Author Archives: Anna Washenko

Amazon is making a Fallout Shelter competition reality TV show

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The second season of Amazon's excellent Fallout show is currently airing, but the company is already looking to expand its programming around the popular franchise. Prime Video has greenlit a unscripted reality show titled Fallout Shelter. It will be a ten-episode run with Studio Lambert, the team behind reality projects including Squid Game: The Challenge and The Traitors, as its primary producer. Bethesda Game Studios’ head honcho Todd Howard is attached as an executive producer.

Amazon's description of Fallout Shelter is: "Across a series of escalating challenges, strategic dilemmas and moral crossroads, contestants must prove their ingenuity, teamwork and resilience as they compete for safety, power and ultimately a huge cash prize."

It seems fitting that the producer is the same as Squid Game: The Challenge, where a show critiquing capitalism is turned into a competition about winning money. A reality show sounds like the sort of thing you'd find in a Fallout game side quest accompanied by pointed commentary about greed rather than an activity people of the Wasteland would take seriously. Maybe the new series will be an interesting mix of survival skills and dark humor that feels true to the Fallout ethos. But, and I say this as a big viewer of reality shows, I’m not holding my breath.

The name echos the free-to-play mobile game Bethesda released in 2015. Fallout Shelter lets people build and improve their out Vault-Tec residence, managing the resources for a growing cadre of underground survivors. It seems pretty likely that there will be some type of tie-in between the game and the show, but any details about that might pop up closer to when the program is ready to air. It's currently casting, and no release timeline has been shared.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/amazon-is-making-a-fallout-shelter-competition-reality-tv-show-190151855.html?src=rss

Netflix will air new video podcasts from Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin this month

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Netflix is continuing to double down on podcasts, with the streaming service's announcement that it has hired talent to host two original shows for its platform. The first show stars NFL Hall of Famer-turned-analyst Michael Irvin and the second is a talk show for former Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson.

The White House with Michael Irvin premieres January 19. The abode in the title refers to a building near the Dallas Cowboys facilities rather than the seat of US presidential power, but the overlap was intentional. "In a crowded media landscape, recognition matters — and few names carry the same immediate weight," Irvin said. The podcast will have new episodes twice weekly with a rotating panel of co-hosts and guests covering sports news, commentary and analysis. 

The other project is titled The Pete Davidson Show, and the comedian will host weekly discussions with special guests. Episodes will primarily be filmed in Davidson's garage. The Netflix exclusive premieres its first episode on January 30 at 12:01AM PT.

These programs will join a lineup of other video podcasts from iHeartRadio's library after the media company inked a deal with Netflix in December 2025. Netflix also landed access to begin streaming some Spotify programming this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-will-air-new-video-podcasts-from-pete-davidson-and-michael-irvin-this-month-224353011.html?src=rss

Ryan Hurst cast as Kratos for live-action God of War show

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Amazon's upcoming God of War live-action TV adaptation has cast Ryan Hurst as its Kratos. Sony announced the casting today on X with a brief post and an image of both Hurst and Kratos in full scowl mode. Hurst is already sporting a very Kratos-style beard, so he's already got the right vibe going for him. He has past credits on familiar shows such as Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. The upcoming Amazon series also isn't his first rodeo acting in this universe; Hurst voiced Thor in the video game God of War Ragnarok. But the most important question with this casting news is whether Hurst will even try to match Christopher Judge's spectacular delivery of that single, essential word: "Boy." Because is it even God of War without that signature line?

Loads of video games have been getting the TV treatment in the past few years, and several of the translations have been pretty dang excellent. That trend may be boosted by the increasingly cinematic nature of AAA gaming, but getting the right team behind and in front of the camera can also improve how successful the adaptation is. The involvement of Todd Howard in the Fallout show and Neil Druckmann in The Last of Us surely helped those shows stay true to the heart of their souce material. Sony first revealed that God of War was getting a television series back in 2022, although the showrunner and several executive producers departed the project in 2024 as the project took "a different creative direction." The famed Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, For All Mankind) took over as showrunner later in 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/ryan-hurst-cast-as-kratos-for-live-action-god-of-war-show-211655396.html?src=rss

Taiwan issues arrest warrant for Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus

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Taiwanese officials have issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on allegations of illegally employing workers in Taiwan. Two Taiwanese citizens who worked for Lau have also been indicted. The China-based smartphone company has been accused of illegally recruiting more than 70 engineers from Taiwan. 

Members of the Shilin District Prosecutors Office claim that OnePlus reportedly set up a shell company in Hong Kong with a distinct name, then launched a branch in Taiwan in 2015 without government approval. The branch reportedly worked on research and development for OnePlus mobile phones. Taiwanese officials claim these actions by OnePlus violated the Cross-Strait Act, which is designed as a guide for relations between Taiwan and mainland China. One of the act’s provisions requires Chinese companies to obtain permission from the Taiwanese government to hire workers from Taiwan.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/taiwan-issues-arrest-warrant-for-pete-lau-ceo-of-oneplus-185400997.html?src=rss

Framework increases Desktop prices by up to $460 due to RAM crisis

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Computer brand Framework has hiked the prices on RAM for its Desktop systems and Mainframes in response to rising costs with its suppliers. Compared with when the Desktops were announced, the 32GB and 64GB options each cost $40 more, but its 128GB variation now costs an extra $460. The current pricing for machines is $1,139 for 32GB, $1,639 for 64GB or $2,459 for 128GB. 

Since the company began altering its pricing structure last month, it committed to remaining transparent with customers about the changes happening to RAM prices. Framework also said it would reduce prices again once the market calms down. The original prices will be honored for any existing pre-orders. 

One of the big takeaways from CES 2026 was that RAM is going to be an expensive commodity this year. The rising costs are largely in response to artificial intelligence projects, such as the rush to build data centers. As a result, buyers who take the modular approach may want to upgrade less costly components for better specs without making the increasingly hefty investment in memory.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/framework-increases-desktop-prices-by-up-to-460-due-to-ram-crisis-234827145.html?src=rss

This UGreen 3-in-1 wireless charger is 32 percent off right now

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You can easily spruce up your nightstand or desk by decluttering a bit, replacing some of those annoying charging cables with a good wireless charging setup. One of our favorites that can handle three devices at once is the UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 3-in-1 Charger Station 25W. Normally $140, it's on sale right now for $95; that's 32 percent off and only about $5 more than its record-low price.

This is our top pick for a 3-in-1 charging pad thanks to its versatility. The UGREEN can work equally well as a permanent fixture in your home or act as a portable charging station. It boasts a foldable design and has smart little design details to keep it feeling like a premium product.

The Qi2 25W charging works across a range of iPhone models and accessories, such as AirPods. There's also a dedicated part of the pad's design for an Apple Watch, which uses a proprietary charging standard, to power up too. Just note that you'll need a newer model of phone and the latest iOS 26 in order to take full advantage of the 25W charging capability. The wireless pad also comes with both a charging plug and a cable. We felt this UGREEN model was a great value at $140, so being able to snag one for a third of the usual price is an even better deal.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-ugreen-3-in-1-wireless-charger-is-32-percent-off-right-now-214707378.html?src=rss

Lego’s first Pokémon sets are now available for pre-order

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We learned last March that Lego and Pokémon would be joining forces and the first results of their partnership are here. Pre-orders for all three kits are open now, with an expected ship date of February 27. As one might have guessed from the lightning bolts on the previous promotional image, one of the debut pocket monsters getting the brick treatment is Pikachu, complete with a Poké Ball. The 2,050-piece kit can be built to show Pikachu either leaping out of the open Poké Ball into battle or at rest staring up at the builder, closed Poké Ball between his paws. The Pikachu kit costs $200.

There's also a 587-piece model of Eevee, which goes for $60. On the bigger side is a set featuring a trio of Pokémon: Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise. This kit has 6,838 pieces and can show the group together in battle formation or separately in their own mini environments. It retails for $650.

Lego kit of Pokemon character Eevee
Lego

Before you leap to pre-order pages, however, here's a word of caution. In Lego form, our little friends look…kinda strange? I'm not the biggest Lego builder, but I am a rather accomplished architect in Minecraft, so I am well aware of the innate challenge in constructing a rounded shape from square blocks. Take Pikachu, for instance. Part of his appeal is his chubby little cheeks. There are bricks with more rounded sides in this collection that hint at his usual rotundness, but the proportions of his face just feel a little off to me. I had the same reaction to the other figures as well, although Eevee seems to have fared a little better than the others. They're all sort of cute, but not nearly so cute as they are in other formats. But like I said, Lego is not my personal block of choice, so perhaps I'm in the minority here! If you love these bricky pocket monsters, then roll on over to Lego's website and snap up these kits faster than a Mewtwo.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/legos-first-pokemon-sets-are-now-available-for-pre-order-205527102.html?src=rss

YouTube will let you exclude Shorts from search results

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YouTube introduced some new filters to its advanced search tools today. Possibly the most exciting change is that Shorts are now listed as a content type, so the three-minute-or-less videos can be excluded as results in your searches.

This is a welcome update for any of us who have been on the hunt for a long-form explainer only to wade through dozens of ten-second clips before finding anything close to our goal. Especially with the addition of even more AI slop last year thanks to the Google Veo 3 engine, an option to exclude Shorts may look even more appealing.

The other updates include a pair of renamed features within advanced search. The "Sort By" menu will now be called "Prioritize." Likewise, the "View Count" option has been renamed to "Popularity;" this will allow YouTube's algorithms to account for other metrics such as watch time to gauge how much other users are engaging with a particular video. A pair of former filter options have also been removed; there will no longer be choices to search for "Upload Date - Last Hour" and "Sort by Rating."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-will-let-you-exclude-shorts-from-search-results-204500097.html?src=rss

JPMorgan Chase is taking over the Apple Card

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Apple announced today JPMorgan Chase will be the new issuer for the Apple Card. The official news arrived shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that the two businesses had reached a deal regarding Apple's credit card service. According to the tech company, the transition to the new provider should take about two years to complete, but customers can continue to use their Apple Cards as usual during the interim. Apple has already published an FAQ about the change, but the main takeaway is that the status quo is currently continuing and customers will receive information at a later date if any action is required. Mastercard will remain the Apple Card payment network under the new partnership.

Goldman Sachs was Apple's collaborator when it launched the Apple Card in 2019. We've seen signs for a few years, though, that Goldman Sachs had been looking for a way out of its arrangement. Apple didn't disclose many details around either the current or future deals for its credit card, however the WSJ report claims the negotiations with JPMorgan Chase have been underway for more than a year. Sources told the publication that Goldman Sachs is offloading about $20 billion in outstanding customer balances at a discount of more than $1 billion.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/jpmorgan-chase-is-taking-over-the-apple-card-232711979.html?src=rss

JPMorgan Chase is taking over the Apple Card

Posted on by

Apple announced today JPMorgan Chase will be the new issuer for the Apple Card. The official news arrived shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that the two businesses had reached a deal regarding Apple's credit card service. According to the tech company, the transition to the new provider should take about two years to complete, but customers can continue to use their Apple Cards as usual during the interim. Apple has already published an FAQ about the change, but the main takeaway is that the status quo is currently continuing and customers will receive information at a later date if any action is required. Mastercard will remain the Apple Card payment network under the new partnership.

Goldman Sachs was Apple's collaborator when it launched the Apple Card in 2019. We've seen signs for a few years, though, that Goldman Sachs had been looking for a way out of its arrangement. Apple didn't disclose many details around either the current or future deals for its credit card, however the WSJ report claims the negotiations with JPMorgan Chase have been underway for more than a year. Sources told the publication that Goldman Sachs is offloading about $20 billion in outstanding customer balances at a discount of more than $1 billion.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/jpmorgan-chase-is-taking-over-the-apple-card-232711979.html?src=rss