Obesity Rate Declining in U.S.

Posted on by

Gallup: After peaking at a record high of 39.9% in 2022, the U.S. adult obesity rate has gradually declined to 37.0% in 2025. This is a statistically meaningful decrease representing an estimated 7.6 million fewer obese adults compared with three years ago. Meanwhile, diagnoses of diabetes — a lifetime disease that can be managed but not cured — have now reached an all-time high of 13.8%. Both metrics are part of the ongoing Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.

[…] Over the past year, more Americans have turned to Type 2 antidiabetic GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide (brand names Ozempic and Wegovy) for weight loss purposes. The percentage of adults who report taking this class of medicine specifically for weight loss has increased to 12.4%, compared with 5.8% in February 2024 when Gallup first measured it. Usage among women (15.2%) continues to outpace men (9.7%), but both groups have more than doubled their use in the past year. These results dovetail with increased awareness of the drugs used for weight loss, which has risen from 80% to 89% nationally in the same period.


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Samsung’s web browser arrives on Windows, with an AI future on its radar

Posted on by

On Thursday, Samsung launched a desktop version of its web browser. Why bother putting its mobile browser on Windows? Well, the company offers a hint in describing Samsung Internet as “evolving from a PC browser that waits for input to an integrated AI platform.” So, surprise, surprise: It’s about AI.

As one would imagine, Samsung Internet on Windows supports cross-platform syncing of data like bookmarks, browsing history and autofill. The company says it also prioritizes privacy and security, offering standard features like tracker blocking and a privacy dashboard.

But those aren’t likely the main reasons Samsung is launching a desktop web browser in 2025. (Incidentally, Samsung briefly launched Samsung Internet for Windows in 2024, before pulling it from the Microsoft Store without fanfare.) Instead, this launch appears to be about positioning it in the rapidly emerging landscape of AI browsers.

AI browsers have been all the rage lately. Samsung’s move follows the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas, Microsoft’s Edge Copilot Mode updates, Opera Neon’s early access and general availability for Perplexity’s Comet browser. Samsung says its cross-platform browser will advance its “vision for ambient AI,” anticipating your needs and offering more personalized assistance. If Samsung wants to be part of that fray, it makes sense for its software to be available on the desktop, too.

Samsung Internet is available (via a beta program) for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (version 1809 and up). You can sign up on the product page.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/samsungs-web-browser-arrives-on-windows-with-an-ai-future-on-its-radar-163526726.html?src=rss

WhatsApp Is Rolling Out Passkey Support for Encrypted Backups

Posted on by

In the beginning, WhatsApp users could not protect their chat backups with encryption—while all communications were encrypted end-to-end, backups weren’t afforded the same protection. Since 2021, however, WhatsApp has offered two ways for users to encrypt these backups: a standard password, or a 64-digit encryption key.

There are security issues with both of these methods. Passwords can be secure, but let’s be real, many of us use very simple passwords that are easy to remember, and, in some cases, we even repeat passwords from account to account to make things easier on our brains. If your password for WhatsApp backups is the same password you use for your email, and the latter gets leaked, hackers can easily break into your WhatsApp backups. Not good. (Side note: Please use a strong and unique password for all of your accounts.)

The 64-digit encryption key, on the other hand, is extremely secure. It would take a computer a long time to crack (perhaps a few lifetimes) and would be essentially impossible for a human to guess. But it’s 64 characters long. You’re not going to remember it, and if you don’t store it somewhere safe and secure, you could lose track of it—and with it, access to your encrypted chat backups. Again, not good.

On Thursday, however, WhatsApp announced it is adding a new authentication method to protect your encrypted backups, and a big improvement over the existing two options: passkeys. If you choose to encrypt your chat backups with a passkey, you’ll be able to decrypt them the same way you unlock your device, such as with your fingerprint, face scan, or device passcode.

Passkeys offer the best of both passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA). The “key” is stored on-device or associated with your account, so there’s no passphrase to remember, write down, or store in a password manager. That means you don’t need to worry about it landing in a hacker’s hands due to a data leak. The only way to access the passkey is to authenticate yourself with a connected and trusted device, such as your smartphone. Without your fingerprint, face scan, or passcode, no one is getting into your encrypted backups.

How to check if you have passkey support

WhatsApp says it is gradually rolling out this passkey support “over the coming weeks and months.” To check if your account supports it, head to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup.

Google makes first Play Store changes after losing Epic Games antitrust case

Posted on by

Since launching Google Play (née Android Market) in 2008, Google has never made a change to the US store that it didn’t want to make—until now. Having lost the antitrust case brought by Epic Games, Google has implemented the first phase of changes mandated by the court. Developers operating in the Play Store will have more freedom to direct app users to resources outside the Google bubble. However, Google has not given up hope of reversing its loss before it’s forced to make bigger changes.

Epic began pursuing this case in 2020, stemming from its attempt to sell Fortnite content without going through Google’s payment system. It filed a similar case against Apple, but the company fell short there because it could not show that Apple put its thumb on the scale. Google, however, engaged in conduct that amounted to suppressing the development of alternative Android app stores. It lost the case and came up short on appeal this past summer, leaving the company with little choice but to prepare for the worst.

Google has updated its support pages to confirm that it’s abiding by the court’s order. In the US, Play Store developers now have the option of using external payment platforms that bypass the Play Store entirely. This could hypothetically allow developers to offer lower prices, as they don’t have to pay Google’s commission, which can be up to 30 percent. Devs will also be permitted to direct users to sources for app downloads and payment methods outside the Play Store.

Read full article

Comments

Beat Saber Prepares For Halloween With Spooky Scary Skeletons Shock Drop

Posted on by

Beat Saber is celebrating Halloween with a new Shock Drop for Spooky Scary Skeletons.

First released in 1996, Andrew Gold’s famous song marks the latest DLC drop in Beat Saber less than a day before Halloween comes around. Using 2013’s electronic dance remix by The Living Tombstone, this extended version costs $1.99 and it’s available now for Steam and Quest. A Steam post confirms the game’s also received an updated, spooky-themed environment.

0:00

/0:32

This isn’t the first time Beat Saber’s received a Halloween update, and you may recall 2021 saw Beat Games release Spooky Beat from its former CEO, Jaroslav Beck. That introduced the Halloween-themed environment but unlike today’s DLC, that arrived as a free content update.

Today’s news follows this month’s earlier announcement that Beat Saber will also receive OST 8 next month, marking the first OST release in over a year. However, not much has been confirmed beyond the November release window, and the initial teaser video doesn’t provide any hints on what to expect.

Beat Saber’s Spooky Scary Skeletons DLC is out now for $1.99 on Quest and Steam.

Toxin Levels in Fish Lead To Calls For UK-Wide Ban on Mercury Dental Fillings

Posted on by

Britain is facing mounting pressure to ban mercury dental fillings, one of the few countries yet to prevent the practice, as new data reveals alarming contamination levels in the nation’s fish and shellfish. The Guardian: Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can harm the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes, even at low levels of exposure. Its organic form, methylmercury, is particularly dangerous to unborn babies and can move through the food chain building up in insects, fish and birds.

Britain is lagging behind the rest of the world on phasing out mercury dental fillings, with 43 countries having already banned mercury amalgam, including the EU, Sweden, Norway, Tanzania, Uganda, Indonesia and the Philippines. Northern Ireland will outlaw mercury fillings from 2035 but no such ban is planned in the rest of Britain. According to new analysis by the Rivers Trust and Wildlife and Countryside Link, more than 98% of fish and mussels tested in English rivers and coastal waters contain mercury above safety limits proposed by the EU, with more than half containing more than five times the recommended safe level.


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

New VR Games & Releases November 2025: Quest, SteamVR, PlayStation VR2 & More

Posted on by

Searching for new VR games this November? We’ve highlighted the biggest releases on Quest, PC VR, PlayStation VR2, Pico, and more.

There’s no denying that October had plenty to choose from for new releases: Reach, Star Wars: Beyond Victory, Memoreum, Vex Mage, Super RC, My Monsters, and RAGER led the way, and that’s before counting ports like Arken Age on Quest 3. Steam also received several ports like The Phoenix Gene, Drop Dead: The Cabin and By Grit Alone, while Broken Spectre: Director’s Cut gave the 2023 cosmic horror game new visual enhancements.

While it’s mostly a lineup of older ports, Inside [JOB] and Enigmo excluded, we recently rounded up every Android XR game currently available that we’re aware of. Just be aware that if you own a Samsung Galaxy XR headset following last week’s launch, some games require controllers. Those are not bundled with it, cost an extra $250 RRP, and are currently delayed in shipping.

November is exceptionally busy, so we’ll update this list where possible. Our upcoming VR games list is regularly updated too, and we’ve also prepared a list of new VR Halloween games and updates. Some entries here are more sizable updates for previously released games that we’re aware of and wanted to highlight, and we’re also including playtests we’re aware of.

Now, onto the main event. Here are our highlights for new VR games this November on Quest, PC VR, PlayStation VR2, Pico, and Apple Vision Pro.

Of Lies And Rain – November 4 (PC VR, PS VR2, Quest)

Developed by Castello Inc., Of Lies and Rain is a near-future narrative-driven FPS where you fight to save humanity from near extinction, using the ability to cross between the real and digital realms. Originally released in early access back in September on Quest and Steam, it’s now entering full release soon with an accompanying PS VR2 release.

Elements Divided – November 6 (Quest)

Developed by Loco Motion, Elements Divided sees you harness the power of water, earth, fire, and air as an Elementalist. Featuring solo modes alongside online PvP and co-op, you’re tasked with competing in tournaments and challenges across different arenas. Following April’s early access launch on Quest, it’s now entering full release with the same update coming to Steam.

Elements Divided Swings For Chaotic Multiplayer Avatar And Comes Pretty Close
Elements Divided delivers chaotic multiplayer action inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender today on Quest and Steam.
UploadVRJason Coles

Forefront – November 6 (PC VR, Pico, Quest)

Forefront, the latest game from Triangle Factory (Hyper Dash, Breachers), is a 32-player Battlefield-style VR FPS that’s entering early access soon. Offering 16v16 matches where you’re split into teams of four, this initial launch comes with four maps with semi-destructible environments, 20 types of weapons, 10 vehicles, and four playable classes.

Laser Dance – November 6 (Quest 3)

Laser Dance is a mixed reality obstacle game from developer Vanbo BV (Cubism) where you dodge lasers to hit a button on the other side of your room. The early access launch features 18 levels across three stages, each stage introducing a new type of laser. Further content updates will follow during early access.

Little Critters – November 6 (Quest)

Developed by Little Cities studio Purple Yonder, Little Critters is a light-hearted action-strategy game. Promising a mixed reality twist on more traditional tower defense games, Little Critters sees you fortifying your real-world space by strategically placing traps to stop mischievous critters from attacking from every direction.

RUSH: Apex Edition – November 6 (PS VR2)

Originally launched in 2018, wingsuit racing game RUSH by The Binary Mill (Into Black, Resist) is back on PS VR2. Apex Edition includes “fully remastered” visuals and expanded multiplayer for up to 12 players, adaptive trigger support, plus haptic feedback in your headset and Sense controllers. PS5 Pro hits native 120fps performance, while the base PS5 supports 90fps.

BattleGroupVR2 – November 7 (PC VR)

BattleGroupVR2 by SpaceOwl Games is a sequel to 2023’s BattleGroupVR, offering a new strategic space sim where you command fleets across a galactic battlefield. Though Steam lists a November 7 launch date for early access, it’s unknown when the Quest version will follow, and a free Steam demo remains available.

Thrasher – November 7 (PC VR)

Currently out on Quest, Galaxy XR, and Apple Vision Pro, Thrasher is a cosmic action racer that tasks you with controlling a space eel through obstacle-filled levels, and we named it our favorite Apple Vision Pro game of 2024. Following September’s PC VR demo, it’s getting a remastered Steam version with visual updates, a new game mode, and more.

Thrasher Review: An Eely Good Time
Thrasher is an exhilarating, aesthetically abstract puzzler with a superb soundtrack. Our full review.
UploadVRSarah Thwaites

Escape from Hadrian’s Wall – November 10 (PC VR, Quest)

Developed by Jim Gray Productions, Escape from Hadrian’s Wall is a historical puzzle game set in 402 A.D. Britannia. You play as a nameless witch’s apprentice after escaping the titular fortress, casting magical cards and wielding artifacts to solve puzzles. Free Steam and Quest demos are available.

Lumines Arise – November 11 (PC VR, PS VR2)

Lumines Arise is the latest entry in the long-running series with optional VR compatibility, and it’s adopting a similar approach to Tetris Effect. Featuring a single-player campaign and online multiplayer that supports crossplay, you manipulate 2×2 blocks of two colors to create squares of the same color.

Glassbreakers: Champions Of Moss – November 13 (Apple Vision Pro, PC VR, Quest)

Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss first appeared with an open beta back in 2023, and the action-strategy multiplayer game is now getting its full release. Offering a PvP spin-off set in Polyarc’s Moss universe, you control a team of three Champions tasked with breaking through to an enemy’s ‘Glass Stronghold.’ 1v1 and 2v2 matches are both supported.

Why Glassbreakers: Champions Of Moss Is Bucking The Free-To-Play Trend
With many VR multiplayer games going free-to-play, Glassbreakers is a curious exception taking the opposite approach. We interviewed Polyarc to learn more.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Hotel Infinity – November 13 (PS VR2, Quest)

A new game from Manifold Garden creator Studio Chyr, Hotel Infinity is a surreal puzzle adventure designed for roomscale gameplay, though alternative locomotion methods are supported. You must traverse “impossible spaces” as you venture through this mysterious hotel where no two rooms are the same, navigating winding hallways while using lifts, portals, and more to reach new areas.

Tracked: Shoot to Survive – November 13 (Quest 3)

Developed by Green Hell VR studio Incuvo, Tracked: Shoot to Survive is a new single-player VR survival adventure designed “exclusively for the Meta Quest platform.” Having crashed in the Canadian wilderness after smugglers shot down your plane, you play as Alex Hart on a mission to rescue your kidnapped sister.

Syberia VR – November 13 (Quest 3)

A remake of Benoît Sokal’s 2002 adventure game, Syberia VR follows the story of American lawyer Kate Walker as she finds herself sent to a remote village in the French Alps. Releasing alongside its flatscreen remake, Syberia Remastered, Syberia is coming to Quest 3 a week later.

Deadpool VR – November 18 (Quest 3)

Developed by Meta-owned Twisted Pixel Games in collaboration with Marvel Games, Marvel’s Deadpool VR is the latest first-party superhero game heading exclusively to Quest 3 and 3S. Featuring cel-shaded visuals with Neil Patrick Harris voicing the titular merc, you can check out our previous previews to learn more.

Marvel’s Deadpool VR Utterly Nails Combat So Far
Marvel’s Deadpool VR impresses with its highly satisfying combat, and we went hands-on once more with a new demo.
UploadVRHenry Stockdale

Thrill Of The Fight 2 – November 19 (Quest)

Following last November’s early access launch, The Thrill of the Fight 2 is now receiving its full release almost exactly one year later. This upcoming update will add a full single-player mode and expanded competitive features, though specifics on these are currently unknown.

The Thrill Of The Fight 2 Is An Intriguing Evolution Of VR Boxing
The Thrill of the Fight 2 entered early access last year on Quest, and we sparred with creator Ian Fitz to learn more.
UploadVRAamir Mehar

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked – November 20 (PC VR, PS VR2, Quest)

Four years since the co-op tabletop game Demeo first arrived, Resolution Games is releasing an official crossover game with Wizards of the Coast through Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. This features two campaigns in the main game with more to come in the future, there’s optional VR support, and it doesn’t need a Dungeon Master (DM) like standard D&D requires.

POOLS – November 25 (PS VR2)

POOLS VR is a backrooms-inspired walking simulator where you navigate maze-like aquatic environments. We had positive thoughts when it received PC VR support back in May, and that’s now heading to PS5 with optional PS VR2 support. While the Steam demo includes PC VR support, developer Tensori previously confirmed PS VR2 support will eventually be added to the PS5 demo.

POOLS VR Review: A Darker Take On The Original
POOLS adds a compelling new dimension to this backrooms-inspired experience with PC VR support.
UploadVRK. Guillory

The Amygdala Protocol – November 29 (Quest)

0:00

/0:49

Created by TitanZGames, The Amygdala Protocol is a puzzle survival game where you portray a private detective as you visit the Crestwood Institute. Tasked with finding a missing neurologist, Dr. Elias Thorne, this promises a dark conspiracy that goes from a missing persons case to investigating highly unethical experiments.

Bootstrap Island – Major Update 5: Visions – November 2025 (PC VR)

Following four major updates during its early access period, Maru VR informed UploadVR that Bootstrap Island is getting its last major update before next year’s full release, Visions, later this month. This adds a sickness and cure system where becoming ill can cause hallucinations, a story-driven tutorial that dives into your character’s past, plus new environmental additions and threats.

Bootstrap Island Charts A Course Towards Full Launch With Early Access Roadmap
PC VR survival game Bootstrap Island unveiled a new roadmap outlining its planned updates before next year’s full release.
UploadVRAlicia Haddick

Exoshock Alpha Playtest – November 2025 (PC VR, Quest 3)

Developed by Polarity One and published by VRAL Games, co-op shooter Exoshock is hosting alpha playtests through a free, limited-time Playtest App, and you keep access to this across all playtest phases. This provides access to the Exoshock Staging Area hub, the first open alpha playtest event will be announced this week, and that’s accessible through the official Discord server.

Flight Unlimited – November 2025 (Quest)

Created by TAS Systems, Flight Unlimited is aiming to be the first “full-fledged” flight simulator available standalone on Quest headsets. This comes with 10 aircraft that promise “4K HD cockpits,” aiming for a wider scope than the studio’s previous story-based flight simulator, Flight 74.

Iron Guard: Salvation – November 2025 (PC VR)

A direct sequel to 2021’s Iron Guard by Xlab Digital, Iron Guard: Salvation is a tower defense game with RTS elements that sees us fending off a new threat across the solar system years after defeating Akris. Following its August launch on Quest, it’s now heading to Steam this November. PS VR2 and Pico editions were also previously confirmed, though a release window is unknown.

Iron Guard: Salvation Review – Strong Foundations But Needs Shoring Up
Iron Guard: Salvation has good foundations for VR tower defense strategy, though awkward design and a lack of depth hold this back.
UploadVRRebecca Hills-Duty

Maid of Sker VR – November 2025 (PC VR, PS VR2, Quest)

Released for flatscreen platforms in 2020, Maid of Sker VR by Wales Interactive is a first-person survival horror game set in the late 19th century. Drawing from Welsh folklore, it’s set in a remote hotel filled with a “gory and macabre” history. Separate Steam pages suggest this won’t be a free upgrade for existing PC or PS5 owners, and we’re awaiting store pages to go live for PS VR2 and Quest.

Zero Caliber Remastered – November 2025 (PS VR2)

Zero Caliber is one of VR’s older FPS hits, and that’s now heading to PlayStation VR2 with a remastered edition. While XREAL Games initially confirmed it’s aiming for an October launch, the studio informed UploadVR that it’s been pushed back to November. The studio also plans to bring the sequel, Zero Caliber 2, to Sony’s headset at a later date.

If you’re releasing a new VR game we should know about for this article or future monthly roundups, you can use our contact page or email tips@uploadvr.com with details.

Interested in learning about more upcoming VR games? Take a look at our complete list below, which covers upcoming Quest, PC VR, PlayStation VR2, Pico, Apple Vision Pro, and Android XR games:

We finally have a real-deal trailer for Stranger Things season five

Posted on by

It’s been around three and a half years since season four of Stranger Things premiered. We finally have an actual trailer for the fifth and final season of Netflix’s retro-soaked adventure series. It’s a good thing, as the first batch of episodes drop on November 26.

As previously mentioned, this is a real trailer with tons of footage and not a teaser. It’s over two minutes of Hawkins-based goodness. This is an action-packed affair that’s heavy on emotion and light on the type of 1980s-style humor the show has become known for. That seems right, given the stakes are higher than ever.

If you just clicked on this and don’t plan on actually watching the trailer, this is when I go into some light spoilers. It looks like the gang is trapped in Hawkins following the events of season four. There’s a military enclosure around the city and, surprise, Vecna is back and looking for vengeance.

There’s a very scary scene in which the entity looks to be controlling or torturing poor Will and we don’t even know if he has a cassette player loaded with Kate Bush just out of frame. It’s all very tense.

While the show premieres on November 26, this isn’t a one-and-done season drop like many Netflix shows. It’s being split into three installments. The first batch of episodes are set for November 26, with another batch dropping on December 25. The final episode will air on December 31 and is even coming to some movie theaters. It’s a holiday miracle.

The showrunners do promise that this season will finally tell us exactly what the upside down is, which is something to look forward to. While Stranger Things is ending, the franchise will continue on. Netflix has some spinoffs planned for the future, but they won’t have series creators the Duffer Brothers on board as showrunners. The pair recently signed a deal with Paramount.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/we-finally-have-a-real-deal-trailer-for-stranger-things-season-five-160222670.html?src=rss

AMD Strix Point Performance Continues Evolving Nicely With Ubuntu 25.10

Posted on by

This week marks fifteen months since AMD Strix Point laptops began shipping. Back at the end of July 2024 the Linux performance and support was already in good shape while since then the Linux performance has only evolved even more to make these AMD Zen 5 laptops perform even better. Here is a fresh look at how the performance has evolved since launch day and the added gains when moving to the recently released Ubuntu 25.10 and some performance advantages too if moving to the in-development Linux 6.18 kernel.

Zero Caliber 2: Remastered Impressions – VR Warfare Gets A Glow-Up

Posted on by

Just over a year after its initial launch, XREAL Games has brought its explosive action shooter to Steam with Zero Caliber 2 Remastered. This new, upgraded version gives PC players a chance to experience one of VR’s most cinematic military adventures in full, high-resolution glory. After spending some time with this upgraded release, I’m impressed while also being reminded of just how solid the original Quest version still is.

For those unfamiliar, Zero Caliber 2 is a narrative-driven military shooter set in a dystopian ‘not too distant future.’ While the story gives the action some grounding, it favors spectacle over plot. Zero Caliber 2’s focus has always been on big-budget firefights, explosive set pieces, and moment-to-moment intensity – and that remains true here. My Quest review praised the game for delivering some hugely cinematic set pieces with grand-scale explosions and pitched battles aplenty, and that still holds up brilliantly on PC.

Jumping back in on Steam instantly reminds me why these first three missions have stayed with me for so long. Battling through suburban streets, clearing houses, and moving tactically with your squad (AI or otherwise) remains thrilling. In my opinion, these levels rank among some of the best gun-based action sequences in VR today.

There’s an immediacy to combat that few shooters manage – every firefight feels grounded and physical. Pushing forward through the streets, hiding behind burnt-out sedans, seeing your AI comrade suddenly take a headshot and crumple to the floor next to you – it really sells the visceral fantasy of making your way through an active war zone.

The campaign beyond these opening levels maintains a high bar, but these first few hours still stand out to me as a benchmark for the genre.

The PC upgrade brings not just a substantial visual overhaul, but enhanced AI and a significant increase in enemy count. Initially playing through the first missions it all feels very familiar – and it does, because the basic mechanics are all there. However, after jumping back into the Quest version for a direct comparison, I’m impressed by how significant the Remastered version’s improvements are. Fighting through the overrun suburbs, lobbing grenades into a group of enemies, and picking off stragglers through the dust – this is Zero Caliber 2 as it’s meant to be played.

As you would expect, lighting, explosions, and large-scale effects have all received noticeable improvements. The chaos of battle is truly spectacular on a well-endowed rig. Explosions in particular are fantastic, filling the battlefield with cinematic bursts of light and debris that make the combat feel alive. There are moments in Zero Caliber 2 Remastered that genuinely make me glad that I invested in a powerful PC.

Gameplay-wise, the experience is comparable across both versions, which is good news – Zero Caliber 2 didn’t need much changing. Weapon handling, cover mechanics, and mission structure remain strong. However, with the additional body count and AI improvements in Remastered, the stakes are even higher. Watching teammates push forward, take cover, or drop from headshots hits hard. It’s an intense, boots-on-the-ground experience that nails the physicality of VR combat.

There are, however, a few small issues on PC. The pseudo ‘force-grab’ mechanic that lets you pull items or weapons toward you from a short distance feels noticeably inconsistent in the Steam version. In the heat of combat, when seconds count, having to reach for an item multiple times can be frustrating. Similarly, holster placement seems slightly off. I often found myself unintentionally grabbing the wrong weapon or blocking my view when trying to interact with objects. There is a mechanism to reposition the holsters, but all the components move as one, so it wasn’t possible to get things lined up exactly how I like them.

In addition, when I played a co-op session, we lost in-game chat about halfway through the level. While this is frustrating, and definitely something the devs should look into, it did mean that we were able to spend the rest of the game channeling our inner SWAT selves. Communicating and coordinating through a series of gestures that make us look like some bizarre kind of military mime artists. I’m sure it would have been hilarious to watch.

But these are small gripes and easy enough to adapt to, but they do slightly undercut what’s otherwise a fluid, intuitive system.

The real trade-off for this overall upgrade offered on Steam is no cross-platform multiplayer. The Steam version currently exists as a separate ecosystem, meaning players on PC can’t team up with friends on Quest. Likewise, the PvP community will now be split between platforms. It’s a shame, because Zero Caliber 2’s cooperative and competitive modes are at their best with a full squad of friends.

Ultimately, this is still Zero Caliber 2 – only bigger, bolder, and more bombastic than ever. Core gameplay remains great, and Remastered’s overhaul breathes new life into an already good quality VR shooter. As I wrote in my original review, “Whether you’re pushing through houses using smoke bombs and grenades to clear rooms or ducking behind debris as you advance down a war-torn street, everything feels exciting and consistent,” and the addition of PC-level fidelity only amplifies that intensity.

If you’re a Quest player, the standalone version is still a fantastic experience that holds its own surprisingly well. But if you’ve got the hardware to handle it, the Steam release of Zero Caliber 2 Remastered is the franchise at its cinematic best – a high-octane, action-packed firefight that is well worth your time.

Zero Caliber 2 Review: A Thrilling VR Action Romp
Zero Caliber 2 is a strong follow-up to the original game, delivering a thrilling action-packed VR romp. Our full review.
UploadVRPete Austin

The Best OLED TV of 2025 Is $500 Off Right Now

Posted on by

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

It’s impressive when new flagship TVs that came out this year drop in price months after their release, but when they also happen to be the best OLED TV your money can buy, it becomes a bargain (well, if you can afford it). The 65-inch LG G5 OLED TV is $1,996.99 (originally $2,496.99), the lowest price it has been since its recent release, according to price-tracking tools. The bigger 77-inch and 83-inch series are also at their lowest prices right now.

OLED TVs offer the best colors and contrast ratio that money can buy. They don’t come cheap, though (but you can still shop for budget options). Two of the biggest downsides of OLED TVs, though, are that they can suffer from the notorious burn-in effect and that they don’t get as bright as QLED or LED TVs, so they’re better suited for dimmer or theater rooms. But when LG upgraded the G4 in 2025, they made sure to address one of these issues. For an OLED, the Evo G5 gets bright, at 1,608 nits (average for an LED). That means you can actually use this OLED TV in a bright room without getting the quality washed away.

The color accuracy is on point out of the box, and it comes with a 165Hz VRR, 12.9 ms of input lag in Game Mode, and a 120Hz native refresh rate, making it great for gaming, according to PCMag’s “outstanding” review. They also deemed it the best OLED TV of 2025. Like all LGs, you’ll get HDR-10 and Dolby Vision, but not HDR10+.

If you’re searching for the best OLED TV of 2025 at its best price, you’re looking at it.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now


Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus


—
$29.99

(List Price $49.99)

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with Ring Chime Pro


—
$149.99

(List Price $259.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Pinterest has its own AI assistant now

Posted on by

Pinterest is adding a new way to find clothes, furniture and other sources of aesthetic inspiration through its app. It’s called Pinterest Assistant, and it’s an AI-powered search and recommendation tool that uses knowledge of your Pinterest activity to tailor its responses.

Whereas other search features work best when you have a specific thing you’re looking for in mind, Pinterest says the Pinterest Assistant is meant to handle more open-ended requests. Asking for pillows that match your “living room decor” is supposed to be enough for the AI to surface interesting results. To do that, the Pinterest Assistant looks at the items you’ve saved and the boards you’ve created (for example, a board full of living room decor inspiration), compares it with the things Pinterest users with similar taste have saved and displays visual results tailored to you.

Three screenshots showing the Pinterest Assistant mic icon, what you see when you dictate a prompt and results provided by Pinterest Assistant.
You start a search with Pinterest Assistant by tapping on the mic icon.
Pinterest

Pinterest appears to be specifically interested in the multimodal aspect of this new feature. The main way the company imagines you’ll interact with Pinterest Assistant is via a mic icon in the Pinterest app that starts a voice search. The AI assistant then takes that audio prompt and uses it to filter and analyze visual content to find the best fit. Besides surfacing items you might not have found on your own, Pinterest says the whole process should be “closer to how people shop in real life.”

Rolling out its own AI features puts Pinterest in an interesting place when it comes to AI content on its platform. Users have complained that the growing amount of AI-generated material on Pinterest has made it hard to find real things to buy or add to a board. In May, the company started labeling AI content in the app to make finding real items easier, and earlier in October it added a way to “dial down” the amount of AI generated content users see in the app. Pinterest Assistant isn’t necessarily a solution for an AI slop problem the company is struggling to solve, but it might help users who are sick of sifting through AI content anyway.

Pinterest Assistant begins rolling out in beta today to users in the US who are 18 and over, with wider availability coming in the next weeks and months.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/pinterest-has-its-own-ai-assistant-now-160000183.html?src=rss

After teen death lawsuits, Character.AI will restrict chats for under-18 users

Posted on by

On Wednesday, Character.AI announced it will bar anyone under the age of 18 from open-ended chats with its AI characters starting on November 25, implementing one of the most restrictive age policies yet among AI chatbot platforms. The company faces multiple lawsuits from families who say its chatbots contributed to teenager deaths by suicide.

Over the next month, Character.AI says it will ramp down chatbot use among minors by identifying them and placing a two-hour daily limit on their chatbot access. The company plans to use technology to detect underage users based on conversations and interactions on the platform, as well as information from connected social media accounts. On November 25, those users will no longer be able to create or talk to chatbots, though they can still read previous conversations. The company said it is working to build alternative features for users under the age of 18, such as the ability to create videos, stories, and streams with AI characters.

Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand told The New York Times that the company wants to set an example for the industry. “We’re making a very bold step to say for teen users, chatbots are not the way for entertainment, but there are much better ways to serve them,” Anand said in the interview. The company also plans to establish an AI safety lab.

Read full article

Comments

Threads is making it easier to hide replies you don’t like

Posted on by

Social media conversations can be vastly more enjoyable when you pick and choose who you’re talking with. Today, Threads is adding more controls that let users determine who can reply to their posts. 

One new feature is Reply Approvals, where the user will get a first look at responses before allowing them to appear publicly. The approval option can be turned on for individual posts rather than as a blanket policy for more granular control over replies. Threads is also adding new filters for viewing post replies. Now you can look at replies just from other Threads users you follow or sort them by mentions.

Threads has already had a busy week. Earlier this week, the social network introduced its take on ephemeral “ghost” posts, akin to the limited-time visibility features on Instagram Stories and many other platforms. According to parent company Meta’s third-quarter earnings call, Threads has grown to 150 million daily active users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-making-it-easier-to-hide-replies-you-dont-like-154500456.html?src=rss

VR Roguelike Sweet Surrender Blasts Onto PlayStation VR2 Today

Posted on by

Sweet Surrender is out now on PlayStation VR2, and we went hands-on once more. Read on for our impressions.

Four years since Sweet Surrender first arrived on Quest and Steam, the cel-shaded roguelike is back with today’s PlayStation VR2 launch. Tasked with fighting your way up through different regions using one of six main playable classes, our former Senior Editor considered Salmi Games’ challenging shooter to be a solid effort with room to grow in our original 2021 review.

0:00

/1:40

Come 2025, the post-launch updates haven’t stopped. Last year’s “Resurrection” update delivered gameplay adjustments and updated visuals on Quest 3, while earlier this year saw Salmi Games release Chips Revamp: Part 1 that aimed for “better balance” across the game. A public roadmap confirms there’s more on the way.

So, how does this PlayStation VR2 edition compare? Pretty well, going by my three hours of hands-on time; there aren’t any revolutionary differences compared to other platforms, though PS VR2 comes with timed exclusive new content. I’ve not found all 20 of the new or improved upgrades yet, but double-back holstering for larger weapons is a useful addition.

There’s not much of a story to worry about here beyond some discoverable lore, and Adventure Mode sees you ascend through the game’s four main areas with randomized levels. Classes like the Medic and Sniper provide some nice variety, while Trainee offers an easier alternative that doesn’t get counted towards the online leaderboards.

Only one class is initially available; the rest are gradually unlocked through methods like killing a specific boss or healing a set amount across all of your runs. Death means a complete restart, and there aren’t any more permanent ability upgrades, though shortcuts can be unlocked for reaching higher levels faster.

PS VR2 screenshot taken by UploadVR

It’s standard stuff for roguelikes that quickly becomes challenging, and you can’t just go guns blazing into every situation. Sweet Surrender’s clean arcade-style action leaves you quickly searching for cover, as staying still is a guaranteed ticket back to your base. You can’t be too hasty either, lest you fall foul of a trip mine like I did on my first run.

Landing those kills feels rewarding with good haptic feedback in the Sense controllers, helped by a decent range of enemies from your standard troopers to exploding bots. Running through areas armed to the teeth with shotguns, various pistols, and grenades remains entertaining.

My personal highlight is the upgrade system, letting you swap out a decent variety of power-ups like health upgrades or greater damage. You’ll gradually power up your abilities through chips that are placed into both of your wrists, but said upgrades only apply if that specific hand is holding your weapon. It’s the sort of VR-specific design I appreciate.

Some aspects betray its older VR design though, namely the visual assists. You can switch off your ammo count from appearing, though you can’t turn off weapon descriptions when moving them closer to you. It’s helpful when picking up something for the first time; I don’t necessarily know what abilities that item has, and this makes perfect sense for chips. With weapons, I’d like the option to turn that off.

PS VR2 screenshots taken by UploadVR

I have some smaller gripes too. Adaptive trigger support is certainly welcome compared to Quest, though it doesn’t feel closely adapted for individual weapons, and headset haptic feedback could be more reactive. On several occasions, I’d start the game only for the menu to be nowhere in sight even if I recenter my position, only to find it 90 degrees to my right. That only syncs up if I turn left just as far and recenter.

Hardly dealbreakers by any stretch, but I’d love to see it take further advantage of PlayStation VR2 where possible. Some of my PlayStation VR2-specific complaints are already in the public roadmap, so I’m hoping these updates come through soon.

It’s worth noting that while Sweet Surrender previously confirmed it would launch with light and dynamic foveated rendering, Salmi Games ultimately disabled both after further testing. Speaking to UploadVR, CEO and founder Yacine Salmi explained this decision.

“The game looks significantly better without foveated rendering, and the performance tradeoffs were not worth the visual artifacts introduced. Our rendering style (and post-processing stack) doesn’t seem to lend itself well to foveated rendering. We will explore further performance improvements post-release to see if we can push the resolution even higher while maintaining 90fps.”

Despite this exclusion, Sweet Surrender runs smoothly even in more intense moments. I’ve only played this so far on a PS5 Pro though, so I can’t speak for a base PS5, and Salmi Games states this runs at a higher resolution on the newer model. It looks great in action, and Sweet Surrender’s low-poly art style means it’s never been the most demanding game anyway.

As someone who hasn’t played since my previous interview with Salmi Games, I enjoyed this chance to return. If roguelikes have never been for you, this isn’t likely to change your mind and while it’s not a complete clean sweep, Sweet Surrender is still a welcome addition to the PlayStation VR2 library. I’ll be jumping back in soon.

Sweet Surrender is out now for Quest, Steam, and PlayStation VR2.