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TP-Link’s EAP772-Outdoor survives immersion, but the signal won’t follow it into the waterBuilt to endure harsh elements, but not the hype surrounding underwater wireless capabilitiesEnterprise users might love it, but it feels like overkill for your average Wi-Fi needsTP-Link has announced a new Wi-Fi 7 access point that not only supports the latest wireless standard, but also boasts an IP68 rating which allows it to withstand full water immersion.On paper, this rugged Wi-Fi 7 access point looks great, with tri-band wireless speeds up to 9.3Gbps, support for over 380 connected devices, and 2.5Gbps Power over Ethernet (PoE) for streamlined setup.However, the decision to highlight full immersion capabilities invites a more skeptical look, especially considering the known limitations of wireless communication in water.How relevant is the IP68 rating?The device is equipped with two 4 dBi antennas for the 2.4GHz band and two 6dBi antennas each for the 5GHz and 6GHz bands.It operates across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands, offering maximum theoretical speeds of up to 688Mbps, 2.88Gbps, and 5.76Gbps, respectively, and supports a coverage area of around 300 square meters and a five-year warranty by the company.So, while the router might physically survive immersion, the idea of underwater Wi-Fi remains questionable.Standard Wi-Fi is inherently ineffective underwater. Radio frequencies, especially at 2.4GHz and above, are quickly absorbed by water, leaving little room for practical transmission beyond a few feet.Water blocks the very signals the device is designed to emit, raising doubts about how the LAN port would even be protected from moisture once submerged.If we momentarily entertain the concept of underwater wireless use, the practical applications are narrow and not well served by conventional Wi-Fi.Divers, for instance, would benefit from the ability to send data or communicate without relying on hand signals or physical boards.Real-time image sharing or sensor readings from underwater drones to surface computers could be useful in scientific or military operations.However, these needs are already being addressed by emerging technologies like Aqua-Fi, which uses LED, laser, or acoustic waves for underwater data transmission, none of which involve standard Wi-Fi frequencies.TP-Link has not suggested any integration with such systems, nor has it indicated that the EAP772-Outdoor is intended for submerged deployment beyond mere survivability.That raises the question of why the waterproof feature is being emphasized at all. For outdoor venues, where rain, dust, and heat are threats, weatherproofing makes sense.But full immersion? Unless the router is accidentally dropped in a pond or installed in a highly flood-prone area, it’s difficult to see the value.For users seeking the best Wi-Fi router, the EAP772-Outdoor may excel in terms of outdoor reliability.Enterprise clients needing tough gear for open-air deployment might also make sense out of this device, but for anyone shopping for a mobile hotspot or switch for home or office use, this might seem more like overengineering.The TP-Link EAP772 is expected to retail around $565 when it launches in June 2025.Via Guru3dYou might also likeThese are the best firewalls at the momentTake a look at the best antivirus for your protectionSmartwatches could potentially be used to steal data from or launch attacks on air-gapped systems

Remedy has shared its plans to improve FBC: Firebreak, the new multiplayer Control spinoff, following a string of less-than-stellar reviews that criticized the game's rough early hours. FBC: Firebreak was announced in October 2024 as the first online multiplayer game from Remedy, and another pitstop on the way to an eventual Control 2.

The full patch notes for Remedy's first update are available to view on Steam, but in brief, the biggest change the developer is making is to how missions are unlocked. Previously, Firebreak required players to play a simpler, shorter version of the game's missions (like dealing with multiplying post-it notes or pink goo, for example), before a more complex version of the mission became available. Now those full-fat missions are available from the start, and completing one unlocks the next type. Remedy's update also rebalances the cost of cosmetics and makes it easier to see and find in-game collectibles, among other tweaks.

The developer is planning to make larger changes to how FBC: Firebreak explains the synergies of in-game weapons and abilities, but those onboarding improvements will take longer to implement. Future updates adding new missions and cosmetics where already planned for the game, so fixes will presumably be worked into the existing roadmap.

We enjoyed our hands-on time with FBC: Firebreak, but reviewers report a less rosy picture after playing the game over a longer period of time. Eurogamer found Firebreak charming in Remedy's typical oddball way, but also inconsistent in terms of difficulty. GameSpot noted similar messiness in the game's mission design, and also the general lack of explanation for weapons and abilities. The more damning and existential problem highlighted by TechRadar is the dearth of story in the game, something that Control generally excelled at. Remedy doesn't appear to have a plan to address any perceived narrative shortcomings in FBC: Firebreak, and since it's a multiplayer game, the company may just have different goals.

FBC: Firebreak is available now for $40 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. If you pay for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, you can play the game at no additional cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remedy-is-trying-to-fix-fbc-firebreak-in-response-to-middling-reviews-and-player-feedback-203805921.html?src=rss

ChatGPT now leads AI referral traffic worldwide, leaving Google’s Gemini far behind in usageDeepSeek’s domination in China reveals how tight control can forge domestic AI superpowers fastStatCounter confirms ChatGPT is now the default gateway to websites in most global marketsNew research claims ChatGPT is dominating AI chatbot referral traffic globally, with a commanding 79.8% share.Figures from Statcounter says OpenAI's platform leads in all G20 nations except China, where Deepseek has emerged as the unexpected frontrunner.Despite ChatGPT’s widespread influence, it has struggled to make inroads into China’s tightly regulated digital ecosystem, which now stands as a rare blind spot in its global push.DeepSeek rules China - while ChatGPT takes the rest of the worldChatGPT's global influence is evident in its significant lead over competitors like Perplexity (11.8%), Microsoft Copilot (5.2%), and Google Gemini (2%).This dominance suggests users are increasingly turning to AI chatbots not just for answers, but as gateways to the wider web, effectively reshaping the traffic model long dominated by traditional search engines.“We are already moving into a new era from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO),” said Aodhan Cullen, CEO of Statcounter.This shift could pose a substantial threat to traditional search models, particularly for Google, whose AI-based search tools lag in referrals.While ChatGPT continues to function as a leading driver of traffic and arguably the best SEO tool in most of the world, its inability to penetrate China reveals a distinct limitation.There, Deepseek holds a staggering 89.3% market share. Although globally it commands only 0.8% of referrals, Deepseek has effectively capitalized on its domestic environment to exclude foreign competitors.When it launched, Deepseek garnered significant attention, becoming the world’s most popular AI term for a day.It surpassed ChatGPT by becoming the most downloaded free app in the US and UK and recorded 12 million downloads in 2 days, even faster than OpenAI.In China, it is an indigenous alternative to OpenAI's tools, partly due to its early alignment with government AI policy, and was banned or investigated by several nations.Google, meanwhile, finds itself in an awkward position. Despite developing much of the foundational AI technology, it is now trailing in adoption and impact.Cullen likens Google’s current struggle to that of “traditional on-premise software providers at the birth of cloud computing.”There are now rumors about Apple potentially introducing AI search capabilities in Safari, which would further intensify the pressure on Google’s search business.Statcounter’s findings are based on over 3.8 billion monthly page views, and it offers a real-time look at the shifting balance of power.Still, the picture is not fully complete. Grok, another major chatbot, was excluded from the rankings due to its lack of header referral data, leaving a small blind spot in the broader market analysis.You might also likeTake a look at our guide to the best endpoint protectionThese are the best business VPNs you can get right nowAI firms from China skirt around US chip restrictions by moving petabytes of data on good ol' hard drives