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Today — 23 January 2025Latest Tech News From Engadget

Tesla's new Model Y arrives in the US

23 January 2025 at 21:57

Tesla has officially launched the redesigned Model Y in North America and Europe, a couple of weeks after the vehicle was announced for the Asia Pacific region. The new version isn't replacing the original Model Y, though — at least not yet — and Tesla is selling both of them on its website. At the moment, you can only get the long-range all wheel drive launch series variant for the new Model Y in the US with prices starting at $46,490. The launch series is a limited edition release with exclusive badging on the rear liftgate, puddle light, doorsill plate and other parts of the car. 

While the new Model Y retains the older version's proportions, it has rounder edges, with its smaller headlights and taillights bookending a redesigned lightbar. Inside, it has ambient lighting wrapping around most of the car, ventilated seats and a 15.4-inch touchscreen in the front. The second row seats have power recline and can fold flat. Passengers sitting in the back row will also have access to a Bluetooth-enabled 8-inch rearscreen display with a touch panel. 

The new long-range all wheel drive Model Y has an estimated range of 325 miles, has a top speed of 125 mph and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. To compare, the old Model Y long-range AWD can reach 311 miles on one charge, has a top speed of 135 mph and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Deliveries for the new Model Y begin in March. If you'd still rather get the old version, its prices start at $31,490, though take note that it's getting a $4,000 price hike in Canada

Comparison chart of the old and the new Model Y.
Tesla

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/teslas-new-model-y-arrives-in-the-us-055746103.html?src=rss

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© Tesla

A silver sedan.

Threads now lets you scribble on top of other users’ posts

23 January 2025 at 15:11

Threads is adding a new feature that lets users get a little more creative in remixing posts from other people. The app now has a “markup” tool that allows users to scribble on top of posts they want to reshare, Adam Mosseri shared in a post.

Markup abilities appear in the menu for quoting and reposting. But instead of simply quoting a post, it launches an editing tool where you can add highlights, arrows or doodles on top of a screenshot of the post. Mosseri said the feature is intended “so you can add your creative take” on posts, but the tools are fairly limited for now. You can only add yellow highlights or red arrows and doodles, though Mosseri said there would be “more to come soon” from Meta.

A Threads spokesperson confirms that the feature will function similarly to quote posts in that the original user is notified if someone chooses to mark up their post. You can also use the “who can reply and quote” setting to disable markups on your own posts.

The app is also making two other features it’s already previewed official: post scheduling and analytics. The features will likely be particularly useful for brands, creators and others who manage a professional presence on the site, which has so far lacked many of the more advanced business-focused tools Meta’s other platforms have. Both could also come in handy should Meta begin to introduce ads to Threads, a move that’s reportedly in the works for the beginning of 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-now-lets-you-scribble-on-top-of-other-users-posts-231129612.html?src=rss

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© Threads

The new "markup" feature for Threads.

Amazon Prime members can get ad-free Max and Starz for $21 per month

If you subscribe to Amazon Prime or Prime Video and are looking to expand your streaming horizons, Amazon has a deal for you. Prime subscribers can get a bundled subscription to the ad-free version of Max and Starz for just $21 per month, $7 off the bundle's normal $28 per month price.

Max has a solid back catalog of classic Hollywood films programmed by Turner Classic Movies, original films and TV shows from HBO, and cartoons from Cartoon Network, on top of a chaotic collection of reality TV programming from HGTV, Food Network, and more. If you were thinking of checking out The White Lotus  when the show returns in February or the second season of The Last of Us in April, this bundle is a pretty good reason to hop on the Max bandwagon.

Starz has a less must-see original programming when compared to Max or Prime Video — outside of the ever-popular Outlander — but it's a great streaming service if you're looking to watch movies that recently left theaters.

You're able to get this bundle deal even if you don't currently have a Prime subscription. You can sign-up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime to enjoy the bundle at $21 per month, and just add on an extra $15 a month once your trial is up. Prime Video itself has an interesting library worth combing through, too. Including a recent adaptation of Fallout if shows based on video games are what floats your boat.

Because this deal is through Prime Video, you'll have to access Max and Starz as Prime Video Channels rather than through their individual streaming apps, but it's a small annoyance for an otherwise solid deal.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazon-prime-members-can-get-ad-free-max-and-starz-for-21-per-month-223245603.html?src=rss

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© Warner Bros. Discovery

A screenshot of Ellie playing guitar from HBO's The Last of Us.

OpenAI's Operator can surf the web for you

23 January 2025 at 13:00

OpenAI has begun previewing a new tool called Operator that can navigate within a web browser. According to a blog post published Thursday, the software is powered by what the company calls a Computer-Using Agent. “CUA is trained to interact with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) — the buttons, menus, and text fields people see on a screen — just as humans do,” says OpenAI of the model. “This gives it the flexibility to perform digital tasks without using OS- or web-specific APIs.“

The current release of Operator builds on OpenAI’s GPT-4o model. It combines the vision capabilities of that algorithm with “advanced reasoning” trained through reinforcement learning. Operator has the ability to “break tasks into multi-step plans and adaptively self-correct when challenges arise.” According to OpenAI, that capability represents the next stage in AI development.

Operator can interact with a variety of websites, including Instacart's ordering platform.
Instacart

As with past research previews, OpenAI warns that Operator is “still early and has limitations,” and that it won’t “perform reliably in all scenarios just yet.” For instance, depending on the complexity of the task and interface involved, the agent greatly benefits from the user taking a few extra moments to write a more detailed prompt. Per The Verge, Operator will give the user control if it ever gets stuck on a task. It will also hand control over whenever a website asks for sensitive information, including login credentials. The company says it designed the tool to “refuse harmful requests and block disallowed content.”

OpenAI is making Operator first available to users of its $200 per month ChatGPT Pro subscription. It is also partnering with companies like Instacart to offer the agent on their platforms, though there again you’ll need a ChatGPT Pro subscription to test the integration.

Operator joins a growing list of AI agents that can either navigate a web browser or an entire operating system. Anthropic was the first to offer the capability with the release of its Claude 3.5 Sonnet model in October, followed more recently by Google with its Gemini 2.0 model and Project Mariner.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-operator-can-surf-the-web-for-you-210029243.html?src=rss

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© OpenAI

Operator is a new computer-using AI agent from OpenAI

Epic Games to cover some iOS fees in ongoing war with Apple

23 January 2025 at 12:45

Epic Games had previously announced plans to bring third-party games to its mobile app, which is available worldwide on Android devices and on iOS in the European Union. The company will also offer a rotating selection of titles for free on mobile. Bloons TD 6 and Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee will be the first two free titles. In a post on X, Epic said it was still fixing some bugs before launching the new games on its platform.

But the company made waves today with a move that could encourage popular games to join its free games program. Epic plans to cover the cost of the Core Technology Fee on iOS for participants' first year. Apple charges a CTF of 50 euro cents for any install of an iOS app once it surpasses 1 million annual downloads and uses a third-party store. Apps with global revenue of less than €10 million have a three-year grace period.

A blog post from Epic and shared with The Verge says that covering the fees "is not financially viable for every third party app store or for Epic long term, but we’ll do it while the European Commission investigates Apple’s non-compliance with the law." The law in question is the Digital Markets Act, a digital competition law in Europe which has already targeted Apple.

Fees levied by Apple and Google for use of their platforms has been a source of great debate in the tech and gaming spheres. Epic Games has been in conflict with Apple several times over the years, alleging the tech giant has engaged in anti-competitive behavior.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-games-to-cover-some-ios-fees-in-ongoing-war-with-apple-204525888.html?src=rss

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© REUTERS / Reuters

Smartphone with Epic Games logo is seen in front of Apple logo in this illustration taken, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Comcast’s sports and news streaming bundle starts at $70 monthly

23 January 2025 at 12:30

A week after DirecTV launched its first sports-only streaming package, Comcast unveiled a similar offering that adds news to the mix. The Xfinity Sports & News TV package combines over 50 broadcast, cable news and sports channels with Peacock, DVR storage and more.

Although Xfinity Sports & News is being widely marketed and reported as costing $70 monthly, there’s some extensive fine print attached. (With Comcast?? Can’t be.)

First, that price only applies to Xfinity Internet or Xfinity TV customers (new or existing). You’ll pay at least $90 monthly if you want to stick with home internet from elsewhere. On top of that, your monthly price goes up by $10 without automatic billing through a bank account. Autopay with a credit or debit card adds an extra $8.

So, it can be as little as $70 or as much as $100 per month. Plus tax. This is only a good deal compared to YouTube TV (which recently raised prices again) or Hulu + Live TV if you’re already an Xfinity Internet customer who’s cool with automatic payments.

Even then, whether it’s a bargain will depend on whether it has all the content you want. Its national cable news lineup includes CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and Fox News. It has ESPN, FS1, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, GOLF Channel and SEC Network for live sports channels. Also on tap are local broadcast channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo and Univision affiliates. Plus, you get Peacock (which includes live sports in addition to its on-demand fare) and other extras like 300 hours of cloud DVR storage.

If you want the best viewing experience, you’ll need an Xfinity X1 TV box, only available for Xfinity cable customers. But since that would be somewhat redundant, you can still watch through the Xfinity Stream app on streaming boxes like Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and mobile devices.

You can read more (and perhaps make yourself dizzy from fine print) at Xfinity’s Sports & News landing page.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/comcasts-sports-and-news-streaming-bundle-starts-at-70-monthly-203017976.html?src=rss

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© Comcast

Marketing image of basketball and football players in front of a TV showing a news anchor.

Another CNN streaming service is coming, because that totally worked last time

CNN is laying off more employees and making plans to launch another streaming service, according to a memo from CEO Mark Thompson obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. Around 200 employees jobs are being cut, affecting six percent of CNN's current staff.

The changes are being made in response to "profound and irreversible shifts in the way audiences in America and around the world consume news," according to Thompson. Launching a new streaming service after the abject failure of CNN+ — the former streaming home of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy — is apparently tied to that same thinking. 

According to Thompson:

Today, I can announce that we plan to develop a new way for digital subscribers at home and abroad to stream news programming from us on any device they choose. It's early days but we’ve already established that there’s immense demand for it not just in America but across much of the world.

Some of CNN's shows are already available on Max, the streaming service of its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, but this new service would presumably be a benefit for subscribers who pay for CNN directly. The company launched a subscription to CNN.com in October 2024 for $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

Given the less than 10,000 daily users CNN+ was reportedly able to bring in, it definitely seems like any new streaming service will have an uphill battle.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/another-cnn-streaming-service-is-coming-because-that-totally-worked-last-time-201116927.html?src=rss

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© Reuters / Reuters

FILE PHOTO: The CNN logo stands outside the venue of the second Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidates debate, in the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Palworld developer Pocketpair has opened up a publishing division

23 January 2025 at 11:47

Pocketpair, the company behind the mega-hit game Palworld, just announced a publishing venture. This new division will provide devs with all the support they need “without overstepping.” It also promises “funding opportunities, development assistance and publishing support.”

The company is currently looking for indie developers and small studios to partner with, but it already has one project on its plate. The newly-formed publishing arm has promised to “provide development and financial support” to Surgent Studios, the company behind the well-regarded Metroidvania Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Surgent announced mass layoffs and an indefinite hiatus back in October as it searched for new funding partners. It looks like that search was fruitful. The company now says it's working on a "short and weird" horror title.

Indie publishing is having a moment right now. Innersloth, the company behind Among Us, recently started a publishing arm to help fund indie games. YouTube star Dunkey also started a publishing company, called Bigmode, which assisted with the release of last year’s enigmatic and fun Animal Well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/palworld-developer-pocketpair-has-opened-up-a-publishing-division-194713511.html?src=rss

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© Pocketpair

A logo for the company.

Android's Identity Check feature is rolling out to Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices

Google is releasing its previously announced Identity Check feature today, adding extra protection to "critical account and device settings" when you're not in a trusted location.

With Identity Check enabled, you'll need to provide "explicit biometric authentication" to access certain account and phone settings, like changing your pin or disabling theft protection. You'll have to toggle the feature on in settings and add trusted locations where you don't want biometric authentication to be enabled before you use it. Google says the protections extend to your Google account or Samsung account as well, making it harder for someone to change your password just because they have your phone. 

Identity Check is rolling out to Google's Pixel devices running Android 15 now, and coming to Samsung Galaxy devices capable of running One UI 7 "in the coming weeks," which could line up with the February 7 launch of the Galaxy S25. Other Android phone makers should get the feature later this year. 

Along with the release of Identity Check, Google says that its Theft Detection Lock feature, which uses AI to detect when your phone has been forcibly taken from you and lock your screen, has now fully rolled out to devices running Android 10 and up. Both settings are absolutely worth enabling if you have a phone that supports them.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/androids-identity-check-feature-is-rolling-out-to-pixel-and-samsung-galaxy-devices-193048987.html?src=rss

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© Google

The Theft Protection and Identity Check screens in Android's Settings app.

Roli finally introduces a larger teaching piano keyboard, complete with AI

23 January 2025 at 11:15

Roli just introduced the simply-named Piano at NAMM, a 49-key smart keyboard that's primarily intended for learners, but has some neat bells and whistles for experienced musicians. It features light-up keys across all octaves, to help newbies get a handle on chords. These keys will also glow to show scales, arpeggios and more. It’s basically a larger version of the company’s beloved Piano M teaching keyboard.

For veterans, the Roli Piano offers per-key pitch bend and polyphonic aftertouch, which should make for expressive playing. It also tracks fingers in four different ways while playing. This will allow the keyboard to successfully control MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) instruments. The additional controllable parameters helps narrow the gap between digital and acoustic instruments.

This is also a modern tech device, so Roli stuffed in some AI tools. The Piano AI Assistant uses generative AI to streamline the learning process. The company says it can help players get started with drills, teach music history and even go over theory. This tech will be improved upon as the year goes on, via software updates. Speaking of software, buyers also get Roli Studio, which is a collection of instruments and presets.

The Roli Piano also offers some neat integration with the company’s recently-released Airwave keyboard teaching tool. This theremin-like device tracks a player’s fingers and sends teaching data to a tablet. The Airwave is also an instrument in its own right, as users can raise their hands like a conductor to create and play sounds.

“The ways we learn and play music are improving exponentially thanks to innovations like the Airwave, and now the Roli Piano and Piano AI Assistant,” Roland Lamb, Founder and CEO of Roli, told Engadget. "Players now have access to the most intelligent and intuitive music system out there.”

Roli Piano connects via USB-C or wirelessly with Bluetooth. It works with all major DAWs and a whole lot of virtual instruments. Pre-orders are available right now, with shipments going out in May. Early adopters get a serious discount here, as the price right now is $400. However, it goes up to $600 upon official release. There’s also a bundle with the Airwave that costs $650 for early birds, but $950 in May.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/roli-finally-introduces-a-larger-teaching-piano-keyboard-complete-with-ai-191551398.html?src=rss

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© Roli

A person playing the piano.

Everything announced at the Xbox Developer Direct showcase

By: Engadget
23 January 2025 at 11:04

Xbox hosted its Developer Direct showcase today, detailing progress on three games we knew about and one totally new title, Ninja Gaiden 4. If you couldn't tune in, here's what you missed:

Ninja Gaiden 4

Ninja Gaiden 4 is being co-developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, best known for the Bayonetta series. The trailer introduces a new protagonist, Yakumo, and Team Ninja is pitching the game as a "true successor" to Ninja Gaiden 3 after the misstep of the Ninja Gaiden Z spinoff. It certainly seems like the exact middle ground between classic Ninja Gaiden and PlatinumGames action. It's coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox this fall, and will be on Xbox Game Pass on day one. 

Read more: Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming out this fall

South of Midnight

Following Ninja Gaiden was South of Midnight, the next game from Compulsion Games, which previous made We Happy Few. South of Midnight has been in the works for a long time, and the studio has been good at communicating progress, especially in recent months. All of which is to say, there wasn't a lot of new info here, aside from a release date: April 8, 2025. (Just to keep the streak going — yes, this will be available on Game Pass on day one.)

Read more: The striking South of Midnight comes to Xbox and PC on April 8

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on our radar for some time, and it's still looking great. It's the debut title from Sandfall Interactive, a French studio. Drawing inspiration from France in its late 19th-century golden age, Clair Obscur is a fantasy adventure that seems to pull heavily from the world of JRPGs — even the music at the start of Sandfall's segment sounded like the Velvet Room from the Persona series. Again, the big news was a release date — April 24. It'll be arriving on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles, and will be playable on Game Pass on day one.

Doom: The Dark Ages

While we knew it was coming, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages deep dive certainly stole the show for Engadget. It's billed as the biggest Doom game ever, but it’s also more focused than any other installment in the franchise — other than the original Doom, perhaps. The Dark Ages is a tanky romp through a medieval, cosmic Hell, starring an incredibly beefy Slayer and featuring three basic inputs: shield saw, melee and gun. Doom: The Dark Ages is due out on May 15 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, including Game Pass.

Read more: Doom: The Dark Ages hits PC, PS5 and Xbox on May 15

And that was that — a pretty great start to 2025 for Xbox, though the eagle-eyed among you may have realized that all bar South of Midnight are coming to Sony's PlayStation as well as Microsoft's consoles and PC. You can relive the full showcase below:

Or... if you don't have time for that, Microsoft for some reason put together a 72-second recap:

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/everything-announced-at-the-xbox-developer-direct-showcase-190406197.html?src=rss

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© id Software

Doom: The Dark Ages

The striking South of Midnight comes to Xbox and PC on April 8

By: Kris Holt
23 January 2025 at 10:51

South of Midnight, Compulsion Games' upcoming Southern Gothic/dark fantasy adventure, got some time in the spotlight during Xbox's Developer Direct event on Thursday. The studio revealed that the game is coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming and PC on April 8. 

As ever, Game Pass Ultimate, Console and PC subscribers will get access on day one. Those who snap up the premium edition can jump in five days early.

This deep dive into South of Midnight focused on the world, combat and story, which sees a hurricane tear through the part of the Deep South where main character Hazel and her mother live. The two get into an argument that ends in disaster, as their home is swept away with Hazel's mom still inside. As she sets out to find her mother, Hazel finds that the hurricane has brought some fantasy creatures, both friendly and otherwise, to her corner of the world.

Our hero learns that she is a weaver, someone who possesses magical abilities. A gold star for anyone who guessed that these can be used for traversal and in combat. Timing is said to be a critical component of battles, so you'd best be sure that your reactions are on point. Speaking of time, Compulsion Games says that South of Midnight should take most players between 10 and 12 hours to finish.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-striking-south-of-midnight-comes-to-xbox-and-pc-on-april-8-185157726.html?src=rss

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© Compulsion Games/Xbox Game Studios

A giant catfish hangs from a tree and talks to a person in South of Midnight.

Doom: The Dark Ages hits PC, PS5 and Xbox on May 15

23 January 2025 at 10:49

Doom: The Dark Ages is set to come out on May 15 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It’s a single-player sandbox experience with an emphasis on exploration, bloodshed and upgrading skill trees, introducing massive mech battles and a ridable cyber dragon that spits fire on command.

Doom: The Dark Ages is the largest Doom game id Software has ever made, but to be perfectly clear and possibly assuage some fears, it’s not open-world. In fact, the directive for developers was to edit down everything — controls, levels, menus, upgrade paths — in order to emulate the reactive rush that made the original Doom games so addictive. According to executive producer Marty Stratton and game director Hugo Martin, Doom: The Dark Ages is a refined and thoughtful return to the series’ classic loop, set in the medieval wastelands of Hell and starring a super tanky Doom Slayer.

In The Dark Ages, the Slayer has three basic inputs: shield saw, melee and gun. The shield saw is a critical tool, allowing players to parry and block incoming attacks, and also acting as a boomerang-style projectile that can embed itself into enemies to rip through their demonic flesh. Parrying is a massive factor in the new game, and it’s also one of many aspects that players can customize in the difficulty settings. You’ll be able to change the size of the parry window, adjust the actual game speed and fine-tune a dozen other factors to make each run feel just right.

The Slayer has a choice of three melee weapons and he carries just one at a time. There’s an iron flame, an electrified gauntlet and a spiked mace, and each one can be upgraded as you make your way through Hell. The final main input is the trigger, which controls all of the gruesome guns. There’s a wondrous array of weapon-based brutality on display in The Dark Ages, including the Skullcrusher, a gun that eats the bones of murdered enemies and uses the shards as ammo.

Certain levels will support skyscraper-sized Atlan battles and allow the Slayer to ride on the back of a cybernetic dragon, spraying flames on the gathered demons. These abilities won’t be available at will, and are instead contained to specific regions of the map. There are also swimming levels — which, speaking as someone with a phobia of deep water, is possibly the scariest thing in the new game.

Doom: The Dark Ages
id Software

The Slayer in Doom: The Dark Ages is beefy. He’s thick, heavy and armor-plated, and as he hunts demons through the medieval wastelands of Hell, he’s going to feel different than the Slayers in 2016’s Doom and its 2020 follow-up, Doom: Eternal. In terms of development mottos, Doom was “run and gun,” Eternal was “jump and shoot,” and The Dark Ages is, “stand and fight.” Strafing and twitchy teleportation-like abilities are still on the menu, but the emphasis this time around is on holding your ground and strategizing while shooting.

“What people didn't like in 2016 was that it was too repetitive,” Martin said in a media Q&A before Thursday’s Xbox Developer Direct, where id showed off new bits of the game. “And in Eternal, some people said it was too hard. I actually think it's too complex. I think that the complexity of the control scheme led to unnecessary difficulties. You really want to be fighting the demons, the bad guys, not your controls.”

Martin and Stratton emphasized the importance of streamlining the core loop in The Dark Ages, while also building the largest, most adventure-feeling Doom game that id has ever made. There are skill trees, currency and more secrets to find than ever before, but there’s not a lot of filler — everything has a purpose and there are no unnecessary frills in the actual mechanics of combat, resource-collecting and upgrade paths.

Doom: The Dark Ages
id Software

“There is a lot of exploration in this game, and it's for power,” Stratton said. “That's one of the things that is really important. You're finding resources and other things that allow you to improve yourself, upgrade your guns, upgrade your shield, your melee. So it isn't just the secrets, just the toys, that kind of thing. It really is an exploration for power.”

Martin added, “I want to feel strong. It's got to be a good amount of speed and exploration and power, but I'm okay with you changing what that power fantasy is, especially if the change you make brings it back closer to classic Doom. I'm super down for that.”

The points of inspiration for Doom: The Dark Ages include Batman: Year One, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight, and the film 300, specifically that iconic tracking shot of Leonidas slamming and stabbing his way through hordes of Persian warriors at the Hot Gates. Miller's The Dark Knight was a particularly poignant source for Martin.

“He drew an older, more powerful, thicker Batman,” he said. “And I just love that comic so much. And I always thought it would be so interesting to just, instead of a Ferrari, you'd be more of a monster truck. And that's what we’re working on, we've been talking about that for years and years.”

Doom: The Dark Ages is due out on May 15 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, including Game Pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/doom-the-dark-ages-hits-pc-ps5-and-xbox-on-may-15-190015221.html?src=rss

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© id Software

Doom: The Dark Ages

Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming out this fall

23 January 2025 at 10:40

Today's Xbox Developer Direct kicked off with the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4. Aside from the news of Ragebound, the series has been quiet for the past 13 years, and there's a mix of new and old in the latest entry.

The protagonist is a new character named Yakumo, a member of the Raven clan, who will battle his way through a dystopian Tokyo. Longtime fans of the games will be glad to see that Ryu Hayabusa is returning and will play a central role.

The new game is being co-developed by Team Ninja and Japanese action game specialists PlatinumGames (known for Bayonetta and NeiR:Automata). Ninja Gaiden 4's trailer shows all the flashy slashing you'd expect from a 3D action game, with aerial combat and lots of big power moves. Yakumo will also have traversal skills such as riding on rails, slinging across gaps and wall-running.

The game is due out in fall 2025, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass at day one. It will also launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC and PlayStation 5.

As an extra treat, Team Ninja has also dropped a surprise remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. This new version of the 2008 game is available today on Xbox and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/ninja-gaiden-4-is-coming-out-this-fall-184041420.html?src=rss

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© Team Ninja

Ninja Gaiden 4

Subaru’s poor security left troves of vehicle data easily accessible

23 January 2025 at 10:25

Subaru left open a gaping security flaw that, although patched, lays bare modern vehicles’ myriad privacy issues. Security researchers Sam Curry and Shubham Shah reported their findings (via Wired) about an easily hacked employee web portal. After gaining access, they were able to remotely control a test vehicle and view a year’s worth of location data. They warn that Subaru is far from alone in having lax security around vehicle data.

After the security analysts notified Subaru, the company quickly patched the exploit. Fortunately, the researchers say less-than-ethical hackers hadn’t breached it before then. But they say authorized Subaru employees can still access owners’ location history with only a single piece of the following information: the owner’s last name, zip code, email address, phone number or license plate.

Engadget emailed Subaru for comment, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.

The hacked admin portal was part of Subaru’s Starlink suite of connectivity features. (No relation to the SpaceX satellite internet service of the same name.) Curry and Shah got in by finding a Subaru Starlink employee’s email address on LinkedIn and resetting the worker’s password after bypassing two required security questions — because it took place in the end user’s web browser, not Subaru’s servers. They also bypassed two-factor authentication by doing “the simplest thing that we could think of: removing the client-side overlay from the UI.”

Although the researchers’ tests traced the test vehicle’s location back one year, they can’t rule out the possibility that authorized Subaru employees can snoop back even farther. That’s because the test car (a 2023 Subaru Impreza Curry bought for his mother on the condition that he could hack it) had only been in use for about that long. The location data wasn’t generalized to some broad swath of land, either: It was accurate to less than 17 feet and updated each time the engine started.

“After searching and finding my own vehicle in the dashboard, I confirmed that the Starlink admin dashboard should have access to pretty much any Subaru in the United States, Canada, and Japan,” Curry wrote. “We wanted to confirm that there was nothing we were missing, so we reached out to a friend and asked if we could hack her car to demonstrate that there was no pre-requisite or feature which would’ve actually prevented a full vehicle takeover. She sent us her license plate, we pulled up her vehicle in the admin panel, then finally we added ourselves to her car.”

In addition to tracking their location, the admin portal allowed the researchers to remotely start, stop, lock and unlock any Starlink-connected Subaru vehicle. They said Curry’s mother never received notifications that they had added themselves as authorized users, nor did she receive alerts when they unlocked her car.

They could also query and retrieve personal information for any customer, including their emergency contacts, authorized users, home address, the last four digits of their credit card and vehicle PIN. In addition, they were able to access the owner’s support call history and the vehicle’s previous owners, odometer reading and sales history.

The security researchers say the tracking and security failures — stemming from the ability of a single employee to access “a ton of personal information” — are hardly unique to Subaru. Wired notes that Curry and Shah’s previous work exposed similar flaws affecting vehicles from Acura, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia, Toyota and others.

The pair believes there’s reason for serious concern about the industry’s location tracking and poor security measures. “The auto industry is unique in that an 18-year-old employee from Texas can query the billing information of a vehicle in California, and it won’t really set off any alarm bells,” Curry wrote. “It’s part of their normal day-to-day job. The employees all have access to a ton of personal information, and the whole thing relies on trust. It seems really hard to really secure these systems when such broad access is built into the system by default.”

The researchers’ full report is worth a read.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/subarus-poor-security-left-troves-of-vehicle-data-easily-accessible-182514123.html?src=rss

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© Roberto Baldwin for Engadget

A Subaru Forester sitting on a dirt road in front of a desert vista.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is on sale for $120 off

23 January 2025 at 09:45

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is on sale for $280 via Amazon. This represents a discount of $120, though the promotion doesn’t show up until checkout. Just pop the ring in your Amazon basket and start the checkout process to peep the discount.

We were fairly positive about Samsung’s first smart ring in our official review, calling it “a surprisingly informative health-tracking device for those with compatible Samsung phones.” We came away impressed by the comfort-forward design, which doesn’t impede sleeping, writing that we “barely feel it” when trying to snooze. This is a boon for light sleepers.

The health-tracking metrics are on point, especially when you consider that there’s a new software update that uses compatible SmartThings devices to create a “sleep environment report” that takes factors like temperature, humidity, air quality and light intensity into account. Samsung’s app lets users adjust any connected devices to improve local conditions.

The major downside with the Galaxy Ring is the price, which has been somewhat alleviated by this sale. At least now it’s slightly lower than the rival Oura Ring. This is a great wearable for those already tied into the Samsung ecosystem, but not the best fit for everyone else. Some of the features require a Samsung phone.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-samsung-galaxy-ring-is-on-sale-for-120-off-174530918.html?src=rss

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© Engadget / Sam Rutherford

A hand wearing a ring.

Netflix’s Emilia Pérez breaks new ground with its Oscar nominations

By: Kris Holt
23 January 2025 at 09:32

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced this year’s Oscar nominees and Netflix’s Emilia Pérez leads the pack with 13. The musical crime drama has broken the record for the most nods for non-English language film, overtaking Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Roma (Netflix's first-ever best picture nominee), which each had 10.

Emilia Pérez scored nominations in the categories of best picture, international feature, supporting actress, cinematography, directing, editing, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song (with two in that category), sound, adapted screenplay and best actress. That last one has extra significance as Karla Sofía Gascón is the first openly trans performer to earn an acting nomination. Although Elliot Page received a nomination for Juno in 2008, that was long before the actor transitioned. (Curiously, I Saw The TV Glow, which has been praised for its abstruse portrayal of trans experiences, is nowhere to be found among this year's nominees.)

Netflix had the most nominations of any distributor for the second year in a row. An animated feature film nod for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, documentary short The Only Girl in the Orchestra and original song nominee Diane Warren (for “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight) took Netflix's tally to 16. Perhaps Warren will finally win an Oscar this year at her 16th time of asking.

Mubi, another streaming company, has six nominations this year, including five for the body horror film The Substance. Meanwhile, Disney+ scored one for Elton John and Brandi Carlile's song “Never Too Late” from the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late.

This year's best picture nominees are Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part 2, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance and Wicked. You can find out the winners of this year's Academy Awards when the ceremony takes place on March 2, with the wonderful Conan O'Brien taking on hosting duties.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflixs-emilia-perez-breaks-new-ground-with-its-oscar-nominations-173223767.html?src=rss

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© REUTERS / Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Finished mounted Oscar statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, U.S., January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo/File Photo

Assassin's Creed Shadows preview: a few steps in the right direction

By: Kris Holt
23 January 2025 at 09:00

Things aren’t exactly going swimmingly at Ubisoft right now. The publisher had a rough 2024, with Star Wars Outlaws failing to meet sales expectations and word of XDefiant’s demise coming around six months after the tactical shooter debuted. Skull and Bones finally arrived too, but it was a bit of a damp squib.

Amid rumors of the company being sold or spinning out some of its assets into a joint venture with Tencent, Ubisoft really needs a win. It’s not going to have a better chance to do that anytime soon than with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After a couple of delays, the latest entry in the company’s flagship series is set to arrive on March 20.

After a few hours with AC Shadows, there are positive signs. The game at least looks and plays well enough for what Ubisoft needs it to be, with the company skirting the line between playing things extremely safe and trying something different.

After the successes of AC Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla (as well as the enjoyably smaller-scale Mirage), Shadows marks new territory for Assassin’s Creed to a certain degree. It's the first game in the series that directly feeds into the Animus Hub project (formerly known as Infinity).

Before you swan dive into Assassin's Creed Shadows, you'll enter the Animus Hub. From here, you'll be able to access various Assassin's Creed games (Shadows and the previous four mainline entries) from the memory section. They're placed on an easy to navigate timeline.

The anomaly section of the hub includes missions for Shadows, which will offer exclusive rewards like weapons and gear. You can tweak your characters' loadout from the exchange section and explore the stories of modern AC games through the vault.

The Animus Hub will expand in the years to come as Ubisoft releases more games. This is an ambitious project that aims to tie the series together. It had been reported that the company would try to turn the series into a live-service project with the Animus Hub, and we're seeing glimpses of that with those missions. There's not a ton to it as things stand, but Ubisoft clearly has grand ambitions here.

A hooded figure hides behind a wall as two people battle in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Ubisoft

Shadows brings the action to a long-awaited frontier for Assassin’s Creed: 16th century Japan. The other big twist this time around is that you can swap between two characters. Various points in the story will see you choose to play as either Yasuke or Naoe and, at least in the open-world, you'll be able to switch between them on the fly. Swapping can come in handy when one character is wanted by enemies, since the other can remain anonymous.

Yasuke is the tank of the two, with the ability to ram though certain doors while sprinting. He can take advantage of ranged weapons such as guns and bows, so some players might want to use him to pick off a few enemies from afar at the start of a mission. He can knock baddies around using his kanabō war club as well.

Naoe plays more like a traditional Assassin's Creed hero. She is far more agile and her parkour skills are on point. The shinobi can quickly clamber up the sides of buildings and she has a grappling hook to help her reach higher parts of structures and swing across gaps. In direct combat, Naoe can spin kick an enemy in the teeth, or flip behind them to slit their throat.

Perhaps most importantly (at least from what I've seen of the game), Naoe is the only one of the duo to have the classic hidden blade. Yasuke can still sneak up on an opponent to eliminate them with a single button press, but his "brutal assassination" sees him ram his sword through an enemy and lift them skywards. Not exactly subtle.

Two armored samurai on horseback in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Ubisoft

Switching between Naoe and Yasuke is almost as seamless as it is to swap between, say, Peter and Miles in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The latter requires a couple of quick in-game actions, and the action swiftly moves to the other Spider-Man. In Assassin's Creed Shadows, swapping characters means going into the menu, holding a button and waiting just a couple of seconds for the other hero to replace them.

There's no immediate character swapping in the prologue, however, which is one of the two sections I played. Unsurprisingly, this acts as an intro to the story and how to actually play the game.

In a first for Assassin's Creed, one of the playable characters actually existed in real-life. It won't take players long to learn how Yasuke, a Black African man, came to be a samurai. After a brief lore drop, we skip ahead six months to a battle sequence. It's an effective way to start getting to grips with what Yasuke can do, including special attacks like a dashing sword slash.

Once his brief action sequence comes to an end, we rewind to earlier in the night and Naoe's introduction. After an important box (the contents of which remain a mystery) is stolen, she heads out to retrieve it from a compound. This short mission highlights some of the stealth features.

One of the cooler additions to this game is the ability to take out light sources at night to create ad-hoc hiding spots in the shadows. Naoe can snuff out candles and destroy lamps from afar using a kunai or shuriken. That may not be needed depending on the terrain (and difficulty level) and how quickly you can hotfoot it over rooftops when you're spotted.

The second section I played was an investigation mission. I had to get to the bottom of a mystery by completing some tasks and gathering information. All of this led to the inevitable but enjoyable boss fight and a satisfying resolution to the quest.

The structure of Assassin's Creed Shadows will lend itself to multiple playthroughs for those who really dig it. I spent most of my preview as Naoe, but I'm interested to see how different things are playing as Yasuke. There are dialogue options throughout the game but there's a canon mode that will eliminate these choices and present you with the canonical story. Players might also be inclined to switch the dialogue languages to Japanese and Portuguese for deeper immersion after beating the game in their native tongue.

Some of the gameplay changes Ubisoft implemented this time really shake things up. The eagle vision ability now enables Naoe to locate and tag enemies through walls. Her smoke bombs and distraction-causing bells come in useful when there are too many enemies for her to battle head on. Both characters can lie prone as well, which offers up more opportunities for hiding and sneaking.

I quickly tried a couple of the side activities, such as the peaceful act of sneaking up on animals in certain situations to sketch them. In terms of slowing things down for a smidge of tranquility, this feels a little akin to the haiku composition sequences in Ghost of Tsushima (of note, that game's sequel, Ghost of Yōtei is slated for a 2025 release and could provide competition for Assassin's Creed Shadows.)

Two men backlit by a lantern play a game of Go in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Ubisoft

It wasn't totally clear based on what I've seen, but it does feel as though Ubisoft has cut down on much of the cruft that typically populates Assassin's Creed maps, which would help this game feel less overwhelming. Climbing up to a viewpoint and synchronizing only reveals important locations, rather than everything worth seeing in the area. The company pulled back on the map bloat a bit in Mirage, so it may have taken some positive lessons from that approach.

Add all of this up and I came away from the session feeling just on the right side of satisfied. The game seems absolutely fine. It’s just about what you’d expect from an Assassin’s Creed game these days, but with enough tweaks, new wrinkles and quality-of-life updates to make it compelling enough. It feels like a decent entry point into the series while still holding enough interest for long-term fans. For what it’s worth, I’m ready to play more, as someone who finished Assassin’s Creed Mirage but dropped off of Valhalla after about 10 hours.

I'm looking forward to playing more of Assassin's Creed Shadows and seeing, for instance, how the weather system switches things up. Lakes freeze over in winter, removing the ability to swim or hide underwater. Icicles can be used as a distraction as well. I didn't get around to trying out the spy recruitment system, which can seemingly come in useful during investigations.

Assassin's Creed Shadows inherently has a leg up on many other Ubisoft games given the popularity of the series. It already seemed poised to do well, but it appears to be in a good enough shape to become a success. If so, this could help Ubisoft finally redirect its ship away from the rocks.

Assassin's Creed Shadows will hit PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows, Mac (and eventually iPad), Ubisoft+ and Amazon Luna on March 20.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/assassins-creed-shadows-preview-a-few-steps-in-the-right-direction-170028415.html?src=rss

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© Ubisoft

A young woman looks at another person extending a retractable blade from a device won on their wrist in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

One of our favorite air fryers is 25 percent off right now

23 January 2025 at 08:15

I love air fryers. They offer microwave-like convenience, but stuff actually tastes good. If you want to see what all of the fuss is about, a standout Cosori air fryer is on sale via Amazon for $90. This is a fairly substantial discount of 25 percent, as the original price is $120.

This particular model made our list of the best air fryers, and for very good reason. It’s a great device that gets the job done. It’s a six-quart model that offers plenty of cooking space, which we found ideal for side dishes like sweet potato fries and onion rings. However, it’s no slouch with mains like chicken wings, tofu and more. The rounded basket is particularly roomy.

The touchscreen is easy to use and there are plenty of preset cooking modes, including a handy preheating option for starting things off. Most people will rely on the standard air fry mode, I know I do, but it’s nice to have the option for broiling, baking and roasting. We also appreciated the basket release button, which is a nice safety feature.

This is pretty much the ideal air fryer, so it’s tough to find complaints. There isn’t a see-through window, for those who like taking a look at tater tots crisping up. This particular unit is also on the wider side, which could make placement difficult in tiny kitchens.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-air-fryers-is-25-percent-off-right-now-161542670.html?src=rss

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© Cosori

An air fryer.

How to buy a NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPU

23 January 2025 at 08:09

Following a two-year wait, NVIDIA’s highly-anticipated GeForce 50 series of GPUs are nearly here. Engadget has published its review of the $2,000 RTX 5090, but if you’re reading this article, chances are you already know if you want to splurge on a 50 series card. The question then is how to buy one of them? Depending on when you read this story, the good news is that we’re at most a week away from major retailers, including Best Buy and Newegg, stocking the new cards on January 30.

As for the bad news? If the 50 series launch is anything like the 40 series one before it, expect high demand and limited initial availability. If you’re set on buying an RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti or 5070 at release, be sure to use the notification feature Best Buy and other retailers offer to have the best chance of securing one of the cards before they all sell out.

GeForce RTX 5090 for $2,000: The RTX 5090 is the most expensive consumer GPU NVIDIA has ever released. It’s also one of the most powerful and power-hungry, with the 5090 featuring 21,760 CUDA cores, 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM and a potential total power draw of 575W.

Of course, as with all of NVIDIA’s new GPUs, raw specs are only half the story. In conjunction with DLSS 4, the entire 50 series is capable of multi-frame generation. With the tech, RTX 50 GPUs can generate up to three additional frames for every frame they render using traditional techniques. DLSS 4 is the reason the 5090 can produce an average of 246 frames per second with full ray tracing in games like Cyberpunk 2077.

If you prefer to buy from Newegg or B&H, both retailers will stock models from third-party OEMs, including ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and Zotac.

GeForce RTX 5080 for $999: Despite costing half as much as the RTX 5090, the 5080 is no slouch. It features an impressive 10,752 CUDA cores and 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, with a memory bandwidth of 960GB/sec. Like the 5090, you get the benefit of DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. Moreover, total power draw is more modest at 360W, meaning you probably won’t need a 1,000W PSU to power the 5080. 

Again, both Newegg and B&H will stock third-party options. For a Founders Edition model, your best bets are NVIDIA and Best Buy. 

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti for $749. If I had to guess, the 5070 Ti is probably the model with the most interest from people who want to buy a 50 series card. That’s because it features 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM compared to the 5070’s 12GB. An extra 4GB of VRAM might not seem like much, but it will likely translate to the 5070 Ti being a much better purchase over the long run. Modern AAA games use a lot of VRAM, so much so that 8GB GPUs like the RTX 3070 are starting to show their age. 

Unfortunately, the 5070 Ti is the one model NVIDIA won't offer a Founders Edition version of, so finding one to buy may be tricky. Your best bet here is likely to be B&H. The retailer is showing a few 5070 Ti models on its website. 

GeForce RTX 5070 for $549: At launch, the RTX 5070 will be NVIDIA’s most affordable 50 series GPU. It’s also the GPU NVIDIA claims is as fast as the RTX 4090. Of course, that’s with DLSS 4 enabled. If you’re interested in the 5070, I strongly advise waiting for reviews to come out before you commit to buying one. As mentioned, with only 12GB of VRAM, the 5070 could quickly become a bottleneck to your system.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/how-to-buy-a-nvidia-rtx-50-series-gpu-160902797.html?src=rss

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© Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

NVIDIA RTX 5090
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