trying an 11-inch screen. And Abxylute is apparently combining them both (and then some) into the Abxylute 3D One, which The Verge reports features an 11-inch, glasses-free 3D display and detachable controllers, all for "under $1,700." The Abxylute 3D One is based on a hardware prototype co-developed by Intel and Tencent that the companies demoed at CES 2025. The prototype, dubbed the "Sunday Dragon 3D One," featured a display that used eye-tracking to achieve its 3D effect. The version Abxylute is selling seems to be offering more or less the same features, with an Intel Lunar Lake chip, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, an 120Hz display and a built-in kickstand. The Abxylute 3D One's controllers can detach like Joy-Cons, which leaves it looking like a chunky Surface Pro.Abxylute "Abxylute claims the product’s specifically optimized to deliver 3D for 50 of the top Steam games," The Verge writes, though it can also be used for more than gaming if you're desperate. The Abxylute 3D One will include software for converting 2D photos and video to 3D, and a detachable keyboard accessory complete with a trackpad. No part of what Abxylute is offering here seems particularly practical, but if you like 3D and are into the company's maximalist approach, you could be getting a deal. Acer's 11-inch handheld, the Acer Nitro Blaze 11, starts at $1,100. A 3D laptop like the ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 starts at $2,000. The Abxylute 3D One could approximate the features of both for a fairly reasonable price in the middle. That might not make up for the fact that it seems too heavy to hold for more than 30 minutes at a time, but you can put that to the test yourself when the Abxylute 3D One goes on sale in "late September or early October."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/abxylute-will-sell-an-absurd-3d-handheld-from-intel-and-tencent-games-for-under-1700-220556583.html?src=rss

President Donald Trump says the US government is taking a 10 percent stake in chip maker Intel. Trump shared the news during a press conference on Friday, though an official announcement is still forthcoming, Reuters reports. News of a plan to convert Intel's previously promised CHIPS Act funding into equity in the company was first reported earlier in August. A meeting between Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Trump following the President's call for Tan to resign seems to be the source of the deal. "He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us 10 billion dollars for the United States. So we picked up 10 billion," Trump shared during the press conference.  Intel later announced more details on the investment. The company said in a press release that the government will "make an $8.9 billion investment in Intel common stock." It adds that the equity stake will be partially funded by $5.7 billion previously earmarked for as part of the CHIPS act, and $3.2 billion awarded as part of the Secure Enclave program. Intel had previously recieved $2.2 billion in CHIPS grants, making the government's total spend on the chipmaker $11.1 billion. The government paid $20.47 per share, making the full investment equivalent to a 9.9 percent stake in the company.  It's important to note that the government investing in Intel is not the same thing as receiving free money, it's the exact opposite. Despite earlier comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggesting the stake would be non-voting, common stock does come with voting rights. Intel does note that the investment will be passive, with no board representation, and that the government has agreed to vote with its board of directors "on matters requiring shareholder approval, with limited exceptions." Intel was supposed to receive up to $10.86 billion in federal funding to expand its chip manufacturing business in the US as part of the CHIPS Act. By agreeing to this deal, Tan is likely trying to make sure that funding still goes through, one of several drastic moves to keep Intel afloat. Tan assumed the title of CEO following Pat Gelsinger's sudden retirement in 2024. Since taking over, he's already committed to cutting Intel's workforce by 20 percent. Even with lower costs and guaranteed investment, the company's future is still uncertain: Intel is reportedly struggling to make its next-gen Panther Lake chips at scale.  The Trump administration says it won't seek similar equity deals with other recipients of CHIPS act funding. That hasn't stopped them from making other equally unprecedented financial arrangements. NVIDIA and AMD reportedly struck a deal with the US government that gives the companies the ability to export products to China in exchange for 15 percent of their profits. Update, August 22, 6:20PM ET: This story was updated after publish with more information on the deal from Intel, and the headline was changed to the dollar figure, rather than the previously stated "10 percent" amount. A section quoting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying that the stake was non-voting was also ammended to reflect the final details of the deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-government-is-taking-an-89-billion-stake-in-intel-205047795.html?src=rss

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is looking at Gemini to power SiriApple Intelligence's best bits are still delayed until possibly 2026No confirmation from either company, and the report put discussions at the earliest stagesApple's efforts to deliver the smarter Siri and full Apple Intelligence we were promised "in the coming year" might get a boost from an unlikely third party if Bloomberg's latest report is true. The iPhone maker is reportedly in early-stage exploratory talks about integrating Gemini in Siri.There aren't many details beyond that, though Bloomberg's Mark Gurman contends that the shift to these Google chats happened after Apple couldn't reach financial terms with Anthropic (maker of Claude AI).The possibility of Apple using Gemini's much more accomplished generative AI and one of its models (Gemini Pro, Flash, Lite?) to bring the conversational intelligence lacking in Siri would immediately transform Apple's nearly 15-year-old digital assistant into a more able AI tool, but it would also mean that Apple is ceding control in what is a key digital arms race.How we got hereWhile working with third parties has always been a part of Apple Intelligence's strategy, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and the company's development leadership have never mentioned ingesting someone else's generative AI models. It's also a fact that Apple Intelligence's rollout has not gone exactly according to plan.(Image credit: Shutterstock)In TechRadar's conversation at WWDC 2025 with Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, who is also now running Apple's AI development efforts, he explained why the company hadn't delivered full Apple Intelligence and a smarter Siri on time. After struggling to get V1 architecture working as they wanted to, Apple had a decision to make:"...fundamentally, we found that the limitations of the V1 architecture weren't getting us to the quality level that we knew our customers needed and expected." He added, "As soon as we realized that [...] we let the world know that we weren't going to be able to put that out, and we were going to keep working on really shifting to the new architecture and releasing something."Gurman, though, contends that Apple is still not fully committed to using its own architecture and models and will soon make the decision about whether or not to outsource to a third party like Google for at least some of the necessary intelligence. Again, the discussions he describes are in the earliest stages. And whatever comes of them, assuming they exist, it's unlikely they will have any impact on the upcoming release of iOS 26, which features a smattering of Apple Intelligence updates but virtually none to Siri.(Image credit: Shutterstock/rafapress)Far from strangersApple and Google are already search partners (Google is Safari's default search engine), and in Apple's Visual Intelligence, where you can choose to use Google to search on captured images (or you can ask OpenAI's ChatGPT about them).Still, Gemini inside Siri would mark a major turning point for Apple and an admission that it's simply not up to the task of competing in the AI sphere, at least not at the level of an OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, or Google.This approach, though, is not unheard of; Microsoft's Copilot is essentially a reskinnning of ChatGPT (though there are questions if Microsoft will continue getting access to OpenAI's best models).Even so, Apple put a lot of effort and marketing into Apple Intelligence. The question is, can it still be called that if a big chunk of it is powered by Google?We contacted Apple and Google for comment. Google had no comment. We'll update this story if and when Apple replies.You might also likeThis is what really happened with Siri and Apple Intelligence, according to AppleI spoke to Apple’s software engineering VP for the inside story on how iPadOS 26 finally became a real Mac alternative15 things we learned at the Apple WWDC 2025 keynote

Anthropic has developed an AI-powered tool that detects and blocks attempts to ask AI chatbots for nuclear weapons designThe company worked with the U.S. Department of Energy to ensure the AI could identify such attemptsAnthropic claims it spots dangerous nuclear-related prompts with 96% accuracy and has already proven effective on ClaudeIf you’re the type of person who asks Claude how to make a sandwich, you’re fine. If you’re the type of person who asks the AI chatbot how to build a nuclear bomb, you'll not only fail to get any blueprints, you might also face some pointed questions of your own. That's thanks to Anthropic's newly deployed detector of problematic nuclear prompts.Like other systems for spotting queries Claude shouldn't respond to, the new classifier scans user conversations, in this case flagging any that veer into “how to build a nuclear weapon” territory. Anthropic built the classification feature in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), giving it all the information it needs to determine whether someone is just asking about how such bombs work or if they're looking for blueprints. It's performed with 96% accuracy in tests.Though it might seem over-the-top, Anthropic sees the issue as more than merely hypothetical. The chance that powerful AI models may have access to sensitive technical documents and could pass along a guide to building something like a nuclear bomb worries federal security agencies. Even if Claude and other AI chatbots block the most obvious attempts, innocent-seeming questions could in fact be veiled attempts at crowdsourcing weapons design. The new AI chatbot generations might help even if it's not what their developers intend.The classifier works by drawing a distinction between benign nuclear content, asking about nuclear propulsion, for instance, and the kind of content that could be turned to malicious use. Human moderators might struggle to keep up with any gray areas at the scale AI chatbots operate, but with proper training, Anthropic and the NNSA believe the AI could police itself. Anthropic claims its classifier is already catching real-world misuse attempts in conversations with Claude.Nuclear AI safetyNuclear weapons in particular represent a uniquely tricky problem, according to Anthropic and its partners at the DoE. The same foundational knowledge that powers legitimate reactor science can, if slightly twisted, provide the blueprint for annihilation. The arrangement between Anthropic and the NNSA could catch deliberate and accidental disclosures, and set up a standard to prevent AI from being used to help make other weapons, too. Anthropic plans to share its approach with the Frontier Model Forum AI safety consortium.The narrowly tailored filter is aimed at making sure users can still learn about nuclear science and related topics. You still get to ask about how nuclear medicine works, or whether thorium is a safer fuel than uranium.What the classifier attempts to circumvent are attempts to turn your home into a bomb lab with a few clever prompts. Normally, it would be questionable if an AI company could thread that needle, but the expertise of the NNSA should make the classifier different from a generic content moderation system. It understands the difference between “explain fission” and “give me a step-by-step plan for uranium enrichment using garage supplies.”This doesn’t mean Claude was previously helping users design bombs. But it could help forestall any attempt to do so. Stick to asking about the way radiation can cure diseases or ask for creative sandwich ideas, not bomb blueprints.You might also likeHas ChatGPT-5's cold tone made you want to try alternative AIs? Claude just added a new memory featureYou don’t have to explain everything to Claude anymore – it’s finally in your appsHow Claude’s 3.7's new ‘extended' thinking compares to ChatGPT o1's reasoning

Australian CommBank announced 45 workers would be replaced with AIHowever the decision has now been reversed after the AI failed to live up to humansWorkers have received an apology from CommBankAustralia’s Commonwealth Bank has provided a useful example of how not to introduce AI tools after being forced into an embarassing clim-down.The bank had recently announced 45 customer service workers would be cut and replaced with an AI-powered 'voice bot' in an effort to reduce call volumes and automate less complex replies - leaving a small number of employees to handle the remaining more complex enquiries.As it turns out, these bots were not capable of handling the tasks that the workers could - and now, those cut employees will now be rehired.The ‘backflip’The bank claimed the ‘voice-bot’ led to a reduction in calls, but Australia's Finance Sector Union disputes this claim, noting, “Members told us this was an outright lie and did not reflect the reality of what was happening in Direct Banking. Call volumes were in fact increasing and CBA was scrambling to manage the situation by offering staff overtime and directing Team Leaders to answer calls."The bank issued an apology to the staff who were affected by the proposed job cuts and reversed the decision. A spokesperson from the bank told TechRadar Pro that it's initial assessment 'did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations and this error meant the roles were not redundant.'"We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. We are currently supporting affected employees and have provided them with choice regarding continuing in their current roles, pursuing redeployment within CBA or to proceed with leaving the organisation."That being said, CommBank is not denouncing the tech entirely, having recently announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop scam and fraud detection solutions, as well as ‘deliver more personalized services’ for its customers.For months, concerns about job losses at the hands of AI were dismissed, with companies assuring that only the most basic and mundane admin tasks would be handled by bots, leaving workers to focus on the more creative aspects of their roles.Those in administrative positions who handle almost exclusively mundane tasks have warned that these models, although sometimes useful, cannot replace human experience and understanding.It’s undeniable that AI is replacing workers, with hundreds of jobs at firms like IBM and Crowdstrike disappearing as humans have been made more dispensable thanks to the tech.But, not all of these cost-cutting decisions are working out. In the UK, over half of all businesses who replaced workers with AI already regret their decision, and are not less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers.You might also likeAlmost all GenAI pilots companies deploy are failing - so are they really worth the hype?Check out our choice for best endpoint protection software to keep you safe70% of people are sick of talking to AI – where did all the humans go?

One of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods, Mare Synchronos, has shut downThe plug-in's creator blamed a "legal enquiry"The game has since been review-bombed on SteamFollowing a "legal enquiry", a popular third-party tool used for Final Fantasy 14 has shut down and now players are furious.The tool, Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, such as character customization, hair, clothing, and more, and had over 20,000 users.Modding in Final Fantasy 14 has always been against the game's terms of service, though it is well-known in the community that it's best not to advertise the use of them if you want to avoid the ban hammer.Unfortunately, it seems one of the most popular mods wasn't able to escape Square Enix's legal team.The mod's creator announced the shutdown on their Discord (in a message that was posted to Reddit), saying, "See the sun set, the day is ending. With a heavy heart, I have to announce the end of Mare Synchronos as you know it. I've received a legal inquiry concerning the project. After reviewing my options with counsel, I'm winding down" (via GamesRadar).The modder has explained that, effective immediately, registration to download the mod will be closed and bot services will be shut down, repositories for client, server, and api will be removed, and all Patreon/Ko-Fi memberships will be removed.Since Mare was used by many players who mod the game, particularly those in the role-playing community, the announcement hasn't gone down well."Square Enix messing with their freaky fanbase is a bold strategy, let's see if it pays off," said one user in the Reddit thread."More reasons to never come back," another wrote. "People say mare was just for the ERPers, which sure lotsa people used it for that. But lemme say this... mare legit made it so I could get my character to actually present how I wanted him for my friends to see... warmer more diverse skin tones, hair editing, better hair colors, personally altering face bones and height etc and having that show up."Mare's shut down has also resulted in Final Fantasy 14 being review-bombed on Steam. As of writing, the game is now sitting at "Mixed" reviews, with plenty of angry posts relating to the mod's takedown."I never messed with mods, but i had no issue with people using them because people really enjoyed their character creation mod options," one player said. "Square never had a problem with it before and now suddenly they rip this away from people. wont be coming back. if square wants to burn their game to the ground then let them.""RIP Moon [Mare Synchronos], canceled my sub I've been paying for," said another. "Without Moon, it's not worth it for me personally."You might also like...Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailerEverything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei modeNew Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

Max, a Russia-developed messaging app, must be pre-installed on every new device from September 1The domestic RuStore app store is also to be forced onto Apple devices, after already being mandatory on AndroidAuthorities are reportedly considering blocking WhatsApp, today's most popular messaging app in Russia A Russia-developed messaging app must be pre-installed on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia starting from September 1, 2025 – the government confirmed on Thursday, August 21.So-called Max, the WhatsApp rival, is also integrated with government services and has already reached 18 million registered users, according to Interfax.Privacy experts have been raising the alarm, arguing that Max could spy on its users. Something that the Kremlin strongly denies, arguing that "it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram," Reuters reported.As per the government announcement, on September 1, the domestic RuStore app store will also become mandatory on all Apple devices, having been forced only on Android gadgets so far.Can people in Russia still use WhatsApp?(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images )WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging service across Russia, and the only Meta-owned app not blocked in the country.This could soon change, however, as authorities have recently confirmed their intention to ban WhatsApp in Russia.Talking to Reuters on Friday, July 18, Deputy Head of the Russian parliament's Information Technology Committee, Anton Gorelkin, said that "it's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market," while reminding that Meta has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia.Two more government sources have then confirmed to Meduza, a Russian Independent media outlet, that "there’s a 99-percent chance" the WhatsApp block will happen.Fast-forward to August 13, Interfax confirmed that authorities partially restrict calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly as a measure to combat criminal and terrorist activities.The looming WhatsApp ban comes as the Kremlin also recently passed a law to punish online searches for so-called 'extremist' content, while adding new penalties to those using VPN services.This means that using one of the best VPN services to bypass a potential ban on WhatsApp, or any other app for that matter, has suddenly become ever more challenging.You might also likeRussia demands over 200 VPNs are removed from the Play Store – but Google is resistingRussia to invest over half a billion US dollars in its battle against VPN usageRussia disconnects several regions to test its sovereign net

Google held its annual Made by Google showcase this week, during which it unveiled the latest Pixel phones and various new AI features. What it didn’t announce is a Gemini-powered smart home speaker, but it might have snuck one into the presentation as an easter egg. As spotted by The Verge, about 15 minutes into the stream, on a table next to F1 driver Lando Norris during a Gemini demonstration, you can clearly see what looks a lot like a smart speaker. The fabric-wrapped device we see in the video is white with a light around its base, and it looks more like an upside down HomePod mini than any of Google's other speakers. According to Android Headlines, it’s called the Google Home Speaker, and is unsurprisingly powered by Gemini. Android Headlines claims to have seen more images of the as-yet unannounced smart speaker, which it says will also be available in red, light green and black. It adds that Google’s Gemini Live AI assistant will be a baked-in feature for voice conversations, though without a screen or camera there’s no visual element here. There could also be new natural voice options on the speaker, as well as standard features like media control and smart home automations. It can reportedly also detect unusual sounds like breaking glass or smoke alarms and can send an alert to your phone or tablet if this happens. According to the Android Headlines report, the Home Speaker can pair with a Google TV Streamer and double as an additional surround sound speaker, much like the HomePod does with Apple TV. It functions as a smart hub too, with support for Matter. Google announced Gemini for Home this week, which will gradually replace Google Assistant on the company’s existing smart devices, with free and paid tiers offered to users. What the leak doesn’t contain is a launch date for this mysterious speaker. But given that Google was seemingly happy enough to have one sitting there in its most important keynote of the year, the smart money would be on an official reveal pretty soon. Engadget reached out to Google for comment, but the company said it had nothing to share at this time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-first-gemini-smart-speaker-detailed-in-leak-164227031.html?src=rss

August is almost over, which means we're getting closer to the Apple iPhone event — it usually takes place in mid-September. That also means we'll finally get to officially lay eyes on the iPhone 17 lineup. The latest iOS 26 features will come preinstalled on the new models, as well as any additional features Apple reveals at the launch event. But since we (presumably) still have to wait a few weeks until the iPhone event, we can only speculate what the new devices will look like. As with most unreleased iPhones, rumors and leaks have trickled in about the hardware side ahead of the official introduction. Here's what we're expecting and what we can reasonably assume we'll get from Apple in September. What are the latest iPhone 17 rumors? Could new "TechWoven" cases be introduced with the latest iPhone 17 lineup? That's what leaker Majin Bu claims, per a MacRumors report. The cases match the rumored design on the iPhone 17 models, with the wide camera bump. MacRumors says this could be a revamped version of the much-maligned FineWoven case, which was discontinued due to being susceptible to scratches and stains. The leaker noted there are two lanyard holes for "convenient and secure carrying," so it could be worn around your neck. More recently, the same leaker shared what they allege to be the case colors, in a post titled "New TechWoven Case Colors for iPhone 17 Revealed." The colors shown in the image are grey/black, blue, green, purple and orange. New TechWoven Case Colors for iPhone 17 RevealedFull Article: https://t.co/nSA8Wbek5G pic.twitter.com/W6fZdb8psn— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) August 21, 2025 This is just a rumor and we won't know what the actual iPhone 17 models or accessories will look like until Apple's iPhone event next month. That said, the shared photos (including the one embedded above) are more convincing than usual. How much will the iPhone 17 cost? Apple's announced plan to expand US-based manufacturing partners seems to give it at least some shielding from the steepest Trump administration tariffs that have already triggered price increases on everything from Switch consoles to high-end cameras to Sonos speakers. But given that President Trump's trade policies can change from week to week, and Apple's continuing reliance on Asia-based supply chains, price shocks remain an ongoing possibility. The bigger question is: Will Apple absorb any higher costs, or pass them on to consumers?  If prices do creep up, Apple may choose to pair it with an "upgrade." Consider this recent rumor posted by MacRumors from a leaker known as "Instant Digital," suggesting that the default storage of the iPhone 17 line may start at 256GB, doubling the current 128GB baseline. While that could be accompanied by a price increase of $50, Apple could at least pitch it as a "better value." That said, the company doubled the default RAM of its Mac computers from 8GB to 16GB at no extra cost in 2024 — but that was before the current Trump tariff cycle started. When will the iPhone 17 series be announced? Most years, the flagship smartphones are introduced in September. MacRumors highlighted a story originally reported by iphone-ticker.de that the Apple iPhone 17 event could be Tuesday, September 9, according to information gleaned from German mobile phone providers. It's still too early to have the specific dates; some years, Apple only gives a week or two of lead time between sending invites and hosting the event. But years of past precedent show that sometime in September should be when the 17 models make their debut. This family of smartphones may be the last to follow that trend, however. There have been hints that the introduction of the iPhone 18 collection in 2026 will be split into a pro-tier announcement in the fall and a standard model announcement the following spring. What will the new iPhone 17 lineup include? Design leaks suggest that Apple is building an ultra-thin smartphone, likely to be named the iPhone 17 Air to match Apple's ultralight laptop designation. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, often a solid source of advanced intel about Apple, reported in January that the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a basic A19 chip and will only have a single camera lens. It may also use Apple's new in-house modem, which was introduced in February on the iPhone 16e. More details about this development may leak ahead of September, but that's what we know for now. An investor note from Apple analyst Jeff Pu indicated that the Air will have a titanium frame. If his reports are accurate, the lightweight smartphone will be the only entry in the iPhone 17 lineup to use that metal; the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to be made of aluminum, which is oddly a lighter material than titanium. Other speculation had suggested that the Air would use a blend of aluminum and titanium, so the exact materials may not be known until the official announcement. Additionally, an August 4 MacRumors report says the internal battery pack of the iPhone Air is just 2.49mm thick — half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro battery. The leak was posted on the Korean-language Naver blog, where they show the alleged batteries of the iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro side by side. The same account claimed the 17 Air's battery capacity was a mere 2,800 mAh, MacRumors notes. (That's below the battery capacity of current iPhone 16 models.) On a similar topic, an iPhone 17 Pro production leak appears to have revealed an all-aluminum chassis, according to MacRumors. Originally posted by leaker Majin Bu, the image shows a shell that has a large round hole on the back (where the Apple logo typically is) to allow for MagSafe charging. MacRumors says this could just be a molding but notes that the aluminum frame (versus the current titanium in Pro iPhone models) would yield a significantly lower weight. That same leaker (Majin Bu), whom MacRumors classifies as a "hit-or-miss leaker," suggests the iPhone 17 Pro will have better wireless signal strength thanks to an updated antenna design. The individual posted a render on X that shows a new antenna system that wraps around the iPhone 17 Pro's supposedly wider rear camera bump. Again, this is a render, not a real-world photo. That said, we can't knock the goal of better wireless reception, so we're hoping this one has a degree of truth to it. Each new roster includes a base model, but over the years, Apple has shaken up the variety of phones it offers. Most likely there will be an iPhone 17 and an iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has also committed to the size matters philosophy, and has been building an iPhone Pro Max option with an even bigger screen and better battery life; the 17 roster will almost certainly have one as well.  The new Pro iPhones are said to have a full-width "camera island" on the rear, which would mark the first time an Apple model opted for that design. This feature can be seen in the purported iPhone 17 "spotted in the wild." The pics, highlighted on MacRumors, show a black cased iPhone (17 Pro?) with the distinct back panel. Is it the real deal? The dual angles lend a degree of credibility in a social media landscape increasingly polluted with AI-enhanced fakes, but your guess is as good as ours. I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/iS3PtKWqxJ— Fox Pupy 🦊🧡 (@Skyfops) July 28, 2025 The iPhone 17 Air seems primed to take the place of a potential iPhone 17 Plus. Since the iPhone 16e was only just introduced in February at a surprisingly high price point, it seems unlikely that there will be a new addition to that lower end of the spectrum, the models that were previously called SE.  At the very least, it sounds like the iPhone 17 Air won't take away the charging port and rely only on wireless connectivity. Bloomberg said that while Apple had investigated making the iPhone 17 Air without a single port, the company (fortunately) changed plans. He also says that the rumored phone will have a 6.6-inch screen and include the Dynamic Island and Camera Control button. Finally, the price is rumored at $900 — likely more than the standard iPhone 17 but less than the Pro. We've also gotten what seems to be a reliable look at what the color lineup will be for the new smartphones. Macworld reported that the iPhone 17 will be available in black, white, steel gray, green, purple and light blue. The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly have four color options: black, white, light blue and light gold. While the Air colors will be less saturated, the visuals for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will go bold. The options for the Pro models are expected to be black, white, gray, dark blue and orange. On July 30, Tom's Guide highlighted an X post from Sonny Dickson — a longtime and generally reliable leaker of unreleased iPhone information — showing "dummy" iPhone 17 models in the new colors that were the source of the aforementioned Macworld story. While these are literally just mock-ups — not real, leaked iPhones — it's interesting to see how the design and color rumors translate into a real-world look and feel. To add the the rumors, a Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station suggests the iPhone 17e will come equipped with a new design that includes the Dynamic Island, MacRumors reports. According to the post, the new phone will have the A19 chip and could have a 6.1-inch OLED display with a front-facing 12-megapixel camera and a rear-facing 48-megapixel camera. However, it's important to note this report refers to the 17e model that would be expected to launch no earlier than February 2026, if it followed the same release pattern as the iPhone 16e. What will iOS 26 be like? Apple upended its numbering conventions with WWDC 2025, and will match the name of each new operating system to the year it's released. So when the next wave of iPhones hits, they'll be running on iOS 26. On the design side, the smartphone OS introduced during the big developer showcase took a contentious approach dubbed Liquid Glass. Apple has been scaling down the amount of transparency effects in the subsequent beta tests of iOS 26, but it will still have a glass-like visual. The feature list includes big and small updates. On the more impactful side, the Phone and Photos apps have been redesigned. There will be several features leveraging artificial intelligence, such as live translation capabilities coming to Phone, FaceTime and Messages. Apple is also currently testing a sensitive content warning for child accounts that will freeze FaceTime video if nudity is detected by on-device machine learning tools. And the company is also launching Visual Intelligence, which will use AI to search for elements in an image. iOS 26 also has a litany of minor, quality of life improvements. Group texts are getting support for polls. And for the slow risers out there, iOS 26 will finally let you escape the tyranny of the nine minute snooze alarm.  The next iOS is now available as a public beta. Here are our initial impressions of the Liquid Glass design and other new features. iOS 26 is compatible with all models back through iPhone 11. What other products are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17? If Apple follows its usual pattern, the iPhone 17 will be announced alongside new Apple Watch products. That would be the Apple Watch Series 11 (if Apple sticks to the same naming scheme), and maybe an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and/or an updated Apple Watch SE. (They'll all run watchOS 26, of course.) Other possibilities — and this is, again, speculation — could include refreshed Apple AirPods Pro (which received its last big update in 2022) and maybe new AirTags trackers (first released in 2021). The Apple rumor mill got a big shot in the arm this week thanks to the reported inclusion of product ID numbers in recent beta software builds. Per MacRumors, it's a laundry list of new hardware, including long-rumored product updates like the Apple TV, HomePod mini, new Apple Studio Display monitor and two fresh iPads.  Of course, even if that list is totally accurate, we may not see those products until 2026 — if ever. So don't expect all of products to share the stage with the iPhone 17, especially since Apple likes to keep its star performer at the center of attention.  That said, keep in mind that Apple has recently been having Mac-centric announcements in late October (as it did last year to debut new M4 Macs), so there's always the chance of another shoe dropping a few weeks down the road.   Update, August 22, 2025: Added new details about the colors of the rumored TechWoven case. Update, August 20, 2025, 7:12PM ET: Added new rumor about potential TechWoven case for iPhone 17 series. Update, August 18, 2025, 6:23PM ET: Added new rumor about the iPhone 17e potentially having the Dynamic Island. Update, August 15, 2025, 2:05PM ET: Added new rumor about the all-aluminum chassis on the iPhone 17. Update, August 13, 2025, 10:02PM ET: Added a list of the products that are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17s.  Update, August 11, 2025, 7:27PM ET: Added a render of a rumored new antenna design for the iPhone 17 Pro. Update, August 8, 2025, 4:43PM ET: Added new speculation and reports about iPhone 17 pricing. Update, August 6, 2025, 4:05PM ET: Added latest details about the potential iPhone 17 event date. Update, August 4, 2025, 5:23PM ET: Added latest battery leaks about the iPhone 17 models. Update, August 1, 2025, 8:15AM ET: Added new photos showing potential iPhone 17 colors. Update, July 30, 2025, 11:08AM ET: Added latest leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17, and updated information on the iOS 26 public beta. Update, July 17, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added latest information about iOS 26, possible materials for the Air, and the color options for the different models. Update, March 17, 2025, 2PM ET: Added details about the rumored price and features of the iPhone 17 Air. Update, April 11, 2025, 3:45PM ET: Added details from Front Page Tech's new video that claims to reveal details from a leaked iOS 19 build. Katie Teague contributed to this story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-17-release-date-ios-26-features-and-everything-else-to-know-about-apples-upcoming-lineup-153024576.html?src=rss

On Friday, Ubisoft announced… something. The company describes The Division 2: Survivors as "an updated take on the survival extraction experience." Is it DLC? Is it a new game mode? We have no idea. But Ubisoft said it will "strive for transparency during its development." Unfortunately, that didn't apply to its announcement. Ubisoft said Survivors is in its early stages, which may explain the lack of detail. Other media outlets have reported that it will come in 2026. But the company's franchise roadmap places its release date under "TBA." "The Division 2: Survivors is as much your baby as it is ours, and we strive for transparency during its development," Executive Producer Julian Gerighty wrote in the announcement blog post. "Clear communication and community involvement are a focus as we build the new experience, and we will be closely involving you as we move forward on the development journey." Ubisoft Ubisoft also confirmed that its free-to-play mobile game is still in the pipeline. The Division Resurgence is expected this year. The company announced a delay last summer. A Redditor who played a beta version in 2023 described it in less than appealing terms. "Overall, Resurgence is a console clone of The Division, where you can team up and play with clunky, small mobile controls." To be fair, much could have changed in its development since then. Regardless, you can sign up for the closed beta on Ubisoft's website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-division-2-survivors-will-bring-survival-extraction-to-the-series-171948909.html?src=rss

GPD Win 5 is an unusual gaming handheld and ultra mobile workstation hybridIt's powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with 16 cores and Radeon 8060SCompact 565g device includes 7-inch 120Hz touchscreen and dual-fan cooling systemGPD has unveiled the Win 5, a handheld PC that straddles the line between portable gaming console and mobile workstation.With its compact form factor, the device is powered by AMD’s powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU (Strix Halo), a processor that so far has mostly appeared in mini PCs and only a handful of laptops, including HP’s ZBook Ultra 14 G1a, Asus’s ROG Flow Z13 and Emdoor’s EM-959-NM16ASH-1.While the Win 5 looks good and packs a lot of power, its expected price tag - around $2000 - will put it firmly in enthusiast territory.Dual-fan coolingThe Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is built on TSMC’s 4nm process and features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 32 threads, clocking up to 5.1GHz. There’s a Radeon 8060S GPU with 40 compute units running at 2.9GHz.The chip also offers AI acceleration, with 16 TOPS from its NPU and 38 TOPS combined with CPU performance.To keep that hardware under control, the Win 5 uses a dual-fan cooling system, which delivers consistent thermal management even under heavy loads, which would otherwise be a concern for a device this small.The handheld supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5X RAM at 8000MHz and NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage options ranging from 1TB to 4TB.Storage can be swapped from the rear panel, and microSD plus mini SSD expansion slots are included.The display is a 7-inch H-IPS touchscreen at 1920x1080 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium support.Wireless connectivity includes WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Ports include two USB-C (one at USB 3.2 speeds and another at USB 4 with support for external GPUs), a 3.5mm audio jack, and card slots.Despite its undoubted power, the device weighs just 565 grams and measures 267 x 111mm, making it smaller than a Steam Deck.The 80Wh battery supports fast charging up to 180W.The Win 5 looks like a standard handheld games system, with dual analog sticks, a D-Pad, triggers, and action buttons, but includes extras like a fingerprint reader.GPD Win 5 mobile workstation PC will be available to buy globally from October 17 2025.More from TechRadar ProSixunited joins HP and Asus in offering a Strix Halo-powered laptopThere are 15 AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 mini PCs in the world right now...Finally, Minisforum set to launch its own AI Max+ 395 Mini PC

Apple might use Gemini to power its revamped version of Siri, Bloomberg reports. The companies are in the early stages of exploring a partnership, with Google training a version of its Gemini model that can run on Apple's servers. The iPhone maker was previously reported to be considering similar partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic. "The company is simultaneously developing two versions of the new Siri: one dubbed Linwood that is powered by its models and another code-named Glenwood that runs on outside technology, " Bloomberg writes. A final decision has yet to be made on what AI model Apple will ultimately use, but it's entirely possible it sticks with its internally-developed models. While seceding a potentially key technology to a competitor seems decidedly un-Apple, it's a testament to how much difficulty the company has had rolling out Apple Intelligence. Apple included the majority of its new AI features in the release of iOS 18, but failed to ship an updated version of Siri that can draw on personal data to take action in apps. Apple ultimately admitted the Siri update was delayed in March, with the new launch now expected sometime in 2026. The turmoil caused by the delay reportedly led to Apple's various AI projects changing hands internally, and the company's decision to consider using a third-party AI model. As of the launch of the Pixel 10, Gemini now offers a similar set of capabilities to what Apple promised with the new Siri. It could presumably do the same things on iOS with the right changes. Using a version of Gemini that runs on Apple's hardware and servers — the company calls this Private Cloud Compute — could also add an additional layer of security. Apple was reportedly planning to offer Gemini as an alternative to ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence, but the option has yet to ship. Having Gemini power some of its AI features would put Apple in a similar position to Samsung, who's Galaxy AI relies on a mix of custom models and Gemini.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-reportedly-considering-using-gemini-to-power-the-new-siri-184528449.html?src=rss

Raspberry Pi shrinks the size of its touchscreen while keeping the same resolutionIt's cheaper and smaller, but it does not introduce new capabilitiesRetailers are already listing the new screen at higher pricesRaspberry Pi has announced a new addition to its display range, a 5-inch version of the Touch Display 2.The company saysits new offering is a compact, low-cost option for hobbyists and developers who want to embed touch interfaces into projects.At $40, it undercuts the 7-inch Raspberry Pi model which launched in 2024, although both share the same 720x1280 resolution.A smaller screen for Pi projectsApart from its reduced size, the 5-inch variant carries essentially the same specifications as the larger display.It supports multi-touch input, connects via the DSI port, and draws power directly from the Raspberry Pi board.Integration with Raspberry Pi OS is designed to be smooth, with no calibration steps or third-party drivers needed."Its capacitive touch screen works out of the box with full Linux driver support, no manual calibration required, no hunting through device trees, and no wrestling with incompatible touch controllers," said Gordon Hollingworth, CTO of Raspberry Pi software.For users already accustomed to working with RPi distros, the device should feel straightforward to set up.To illustrate the display’s capabilities, Raspberry Pi’s Gordon Hollingworth demonstrated a slideshow application built with the assistance of AI.The process highlighted how AI can speed up development and provide a foundation for interactive coding, with multi-touch support ultimately working smoothly after fine-tuning.The screen is being presented as a good fit for compact smart home controls, portable kiosks, or integrated dashboards.In theory, mounting a Pi board on the back of the display offers an all-in-one system without external peripherals.For casual projects, this could reduce clutter compared to juggling keyboards, monitors, and portable HDD storage devices.Yet the hardware itself does not represent a leap forward, as resolution remains fixed at 720p, and touch responsiveness still depends heavily on software layers that may introduce quirks.As with many Raspberry Pi peripherals, the new display will find an audience among tinkerers eager to explore interactive projects.However, it is worth noting that the announcement reflects refinement rather than revolution, as the product is cheaper and smaller, but it does not introduce new capabilities.For those already invested in the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, it may be another piece of the puzzle - but for others, it risks being just another component destined to sit in a drawer after the initial excitement fades.This device is now available from several Pi retailers. PiShop and CanaKit list it at $50.95, while Vilros is selling it for the MSRP.You might also likeCheck out the best 3D modeling software for 3D printing and moreWe've rounded up the best portable monitors available nowA dual Intel GPU graphics card with 48GB of VRAM has gone on sale for $1200

Ghost of Yōtei will receive the Legends multiplayer mode in 2026The mode will be free for all owners of the base game and offer two-player story missions and four-player survival matchesThe multiplayer DLC was first introduced in Ghost of TsushimaSucker Punch has announced that Ghost of Yōtei will receive a free Legends multiplayer mode in 2026.Revealed during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 alongside a new story trailer ahead of the game's October launch, Legends is a cooperative multiplayer mode that was first added to the previous game, Ghost of Tsushima.Ghost of Yōtei Legends will offer two-player story missions and four-player survival matches and will be available at no extra cost to those who already own the base game.In this version, players will have access to four character classes and will need to defeat demonic, giant versions of members of the Yōtei Six, along with a variety of new enemies that fight beside them.Concept art for each boss has been revealed in a new PlayStation Blog post, which you can view here.Ghost of Yōtei launches on October 2, 2025, exclusively for PS5 and PS5 Pro, and takes place more than 300 years after the first Ghost game.In this indirect sequel, players explore the lands surrounding Mount Yōtei as protagonist Atsu, who will hunt down the people responsible for her family's death.Ghost of Yōtei pre-orders are now live, along with Ghost of Yōtei PS5 bundle pre-orders. If you're looking to get your hands on the exclusive PS5 controller, here's where you can buy the Ghost of Yōtei DualSense.You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeBattlefield 6 Open Beta weekend 2 gets an official start time among new changes, including All-Out Warfare playlist adjustments – here's what to expect

I don't know if there's a right age for an iPhone, but I think most can agree that there should be different smartphone and online experiences based on age, and that's really the philosophy behind most digital parental controls, including the fairly voluminous ones found across Apple's ecosystem. Now, with iOS 26 – and other platform updates – on the horizon, that system is set for a series of small but important updates.I've seen most of them in action and, on the whole, I think these may be just the series of privacy and safety controls parents and, yes, even teens and kids, have been looking for.To Apple's credit, it's been adding to and enhancing its parental control ecosystem for years. So much so that many parents may only scratch the surface of its vast platform of controls.Worth noting that if you identify a new device like an iPhone or iPad as going to a child or teen, many of the controls, like web content restrictions, app restrictions (apps rated 4-plus only), screen distance alerts, and messaging filters that automatically blur out the naughty bits, will function automatically.There are, though, key safety changes that you can enable when Apple releases public versions of its OS updates for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.The age of appropriatenessYour child's iPhone and iPad are already pretty good, based on your Parental Control settings, at managing your kid's access to age-appropriate apps, but Apple is going further in iOS26, iPadOS26, and macOS 26 (essentially any platform that's part of your Family Plan and that can access the App Store).Image 1 of 3(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Age Appropriate Experiences seems designed to help prevent App developers from inadvertently delivering inappropriate in-app content to your children and teens. It's enabled through a series of simple screen prompts that let you supply the age (but not birthdate) of your children to developers.Using this information, developers can ensure that regardless of which apps you let them download, their apps only deliver content that aligns with the child's age.I appreciate that there's another level of control: parents can choose if the Age range is "Always" shared, if developers have to "Ask First", or if it's "Never" shared. I think I like the second option best because it's the only one that allows the child to choose if they want their age range shared with developers.Getting the right messageOnce your child has an iPhone and a phone number, it's almost guaranteed that they will be targeted by predators. There is a simple setting in iOS right now that lets you automatically block unknown numbers (Filter Unknown Senders under Settings/Apps/Messages). However, iOS 26 will take these protections further.With iOS 26, your child won't be able to add just anyone to their contacts and messaging lists.If your child wants to add a study buddy to messaging on their iPhone or iPad, they'll see a new pop-up that will let them "Ask a Parent or Guardian to Approve this Person".Image 1 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 2 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 3 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 4 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 5 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 6 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 7 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 8 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Image 9 of 9(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)If the child or teen selects the pop-up, a pre-populated message appears where they can fill in the friend's details and add a message explaining who the person is. Parents get a time-sensitive notification on their devices with the details and message. They can choose to add the contact, decline, or select "Not now."Once the friend is added, your child or teen will get a message telling them they can call or message the new contact. Of course, it might make sense to pause in the middle of this process to chat in person with your kid and make sure the "study buddy" is really just another kid.Apps less limitedApple's parental controls make it quite easy to set time limits and even exclude apps from view so that when your child searches the App Store, they won't even see those not-age-appriate apps in the App Store.Apple, though, appears to have recognized that some kids are, well, sneaky.When you set time limit controls at an app level or even globally, your child can request more time with the app. Approving the extension requires the parent's passcode, which they can enter remotely from their best iPhone or best iPad, or in person if they happen to be sitting next to their kid. If the kid has been surreptitiously watching you enter the passcode and has it memorized, they could be granting themselves more screen time.With this small yet useful upcoming update, parents will receive notifications whenever their passcode is used.Making the exceptionParents get to choose which apps their kids can access, but there will soon be a new button at the top of App description pages that will offer the ability to request an exception.That request goes to parents who can grant permission, which immediately turns on the "Get" option on an app.This might come in handy when, say, your child has a project where some YouTube research will come in handy. However, when the project is done, you can just as quickly revoke the exception, and then not only does access in the App Store disappear, but the app also disappears from your child's device.This is a level of control I can get behind.Tell us how you manage your child's screen time in the comments below.You might also likeThis iOS 26 upgrade could make your iPhone feel much ...The 5 big Apple Intelligence updates you can try right now ...iOS 26 beta 6 brings more surprise upgrades to your iPhone

Indie game hit Cult of the Lamb has been keeping players (fittingly) enthralled since its original launch in 2022 with several free content updates, such as Unholy Alliance and Sins of the Flesh. At the Opening Night Live of Gamescom 2025, the roguelike unveiled its next update, titled Woolhaven. The paid DLC will arrive early next year, but no price has been set yet. Woolhaven introduces a dangerous new mountain zone to the game, where you'll find two new dungeons to conquer and as well as a spreading corruption called Rot. And you'd expect from the main story, your choices about how to deal with the mountain's denizens have no right or easy answers. Things will also get frosty for your settlement with the addition of blizzards and freezing temperatures that create new reasons for followers to doubt your all-knowing guidance. But you can also keep them happy with the new ranching system for raising rare animals that can provide your cult with wool, food and a pretty sweet ride. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cult-of-the-lambs-next-dlc-is-woolhaven-out-in-early-2026-225129643.html?src=rss

Emdoor EM-959-NM16ASH-1 Ryzen AI MAX chip promises strong workstation powerDisplay refresh reaching up to 180Hz seems excessive for workstation needs, leaning toward gaming territoryAt 2.45 kilograms, this laptop feels more like a desktop replacement than a mobile workstationEmdoor, a company that has mostly kept a low profile since 2023, is now releasing another system that it calls a "high-end PC workstation with next-gen AI chip."The device, listed under the code "EM-959-NM16ASH-1," comes with AMD’s Ryzen AI MAX processors, also known as Strix Halo.The Emdoor EM-959-NM16ASH-1 features soldered LPDDR5X-8000 memory on a 256-bit bus, giving high bandwidth but preventing upgrades.A workstation or gaming laptop? Although the memory is limited to a maximum of 128GB at purchase, the storage is more flexible with two PCIe 4.0×4 M.2 slots supporting up to 8TB.The display is a 16-inch panel at 2560x1600 resolution, with refresh options of either 165Hz or 180Hz.Such specifications may attract users looking for a video editing laptop, but they also blur the line between workstation and gaming hardware.That impression is further reinforced by leaked internal file names tied to the design, which included the term "GAMES."At 2.45kg, the system is heavier than many of its rivals, with the likes of Sixunited's XN77-160M-CS and HP's ZBook Ultra G1a weighing less than 1.8kg.Although bulkier construction may have been chosen to handle the 45–120W thermal design of Strix Halo, this weight might be acceptable only for a stationary workstation, as buyers seeking a business laptop may not find this design appealing.It also includes a 99Wh battery that is claimed to last eight hours, but without independent testing, such claims remain promises.Cooling is handled by a dual-fan setup coupled with triple heat pipes and a quad-exhaust system.The company markets this system as a workstation, but the aesthetics, refresh rates, and naming history suggest gaming roots.Since Emdoor acts as an original design manufacturer, the same model could easily appear under another brand marketed as a gaming system.Whether this laptop becomes a reliable tool for professionals or fades into obscurity, as some of the firm’s past projects have, will only be clear once it reaches the market and real-world feedback emerges.Currently, only a limited number of PCs feature the Strix Halo chip, with examples including the Asus ROG Flow Z13 (13.4″), the HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a, and a handful of others.In terms of pricing, these devices cost well over $2,000, and considering the specifications of the Emdoor EM-959-NM16ASH-1, it will likely cost more.Via VideocardzYou might also likeChaos at DeepSeek as R2 launch crashes into hardware problemsThese are the best budget laptops availableWe've also listed the best workstations right now

Game Science Studio isn't resting on its laurels after the success of Black Myth: Wukong. The developer teased a follow-up project as the closer to Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase with a brief but beautifully detailed glimpse at Black Myth: Zhong Kui. There's no date attached to the cinematic teaser, and that's because the game is still very much a work in progress. According to the FAQ entry about a possible release window, the team says "Well, to be honest—even Yocar himself has absolutely no idea" when it'll be ready. But the same page does confirm that the plan is for Zhong Kui to launch on both PC and "all mainstream console platforms" whenever it is done. From the title and the previous Black Myth game, this new project will once again be drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology. Legends around Zhong Kui dub him a conqueror of ghosts and evil spirits, so perhaps there will be some supernatural vibes in this entry to the emerging game series. Pretty much the only other thing we know besides the name and character is that Black Myth: Zhong Kui will once again be a single-player ARPG and it will be "following the same business model as before."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/black-myth-zhong-kui-is-the-next-title-from-game-science-studio-221537808.html?src=rss

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 just got a new gameplay reveal trailer at Opening Night Live 2025It showed off some of the campaign, including the PvE 'Endgame'The game will launch on November 14, 2025Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 has officially finished, and I was pretty disappointed by this year's show. There were loads of announcements, sure, but many of them felt like pure filler. Did we seriously need not just one, but two whole World of Tanks trailers?As a long-time Call of Duty fan, I was really looking forward to the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 gameplay reveal, which was confirmed ahead of the show, but even that left a sour taste in my mouth.The trailer showed off some levels from the campaign and gave us our first look at its four-player co-op in action. The visuals are definitely there with some really stunning sights like the neon-lit rooftops of Tokyo, but the frequent glimpses of large open environments left me feeling uneasy.I can't help but think that they look more like the maps from the open-world 'Open Combat Missions' of 2023's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 than the linear environments that the series is known for.Modern Warfare 3 had easily the weakest campaign in Call of Duty history, transparently comprised of sloppily repurposed Warzone battle royale content, and I worry that the same thing is true of Black Ops 7's offering.We already know that part of the story takes place in Avalon - a map that rumors indicate was initially intended for Warzone - but things only got worse when a subsequent developer video confirmed that the campaign's final mission will be some kind of weird multiplayer "social experience".Officially called the Endgame, it's a repeatable PvE (player versus enemy) experience that drops you into Avalon with your squad to explore and survive against a wide range of enemies, which sounds suspiciously like a Warzone match to me.Like Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops 7 is being released as a direct sequel to its immediate predecessor - Black Ops 6. Hailing from the same two studios, Treyarch and Raven. I hope that not many corners have been cut in order to make that shorter than the usual production time.More of the game is being shown at an upcoming Call of Duty Next on September 30, 2025, so I'm hoping that multiplayer and zombies – the other two parts of the offering – will look a lot more promising.Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to launch on November 14, 2025.You might also likeThe Logitech G522 Lightspeed delivers high-end performance at an attractive price – here's why it's my new gaming headset of choice in 2025The Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance at Opening Night Live 2025 was disappointing, but thankfully there's more information on the wayNvidia and Capcom are bringing DLSS to Resident Evil – here's why it's about time

Things are ramping up for a return to the wasteland this winter. Season two of Prime Video's Fallout TV show will debut on December 17. The second season had already been loosely pegged for a December release when the news of a third season appeared earlier this year, and the studio shared a few still images of the cast in the upcoming New Vegas setting just yesterday. The announcement during the Opening Night Live show for Gamescom 2025 also included a surprisingly lengthy teaser trailer with a few tidbits about what to expect in the next eight episodes of the hugely popular video game adaptation. It includes footage of the show's first Deathclaw, that well-known and oft-despised enemy from the world of the games. Alongside returning stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten and Walton Goggins, the teaser reveals that Justin Theroux has been cast as Mr. House, the enigmatic leader of New Vegas. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/fallout-season-two-has-a-teaser-trailer-and-a-december-17-release-date-211307692.html?src=rss

A new gameplay trailer for Resident Evil Requiem has been releasedThe trailer shows us a younger Grace Ashcroft and her mother, Alyssa AshcroftWe also got our first look at a mysterious foeCapcom just shared a brand new look at Resident Evil Requiem during the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 showcase, and yeah, it looks spooky!The trailer, which was more of a gameplay sequence, showed off our playable protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, at a younger age, and Grace's mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, who first appeared in Resident Evil Outbreak and Outbreak File #2.The cinematic appears to take place before the events of Alyssa's death, which Grace will later be investigating as an FBI technical analyst.During the sequence, Grace gets a mysterious phone call and is forced to leave the hotel where she is staying with Alyssa and quickly runs into trouble.The game was announced during Summer Game Fest 2025 in June, in a haunting cinematic trailer that showcased new monsters, gave us a sneak peek at the game's story, and a nuked Racoon City.Capcom is calling the ninth entry "a new era of survival horror," and host Geoff Keighley describes it as a "bold shift for the franchise both in tone and gameplay," and that players should expect "high-stakes cinematic action"."Requiem for the dead. Nightmare for the living. Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth title in the mainline Resident Evil series," the blurb reads."Prepare to escape death in a heart-stopping experience that will chill you to your core. A new era of survival horror begins in 2026. Technological advancements combined with the development team's depth of experience combine in a story with rich characters and gameplay that's more immersive than ever before."Resident Evil Requiem is set to launch on February 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.You might also like...After seeing Resident Evil Requiem in action, I'm convinced it'll be another groundbreaking entry in the horror seriesI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeBattlefield 6 Open Beta weekend 2 gets an official start time among new changes, including All-Out Warfare playlist adjustments – here's what to expect

A new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's DLC, The Order of the Giants, was revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025The expansion arrives on September 4, 2025The game is also coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026Machine Games has given us a new look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's forthcoming expansion, The Order of the Giants, along with confirmed of a Nintendo Switch 2 version.Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 is finally here and as one of the major announcements of the showcase, a gameplay trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's first downloadable content (DLC) was revealed.The Order of Giants was first announced during the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this month and arrives on September 4.The story expansion will be accessible to those who own the Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Premium Edition, Collector’s Edition, or Collector’s Bundle, or it can be purchased separately.The DLC takes place during the events of the main game and follows Indiana Jones as he returns to the city of Rome to uncover a dark secret that lies beneath the city."There is a myth of a beast in the hidden depths of Rome, rumored to guard a terrible secret... When Indiana Jones encounters Father Ricci, a young priest desperate for help to track down a Roman artifact, a standard treasure hunt soon turns into a perilous journey," its description reads."Along the way, Indy must face the sinister plots of Emperor Nero and his gladiator games, the enigmatic Cult of Mithras, and whatever else lurks in the shadows. Can Father Ricci's cryptic knowledge guide Indy through these treacherous passageways? Only Indiana Jones can piece together this breathtaking mystery."New and intricate puzzles while traversing Rome’s ancient sewer system, the Cloaca Maxima, and beyond will also be featured, along with new enemies and the return of familiar faces.However, the most exciting part of the trailer for me was the announcement that the game will also be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, making it the first Xbox-owned title to be confirmed for Nintendo's latest console.In TechRadar Gaming's four-star review, hardware writer Dashiell Wood called Indiana Jones and the Great Circle "a thrilling adventure ripped straight from the silver screen" that features "flawless voice performances and incredible motion capture work".You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeBattlefield 6 Open Beta weekend 2 gets an official start time among new changes, including All-Out Warfare playlist adjustments – here's what to expect

An anime based on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is coming to Crunchyroll in 2026Sekiro: No Defeat will be a fully hand-drawn adaptation of FromSoftware's gameA first trailer teasing memorable boss fights has been releasedAn anime based on FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been announced, and we have our first official teaser trailer.Revealed during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, Sekiro: No Defeat is coming to Crunchyroll in 2026 worldwide, excluding Japan, China, Korea, Russia, and Belarus, and will be produced by Kadokawa, Qzil.la, and ARCH.The anime will be a fully hand-drawn adaptation that will retell the game's story down to every memorable boss battle."We are taking on the monumental task of animating the breathtakingly beautiful Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In doing so, we are pouring every ounce of our artistic vision and passion for beauty into its production," said Kenichi Kutsuna, director of the adaptation."The final product is being crafted to be a truly memorable experience, one that will leave a lasting impression on both dedicated fans of the game and those who are discovering the world of Sekiro for the very first time. Please look forward to it."The anime will also be helmed by a team of acclaimed anime creators, including director Kenichi Kutsuna, screenwriter Takuya Satou, character designer Takahiro Kishida, action animation director Takashi Mukoda, and more.We also have the first few names of the voice cast. Sekiro's main character, Wolf, will be played by Daisuke Namikawa, Kuro (The Divine Heir) will be voiced by Miyuki Satou, while Genichiro Ashina will be played by Kenjiro Tsuda."Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game known for its precision and intensity, and those qualities carry through beautifully in this adaptation," said Asa Suehira, chief content officer at Crunchyroll. "We’re excited to bring Sekiro: No Defeat to fans around the world, and honored to work alongside Kadokawa, Qzil.la, and ARCH to expand this iconic story through the medium of anime."The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgradeBattlefield 6 Open Beta weekend 2 gets an official start time among new changes, including All-Out Warfare playlist adjustments – here's what to expect

Gaming company Bragg spotted an attack on its systems recentlyIt says no data was stolen, and no encryptor deployedNo threat actors claimed responsibility yetBragg Gaming Group, a Canadian company which provides casinos with software, games, and backend platforms, has confirmed it recently suffered a cyberattack, but fortunately it doesn’t seem to have caused much trouble.A short press release published on the company’s website said that Bragg learned of a “cybersecurity incident” on early Sunday morning, August 16.Upon learning of the incident, Bragg brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to contain the attack and assess the damage, it said. Preliminary results showed that the attack was “limited to Bragg’s internal computer environment.”Targeting iGaming providers“At the present time, there is no indication that any personal information was affected. Additionally, the breach has had no impact on the ability of the company to continue its operations, nor has it been restricted from accessing any data that has been subject to the breach,” the company added.So, this either wasn’t a data breach or ransomware attack, or the incident was stopped quickly enough to prevent any actual harm.Bragg Gaming Group does not run casinos itself. It is a B2B provider building software, games, and backend platforms that online gambling operators use to run their businesses. It also seems to be rather successful. It serves operators across North and Latin America, as well as Europe, having more than 200 customers and more than 450 employees.Between 2019 and 2023, it experienced a 37% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), and projects a total addressable market of about $40 billion by 2028.In its writeup, The Record hints there is a pattern here, since Bragg is not the only gaming company to face a breach in recent months, after Australia’s Ainsworth Game Technology, as well as International Game Technology, both reported “significant disruptions” late in 2024.You might also likeCasino cybercrime gang has already attacked over 100 companies, experts claimTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. This marks the first Xbox game to be ported specifically to the Switch 2. The game, which we thought made a better movie than a game, has been making its way to other consoles, starting with the PS5 on April 17. We learned of this new port at the end of a trailer for a DLC called The Order of Giants. This all-new chapter will be released on September 4 and sees Indiana Jones uncover mysteries of the Roman Empire. The trailer aired during Gamescom Opening Night Live alongside a slew of other reveals, including the gameplay trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. New releases for the Switch 2, in the form of originals and ports, have been coming in quick succession in these early stages of the console life cycle. We learned earlier this summer that Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the 2006 Atlus classic, comes to Switch 2 in October. We just learned that Kirby Air Riders, the revival of the 2003 GameCube classic Kirby Air Ride, is coming exclusively to Switch 2 in November. Neither specifics on pricing nor an exact release date for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 have been announced.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-is-coming-to-the-switch-2-203419271.html?src=rss