Author: News Room
You’ve made up your mind about trying out the new Gemini Intelligence features or the improved camera array on the Pixel 11 lineup. In the process, you’ve also noticed that the Pixels cost more than last year; they’re not cheap by any measure, and neither is breaking the front or rear glass. That makes a good case for a case less of an afterthought or an optional accessory and more of a sensible purchase. To save you time, I’ve gone through over a dozen case listings on Amazon, only to narrow down my recommendations to five of the best, most…
Night Sight used to be one of those Pixel features I couldn’t wait to show people. Point a Pixel at a scene that you know would make any smartphone struggle, and watch the algorithm magic unfold. Google’s computational photography could pull out an image that seemed impossible for any phone camera at the time. Eight years later, night modes are everywhere, and I’ve largely stopped thinking about them. Every flagship I’ve used recently can brighten a dark room by stacking multiple exposures and producing a usable nighttime photograph–not to forget longer shutter speeds. But the Pixel 11 Pro made this…
If you ask an AI agent to hack an account, it will most certainly refuse, but researchers at EPFL just proved there is an easier way in, and it involves patience rather than technical skill. Their new study shows that breaking a harmful goal into small, harmless-sounding requests can trick AI agents into completing tasks they would normally reject outright (via TechXplore). It echoes the recent ‘Bioshocking’ exploit in which AI browsers were manipulated into treating credential theft as part of a harmless game. How researchers exposed this weakness The team built an automated testing tool called STING, short for…
It’s only been a week since Google launched the Pixel 11 series globally, and I’ve already been putting the Pixel 11 through its paces. This is the vanilla model of the bunch, and on the surface, Google hasn’t changed the design or tried to reinvent what already worked last year. And you know what? I’m completely fine with that. I’ve always been a firm believer in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and the Pixel 11 feels like Google took that saying pretty seriously. A lot of what made the Pixel 10 work is still here, just with a…
If you use a Fire TV, Amazon just gave it a pretty substantial AI upgrade. Alexa+ is now rolling out at no extra cost to compatible Fire TV devices across the U.S., including current-generation Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, Amazon Ember TVs, and supported sets from brands like Hisense and Panasonic. There is no subscription to activate, no app to download, and you do not need a Prime membership. Eligible devices are upgraded automatically. So what actually changes on your Fire TV? The biggest improvement is search. Classic Alexa relied much more heavily on specific titles and keywords.…
Last month, China-based developer Eclipse Glow Games revealed that Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 voice actor Jennifer English was stepping away from the protagonist role of Gwendolyn in Tides of Annihilation. Admittedly, English’s involvement was one of the more exciting aspects of Tides of Annihilation. However, after roughly two hours of actually playing it, I’m happy to report that the game is shaping up to be a great character action game filled with impressive spectacle, and English’s absence isn’t necessarily felt. Sure, the specter of the news loomed over my two-hour gameplay preview of Tides of Annihilation when…
If you were hoping to storm through Cauldron Descent with friends anytime soon, you might want to sit tight. According to a new Bloomberg report, PlayStation has reportedly ordered a major overhaul of Horizon Hunters Gathering, the multiplayer spinoff Guerrilla Games unveiled back in February. The reboot comes after the game reportedly struggled during closed playtesting, leaving executives unconvinced the current direction works. The live-service model is getting scrapped Guerrilla has reportedly been reworking the game since June, and the plan is to strip out its live-service backbone entirely. Instead of an ongoing, continually updated multiplayer experience, the game is…
Horizon Hunters Gathering, a live-service spin-off of Guerilla Games’ Horizon series, was announced earlier this year to mixed reception. While it retains worldbuilding elements from Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, the genre and art style are completely changed, and anecdotally, it seemed to alienate more than it attracted. That was before anyone had played the game, however. According to a report from Bloomberg, playtest feedback has caused the developer to take a step back and reevaluate what the game should look like.The report comes from Jason Schreier, a seasoned reporter in the video game space. He cites anonymous sources…
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has banned employees from wearing Meta smart glasses in federal workplaces over concerns that they could capture sensitive information and undermine privacy or legal protections, according to The New York Times. The rule applies to everyone at ICE, not only agents working in the field. ICE is effectively treating personally owned smart glasses like unauthorized body cameras. That fits its existing policy restricting recordings made by personnel while performing official duties. There’s an awkward bit of timing here. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fiscal 2027 budget includes funding for an operational smart-glasses prototype designed to…
Harvey Smith, best known for his tenure at Arkane Studios from 2008 until 2024, has announced a new game studio called Black Pony Immersive. Smith is joined by co-founder and executive producer Ben Horne, who worked with Smith for more than eight years, most recently on Redfall at Arkane Austin. Black Pony Immersive is founded with the goal to continue delivering the kinds of game experiences Smith has been known for over the course of his more than 30 years working in the industry.The immersive-sim subgenre is defined by player choice, vast series of interconnected game systems, and emergent moments…