Double Fine’s Kiln pops out of the oven and onto PC, Xbox and PS5 on April 23

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Double Fine is following up on Keeper — one of our favorite games of 2025 — with Kiln, a “multiplayer online pottery party brawler.” The game was showcased during Xbox’s Developer Direct stream in January and now it has a release date. It’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5 and Steam on April 23. Xbox said Kiln will be Handheld Optimized from the jump. 

In Kiln, you'll use a virtual pottery wheel to shape a piece of clay into a vessel and then decorate it. The size and shape will determine how much health you have, the water capacity of your vessel and your speed. For instance, smaller pots will be able to attack faster, while a larger, slower pot might be more powerful. The shape you opt for (bowl, bottle, chalice and so on) determines which special ability you have. The decorations are purely cosmetic.

In the main Quench mode, the aim is to gather water and be the first team of four to put out the other side's kiln three times (which sounds a bit like a MOBA to me). Doing so won't exactly be straightforward, of course. When you run into an enemy vessel, you can try to smash it, and they'll probably attempt to do the same to you.

In one map, you'll be able to pour water onto sponges to create barriers. In another, there's a "disco dance floor that compels players to dance on the flashing squares for a short while." There's no in-game voice chat, but players could easily get around that using their console's built-in party features or the likes of Discord.

An open beta will take place on Steam from April 9 to 11. Pre-orders will go live at that time as well. The base version of the game is $20. A $30 "Fired Up" edition includes premium cosmetic options as well as extra chips, the in-game currency that's used to unlock customizations. Otherwise, chips can only be earned through gameplay.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/double-fines-kiln-pops-out-of-the-oven-and-onto-pc-xbox-and-ps5-on-april-23-171433966.html?src=rss

The Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer is filled with MCU cameos

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We just got our first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the next big Marvel film. This is the fourth installment led by Tom Holland and follows the multiversal shenanigans of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

I'm about to get into some spoilers, for those still working through the MCU catalog. No Way Home ended with the entire world forgetting about the existence of Peter Parker, so this new movie will deal with the fallout from that. His whole support system is gone, though it looks like he still checks in on besties MJ and Ned from time to time.

Peter Parker may be lonely, but he's not alone in the film. He's teaming up with the Punisher, who is still played by Jon Bernthal after returning to the role in Daredevil: Born Again. In the comics, Spider-Man and the Punisher are long-time work buddies and occasional sparring partners. As a matter of fact, Frank Castle made his introduction in a Spider-Man comic that was published in 1974.

Bruce Banner also shows up in the trailer, potentially as Parker's professor. Mark Ruffalo is returning to the role, but we don't have any confirmation that he'll turn into the Hulk. It's worth pointing out that this is the regular human Banner, and not the hybrid version that's been popping up in recent MCU projects.

The trailer even highlights an iconic Spider-Man villain. Michael Mando is playing Scorpion, which is a pretty deep MCU cut. The character was teased all the way back in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The footage also shows Spidey battling ninjas that look suspiciously like the Hand, who were last seen in The Defenders on Netflix. This lends credence to rumors that Daredevil could be appearing in the film.

We don't have all that long to wait. Spider-Man: Brand New Day premieres in theaters on July 31. This is the final MCU film before the long-awaited Avengers: Doomsday, which hits cinemas in December.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-spider-man-brand-new-day-trailer-is-filled-with-mcu-cameos-170215452.html?src=rss

This Baby Walker Grows With Your Child for 6 Years in 4 Different Ways

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Most baby walkers have a shelf life measured in months. A 7-month-old wobbles through the living room gripping the handle, and by the time that same child turns two, the walker is already in a closet somewhere. The furniture cycle in a home with small children tends to follow that rhythm: buy, use briefly, replace with something else entirely.

The Safari Multifunctional Kids Furniture concept tries to interrupt that pattern by designing one piece that stays useful across the first six years of a child’s life. The name “Step-N-Play” gives away two of its functions without mentioning the third or fourth. It is, depending on the child’s age and the day’s agenda, a walker, a climbing unit, a play table and chair, and a toy storage solution.

Designer: Bharti Upadhyay

At its earliest stage, the walker is built for children between 6 and 18 months, with a frame measuring approximately 600 x 400 x 500 mm. The structure combines wood, ABS plastic, and soft silicone grips, with a 95-degree backrest angle designed for infants who are not yet seated with full stability. An anti-tip base and anti-pinch safety gaps cover the more obvious hazards of putting a barely mobile child in contact with a moving object.

As the child grows into the 1-to-3 age window, the same structure becomes a climbable stair unit. From ages 2 to 6, it transitions again into a play table and chair. A built-in storage compartment for toys and books operates across all configurations. The manufacturing approach pairs CNC-cut wood with injection-molded ABS plastic, a combination suited to years of contact with small hands and the occasional harder object.

The safari animal inspiration shows up in organic silhouettes and surface language rather than in literal animal sculptures attached to the frame. Smooth curves, generous fillets, and chamfered grooves define the form. The pastel color palette, wooden handles, and textured sensory balls read as a considered aesthetic choice rather than an afterthought, which matters in a living space where parents also have to look at the thing.

Safari is a student concept at this stage, so the harder questions remain open. How the ergonomics hold across such a wide age range, how the mechanical transitions between configurations actually work in practice, and whether a single object can genuinely serve a 7-month-old and a 6-year-old with equal competence rather than adequacy are things a physical prototype would need to answer.

The post This Baby Walker Grows With Your Child for 6 Years in 4 Different Ways first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meta’s latest creator push comes with $3,000 bonuses for posting on Facebook

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Stop me if you've heard this before: Meta has a new program to lure top creator talent to Facebook and it comes with hefty bonus payments. The company is launching a new initiative aimed at popular creators who already have large followings on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram and offering them bonuses up to $3,000 a month just for posting on Facebook.

Meta's goal is to draw more top talent to its Content Monetization program, which pays creators based on views and other engagement metrics across Stories, Reels and posts. The new bonuses will be part of an initiative Meta has dubbed "Creator Fast Track," which is meant to make the onboarding process easier — and more enticing — to Facebook newcomers.

Under the new "Fast Track" program, Meta is offering monthly bonuses of $1,000 to creators who have at least 100,000 followers on another platform and $3,000 for those that have a million or more. Creators who join will need to post a minimum number of Reels per month to earn the bonuses, but aren't required to meet engagement targets or post exclusive content to earn. They also aren't limited to video content as Facebook also rewards text and photo posts, as well as Stories. 

That may sound like a pretty good deal (it is), but it's also a limited one. The fast track bonuses will only last for three months. Creators should think of the bonuses as payment "for the hassle of starting on a new platform," not the central part of the program, Meta's VP of Product for Creators, Yair Livne, tells Engadget. "Our hope is that within a few months … the earnings that you see from Facebook Content Monetization will become the more important thing." He also notes that Meta will boost the reach of creators it fast-tracks, which should help them speed up their earning potential. 

Creators can apply for the new program in Facebook's app.
Creators can apply for the new program in Facebook's app.
Meta

It's far from the first time Facebook has sought to lure big names with big checks. It promised publishers big payouts when it launched Facebook Watch nearly a decade ago. It once courted game streamers for its (now defunct) Twitch competitor. A year after launching Reels to take on TikTok, it invested $1 billion in a bonus program that offered creators as much as $35,000 a month only to pull the plug in 2023.  

Livne acknowledged that it "took us a long time to find our path" to a more sustainable creator program. "We don't have a pool structure so you're not competing with other creators for dollars. It really is based on your performance." 

There are already signs that the Facebook Content Monetization program, which it introduced in the fall of 2024, is working — at least for some. Meta says it paid Facebook creators nearly $3 billion in 2025, a new high for the social network. Creators have also reported that the new streamlined program is paying off. 

One political news creator told the newsletter Chaotic Era that they made $250,000 from Facebook in January alone. Publishers told Digiday last year that they expected to make "between six and seven figures" in 2025 thanks to the program. There are numerous recent posts in Reddit's r/passiveincome forum where users report making five figures a month from the program, which is still invitation only. 

Livne agrees that Facebook's monetization program has been something of a "well kept secret" in the creator community. "We're trying to make it less well kept and less of a secret." 

Are you in Facebook's Content Monetization Program, Creator Fast Track or another creator program at Meta? You can reach Karissa by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal.


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-latest-creator-push-comes-with-3000-bonuses-for-posting-on-facebook-160000283.html?src=rss

BMW turns 2025 April Fools’ joke into a Nürburgring-bound M3 touring race car

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What began as a playful internet prank has evolved into a genuine motorsport project. The racing version of the BMW M3 Touring 24H will compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2026, turning an April Fools’ joke into a unique moment for endurance racing. Built by BMW M Motorsport, the car will take on the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife (often called the “Green Hell”), bringing a wagon body style (rarely seen in modern motorsport) to one of the world’s most demanding circuits.

The idea originated on April 1, 2025, when BMW shared images of a supposed race-ready M3 Touring on social media as part of its annual April Fools’ tradition. The concept depicted a full-blown GT-style race car based on the performance wagon, complete with aggressive aerodynamic components and racing livery. While initially intended as a joke, the reaction from fans was overwhelmingly positive. Enthusiasts embraced the idea of a high-performance wagon competing on the track, prompting BMW engineers to explore whether the concept could become reality.

Designer: BMW Group

That fan enthusiasm ultimately led to the creation of the BMW M3 Touring 24H, a competition-ready machine developed specifically for endurance racing at the Nürburgring. The car is scheduled to make its racing debut at a round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) before appearing at the 24-hour race itself in May 2026. The event will mark a rare sight in modern motorsport: a long-roof station wagon battling alongside purpose-built race cars in one of the world’s toughest endurance competitions.

Visually, the M3 Touring 24H transforms a practical family wagon into a striking track weapon. The bodywork incorporates wide fenders, a deep front splitter, aerodynamic side panels, and a large rear wing mounted above the tailgate. A racing diffuser and enlarged air intakes help optimize airflow and cooling during long stints on track, while the overall stance mirrors the aggressive proportions of BMW’s GT race cars. The familiar Touring silhouette remains intact, giving the car a distinctive appearance that blends practicality with pure racing performance.

Although detailed technical specifications for the race version remain limited, the project draws inspiration from the performance credentials of the road-going BMW M3 CS Touring. That high-performance wagon uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine producing around 543 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed transmission and BMW’s M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The result is a wagon capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 mph in about 3.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of approximately 186 mph.

The Nürburgring itself has long been central to BMW M’s development and racing activities. The 12.9-mile circuit features more than 70 corners and dramatic elevation changes, making it one of the most challenging tracks in the world. BMW M vehicles have achieved numerous successes there over the years, including multiple victories in the 24-hour race, reinforcing the brand’s deep connection to the track. The debut of the BMW M3 Touring 24H represents more than just a novelty. It highlights how fan enthusiasm and digital culture can influence real-world automotive projects, especially when a playful idea resonates strongly with enthusiasts.

When the M3 Touring 24H lines up on the grid at the Nürburgring in 2026, it will stand out among the field not only for its unusual body style but also for the story behind its creation.

The post BMW turns 2025 April Fools’ joke into a Nürburgring-bound M3 touring race car first appeared on Yanko Design.

Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro: The Switch to OLED and the End of the Notch

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Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro: The Switch to OLED and the End of the Notch MacBook Pro M6

Apple is preparing to unveil one of its most significant MacBook Pro redesigns in recent years, introducing OLED displays and a suite of advanced features. This update aligns with Apple’s established five-year hardware redesign cycle and is projected to debut in 2027. The new models are expected to launch alongside the M6 Pro and M6 […]

The post Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro: The Switch to OLED and the End of the Notch appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Google is testing Search Live in more markets

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Update, 4:05PM ET: A few hours after this story was published, Google reached out to retract the news. The company provided Engadget with the following statement:

"Search Live has not rolled out globally to all users. It remains available in the US and India, with testing currently underway in additional markets. We apologize for the earlier miscommunication."

Given that the company says it is testing in more markets, it seems entirely possible that the global Search Live release will happen sooner than later. But, for now, it’s on hold.

The original, unedited article follows below:

After rolling out Search Live to all US Google app users last September, Google is now bringing the feature to every place where it offers its AI Mode chatbot. Search Live, if you need a reminder, allows you to point your phone's camera at an object or scene and ask questions about what you see in front of you. Google debuted the tool at I/O 2025 before it began rolling it out to users. With today's expansion, Search Live is available in more than 200 countries and territories. 

What's more, Google has updated the feature to run off its Gemini 3.1 Flash model, an upgrade the company says should translate to more natural conversations, in addition to a faster and more reliable experience. The new model is also natively multilingual. You can access Search Live from the Google app on Android and iOS. Tap the "Live" button below the search bar to get started. You can also access Search Live through Google Lens. As in the Google app, look for the "Live" icon, here located near the bottom of the screen, to start chatting.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-testing-search-live-in-more-markets-150000316.html?src=rss

A Student Built a Pocket Planet Tracker That Works Without Your Phone

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Most of us have looked up at the night sky at some point and felt that brief, humbling recognition that there is an enormous universe out there, and we have no idea what is happening in it. Then a notification comes in, and the moment passes. Lumen Orbit, a student concept from CEPT University, is a small handheld accessory designed to keep that awareness alive without requiring a telescope, a star chart, or a dedicated app.

The device is disc-shaped and roughly palm-sized, with a two-part body split along its equator by a copper-toned accent band. The upper half is a polished silver-gray cap; the lower sits wider and shallower in a dark matte gunmetal finish. A woven braided lanyard with a hexagonal metal clasp attaches to the body, making it something you can loop around a wrist, hook to a bag, or hang using a built-in fold-out carabiner.

Designer: Kinshuk Agarwal

The primary face carries a circular display showing real-time planetary positions: which planet is currently visible, where it sits in the sky relative to your location, and when it rises and sets. Flip the device over, and a second, smaller screen on the reverse offers a close-up planetary render. The UI uses pixel-art-style graphics for its planet illustrations, landing somewhere between retro charm and deliberate restraint.

The interaction model is equally considered. A flip gesture switches between the two display modes, squeezing the body cycles through planets, and haptic vibration signals astronomical events such as meteor showers, eclipses, and alignments. The idea is that information about the cosmos arrives the same way a text message does, as a quiet nudge rather than something you have to actively seek out.

What the concept is really proposing is a dedicated single-purpose ambient device for astronomical awareness. Smartphones can technically do all of this through apps, but a specialized physical object changes the relationship to the information entirely. Carrying something whose only purpose is to connect you to the solar system is a genuinely different proposition than opening an app between emails.

The open questions are substantial. How the real-time tracking handles connectivity, how the device charges, and how positional accuracy works without confirmed GPS integration are things the concept leaves unspecified. The form is confident, and the interaction logic is coherent. The more interesting problem is whether a working version could fit into a jacket pocket for easy access.

The post A Student Built a Pocket Planet Tracker That Works Without Your Phone first appeared on Yanko Design.

Build an AI Marketing Team With Claude for LinkedIn, Substack, YouTube & X Posts

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Build an AI Marketing Team With Claude for LinkedIn, Substack, YouTube & X Posts Dashboard view of an orchestrator skill coordinating research, drafting, and content analysis tasks in Claude Code.

Building an marketing team from scratch often demands a combination of strategic planning and creative execution, but Marketing Against the Grain demonstrates how Claude Code can simplify and enhance this process. By using Claude Code’s modular system, which includes 11 distinct skills across five functional layers, they created an AI-powered team capable of handling tasks […]

The post Build an AI Marketing Team With Claude for LinkedIn, Substack, YouTube & X Posts appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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The iOS 27 Liquid Glass Slider is Real: Total Control Over Your iPhone’s Transparency

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The iOS 27 Liquid Glass Slider is Real: Total Control Over Your iPhone’s Transparency iPhone display settings showing a slider that changes Liquid Glass effect strength across iOS 27 menus.

Apple’s iOS 27 update is set to prioritize stability, performance, and usability, marking a shift toward refinement over dramatic design changes. Expected to debut in beta at WWDC 2024, running from June 8–12, with a full release likely in September alongside the next iPhone lineup, this update aims to enhance your daily interactions with subtle […]

The post The iOS 27 Liquid Glass Slider is Real: Total Control Over Your iPhone’s Transparency appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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