Technology News and More-Friday Edition...

 Technology News and More...

Elon Musk's 6 dumbest X / Twitter decisions of 2023
300+Mashable / 22h
It sounds like an impossible task, but Mashable has done it. In a year filled with ill-advised moves and screw-ups, we've put together a list of…Well, there's no other way to put it, the absolute dumbest decisions made by Elon Musk when it comes to his social media platform, X. Musk acquired the platform in late October of last year and immediately appeared set to roll out some of the worst chang

Threads is rolling out its hashtags without the hash symbol globally
TechCrunch / now
Meta’s social network Threads got a major update Thursday as the company started rolling out tags (without the hash symbol) on the platform. Users will be able to tag only one topic per post to avoid tag spam. The company began testing the tag feature in Australia last month, and it is now rolling out […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Reflectiz Introduces AI-powered Insights on top of Its Smart Alerting System
Next Big Future / 17min
Ramat Gan, Israel, December 7th, 2023, Cyberwire Reflectiz, a cybersecurity company specializing in continuous web threat management, proudly introduces a new AI-powered capability enhancing its Smart Alerting system. The new AI-powered insights enhances the Reflectiz Smart Alerting system by integrating AI LLM technology on top of its traditional alerting tool for cross-checking the validity of .


Google Deepmind Gemini Is the World’s Best AI
Next Big Future / 17min
Google Gemini breaks 90% mark for MMLU, which is beyond expert human level for this set of tests. For the first time, a large language model has breached the 90% mark on MMLU, designed to be very difficult for AI. Gemini Ultra scored 90.04%; average humans are at 34.5% (AGI) while expert humans are at ... Read more


Can you hear music in 8K? Final promises with its next-gen earbuds, yes you can
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 42min
I really want to believe in "8K sound", even though that isn't a thing. Resolution that refers to pixels per square inch doesn't translate aurally. Those who care about the quality of their music usually prefer the term 'hi-res audio', specified as anything above 1,411 kilobits per second, also known as 'CD-quality' 16-bit/44.1kHz . Audiophiles work in audio bit-depth and sampling frequency, not


India’s top VCs face fresh obstacles as startup investment plummets
TechCrunch / 47min
High-flying venture investors in India managing hundreds of millions of dollars are tempering expectations, making early-stage startup bets that in best-case scenarios they hope will return 3 to 5 times invested capital. Several leading India investors including Peak XV Partners, Elevation Capital, Lightspeed, Nexus and Accel have raised $500 million-plus in the past two years, […] © 2023 TechCru


Feast your eyes on this PS1-themed PlayStation 5
Engadget / 1h
Remember the 20th anniversary limited edition PlayStation 4 ? No, I didn't get one, either. But what if Sony were to port that same sweet retro look from the PS1 to the PS5? Look no further than the farewell gift which SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment) President and CEO Jim Ryan — who is retiring in March 2024 — received yesterday. In a photo posted by Yuichi Haga, the Global Diversity, Equity


Game Awards 2023: Baldur's Gate 3 wins game of the year
72BBC News - Technology / 1h
The Wonka star announces Baldur's Gate 3 has won Game of the Year at the popular ceremony.


QuEra CoFounder Vlad Vuletic Targets Useful Error Corrected Quantum Computers in 2025-2028
Next Big Future / 2h
Vlad Vuletic (MIT Co-founder of QuEra) had a scientific and technical presentation at the 2023 Q2B conference today. The main part of the talk came on the last slide where Vlad laid out his projection for how QuEra and its research partners will be able to advance their breakthrough Quantum Error Correction work. Vlad expects ... Read more


China’s Population Will Age and Rapidly Shrink
Next Big Future / 2h
At the end of 2022, China had 280.0 million people aged 60 and over and this was 19.8% of the national population. 210 million people are aged 65 and over which were accounting for 14.9% of the national population). The 80-year-old and over age group accounted for 13.5% of the elderly population in 2020. The ... Read more


Google admits that a Gemini AI demo video was staged
Engadget / 3h
Google is counting on its very own GPT-4 competitor, Gemini , so much that it staged parts of a recent demo video. In an opinion piece, Bloomberg says Google admits that for its video titled "Hands-on with Gemini: Interacting with multimodal AI," not only was it edited to speed up the outputs (which was declared in the video description), but the implied voice interaction between the human user a


Backed by Cresta founders, Trove’s AI wants to make surveys fun again
24TechCrunch / 3h
Surveys have become an integral part of many aspects of our lives, but most of them are tedious, leading to ineffective responses and actions. Dinghan Shen and Yuan Xue, two software engineers working in Silicon Valley, recognized an opportunity to leverage the breakthroughs brought by large language models to make surveys more empathetic and engaging. […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved.


Get 1TB of cloud storage for under £130
Mashable / 3h
TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Koofr Cloud Storage (1TB) is on sale for £126.34, saving you 80% on list price. It’s hard to believe that the very first iPhone came with only 4GB or 8GB of storage. Now, phones, tablets, and laptops come with anywhere from 128GB, and it’s still not enough. That’s why many users are turning to cloud storage solutions. Some platforms love charging monthly or yearl


Binance Founder Ordered to Remain in U.S. Before Sentencing
NYT > Technology / 3h
Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, faces as much as 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to federal money-laundering violations.


Exoborne is a new extraction shooter coming from the makers of Vampire The Masquerade Bloodhunt
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Sharkmob has revealed its first original game project at The Game Awards 2023 - a tactical open-world extraction shooter called Exoborne . Developed in Unreal Engine 5 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, we’ve just got our first glimpse at Exoborne ’s world and characters in an exciting cinematic trailer, which you can watch below. In a press briefing, TechRadar Gaming (TRG) learned that the post-a


TikTok adds comment filtering tools to better handle Israel-Hamas war content
Engadget / 4h
ByteDance's TikTok has been facing a tough time over its handling of Israel-Hamas war content and related hate speech, but it is now stepping up with some new initiatives . On the moderation side, the social platform is rolling out new comment filtering tools, with the most notable one being "Comment Care Mode," which supposedly automatically filters comments that are deemed similar to the creato


Monster Hunter Wilds has been announced for 2025
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Monster Hunter Wilds "the next generation in the genre defining series" is coming to PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X | S , and PC in 2025. The Game Awards 2023 was an exciting night of world premiers, but to close out the event Capcom revealed the next game in its popular Monster Hunter series along with its first trailer, showcasing all sorts of massive predators to hunt. We didn't receive too man


The Game Awards 2023 all winners announced
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
The Game Awards 2023: Categories and Winners Links 1. Game of the Year 2. Best Game Direction 3. Best Narrative 4. Best Art Direction 5. Best Score and Music 6. Best Audio Design 7. Best Performance 8. Innovation in Accessibility 9. Games for Impact 10. Best Ongoing 11. Best Community Support 12. Best Independent Game 13. Best Debut Indie Game 14. Best Mobile Game 15. Best VR / AR 16. Best Action


The first Final Fantasy XVI DLC 'Echoes of the Fallen' is out now
Engadget / 4h
The first Final Fantasy XVI DLC was not only announced at the Game Awards 2023; it’s already available on the PlayStation Store. Echoes of the Fallen , set before the base game’s final battle, is out now, while a second DLC installment, The Rising Tide , arrives in spring 2024. The PlayStation blog says Echoes of the Fallen “unlocks a whole new story, battles, weapons, accessories, level cap and


Capcom's next big Monster Hunter game is Wilds, coming in 2025
Engadget / 4h
Monster Hunter is one of Capcom's biggest franchises at this point, so of course the company has been cooking up another mainline entry. It's called Monster Hunter Wilds and it's coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2025. The trailer shows the player character and several creatures trying to escape a dust storm before lightning strikes. The air then clears to reveal a lush landscape


Baldur's Gate 3 wins Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
It’s been a long evening of celebrating 2023’s onslaught of incredible video game releases, and it’s all built up to this moment. The Game Awards’ 2023 Game of the Year is none other than Baldur's Gate 3 . Of course, it had to go to Larian Studios’ genre-defining role-playing game, didn’t it? Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the gaming world by storm since it was released, thanks to a captivating choice


Baldur's Gate 3 just released on Xbox Series X|S, and you can play it right now
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
At long last, the wait is over - Larian Studios has officially revealed the release date for the Xbox Series X |S version of Baldur’s Gate 3 , and players will be able to dive into the action…immediately. Well isn’t this a nice surprise? It’s been stated a few times by the developers that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be hitting Xbox’s current-gen consoles by the end of the year , but I’m not sure if any


Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on Xbox Series X/S
41Engadget / 5h
Xbox-only gamers have had to patiently bide their time until Baldur's Gate 3 , one of the biggest titles of 2023, hit Microsoft's consoles. The RPG came out of early access on PC in August and it landed on PS5 the following month. However, technical issues held up the Xbox Series X/S version until now. Developer and publisher Larian Studios had pledged to release the Xbox version by the end of th


You can preorder Helldivers 2 right now ahead of its early 2024 release date
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
We've got yet another fantastic trailer for the upcoming third-person co-op shooter Helldivers 2 . Showcased at The Game Awards 2023, the newest trailer for Helldivers 2 gives us a better look at some of the in-game fights that players will soon be able to enjoy. It's also scheduled to be released on February 8, 2024, for PS5 and PC; players can pre-order it now. Set to reignite the series almost


‘Den of Wolves’ Will Be a Sci-Fi Heist—With a ‘Power Fantasy’ Soundtrack
22Wired / 5h
Announced at the 2023 Game Awards, Den of Wolves is a new kind of co-op heist game from the minds behind PayDay.


Disney: Elon Musk calls for boss to be fired over ad spat
33BBC News - Technology / 5h
It comes a week after the multi-billionaire launched a profane attack on advertisers that left X.


Gameshow FPS The Finals has just gotten a surprise release
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Surprise! Embark Studios’ free-to-play first-person shooter (FPS), The Finals , just got its release date announced at The Game Awards 2023. The best part? That date is today. Like, right now. The Finals is a multiplayer FPS that has players step into the shoes of a game show contestant and “compete for worldwide fame and the support of our discerning and stylish sponsors.” They must battle it ou


The makers of No Man's Sky will simulate a whole planet for Light No Fire
34Engadget / 5h
UK indie studio Hello Games is building something that it's calling "more ambitious" than No Man's Sky . The studio's next game is Light No Fire , and it brings procedural generation to an entire planet on an incredibly detailed scale. Light No Fire is an open-world exploration and community-building game set on a planet the size of Earth, blending RPG elements with sandbox survival. It's a multi


GTFO is getting a final update, bringing the game to a close with Rundown 8
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
10 Chambers has just announced GTFO 's final update, Rundown 8.0 Duality, for its co-op horror shooter at The Game Awards 2023, almost two years after it left Early Access. This final update is available to play right now, will bring things to a close for the hardcore co-op shooter, where death is as easy. You can take a look at the trailer below to get the lowdown on the rundown. In case you wer


Actually, Sweden Won’t Give in to Tesla’s License Plate Demands
Gizmodo / 5h
Elon Musk’s electric car company has suffered a reversal of fortune in its ongoing battle with Sweden’s labor unions . Turns out, Teslas won’t be getting license plates in the nordic country—at least, not for the foreseeable future. Read more...


Life Is Strange developer announces brand new game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Developer Don't Nod has announced its next game, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. During The Game Awards 2023 tonight (December 7), the studio - formerly known as Dontnod Entertainment and best known for its Life is Strange series - revealed its next project and it's coming to PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X | S , and PC in late 2024. The cinematic trailer confirmed that Don't Nod is sticking to its fam


Last Sentinel is prepared to transport players to the uneasy world of dystopian Tokyo
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
We've just got a first look at Last Sentinel, the upcoming sci-fi dystopian open-world game made by Lightspeed LA, a division of Lightspeed Studios known for working on PUBG Mobile . The short and mysterious trailer depicted a cinematic scene of cyborgs hiding from hostile enemies. After a fight breaks out, the protagonist, Hiromi Shoda, swoops in to save the day and rescue the survivors. We also


Free-to-play looter shooter The First Descendant gets summer 2024 release window
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Nexon Games’ upcoming free-to-play third-person looter shooter, The First Descendant , just got a brand new cinematic trailer during The Game Awards 2023, as well as a launch window. Specifically, it's been revealed that prospective players can look forward to diving into the action in summer 2024. The latest trailer spotlights two of the game’s Descendants - Viessa and Valby - the latter of whom


Dead by Daylight universe expands with The Casting of Frank Stone - releasing in 2024
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight universe is about to get even bigger with The Casting of Frank Stone , which is being developed by The Dark Pictures Anthology studio Supermassive Games. The first trailer for The Casting of Frank Stone was unveiled during The Game Awards 2023, and it’s set to release at some point in 2024 on Xbox Series X |S, PlayStation 5 , and PC. You can take a look at


Arkane Lyon is making a Blade game and we're all very excited
Engadget / 5h
Arkane Lyon, the developer of Deathloop, is making a game based on Marvel’s resident vampire hunter Blade. There’s a trailer, but it’s just a cinematic with no gameplay. Still, this is very exciting news as Arkane Lyon is the talented team behind Prey and the Dishonored 2 . It also made the vampire shooter Redfall, which had some good ideas that were marred by, well, some very bad ideas. Here’s h


Ubisoft's long-delayed Skull and Bones is finally set to arrive on February 16
21Engadget / 5h
After what feels like countless delays (seriously, our first hands-on with it was in mid-2017 ), Ubisoft's Skull and Bones finally has a release date. As revealed at The Game Awards , the action-adventure game is at last set to land on February 16, 2024. Ubisoft+ subscribers and those who pre-order can hop in three days earlier. As this name suggests, this is a game all about piracy. You can choo


Heist shooter Den of Wolves is the next game coming from 10 Chambers
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
The developer of co-op shooter GTFO, 10 Chambers, has just released a trailer at The Game Awards 2023 for its brand-new game, Den of Wolves . Den of Wolves is also a cooperative shooter which allows up to four players to team up for heisting action. It takes place in the fictional urban center of Midway City - an "unregulated innovation metropolis in the North Pacific Ocean" that was founded by l


Marvel’s Blade will be the next game from Arkane Lyon
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Out of nowhere, it’s been confirmed that a game based on Marvel’s half-vampire, Blade, is in development from Bethesda and Arkane Lyon, in collaboration with Marvel Games. Simply titled Marvel’s Blade , the “mature action-adventure” was announced during The Game Awards 2023. It’ll be a third-person game set in “the heart of Paris.” You can take a look at the trailer below. “In Marvel’s Blade , Er


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 8
Mashable / 6h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Dec. 8's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle com


Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Friday, December 8, 2023
LifeHacker / 6h
If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for December 8, 2023 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is on the easier side; I had it narrowed down to just one possibility after my second guess. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 8, Wordle #902! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game. How


Today's NYT Connections Hints (and Answer) for Friday, December 8, 2023
LifeHacker / 6h
If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Friday, December 8, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I’ll explain the meanings of the trickier words and we’ll learn how everything fits together. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 8, NYT Connections #180! Read on if you want some hints (and then


Upcoming metroidvania Tales of Kenzera Zau stuns with a beautiful score and thrilling combat


TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
The Game Awards 2023 has revealed yet another upcoming game, and this time, it is Tales of Kenzera Zau , a thrilling metroidvania that seeks to explore grief in a new way. Tales of Kenzera Zau will use puzzles, combat, and its bosses as a way to tackle loss and set players on a spiritual journey that will help them come to terms with it. The trailer introduces us to Zau, the protagonist, who is s


Jurassic Park: Survival has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Jurassic Park: Survival has been announced, a single-player action-adventure coming to PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X | S , and PC . Revealed during The Game Awards 2023 on December 7, the game debuted alongside a brand-new CGI trailer, as well as showcased a sneak peek at some first-person action. Jurassic Park: Survival 's story takes place after the events of the iconic 1993 Jurassic Park film


Hideo Kojima’s Xbox game is the cinematic horrorfest ‘OD’
27Engadget / 6h
Hideo Kojima officially unveiled his upcoming game (that leaked in 2022 ) at the Game Awards 2023 . Previously described as something “no one has ever experienced or seen before,” the cinematic OD (previously known as Overdose ) will include a collaboration with horror director and comedian Jordan Peele. OD ’s 90-second trailer includes intimate closeups of actors reading nursery rhymes and other


Get a good look at Fortnite's Rocket Racing mode ahead of its launch
Engadget / 6h
If riding velociraptors and giant mechas wasn't enough for its discerning players, Fortnite is incorporating a semi-standalone racing game into its free-for-all universe. On Thursday at the 2023 Game Awards, Epic revealed more cinematic gameplay footage mere hours before the game is set to launch. Developed by Psyonix, the folks who built Rocket League (itself an e-sport staple), the Rocket Racin


Jurassic Park: Survival is an adventure game set one day after the original film
50Engadget / 6h
Sorry Evolution fans, there’s a new Jurassic Park game in town. Saber Interactive and Universal just dropped a trailer for Jurassic Park: Survival at The Game Awards. This is an adventure game set on Isla Nublar just one day after the events of the original film. You play as InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who missed the last plane out of dodge. In other words, she’s stuck on an island full of hu


The Outlast Trials finally got a 1.0 release date along with console confirmation
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
The Outlast Trials finally has a confirmed date for its 1.0 release and various console platforms. The Game Awards 2023 has come out strong yet again with a terrifying yet hilarious trailer for The Outlast Trials 1.0 release, which is scheduled for March 5, 2024. The minute video showcases all the horrified reactions from streamers who have dared to enter the twisted games since its release to ea


SWAT 4 spiritual successor Ready or Not will fully release on December 13
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
The release date for VOID Interactive’s tactical first-person shooter, Ready or Not , has been revealed during The Game Awards, and fans don’t have long to wait. To be exact, the 1.0 version of Ready or Not will be released on PC on December 12, almost two full years after it entered Early Access. During those two years, plenty of new content has been steadily added to the game, including new wea


Sega is resurrecting its classics including Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi and Golden Axe
Engadget / 6h
Sega promised a new era at The Game Awards, and it gave us five games to look forward to. Well, "new" is doing a lot of heavy lifting: The storied developer announced that fresh titles are coming based on Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Depending on your age, those titles may mean various things to you. Golden Axe and Shinobi have their roots in the arcades of


First teaser for Hideo Kojima’s new horror game OD revealed
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
If you tuned into The Game Awards 2023 hoping for some nightmare fuel, then Hideo Kojima has you covered with the first teaser for his upcoming horror game OD . The game is set to star Sophia Lillis, Udo Kier, Hunter Schaffer, although we don’t currently know what roles they’ll take in it. In fact, we frankly know very little about the premise, genre, or literally anything else aside from the fac


Sega is rebooting five classic titles including Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and more
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Sega has announced it will be rebooting five retro franchises including Shinobi , Jet Set Radio , Crazy Taxi , Streets of Rage , and Golden Axe . The publisher revealed the move during The Game Awards 2023 alongside a brand-new action-packed trailer showcasing each franchise and their upcoming revival, much to viewers' excitement. "New Era, New Energy! New games from Jet Set Radio , Shinobi , Gol


Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero gets a new trailer and platform confirmation
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
We've finally got a new trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero 16 years after the previous game. The newest trailer shows off actual in-game fights, which players will be able to enjoy. Iconic characters such as Goku and Vegeta go head to head in battles that will shake the earth. The fights also make full use of the iconic Budokai Tenkaichi style, which is best known for its anime visuals, epic


God of War Ragnarök free DLC releasing next week
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Surprise! Free DLC for God of War Ragnarök has been announced during The Game Awards. Simply titled Valhalla , it’ll be available to download on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles from next week. Specifically, it’ll be available from December 12, at 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm GMT, which is 4am AEDT on December 13. The trailer has shown off Kratos walloping a whole bunch of enemies, but the stor


NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for December 8
Mashable / 7h
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the e


Supermassive's Dead by Daylight spin-off is 'The Casting of Frank Stone'
Engadget / 7h
Supermassive Games just dropped a trailer for its forthcoming single-player interactive story game set in the Dead by Daylight universe. The Casting of Frank Stone is a character-driven narrative adventure that features all of the character choice and tension of Supermassive-developed titles like Until Dawn and The Quarry. The developer promises “powerful life or death choices” and an entirely ne


No Rest for the Wicked is a medieval action RPG from the Ori team
20Engadget / 7h
No Rest for the Wicked is the new project from Moon Studios, the team behind Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel — and it looks as beautiful as you'd expect. It's a top-down action RPG set in the year 841, in a kingdom that's just lost its king. His arrogant and inexperienced son has taken over, and the Pestilence is sweeping the land. The turmoil has led a powerful religious leader to expand


God of War Ragnarok is getting a free roguelite expansion next week
24Engadget / 7h
God of War Ragnarok is a game so large that it practically has a whole second game tucked away inside. And yet that still doesn't seem to be quite enough Norse action for Kratos. During The Game Awards , Sony revealed a Valhalla-centric expansion for the 2022 hit . Not only that, it's free. And it's coming next week, on December 12, to both PS4 and PS5 versions of the base game. Much like with th


Big Walk is the next project from the Untitled Goose Game team
Engadget / 7h
Not content to rest on its honkin' laurels after the success of 2019's indie smash hit Untitled Goose Game , House House unveiled the first teaser footage for its new adventure title at the 2023 Game Awards Thursday night. Big Walk looks to be a significant departure from its predecessor in both tone and scope. The team describes it as "a cooperative online walker-talker" that encourages players


Untitled Goose Game devs just announced the quirky adventure game Big Walk
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
We've just gotten another new announcement at The Game Awards 2023, and this time, it's from House House, the developers behind Untitled Goose Game . Big Walk is the newest indie game from the iconic studio. It is set to be a quirky puzzle game that you can enjoy with friends or alone. The story takes place on a deserted island with a bunch of bizarre characters. The trailer that was released dur


Matthew McConaughey stars in new sci-fi RPG Exodus
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Exodus is a brand-new AAA science fiction action-adventure role-playing game franchise from Archetype Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey took the stage at The Game Awards 2023 to reveal the first action-packed story trailer for Exodus , in which he will play a major role, and it's confirmed to be coming to PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X | S , and PC . The R


Windblown is the next game from the creators of Dead Cells
Engadget / 7h
Dead Cells developer Motion Twin dropped one of the first eye-popping trailers of the Game Awards 2023 (in the pre-show, no less). The visually striking Windblown is billed as “a lightning-fast action roguelike,” bringing “a whole new level of speed to the action rogue-like genre.” Windblown takes place in The Ark, a floating village in the sky, full of “innocent souls.” It orbits the deadly Vort


World of Goo 2 is announced and gets a brand new trailer 15 years in the making
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
In a surprising yet wonderful twist, The Game Awards 2023 showcased a World of Goo 2 trailer. World of Goo 2 is coming. Cool. This upcoming indie game is a physics-based comedic building game. The brand-new trailer showed off all the chaotic and wacky happenings players can expect to enjoy. With slippery oil spills, cracking mountains, and islands floating in the sky, it looks like World of Goo 2


Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown gets a new story trailer and demo information
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has finally received a new story trailer as well as a playable demo for fans to enjoy. Announced at Summer Games Fest 2023, Ubisoft's upcoming 2.5D platformer is scheduled to release on January 18 , 2024, on PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X |S, Xbox One , Nintendo Switch , and PC. The trailer begins with the protagonist, Sargon, fighting off a gigantic snake as he procla


Here's a new trailer for that cool-looking fantasy RPG from the Persona 5 team
26Engadget / 7h
Atlus and its subsidiary Studio Zero have finally released a new trailer for the forthcoming RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio at The Game Awards . The title’s being helmed by many of the talented folks behind Persona 5, including director Katsura Hashino and composer Shoji Meguro. The primary difference? This game takes place in a fantasy setting, with nary a high school or talking cat in sight. The game


Exodus is a new sci-fi RPG from former BioWare, 343 and Naughty Dog developers
54Engadget / 7h
Exodus is the first game from Archetype Entertainment , a studio established by Wizards of the Coast in 2019 and staffed by former developers from BioWare, 343 Industries, Naughty Dog and other AAA establishments. Exodus is a big and bold sci-fi RPG that deals with time dilation, the idea that time passes more slowly than we're used to during high-velocity travel, causing interstellar explorers t


Windblown is the next game from Dead Cells creators Motion Twin
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Motion Twin has revealed its next "lightning-fast combat roguelite" game Windblown . Announced during The Game Awards 2023 pre-show tonight (December 7), the studio best known for its 2018 roguelike-Metroidvania game Dead Cells confirmed that Windblown is coming to PC via Steam early access in early 2024. The feature-length trailer features stunning 2D animation showcasing a story of three friend


Thrasher looks like another nightmare-inducing game from the artist behind Thumper
Engadget / 8h
The Game Awards got off to a flying start with a string of fascinating announcements during the pre-show. One of the freshly revealed games that's coming your way soon is Thrasher , which is from Brian Gibson, the artist and composer behind the 2016 nightmare factory Thumper . Gibson (who is also the bass player in the band Lightning Bolt) teamed up with Rock Band VR and Fuser alum Mike Mandel to


Upcoming indie game Harmonium: The Musical looks to champion accessibility in new ways
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
The new indie game Harmonium: The Musical was just announced at The Game Awards 2023, and it looks to champion beautiful and meaningful stories. The upcoming indie game saw the developers, The Odd Gentlemen, work closely with artists and developers from the deaf community in hopes of creating a new kind of music-focused game. The new trailer showcased at The Game Awards 2023 showcases various cha


Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons Remake officially announced with 2024 release date
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
The Game Awards 2023 kicked off with a bang, with the announcement of a remake of the popular co-op adventure game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons . For those unfamiliar, the original game, which was developed by Payday 3 studio Starbreeze Studios, sees players control - as you’d expect - two brothers, desperate to cure their sick father. As per the original synopsis on Steam: “They must set out up


Meta opens the gates to its generative AI tech with launch of new Imagine platform
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 8h
Amongst all the hullabaloo of Google’s Gemini launch , Meta opened the gates to its free-standing image generator website called Imagine with Meta AI. The company has been tinkering with this technology for some time now. WhatsApp, for instance, has had a beta in-app image generator since August of this year . Accessing the feature required people to have Meta's app installed on their smartphones


These Are the Best Christmas Sales on Headphones
LifeHacker / 8h
Unless you give AirPods to an Android user, you can’t really go wrong with a nice pair of headphones as a gift. Even still, to make things a little easier for you, I rounded up the best deals you can find right now on headphones and who they’re best suited for, so you can rest easy knowing you’re getting a good deal and giving a great gift. Noise-canceling headphones for those who work from home


Anthropic’s latest tactic to stop racist AI: Asking it ‘really really really really’ nicely
TechCrunch / 8h
The problem of alignment is an important one when you’re setting AI models up to make decisions in matters of finance and health. But how can you reduce biases if they’re baked into a model from biases in its training data? Anthropic suggests asking it nicely to please, please not discriminate or someone will sue […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Quordle today - hints and answers for Friday, December 8 (game #683)
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult. What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keep


The weird materials behind sustainable furniture
48BBC News - Technology / 9h
Seaweed, coffee bean shells and fungus are all being employed to cut the use of plastic in furniture.


Mobile phones: Firms face £3bn legal claim for overcharging
65BBC News - Technology / 9h
Lawsuit alleges Vodafone, EE, Three and O2 overcharged existing customers for their mobiles.


X begins rolling out Grok, its ‘rebellious’ chatbot, to subscribers
TechCrunch / 9h
Grok, a ChatGPT competitor developed by xAI, Elon Musk’s AI startup, has officially launched on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. Grok began rolling out late this afternoon to X Premium Plus subscribers in the U.S., “Premium Plus” being X’s plan that costs $16 per month for ad-free access to the social network. Longtime […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


You Need to Balance Your HVAC System
28LifeHacker / 9h
When certain rooms in a home are consistently warmer or cooler than others, there may be an obvious cause, like an uninsulated exterior wall or drafty windows. But that's not always the case. If you're unable to determine what's behind the temperature difference, there's a good chance that your home's HVAC system needs to be balanced. Air balancing is an essential part of maintaining effective ci


United Airlines Eliminates Small Business Rewards
View from the Wing / 9h
The new United for Business discount program offers fare discounts in place of earning rewards. Continue reading ...


Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy Gets a Worthy Tribute Poster
Gizmodo / 9h
Which Christopher Nolan Batman film is your favorite? Most people would say The Dark Knight—which, clearly, is incredible . Personally, my pick is Batman Begins, just because of the way it handles Batman’s origin. And we’d imagine someone out there is just such a big Tom Hardy fan, their favorite is The Dark Knight… Read more...


Ex-OpenAI Board Member Refuses to Say Why She Fired Sam Altman
Futurism / 9h
Mum's The Word The now-former OpenAI board member who was instrumental in the initial firing of CEO Sam Altman has spoken — but she's still staying mum on why she pushed him out in the first place. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal , 31-year-old Georgetown machine learning researcher and erstwhile OpenAI board member Helen Toner was fairly open with her responses about the logistics of


Fungi join the list of organisms that can control when ice forms
Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge / A related species of Fusarium . (credit: Wikimedia Commons ) While it may be the reason behind tires skidding, pipes bursting, and closed roads making traffic a nightmare, ice doesn’t always form as easily as it seems. It often gets an assist from proteins made by fungi. Never mind the common thinking that ice forms at 0° C (32° F). Though this is water’s freezing point, pure water will


Google calls Drive data loss “fixed,” locks forum threads saying otherwise
40Ars Technica - All content / 9h
Enlarge (credit: Google Drive ) Google is dealing with its second "lost data" fiasco in the past few months. This time, it's Google Drive, which has been mysteriously losing files for some people. Google acknowledged the issue on November 27, and a week later, it posted what it called a fix. It doesn't feel like Google is describing this issue correctly; the company still calls it a "syncing issu


Play Our 2023 TechCrunch Pub Quiz!
20TechCrunch / 10h
How well do you remember everything that happened this year? Quiz yourself and find out! © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Make These Lazy Air-fried Mac & Cheese Bites
LifeHacker / 10h
As I sit here, chomping away at my air-fried mac and cheese nuggets, the word that keeps popping into my head is “Cheez-Its.” That’s because the crisp coating paired with the concentrated flavor of cheddar is a dead-on match. I don’t think I’ve ever made a lazier or more gratifying snack. Consider this an early Air Fryday present. Macaroni and cheese, much like potatoes au gratin or oatmeal , is


The Sacrifice Game Is a Gory and Fun Christmas Gift
Gizmodo / 10h
At a boarding school in the early 1970s, a student who’s been eagerly awaiting winter vacation gets a call with bad news: they’ll be spending Christmas at school instead of with their family. Is it Alexander Payne’s new Oscar-buzz movie The Holdovers—or Jenn Wexler’s new Shudder release The Sacrifice Game? Read more...


Keep your business model simple
23TechCrunch / 10h
It appears that the allure of complex pricing models and business strategies often proves too tempting to resist. © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Threads finally gets hashtags and there's officially no reason to keep using Twitter
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Threads finally has hashtags. Sort of. Still, the addition of this core social media feature along with the expansion of search capabilities to users around the world means Threads is maturing as a social media platform and as a viable alternative to the relic that was once Twitter and is now better known as X or the place where Elon Musk goes to sh*tpost. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced the


How to watch the riveting 'Killers of the Flower Moon' at home
Mashable / 10h
Until 'Killers of the Flower Moon' premieres on Apple TV+, here are the best ways to watch: BEST FOR PRIME MEMBERS Rent 'Killers of the Flower Moon' on Amazon Prime Video $17.74 (save $2.25) BEST FOR THOSE WHO CAN WAIT Stream 'Killers of the Flower Moon' at a later date on Apple TV+ free 7-day trial, then $9.99/month BEST FOR EVERYONE ELSE Buy 'Killers of the Flower Moon' on Vudu, Prime Video, or


Peach Fuzz is Pantone's Color of the Year, and Motorola Razr's new hue
Mashable / 10h
The Pantone Color of the Year has arrived , conjuring up a delicate summer fruit at the peak of freshness. Pantone 13-1023, also known as "Peach Fuzz," is "velvety" and "gentle" with "a cozy, tender essence that embodies feelings of togetherness, community and collaboration," according to Pantone. Tweet may have been deleted In an exclusive partnership, Motorola is releasing a special edition of


These Are the Biggest Differences Between Google Bard and ChatGPT
LifeHacker / 11h
AI chatbots are more popular than ever, and there are plenty of solid options out there to choose from beyond OpenAI's ChatGPT. One particularly strong competitor is Google's Bard AI, which pulls information from the internet and runs off the latest Gemini language model created by Google. What is Google Bard? Bard is Google's answer to ChatGPT. It's an AI chatbot designed to respond to various q


Where to Find Cheap Home Cleaning Services for the Holidays
LifeHacker / 11h
With the holidays closing in and so much left to do, now is a good time to consider getting a home cleaning, even if (or maybe especially if) you’ve never done it before. There is a certain etiquette involved when you first hire a cleaner , so keep that in mind, but know that first-timers often get great discounts on the service. Deals on home cleaning A lot of the cleaning services you’ll be abl


Hilton’s budget brand mastermind curiously set to depart the company
41The Points Guy / 11h
The developer of Hilton’s two newest brands is leaving the company in 2024. Hilton and its chief brand officer, Matthew Schuyler, “agreed that Mr. Schuyler would move to a short-term advisory role” with the company at the start of 2024 and should fully depart by the end of June, according to a company filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The reasoning for the exit was not prov


Google’s best Gemini demo was faked
100+TechCrunch / 11h
Google’s new Gemini AI model is getting a mixed reception after its big debut yesterday, but users may have less confidence in the company’s tech or integrity after finding out that the most impressive demo of Gemini was pretty much faked. A video called “Hands-on with Gemini: Interacting with multimodal AI” hit a million views […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Battery swapping is great for EV fleets, but can it work for consumers?
24TechCrunch / 11h
Battery swapping could usher in freedom for a wide range of people, allowing them to participate in the EV transition in ways that traditional built-in batteries don't. © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.


Man Turns Delta Air Lines Lavatory Into A Kitchen, Cooks Garlic Shrimp
View from the Wing / 11h
Over the summer I covered the man who cooked baby back ribs in a hotel bathroom . He's now taken his talents to the sky, cooking up a snack of garlic shrimp and mash - in a Delta Air Lines lavatory. Continue reading ...


Avatar 3 Won't Have This Hilarious Rumored Title
Gizmodo / 11h
On the internet, most news gets forgotten very quickly. Anything that sticks around for more than a few days does so with good reason, usually because it’s so incredibly weird. In the world of movies, an example of that is the rumored Avatar sequel titles that were first reported way back in 2018. Read more...


Raspberry Pi OS Finally Has a Dark Mode
How-To Geek / 11h
In October, we celebrated the release of Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm. It's a landmark iteration of the Pi operating system, and going forward, it will be remembered as the first version of Raspberry Pi OS to include a dark mode.


Nicki Minaj Fans Are Using AI to Create “Gag City”
Futurism / 11h
Gag City Fans are anxiously awaiting the drop of Onika "Nicki Minaj" Maraj-Petty's " Pink Friday 2 " — and in the meantime, they've occupied themselves with artificial intelligence image generators to create visions of a Minajian utopia known as "Gag City." The entire "Gag City" gambit began with zealous (and perhaps overzealous ) fans tweeting at the Queens-born diva to tell her how excited — or


Elon Musk Drags Grimes’ Tweets Into Increasingly Nasty Custody Battle
61Futurism / 11h
California Love The custody fight between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and ex-girlfriend Claire "Grimes" Boucher is heating up as the dueling Canadians duke it out over whether or not the latter lives in Texas. According to court filings viewed by Business Insider , Musk has cited several of Boucher's tweets in his case against the electronic artist for custody of their three children, X, Exa, and Tau. Fo


EV battery swaps will be tested with the Fiat 500e in 2024
Ars Technica - All content / 11h
Enlarge / This is what Ample's battery modules look like. (credit: Ample) A small fleet of rideshare Fiat 500e electric vehicles will become testbeds for battery-swap technology in 2024. The experiment is being conducted by Ample, a startup working on battery swaps, and Stellantis, Fiat's parent company, the Verge reported today . This isn't Ample's first test of its battery-swapping technology;


How to check if you’re targeted for 150k Amex Platinum offer or the 90k Amex Gold offer via CardMatch
500+The Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. While some truly excellent credit card bonuses are available right now, sometimes the most lucrative offers are reserved for targeted individuals . One of the best places to look for these elevated targeted offers is by using the CardMatch tool , where you might find introductory bonuses that are much high


Intel and AMD CPUs alike could be affected by this alarming new cyberattack
TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 12h
Academic researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have discovered a new Spectre-based flaw in several major upcoming CPU chips, but the hardware manufacturers are seemingly unfazed by the findings. As reported by BleepingComputer researchers from the Systems and Network Security Group (VUSec Group) found a side-channel attack and dubbed it SLAM. It exploits hardware features being introd


[FINAL DAY] Southwest Airlines’ Elevated Offer: Accelerate A Companion Pass
View from the Wing / 12h
Southwest Airlines' consumer credit cards from Chase are currently offering an elevated bonus of 75,000 points after a $3,000 spend in the first 3 months. Now is the optimal time to apply, as this offer can be strategically leveraged for maximum value, especially with the unique Companion Pass feature that effectively doubles the value of your points for travel. Continue reading ...


The Best Deals on Smartwatches That Will Arrive in Time for Christmas
LifeHacker / 12h
With Christmas drawing ever closer, it’s more than time to start crossing some names off of your gift-buying list. But procrastination doesn't have to mean overspending: There are some very good deals on smartwatches to be found right now—from brands like Garmin, Fitbit, Apple, and Google—that will still arrive in time for Christmas. These watches are at historic low prices right now, so order so


What I Learned From Tracking My Sleep With an Apple Watch
LifeHacker / 12h
After having the same Apple Watch for six years, I was recently moved to upgrade to a newer model—partly because newer versions simply have more features, partly because I am curious about my bodily processes, and also because I am an impulsive spender convinced that every new purchase will be the one that brings me to the precipice of pure wellness. In the week that I’ve had my fancy new doodad,


Robert Pattinson Went Full Bird for Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron
Gizmodo / 12h
When Hayao Miyazaki announced that The Boy and the Heron might be his last picture, Studio Ghibli’s U.S. distributor GKIDS knew it had a big task ahead, assembling a very special dub cast for the English-language version of the film. Read more...


Iconic Star Betelgeuse Will Temporarily Vanish From the Sky Next Week
96Gizmodo / 12h
The bright star Betelgeuse, a prominent member of the Orion constellation, is set to be occulted by the asteroid Leona on December 11. This occurrence, expected to last no more than 10 seconds, will cause the star to temporarily vanish from sight, a phenomenon visible along a narrow path on Earth. Read more...


Amazon is piloting a new $9.99 monthly grocery subscription for Prime members in three cities
TechCrunch / 12h
Amazon is piloting a new grocery subscription offering for Prime members in three cities, the company revealed on Thursday. The new $9.99 per month subscription gives Prime members access to unlimited free grocery delivery on orders over $35 from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh. The subscription also offers unlimited 30 minute pickup on orders […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For p


Amazon is Breaking Up With Venmo
How-To Geek / 12h
Amazon has a history of being surprisingly inflexible with its payment methods. You can pay with a debit or credit card, you can have your bank account charged directly, and you can finance a purchase using Affirm, but it famously doesn't accept PayPal or other competing platforms for payments. It did, however, add Venmo as a payment method last year . That's going away now, though, as Amazon has


Sam Altman Got So Many Texts After Being Fired It Broke His Phone
Futurism / 12h
You're F-Hired It's been a bizarre couple of weeks for OpenAI. First, CEO Sam Altman was unexpectedly ousted by the company's non-profit board. Several ersatz CEOs, an impending mutiny, and a reshuffling of the board later, the executive was reinstated. The experience must've been a rollercoaster of emotions, to put it lightly. In a new interview with former "The Daily Show" host and now-podcaste


HP misreads room, awkwardly brags about its “less hated” printers
20Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: HP ) HP knows people have grown to hate printers. It even knows that people hate HP printers . But based on a new marketing campaign the company launched, HP is OK with that—so long as it can convince people that there are worse options out there. The marketing campaign hitting parts of Europe aims to present HP as real and empathetic. The tagline "Made to be less hated" seems to


Twitch exit from S. Korea is latest fallout from “sending-party-pays” model
Ars Technica - All content / 12h
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | NurPhoto) Amazon-owned Twitch plans to stop providing its streaming platform in South Korea, saying that fees charged by network operators make it impossible to run the service without a significant loss in the country. The shutdown is scheduled for February 27, 2024, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy announced on Tuesday . Transmitting data in Korea "is prohibitively expensiv


YouTube now lets you pause comments on videos
TechCrunch / 12h
YouTube announced today a new comment moderation setting, “Pause,” letting creators and moderators prevent viewers from adding new comments yet keep existing comments on videos. Instead of turning off comments completely or holding comments to review them manually, you can temporarily pause comments until you have enough time to filter out trolls and negativity. The […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rig


Here's how we slayed Mashable’s holiday office party
Mashable / 12h
If you think office parties are boring, think twice. Mashable knows how to throw down a holiday bash that brings the vibes and is destined for the books. This year, we teamed up with Walmart and scored all the goods needed to kick off a holiday party to celebrate the year. Check out the behind-the-scenes antics — and the epic conga line — in this shoppable video, and who knows? Maybe you’ll find


American Airlines credit card spending now earns Loyalty Points based on purchase date
20The Points Guy / 12h
Cobranded American Airlines credit cards let you earn American miles and Loyalty Points when you make purchases with your card. But on Wednesday, Dec. 6, I got an email from the American Airlines AAdvantage program titled “Reaching AAdvantage® status with your credit card.” The highlight of the email is displayed under the “What has changed?” heading: The Loyalty Points you earn on AAdvantage® cr


ContactMonkey lands $55M investment to grow its email software for internal comms
TechCrunch / 12h
Email is quite profitable, as it turns out. Or rather, email communications software is. Today, Toronto-based ContactMonkey, a platform that lets companies create, send and track internal comms from Outlook and more, announced that it raised $55 million in a Series A round led by Updata Partners. It’s a sizable round from a single VC, […] © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use o


Book a pricey suite or flight for a fraction of the cost: December points promotions to save you money
1KThe Points Guy / 12h
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Loyalty programs are a huge moneymaker for airlines and hotel companies because they have many revenue streams. One of these revenue streams is selling airline miles and hotel points directly to travelers. By selling