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16.11.2024 21:20 You'll have to wait for more than a couple of years for the next Star Wars movie. According to Variety and The Wrap, Disney has pulled an untitled Star Wars film from its 2026 release lineup and replacing it with Ice Age 6, which is set to premiere on December 18 that year. It's not quite clear which film that is, but Daisy Ridley announced at the Star Wars Celebration in London last year that she was going to reprise her role as Rey in a new film. The movie will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who also directed some episodes of Ms. Marvel, and will be a direct sequel to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Set 15 years after the events of the previous film, the upcoming movie will reportedly revolve around Rey as she establishes a new Jedi academy and build a new Jedi Order. Steven Knight joined the production when he replaced the original screenwriters last year, but he also left the project in October. Lucasfilm's search for a new screenwriter might have contributed to the film's delay. While the next installment in the main Star Wars series won't be coming out in 2026, a film that's part of the franchise will still be coming out that year. The Mandalorian Grogu, a continuation of the Disney+ TV series directed by Jon Favreau, has already started filming and will be released on May 22, 2026. The Wrap also says it was "assured" that the next Star Wars film was "still very much in development," which hopefully means that it won't end up being cancelled like the movie planned by Game of Thrones' creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-removes-a-star-wars-movie-from-its-2026-release-lineup-170020691.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 21:20 With each passing year, Black Friday seems to turn more and more into "Black November," with many retailers starting their holiday sales weeks before the day itself. But while the bombardment of promos can be annoying, it also presents a good chance to beat the rush and finish holiday shopping ahead of time, without paying more than you have to. To help you cut through the noise, we're rounding up the best early Black Friday deals we can find in one easy place. While most major tech retailers haven't started their early sales in earnest just yet, we've seen more than a few new discounts on gadgets we recommend pop up. We'll continuously update this post as more Black Friday tech deals pop up, so if you've been eyeing something else, be sure to check back. Engadget's top picks Apple Watch Series 10 for $349 : The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 : Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device. DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 : The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming. Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 : This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box. Anker Prime Power Bank 200W with charging base for $110 : This high-capacity power bank is one of our favorites thanks to its speedy charging performance, onboard display which shows how much juice is flowing to each connected device and the included charging station that provides a neat space for the brick to live when you're not using it. LG 65-inch B3 OLED smart TV for $998 : This OLED TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, LG's a7 AI processor Gen 6, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for an even better gaming experience. A 65-inch OLED set under $1,000 is a great deal, as it's more common to see 55-inch TVs drop below that threshold during sale events. The best early Black Friday tech deals Apple Black Friday deals Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Apple iPad for $200 : Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low of $200. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine. Apple MacBook Air fore $899 : The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749. Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 : Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Anker Black Friday deals Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $70 : This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand. Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 : A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44.25 : The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen — it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon. Black Friday gaming deals Xbox Series X with extra controller for $490 : This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers. Xbox Black Friday deals — get up to 55 percent off games: With titles starting at $5, this is a good time to pad your digital-only Xbox console if you're eager to try some new games. A number of our top picks for the best Xbox games are included in the sale, like Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10. Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 : Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate. Black Friday Lego deals Lego Lego Friends Advent Calendar 42637 for $21.19 Lego Disney Advent Calendar 43253 for $35 Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $22.50 Lego Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit Building Set 42179 for $60 Lego Ideas The Insect Collection 21342 for $64 Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars Captain Rex Y-Wing Microfighter Building Set 75391 for $10 Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toad’s Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 Lego Harry Potter Expecto Patronum Collectible 2-in-1 Building Set 76414 for $56 Black Friday subscription deals Audible Premium Plus for $1 : Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month : Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5. Headspace annual plan for $35 : Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. MasterClass Premium for $10/month : Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 : Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 : Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. Black Friday tech deals Cherlynn Low for Engadget Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 : Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target. Google Nest Indoor security camera for $70 : Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio. Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 : One of our favorite kitchen gadgets, this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats; you're really only limited by your imagination. Dyson V11 cordless vacuum cleaner for $400 : Dyson machines are some of the best cordless vacuums you can buy, and this model has three power modes, a motorbar cleaner head that works well on all types of flooring and up to 60 minutes of runtime. Also available at Dyson. Blink Outdoor 4 for $180 : The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, IP65-rated outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the best smart home gadgets. It captures decent 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a subscription plan. Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An eight-camera pack is also on sale for $250, another low. Hisense U8N 4K TV for $728 : The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy. Samsung Music Frame for $248 : This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $170 : Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery. Samsung T9 portable SSD for $293 : The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at Samsung. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $178 : The top pick in our best air purifiers guide reliably improved air quality in our testing, plus it has easy to use onboard controls and takes inexpensive replacement filters. Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $775 : The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode. Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 : Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196. Black Friday FAQs When is Black Friday 2024? Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year. When do Black Friday deals start? We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you’ll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event. When do Black Friday deals end? Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we’ve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday. Where are the best Black Friday deals? There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available — both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you’re getting the best deal before you cross things off your list. Does Apple have Black Friday deals? You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple’s website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn’t a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-45-best-black-friday-deals-to-shop-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039367.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 16:10 A MasterClass subscription is perhaps one of the best gifts you can get for yourself if you love learning new things or honing your skills, and it will now cost you up to 50 percent off. The website is holding a pre-Black Friday sale, so this is your chance to sign up at a discount if you find its regular rates a bit steep. MasterClass' Standard subscription, which allows you to access its content on one device, will cost you $7 a month instead of $10. If you want to watch classes offline, though, your cheapest option is the Plus tier that will now set you back $9 per month instead of $15. It will also allow you to access the service's videos on two devices. But the best option available right now is the Premium tier, which you can get for $10 a month instead of $20. You'll be able to access classes on six devices if you get it, and it also comes with offline viewing. A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay , Martin Scorsese , Margaret Atwood , Mariah Carey , Stephen Curry , Steve Martin , Shonda Rhimes , John Legend , Garry Kasparov , Jane Goodall , Simone Biles and Samuel L. Jackson . Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-subscriptions-are-up-to-50-percent-off-for-black-friday-150047035.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 16:10 Back in October, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency admitted that they were looking into "the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China." These bad actors, collectively called "Salt Typhoon," allegedly targeted US officials and staffers for the recently concluded presidential elections. A few days later, though, The Wall Street Journal reported that the group had access to a lot more people than originally thought. Basically, the hackers could have accessed the data of any American who's a customer of AT&T and Verizon. That list of carriers has grown just a bit longer, because according to a new report by The Journal and Reuters, Salt Typhoon had also infiltrated T-Mobile's network. The hackers are believed to have exploited various vulnerabilities, such as those plaguing Cisco Systems routers, to get inside the carriers' network. They also used AI and machine learning, The Journal said, and stayed inside some of the systems they infiltrated for over eight months. That's enough time to get away with a bunch of sensitive data — they were allegedly able to access the phone lines of US senior national security officials, as well as the call logs and unencrypted texts of their targets. The hackers were also reportedly able to access the information collected by carriers to comply with surveillance requests from the American authorities. A company spokesperson told The Journal that T-Mobile is "closely monitoring" the attacks and said that its systems and data "have not been impacted in any significant way." They also said that the carrier didn't find evidence that its customers' information has been compromised in the security breach. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/t-mobile-was-also-infiltrated-by-china-linked-telecom-hackers-120004712.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 01:04 Bluesky, which has surged in the days following the US election, said on Friday that it won’t train on its users’ posts for generative AI. The declaration stands in stark contrast to the AI training policies of X and Meta’s Threads. Probably not coincidentally, Bluesky’s announcement came the same day X’s new terms of service, allowing third-party partners to train on user posts, went into effect. “A number of artists and creators have made their home on Bluesky, and we hear their concerns with other platforms training on their data,” Bluesky posted on Friday. “We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so.” In a follow-up post, the decentralized social platform clarified that it does use AI to help with content moderation. “Bluesky uses AI internally to assist in content moderation, which helps us triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content,” the company posted. Bluesky also added that it uses AI in the algorithms powering its Discover feed. “None of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content,” Bluesky stressed. The Verge points out that Bluesky’s robots.txt doesn’t prevent OpenAI, Google or other leading GenAI companies from crawling its data. The company justified that potential hole by pointing to the platform’s open and public nature. “Just as robots.txt files don’t always prevent outside companies from crawling those sites, the same applies here,” spokesperson Emily Liu told The Verge. “That said, we’d like to do our part to ensure that outside orgs respect user consent and are actively discussing within the team on how to achieve this.” Although Bluesky is still the underdog in a race with X and Threads, the platform has picked up steam after the US election. It passed the 15 million user threshold on Wednesday after adding more than a million in the past week. A report from web analytics company SimilarWeb noted that the signup surge coincided with a spike in X deactivations. It found that “more than 115,000 US web visitors deactivated their accounts” on November 7, “more than on any previous day of Elon Musk’s tenure.” In parallel, “web traffic and daily active users for Bluesky increased dramatically in the week before the election, and then again after election day.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-suddenly-hot-bluesky-says-it-wont-train-ai-on-your-posts-220034195.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 01:04 A damning report from the Anti-Defamation League published Thursday on the “unprecedented” amount of racist and violent content on Steam Community has prompted a US Senator to take action. In a letter spotted by The Verge, Senator Mark Warner asked Valve CEO Gabe Newell how he and his company are addressing the issue. “My concern is elevated by the fact that Steam is the largest single online gaming digital distribution and social networking platform in the world with over 100 million unique user accounts and a user base similar in scale to that of the ‘traditional social media and social network platforms,’” Warner wrote. The senator also cited Steam’s online conduct policy that states users may not “upload or post illegal or inappropriate content or disturbing depictions of violence” or “harass other users or Steam personnel.” “Valve must bring its content moderation practices in line with industry standards or face more intense scrutiny from the federal government for its complicity in allowing hate groups to congregate and engage in activities that undoubtedly puts Americans at risk,” Warner writes. Congress doesn’t have the ability to take action on Valve or any platform except to shine light on the problem through letters and committee hearings. The Supreme Court overturned two state laws in June that prevented government officials from communicating with social media companies about objectionable content. This also isn’t the first time that Congress has raised concerns with Valve about extremist and racist content created by users or players in one of its products. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary sent a letter to Newell in 2023 to express concerns about players posting and spouting racist language in Valve’s multiplayer online arena game Dota 2. We reached out to Valve for comment. We will update this story if we receive a statement or reactions from Valve.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/adls-report-on-racist-steam-community-posts-prompts-a-letter-from-virginia-senator-214243775.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 01:04 Reporters Without Borders said this week it’s pressing criminal charges against X in France related to a Kremlin disinformation campaign that used the nonprofit as a prop to spread fake news. The organization said legal means are its “last resort” in its fight against the bogus stories, designed to foster pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine sentiment, that festered on the platform. “X’s refusal to remove content that it knows is false and deceitful — as it was duly informed by RSF — makes it complicit in the spread of the disinformation circulating on its platform,” RSF director of advocacy Antoine Bernard said in a statement. “These legal proceedings seek to remind X, a powerful social media company, and its executives that they can be held criminally responsible if they knowingly provide a platform and tools for disseminating false information, identity theft, misrepresentation, and defamation — offences punishable under the French Penal Code,” RSF attorney Emmanuel Daoud wrote. RSF published an investigation in September detailing how a fabricated video was planted and spread by Russia on the Elon Musk-owned social platform. The fake clip was made to look like a BBC-produced one, including the news organization’s logo. It made the erroneous case that RSF conducted a study that revealed a large number of Ukrainian soldiers sympathizing with Nazism. False claims that Ukraine is a pro-Nazi nation have been a common propaganda tactic used by Russia since its 2022 invasion. The narrative is designed to engender support for the Kremlin-initiated war, which is estimated to have killed a million or more Ukrainian people. RSF’s investigation revealed that an account called “Patricia,” claiming to be a translator in France, planted the seed for the disinformation. However, the report discovered that the account’s profile picture was found on a Russian website featuring photos of blond women designed “to make avatars.” RSF says that even the account’s name seemed to have been automatically generated by X. In addition, the organization says Grok, X’s AI chatbot with access to live data about the platform, claimed the account has “very strong opinions, often in support of Russia and Vladimir Putin, while severely criticizing Ukraine and its supporters in Europe.” The investigation found the video then took off, spreading through a chain that included a pro-Kremlin Irish entrepreneur living in Russia, a Kremlin propagandist with a large following on Telegram and even Russian officials. It was also shared by “highly influential bloggers” known for unflinching support of Vladimir Putin. “In this story, the Russian authorities have acted a bit like they were laundering dirty information,” an RSF representative said in a video about the investigation in September. “They took false information, they laundered it through official channels. And then, this piece of information that wasn’t actual information was reintroduced into public discourse to make it look credible.” Russia’s bogus video was widely shared on X and Telegram. Reporters Without Borders says the clip’s viewership reached half a million combined views by September 13. To capture its frustration with the blow to its credibility, the nonprofit cited the quote : “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” RSF says it filed 10 reports with X of illegal content through the social channel’s reporting system required by the EU’s Digital Services Act . “After a series of rejections from X and requests for additional information — which RSF provided — none of the reports resulted in the removal of the defamatory content targeting our organisation and its advocacy director,” RSF wrote. In July, the US Justice Department said it uncovered and dismantled a Russian propaganda network using nearly 1,000 accounts to push pro-Kremlin posts on X. The DOJ claimed the accounts posed as Americans and were made using AI. In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk held multiple private calls with Vladimir Putin from 2022 into this year, describing the contacts as a “closely held secret in government.” “X’s refusal to remove content that it knows is false and deceitful — as it was duly informed by RSF — makes it complicit in the spread of the disinformation circulating on its platform,” RSF director Bernard wrote in a statement. “X provides those who spread falsehoods and manipulate public opinion with a powerful arsenal of tools and unparalleled visibility, while granting the perpetrators total impunity. It’s time for X to be held accountable. Pressing criminal charges is the last resort against the disinformation and war propaganda that RSF has fallen victim to, which is proliferating on this ‘Muskian’ network.” This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reporters-without-borders-says-its-pressing-charges-against-x-200005117.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 01:04 WhatsApp, the most popular messaging platform on the planet, finally has a drafts feature. Why did it take until the tail-end of 2024 to institute a seemingly simple tool that has been available for rival platforms for years? Who knows, but it’s here now. The appropriately-named Message Drafts offers “a new and easy way to find your unfinished messages on WhatsApp.” Just look for the “Draft” indicator at the beginning of a message. The platform says that these unfinished messages will move to the top of the chats list so “people can quickly locate them.” It’s a drafts feature, so there really isn’t anything else to say. The tool’s available now across the globe via the app. Finally, we will have no pressure to actually finish messages. We can tinker with them occasionally until the heat death of the universe. It’s a procrastination mitzvah! This is just the latest update to WhatsApp, as the platform has been busy. It recently unveiled custom lists, to help people keep track of conversations, and introduced a program that allows users to add contacts from any device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-finally-has-a-drafts-feature-194516831.html?src=rss

16.11.2024 01:04 The Internet Archive is one of the very best things on the web, so it's great that the repository is up and running again after recent DDoS attacks. It hosts more than old versions of web pages, though. It hosts a trove of video , software, text, audio recordings and games as well. There have been two notable additions on the latter front in the form of Unreal and Unreal Tournament, seemingly with the blessing of Epic Games. You can now freely download disc images of the arena shooters from the Internet Archive via direct links for Unreal and Unreal Tournament. Alternatively, as Game Developer points out, the site OldUnreal offers installers for Unreal and UT, both of which pull the disc images from the Internet Archive and include the latest community-created patches. The installers are Windows-only for now, but the OldUnreal team is working on Linux and macOS versions. You'll also need to put in a little extra effort to get online with the games and savor their true multiplayer flavors. Heck, you might still even be able to join an Unreal clan. Epic delisted the Unreal games from Steam and shut down their servers quite some time ago, so this is a nice boost for game preservation. It comes on the heels of GOG introducing a new label for older titles that the platform is maintaining for current hardware. Unreal was one of the first PC games I played as a kid, so it's neat to learn that it will be available in perpetuity through the Internet Archive.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/two-early-unreal-games-are-now-permanently-free-via-the-internet-archive-190501047.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 Elon Musk’s X is taking the state of California to court over a new law that prevents the spread of AI-generated election misinformation. Bloomberg reports that X filed a lawsuit against AB 2655, also known as the Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024, in a Sacramento federal court. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on September 17, creating accountability standards for using false political speech faked with AI programs close to an election. The legislation prevents the distribution of “materially deceptive audio or visual media of a candidate within 60 days of an election at which the candidate will appear on the ballet.” X argues that the law will create more political speech censorship. The complaint says the First Amendment “includes tolerance for potentially false speech made in the context of such criticisms.” Newsom signed AB 2655 into law as part of a large package of bills addressing concerns about the use of AI to create sexually explicit deepfakes and other deceptive material. The next day, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the law and other bills from Newsom’s signing. California has become one of the epicenters of debate over the use and implementation of AI. Concerns about the use of AI in film and television projects, among other issues, prompted SAG-AFTRA to go on strike in 2023. SAG eventually reached a deal that included AI protections for actors prohibiting studios from using their likeness without permission or proper compensation. The following year, the state of California passed AB 2602, a law that makes it illegal for studios, publishers and video game studios to use someone’s likeness without their permission.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/x-sues-california-over-deceptive-ai-made-election-content-ban-185010406.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 As the competition between Bluesky and Threads heats up, Meta is adding a new feature to Threads that will likely look familiar to Bluesky users: custom feeds. The Meta-owned service is starting to test a feature that allows users to pin topic-based feeds to the home screen of the app. The change will give people additional feeds beyond the algorithmic “for you,” which will remain the default view, and their “following feed.” Users can add custom feeds by searching a keyword like “skincare” and then tapping the “...” menu and selecting “create new feed.” These feeds can be further customized by adding specific profiles of people whose posts you want to see in that feed. Users are able to add up to 128 custom feeds in the app, a Meta spokesperson said, though it’s still only a test for now so not all users have access to it just yet. The feature is similar in many ways to Bluesky’s custom feeds, which the company introduced last year. But while there are dozens of user-created algorithmic feeds in the app, making a new one is still a technical process. Meta’s version of the feature, however, is more straightforward. It could also address some users’ complaints about Threads’ main algorithmic feed. The latest Threads feature comes as Bluesky has had a particularly good month. Though the service is still far smaller than Threads, which has more than 275 million users, Bluesky, which has just under 17 million users at the time of this writing, has been gaining momentum. The decentralized service added a million new users in the week following the election, and added another million new sign-ups in a single day this week. That’s striking considering Threads has also been growing by about a million users a day, according to a recent post from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. If Bluesky is able to sustain that level of growth for very long, Meta may feel even more pressure to borrow some ideas from its smaller rival.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-testing-custom-feeds-for-threads-183948414.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 We are still around two weeks out from the actual Black Friday, but the related deals have begun to snowball. Solo Stove just dropped its own Black Friday sale, with steep savings on fire pit bundles. The most notable deal here is for the Bonfire Backyard Bundle, which is down to $400 from $580. That’s a nice savings of $180. This combo pack includes the well-regarded Bonfire smokeless fire pit and a whole swath of related accessories. The bundle comes with a removable ash plate, a lid, a carry case, a stand and an outdoor shelter, among other items. Of course, it also includes the Bonfire itself. Solo Stove’s fire pits easily made our list of the best outdoor gear for the fall, and the medium-sized Bonfire is likely the company’s most popular item. It creates a roaring fire, but without all of that throat-closing smoke. The Bonfire is a wood-burning fire pit that gets much hotter than conventional fires, allowing for “uninterrupted enjoyment in the outdoors.” The sale extends to other fire pit bundles. The high-end Yukon bundle is $650 instead of $940 and the budget-friendly Ranger bundle is $310 instead of $445. Amazon is also getting in on the action. Outdoor enthusiasts can pick up the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 fire pit, complete with a removable ash pan and stand, for $196. That’s a discount of over 40 percent. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/solo-stoves-black-friday-sale-discounts-fire-pit-bundles-by-up-to-30-percent-182758984.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 Apple's latest M4-powered MacBook Pro is a pretty stellar laptop. We gave it a score of 92 in our review, due in part to its great screen. The display is brighter this time around, peaking at 1,000 nits for SDR content and 1,600 nits for HDR material. However, there's another aspect of the screen about which Apple has strangely been keeping mum. As noted by display expert Ross Young, Apple used a quantum dot film instead of a red KSF phosphor film on the display. "In the past, Apple went with the KSF solution due to better efficiency and lack of cadmium , but the latest Cd-free QD films are very efficient, feature as good or better color gamut and better motion performance," Young explained. That means the latest MacBook Pro screen should offer a wider color range than in the past while making motion look smoother. Big Apple display news, they have adopted quantum dots for the first time. The latest MacBook Pro's use a quantum dot film rather than a red KSF phosphor film. In the past, Apple went with the KSF solution due to better efficiency and lack of cadmium , but the… pic.twitter.com/5olq9lEHs9— Ross Young November 14, 2024 Rather than being an early adopter itself, Apple often waits until technology has advanced to the point where it makes sense for the company to use it in products. Apple had considered using quantum dot tech in iMac displays at least as far back as 2015. But as TechRadar notes, cadmium is a toxic element and that would not have squared with Apple's stated commitment to environmentalism efforts, so the company abandoned that idea. However, cadmium-free film now makes quantum dot tech more feasible for Apple. Quantum dots aren't exactly new. Other manufacturers have been using them in QLED TVs and monitors for many years at this point. QD-OLED panels are becoming more commonplace too. Apple is still using MiniLED backlighting in its MacBook Pros, but this could be a case of the company laying the groundwork for future QD-OLED MacBook Pro variants. Engadget has contacted Apple for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-secretly-included-quantum-dot-tech-in-the-m4-macbook-pros-display-173424130.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 The Black Friday elves are smiling today. Xbox holiday deals are officially live, and there are some real goodies to choose from. This is a digital sale, so it’s a great time to pad that backlog, particularly if your Xbox lacks a disc drive. Perhaps the most noteworthy deal here is for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. It’s on sale for $10, which is a massive discount of 75 percent. This collection includes Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3 and Halo 4. This adds up to 45 campaign missions and more than 100 multiplayer maps. Much of this content has been updated to provide 4K visuals and HDR support. The well-reviewed Street Fighter 6 is on sale for $30, which is a discount of 50 percent. We said the game “oozes style” in our official review and praised the robust World Tour mode, which is sort of like a tutorial mixed with an RPG. The controls are as tight as ever and the myriad of playable characters are a whole lot of fun. The first-party game Pentiment is also half off, going down to $10 from $20. This is an RPG with a fantastic historical art style. It’s a niche title, but a great one, particularly for ten bucks. The game’s certainly easy on the eyes. Everyone’s favorite walking simulator, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, is available for $20 instead of $40. Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is 25 percent off, bringing it down to $30, and Star Wars Outlaws is $52 instead of $70. Other discounted games include Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil 4, Tekken 8 and, well, too many more to list. The sale ends on December 2. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/xbox-black-friday-deals-are-live-so-snag-halo-the-master-chief-collection-for-just-10-170334593.html?src=rss

15.11.2024 20:01 Whether you’re into shooters, fighting games or immersive RPGs, there’s something for every Xbox owner out there. While Microsoft’s first-party output has been a bit slim lately, the company has been on a tear acquiring the likes of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, as well as pumping up the amount of worthwhile titles in its Game Pass subscription service. The result is a plethora of games to choose from, which can be either a blessing or a curse for the indecisive gamer.To make life a bit easier, we’ve highlighted some of the best titles available on the Xbox Series X and S . We’ve chosen a mix of old and new titles, but given the hundreds of hours we’ve put into these games, we can guarantee they’re well worth your time. Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/best-xbox-games-140022399.html?src=rss