The Singer Sorcerer is far more than a restored classic; it’s a
The reboot is changing how morality works, and that means your appearance won’t change depending on if you’re a saint or a bastard
The post <em>Fable</em> Is Abandoning One Of The RPG Series’ Defining Mechanics And Fans Aren’t Happy appeared first on Kotaku.
Fraunhofer HHI this week released a new version of VVenC, their open-source H.266 video encoder. Among the changes this release are more performance optimizations for ARM and I have run some comparison benchmarks using a NVIDIA GB10 SoC with the Dell Pro Max GB10…
Check out everyone who comes to your door, no matter where you are.
The post Roku Wireless Video Doorbell With Chime Drops Back to Its Black Friday Low, an Affordable Way to Build a Smart Home appeared first on Kotaku.
Anthropic has a problem that most companies would envy: its AI model keeps getting so good, the company wrote in a blog post, that it passes the company’s own hiring test for performance engineers. The test, designed in late 2023 by optimization lead Tristan Hume, asks candidates to speed up code running on a simulated computer chip. Over 1,000 people have taken it, and dozens now work at Anthropic. But Claude Opus 4 outperformed most human applicants.
Hume redesigned the test, making it harder. Then Claude Opus 4.5 matched even the best human scores within the two-hour time limit. For his third attempt, Hume abandoned realistic problems entirely and switched to abstract puzzles using a strange, minimal programming language — something weird enough that Claude struggles with it. Anthropic is now releasing the original test as an open challenge. Beat Claude’s best score and … they want to hear from you.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Two-in-one laptops are an adaptable tech essential for anyone who’s waffling between a laptop and a tablet—they’ve changed how people tackle workflows and consume entertainment, and are a more portable option for commuters or anyone who wants the perks of a touchscreen with their laptop. The 14-inch Asus Chromebook Flip CX1 is a sturdy, entry-level 2-in-1 for those on a budget, and according to price trackers, it’s at its lowest price ever—$279, down from $369.99.
This convertible laptop runs ChromeOS (which does security auto-updates) and features a touchscreen hinge that flips all the way back and an Intel Celeron N4500 processor with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB eMMC storage. It’s designed for casual, everyday use, like work, video streaming, and multitasking, rather than heavy multitasking or more demanding tasks like video editing, serious gaming, or 3D rendering. The CX1 has a 13-inch full HD touchscreen with sharp vision and lasts up to 11 hours on a single charge, based on usage.
Users get USB-C fast charging, fingerprint login, and a backlit keyboard. The laptop also features a 1080p webcam for calls and dual speakers, as it integrates well with Google services like Google Assistant voice control. It’s a no-frills, lightweight option (just over 3.5 lbs) that easily flips, and while it doesn’t have the fancy high-end specs and heavy performance capabilities of some Chromebooks, it’s a decent option that performs well and covers basics, which is more than generous for an under-$300 price tag.
As the orbital highway becomes increasingly congested, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) 2025 Space Environment Report paints a sobering picture: intact satellites and rocket bodies
Get the same sound and quality of Bose’s over-the-ear options in a compact package.
The post Bose Goes on ANC Headphone Clearance, New QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) Crash to an All-Time Low appeared first on Kotaku.
Ideally, a winter storm is merely uncomfortable and annoying, but they can sometimes be dangerous for you and your home. This weekend, a potentially historic winter storm is bearing down on some 200 million Americans, who may face dangerously icy conditions and significant snowfall. It’s important to know your area’s risk and understand the meaning and potential impact of different weather terms (advisory, watch, and warning) so you can respond quickly in the event of an emergency. You should also use the next few days to take steps to prepare your home and lower the chances of damage and danger.
Winter prep starts with a thorough inspection of your property, both inside and out and top to bottom. Look for everything from roof leaks to door gaps to clogged gutters—anything that could lead to damage from snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Make a plan for repairs and winterization to ensure your safety and comfort—not just for the next storm, but for the entire season.
Here’s a quick summary of the most important tasks to take care of before the temperatures drop or the snow starts to fall.
This is something that should be part of your regular home maintenance, and it’s especially important when you are using your furnace and fireplace regularly (considering both fire safety and indoor air quality). Follow the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines for where to install CO detectors and how to inspect and maintain them; then check out the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) guidelines for smoke alarms. Make sure your fire extinguisher is handy and working as well.
Any thermostat will show you indoor temperature, and if you have a smart system like an Ecobee or Nest, you have real-time data at your fingertips. The CDC also recommends installing easy-to-read thermometers in locations where you’ll see them frequently. This is especially important for older adults, as our sense of temperature changes as we age, increasing the risk of cold-related health issues.
Gaps around doors and windows keep your home drafty, which is uncomfortable and a waste of energy. Door sweeps, weatherstripping, and caulk can be used to fill spaces that allow cold air in. These are simple DIY fixes that go a long way toward lowering your heating bill and keeping your home warm. If your home has older windows, floor-to-ceiling thermal curtains can also help with insulation even if you lose heating.
Before freezing temperatures arrive, make sure your outdoor plumbing is prepared—frozen pipes can burst, causing significant damage to your home. To winterize exterior faucets, remove and store hoses, shut off outdoor water, drain spigots, close them up, and insulate with covers.
While you don’t need to fully winterize your indoor plumbing unless your house will be vacant for an extended period of time, you should look for pipes that are uninsulated and in or near unheated spaces and consider applying insulation sleeves or heat tape.
Turn your furnace on and make sure it is working properly. Even if you don’t need to heat your home right now, you don’t want to scramble to schedule an emergency repair down the line when it’s freezing outside. Look for common signs that your unit needs maintenance, such as unusual smells and noises, short cycling, and lack of actual heat. Replace your air filter as well.
Your fireplace or wood stove can provide heat in an emergency. Like your furnace, they need seasonal maintenance to avoid chemical buildup and ensure proper venting, both of which impact your indoor air quality and overall safety. The NFPA recommends annual cleaning, which you can do yourself. However, if it’s been awhile since your fireplace was professionally inspected and cleaned, consider scheduling a chimney sweep before you start your first winter fire. You can find one online or ask your local fire department for a recommendation.
If you get snow in your area, make sure your shovels are accessible and restock your ice melt. If you use a snowblower, give it a thorough inspection, replace any worn or damaged parts, change the oil, top it off with fresh gas, and start it up to make sure it runs.
You should be prepared for storms during any season with a stock of disaster supplies so you and your family (and pets) can survive without outside aid for a few days if needed. We have a guide to creating an emergency kit if you don’t have one already, but you should also check all supplies and replenish anything that has been used or is missing. For winter, be sure you also have sleeping bags, warm blankets, and climate-appropriate changes of clothes and shoes available.
Filesystems seem to be one of those many areas where the problems are well
understood, but there is always somebody working toward a better solution.
As a result, filesystem development in the Linux kernel continues at a fast
pace even after all these years. In recent news, the EROFS filesystem is
on the path to gain a useful page-cache-sharing feature, there is a new
NTFS implementation on the horizon, and XFS may be about to get an
infrastructure for self healing.
Leak！
Samsung
Winning shots from the Capturing Ecology competition highlight the complex relationships that shape ecosystems.
In addition to the release today of Vulkan 1.4.340 with the new descriptor heap “VK_EXT_descriptor_heap” extension and three other new extensions, The Khronos Group’s Vulkan Working Group has also published the Vulkan Roadmap 2026 Milestone…
Turn off “The Big Light” and go with this Alexa-controlled floor lamp instead—now for $35 off.
The post Govee LED Floor Lamp Drops Again to a New Record Low After Another Surprise Price Cut on Amazon appeared first on Kotaku.
Vimeo is laying off employees around the world just months after Italian software company Bending Spoons completed its $1.38 billion acquisition of the video hosting platform. Dave Brown, Vimeo’s former brand VP, described the cuts on LinkedIn as affecting “a large portion of the company.” One video engineer claimed “almost everyone” was laid off, “including the entire video team,” and another software engineer said he lost his job alongside “a gigantic amount of the company.”
This marks Vimeo’s second round of layoffs in less than six months. The company cut 10% of its workforce in September, just one week before Bending Spoons announced its acquisition plans. Bending Spoons has a history of post-acquisition layoffs at companies including WeTransfer, Filmic, and Evernote.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Queen’s Blood will return in the FF7 Remake finale
The post The Third <em>Final Fantasy VII</em> Remake Game Is Playable And Has An Even Better Version Of Queen’s Blood appeared first on Kotaku.
It’s not everyday you get to snag the latest Fire TV stick at a 50% discount.
The post Amazon Starts a Streaming Device Clearance, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (Newest Model) Hits Its Lowest Price of the Year appeared first on Kotaku.
Welcome to Edition 8.26 of the Rocket Report! The past week has been one of advancements and setbacks in the rocket business. NASA rolled the massive rocket for the Artemis II mission to its launch pad in Florida, while Chinese launchers suffered back-to-back failures within a span of approximately 12 hours. Rocket Lab’s march toward a debut of its new Neutron launch vehicle in the coming months may have stalled after a failure during a key qualification test. We cover all this and more in this week’s Rocket Report.
As always, we welcome reader submissions. If you don’t want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.
Australia invests in sovereign launch. Six months after its first orbital rocket cleared the launch tower for just 14 seconds before crashing back to Earth, Gilmour Space Technologies has secured 217 million Australian dollars ($148 million) in funding that CEO Adam Gilmour says finally gives Australia a fighting chance in the global space race, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The funding round, led by the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation and superannuation giant Hostplus with $75 million each, makes the Queensland company Australia’s newest unicorn—a fast-growth start-up valued at more than $1 billion—and one of the country’s most heavily backed private technology ventures.
