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New streaming app Coda Music is rolling out tools for labeling and blocking AI-generated tunes

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At this point, the streaming music landscape feels pretty well settled. Giants like Spotify, Amazon, Apple and YouTube duke it out at the top, while plenty of other players like Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer try their best to stand out from the pack. Somewhat surprisingly, though, a new player emerged in September. Coda Music used the recent backlash around Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek as a way to differentiate itself from the number one streamer, calling out Ek’s controversial funding of defense technology firm Helsing earlier in the year. (Spotify’s refusal to stop airing ICE recruitment ads certainly hasn’t helped the platform, either.)

Today, the fledgling service is announcing a new feature that feels designed to answer another of the recent Spotify controversies: AI slop music flooding the platform. In response, Coda Music is launching AI identification tools with the purpose of finding and labeling songs that weren’t composed by actual humans.

There are a few prongs to Coda’s approach. For starters, any artist added to Coda will be reviewed for AI origins, and their profile will be labeled “AI Artist” so that listeners know what they’re getting into. Coda is also letting users flag profiles of artists if they suspect the music is AI-generated; the company will then review them and label them if necessary.

Finally, there’s a toggle in settings that just lets you turn off AI artists entirely. Obviously, how useful this setting is will depend on how good Coda gets at labeling AI-created music as such, but I can definitely see the appeal in just flipping that to “off” and avoiding as much slop as possible.

Besides its stance on AI and the assurance that the company does not “invest in war,” there are a few other differentiators about Coda Music. The company says that it currently paying the “highest per-stream rate” in the industry — while at the same time, it acknowledges that no one is paying enough to artists. “The real problem isn’t how much is paid per stream, it’s that streaming alone doesn’t pay enough,” the company’s website says. “And minor improvements to a fundamentally flawed per stream model will not help.”

To that end, the company also lets users pick an “independent or qualifying artist” who gets $1 of their monthly subscription fee. Sure, it’s only a dollar, but it’s the kind of thing that sweetens the pot at least a little bit for musicians.

And Coda has good reason to want to make itself visible to users and artists alike. The last major differentiator for Coda is the company’s ambitions to turn its app into a social, music-sharing feed where you get recommendations from humans rather than algorithms. To that end, users can share anything from the app in their feed, and it also allows you to share external links and photos as well (go ahead and post your blurry images from that NIN concert!).

The app’s home page prominently features fan-made playlists and recommended users to follow in addition to the usual suggestions based on what you’re listening to already. And there’s a social tab where you can see posts from people you follow; share songs, artists or albums; and see posts from artists you follow. That last part is key, as Coda wants artists interacting and sharing as well as just end users.

It reminds me a little bit of the Fan Groups feature that Amazon Music just announced — and as with that feature, the problem facing Coda is getting people to start contributing to a new network rather than just posting things on whatever app they’re already using. Fortunately, music nerds love a community, so it’ll be interesting to see if this takes off at all.

As for the new features for reporting and filtering out AI music, Coda says they’re available as of today in its iOS and Android apps. The company doesn’t have a web interface yet, but says it is coming soon. If ducking AI-generated tunes is something that catches your attention, Coda currently costs $11 a month, or $17 per month for a family plan with up to four listeners.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/new-streaming-app-coda-music-is-rolling-out-tools-for-labeling-and-blocking-ai-generated-tunes-140000530.html?src=rss

Google sues group running massive SMS scam operation

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Google has filed a lawsuit against a group of Chinese hackers running a platform called “Lighthouse” that sells phishing services for a monthly fee. The group offers clients its services to launch massive phishing and smishing (SMS phishing) campaigns. Google says the bad actors typically send out emails or text messages that link to fake websites pretending to be legitimate pages of established brands like USPS and E-Z Pass, in order to trick people into keying in their log-ins and other sensitive details. The company found at least 107 sign-in screen templates with Google branding, designed to steal people’s log-in information.

In its announcement, Google said that one million people from 121 countries have fallen victim to the online scams that used Lighthouse and that the bad actors have already stolen $1 billion. In the US alone, they’ve gotten their hands on between 12.7 million and 115 million credit card numbers. The most popular scheme involves pretending to be the USPS and telling victims that they’d have to pay for the redelivery of a package stuck at the post office.

As The Financial Times reports, Google cited data from cybersecurity company Silent Push in its lawsuit as an example, stating that Chinese criminal group “Smishing Triad” used Lighthouse earlier this year to create 200,000 fake websites. Those websites apparently received 50,000 visits a day and compromised millions of US credit cards within a 20-day period. The company is bringing claims under the US Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the Lanham Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. If the company wins, it would allow Google to work with carriers and website hosts to take down the operation’s domain and servers.

In addition to filing the lawsuit, Google is also backing bipartisan bills in Congress that take aim at foreign cybercriminals. One bill would enable state and local law enforcement to use federal grant funding to investigate financial fraud targeting retirees. Another aims to establish a task force to block foreign robocalls in the US. The last one targets scam compounds, or centers that serve as bases for scam operations, and intends to provide support to the survivors who were trafficked and forced to work for those centers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-sues-group-running-massive-sms-scam-operation-133000168.html?src=rss

Watch Pixar’s new teaser for Toy Story 5

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In a new teaser trailer for Toy Story 5, Buzz, Woody and the rest of the gang face what may be their ultimate enemy in the war for a child's play time: electronics.

With INXS's Never Tear Us Apart playing in the background, we see the delivery of a parcel to Bonnie Anderson, Andy's younger sister, who inherited his toys back in Toy Story 3. Our heroes including Rex, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, Woody, Buzz and Jessie, look on in horror as she opens the package to reveal a frog-themed tablet named Lilypad. "Let's Play!" it proposes. Bonnie seems ready to do so, and possibly forget about her other pals in short order. "Is the age of toys over?" the tagline asks. 

Tablets have long succeeded classic toys, of course, but it's still a fun plot idea and likely very relatable to parents who've grown up with these films. The sequel brings back the franchise's regular cast including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack, while welcoming newcomers Conan O'Brien, Ernie Hudson and Greta Lee as Lilypad's voice. It's set to hit theaters in June 2026. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/watch-pixars-new-teaser-for-toy-story-5-130011156.html?src=rss

Gran Turismo 7’s Power Pack DLC unlocks 24-hour racing on December 4

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Sony and Polyphony Digital are rolling out a huge update for Gran Turismo 7 on December 4 in the form of a paid add-on. The Power Pack DLC for the PlayStation 5 will unlock 50 new races across 20 theme categories, including 24-hour endurance events that Le Mans fans could sink their teeth into. In previous games, the endurance events really took 24 hours to finish, though you could pause and, eventually, save mid-race, allowing you to pick up where you left off. You can also experience full-race seasons, from practicing for them to qualifying for the main events.

The DLC includes access to Gran Turismo Sophy 3.0, as well, which Sony says will provide “realistic AI behavior” and enable “intense, tail-to-nose battles that push your limits.” Sophy 2.0 was launched as an update back in 2023, offering you “a stimulating opponent that can accelerate and elevate [your] techniques and creativity to the next level.” Finally, the DLC will give you 5 million in in-game Credits. The companies have yet to reveal how much the Power Pack DLC will cost, but it will be available for download from the PlayStation Store.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/gran-turismo-7s-power-pack-dlc-unlocks-24-hour-racing-on-december-4-045454411.html?src=rss

The first permanent Pokémon theme park opens in February 2026

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PokéPark Kanto, the first permanent Pokémon theme park, will open its doors on February 5, 2026. Previous Pokémon parks and attractions existed in the past, but they were only open for a limited time. PokéPark Kanto will be located inside the Yomiuriland amusement park in Tokyo, Japan and will require an add-on pass to enter. Visitors will have to go through a “Pokémon Research Lab” building, which serves as the gateway to the park’s two sections: Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town

The Pokémon Forest is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a stretch of land with hills, paths with tall grass, rocky trails and tunnels where visitors will see Pokémon in their natural habitats. The Pokémon statues are posed to show that they’re engaging in various activities, such as battling or playing with friends.

Meanwhile, Sedge Town is the town center where visitors will find the Pokémon Center and Poké Mart, which sounds like a place where they can buy some refreshments. In addition to the main attractions, PokéPark Kanto will feature Pika Pika Paradise, a ride featuring over 30 electric-type Pokémon. There’s also Vee Vee Voyage, a carousel featuring carriages pulled by Ponyta and Rapidash, as well as balloons where visitors can ride with Eevee.

We’ve yet to see actual photos of the park, but the trailer below will give you a glimpse of what you can expect.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-first-permanent-pokemon-theme-park-opens-in-february-2026-012228856.html?src=rss

Elden Ring Nightreign’s DLC is The Forsaken Hollows, out December 3

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Elden Ring Nightreign, the co-op survival take on FromSoftware's massively successful open-world single-player game, is getting a DLC at the end of this year. The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4, 2025. This DLC is the first big content update for the spinoff, although Nightreign did receive previous updates to add improved tuning for the two-player and solo-player experiences, as well introducing an even-more-punishing Deep of Night mode. 

The trailer shows exactly the grim, macabre setting and inventive-looking boss designs that we've come to expect from FromSoft. The Forsaken Hollows will add two more character classes for players to choose from. The book-wielding Scholar is an arcane magic user who "gains incredible advantages through battlefield observation." This seems like a good choice for the tactically-minded players, while the new Undertaker class favors faith and strength builds. There will also be a new region to explore and two new bosses.

We learned yesterday that DLC was in the works for Nightreign thanks to a mention during the earnings report from parent company Kadokawa, but it seemed the new content might not be ready until early 2026. Hopefully today's announcement will calm the players who have been review-bombing the game on Steam due to the lack of information about updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/elden-ring-nightreigns-dlc-is-the-forsaken-hollows-out-december-3-233113937.html?src=rss

Sony made an official 240Hz PlayStation monitor with a built-in DualSense charging hook

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Sony had some new hardware to reveal during its State of Play Japan showcase on Tuesday. Along with a refreshed Japanese-only PS5 Digital Edition, the company unveiled an official PlayStation monitor that you can also hook your PC up to. It’s a 27-inch QHD display with a 240Hz refresh rate and support for HDR and variable refresh rate. However, the refresh rate is limited to 120Hz when you’re playing PS5 games.

What’s more, the monitor has a charging hook. It folds down from the rear of the display and you can place your DualSense controller on it, so you’re ready to play whenever the mood strikes. The monitor will be available in the US and Japan sometime next year. Sony hasn’t revealed how much it will cost.

The monitor follows the Pulse Elevate portable desktop speakers that Sony announced back in September. These will work with PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation Portal and are set to arrive in 2026 as well.

The new hardware seems to be part of the company’s push to become more of a player in PC gaming. For instance, the company recently made it possible to pair a DualSense controller with more than one device at a time, making it easier to switch the connection from a PS5 to a PC and vice-versa.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-made-an-official-240hz-playstation-monitor-with-a-built-in-dualsense-charging-hook-230659339.html?src=rss

Threads is adding features for creators to promote their podcasts

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Threads is working on new features that could make the text-based social network a bit more audio-friendly. Starting today, Threads is rolling out some new features for sharing podcasts and podcast episodes. Creators have the option to add the link to their show to their bio page; after that, their posts with show and episode links will appear with an audio preview. Non-hosts will also start to see the new previews when they post links to their favorite shows.  

For starters, the rollout is only supporting Spotify shows. Connor Hayes, who heads up Threads and also posted about the new feature, said in a reply to another user that Apple Podcasts will also eventually receive support. The previews are going live today and will become available to all users over the coming weeks.

In theory, this feature could help attract new listeners. However, Threads doesn't have a strong success rate when it comes to its users clicking on links. It should be interesting to see if the audiovisual addition makes it any more appealing for people to visit podcast pages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-is-adding-features-for-creators-to-promote-their-podcasts-215711793.html?src=rss

Nintendo and Lego tease a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time set

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Lego has a long history of geek and gaming crossovers. We've seen recent sets for Star Wars and Star Trek, while past collaborations include everything from Super Mario Bros. to Minecraft. The latest blocky tie-in is a classic: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as teased on social network X by Nintendo of America with the caption “Do you realize who you’re dealing with?”

The short video clip recreates a scene from the game, with a minifig of Link armed with his Hylian shield and Master Sword beside a tiny floating Navi fairy. (Presumably Lego Navi will not interrupt you with "Hey! Listen!" every five minutes, but maybe the company is striving for total accuracy.) A blurry Zelda minifig stands behind them, and the heroes stare upward at the looming shadow of what must be a Ganon character. Whether the villain is a minifig of his own or a larger-than-life constructed model remains to be seen. The set won't be released until 2026, but most likely either Lego or Nintendo will reveal more details ahead of the launch date. 

This isn't the first time Hyrule is getting the Lego treatment. The brands' debut Legend of Zelda collab was a set of the Great Deku Tree that came out last year, and it could be built as either the wise arboreal being from Ocarina of Time or from Breath of the Wild.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/nintendo-and-lego-tease-a-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-set-201500150.html?src=rss

Sony says Destiny 2 has not met expectations

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Sony is not happy with the performance of Destiny 2, the company confirmed in its latest Q2 earnings announcement. "Regarding Destiny 2, partially due to changes in the competitive environment, the level of sales and user engagement have not reached the expectations we had at the time of the acquisition of Bungie, Inc." Sony Chief Financial Officer Tao Lin said. In response, the company is recording around a $204 million impairment on the developer's intangible assets.

The impairment isn't equivalent to money lost, but rather a representation of Destiny 2 not meeting the sales and engagement models Sony made when it acquired Bungie. The "intangible assets" Bungie brought to the deal, like the Destiny IP and the developer's existing customer relationships, are worth less right now than expected. However, that doesn't extend to the "goodwill" created when both companies agreed to the acquisition, Sonys says, because it’s "supported by the whole game segment."

When it completed its acquisition of Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, Sony believed the developer could use its expertise in running online games to help expand PlayStation's live service offerings. While the strategy has led to successes, like Helldivers 2, which has proven to be a popular multiplayer game on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, it's also created catastrophic failures like Concord, which was pulled from digital stores less than two weeks after it launched.

Sony's announcement doesn't suggest the company believes it was wrong to purchase Bungie, but it does put even more pressure on the developer to perform, and justifies Sony taking firmer control of what happens at the studio. Renegades, a planned Star Wars-themed expansion, could bring the mass appeal Bungie is hoping for, but the developer has a whole other game to contend with, too.

Bungie delayed its take on an extraction shooter, Marathon, in June, after it was revealed that a significant portion of the game used stolen assets. The developer hasn't announced a new release date since then, but assuming interest in Destiny 2 never fully returns, a lot could ride on Bungie's next game.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-says-destiny-2-has-not-met-expectations-200000610.html?src=rss