I went hands-on with the Square Enix RPG and it doesn’t disappoint in handheld mode
The post The Beginning Of <i>Final Fantasy VII: Remake</i> Wowed Me All Over Again On Switch 2 appeared first on Kotaku.
Monthly Archives: September 2025
This 4-Pack of AirTags Is Selling for Pennies, Amazon Just Wants Them Off the Shelves
AirTags don’t get much buzz, but they’re one of Apple’s coolest products.
The post This 4-Pack of AirTags Is Selling for Pennies, Amazon Just Wants Them Off the Shelves appeared first on Kotaku.
Chinese social media platforms roll out labels for AI-generated material
Major social media platforms in China have started rolling out labels for AI-generated content to comply with a law that took effect on Monday. Users of the likes of WeChat, Douyin, Weibo and RedNote (aka Xiaohongshu) are now seeing such labels on posts. These denote the use of generative AI in text, images, audio, video and other types of material, according to the South China Morning Post. Identifiers such as watermarks have to be included in metadata too.
WeChat has told users they must proactively apply labels to their AI-generated content. They’re also prohibited from removing, tampering with or hiding any AI labels that WeChat applies itself, or to use “AI to produce or spread false information, infringing content or any illegal activities.”
ByteDance’s Douyin — the Chinese version of TikTok — similarly urged users to apply a label to every post of theirs that includes AI-generated material while noting it’s able to use metadata to detect where a piece of content content came from. Weibo, meanwhile, has added the option for users to report “unlabelled AI content” option when they see something that should have such a label.
Four agencies drafted the law — which was issued earlier this year — including the main internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Radio and Television Administration also helped put together the legislation, which is being enforced to help oversee the tidal wave of genAI content. In April, the CAC started a three-month campaign to regulate AI apps and services.
Mandatory labels for AI content could help folks better understand when they’re seeing AI slop and/or misinformation instead of something authentic. Some US companies that provide genAI tools offer similar labels and are starting to bake such identifiers into hardware. Google’s Pixel 10 devices are the first phones that implement C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) content credentials right inside the camera app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chinese-social-media-platforms-roll-out-labels-for-ai-generated-material-194803979.html?src=rss
EU To Boost Satellite Defences Against GPS Jamming, Defence Commissioner Says
An anonymous reader shares a report: The European Union will deploy additional satellites in low Earth orbit to strengthen resilience against GPS interferences and will improve capabilities to detect it, EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said on Monday. His remarks followed an incident on Sunday in which the GPS system aboard European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft was jammed en route to Bulgaria. Bulgarian authorities suspect the jamming was due to due to interference by Russia, an EU spokesperson said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
This 1TB HP Laptop Is Now $499 Instead of $2499, Amazon Just Cut $2000 Off the Price
This excellent HP laptop is down to just a fifth of its original price.
The post This 1TB HP Laptop Is Now $499 Instead of $2499, Amazon Just Cut $2000 Off the Price appeared first on Kotaku.
After Four Months, Deobald’s Out as GNOME’s Executive Director
As GNOME swaps executive directors faster than Linux users swap desktops, we ask what’s really happening behind the scenes.
The post After Four Months, Deobald’s Out as GNOME’s Executive Director appeared first on FOSS Force.
KDE’s Virtual Machine Manager Moves Forward
Karton’s August 2025 progress report shows KDE’s virtual machine manager advancing with a new UI, SPICE integration, and streamlined VM creation.
The Age of Cheap Online Shopping is Ending
The century-old duty-free import exemption that transformed American online shopping has ended, The Atlantic argues, closing a loophole that allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the United States without tariffs. The de minimis threshold, raised from $200 in 2016, processed millions of daily shipments directly from overseas sellers to American consumers.
China lost access earlier this year; the exemption now terminates for all countries. Platforms including Shein, Temu, and marketplace sellers on Amazon, Etsy, and eBay built business models around direct shipping from manufacturing hubs in Asia and elsewhere. Import duties will apply to all international packages regardless of value, with tariffs reaching 50% for some countries. The policy shift affects everything from $30 specialty faucet parts shipped from Britain to handmade crafts from India, fundamentally altering the economics of cross-border e-commerce that emerged over the past decade.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
AMD Begins Queuing Graphics Driver Changes For Linux 6.18
On Friday AMD sent out their initial batch of kernel graphics driver feature changes intended for merging to the Linux 6.18 kernel later this year…
Zwift Racing Etiquette: The Unofficial Code of Conduct for Indoor Cycling Racing
Every cyclist knows the Velominati—keepers of the sacred outdoor road cycling commandments. But once you clip in on a smart trainer and enter the pixelated world of Watopia, those rules start to fall apart. Sock height still matters, sure, but what about your fan placement? Your avatar name? Your squirrel?
Enter Zwift Racing Etiquette: the ultimate guide to proper behavior in the virtual peloton. These rules are designed for Zwift racers who want to ride hard, race fair, and keep the vibe fun—even when chasing a breakaway at 180 bpm in a garage that smells faintly of chain lube and long lost ambition.
The Golden Principle of Zwift racing etiquette is simple: Be a Good Sport. Zwift racing is highly competitive, but it’s also a shared experience. Whether you’re chasing a podium or just trying not to get dropped, the goal is to race with integrity, respect your fellow riders, and contribute to the community. That means no sandbagging, no tantrums, and no ghosting. It means giving Ride-Ons, pulling your weight in a break, and finishing even when it hurts.
If everyone follows this one principle, the rules almost take care of themselves.
The Rules
Rule #1: Keep it fun.
Zwift is serious business—until you remember you’re sweating in your attic pretending to climb a volcano. Lighten up.
Rule #2: Wear a jersey.
Indoor riding gets hot. We get it. But Zwift is not OnlyFans. So wear a shirt when filming your ride. Your YouTube viewers will thank you.
Rule #3: Ditch the “pain cave.”
The term is cringey and overused. Whatever you call it, it should feel like a place where legends are made. Hang some Tour swag to make it feel legit.
Rule #4: Don’t forget the essentials.
You can have the perfect warm-up, the perfect playlist, and the perfect race plan—but if you forget your towel, bottle, or to switch on your fan, you’re toast. Prep your setup like it’s a space launch: checklist, power, hydration, airflow. Forget one, and you’ll be sweating into regret.
Rule #5: The fan cools you. The software cools your mic.
Strategic airflow is non-negotiable. But if your teammates can’t hear your tactical brilliance over the roar of your industrial-grade fan, it’s time to let noise suppression do its job. Balance is everything.
Rule #6: Charge your devices.
Nothing says “pro” like a mid-race voice dropout because your AirPods died during your attack. Keep your gear juiced. Better yet, plug it in.
Rule #7: Calibrate your trainer.
Your trainer isn’t magic. It needs calibration. Regularly. If your watts are suspiciously heroic, it’s either your legs or your laziness. Don’t let it be the latter. Calibrate, verify, and race clean.
Rule #8: Drop watts, not connections.
Your setup should be race-ready. That means no Bluetooth dropouts, no sensor drama, no “why did my avatar stop?” moments. Keep interference low, test with Zwiftalizer, and choose your connection method wisely. Companion App bridge can help, but it’s not for everyone. If your signal’s sketchy, your race is too.
Rule #9: Identify yourself.
If your name is “Mr. Fast” and your avatar is a Bugatti, we assume you’re compensating for something. Just be you.
Rule #10: State your true height.
Yes, shaving centimeters makes you faster in Zwift. But unless you’ve actually shrunk, set your real height. Cheating the system is easy—earning respect isn’t.
Rule #11: Weigh-in with integrity.
Morning weigh-ins (sans gear) are fine. Don’t film it—you’re naked, remember. Enter your weight with one decimal and update it every couple of weeks. It’s not just about numbers—it’s about showing you care enough to keep it fair.
Rule #12: Your age doesn’t earn you watts.
Zwift doesn’t care how old you are—and neither should your race name. If you’re 70 and dropping 20-year-olds, that’s genuinely impressive. But don’t fish for compliments by adding your age to your username. Performance speaks louder than birthdays.
Rule #13: Only state your FTP when asked.
Power is silent. Ego is loud. Be the former. Dropping your FTP into casual chat is like flexing your salary at a dinner party—no one asked, and now it’s awkward.
Rule #14: Sock height is sacred.
There is a correct sock height. You don’t know what it is, but you’ll know when someone gets it wrong.
Rule #15: Respect the Tron.
If someone’s riding the Tron bike, they’ve earned it. Don’t ask how. Just admire the glow and get in their draft.
Rule #16: Respect the burrito.
It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy. It’s not even edible. But the burrito power-up cancels your draft and scrambles your chasers. Laugh at it, and you’ll get dropped. Use it right, and you’ll ride off into the distance before the opponents even know you’re attacking.
Rule #17: Sprint into descents.
The gravity may be virtual, but the glory is real. Always start a downhill with a watt bomb—you’ll carry extra speed and drop your rivals. And yes, in the virtual world, the supertuck is still a thing. Use it wisely. Abuse it, and you’ll be dropped like a bad Wi-Fi connection.
Rule #18: No distractions.
Zwift is not background noise. If you’re watching Netflix during a race, you’re not really here. Save the binge-watching for rest days. When it’s go-time, be present. Your watts deserve your full attention.
Rule #19: Know your racing category.
If ZRS, CE, and vELO just look like alphabet soup to you, you’re not ready to race. These acronyms determine who you race and how fair it all feels. So learn the system, check your numbers, and race where you belong. Confusion is forgivable. Ignorance is not.
Rule #20: E-racing has a capital Z.
Other platforms are just pixel cosplay.
Rule #21: Don’t compare Zwift to IRL.
Zwift isn’t outdoor riding—and that’s the point. There’s no wind, no potholes, and no chance of getting dropped because you missed a turn while reaching for a gel. It’s a different sport. Zwift has volcanoes, power-ups, and glowing bikes. Embrace the weird. Respect the platform.
Rule #22: Non-Zwifters won’t get it.
Your sub-6 hour vCinglés du Ven-Top means nothing to non-Zwifters. They won’t care about your zMAP boost or your Epic KOM reverse PR. Save it for fellow Zwifters.
Rule #23: Keep the bike clean and lubricated.
Just because no one sees your bike doesn’t mean it should look like a biology experiment. Clean your drivetrain, no sweat puddles, and bin those wrappers.
Rule #24: Wear the team kit.
Wear your club jersey (virtually) and display your team name. Otherwise, no one knows if you’re a rival or just vibing.
Rule #25: Take your turn.
In a breakaway or chase group, do your share. It doesn’t have to be heroic, but it has to be something. Riders who merely freeload are to be dropped at the earliest opportunity.
Rule #26: Always race to your max.
Race like your Twitch stream actually has viewers. If you’re looking for a training ride, do a workout instead. See also Rule #28.
Rule #27: Empty your weebles.
Intervals.icu shows how deep you went above FTP. If your w’balance didn’t reach zero, you just didn’t go hard enough. See Rule #27.
Rule #28: No sandbagging.
Don’t limit your power to stay in a lower category. Big fish belong in big ponds. Race like it’s the Tour de France and let the pens sort themselves out.
Rule #29: No tanking.
Purposely racing poorly to lower your ZRS or vELO rating is just sad. Wear your category with pride.
Rule #30: Finish the race.
Got dropped and don’t want your poor result to show on ZwiftPower? Tough luck. Take your defeat on the chin and complete the full distance.
Rule #31: Sauce is allowed (mostly).
Sauce 4 Zwift is fine—if the HUD is on. If the organiser switches it off for a data-free experience, don’t bypass it. That’s just shady.
Rule #32: Keep the chat clean.
“Have fun!” is great. “How long is this race?”—not so much. Race chat isn’t your personal FAQ or therapy session. Don’t complain about the course or ask what’s for dinner, and save the sarcastic coaching for Discord. Say thanks, be nice, and if you’ve got nothing helpful to say—pedal harder.
Rule #33: No public shaming.
Suspicious power, weight, or height? Don’t call it out in chat. Send a private message to the organiser. Keep the vibe positive.
Rule #34: Big watts? Dual record.
If you can do more than 5 w/kg for 5 minutes, invest in some power pedals. They’re not that expensive anymore, and they prove your numbers are legit.
Rule #35: Ride-Ons galore.
That rider who clawed their way back after getting dropped? Ride-On. The one who led the chase to reel in a breakaway? Ride-On. The teammate who gave up their sprint to lead you out? Definitely Ride-On. We’re all suffering in our own way—sometimes, a well-timed Ride-On makes it bearable. Use them generously, but meaningfully.
Rule #36: No moaning about steering.
Yes, Zwift Play isn’t sold everywhere. But if you want it, find a forwarding address. Complaining won’t make your avatar steer better.
Rule #37: Do not ghost the race.
If you signed up, show up. Be the wheel someone else needs.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of the list? Got rules to add or changes to recommend? Share below…
[$] The future of 32-bit support in the kernel
Arnd Bergmann started his Open
Source Summit Europe 2025 talk with a clear statement of position: 32-bit
systems are obsolete when it comes to use in any sort of new products. The
only reason to work with them at this point is when there is existing
hardware and software to support. Since Bergmann is the overall maintainer
for architecture support in the kernel, he is frequently asked whether
32-bit support can be removed. So, he concluded, the time has come to talk
more about that possibility.
Azure Budget Alerts Go Berserk After Microsoft Account Migration Misfire
An anonymous reader shares a report: Some Microsoft Azure customers have had a worrying few days after a problematic account migration caused forecast costs for the cloud service to skyrocket, triggering budget alerts.
An alarmed Register reader got in touch after receiving warnings from Azure’s automated systems that they had significantly exceeded their budgets, and a glance at Microsoft’s support forums indicates their issue was not isolated.
The problem was that costs had suddenly ramped up. One user, with a budget threshold of $85, received an automated alert indicating that their spend was forecast to reach $1,027. Another said: “We’re actively seeing the same issue, costs have blown up by a crazy amount. No official notice or announcement from Microsoft either, it’s appalling.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple’s MLS Season Pass drops to as low as $25 for the rest of 2025
The end of any sports season is usually the most exciting part, and MLS fans can watch the climax of the 2025 campaign for a discount. As it has done each year around this time since it locked up the rights to the top North American soccer league, Apple is offering the MLS Season Pass at a discount for the remainder of the season. Apple TV+ subscribers can get access for $25, while everyone else can snag the season pass for $29.
This is just the latest MLS Season Pass price cut of 2025, as Apple slashed it in half to $49 in July. However, it’s not quite as great a deal as latecomers got on the pass last year. Apple’s end-of-season discount for 2024 saw the season pass drop to just $10 in early September.
We’re now well over halfway through the 2025 season. Teams have between five and nine games of the regular season left to play. Inter Miami have the most games remaining due to the team’s participation in the Club World Cup, so Lionel Messi fans might get to see quite a bit more of him — especially if his squad makes the MLS Cup playoffs. You’ll also have the chance to check out a few new high-profile imports to MLS, including Son Heung-min at Los Angeles FC and Thomas Müller at Vancouver Whitecaps. The season will end with the MLS Cup final, which will take place on December 6.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apples-mls-season-pass-drops-to-as-low-as-25-for-the-rest-of-2025-170855008.html?src=rss
Zotac Zone Pro Ryzen 9 Linux Gaming Handheld Set To Challenge ROG Xbox Ally
Zotac’s Zone handheld, launched last year, was an interesting device, with an 800 cd/m² HDR AMOLED display and dual touchpads like the Steam Deck, and it also made use of standard AMD Ryzen laptop chips instead of the handheld-targeted Ryzen Z family. The company’s trying again with the Zone Pro handheld, this time powered by “Strix Point”
Gentex PLACE Any Space PL1AS / PL1K As A Replacement For Nest Protect Smoke Detectors
Not your typical review on Phoronix today but rather a brief look at the Gentex PLACE Any Space smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. For those facing ten years on their Nest Protect smoke detectors and looking for an end-of-life replacement to these smoke detectors discontinued by Google, the Gentex PLACE smart smoke detectors are an interesting and capable alternative. Being faced by needing to find a replacement to Nest Protects myself that have now expired and finding many others in the same boat with no clear winning smart smoke detector right now, I decided to go with the Gentex PLACE and figured it worthwhile to share a bit of my experience.
Americans Are Having Less Sex Than Ever
Americans are having a record low amount of sex — even less than they did during the Covid-19 pandemic — according to a new study led by researchers at the Institute for Family Studies. WSJ: This continues the downward shift in sexual activity that has been worrying sociologists and psychologists for decades. For the report, called “The Sex Recession,” researchers at the IFS analyzed the data on sex and intimacy in the latest General Social Survey produced by NORC at the University of Chicago, which was collected in 2024 and released in May. They found that just 37% of people age 18-64 reported having sex at least once a week, down from 55% in 1990. The decline is even more striking for young adults: Almost a quarter of people age 18-29, or 24%, said they had not had sex in the past year; this is twice as many as in 2010.
Much has been written in recent years about the trend of young people having less sex, attributed to everything from stunted social skills to a rise in internet pornography. Yet the IFS study shows that the same trend holds true for people up to the age of 64, of all sexual orientations, both married and single. (After age 64, there was no significant change in the amount of sex people have, largely because this group reports having sex less frequently to begin with, the researchers said.)
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Sneaky New Android Malware Steals PIN Codes And Keystrokes, What To Look Out For
Android users are currently at risk of a scarily advanced malware that reportedly uses Meta’s advertising platforms (like Facebook and Instagram) to hunt for users’ PINs, messages, and other sensitive data. The malware which has been active since at least July 22, especially targets crypto assets.
Here’s how it works: You can be on any
Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD Practically Costs Nothing, the 2TB Model Works Out Cheaper Than Buying Two 1TBs
Save as much as 32% on the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD for a limited time at Amazon.
The post Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD Practically Costs Nothing, the 2TB Model Works Out Cheaper Than Buying Two 1TBs appeared first on Kotaku.
Sony is hosting a State of Play showcase for 007 First Light on September 3
Sony has lined up its next PlayStation State of Play showcase, and this one is all about a single game. It will focus on 007 First Light, the long-awaited James Bond adventure from Hitman studio IO Interactive. It starts at 2PM ET on September 3 and you can watch it on the PlayStation YouTube and Twitch channels (there’ll also be a version of the video with English subtitles on YouTube). You can also just hit the play button on the YouTube video above when the time is right.
The showcase will run for over 30 minutes and it will feature a deep dive into gameplay, including a full playthrough of a young Bond’s first mission. Over on the PlayStation Blog, IOI said to expect “everything from high-speed car chases to on-foot stealth sequences and shootouts.” Following that, IOI will offer up more details on 007 First Light gameplay. Perhaps we’ll also get a release date or narrower window for the action-adventure game, which is slated to hit Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2026.
In the meantime, you can get a taste of just why IOI was able to land this gig by checking out Hitman World of Assassination, a bundle of all three of the main Hitman games from the last decade. Hitman WOA just hit iOS last week, and you can play through the first location for free. It’s also available on PC and consoles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-is-hosting-a-state-of-play-showcase-for-007-first-light-on-september-3-151958435.html?src=rss
‘Why Do Waymos Keep Loitering in Front of My House?’
Waymo robotaxis are repeatedly selecting identical parking spots in front of specific Los Angeles and Arizona homes between rides, puzzling residents who document the same vehicles returning to precise locations daily. The company states its vehicles choose parking based on local regulations, existing vehicle distribution, and proximity to high-demand areas but cannot explain the algorithmic specificity.
Carnegie Mellon autonomous vehicle expert Phil Koopman attributes the behavior to machine learning systems optimizing for specific spots without variation. Waymo said it had received neighbor complaints and has designated certain locations as no-parking zones for its fleet. The vehicles comply with three-hour parking limits, according to Los Angeles Department of Transportation regulations, governing commercial passenger vehicles under 22 feet.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.