8BitDo has released an upgraded version of its Ultimate controller now available to preorder through Amazon for $59.99 in purple, black, and white color options. The new 8BitDo Ultimate 2 features a similar asymmetrical stick layout to 8BitDo’s original Ultimate controller that launched in 2022, but adds additional buttons, interactive LED lighting, and tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) joysticks that are even more durable than Hall effect sticks.

We still don’t know if Nintendo will switch to Hall effect joysticks for the Switch 2, but companies like GuliKit have already moved away from them in favor of TMR. The technology has already long been used in hard drives to boost storage capacities. For controllers, it allows for joysticks that draw less power, which can improve battery life while nearly eliminating the risk of joystick drift that plagued the Nintendo Switch and other modern controllers before magnetic Hall effect technology was adopted.

8BitDo is also bringing over the RGB Fire Ring lighting effects first introduced on its smaller-sized Ultimate C wired Xbox controller. As the branding implies, both joysticks feature a ring of color-changing LEDs around their base with several lighting modes that react to button presses (including the triggers) or the direction the joysticks are being pushed.

The Ultimate 2’s triggers still use Hall effect sensors for improved accuracy and reliability, but 8BitDo has introduced a switch that lets you swap their behavior between longer draw triggers ideal for racing games and short pull tactile triggers for quicker responses while playing first-person shooters. And like the budget-minded 8BitDo Ultimate 2c, the Ultimate 2 has an extra pair of customizable shoulder buttons on the back.

The controller connects to 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2, which is also available as a mobile app, allowing buttons to be remapped and the sensitivity of joysticks and triggers to be adjusted. The controller has support for motion controls for games that support it, and a charging dock is still included.

Connectivity options include Bluetooth, a wired USB-C connection, or a low-lag 2.4GHz wireless connection using an included USB-C dongle. But like the cheaper Ultimate 2C, 8BitDo has only made its new Ultimate 2 controller compatible with PCs running Windows 10 and later or Android devices running Android 9.0 and newer.

Versions of the new Ultimate 2 compatible with the Xbox, iOS, or Nintendo Switch (and presumably the Switch 2) haven’t been announced yet, but 8BitDo previously released additional versions of the original Ultimate controller with alternate compatibility.

When OpenAI announced Deep Research at start of February, the company promised to bring the tool to Plus users "in about a month," and now it's doing exactly that. Starting today, the feature, which you can use to prompt ChatGPT to create in-depth reports on nearly any subject, is rolling out to Plus, Team, Edu and Enterprise users. Previously, you needed a $200 per month Pro plan to try out Deep Research. 

For the time being, Plus users will get 10 Deep Research queries per month included with their plan. For Pro subscribers, OpenAI is increasing the monthly limit to 120, up from 100 previously. Additionally, the company has made a couple of improvements to how the tool works. ChatGPT will now embed images alongside citations to provide "richer insights." The system also has a better understanding of file types, which should translate to better document analysis. 

OpenAI

If you want to give the new feature a try, write a prompt as you normally would but then tap the Deep Research icon before sending your request through to OpenAI. Depending on the complexity of question, it can take ChatGPT anywhere between five and 30 minutes to compile an answer. OpenAI has said Deep Research is currently "very compute intensive," so it be a while before Free users get to try the capability out for themselves.   

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-expands-deep-research-to-all-paying-chatgpt-users-200045108.html?src=rss

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© OpenAI

OpenAI says that it won’t bring the AI model powering deep research, its in-depth research tool, to its developer API while it figures out how to better assess the risks of AI convincing people to act on or change their beliefs. In an OpenAI whitepaper published Wednesday, the company wrote that it’s in the process […]

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An asteroid that had a very small chance of hitting Earth is no longer a potential threat, according to scientists.

Pixelmator’s suite of photo editing apps have just been updated today, two weeks after Apple officially confirmed it had taken ownership. Here’s what to expect.

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Technicolor Group, the French VFX giant that owns some of Hollywood’s most in-demand post-production houses, appears to be on the brink of collapse — putting thousands of jobs at risk.

Variety reports that Technicolor has begun winding down operations after failing to secure a new round of investment necessary to keep the entire international outfit running. In a message sent to employees on Monday, Technicolor CEO Caroline Parot claimed that COVID-19 era setbacks and the 2023 writers strike were two sources of the “severe cash flow pressures” the company has been struggling to deal with.

Parot also said Technicolor — which operates in the U.S., Canada, Europe, India, and Australia — “must face reality,” and explained that the company has petitioned the Paris Commercial Court to initiate receivership proceedings.

“In each country, the appropriate framework for orderly protection and way forward is currently being put in place to allow, when possible, to remain in business continuity,” Parrot said. “This decision was not taken lightly; every possible path to preserve our legacy and secure the future of our teams will be thoroughly explored to offer a chance to each of its activity to be pursued with new investors.”

Parot’s latest message to employees came days after workers in the US received WARN notices informing them of the potential for imminent mass layoffs, and Technicolor’s pivot to receivership in France gelled with the company’s recent move in the UK to file for administration.

Technicolor Group, which owns Moving Picture Company (Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home), The Mill (Detective Pikachu, Severance), Mikros Animation (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Orion and the Dark), and Technicolor Games (Mass Effect: Legendary Edition), is no stranger to financial woes. The company was spun-off from Vantiva SA (formerly known as Technicolor SA) in 2020 after the latter filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy and underwent a large-scale restructuring. Parot also pointed to Technicolor’s separation from Vantiva as a factor that contributed to its current “difficult operational situation.”

Warner Bros. Discovery is making even more big changes to its troubled gaming efforts. As reported by Bloomberg, the company’s gaming division is canceling the Wonder Woman game announced in 2021 and shutting down three studios: Wonder Woman developer Monolith Productions, MultiVersus developer Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego.

WBD confirmed the changes in a statement to Kotaku’s Ethan Gach. “We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises — Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones,” according to the statement. “After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios Monolith Productions, Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.”

As for why Wonder Woman is being canceled, “our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities,” the statement says. “This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games.”

Warner Bros. Discovery says in the statement that it remains “focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.”

The cancellation and shutdowns are yet another rough spot in Warner Bros.’ gaming efforts. Player First Games recently announced that MultiVersus will be taken offline, ending a development period that has already included a long hiatus and a relaunch. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was a flop, with that game receiving its last season less than a year after launch. A previous report from Bloomberg said that WB’s gaming division suffered $300 million in losses last year.

2023’s Hogwarts Legacy has been a success for WB, and the company is reportedly working on a definitive edition for the game with more content.

The Last Battle looms closer when the Prime Video series returns, and Moiraine and Rand are at the center of it.

The payment is part of a settlement with the New York Attorney General.

Upheavals within the US government continued today as a group of technology experts announced their resignations. These federal employees had originally worked for the United States Digital Service, a tech-focused department created under the Obama administration. About 40 people from the original Digital Service staff were fired by the Elon Musk-led team known as DOGE earlier this year, and the remaining 65 employees were incorporated into his unit. Today, 21 of those people resigned.

"We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services," the former employees wrote in a resignation letter obtained by the Associated Press. "We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions."

The Digital Services director, Anne Marshall, also resigned from her post last week, stating in a public letter that "This is not the mission I came to serve."

Both Marshall and the participants in today's group resignation raised concerns that people from Musk's outfit do not have the knowledge or desire to continue Digital Services' mission of developing and maintaining digital resources for Americans.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/doge-workers-quit-rather-than-help-musk-dismantle-critical-public-services-194237479.html?src=rss

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Automattic-owned blogging site and social platform Tumblr has financially backed Tapestry, the newly launched app designed to organize feeds from across the open web, including RSS, Mastodon, Bluesky, and others. Launched as a Kickstarter project in January 2024, Tapestry went on to raise over $177,000 via crowdfunding for its app, which opened up to the […]

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Cloud “container” defenses have inconsistencies that can give attackers too much access. A new company, Edera, is taking on that challenge and the problem of the male-dominated startup world.

Nationwide has promoted Ann Bair to chief marketing officer (CMO) as longtime CMO Ramon Jones retires at the end of March after 25 years at the company. This is not Bair's first C-suite role at the insurance giant. The 20 year Nationwide vet most recently served as svp of financial services marketing. Before that, she...

This afternoon’s lineup of Android price drops from the Google Play store are now up for grabs down below. The massive Samsung Galaxy S25/Ultra deals roll on alongside up to $200 off JBL’s leather-like and metal Authentics Google Home Speakers, Nothing CMF Buds with ANC and Google Fast Pair at $27, and a giant $300 discount on the unlocked Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. As for the apps, highlights include Hyper Light Drifter, Codenames, Kenshō, Exolotl: Zian, and more. Head below for a closer look. 

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Apple just shipped a firmware update for AirPods Max users who have the original Lightning model, the first such update since all the way back in October. Here’s what you should know.

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Framework, the modular computer company, has just announced its first desktop PC, which is something it absolutely did not need to do — but I’m glad it did.

Partly because the world needs more tiny 4.5-liter mini-ITX PCs, partly because it uses AMD’s most powerful APU ever (Strix Halo) with some actual gaming chops and up to 128GB of unified LPDDR5x memory… and partly because it looks like this.

Yes, you can create your own front panel out of 21 interchangeable (and freely 3D printable) tiles, pick your own two front I/O ports, and yes, that’s a standard-size mini-ITX motherboard below, along with a custom thermal system co-developed by Cooler Master and Noctua with standard 120mm fans, a semi-custom 400W Flex ATX power supply co-developed by FSP, a whole lot of seemingly perfect-length cables for a relatively cable-light system, your choice of black or translucent side panels… and, at left, an optional LAN party carry handle!

Just don’t look for any memory slots — it’s soldered. “We spent months working with AMD to explore ways around this but ultimately determined that it wasn’t technically feasible to land modular memory at high throughput with the 256-bit memory bus,” writes Framework.

Below, find a closer look at Framework’s desktop motherboard and cooling; you only get a PCIe x4 port, not PCIe x8 or x16, and no legacy connectors like SATA, but it’s more loaded than the image lets on: Framework says it’s got onboard 5Gbps Ethernet, two USB4, two DisplayPort, one HDMI, not one but two M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slots for up to 16TB of storage, and a Wi-Fi 7 module, plus what appear to be two full-size USB-A ports and a headphone jack (at the rear).

Here’s a little bit of the build process, as told by the images Framework sent us:

And here are some better images of the Framework Desktop mainboard’s I/O, in a rack-mounted, daisy-chained configuration that the company expects some AI enthusiasts might snap up — thanks to the local AI chops and 128GB of memory on the highest-end Ryzen AI Max Plus 395 Plus config.

“With Framework Desktop, you can run giant, capable models like Llama 3.3 70B Q6 at real-time conversational speed right on your desk,” the company claims, adding, “With USB4 and 5Gbit Ethernet networking, you can connect multiple systems or Mainboards to run even larger models like the full DeepSeek R1 671B.”

Framework CEO Nirav Patel says it was also designed with LANs in mind — though with a bit less bulk than the massive CRT moniotrs and desktops of old.

What kind of gaming chops might it really have? My colleague Antonio has seen in his time with the Asus Z13 gaming tablet that Strix Halo is roughly around the performance of an Nvidia RTX 4060 mobile chip. AMD gaming architect boss Frank Azor was also here with some 1080p benchmarks at high settings; it apparently can’t quite play the most demanding games (like Black Myth Wukong and Starfield) at over 60fps at native resolution with everything turned up, but the claim is that even 1440p at 60fps is possible with AMD’s FSR upscaling.

Even if you’re not getting your money’s worth out of AI, though, the prices on these desktops don’t seem all that outlandish. While a desktop with 16 CPU cores, 40 graphics cores, 80MB of cache of the 395 Plus chip, and 128GB of memory will cost $1,999 — not including bring-your-own storage and OS — you can pick one with 8 CPU cores, 32 graphics cores, 40MB of cache and 32GB of memory for $1,099. There’s also a 395 Plus with just 64GB of RAM for $1,599. Or, you can buy a mainboard alone for $799 if you provide your own mini-ITX case and power supply, too.

If you are looking for the most powerful mini-PC, Patel suggested the $1,999 model compares favorably to an Apple Mac Studio, which can cost over twice as much for the same 128GB of RAM.

Framework says these desktops and mainboard should be avaialble to preorder today, with plans to ship in Q3. If you’re reading these words shortly after they were published, I’m currently at a Framework event in San Francisco, where the company also just introduced a new AMD-powered version of its Framework Laptop 13 and the new Framework Laptop 12: its first budget laptop, its first touchscreen, and its first convertible.

Framework, the modular repairable computer company, says budget laptops generally suck — and it plans to fix that this year. Today, it’s previewing a computer called the Framework Laptop 12 that’ll be its smallest laptop yet, its first with a touchscreen, its first with a 2-in-1 convertible hinge, and its first with a rubber-esque shock absorbing TPU outer edge to make it more suitable for kids and students, too.

“We build products to fix what we see as a broken industry, and few categories are as emblematic of the problems with consumer electronics as entry-level laptops,” writes Framework CEO Nirav Patel, continuing:

They tend to be janky, locked-down, disposable, underpowered, and frankly, boring machines.  Shamefully, these are the products that PC brands market for use by students and young people around the world.  Instead, we believe these are the people who most need thoughtfully designed, long-lasting computers.

Patel says the Framework Laptop 12 “is in many ways the product I started the company to create,” and that it will be “our easiest product ever to repair.” It will come with a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 or i5 chip (circa 2023), a 1920×1200 screen at over 400 nits of brightness with both touch and stylus support, up to 48GB of RAM and up to 2TB of NVMe storage, and Wi-Fi 6E.

Based on the image below, it would appear that the Framework Laptop 12 will also have four of Framework’s Expansion Card slots, which is how Framework lets you pick your own ports.

Despite the claim that the Framework Laptop 12 is designed to fix entry-level laptops, Framework isn’t sharing any idea of pricing today, beyond that it will be “lower cost” compared to the Framework Laptop 13, which typically starts at around $750 for a DIY model with previous-gen chips or $1,100 for a prebuilt with the latest ones.

But while Framework products often cost more than you’d pay for the same specs with Dell, HP, or Lenovo, it is the first and only company that has repeatedly delivered on the promise of modular upgrades, letting you easily swap out the entire motherboard and processor as a single module for a new one down the road. For example, Framework is also announcing a new AMD mainboard for its Framework Laptop 13 today, one that can breathe new life into any previous iteration of that laptop, even the original Intel version it released in 2021.

Framework says it’ll open preorders in April and ship in “mid-2025.”

If you’re reading this soon after it was published, I’m probably still at Framework’s event in San Francisco, looking for both this laptop and the just-announced Framework Desktop.

Framework has done it again — it’s built a new AMD-powered modular computer that fits into any previous version of its 13-inch laptop for $449, or that you can buy as a brand-new laptop starting at $899 for DIY or $1,099 entirely prebuilt for you. If you’re reading these words, I’m currently at Framework’s event, where I’m checking it out alongside the just-announced tiny Framework Desktop and possibly the new budget touchscreen convertible Framework Laptop 12.

This 13-inch machine is the company’s second with AMD processors, this time featuring the new-ish Ryzen AI 300 “Strix Point” chips in Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7, all the way up to the Ryzen 9 HX 370 with 12 CPU cores, half-decent portable gaming chops and 50 TOPS of AI performance. And yes, that makes this Framework’s first Copilot Plus PC.

The changes don’t stop there: Framework says its second AMD laptop gets all the big upgrades of last year’s Intel Core Ultra model, including the optional 2.8K 120Hz screen and presumably the better webcam.

While you don’t get four fully functional Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 ports like you do on Intel models, you can now power four external displays from each of its four ports, up from three on the last AMD, in addition to new Wi-Fi 7, a new cooling system with a single larger 10mm heatpipe like last year’s Core Ultra model (up from twin 5mm heatpipes) with Honeywell PTM7958 phase change thermal interface material, and “a new key structure on the wide keys (e.g. spacebar and shift) that reduces buzzing when your speakers are cranked up.”

They’ve got a plastic structure that spans the full width of the key instead of metal linkages, and says they’ve been thoroughly tested, joking that there’d be no Apple Butterfly Keyboard issues in Framework’s future.

Speaking of the keyboard, it does have Microsoft’s mandatory Copilot key if you buy it as a prebuilt Windows 11 laptop — but you can ditch that if you buy DIY! (Which I’d recommend unless you really need a preinstalled copy of Windows or are quite squeamish, as even Framework’s DIY machines are mostly prebuilt anyhow.)

Lastly, Framework’s now offering translucent bezels, including new colors purple, green, and black, and matching translucent USB-C expansion cards too.

The new Framework Laptop 13 boards and laptops should be available to order today, shipping in April, and Framework says it’s reducing the price of its previous-gen AMD notebooks, as usual, as these new machines roll out.

At the beginning of today’s Framework event in San Francisco, CEO Nirav Patel says he believes Framework is now the fastest growing laptop brand, and “probably the only company that can announce a product that looks the same four years in a row and get cheers.”

“We’re proving it’s possible to build a company around product longevity by actually doing it,” he says.

The US Department of Agriculture’s decision to purge information about climate change from its websites harms organic farmers and threatens their livelihoods, a new lawsuit alleges.

Since President Donald Trump stepped into office, the USDA has removed “scores of vitally important webpages” that mention climate change, the suit says. The administration has been racing to destroy public resources that address climate change and civil rights, sparking legal battles to bring those webpages back.

Trump has repeatedly called climate change a “hoax” and has abandoned US efforts to limit the greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels that are causing climate change. There is overwhelming scientific consensus that pollution from fossil fuels are raising global average temperatures and driving more extreme weather.

Plaintiffs in the suit, filed on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) and two environmental groups, say they’ve already seen those effects on their farms. They previously relied on information on USDA websites to prepare for those consequences, helping them make decisions about planting crops and managing their land.

“We have been reacting to extreme weather and making choices to protect our businesses and our food system for years. Climate change is not a hoax. Farmers, fisherman, and foresters know from experience, that we need every piece of science and intergenerational knowledge to adjust to this new reality,” Wes Gillingham, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) board president, said in a press release.

An online tool called the “Climate Risk Viewer,” for example, used to show the impacts of climate change on rivers and water sheds, and how that might affect future water supplies. It vanished along with other webpages shortly after USDA Director of Digital Communications Peter Rhee sent an email to staff on January on 30th directing them to “identify and archive or unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change,” according to the lawsuit.

The administration also removed information about how to access funding for “climate-smart farming,” including a webpage for a loan program that supports “sustainable agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions … and enhance the resilience of farming operations to climate change.” NOFA-NY used those federal webpages to help farmers find funding and share advice through its free “farmer helpline.“

Taking down policy information also makes it harder for farmers to hold the Trump administration accountable for distributing funds they’d been promised. The administration’s funding freeze, and Trump’s threat to claw back Biden-era climate funding, have faced separate legal challenges. NOFA-NY’s new lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration has violated court orders by stopping payments to farmers under USDA conservation and ‘climate-smart agriculture’ programs.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and Environmental Working Group are also plaintiffs in the suit. They say they relied on the previously publicly available information for their research and advocacy.

The USDA’s removal of all these resources violate three federal laws, the complaint alleges. That includes the the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that gives the public the right to access key records from any federal agency, the Paperwork Reduction Act that stipulates adequate notice before changing access to information, and the Administrative Procedure Act that governs the way federal agencies develop regulations.

The USDA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge, and the Department of Justice declined to comment.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration brought some federal webpages back online to comply with a court order after Doctors for America (DFA), which represents physicians and medical students, similarly filed suit over health data taken off government websites.

While part of the seventh test launch of the super heavy-lift rocket was a success, stress on the propulsion system led to debris raining down on Turks and Caicos.