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Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic
On December 7, 1909, Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekelands process patent for making Bakelite was granted, two years after he had figured it out. Bakelite is the first fully synthetic plastic and its invention marked the beginning of the Age of Plastics. A.S.Ganesh tells you more about Baekeland and his Bakelite
Waymo's robotaxi fleet is being recalled again, this time for failing to stop for school buses
To prevent its robotaxi fleet from passing stopped school buses, Waymo is issuing another software recall in 2025. While it's not a traditional recall that pulls vehicles from the road, Waymo is voluntarily updating software for its autonomous fleet in response to an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to Waymo, the recall will be filed with the federal agency early next week. Mauricio Pea, Waymo's chief safety officer, said in a statement that Waymo sees far fewer crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, but that the company knows when our behavior should be better. As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios, Pea said in a statement to multiple news outlets . We will continue analyzing our vehicles performance and making necessary fixes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. According to the NHTSA investigation, some Waymo autonomous vehicles were seen failing to stop for school buses that had their stop signs and flashing lights deployed. The federal agency said in the report that there were instances of Waymo cars driving past stopped school buses in Atlanta and Austin, Texas. Earlier this year, Waymo issued another software recall after some of its robotaxi fleet were seen hitting gates, chains, and similar objects. Last year, Waymo also filed two other software recalls, one of which addressed a fleet vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another correcting how two separate robotaxis hit the same exact pickup truck that was being towed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-robotaxi-fleet-is-being-recalled-again-this-time-for-failing-to-stop-for-school-buses-190222243.html?src=rss
How would the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal reshape Hollywood?
Its only been a day since Netflix announced an $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros., and the acquisition has already been described as sending Hollywood into full-blown panic mode, possibly a death blow to theatrical filmmaking, and maybe even the end of Hollywood itself.
Meta plans to push back the debut of its next mixed reality glasses to 2027
The big reveal for Meta's next mixed reality glasses is being postponed until the first half of 2027, according to a report from Business Insider . Based on an internal memo from Maher Saba, the vice president of Meta's Reality Labs Foundation, the report said that the company's project, which is codenamed Phoenix, will no longer be scheduled for a 2026 debut. In a separate memo, Meta execs explained that the delay would help deliver a more polished and reliable experience. According to BI , a memo from Meta's Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns said this new release window is going to give us a lot more breathing room to get this right. Meta hasn't publicly revealed many details about its Phoenix project, but The Information previously reported that it would feature a goggle-like form factor with an external power source, similar to how the Apple Vision Pro is attached to a battery pack. In the memo from Saba, BI reported that Meta is also working on a limited edition wearable with the codename Malibu 2. Yesterday, Meta announced its acquisition of Limitless , a startup that recently developed an AI wearable called Pendant. Even though Meta's current product portfolio is dominated by smart glasses and VR headsets , the Limitless acquisition and Malibu 2 project could hint at the company's plans to expand its offerings. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-plans-to-push-back-the-debut-of-its-next-mixed-reality-glasses-to-2027-172437374.html?src=rss
Creator IShowSpeed sued for allegedly punching, choking viral humanoid Rizzbot
Creator IShowSpeed sued after punching, choking viral humanoid Rizzbot.
The 46 Best Movies on Netflix, WIREDs Picks (December 2025)
Frankenstein, Troll 2, and A House of Dynamite are just a few of the movies you should watch on Netflix this month.
AceVector files updated DRHP with SEBI, moves closer to IPO
Under the proposed offering, the company plans to raise Rs 300 crore through a fresh issue of shares, alongside an offer for sale of up to 6.38 crore shares by existing investors.
After you check out your Spotify Wrapped 2025, explore these copycats
Spotifys annual Wrapped feature just dropped, giving listeners a fun, personalized summary of their listening habits. It has gained immense popularity over the years, and as a result, many companies have seized the opportunity to create similar year-in-review experiences, offering users a recap of their habits, preferences, or interactions from the past year. Here are []
Online travel agencies step up customer support as flight disruptions spike
Travel platforms say they are witnessing an unprecedented surge in customer queries, refund requests, and last-minute rescheduling needs amid flight cancellations and delays.
60,000 African penguins died: Study finds shocking truth behind the mass die off
A devastating collapse in sardine stocks led to the starvation of over 60,000 African penguins on South Africa's Dassen and Robben Islands between 2004 and 2012. This food shortage, exacerbated by environmental shifts and fishing pressure, wiped out 95% of colonies. The crisis highlights the species' critical endangerment, with urgent fishing limits now crucial for survival.
Engadget review recap: Dell 16 Premium, Nikon ZR, Ooni Volt 2 and more
Weve slept off our collective turkey coma and returned to the review lab here at Engadget. Our team may also be in full CES prep mode , but weve got a few more devices to get off or our desks before 2025 is over. Catch up on all of the reviews you might have missed over the last few weeks a perfect activity for a lazy December weekend. Dell 16 Premium Theres no denying the design of the Dell 16 Premium makes the laptop live up to its name. Unfortunately, all of that polish leads to some issues: a high price and hampered usability. The more I looked at the Dell 16 Premium's beautiful facade, the more I wanted something... more, senior reporter Devindra Hardawar wrote . It needs more usable ports, like HDMI and a full-sized SD card reader. It needs more useful function keys that are visible in bright light and also stay in one place so I can touch type more easily. And for the love of god, just give up on the invisible trackpad. DJI Osmo Action 6 DJIs drone business in the US faces an uncertain future, and the companys action cams could be swept up in the ordeal as well. Thankfully, our contributing reporter Steve Dent resides in the EU where he observed first hand the Osmo Action 6s superior low light performance and battery life. With a bigger sensor and larger aperture than the competition, DJIs Action 6 is now the best action cam on the market for night shooting, delivering clean, sharp video with better stabilization than rivals, he said . Its also ideal for users who output to both YouTube and TikTok. Nikon ZR In keeping with the video theme, Steve also spent time testing the Nikon ZR. While this is primarily a model for shooting video, it benefits from the addition of RED RAW, excellent autofocus and more. With the ZR, Nikon has shown that its finally catching up to and even surpassing its rivals for content creation, he explained . Whether youre doing social media, YouTube, documentaries or even film production, this camera is versatile and powerful with few compromises. Ooni Volt 2 The Ooni Volt brought the companys popular brand of pizza making indoors for the first time, but that model wasnt without it faults. Now Ooni is back with the Volt 2, and the completely overhauled design is a big upgrade over the original. Its easier to use for all skill levels thanks to its clearer controls and large display, I explained . Presets work well, but they can also serve as a starting point for further recipe refinement for experienced users. And the pizza my goodness, the pizza is consistently restaurant quality (or better) across a range of styles. Antigravity A1 Insta360s spin-off Antigravity is now shipping its first drone and our UK bureau chief Mat Smith has already flown it. The A1 comes with a controller and FPV headset to assist with the piloting, but the mix of unique features and crisp video (in good conditions) is also laudable. The intuitive controls and ability to look all around you make it unlike anything else currently available, he said . Its a delightful introduction to drones, FPV or otherwise, but a shame that software issues marred my tests. Other recent reviews On the gaming front, Mat spent some time with Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles while deputy editor Nathan Ingraham put Metroid Prime 4 through its paces. Contributor Tim Stevens stepped back in time with the Analogue 3D to revisit some Nintendo 64 classics after getting behind the wheel of the 2025 Porsche Macan Electric . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dell-16-premium-nikon-zr-ooni-volt-2-and-more-130000527.html?src=rss
Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 Review: A High-End Gaming Handheld
This premium gaming handheld loads up with features, but Windows still holds it back from being the easy option.
A Marvel beat-'em-up, long-awaited survival horror and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. A bunch of titles that are arriving very late to make it into game of the year conversations debuted this week, and we learned some new details about upcoming projects, such as a release date for a rad-looking arena shooter called Don't Stop, Girlypop. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is one of the higher-profile indies to hit consoles and PC this week. It's from Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu, the same pair that brought us Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge . Cosmic Invasion largely draws from the same playbook: it's also a retro-style side-scrolling beat-'em-up with a look that apes the Marvel animated shows from the '90s . It's an enjoyable enough game, largely thanks to the variety of characters and how differently they play. Captain America is one of my favorites. Each character has a secondary move (often a ranged attack) to go with their basic melee strikes, and Cap's one has no ammo or cooldown.I never grew tired of spamming his shield projectile attack and knocking enemies off the screen. I really enjoyed playing as She-Hulk too. Her secondary move involves grabbing an enemy and throwing them around. She-Hulk can also toss them into the air then leap with McTominay-esque athleticism to deliver a kick and send the baddie crashing into its cohorts. The character swap system (each player chooses two and can switch between them any time) evokes tag fighting games and the co-op features work well too. There isn't a ton of depth to Marvel Cosmic Invasion , unfortunately, but the presentation is spot on. It's out now on Steam , Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Switch 2 , PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S for $30. It's also on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. New releases It only took 13 years from announcement to release but survival horror title Routine (from Lunar Software and publisher Raw Fury) has emerged on Steam , the Xbox PC app, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Cloud . It's available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Routine offers up a slice of liminal space terror with a dash of retro-futurism. Lunar Software based the aesthetic on how people from the 1980s might envision a believable moon base with analogue technology. Your mission is to explore the base and try to determine how it got to this state. Lunar wanted Routine to feel as immersive as possible, so there are no waypoint markers and you won't see a heads-up display. Instead, you have a personal data assistant that connects to wireless access points throughout the base and provides you with information about your current goals. Here's another horror title we've been looking forward to for several years . Sleep Awake deals with things that go bump in the night. It's a first-person psychedelic horror game in which a force called The HUSH makes anyone who falls asleep vanish. So, our hero Katja and other residents of the last-known city on Earth try various ways to stay awake, but theyll inevitably have to deal with the effects of sleep derivation. Sleep Awake is from Eyes Out a studio formed by Spec Ops: The Line director Cory Davis and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck and publisher Blumhouse Games. It's out now on Steam , PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S for $30. How about another horror game? It's the last one we have this week, I promise. Tingus Goose has been on my radar for a while because it just looks so deeply strange. This is billed as a cozy body horror idle game in which you plant seeds in patients, bounce babies for profit and ascend through surreal worlds toward riches. I'm glad for that description from the game's PR team, because I don't fully know what to make of the trailer. A goose emerges from a human being's torso and grows a giant neck and human fingers stick out of it and it's all just so strange. But I kinda dig it? Tingus Goose is from SweatyChair and co-publishers Playsaurus and UltraPlayers. It's on Steam for $5.94 until December 8, and it will cost $7 after that. I haven't seen anything that looks quite like Effulgence RPG before. It's a party-based RPG with a 3D ASCII art style. Here, you'll need to take out enemies to acquire better gear. Andrei Fomin released Effulgence RPG in early access on Steam this week for $10. The solo developer is aiming to release the full version of the game in June and to add more content and quality-of-life updates in the meantime. It's not usually the kind of game that I'd normally be drawn toward, but that art style alone is cool enough to make me want to try it. Looking for something a little more relaxing? Log Away is a cozy cabin builder fromThe-Mark Entertainment. There are several environments to choose from and a variety of decorations at your disposal depending on your interests. You can have a pet too, so that qualifies Log Away as this week's dog game. I've played it a bit and found it to be quite relaxing, a soothing counter punch to the non-stop action of Cosmic Invasion . It's out now on Steam for $10, but if you buy it by December 11 you'll save a dollar and get a Christmas-themed DLC at no extra cost. I adore Sayonara Wild Hearts with every fiber of my being and I appreciated what Simogo did with Lorelai and the Laser Eyes , even if I never stuck with it for long . I haven't played any of the studio's earlier games, though. That's something I'm planning to fix very soon now that the Simogo Legacy Collection is here. The studio reworked all of its first seven mobile games including Year Walk and Device 6 and combined them into a collection that's available on Steam , Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 . It costs $15 though there's a 15 percent discount until December 12. I'm very much looking forward to digging into this over the holidays. Upcoming I've been very much looking forward to Dont Stop, Girlypop! for a while. It's a movement-focused arena shooter with a Y2K aesthetic. Think of it as an anti-capitalist, hyperpop riff on games like Doom Eternal . The demo is a lot of fun and I'm glad there's finally a release date for this game from Funny Fintan Softworks and publisher Kwalee. It's coming to Steam on January 29. Limbot seems like it could be a fun party game. You can play it by yourself, but having three friends join you seems like the optimal way to go. In that case, each of you will take control of one of a cardboard robot's limbs. So you'll have to coordinate to move around this papercraft world effectively and complete precision-based objectives. It sounds like a recipe for an Overcooked -style tiff between friends. This physics-based game from Ionized Studios is coming to Steam , Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's slated to arrive between April and June next year. Polyperfect's Zlin City: Arch Moderna is a diorama city builder inspired by historical events of the 1930s and '40s and the architecture of Zlin, a town in Czechia (Czech Republic). The developers used 3D printing, photogrammetry and 3D scanning to capture the objects that are used in the game. The result is something that at least at first glance looks beautifully textured. There's no confirmed release window for Zlin City: Arch Moderna as yet. It'll be available on Steam . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-marvel-beat-em-up-long-awaited-survival-horror-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000228.html?src=rss
Why Tehran Is Running Out of Water
Because of shifting storms and sweltering summers, Irans capital faces a future Day Zero when the taps run dry.
Gear News of the Week: Google Drops Another Android Update, and the Sony A7 V Is Here
Plus: Samsungs tri-folding phone unfurls to the size of a tablet, and Kobo has a new remote page-turner.
Meta delays release of Phoenix mixed-reality glasses to 2027: Report
Meta executives Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns said moving the release date back is going to give us a lot more breathing room to get the details right, the report added
StartupTN invites applications for TANSEED 8.0, offers up to Rs 15 lakh for early-stage startups
TANSEED (Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Fund) provides Support Equity-linked Grants, offering up to Rs 15 lakh for green tech, rural impact, and women-led startups, and up to Rs 10 lakh for ventures in other sectors.
U.S. lawmakers press Google, Apple to remove apps tracking immigration agents
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the apps put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs, while Apple cited violations of its policies against content that could harm individuals or groups
Glitch in Cloudflare disrupts operations of Zerodha, Groww, other platforms
This was the third major disruption for Cloudflare users in India within a period of six months between July and December.
Meta partners with news outlets to expand AI content
The social media giant said Meta AI will offer breaking news, entertainment and lifestyle stories when users ask news-related questions
Vimeo Promo Codes and Deals: Save Up to 40%
Enjoy 25% off a membership, 40% off, plus an additional 10% off annual plans, and more deals to save at Vimeo.
Meta buys AI wearables startup Limitless
Limitless has raised a total of $33 million from investors including venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, according to Pitchbook
Railways add 116 coaches to 37 trains amid flight cancellations
New Delhi: Keeping the widespread flight cancellations in mind amid IndiGo fiasco, a total of 37 trains have been augmented with 116 additional coaches, operating over 114 augmented trips across the country, according to Indian Railways. Southern Railway (SR) has carried out the highest number of augmentations, enhancing capacity in 18 trains. Additional Chair Car Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Apple sendsnew round of cyber threat notifications to users in 84 countries
Apple has sent a new round of cyber threat notifications to users in 84 countries, the company said on Friday
The lives and roles of cats: Museum of Art and Photography exhibition features feline characters
In this photo essay, we showcase a range of artworks on display at the Museum of Art and Photography.
How IIT Madras Incubation Cell is powering Indias next-gen deeptech startups
Since its launch in 2013, IIT-M Incubation Cell has incubated over 500 deeptech startups. CEO Tamaswati Ghosh talks about the incubators role in nurturing some of Indias most impactful ventures across AI, quantum, fintech, e-mobility, and spacetech. At IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai, Agnik
Binance APAC Chief on crypto regulation; Inside Pitney Bowes India GCC
Speaking to YourStory on the sidelines of Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai, Seker spoke about why India's policymakers should treat crypto as a systemically important component of financial services.
Digital artist Beeple put his face on a $100K robot dog next to Elon Musk and Picasso it sold first
The project marks at least the second time Winkelmann has become the art world's main character.
Ex-Googlers Yoodli triples valuation to $300M+ with AI built to assist, not replace, people
Yoodli counts Google, Snowflake, and Databricks among its customers.
Sources: AI synthetic research startup Aaru raised a Series A at a $1B headline valuation
The one-year-old startup, which does market research on simulated populations, had a multi-tier valuation round, sources tell TechCrunch.
Streaming service makes rare decision to lower its monthly fees
This could be just what Fubo and its subscribers need.
WIRED Roundup: DOGE Isnt Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, and Amazons AI Ambitions
In this episode of Uncanny Valley, we bring you the news of the week, then dive into how some DOGE operatives are still at work in the federal governmentdespite reports claiming otherwise.
The 1977 cut of Star Wars will return to theaters in 2027
Here's some good news for the Han shot first crowd. The original cut of Star Wars (1977), the film known today as A New Hope , is coming back to theaters. We first learned in August that some version of the film would be screened again in 2027 for its 50th anniversary. But we know now this will indeed be the version everyone saw before George Lucas made those questionable, CGI-heavy changes in the 1997 Special Editions. The re-release arrives in theaters on February 19, 2027. In a short update posted Friday on the official Star Wars website, Lucasfilm all but clarified that this will be the original cut. It described it as a newly restored version of the classic Star Wars (1977) theatrical release. Gizmodo reported that it received further clarification that this will indeed be the OG one, before those improvements in the Special Edition (and subsequent re-releases). Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in a scene from Star Wars: A New Hope. Disney Plus Those mid-'90s edits included early CGI effects that essentially served as a testing ground before Lucas moved on to the Prequel Trilogy . It also added a CG Jabba the Hutt / Han Solo scene (originally shot with actor Thomas Declan Mulholland as Jabba) that was cut from the original version. Perhaps most infamously, Lucas made Greedo shoot first at Han in the canteen scene. Hardcore fans hated the change. It smoothed some of the rough edges of Han's start. It gave him a shorter, less dramatic journey into the reluctant hero he grew into as the story progressed. It's as if Lucas was signaling, Okay, Han may have started as kind of a jerk, but he wouldn't shoot a bounty hunter in cold blood! Think of the children watching! But in my view, Return of the Jedi had the worst changes in 1997 and later. Although I didn't mind the new celebration music and location montage at the end (others disagree), it also added that cringey and out-of-place musical number in Jabba's palace. But I despised the change Lucas made for the films 2011 Blu-ray release: Darth Vader's overly telegraphed Nooooooo as he makes the climactic decision to chuck the Emperor into the Death Star's reactor shaft. Cmon, George: Its so more powerful for the audience to project Vaders thought process onto his silent helmet. But if Disney sticks with the 50th Anniversary scheme, we'll have to wait until 2033 to see the untainted version of that movie in theaters again. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-1977-cut-of-star-wars-will-return-to-theaters-in-2027-221113091.html?src=rss
AWS needs you to believe in AI agents
AWS announced a wave of new AI agent tools at re:Invent 2025, but can Amazon actually catch up to the AI leaders? While the cloud giant is betting big on enterprise AI with its third-gen chip and database discounts that got developers cheering, its still fighting to prove it can compete beyond infrastructure. This week []
Feds find more complaints of Teslas FSD running red lights and crossing lanes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has identified at least 80 incidents.
This startup built a Fitbit for your brain to combat chronic stress
Awear won the Battlefield 200 health stage pitch competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
The eye-popping figure reflects how routine mega-valuations have become in private markets.
Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless
Limitless said it shares Meta's vision of bringing personal superintelligence to everyone.
Buying Warner Bros. Gives Netflix What Its Always Needed: An Identity
The $83 billion deal gives the streamer a centurys worth of prestige television and movies, from Batman movies to Game of Thrones. It also ends the streaming wars.
Pixel owners: You can now use your phone as a Switch 2 webcam
The Switch 2's lack of a built-in camera means you need an external one for GameChat video calls . But now, if your phone is a Google Pixel , you don't even need one of those. Android Authority reported on Friday that the two now work nicely together (without needing third-party apps), and our tests confirm that. Google has technically supported the use of Android devices as external webcams for two years: The company added it in a quarterly update for Android 14. (Specifically, it added the ability for devices to use USB Video Class mode, or UVC.) But that functionality didn't work with the Switch 2 before the November Pixel Drop . How do we know it was that version? Well, before our Editor-in-Chief, Aaron Souppouris, installed Novembers update on a Pixel, the Switch 2 webcam feature didn't work. After updating to that one today (but before installing the December update), it worked. If that wasn't enough, the November firmware's release notes listed a fix for an issue where webcam mode does not work properly with connected devices under certain conditions. That pretty much cinches it. Regardless, we reached out to Google for official confirmation, and we'll update this story if we hear back. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pixel-owners-you-can-now-use-your-phone-as-a-switch-2-webcam-203407555.html?src=rss
ChatGPTs user growth has slowed, report finds
ChatGPT's global monthly active users only grew by around 5% from August to November, while Gemini's users grew by about 30%.
New York Times sues Perplexity AI for 'illegal' copying of content
The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against AI startup Perplexity. The Times claims Perplexity copied and used its articles without permission for its AI products. This is part of a larger legal battle between publishers and AI companies. Perplexity faces similar accusations from other media outlets. The startup denies wrongdoing, calling the lawsuits an outdated tactic.
The Best Deals From the Silk & Snow Cyber Week Sale (2025)
For a few more days, you can save on mattresses and bed frames from one of our favorite makers.
The Netflix and Warner Bros. deal might be great for shareholders, but not for anyone else
Netflix's $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. is, in many ways, the last thing a weakened Hollywood needs right now. The industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, where theaters were forced to close and audiences became even more comfortable with streaming films at home . The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, which were driven by legitimate concerns around studio interest in generative AI , delayed production and promotion of many film and TV projects. And the rise of streaming content pushed many media companies towards taking on debt and unwise mergers (see: Warner Bros. Discovery ), which led to higher subscription costs , layoffs and production belt-tightening. How can a troubled media company survive today? The answer seems to be further consolidation. Amazon's $8.45 billion MGM takeover in 2022 heralded future deals, like Skydance's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount . But Netflix's WB deal goes even further: It could fundamentally reshape the media industry as we know it, from theatrical movie-going to the existence of physical media. What will the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal include? After next year's already-announced separation of Warner Bros. and Discovery , Netflix says it plans to acquire all of Warner Bros. remaining assets including its film and TV studios, HBO Max and HBO for $82.7 billion. According to Game Developer , representatives also say Warner Bros. Games, which includes Mortal Kombat developers NetherRealm, will also be part of the deal. Will the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal be approved by regulators? Even before the deal was formally announced, it was clear that whoever bought WB would be facing government opposition from every side. Yesterday, Paramount sent WB a letter questioning the fairness and adequacy of the acquisition bidding process (which also included Comcast as a potential buyer). Afterwards, the New York Post reported that Paramount CEO David Ellison, son of the Trump-boosting Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, met with administration officials to make his case for buying Netflix. As of this morning, the Trump administration views the Netflix/WB deal with heavy skepticism, an official tells CNBC . On the other side of the aisle, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has called the Netflix/WB deal an anti-monopoly nightmare. She added, A Netflix-Warner Bros. would create one massive media giant with control of close to half of the streaming market. It could force you into higher prices, fewer choices over what and how you watch, and may put American workers at risk. At this point, it's too early to tell if the Netflix/WB deal will make it past regulators, but it's clear that both companies should prepare for a rocky approval process. What does the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal mean for streaming video? According to data from JustWatch, a combined Netflix and HBO would account for 33 percent of the US streaming video market, putting it ahead of Prime Video's 21 percent share. As for how the two media companies would co-exist, Netflix says it will maintain Warner Bros. current businesses, which includes HBO Max and HBO, theatrical releases for films and well as movie and TV studio operations. JustWatch streaming video market stats. JustWatch We think its too early to talk specifics about how were going to tailor this offering for consumers, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in an investor call this morning, when asked if HBO would remain a separate service. Needless to say, we think the HBO brand is very powerful, and would constitute part of our plan for consumers. That then gives us a lot of options to figure out how to package things to offer the best options for consumers. At the very least, we can expect increased prices across the board for HBO and Netflix. There's also potential for the company to offer combination subscriptions, similar to how Disney juggles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. What does the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal mean for theaters? In short, a combined Netflix/WB wouldn't be great for theaters. Previous mergers, like Disney and Fox's union , led to fewer theatrical releases, not more. Since its transformation into a streaming-first company, Netflix has also been primarily focused on increasing subscriptions and engagement, with theatrical releases of its original content treated as an afterthought. Weve released about 30 films into theaters this year, so its not like we have opposition to theatrical release, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in the investor call (without specifying how short some of those theatrical releases were). Its the longer windows that arent consumer friendly. Life cycle that starts in the movie theater, well continue that. Over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to meet the audience where we are. He added: All things that are going to theaters through WB will continue to do so. Our primary goal is to bring first-run movies to consumers, and we intend to continue with that. In an April interview at the Time100 Summit , Sarandos also famously called the theatrical model outdated, since most people in the US can't easily walk to a multiplex. Cinema United, a trade group representing over 30,000 movie theater screens in the US, is unsurprisingly against the entire deal. The proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix poses an unprecedented threat to the global exhibition business. The negative impact of this acquisition will impact theatres from the biggest circuits to one-screen independents in small towns in the United States and around the world, Cinema United President and CEO Michael OLeary said in a statement. Cinema United stands ready to support industry changes that lead to increased movie production and give consumers more opportunities to enjoy a day at the local theatre, he added. But Netflixs stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition. In fact, it is the opposite. Regulators must look closely at the specifics of this proposed transaction and understand the negative impact it will have on consumers, exhibition and the entertainment industry. What do artists think of the Netflix and WB deal? Writers, directors and producers are already having a tough time getting projects off the ground, so having one less place to pitch isn't going to help. There are also a handful of artists, including former WB darling Christopher Nolan, who have refused to work with Netflix entirely. The end goal of these consolidations is to limit choices in entertainment to a select handful of providers, so they can capture our whole attention, and thus our every available dollar, C. Robert Cargill, the screenwriter behind Doctor Strange and The Black Phone , said in a statement to Engadget. The result will be a gutting of diversity and fresh voices in the industry, sending thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people back to their home towns to start their lives over, as there simply isn't a place for them in Hollywood any more, while homogenizing film and television into the content word we all grumble about hearing. WB has made so many daring choices this year, with executives taking big risks that made real cultural and financial impacts at the box office, he added. And HBO, constant name changes be damned, is still making some of the best television there is, bar none. Will those creative environments survive the merger, or will many of those brilliant execs be sent packing along with the writers, directors, and crews? In short, it's a very scary and heartbreaking time to be a filmmaker. No shade on Netflix and the people that work there; it's just that less choice in entertainment always makes for fewer winners and more people on the outside looking in. What about physical media? Other than noting that Netflix used to be a DVD-by-mail company, there was no mention of physical media on the acquisition's press release or investor call. Thats not too surprising, as physical releases have always been an afterthought for Netflix. A few of its films, like Roma and Frances Ha , are available as discs through the Criterion Collection, and some shows like Stranger Things are also on DVD and Blu-ray. Netflix claims it'll continue to run WB's businesses as usual if the deal goes through, which should include physical media, but those sorts of pre-acquisition promises rarely last for long. WB's home video business isn't entirely its own, either: In 2020, it formed the joint venture Studio Distribution Services with Universal, which also handles physical media distribution for Sony Pictures, PBS and Neon. Given the slowing demand for physical media, its likely one of the first things a combined Netflix/WB would eventually drop. But theres also been a resurgence of premium physical releases from distributors like Arrow Video , so theres a chance Netflix may want to keep it around for special releases. Steve Dent contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-netflix-and-warner-bros-deal-might-be-great-for-shareholders-but-not-for-anyone-else-183000247.html?src=rss
Exclusive: India Weighs Greater Phone-Location Surveillance; Apple, Google and Samsung Protest
Sources said Apple, Samsung and Alphabet's Google have told New Delhi it shouldn't be mandated.
Get three months of Apple Music for only $1 right now
Looking to switch music streaming platforms for no real reason ? Apple Music is holding one heck of a sale right now. You can get three months of use for just $1 . There are some caveats, as this is only for new users on the individual plan. Students and family plans don't count for this. Also, this has to be redeemed on iPhone, iPad or Mac. When you click the link it'll open up the Apple Music app, so click it from an Apple product to get the deal. Finally, it auto-renews after 90 days at $11 per month. Make sure to cancel ahead of time if you aren't enjoying the service. As for Apple Music, it's one of the best music streaming platforms out there and certainly a perfect choice for those already tied to the Apple ecosystem. It lets you import your own files, which is great for anyone still hanging on to an iTunes library. Otherwise, it offers streaming access to millions upon millions songs like all the rest. It does, however, include some live radio stations staffed by actual people, which is cool. The app works with Android devices, but it's really designed for Apple products. We also found the spatial audio to sound unnatural at times, but that's partly a limitation of the tech. Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-three-months-of-apple-music-for-only-1-right-now-180536582.html?src=rss
More Studio Ghibli 4K restorations are coming to IMAX in 2026
IMAX and animation distributor GKids are bringing more 4K Studio Ghibli restorations to the largest screens in 2026. The announcement follows the IMAX release of Princess Mononoke this year, with the ongoing restorations being directly supervised by Studio Ghiblis Atsushi Okui, whos been with the company since 1993. Okui was the Director of Digital Imaging on 2023s The Boy and the Heron , which was also the first Ghibli picture to get the IMAX treatment. The likes of My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away have also had theatrical re-releases in recent years. GKids heads up distribution in North America for the Japanese animation giants films across all platforms, and has been working with IMAX on various projects since 2021. It sounds like the remaining Ghibli titles set for theatrical IMAX releases in the US will arrive one at a time, and GKids is not saying how many we can expect, or what its following Princess Mononoke with next year. I did a quick check for notable upcoming anniversaries, and 2026 does mark 40 years of Castle in the Sky , but one of the studios newer films might be a more obvious guess for a 4K refurb. Time will tell. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/more-studio-ghibli-4k-restorations-are-coming-to-imax-in-2026-174508476.html?src=rss
Rare set of varied factors triggered Black Death
Volcanic eruptions in the mid-1340s triggered a chain of events that brought the Black Death to Europe.
India is reportedly considering another draconian smartphone surveillance plan
You know what they say: If at first you don't succeed at mass government surveillance, try, try again. Only two days after India backpedaled on its plan to force smartphone makers to preinstall a state-run cybersecurity app , Reuters reports that the country is back at it. Its said to be considering a telecom industry proposal with another draconian requirement. This one would require smartphone makers to enable always-on satellite-based location tracking (Assisted GPS). The measure would require location services to remain on at all times, with no option to switch them off. The telecom industry also wants phone makers to disable notifications that alert users when their carriers have accessed their location. According to Reuters , India's home ministry was set to meet with smartphone industry executives on Friday, but the meeting was postponed. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears on a screen to deliver a speech remotely as other leaders attend the 22nd ASEAN - India Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025. (Photo by Rafiq Maqbool / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RAFIQ MAQBOOL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) RAFIQ MAQBOOL via Getty Images Predictably, proponents claim the plan is about helping law enforcement keep you safe from the bad guys. (See also: Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four .) The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long been concerned that law enforcement agencies cant obtain precise enough locations during investigations. Cell tower data alone can be off by several meters. And hey, what's the privacy of 1.4 billion people next to tracking criminals with an extra 10 ft. or so of accuracy, right? Apple, Google and Samsung are said to oppose the move and have urged the Modi government to reject it. The lobbying group India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents them, reportedly wrote in a confidential letter this summer that the proposal has no precedent anywhere in the world. The group's letter described the measure as a regulatory overreach, which is probably putting it mildly. They warned that it could compromise military personnel, judges, corporate executives and journalists. In a statement sent to Engadget, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) sounded the alarm on the proposal. Requiring phones to have A-GPS enabled all the time would be a horrifying decision by the Indian government with significant impacts on the privacy of everyone in the country, EFF Senior Staff Technologist Cooper Quintin said. With this change, the phone company and law enforcement get your exact location at any time, potentially even without legal due process. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/india-is-reportedly-considering-another-draconian-smartphone-surveillance-plan-173500327.html?src=rss
eSIM adoption is on the rise thanks to travel and device compatibility
eSIM as a technology has been around for a decade now. However, global eSIM adoption was around 3% last year and will only cross 5% this year. Despite these figures, analysts, eSIM-providing startups, and investors are bullish about eSIMs upward trajectory, largely thanks to travel. Device compatibility One of the key factors for that is []
Zepto converts into public entity ahead of IPO
Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has converted into a public entity after dropping private from its name, months after raising $450 million at a $7 billion dollar valuation, as it gears for public market debut.
New Philo subscribers can get their first month of access for $25
Philo has a decent discount for newcomers who are looking for a solid bundle of live TV channels and on-demand streaming services. New subscribers can get their first month of access to the Core plan for $25. That's a discount of $8. For your 25 bucks, you'll gain access to more than 70 channels, including AMC, BBC America, Comedy Central, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, several MTV stations, Nickelodeon and TLC. AMC+, HBO Max basic with ads and Discovery+ are included at no extra cost. Philo is our pick for the best cheap live TV streaming service . Having unlimited DVR is welcome and recordings expire after one year, which is three months longer than many competing platforms. There's no contract either, so you can cancel at any time. The platform also offers more than 110 free channels, but unfortunately there are no local channels and there's not much in the way of sports programming. Other notable channels, such as Bravo and Freeform are missing too. However, if the lineup of channels and streaming services covers all your needs, Philo is a solid streaming option, especially with the discount. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/new-philo-subscribers-can-get-their-first-month-of-access-for-25-171033925.html?src=rss
Without evidence, RFK Jr.s vaccine panel tosses Heb B vaccine recommendation
There is no data supporting a delay and no evidence of harm from a birth dose.
Ola Electrics early backer Z47 relinquishes stake in EV-maker
The EV-maker has been struggling with declining market share with its share price seeing a gradual decline post its second quarter results. On Friday, its share price hit a 52-week low of Rs 34.73 apiece.
Meta cuts deals with several news publishers for AI use
Meta has cut several deals with news publishers to help provide real-time data for its AI chatbot services, as reported by Axios . The commercial agreements will allow its Meta AI chatbots to better answer user queries about news and current events. These are multiyear deals where publishers will be compensated for the use of their content, but we don't have any monetary specifics. The contracts do stipulate that Meta's chatbots will link out to articles when answering news queries, potentially offering a slight traffic boost to publishers. The news partners include USA Today , People , Le Monde and CNN . However, there are also a whole lot of conservative outlets included in today's announcement, such as Fox News , The Daily Caller and Washington Examiner . It's a good thing Meta's AI will provide the aforementioned links, just in case a chatbot says something crazy about whatever nonsense culture war topic is going on that day. Meta has announced that this is just a first step and that it will be adding more news partners to cover more topics in the future. This is an interesting move because Meta has long-been averse to paying news companies for access to content . It stopped paying US publishers for access to news in 2022 and the Facebook news tab went away entirely last year . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-cuts-deals-with-several-news-publishers-for-ai-use-163404107.html?src=rss
Elon Musks X first to be fined under EUs Digital Service Act
The biggest changes Musk made to Twitter trigger a $140 million fine under DSA.
X hit with $140 million fine from the EU
The European Commission has fined Elon Musks X 120 million (around $140 million) for breaching its transparency rules under the Digital Services Act . The European Unions executive arm announced that it was investigating the social media companys blue checkmarking verification system first introduced when it was still known as Twitter last year, along with other alleged DSA violations. Todays verdict concerns the deceptive design of the checkmark, as well as the lack of transparency of [X's] advertising repository, and the failure to provide access to public data for researchers. The Commission's issue with Xs verification system is that where blue checkmarks were once something that Twitter that Twitter vetted, they can now be bough by anyone. According to the EU, this puts users at risk of scams and impersonation fraud, as they cant tell if the accounts theyre engaging with are authentic. While the DSA does not mandate user verification, it clearly prohibits online platforms from falsely claiming that users have been verified, when no such verification took place, it wrote in a statement. The EU has also ruled that Xs advertisement repository employs design features and access barriers that make it difficult for good faith actors and the general public to determine the source of online ads and spot scams or threat campaigns. It says that X fails to provide information pertaining to both the content of an ad and the entity paying for its placement. The third alleged infringement concerns the public data that companies are required by the DSA to make available to qualifying researchers. The European Commission claims that Xs practices in this area are unnecessarily prohibitive, therefore effectively undermining research into several systemic risks in the European Union. X has 60 working days to respond to the EUs non-compliance decision the first of its nature on blue checkmarks, and 90 days to submit an action plan of how it will address the alleged breaches relating to its advertising repository and access to public data. Failure to comply could result in financial penalties. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-hit-with-140-million-fine-from-the-eu-161259324.html?src=rss
The best stocking stuffers you can get for $50 or less
The big ticket tech gifts may get the lion's share of attention during the holidays, but it's surprising how much people appreciate small and thoughtful accessories and gadgets. We picked out a dozen such stocking stuffers for under $50 perfect for a little something extra for a loved one or a welcome gift for a coworker. Just be sure to check the shipping windows to make sure these handy gizmos will arrive in time. Here are some of our favorite techie gift ideas that come in at $50 or less. Best stocking stuffers for $50 or less Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-stocking-stuffers-you-can-get-for-50-or-less-130049325.html?src=rss
How orbital satellite megaconstellations could change astronomy forever
Satellite megaconstellations are increasingly impacting astronomical observations. Bright satellite streaks are compromising ground and space-based telescope images, while radio telescopes struggle with growing orbital radio noise. This crowded orbit challenges future missions and affects long-term research by increasing light scatter and debris, necessitating new strategies to preserve sky clarity for scientific discovery.
Toyotas new GR GT picks up where the 2000GT and Lexus LFA left off
The GR GT is a V8 hybrid, and there's an electric Lexus sports car concept, too.
[Weekly funding roundup Nov 29-Dec 5] Debt capital continues to show the highest traction
Venture capital funding into Indian startups showed the dominance of debt component and it reveals the level of cautiousness among the equity investors.
The New York Times and Chicago Tribune sue Perplexity over alleged copyright infringement
The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune have filed separate lawsuits against Perplexity over alleged copyright infringement. The Times said it had sent Perplexity several cease-and-desist demands to stop using its content until the two reached an agreement, but the AI company persisted in doing so. In the lawsuit [ PDF ], the Times accused Perplexity of infringing on its copyrights at two main stages. First, by scraping its website (including in real time) to train AI models and feed content into the likes of the Claude chatbot and Comet browser . Second, in the output of Perplexity's products, with the Times accusing the companys generative AI products of often reproducing its articles verbatim. The Times also says Perplexity damaged its brand by falsely attributing completely fabricated information (aka hallucinations) to the newspaper. The Chicago Tribune also filed a lawsuit against Perplexity for similar reasons. Perplexitys genAI products generate outputs that are identical or substantially similar to the Chicago Tribunes content, the newspaper claimed in its suit. Upon information and belief, Perplexity has unlawfully copied millions of copyrighted Chicago Tribune stories, videos, images and other works to power its products and tools. These lawsuits are the latest in dozens of legal cases involving copyright holders and AI companies in the US. The Times, for instance, previously sued OpenAI and Microsoft. It accused the companies of training their large language models on millions of its articles without permission. That case is ongoing . Copyright holders have licensed their content to AI companies in some cases, though. OpenAI has struck multiple deals with media companies. The Times and Amazon reached an agreement this year that's said to be worth as much as $25 million per year to the media company. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-new-york-times-and-chicago-tribune-sue-perplexity-over-alleged-copyright-infringement-153656431.html?src=rss
Energy storage industry set aggressive goals for 2025 and already crushed them
The battery storage industry in the U.S. has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years, surpassing its most aggressive targets to become one of the largest new sources of power on the grid.
In its first DSA penalty, EU fines X 120M for deceptive blue check verification system
The EC is taking issue with the fact that X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, has been allowing anyone to buy a lue checkmark, the platform's long-standing symbol that a user has been verified to be who they are claiming to be.
Where the hell is Samsung's Ballie robot?
Another CES is nearly upon us , another year where well see new gadgets aplenty from giant companies and tiny ones youve never heard of. And the not-so-secret secret of CES is that many of these things never make it to market but usually it isnt things companies like Samsung show off. But here we are, nearly six years since Samsung first showed off its Ballie personal robot and it is nowhere to be found. For those who may not recall, Ballie is an adorable circular robot that can putter around your house and project things onto the floor and wall. Its kind of a virtual assistant on the go. Samsung first revealed this tiny robot at CES 2020, but it was more of a prototype than something anyone expected to purchase. And then there was a global pandemic and we all sort of forgot about weird ball-shaped robots for a few. But Samsung triumphantly unveiled a larger and more refined Ballie at CES 2024, saying it would be on sale that year! Well, that didnt happen, but a year later Ballie was back at CES again . Samsung promised it would go on sale in 2025, and followed up with a press release this past April saying it was on track for a summer launch in Korea and the US. As far as I can tell, thats the last weve heard of it. But with CES looming again, I cant help but feel like Samsung will roll Ballie out once more, trying to sell the dream of a cute robotic companion who just gets you. I spent some time watching Ballie do its thing in a carefully controlled demo at CES 2024, and I cant say I was overwhelmed by its purported usefulness or thought thered be much of a market for this thing. I now cant help but wonder if Samsung has data backs up my intuition. If this thing was going to sell like gangbusters, it likely wouldnt be subjected to such a long and public gestation period. It reminds me a little of one of my favorite Samsung gaffes, the Galaxy Home smart speaker. It was announced at a time when Apple and Google were challenging Sonos and Amazon with voice-activated speakers of their own, moving Siri or the Google Assistant from your phone to a more omnipresent place in your home. The first rumor of the Galaxy Home happened way back in 2017 , and the speaker was officially revealed and briefly shown off by Samsung in August of 2018. My immediate reaction was that this product made very little sense for both Samsung and potential customers Bibxy sucked, and there were plenty of speakers with better voice assistants. Apparently, Samsung agreed. After multiple years of vague commitments and references to the Galaxy Home, Samsung just stopped talking about it. Oddly enough, a Galaxy Home Mini speaker was briefly released in South Korea, part of a promotion for people who pre-ordered the Galaxy S20. But I dont think you could ever just walk into a store and buy one, and the larger Galaxy Home never materialized at all. Ballie isnt quite the abandonware situation that the Galaxy Home was, at least not yet. After all, its only been about eight months since Samsung dropped that press release claiming it would arrive soon. The company has definitely pushed Ballie in a more public way than the Galaxy Home, making it a little harder to just drop entirely. Maybe well see a revamped Ballie with even more weird tricks next month, or maybe well just get another vague promise that itll arrive in 2026. After failing to deliver two years in a row, though, Im not going to expect Ballie to show up as a real product until I can punch in my credit card and pre-order it... not that Id do that anyway. Ballie needs to show that its a lot more than a cute rolling robot before Samsung gets my cash. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/where-the-hell-is-samsungs-ballie-robot-151112829.html?src=rss
9 Best Lubes (2025): Water-Based, Silicone, Natural Oils
For the most sensitive parts of the human body, friction is the enemy. Heres how to keep it at bay with our favorite lubes made of water, silicone, or natural oil.
Petco confirms security lapse exposed customers personal data
The pet company has published almost no details about what happened, who was affected, and what personal data was exposed.
Engadget Podcast: WTF is up with RAM? (With Will Smith from The Tech Pod)
RAM prices have gone wild, mostly thanks to AI. In this episode, Devindra chats with Will Smith (Brad and Will Made a Tech Pod) about the state of the RAM industry, as well as other hardware we expect to get more expensive. (SSD prices are definitely creeping up too!). Also, we discuss Meta poaching Alan Dye, one of Apple's design executives, and what this could mean for Meta's upcoming devices. And yes, whatever they have next will likely revolve around AI. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, plans deep cuts to his companys metaverse development 1:09 Longtime Apple UI designer Alan Dye to join Metas AI division 7:08 US DOT cuts fuel efficiency standards, doubles down on gas cars 25:40 Waymo autonomous cars recently started driving more aggressively 31:30 Amazon halts its anime dub beta because it sounded terrible 38:00 WTF, RAM?? Will Smith joins to talk about why RAM prices are spiraling upward 44:05 Around Engadget: Metroid Prime 4 is a return to form after 18 years on ice 1:04:42 Working on 1:07:36 Pop culture picks 1:08:32 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Guest: Will Smith Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-wtf-is-up-with-ram-with-will-smith-from-the-tech-pod-141442002.html?src=rss
Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. in a disruptive deal valued at $82.7B
In one of the most groundbreaking deals the streaming world has ever seen, Netflix acquires Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion.
GoTrax Mustang Electric Bike Review: Punchy and Tiny
This nimble, compact ebike packs plenty of punch, but doesnt offer a wide range of sizes.
Meesho IPO oversubscribed 79X by day 3, led by heavy QIB demand
Qualified institutional buyers led the rally at close, bidding for 1,807 crore of Meesho's shares against their quota of 15.03 crore, translating to a subscription rate of 120.18 times.
Splitgate: Arena Reloaded tries to fix what Splitgate 2 broke
Portal shooter Splitgate 2 is coming back with a new name and rebuilt experience after being pulled back to beta earlier this year, developer 1047 Games announced . The free-to-play Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will relaunch on December 17th across platforms including Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC. After months of community feedback, testing and rebuilding the entire experience, this is Splitgate refocused on what made it special in the first place: classic arena combat without factions, abilities, or extra noise, the developer shared in a blog post, along with a gameplay video. Splitgate 2 originally launched in June, but 1047 Games pulled it back to beta after deciding that the release had been rushed. For the new version, the company said, we took the best of Splitgate 1 and Splitgate 2 and cut the parts that didn't fit, while refining the ones that did. in the process, we not only rebuilt the game, we reconnected with the magic of the genre that built this studio in the first place: a return to the Arena. Here are some key changes made: Removed Splitgate 2's factions, abilities, and select equipment so the focus is back on classic arena combat without the extra noise. Rebuilt progression from the ground up so your time in game feels rewarding, with weapon and character cosmetics you can earn simply by playing. We've added a true Classic Arena mode with even starts and new map pickups, recapturing the feel of the original. Fine tuned combat to better match expectations for a modern arena shooter, with more meaningful gunfights and fewer what just happened moments. Completely overhauled the ranked system so your rank reflects your actual skill for players who love to climb and compete. Added key systems you have been asking for: Mode Select, Player Stats, Ranked Leaderboards, and Account Levels. Introduced five brand new maps and six fully reworked arenas, bringing the total map pool to 20. Added three new LMG primary weapons and the iconic Power Weapon, the Railgun. 1047 Games was savaged earlier this year by Splitgate players after co-founder Ian Proulx wore a hat at Summer Games Fest stating Make FPS Great Again. Later, he posted to the studio's X account on Splitgate 2's release date that he was not here to apologize and that the hat was not a political statement, finally admitting that it was all basically a publicity stunt . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/splitgate-arena-reloaded-tries-to-fix-what-splitgate-2-broke-130027714.html?src=rss
Why 2026 will look the same as 2025, unless you fix this
Break the habits quietly holding you back. These seven simple changes can reshape your routine,and make 2026 the year you finally level up.
Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC plan fizzled, but it still served a purpose
Microsoft's Copilot+ initiative launched last year with a clear goal: To produce capable laptops for people eagerly anticipating AI-powered features. Read that sentence again, and it's glaringly obvious that Microsoft's plan was flawed from the start. Most consumers aren't nearly as hyped for AI features as the companies eager to foist artificial intelligence upon us. And those features aren't exactly compelling, either. Microsoft's Recall which snaps screenshots of your PC to create a database of everything youve done was dogged by privacy concerns from the start. And to be honest, I haven't found its ability to remember the files and websites I've opened to be that useful. Without any sort of killer AI app, most consumers weren't going to pay a premium for Copilot+ systems either. Not in this precarious economy, anyway. So it wasn't a huge surprise to see sales of Copilot+ systems going practically nowhere over the last year. In the third quarter of 2024, they accounted for less than 10 percent of systems shipped, according to data from Mercury Research ( via Toms Hardware ). The research firm IDC ( via PCWorld ) also found that Copilot+ systems made up just 2.3 percent of Windows machines sold in the first quarter of 2025 (and a mere 1.9 percent of the entire PC market). Instead of continuing to promote Copilot+, Microsoft now wants to make every Windows 11 computer an AI PC . The new Hey Copilot voice commands and Copilot Vision , a feature that lets the AI assistant see what's on your screen, are both cloud-powered. That means you won't need the beefy 40 TOPS neural processing units (NPU) found on Copilot+ systems to use them. Microsoft spent the past few years touting NPUs as the gateway to useful AI features, like Recall and Windows Studio webcam effects, but only one of its new AI capabilities actually requires an NPU. (And even that is just a slight update to Click to Do , allowing you to send Zoom invitations by right-clicking on e-mail addresses.) It's easy to view the whole Copilot+ initiative as a cynical way to ramp up AI hype and push people towards expensive new laptops, especially as the October 14 Windows 10 end of support date loomed . But it also led to some genuinely useful changes: Microsoft made 16GB of RAM a standard for Copilot+ systems, along with 256GB of storage and the aforementioned 40 TOPS NPUs. The launch of Copilot was also the kick in the pants Microsoft needed to revamp Windows for mobile Arm processors . I never thought I'd love a Surface with a Snapdragon chip, but the improved Arm support on the Surface Pro and this year's smaller model finally won me over. The Dell 16 Premium sitting on a ledge. I wouldnt call the Copilot+ program a huge swing, but its still the sort of industry-wide cat herding thats rare to see in the PC space. Microsoft couldnt just snap its fingers and shift all PCs to efficient mobile chips with powerful NPUs, like Apple did with its own jump to M-series chips years ago. Microsoft had to wait for new NPU-equipped hardware from Qualcomm (and eventually Intel and AMD). It had to finally fix the Windows on Arm problem. And it also had to double-down on AI features that felt truly transformative. Its just a shame that consumers didnt seem to care. Microsoft said that Copilot+ systems accounted for 15 percent of premium PCs sold during last years holiday season, but the company hasnt released any new sales figures since then. This is the fastest adoption I've seen of a new category of hardware, and we've done it faster than the normal generational shift of silicon, James Howell, Microsofts VP of Windows marketing, said in a conversation with Engadget. Copilot+ PCs continue to be a transition that we are pushing for and prioritizing. But I can't give you the exact numbers beyond that Just for the last two or three months, we've been doing pretty well with year-on-year growth in the Windows business. Surface Pro Copilot+ Devindra Hardawar for Engadget While Microsoft ultimately doesnt have much to show for the Copilot+ initiative, the steady progression of hardware will lead to AI PCs dominating over the next five years. The research firm Omdia predicts that AI PCs will account for 55 percent of computers shipped in all of 2026, up from 42.5 percent of systems in Q3 2025. By 2029, Omdia predicts AI PCs will make up 75 percent of all systems shipped, giving Windows 80 percent of the AI PC market. Omdia AI PC shipment predictions Omdia Its important to note that this steep adoption curve [for AI PCs] is driven more by the product roadmaps of the PC market, rather than consumers and businesses seeking PCs specifically for AI, according to Omdia research analyst Kieren Jessop. For businesses, and consumers especially, AI-capable PC adoption is more a function of a customer going to purchase a device and that device just so happens to have an NPU. Microsoft was basically right: AI PCs are the future. But it turns out the AI features people actually want to use like ChatGPT, Sora and Microsofts own Copilot are mostly powered by the cloud, making onboard NPUs superfluous. That wont be true forever. There are tangible security, speed and convenience benefits for onboard AI processing, like transcribing sensitive audio instead of sending it to the cloud. But for now, those AI workloads are relatively niche, and theyre not enough to make the Copilot+ a true success by any measure. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/microsofts-copilot-ai-pc-plan-fizzled-but-it-still-served-a-purpose-130000239.html?src=rss
Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (December 5, 2025)
YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup for Friday, December 5, 2025.
New report warns of critical climate risks in Arab region
Foundations of daily life are being pushed to the brink by human-caused warming.
The Morning After: Flying Antigravitys A1 drone is unlike anything else
Spinning off from the action-camera company Insta360, Antigravity now has its debut drone on sale. With 360-degree cameras that capture 8K and offer you a truly unconstrained view of the skies, the A1 is a different drone from everything else out there. Sorry, DJI. Instead of typical drone joysticks, you get a motion controller that lets you point and shoot like video game gesture controls, while crisp FPV goggles put you right inside the cockpit. Engadget Its easy to fly after takeoff, but the A1s myriad parts are often tricky to sync together and pulling video down to the companion app is even trickier. Going on specs alone, like speed and camera sensor size, it doesnt stand up to cinematic drones from the likes of DJI. Still, its not meant to be a cinematic drone. Its a hybrid mix of flight experience, FPV drone and a not-miss-a-thing camera drone. Its truly unique and fun. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning The best Christmas gifts to give everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list A shaky year for American EVs could set the tone for 2026 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review Amazon Lunas December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games Amazon halts its incredibly poor AI anime dubbing beta Ridiculed by all. Amazon has quietly removed its terrible AI-generated English dubs for several anime shows on Prime Video, following widespread ridicule from viewers and the industry. AI dubs were recently added to Banana Fish , No Game , No Life and Vinland Saga , where they were labeled AI beta in the Languages section of the app. For shows lacking an English-language dub, it was a seemingly cheap way to consume anime for Amazon. However, it quickly became clear that the dubs were really quite bad. Baaaad. Voice actor Daman Mills called the AI-generated dub for Banana Fish a massive insult to us as performers in a post on X. Continue reading. Amazon thinks about ending ties with the US Postal Service The company continues to invest heavily in its own shipping network. An Amazon double today. According to The Washington Post , Amazon is considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building its own shipping network to rival it. The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier almost 8 percent of the services total revenue. Thats up from just under $4 billion in 2019. That split might be due to a breakdown in negotiations between Amazon and the USPS rather than Amazon proactively pulling its business. Amazon has invested heavily in all kinds of delivery methods, including shipping logistics, buying its own Boeing planes, launching its own electric delivery vans and slowly building a drone delivery network. Continue reading. Amazons Kindle Scribe Colorsoft finally has a release date December 10, just in time for the holidays. Engadget A triple? Sorry. Amazon didnt have a specific release date to share beyond later this year for its latest Scribe slates. And talk about brinkmanship! Here we are in December. The company says the devices will be available on December 10. This is the third generation of the Kindle Scribe line of E Ink writing tablets the first time Amazon has three versions of the Scribe. At the entry level, the Scribe without a front light starts at $430, while the model with a light starts at $480. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will start at $630. You always have to pay more for color. Continue reading. Nikon ZR camera review A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price. The Nikon ZR could be a breakthrough for content creators, largely because it incorporates technology from RED a company now owned by Nikon. The combination of professional-grade video quality (specifically RED RAW) and autofocus comes at a fraction of the cost of dedicated cinema rigs. There are some compromises on battery life and the lack of a viewfinder, but the ZR arguably offers the best video quality for the money. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121538076.html?src=rss
Netflix to buy Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion
Shortly after rumors of a deal between the two media giants broke, Netflix has announced it is buying Warner Bros., HBO and HBO Max for approximately $82.7 billion. If approved, the deal will take place after Warner Bros. has disentangled itself from both its legacy cable and Discovery assets as part of the already-announced de-merger . That's likely to take place in the third quarter of 2026, with this new tie-up taking place at some point after that. In a statement, Netflix said it expects to maintain Warner Bros. current operations, as well as its policy of theatrical releases for its films. But the deal may spell the end for HBO Max as its own product in the longer term, as the statement also says by adding the deep film and TV libraries and HBO and HBO Max programming, Netflix members will have even more high-quality titles from which to choose. Naturally, the deal will see Netflix become one of the biggest players in global media, combining its global reach with some of the most recognizable names in entertainment. That includes HBO, DC Studios, Cartoon Network and TCM, as well as the chunks of TNT not cast adrift with Discovery. It's likely the deal will not go ahead without a lot of objections from other buyers, as well as the government itself. Yesterday, Paramount Skydance said (via the Hollywood Reporter) any deal between WB and Netflix would be the result of an unfair process. Given the close ties between Paramount's new owners and the administration, it's likely any deal will be subject to scrutiny as well as the usual questions around the size of the combined operation. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/netflix-to-buy-warner-bros-for-827-billion-120836295.html?src=rss
Rocket Report: Blunder at Baikonur; do launchers really need rocket engines?
The Department of the Air Force approves a new home in Florida for SpaceX's Starship.
ESA's Juice spacecraft has captured striking new images of Comet 3I/ATLAS, revealing its active coma and distinct plasma and dust tails. While originally designed for Jupiter, Juice's navigation camera provided an early glimpse of the comet's activity. Full scientific data, gathered by five specialized instruments, is expected in February 2026, promising deeper insights into this interstellar visitor.
CES doesn't start until January, but whispers of the products and announcements that could be in store for tech's biggest annual conference have already started to take shape. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, although the show kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding hotels all over the city. As usual, Engadget will be covering the event in-person and remotely, bringing you news and hands-ons straight from the show floor. More specific details and pre-announcements should trickle out as CES approaches, but in the meantime, we do know what companies will be hosting press conferences and what tech trends could rear their heads at the show. What we already know about Press conferences and show floor booths are the bread and butter of CES. The Consumer Technology Association has already published a searchable directory of who will have a presence at the show, along with a schedule of every official panel and presentation. On Sunday, January 4, Samsung will kick-off CES with The First Look, a presentation hosted by TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung's DX Division, on the company's vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences. That'll be followed by multiple press conferences throughout Monday, January 5. LG is hosting its Innovation in Tune with You presentation to share its vision for elevating daily life through Affectionate Intelligence at the start of the day, Intel is launching its new Core Ultra Series 3 processors in the afternoon, Sony Honda Mobility is holding a press conference on its first car and AMD CEO Lisa Su will cover AMD's upcoming chip announcements at a keynote address that closes out the day. Finally, on Tuesday, January 6, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang will host Lenovo's Tech World Conference at Sphere, using the large and decidedly curved screen to share the company's commitment to delivering smarter AI for all by constantly redefining how technology can engage, inspire, and empower. Outside of the formal introduction of new products and initiatives, reading the tea leaves of what was announced last year and what companies are reportedly working on, we can make some educated guesses at what we could see at CES 2026. New chips from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm CES is frequently the start of a cascade of new chip announcements for a given year, and one of the first places new silicon appears in real consumer products. AMD will likely use its keynote to introduce new versions of its Ryzen chips, including the recently spotted Ryzen 7 9850X3D , which is expected to offer better single-threaded performance, and the Ryzen 9000G series, which could be built with AMD's Zen 5 architecture. The company might also use its CES stage to go over its new FSR Redstone AI upscaling tech. Intel has already publicly announced that it'll launch its Panther Lake chips at CES 2026. The officially titled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips fit into Intel's overall AI PC push, but are specifically meant for premium laptops. Based on a preview from October 2025, Intel says the first chip made with its 2-nanometer 18A process will offer 50 percent more processing performance than previous generations and for the chip's Arc GPU, a 50 percent performance bump from last generation. Qualcomm is also rumored to be targeting laptops at the show, building on the work it's done moving its Snapdragon chips out of phones and tablets and into other types of computers. The company's Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips should start appearing in laptops at CES 2026, offering a look at the improved speed and AI performance the company promised in 2025. Brighter, truer screens Sony announced a collection of new Bravia TVs in April 2025, replacing the company's flagship, filling in its midrange options and adding a new budget model to the mix. The star of this updated Bravia lineup is the Bravia 9, which features a QD-OLED panel, but Sony appears to be prepping entirely new display tech for 2026. In March 2025, Sony introduced a new RGB LED panel that uses individual Mini LED backlights colored in red, green and blue to produce even brighter, more accurate colors. In contrast to a QD-OLED, which filters a layer of blue organic light emitting diodes through quantum dots that change color, Sony's General RGB LED Backlight Technology can get as bright as a Mini LED panel without needing an extra filter layer or worrying about OLED's problems with burn-in. The company has already trademarked the name True RGB, which could end up being what Sony calls this new flavor of display if it decides to show them off at CES. It seems entirely likely, because CES is nothing if not a TV show its a sure bet that well see new TVs from the likes of LG and Samsung in addition to Sony. If the company doesn't introduce new display tech for its TVs, it does have a new 240Hz PlayStation monitor coming in 2026 that it could show off at CES instead. Sony isn't the only company hyped on bright screens. Samsung is reportedly pushing an updated version of the HDR10 and HDR10+ standards that could be ready to demo at CES 2026. The new HDR10+ Advanced standard would be Samsung's answer to Dolby Vision 2 , which includes support for things bi-directional tone mapping and intelligent features that automatically adapt sports and gaming content. Samsung's take will reportedly offer improved brightness, genre-based tone mapping and intelligent motion smoothing options, among other improvements. Ballie Watch 2026 The ball-shaped yellow robot lovingly known as Ballie has been announced twice, first in 2020 and then again in 2024 with a projector in tow. Samsung said Ballie would go on sale in 2025 at CES last year and then shared in April 2025 that Ballie would ship this summer with Google's Gemini onboard. But it's nearly 2026, and Ballie is nowhere to be seen. It's possible Samsung could make a third attempt at announcing its robot at CES 2026, but whether or not it does, robotics will still be a big part of the show. Robot vacuums and mops were a major highlight of CES 2025, and it's safe to expect notable improvements from the new models that are announced at CES 2026. Not every company will adopt the retractable arm of the Roborock Saros Z70 , but robot vacuums with legs for rising over small ledges like the Dreame X50 seem like they could become the norm. Roborock could also show off its new Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow , the first of its robot vacuums to feature a retractable roller mop. Beyond just traversing spaces more efficiently, improving robots' navigation could also be a major concern at the show. Prominent members of the AI industry are turning their attention from large language models to world models , which aim to give AI a deep understanding of physical space. Those world models could be the key to making robots, bipedal or otherwise, competent at navigating homes and workplaces, and will likely be a significant talking point at CES 2026. Well be updating this article throughout the month as more rumors surface and new products are confirmed stay tuned for future updates! This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/what-to-expect-at-ces-2026-120000278.html?src=rss
New Cloudflare outage takes some sites offline
Cloudflare claims to manage around 20% of global internet traffic
Amazon to expand AI tools for 15 million small businesses
Amazon plans to equip 15 million small businesses with AI tools and bring AI literacy to 4 million government-school students by 2030, expanding its $12.7 billion cloud and AI investments. It also introduced upgraded AI features for sellers and committed to scaling student learning programmes.
Walmart-backed PhonePe winds down its Pincode app in yet another e-commerce step back
PhonePe has shut down its Pincode app over two years after its debut.
Huge Trove of Nude Images Leaked by AI Image Generator Startups Exposed Database
An AI image generator startups database was left accessible to the open internet, revealing more than 1 million images and videos, including photos of real people who had been nudified.
5 thought patterns that secretly drain your energy
These five hidden thought patterns drain your mental energy every day. Learn how to break them, protect your focus, and rebuild a calmer, stronger mind.
The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025
Balancing schoolwork with gaming usually means finding a laptop that can do a little bit of everything. The best gaming laptops arent just built for high frame rates. They also need to handle long days of writing papers, running productivity apps and streaming lectures without slowing down. A good machine should feel reliable during class and powerful enough to jump into your favorite games once homework is out of the way. Theres a wide range of options depending on how much performance you need. Some students prefer a slim, lightweight model thats easy to carry to school, while others want a new gaming laptop with enough GPU power to handle AAA titles. If youre watching your budget, there are plenty of solid choices that qualify as a budget gaming laptop without cutting too many corners. Its also worth looking at features that help with everyday use. A bright display makes long study sessions easier on the eyes, and a comfortable keyboard is essential if you type a lot. USB-C ports, decent battery life and a responsive trackpad can make a big difference during the school day. Weve rounded up the best laptops that strike the right mix of performance, portability and value for both gaming and schoolwork. Table of contents Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Are gaming laptops good for school? As weve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so its worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, dont forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities. The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If youre looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off). Do gaming laptops last longer than standard laptops? Not necessarily it really depends on how you define last longer. In terms of raw performance, gaming laptops tend to pack more powerful components than standard laptops, which means they can stay relevant for longer when it comes to handling demanding software or modern games. That makes them a solid choice if you need a system that wont feel outdated in a couple of years, especially for students or creators who also game in their downtime. But theres a trade-off. All that power generates heat, and gaming laptops often run hotter and put more strain on internal components than typical ultraportables. If theyre not properly cooled or regularly maintained (think dust buildup and thermal paste), that wear and tear can shorten their lifespan. Theyre also usually bulkier and have shorter battery life, which can impact long-term usability depending on your daily needs. Gaming laptops can last longer performance-wise, but only if you take good care of them. If your needs are light browsing, writing papers and streaming a standard laptop may actually last longer simply because its under less stress day-to-day. What is the role of GPU in a computer for gaming and school? The GPU plays a big role in how your laptop handles visuals and its especially important if youre using your computer for both gaming and school. For gaming, the GPU is essential. Its responsible for rendering graphics, textures, lighting and all the visual effects that make your favorite titles look smooth and realistic. A more powerful GPU means better frame rates, higher resolutions and the ability to play modern games without lag or stuttering. For schoolwork, the GPU matters too but its importance depends on what you're doing. If your school tasks mostly involve writing papers, browsing the web or using productivity tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Office, you dont need a high-end GPU. But if youre working with graphic design, video editing, 3D modeling or anything else thats visually demanding, a good GPU can speed things up significantly and improve your workflow. Georgie Peru contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss
New year reset: Mental, emotional & social detox guide
Start your New Year with a complete reset. This guide covers simple mental, emotional, and social detox steps to help you refresh, and rebuild balance.
Sudha Murty urges Government to set norms on portrayal of children on social media platforms
Many parents expose their innocent children on social media platforms, she said
Zaggle to acquire fintech startup Rivpe for Rs 22 Cr, plans additional Rs 75 Cr investment
With this move, Rivpe will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Zaggle once the share purchase agreement is executed and the transaction is completed.
