Technology News of last week

Attention Hulu subscribers, for the time is almost here when the platform will remove the next group of movies from its library to free up some space for its next wave of new titles. All of the best streaming services do it, but Hulu seems to only target its lesser-known titles, which is a relief.Over the next few weeks, a total of 16 movies will leave the service one by one and though this isn't a huge number, there's a handful of movies that we think you should catch. The main title we have our eyes on is Skinamarink (2022), a horror movie that shocked audiences despite its low budget, which leaves on August 1.Additionally, the Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin comedy/ drama Moving On (2022) is set to be removed on August 13, shortly followed by the Bruce Willis action-thriller flick Vendetta (2022), and the French-language romance movie Anaïs in Love (2021), which has a 91% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Everything leaving Hulu in August 2025Leaving on August 1Skinamarink (movie)Leaving on August 7Just Super (movie)Leaving on August 9 The Friendship Game (movie)Leaving on August 13Moving On (movie)One True Loves (movie)Leaving on August 16Four Samosas (movie)Leaving on August 18The Last Son (movie)Leaving on August 21My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (movie)Leaving on August 23Hostile Territory (movie)Nocebo (movie)Leaving on August 247 Days (movie)Leaving on August 25Assailant (movie)Vendetta (movie)Leaving on August 31American Rapstar (movie)Anais in Love (movie)Tell It to the Bees (movie)You might also like Only Murders in the Building season 5: everything we know so far about the show's return to Hulu and Disney+Daredevil: Born Again season 2 has already wrapped filming – and I know when the Marvel TV show will return on Disney+The Testaments: everything we know about the sequel series to The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

Experts warn of malware running real apps in fake virtual environmentsGodFather bypasses security checks and overlays fake screens to steal credentialsTargets banking and crypto apps globally with nearly invisible techniquesZimperium zLabs has uncovered a new version of the GodFather malware that uses on-device virtualization to hijack real banking and cryptocurrency apps.Unlike older attacks that showed fake login screens, this malware launches the actual apps in a virtual space where attackers can see everything the user does.The attack begins with a host app that includes a virtualization tool - this host app downloads the targeted banking or crypto app and runs it in a private environment.Moving beyond simple overlaysWhen users open their app, they are unknowingly redirected into the virtual version. From there, every tap, login, and PIN entry is tracked in real time.Because the user is interacting with a real app, it is almost impossible to spot the attack by looking at the screen.GodFather also uses ZIP tricks and hides much of its code in a way that defeats static analysis. It requests accessibility permissions and then silently grants itself more access, making the attack smooth and hard to detect.“Mobile attackers are moving beyond simple overlays; virtualization gives them unrestricted, live access inside trusted apps,” said Fernando Ortega, Senior Security Researcher, Zimperium zLabs.“Enterprises need on-device, behavior-based detection and runtime app protection to stay ahead of this shift toward a mobile-first attack strategy.”Zimperium’s analysis shows that this version of GodFather is focused on Turkish banks, but the campaign targets almost 500 apps globally. These include financial services, cryptocurrency platforms, e-commerce, and messaging apps.The malware checks for specific apps on the device, clones them into the virtual space, and uses the cloned version to collect data and track user behavior.It can also steal device lock screen credentials using fake overlays that look like system prompts.Attackers can control the infected phone remotely using a set of commands. These can perform swipes, open apps, change brightness, and simulate user actions.How to stay safeAvoid installing apps from unknown sources - always use official stores like Google Play.Check app permissions carefully. If an app asks for accessibility access or screen overlay permissions without a clear reason, uninstall it immediately.Keep your phone’s operating system updated.Use mobile security tools from trusted developers.Avoid sideloading APK files, even if shared by someone you know.Rebooting your phone regularly can help thwart any persistent malware.Pay attention to unusual behavior, such as faster than usual battery drain and weird, unexpected overlays.If your banking app ever looks different or asks for login more often than usual, stop using it and contact your bank.You might also likeStay protected with the best antivirus tools aroundWe've also rounded up the best free antivirus solutionsJapanese businesses are being bombarded with millions of phishing messages

Remedy has announced plans to fix FBC: Firebreak and restore the good will of consumers after a rough launch earlier this year. Many of the issues surrounding the launch were regarding the onboarding process, which the company acknowledges by saying that "many players come into the game and leave within the first hour." Remedy is trying to make that opening hour more welcoming to new players, so they don't "feel ineffective and confused as to what to do." It has already placed an introductory video in the game with a narrative to explain the world and how it relates to the developer's hit game Control, as FBC: Firebreak is set in the same universe. Remedy promises more of this type of "narrative onboarding" will come to the game later this year. It's building a playable tutorial level, as the developer acknowledges it needs "to do a better job" teaching new players the core mechanics and features. It's also taking a page out of Nintendo's playbook and introducing more "pop up" tips that will appear at "relevant times" throughout the first couple of hours. The forthcoming updates aren't just about onboarding. Remedy will be adding three new heavy guns to the arsenal and introducing a modding system for weapons. The company will share more about this system "before September." It's also introducing "big changes to the way" players access missions and beefing up the missions themselves. The developer says it's refining several elements to increase the fun factor, going on to say that it will be "weeding out our least fun experience" and "focusing on our best experiences." There will even be new game modes and missions down the line. Much of this is coming in the game's first major update, with a planned winter launch. For the uninitiated, FBC: Firebreak is a multiplayer FPS that places an emphasis on cooperative action. It's available on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, so it could technically be "free" to check out any progress the dev has made since launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remedy-lays-out-its-plan-to-fix-fbc-firebreak-which-includes-improved-onboarding-182301518.html?src=rss

FiiO wants you to know that hi-res audio's about to go 'truly mainstream'…and the QX13 is priced to reflect thatMade from 21 layers of carbon fiber for a lightweight yet durable buildYou know what my favorite kind of audio gadget is? One that makes people go 'What is that?' ideally with the follow-up question, 'And also, what do the numbers mean?'This is one such piece of kit. It's almost like the handheld super-computer Ziggy in Quantum Leap – because while nobody really understands everything about it, everyone agrees it's a Good Thing. And with Spotify HiFi launch rumors gathering momentum (recent reports suggest it might land in late 2025, and be called 'Spotify Music Pro'), when hi-res goes mainstream, you don't want to be left unable to take advantage…What you're looking at is the FiiO QX13, a pocket DAC and headphone amp for your phone, laptop, or games console – a gateway to the world of hi-res audio on the go. And although it is a flagship product and one that marks 18 years of FiiO’s audio expertise, it isn't particularly pricey either.New to the world of headphone DACs? That's fine: every product you own that accepts and plays a digital music signal (your phone, wireless earbuds, laptop, Bluetooth speakers, and so on) has its own built-in DAC.The thing is, many of them are inexpensive, and adding a standalone dedicated (read: better) option to the audio path can level up what you hear a lot. Additionally, the added amplification can help give oomph and volume to hard-to-drive headphones wired up to your phone or a portable player.How does this particular DAC work? Add any audio source with USB-C, and you've got it. You just breathed new life into your wired headphones.The QX13 can fully decode MQA music and is compatible with file formats such as DSD512 and 768Hz / 32-bit tracks. A 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone socket ensures wide compatibility with all headphones, too.(Image credit: FiiO )DAC's right And it's quite a looker, no? The QX13 is made with 21 layers of carbon fiber for a lightweight yet durable build to show off its "extra large" 1.99-inch hardened IPS color display.The QX13 also introduces the flagship Ess Sabre Pro ES9027PRO chip, recommended for use in full-size hi-fi systems. However, FiiO has achieved a "micro DAC/AMP design" created to make the most of your headphones and IEMs. The chip features 8 channels set up in parallel, and is paired with two ultra-low-noise ES9312 regulators for precise output matching on each audio channel.Of course, FiiO would point you towards its own IEMs to pair them with – possibly the FiiO FH19 (which are very good indeed) and FiiO notes that the QX13 arrives with an (optional) magnetic leather case, compatible with the custom FiiO power 'estick' pack for lightweight portability with powerhouse performance in Desktop Mode. Choose the magnetic leather case to combine both devices in one unit.The QX13 is now available, priced $219 / £219 (around AU$450), and if that sounds a little rich for your blood, note that rival iFi's flagship DAC, the iFi iDSD Valkyrie, comes in at a cool $1,699 / £1,699 / AU$2,999 (approx). So, there's that option also…You may also like USB-C audio in AirPods Max doesn't just sound great on paper: for me, Lossless audio quality finally makes them worth itAvid's first all-new turntable in 12 years is an $11k Relveo-lationSee our pick of the best wired earbuds to pair with your DAC for hi-res audio

Netflix bosses have said they "expect advertising revenue to roughly double in 2025"This is due to the introduction of personalized ads in the second half of the yearHowever, this decision could put subscribers off Netflix's ad-supported tierThe best streaming services are always adding new features and trialing new things, but Netflix's decision to focus on interactive ads might frustrate subscribers.Speaking in a conference call, Netflix co-CEO Gregory K. Peters said: "The most immediate benefit from this rollout is just making it easier for advertisers to buy on Netflix. We hear that benefit, that ease from direct feedback talking to advertisers. They tell us that it's easier. We see it in our overall sales performance."He added: "There's also leveraging advertiser and third-party data sources, which we definitely hear demand for as well. And it will ultimately allow us to improve the ad experience for our members, which is critically important. So that means better ads personalization."This isn't the only change Netflix has teased, as they also discussed making their adverts more interactive for viewers.Peters concluded: "We're also going to be introducing interactivity in the second half of the year. So that's exciting. So that's all to say this is a pretty significant milestone for us, one we're super excited to get behind us because now we can shift into the steady release cycle where we're dropping new features all the time, both for advertisers and for members."Focus on ads might provide frustration for Netflix subscribersSquid Game, Netflix's biggest non-English language series, recently came to an end in 2025. (Image credit: Netflix)If you're currently on Netflix's "with ads" plan, you should expect to see these changes coming soon. However, while it's an exciting time for the streamer, viewers may not be as enthusiastic.Subscribers are currently paying $7.99 per month for Netflix Standard with Ads. And when you look at ad-free streaming services like Apple TV+, which charges slightly more at $9.99 per month, it might make people wonder if they're getting the best value for money.Ad-supported tiers are common now, of course, with rival streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu also offering this option. But constant ad-breaks are a pain, and one of the reasons many of us move away from linear TV.Everyone will have their own opinion on this decision, as some people don't mind the ad breaks and use them as an opportunity to have a break themselves. We'll just have to wait and see how these personalized ads do once the rollout is complete.You might also likeNetflix uses generative AI VFX in a show for the first time, as CEO says ‘the cost just wouldn’t have been feasible for a show on that budget’The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s cancelation is bad news for TV, but it might be the unscripted content news Netflix has been waiting forI watched Brick on Netflix so you don’t have to – here’s a far superior sci-fi thriller I recommend streaming instead

Meta said on Friday that it won't sign the European Union's new AI code of practice. The guidelines provide a framework for the EU's AI Act, which regulates companies operating in the European Union. The EU's code of practice is voluntary, so Meta was under no legal obligation to sign it. Yet Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, made a point to publicly knock the guidelines on Friday. He described the code as "over-reach." "Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI," Kaplan posted in a statement. "We have carefully reviewed the European Commission’s Code of Practice for general-purpose AI (GPAI) models and Meta won’t be signing it. This Code introduces a number of legal uncertainties for model developers, as well as measures which go far beyond the scope of the AI Act." So, why kick up a (public) fuss about not signing something Meta was under no obligation to sign? Well, this isn't the first time the company has waged a PR battle against Europe's AI regulations. It previously called the AI Act "unpredictable," claiming "it goes too far" and is "hampering innovation and holding back developers." In February, Meta's public policy director said, "The net result of all of that is that products get delayed or get watered down and European citizens and consumers suffer." Outmuscling the EU may seem like a more attainable goal to Meta, given that it has an anti-regulation ally in the White House. In April, President Trump pressured the EU to abandon the AI Act. He described the rules as "a form of taxation." Mark Zuckerberg at Trump's inauguration in JanuaryPool via Getty Images The EU published its code of practice on July 10. It includes tangible guidelines to help companies follow the AI Act. Among other things, the code bans companies from training AI on pirated materials and requires them to respect requests from writers and artists to omit their work from training data. It also requires developers to provide regularly updated documentation describing their AI features. Although signing the code of practice is voluntary, doing so has its perks. Agreeing to it can give companies more legal protection against future accusations of breaching the AI Act. Thomas Regnier, the European Commission's spokesperson for digital matters, added more color in a statement to Bloomberg. He said that AI providers who don't sign it "will have to demonstrate other means of compliance." As a consequence, they "may be exposed to more regulatory scrutiny." Companies that violate the AI Act can face hefty penalties. The European Commission can impose fines of up to seven percent of a company's annual sales. The penalties are a lower three percent for those developing advanced AI models.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-says-it-wont-sign-the-eus-ai-code-of-practice-190132690.html?src=rss

ThinkPad X9 “White Moonlight” Edition’s Lunar Lake chips bring raw power, yet discrete GPU lovers are left in the coldLenovo also removes red TrackPoint and physical buttons, erasing decades of ThinkPad identityFour ports on a premium laptop also feels like a design choice made without real users in mindLenovo has unveiled a new variant of its flagship ThinkPad business laptop range but has deviated from the black, boxy, and functional design principles which have sustained it for over three decades.The new Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura “White Moonlight” Edition eliminates the iconic red TrackPoint and the physical touchpad buttons - in their place, this device offers a sleek white slab with only four ports.The lack of a discrete GPU and premium price tag, starting around $1810, also make it a niche option rather than a broadly recommended pick.Design and portability trade-offsAt just 1.4 kg and a svelte 6.8mm thick, the 14-inch model targets users who value extreme portability, and is one of the lightest laptop options Lenovo has ever produced.It comes with Intel’s new Core Ultra chips based on the Lunar Lake platform (Core Ultra 7258V and Core Ultra 9 288V processors) and integrated Arc Xe2 graphics.Combined with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to 2TB of PCIe-NVMe SSD storage, it can easily handle demanding business or creative tasks.On paper, it checks off many of the features expected of a top business-focused device, as its 2.8K OLED display with HDR, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time should appeal to professionals who need clarity and speed.Its on-device AI acceleration, up to 48 TOPS, is another nod toward the engineering and creative crowd, making it a contender for the best laptop for engineering students' needs as well.Yet, practicality suffers because the drastic slimming down comes at a cost. With only two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, users who rely on multiple external devices like USB-A devices, SD cards, and Ethernet may find the connectivity underwhelming.At least it supports the latest wireless connectivity options, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.The biggest sticking point, however, remains the design’s ideological shift - this machine feels less like a continuation of the ThinkPad ethos and more like a clean break.The white finish and minimalist profile may attract new users, but long-time fans will wonder whether the brand has abandoned the very features that once made it iconic.Via VideocardzYou might also likeTake a look at our picks for the best WFH app aroundCheck out our recommendations for the best monitors for working from homeThis tower case can hold 15 x 36TB Seagate HDDs for up to 540TB storage

Netflix admitted during its earnings call on Thursday that it used generative AI to create VFX in The Eternaut, a Netflix original from Argentina that was released in April 2025. The company's co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that generative AI was specifically used for a VFX shot in the post-apocalyptic drama, but the move is one of several ways Netflix is embracing AI. According to Sarandos, the creators of The Eternaut wanted to include a shot of building collapsing in Buenos Aires, and rather than contract a studio of visual effects artists to create the footage, Netflix used generative AI to create it. "Using AI powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed," Sarandos shared during the earnings call. "In fact, that VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with... traditional VFX tools and workflows." The shot "just wouldn't have been feasible for a show on that budget," Sarandos says, as someone with some input on the show's budget. The executive says that The Eternaut features "the very first Gen AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original series or film." Clearly, the show is also a prototype for how Netflix can avoid costs it doesn't want to swallow in the future. Workers in the entertainment industry have not taken kindly to the use of generative AI. Labor strikes — including the recently resolved SAG-AFTRA video game strike — have made securing protections against AI a central issue. The Oscar-nominated film The Brutalist came under fire in 2024 for using AI tools during production. Beyond that, whether generative AI models were illegally trained on copyrighted material is still an open question. Netflix plans to use generative AI to create ads for its ad-support Netflix subscription, and the company is reportedly testing a new search feature powered by OpenAI models. Using generative AI in production might seem par for the course for a company that's already invested, but it could help to normalize a technology that many creatives remain actively against.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-is-already-using-generative-ai-in-its-original-shows-201209502.html?src=rss

Mounting SSDs on a GPU limits your ability to upgrade graphics and storage independentlyShared PCIe bandwidth creates more complications than benefits for most desktop system buildersColorful iGame Ultra mid-range GPU is trying to do too much with too little justificationColorful has revealed a curious hybrid product at Bilibili World 2025: a graphics card from its iGame Ultra series which features two M.2 SSD slots mounted directly onto the PCB.The integration of storage and graphics processing may appear efficient for compact systems, but it raises questions about practicality and long-term value.Colorful has not confirmed the GPU’s architecture, although observers believe it is based on Nvidia’s GB206 or GB207 silicon, possibly aligning with the RTX 5050 or 5060.An integrated approach to graphics and storageThis configuration positions the card firmly in the mid-range category, far from what most would consider the best GPU tier.The standout feature of this card is the presence of dual M.2 SSD slots on its backside, near the I/O bracket, allowing users to install drives without separate cabling.These slots are supported by mounting points for heatsinks and are cooled by the same dual-fan system that manages the GPU itself.By using PCIe bifurcation, the card splits a single x16 slot into eight lanes for graphics and four lanes each for the SSDs.This setup aims to preserve bandwidth for both functions while reducing the need for additional expansion cards.For builders working with limited motherboard M.2 slots or compact ITX cases, this could seem like a space-saving solution.The cooling arrangement also suggests that SSD thermals will be actively managed under load - however, the benefits of this layout may not justify the compromises.Attaching storage directly to a GPU introduces additional layers of complexity in system configuration, including BIOS support, lane sharing, and upgrade constraints.Storage and graphics are typically upgraded on separate timelines, and combining them on a single board limits that flexibility.Visually, the card adopts a clean, matte-white aesthetic that stands apart from the more common darker GPU designs.While this may appeal to custom PC builders who prioritize appearance, the core performance considerations remain unchanged.The SSD slots are unlikely to support the largest SSD capacities or deliver the best SSD speeds on the market, and the GPU itself, based on its probable architecture, is not aimed at top-tier performance.This puts the product in a narrow use case, offering integration without delivering leadership in either category.As of now, the company has not provided detailed specifications or pricing, and without this information, the card appears more experimental than practical.This device is technically interesting, but it is not yet clear why such a product needs to exist beyond novelty.For users who care about maximizing storage capacity, pursuing the best GPU performance, or building for future flexibility, this design may offer more limitations than advantages.Via Guru3dYou might also likeCheck out the best portable SSDs you can get todayThese are the best NAS devices aroundWe've also rounded up the best cloud storage platforms on offer

If I had to describe the status of Subnautica 2 in just three words, it would be these: messy, messy, messy. That’s not to say the game itself is in terrible shape — this is actually a pivotal claim in the whole situation — but the relationship between Subnautica series developer Unknown Worlds and its parent company, Krafton, is in shreds. This month alone, Krafton fired the founders and CEO of Unknown Worlds, Subnautica 2 was delayed until 2026 and the ousted leaders filed a lawsuit against Krafton, looking to regain creative control of the game and the studio. At the center of the conflict is a bonus payment worth up to $250 million. Here’s a rundown of how we got here and what in the devil is going on with Subnautica 2, Krafton and Unknown Worlds. Krafton Charlie Cleveland accidentally started Unknown Worlds in 2001 while building the popular Half-Life mods Natural Selection and Natural Selection 2, and technical director Max McGuire came on as an official studio co-founder in 2006. Inspired by Minecraft and burned out on mods, Unknown Worlds began working on the undersea, open-world exploration game Subnautica and released it in early access on Steam in 2014. With years of community feedback, the game evolved into a singularly tense and rich survival experience, and version 1.0 officially landed in 2018. This is also when Ted Gill joined the studio’s executive team, freeing up Cleveland to focus on creative direction. Subnautica and its spin-off, Subnautica: Below Zero, attracted millions of players and established Unknown Worlds as a successful independent team. So, the larger studios came sniffing. PUBG publisher Krafton, which operates with billions of dollars annually, purchased Unknown Worlds in 2021 for $500 million. The acquisition came with the promise of an additional payout worth up to $250 million if Unknown Worlds hit certain performance goals by the end of 2025. This bonus is a critical piece of the chaos today. We know more about the details of this deal thanks to recent reporting by Bloomberg. In addition to the leadership positions, which were filled by Cleveland, Gill and McGuire, Unknown Worlds had about 40 employees at the time of the Krafton sale, and they received payouts totaling $50 million at closing and over the following two years. This larger group was poised to receive as much as $25 million in the 2025 performance-based earnout, with each person expecting a different amount, but most estimating six or seven figures. The remaining $225 million was reserved for the Unknown Worlds leadership, but they said they intended to share a portion of their windfall with employees who weren’t included in the bonus, covering the full studio headcount of about 100 people. Krafton The leadership of Unknown Worlds repeated this promise in a lawsuit filed against Krafton on July 10, 2025. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. After the acquisition, Unknown Worlds continued updating Subnautica and Below Zero. In February 2024, the studio released Moonbreaker, a turn-based strategy game that never really took off, partially because of its initial microtransaction system. Since then, the studio has been focused on Subnautica 2. The game was officially announced in October 2024 with a prospective early access launch window of 2025. It’s currently the second-most wishlisted game on Steam, after Hollow Knight: Silksong. The first public notion that something was rotten between Unknown Worlds and Krafton came on July 2, when Cleveland, Gill and McGuire were fired and replaced by former Callisto Protocol studio head Steve Papoutsis. Krafton didn’t provide a reason for the switch-up in its press release, instead offering the following nearly complete thought: “While Krafton sought to keep the Unknown Worlds’ co-founders and original creators of the Subnautica series involved in the game’s development, the company wishes them well on their next endeavors.” Krafton didn’t mention delaying the early access launch at this time, but it implemented a review process that it said would be “essential to delivering the right game at the right time.” The publisher suggested the ousted leaders had been uncooperative in this aspect. “Unknown Worlds’ new leadership fully supports this process and is committed to meeting player expectations,” its press release said. Cleveland published a blog post on July 4 reflecting on his time in game development, and sharing his disappointment at Krafton’s handling of Unknown Worlds and Subnautica 2. He also referenced Krafton’s intent to delay the launch. “You can see why for Max, Ted, myself, the Unknown Worlds team, and for our community, the events of this week have been quite a shock,” Cleveland wrote. “We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you’re ready to play it. And while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton’s hands. And after all these years, to find that I’m no longer able to work at the company I started stings.” On July 9, Krafton officially delayed the early access launch of Subnautica 2 to 2026. That same day, Bloomberg published a report outlining the performance-based bonus agreement and implicitly questioning how the timing of the delay would make it difficult for the studio to hit its goals, putting the payout in jeopardy. This was the first time the details of the bonus became public. Krafton shared a statement with Engadget — and in a pop-up on its own homepage — on July 10 that straight-up accused the fired leaders of abandoning the studio in favor of personal creative pursuits, specifically calling out Cleveland’s film production company. It also threw shade at Moonbreaker and claimed the former bosses wanted the bonus payment “for themselves.” Krafton “Krafton made multiple requests to Charlie and Max to resume their roles as Game Director and Technical Director, respectively, but both declined to do so,” the statement said. “In particular, following the failure of Moonbreaker, Krafton asked Charlie to devote himself to the development of Subnautica 2. However, instead of participating in the game development, he chose to focus on a personal film project. Krafton believes that the absence of core leadership has resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule. The current Early Access version also falls short in terms of content volume.” That same day, Cleveland announced that he and the other ousted studio heads had filed a lawsuit against Krafton. “Suing a multibillion dollar company in a painful, public and possibly protracted way was certainly not on my bucket list,” Cleveland wrote. “But this needs to be made right. Subnautica has been my life’s work and I would never willingly abandon it or the amazing team that has poured their hearts into it. As for the earnout, the idea that Max, Ted and I wanted to keep it all for ourselves is totally untrue.” The lawsuit wasn’t unsealed until July 16. But on July 15, Bloomberg reported that Krafton now planned to extend the window for the bonus payment by an additional year, giving the studio more time to hit its goals. The publisher will also reportedly advance a portion of a separate profit-sharing bonus pool to all Unknown Worlds employees in 2025. These moves seem designed to moot the core issues raised in the breach of contract complaint that Cleveland and other Unknown Worlds leaders filed against Krafton in Delaware Chancery Court. The lawsuit, unsealed on July 16, claims Krafton illegally fired the studio heads and delayed Subnautica 2 in order to avoid the bonus payments. It also provides a timeline of growing tensions between the founders and Krafton this year, accusing the publisher of intentional sabotage. The lawsuit claims that Krafton and Unknown Worlds had a respectful relationship until April 2025, when Gill presented Krafton executives with the studio’s positive revenue projections, which were made with the assumption that Subnautica 2 would hit early access in 2025. He also outlined the expected bonus payout under the agreement. “When that happened, everything changed,” the lawsuit reads. The complaint alleges that at this point, Krafton began looking for ways to force out the leaders of Unknown Worlds and delay the launch of Subnautica 2, with a goal of circumventing the bonus payment. Cleveland, Gill and McGuire argued back and forth with Krafton executives over whether the game was ready for early access, and Krafton eventually pulled all of its resources from the studio. Krafton issued a stop order on Subnautica 2 development, took over Unknown Worlds’ communications channels and in June it started laying an internal paper trail accusing the founders of abandoning their fiduciary duties, according to the complaint. Cleveland, Gill and McGuire were fired and removed from the Unknown Worlds board of directors on July 1. This is where the rest of us entered the story. The main conflict here is over whether Subnautica 2 is really ready for an early access launch, and that matters because of a potential $250 million bonus payment that’s jeopardized by a delay. Not only is this a large sum for Krafton to lose, but it’s also a massive amount of money for Cleveland, Gill and McGuire to miss out on, especially now that they’ve lost their studio and tentpole IP. The ousted leaders reiterated in their lawsuit that they “planned to share even more of the earnout with their dedicated team” than they were contractually obligated to. In the complaint, they’re looking for Krafton to pay out the full bonus as projected without a delay, fulfill its obligations as a publisher and reinstate them as the heads of Unknown Worlds. Every party in this situation claims they want what’s best for Subnautica 2 and its players. It’s possible that they’re all telling the truth and this is a simple disagreement over artistic integrity. It’s also possible that they’re all lying and everyone is looking to make (or keep) a quick buck — but man, that’s bleak. The truth, as usual, likely lies somewhere in between and, chances are, we’ll never know it. At least the court system will eventually be able to determine the second-best thing, which is who’s at fault. Have a tip for Jessica? You can reach her by email, Bluesky or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-subnautica-2-212928022.html?src=rss

Netflix has announced an Assassin's Creed TV series is coming to the streamerIt has been in the making for almost five years but we don't have much information yetThe plot describes the series as "a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions"Netflix has greenlit an Assassin's Creed TV adaptation, giving me hope once again after previous attempts to adapt the video game for the screen have flopped.In 2016, the Michael Fassbender led movie was critically panned and received an 18% Rotten Tomatoes critical score. But news that the story is coming to one of the best streaming services has piqued my interest.We have seen some huge success with video game adaptations recently, of course, like Prime Video's Fallout or HBO's The Last of Us, so we can only hope that second time's a charm when it comes to Assassin's Creed.What do we know about Netflix's Assassin's Creed?The Assassin's Creed movie was a critical flop. (Image credit: New Regency Productions)At the time of writing, we don't know much. Netflix hasn't released a trailer or a cast list, but they have confirmed who is leading the project.Emmy nominees Roberto Patino (Westworld) and David Wiener (Halo) will serve as creators, showrunners, and executive producers on the Assassin's Creed series. Given their work on some big shows, this does fill me with hope.The Halo video game-to-screen adaptation scored a healthy 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it worthy of a spot on our best Paramount+ shows, so that's a positive start.In terms of plot, all we have so far is a statement from Tudum which reads: "Assassin’s Creed is a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions — one set on determining mankind’s future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will."It adds: “The series follows its characters across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity’s destiny.”That isn't a lot to go off, and fans of the video games already know the universe well, so it will be interesting to see how far it sticks with or deviates from the source material.Either way, I'm excited to give this one a go and pray it will one day be added to our best Netflix shows list.You might also like

Dreame Aqua10 is designed to revolutionize robovac moppingIt comes with a roller mop that cleans itself as it mopsAlso features a carpet guard, roller fluffer, and hot water bath in the dockDreame is quickly becoming a brand to watch when it comes to robot vacuum innovation. We loved the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, with its tiny feet and retractable navigation puck, when we tested it. That model was designed to clean in places traditional bots can't reach, but for its newest bots, Dreame has turned its attention to a different challenge: mopping.Most of the best robot vacuums on the market can mop as well as vacuum, but the mop functions don't tend to be all that good, even on pricey bots. With the Aqua10 Series, Dreame aims to change that.Rather than a fixed mop pad – either the D-shaped style or dual spinning discs – the Dreame Aqua10 uses a roller mop. When the pad rolls back into the underside of the bot, a scraper removes any dirt. It's then sprayed with fresh water before it meets the next patch of floor. That means if it's going over a spillage or dirty area, the grime won't stay on the pad and end up spread further across the floor. The pad spins at 100RPM, and clean water is applied evenly via 12 spray nozzles."We realized it’s not only about how strong the mop is – it’s about how clean the mop stays," says Sean Chen, a Dreame Managing Director.There are a handful of robot vacuums on the market that use a roller for mopping. Current examples include the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni and the Eureka J20, the latter of which we tested out and were very impressed with.However, with its Aqua10, Dreame has taken a few steps further, introducing three special features that the brand says are industry firsts. My personal favorite is the 'FluffRoll' roller fluffer. This spins around rapidly (1,000RPM!) in the opposite direction to the main mop roller, and ruffles up the fibers to make the pad softer and better at getting into grout lines and uneven tiles, and ultimately better for cleaning.Dreame has also added a roller guard. This automatically closes over the roller when the bot approaches carpet or rugs, to prevent the damp roller from coming into contact with carpets.Once the mopping is complete, the dock has the facilities for the roller to take a bath in its 'ThermoHub'. It'll soak in water of up to 100 °C to remove grease and grime.(Image credit: Dreame)The rest of the robot vacuum looks almost equally tech-packed, with an incredibly strong 30,000Pa of suction, and the same little threshold-hopping legs and retractable puck that we liked so much on the X50. Navigation and object avoidance come courtesy of AI powerhouse Nvidia, and there's Matter support for smart home integration.The Dreame Aqua10 series is scheduled to go on sale starting Q4 2025 (so from October). Where and how much for is currently a mystery.You might also likeRoomba's new dust-compressing robovac is great in theory but a crushing disappointment in real lifeBrowse the best robot vacuums for pet hairNeed something more hardcore? Here are the best wet-and-dry vacuums

"This is probably the most uncertain future NASA has faced, maybe since the end of Apollo," Casey Dreier tells me over the phone. Dreier is the chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, a nonprofit that advocates for the exploration and study of space. On July 10, the Senate Appropriations Committee met to discuss the proposed federal Commerce, Justice and Science budget for 2026. While on average, funding for NASA has accounted for about 0.3 percent of total yearly spending by the federal government since the start of the 2010s, President Trump has called for a 24 percent cut year over year to the agency's operating allowance. By any metric, his plan would be devastating. Adjusted for inflation, it would leave NASA with the smallest operating budget it has had since Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space in 1961. In the process, it would eviscerate the agency's science budget by nearly half, resulting in the termination of 55 ongoing and or planned missions. It would also leave NASA with its smallest workforce in 70 years. All this, at a time when the agency has been tasked with returning to the Moon and bringing the first humans to Mars. "There's no historical precedent to this level of single year, functionally indiscriminate and dramatic cuts. You lose, in one year, a third of all active science projects. [The Trump administration is] proposing to turn off missions that are performing not just good science, but unique and irreplaceable science. This isn't so they can reinvest the money in some radical new science efforts. No, the money is gone," said Dreier. "It's almost certainly the greatest threat to NASA science activities in the history of the space agency." Dreier isn't exaggerating when he says some missions would be impossible to replace. One of the casualties of Trump's cuts would be the New Horizons probe. In 2015, New Horizons gave us our best look at Pluto ever. Four years later, it performed the farthest flyby in human history. As things stand, it's the only active spacecraft in the Kuiper belt, a region of our solar system that is not well-understood by scientists. Even if NASA were to start working on a replacement today, it would take a generation for that vehicle to reach where New Horizons is right now. It costs NASA about $14.7 million per year to continue operating the probe, a fraction of the $29.9 billion in additional funding Congress allocated to fund ICE enforcement and detainment operations in the president's recently passed tax bill. Heather Roper Another mission that would be impossible to replace is OSIRIS-APEX. If the name sounds familiar, it's because OSRIS-APEX is a continuation of NASA's incredibly successful OSRIS-REx flight. In 2020, the spacecraft visited 101955 Bennu, an ancient asteroid about the size of the Empire State Building, and collected a sample of regolith (rocks and dirt) from its surface using a never-before-tried technique. After OSRIS-REx successfully returned the sample to Earth, NASA decided to extend the spacecraft's mission and fly to another asteroid, 99942 Apophis. In 2029, Apophis will pass about 19,600 miles from Earth. It will be the closest approach of any known asteroid of its size. NASA said the extension would add $200 million to a mission that had already cost it an estimated $1.16 billion. "This project is a pennies on the dollar repurposing of an existing spacecraft. It's the only American spacecraft that will be at Apophis for a once in a generation opportunity to study an asteroid that will just barely miss us," said Dreier. "That seems important to know." At a time when nearly every facet of American life is being upturned, the potential cancellation of dozens of NASA missions might seem a distant concern, but the gutting of the agency's science budget would have a ripple effect on communities across the US. "NASA is an engine for jobs in the country, and for every NASA job, there are many more that are created in the private workforce," said Bethany Ehlmann, Professor of Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology. She also serves on the board of directors for The Planetary Society. Professor Ehlmann's claim is supported by NASA's own data. In 2023, the agency employed 17,823 full-time civil servants nationwide. With NASA's private sector support factored in, that year the agency's missions were responsible for sustaining 304,803 jobs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Put another way, for every full-time equivalent job at a NASA facility, NASA supports at least 16 private sector jobs. "Space science has been broadly supported and impacts roughly three quarters of every congressional district in the country," said Dreier. "It's not just a red or blue state thing." Following last week's Senate meeting, policymakers from both parties said they would push back on President Trump's NASA budget cuts. On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies passed a funding bill that would provide NASA with a total budget of $24.8 billion for 2026, or the same amount it was allocated this year. The week before, the corresponding subcommittee in the Senate passed its own NASA funding bill. The two versions differ on one critical detail. The Senate legislation maintains the agency's science budget at $7.3 billion, while the House version seeks to reduce it by 18 percent to $6 billion. Separately, the House is calling for a 23 percent cut to the National Science Foundation's budget. NSF funds much of the nation's astronomy research. "What I'm hearing from lawmakers is that they understand how important NASA is to industry. They understand how important NASA is to universities in terms of training, and providing grants that train the next generation of the space workforce," said Professor Ehlmann, who was on Capitol Hill last week. The House and Senate will need to come to an agreement for the bill to move forward. Even with many lawmakers in favor of maintaining NASA's budget, a flat budget is still a funding cut when accounting for inflation. Moreover, NASA has already been negatively affected by the Trump administration's efforts to trim the federal workforce. According to reporting Politico published on July 9, 2,694 NASA employees have agreed to leave the agency through either early retirement, a buyout or a deferred resignation. Of those individuals, 2,145 are workers in senior positions and 1,818 are staff serving in missions areas like human spaceflight and science. "Once the workforce is gone, they're gone. You lose a ton of institutional knowledge," said Dreier. The employees who have agreed to leave represent about 15 percent of NASA's 2023 workforce of 17,823. With the July 25 deadline for early retirement, voluntary separation and deferred resignations quickly approaching, that number is likely to grow. NASA's shifting priorities under the Trump administration have also created uncertainty among the agency's contractors. According to former NASA employee and NASA Watch creator Keith Cowing the workforce cuts are already affecting employees. "In the 40 years I've been involved with NASA in one way or another, I've never seen morale so bad," he said. "Is NASA bloated? Yeah, but the way you deal with bloat is to go in with a scalpel and you cut carefully. And yet you have people [like Elon Musk] standing on stage with chainsaws. That is not the way to run government, and it's certainly not the way to create the machinery needed to explore the universe." Whatever happens next, Dreier worries there's the potential for there to be an erosion in public support for NASA. He points to a survey published by Pew Research. In 2023, the organization found that monitoring for asteroids that could hit Earth and tracking changes to the planet's climate were the two activities Americans wanted NASA to prioritize over other mandates. By contrast, sending human astronauts to the Moon and Mars were the least important priorities for the public. REUTERS / Reuters The House version of NASA's 2026 budget would boost the agency's exploration budget by 25 percent to $9.7 billion. In Trump's tax bill, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) included language that provided NASA with $4.1 billion for the fourth and fifth flights of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket — the vehicle intended to carry the first NASA astronauts back to the Moon before before private sector alternatives like SpaceX's Starship are ready to fly. With both the Trump administration and House pushing Moon and Mars missions as priorities, Dreier says they're "ironically doubling down on the activities that the private sector is already doing — SpaceX says it's going to send humans to Mars — and abandoning the things that only NASA does. There's no private sector company doing space science." In effect, a NASA budget that sacrifices on scientific research in lieu of Mars missions would be one that invests in things the public says are the least important to it. "I worry that they're moving away from what the public expects their space agency to do, and that as a consequence, it will undermine public investment in NASA," he said. "NASA is usually tied for the number one or two most popular federal agency. People wear NASA t-shirts. No one wears a Department of the Interior t-shirt walking out of the GAP. It's a rare and precious thing to have, and they're risking it. It's not just the future of the agency that's at risk, but the future of the public's relationship with it." When asked for comment on this story, Bethany Stevens, NASA's press secretary, pointed Engadget to a letter from Acting Administrator Janet Petro NASA shared in a technical supplement it published alongside the president's budget request. "We must continue to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. That means making strategic decisions — including scaling back or discontinuing ineffective efforts not aligned with our Moon and Mars exploration priorities" Petro wrote. The final NASA budget for 2026 is still months away from being finalized. After Tuesday's vote, the two funding bills will move to the full Senate and House appropriations committees for a vote and further revisions. Only after that will every member of each chamber get a chance to vote on the matter. Congress has until September 30 to complete the appropriations process before 2025 funding runs out. President Trump could also decide to veto the bill if it doesn't align with his priorities. Have a tip for Igor? You can reach him by email, on Bluesky or send a message to @Kodachrome.72 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/trumps-defunding-of-nasa-would-be-catastrophic-153053020.html?src=rss

As sister companies, both Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile offer some of the best cheap cell phone plans on the market right now - especially when it comes to bang for the buck. They both operate similarly, with flexible buy-in-bulk multi-month plans, generous data allowances, and 5G data speeds as standard on all plans.As we all know, Mint Mobile is the carrier that's really making waves right now thanks to its high-profile ad campaigns, but that doesn't mean Ultra Mobile doesn't offer some great plans in its own right. In this article, we're going to give you the low-down on how these two prepaid phone plans differ and who they're generally looking to cater to. If you're on the fence, we'll also weigh in with an overall verdict on which one we think is the best for most users too.Two excellent prepaid carriersMint Mobile: prepaid plans from $15 a monthWith generous data allowances and cell phones for as little as $15 a month, it's easy to see why Mint Mobile is one of the most popular carriers out there right now. With a flexible 'buy-in-bulk' payment scheme, Mint Mobile plans offer a number of compelling plans for all types of user. Remember though, to get the lowest monthly rates possible with Mint you'll need to sign up for a lengthier plan - and pay upfront.5GB: $15/mo | 15GB: $20/mo | 20GB: $25/mo | Unl: $30/moUltra Mobile: prepaid plans from $10 a monthSister company to Mint, Ultra Mobile also offers the same excellent 'buy-in-bulk' pricing with a ton of great plans to choose from. Unlike Mint, however, Ultra Mobile also features options for single-month plans and ultra-budget low-data allowance options. It's also got free international calling and text to over 80 countries with its plans, making it a great choice for those who are visiting the US.4GB: $13/mo | 8GB: $17/mo | 12GB: $20/mo | Unl: $34/moPlans, coverage and pricingBoth Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile have pretty similar 'buy-in-bulk' pricing schemes where you'll get the best deal overall if you commit to a longer service period. While there are still no service contracts to sign, you will, for example, get the lowest monthly rate on average with each service if you sign up for a yearly plan.Key factsNetworkMint: T-MobileUltra: T-MobilePricesMint: $15 to $30/moUltra: $10 to $59/moPlan lengthMint: 3 mo, 6 mo, 1 yearUltra: 1 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo, 1 yearUltra Mobile does, however, have the option for a single-month plan - which is more like what you'd expect from a traditional prepaid carrier. This one's great if you simply need a temporary SIM card for a burner device since you can simply pay $19 upfront and get a full month of service. In comparison, you have to spend at least $45 to get the cheapest SIM on Mint Mobile for a 3-month plan.Ultra Mobile has also recently, as of mid 2025, tweaked its entire line-up of plans to include more data, and in some cases, cheaper monthly prices. The gap between the two carrier's is closing quite rapidly now, although Mint still has the overall edge in terms of a cheap unlimited plan. The carrier's unlimited plan is a little cheaper at $30/mo on average if you pay for a full year upfront, and Mint also regularly offers new customer discounts.Both being T-Mobile carriers, coverage will essentially be the same regardless of which service you pick. If you'd like to see what coverage is like in your area, then you can use T-Mobile's own coverage checker right here.Winner: drawPerks and featuresAgain, on the surface, both carriers offer very similar perks and features overall, with 5G data speeds where applicable, free mobile hot-spotting, and unlimited talk and text.Key factsUnlimited 5G data speedsMint: uncappedUltra: uncappedMobile hotspotMint: free (10GB max on unl. plan)Ultra: free (25GB max on unl. plan)StreamingMint: 480p video (on unlimited)Ultra: 480p video (on unlimited)International callsMint: free to Mex and CanUltra: free call and text to 80+ countriesThings do however start to differentiate when you look at things like international calling - of which Ultra Mobile puts more of a focus on with its plans specifically.For example, While you do get free calling and texting to Mexico and Canada with Mint, Ultra on the other hand offers free calling and texting to over 90 international destinations. This small feature positions Ultra Mobile as the primo option for tourists and international visitors looking for a cheap burner SIM card.Mint doesn't really bake-in a lot of international features for its plans since they're most likely intended primarily for a domestic audience. The Mint Unlimited plan is a lot cheaper per month though for those who don't need international calling outside of Mexico and Canada.As of 2024, both carriers feature family plan support. Mint's family plan supports up to five lines at a time and allows you to get each line at the cheapest (yearly) rate while only having to pay for three months at a time. It's technically not a saving versus paying for the lines separately but it allows you to save time by combining several lines into one account - and you'll have to pay way less upfront, too.Ultra's family plan lets you pay for additional lines on the monthly unlimited data plan for $24 per line. While you'll still have to pay $49 per month for the first line, adding up to five lines can equates to a total of $145 per month for a total saving of $100. Again, having multiple lines under a single account is super handy for cutting out the paperwork and admin.Winner: drawMint Mobile vs Ultra Mobile: the bottom lineEven though the two services are extremely similar on paper, it's easy to see both these carriers cater to two different types of cell phone users. If you're looking for a cheap single-month plan to use in a burner device or need international calling, then there's really no competition here - Ultra Mobile is the best choice.That said, for most domestic users in the US, Mint Mobile will offer vastly better value overall when it comes to long-term plans with bigger data allowances. Since the use case for Ultra Mobile is quite niche, we'd generally say Mint Mobile is the better choice for most people right now.Winner: Mint Mobile

Hollywood video game adaptations continue to have a moment. Following the success of HBO's The Last of Us and Amazon's Fallout, Netflix has officially greenlit an Assassin's Creed series. The news comes nearly five years after the company signed a deal with Ubisoft to adapt the franchise. Two Emmy nominees will helm the series. Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, Homecoming, The Killing) will serve as showrunners and executive producers. No casting has been announced yet. "We've been fans of Assassin's Creed since its release in 2007," Patino and Wiener wrote in a statement. "Every day we work on this show, we come away excited and humbled by the possibilities that Assassin's Creed opens to us." Ubisoft The pair says the series will focus on "people searching for purpose, struggling with questions of identity and destiny and faith." (But it'll also include plenty of parkour and spectacle.) Above all else, it will be about "human connection across cultures and time." Netflix hasn't said when the show will premiere. So, we're probably still a ways off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-takes-a-leap-of-faith-on-an-assassins-creed-series-153958591.html?src=rss

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with a group of current and former company directors and officers, just agreed to settle to end a trial that sought $8 billion in damages, according to a report by Reuters. Zuckerberg and the others will actually be paying out to Meta shareholders as a recompense for damages allegedly caused by allowing repeated violations of Facebook users' privacy. The parties have not disclosed the details of the settlement, but one would assume the payout was less than the $8 billion the plaintiffs originally asked for. Judge Kathaleen McCormick adjourned the trial just as it was set to enter its second day and well before any of the major players were forced to take the stand. Billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who is a defendant in the trial and a Meta director, was scheduled to testify today. Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg were set to take the stand next week. Former board member Peter Thiel was also expected to testify. Shareholders sued Zuckerberg, Andreessen, Sandberg and others to hold them liable for the billions of dollars in fines and legal costs the company has been forced to pay out in recent years as part of alleged privacy violations. For instance, the FTC fined Facebook $5 billion in 2019 after finding it failed to comply with a 2012 agreement to protect user data. Company shareholders wanted the 11 defendants to use their personal wealth to reimburse the company. Plaintiffs alleged in the suit that the defendants failed to oversee FTC compliance and that they knowingly ran Facebook as an illegal data harvesting operation. The defendants denied the allegations, calling them "extreme claims", before settling. This all goes back to the infamous Cambridge Analytica bombshell, in which the political consulting firm accessed data from millions of Facebook users as part of Donald Trump's successful 2016 presidential campaign. That led to the FTC fine, which was the largest ever issued at the time. Cambridge Analytica has since shuttered. Several people had already taken the stand before both parties reached a settlement. An expert witness for the plaintiffs testified about "gaps and weaknesses" in Facebook's privacy policies. This is just one pending case against the company. There's a big antitrust case that once again pits the FTC against Meta, alleging that the company participated in anticompetitive practices by purchasing one-time rivals Instagram and Whatsapp. The trial has ended but no decision has been reached. Zuckerberg has been implicated in a case that alleges Meta knowingly used pirated materials to train its Llama AI. The company is also paying $25 million to settle a lawsuit with Donald Trump over his 2021 Facebook suspension, after Trump threatened Zuckerberg with retribution during the 2024 election. The current president was temporarily suspended from the platform after inciting a riot at the capitol that left several people dead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/mark-zuckerberg-and-other-meta-bigwigs-just-agreed-to-a-settlement-in-8-billion-suit-154513933.html?src=rss

Adobe release new Firefly video generation model that's better than everThe Firefly Web App now supports non-Adobe video generation models like Veo 3A new Generate Sound Effects beta app makes it easy to add sound effects to your videosAdobe Firefly has given its AI video generation capabilities a timely upgrade. It has upgraded its video model to version 1.9, which brings more realism and precision in storytelling. It's available in the Firefly Web App right now.Adobe cites one of the strengths of its new Firefly Video Model as “generating dynamic landscapes from natural vistas to urban environments. The model also demonstrates remarkable capability with animal motion and behavior, atmospheric elements like weather patterns and particle effects, and mastering both 2D and 3D animation.”You can see this demonstrated in this example video of a cinematic drone shot going between the trees of a snowy forest at sunset golden hour:Adobe has also partnered with other generative video models, so you can now select Veo 3, Luma, Runway, and Topaz all from within the Firefly Web app.Generate Sound Effects (beta)As part of the new Firefly, there’s also a new beta version of Generate Sound Effects, for creating custom, high-quality audio from text prompts or voice cues.It involves you making voice sounds that are close to the sort of sound effect you want in your video, and the AI then works out what sort of sound you really want to add. So, in a beach scene, if you start making “Kaaw! Kaaw!” noises, the AI works out that you want seagull sounds.I’ve had a go at using the voice cues method, and it certainly made everybody in the office think I had gone mad! Here's an example of how it works:More video enhancementsUsing Firefly, you can create AI-generated video from either a text prompt or a reference image, but you can now also upload a reference video, and Firefly will generate a new video that transfers the original composition to your generation. The new video model has a new level of precision control when you’re directing video content.There are also several style presets available, allowing you to apply a distinct visual style with a single click. Presets available include claymation, anime, line art, and 2D.Finally, there’s keyframe cropping. You can upload your first and last frames, select how your image will be cropped, and describe the scene, and Firefly will generate a video that fits the format.You might also likeBest Large Language Models (LLMs) of 2025Microsoft’s Copilot Vision can now see your entire desktop – but it probably won't judge you for the clutterOpenAI really helped me finish my to-do list when it launched ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode, and it can do the same for you

In years past, tech fans and industry commentators alike would mock Apple when it came time for the launch of its interstitial S model iPhones, noting a lack of substantial change between, say, the iPhone X and iPhone Xs as compared to the wider rift between the iPhone X and iPhone 11.Fast forward a few years, and Apple has ditched the S suffix altogether, instead marketing each year's iPhone as a full-on numbered release. The iPhone 15 is followed by the iPhone 16 and so on.However, the upgrades between each model don’t always feel like a full step forwards. We get some huge jumps – the iPhone 15 Pro to the iPhone 16 Pro, for example – and some tiny ones, like the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14.With last year’s launch of Apple Intelligence, though, it seems Apple figured out a way around the pesky realities of research and development: just launch the thing, and finish it later. What could possibly go wrong?Apple Intelligence could have been released more, well... intelligently (Image credit: Apple)As it turns out, quite a lot. Apple Intelligence earned itself a place on our list of the biggest tech flops of 2024, and I still think of it it as an ill-defined, nebulous, and incomplete product, even though it now comprises a pretty robust suite of AI tools. All of that seemingly hasn’t stopped the trend from catching on, though, as one of Apple’s biggest competitors demonstrated this year.I am, of course, talking about Samsung’s beleaguered One UI 7 update, which came to Galaxy users in April after months of delays. That would be a fairly normal sentence, if it weren’t for the fact that Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra users had been running One UI 7 on their phones since they launched in January, and the additional fact that Android 15, which One UI 7 is based on, had been out since October. So, those who shelled out to secure a top-of-the-line Samsung phone earlier this year had been left running pre-release software, while customers who bought a high-end Galaxy phone even a year ago were left been left with betas and test versions of Samsung’s latest Android wrapper.I recently recapped the One UI 7 drama and was left feeling hopeful by the quick reveal of One UI 8 alongside the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 folding phones, so I'll ease off Samsung for now. But there's still a chance that the rollouts of Apple Intelligence and One UI 7 set a precedent for future updates and for using 'finished' products as testing grounds rather than full releases.Giving One UI 7 an exact launch date is difficult, such was the length and disorganization of its rollout (Image credit: Samsung / Future)So, what now? Well, the biggest confirmed upcoming release on the mobile software calendar is without question iOS 26, which promises to bring a new design, overhauled default apps, and improved power efficiency to Apple's mobile platform.It's looking good so far. Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote didn't spark any major controversies, and presented enough of iOS 26 that I'd normally feel pretty confident about the launch state of Apple's next major software update.And as mentioned, One UI 8 is on the way with Samsung's next foldable phones, so keep an eye out for our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review for a detailed look at Samsung's new software (though the issue with One UI 7 was less about its function and more about how it was released).However, the string of botched software launches in the last 12 months has got me wary. Though I obviously can't blame Apple for the launch of One UI 7, nor Samsung for the launch of Apple Intelligence, it's jarring that two of the world's biggest tech companies managed to fumble two major launches in the same period.The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 bring with them the first look at One UI 8 (Image credit: Samsung)As a resident of the TechRadar mobile computing desk, I know that both Apple and Samsung have the potential to put out fully-formed, innovative, and genuinely useful software. I'm hopeful that both can get back to this going forwards.What do you think? Is this the start of a trend or just two coincidental slip-ups from two big tech heavy hitters? Let us know in the comments below.You might also likeSamsung shows off a creaseless folding phone display – and it improves on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 design in 3 key waysHere are the 7 best Pixel 9 and Pixel Watch 3 features landing in March’s Pixel Feature DropNew Google Pixel 9a leaks tease color options, and satellite connectivity to take on the iPhone 16e

Amazon’s decarbonization goals are being undermined by its push to be a leader in generative AI. Its most recent sustainability report concedes its overall carbon emissions grew for the first time since 2022. It reported a six percent increase in its carbon footprint across 2024, laying much of the blame at the feet of its data center rollout. The reported increase is significant given Amazon’s method of reporting its own environmental impact. Critics have suggested the mega-retailer “dramatically undercounts” its impact by excluding common metrics. In 2022, Amazon revised its climate reporting methodology which also led to the company’s figures falling dramatically. In addition, the company reported an increase in emissions tied to the purchase of power from outside sources. “The increased energy demand is from AI chips,” says the report, which “require more electricity and cooling than traditional chips.” As well as the power to run and cool those chips, Amazon is building big to increase its server capacity. Data center construction, as well as fuel use by logistics contractors, led indirect emissions to increase by six percent. That said, the company’s own fossil fuel emissions increased by seven percent in 2024, which is hardly a ringing endorsement. Amazon is a co-founder of The Climate Pledge, an initiative to reach net zero emissions by 2040. The initiative now has 549 signatories, including MasterCard, Sony and Snap.inc. In February, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy pledged to invest $100 billion across 2025, with CNBC reporting the bulk of that cash would be spent on Amazon Web Services (the company’s data center and web hosting arm). Given the increase in construction, it’s likely Amazon’s report for 2025 will follow this same upward trend.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/amazons-ai-push-is-undermining-its-sustainability-goals-160156136.html?src=rss

Donkey Kong wears clothes in Bananza because Nintendo was "conscious" of what he would look like "from the back"Donkey Kong went through a redesign because his brown fur "would make for a monotonous visual"Producer Kenta Motokura said the character's fur was also improvedNintendo has explained why Donkey Kong wears clothes in the latest Switch 2 exclusive, Donkey Kong Bananza.For as long as Donkey Kong has been around, he's typically been portrayed completely naked (if a monkey can even be naked), but in the latest installment, the star ape underwent a makeover, in both character design and wardrobe.According to Nintendo, the team thought to give Donkey Kong some clothes this time around because it was aware of what he would look like from behind to players."When controlling a character in a 3D world, the player often sees them from behind, so we were also conscious of how Donkey Kong would look from the back while he's moving," said producer Kenta Motokura in a recent Ask the Developer Q&A."The back view of Donkey Kong just looks like a mass of brown fur, which would make for a monotonous visual if we simply rendered him in 3D."Motokura also said that the development team was inspired to make creative adjustments to Donkey Kong's outfit and decided to give him a snazzy tie, britches, and suspenders.The character's fur was also improved to "look rich and thick", and his original design, created by Shigeru Miyamoto, has been revamped for the new game and even Mario Kart World."That basic Donkey Kong design has been completely revamped. While overhauling the design, we returned to where it had all started. We took Miyamoto-san's original Donkey Kong as the basis, adding design elements from Donkey Kong Bananza here and there," he explained.In TechRadar Gaming's review, hardware writer Dashiell Wood called Donkey Kong Bananza "the greatest Nintendo Switch 2 title to date, delivering an incredible destruction system that showcases the power of the new system."You might also like...The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomicalDonkey Kong Bananza is a must-have Nintendo Switch 2 game and worthy Super Mario Odyssey successorI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade

Well, in true OpenAI fashion, the AI giant is teasing something big. At first, there was a pretty cryptic video teasing a livestream for later today that was posted on X (formerly Twitter) and then a follow-up post that shed a bit more light.OpenAI is promising to spill the beans soon, though. With a livestream kicking off at 10AM PT, 1PM ET, and 6PM BST, we'll embed the watch link as soon as it's live below, and TechRadar will bring you the news as it breaks.So what can we expect? Well, the rumors are flying high as OpenAI could show off GPT-5, a new version of Operator, and even an AI-powered browser has been teased.The video shown, which ends with a note of the live stream, has a mouse cursor moving between five teams, and the follow-up post reads "ChatGPT 🤝 Deep research 🤝 Operator." Certainly, that checks off the boxes for OpenAI's main products, so this will be big.Let's kick things off with the teasers that OpenAI posted on X this AM, and a reminder we're about 45 minutes away from the livestream starting.ChatGPT 🤝 Deep research 🤝 OperatorLivestream in 3 hours.July 17, 2025pic.twitter.com/Q4hAihIPrLJuly 16, 2025What will OpenAI release today?There’s a lot of speculation about what OpenAI will be announcing today, after a mysterious video on its X.com feed:pic.twitter.com/Q4hAihIPrLJuly 16, 2025However, an hour ago it posted again with this update:ChatGPT 🤝 Deep research 🤝 OperatorLivestream in 3 hours.July 17, 2025Which contains the words: “ChatGPT / Deep research / Operator. Livestream in 3 hours.” There are handshake icons between each of the three words, indicating that the systems are talking to each other in some way.So what happens when ChatGPT talks to Deep research, which talks to Operator? Some have speculated that OpenAI are about to release a new browser with agentic properties.The timing would be interesting, since the new Perplexity browser called Comet has just been released and we were certainly impressed with our first look. John-Anthony Disotto commented: “In an age where we are constantly seeking innovations to transform our lives, it’s become increasingly common for products and software to not live up to their billing. Comet might still have its quirks, like issues related to some prompts crashing when the AI meets a hurdle, but initial impressions leave me yearning for more. I didn’t understand the point of an AI web browser, but after 48 hours with Comet, I’m convinced that having a smart assistant built into your internet experience will transform our lives forever.”

It’s likely that you predominantly associate Spotify with music and podcasts, but if you’re a Premium member, you also get 15 hours of audiobook access per month. For some members, though, that clearly isn’t enough, as Spotify has introduced a new add-on subscription that doubles that listening time. Audiobooks+ was first trialled in Ireland and Canada, and is launching initially for Premium Individual and Plan members in a number of countries in Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Once you’ve added it to your existing subscription, you’ll get an additional 15 hours of listening to audiobooks included in Spotify’s catalog, on top of what’s already included in the base plan. For individuals, Spotify Premium on its own costs $12 per month. For those on Premium Family ($20 per month) or Duo ($17 per month) plans, the plan manager has to purchase the add-on, and they’re also able to buy a one-time top-up of 10 hours if they run out before their entitlement resets each month. Spotify does already offer an Audiobooks Access plan to customers in the US only, which is separate from the Premium offering and also includes access to music and podcasts with ads. Pricing for Audiobooks+ varies by market, but will cost £9 per month in the UK (around $12), where an individual Premium plan costs £12 (about $16). We’ll find out what it costs here when it arrives in the US, which Spotify told Engadget will happen in the "coming weeks".This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/spotifys-audiobooks-add-on-is-now-available-to-some-premium-subscribers-165030551.html?src=rss

Cisco patched a maximum-severity flaw impacting Identity Services Engine and ISE Passive Identity ConnectorThe flaw allowed threat actors to run arbitrary code on the underlying OSIt was patched in versions 3.3 and 3.4A maximum-severity vulnerability was recently discovered, and patched, in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC). This flaw allowed threat actors to execute arbitrary code, with elevated privileges, on the operating system of the devices running the tools.ISE is a network security policy management and access control platform, helping organizations centrally manage who and what can connect to their network. The ISE-PIC, on the other hand, is a lightweight service that collects identity information about users and devices without requiring them to authenticate via traditional methods.Both tools are typically used by enterprise IT and cybersecurity teams that manage large or complex network environments.The importance of patchingRecently, security researcher Kentaro Kawane, from GMO Cybersecurity, discovered an insufficient validation of user-supplied input vulnerability that could be exploited by submitting a crafted API request. Valid credentials are not required to abuse the flaw.It is tracked as CVE-2025-20337, and was given a severity score of 10/10 (critical). It affects releases 3.3 and 3.4 of the tools, regardless of device configuration. However, releases 3.2 or older are not affected.Cisco addressed the flaws in these versions:- Cisco ISE or ISE-PIC Release 3.3 (Fixed in 3.3 Patch 7)- Cisco ISE or ISE-PIC Release 3.4 (Fixed in 3.4 Patch 2)The good news is that there is no evidence the vulnerability has been exploited in the wild by malicious actors. However, cybercriminals are known for targeting organizations only after a bug was made public, since many entities don’t rush to apply the patches. By keeping hardware and software outdated, organizations are keeping their back doors wide open, and criminals are getting an easy way into the premises.Therefore, it would be good practice to apply the patches as soon as possible and prevent possible attacks.Via The Hacker NewsYou might also likeCisco warns over worrying security flaws in ISE affecting AWS, Azure cloud deployments - here's what you need to knowTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Add this to the list of "things that might be fun if you had a buttload of money": Someone forked over $5.3 million in a Sotheby's auction to own a piece of Mars. The Red Planet meteorite was discovered in 2023 in a remote area of the Sahara Desert in Niger. Martian meteorites of any size are incredibly rare. To get here, an asteroid first hits the Red Planet to eject material from its surface. (Sotheby's says there are only 19 Martian craters large enough to have spit out this one.) That chunk then has to travel 140 million miles through space to reach Earth. Only 400 of the 77,000+ officially recognized meteorites hail from Mars. The meteorite is known as NWA 16788. Its reddish-brown, scarred exterior almost looks like the Red Planet's surface in miniature. Sotheby's This is also an exceptionally big Martian meteorite. It's about 70 percent larger than the second-biggest piece of Mars found on Earth. It measures 14.75 x 11 x 6 inches and weighs over 54 lbs. It's big enough to represent about 6.5 percent of all known Martian material on our planet. The winning bid was for $4.3 million. After fees, that comes out to over $5.3 million, making it the most valuable meteorite ever sold. Before bidding, the auction house sent a small piece of the space rock to a lab, which confirmed its distinctly Martian chemical composition. Over 21 percent of the rock is composed of maskelynite, a glass produced when the asteroid struck the Martian surface. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/someone-paid-53-million-for-a-piece-of-mars-191502853.html?src=rss

Google has upgraded its AI Mode with the advanced Gemini 2.5 ProAI Mode has also added Deep Search, which can now run hundreds of background searchesA new calling tool built into Search lets Google call businesses on your behalfGoogle is continuing to try to get you to use its AI Mode when searching online with new and enhanced AI tools. The conversational search tool has made Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro AI model available in AI Mode, along with the long-form report writing tool Deep Search.Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. who are also part of the AI Mode experiment in Search Labs will now see an option to choose Gemini 2.5 Pro when asking tough questions as well.This is the same heavyweight model behind Google’s most advanced AI tools. They'll also have the option of using Deep Search, a feature available in the regular Gemini app that can simultaneously run hundreds of searches and will write up a report piecing together the information.The more profound changes, though, are in how Search itself is evolving. Gemini 2.5 Pro doesn’t just fetch answers. It reasons. It explains math in full steps. It even writes code and tells you what that code is doing. And when paired with Deep Search, it can essentially conduct a research marathon on your behalf.AI calling inThe new call feature for Search is something entirely different. It connects your search for information about a store to a phone call with AI. As Google shows in a demo, you can type “pet groomers near me” and ask for information not immediately accessible.Instead, you can tap “Have Google call for you,” which will prompt Google to call local shops, ask about availability or rates, and then text or email the results directly to you. If that sounds like Google Duplex, that's because Google's Duplex technology powers it.Of course, all this comes with a few asterisks such as having to pay for a subscription. Free users still get some limited AI call attempts, but the advanced AI Mode tools are reserved for paying customers.Google’s advantage over other AI developers is the sheer size of its Search database, so even as OpenAI and others attempt to produce similar products, Google might have a lasting edge. Still, there’s a learning curve.AI that does too much too fast can lead to problems. You don’t want your research assistant skipping over credible sources in favor of a Reddit thread with 38 upvotes. And you certainly don’t want your AI calling the wrong person to schedule a colonoscopy.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

Okay, so “ruined” might be a tad over the top, but my Z Fold 7 does highlight one problem with taking an ultra-light and thin approach to the foldable’s design.I’ve finally gone hands-on with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, swapping out my Z Fold 6 for its new sibling.At the time of writing this, I’ve been using the phone for less than 24 hours, but I’m already enjoying the larger screen, improved camera array, and the One UI 8 software upgrades. I, however, am not loving every aspect of the design.The new foldables are (mostly) total upgrades (Image credit: Samsung)One of my favorite use cases for the phone is as a stand for itself. By folding it in a V while watching a video on the cover screen, the device will prop itself up so I can watch the video while I do something else – I use it a lot while I cook and then do the dishes – and without needing to lug around a phone stand.If you’re using the inner display, you can part-fold the phone while a video is playing, and some apps, such as YouTube, will move the video to the upper half of the screen, while offering video touch controls on the bottom half.The Z Fold 6 can open wide and stay there (Image credit: Future)You can do this with either the outer face down, but I always preferred having the cover screen face down. I use a screen protector and normally use this version of the self-standing feature while at my desk, resting the phone on my smooth desk mat or monitor stand, so I don’t have to worry about the cover screen getting scratched.Plus, because the cover screen is flat, it’s more stable than having the camera-bump side down, as the bump can lead to some rocking.Unfortunately, likely due to more weight being concentrated in that camera bump and the hinge being smaller, if you open the Z Fold 7 too much while it's being used in this way, the camera array will fall under the weight of gravity, forcing the phone to fully unfold and no longer be propped up.The Z Fold 7 opens as soon as I stop supporting the back (Image credit: Future)What’s more, the self-opening threshold (with the screen open at a roughly 135-degree angle) is at the precise angle that is perfect for my needs.I’m getting used to keeping the phone more closed – at a right angle or only just past it – but I wanted to quickly pick up on one surprising downgrade I’ve experienced in my initial testing.Yes, it’s a supremely minor downgrade, especially considering the phone’s improvements and that it’s a problem I’m already overcoming, but it's a disappointment nonetheless.You might also likeI've used every Samsung flagship, here's why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is one of the bestOppo and Honor are still ahead of Samsung in the foldable raceHands on: I opened the case file on the new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, and it was all black and white