This is a video of firearms expert and the UK’s Royal Armouries museum curator Jonathan Ferguson (complete with an “I’m Your Huckleberry” t-shirt under his blazer) reacting to and seriously discussing a variety of the outlandish weapons seen in the video game DOOM: The Dark Ages. That look on his face says it all. That’s the look of a man who can’t believe he’s had to crush and pulverize skulls the old fashioned way.

Researchers are developing techniques to genetically modify cancer-fighting immune cells directly inside patients rather than in expensive laboratory facilities, potentially making CAR-T therapy accessible to far more people.

Current CAR-T treatments require removing a patient’s T cells, shipping them to specialized facilities for genetic engineering, then returning them weeks later at costs around $500,000 per dose. The new “in vivo” approaches use viral vectors or RNA-loaded nanoparticles to deliver genetic instructions directly to T cells circulating in the bloodstream, which could reduce costs by an order of magnitude. Companies including Capstan Therapeutics, co-founded by Nobel laureates, and AstraZeneca-backed EsoBiotec have launched early human trials. While only about 200 US centers currently offer traditional CAR-T therapy, the approach could make the powerful treatment available on demand like conventional drugs.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OnePlus thrives on trends—if other smartphone makers are doing something, you can bet OnePlus is going to have a take. The company recently confirmed it’s ditching the storied alert slider in favor of an Apple-like shortcut button called the Plus Key, and that’s not the only trend it’ll chase with its latest phones. OnePlus has also announced an expanded collection of AI features for translation, photography, screen capture, and more. OnePlus isn’t breaking new ground here, but it is cherry-picking some of the more useful AI features we’ve seen on other phones.

The OnePlus approach covers most of the established AI use cases. There will be AI VoiceScribe, a feature that records and summarizes calls in popular messaging and video chat apps. Similarly, AI Call Assistant will record and summarize phone calls, a bit like Google’s Pixel phones. However, these two features are India-only for now.

Globally, OnePlus users will get AI Translation, which pulls together text, voice, camera, and screen translation into a single AI-powered app. AI Search, meanwhile, allows you to search for content on your phone and in OnePlus system apps in a “conversational” way. That suggests to us it’s basically another chatbot on your phone, like Motorola’s Ask and Search feature, which we didn’t love.

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The wait is over, people: WhatsApp is officially, finally, available on iPad.

WhatsApp started as an iPhone app way back in 2009. Seventeenyears later, the app is still available on iPhone, as well as Android, Mac, and PC. But one platform the app has never been available for is the iPad. Despite being the most popular mobile messaging app in the world—roughly a quarter of the global population uses it—Meta never cared to bring WhatsApp to the most popular tablet in the world.

That changes today. On Tuesday, May 27, Meta included an iPad app with the latest WhatsApp update (version 25.16.81). It comes just one day after the company teased the app on X: The official WhatsApp account reposted an X user who said there should be an iPad version of the app. WhatsApp didn’t say anything other than posting the side-eye emoji, heavily implying the app was on its way.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

From the App Store listing, it appears to be the usual WhatsApp experience you’d expect from, well, WhatsApp—only, optimized for the iPad’s larger display. When viewing your chats, you can see all conversations in a column on the left, with the active chat featured prominently in a larger column on the right. Your statuses will take up the full screen, and video calls will let you fit many callers on one screen. (I imagine this will be a big improvement for people who frequently video call groups on the iPhone app.)

You can download WhatsApp for iPad here.

Instagram may be getting an iPad app too

WhatsApp isn’t the only Meta app that needed an iPad version. Instagram infamously has remained iPad free for years, forcing users to download the iPhone version or rely on the web app to access Instagram on their tablets. Rumor has it, however, the company is working on a native iPad app for Instagram, too, though nothing is set in stone. It would be a big improvement for Instagram users who often browse on their iPads, but we’ll have to wait and see if the company actually pulls the trigger.

A man who made global headlines after he continued sharing deepfake porn in defiance of an Australian court order is now facing one of the biggest fines ever threatened over the artificial intelligence-fueled abuse.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has recommended a fine between $400,000 and $450,000, The Guardian reported, suggesting that it’s warranted to deter other repeat offenders.

Fifty-three-year-old Anthony Rotondo, who divides his time between the Philippines and Australia, was ordered to take down AI-generated sexualized images of high-profile Australian women that Rotondo posted on the now-defunct Mr. Deepfakes site.

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The Browser Company has stopped active development of the popular Arc web browser, according to a blog post from CEO Josh Miller. There will still be updates to fix security issues and the like, but there will likely be no new features added to the product.

Miller says that “for most people, Arc was simply too different, with too many new things to learn, for too little reward.” He also said that the browser “lacked cohesion, in both its core features and core value.”  

Instead, the company has shifted focus to a new product called Dia, which is an AI-powered browser of some kind. Dia was first announced at the tail-end of last year and has been described as “an entirely new environment — built on top of a web browser.”

Demos have shown Dia helping users write the next sentence in a paragraph, all while retrieving facts about a subject from the wider internet. It was also shown automatically grabbing Amazon links to insert in an email from a simple description and completing relatively complex actions based on user prompts. Some of this feels like an extension of what the company has already been doing with the mobile version of the Arc browser. 

Dia is currently being tested via an alpha build, but will open up to current Arc members in the near future. Miller says that the company has “approached Dia as an opportunity to fix what we got wrong with Arc.”

The Browser Company has considered selling or open-sourcing Arc, but won’t be doing anything so drastic at this moment. An open-source version of the browser would make a lot of current users happy, but Miller says it’ll be a challenge because it’s built on top of an internal SDK which is also the core component of Dia. Open-sourcing one would basically open-source the other. “That doesn’t mean it’ll never happen,” Miller said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-browser-company-stops-active-development-of-arc-in-favor-of-new-ai-focused-product-153045276.html?src=rss

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At $299.99 (down from $549.99), the TP-Link Deco BE63 mesh wifi system is at its lowest price yet (according to price trackers)—and if you’ve been waiting to upgrade your home network, this is a good time to jump in.

TP-Link Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 BE10000 Whole Home Mesh System

$299.99
at Amazon

$549.99
Save $250.00

$299.99
at Amazon

$549.99
Save $250.00

The BE63 is a two-piece mesh system that uses Wi-Fi 7, the latest wireless standard, to deliver faster speeds and better coverage across up to 5,800 square feet. PCMag not only gave it an “Excellent” review but also named it their Editors’ Choice and best mesh wifi system of 2024. That’s a lot of praise for something now selling for $300.

Getting started is easy with the Deco app: It walks you through the setup step by step, and once it’s live, you can manage everything from your phone. The app lets you check speeds, monitor devices, and create user profiles. There are built-in parental controls that let you block websites, apply age-based filters, or cut internet access at bedtime. These basic tools are free. But if you want deeper control (like enabling SafeSearch, restricting YouTube content, setting daily time limits, or tracking usage history), you’ll need to subscribe to HomeShield‘s Advanced Parental Controls plan ($2.99/month or $17.99/year).

For added network protection—things like web threat filtering, intrusion prevention, and device-level safeguards—you can upgrade to the Security+ plan, which costs $4.99/month or $35.99/year. There’s also a more comprehensive Total Security package that includes antivirus, VPN services, and a password manager. It’s priced at $69.99 for the first year, then renews at $129.99 annually. If you’ve got a busy household or want full visibility into your network, one of these paid plans might be worth it.

Performance-wise, this system is built for busy homes. It has three wireless bands—including 6GHz—for less congestion, plus four 2.5GbE ports and a USB 3.0 port on each unit. Those are more wired options than most mesh systems offer. Speeds are strong, even with multiple devices streaming, downloading, or gaming at once. You don’t get 10GbE ports as you do on pricier models, but for most people, this setup covers everything they need.

German sportswear giant Adidas disclosed a data breach after attackers hacked a customer service provider and stole some customers’ data. From a report: “adidas recently became aware that an unauthorized external party obtained certain consumer data through a third-party customer service provider,” the company said. “We immediately took steps to contain the incident and launched a comprehensive investigation, collaborating with leading information security experts.”

Adidas added that the stolen information did not include the affected customers’ payment-related information or passwords, as the threat actors behind the breach only gained access to contact. The company has also notified the relevant authorities regarding this security incident and will alert those affected by the data breach.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Because everyone has a secret skill, this is a video of Chinese TikTok (Douyin) user 43444719487 patiently and smoothly sorting black and white rice with a pair of chopsticks. It was oddly satisfying to watch, and clearly they have some rice sorting experience under their belt if their technique and precision is any indication. Is this what they do to relax and unwind? Because based on that pile of unsorted rice, they still have a lot more relaxing to do. Different strokes for different folks, you know? I yell at video games. Of course the real secret to sorting rice is to not mix two different bags to begin with. You don’t do that and you can cut the time needed to sort it down to zero. Consider that a free sample from my upcoming book of life hacks.

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While most people think of smart cameras as just a part of their security system, they’re also a good way to monitor the things growing in your yard. In most cases, the cameras you already have set up for security can be doing double duty as a tool to keep track of what’s happening in your garden.

I believe we’re on the cusp of smart cameras becoming a much bigger part of the gardening experience. For the last few years, smart bird houses have exploded in popularity. One of those companies, Bird Buddy, has launched an entirely new line of cameras specifically for micro-viewing experiences in the garden. Their Petal cameras, expected to be available next year, should be positioned closer to the ground than most security cameras, and are meant to capture bees, insects, and butterflies, as well as the growth of your plants. Using AI (as a subscription service), the camera will allow you to assign names to your plants and even communicate with them. Still, there is a lot you can do with security cameras already on the market. 

Remote monitoring

Credit: Amanda Blum

In an ideal world, you could pack up for vacation and your yard would take care of itself—but a smart camera can allow you to remotely keep an eye on what’s happening and monitor for any damage. What’s impressive to me is how well my solar-powered cameras maintain their connection, even during low temperatures and freezing rain. 

I’ve been impressed at how much detail I can get from small plants through my cameras.
Credit: Amanda Blum

Cameras allow you to keep an active watch on your yard. Not only will your security camera let you know if your trusted waterer drops by while you’re gone as promised, but you can actually see how your plants are doing and if additional help is needed.  I’m always impressed at how good the zoom is on the cameras I use around my yard; I can actually tell if a tomato is ripe or if broccoli is ready to be picked. 

Last year, when I couldn’t get outside because of a sprained ankle and had someone helping in the garden, being able to see what they were doing and communicate with them via my security camera was invaluable. It’s much more effective than trying to describe what you need or want. 

Catch pests

Garden pests are frustrating for a wealth of reasons. To start with, you often don’t know what kind of pest you’re dealing with, and it’s nearly impossible to catch them in the act. Smart cameras are perfect for this, because they give you fly-on-the-wall ability to passively watch. Motion detection does most of the work for you. 

My security camera let me know I had raccoons in my yard last winter. They weren’t doing any damage (yet), but it helped influence how I design my garden and chicken coops. The cameras identified the cat that had chosen my garden to use as a litter box, checking in each night around 1 a.m. I’ve been chasing down a rat for the last two weeks, and the cameras do a spectacular job of catching his activity, which tells me where to add traps and what I may be doing that is enabling him. 

Other uses for smart cameras in your yard

Credit: Amanda Blum

The most invaluable service I’ve gotten from my cameras are how I use them to monitor backyard pets. I could not figure out how my newly adopted doberman was escaping from the yard, so I installed security cameras, and discovered she was climbing a five-foot tall chain link fence. I’ve got three cameras installed in my chicken coop, and they tell me when there are eggs to be grabbed, if a chicken is becoming broody, if everyone got into the coop at night, and if that pesky rat has cracked into the chicken food. When I first got my chickens, I couldn’t figure out which bird was laying which color egg, but the cameras helped. And now that I have a beehive, being able to see the activity going in and out of the hive is a helpful to monitor the health of the hive, and if a rodent of any kind tries to get in, I’ll know immediately. 

How to choose a camera for your yard

I’ve tried smart cameras from almost every major brand, and I’ve figured out some things. First, in almost all cases, I want a PTZ (point, tilt, zoom) camera. These allow you to use your phone as a remote control and move the camera around, often almost 360 degrees, to zoom in on what you want. This is far superior to a fixed range camera. It’s simply annoying to have something going on just outside of the range of your camera and not be able to do anything to adjust it remotely. 

Additionally, I look for an app that makes it easy to watch clips. While I think Reolink cameras are affordable and functional, their app forces you to watch a horizontal clip on a vertical screen, so details are incredibly small. The Ring app has a lot of bloat, bringing neighborhood alert notifications to your phone. I enjoy the Aqara, Switchbot, and Eufy apps for getting to the video quickly and easily. 

Lastly, as you add cameras to your collection, being able to remain free from subscription costs is a real bonus. For that reason, I have largely switched over to Eufy cameras, which—if connected to a Home Base—don’t need a subscription. 

What I use in my yard:

I replaced all my floodlights with this camera for overhead views

Eufy Wired Floodlight Cam

$199.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $20.00

$199.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $20.00

I place these wireless cams anyplace I want a 360 view of what’s happening in my yard.

Eufy Solar Powered Wireless Camera

$259.99
at Amazon

$349.99
Save $90.00

$259.99
at Amazon

$349.99
Save $90.00

I have this epoxied into three spots in my chicken coop.

Eufy Indoor PTZ Camera

$34.88
at Amazon

$34.88
at Amazon

Just added this to monitor my beehive.

Eufycam S3 Pro

$439.99
at Amazon

$549.99
Save $110.00

$439.99
at Amazon

$549.99
Save $110.00

All my cameras sync to the homebase so I don’t need a subscription.

Eufy HomeBase

$149.99
at Amazon

$149.99
at Amazon

Where to place your camera

Credit: Amanda Blum

All security cameras are either hardwired or wireless. You might already have exterior floodlights on your home, and wired security cameras can use those connections, replacing the lights (many units come with floodlights). In this case, your connection is likely high up, and can’t be moved easily. So long as it’s high up, you likely have a good field of vision of your yard, but make sure to consider plants that grow in the summer, and if they’ll block your view. 

If you don’t have these connections available and don’t want to pay an electrician to create them, you need wireless cameras. But I actually prefer my wireless cameras. 

First, the solar power on most of them is astounding. I live in the Pacific Northwest, a place with seven months of gloom, and my cameras always stay powered. Second, being wireless means you can move your camera around to find the perfect spot. Usually all you need is to screw the base into the spot you want the camera. Don’t be afraid to try different spots, when I was chasing down how my dog escaped, I had to keep moving the camera. I attached the camera to a 2×4, and moved the wood around the yard, leaning it against whatever was near until I found the right range of vision. 

Summer brings sun, joy and lots of time spent outside. But, it also means a lot of tracking in dirt and debris from outdoors so, if you’ve been putting off getting a new vacuum, now might be the time. Currently, iRobot is running a Father’s Day sale on a few of its Roomba vacuums, including the 105 Vac Robot + AutoEmpty Dock.

The 105 Vac Robot is on sale for $280, down from $450 — a 37 percent discount. It’s one of the newer, more basic models in Roomba’s lineup and offers standard features like smart mapping. It also automatically empties debris for up to 75 days and has a schedule cleaning feature. Plus it has three cleaning stages: power-lifting suction, a multi-surface bristle brush and an edge-sweeping brush.

You can compare the iRobot’s 105 with other options on our list of best budget robot vacuums. Our top pick is also a Roomba, the Vac Robot Vacuum Q0120 — currently 48 percent off at Wayfair. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-roomba-robot-vacuum-with-auto-empty-dock-is-170-off-145834328.html?src=rss