The Last of Us series co-creator Craig Mazin is teaming with Hasbro Entertainment to create an HBO series based on the popular (and spicy) Baldur’s Gate 3game, Deadlinereported. The show will be simply be called Baldur’s Gate and the story will resume where Baldur’s Gate 3 left off. Mazin will reportedly have full creative control and act as co-creator, writer, executive producer and showrunner.
"It is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that [Baldur’s Gate 3 developer] Larian and Wizards of The Coast created," Mazin said in a statement. "I am a devoted fan of DnD and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can.”
Larian, which won’t be making the Baldur’s Gate 3 sequel, said it wasn’t involved in the creation of the show. However, Larian CEO Swen Vincke said that to his knowledge, Mazin is a “big fan” of the game and even requested to visit the studio (Mazin told Deadline that he has put about 1,000 hours into the game).
Mazin is best known for co-creating the Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl as well as The Last of Us. The latter was widely praised for its first season but critics and fans were mixed on season 2, which deviated a bit more from the corresponding game.
The show will reportedly feature familiar and new characters, but no other details have been released. A Baldur’s Gate 4 game is not currently in development, so the series creators will have no source material to draw from. That gives them a lot of freedom, but also puts the storytelling onus fully on Mazin and his team of writers. Wizards of the Coast story head Chris Perkins will reportedly act as a consultant on the show to ensure it doesn’t stray from its DnD origins.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-is-making-a-baldurs-gate-3-tv-show-130000864.html?src=rss
A free trial to a virtual private network (VPN) can mean a few different things. Several of the best VPNs let you try them out without paying. A rare few, and only one on this list, let you try them without submitting payment information at all. Some VPNs have forever free plans that let you use them indefinitely without paying, as long as you're OK with some limits.
For the most part, though, your best chance to test a VPN for free is to pay for a subscription. Then, if you don't like the service, you can get your money back before the refund guarantee expires. This takes a bit more work, and some services have very tight turnarounds. However, it'll get you the most time with the most complete version of the VPN.
With that out of the way, let's talk about the best VPN free trials for each definition of "free trial." I'll start with VPNs that actually have free trials, most of which require a payment method and only work on mobile devices. The next section lists the best forever free plans. Finally, I'll share instructions for how to use a VPN money-back guarantee as a free trial.
Best VPNs with free trials
Best VPN forever free plans
Using VPN money-back guarantees as free trials
Although VPN free trials are great when you can get them, you'll enjoy a lot more flexibility by taking advantage of refund guarantees. Almost every provider has a money-back guarantee that doesn't require you to prove a specific problem. You'll probably have to deflect some upselling attempts before you actually get the refund, but most policies do promise you all your money back, with no pro-rating.
I like to download VPNs on their one-month plans so I can put the full service through my usual battery of tests. A 30-day money-back guarantee grants you enough time to learn whether you can use the VPN long-term. If you don't like the service, the standard method for getting a refund is to get in touch with customer support on the VPN provider's help page.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/best-vpns-with-free-trials-130000435.html?src=rss
What if you could merge the intuitive organization of Obsidian with the unmatched editing power of Neovim into one seamless workflow? That’s exactly what linkarzu takes a closer look at: how integrating these two powerhouse platforms with the Markdown Oxide plugin can transform the way you manage and edit markdown files. From linking notes effortlessly […]
Roses wilt. Chocolates disappear. Cards gather dust in drawers. There’s nothing wrong with tradition, but this year calls for something different—gifts that don’t expire with the season. Minimal design offers a solution: objects that carry intention without noise, crafted to be used, touched, and remembered long past February.
The best Valentine’s gift isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about thoughtfulness made tangible. These seven designs prove that restraint speaks louder than excess. Each piece sits comfortably under $150, chosen for its ability to enhance daily rituals rather than interrupt them. They’re tools for presence, reminders of care, objects that age with grace rather than obsolescence.
1. FoldLine Pen Roll
Writing by hand feels increasingly rare. The FoldLine Pen Roll recognizes this shift and offers something back—a leather case that transforms the act of retrieving a pen into something worth pausing for. Crafted from a single piece of Italian leather, it folds open to become a tray, creating instant order on any surface. There’s no clutter, no rattle of pens jostling in a bag. Just quiet geometry and purposeful design that recalls the precision of origami without the fuss.
The ritual matters here. Unroll the leather. Watch it become a workspace. Reach for your pen without searching. For someone whose thoughts flow through fountain pens, rollerballs, or pencils, this gift acknowledges their process. It’s intimate without being sentimental, practical without losing elegance. The leather will patina with use, developing character that reflects how often they return to the page—a physical record of all the words, sketches, and ideas that followed your gift.
Italian leather that develops a personal patina over time
Two-step transformation from roll to organized tray in under two seconds
Protection without partitions means no scratching or rattling between metal pens
Compact enough to slip into bags while maintaining structure and presence
What We Dislike
Limited capacity may not suit those who carry extensive pen collections
Leather care is required to maintain the appearance over the years of heavy use
2. Prism Titanium Beer Glass
The Prism Titanium Beer Glass combines minimalist form with meticulous Japanese precision, transforming an ordinary beer into a ceremony. The interior is crafted from 99.9% pure aerospace-grade titanium, which neutralizes metallic aftertastes and preserves the drink’s true flavor. Choose the Silver finish for timeless restraint or the Infinite, which shifts with light in aurora-like gradients. Either way, the gently flared rim improves flow, softening texture while lifting aroma with each sip.
This isn’t glassware for parties. It’s for the person who pours one good beer and actually tastes it. The symbolic etched patterns reference Japanese ideals of longevity and prosperity—a fitting subtext for a Valentine’s gift meant to last. Crafted in Shizuoka with hand-finished precision, each glass is present without pretension. Years from now, this won’t be the beer glass that broke. It’ll be the one that stayed, accumulating quiet evenings and conversations that stretched longer than intended.
Titanium lining neutralizes off-flavors and enhances the purity of each drink
Two finish options suit different aesthetic preferences without compromising function
Japanese craftsmanship ensures durability alongside refined visual detail
Corrosion-resistant material means it ages gracefully rather than deteriorating
What We Dislike
Single-serve capacity limits sharing moments during gatherings
Premium materials command a higher price point within the budget range
3. ClearMind Kendama
The ClearMind Kendama is more than a hobby. It’s a testament to the power of mindful play, offering an alternative to screens and scrolling. Tokyo Kendama engineered this traditional Japanese skill toy with thoughtful updates: larger cups for easier trick landing, recalibrated balance for smoother precision, and a bearing system that minimizes string twists. What emerges is a tool that sharpens coordination while providing tangible breaks from digital overload.
The minimalist aesthetic means it doesn’t hide in a closet between uses. It sits on a shelf as sculpture, invitation, challenge. For a partner who needs permission to step away from productivity, this gift provides exactly that. Each trick mastered builds confidence. Each session offers a reset button for scattered attention. The larger tama hole increases success rates in advanced moves—spikes, stalls, stilts—making progression feel achievable rather than frustrating. It’s play with purpose, wrapped in wood and intention.
Larger cups and improved balance accelerate skill development and maintain engagement
Bearing system reduces string tangling for uninterrupted practice sessions
Minimalist design makes it display-worthy rather than something to hide away
Offers a tactile, offline activity that builds actual skills over time
What We Dislike
The initial learning curve may discourage those seeking immediate gratification
Wooden construction requires care to prevent damage from drops on hard surfaces
4. Aroma Fragrance Pin
Scent memory outlasts almost everything else. The Aroma Fragrance Pin disguises itself as a minimalist button while functioning as a personal diffuser. Carved from a single aluminum block by skilled craftsmen, each pin holds cotton infused with essential oils. Pin it to a jacket lapel, bag strap, or scarf, and the wearer carries their chosen scent throughout the day—lavender for calm, eucalyptus for clarity, whatever matches their rhythm.
The discretion appeals here. No one needs to know it’s a diffuser. It reads as intentional design, a thoughtful detail in someone’s aesthetic. The Alumite dye finish creates color variations between batches, ensuring no two pins look identical. For a Valentine’s gift, this speaks to personal space and sensory preference. You’re not choosing their scent—you’re giving them the vessel to carry what brings them peace. Each time they catch the fragrance, it’s a small reminder of care without being obvious about it.
Discreet button design integrates seamlessly with any wardrobe or accessory
Handcrafted aluminum construction ensures durability and unique batch variations
Easily refillable with preferred essential oils for ongoing customization
Portable aromatherapy requires no batteries, plugs, or complicated mechanisms
What We Dislike
Scent dissipates faster than traditional diffusers, requiring more frequent refreshing
Small size means cotton holds limited oil, reducing longevity between applications
5. Rolling World Clock
Distance complicates the connection. The Rolling World Clock simplifies it. This twelve-sided object sits on a desk or shelf, each face representing a major timezone city: London, Paris, Cape Town, Moscow, Los Angeles, Karachi, Mexico City, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, and New Caledonia. Roll it to the relevant city, and a single hand displays the current time there. No apps, no menus, no glowing screens at midnight when you wonder if they’re still awake.
The tactile element transforms time-checking into something physical. There’s satisfaction in the roll, the small thud as it settles, the confirmation of connection across hours and miles. For long-distance relationships or anyone tracking loved ones across continents, this gift acknowledges the effort of staying synchronized. The minimalist design—available in black or white—means it occupies space without demanding attention until the moment it’s needed. Then it delivers exactly what matters: awareness of someone else’s now.
Single-hand display removes unnecessary complexity from global time-checking
Tactile rolling mechanism adds satisfying physicality to a digital-age task
Twelve major cities cover most international time zones without overwhelming choice
Minimalist aesthetic works as a functional sculpture rather than a utilitarian device
What We Dislike
Limited to twelve cities may exclude specific locations important to some users
Single-time display requires rolling between zones rather than viewing multiple simultaneously
6. Anywhere Use Lamp
Light shapes mood more than most people acknowledge. The Anywhere Use Lamp delivers soft, warm illumination without requiring outlets or charging cables. Six high color-rendering LEDs provide glow rather than glare, enhancing atmosphere wherever it’s placed. The mushroom-inspired silhouette comes in black, white, or the new Industrial edition—a variant celebrating imperfection through scratch-detailed metal that turns wear into aesthetic intention.
The modular design means it travels. Bedroom to living room, desk to bedside, even outdoors for evenings that extend past sunset. Four AA batteries power it, chosen deliberately for reusability and accessibility. Press any edge of the cap to cycle through brightness levels, each click offering satisfying haptic feedback. For a gift, this speaks to flexibility and mood-setting across contexts. It’s light that moves with someone’s life rather than tethering them to fixed locations. The Industrial edition particularly suits those who appreciate objects that carry stories in their surfaces.
Battery power eliminates cord dependency, enabling true portability across locations
High color-rendering LEDs provide warm, flattering light rather than harsh brightness
Modular design allows easy disassembly for storage and transport
Haptic feedback on brightness adjustment adds satisfying tactile interaction
What We Dislike
Battery replacement is needed periodically, though the AA format maintains accessibility
Limited brightness range may not suffice for task lighting needs
7. Miniature Bonfire Wood Diffuser Set
The final gift on this list doubles as entertainment. The Miniature Bonfire Wood Diffuser Set recreates camping atmosphere indoors, complete with bundled firewood that diffuses aromatic oils, capturing the scent of Mt. Hakusan. Rust-resistant stainless steel ensures longevity, while included trivets transform the diffuser into a functional pocket stove—meaning you can actually cook small portions over it, adding an authentic bonfire experience to the aromatic element.
This gift works for adventurers stuck indoors, for those who crave forest and mountain air but live surrounded by concrete. The scale makes it charming rather than gimmicky. Set it on a table, light the small fuel source beneath the firewood, and watch essential oils evaporate into a scent that recalls open air and slow evenings. The ability to cook adds unexpected utility—miniature s’mores, anyone? For Valentine’s Day, it creates a shared experience. You’re not just giving an object. You’re giving an excuse to slow down, light something small, and remember what calm feels like.
Dual function as diffuser and pocket stove expands utility beyond aromatherapy alone
Stainless steel construction resists rust and ensures years of reliable use
Mt. Hakusan essential oil provides an authentic mountain-forest scent profile
Bundled firewood with a tying knot adds aesthetic detail to functional design
What We Dislike
Requires careful handling due to the open flame component during use
Specialized fuel needed for the cooking function may not be readily available everywhere
Why Minimal Design Makes Valentine’s Gifts Last
Objects designed with restraint don’t compete for attention. They integrate. The gifts above share a common philosophy: enhancement over decoration, function refined to its essential form, materials chosen for how they age rather than how they impress initially. These aren’t things to display once and forget. They’re tools for daily rituals, anchors for habits worth keeping, reminders that care can be practical without losing meaning.
Roses die because they’re meant to. These gifts persist because they’re built to. When Valentine’s Day passes, and its commercial urgency fades, what remains are objects that earned their place through use, through presence, through the quiet accumulation of moments they witnessed. That’s the difference between a gesture and a gift that actually lasts. One marks a date. The other marks time itself.
The second-generation AirTag builds on the success of its predecessor by introducing a series of thoughtful enhancements that improve its functionality and usability. While retaining the same price and familiar design, the AirTag 2 offers better performance, deeper integration with Apple devices, and practical upgrades that cater to everyday tracking needs. Whether you frequently misplace […]
NordVPN is having a big sale on its two-year plans right now. The Complete tier, for example is 70 percent off, bringing the price of 24 months down to just $130.
NordVPN regularly appears on Engadget’s list of the best VPN services thanks to its wide server network, strong security tools and consistent performance across devices. NordVPN’s latest promotion puts one of its most comprehensive plans at a price that undercuts many competing premium VPN subscriptions.
The Complete tier includes full access to NordVPN’s core VPN service, which encrypts internet traffic and masks a user’s IP address to help protect online activity on public Wi-Fi networks and at home. Subscribers can use the service on multiple devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs, with apps available for major operating systems. It also includes access to NordPass (more on that below), an ad blocker and 1TB of cloud storage. You’ll find similar discounts on all of NordVPN’s other plans: Basic, Plus and Prime.
Beyond the basics, NordVPN offers features like threat protection to help block malicious websites and trackers, as well as specialty servers designed for added privacy or faster performance in specific scenarios. In our NordVPN review, the service was praised for its evolving feature set and overall reliability, even as the VPN market becomes increasingly competitive.
Engadget regularly tracks VPN pricing trends and this offer compares favorably with other current promotions. It also appears alongside NordVPN deals featured in Engadget’s ongoing roundup of the best VPN discounts available right now, which compares offers from multiple major providers.
Those looking for additional security tools may also want to note that NordVPN’s Complete plan bundles in extra services beyond the VPN itself. One of those is NordPass, the company’s password management app. NordPass is also discounted as part of a separate promotion, if you’re primarily looking for a password manager rather than a VPN. The Premium tier is currently 50 percent off, bringing the price down to $36 for two years. NordPass Premium adds features such as cross-device password syncing, secure password sharing and breach monitoring, which alerts users if stored credentials appear in known data leaks.
Both offers are available for a limited time, though Nord has not specified an end date for the promotion. If you’re still unsure whether NordVPN is right for you, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can change your mind and get a full refund.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/two-years-of-the-nordvpn-complete-plan-is-70-percent-off-123000349.html?src=rss
With over 155 million sold, Nintendo’s Switch is officially the company’s biggest console hit ever. It’s been a long road to surpassing the DS, which reached 154 million consoles over its seven-year lifespan. The Switch, meanwhile, is a year shy of its 10-year anniversary.
We’ve seen the original console, the non-hybrid Lite and the OLED versions of the Switch over the decade, but despite being replaced by Switch 2, the original is still selling at a strong pace: 1.36 million units in Q3. Just think how many Joy-Cons it sold/replaced?
Next goal: try to be the best-selling console of all time. Currently, that’s the PlayStation 2.
Moltbook is a “digital petri dish,” a Reddit-style forum populated entirely by AI agents that post, follow and even gossip about their owners in dedicated submolts. Built using vibe coding, it’s a surreal experiment in autonomous socialization — though there’s no shortage of user-data security flaws. Is Moltbook a profound look at the dead internet theory or just a very loud AI echo chamber? Or something in the middle? Karissa explains it all. (Sorry, Karissa.)
Nintendo’s worst-selling console was probably the Virtual Boy. It sold less than 800,000 units, with only 22 games in Japan and 14 in North America. And it didn’t even have the guts to launch in Europe or Australia.
But Nintendo doesn’t care. It’s brought the Virtual Boy back, baby, as an add-on for the Switch 2, in all its red monochrome ’90s-tech glory. And we finally got to test it.
It even includes the original bipod, which you use to prop it up and lean into it. Yes, you still can’t just wear the thing like modern VR headsets. The Switch 2 console, sans Joy-Cons, then slides in, acting as display, battery and processor.
It seems more of a historical nod than anything else. This is pretty much 30-year-old VR tech, as-is. But… I still want one as a gaming objet d’art. A hundred bucks is a fair chunk of change for that, though. Read on for our full impressions.
Google posted a teaser video revealing its new entry-level smartphone, the Pixel 10a, in a lovely lilac colorway. We don’t know much more, however. You can see it’s another dual-camera Pixel, with that same flush body — which I like. (How does that already seem retro?)
Leaks suggest a 6.3-inch display and a large 5,100 mAh battery. It otherwise looks and seems like the Pixel 9a, although Google promises that there’s “more in store.” Last year’s A-series launched at $500 — will this land at a similar price? You can pre-order the Pixel 10a on February 18.
AMD CEO Lisa Su revealed on the company’s latest earnings call that Microsoft’s development of an Xbox with a semi-custom SOC from AMD is “progressing well to support a launch in 2027.” Maybe Microsoft can chase that best-selling console crown too?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-the-switch-is-officially-nintendos-most-popular-console-ever-121500738.html?src=rss
What’s the ultimate way to bring your simulator setup to life—projectors or triple screens? Below, UndeadParrot breaks down how each option transforms your experience, from the sweeping immersion of curved projector displays to the crisp, vibrant visuals of high-resolution monitors. Choosing between these two setups isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about how deeply you want […]
Mastering keyboard shortcuts on your Mac or iPad can significantly enhance your productivity. These shortcuts are designed to streamline your workflow, allowing you to navigate apps, manage files, and complete tasks more efficiently. By incorporating these practical tools into your routine, you can save valuable time and work smarter. The video below from Stephen Robles […]
What if you could carry the future of entertainment and productivity right in your pocket? Cas and Chary XR takes a closer look at how the newly launched VITURE Beast XR glasses are redefining portable spatial computing, blending innovative technology with sleek design. These glasses promise an immersive experience with Sony micro-OLED displays, built-in XR […]
