In 2007’s The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson’s billionaire magnate is a fan of a luxury coffee called kopi luwak, only to be informed that the beans first pass through the digestive tracts of civets and are harvested from their feces prior to roasting. The implication is that the billionaire just liked drinking gimmicky expensive coffee without realizing its less-than-luxurious origins. It’s one of the most expensive coffees in the world, ranging from $45 per pound to $590 per pound, depending on whether the beans are farmed or collected in the wild.

Whether kopi luwak is worth that hefty price tag depends on who you ask. A Washington Post food critic once compared the beverage to stale Folgers, memorably describing the flavor as “petrified dinosaur droppings steeped in bathtub water.” Yet kopi luwak has many genuine fans who claim the coffee has a unique aroma and taste. Based on a new chemical analysis, they might have a point, according to a paper published in Scientific Reports.

Technically, kopi luwak is a method of processing, not a specific coffee bean variety. Asian palm civets hang around coffee plantations because they love to feast on ripened coffee berries; the berries constitute most of their diet, along with various seeds. The consumed berries undergo fermentation as they pass through the animal’s intestines, and the civets digest the pulp and excrete the beans. Coffee farmers then collect the scat to recover the excreted beans and process and roast them to produce kopi luwak.

Read full article

Comments

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The Tinymoose Pencil Pro 2 is aimed squarely at iPad users who want the feel of Apple’s own stylus without paying Apple’s price, and it’s on sale for just $29.99 on StackSocial right now. It costs a fraction of the official Pencil but still packs features that cover most daily needs. This second-generation version is made for iPads from 2018 onward and brings a few upgrades over the original, including Bluetooth support and shortcut gestures. A smart button on the side is mapped for simple actions: one press for multitasking, two presses to exit apps, and a long press to power the pen on or off. That may not sound like much, but it helps when you’re hopping between notes and apps throughout the day.

Using the stylus feels pretty close to writing or sketching with a real pen. You can tilt it to shade or adjust the angle of your strokes, and palm rejection makes it easy to rest your hand on the screen without disrupting your lines. The input keeps up well, too, with no lag or weird trailing behind the tip. It connects over Bluetooth, which means your iPad can show you the battery level, and charging is quick. A full charge takes about 25 minutes and lasts over 10 hours, while a 15-minute top-up on USB-C gets you most of the way there. The aluminum body of the Pencil Pro 2 is light at just 13 grams and snaps onto supported iPads with its magnetic strip, though unlike the pricier models, it doesn’t recharge that way.

The extras round it out. Each purchase includes three spare nibs, a USB-C cable, and a leather case, which is more than Apple throws in. Still, there are compromises to consider. The Pencil Pro 2 only works with iPads, so you won’t get the cross-platform flexibility some third-party styluses offer. Its six-month warranty is also shorter than the standard one-year coverage from Apple, and while gestures and shortcuts are handy, they’re limited compared to the wider integration of the official Pencil. Even so, for students, note-takers, and casual artists who don’t need pro-level features but want a reliable everyday stylus, this deal makes a lot of sense.

While I updated my iPhone to iOS 26 as soon as I could, I haven’t yet pulled the trigger with macOS Tahoe. I love my M1 iMac, but I worry that Apple’s first version of this new update isn’t quite optimized for the five-year-old chip, and have been waiting to see if a future version of Tahoe performs a bit better.

As it happens, that next version is well on its way—and does seem improved, at that. Apple has been beta testing macOS Tahoe 26.1 alongside iOS 26.1 since September, and it dropped the release candidates for both of the updates on Tuesday. The “RC,” as the name implies, is what Apple thinks is the finished version of any given software release. Barring any major bugs or glitches discovered by developers and public testers, this will be the version of macOS Tahoe 26.1 released to the general public.

That release will likely come next week. In the meantime, we know what features Apple has in store for Mac users who decide to update. This is a much smaller revision than macOS 26, but 26.1 does bring some interesting new features for users to explore.

Control over Liquid Glass’ appearance

By far the most striking difference between this year’s Apple updates and last year’s is Liquid Glass. This new design language is Apple’s most drastic UI change in years, and while some people love it, others hate it. I’ve enjoyed the new look on my iPhone, but I understand why some users dislike how some elements let the background shine through, in some cases reducing visibility.

Apple seems to have taken the criticism to heart: With macOS Tahoe, as well as iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, the company now gives users the option to control how Liquid Glass looks, at least to a degree. The new toggle, which you can find in System Settings > Appearance, has two options: “Clear,” which retains the original look of Liquid Glass, and “Tinted,” which increases the opacity of your system’s UI elements. With Tinted, you won’t see as much of the background poke through, and whatever does come through doesn’t take over the overlayed element as much.

If you find Liquid Glass in macOS Tahoe too clear and “glassy,” this might be a good option to try.

Expanded support for Apple Music AutoMix

Apple’s latest round of updates introduced a new DJ-like feature to Apple Music. AutoMix will automatically build a transition between songs, fading one song into another. It’s a cool feature (when it works well), and can make transitioning between dissimilar songs a lot smoother.

With macOS 26.1, AutoMix now works over AirPlay. Previously, you lost this feature when beaming your music to an AirPlay device.

Better FaceTime audio quality

Apple says that Mac users updating to 26.1 should experience improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions. The company doesn’t elaborate, but this is good news on its, uh, face: If you’re calling someone in a low-signal area, or with a weak wifi connection, you should be able to hear each other better.

Communication Safety and Web content filters for child accounts

If your Mac has child accounts (made for ages 13 through 17), Communication Safety and Web content filters will be enabled by default for those accounts after updating to this latest version. These filters are designed to limit adult websites, protecting underage users from content they shouldn’t be accessing.

A new Network icon

As spotted by the MacOSBeta subreddit, Apple has updated the Network icon for macOS 26.1. The new icon looks great, in my opinion, sporting a blue theme with glow effects:

A new Macintosh HD icon

Similarly, the Macintosh HD icon gets a small refresh. The original Tahoe icon was a major redesign over the previous, iconic icon. Now, Apple has removed the additional elements to simplify the design. (I still miss the original.)

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

A few security updates, probably

Apple hasn’t announced security updates for macOS 26.1 yet, but in all likelihood, they will. Apple doesn’t often issue true security patches like other companies, barring an emergency patch. Instead, the company usually bundles its security patches within point updates like 26.1. Once the official update drops, expect Apple to update its security release notes to include details about these patches.

schwit1 writes: China has enacted a new law regulating social media influencers, requiring them to hold verified professional qualifications before posting content on sensitive topics such as medicine, law, education, and finance, IOL reported. The new law went into effect on Saturday.

The regulation was introduced by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) as part of its broader effort to curb misinformation online. Under the new rules, influencers must prove their expertise through recognized degrees, certifications, or licenses before discussing regulated subjects. Major platforms such as Douyin (China’s TikTok), Bilibili, and Weibo are now responsible for verifying influencer credentials and ensuring that content includes clear citations, disclaimers, and transparency about sources.

Audiences expect influencers to be both creative and credible. Yet when they blur the line between opinion and expertise, the impact can be severe. A single misleading financial tip could wipe out someone’s savings. A viral health trend could cause real harm. That’s why many believe it’s time for creators to acknowledge the weight of their influence. However, China’s new law raises deeper questions: Who defines “expertise”? What happens to independent creators who challenge official narratives but lack formal credentials? And how far can regulation go before it suppresses free thought?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The following content is brought to you by Lifehacker partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation.

You spent hours carving a perfectly frightful jack-o’-lantern for Halloween. Now you just need to light it up somehow for maximum scare factor. 

Maybe you plan on using electric candles or tea lights to glow up your scary gourd. If you choose the more traditional route of lighting your pumpkin with a real candle, however, you definitely want to follow some fire-safety protocols.

BIC EZ LOAD Lighter

$10.65

$14.20
Save $3.55

$10.65

$14.20
Save $3.55

Carving your pumpkin is only half the battle, but you should also be careful when lighting the candle inside. This is where a reloadable BIC EZ LOAD Lighter can come in handy. The long, thin wand easily gets into your jack-o’-lantern—and your grill, fireplace, and campfires. Now through Oct. 31, you can even save 25% on two BIC EZ LOAD starter kits with the code SPOOKY25.* 

Be smart about lighting your pumpkin’s candle

If you’re going old-school and using a real candle this year, make sure your pumpkin is sitting on a flat, stable surface so that it won’t tip over. Cut a good-sized hole in the gourd’s lid to let the heat from the candle escape, and put in a squatty votive candle, no tapered types. Use the BIC EZ LOAD Lighter to light the candle from a safe distance, and then place the lid ajar so that smoke can get out. Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Extinguish and relight up to 15,000* times

Another Halloween-night safety trick is to blow out your pumpkin’s candle—and all candles—in between groups of trick-or-treaters. As the first reloadable lighter in the BIC lineup, the BIC EZ LOAD ensures you’re always able to brighten any moment in three easy steps.

Whenever the lighter wand is running low on fuel, all you have to do is pop open the bottom cap and replace it with a new BIC Maxi Pocket Lighter. Providing up to 15,000* lights, the BIC EZ LOAD Lighter is conveniently replaceable up to 10 times with a BIC Maxi Pocket Lighter.

Safe, reliable lighting for Halloween and beyond

The BIC EZ LOAD Lighter will be lighting the moment for many of your Halloweens, backyard bonfires, and camping trips to come. In addition to being reloadable, each lighter goes through over 50 quality checks and meets BIC’s stringent safety standards. 

Now through Oct. 31, nab two BIC EZ LOAD starter kits, with two BIC Maxi Pocket Lighters included, at 25% off with code SPOOKY25.

DISCLAIMERS:

*Based on reloading up to 10x with BIC Maxi.

*25% off orders $40+ through midnight ET on October 31st, 2025.

Computer scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have proved that pricing algorithms can drive up prices even when they lack the capacity to collude. Aaron Roth and four colleagues studied so-called no-swap-regret algorithms, which are designed to minimize losses and were previously thought to guarantee competitive pricing. The researchers found that when such an algorithm faces an opponent using a nonresponsive strategy — one that randomly selects from predetermined price probabilities without reacting to competitor moves — both players can end up in equilibrium at high prices.

Neither has an incentive to switch strategies because their profits are nearly equal and as high as possible under the circumstances. The nonresponsive strategy cannot express threats because it does not respond to opponent behavior, yet it effectively coaxes the learning algorithm into raising prices. Mallesh Pai, an economist at Rice University not involved in the research, said the finding matters because regulators have no clear grounds to intervene without evidence of threats or agreements. Roth conceded however that he lacks a solution to the regulatory challenge his team identified.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Nintendo is teaming up with Laced Records on a couple of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild vinyl soundtrack releases, which is pretty darned cool. There’s even a massive 8-LP box set that ships with some franchise-friendly bells and whistles.

Let’s start with that box set. It’s available in limited-edition colored vinyl or standard black vinyl. At eight vinyl records, it probably includes just about every piano twinkle and wind rustle found throughout the game. All told, there are 130 newly remastered tracks.

The records here are split into themes, mirroring a player’s progression through Hyrule. These themes “revolve around exploring the Kingdom of Hyrule, freeing the Divine Beasts from Calamity Ganon’s hold and discovering the mysteries of the Shrines.”

It ships with a nifty-looking collector’s case and comes with 16 art prints depicting various scenes from the game. The 8-LP collection costs $195, which is high but not the worst deal in the world. That breaks down to around $24 per record.

Nintendo/Laced Records

The double-LP collection is a more standard affair, with 34 tracks pulled from throughout the game. These include musical cues from visiting the Great Fairy Fountain, Hyrule Castle and other locations. This one costs $50 and is also available in both black and colored vinyl.

Both collections are available to pre-order right now via Laced Records and My Nintendo Store. They won’t be shipped until June 19, 2026.

This is one of the first major Nintendo game soundtracks available in a physical format outside of Japan. Breath of the Wild is an interesting choice here for an initial vinyl release, given that the game’s soundtrack is known for mood-setting vibes but not really known for bops.

Composers Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai and Soshi Abe filled the game with gentle piano riffs, nature sounds and rhythmic pieces to accompany battles. However, it does have a few absolute bangers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-releasing-a-massive-breath-of-the-wild-vinyl-soundtrack-collection-on-eight-lps-151531479.html?src=rss

Grammarly is no more, at least with regards to its name. The AI-powered writing assistance tool founded in 2009 has been absorbed into a new software platform called Superhuman. It follows Grammarly’s acquisition of Superhuman Mail earlier this year, with the former taking the somewhat unusual step of adopting its newly obtained company’s name, rather than the other way around.

Superhuman unites Grammarly, Superhuman Mail and the AI work assistant Coda (also acquired by Grammarly in 2025) in one productivity suite, allowing users to access all three tools as part of a single plan. The company has also launched a new AI assistant called Superhuman Go that is included in every Superhuman plan tier and is baked into the Grammarly browser extension for Chrome and Edge.

Superhuman Go’s capabilities include assisting with professional-sounding email responses, fetching information and scheduling meetings. At launch it can connect to your Google Workspace apps and Microsoft Outlook, with the idea being that the AI is always there making suggestions in the background, rather than you needing to ask it for assistance.

Superhuman plans to add additional functionality to Coda and Superhuman Mail, such as turning ideas from meetings into drafts and more effectively organizing your inbox according to your schedule. Its vision for the rebrand is that instead of thinking of Grammarly as a writing agent alone, you utilize all of its different agents and platforms to work more productively.

Anyone previously using Grammarly can now use Superhuman Go, and the Superhuman suite is being bundled into a number of different plans. The $12 per month (billed annually) Pro plan offers unlimited paragraph rewrites and translations in 19 languages — a feature Grammarly added earlier this year — while the Business plan costs $33 per month (billed annually) and includes Superhuman’s mail client.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grammarly-has-rebranded-to-superhuman-151001417.html?src=rss

Amazon Games is winding down support for New World: Aeternum amid layoffs in the division and even deeper job cuts across its parent company. The game debuted on PC in 2021 and it landed on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S just over a year ago.

“After four years of steady content updates and a major new console release, we’ve reached a point where it is no longer sustainable to continue supporting the game with new content updates,” Amazon Games wrote in a blog post. “The recently launched Season 10 and Nighthaven update will serve as the final content release for New World on PC and consoles. It is only after much consideration that we’ve reached this decision.”

Players will still be able to buy New World for now, and it will remain available to PlayStation Plus subscribers on the Extra and Premium tiers “until further notice.” Amazon is making this month’s Nighthaven expansion available to everyone for free too.

The company said it will keep the game’s servers up and running through 2026, “allowing our community time to continue their adventures in Aeternum.” In terms of how long fans will be able to keep playing the game, Amazon said it will provide more details about “what to expect in the coming months.” It pledged to “provide a minimum of six months’ notice before making any changes that impact your ability to play New World: Aeternum.”

According to Bloomberg, Amazon told staff in a memo this week that, as part of widespread layoffs, it would dial back work on big-budget games, especially MMOs — a category that New World falls under. Updates for Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark — MMOS that Amazon publishes but are developed externally — will continue, the company confirmed to MassivelyOP. Amazon did not comment on the status of a planned Lord of the Rings MMO.

Amazon Games vice president Christoph Hartmann told me last year that Amazon started its big push into games with MMOs because it saw an opportunity. At the time, there weren’t too many titles in that genre popping up. However, he noted that “we’re evolving out of the MMOs” into other genres, hinting then that the division was changing focus. (Amazon’s first AAA game, the free-to-play shooter Crucible, didn’t last long after its debut in 2020.)

New World is still a popular game. It got off to a blistering start, with a peak concurrent player count of 914,000 on Steam. This past weekend, it at one point had nearly 50,000 concurrent players on that platform. It was also one of the highest grossing games on Steam in 2021.

And yet it seems that Amazon’s games division will now focus more on Luna, the cloud service for which it rolled out an overhaul just last week. It reportedly plans to keep releasing “casual and AI-focused games” for Luna, such as Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg, which puts an AI-generated version of the rapper in a Judge Judy-type role for court case-style debates between players. Amazon’s most recent game for PC and consoles is King of Meat, a co-op dungeon-building platformer that has so far reached a peak Steam concurrent player count of just 253.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-winding-down-its-still-popular-new-world-mmo-amid-mass-layoffs-150500426.html?src=rss