Sony’s first State of Play stream of the year included an update on Mina the Hollower, the latest title from Shovel Knight studio Yacht Club Games. It’s now slated to arrive sometime this spring. The developer initially planned to release the retro-style action-adventure platformer on Halloween last year, but delayed it to “to apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine.”

While Mina the Hollower didn’t make its original Halloween release date, at least the new demo, which will be available for a limited time, is getting a eerily timed debut. It’ll hit PS5 tomorrow i.e. Friday, February 13. Y’know… Friday the 13th?

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/mina-the-hollower-resurfaces-with-a-spring-2026-release-window-224327165.html?src=rss

When it launched in 2021, Kena: Bridge of Spirits was an early example of the graphical power of the PS5 thanks to its Pixar-adjacent animation and over-the-top effects. Based on a surprise trailer at Sony’s latest State of Play, it seems like its sequel, Kena: Scars of Kosmora, could up the ante when it launches later this year.

Scars of Kosmora follows spirit guide Kena to a mysterious island called Kosmora, where a powerful spirit breaks her staff and forces her to embrace a new style of spirit guiding (and presumably a collection of new game mechanics). Like the first game, Scars of Kosmora looks to be filled with lush visuals and cute Spirit Companions, but also a surprising amount of boss battles. Developer Ember Lab’s new trailer heavily emphasizes the game’s updated combat, which seems like it’ll play a big role in the sequel.

According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, it sounds like manipulating the elements will also be a major focus. “We’ve added new elemental gameplay to bring strategy and depth when facing the threats of Kosmora,” developer Ember Lab says. “These new combat skills, elemental infusions and use of your Spirit Companions will be key to overcoming challenging encounters and epic boss fights.”

Kena: Scars of Kosmora is coming to PlayStation 5 and PC in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/kena-scars-of-kosmora-is-coming-out-later-this-year-224006963.html?src=rss

Ghost of Yotei’s forthcoming Legends multiplayer expansion will arrive early next month, Sony announced today during its latest State of Play presentation. As in Ghost of Tsushima, you’ll be able to play the mode with up to three other people online. Players can each choose from one of four classes — samurai, archer, mercenary and shinobi — who excel in different combat scenarios. All four classes can wield a katana and bow, but then they also have access to special weapons and skills. For example, the samurai can wield the odachi, giving them a sweeping move set against groups of enemies. You’ll need to use teamwork and your class’s abilities to take down demonic versions of the Yotei Six.

The mode will arrive alongside the game’s 1.5 patch, and will be free for all Ghost of Yotei owners. At launch, players can look forward to three different mission types. In survival, you’ll be tasked with fighting off increasingly difficult enemies. In story mode, meanwhile, you and one other player will need to complete a series of 12 missions to unlock the expansion’s incursion mode, which will see you siege a fortress belonging to a member of Yotei Six. At first, there will be four strongholds for players to conquer, with a later April patch adding the final bosses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/ghost-of-yoteis-multiplayer-expansion-arrives-march-10-223842684.html?src=rss

Vinay Prasad, the Trump administration’s top vaccine regulator at the Food and Drug Administration, single-handedly decided to refuse to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, overruling agency scientists, according to reports from Stat News and The Wall Street Journal.

Stat was first to report, based on unnamed FDA sources, that a team of career scientists at the agency was ready to review the vaccine and that David Kaslow, a top career official who reviews vaccines, even wrote a memo objecting to Prasad’s rejection. The memo reportedly included a detailed explanation of why the review should proceed.

The Wall Street Journal confirmed the report with its own sources, who added that FDA scientists attended an hourlong meeting with Prasad in early January, in which they laid out their objections to Prasad’s plans to block the vaccine review. They reportedly told Prasad—a political appointee known for causing turmoil and espousing anti-vaccine rhetoric—that it was the wrong approach.

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Presidents’ Day is not until Monday, but as is often the case, the sales are already here. Amazon’s sale features some notable deals on tech products like smartwatches, headphones, home appliances, speakers, and more. There are plenty of other Presidents Day sales on the way, so don’t fret if nothing here catches your eye. Regardless, I’ve gathered the best of Amazon’s sale below, which features a few all-time low prices, according to price-checking tools.

Apple Watch Series 11

$299.00
at Amazon

$399.00
Save $100.00

$299.00
at Amazon

$399.00
Save $100.00

Beats Studio Pro – Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphone

$169.95
at Amazon

$349.99
Save $180.04

$169.95
at Amazon

$349.99
Save $180.04

Shark Pet Cordless Essential Vacuum Cleaner (IX141)

$179.99
at Amazon

$299.99
Save $120.00

$179.99
at Amazon

$299.99
Save $120.00

SAMSUNG 57″ Odyssey Neo G9

$1,499.99
at Amazon

$2,299.99
Save $800.00

$1,499.99
at Amazon

$2,299.99
Save $800.00

Sonos Beam Gen 2 5.0ch Dolby Atmos Smart Soundbar (Black)

$369.00
at Amazon

$499.00
Save $130.00

$369.00
at Amazon

$499.00
Save $130.00

Echo Show 11 Smart Display (Graphite)

$179.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $40.00

$179.99
at Amazon

$219.99
Save $40.00

Bose Ultra Open Wireless Earbuds (Moonstone Blue)

$199.00
at Amazon

$299.00
Save $100.00

$199.00
at Amazon

$299.00
Save $100.00

SHOKZ OpenRun

$89.94
at Amazon

$129.95
Save $40.01

$89.94
at Amazon

$129.95
Save $40.01

The Apple Watch Series 11 is $100 off

The Apple Watch Series 11 is the latest Apple Watch and it improves on the Series 10 in many ways. It has a longer battery life and tiny tweaks that make a big difference, like a brighter screen, greater durability, and new software features. Right now, the Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS 42mm) is down 25% to $299 (originally $399).

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are 51% off

Beats headphones are well-known for their style and seamless compatibility with Apple devices. Right now, the brand’s flagship headphones with 40 hours of battery life, the Beats Studio Pro, are on sale for $169.95 (originally $349.99), the second-lowest price they have been. Every color is included in the sale.

My favorite Shark vacuum is 40% off

I’ve been loving the Shark Pet Cordless Vacuum for the past few months and have cleaned my rugs to a degree that none of my old vacuums were able to manage. It works for floors as well, and I’ve been using the light with the lights off to easily see any dirt on my floor. Get it for $179.99 (originally $299.99).

A 57-inch curved Samsung gaming monitor for $800 off

The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, one of the best ultra-wide gaming monitors on the market, is currently on sale for $1,499.99 (originally $2,499.99 at launch). This monitor came out in 2023 with an “excellent” review from PCMag, mainly due to its impressive 7,680 by 2,160 4K native resolution, the ridiculous 57-inch screen size, its great color range and accuracy, the 240Hz refresh rate, and its design.

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar is $140 off

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is one of the best soundbars you can buy today, especially if you’re short on space. This compact soundbar doesn’t skimp on premium features, and it’s currently down to $369 (originally $499), a near-record low. This is the soundbar I’d choose if I were looking for a powerful option that wouldn’t take up a ton of space in my living room.

The Amazon Echo Show 11 gets its first $40 discount

Amazon released the Amazon Echo Show 11 last year to replace the 3rd Generation Echo Show 10. The upgraded home hub and smart speaker hybrid features a larger, sharper display; a separate static screen, Alexa+ capabilities, and other updates, and right now, it’s at its lowest price since launch. You can get it for $179.99, down $40 from the usual price, and its lowest price ever.

The SHOKZ OpenRun bone conduction headphones are $90

The original OpenRun headphones are great for their current discounted price of $89.94 (originally $129.95); that’s the lowest price they’ve been. You won’t get the same thumpy bass you’d get from regular headphones, but they’re still great, and the bone conduction technology adds a fun layer of novelty.

The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are $100 off

The Bose Ultra Open earbuds cater to people who prefer awareness over isolation. Think cyclists, runners, or anyone who doesn’t want to miss the honk of a car while listening to music. Instead of sealing you off from the world, they sit outside your ears, letting in ambient sound while still delivering rich, detailed audio. Priced at $199 (down from its original $299), this is their lowest price yet.

IBM said it will triple entry-level hiring in the US in 2026, even as AI appears to be weighing on broader demand for early-career workers. From a report: While the company declined to disclose specific hiring figures, it said the expansion will be “across the board,” affecting a wide range of departments. “And yes, it’s for all these jobs that we’re being told AI can do,” said Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM’s chief human resources officer, speaking at a conference this week in New York.

LaMoreaux said she overhauled entry-level job descriptions for software developers and other roles to make the case internally for the recruitment push. “The entry-level jobs that you had two to three years ago, AI can do most of them,” she said at Charter’s Leading With AI Summit. “So, if you’re going to convince your business leaders that you need to make this investment, then you need to be able to show the real value these individuals can bring now. And that has to be through totally different jobs.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Nicolas Cage has carved out a quirky niche for himself in recent years with such films as Color Out of Space (2019), Pig (2021), The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), Dream Scenario (2023), and Longlegs (2024), among others. Now he’s starring in Spider-Noir, a new live-action series based on the Marvel Comics character. Cage plays an aging private investigator and disillusioned superhero in 1930s New York. Prime Video released the first teaser in two forms: one in black and white—very Raymond Chandler-esque—and another in color, which the showrunners are calling “True Hue.”

Marvel Comics created its “noir” line in 2009, reinterpreting familiar Marvel characters in an alternate universe, usually set during the Great Depression in the US. A version of the Spider-Noir character, voiced by Cage, briefly appeared in the animated masterpieces, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Across the Spider-Verse (2023). (He is set to reprise that role in the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse.)

Co-showrunner (with Steve Lightfoot) Oren Uziel is a film noir fan, so that Marvel series naturally appealed to him. The live-action series is still set in 1930s New York, but the spidery superhero is not Peter Parker. (Uziel thought the Parker character was too associated with a boyish high school type, which didn’t really fit the noir vibe.) So Cage is playing Ben Reilly, a hard-boiled PI with a secret superhero identity, The Spider. Cage has described his portrayal as “70 percent Humphrey Bogart [specifically The Big Sleep] and 30 percent Bugs Bunny,” which seems pretty on point for Cage’s distinctively flamboyant style.

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These are a couple videos of musical duo Monen mit Melonen (translation: Monkeys with Melons) playing the same violin at the same time. That’s awesome. I’m not sure if this started as a money saving strategy or what, but if I had a dollar for every guitar I’ve smashed on stage, I’d have a dollar if really bitchin’ dreams count.

Moments after liftoff from Florida’s Space Coast early Thursday morning, a shower of sparks emerged in the exhaust plume of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. Seconds later, the rocket twisted on its axis before recovering and continuing the climb into orbit with a batch of US military satellites.

The sight may have appeared familiar to seasoned rocket watchers. Sixteen months ago, a Vulcan rocket lost one of its booster nozzles shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket recovered from the malfunction and still reached the mission’s planned orbit.

Details of Thursday’s booster problem remain unclear. An investigation into the matter is underway, according to ULA, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. But the circumstances resemble those of the booster malfunction in October 2024. Closeup video from Thursday’s launch shows a fiery plume near the throat of one of the rocket’s four solid-fueled boosters, the area where the motor’s propellant casing connects to its bell-shaped exhaust nozzle. The throat drives super-hot gas from the burning solid propellant through the nozzle to generate thrust.

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YouTube has finally come to Apple Vision Pro. YouTube for Vision OS is a free, standalone app that lets users log into their existing YouTube accounts through their Vision headsets and stream videos like they would expect to, including standard videos, 180° videos, 360° videos, and YouTube Shorts. Vision Pro M5 users can stream 8K videos, and premium YouTube members can download videos directly to their headsets, a must for long flights.

Google, YouTube’s parent company, has apparently been working on the app for a while. In 2024, a spokesperson confirmed that a standalone Vision Pro app was “on our roadmap,” but until today, the only way Vision users could watch YouTube on their headsets was through the Safari web browser.

The new YouTube app is designed to fit into Vision’s spatial computing environments. “Rather than just responding to different screen sizes, we needed something that responds to different spaces, volumes and use cases,” YouTube’s senior UX designer Brendan Polley told Apple. “We built an entirely new design system that isolated core elements—comments, the play button, ‘like’ and ‘dislike’—to fit any layout.”

Having downloaded the app, it works exactly as intended. If you’re looking for something that demonstrates Vision Pro’s immersive video capabilities, you should check out the just-released 360° videos from the Milano Cortina winter Olympics on NBC’s channel. Immersive luge is terrifying!

In a widely expected move, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it is revoking an analysis of greenhouse gases that laid the foundation for regulating their emissions by cars, power plants, and industrial sources. The analysis, called an endangerment finding, was initially ordered by the US Supreme Court in 2007 and completed during the Obama administration; it has, in theory, served as the basis of all government regulations of carbon dioxide emissions since.

In practice, lawsuits and policy changes between Democratic and Republican administrations have meant it has had little impact. In fact, the first Trump administration left the endangerment finding in place, deciding it was easier to respond to it with weak regulations than it was to challenge its scientific foundations, given the strength of the evidence for human-driven climate change.

Legal tactics

The second Trump administration, however, was prepared to tackle the science head-on, gathering a group of contrarians to write a report questioning that evidence. It did not go well, either scientifically or legally.

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Samsung has officially revealed when its next Galaxy Unpacked event, which is where everyone’s expecting the Galaxy S26 series to be announced, will take place. But before it airs on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. EST, the company’s offering the chance to get ahead of the game by trading in your current phone for a little extra moolah. Right now, you can sign up on Samsung’s website to trade in your phone for up to $900 while pre-ordering a Galaxy S26 phone (or, on the very unlikely chance the S26 isn’t announced at the event, whatever is announced in its place).

How to get $900 on Samsung Galaxy S26 trade-in

That’s $200 more than Samsung currently offers on trade-ins for its other phones, which top out at $700 when trading in a Galaxy S24 Ultra for a Galaxy S25 phone. And while you’re signing up, you’ll also get $30 to spend on accessories during (but not before or after) your pre-order. You can also choose to be entered in a $5,000 sweepstakes for general Samsung online store credit, if you’d like.

The catch? The pre-order window doesn’t seem to be open quiet yet. Usually, that happens within a week of Galaxy Unpacked airing, but you can still get the process started now. Just head to Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked reservation website, enter your name and at least an email address (you can also toss in your phone number, if you’d like), and you’ll be taken to the form you need. If you want to enter the sweepstakes, also check the box saying you want to enter.

From there, you can pick your current phone manufacturer and your phone model from a drop-down menu. Note that the manufacturer options include Samsung, Apple, Google, and “Other,” so it seems like Samsung is willing to let you trade in phones it doesn’t make, too. As for the model picker, you can pick models going back around five years for each of the manufacturer options, although if you don’t see your model on the list, you can also pick “Other” here, too.

How much will Samsung give me for my phone?

I can’t promise how much Samsung will give you for each specific phone model, although it stands to reason that newer and higher spec phones will earn you more. I’m also willing to wager that Samsung might give you more credit if you trade in one of its own phones, but that’s just speculation. To get the full $900, I’m guessing you’ll need to trade in a Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Once you’ve made your selection, hit Submit, then scroll down a bit and click what you’re interested in getting offers from Samsung on. Make sure you at least select “Trade In,” and then click Submit here, too.

And that’s it for now. Samsung will now know what type of phone you have and that you’re interested in a trade-in, and should email you with an appropriate trade-in offer once it’s available. Again, this should happen closer to Unpacked, likely within a week of Feb 25.

What will the Galaxy S26 look like?

All in all, it’s a good opportunity for a deal, but it does continue an unfortunate trend of Samsung’s—asking you to pre-order a device before it’s officially been revealed, and before you know its full specs list. Luckily, a number of rumors for the Galaxy S26 has made it easy to guess at what we’re likely to see, including a similar look to the S25, no ultra thin S26 Edge model, a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and a new 10MP telephoto lens on the Ultra model. For confirmation, though, we have no choice but to wait.

WP Engine’s third amended complaint against Automattic and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg alleges that Mullenweg had plans to impose royalty fees on 10 hosting companies beyond WP Engine for their use of the WordPress trademark.

The amended filing, based on previously sealed information uncovered during discovery, also claims Mullenweg emailed a Stripe executive to pressure the payment processor into canceling WP Engine’s contract after WP Engine sued Automattic in October 2024. Newfold, the parent company of Bluehost and HostGator, is already paying Automattic for trademark use, according to the complaint, and Automattic is in conversations with other hosts.

The filing challenges the 8% royalty rate as arbitrary, citing Mullenweg’s comments at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 where he said the figure was based on what WP Engine “could afford to pay.” Internal Automattic correspondence cited in the complaint includes Mullenweg describing his approach to WP Engine as “nuclear war” and warning that if the hosting company didn’t comply, he would start stealing its customers.

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