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The first Olympic Esports Games will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2025

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the inaugural edition of the Olympic Esports Games will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2025 as part of a 12-year partnership with the country's National Olympic Committee. The host city, venue(s) and dates are yet to be determined as are the games that will be included and the qualification process for each.

The IOC says that international federations and national Olympic committees that are already involved in a digital version of their sport and esports in general will be its first options for partners. The organization took a similar approach to a trial event that took place last year, which saw players compete in the likes of Gran Turismo, Fortnite, Just Dance, Zwift and even mobile games barely anyone had ever heard of.

That said, the IOC may be looking to bring other legitimately popular esports into the fold. According to L'Equipe, the organization is in talks with the publishers of Rocket League, Street Fighter and the biggest esport of all, League of Legends, to include those games. The Olympic Esports Games may take place every two years, with South Korea and the US said to be in discussions to host future installments.

The IOC had been mulling for years whether to run an official esports event under its banner, and the organization is finally going for it. However, opting for Saudi Arabia as the inaugural Olympic Esports Games host is a contentious choice given the country's dismal human rights record. 

The nation has been using entertainment, sports and esports in an attempt to clean up its image. It's been plowing billions of dollars into esports and gaming companies, forging partnerships with publishers to run the pro circuits for certain games and hosting the Esports World Cup, which is currently taking place with a $60 million prize pool. A state-funded company now owns 40 percent of the esports market, according to a New York Times report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-olympic-esports-games-will-take-place-in-saudi-arabia-in-2025-154637804.html?src=rss

X is in hot water in the EU over blue checkmarks and ads

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X is the latest notable tech company to land in trouble with the European Union. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, has revealed the preliminary findings of an investigation. It claims that X has violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) in a number of ways.

The platform’s approach to paid verification has come into the EU’s crosshairs. Officials say that the practice “does not correspond to industry practice and deceives users.” It added that, since anyone can pay to get a blue checkmark, it’s difficult for folks to determine the authenticity of accounts (a browser extension can tell you which accounts are verified because of notability and which paid for a checkmark). The EU also said there’s evidence of bad actors using checkmarks to hoodwink people.

X's problems with verification stem back several years. But at least when it was known as Twitter, the blue check was a (reasonably) reliable form of assurance that an account was the real deal. Paid checkmarks, and the increase in visibility that Premium users get, seems to have led to an increase in scams and spam — just as many predicted.

Next up, the EU took issue with X’s alleged lack of advertising transparency. It claimed the company doesn’t have a reliable, searchable ad repository that enables researchers to look into “emerging risks brought about by the distribution of advertising online.”

In addition, the EU said X is violating the DSA by failing to give researchers sufficient access to public data. “In particular, X prohibits eligible researchers from independently accessing its public data, such as by scraping, as stated in its terms of service,” the bloc argued in a statement. In the EU’s view, researchers are either dissuaded from carrying out projects or forced to pay “disproportionately high fees” to do so given the way that X has set up its application programming interfaces (APIs).

"Back in the day, Blue Checks used to mean trustworthy sources of information. Now with X, our preliminary view is that they deceive users and infringe the DSA," Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, said in a statement. "We also consider that X’s ads repository and conditions for data access by researchers are not in line with the DSA transparency requirements. X has now the right of defense — but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes."

If X is found guilty, it will face fines of up to six percent of its global annual revenue — so we may get a sense of just how much money the now privately held company is making these days. The EU may also direct X to take steps to ensure compliance with the DSA and impose further periodic fines if the company does not do so.

The EU hasn't been shy in taking tech companies to task under the DSA and its sibling legislation, the Digital Markets Act. Meta and Apple could both be on the hook for multibillion-dollar fines if preliminary findings of investigations hold up.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-is-in-hot-water-in-the-eu-over-blue-checkmarks-and-ads-145003468.html?src=rss

The Double Dragon series returns yet again with an ultra-modern tribute to the original game

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I first started hitting arcades in the late '80s, and one of the first games I remember playing was the seminal 1987 beat-em-up Double Dragon. Probably not the most appropriate thing for a seven-year-old, but I pumped plenty of quarters into it and subsequently spent tons of time playing the NES port. After its late '80s / early '90s heyday, though, the Double Dragon series has gone through a number of weird iterations and revamps, and a new one based on the original game is set to arrive in 2025.

Double Dragon Revive is produced by Japanese developer / publisher Arc System Works, who acquired the rights to Double Dragon back in 2015 after the original developer Technōs went out of business. Unlike Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, which was released in 2023 and featured a very distinctive cartoonish style, Revive is leaning into an ultra-modern and more realistic vibe, relatively speaking. 

It reminds me a bit of recent Street Fighter games; similarly, the characters look like they have a greatly expanded set of moves to bash through the waves of bad guys. There isn't much detail on the game out there yet, though Arc System Works does note that this game isn't a pure button-masher, saying that it "requires adaptation and variety." 

Visual style isn't the only thing differentiating Revive from Rise of the Dragons. The 2023 game had ropuelike elements, 13 playable characters and a tag-team ability to let you swap between those characters. Revive, as the name suggests, will likely stick more to the tried-and-true Double Dragon formula. How much that'll resonate with players in 2025 remains to be seen, but there are surely enough nostalgic kids from the '80s out there who will give this one a shot. It'll be available for the PS4 and PS5, Xbox One and Series X/S and on Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-double-dragon-series-returns-yet-again-with-an-ultra-modern-tribute-to-the-original-game-142722631.html?src=rss

The EU will start enforcing its new AI regulations on August 1

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The European Union has published the full and final text for the EU AI Act in its Official Journal, as reported by TechCrunch. Since the new law will come into force 20 days after its publication, that means it will be enforceable starting on August 1. All its provisions will be fully applicable in two years' time, but some of them will be implemented much earlier than that. 

Six months from now, the bloc will start implementing bans on prohibited applications for AI, such as the use of social credit ranking systems, the collection and compilation of facial recognition information for databases, as well the use of real time emotion recognition systems in schools and workplaces. 

In nine months, the EU will start implementing codes of practice on AI developers. The EU AI Office established by the European Commission will work with consultancy firms to draft those codes. It also plans to work with companies that provide general-purpose models deemed to carry systemic risks. As TechCrunch notes, though, that raises concerns that the industry's biggest players will be able to shape the rules that are supposed to keep them in check.

After a year, makers of general purpose AI models, such as ChatGPT, will have to comply with new transparency requirements and have to be able to demonstrate that their systems are safe and easily explainable to users. In addition to all those, the EU AI Act includes rules that apply to generative AI and manipulated media, such as making sure deepfakes and other AI-generated images, videos and audio are clearly labeled. 

Companies training their AI models will have to respect copyright laws, as well, unless their model is created purely for research and development. "Rightsholders may choose to reserve their rights over their works or other subject matter to prevent text and data mining, unless this is done for the purposes of scientific research," the AI Act's text reads. "Where the rights to opt out has been expressly reserved in an appropriate manner, providers of general-purpose AI models need to obtain an authorization from rightsholders if they want to carry out text and data mining over such works."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-eu-will-start-enforcing-its-new-ai-regulations-on-august-1-140037756.html?src=rss

The designer of Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride is back with a Lovecraftian roguelike

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Luke Muscat, the lead designer for Halfbrick Studios' Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, has announced a new game called Feed the Deep. This time, he's not backed by a studio and supported by colleagues: Feed the Deep is his first solo project after quitting his job. He calls the game a "Lovecraftian deep sea roguelike," because you take on the role of a diver who literally has to feed the eldritch horror lurking in the darkness of the ocean's depths. 

In the game, humanity built floating cities on the surface of the ocean without knowing about the threat living below. Your job is to feed whatever's living in the deep so that it doesn't destroy the cities. In its Steam page, Muscat said the game was "inspired by the likes of Dome Keeper and Spelunky." You'll have to collect resources in the darkness to be able to get upgrades and items, all while managing your oxygen to make sure you survive the dive. The caves you have to explore are procedurally generated so they will look different every time you play. You can also choose your play style, whether to go fast and aggressive, or to go slower and more relaxed. 

It's unclear if Feed the Deep will be available on non-PC platforms, but Muscat has only shared a Steam page for it so far. He's planning to release the game sometime this third quarter. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-designer-of-fruit-ninja-and-jetpack-joyride-is-back-with-a-lovecraftian-roguelike-130002746.html?src=rss

Apple Vision Pro goes on sale in the UK, Canada and Australia

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The Apple Vision Pro is now available for purchase in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Apple first expanded its availability in Asia by releasing it in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore back on June 28, which is also when it started taking pre-orders for Europe, Canada and Australia. Now if you're from those regions, you can can easily purchase the $3,500 headset from Apple anytime you want.

Since the Vision Pro became available in the US in February, Apple has released more and more games on the App Store and Arcade for it, as well as new 3D films that you can access with an Apple TV+ subscription. The company also introduced Spatial Persona avatars, which takes your collaborators' avatars out of their restricted windows and places them right next to you in virtual space. It may sound creepy, but it's Apple's solution to making it feel more natural to work together and hang out on the Vision Pro. 

At WWDC this year, Apple debuted visionOS 2 for the headset, which will introduce spatial photos that provide depth to 2D images. What that means is, when you move your head while looking at a photo, you'll be able to see more details to the left and right of the original image. It will bring updated gesture controls to the headset, as well, letting you open the home view by holding you hand up then tapping and to bring up the time and battery details by flipping your hand over. Apple has already been beta testing the updated OS to prepare for its release, which is scheduled to take place sometime later this year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-goes-on-sale-in-the-uk-canada-and-australia-123052740.html?src=rss

Tesla brings the Model 3 Long Range RWD to the US for $42,490

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Tesla has introduced a Model 3 option with 363 miles of range that will cost less than $35,000 after federal tax credits. The Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive is now on Tesla's configurator with deliveries slated between July and August 2024. 

Performance-wise, it fits between the base model and Long Range AWD option, with a 125 MPH top speed and 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds. The AWD option is a $5,000 upgrade, though, so you're paying a lot for an extra 0.7 seconds of acceleration. For comparison, Hyundai's Ioniq 6 LR has roughly the same range and price, but isn't eligible for the federal EV tax credit. 

The Model 3 Long Range RWD is now Tesla's cheapest EV, if you take the tax credit into account. That's because the base $38,990 Model 3 RWD version uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from CATL in China, so it's ineligible for any federal rebate.

The new model arrives amid a decline in EV battery prices. The price for LFP cell in China dropped over 51 percent to $53 per kWh over the last year, Bloomberg recently reported. That in turn has led to LFP battery packs at $75 per kWh, meaning EVs can be priced the same or less than combustion vehicles in China. Western efforts to match China's battery production will only increase overcapacity and likely keep prices down.

Early this year, Tesla launched its refreshed Model 3 in the US. The new version has some mild styling changes on the exterior, along with new interior materials, ventilated front seats, a 17-speaker audio system option and a new eight-inch rear display.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-brings-the-model-3-long-range-rwd-to-the-us-for-42490-120016482.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Hydrogen-powered air taxi completes 523-mile test

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Joby Aviation says its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft successfully completed a 523-mile test flight, powered by hydrogen.

The only byproduct from the prototype, which has a liquid hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen-electric propulsion system, was water vapor. The company suggested the test flight points to a future of emissions-free regional aviation in an industry that still relies heavily on fossil fuels. But it would say that.

This is apparently the first liquid hydrogen-powered eVTOL flight. Joby Aviation repurposed its existing battery-powered air taxi, installing a fuel tank that can store up to 40 kilograms of liquid hydrogen to reduce the battery load for the craft.

Joby is set to start commercial operations of its air taxi as soon as 2025.

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It’s the end of the line for Redbox and its DVD rental kiosks. Its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late June but has shifted its filing from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7, which means it intends to liquidate its business altogether. Redbox kiosks, typically in groceries and convenience stores, used to rent out movie DVDs and Blu-ray discs as well as video games.

Continue reading.

Further back in time, now. The German navy is taking a leaf from Japan’s government and … upgrading its floppy disk drives. The country’s fleet of submarine frigates has operated on old-fashioned 8-inch floppy disks (yeah — the big ones) since they were commissioned back in the 1990s. Replacing the floppy disk system won’t be an easy task. These disks pretty much control everything on the ships from airflow systems to power generation.

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TMA
SpaceX

SpaceX started offering select users its new Starlink dish model, small enough to fit in a backpack, in late June. Despite its easy-to-carry size, the Mini used to require an existing $150 standard service plan — you could only tack on the Mini Roam service for an additional $30 a month. Now, you can get it on its own with a roaming service.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-hydrogen-powered-air-taxi-completes-523-mile-test-111557165.html?src=rss

German Navy looks to replace its outdated floppy disk system for its frigate fleet

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The German Navy is in need of a serious upgrade for its fleet of submarine frigates and we’re not talking about a digital upload or some kind of software patch. The country’s fleets of submarine frigates have operated on old-fashioned, 8-inch floppy disks since they were commissioned back in the 1990s.

Now the German Navy is trying to find a way to replace the outdated disk system that are “vital to the running of its Brandenburg class F123 frigates,” according to Tom’s Hardware.

Replacing the floppy disk system won’t be an easy task. These disks pretty much control everything on the ships from airflow systems to power generation. Does the German Navy still use Palm Pilots to organize its codewords and Tamagotchi to train its recruits in marine wildlife preservation?

Saab has been in charge of maintenance for Germany’s F123 frigate fleet since 2021, according to a press release. The frigates are designed to hunt for submarines so they’re also getting upgrades for its weapons and weapon control systems. Hopefully, they’ll also throw in one of those cool, luxurious night panel dashboards for free.

A lot of government institutions and programs have been on the floppy disk system for decades and long after the outdated computer storage system has fallen out of general use. Japan’s Digital Agency announced at the beginning of the month that it eliminated the use of floppy disks in its government systems. Does that mean that somewhere in the world, a core government agency is still using those Commodore cassette tapes to store its most vital data? Let's hope those disks aren't tied to nuclear weapons access... like they were in the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/german-navy-looks-to-replace-its-outdated-floppy-disk-system-for-its-frigate-fleet-211609734.html?src=rss

The second-gen Ring Indoor Cam is 50 percent off for Amazon Prime Day

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Amazon Prime Day is usually a good time to pick up a new Ring video doorbell and other security gear. One of the best Prime Day deals at the moment is the second-gen Ring Indoor Cam for $30, which is 50 percent off the usual price. The latest model of the camera allows you to get a live look at what's going on in your home from wherever you are with 1080p HD video. There's color night vision support as well.

When the Ring Indoor Camera detects movement, you'll get a real-time alert. You'll be able to select the area of coverage so you only get a heads up about significant movement. You can receive notifications via your phone or an Echo smart speaker and watch video from the camera on an Echo Show.

One handy feature will let you rewind the footage to a few seconds before an incident that triggered a motion event took place. This advanced pre-roll function will help you get a better understanding of what happened, Amazon suggests.

The camera comes with a swivel mount, so you can place it on a wall. But you'll need to be judicious about positioning. The camera is not battery-powered so you'll have to plug it into an outlet.

If you subscribe separately to the Ring Protection Plan, you'll be able to record all videos and review stored footage for up to 180 days (but just seven days for still images). You'll have the option of sharing videos too. The deal is part of a broader sale on Ring gear.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-second-gen-ring-indoor-cam-is-50-percent-off-for-amazon-prime-day-173058773.html?src=rss