Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

No Man’s Sky just got a creepy Lovecraftian update in time for Halloween

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There is no greater advertisement for the virtues of patience than No Man’s Sky. The game was an underwhelming fart when it first released back in 2016. Now it’s one of the best titles around, thanks to continuing support by developer Hello Games. The company just dropped a surprise Halloween-themed update and it’s pretty darned cool.

The latest release is called The Cursed and it’s filled to the brim with creepy stuff to experience. There’s a whole new “twilight universe” where “players will fight to keep a grip on reality while haunted by visions and voices from another dimension.” Time can shift unexpectedly and players could encounter “spectral anomalies.” There’s also no FTL in this twisted realm, forcing players to strategically use the ancient portal network.

This kind of reality-bending nonsense seems plucked straight out of the Gamecube classic Eternal Darkness or, more recently, the horror fishing sim Dredge. I’m very much here for it.

To navigate this cursed space, there’s a new ship to pilot. The Boundary Herald Starship is a legitimate flying saucer, made from a “Giger-esque coil of tubes, pipeworks and engines.” It’s a real beauty and the developer’s first attempt at designing a retro-style spaceship. The update also includes bioluminescent pets and a new exosuit.

A flying saucer.
Hello Games

This is a limited-time event, as players will only have around three weeks to explore this twilight universe. However, the glow-in-the-dark pets, updated exosuit and, thankfully, the flying saucer are here to stay.

This is just the latest gameplay update for No Man’s Sky. So far, there have been over 35 major named updates and many more medium-sized patches and the like. In recent months, the developers added the ability to fish and integrated new weather systems.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-just-got-a-creepy-lovecraftian-update-in-time-for-halloween-130020444.html?src=rss

Google Messages adds enhanced scam detection tools

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Google just announced a spate of safety features coming to Messages. There’s enhanced scam detection centered around texts that could lead to fraud. The company says the update provides “improved analysis of scammy texts.” For now, this tool will prioritize scams involving package deliveries and job offers.

When Google Messages suspects a scam, it’ll move the message to the spam folder or issue a warning. The app uses on-device machine learning models to detect these scams, meaning that conversations will remain private. This enhancement is rolling out now to beta users who have spam protection enabled.

Google’s also set to broadly roll out intelligent warnings, a feature that’s been in the pilot stage for a while. This tool warns users when they get a link from an unknown sender and automatically “blocks messages with links from suspicious senders.” The updated safety tools also include new sensitive content warnings that automatically blurs images that may contain nudity. This is an opt-in feature and also keeps everything on the device. It’ll show up in the next few months.

Finally, there’s a forthcoming tool that’ll let people turn off messages from unknown international senders, thus cutting the scam spigot off at the source. This will automatically hide messages from international senders who aren’t already in the contacts list. This feature is entering a pilot program in Singapore later this year before expanding to more countries.

In addition to the above tools, Google says it’s currently working on a contact verifying feature for Android. This should help put the kibosh on scammers trying to impersonate one of your contacts. The company has stated that this feature will be available sometime next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/google-messages-adds-enhanced-scam-detection-tools-190009890.html?src=rss

Meta and GoFundMe team up to streamline social media donations

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Meta and GoFundMe have partnered up to simplify the process by which folks use social media to donate to charitable causes. GoFundMe links will still be shared via social media, but now they’ll boast a suite of improvements. This integration impacts both Instagram and Facebook.

The companies say the new GoFundMe links create an “interactive experience for potential donors.” To that end, there’s a big and bold new donate button that jettisons users to the official GoFundMe page to complete the transaction. The social media posts are also now dynamic, meaning they change in real time as the amount of money raised and the number of donors fluctuates.

The integration in action.
GoFundMe

There’s also new “seamless” integration with Instagram Stories, which is handy. GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan said in a press release that this move was intended to “give organizations the tools to inspire a new generation of supporters to make a difference for the causes they care about.”

These new features will soon be available in the US, Australia, Ireland, Canada and the UK. Beyond GoFundMe integration, social media sites have always experimented with different ways to streamline charitable giving. Instagram gave users the ability to create group fundraisers back in 2021 and added donation stickers before that.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-and-gofundme-team-up-to-streamline-social-media-donations-163042446.html?src=rss

One of our favorite budget robot vacuums is 33 percent off right now

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The Roborock Q5 DuoRoller+ robot vacuum is on sale via Amazon for just $300. That’s 33 percent off and a record low, as the regular price is $450. This is a limited time deal, for those who tend to mull things over for significant periods of time. No judgment. I do that too.

In any event, this model actually made our list of the best budget robot vacuums. We loved the suction power, the precision LiDAR mapping and the robust app and voice controls. The DuoRoller+ is actually an updated version of the original Q5 with a bevy of upgrades. The suction power has gone up to 5500 Pa, the dustbin grew to 770ml and there’s a self-emptying base.

This model also comes with dual brushes, thus the name, which helps deal with ornery pet hair and the like. It’s worth noting that Roborock’s app has come a long way in recent years, if you had trouble navigating the UI back in the day. It’s still not the most polished app, but it gets the job done.

The battery allows for 240 minutes of continuous use on a single charge. This translates to around 3,700 square feet of cleaning per charge. The only major downside here is that the Q5 is a traditional robovac. It can’t mop. You can’t beat that $300 price tag though.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-budget-robot-vacuums-is-33-percent-off-right-now-152526989.html?src=rss

WhatsApp will soon let users add contacts from any device

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WhatsApp just announced that it’ll soon let users add contacts from any device, and not just a primary phone, thus solving one of life’s little annoyances. A forthcoming update will let people add and manage contacts via the web client, on a Windows PC and “eventually other linked devices.”

Users will also be able to save a contact exclusively to WhatsApp without syncing to a phone, which is useful when sharing a handset with others or for those who manage both work and personal WhatsApp accounts on the same device. Meta says that this will also solve the problem of people losing all of their contacts when they misplace a phone, as the contacts will be fully restorable.

Even better? The company says this is the first step toward what many consider the “holy grail” of potential improvements. WhatsApp is getting usernames, so you won’t have to save someone’s information via a phone number. Meta says this will “add an extra degree of privacy” since you can share a username without sharing a phone number.

The multi-device contacts tool is rolling out gradually “over the coming weeks and months.” There’s no ETA on dedicated usernames. WhatsApp has been busy lately, in light of crossing an audience retention milestone. The app recently unveiled enhanced video calling and passkey support on iOS.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-will-soon-let-users-add-contacts-from-any-device-130047546.html?src=rss

Star Citizen spinoff Squadron 42 has been delayed again until 2026

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The single-player Squadron 42, set in the Star Citizen universe, has been delayed all the way to 2026. This is interesting because the developers said the game was “feature complete” last year. Squadron 42 was first announced in 2014 and has experienced numerous delays throughout the past decade.

The stated reason for the delay is to apply more polish. Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) boss Chris Roberts said at this weekend’s CitizenCon that he’s “confident” the title will make its 2026 release window. To sate eager fans, the developer dropped an hour-long gameplay video that chronicles the opening segments, seen below.

Roberts also told convention-goers that Squadron 42 would feature “30 to 40 hours of gameplay.” He went on to note that there’s still some work left to “bring the quality of the game up to” the level shown in the gameplay video.

Squadron 42 is a first-person action game that features on-foot exploration and combat, ship piloting and more. It has an absolutely stacked voice and mocap cast, many of whom are featured in the above gameplay video. The cast includes Gary Oldman, Henry Cavill, Mark Hamill, Gillian Anderson, Andy Serkis and Sophie Wu, among many others.

There’s also the matter of the parent game Star Citizen. It’s still not ready for a full release, after being a huge Kickstarter success story in 2012. However, the game has an active alpha community and is still racking up impressive crowdfunding numbers. All told, CIG has raised over $729 million for the title in the past 12 years.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/star-citizen-spinoff-squadron-42-has-been-delayed-again-until-2026-180946358.html?src=rss

The critically acclaimed Neva will get a physical release next year

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The indie platformer Neva, from the same developer that made the beloved Gris, is getting a physical edition. It comes out on March 14, 2025 for both the Nintendo Switch and the PS5. Preorders are available now in both standard and deluxe editions.

The standard edition will get you the game and a box. The deluxe edition, however, also ships with a collector’s box, the original soundtrack on CD and an 88-page artbook. Neva has absolutely stunning art design, so that artbook is likely going to be something special.

For the uninitiated, Neva is an indie platformer that came out last week to near-universal rave reviews. We called it “perfect” and a “faultless game” in our official review. That’s high praise, but well-deserved. The graphics and art design are top-tier and the narrative is a masterclass in environmental storytelling. The platforming is also pretty darn great, with “light and responsive” controls.

As for the story, the less said the better. It involves a woman and her wolf as they rely on each other to traverse a dangerous world. Yes, you can pet the wolf. There’s actually an achievement for that. Neva was developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital. It’s also available for PC, macOS and Xbox Series X/S, but those platforms aren’t getting a physical edition.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-critically-acclaimed-neva-will-get-a-physical-release-next-year-162247507.html?src=rss

Nightdive Studios revives a cult classic 3DO game from 1996

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Nightdive Studios has reimagined another cult classic game for modern audiences. Killing Time: Resurrected is a refresh of the 1996 3DO and PC original. For the uninitiated, the game was notable at the time for attempting to blend full-motion video (FMV) with a first-person shooter. It truly looked like nothing else when it was released during the heyday of Bill Clinton’s first term as president.

Like most Nightdive remakes, Killing Time: Resurrected isn’t just a simple remaster. This title boasts 4K visuals, a 144Hz frame cap and other modern graphical goodies like anti-aliasing. The menu art and 2D screens have also been redone.

As for gameplay, fans will now have access to all of the weapons from both the 3DO and PC versions of the game. Back in the 1990s, several weapons were exclusive to each platform. There’s also plenty of newly-unearthed content that was cut from the original, including a pool house stage and a shipwreck.

The 50 live-action FMV sequences have been fully remastered, and they really pop in this remake. Players can toggle between the original sprites and the updated visuals, which is always a nice touch. Nightdive promises “upscaled environmental texturing, smoother gameplay, more responsive controls.”

The load times between areas have also been completely eliminated. Those load times were pretty brutal back in the 1990s, if memory serves. Killing Time: Resurrected is available right now for PC via Steam. There’s a launch sale going on, dropping the title down to $20 from $25.

Nightdive Studios has been pumping out all kinds of high-quality remakes and remasters lately. It handled the critically-acclaimed remaster of Star Wars: Dark Forces and a complete remake of System Shock. The company was recently purchased by Atari.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nightdive-studios-revives-a-cult-classic-3do-game-from-1996-185413750.html?src=rss

Google NotebookLM adds improved audio overviews and background listening feature

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Google’s NotebookLM software just got some cool new features that primarily impact audio overviews. For the uninitiated, the platform’s Audio Overview tool uses AI to whip up an audio summary of a piece of content. It started with written content, but has since expanded to YouTube videos.

So what’s new? Users can now input specific instructions before generating a “Deep Dive” overview. Google gives examples of tasking the software to focus on a single topic or adjusting the expertise level to suit a particular audience. The company says it’s like “slipping the AI hosts a quick note right before they go on the air.”

There’s also a new background listening feature, which is just what it sounds like. People can listen to audio overviews as they do other stuff within NotebookLM. Google says users can query sources, get citations and explore relevant quotes “without interrupting the audio.”

It’s also worth noting that the company has removed NotebookLM’s “experimental” label, so I guess the experiment has been a resounding success. In any event, the software became available to the general public back in December.

The company even announced a forthcoming expansion that’s primarily intended for commercial use, called NotebookLM Business. This will include “enhanced features for businesses, universities and organizations.” Businesses can apply today to get early access to the pilot program.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-notebooklm-adds-improved-audio-overviews-and-background-listening-feature-174804128.html?src=rss

Qualcomm axes its Windows on ARM PC dev kit

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Qualcomm has canceled its Windows on ARM PC dev kit, otherwise called the Snapdragon X Elite Developer Kit. Refunds are going out, sales have ceased and support for the kit has stopped, according to reporting by The Verge. It was originally supposed to ship in June before being delayed.

In an email to customers, Qualcomm chalked the whole thing up to quality control. It said the mini PC “comprehensively has not met our usual standards of excellence” and “we have made the decision to pause this product and the support of it, indefinitely.” Interestingly, some kits had already been mailed out to consumers. All units will be refunded, even those that have shipped.

As previously mentioned, it was originally supposed to launch back in June alongside the chips that powered those first Copilot Plus PCs. Qualcomm hasn’t given a reason as to why it took months to make the decision to cancel the product.

Developer Jeff Geerling received the kit and gave it a teardown and review. He said it landed “with a thud” and called out the lack of Linux support and resale restrictions. Geerling also found that the unit was missing an HDMI port, despite having all of the chips in place for an internal DisplayPort to HDMI conversion.

Some have speculated that this HDMI port issue caused the production delays and even led to the eventual cancellation. To that end, Qualcomm emailed customers last month to alert them they were planning on shipping the dev kit with a USB-C to HDMI dongle instead of a traditional HDMI port.

Whatever the reason for the cancellation, this kit was supposed to be a crucial item of hardware to help devs port apps to Windows on Arm. Microsoft and Qualcomm have been urging developers to ready their apps for Snapdragon X Elite laptops.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/qualcomm-axes-its-windows-on-arm-pc-dev-kit-153303185.html?src=rss