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Majority of Australian kids are still on banned social media platforms, study finds
5 hours ago
by Jackson Chen
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Many countries are pursuing social media bans for anyone under 16, but a recent poll is putting the effectiveness of such laws into question. The Molly Rose Foundation, a charity organization that focuses on preventing online harm, recently published a study that polled 1,050 Australian children between ages 12 and 15 in March. The study's results showed that 61 percent of those between 12 and 15 who previously had access to affected social media platforms still have one or more active accounts.
Australia made a first-in-the-world decision to ban social media for those under 16 years old, beginning on December 10.
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Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly shooting at Sam Altman's house
7 hours ago
by Jackson Chen
Society & Culture, Crime & Justice, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's house may have been the target of a second attack after San Francisco Police Department arrested two suspects for a reported shooting in the Russian Hill neighborhood. The SFPD said in a press release that police officers responded to a "suspicious occurrence of possible shots fired" at around 5:56 AM ET / 2:56 AM PT on Sunday, April 12.
SFPD's Special Investigation Division took over the case and have since detained both 25-year-old Amanda Tom and 23-year-old Muhamad Tarik Hussein, seizing three firearms in the process with the help of a warrant. The two suspects were charged
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Meta is reportedly building an AI clone of Mark Zuckerberg
9 hours ago
by Sarah Fielding
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sarah Fielding
Picture this: You're a senior Meta employee looking for feedback from the CEO. But, instead of hearing from the real Mark Zuckerberg, you get a response from a Zuckerberg AI character. As absurd as that sounds, it could eventually be a reality.
Meta is reportedly working on such an AI character, training it on Zuckerberg's mannerisms, tone and publicly available statements, according to the Financial Times. The character is also learning about the CEO's thoughts on recent company strategy, with the idea that it could offer advice to Meta employees.
The company has reportedly, for some time, been working on creating photorealistic,
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Roblox introduces mandatory age-gated account tiers
9 hours ago
by Jessica Conditt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Roblox is preparing to roll out its biggest change since starting age verification late last year. While that program was initially focused on chat access, today’s news is about age-segregating the games on the massive platform.
Starting in mid-May, users will be pushed into one of three worlds: Roblox Kids, Roblox Select or Roblox. The exact age ranges of these groups will vary by territory, but in the US they are 5-8 for Kids, 9-15 for Select and 16+ for the regular account. These three account types then align with the platform’s current content maturity labels, which divide games into Minimal,
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Apple reportedly testing out four different styles for its smart glasses that will rival Meta Ray-Bans
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Apple may be late to the smart glasses market, but it could be covering all its bases with up to four potential styles for its upcoming product. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could launch some or all of the four styles it's currently testing for its smart glasses.
Gurman reported Apple is testing out a large rectangular frame that's comparable to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular design like the glasses that Apple CEO Tim Cook wears, a larger oval or circular frame and a smaller oval or circle option. Apple is also working on a range of colors, including black,
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The US government wants Reddit to snitch on one of its users through a grand jury
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a certain Redditor in its crosshairs and it's now strong-arming the social media platform to reveal who they are with a grand jury subpoena, according to a report from The Intercept. The nonprofit news outlet was able to obtain the subpoena that ordered Reddit to provide info on one of its users who's been accused of criticizing ICE by April 14.
According to the report, ICE has been trying to identify this Redditor for a month without success. More specifically, Reddit is being asked to give up the user's name, address, phone number and other personal
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OpenAI says Elon Musk is orchestrating a last-minute 'legal ambush' before trial
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Business, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
The feud between Elon Musk and OpenAI is getting even more contentious as the two sides get ready for trial later this month. The latest development in the legal back-and-forth saw OpenAI accuse Elon Musk and his latest proposals as a "legal ambush," as first reported by Bloomberg. OpenAI filed its response on Friday, which detailed that Musk was "sandbagging the defendants and injecting chaos into the proceedings, while trying to recast his public narrative about his lawsuit."
The lawsuit dates back to 2024 when Elon Musk sued both OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the AI giant of ditching its original mission
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Rockstar Games has confirmed it was hit by third-party data breach
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
An experienced hacking group has claimed to have infiltrated Rockstar Games' cloud servers, while the game publisher has confirmed that there was a "third-party data breach." ShinyHunters, a hacker group that's been linked to data breaches targeting Microsoft, Google, Ticketmaster and others, posted a message on its website with a final warning to Rockstar to "pay or leak." The hack was first spotted by Hackread and the Cybersec Guru.
ShinyHunters didn't detail what Rockstar data it gained access to, only adding that the company had until April 14 to reach out or that the group would leak the compromised info that
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The first European country to get Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Supervised will be the Netherlands
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is ready to make its European debut, and it's starting with the Netherlands. According to Tesla Europe, the automaker's driver assistance system was approved in the Netherlands and will start rolling out shortly. RDW, the country's regulatory authority on vehicles, confirmed the news with a post on its website about Tesla receiving a type approval for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system.
According to the RDW, Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) "has been extensively examined and tested for more than one and a half years on our test track and on public roads," and concluded that it was a
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IBM settles its DEI lawsuit with the DOJ for $17 million
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
IBM has agreed to settle the US Department of Justice's accusations that the company violated civil rights laws with its DEI practices. According to a press release from the DOJ, IBM will pay more than $17 million to resolve allegations of taking "race, color, national origin, or sex" into account when making employment decisions. This settlement is the latest development in a longstanding effort from the Trump administration to end DEI programs, which was kick-started from an executive order in early 2025.
IBM denied any wrongdoing and said the settlement wasn't an admission of liability, while the US government said this
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Engadget review recap: ASUS ZenBook A16, AirPods Max 2, Sonos Play and LG Sound Suite
2 days ago
by Billy Steele
Speakers & Headphones, Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Spring has certainly sprung here at Engadget. Well, it has in terms of reviews, at least. We’ve put over a dozen devices through their paces since my last roundup, which gives you a lot to catch up on over the weekend. Read on for the rundown of all the reviews you might’ve missed.
ASUS ZENBOOK A16
ASUS’ ZenBook A14 didn’t live up to our expectations last year, but now the company is back with a 16-inch machine and a shot at redemption: the A16. “Compatibility issues aside, the ZenBook A16 delivers just about everything I want in an ultraportable,” senior reporter Devindra
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X's messaging app, XChat, may be available soon
2 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Software, Mobile Apps, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
XChat is now on the App Store, where its listing says that it’s expected to be available for download on April 17. This isn’t the same IRC app from the early aughts, which you may remember if you’re of a certain age. This is a messaging app specifically for X users. X chief Elon Musk first talked about rolling out a new version of his social network’s direct messaging feature in mid-2025. In a series of posts back then, he said the new version would be encrypted and would feature a “whole new architecture.” He also said all X users
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Marauding minotaurs, more CloverPit and other new indie games worth checking out
2 days ago
by Kris Holt
Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. As always, we're here to tell you about a bunch of new games you can play this weekend, as well as several upcoming titles.
The latest edition of the Triple-i Initiative showcase was packed with cool stuff, including a first peek at the fascinating next game from 1000xResist developer Sunset Visitor, word of a Don't Starve follow-up, a release date for stealth title Thick as Thieves and an announcement of when pirate survival sim Windrose will hit early access.
We also got a release window for Neverway, a
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The Artemis II astronauts are back after a 10-day journey around the moon
3 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Science, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
The Orion capsule carrying the Artemis II astronauts has successfully splashed down off the coast of San Diego at 8:07PM Eastern time on April 10. It signals the conclusion of Artemis II’s 10-day journey around the moon, which is meant to be a test flight for a future mission that would bring humanity back to the lunar surface. The Orion crew module carrying the mission’s astronauts separated from the service module at 7:33 PM. While the service module was designed to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, the crew capsule was built to bring the astronauts back home safely.
By 7:53
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Epic is reportedly building an extraction shooter for Disney
3 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Besides a wealth of Fortnite skins based on Disney IP, it hasn't really been clear what the entertainment company has gotten in return for its $1.5 billion investment in Epic from 2024. That could change this November, Bloomberg reports, when Epic releases a Disney-themed extraction shooter. The game is one of three Disney projects the publisher is currently working on, and is reportedly expected to be Epic's comeback after the company laid off 1,000 employees in March due to a "downturn in Fortnite engagement."
The game is reportedly similar to Arc Raiders, a multiplayer shooter where players fight for resources before
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The FAA is encouraging gamers to get jobs in air traffic control
3 days ago
by Jessica Conditt
Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Sick! The Federal Aviation Administration is targeting gamers in its most recent job advertisement for air traffic controllers. The administration's annual hiring window opens at 12AM ET on April 17, and considering the ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers, it's calling this a period of "supercharged hiring." Rad! The FAA's YouTube video draws parallels between gaming and directing air traffic, and notes that the average salary for the role after three years is $155,000. Hella!
The FAA is clearly seeking players who are at least old enough to remember the Xbox One and Bjergsen in the LCS, which puts would-be candidates
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A man allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's house
3 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Society & Culture, Crime & Justice, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
A 20-year-old man was arrested by the San Francisco Police Department after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's house, The New York Times reports.
In a statement shared on X, SFPD wrote that it responded to a request for a fire investigation in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco around 7:12 AM ET / 4:12AM PT. "At the scene, officers learned that an unknown male subject threw an incendiary destructive device at a home, causing a fire at an exterior gate." After the man fled on foot, police found and arrested him around an hour later
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Estonia is the rare EU country opposing child social media bans
3 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
As child social media bans spread across Europe and beyond, Estonia isn't having it. On Friday, the country's education minister said the bans won't "actually solve problems," while warning that the kids will find a way regardless.
Although companies like Meta would love for you to believe it’s a fairy tale, social media addiction is associated with tangible negative repercussions for children. Studies show that its harms range from depression and anxiety to sleep deprivation and obesity. (The latter is from all the targeted junk food advertising.) On the other hand, teens can find community and support from social media.
A growing
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Garmin may be working on a Whoop competitor
3 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Whoop, the makers of a screen-free fitness tracker of the same name, could soon have some competition. Fitbit teased its take on a Whoop-style band with the help of Steph Curry at the end of March, and based on a trademark filing spotted by Gadgets & Wearables, Garmin appears to be working on its own band that tracks similar health metrics.
This new Garmin wearable, called "CIRQA" in the trademark filing submitted in February, is designed to measure "the body's physical parameters and other physiological data, bio-signals, and bodily behavior." That could broadly describe the smartwatches and fitness trackers Garmin already
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Amazon Luna ends support for third-party subscriptions and game purchases
3 days ago
by Kris Holt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Amazon is ending support for third-party integrations on its Luna cloud gaming service. The most immediate changes mean that it's no longer possible to buy Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games subscriptions or standalone games through Luna.
Amazon will automatically any cancel active subscriptions bought through Luna at the end of customers' next billing cycle. If you have a Ubisoft+ subscription that you bought directly from Ubisoft instead, you’ll still be able to access games on that service through Luna until June 10.
The Bring Your Own Library option — which allows users to play games they own on the likes of EA, GOG
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French government says au revoir Windows, bienvenue Linux
3 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
America's Big Tech companies may soon learn that saddling up with Donald Trump doesn't tend to work out in the end. As the president sows chaos and distrust around the globe while taking aim at EU tech regulations, Europe is looking for ways to adopt its own alternatives. The latest example is France, which said it's dropping Microsoft Windows in favor of Linux.
On Wednesday, France said (via TechCrunch) it plans to move its workstations from Windows to the open-source Linux. It's part of a broader movement across Europe toward digital sovereignty, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign tech — especially
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Google adds E2E encryption to Gmail for iOS and Android enterprise users
3 days ago
by Matt Tate
Software, Mobile Apps, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
Google has announced that end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for Gmail on Android and iOS is now rolling out for its enterprise users. Emails that require E2EE in Workspace can be composed and read within the Gmail app, so eligible users won’t need additional apps or portals.
The new feature expands Google’s client-side encryption (CSE) offering, a little more than a year after E2EE was introduced to Gmail on the web. According to a Google blog post, any encrypted message sent to a recipient who uses the Gmail app will appear in their inbox as any email thread would. If they don’t have
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Google has reportedly started to add Polymarket data to News results
3 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Google News has begun showing Polymarket bets and odds alongside actual stories, according to a report by Futurism. These look to appear as large blocks that include links to numerous ways for people to lose their money.
Bets tend to appear in the "For you" section of Google News, which is supposed to be tailored to a person's particular interests. Futurism notes that the platform actually placed a Polymarket bet as the top news result when inquiring about the price of Bitcoin.
The publication saw links to the prediction market all over Google News, including in searches. It popped up in queries
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How to watch the Artemis II landing
3 days ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
After its history-making trip around the Moon, NASA's Artemis II mission is set to return to Earth later today. The Orion spacecraft carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07PM ET. NASA will stream the landing on YouTube and its NASA+ website, as will Netflix and HBO Max. The official broadcast will begin at 6:30PM ET.
After leaving Earth on NASA's super heavy-lift SLS rocket and spending nine days in space, the most dangerous part of the Artemis II mission still lies ahead. It
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Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 review: A basic TV sound booster
3 days ago
by Billy Steele
Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Not everyone needs a $1,000 soundbar. It’s easy to argue the sonic superiority of those flagship models from Samsung, Sonos and Sony, but for some people a simple boost to their TV speakers can provide a world of difference. As part of its 2026 soundbar lineup, Sony debuted the Bravia Theater Bar 5: a $350 entry-level model that covers the basics and comes with a wireless subwoofer in the box. The real question here is how many features are you willing to live without.
THE GOOD: SOUND QUALITY, BASS PERFORMANCE AND SETUP
The Theater Bar 5 is the most compact soundbar among
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YouTube Premium’s US pricing is going up
3 days ago
by Matt Tate
Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
Another day, another subscription price hike, this time for YouTube Premium. Every plan for YouTube’s ad-free tier is going up, and depending on which one you have, you could be paying as much as $4 per month more.
As reported by 9to5Google, YouTube has started emailing subscribers about the price changes, rather than announcing them publicly, and some Reddit users have posted screenshots of the emails they’ve received. The emails say that the increases will kick in during the June 2026 billing period. Individual plans are now $16 per month, up from $14, so a $2 hike. If you’re on a
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Microsoft starts removing unnecessary Copilot buttons in Windows 11
3 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Software, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Microsoft has rolled out a Notepad update for Windows Insiders that removes the Copilot branding and icon from within the app, Windows Central has reported. The old Copilot menu has been replaced with “writing tools,” but it’s worth noting that the tools are still powered by AI and are pretty much identical to the selection found in the old menu. Microsoft has just replaced the Copilot button with a pen icon. In addition, the company has removed mentions of AI in the Settings menu and has placed the option to disable the AI-powered writing tools within the “Advanced features” section.
The
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The Morning After: Amazon pledges its satellite internet starts this year
3 days ago
by Daniel Cooper
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Daniel Cooper
Amazon’s satellite-based internet service, Leo, will enter service by mid-2026, so says company CEO Andy Jassy. Writing in his annual letter, Jassy claimed Leo would offer download speeds of up to 1Gbps, far more than what Starlink presently offers. Sadly, Amazon declined to offer any more details about what that mid-2026 service would look like. But given select partners have already been kicking Leo’s tyres for a while, we can only hope.
The mega-retailer is making some grand promises, including faster up and download speeds, cheaper cost and direct integration with Amazon’s other products. Of course, the company can also sell
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Google removes Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store
4 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Google has removed popular psychological horror game Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store. According to Dan Salvato, who led its development team, and publisher Serenity Forge, Google told them the visual novel was removed because it violated its Terms of Service in its depiction of sensitive themes. The game is “widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world,” they said in their announcement. Its free version, which came out first, has been downloaded at least 30 million times, while the paid “Plus” version has had at least one
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OpenAI has a new $100 ChatGPT Pro plan to better match up with Claude
4 days ago
by Steve Dent
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
OpenAI has closed a yawning gap in its ChatGPT subscription pricing with a new $100 per month Pro plan that slots between the $20 per month Plus plan and $200 per month Pro plan. Offering five times more Codex than the $20 option, it appears designed to challenge Anthropic's $100 per month Claude option. "Compared with Claude Code, Codex delivers more coding capacity per dollar across paid tiers," an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch.
So what's the difference between OpenAI's two Pro plans? The $200 version does offer four times the Codex. However, you get the same advanced tools and models with
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Apple is closing three US stores, including the first to unionize
4 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Business, Society & Culture, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Apple is closing three of its retail stores this summer, including its first location to unionize. The tech company said it plans to permanently close Apple Store in Trumbull, CT, Escondito, CA, and Towson, MD. The Apple Store location in Towson, was the first where unionized workers and Apple reached a contract agreement back in 2024.
MacRumors published a statement from Apple confirming the closures. The company credited noting "the departure of several retailers and declining conditions" at the shopping centers where this trio of stores are housed as the reason for ending operations. "Our team members at Trumbull and North
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The Metal Gear Solid movie is back on, with Final Destination: Bloodlines directors in charge
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Movies, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
A film adaptation of Metal Gear Solid is in the works again, this time from filmmakers Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the directors of Final Destination: Bloodlines, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The duo are reviving the project at Columbia Pictures as part of a new first-look deal with Sony, the latest attempt in what's been multiple decades of work to turn the blockbuster stealth game into a blockbuster film.
"Metal Gear Solid was nothing short of a groundbreaking cinematic masterpiece that forever revolutionized video games," Lipovsky and Stein said in a statement. "We are thrilled and honored to bring
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A maverick hacker got Mac OS X running on a Wii
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
You may already know that emulators can run Wii games on a Mac. But one developer has flipped the script. Bryan Keller now has an ancient version of the Mac's operating system running on Nintendo's 2006 game console (via Kottke). Why? Because they said it couldn't be done.
The developer first had the idea in 2013 while a sophomore in college. However, they found renewed motivation five years ago when Redditor u/CussdomTidder posted, "There is a zero percent chance of this ever happening."
Developer Bryan Keller took it personally.
YouTube / ESPN / Netflix
Keller used that as fuel to begin plugging away, "feeling
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Instagram comments can now be edited (within 15 minutes)
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Meta is giving users the ability to edit Instagram comments they leave on posts, though only within a 15 minute window after they're posted. The setup is similar to how the social app handles editing messages, an option it first added in 2024, 11 years after direct messaging was introduced to Instagram in 2013.
You're only able to edit comments you left with your own account, and the process of actually doing so is easy. Just tap on the word "Edit" under your comment to pull up a text box where you can tweak, rework or embellish what you've written, and
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Jazzy stealth-action game Thick as Thieves hits PC on May 20
4 days ago
by Jessica Conditt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Thick as Thieves, the magical heist game from a crew of stealth legends at OtherSide Entertainment, is coming to Steam on May 20. OtherSide and publisher Megabit Entertainment announced the release date in a new gameplay trailer during today's Triple-i Initiative showcase (which was packed with cool indie games, as always).
OtherSide was founded by Thief and System Shock 2 veteran Paul Neurath in 2013, and Deus Ex creator Warren Spector joined in 2016. These are two of the developers who shaped the stealth genre as we know it, so Thick as Thieves has a solid foundation. The new trailer showcases
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Netflix adds three Jackbox games to its TV app
4 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Media, Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Netflix has added a heavy hitter in party activities to its gaming lineup. The streamer announced that Jackbox Party Essentials is joining the Netflix Party Games collection. This move makes three of the popular Jackbox group games available for free to Netflix subscribers: Fibbage 4, Quiplash 3 and Drawful 2. Each one supports up to eight players.
Netflix has been refocusing its interactive strategy to highlight family-friendly and party games. The company has even offered tie-ins to its original content; for instance, playing Overcooked through Netflix will let you use a member of Huntr/x from Kpop Demon Hunters as your in-game
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Another Don't Starve game is on the way
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Developer Klei Entertainment has announced a follow-up to Don't Starve that adds a new sense of depth to the popular survival game. And that's in a literal sense: Don't Starve Elsewhere translates the game's resource gathering and sanity management to a world with three-dimensional terrain at different elevations, a first for the traditionally flat series.
Don't Starve Elsewhere doesn't quite seem like the Super Mario 64 to Don't Starve's Super Mario Bros. but based on the trailer, having actual mountains, cliffs and plateaus does offer plenty of new opportunities to have your world rocked by an unfriendly goat. The game also
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Mountain climbing sim Cairn is getting free DLC this summer
4 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
The hit mountain climbing simulation Cairn is getting a series of free DLC drops, under the banner On the Trail. The first will be released this summer and it's called Deep Water.
The DLC introduces three new climbing areas and plenty of "fresh challenges." There's also a new avatar, as players can now climb as Aava or the game's original sidekick Marco.
As the name suggests, there's some new water-based mechanics here. It looks like players will be able to fall into the water without automatically dying, though the developer hasn't shown how that works exactly. In the original game, a fall
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Co-op pirate survival game Windrose hits PC in early access on April 14
4 days ago
by Kris Holt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Windrose was a hit in a recent Steam Next Fest event, with more than 850,000 people checking out the demo. More than 1.5 million people have wishlisted the pirate survival-adventure title on Steam as well. So, it’s safe to say this game has some wind in its sails, and it’ll be arriving very soon. During Thursday’s Triple-i Initiative showcase, developer Windrose Crew revealed that it’s charted a course for an early access release on Steam, the Epic Games Store and Stove on April 14 for $30.
In Windrose, you can sail the high seas solo or explore the open world with
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Tesla may be working on a smaller and cheaper electric SUV
4 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Tesla may be shifting strategy once again. Reuters reported that the company is working on a smaller and less expensive electric SUV. This would be a brand new vehicle rather than a variant of the existing Model 3 or Model Y, according to the publication's sources. The new EV would allegedly be about 14 feet long, shorter than the 15.7-foot Model Y. Reuters didn't have details about whether this would be an autonomous vehicle or a traditional one, but one source reportedly said that Tesla is generally looking to offer a driverless option in its vehicle lineup.
The company had previously
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Razer just released some new gaming earbuds with low latency and fast switching between devices
4 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Handheld & Connected Devices, Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, Electronics Accessories, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Razer just released the Hammerhead V3 HyperSpeed gaming earbuds, another entry in the recently-crowded field of gaming earbuds. These have been designed for low latency, which is a necessity when playing video games.
To that end, the earbuds integrate with Razer's proprietary HyperSpeed 2.4GHz streaming platform, which allows for "gaming-grade lag-free" audio. This works with plenty of devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, the Steam Deck, the PS5 and more. The earbuds can also connect via Bluetooth for devices that don't support Wi-Fi-based streaming audio.
The charging case includes a dongle that plugs into devices via USB-C, which doubles as a wireless transmitter.
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Indie game Neverway will launch this October, just in time for spooky season
4 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Indie game studio Coldblood announced today that its debut project Neverway has been given a release window of October 2026. Billed as "nightmarish life-sim RPG," this is going right to the top of my spooky season game queue. It has a cozy-sounding premise, with protagonist Fiona starting a new life on an island, but things take a surreal turn when she becomes the immortal herald for a dead god. She'll be building relationships and making friends one minute and coping with psychological horrors the next.
This game has been on our radar since it was introduced at last year's Triple-I Initiative
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1000xResist devs reveal their wild-looking second game about convincing an AI it's not human
4 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Developer Sunset Visitor just revealed its follow-up to the fantastic 1000xResist. It's called Prove You're Human and looks to wade in similar sci-fi waters as the team's first title.
Just like 10000xResist, the new game is a narrative adventure set in the far future. Prove You're Human tasks players with convincing an AI product that its not alive, but there's a rub. The protagonist is a digital clone of a person, so they aren't human either. This will no-doubt lead to all manner of ethical conundrums.
"An AI dares to dream she is human," a tagline reads. "You've been hired to put
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Amazon's satellite internet service is scheduled for mid-2026 availability
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) will launch mid-2026, according to Andy Jassy. On Wednesday, the Amazon CEO dropped the news in his annual letter to shareholders. The company says Leo will support download speeds up to 1 Gbps. By comparison, Starlink’s download speeds typically range between 45 and 280 Mbps.
Jassy didn't specify whether the mid-2026 launch date will include consumer availability. (An Amazon spokesperson told Engadget that the company doesn’t have more detail to add right now.) We do know that "select enterprise customers" began testing the high-speed satellite service late last year. Delta and JetBlue have already signed on
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Rhythm Heaven Groove comes to Switch on July 2
4 days ago
by Matt Tate
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
A large chunk of Nintendo’s 2026 plans remain a mystery (that is, unless you take the insiders and leakers at their word), but we have been waiting on release dates for a couple of previously announced first-party titles, including Rhythm Heaven Groove, which officially arrives July 2.
Seemingly announced first on the Nintendo Today! app before making its way to the company’s various social channels, the first new entry in the Rhythm Heaven series in more than a decade is technically launching on the original Switch, but should also be fully playable on Switch 2. Currently the game’s Switch 2 compatibility