Casey Means, President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, will appear before the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday and is likely to face scrutiny over her qualifications for becoming the country’s top doctor.
Though Means holds a medical degree from Stanford Medical School, she dropped out of her medical residency and holds no active medical license. Instead, she has pursued a career as a wellness influencer, embracing “functional” medicine, an ill-defined form of alternative medicine. She co-founded a company called Levels, which promotes intensive health tracking, including the use of continuous glucose monitoring for people without diabetes or prediabetes, which is not backed by evidence.
Last year, an analysis by The Washington Post found that Means earned over half a million dollars between 2024 and 2025 from making deals with companies described as selling “diagnostic testing,” “herbal remedies and wellness products,” and “teas, supplements, and elixirs.”
Faster storage is en route to future high-end smartphones and other mobile devices, and it’s coming in the form of UFS 5.0 chips based on the next-generation of Unified Flash Storage protocol. JEDEC is still in the process of standardizing UFS 5.0, but in the meantime, Kioxia said it is already sending out evaluation samples to chipset vendors
On February 12, Yeoreum Yun posted a suggestion
for an improvement to the security of the kernel’s BPF implementation: use
memory protection keys to prevent unauthorized access to memory by BPF
programs.
Yun wanted to put the topic on the list for discussion at the Linux
Storage, Filesystem, Memory Management, and BPF Summit in May, but the
lack of engagement makes that unlikely. They also have a patch set implementing
some of the proposed changes, but has not yet shared that with the mailing list.
Yun’s proposal does not seem likely to be accepted in its
current form, but the kernel has
added hardware-based hardening options in the
past, sometimes after substantial discussion.
The jury might be out on whether he’s the greatest of all time, but few would argue that Tadej Pogačar isn’t one of the most captivating cyclists to watch. His long distance attacks and super-human efforts, which appear to leave his competitors wheezing, often beg the question, how on earth is he doing that?
That’s the spirit Met aims to capture with its new collection of limited-edition Tadej Pogačar helmets, released today.
Pogačar and Met, which provides helmets to his UAE Team Emirates XRG squad, have collaborated on special versions of the Manta aero helmet and the Trenta 3K Carbon.
The helmets are said to be inspired by Pogačar. Met
The two helmets feature an iridescent finish, which is described as “ethereal as the rider who inspired it” and “leaning into the idea of the ultimate flow – the dream state where effort fades yet speed increases.”
A more relatable experience might be for effort to fade and speed to drop with it, but there’s no denying the appeal of Met’s flight of fancy. After all, who doesn’t want days when “performance comes easy”?
You’re probably better off spending your money on a coach than a helmet if you’re after improved performance, but if these World Champion-inspired lids do appeal then the Manta costs £250 / $350 / €280 and the Trenta 3K Carbon will set you back £390 / $540 / €440.
The Tadej Pogačar Met Trenta 3k. Met
The Trenta 3K Carbon has a carbon shell which helps contribute to its airflow. Met
Met launched the Trenta 3K Carbon last year after Pogacar was spotted using it at the 2025 Tour de France.
The Venta 3K Carbon has an integrated carbon wing which is said to eliminate the need for EPS foam from the internal frame, which facilitates a “continuous internal air channel”.
This contributes to Met’s claim that the Venta 3K Carbon is its most ventilated road helmet, but the brand has still optimised it in the wind tunnel for aero performance. The helmet has a MIPS liner and Virginia Tech awarded it a full five stars.
Met launched the Manta aero helmet in 2024, and it’s said to be more aerodynamic than its predecessor thanks to a lower and “tupe-shaped” profile at the rear. Despite being an aero helmet it still features 15 vents to cool your head and keep you comfortable. The Manta also has a MIPS liner.
The Amusement shows a lot of potential as a narrative puzzler, but its implementation of roomscale movement may push players away early in the demo.
Roomscale VR games are becoming a rarity these days as the realities of limited play spaces and VR ‘epic fail’ videos may have softened developer interest in these types of experiences. That hasn’t stopped recent efforts like Hotel Infinity, Laser Dance, and Eye of the Temple from offering up terrific gameplay. When done right, a roomscale game is some of the most immersive time spent in VR.
The Facts
What is it?: A roomscale narrative puzzle adventure Platforms: Steam (played on Quest 3 via Virtual Desktop) Release Date: February 23, 2026 (part of Steam Next Fest) Developer: Curvature Games Publisher: ARTE France Price: free (demo only)
Enter The Amusement, a narrative adventure with environmental puzzles and the promise of a poignant family story. The Amusement utilizes roomscale movement with an optional teleportation system. It starts out well enough in a confined room with items to pick up, observe, and add to inventory. Then it quickly proceeds to the bulk of the demo, a zig-zag of a garden maze with thin paths that were painful to navigate with the movement system as currently designed.
I played The Amusement demo twice. First, in a limited play space with teleportation, a cumbersome exercise limited by a snap-only turning system without an option to change the size of the turn angle. This was not ideal by any stretch and made the garden maze section quite annoying to play through. I don’t recommend it.
Then, I rearranged my room to get a completely open space and the maze still feels too constricted. Unlike the aforementioned Laser Dance & Eye of the Temple where you are constantly ducking, dodging, and otherwise navigating obstacles, in The Amusement I just walked a few steps, turned, walked a few more, wash, rinse, repeat until you reach a tube with a wheel to rotate into another part of the maze. If you accidentally walk into an object, the screen simply blacks out, telling you to reposition.
It is immersive. It’s just not interesting and fails to capitalize on being roomscale in the same way the aforementioned games do. I hope that in the full release, there will be more open areas with environmental pieces to interact with that really take advantage of the 1:1 movement. The maze is roughly half of the demo’s runtime, so in this short sample size, it sticks out more than it likely will in the full release.
Comfort
The Amusement uses roomscale 1:1 movement with an option for teleportation instead. At the time of this article, snap turn is the only stick turn method with no option to adjust the turn angle. The game has a vignette effect for turning and climbing that can be turned off in settings.
This game involves climbing, which may be problematic for new VR users.
It’s a real shame too because the simple process of walking through the world is the only real flaw in an otherwise strong demo. The lead character, Samantha, has been sent by her mother to investigate her late father’s amusement park. The story is delivered through a combination of cardboard cutout animations, shadows cast against the walls of the world, and voiceovers all befitting the cinematics of the 1920s, the setting for the game. This very effectively evokes the sense that Samantha is reliving her complex childhood memories as the story moves along.
The Amusement screenshots captured by UploadVR
The puzzles themselves make great use of VR. Navigating the garden maze to find an item that could be used as a makeshift ladder rung and using a yo-yo of all things to move between rooms is very creative and rewards thinking outside the box.
PC Specs
This demo was played on Steam using a Meta Quest 3 and Virtual Desktop on the Ultra preset. The game itself was played on the default graphics settings.
My PC has an RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB of VRAM, a Ryzen 5 5600X processor, and 64GB of DDR4 RAM.
The more I played, the more I was reminded of both Eye of the Temple and The 7th Guest VR. The Amusement combines the physical movement (climbing and navigating) of the former with the environmental, sometimes tabletop-based puzzle solving of the latter.
Despite the roomscale movement not really adding anything to the experience, The Amusement demo is still well worth playing. If you enjoy story-based puzzle games and have been waiting for a new one after last year’s stellar Ghost Town, this is one to watch.
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The Amusement story scene captured by UploadVR
The Amusement can be wishlisted now on Steam and Meta Quest and is slated for a Spring 2026 release.
TECNO has peered into the future and now believes that modular smartphones are the way to go. Previewed ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) show next week, TECNO has revived a modular concept ecosystem where ones like Google’s Project Ara faltered. By combining an ultra-thin 4.9mm base handset with a suite of magnetic, hot-swappable modules,
Microshift has unveiled the new Advent MX drivetrain, which is said to be its most robust, high-performance mountain bike groupset to date.
Designed for trail and all-mountain riding, Advent MX pairs a wide-range 11-50t or 11-48t cassette with a redesigned rear derailleur, updated trigger shifter and what the brand calls its strongest clutch mechanism to date.
The groupset is offered with either a 10-speed or 11-speed cassette, with the brand claiming they last six times longer than Advent X.
Microshift also promises better shifting engagement that’s four times faster, and improved chain retention thanks to a horizontal parallelogram layout and beefed-up clutch.
The groupset is priced at $194.99 / €195.99 for the 10-speed variant, with the XD Driver 11-speed option $244.99 / €239.99.
We tested the drivetrain before launch, so check out Luke Marshall’s review below.
The Advent MX derailleur has been made more durable. Microshift
Microshift says Advent MX’s design brief was simple: shifting performance doesn’t matter if your chain falls off.
To achieve this, the brand has beefed up the rear derailleur with a horizontal parallelogram that moves strictly sideways.
This is said to isolate vertical and horizontal forces, directing impacts from rough landings into the clutch mechanism rather than disturbing the derailleur body’s alignment.
The claimed result is improved chain stability on rough terrain. Microshift
The clutch has been redesigned to be both stronger and quicker to engage, operating instantly and silently.
IGUS bushings feature in the derailleur construction, and a replaceable derailleur cage is available on the standard MX rear derailleur, enabling riders to swap a damaged cage rather than replacing the entire derailleur
However, the MX Black version does not feature a replaceable cage.
Faster engagement
The shifters have been redesigned to be faster. Microshift
Microshift says it has removed “dead play” from the shifting mechanism, resulting in four times quicker engagement compared to Advent X.
The new trigger shifter is designed for tighter, more repeatable actuation, with 12mm of lateral adjustment at the clamp. This enables you to move the shifter inboard or outboard to fine-tune lever position without interfering with the brake controls.
The groupset doesn’t include the crankset. Microshift
A cable-redirection pulley on the derailleur provides a more direct cable path, reducing friction and shifting tension.
According to Microshift, this lower friction enables the use of a stronger clutch without increasing lever effort at the shifter.
The result, says the brand, is a faster response even under high torque – useful when attacking steep, unplanned climbs on your eMTB.
SpeedRamp cassette
The SpeedRamp has dedicated shapes for moving the chain up and down the cassette. Microshift
At the heart of the system are two new cassettes featuring what Microshift calls SpeedRamp technology.
Microshift claims the new cassettes last six times longer than Advent X, and in high-torque ebike durability testing, says it outlived a competitor’s top offering.
The smallest cogs are individually replaceable, which should help extend service life further.
Chromoly steel sprockets are from 11-28t, with additional hardening on the smaller cogs.
Despite the durability focus, the cassette is claimed to weigh 480g, which Microshift says is competitive among high-durability, wide-range options.
For the first time from Microshift, the cassette is offered in both HG and XD Driver body options – so it will be swappable between bikes already using SRAM or Shimano drivetrains.
10-speed and 11-speed options
Advent MX is designed for all-mountain riding. Microshift
Advent MX is available in both 11-speed and 10-speed configurations.
The 11-speed cassette is fully compatible with Shimano CUES cassettes, although the shifter and derailleur are Microshift-specific.
Advent MX 10 is compatible with 10-speed chains and is fully cross-compatible with Advent X and Sword 10, enabling incremental upgrades.
MX and MX Black rear derailleurs share the same cable-pull ratio as Advent X, making them direct replacements from a compatibility standpoint.
Is your mouse pointer inexplicably pulling a disappearing act whenever you hover over Outlook? Don’t bother troubleshooting your PC as it turns out that this quirky phenomenon is a known issue. According to Microsoft, it only affects the classic version of Outlook and now the newer release, which even though it has been replaced, will still
If you order a new smartphone to be delivered to your home, you may be a target for scammers. Fraudsters are impersonating representatives from mobile carriers, calling customers and claiming that they’ve been sent the wrong device and need to return it.
Obviously, if you follow through, scammers get to keep your phone—they may either to sell it or activate it using your information to perpetrate identity fraud.
Scams centered on stealing high-value tech aren’t anything new. In addition to regular porch pirating, thieves have been known to knock on doors, posing as couriers or company representatives attempting to recover a “wrongly delivered” item. Fraudsters have also used fake Find My alerts to gain access to lost or stolen iPhones.
How the phone return scam works
As an editor at ZDNET experienced, the scam begins shortly after your new phone is delivered. You may receive a call from a spoofed number, and someone claiming to represent your carrier will have specific information like your name, address, and device model. They’ll tell you that there’s been a mix-up and you need to send your phone back so you can receive a replacement. They may give you instructions to scan a QR code, print a label, and take the package to a shipping drop-off point. In some cases, targets have been promised gift cards for the inconvenience.
If you hesitate, scammers may employ a number of pressure tactics to get you to act. They’ll tell you that delaying the return could cause issues with your device activation, billing, or warranty. They may continue to call with threats.
Like many scams, this one relies on social engineering: it manipulates emotions and instincts to get you to act against your best interest. Fraudsters impersonate a trusted brand and use detailed information about you to make their story more believable. They use timing to their advantage and promote a sense of urgency.
The phone return scam also has similarities to the brushing scam, in which victims receive a package containing merchandise they didn’t order so that scammers can write a verified review or boost sales numbers or collect personally identifiable information once you scan a QR code (an added component known as quishing) to learn more about the item.
What to do if you get a call about your new phone
The solution here is to simply hang up. If you are concerned about your account or device, call your carrier directly (use the customer service number from a previous bill or go through the official app) and confirm the mix-up. Don’t engage with QR codes or any instructions provided on unsolicited calls.
It may be alarming that a scammer has specific details about your order and calls right after your new phone is delivered. Unfortunately, a lot of your personal information is out in the open and available to bad actors, whether as the result of a data breach or some other form of compromise (such as malware that can read notifications). This is a good reason to keep an eye out for other indicators of identity theft and act quickly if you find anything suspicious.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has threatened to cut Anthropic from his department’s supply chain unless it agrees to sign off on its technology being used in all lawful military applications by Friday.
The threat is the latest escalation in a feud between Anthropic and the department, triggered by the AI group’s refusal to give unfettered access to its models for classified military use, including domestic surveillance and deadly missions with no direct human control.
Hegseth summoned Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei to Washington for a meeting on Tuesday. During tense talks, the defense secretary threatened to cut the company out of the department’s supply chain or to invoke the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era measure enabling the president to control domestic industry in the interest of national defense, said a person with knowledge of the talks.
The Network Time
Protocol (NTP) debuted in 1985; it is a universally used, open
specification that is deeply important for all sorts of activities we
take for granted. It also, despite a number of efforts, remains
stubbornly unsecured. Ruben Nijveld presented work at FOSDEM 2026 to
speed adoption of the thus-far largely ignored standard for securing
NTP traffic: IETF’s RFC-8915 that specifies Network Time
Security (NTS) for NTP.
The MetaBrainz Foundation has announced the unexpected passing of
its founder and executive director, Robert Kaye:
Robert’s vision and leadership shaped MetaBrainz and left a lasting
mark on the music industry and open source movement. His contributions
were significant and his loss is deeply felt across our global
community.
The Board is actively overseeing a smooth leadership transition and
has measures in place to ensure that MetaBrainz continues to operate
without interruption. Further updates will be shared in due
course.
The EPYC 9005 series for high-end Zen 5 server processors is a year and a half old and then at the lower-end of the spectrum is the EPYC 4005 series AM5 server processors that launched last year. On the embedded side is also the EPYC Embedded 2005 series. AMD has now filled the void between with the long-awaited EPYC 8005 series…
Installation is simple and fully wire-free. Each camera runs on two AA lithium batteries that Blink says can last up to two years, depending on usage. You mount it on a porch, fence, or even indoors, connect it to wifi in the app, and you’re set. The cameras record in 1080p, with daytime footage clear enough to recognize faces. Plus, it has a 143-degree field of view, so it captures a wide area of your yard or entryway without needing multiple units for basic coverage. Infrared night vision handles low light, and two-way audio lets you speak to a visitor or delivery driver through the app. Motion alerts are sent straight to your phone, and you can access live view for up to five minutes at a time without a subscription.
Storage options are flexible. The included Sync Module 2 supports local video storage through a USB drive (sold separately) and can manage up to 10 Blink cameras at once. Cloud storage is available if you prefer remote backups. Person detection and extended video history require a Blink subscription, with the Basic plan priced at $40 per year for one device and the Plus plan at $120 per year for unlimited cameras.
The system integrates well with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, so you can pull up live feeds on an Echo Show or Fire TV easily. It does not support Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit. Still, for someone building a basic, outdoor security camera setup on a budget, this refurbished two-pack offers long battery life, local storage, and easy installation at a low upfront cost.
Amazon is offering a new way for Alexa+ users to customize the AI assistant’s communication style. The company has introduced three personalities for Alexa+, so the assistant can adopt an attitude that is Brief, Chill or Sweet.
The Brief style will be exactly that: no small talk and no extra conversation. Chill is easygoing and seems to be inspired by caricatures of the surfer/stoner type, while the Sweet mode is almost aggressively perky and chipper. In the audio sample provided, when a user asks “Alexa, how’s it going?” the Chill voice responds, “Life’s treating me well – all systems are Zen and the digital universe is spinning in harmony.” In contrast, the Sweet one replies, “Absolutely fantastic! I’m radiating pure joy and ready to make your day incredibly amazing!”
Amazon explained that the three personality styles are based on five metrics: expressiveness, emotional openness, formality, directness and humor. The company may release additional options with different combinations of those sliding scale traits in the future.
For now, users can swap the assistant’s vibe from the Alexa app or with the spoken command, “Alexa, change your personality style.” Both approaches can also be used to swap back to the classic Alexa voice. All three personalities are available now for all Alexa+ customers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-introduces-three-personality-styles-for-alexa-140000602.html?src=rss
